Conversations of the Heart
On Sunday, December 16th, we put our hearts into a Christmas feast of prayer and food and friendship. We were delighted to be able to share our feast with Sisters Rebecca and Catherine who just "happened" to be in the area. What a special visitation happening that was! We, of course, missed the presence of Sisters Noreen H., Bernadette and Della but I was able to bring back to Andrews a taste of the feast for them. We weren't expecting Santa but, imagine our surprise when we found, not one, but two gift bags for each of us under the coffee table. After much feasting and fun, we made plans for our next gathering and went our separate ways, looking forward to continuing to celebrate the Christmas Season with family and friends. We reminded ourselves that we were still, however, in the season of waiting, of preparing, of anticipating the coming of the "God of Surprises" who will make all things new.
A session was held at the mother house on the Migrants' Caravan coming from Honduras with Honduran journalist Felix Molina. The room was full of Congrégation de Notre-Dame Sisters and staff and guests from many collaborating organizations. It was an excellent session. The most significant stat for me was that if the doors were opened 70% of Hondurans say they would leave.
On Saturday, October 20, 2018, visitors of the Kankakee French Heritage Museum, located in an historic stone barn in Kankakee, Illinois, were treated to a dramatic presentation on the history of early education in the Bourbonnais and Kankakee area.
Local theater actress and French teacher at Kankakee High School Bonnie Brewer appeared as Soeur Marie de la Victoire, one of the three original Congregation de Notre Dame Sisters who arrived in Bourbonnais in 1860 to start a school for the local children at the request of the pastor from MBVM Parish.