Autumn Leaves

To all those who try to be faithful readers of my blog, please accept my sincere apologies. I am still learning time management: how to balance my prayer life, my mission, my community life, and stay in touch with my social media friends! Those on Facebook who are "friends" with me are a large number. Yet, many of them, to be honest, the great majority of my Facebook friends are unknown to me. These friends are an international bevy of men and women religious, priests and laity. Many are Catholic, others may not be. In our Pauline Family we have a prayer of praise for the media of communications which bring glory to God, and draw people closer in fellowship to one another. Personally Facebook is where I find news about family members who otherwise are far from me geographically and physically. It is true that there are some who misuse this form of Internet communication to defame others, to bully, to spread downright lies. Yet I am impressed by how many ask for prayers for themselves and many others every day. They are intercessors for the needs of others. I enjoyed a vacation that took me to Ohio for a few visits to the Canfield Fair. The Fair is one of the longest held festivities in the Youngstown, Ohio region. Whenever I am home in August and September, I try to go for at least one day. This year I think I attended 3 days. The weather was hot so I and my sisters and niece took our time to view the display, the various farm animals: draft horses, ponies, 4-H horse barns, chickens, ducks, goats and llamas. There were pigs for only one day because of the possibility of swine flu. Officials reported that there were over 500 vendors. Most of them sold food: cotton candy, Italian specialties, French fries, lemonade, apple fritters, and of course, ice cream. From the 8th grade through the 11th grade I attended the Fair as a 4-H person. I kept a horse (owned by my oldest sister) at the Fair along with those of my family 4-H club members. We had kept a record of how much we spent on feed and care for the animal, then we were judged in various competitions. 4-H (head, hands, heart and health) helped to form us kids to be responsible and accurate in the way we cared for our horse project.

At the Fair we met other 4-H'ers who had cattle. Some local churches operated food stands as fund raisers for their congregations. Ethnic groups performed dances and had stands where one could learn about their heritage. When I attended the fair we did not have Mass available. My Dad had to drive us to the 7:00 AM Mass at St. Paul's Monastery in Canfield. Now, as a Daughter of St. Paul, I realize that those Masses were my first introduction to the Pauline Family. Of course, I think St. Francis of Assisi would love to be at the Fair too. He wrote a Canticle of Praise where he tells all of creation to praise God. The varieties of farm and domestic animals, the abundance of crops on display, and the variety and ingenuity of the attendees, young and old, were a sight to behold. I enjoyed the art building filled with photos and paintings of local artists. Local musicians had a chance to entertain too. For me it would be an opportunity to have a booth stocked with upbeat quotations from Scripture, Pope Francis, and the saints to hand out. Tomorrow at our St. Thecla Retreat House in Billerica, Mass. our Sisters are hosting a weekend retreat called "Clay Pots" for Catholic media workers Pray that the Holy Spirit will indwell all those participating and directing. Some of us will be at St. Thecla's to keep prayers ascending to intercede for those on retreat. Each of us will pray an hour of adoration in the Retreat House Chapel, asking God to give special graces to our guests.

Tomorrow too I hope to invite you to visit our Webathon page. At noon and at 8:00 PM in the evening you can view and pray along with Daughters of St. Paul here in Boston via the Internet. Check out our web site: Tonight I ask you to pray for all those in the path of Hurricane Matthew, and for all its victims, especially in Haiti. I will try to be more of a blogger. God bless you!