A Franciscan Experience

A good friend of mine got married in July, and I was honored to be able to go “home” for the wedding. It was beautiful all around. Immediately upon landing at the layover airport to go back to Jamaica, I got a notification from the airline that my flight to Jamaica was canceled due to a hurricane. I spent the next twelve  hours stranded halfway across the country,  nowhere near Jamaica, trying to figure out how to get myself back to Jamaica. Because  the next available flight to Jamaica was six days away, and booking the same day on another airline was hundreds of dollars more than what I paid for this flight, I took what I deemed was the best option: flying back to Minnesota that same night and taking the next flight from there in five days. 

I was really looking forward to seeing the Sisters in Jamaica and the other community members whom I live with and getting back into my life there but I got some extra time at home. One of many very beautiful moments I got to participate in during those five bonus days was a fair by the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota. As my mom and I parked three  parking lots away because the event was so well attended, we passed the Sisters’ St. Gabriel’s Hospital and their large convent building.

My mom wipes a tear/rain drop from St. Francis’ eye. The clouds looked quite dark, but I told my mom that it doesn’t rain on Franciscan Sisters. So many times in Jamaica I have seen the Sisters doing some kind of ministry and no matter how dark the clouds are and how close it is raining, it has never rained on them. 

The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls there were so joyful to share some of their initiatives and their lives with the public. They had 50 cent peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which I thought was a great representation of the Franciscan value of simplicity. They gave tours of their beautiful chapel and a bit about the history of it and their Order.  

I was fascinated by some of the projects the Sisters had started. They had pollinator gardens, and in fact, several booths were distributing seeds for people to start their own pollinator gardens, to propel the insurance of bees and nature continuing strong. They had an impressive recycling project. With the help of their parishioners, they collected 10,000 pounds of plastic to recycle. They had a booth with goats to promote natural lawn mowing and natural elimination of invasive species. They had books and games for children. They had rounds of wood that people could make into coasters to reuse the tree remnants. Many Franciscan values were easily evident. In such a rural area, the Franciscan value of Care for Creation was especially valued. 

Before we got halfway through the rows of vendors and booths, I was wrong about the rain; it began coming down heavily and everything was getting soaked. Under a tent, I overheard a parishioner say, “Sister, pray for it to stop raining!” The Sister smiled sweetly and said, “I’ve been praying that it wouldn’t rain today for the whole week!” She shrugged and giggled, “I guess I ran out of credit!!” This last line had me laughing for days to come! I’ve always admired how Franciscan Sisters often want to laugh and do not take life too seriously. Even if it is raining on their annual event. 

All in all, rain and all, I was very happy to be able to go to this event and experience and encounter these Franciscan Sisters for the first time. Although I was rather bummed that I wouldn’t get to see my Franciscan Sisters of Allegany in Jamaica for five  more days, I was really blessed to spend some time with the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls in Minnesota. From these very different experiences with Franciscan Sisters in opposite parts of the world and cultures, I can say there are many similarities and commonalities among Franciscan Sisters around the world. The peaceful presence and the sweet smiles, the sense of humor and the desire to laugh and make people feel loved just with their gaze, the care for people and for creation, and many more seem to be all universal among Franciscan Sisters. 

Question for Reflection: Recall a time when you experienced an unexpected change of plans. What experiences and blessings did that change of plans allow you to encounter?