Newsletter #38 - January 2024

J.M. + J.T.

Dear friends and members of the Auxiliary,

Happy New Year from all of us to all of you! Just today, we began taking down our decorations in earnest – did you too? After two weeks of sumptuous scenes and bright lights, there is something calming about the simplicity of the undecorated spaces around us.

We won’t forget the extravagant generosity you showed us: so many cards, so many gifts that we were really quite overwhelmed!  We are still going through the cards slowly, reading the messages, sharing the photos.  Thank you from all of the Sisters for your unfailing support.

On Epiphany Sunday, we bring a tray of seven plain cupcakes to our evening Recreation time. One of the cupcakes contains a walnut. The prioress cuts the first cupcake. If the walnut is found there, then the Infant Jesus is our patron for the year. She keeps cutting each cupcake until she finds the walnut. Each cupcake has a saint assigned to it.

  • First ……….. Infant Jesus

  • Second …… Mary

  • Third ……… Joseph

  • Fourth …… Elijah

  • Fifth ………. St. Teresa

  • Sixth ……….. St. John of the Cross

  • Seventh ……. St. Therese

Many of you may do something similar, with a variation or two.  It’s a lot of fun, and helps us focus our petitions to someone specific when the pump house has a problem or the propane runs out in the middle of a snow storm!  Our patron this year is Our Lady! We’ll entrust all of you to her with special fervor. You can be sure she’ll keep her eyes on her faithful Auxiliary members!

God bless you all, and may your new year be full of graces.  We’re very, very grateful for all of you.

Mother Mary Bethany and your Carmelite Sisters

Auxiliary News

Dear Friends of the Carmelites,

I am personally glad to see the back end of 2023 and wish us all a happy, safe, and holy New Year in 2024. Last year was so hard for me, and I barely communicated with you. I hope to return to a quarterly newsletter schedule this year.

It’s time to start to prepare for our annual Fundraiser for the Carmelites. This year things are changing a bit so here’s the scoop. We are having a fundraiser DINNER on APRIL 27, 2024, at St. Clare Church in Roseville, from 6:00-9:00. The format will be similar to the luncheon, except that we are having chicken cordon bleu instead of spaghetti. We will still have the raffle and auction, and this year we will also have a 50/50 raffle! I know people enjoy that one. We are also busy making our annual quilt to raffle off too. Remember, ALL FUNDS raised go to the Carmelite Sisters in Georgetown. They use the funds to repair and maintain the monastery.

Needed: New items for raffle/door prizes. If you have new items to donate for the raffle, like plants, bath products, small gifts, music, really anything as long as it’s new, not used, please call Henry Luckie, and he will pick it up from you. Please reach out to me directly for his cell number.

Auction items: these are larger, more expensive gifts or themed gift baskets. Please contact Alma Cortez if you have an idea for that. We don’t need too many, and we want to avoid duplication. Please reach out to me directly for her cell number.

If you want to help us set up or work the dinner, you can email Eileen Fox at carmelitehelpers@gmail.com.

Tickets will be $40.00 per person, and will be available by February 1, 2024. You can buy them through our website. Tables seat 8 people if you want to make up a party. We do get charged by Stripe for every charge that is placed online to us, so if you would consider adding a few extra dollars to your order when ordering online, that will reduce our costs.

We hope to visit some churches to sell tickets but dates are not set up yet. The churches we have visited in the past include St. Clare, St. Mel, Presentation, St. Joseph’s Auburn, St. Rose Roseville, and Good Shepherd. If you want us to come to your parish to sell tickets, please contact me through our gmail address listed above.

I realize that some of you will miss the luncheon experience; this year we are restricted by the availability of venue. I hope you will consider supporting our dinner event this year. It’s all for the Sisters! God reward you for your generosity!

In Christ,

Patty MacEgan

Patricia MacEgan