Congregational E-News ~ Feb. 15, 2020
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Words are one of God’s great gifts to us. We can use words to share stories with others, to thank others, to praise and thank God…and the list goes on. But we can also use words to harm others—making our words instruments that cut the heart and mutilate the spirit of another person. But then there is Jesus whom we refer to as the “Word of God” spoken by the Father—Jesus who lifted up those who were put down, degraded, broken by others.
And who am I? Have I used my words to “raise up” others when they have been demonized by those with power? Have I used my words to help others recognize their intrinsic worth?
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Exchange of Words
words. . .
uttered in jest
or scorn,
in anger
or in hate,
words. . .
like knives
that cut the heart
and scar the mind,
words. . .
that cripple being,
paralyze what might become.
The Word. . .
Utterance of the God-Who-Is,
culling into being
god-within
my crippled, shredded heart,
whispering into wholeness
the contradiction that I am,
singing deep within my soul,
in Wisdom’s gentle
words,
the love song of a God.
The Word. . .
Who plays upon the words
of jest and scorn,
of anger and of hate,
harmonizing all with
reconciling
love
into the canticle
of what can be.
Ann Marie Slavin, OSF
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The True Gift of Sisterhood
Going beyond and giving life to another
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Sr. Lynn Patrice Lavin, OSF, needed a kidney and Sr. Deborah Krist, OSF, gave her one. Sounds so simple, yet so incredible. These are two sisters—not by blood but by vocation. There was no telling that they would be a match at all but Sr. Debbie just knew she would be a good fit. “It was an act of God for sure,” Debbie said “It has been an amazing journey which I believe, through the grace of God, has changed both our lives!”
The Diagnosis
Sr. Lynn was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) in December 2012. PKD is a genetic disease that causes uncontrolled growth of cysts in the kidney eventually leading to kidney failure. The number of cysts can range from just a few to many. The disease effects more than 600,000 Americans and 12.4 million people worldwide. After the diagnosis, Sr. Lynn was routinely tested and experienced gradual reduction in kidney function. However, by March 2019, her nephrologist, Dr. Matthew Denker, advised Lynn that she was approaching stage five renal failure and needed to
consider
seriously either dialysis or kidney transplant. Without either, she would not live long. After extensive testing, Lynn discovered that she was a candidate for a transplant but, without a living donor, it could take anywhere from three to seven years to get a kidney—time that Sr. Lynn just didn’t have.
Asking for Help
“Asking for help from others is not an easy thing for me,” Sr. Lynn admits. “Needless to say, this reality was very overwhelming and I needed to take in the hard reality of this diagnosis.” Already 2019 had been unfolding as a very challenging year for her. She was recovering from a full hysterectomy due to uterine cancer as well as dealing with the death of her sister. “Initially, I could hardly talk about it,” Lynn said. “Yet I needed to reach out to my family, my friends, and my sisters for both emotional and prayerful support.
Read more
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Brewing Faith Podcast - Episode 4: Sports and Spirituality
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Brewing Faith, Episode 4 - Sports and Spirituality
Thanks for joining us for Brewing Faith where we bring the hard questions to the table as we talk about the future of our Church. In this episode we will be sharing stories and conversation about sports and spirituality. I will be sitting down...
Read more
www.podbean.com
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Follow Assisi House on Facebook
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Do you have a relative that resides in Assisi House? Want to keep up with your favorite retired sister/teacher/healthcare provider? We have recently created an Assisi House Facebook page. Like and follow the page for updates and photos of what is happening at Assisi House.
Click here
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Assisi House
Now retired from their rigorous vocation ministry as teachers, nurses, administrators, etc., the sisters at Assisi House continue to carry out their Franciscan ideals through prayerful service to one another, their community, and their world.
Read more
www.facebook.com
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Franciscan Night
May 2, 2020 - 6-10 P.M.
On May 2, 2020, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia will host the 5
th
Annual Franciscan Night at Our Lady of Angels Convent. The event is a casino night with the added fun of a Kentucky Derby theme!
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Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia | 610-558-7726 | communications@osfphila.org | www.osfphila.org
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