CMSWR Summer in Rome 2013

Sister Sarah
Servants of God's Love

It is difficult to find words to express my gratitude for being able to participate in this outstanding program in Rome! I honestly did not think it would be feasible because of the length of time away from our responsibilities at the Mother House and the expense of the trip. However, at the same time, I sensed that this was a gift from God!  I will try to be concise and tell you about my experience.

I will frame my experience in a passage that I have been pondering all week. It is from Hebrews 12:1—“Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” I have been touched by the cloud of witnesses back in the USA who made this trip possible through their financial help. I am grateful to the cloud of witnesses in the Servants of God’s Love who encouraged Sr. Dorcee and me to go to Rome and who assured us that they would hold the fort down while we were away. I am also very grateful to the very hospitable cloud of witnesses at the Domus who cared for our every need! I continue to be inspired by the clergy cloud of witnesses who so generously gave of their time and encouraged us and exhorted us to continue being a sign of the Kingdom!  I am also very happy to have lived with eleven clouds of witnesses, my sisters from the other communities!  I am truly going to miss these wonderful women of God! They are holy and just plain fun to be with too!  

It has been a tremendous blessing for me to visit many holy places and to  pray at the tombs of this cloud of witnesses here in Rome.  I loved praying at the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul, Blessed John Paul II, St.  Bartholomew, Cardinal Van Thuan,  and many more!

I could go on and on about how wonderful this experience has been for me, but instead, I will end with a few more highlights:

1.       Seeing the Holy Father at his spontaneous visit to Mary           Major and being within 4 feet of him!

2.       Meditating on  St. Paul’s  prison letters written from the           very place where he was under house arrest!

3.       Praying at the site of St. Paul’s martyrdom!

4.       Gaining new friends, my dear sisters from the other                 communities!

As I return home, I will hold the entire cloud of witnesses in my heart and by God’s grace, I will pick up the baton and run with perseverance the race that is set before me until I too can join that great cloud of witnesses in Heaven!