SMSM Hospitality

(SMSM sisters with Kevin and Ron.)

This afternoon we shared a meal with the Marist Missionary Sisters. Many of you have met Sr. Christina who helped us with the Busy Students' Retreat these past two years -- she is a Marist Missionary Sister. The veteran Newman folks remember Sr. Avelina who helped with our Busy Students' retreat several years back -- she also is an SMSM sister.

It's hard to beleive that this congregation finds its roots in a group of lay women (they call them 'the Pioneers') who followed Francoise Perroton (the first pioneer) to Oceania to be of service to the people there. These pioneers were all from France and Francoise was enrolled in the Marist Third order. The courage to leave country, family, and friends to go off to distant lands for the Gospel is made even more courageous when you realize they went as individuals. Only later did they form a religious congregation -- Marist Missionary Sisters. Today they have missions in many, many places.

(We received a quick tour of the house before we headed back to Monteverde.)

Sharing a meal with them towards the end of our renewal was truly a blessing.

Tonight we head out to pray with the St. Egidio Community. They are a lay group, about 50,000 world wide who live the Gospel in a very real way both spiritually and in service to the poor and forgotten (Anawim). While the prayer will be in Italian, we are told that we'll feel their love for God and neighbor.


(Cross from St. Stefano's in Assisi -- where we had Mass.)