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Sister Esther Anderson (second from left) leads the sisters in blessing Sister Rose Mary Eve Holter (second from right). |
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Sister Rose Mary Eve gathers with her Franciscan sisters and companions in OLA Chapel. |
In keeping with the theme of our June 2011 Congregational Assembly, From Blessing to Blessing, we have experienced many blessings within our initial formation program this summer.
- On July 17, over one hundred sisters gathered in Aston to ritually receive Simona Botezatu and Sara Marks into our novitiate. A week earlier, Simona and Sara were welcomed to Canticle House, our congregational novitiate, in South Philadelphia, by Sister Mary Craig, our novice minister, and Sister Kathleen Gannon, who will form their local community during their two-year novitiate. Sara and Simona travel to St. Louis, Missouri, in mid-August, for a nine-month canonical experience with other Franciscan novices at the Third Order Regular Franciscan Common Novitiate. Watch this space for more news on our novitiate program in the future!

Sister Rose Mary Eve gathers with Sara Marks, Kathy Flood, Simona Botezatu and Sister Diane Tomkinson (left to right) following her renewal of vows.
- The days prior to renewal of vows were a time of prayerful preparation for the four women currently in our initial formation program. From Wednesday through Friday evening, Sisters Rose Mary Eve, Simona, Sara, and candidate Kathy Flood gathered with members of the initial formation team for a Franciscan hermitage experience, in the beautiful wooded setting of Clare House and its hermitages. The women came together each day for morning and evening prayer and meals prepared by Sisters Helen Budzik, Mary Craig, and Diane Tomkinson (directors of candidacy, novitiate and formation, respectively). The rest of the day was spent in prayerful solitude. This rhythm of contemplative solitude and sisterly relationship invited both the serving “Marthas” and hermit “Marys” to enter more deeply into the gospel spirit of Francis and Clare of Assisi, integrating service, contemplation, and communal relationship as sisters and brothers with one another and all creation.
- On August 7, members of our current and past formation teams, sisters currently and recently in initial formation and members of our congregational leadership joined in celebrating Sister Patricia Novak as she concludes eight years of service as codirector of our vocations program on the west coast. From her home in Portland, Oregon, Patty has traveled tirelessly throughout the Pacific Northwest and from California to Wyoming, offering vocation retreats and programs in schools, colleges, parishes, spiritual centers, and youth conventions. Sister Mary Beth Antonelli, who has ministered with Patty for the past three years as codirector of vocations programs on the east coast, led the gathered sisters in a beautiful prayer service celebrating Patty’s many gifts, followed by a festive luncheon at Clare House.
- As the formation team gratefully blesses Sister Patty for her service in vocation ministry, we also bless and welcome Sisters Christine Still and Elaine Thaden who will serve as part-time codirectors of our vocations program on the west coast beginning this fall. Sister Christine will be based in the Seattle/Tacoma area where she is also pursuing part-time graduate studies. Sister Elaine will be based in Spokane, Washington, where she also serves in spiritual ministry and spiritual direction.
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Profession of Vows |




