“As stewards of God's creation, we are called

to make the earth a

beautiful garden for

the human family.”

— Pope Francis

October 23, 2022

What a grace it is when

we can open our eyes and ears to the beauty of God's creation and praise him

for it, as St. Francis did.

— Sister Mary Lou Metro

Beauty All Around Us

It won’t be long before winter find us but, for now, we have Autumn and some of the best weather of the entire year. Bright, clear days give way to crisp, cool nights, as nature delivers its final gasps of color before blanketing snow turns Mother Nature’s pallet to white. We all need a little beauty in our lives, so we’d like to share with you these striking photos of wildflowers showing off their brilliance at our Monocacy Farm Project earlier this month. Like the beauty all around us wherever we live, these flowers are powerful reminders of God’s precious gift of Creation.

This flower — full of God, full of grace-potential to brighten darkness

and decorate emptiness, to lift up hearts and plant more seeds!

From the poem “This Flower” by Sister Barbara DeStefano

Programs to Attend in Person or Online

Our St. Francis Center for Renewal in Bethlehem, Pa., has these and other spiritual programs

on its fall schedule. Options are available to attend in person or online via Zoom. 

October 27

Grief in All Its Forms

With Sister Nancy Iampietro

Reflect on loss and hope, on grief and love, on letting go of what you thought would be, and let God help you find comfort and healing where your wounds hurt most.

November 1

For All the Saints

With Sister Marguerite Stewart

The saints are an inspiration to us all, and we can call on them to intercede to God for us in our need. Reflect on how, in the words of Pope Francis, “We are all called to be Saints.”

November 17

Franciscan Gratitude

Featuring Robert Olney

Reflect on gratitude from a Franciscan perspective and learn how you can remain grateful even in your disappointments and losses — especially timely as Thanksgiving approaches.

Visit us online at www.SchoolSistersOSF.org