Reflection by Lillian Benoit, Petals of Faith, Jennings, Louisiana

Theresians: What's Right with Us

We love our Theresian community. Because of that love, we are stronger. We’re stronger in our cities, church, friendships, and families. That strength can be attributed to faithfulness and support of our “Petals.” We have regular attendance that keeps us bound together.

Careful, prayerful selection of study topics is important to our growth. During these study sessions, we readily share our understanding, ask for help in difficult areas, and respect each other’s thoughts. We’ve had some particularly rewarding topics. “The Wild Goose Series” by Fr. Dave Pivonka opened great discussions about the Holy Spirit. Ann Voskam’s One Thousand Gifts was a favorite study tool. The Cup of Our Life by Joyce Rupp yielded many insights for us, too.

The demographics of our “Petals” community is a big reason for our success. We are all retired. We each have strong leadership skills. In our own families, we are close and highly involved. We each believe that our attendance is important to the groups to which we belong. These characteristics mark our tendencies toward loyalty to Theresians.

We share group texts often. Intercessory prayers are offered in sicknesses, worries, as well as joys and successes. These contacts keep us close and involved with each other between our monthly gatherings.
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Yes, we love our “Petals of Faith Theresian Community!” We study. We share. We pray. We are strong. Thanks be to the intercession of St. Therese. Thanks be to God.

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