Dear Friends, Family, and Fellow Carmelites,
A young priest was assigned to a country parish and upon arriving noticed there was no fence around the cemetery. He thought it would be nice to build one so started asking people for donations once he got settled. Weeks later he was dismayed when he still had received no money. One day he asked an old farmer, “Don’t you think it would be great to put a fence around this cemetery?” The old farmer said, “Nope, those in it can’t get out an’ those out don’t want in.” This story, while it may bring a smile to our lips has an uncomfortable truth . . . in daily life many people avoid thinking about death. The focus is on living and this often takes all their energy.

The Church understands this and every year gives us the opportunity to recall the “last things.” All Saints, All Souls and Advent help focus us beyond ourselves and toward eternity. We remember those who have died and remind ourselves that heaven is our true home. We will again be having a novena of Masses for all your deceased loved ones during the month of November and invite you to send us their names so that we might remember them in prayer.
Anyone who has lost a loved one knows both how precious and short life is. We know our loved ones have gone to a better place but heaven is so ‘out there.’ Saint Therese believed in the existence of heaven but during her last illness she had doubts and this ‘dark night’ caused her great suffering. She knew that her faith was the light to help her ‘see’ what she could not prove. Faith is our guiding light as well. We also have hope for we know when this life is ended we will be reunited with those we love in the eternal city.

This summer, we are grateful to say, is in the past tense. We had over two months of 100+ temperatures and little rain. We were in a severe drought to which Oklahoma’s withered landscape bore witness. Many cattlemen sold their herds and farmers lost their crops. Our Sisters found the sweltering heat too much for their gardens and we also lost several trees. We are praying for winter rain to refresh our parched land.
In September the Queen of Mary Association held their General Assembly in Wichita, KS at the Spiritual Life Center. Sr. Donna was reelected as Coordinator for another three years. We had Father Marc Foley, OCD as our speaker and he gave us a wonderful presentation on the Foundations made by St. Teresa of Avila. She was quite a woman and, yes, we are a little prejudice! Father Adam Gonzales, OCD was our liturgist and celebrant for part of the Assembly and after the meeting he came to Piedmont for a short visit.

We ask your prayers for our Sister Donna who had surgery recently. She is in the hospital and is making steady progress. We hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas. May the closing months of 2011 be rich in blessings for each of you.