"The spirit likes to dress up like this
ten fingers
ten toes
shoulders and all the rest"

Didn’t we see, touch, taste, hear and smell the Spirit in our conversations, tours, feasting, and sharing of memories? Who says we have memory loss? "Mother Mary Julia, no one could fool ‘ya," the Canaanite Women, and the lonely little petunia in the onion patch.. so many stories, so many wonderful memories! We gathered around tables in the refectories, this hall and Magdalene chapel. We shared laughter and tears.

Look around this room. Though we depart from this sacred space, we carry one another in our hearts.

When you return, I’d ask each of you to contact one sister or associate who was not able to be here. Share what you wish of your experience, but share, too, that they were "with us". You don’t need to be in the same room to have a heart connection. As we take leave of each other physically, we keep connected through the heart connection.

We have repeatedly sung Thankful by Josh Groban. May gratitude remain in our hearts for as the words of the song say, "We have so much to be thankful for".

Joye Gros, OP
President of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catharine, Kentucky