Message From Sr. Rexia Mary

Newsletter of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary At St. Peter Church, Chillicothe, Ohio Summer 2015 Message From Sr. Rexia Mary Greetings and all wishes to the people of Chillicothe and Waverly from the Superior General and the sisters of the FIH Congregation For the past one year, our sisters have been serving in the Diocese of Columbus. Our deep gratitude to Most Rev. Bishop Frederick Campbell for having invited us to take up these missions. We can never forget the blessings and guidance we received from His Excellency which have helped us to overcome all obstacles and to better serve the people. We acknowledge with gratitude the love and affection shown to our sisters by the people of Chillicothe and Waverly. Your willingness to help and the support you gave our sisters have made them feel very much at home though they are far away from their home land India. Our special thanks to Rev. Fr. Hahn who takes great interest in our mission and also our welfare especially in their spiritual need. His timely support and guidance have helped us to continue our mission there in Chillicothe and Waverly. I am happy that he treated our sisters as his own sisters. We recall with profound gratitude the untir‐
ing effort of Rev. Stash Dailey who first invited us to Columbus, and the support and guidance he extended. Our FIH Congregation is always thank‐
ful to you good people of Chillicothe and Waverly. The Almighty has
done great things
for me and Holy
is His name. –
Luke 1:49
Our Prayers are always with each one of you and with each family. I recall the loving care and wel‐
come you gave me and which I am sure you are giving my sisters. I hope visit you in the Summer 2016. May God bless you and be with each one of you. Sr. Rexia Mary The Sisters get in the O H I O spirit at the March for Life, January 2015 Report From Sr . Amelia: Good Shepherd Manor, Homebound, Rich Haven Food Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul. Also we are in‐
“Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to volved in PSR, RCIA, High School and Middle his beloved is that of overcoming self.” School Youth group, and Bishop Flaget. We have ― Francis of Assisi ‐ been going every first and third Wednesdays with one of the Priests, to Good Shepherd Manor along with Chip Walder, Cecilia Davis and Luke Davis who Psalm 9:2 I will praise you, LORD, with all my also accompany us . Chip Walder (a man who has a heart; I will declare all your wondrous deeds. Peace and All Good! special call for this ministry) also escort us to the VA. At last Ross County Correctional Institute caught us Dear brothers and sister in Jesus Christ, after one year!! On behalf of my sisters I would like to say a ‘big thanks’ for your generosity, love, prayers, energy, One Final Area of ministry which we are grateful is and the time you spend for our ministry in Chillico‐ the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart started by Fr. the. The Almighty has showed His blessings up on us Stash Dailey in Columbus. Fr. Hahn asked us to start through your generous heart. How fast our first year this devotion in St. Peter and St Mary and invited has gone. We are grateful for your commitment to Bob and Kathy Dye to form a ministry. We formed our mission. It has been loving and caring that peo‐ this with the inspiration of Rev. Fr. Hahn. Now 25 ple are checking with the office staff whether the families have already Enthroned their Homes. If sisters need anything. We so grateful to the parish‐ you do this, you are inviting and giving Him first ioners of St. Peter and St. Mary. It was our privilege place in your lives and homes. and your generosity that we were part of Mexican As we are Celebrating the Year of Consecrated Mission Trip. One of the Parishioners once checked Life, we invited young girls who are discerning their the van’s tires, fill the air & gas told me “I want our vocation to stay a weekend at the Convent, Cathe‐
sisters to be safe on the Road”. How much people rine Noel, Cecilia Davis, Michaela Maimone have are caring for us. We are also thankful for all the stayed a few times here with us as they discern their ministries especially the Knights of Columbus. We vocation. Sr. Shani got her driver’s license and is had a Thanksgiving Mass with Bishop at the convent driving around Chillicothe and Waverly! Shortly Sr. as we complete one year stay at the convent. Leonard Mary will get one!! As I complete my third We now have a beautiful chapel, and we are ea‐ year in November from my last vacation, I may go gerly waiting for the Adoration Chapel. We believe and visit my family in the Month of December. the Infant of Prague will take care of it. We are so blessed to have Rev. Hahn leading us as our spiritual father specially for sisters. Now we blessed to have Rev. Fr. Hartge and Rev. Fr. Dooley. They are bring‐
ing Christ into our midst. Jenny, Donna and Judy are always our guardian Angels and help us in different ways. We are so grateful for all that you do for us. We are offering you all at the Mass every day, the great‐
est prayer ever. Please remember us in your pray‐
ers. May the good Lord continue to bless you as we walk towards the Eternal Kingdom. Have a Blessed Advent and Christmas Your sister in Christ Our spiritual care areas are: Veterans Administra‐
tion Hospital, Adena Medical Center, Westmorland Sr.Amelia Mary Nursing Home, Signature Rehab, Traditions, Hope‐ ton Village, Heartland, Bristol Village, Pleasant Hill, 2 Sr. Amelia finds other Sisters to talk to, who are also attending the Vigil Mass for Life at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in DC. Helping in the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at St. Peter Parish. “Clergy Who Cook” fundraiser for the Pontifical College Josephinum. The Sisters fixed Chicken Biriyani. It was voted the “People’s Choice”, the top honor of the night. Helping at the Memorial Day Mass on May 25, 2015 at St. Margaret’s Cemetery in Chillicothe. 3 Fr. Hahn and the Sisters at the Seminary in Cordoba, Mexico Sr. Amelia at PSR registration in Waverly. Sr. Leonard finds the little ones in Mexico Sr. Leonard & Sr. Shani, at VBS, with Bishop Fulton Sheen, aka Kyle Tennant. Sisters from Indiana visited for the Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Bishop Campbell in August for the one year anniversary of the convent. 4 The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ‐ by Chip Walder The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Jesus (FIH) have completed their first year of service at Saint Mary Queen of the Mission Parish. The FIH Sisters are part of an indigenous Congre‐
gation founded in India by Rev. Fr. Louis Savinien Dupuis in 1844. Their motto: Service and Sanctifica‐
tion. The FIH Congregation is large and many in the Congregation are trained and take genuine interest in medical, social, evangelical and the pastoral needs of the church and the local people they serve. Today the Congregation runs several orphanages, homes for the aged, dispensaries, hospitals, mobile clinics, schools for mentally challenged children, technical schools, social centers and community de‐
velopment programs. The FIH Sisters render their services in 15 dioceses in India and in 3 dioceses in America. Here in our parish Sisters Leonard, Amelia and Shani provide tangible pastoral service. The sisters provide emotional and spiritual support to Waverly St. Mary Parish and the general Pike County com‐
munity. When you are around the sisters you recognizes their desire for a just world for people who are poor, sick, marginalized and uneducated. On any given Wednesday the sisters can be seen ren‐
dering service at the outreach food bank, visiting the marginalized in the group homes in Wakefield, or visiting the residents in nursing homes in Piketon, Waverly, and Beaver. Recently, one sister ac‐
companied a Priest to a home of a hospice patient who was Confirmed into the Church and received the Eucharist as Viaticum. The intangible thing the sisters do for St. Mary Queen of the Mission can be found in 1 Timothy 2:1 “First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone.” The prayers and petitions being offered for this parish by these nuns are numerous and cannot be quantified. We are blessed to have these consecrated chaste women of faith, who have been set apart, making our request known to God. In the next two years expect the sisters to be directed and given more pastoral duties. The sisters by nature yearn to serve the world to their fullness while still maintaining the vow of obedience to the bishop and pastor. If you need spiritual advice, prayer, or guidance a sister can be a wonderful resource. The sisters can be contacted either in person or by calling the convent at 740‐774‐0474. The sisters love to have people visit and pray in the convent chapel. Some Thoughts from a Parishioner on Sacred Heart Enthronements A parishioner, who wishes to be anonymous, was interviewed regarding the Sisters and the Enthrone‐
ments they facilitate. She was asked how many enthronements have the Sisters facilitated? To date, at the time of asking, the Sisters had enthroned 23 homes. This parishioner has attended all the enthronements with the Sisters. She indicates that the Sisters are very thankful and happy to facilitate the enthronement of households to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If you have your house enthroned, you are inviting Jesus to your home and to be King of your household. She loves being a part of this and to watch to Sisters be an instrument of God’s work. At an enthronement, the Sisters bring a statue of the Blessed Mother and along with the family members, pray the Rosary. When asked, why do an Enthronement for your house? Well . . . .if we want Jesus to be King of our household, why not?! Jesus never demands a whole day of your time. The enthronement takes only 30 minutes to an hour of your time. That’s not a lot compared to sitting down and watching a ballgame or concert! Having the Sisters in our communi‐
ty is a blessing. They are the best ammunition! 5 O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Heavenly beauty and splendor of the
Father, You are the most valued Heavenly treasure.
New Eve, immaculate in soul, spirit and body, Created of the godly
seed by the Spirit of God, You are the spiritual Mother of mankind.
Pure Virgin, full of grace then and now, Your whole being was raised
Heavenly in full glory, To be elevated above all the hosts within the
Kingdom of God.
O Heavenly Mother, Queen of Heaven and earth, I recognize the glory of your highest title, The Immaculate Heart of Mary!
Loving Mother, dispenser of endless blessings, You who continuously
intercedes on our behalf, Please present my need before your loving
Son Jesus.
(In your own words, make your special request here. Do not just mention a word. Speak to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as you would
speak to another person, begging your Heavenly Mother to plea to
Jesus on your behalf, that you be granted this special request.)
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, I know that you are now presenting my
need before Jesus, For you have never turned away those in dire need.
Mother dearest, I await your favorable answer, Submitting myself to
the Divine will of the Lord, For all glories are His forever and ever.
As we near the gift giving season . . . People are starting to ask What the Sisters need or would like For Christmas? Here are some ideas: Gas Cards Kroger Gift cards Walmart or Kmart Gift Cards JoAnn Fabric or Hobby Lobby Gift Cards Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Cards (Please do not give the Sisters Gift Cards to local restaurants. They are not permitted to go out to eat by themselves.) Permit No. 251 Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary St. Peter Catholic Church 285 W. Water Street Chillicothe, OH 45601 Chillicothe, OH 45601 6 U.S. POSTAGE PAID NON‐PROFIT ORG.