Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the birthday of St. Madeleine Sophie. I took the habit 66 years ago today! Time has passed quickly. I was nineteen and only knew that I wanted to give myself to Jesus. I have good memories of my parents coming to see me walk down the length of the Chapel in a bridal gown and veil. After the first part of the ceremony, our habits were blessed by the priest and then our "angels" carried the little baskets with the folded habits and white veils and we processed out to have our hair cut and exchange the bridal dresses for a new habit. I remember feeling joyful in spite of the fact that I had a terrific cold and had to concentrate so as not to cough. It was cold and my parents were wonderful but it was so hard for them; they went to New York when they left Kenwood and sent me a box of toys from Macy's and all the novices had such fun playing on Christmas with the things in that box: pick-up sticks, jacks, Old Maid, checkers, Parchesi, Monopoly, and then there was a yo-yo, a Jack in the Box, a ball with a paddle, etc. I really do not remember all that box contained but we certainly had time on Christmas to play.
Yesterday evening Barbara Dawson began her mandate as our Mother General with her new team and the other team handed all over to them in a special ceremony. I am glad Barb starts her new ministry on this Feast today as it will not be easy and she is in office for eight years. Her team does not have a common language, but two are good in Spanish and the other two know English, I think, and Barb knows both Spanish and English and is going to brush up her French and, I suspect, will be learning some Italian.
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