Post #6: A day of firsts: entering the postulancy

September 8th was a big day:
-Sr. Stephanie went on our longest runs for marathon training: she ran 20 miles, and I ran 15 miles. Phew!
-I received the cross and uniform of a Postulant -- I'm now official!
-Fr. Bob celebrated the first baptisms in the renovated Our Lady of the Angels church: some dear friends of ours asked to have their two children baptized!
-Sept. 8th is my parents' anniversary!

Here's a picture of Fr. Bob and I after I received the Franciscan cross:



In addition to being a day of "firsts", it was a remarkable day for another reason: it is Mary's birthday!

Here's the story:
Last November, I visited the Franciscans as a discerner, trying to prayerfully discern whether or not I was called to be a sister, and if so, whether or not I was called to the Franciscans. A few weeks later, I was anguishing over my fears and hesitancy about choosing either of the main paths: marriage, or religious life.

The Salesian Sisters at the U of I (neighbors to the apartment I was living in) were encouraging everyone to pray the novena leading up to the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Typically, I'm not big on novenas, rote prayers, or other devotions.  However, my heart was begging me to make a decision about religious life--so I committed myself to saying the novena prayers (one sentence of the Magnificat per day), as well as praying for one hour in the chapel for the nine days leading up to the feast day.

On December 7th, the last day of the novena, I went to the chapel in anguish. Throughout the week, my reflections all pointed to the evidence that everything that I wanted to be and do was compatible with being a Franciscan, and yet I was trying desperately to sabotage the data. Our culture, our society, and even the expectations of those around me all were screaming to make their desires for my life known: marriage, an engineering career, wealth, etc.

After having my face buried in my hands, I finally looked up at the mosaic of Jesus holding up the bread at the last supper. With the soft lighting and a little stroke of imagination, it looked like a crown of roses was in his hands, which to me, evoked the wedding crown of a sister at her final vows.

The impression of a sister-ly marriage, that of a vocation to be a sister, became clear in my heart. I finally asked, what if I just said, "yes" ?

Prompting this newly-humble question, more so than making a declarative statement,  brought a sudden calm to my anguish. I no longer felt guilt, or heaviness, or grief. It wasn't joy or ecstacy either--rather, just a calm. In that calm, on the eve of the feast of the Immaculate Conception, it made sense in my mind and my heart that I was called to be a sister--and ever since then, I have increasingly found JOY in being called to be a sister.

How fitting that nine months after my first "yes" on the day celebrating Mary's conception, that I made my "yes" as a Postulant on the day celebrating her birth?

ooh. shivers. so cool.
Jess

Post #5: The Half Marathon - a milestone

Dear Reader--

This Labor day was a small victory-- Sr. Stephanie and I ran the Oakbrook half marathon! In many respects, it was an occasion for celebration:

-Sr. Stephanie took third place (in the women's category)!
-This was my first race bigger than a run/walk 5k!
-It was a beautiful course, and we had the perfect weather--sunny/cloudy and 70F with a nice cool wind.

Other than a bit of dabbling in short distance running in early high school, I have never been a good or consistent runner.  Running has only been a leisurely hobby until training for this marathon.  After a rocky start this spring, and some minor injuries and shoe problems delaying training, it was a great relief to get through this half marathon!

From here on out, every weekend the runs will get longer and longer... on a positive note, each weekend will be a celebration of my longest run to date!!!

Happy that I can still walk,
Jess

Post #4: Franciscans on air : a quick synopsis

Dear Readers--

Exciting announcement!  Sr Alicia, Sr. Stephanie, and myself went on air-- that is, we were interviewed by Fr. Greg of Chicago's Relevant Radio!  The interview can be listened to online, simply click on the following link:

http://files.archchicago.org/podcastfiles/podcastccof/20130816-CCOF.mp3

In the interview, we talked about the history of Our Lady of Angels' church and school, the development of our community, and finally our efforts to fund raise through the marathon.

A quick synopsis:

Our Lady of the Angels is a name that rings a bell for most Chicagoans: it is remembered as the location of the terrible school fire on December 1, 1958.  The school was originally staffed by the Blessed Virgin Mary Sisters (BVM's), and enrolled many children from the predominantly Italian and Irish neighborhood. A fire started in one of the stairwells, quickly rising to the third floor and spreading quickly throughout each floor and blocking exits. Many children jumped from the windows to save themselves, and many did; however, 92 children and 3 nuns perished during the event.

Many people moved out of the neighborhood in the wake of the fire, and after a series of historical and economic events, the neighborhood had completely changed by the 1970's. The West Humboldt park neighborhood now struggles with the symptoms of deep poverty: housing blight, underemployment and unemployment, lack of grocery stores and lack of a strong local economy, charter schools, gangs and drugs, etc.

The Our Lady of the Angels parish dried up, as did the majority of the other local parishes. The school was rebuilt and became a charter school, and still is one today.  The BVM sisters long ago moved out, and the church fell into disrepair, until....

2005: Cardinal George of Chicago asked Fr. Bob Lombardo, CFR, to start a Mission at the abandoned Our Lady of the Angels. After much hard work and a lot of answered prayers, the rectory, convent, nearby YMCA, and finally the church were rebuilt, and are now actively serving the community under the guidance of a new religious community, the Franciscans of the Eucharist.  There is much, much more to the story-- however, it is much better explained on our website:

http://www.franciscansoftheeucharistofchicago.com/history/

The Franciscans are growing in the number of vocations, opening the doors to expand the work with the community and to develop their anticipated apostulate (line of work) of teaching and perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

.... and.... this is where the Chicago Marathon comes in!  Sr. Stephanie was a cross country runner at her alma mater the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and combining her love for running with Sr.Alicia's need to pay off her college debt, they formed the 2011 Mission of Our Lady of the Angels team.
Two years later, the team has grown to 45 runners! The marathon is a beautiful way that people are giving back to this neighborhood.

More blogs to come !
Tune in!
Jess

Post #3: The "news story" version...

This is a blurb that I submitted to the Chicago Marathon, to explain my motivations for running. My entry wasn't picked to go on the air, but it was a great opportunity to reflect on my journey, and hopefully, to give you more of the back story!

People ask me why I studied civil engineering in college if I was going to become a religious sister one year after graduating.  Easy—I have always believed that the best way for me to help others is by building bridges.  I am running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon because as every bridge builder knows, there is a lot of initial cost before the foundation can be laid.  In my case, I fundraise to cover my college loans in order to enter my community debt-free.

 In the time before I wanted to be a sister, I thought that I could solve social ills by pure engineering: I wanted to design the systems that would distribute clean water, or the roads to connect people with their jobs.  As I delved further into the big picture of segregation, economic disparity, and my own religious vocation, I discovered that the physical infrastructure was only one element to the puzzle. 

Midway through college, I started volunteering at the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels.  The terrible school fire there in 1958 spurred the economic downturn of the area.   The Franciscans who live and serve West Humboldt Park at this Mission are bridge-builders in the big-picture sense.  As my religious vocation materialized, I realized that providing for the neighborhoods’ temporal needs, as well as building up their dignity based on the foundations of love and friendship, was the bridge-building that I was made to do.  

My civil engineering studies were not in vain.  As the prophet Jeremiah wrote, speaking on God’s behalf: “I know well the plans I have in mind for you, plans for your welfare, not for woe!”.  I have always desired to ‘walk the walk’ of the Christian life—to truly employ my skills, my time, and my effort towards serving others.  I am running the Bank of America Chicago marathon because this is my opportunity to ‘run the run’ of the Christian life; I fundraise because I need the financial support to make this hope a reality.  

As I transition into my new home in West Humboldt Park, I am certain that the experiences I will share with my brothers and sisters—both Franciscans and our neighbors—will teach me how to truly love and to serve.  Although I am not a runner, and am terrified at running my first marathon, I am running with our Mission of Our Lady of the Angel’s charity team of 45 runners to build funds to better service our neighbors on the West side.  They are running this marathon because they too believe that building relational bridges with people can make a difference in this world, and especially in Chicago.

This marathon beautifully mirrors my life’s story, that of training, sacrificing, and having hope that the triumph of a life well-lived is worth the adversity.  I run because I believe in my future as a Franciscan.

I believe in a future full of hope: for my life, and the life of my neighborhood.