Nun Run 2007

Nuns and Running? Don't let your eyes or mind deceive you! What is a nun run you may ask? It has nothing to do with running and very little to do with Nuns to be quite honest. It's a catchy little phrase and cute little photo though...isn't it? Sorry...not happening on this blog!

This past weekend I was on the coordinating team for a NUNRUN in the Milwaukee Archdiocese.

A NunRun is a 24hour (ish) experience for women who would like to learn more about religious life and how it is expressed in different congregations. In the Milwaukee Archdiocese, there is a collaborative effort among all of the religious congregations and their vocation directors (VMMA). Twice a year, we try to have a NunRun featuring 4 or 5 different congregations. The participants get an opportunity to experience diversity in community life and housing, learn a bit about the charism (spirit or flavor) of each particular congregation, and share prayer and meals together.

This NunRun featured 4 fantastic Milwaukee congregations: (I've linked them for you)

• School Sisters of St. Francis (SSSF) (WOO HOO...I have a bias and I'm owning it.)
• Sisters of the Divine Savior (SDS)
• Racine Dominicans (OP)
• Congregation of St. Agnes (CSA)

Or as I affectionately call them: The Franny's, The Salvies, The Dommies, and The Aggy's.

We started at our SSSF Mama Casa, got the 3 women participants settled. Then we hopped in the way cool SSSF van and proceeded to the SDS Provincial Center, which is adjoined to their high school, Divine Savior Holy Angels. We were greeted by Srs. Carol Jean, Karlyn, and Mary Lee (their Provie). We shared a spectacular supper, had a tour, and learned a bit about the Salvie charism and history.

Hopped back into the official vehicle of the 2007 NunRun and went back to our Mama Casa. We were greeted by Sr. Maureen (our Provie...to the right) and had some snacks and conversation. After a good night's sleep...we had a delightful morning prayer service and a tour of our motherhouse, history wall (I love our photo wall), and chapel. Said adios...to the SSSFs and headed onto Racine.

The Racine Dommies, have a spectacular place. They run a retreat center and it is RIGHT ON THE LAKE...absolutely gorgeous. I love it there. The participants got a tour, we enjoyed lunch with some of the Dommies and some of the other vocation directors...then we gave the participants some time to enjoy the retreat space. They were able to walk and talk with a vocation person, if they wanted, or they could just use the time for themselves.

An aside note: Half of my living group was at Racine this weekend! Deb our new affiliate was there for her intercommunity group and Sr. Beth was there for a weekend gathering too! Throw Sr. Mary Ann and Sr. Stella (a Lake OSF) in the mix too..it was PARTY in Racine on a Saturday afternoon. That was nice...I visited with Deb, Stella, and Mary Ann a bit and then was back to work with the NunRunners.

Bye, bye, bye...to Racine and onto the Aggys to complete our tour. So far the participants had an experience of a modern Provincial house, a gigundo Mother House with a lot of history, a half motherhouse/half retreat center type place, and finally a "regular living space" experience of housing. That's right...we visited a local Agnesian community home. There are 5 sisters living in this house. They were superbly hospitable to us. We did some sharing, enjoyed a delicious supper, and then had a lovely prayer to end our time together. My friend Sr. Vicki is a temporary professed with the Aggys...she lives at that house. It was great to see her and get a little CRAZY.

Overall...I thought the NunRun was a success...we met our objectives and I think the participants got a great, diverse flavor of the possibilities in religious life. I really do enjoy this type of interaction with people, although I was really wiped out by Saturday night. It's nice to share our community's story with people as well as learn about others.