Shrine of Saint Philippine Duchesne at St. Charles

I returned last night so renewed in body and spirit! It was a wonderful five days as I stayed with one of our communities, Regis, on the grounds of the Academy of the Sacred Heart which is a very special place for me. I received my vocation there and loved my four years as a weekly boarder for high school. I was met at the airport and went to dinner in St. Charles with one who has become a real friend and who is a candidate now but who will be a novice in the Society of the Sacred Heart in September. I also went out to lunch with friends on both Thursday and Friday and felt so blessed to have such good friends. One I have known since grade school! I spent time every morning in the Shrine praying at the tomb of Philippine for all my friends, living and dead, and went through list of names of students, probation sisters, classmates, etc. and I even lit a candle for all. It was one that will burn all week. On Thursday there were some of the younger children in the school going to confession in the Shrine with four priests; on First Friday, there was Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the little children came in perfect silence to pray. On Saturday, I was in the week end retreat and several of us spent our hour of prayer before the small group sharing in the shrine praying; on Sunday we had a beautiful liturgy there and the group of Religious of the Sacred Heart was so united. We were twenty-nine RSCJ and, although many were from St. Louis and St. Charles, we had some from New Orleans, Grand Coteau, Houston, Omaha, Albany, Africa, and Rome and, of course, I came from Miami. It was just a lovely week end with time to pray and share and deepen our own Constitutions.