From Feast to Feast, Until We Come the The Great Feast

Whew, what a weekend, again! Catholics really know how to party, don't we?

Saturday afternoon and evening we spent with the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara. The Sisters currently have a formation house in a historic farm house among several other properties and are often given use of the farms, fields, and now a pavilion for some of their events. The Nuns organized carnival type games, awarded prizes of candy, rosaries and holy cards, and performed skits for the afternoon entertainment. As evening approached we were all invited down to the pavilion for Evening Prayer and then Mass was celebrated by one of their brother priests from the Institute of the Incarnate Word. After Mass everyone headed back up to house for a barbeque supper followed by more entertainment from the Sisters. Surrounded by tiki torches the Sisters broke into folk songs inspiring a our little social group to affectionately refer to the Sister Servants' "Family Fun Day" as "Nun-stock".

Sunday afternoon we were off to party again. This time it was our annual parish picnic in honor of the Sacred Heart. Following Mass the Holy Eucharist is carried in procession, followed by Benediction. After the final blessing the festivities began. Our parish really knows how to put out a spread and there is never a shortage of food, fun, or fellowship. The Sister Servants made it to the parish picnic as well and the superior of the local formation house, Mother Sacred Heart, made a quick visit to our table. Of course, we had to tease her a bit about the constant party the Sisters seem to be party too :-). Mother has a wonderful sense of humor and jokingly referred to the Order as the "Sisters of Perpetual Picnicking". Mother did share with us that the founder of their Order once had encouraged the Sisters to go from feast to feast until coming to the Great Feast. I think that is a beautiful teaching.

Mother Sacred Heart explains the day's festivities.

Here is my favorite Sister, Sister Aparthanos. She's smiling again.

Eucharistic Procession in honor of the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

Bubbles and fly swatters. For some reasons toddlers swarm to this station at the picnic.

Special K thought I'd be shocked by her hair color. The kids all look forward to getting their hair sprayed. Thankfully it is temporary. I don't think bright green is K's color.