God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!
Yesterday's post was more for fun than for anything else, and so I thought before another crazy week begins, I should try to catch up on a few other things that happened. I have enough to make like 5 posts, no joke. Sorry for posting so soon again, but at least this way if I post more often you can decide what you want to read about and what not, and still have some inspiration from Chile jajaja ;) :)
At least I will try to start with a few things... :) and as always a few pictures. :)
A few weeks ago I had the profound pleasure of accepting an
invitation for lunch at the house of the Wahl family – parents, grandma, and 12
children make up this lively and lovely household! It was such a pleasant
afternoon. The background story and what came later shows how beautiful and
present Divine Providence is…and how utterly good and merciful he is in
spoiling little me!
There is a worldwide program through Schoenstatt that
provides young women with the opportunity to visit various Schoenstatt centers
throughout the world, working a few hours each day in return for room, board,
and the possibility to get to know another culture and Schoenstatt family.
(Information here and here, FYI). Throughout the years I have been super
blessed to get to know many girls from all over the world who have come to stay
at our center in Wisconsin (Waukesha, but very close to some historic
Schoenstatt sites in Milwaukee, if you are wondering). One such girl was* named
Sofía Wahl (the second oldest in the Wahl family!), and we became very good
friends when she went to WI 3 years ago.
Fast forward to last year. One day she called me on Skype,
and told me some very exciting news: she had been accepted to join the
community of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary! Naturally I was surprised and
very happy for her. Because God is good, Sofia’s “vestición” in Spanish and “Reception”
in English, where the novices receive their sisters’ dress (pictures, general information, plus a beautiful video from the last reception in the USA! fun fact: I make an appearance as violinist again haha), was
scheduled and took place last weekend, November 21!! Which means that I got to
go!! I actually played violin in the choir, which was very meaningful to me.
Another special thing about the Reception is that it is the moment when the
novices officially receive their new name as a Sister of Mary. *Hence, my friend
Sofi is now “Hermana María Sofía”. J
Really, very special.
I hope you’re following my story here. Back to visiting the
Wahl’s house, as Hna María Sofía had been my friend, had been to my house
numerous times, and had spoken to her family about me, they wanted to have an opportunity
to meet me (and I was dying to meet them too!!), so even though Hna María Sofía
was obviously not at home any more, I got to spend a lovely afternoon with her
family.
Back to the reception last weekend, it was really a
beautiful day. The night before, as part of the choir we had our final
rehearsal, and I got to visit the shrine late at night with three very dear
friends, and then I slept over in the national girls’ youth house of Chile,
there on the same property. On Saturday, we started early in the morning
getting ready and running through a few songs before the most special Holy Mass
at 9:30 am. The novices came in, radiant in their bridal white. With great joy
and songs we celebrated with them, they received their dresses and a candle,
and went out to prepare! What joy, boundless joy for all when they came in
dressed as Sisters of Mary! It was very exciting!!
After Mass there was a time to greet the novices and have
some appetizers. While the novices had lunch with their families, we girls
youth had lunch in the girls’ youth house, and prepared a few things for the
later afternoon. We gathered as Girls’ Youth with the novices, to share and thank
them for their great yes to God! After some time in the large group, each
novice went with her own youth, the girls from her own area, so that we could
personally present to each one and spend some time talking as well. In our
group, I was already friends with the majority of the girls, so that was really
great. There was a song that I wrote while Hna Maria Sofia was in the USA
called “RTA We Crown You”, and she had told her family how much she loved it,
so her sister Ita suggested that we all learn it and sing it for her. So, I
agreed, and with choreography and all we sang haha. She still remembered the
chorus, I was very impressed. And so grateful that we could share that little
bit between us.
Now the novices are in what they call “closed novitiate”,
where they only share amongst the 5 of them and their novice mistress, so I
will not be able to talk to her again. But I can write her, pray for her, and
know she prays for me too! Please
keep Hna. María Sofía, Hna. Maria del Sol, Hna. M. Paz, Hna. M. Rosario and
Hna. Maria Belen in your prayers too!!
Enjoy the
pictures!!
Pictures from the Wahl's house. In the last one, we made a pyramid as you can see. They were more than sweet, and made me feel right at home. <3
A picture from the shrine at 10:45 pm, so quiet and beautiful
with my santuarito <3 lighting a candle in prayer and memory of a friend's mother who recently passed away...
The board her friends made for her! I was supposed to help and in the Whatsapp group and everything, but at the last minute couldn't go on the day they got together.
But I did manage to send pictures of her time in Milwaukee and of the two of us. Does anyone remember when I had that neon green jacket in the picture on the right? Oh the memories...
Church of the Holy Spirit! Getting ready on the big day!!
The Wahl siblings and cousins, or at least those who could make it. They said a few weren't able to...haha...can you find Hna. María Sofía?
The two of us ;)
The 5 novices!
Awful picture of the 5 novices, sorry...
Showing her our board.
More pictures! Truly, it was a lovely day and experience. I am so proud to be her friend, and so grateful that I was able to be there on her very exciting day!! God is good, don't ever forget it.
Lots of love,
Abby
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