Feast of the Visitation

Today is a beautiful feast for Mary goes with haste to be with her cousin, Elizabeth, who greets her with the words we say so often in the "Hail Mary": "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb." Then Mary praises God with her "Magnificat": "My soul rejoices in God..."

My soul is rejoicing, too, in God, as I am celebrating my 85th birthday today. We will have a Mass at the University with the RSCJs and a few friends and then lunch afterwards at a friendly Italian Restaurant near the University. This will be my last time at St. Thomas University where I have had so many wonderful years full of grace.
I am giving myself a little vacation from the blog as I leave on Saturday for my new home in  California and the Oakwood retreat begins on Sunday. That seems to me to be a great way to begin a new life with all the community in silent prayer for a week. I will still write my blog after the retreat, but may miss some days as everyone needs vacation in the summer.