Last Sunday we celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, marking the end of the Easter season and the beginning of ordinary time-or as one of our chaplains said, "Oh Yikes! Ordinary time!" But it really isn't that ordinary because the Holy Spirit is in us and with us even on the most ordinary of days. Jesus did not leave us alone. The wisdom and the courage of the Spirit in our lives makes it possible for us to carry the message and mission of Jesus to others through our actions.

It's the end of May. Along with all farmers and gardeners, let's praise God for the rain, the sunshine and the warmth. Together, let's pray for those who lost lives and homes because of the devastating weather in the southern plains.

As I think about the end of the fiscal year, just one month away, GRATITUDE rises immediately in my heart and thoughts! Your donations have been particularly generous this year. We are grateful to all of you who have given in this fiscal year and to all who support us in any way. And you, our monthly and quarterly donors, are remarkably generous with your timely donations.

As part of our mission we serve the less fortunate by partnering with different organizations who serve them. For the past ten years we have been a partner with Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity. We hold one yearly benefit for Habitat, the soup-and-bread "Nun Banquet" that more people attend every year. In addition, one of our Sisters is on the Habitat board, and several have helped build and clean Habitat houses.

Here is a special opportunity for anyone who has not given in this fiscal year and who wants to support the mission and ministries of the Sisters. A new Habitat home is being built in Saint Cloud in honor of Pope Francis. If you donate $10 we will give it to Habitat for the "Pope Francis Build"; any amount over $10 from an individual will go towards replacing lights and repairing the dome in the Sacred Heart Chapel. ($10 is the minimum amount you can give using our Web page--of course we won't have a problem if you choose to give more. If you prefer, you can give by check.)

We invite you to join with us in doing something for others that neither you nor we could do alone. This partnership between Habitat, the monastery and you, helps us all go beyond ourselves to create the kind of joy and energy Pope Francis describes in his book The Joy of the Gospel. We'd love to have you join the Sisters in this partnership. An easy way to do this is go to our Web page!

From June 7 to 12, many of the Sisters will be attending the conference retreat entitled "God, Cosmos and Gospel," directed by Vincent Smiles, PhD. The retreat is open to anyone interested. As the Sisters spend these retreat days in quiet, reflection and prayer, we assure you of our prayers. At the same time, we ask you to pray for us.