Christmas in Salem, Oregon

Well, Christmas celebrations are over and because I allowed myself to get exhausted, I ended up sick with a cold. The liturgical season of Christmas is not over but thank God the over-eating has subsided.

I felt good about celebrating all nine days of Posadas. It was wonderful to “rock the Baby” on the last Posada and then process into Church with all the folks carrying lighted candles and singing Silent Night.

The Blessed Mother had to have a new veil made because the other blue veil got lost. St. Joseph looked very nice and tall. Yuritzy Gonzalez and her friend played the part well. I did not stay until the congregation came up to kiss the Baby Jesus. I drove to Beaverton to be with my Sisters.

This year I did not have time to put up a Christmas tree. I am sad about that. I did decorate a bit around the house. I have several Nativity sets from different parts of the world.

I continue to discuss the topic of discernment of a vocation.

I continue to discuss the topic of discernment of a vocation. I fear some young women might not know that it takes a serious and prayerful discernment to make a commitment that will affect their entire life.
This is good prayer to pray: “Lord, let me know what it is You want me to do in life because I will be happiest only in doing Your Holy Will.” God calls us to participate in the mission of the Church and to love His people. The young person may fulfill this same mission in a variety of ways. They will best be able to serve God in the ministries of the Church by using the gifts God has given to them.
How does one know to what community God is calling her? That is a big mystery! It is not a mystery to God, however. He will direct her to a particular community. I wrote letters to different communities. I visited at least three communities. But guess what? I entered a community to which God directed me. I had never visited or written to the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. Yet, my love of Our Lady and the fact that I came to Oregon to work as a migrant worker…that was enough for God to point me in the right direction.
Women in religious communities live a simple and celibate lifestyle. They make public vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. These vows free her to serve God more fully. Prayer and work are part of the tradition of all communities. By joining a religious community a young woman will find the support and courage to focus on the ministries of the Church. Depending on the vision of their founders, the charism of the Congregation, and the gifts and talents of their members, each community accents them differently. Thus, some communities are primarily contemplative while others are more active.
I became a “postulant” in September many years ago. A year later I became a “novice”. I remained a novice for three years. Then I became a “junior Sister” until I made my final vows. The congregation prepared and trained me for the community’s particular apostolic work…education. The works of some communities frequently address areas of education, social work, administration, communication, healthcare, etc.
Where to start? You may start by calling the office of vocations at our local diocesan office (503-234-5334) and they will direct you to inquire and visit different communities in the area. Personal contact is one of the best ways to gain knowledge of a community and find out about its spirituality, apostolate, and life-style. Some communities offer weekend retreats or live-in experiences. Two weekends are scheduled with the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon at 4440 S.W. 148th Ave. in Beaverton 97007. One is on March 26-28 and the other is on May 21-23. Please feel free to contact Sister Charlene Herinckx, SSMO at 503-906-1131.
Seek information, ask for advice, seek the guidance of competent people, especially religious or priests, evaluate yourself and above all, pray to the Lord for wisdom and courage to discern and do His Will. A good spiritual director may be very helpful in receiving objective advice.

Pray for Katie Nolan and Anthony her climbing partner

This message was sent from Dennis Keenan at Catholic Charities. As you may already know, one of Catholic Charities employees, Katie Nolan, is one of the climbers missing on Mt. Hood. At this time, the most important and helpful thing we can do is to pray for Katie and her family, as well as her two climbing companions, their families and the safety of those searching for Katie and Anthony.

Katie is a remarkable young lady. A few months ago when I was visiting the Housing Transitions Project office, one of Katie’s clients approached me. She said Katie had made contact with her early in the early morning when she was living outdoors. She said Katie invited her to come visit her at HTP. She did and Katie got her into an apartment, chemical dependency treatment and on her way to independence. She said Katie was her “angel.” I am sure there are many women who have Katie as an angel. May Jesus and the angels now care for Katie.

How to Make Tamales

There is a web site called "Video results for How to make tamales" on the internet. You watch a video and follow instructions on how to make tamales.

I must tell you that there is nothing like working with the “pros” and learning first hand how to make tamales. I've learned so much by watching the Hispanic people make them in our parish kitchen. To prepare for our Advent Festival this weekend they ordered 50 lbs of Masa for Tamales from Don Pancho's warehouse. They order 2 cases of red, dried "chiles guajillo" --the seeds and stems are removed, they are soaked and finally put in a blender until totally grounded up and smooth--later, the spices are added and the mix is cooked in oil.

Every year we take the left-over turkey meat from the parish Thanksgiving Dinner. We make these tamales out of turkey meat. So, that means that they are less fattening and delicious! When the turkey meat is all gone the people make tamales they call "de rajas"...this means they have a long piece of Mozzarella cheese and a few strips of jalapeño chiles. Oh, if you have never tasted these you need to do so. They are absolutely delicious. Not spicy hot at all.

Anyway, this is a traditional meal we have around Christmas but the folks in Salem are getting accustomed to seeing them often through the year. The different Hispanic church groups sell dozens of tamales. Making tamales is hard work and it usually takes all day to make them.

Many parishioners are asking if we can have a tamale-making party so that anyone who wishes to learn to make them can come and learn from the pros. What do you think?

My baptismal name; my religious name

I am glad and blessed that my baptismal name was “Teresa”. There are so many wonderful saints with that name that they all get to pray for me so that I may stay close to Jesus, grow spiritually, get my assigned work complete and keep my focus on Him who has loved me for so long.

I also have a special place in my heart for Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (from whence comes “Juanita”…little Jane).

I want to share Jane Frances’ story. The day of her feast is constantly moving. It was on December 12th, but I think it is now on August 12th.

Jane Frances was wife, mother, nun and founder of a religious community. Her mother died when Jane was 18 months old, and her father, head of parliament at Dijon, France, became the main influence on her education. She developed into a woman of beauty and refinement, lively and cheerful in temperament. At 21 she married Baron de Chantal, by whom she had six children, three of whom died in infancy. At her castle she restored the custom of daily Mass, and was seriously engaged in various charitable works.

Jane's husband was killed after seven years of marriage, and she sank into deep dejection for four months at her family home. Her father-in-law threatened to disinherit her children if she did not return to his home. He was then 75, vain, fierce and extravagant. Jane Frances managed to remain cheerful in spite of him and his insolent housekeeper.

When she was 32, she met St. Francis de Sales (October 24), who became her spiritual director, softening some of the severities imposed by her former director. She wanted to become a nun but he persuaded her to defer this decision. She took a vow to remain unmarried and to obey her director.

After three years Francis told her of his plan to found an institute of women which would be a haven for those whose health, age or other considerations barred them from entering the already established communities. There would be no cloister, and they would be free to undertake spiritual and corporal works of mercy. They were primarily intended to exemplify the virtues of Mary at the Visitation (hence their name, the Visitation nuns): humility and meekness.

The usual opposition to women in active ministry arose and Francis de Sales was obliged to make it a cloistered community following the Rule of St. Augustine. Francis wrote his famous Treatise on the Love of God for them. The congregation (three women) began when Jane Frances was 45. She underwent great sufferings: Francis de Sales died; her son was killed; a plague ravaged France; her daughter-in-law and son-in-law died. She encouraged the local authorities to make great efforts for the victims of the plague and she put all her convent’s resources at the disposal of the sick.

During a part of her religious life, she had to undergo great trials of the spirit—interior anguish, darkness and spiritual dryness. She died while on a visitation of convents of the community.

Our love and service continues to grow. Would you like to be a part of it?

Our Mission--We, the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon, share in the mission of Jesus by proclaiming the Good News of God's love.

The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon are committed to serving others through faith and action

We are deeply rooted in the community. For nearly 125 years, we have been committed to compassionate, joyful community service.

The Sisters are a U.S. legal corporation separate from the Archdiocese of Portland.

We offer loving, respectful service through:

Prayer
Child development, education and lifelong learning
Elder care
Sacred space for prayer, contemplation, and retreat
Off-campus outreach and ministry
We embrace the values of the past to touch and shape lives in the future. Those values include:

Living valiantly
Honoring the unique gifts of each person
Striving for excellence
Celebrating God and life

The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon, living as women of prayer in simplicity and sisterly love, sponsor ministries that provide a lifespan of education and caring. Several Sisters serve in ministries beyond the campus. Our community center (motherhouse) shares a 43-acre campus in Beaverton with these ministries:

Valley Catholic Early Learning School
Valley Catholic Elementary School
Valley Catholic Middle School
Valley Catholic High School
Valley Catholic Music School
Maryville Nursing Home
Bethany Center

Did you know?

Story -- Our community was founded in Sublimity, Oregon in 1886 and the Sisters began teaching in the local parish almost immediately. In 1891 Archbishop William H. Gross requested that the Sisters serve at St. Mary's Orphanage in Beaverton. In 1894, the Sisters began the construction of a Motherhouse in Beaverton. In 1905, the Sisters changed their name to the Sisters of St. Mary and are known today as the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon.Education on the campus of the Sisters began in 1903 and continues to this day. Sisters have taught in many schools in Oregon and Washington over the years. In 1930 a new brick motherhouse and school building was erected and by 1969 the dream of a separate high school building was realized.
Recognizing the growing need for elder care, Maryville Nursing Home was opened in 1963. In 1966 four Sisters were missioned to serve in the jungle of the Amazon River in Peru. In 1991 an early learning facility was opened.The SSMO religious community now consists of 73 Sisters residing at the convent on the 43-acre campus in Beaverton, in the Portland metropolitan area, and in other locations, primarily in Oregon.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Have been preparing for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe since the beginning of November and now it is almost here!
My niece, Celia, sent me a great forward about Our Lady (VIRGEMDEGUADALUPE.pps (712KB)) the title is “Discoveries about the tilma of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Empress of America” by Andre Fernando Garcia. If you can find that site, it is worth reading.
We are going to sing the music by Bob Hurd. It is very difficult. No, I should say that it is very fast and has great harmony and a tremendous beat. Wow! Mr. Manuel Palacios, our conductor can make miracles happen during the choir practice. I mean, he takes people that do not read music and have never studied music in school and within a couple of hours we are singing the music! It is awesome. You should hear us! I shouted out at the end of one piece, “Oh, Mr. Palacios, you made a miracle!” He said, “You see, as I am conducting, I am making the sign of the Cross over you all and that’s how it happens!” He is funny! He is the principal of two grade schools in Salem, a very busy man and yet… When we do well he says, “Tacos very much to all!”
The music is just one aspect. We meet every week to go over all the ministries needed for that day. We have a man, Maximiliano…”Max”, who does all the decorations, not only the Vigil on the 11th, but he and his crew also decorate the Armory on the 12th as well. We are having the solemn Mass at the Armory this year rather than at the Salem Pavilion. The Armory has about 3,000 seats; the Pavilion 4,000.

Quiero decirte algo de quiénes somos.

El fin de semana del 13-15 de Noviembre, 23 miembros de nuestra Congregación de las Hermanas de Santa María de Oregon (somos 70 miembros...siempre hemos sido pocas--pero de gran calidad!), nos reunimos en el Centro Shalom de las Monjitas Benedictinas de Monte Ángel, Oregon para discernir quién tiene los dones para servir como miembros del equipo administrativo de nuestra comunidad durante los siguientes cinco años. Nuestra Madre Casa esta localizada en Beaverton, Oregon--cerca de la ciudad de Portland.

Una monjita del Perú, Sister Sue Scharfenberger, OSU es nuestra facilitadora para el proceso de conocernos mejor y de llegar a conocer las necesidades de nuestra comunidad.

Durante este tiempo nos preparamos para tener un Capítulo General. El Capítulo General discierne, expresa y celebra la voluntad de lo que el Señor nos llama a ser y a hacer en la Iglesia. El Capítulo, en oración considera los asuntos que tienen que ver con la misión y la vida de toda la comunidad, nos desafía a una continua conversión de corazón al Evangelio y a la visión de nuestras fundadoras.

El Capitulo General es la autoridad más alta en la comunidad y es responsable de elegir la superiora general y los miembros de consejo.
El Capitulo General es compuesto de todas las Hermanas de votos perpetuos. Al menos que la Superiora General les autorice, todas las Hermanas deben estar presentes para todas las deliberaciones del Capitulo.
El Capitulo General se reúne cada cinco años. La Superiora General convoca el capitulo al menos un año antes del día de su asamblea. La fecha y el lugar de la celebración del Capitulo son determinados por la Superiora General con el consentimiento de su Consejo.

Nuestra Constitución nos define y apoya en nuestras vidas como Hermanas de Santa María de Oregon. Encarnan el espíritu de la Comunidad, expresando nuestra filosofía de vida. Leemos y reflexionamos sobre este documento y vivimos de acuerdo con su espíritu.
El Capitulo puede votar para rectificar un artículo de la Constitución por la mayoría de dos-tercios de los miembros del Capitulo. Esta rectificación no es efectiva hasta que sea aprobada por la Santa Sede quien sólo auténticamente interpreta la Constitución.
La Superiora General puede dispensar un expediente de la Constitución o Estatutos por un tiempo determinado y por una grave razón. Las superioras locales tienen el mismo derecho en sus comunidades.
Normas específicas por las cuales somos guiadas en nuestro vivir esta Constitución son manifestadas en los Estatutos y en otras directrices especiales.
En todo recordamos que esta Constitución nos guiará a seguir fielmente a Jesucristo, que sólo Él es nuestro Modelo para nuestras vidas de religiosas.

¿Te interesó esto que compartí? ¿Te gustaría investigar más sobre nuestra comunidad? Puedes ver: www.ssmoministries.org

One of a Kind...Sister Mary Fidelis Kreutzer, SSMO

Sister Mary Fidelis was one of a kind. She left us with many “indications” of just how very great a person God had created in her. When one of our Sisters dies we put up a board to display photos of the Sister from the time she entered the convent and all through her life as a Sister. We also have favorite books, awards, etc. which belonged to that Sister.
Well, in the case of Sister Mary Fidelis there was an ample amount of data. She had binders full of poetry she wrote for every occasion and person who ever celebrated any accomplishment. There was a binder with the story of her family…it must contain 500 written pages and pages with copied photos. There were several booklets with stories about our Sisters. There were booklets for teachers on how to teach their students to diagram sentences. There were booklets on manners. There was one particularly interesting photo album…not large but packed with photos and in the front she pasted a picture of Jesus with a request to bring all these people close to Himself until at last they would be in heaven. Oh, the unique wealth of this woman!
Last evening at the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours some four or five Sisters stood up and sang a song they had written about Sister. They sang it to the tune of Red River Valley. The phrases all spoke of Sister’s generosity and of all her talents and gifts. All in the congregation laughed heartedly and/or cried at the same time. There was a professional guy from some video store who recorded the entire service and promised to be here today for the Funeral Mass. I’ve heard that he was to “stream” the video on the internet…play it live! Oh, my! Sister has friends all over the world!
We think Sister Mary Fidelis ordered her funeral to happen on a day when the students had no school…Veterans’ Day! We simply would not have been able to accommodate all the traffic, the flow of human traffic, the noise, etc. All of us in the work field also had the day off so we were able to attend the services.
We have placed extra chairs in the chapel and are expecting a huge crowd…several bishops and many dignitaries. Representatives from the Chamber of Commerce from the city of Beaverton will be here, too, I'm sure. Many people knew and loved her. She told us once how she had a “little trick” to remember people’s names. She never knew a stranger!

Our Caritas Group

Our Caritas Group meets once a month. This group consists of eight Sisters who get together to pray, share concerns, or discuss an article. A calendar is prepared and distributed in September with dates scheduled all the way to May. Sometimes we share a meal and other times we simply have a hot drink and dessert.
This November we met. I drove all the way from Salem with a heavy heart. The passing away of our Sister Fidelis hit us too suddenly. As I drove, I started to remember all the times I have driven that I-5 freeway. I remembered when the news of my brother’s death came and I drove on that highway, crying my eyes out all the way. I opened my wound also as I remembered my brother Jesse driving me to Salem when we received news that my little sister, Elida, had died. Many times I drove that highway when my Mom was alive and I would get a call that she was lonely or sick and needed my help. So…I put all this pain together and re-opened all the old wounds. By the time I arrived at the Motherhouse I needed a hug.
As the group gathered we sat for a while not knowing where we wanted to go with our conversation. I had stopped at a Mexican pastry shop and purchased some sweet bread. I prepared hot chocolate for those who wanted a warm drink. I said that I wanted to know exactly how Sister Fidelis died. That opened the conversation. Two hours later we had spent some time in sadness, some time laughing, some time sharing great memories. We also discussed how hard it is to live in community with a bunch of women with such enormously different personalities, degrees of mental or physical health, etc. It was good. It was very good.

One of our Sisters goes to heaven today

I am a bit sad today because our Sister Fidelis went home to God today at 6:40 am. When I was a young religious she impressed me so much because she was so bright and yet so "practical" about things. She loved teaching. She loved sharing what she knew about teaching so that we could also learn to love to teach.
Just the other day she gave me a booklet about saints' stories. She was very, very generous. I remember gathering with a group of Sisters ... whoever wanted to stick around a few minutes...in the convent kitchen after evening dishes. I guess I love "acting" or acting up because I would encourage other Sisters to imitate...in a pantomime way...one of the Sister's walk, or gestures, or something unique and the rest of us would guess which Sister was being imitated. Well, for Sister Fidelis we would take out our imaginary handkerchief and with quick motions, wipe our nose and shove the handkie in our pocket and keep walking very fast. We would all burst out laughing because we would know exactly who that Sister was. She was FAST in all of her tasks.
God bless her and give a huge reward for all her works. God will have to spend the greater part of the day just listing all of her good deeds. Rest in peace, Sister! We love you!

Sharing our Experiences

Do you know how exciting it is to be a Catholic missionary Sister? I’ve always wanted to be a missionary. So, now I want to share with you a little bit about my Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon’s plans to send two of us: Sister Barbara Rose Sohler (my school mate and religious classmate, too) and me to go to Mexico in the summer of 2010.
We are to go and investigate how women religious live convent life in Mexico. What is it like for them? In a country that is rich in Catholic traditions, how are religious women ministering to the people of Mexico? In the United States of America our religious traditions are perhaps more Protestant or liberal. That’s the conclusion of some of our immigrants. The Mexicans live their Catholic life operating more from the heart rather than from the head. The Mexican people might not know how to quote scripture or use apologetics so much, but they know God and His Blessed Mother, “la Morenita”, the dark one.
I will ask Sister Barbara Rose to share about herself. I will share who I am. My name is Sister Juanita (baptized Teresa Villarreal) and the sixth child (the middle child of eleven children) of José and Juanita Villarreal. I was born on July 23, 1944 in the little town of Asherton, Texas.
To my parents’ knowledge, there had never been any members of religious orders in either family. My parents were very religious and raised all my siblings to be involved in the Church, so you can imagine how they reacted when I told them I wanted to go to the convent.
We lived half the year in Texas and half the year in Oregon and worked as migrant workers from the time I was a very young child. My family lived summers in Oregon, but had also worked in Minnesota, Illinois, and Washington. My father always considered school a must and so we always had to adjusted our courses to fit the different school systems.
During my junior year in high school I decided to finally give in to “the call” from God. I decided to join the Benedictine Sisters of Crookston, Minnesota who had been missionaries in Asherton, TX. I was also taught by Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in St. Paul, OR. So, I didn’t know which community to choose. My father decided for me! He refused to give me permission to join any convent. Being a very determined person I decided I would simply wait for the right moment. During the summer I had a chance to visit the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon in Beaverton with some friends who had two of their sisters in that convent. I fell in love with the Sisters and wanted “to enroll” immediately. I knew little about discernment process! My parents eventually gave in to my stubborn insistence. They gave me their blessing and told me to go.
September 8, 1962, after a year of boarding school experience as I had to complete my high school education first, I entered the convent. I was officially a “postulant”. I went to Marylhurst College. As a “novice” I studied the community’s rules and took classes in theology. As a “junior professed” Sister, I continued my academic studies to become a teacher. On August 15, 1967 I made my perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. And, after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Marylhurst College I continued classes at Portland State University and eventually obtained a Master's degree in Education. In the summers I was very fortunate to also take classes in different colleges. One summer I attended the Universidad Ibero Americana in Mexico City. Years later, during my sabbatical in 2000, I attended Universidad de Avila in Avila SPAIN. My teaching career has included being school principal and teaching in elementary, junior and senior high. I taught a course at Mt. Angel Seminary for a year while I was working as parish administrator of San Martin de Porres in Dayton, OR.
My "migrant" blood has given me a great desire for travel and a great love for other peoples of other cultures. I have visited Mexico, the Holy Land, Costa Rica, and some European countries. I lived in Spain for half a year and in Santa Fe, New Mexico for three months.
I am praying that my love for family, my religious community, my love of teaching and my pastoral experiences will all help make my stay in Mexico very worthwhile and that both Sister Barbara Rose and I come back gifted and graced by God for His greater glory and honor.

And it happened in the month of October...month of the Holy Rosary and month when my Mom went to heaven, too.

I am a little excited about posting on this blog because I am committing myself to write something about our planned experience to live in Mexico...Sister Barbara Rose and I. We think we will go around August 2010.

I want to share about my journey that has gotten me thus far. Sister Barbara Rose might share from her point of view.

One of my fond memories is when I was around 9 years of age. The stirrings of a religious vocation started, I think. We had the Benedictine Sisters from Crookston, Minnesota working as missionaries in Asherton, Texas. Those Sisters were my angels. They walked swishing their long skirts all the while. It was not a walk. It was a glide. They glided. They wore long black dresses and corrugated bibs and boxey tall forehead bands. They put both of their arms inside the big, wide sleeve...left arm in right sleeve, right arm in left sleeve. I secretly imitated them at home...wearing a bath towel for a veil and Mom's bathrobe for my long habit. Funny, now!

Mine was a large family: Mom, Juanita and Dad, José and eleven children. I happen to be right smack in the middle: María, Jesús, Luís, Josefa, Eva and ME. After me came, José, Elida, Concepción, Elsa and baby Carlos.

Our lives were lived simply. We played games imitating stories we heard on the radio or we imitated the life of our Catholic church. The church ceremonies were a part of our lives. "Baptizing" our dolls was a necessary event. Mom would allow us to invite our friends to be the godmothers, "the madrinas", for our dolls. We even bought Mexican sweet bread and served hot chocolate for the reception after the baptism. We played "Mass" and served Necco candies for the hosts. All was done with great reverence, I'm sure...right after the fights about who was going to get the honors of being the priest for the day.

I did forget about "the call" to be a nun, however, when I started middle school and I started noticing the boys. Well, I actually did not notice the boys at all at first until my sisters started dating. I didn't want to be left out so I started responding to the boys "looks". I did, however, like two boys: Mario from Carrizo Springs, Texas (his parents owned a theater) and Eduardo (his parents were fellow field workers in Oregon). I liked both of these boys. But the two boys that "stuck to me" most were Ignacio and Clemente both from Carrizo Springs. Unfortunately, I really did not really enjoy their company. I think I tolerated them until I could get the boys I really wanted. Not nice of me!

Back to the nagging "call" from God. By the time I entered high school the more I flirted with boys, the less interested I became in them. I wanted MORE! I did not know what that more was all about but I wanted wings to fly high. I saw huge possibilities. I wanted to be a doctor and take care of my Dad with his bad heart. I wanted to be a flight attendant and travel all over the world seeing new places and things. I wanted to learn to play a musical instrument well. I played the saxophone in middle school. Maybe I could be a clothes designer. I did not want to be "stuck" being a mother of many kids and having a hard working husband...who would always be tired and all of us would be poor. No! I wanted much, much more!