We greet everyone a most blessed and  happy new year 2017.  Full of promise and hope, we journey on, confident of God's abiding presence and loving care as always.

Looking back, last October 2016, we were so touched by the kindness and generosity of the seven members of the Knights of Columbus of the Holy Savior Parish in Clinton, MS with Allen Scott at the helm.  Maureen, the wife of Al Scott also joined the group.  Armed with water powered jet, they spent the day brushing and cleaning all the statues as well as some pavements in our monastery compound. What a great way to prepare for All Saints' Day.  They came back last January to construct a beautiful and sturdy wooden ramp in front of our monastery gift shop and they also promised to replace the existing one at the back. We have been planning to have them for the longest time but for some reasons these were not given priority.

November 1st came and we all trooped to St. Joseph Cemetery at Gluckstadt, a good 30-minute car ride through the interstate, to offer prayers and flowers to the 11 deceased members of our community.  November was also a busy month for Sr. Dona and staff in our gift shop as they replenished and upgraded some stocks for the Fall to Christmas season.  We really appreciate the patronage of the locals for the successful turn-out.   Thanksgiving Day was also special for all of us as we thanked the Good Lord for His many graces and blessings and for the loving presence and camaraderie of the sisters through the ups and downs of community living.

As we are really in need of more sisters to join our community, the arrival of Sr. Pauline last December 5, another Filipina sister,  was an answered prayer.  Her presence has not only helped enliven our liturgy with her simple organ accompaniment but also gave us extra joy with her "interesting" dishes prepared in our humble kitchen. She will soon be assisting Sr. Dona in giving the gift shop a more "modern and upgraded" way of managing it and dealing with customers.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz was the Main Celebrant for our 5:30 pm Christmas Vigil Mass which was also attended by a sizable crowd.  Afterwards, we shared a simple agape for "noche buena" and got acquainted with him as it was his first time to be with the community.  We were so blessed to have him with us even for a short while.  As we celebrated the Birth of Jesus, the happiest time of the year, we also exchanged gifts and cheers not only with one another but also with our families and friends via social media especially for our sisters who came from the Philippines.  The wonders of internet in connecting people globally!!  Our joy was short-lived however when we received news from the Philippines about the hospitalization of Vangie, the biological sister of our Prioress, Mother Mary Jane. She had to go home to be with her sister who eventually passed away after a few days.  May we commend the eternal repose of Vangie to your prayers.

To welcome the New Year, we took turns praying before the Blessed sacrament until midnight.  This prepared us interiorly for the community retreat and visitation conducted by Fr. Ralph Reyes that followed.  Filled with renewed and "extraordinary energy" we started sprucing up every nook and cranny of the monastery but we also realized it would still be a very long while to finish them all.

We were on retreat when we received the sad news of Father John Michael's massive heart attack which proved fatal.  Fr. Ralph Reyes had to leave for Marylake abruptly while we continued our retreat in private.  He returned a few days after the funeral for the visitation, a graced occasion to remind us of the essentials of the Teresian way of life.

Last January 21, our monastery chapel provided a venue for the funeral Mass of Mildred Wilkinson, the wife of our long time benefactor, Roy Wilkinson.  Our way of thanking the family for their loving support and kindness to us all through these years as we also share in their grief.

 We look forward to our general meeting with Father General in April at St. Louis. That'll be all for now. A happy Valentine's Day to everyone.