2.12.2011

On this day

On this day six years ago, I took the first official step on my journey into religious life by becoming a Pre-Candidate with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. From the blog back in ought-five:
Long story short, my discernment has reached the point where it's time to start discerning whether I'm called to religious life in the context of a particular community. And there's something about this group of fun dedicated women, working for justice and spreading the gospel of peace. Whereas every Star Wars book and movie has the line, "I have a bad feeling about this," I can honestly say I have a very GOOD feeling about this. There's just something about the groovy csjp sisters. Helps me make much more sense of what God might be calling me to.
Six years later, I'm getting ready to start the discernment process for final vows, which most likely will take place in the fall. Good feelings still abound, and things continue to make more sense.

On this day 109 years ago, my grandfather Ludwig Lincoln Schmelzer was born.



The picture is one from my 4th birthday. My grandparents were very close to us in many senses of the word. They moved in with us when I was in 3rd grade. After grandma died when I was in 7th grade, it was very hard for him. We have love letters between them from the days of their courtship, which mirror the love I saw between them. That love continued after she died until he died a few years later. It continues still. Granddad was a wonderful, sweet and faithful man. Here's another picture, this one of my mom's fourth birthday (on grandma's lap). My grandfather is holding my uncle.



On this day 202 years ago, Abraham Lincoln was born. Yes, my granddad's middle name comes from the fact that they shared a birthdate!

2 comments:

Kathryn Price said...

Hi Susan (or Sister Susan?--I'm not sure which one you'd prefer): Congratulations on this anniversary of your initial step on your journey to religious life. I read your blog occasionally. I think I must have found it while doing a search for El Salvador. I am a seminarian who has been surprised by my own journey towards religious life. It has come to me later in life, although I thought I felt a calling earlier and I tried to pursue it. Well, things happened and I left the church for many years. I am at a United Church of Christ seminary; however, it was founded as an ecumenical seminary. It partners with several denominations in helping students meet requirements for their ordinations. I am also considering strongly the peace and justice concentration for my concentration. I was raised as a Catholic and that still means a lot to me. I went to El Salvador with a group from my seminary last March, during the 30 year commemoration of Archbishop Romero's assassination. I think it was the most meaningful week of my life. We met many wonderful people there. One of them was Sister Peggy. Seminary keeps me quite busy! I, too, have started a blog but I have only three entries in over a year! I just wanted to say congratulations, and I enjoy your blog. Kathryn

Susan Rose Francois, CSJP said...

Thanks!

Gods ways are certainly mysterious.

And Sister Peggy rocks!