This is a little bit of a potpourri post.  Just wanted to fill you in on a bit of this and a bit of that!  Things here in Tonopah are good, but BUSY!  Why?  Because we are gearing up for the 2nd Annual Nun Run 2011.  Sr. John-Mark Maria and Sr. Esther Marie have been putting lots of time, effort and heart into making Nun Run 2011 a great success.

I hope you have registered for the Run!!!  The Nun Run will be held at Kiwanis Park in Tempe.  (Photo to the left)  This is a pretty central location for all you native Phoenicians!  So no excuses!!! 🙂  Come out and join in the fun.

If you are not here in town, then consider registering as a shadow participant (a race shirt will be mailed to you) and run wherever you are.  There are so many ways to get involved.

Sr. Esther Marie is now doing the Nun Run Blog.  And it is lots of fun. Be sure to check it out!

The latest and greatest about the Nun Run are the incentive prizes for Fundraisers!  Everyone who becomes a Nun Run Fundraiser and raises $150 or more, will receive an Fleece Blanket with embroidered nun run logo.  It’s pretty awesome!  So become a Nun Run Fundraiser today!

Also, we are still looking for sponsors for the Nun Run.  If you company is interested in supporting this cause and receiving some great publicity, contact Sr. John-Mark Maria!

In other news, we were blessed to have Fr. Kevin Hanlon here with us.  Father is a real live missionary – a Maryknoller who served many years in Japan.  He is back in the States now, continuing his work in the mission at home.  Each year Father makes his annual retreat with us.  With his wonderful homilies and presence, we feel as if we are all on retreat.  Truly the Lord has blessed us with wonderful friends to accompany us along the way of His Love.

February 2nd is World Day for Consecrated Life.  Pope John Paul II (soon to be BLESSED John Paul II) inaugurated this special day in 1997.  There are 3 primary reasons for its establishment.  Below they are laid out for you – taken directly from the message from JPII for the first World Day in ’97:

  1. In the first place, it answers the intimate need to praise the Lord more solemnly and to thank him for the great gift of consecrated life, which enriches and gladdens the Christian community by the multiplicity of its charisms and by the edifying fruits of so many lives totally given to the cause of the Kingdom.

  2.  In the second place, this day is intended to promote a knowledge of and esteem for the consecrated life by the entire People of God.

  3. The third reason regards consecrated persons directly. They are invited to celebrate together solemnly the marvels which the Lord has accomplished in them, to discover by a more illumined faith the rays of divine beauty spread by the Spirit in their way of life, and to acquire a more vivid consciousness of their irreplaceable mission in the Church and in the world.

    Here at Our Lady of Solitude, all of us are gearing up for this day with special devotion!  Communally we will renew our commitment to Christ and His Church – “celebrating together solemnly the marvels which the Lord has accomplished.”  In your own way, according to your own state in life, be sure to celebrate this World Day for Consecrated Life – by giving thanks to the Father for the gift of Religious Life.  Let us join in praying for vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life.