The day after Hallel took her habit and went from Susan Angela to Little Sister Hallel on the hillside going up from the Green Cathedral on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary - August 22, 2009! The 3 of her family that were able to make it to France - Her mom, older sister, Nancy, and brother, John, who was in the midst of a battle for his life against brain cancer.
Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: John's cancer stories
Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Susan Angela Agnes/Little Sister Hallel - the story of a Call
John's Spirit Juice video so that his message of finding Faith through brain cancer can reach many! His story continues to this day now with wife of 3 years and two little ones! The miracles continue.
This picture reminds me of Jesus coming down from the mountain where he was transfigured - "They were amazed when they saw him!" Much like Moses we have our faces are glowing after our encounter with Jesus in mass/Eucharist followed by Adoration with The Community in the Trinity Cathedral August 2018 after Hallel's final vows!
Pat's huge hand holding the Lamb with the surrounding wood that it was cut from for the parents - "Wounded, I will never cease to love." The motto of The Community of the Lamb! How we are called to go deeper by our children! Nothing could be more wonderful if we truly take sharing our Faith in our Domestic Church/family seriously!
The 21 in France for Hallel's becoming a Bride of Christ along with 2 of my brothers and sister-in-law! There were 3 in the womb, so in reality there were 25 of us there for this huge wonderful moment for our sweet Hallel!!!
Our 5 here with us along with the 7 losses in heaven keeping our eyes focused on getting there to meet them as we leave this world behind. I have learned at the feet of each one of my children! How did I get so lucky?
This was made possible by Pat's mother, who had passed away and left us a good amount to pay for us all to travel to France for Hallel! It was so appropriate as she had traveled at age 92 to France with us for Hallel to take her first vows in Saint Pierre, France. I know that she was overjoyed and smiling from heaven to know that we could all be there for Hallel on her big day thanks to her gift to us!
Hallel with my father on her last home visit in July 2020.
She had left for France in 2008, so she had not seen my father since - 12 years! They were overjoyed to share their journeys together. My father had been a permanent Deacon in The Catholic Church for 44 years and was on hospice here in my home for 6 months until he passes away peacefully from a natural death - he was sharp until the end!
Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The amazing story of the 13 becoming Catholic!
Praying the chaplet and rosary on my porch each day at 3p! Dad loved to hear Hallel sing the Angelus and the Hail Mary as the Community sings it!
Around the farm with Ruth's farm family - Joy and round bale.
Our walking in her dad's soy bean field.
After my weekend with other parents and watching them interact with their daughters... I was reminded of how I am blessed at this point of my life by my children taking me ever deeper into my Faith journey! The 23rd Psalm today on this Feast of the Chair of St Peter really spoke to me of that gift I am given by my Faith filled children!
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul...
he refreshes my soul...
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.... Psalm 23
my cup overflows.... Psalm 23
Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Our marriage stories - "The world needs LIGHTS!"
Joy's turn to find a place of peace and refuge under Hallel's scapula. 
We understand when Hallel comes home that each day she needs to receive her spouse, Jesus, in His Body and Blood and Word! She also needs to have time in Adoration with Him. Just as we need to have time with our spouses to communicate and share our love and devotion. She must.
I see that more than once every 3-4 years would be too much of a distraction from her life. Yes, it is a sacrifice for her family, but we know of her deep prayer life and that we are hugely prayed for by her in her hours of prayer each day. United in The Eucharist and The Word!
Danielle Rose - See you in the EucharistIt was great to hear that another daughter had shared this with her parents when she "out of the blue" went to join The Community of the Lamb!
A special gift was to see these two share their Faith journeys! Dad led us all into The Church shortly after my husband had told his sisters that he would only marry a Catholic. Knowing him now and how he is such a determined man... I am starting to give his prayers credit for our conversion story of the 13 coming into The Church 50 years ago! His Deaconate and her call to be a Religious Sister all depends upon this coming into The Church!
A sweet moment between mother and daughter, Little Sister Stella...
In my 14 years with the Community the blue apron has been a powerful sign of our shaing in the life of our children, who have answered with a "yes" to the Lord's call to come to Him in this very personal way.
Stella and her mother this past weekend - such a sweet moment of sharing with her in this deep call to LOVE Jesus in Word and Body and Blood! The Lamb shows us how to live out "Wounded, I will never cease to LOVE."
Sharing the color of the sky and the shape of the Cross - I have heard Fr Jean Claude years ago describe their habit in this way. We were allowed to go very deep this past weekend with the help of our children! There is nothing more wonderful to acknowledge the Faith we have planted in our homes/Domestic Church - planted the seed and now share in the fruit of 100 fold!
Little Sister Stella with Little Sister Oliviana and Stella's parents
Donated flowers are a sight of beauty...
Little Sister Judith has been so important to Hallel and her family from the beginning of her journey! We stayed with her wonderful Godparents in Rochester when we were there for weeks at time with our son, John and his battle with brain cancer! She the first American Little Sister and Hallel the second! Our "cup truly overflows"!!!!
Kansas City, snow, Jesus, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Hallel with us in Truth! We were reminded of how we need to leave the distractions behind and come more closely to Jesus with nothing coming between us!
Jesus so close thanks to my daughter's "Yes"!
Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The amazing story of the 13 becoming Catholic!
A picture of a very special miracle! I was allowed to share in my dad's religious life on a very deep level while he lived his last 6 months of his life with me on the farm on the same hospice I had worked for as an RN for 20 years! The Lord definitely made "my cup overflow" and "He refreshes my soul" on this Feast of the Chair of St Peter - the foundatoin of The True Holy Catholic Church!
Dad with his 58th great grandchild - born here in Marshall while he lived with me! Birdie Barbara - my namesake and John's 2nd child! He now has reached 65 great grandchildren!!!
We have now reached 22 grandchildren - 3 in the last year! Hallel has yet to meet the newest 3 and that is a true sacrifice for us. Yet, it true that it makes our time with her that much more wonderful. A most cherished moment we have to look forward to.
Last night - my first night home was a bit of a test/struggle! TV or word games fill much of my evenings and I did go to the TV to find it empty and pointless and plain old disturbing. I left that to find the book given me for Christmas by daughter Nancy about Chiara, who gracefully lost her first 2 children and then her battle with cancer - always seeing the Lord's hand in getting her to heaven forever with Him. Once again, my children looking out for me and taking me deep!
"We might not have it all together, but together we have it all!"
The song my Susan/Hallel listened to over and over before she left for France! How I long to follow her example to me and leave all distractions behind! Let there be nothing between us, my Lord with the help of my Lady!
Danielle Rose - she has written a song for every decade of the rosary - all 20 while sitting in front of Jesus in the monstrance on the altar!
Danny Gokey
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