Candidacy - Day 2 - Carol on a Harley Hog

So, this morning began with the unpacking of the car. Somehow it all fit in the room. Here's a picture of the closet -- my life in a dozen 5-ream paper boxes. Yes, for those of us old enough to remember, it does bear a resemblance to Fibber McGee's closet. But, I got the stuff out of the car into the closet just in time. After unloading, I found that the trunk of the car wouldn't open by key or by lever any more.

 

So, to answer some questions that friends have been asking me.  .  . I'm living with two other Franciscan sisters in a three bedroom house in Redwood City. The community doesn't have any monasteries. Most people live in houses or apartments. Here's what the rest of the bedroom looks like. The bedroom I'm inhabiting for the next four months was the chapel. Some of  the chapel items are still in the room, like the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the wall.

 

 

 

There's a gardening window (can't remember what they're called right now) housing my laser printer. It also has the gift from Clara's House board, a framed calligraphy brushed by Franklin Fong, OFM. Interestingly, I served as messenger, carrying the calligraphy from Berkeley to Sacramento -- and didn't know it at the time. :-)

 

 

This is a picture of the window and the bureau, which I think used to be where the tabernacle was placed. It has a statue carved by Lorraine, one of the Franciscans who lives in Oakland. It's a version of the Good Shepard. There's also a framed present from my high school Domincan friend, Janice,  to the right of the statue.



 

 

This is a picture of the bedroom door and the desk. The desk has another carving by Lorraine, OSF, of the Good Shephard. The two carvings were 50th jubilee gifts to Carol and Meg, with whom I'm living.

 

Below is a prayer space made in pottery by my friend Rebecca, The brown fountain inside is a symbol of fountain fullness, a Franciscan theological concept of the Trinity, from my friend Janice who, though Dominican, thinks Franciscan once in a while. Inside is a piece of jade found on the beach in Pacifica after a storm by my friend, Linda, who is a Domincan also.

 

 

Lastly, this is a picture of Carol when she was provincial minister. I "think" she said it was her official picture as provincial. Carol is steering, and provincial secretary, Tina, is along for the ride.,

 

 

So, day 2 ended with dinner cooked by Meg, evening prayer for the three of us, and a sharing of the Harley picture. It was an ordinary kind of day. So, what does it mean to become a Franciscan and live in a community? I'm still trying to figure that out .  .  . may take the rest of my life. But, as my high school bud, Janice, would say, I'm slow to catch on. But then again, this is Franciscan chaosity -- and she's Domincan.