Happy “95” in Covid Land

Celebrating birthdays during COVID-time calls for some ingenuity.  Special friends of Sister Eileen Foran arrived, flowers in hand, at our residence with a novel idea for her 95th birthday.  “We can’t get in to visit Sister, so we’ll serenade her under the balcony.”  The always spry celebrant stepped out into the fresh air at 2:00 p.m. She was delighted and happy, coat clutched against the light wind.  A group of Sisters joined the partyers on the ground below and all sang a rousing, “Happy Birthday” to a wonderful woman who has been a Sister of St. Joseph for over 70 years. 

Sr. Eileen’s smile was as bright as the spring sunshine as she waved joyfully to us and received our best wishes with her hallmark joy and effervescence.  The message on one of her birthday cards sums up the beauty of our young at heart ninety-five-year-old:  Ninety- five years look terrific on you!  You don’t seem a day past “amazing.”  You light up a room with your wonderful smile. You’ve made “young at heart” your own wonderful style.  So, no holding back, let the big day arrive – and wish on each candle – yes, all 95!”

Blessings on you, our wonderful Sister and companion.

-Sister Jean Moylan, csj

Please Release Me - Refurbished version for 2020

Please release me, let me go

For I just don't love you anymore

To waste our lives would be a sin

Release me and let me love again

I have found a new love dear

And I will always want her near

Her lips are warm while yours are cold

Oh, release me, my darling let me go

Please release me, let me go

For I just don't love you anymore

To waste our lives would be a sin

Release me and let me love again

Let me go, oh release me, my darling

Let me go

(written by Eddie Miller and Robert Yount)

  REFURBISHED for 2020:

Please release us, let us go,

For we can’t stand you anymore

To take our lives is such a waste

Release us, Corona, let us live.

We don’t like this life we live

And yearn to have our old ones back

Your bizarre antics make us sick

Oh, Corona, release us, let us live.

Please release us, let us go.

We just want to see the back of you

To take our lives is such a waste

Release us, Corona, let us live.

Let us go, oh release us, Corona,

Let us live.

- Sister Magdalena Vogt, cps

Sheltering in Place

In our midst

A virus with a mace

But barely a trace

Such shocking disgrace 

Sheltering in place

In this place of grace

Lost in time and space

Shrouded in a haze 

On my couch I laze

Living in a daze

Through this lonely phase

Moving at slow pace

I lift my weary face

Here within this maze

Where I yearn for grace

To survive these days

When this is the case

Covid won’t deface

Nor its steps retrace

Then hands will we lace

All of us embrace

As one human race

On God we will gaze

All our voices raise

To God whom we praise

-Sr. Magdalena Vogt