March 27, 2006 "Praise to You. Lord Jesus Christ. King of endless glory." You have been unfolding your plans, one by one. Wow! Thank you O my dearest Lord. How great and loving you are as always. I can't say much here because there are no words for me to describe how I perceive the wonder and greatness in your loving Providence...

Both Kathie and Paula have prayed hard. Thank God! I have been offered a new atelier by Gary Towsley and Olympia Nicodemi, my American aunt and uncle who have been very supportive of me as an egg tempera painting artist. I finally felt the Spirit wanted me to accept Kathie's and Paula's request to teach them egg tempera and icon painting techniques. They have been very patient in waiting for the last few years. Today we had another good class. It has been wonderful teaching and praying with them. We have a tight class schedule including work and prayer. The Spirit has been very loving and kind to us. I thank you. We all get along quite well. These two are very nice, gentle, simple and humble. I could see how the Lord inspires them to be icon painters. There is a holy spark about them, wonderful mothers and wives. My spiritual father often tells me to be simple and humble. Now that I have gone through life a bit and dealt with different people, I seem to understand what he means. There are some of us who are very easy to deal and get along with, and there are some of us who are more demanding and difficult...

Anyhow, I thank the Lord for them, and I pray for their learning the techniques well. May the Spirit help guide our hearts and souls, especially during these coming months. Amen.

February 27, 2006 Here comes our Lenten season. May the Lord help us to repent and purify our heart to love him through our dealing with all brothers and sisters. Amen.

February 8, 2006 It has been quite extra busy the last month at New Helfta between working toward forming a spiritual group among the like-minded friends and getting New Helfta Atelier ready for work and class.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: ... a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; ... a time to break down, and a time to build up;" --- (Ecclesiastes 3:1-3) taken from  The World English Bible

Who else but you, O my dearest Lord, are in control and make all things happen. The time was near and is now here, "to pluck up that which is planted and... to build up" You have been busy all along as you now are completing the next few more pages of another chapter of my life in you.

Be patient, you told us. Yes, you will come. You will not delay. If it seems that you are being delayed, we just have to trust that it is we who are not ready for what we ask for and that you know best.

January 13, 2006 I finally moved into the new New Helfta Atelier which is generously offered to me by Gary Towsley and Olympia Nicodemi, my former Math advisor in college and his beloved wife. They have always been and acting like my uncle and aunt. I thank the Lord for them, for their kindness and love as much as their support and being there for me, especially with my career as an artist. I will have some pictures of the Atelier soon to share.

I am currently working on Galileo and his daughter painting. Not for long I will have time to give an update on it. I have been quite busy since the dear Lord has been working hard on me. The old year was very good and full of blessings. This year will even be better. I am growing more and will face more challenges, but in faith I trust the Lord knows what he wants to give me, how to love me and what I have prepared to receive his new graces. Now that I have a separate studio, there are some slow changes for the better according to him. He is patiently and graciously unveiling his mysterious and awesome plan as I continue to search and seek for him and to do his will. Help us to love and be eager to follow your holy will O Lord! Amen

January 1, 2006 Happy feast of the Mother of God! "Mary's fidelity and faith enabled her to bear the Son of God and to assist him to prepare for his work as Redeemer of our race. She shows us that faith is the fundamental expression of love, and that love gives rise to trust stronger than death itself. At her intercession, may God our Father, who chose her to be mother of his Son, grant all of us the grace to imitate her faith and prove constant in our witness to His truth and His mercy." - Rev. Father's homily on January 1^st, 2006.

December 25, 2005 Today is born, the Savior, Christ our king! Thank you God for your loving mercy to us.

December 8, 2005 "I am the Immaculate Conception", she told St. Bernadette.

HAPPY YOUR FEAST DAY DEAR BLESSED MOTHER!

... and the angels rejoiced for a sinner who showed remorse of her faults through the penitential tears and a contrite spirit. She came to celebrate your feast and received His gift of humility and purity of heart. She wept not because of guilt or fear of punishment, but of love for our Lady who is love; who is gentle and meek. Oh how can she says: "I love you Blessed Mother" when she was being mischievous in making comments, judging and criticizing others whom her Lady loves so much? Please help pray for her to be like you, Oh Beautiful Lady of those who want to know and love you. Please intercede for her desire to help win souls for the Lord for the salvation of all mankind. Amen.

Pray for us all sinners, dear Blessed Mother of Immaculate Conception!
And please "Pray to Mary for all of us here (at Genesee Abbey) and especially for vocations." Thank you.

"Having studied Mathematics, Science and Art in college; having been in Italy so many times and appreciated much what Italy has to offer (thanks to my Geneseo family, especially Wes and Lynn Kennisons); having been living a life as a contemplative religious icon painter under the teaching and influence of a Cistercian abbot and his community, and most of all, having been learning and struggling to live the Catholic faith sure give me such great appreciation and understanding when I encountered the lives, the faith and the mutual relationship of Galileo and his daughter through Dava Sobel's books.... painting of GALILEO AND HIS DAUGHTHER... (in progress)

November 29, 2005 A JOYOUS AND BLESSED ADVENT SEASON TO YOU AND YOURS.

The Lord recently gave me an opportunity to be attentive, loving and caring like a mother to my two young nephews.  They were a handful to my sister when their father was not around.  I am happy to have the opportunity to be a good aunt but not without facing challenges since children tend to be so needy and demanding! I admire MOTHERS very much.  God sure bestows on them such a gift of love and patience to bear, to raise and to shape these little ones to be good people - a noble and arduous task.  I thank you for being faithful to your vocation as Mothers.

No matter who we are, and what we do. As long as we faithfully live the vocation given to us and live it for the love of God who is love himself, then this world will sure be a better place for us all.

May our Lady, the Mother of the Infant Lord intercede for us, especially mothers, during this Advent season as we await for the Lord to be born anew in our heart. Amen.

I thank you for all who prayed for the talk in Oswego. All went well, and I praise God for his love and protection as the trip was long and challenging at times.

November 14 2005 Finally all the leaves are raked and carried out to be taken away! Since we live near the end of our street, the mighty wind brought tons of them to our yard! As I began to rake them, I got overwhelmed because there were so much leaves wherever I looked. Though I must say they were very beautiful! My whole yard was totally yellow! Then I remembered one of St. Gertrude's conversations with the Lord. So I talked to him. He helped me to see that these leaves are to remind me of his abundant graces freely bestow on those who take notice of them. Only when we humbly accept and appreciate what are given to us without being difficult about it or being demanding, we will perceive how blessed we really are for Heavenly Father knows best!

 Please pray for baby Tyler Jacob. His aunt wrote:

"Tyler was supposed to be born at the end of December.  He was going to come on December 15th by C-Section.  He was coming be C-section because his intestine was on the outside of him.  This was however not the case.  There was a fatty tissue on the outside and a hole in his abdomen the size of a pen cap. He arrived Tuesday, Election Day at 7:09 in the morning. He weighed 4 pounds and 15 ounces and is 17 3/4 inches long.   They took him away and did the surgery.   Everything was going great.  Home in 48 hours to two weeks.

YESTERDAY morning at 9 AM Lisa went in to feed him and he threw up bile. They pumped his stomach in front of his mother said that there was a blockage they thought and did surgery again and removed most of his bowel.   21cm in left.  He is on a feeding tube and IF he survives the next 6 weeks and IF at least 4 cm of his intestine grows back HE MAY be able to Survive on the feeding tube.   THE POWER OF PRAYER IS AN AWESOME THING!    PLLLLLEEEAAASSSEE  pass this e-mail to as many friends, family, and acquaintances as you know.  This poor family needs as many prayers as they can receive. He is in the Pedeactice Intensive Care Unit at strong.  Please pray for him."

Also, please come and join us, or pray for my coming presentation on November 19 (feast of St. St. Mechtild) at the Knights of Columbus on 130 West Fifth Street in Oswego, New York 13126. The events scheduled:

6:00 pm Dinner. Suggested donation $5.00
6:45 - 8:15pm Presentation and sharing.
Please call Mike Plunkett Jr. @ 315-343-6811 if you plan to come either for dinner or for the presentation.

October 17, 2005

"... I am trying to follow the wisdom that we should learn how to live more deeply in the heart and not on the surface.  Our moods and feelings change so often that unconsciously, we let other people control our freedom and happiness.   If we depend on them and their opinions as well as criticisms and points of view to define our happiness and peace, we will never be happy and at peace in this life, my spiritual father advised me.

The saints rooted their faith and trust in God alone so they received the graces to overcome the many temptations and sufferings supposedly caused by others. When they are truly at peace with themselves and with God, deep down in the heart, nothing could disturb them and take away their happiness. Humiliations and sufferings then become opportunities for learning and practicing virtues. Even the enemies become their friends, their brothers and sisters as the merciful Father sees it.  Otherwise, no matter where one seeks, the grass is always greener on the other side! 

A few years back, I used to allow myself to get offended and upset when others attacked my belief and my way of life.  Through that cross, however, I have learned to grow stronger in the spirit and learned how to live more deeply by studying and practicing the life of the Gospels through attending daily mass and seek to study spiritual wisdom. With the grace and mercy of God, trying to work at this with my best ability, I could see that I have more confidence in God, in his promise of love, mercy and justice. My faith in God who is my strength, my hope and my everything also begun to take roots.

If we pray for the grace and try to persevere, we will see this world with the eyes of God. We will not run away from it but learn how to deal with it, to live in it, and to be an instrument for God to transform and sanctify it. Only then we can grow more fully and love more completely and transcendently like Him who wants us to be perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect.  Of course, this takes a lot of time and energy and most of all, faith to live it, but with the mercy of God, if we focus on it, it will open the windows for us as we go forward seeking Him and his goodness.  I still am struggling, but at least I know it is my human weakness that I have to deal with, and not others' whom I cannot change."

September 26, 2005 Today I had so many things I needed to get done. Being aware of my weaknesses and limitations, I set my priority and took time to do them in hope that I could get as much done as I could. I tried not to get all worked up about things as I always do. I am often reminded that the daily things I do, I should do in the presence of God as God walks with me always and is with me in everything I do for his name sake and his love. Therefore, I should not do things just to get them over with and not learn anything from them. It is hard but I try my best to pay attention to that reminder as much as I could.

So, trying to help a dear friend retrieving some of her important files was what I set out to do. I am not a genius about computer but I have spent enough time trying to fix my mistakes, I now know a few things which my friend does not. The task was quite a challenge and a frustration. However, with prayer and trust in God, I stayed patient and was determined to complete it. During the process, carelessly and impulsively, I deleted some of my files which I wished I did not! Though, I did not let that bother me because my priority was to get my friend's files back. It took several hours. When I could not retrieve the files the short way, I would try the long way no matter how long it took. Finally, thank God, all but one file were saved!

I could not wait to share the good news so I called and told my friend about it. She was happy to hear from me, and instead of thanking me for what I had accomplished, she praised God for a miracle because all the disks which contained the files that both of us could not open before now worked perfectly. She said that even though I could not open them when she gave them to me, I must have done something good to them.

Instead of praising God together, selfishly, I felt a bit upset about the fact that she did not acknowledge my effort, and also I wished she could tell me earlier about the disks so that I did not spend the time fixing what she now did not need. Politely, I told her that was great but to myself, silently I complained about it and told the Lord how I have wasted my time for nothing.

Now, that I was selfish, I grumbled about the lost files which I carelessly deleted. The Lord gently whispered to the ear of my heart: "Your prayer, your effort and your caring for your friend helped made the files come back to life!" Instantly, I realized what I had just done. Embarrassingly, I could see what a loser and how proud and selfish I was. I started out with good faith and intention, but during the process and when things succeeded, I wanted to take all the credit and did not think of God's grace that made all things possible. In other words, in my human weakness, I wanted my friend to praise and appreciate me for what I could do instead of praising God for what he did through my effort.

"I am sorry Lord for being so big-headed and for my pride. I thank you for giving me the grace to hear your voice; for the opportunity to learn and for humbling me. I needed it!"

Later, I confessed to my friend. She understood it and shared with me her similar experience. She told me that God used me to be his instrument to help her. We both laughed on the phone knowing the Lord has been in our midst. Together we humbly praised God for his being himself - the ever awesome and loving Lord! Amen.

September 8, 2005 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BLESSED MOTHER OF THE LORD. PRAISE GOD FOR HER, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, FOR SHE WAS DESTINED TO BE THE DWELLING PLACE OF THE SON OF GOD.

O dear Blessed Mother of the Lord, our glorious Queen! Please intercede for us, for all mothers who try so hard to learn to love and care for their children. Please pray to the Lord, especially for the victims, the families as well as the volunteers who are in the midst of the Katrina hurricane.

May his love and mercy for us be our strength, our hope and our faith which will help us to be more attentive to his presence in our midst and in the core of our being. Amen.

The week before last week, I made a retreat at Our Lady of the Angels in Croze. To a friend I wrote:

"Most of the time, daily, I was alone with the Lord in the middle of no where.  The experience was some what as if he lured me into the desert! (I was the only retreatant there during my stay.) It was a profound experience which will help me in the days to come for I have to make some important decisions.   Actually, I was not that alone for he sent me a big black snake, several families of dear who were not very friendly, cows, butterflies, and bugs besides other wild things which I could only imagine their hovering during the dark nights...

Once I arrived at the airport, Sr. Claire picked me up, and I spent about 2 and 1/2 hours doing community errands with her before we got back to the abbey.  She seemed very interested in me and insisted to hear everything that I do... As the result, she later told the community and I ended up giving a talk to them the last day on my retreat... I like the sisters. They were very nice and friendly. I got to be with them in a private mass where they made cheese and was given the privilege to sit next to Mother Superior who gave me a very warm welcome and a kind kiss of peace.  I looked and acted just like a novice for I have learned how to be one watching and living the life from outside the cloister of Genesee :-) ... Anyhow, the experience was quite different from Wrentham since the community is small.  They did not scare me as Wrentham did.  Having Fr. John Eudes there helped for he really kept me humble whenever I complained and acted like a spoiled and proud soul of the beloved Father and the Blessed Mother whom I know love me very much.

It is nice to be back and be who I am in worshiping and praising... It is hard to be back to the world after I was so away from it physically, but I guess we all need to come down the mountain to continue to learn how to find the Lord in his people and creation."

After the retreat, the Lord revealed to my spiritual father that I am ready to learn how to find him at a deeper level. This is the spiritual father's advice which speaks to me so personally. I thought those of you who are searching and yearning for God at this level could benefit from it so here I share with you:

(and Rev. Father answered me: ) "Yes, by faith; FOR GOD HAS SO MADE YOU THAT YOU CAN KNOW HIM BECAUSE HE ALREADY KNOWS AND LOVES YOU FIRST. As you believe that the Lord actually abides within your soul, this faith can become an experience if you quietly attend to this Presence within you AND WELCOME IT WITH DESIRE TO KNOW AND SERVE HIM IN LOVE. YOU NEED NOT SAY THIS BUT ONLY SHOW IT BY WORDLESS ATTENTION AND DESIRE. That is what contemplation is -an EXPERIENCE OF GOD'S REALITY FOR YOU! THAT IS HOW FAITH IS INCREASINGLY APPROPRIATED BY THE BELIEVER. ONCE YOU HAVE SUCH AN EXPERIENCE IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO PRAY IN THIS CONTEMPLATIVE WAY. OF COURSE, GRACE IS NEEDED TO LIVE THIS TRUTH, BUT OUR LORD WILL GIVE THE GRACE."

August 24, 2005 HAPPY 79^TH BIRTHDAY TO REV. FATHER!

May the good and loving Lord, with his Blessed Mother's intercession,
continue to shower graces and blessings upon you, dear Rev. Father.

May they protect and keep you from all harms,
body, soul, spirit and mind, and may their everlasting peace and joy as well as happiness ever reign in your heart. Amen.  

"Trying to be holy as He is holy and living in the Spirit of the loving God are never easy because we always want to do good; to do what is best for everyone as our Lord does, but we are quite limited in all.  However, in dealings with our human limitations, we come to recognize more and more the omnipotence, loving kindness, generosity and greatness of Him who deigned to be one of us; who deigned to die for us and who loves us unconditionally.  

Most of my struggles in living the spiritual life, I am told, are not bad because the cause of these conflicts is my trying to please God and trying to do good for my brothers and sisters.  God is always good and generous to me.  When I was ready, he gave me the grace to recognize his invitation to live the life of simplicity and poverty as my patron saints did.  Humbly living my vocation, I am learning how to depend totally on his love and mercy. This has been a wonderful grace despite of the many difficulties I have encountered.  So, whatever I do, ... I pray it is his will and Providence because he knows what is best.  So, in faith I asked ..., assuming it was not interfere with others' interests, in hope that the gift would allow me to have more freedom in living the contemplative vocation as a sacred painter and doing active ministry spreading the love of God and promoting the Marian Children ... Please be at peace and I am sure, the Lord will grant me what I ask for if it is what he knows best for me and for others :-)  I thank you again for all your supports..."

August 15, 2005

HAPPY ASSUMPTION FEAST OF THE BLESSED MOTHER,
REV. FATHER'S JOHN EUDES' 50^TH ANNIVERSARY OF SOLEMN PROFESSION

August 11, 2005 HAPPY FEAST OF OUR DEAR SAINT CLARE OF ASSISI!
Here at New Helfta, it was a blessed feast day with the Lord's mysteries and wonders filled with peace and love.  My dear brothers and sisters sent their feast day greetings and love. I asked the Blessed Mother and St. Clare to intercede to the Beloved Lord for my love for Him as well as my service to my brothers and sisters in his love.

Dear my patron saint, help me and those who pray, to love and have more devotion for the Holy Eucharist. Please intercede for us so that we come to recognize our poverty in spirit; and therefore always depend on the Lord's mercy and love. Thank you.

"God's willing, I pray that if there are donors for the Cross, I would use the donation to purchase a piece of land to start a foundation for New Helfta, but of
course it is God's Holy Will that I want." Thank you all for your thoughtfulness and prayers. - Clare of New Helfta

"... however undeserving we might know ourselves to be, we are so loved by God that, far from rejecting us, he wills to join us to himself by the most intimate and ardent bonds of love. St. Claire had never proved unfaithful; she realized that it was God's special love that had protected her. However, it was not her innocence that gave her the confidence needed to sustain her in the years of testing in poverty, but her strong faith in the tender love of God... 'I will espouse you to myself forever. I will espouse you to myself in justice and with judgment, in loving kindness and tender love', says the Lord.... "

Rev. Father's homily August 11, 2001

August 9, 2005 "Your situation is quite difficult I could see that.  The paths God wants us to follow never seem very clear at times, but we must chose one way or another. We have to trust in his ardent love as Hosea, the prophet was inspired to write down God's words:

"I will espouse you to myself forever.
I will espouse you to myself in justice and with judgment,
with gracious care and tender love.  
In fidelity I will espouse you to myself and you will know the Lord." (taken from Rev. Father's translation of Hosea 2:20-21)

Yes, he is so faithful that no matter what we chose, he will always be there to help us to grow as Rev. Father assured me of that.
I pray that God will give you the grace to be strong and courageous to follow the light even though it is not yet so bright to the eye of your faith. We can't just stand there and not moving ahead. Having a spiritual director therefore is very helpful. But again, the person has to be sent by God. I pray for that too for you.

It seems to me we cannot be our true-self and find peace in our heart when we hang out with those who don't have the same values as ours, and therefore have to compromise our faith and way of life to theirs.  Sometimes we try to fit in and be present to convince ourselves that we have friends and we are happy. However, if the spirits are not united with the Spirit of God, we are still very alone! Just like our physical body, we can starve our spirit, but not for long. Sooner and later, the loneliness and depression will take over. Man's spirit affects greatly his happiness and peace. So when he loses it, life does not seem too interesting and livable to him."

July 12, 2005 "About one year ago I was diagnosed with cancer, Hodgkins Lymphoma. I went through five grueling months of chemotherapy. I lost all of my hair; I was completely exhausted, and consistently nauseous. I was also terrified for my life, angry that this happened to me, and I felt entirely alone. But after time went on and I found some teens that were or have experienced the same situation, I was comforted knowing that others understood the pain I was enduring. Chemo was followed by one month of radiation, which was by far much easier to deal with. My hair began to grow, and my energy was coming back. At the end of April, 2005, I finally ended months and months of excruciating treatment, which was a fantastic feeling to finally be done. Of course I still have a great fear of myself ever relapsing, but one thing I have most learned from this experience is not to let my fears sway me, but rather my will for life to guide me. Worrying does not help solve a thing. After all, ANYTHING could happen, and there is nothing anyone can do to change it. We can only hope for the best, and have faith that everything happens for a reason. We also need to remember that life is far too short, and we need to take advantage of today. Now is all we have; do not wait for tomorrow."

            The above is taken from Theresa's Journal page. We encourage you to visit her web page and also Caroline's and Katie's. It would be a great help and encouragement for these youth to have your comments, sharing or feedback. Your response will be picked randomly and posted under their monthly journal. The Marian Youth-Journal page gives our youth a chance to share and express their voices which matter to us. Thank you for your prayers and your encouragement for them.