Yes! The Eucharist brought our family of 13 into The Church! "Holy is the Lord Our God" - +JMJ+

 

New Catholics at "the farm" in 1971.  I am the oldest of 12, and there are 12 years between me and my youngest sister, Carol.  I lost one sibling a couple days after birth - a twin to my brother, Phil, who is behind the wheel of this antique truck.  We lost another sibling, my sister Mary, to cancer at age 28 in 1986.  She left behind a farmer husband and a 20 month old daughter, Audrey.  

Last night at our mission the speaker spoke of how The Eucharist brings many to the True Church.  That was true of my family - my father was a Protestant Minister, and he was Charismatic.   When we moved to Minneapolis from Flint, MI the summer after I graduated high school - 1969 - we found a Charismatic Prayer group at a convent of Charismatic nuns in Wayzata - The Cenacle Convent!

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The amazing story of the 13 becoming Catholic!    

The chapel at the Cenacle Convent.  So special to me as I lived with them for January Term at St Catherine's College studying religious life.  My parents attended an Ignatian retreat here in 1971 and the Lord spoke to my father as he read Isaiah 55:1-2... very Eucharistic!

Invitation to the Thirsty

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
    and you will delight in the richest of fare.

"Jesus/God, creator of the Universe." in the monstrance brought close to us as it was processed around the church on the last night of the mission last night!  Now 52 years after our 13 came into The Church... Jesus is my ALL!  

A family sitting ahead of me... adoring Our Lord!  A powerful moment that brought tears to my eyes!  

Our presenter spoke to us about how we are to get others to come into the walls of The Catholic Church and there they will experience Jesus there for them.  "I ask them to go to a Catholic Church where the Creator of the Universe is waiting for them and pray there.  Jesus will work on their hearts in ways that I cannot."  

What JOY!  Sharing mass this morning with 3 nuns- Mary Morning Star Order.  How I yearned to share with them about our nun!  I am so much thinking about our 3rd and 4th daughter these next days!  Maria and family is on the road to KCK - staying overnight in Louisville tonight and then on to KCK tomorrow!  Just knowing that they will see each other is filling me with so much happiness.  Maria shared how their parting from new friends in Charlottesville was hard for them...  in the military this is part of the deal.  There was a pot luck farewell on Sunday at their church where they attended daily mass, and this morning at 7a mass there were friends that drove 40 miles to say a final farewell.  

So love to see nuns in habits and their example to all around them of total love and devotion to their spouse, Jesus!  We are so blessed to have our nun in our family for all the 23 grandchildren to witness this most amazing way of life - calling by our Lord.  My prayer is that they will each consider this as an option.