Home of the Mother

This past March, Fr. Rafael visited the communities of the Home in Florida. During his stay at Ave Maria University, we had a meeting with members of the Home in which we watched the film “Alter Christus.” Fr. Rafael commented on several points afterwards and many mentioned that it had helped them a lot.

On March 19, Feast of Saint Joseph, we had what we call “Fireside with Father,” with Fr. Rafael, as well as Fr. Felix, Fr. Colm, and Fr. Henry. They spoke to us about a little of everything, but the main theme was St. Joseph. Some 80 students from the university attended.

This solemn title is the name of a new radio program for children and young people, which we are now preparing here at the community in Seville. Following an appeal for greater collaboration in the Home of the Mother’s mass media, we got to work here in Alcala de Guadaira.
The program will include stories, adventures, humor, and spiritual reflections to capture the attention of not only the youth, but also the entire family, with the aim of transmitting human and Christian values. Although these values are being attacked and undermined by the “mass media,” we are going to try to show their true face through a similar effort, but positively and in a Christian manner.

50% of the students at the University of North Florida (population about 18,000) are baptized Catholics. Statistics have shown that at least 70% of incoming Catholic freshmen will lose their faith completely within the first two weeks of coming to college.

There is a great thirst on campus for the hope that comes from Christ alone that will brighten the darkness they see all around them and even feel within themselves.

On March 13, the Sisters of the community of Alcala de Guadaira (Seville) held a get-together for the children from several local parishes who are preparing to make their First Communion. We held the event here at the Shrine of “Nuestra Señora del Águila.”

“Seek Me; I Am Still Alive” was the theme of the retreat held last weekend at Ave Maria University in Nicaragua. It was the last retreat of this semester and there were 88 AMU students participating. Beginning Friday afternoon, we opened our minds and hearts to listen to what God wanted to show us during the weekend. Throughout the entire retreat, Fr. Dominic was hearing confessions, helping a large number of young people to go to the Sacrament and thus, once again be reconciled in the Lord's infinite mercy.

In each of the talks, we could see God inviting us to change our lives, to be salt and light for the world, to die to our selfishness and follow Him; to find our true happiness, which can only be found in Him.

On Friday, March 19, Solemnity of Saint Joseph, we were graced with a visit from Archbishop Lorenzo Voltolini of Portoviejo (Ecuador), who celebrated Mass here at our parish in Lumezzane. He is originally from this area of Brescia (Italy) and had been here a few days visiting his sister who is very ill.

Father Tino, our parish pastor, when he heard he was coming, asked him to celebrate the Mass on the feast of Saint Joseph. It just so happened that there were more Sisters here at the time, seven all together. After the Mass, we wanted to invite him over to our house, but he could not come as he had a meeting with the bishop and had to head off immediately.

The construction of the home of the Servant Brothers and Priests of the Home of the Mother in Las Presillas, Cantabria, Spain, called “Casa Sagrado Corazón” (Sacred Heart House), is now fairly advanced.

We'll start with the exterior of the house...The central courtyard no longer has the giant cypress tree that once stood in its center and the courtyard area is now a bit larger. We are planting several rose bushes and several other plants around the area, to give a little “life” to the house. We have built the room for the heater in the back part of the house and the garden is ready for planting.

This past Saturday, March 13, 2010, the Community of Adults of the Home of the Mother had their monthly get-together in "La Aldehuela," in the southern part of Madrid. The day was spent in an environment of great joy, with moments of reflection and prayer, along with time for some good entertainment.

Responding to an invitation from the Diocesan Youth Ministry Coordinator, we attended the 25th Diocesan Youth Day in La Bañeza, on March 13-14. There was also an accompanying celebration of the 15th Vocations and Missions Song Festival.

For Spring Break 2010, the AMU Men's Outdoors Club, accompanied by the Servant Priests and Brothers, traveled to North Carolina to spend some days together in the mountains.  We were 15 altogether.  When we arrived the morning of March 6, we spent the morning hiking to the bottom of the tallest waterfall in the eastern U.S.: Whitewater Falls.  A few men even braved the ice cold waters of the stream below!

Responding to the call made by our bishops in Aparecida, a group of students from Ave Maria University in San Marcos set off for the mission territory of Rio San Juan, accompanied by Fr. Jose Javier and Br. Greggy (Servant Brothers of the Home of the Mother), Sister Martha, and Oscar Fuentes (Residence Life Director). Our trip began on Friday afternoon, when we mounted the small plane that would take us to our mission destination.

Sister Blanca has been spending several days in Lumezzane recently, to work on a stained-glass window that will be fitted into the chapel door of the Sisters' house there and an icon for inside the chapel. She came on February 8 and immediately got to work. When she arrived, she wasn't really sure what image she would place in the stained-glass window, but while she was here she found inspiration.

On the morning of March 5, 2010, Carmen Parra (age 90) passed away here at the Home for the Elderly overseen by the Servant Sisters in Priego (Cuenca). She spent the last 11 years of her life on earth here.

She had been fairly ill for several days. She received the Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites, and gained the plenary indulgence granted by the Pope to those who kiss a crucifix at the moment of death. She could not receive communion, as she could not eat even the smallest quantity of anything. We were only able to offer her water and juice through a syringe, to refresh her mouth.

This past weekend, March 6-7, we had a walking pilgrimage from Jacksonville, FL to St. Augustine, FL. A total of 19 girls came, 10 from the Jacksonville area and 9 from Ave Maria University.

On March 6, our house in Aldehuela hosted a retreat for catechists, Caritas volunteers, and visitors to the sick from the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary in Mostoles (Madrid).

Last weekend, February 26-28, 22 girls from Seville, Toledo, and Madrid came to the Sisters’ house in Getafe (Madrid) for a get-together.

Helena and Marta of the group ACIM have been in Playa Prieta since February 26, as they say, “to help out however we can.”
Every day of the week they do medical consultation from 8:30am to 1pm, not only here in Playa Prieta but also in Pueblo Nuevo, a town about 10 minutes’ car ride from here. On Saturdays, they run the clinic from 9am-12pm.

It's been three and a half years since the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother arrived in Playa Prieta, within the parish parameters of Riochico, in the Province of Manabi, to take over the administration of a local school.