June 2011

Spiritual Work “Continuetodoyourownspiritualwork,”—thesearewordsfromourVisioningCircleinresponsetoourongoingquestion:“HowdowefacilitateasecurefutureforClare’sWell?”You’veallheardusaskthatquestionbefore;itwaseveninapreviousissueofThe Well.OurVisioningCircle’sresponse,“Continuetodoyourownspiritualwork,”ispowerful.ItgroundsusintheSpiritofGodatworkinsideandamongushereandnow.

Atthetimeofourfounding,23yearsagothisJune9,wereceivedthemotto,“Wisdomisdeepwithin;drinkfromyourownwell.”Somehowitwasclearfromday-onethatClare’sWellwastobeaplaceforgueststocometopray,enjoysolitudeinnature,re-focusandre-engagetheirownsouls.Whileitistemptingtoover-reachwhenwereceivemanycataloguesofprogramsofferedbyotherfacilities,weknowourcallistosimplepresenceandhospitality. Iamremindedofourfriend,Basil’s,words:“Repetition.Repetition.”OnewhoseeksGod’swillmustfocusand“practice,practice,practice,”hesaid.Preparemeals.Preparemeals.Washdishes.Washdishes.Dailyprayerandaspiritualpracticeoffaith-fulwelcomingarenotoptionalforourgrowthandguidance.Pursuingeasyanswersinapotpourriofspiritualitywon’tbearfruit.Whydowekeepasking,“WhatcanwedotobesureClare’sWellcontinueswhensomedaywecannolongerdothework?” “Whatisourstodo?”ItisourstodrinkfromthisWellourselveswhilewetenditforothers.Wedon’tknowifweareclosertoananswertoourquestion.Thefutureisnotwithinourreach.WhatiswithinourreachisaWellofgrace,drinkingfromit,listen-ingforguidance. Whatisspiritualwork?Itinvolvesapracticeofstayinginthepresentmoment.Godsaid,“Iam,”not“Iwas,”or“Iwillbe.”Godcontinuestotouchheartstomovepeoplewheretheyneverthoughttheywouldbecalledtogo.WebelieveGodiscallingsomeonetosomedayhelpmaintainthisWell.Untilitbecomesclearwhothatis,wewillfocusonwhatisourstodotoday.Wewilldoourspiritualwork. Sister Jan Kilian

2 Clare’s Well, annandale, Minnesotathe Well • June 2011

Earth Citizen? What is that? Old Turtle Answers...

Nicaragua FatherTeddyNiehauscalledtheSundaycongregationtoMasswiththepealofthisuniquescrap-ironbell.(picturedatleft)FamiliesarrivedearlyonSunday,January16,2011,togettheirchildrenreadyforBaptismorFirstEucharist/PenanceorConfirmation.Onecouple,surroundedbytheirchildren,wasmarried;thennearlyeveryoneinthechurchwentforwardtoblessboththebrideandgroom. ThroughouttheweekweNorthAmericanvisitorsformedfriendshipsandworkedwithmembersoftheFelicianocommunitytogivetheirchurchafreshcoatofpaintandfinishthesecondflooroftheeducationbuilding.Withgenerousdonationsfromfriendsandfamily,themedicalteamwasableto

attendnearly400personsattheclinic.Inthelittle“school”somechildrenplayedgamesandusedwatercolorsforthefirsttime!Franciscanmembersofthisyear’sgroupwereSistersCarolSchmitandJaniceWiechmanandFranciscanAssociatesJeffOdendahl,hisdaughterKateKrantzOdendahlandMonicaRudawski(notpictured).Thiswasthe12thyearamissiongrouphasgoneintothenortheasternmountainareaofNicaragua. Sister Carol SchmitJeff Odendahl, Sister Janice Wiechman, Sister Carol

Schmit and Kate Krantz Odendahl.

Father Teddy Niehaus

HaveyoueverreadtheprofoundlittlebookOld TurtlebyDouglasWood?ItspeaksofatimewhenallbeingsofEarth-rocks,trees,wind,birds,animals-couldspeakandunderstandeachother.AndthensomehowtheygotinanargumentaboutwhatGodislikeandwhereGodis.TheycouldonlyseeGodintheirownlikeness.TheydidnotseeareflectionofGodinanyoftheotherbeings.OldTurtlesetsthemstraight. EachbeingreflectsGodinsomewayandyetGodisbeyondallofthem.OldTurtleannouncedthecomingofawonderfulnewfamilyofbeings,humanbeings,whowillberemindersofallGodis.Theywillbe“amessageoflovefromGodtoEarthandaprayerfromEarthbacktoGod.”Butthehumanbeingsforgotwhotheywere.TheyforgotthatallbeingsofEarthreflectthepresenceandbeautyofGod.AlltheotherbeingsofEarthtriedtotellthehumanbeingsaboutthepresenceofGod,butmanycouldnotseeorhearwhatwasbeingsaid.Theyfoughtwars,usedpreciousresourceswastefully,alwayswantedmoreandmore,killedotherbeingsandweredisconnectedfrombothGodandEarth.Earthandallbeingsbegantodie. Andthen,asbyamiracle,somehumanbeingsbegantohearandseeagain.Perhapssomeneverstoppedseeingandhearing.Perhapssomehavealways

knownthattheyare“amessageoflovefromGodtoEarthandaprayerfromEarthbacktoGod.” Humanbeingsbegantowalkwithnewawarenessofthebeautyallaroundthem,andarefilledwithgratitudeknowingthatitisallpuregift.Theyaregrowinginadesiretosupportlife,alllife,becauseGodissomehowreflectedinauniquewayineachbeing.Thesehumanbeingstakeborderswithagrainofsalt,havingrespectandknowingthat,intheend,weareallonefamilynomatterwhichsideoftheborderwewerebornon.Thesepeopleworktoimprovethelivesofbirdsandbeesandofimmigrants,“legal”or“illegal”,becauseweareallonefamily.TheylookforcleaningagentsthatdonotharmEarth,yethelpcleanclothes,dishesandfloors.Theyplanttrees,protestwarsandthebuild-upofweapons.Caringforoneanotherismoreimportantthanhavingmoreandmorethings.ThesearecitizensofEarth. AsourFranciscancommunitycontinuestostudytheEarthCharter,Iamjustbeginningtosee,hearandgrowingratitude.Howaboutyou?HowareyoubecomingacitizenofEarth-notoftheU.S.,notoftheU.N.,butofEARTH.Wearecalledtobe“amessageoflovefromGodtoEarthandaprayerfromEarthbacktoGod.” Sister Janice Wiechman

3Clare’s Well, annandale, Minnesota the Well • June 2011

Lacy remembers

FSLF Leadership

Idon’tgostraightaheadanymore.Iwalkoutoftheporch,steponthegroundandgetmybearings—drivewaytotheleft,barntotheright.Blindly,straightaheadcanbeunforgiving;Ibumpmyheadandmakemistakes.UnthinkingstraightaheadleadsmetothinkIamthecenter,whenreallyIamonlyapartofthewholeandneedtoconsidermyentiresurroundings.So,you’llseemeliedown,rolloverafewtimes,listentotheearthandremember. Irememberblueasinsky,asinoveralls,asinbluebirds.OurfriendStuputupnewbluebirdboxesinplentyoftimetoattractourreturningfriends.SomeofthehouseswerehandmadebyhimandsomeweregiftsfromConnie.Ialsoremembertheimageofthepeacocks,thosestrangedignifiedbirdswhowanderedaroundouryardforayear,alwayswithincallingdistanceofeachother.Theynowliveattheiroriginalowner’sfarm.I’msuretheirlookingoutforeachotherwillnotchange. IthoughtourJulyhailstormscary,anditleftalotofdamage—nowallisrepairedandbetterthannew.ThenIlistentonewsaboutJapan.Theearthmoved,andwaterandeartharoundtheglobewereaffected.Theysaytheanimalsknewthattheearthquakewascoming.Weneverfinishlearningfromearth. Ourpoliticalleaderscouldlearnsomethingfrommyexperienceofbeingblind.Theyneedtolearnfromtheleftandlearnfromtheright.Feelandlisten,alwayswithcompassion,willingnesstoarriveatnewwaysofknowingandnotchargeaheadblindly.Thelightinmyeyeshasgoneout,butIhardlyknowthedifferencesincemyinsidelightisallthemorekeen. Westillgetasked“WhoisClare?”IpassononeofthemostfamouswritingsofClare,our13thcenturypatron.Sheunderstoodthegraceofwalkingwithopenness.

“What you hold, may you always hold. What you do, may you always do and never abandon; but with swift pace, light step, unswerving feet, so that even your steps stir up no dust, may you go forward securely, joyfully, swiftly on the path of prudent happiness…”(Clare’slettertoAgnesofPrague)

EveryfiveyearstheFranciscanSistersofLittleFallselectpersonstocarrytheleadershipoftheFranciscanCommunity.BeginninginJune2011,SistersBeatriceEichten,RoseMargaretSchneider,CarolitaMauerandSusanKnutsonwillshinelightonissuesthatarecriticaltothepresentandfutureofthecommunityof160sistersandover200associates. Sisters Beatrice Eichten, Rose Margaret Schneider,

M. Carolita Mauer and Susan Knutson.

(Top) Lacy, the greeter. (Bottom Left) Two peacocks wandered around Clare’s Well for a year. (Bottom Right) Stu put up new bluebird houses.

4 Clare’s Well, annandale, Minnesotathe Well • June 2011

This newsletter is printed on recycled paper. Please don’t throw it away. Pass it on to a friend or recycle it.

Clare’s Well can be reached at: 13537 47th St NW, Annandale, MN 55302 Phone: 320-274-3512 • Web: www.clareswell.org

JulianaHoward,alongtimevisioningcirclemember,haspublishedachildren’spicturebook,CatietheCopycat,illustratedbyhergranddaughter,Sophie,andpublishedbyBeaver’sPondPressinEdina,Minnesota.Itisarhymingtaleaboutalittlegirlinsearchofherself.Inthestory,Catiehasadream,findsthequeenandherlifeisforeverchanged. RichardHagenstron,MethodistministerinRoanoke,Virginia,saysthisaboutthebook:“Thisbookissuperb.Sincemanychildrenlacktheconfidencetobelieveinthemselves,CatietheCopycatmeetsarealneed.Itsbeautifulillustrationsinvitechildrentoreadit,anditmakesitagreatread-aloudbookforparentsandteachers.I’magrandfather,andthemessageevenstrikeshomeforme,soit’snotforchildrenonly.”Formoreinformation,gotowww.catiethecopycat.com.

Catie the Copycat

Wish List• On-goinghelpwithbuckthornremoval• 2or3largespoolsforthegoatpasture• Animalfeedandbirdseed• Firewood• Donationsforrepair/replacementofthings that“goboom”inthenight,andforongoing expenses,i.e.utilities,supplies• Contributionsforscholarshipfund• Rubbergardenhose

Thank You• Forallcontributions.We’vebeengreatlyblessed byyourgenerosity.• Forhelpofeverykind,outofdoors,inthe house,hermitages,WellnessCenterandbarn.• Snowshoveling,shoveling,shoveling...and snowplowing.• Forfirewood,bluebirdhouses,granitefor driveways,householditemsandfood.• Foranimalfeedandbirdseed.• Fordonationstohelpwithgeneralupkeepof Clare’sWell• Foryourprayersandyourfriendship. God bless each of you.

We were blessed to share Easter dinner with Sisters Mary Obowa, Carolyn Law, Gloria Haider, Betty Martell and Joanne Klinnert with wonderful conversation around our table. May your tables be so blessed!

Pictured above: (top) Sisters Paula Pohlman, Jan Kilian, Carolyn Law. (bottom) Sisters Mary Obowa, Janice Wiechman, Gloria Haider.