Even in the grey mush of our arrival, the grounds of Mater Dei were gorgeous. The building we stayed in hosted several different communities of Sisters, besides the retreat rooms in which we dwelt. We each had a private room and bathroom, stocked with votive candles, a long candle in a lamp, a rocking chair, and a waterfront view. The building is designed so that every bedroom faces the large pond (small lake?) behind it.
Friday night, we prayed, played games, and lit a fire in the fireplace. It was my first time working in a fireplace (versus a fire pit or a wood stove) and we lacked kindling, so my attempt was kind of a fail, but the postulent of St. Louis saved the fire. We made s'mores and debated marshmallow roasting techniques.
For the bulk of the day Saturday, we hung out Sisters in various stages of Sisterhood and life, while following Bible figures and Saints. The woman leading the retreat had come in from Little Rock and she led us through parallels between Biblical figures and Vincentian Saints. It was a very different renewal weekend than the last one, because of the presence of people outside of our community.
Sunday morning, we took off early to get to Mass and arrive in St. Louis in time to spend the Superbowl with the Daughter of Charity.
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