WYD Madrid / Pilgrimage

WYD Madrid /Pilgrimage

Follow the link above for a slide show, enjoy.

Really cool nuns

Some may think the term "Cool Nuns" seems like an oxymoron because when people think of nuns they they unfortunately think of this
The stereotypical scary old lady with a permanent scowl and lightning quick with the ruler.

Well let me introduce you to the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara

The sisters singing a song before mass

These ladies are young (or young at heart) vibrant, full of love for the Lord and seem to always be smiling!

One of the things the sisters do is run an weekly oratory for young girls. Oratory is like a day camp and Mystical Rose has been going for the past year. This past Saturday the sisters held a family day so we all went. Family Day is something we look forward to; with games, singing, food and fellowship it is always fun.

GMAC playing one of the games run by the nuns

The novitiate house is next to a farm

this is where we had mass

"U" was even able to serve at mass

Whats in a name?

For the past few months Mystical Rose has been attending a girls oratory held by the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara. This week we had the privilege to participate in a mass where 14 of the novices received their habits and new names. During the mass there were also these ceremonies

• The Perpetual Vows of Fr. Joseph LoJacono, IVE and seminarian Gerardus Hauwert, IVE
• The Investiture of cassocks of 12 novices of the Institute of the Incarnate Word
• The profession of First Vows by four Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará
• The Admission to the Third Order of the Institute of the Incarnate Word for Adiela Cabrera

Cardinal McCarrick was the principal celebrant and two Bishops , to include one of our favorites, Bishop Holly concelebrated. The Vicar General of the IVE , the Provincial Superior of this province also concelebrated.

This was also the 20th Anniversary of the order coming to the US. There was a huge party afterward that we were invited to. At the party we were able to talk to many of the sisters and also met some of the impressive young men going to the new minor seminary started by the IVE.

The IVE is an amazing family of priests, nuns and lay people on fire with the Holy Spirit

Congratulations
Dear sister __ , to be concealed from the world and consecrated to God,
receive this new name by which we will call you...

Sr. Maria Blanca Azucena
Sr. Maria de Conforto
Sr. Mary Servant of the Cross
Sr. Maryja Wspomozichielka
Sr. Maria Mater Vitae
Sr. Maria Altar Purisimo
Sr. Maria Vera Luce
Sr. Maria Filotea
Sr. Maria Tonantzin
Sr. Marie Etoele de le Esperance
Sr. Maria Alma Redemptoris Mater
Sr. Marie Notre Dame de Victoire
Sr. Mary Our Lady of Divine Providence
Sr. Mary Lily of the Valley

Check out all of our photos in the post below

Pass the pigs

our very good friends came over for pizza and board games. We played Pictionary, Gestures and they introduced us to what is becoming one of our favorite games Pass the Pigs
The game is so simple yet so much fun, with the differences in our kids ages it is hard for us to find games that the whole family can enjoy.

Old Friends

For the last 16 years we have moved about once every 2-4 years. It's been fun and we have made many friends along the way. A few of those friends we really connected with and have kept in touch with for many years. Email and phone calls are usually the norm. This week we were blessed enough to get a visit from our really good friends that we met when we lived in Turkey. They are also the Godparents of Mystical Rose and Godmother to GMAC. We had such a wonderful time, we miss them already.

Rose with her Godparents

GMAC with her Godmom

Watching Roses' game