“The present moment is the real presence of God.”
~ Daniel O’Leary ~
Dear Friends,
On October 31, twenty Wheaton Franciscan Sisters, Covenant Companions, and partners in ministry will leave for a 10-day pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome. A pilgrimage is often defined as:
A journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person searches for new or expanded meaning about themself, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life.
A pilgrimage experience can take place in sacred locations like Assisi and Rome. Yet, it can also occur with a visit to the Grand Canyon, sites like the Holocaust, Vietnam War, 9/11 memorials, or a national, state, or local park, and even in the comfort of our homes. What distinguishes a pilgrimage from a vacation or other experience is its intention and the awareness brought to the experience.
Paraphrasing Pope Benedict XVI -
To go on a pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art, or history. To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where God has revealed God-self, where God’s grace has shone with particular splendor and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe.
Ultimately, the life journey itself is as important as the destination. Lacy Clark Ellman writes, “To live as a pilgrim—whether at home or abroad—all you need to do is see your life as a journey and your role as a Seeker of the Sacred.”
Not everyone can “journey to an unknown place” for multiple reasons, but each of us has the opportunity to “step out of ourselves in order to encounter God” and find God’s grace in our lives.
The role of the Monthly Volunteer Hostis to work with the Volunteer Hospitality Coordinator to provide a welcoming experience for our faith and friends community.
Monthly hosts assist with
set-up before Mass (arrive by 9:45 a.m.)
providing food
clean-up after the coffee
Thank you for your commitment to creating a welcoming community.
All participants must wear a mask for the duration of the Mass.
Enter the building through Entrance #7 and exit the same way.
All other locations in Our Lady of the Angels remain closed to the public.
Please continue to stay connected with us through this newsletter and Sunday Livestream. Schedule changes are also listed on the Home Page of our website, wheatonfranciscan.org
Please continue to check our website and this newsletter for updates on the liturgy schedule. If you miss the livestream of the service, you will find it archived on ourYouTube Channel.
Additionally, you can find audio recordings of the Sunday and Holiday homilies on our "Homilies & Reflections" page or by searching Wheaton Franciscans in your preferred podcast player.
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