a very dear guest

Last December 23rd, I was so glad and was overjoyed when, at the middle of my rest-sleep in my cell, my telephone intercom rang and heard Sister Kateri's voice telling me she had a surprise for me.

The next voice I heard after she said that was a shrill voice coming from a lady whose voice was indeed very familiar to me... Oh my goodness!, Sister Scholastica a Filipina friend, errr Maria F. now, was on the other side of the line. ( she left the Benedictine congregation already for quite sometime now and is living as a laywoman contented and happy with her job in one of the Dioceses in one State of US near New Mexico. )

Let me refresh your memory about her. She was a Benedictine nun in one monastery in Lousiana but in some reasons or the other, and after persevering for quite a number of years already, she decided to call it quits and is now happy working in a Diocese.

I had mixed feelings about her leaving the portals of her monastery as she was a sure asset of her community. But God works in so many mysterious ways for each one of His Brethren. So, as laywoman, she came over to join the communities of the monks and nuns here at Abiquiu in the celebration of Christmas. She left a day after Christmas as she cannot be away from the Diocese for her job is surely awaiting for her.

Images of me and her on Dec 25,2007--> Christmas Day:








Last photo shows me and Scholastica errr Maria with my friend who is also Filipina who's from my town in Bicol and who was married to an Irish scientist with their two lovely daughters Florence and Felicity.