Blessing

"Fr. Alex was here today," Sr. Jacinta Ngân said.
"Oh?  Is he back from his sabbatical already?" Sr. Terry Thủy asked.
"Yes.  He came with gifts, little Jerusalem crosses for each of us," Sr. Jacinta Ngân continued.

Last year, Fr. Alex had come to say Mass twice for our convent because the priests nearby at St. Luke's was tied up with First Reconciliation for over 900 kids.  He had wanted to come more often, yet we feared for his safety.  He was over 80 years of age and his home was a good 20 minutes from our convent.

"He asked me what was the name of the sister that worked at the hospital, the one he worked with," Sr. Jacinta Ngân elaborated with a twinkling smile.  "I told him, Sr. Janine, Father, Sr. Janine."

We giggled at Fr. Alex's lapse in memory.  It was amazing that he served as a chaplain at Parkland Hospital to over 1000 Catholic patients and still remembered the location of our convent.

"Oh yes, oh yes, Father said.  Then he let opened it up.  Let me go get it."  Sr. Jacinta Ngân got up from the dinner table.

"For Sr. Geanina!" Sr. Jacinta Ngân crowed with delight as she handed me the parchment.

Geanina?


To Sr. Geanina and Mary Queen Sister.

An apostolic blessing from the Pope to our community.
And myself.

I told the sisters "Geanina" is my new name.
Because that is how the pope knows me.

Actually, I don't mind being called Sr. Geanina.

To be named is to become real.
To be remembered is to be gifted.
To be remembered by a priest who has served our Lord faithfully for 60 years is indeed a blessing.

In honor of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the one who "kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart."  (Lk 2:19)


More on papal apostolic blessing:
http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/worship/papal_blessings.php
http://www.diocesetucson.org/officeofbishop2.html

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