If it is one thing that we have learned, it’s that we never know how and when the blessings will show up here. But, we are confident that when they do come, lives are touched and spirits are lifted. One late summer afternoon, 8 year old Jessica Vollmert, her good friend Sarah Fell, and her mom Diane Vollmert, stopped in. Grinning ear to ear, Jessica and Sarah brought with them, a gift bag covered with pictures of roses.
Over the past couple of years, the girls had participated in a food drive at their school (St. Theresa School in Palatine), which provided us with multiple vanloads of food. Over the summer, the girls decided that they wanted to do more to help. Putting their heads together, they came up with an idea of raising money for us by making and selling rainbow loom jewelry and artwork.
“We wanted to help”, explained Jessica as she and Sarah presented the rose covered gift bag to Sr. Patricia Claire. Sarah added, “This is what we collected by selling our jewelry and artwork.” Inside the bag, neatly divided into smaller gift boxes, was an impressive $81.41.
Sr. Patricia Claire receives the gift from Sarah and Jessica
St. Jeanne Jugan would constantly urge the novices, “Be very little, be very little before God.” She was speaking of spiritual littleness; humility. It was she, who more or less, introduced the word ‘littleness’ into spiritual literature. Jeanne explained, “If you keep the spirit of humility, of simplicity, of littleness… you will give cause for other people to bless God and you will obtain the conversion of souls.” *
There were many eyes misting on those gathered in the Lobby to witness this blessing. That day, we were all taught by these little ones. Their true humility, true simplicity, gave us great hope that the love of God is alive in these young hearts and many more.
*Poor in Spirit, the Spirituality of Jeanne Jugan by Gabriel-Marie Cardinal Garrone
“Little, very little, be very little before God.” -St. Jeanne Jugan