Green Thumb Nun

Dear Friends,

Greetings of Christmas Peace and Joy to you and yours!  Remembering you this Christmas and praying your celebration brings a heart of joy as you remember God’s amazing love shown through His Son, Jesus. I earnestly wish that every good brought into life by the Christmas Christ be yours, that you may have a heart of cheer, a spirit of hope, a life of love for every day.

This year has been filled with the many blessings of my family, my Ursuline Sisters , my volunteer ministries and my friends.

  Beginning with my sister, Deanna and her children, Terri, Rob and Scott, Deanna still sells Avon and enjoys her two grandchildren, Maxwell (10) and Alice, 8 mo.  Terri is engaged to Mike McAllister, Rob received certification as a Web Designer, and Scott works at Louisville Slugger Bat Factory,

Colleen continues to work, taking care of the sick and elderly in their homes. Tony, her youngest son lives at home and works for Papa John’s delivering pizza. Billy, her oldest, is married to Windy and also works for Papa John’s.

My brother, Dan retired this year from Jefferson County Public Schools working in maintenance, repairing TVs, VCRs etc. His children, Dana, Brian and Chris gave their parents, Dan and Patricia a surprise retirement and birthday (60) party in September. Dana  married to Tom and teaches in the same school as her mother. Brian works in Bowling Green and Chris is a senior at WKU.

  My deceased sister, Hazel’s husband, Mac and their children are doing well. Mary Frances and Jeff have two precious little ones, Blake (17 months) and Tyler (3). They live in Mt Washington. Anita lives in Elizabeth, IN. Raymond lives with his Dad and Sean lives  in the city.

I live with Sister Rita Ann, who is on our Ursuline Leadership Team . My volunteer work at Norton Audubon Hospital and Mercy Sacred Heart Village Nursing Home keeps me active. I helped sing at the Hospital Christmas event and sat on Santa’s lap.  My social life includes gathering with my friend volunteers at Audubon, Derby festivities and football/basketball.

About three times a year I have the privilege of participating on the Board of Plowshare Farm Center for Education and Spirituality in Buffalo, KY. In the Spring we gathered for the feast of St. Isadore to bless the seeds to be planted and the sharing of food and friendship.

My travels this summer took me to Cleveland with Sisters George Mary and Lee for an Experience of St. Angela with the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland. Also my two sisters, Deanna, Colleen and I traveled to visit our cousin, Jane and Don near Pittsburgh. While there we celebrated their 25 years of marriage. In October our cousins, Marianne and Pete came to Louisville to celebrate their 40 years of marriage. Jane and Don came to announce their transfer and move to Missouri while visiting their brother Bill and Laura.

This fall I accepted the invitation from St. Brigid Parish Faith Formation Team in Vine Grove to give the presentation for the Women’s Advent Tea in November. It was so good to join my St. Brigid family with 50 women gathering for tea, sweet treats and the talk, Advent, a Time to Look Around, Look Within and Look Forward in Hope.

December 14, we lost a wonderful Shepherd and Friend, Archbishop Thomas Kelly. He served the Archdiocese for 30 years. The funeral Mass celebrating his life was today with about 20 Bishops, 130 priests and an overflowing attendance of the faithful flock. A truly good and faithful servant of God!

As we end this year of 2011 and prepare for the New Year of 2012 I wish you this blessing:

                                             AN IRISH CHRISTMAS BLESSING
The light of the Christmas star to you,  The warmth of home and hearth to you,
The cheer and good will of friends to you,  The hope of a childlike heart.

A Blessed and Happy New Year to all in  2012!

Sister Julia

Dear Friends,

Spring in KY was beautiful with colorful flowers and flowering trees. The Kentucky Derby is always the first Saturday in May. What excitement and festivity in the city as some of my friends and I participated in several events. Derby parties were in vogue for those not going to Churchill Downs. 

 In the month of May, Fr. Bill Martin celebrated his 40 years as a priest and I was able to celebrate with him with some former teachers of St. Helen School and also with his classmate, Fr. Joe Graffis at St. Edward Church.

For the feast of St. Isidore, Joan Stith, Barbara French and I joined the group at Plowshare Farm Center of Education and Spirituality in Hodgenville to celebrate the blessing and planting of seeds with prayer, sharing food and fellowship. Bob and Sharon Ernst provided shelter on the rainy day. Bob held a new little lamb for the children to pet.  

Also in May two of my former students, Elizabeth Tindall and Jordan Benton,  invited me to their wedding at St. Brigid in Vine Grove. It was wonderful to see so many friends and young people I had taught.

Summer is my favorite season but the heat began early. We planted our garden early with tomatoes, zucchinis, and beets. WOW...the zucchini plants flowered and overpowered the rest if the garden.

The month of June took Sisters Lee, George Mary and me to Cleveland for a week to join the Ursuline Sisters in a St. Angela Merici Experience with Dr. Mazzonis from Italy as the main speaker. He brought our foundress of the Ursuline Sisters alive and revelant to today's society. The hospitality, community spirit and prayer of the Sisters united us closer together. Sister Ritamary gave us a tour of Lake Erie shore line where the Rock&Roll Museum, Cleveland Brown Stadium, and also experienced  "Little Italy" at Mia Bella with Italian flavor of delicious food. We ended up at Holy Moses Ice Cream Parlor.

Among my travels, my sisters, Deanna, Colleen and her friend, Don and I visited our cousin, Jane and Don in New Brighton, PA in July. We visited Pittsburgh, took a trolley tour, toured University of Pitt's Cathedral of Learning, overlooked the 3 rivers of Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio and the ethenic neighborhoods. Did you know that Pittsburgh has 944 bridges, the second in the world? Venice is #1.  We enjoyed the hospitality of our cousin and celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with dinner, gift and a play at the Red Barn.

July was a full month of vacation, retreat at the Ursuline Motherhous in Louisville and the annual gathering of community meetings, prayers, meals and celebrations of the Ursuline Sisters and Ursuline Associates. My sisters, Deanna and Colleen are Associates plus I also companion Mary Margaret.

Another big celebration for our family was the first birthday of Blake, my great nephew. His older brother, Tyler will celebrate year #3 in August. We will celebrate together in the new home of my niece and Godchild.

Early in July was another wedding at St. Brigid in Vine Grove of another former student, Mark Cochran and Judy. A beautiful celebration including the reception at FT. Knox!

In the middle of July, my friend, Sister Patricia Ann celebrated her 50 years as a Dominican Sister. She came to Louisville to celebrate with her family and friends. We had a wonderful day together remembering places where we grew in the west end of Louisville. Sister had a beautiful Mass and reception at her niece's home.

Summer continues on into August. A very hot summer but much events and celebrations are on the calendar. I had the joy of visiting several times my special parish family, St. Brigid in Vine Grove to see many young adults beginning their new families with babes in arms.

Blessings to all my friends and family during this summer season. More to share in the months ahead as life continues to allow me to minister in a variety of ways. One is to visit my friend Jo Ann and her little dog "Bear" regularly following her stroke in May. Also I work at a local hospital helping others to find their way as a "Way Finder" and helping at the nursing home where our sick and older Sisters reside.

                         God wants only what is for your good and joy

                                                                               St. Angela Merici

Dear Friends,

Winter snows and cold dreary days have moved on. Springtime is here with the beautiful flowering trees especially the dogwoods and red bud. The rains have come and the sun to bring out the flowers. But the rains are still with us as the Ohio river has overflowed it's banks and some of our streets and homes.

I will celebrate Easter this year with my St. Brigid family at the Easter Vigil and Easter morning at Mass. The afternoon will be with family in Louisville. May each of you enjoy and experience the blessings of the Resurrection Jesus and the Joys of Easter with family and friends.

                                       God's Love is all around us in the lovely flowers.

             He sends in the promise of Easter, the blessings of  friends, 

                     Wishing you God's Joy in your heart and peace

                                   A Blessed Easter