Thanksgiving Celebrated at the Centre

 

We had promised the sisters of the St. Maurice community (near the Kitchen) that we would have them over to the Centre for Thanksgiving dinner -- until Covid got in the way. This year we finally  fulfilled our promise. France does not have a national holiday like Thanksgiving so the sisters learned the story of the Pilgrims and the Native People who got together for a three-day feast in 1621. Since the emphasis today is on the offerings and help of the Native People, our prayer of thanks recognized the Earth, sun, moon, stars, and the Great Spirit who is constantly looking out for all of us.

The Hostesses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 We are all ready for our guests to arrive and donned in our orange outfits for the occasion. Olga did the cooking and Eluiza did everything else, including setting up the appetizers, table setting, and all of the pretty decorations.

 The Table

 

We had fashioned our tables in orange and provided menus (in the French way). We all sat at one table while each course was served buffet-style at each of the other three tables in our dining room.

 

 

  

The sisters brought us gifts of special candied cherries and wine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let the celebration begin!

Our Amaretto aperitif started off our celebration of this special day. 

 

 

Stuffed mushrooms was the second course appetizer made Italian style with chopped mushrooms, onions, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic powder, and parsley.

Our main course turned out to be flavorful as well as colorful. Below, the sisters helped themselves to the turkey, squash (with butter and Herbs de Provence), broccoli, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. These foods were largely unfamiliar, but they loved them for their tastiness.

 

 

Dessert with French apple pie and champagne. Dessert was preceded by the cheese course of brie and comté and followed by espresso café. Cutting pies is Eluiza's favorite thing to do. 

 

 

 

 

 

Table conversation was lively and covered topics like the latest gossip, the Church, and politics. 

Below is the menu and the prayer that was furnished by the Leadership Team of the Congregation of St. Joseph. The team sent it to everyone so we used it at the Centre on this day to be in unity with them. It includes a brief explanation of the prayer's focus and significance.

 

Menu

     Thanksgiving 2023

 

Drinks                          Amaretto

Appetizer                      Stuffed mushrooms Italian-style

 

Main course                 Roast turkey

                                             Squash with herbs de Provence

                                             Broccoli

                                    Cranberry sauce

                                    Sweet potatoes

 

Cheese course                 Brie and comté

Dessert                         Apple pie with champagne

 

Coffee

 

As we celebrate the United States’ National Day of Thanksgiving, we might include in our prayer an acknowledgment to the indigenous people, who before us gathered upon this land and gave thanks to our Creator. We might also acknowledge the foods of the indigenous people that we use for our celebration, including The Three Sisters: corn, squash, and beans.

 

 

Iroquois Prayer (Adapted origin undocumented)   

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us.                        

We return thanks to the rivers and streams, which supply us with water.

We return thanks to the wind, moves the air.

We return thanks to the moon and stars, which have given to us their light when the sun was gone.

We return thanks to the sun, that has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.

Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in whom is embodied all goodness and who directs all things for our good.

 

 

                                    

CSJ Pilgrimage

 

 

One day after their arrival, the 15 pilgrims from the Congregation of St. Joseph "hit the streets" of Le Puy to walk in the footsteps of the six founding sisters. They took a break on the Twisted Bridge that spans the Borne River for a group photo. Their unique stance only portends a unique experience that lies ahead for them.

 

On the first morning since their arrival, Sr. Carol conducts a "chalk talk" on the map of Le Puy. She gives an overview of the tour of the city with all the main points of interest. Participants with open and perked ears took copious notes as they prepared for their individual and group pilgrimages.

    

 

 

 

 

 

 Walking to Le Puy

 

 

Click here for the video of the CSJ Dancers' rendition of "Walking like an Egyptian" at the top of the old volcano.

The Sator Square

The early Christians were a persecuted lot, so they had to recognize each other by code to protect themselves. One of their codes was the five-word Latin palindrome (a word, phrase, verse, or sentence that reads the same backward or forward). The words refer to The Lord's Prayer. The earliest squares were found at Roman-era sites dating from the sixth century. Le Puy has a Sator Square located near St. Clair Chapel, once a pagan temple to Diana, the moon goddess.

The group is looking at the mission cross planted by the Jesuits in the 16th or 17th century. The French countryside is dotted with these crosses that take on various shapes and sizes. They signify some ministry the Jesuits had conducted in that area.

 

This building served as the original orphans' home for the six founding sisters. It is located next to St. Clair Chapel. Today it serves as the library for the town of Aiguilhe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kitchen

 

 

The group prays for the Founders in the Kitchen

 

Médaille -- Louisiana

 

        La Grange

 

 

            Cleveland

 

 

    Nazareth

 

 

CSJ Sisters with Sr. Simone who provided a presentation about the Kitchen to the group

 

 

 

    Wheeling

 

 

 

 

 

 

The group's official portrait is on the Pont Tordu that spans the Borne River.

Two Trinities and Our Wounded World -- Sept 29 - Oct 5

 

Sisters from Brazil and Denmark participated in the Two Trinities program directed by Sr. Linda Buck (Orange). Although the sisters had decades of experience in community, they deepened their understanding of the new movements of the Spirit for today's wounded world. Sr. Joana Mendes (Rochester-Brazil) served as the Portuguese-English translator. This photo was taken in front of Mother St. John Fontbonne's birthplace in Bas-en-Basset.

A little coffee break in Place du Plot, a café in the old city of Le Puy. It included a round of trying on Olga's lavender hat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Day in Lyon included a visit to the Origin and Evolution Centre of the Lyon Congregation. Sr. Judy Donovan, the newly-elected general superior of the Congregation arranged for a picnic under the big tree on an Indian summer day.

 

 

 

 

Sunday, Sunday!

Sunday was a busy day with an early walk to Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Le Puy, a visit to the Blessed Mother statue, and a stop at the annual Honey Festival.

St. Joseph Shrine