Rich with sisters

"Sisterhood" may mean more to me than most because I have eight older sisters from the same parents.  However, moving to Dayton this past August means that it's an 8-hour drive to the sister who lives closest.  I miss my sisters who still pass their clothes down to me, now shipping them in boxes.  Sharing the opulent scarf was a sisterly blessing for me; I was reminded of this by Mt. 23:8, that with Christ as our one teacher, "...you are all brothers and sisters," the Gospel reading at Mass the last day I had the scarf.  Working at a Catholic and Marianist institution prompted me to reflect that my sisterhood with all people is rooted in having God as my Father and Mary as my spiritual mother.  The scarf provided the opportunity to draw two UD staffers to the Marian Library for the first time, and for me to get to know two of my UD sisters--Mary Niebler and Christina Smith.  We shared stories about our work and families.  I have been enriched knowing two more wonderful women who I wouldn't ordinarily have the opportunity to meet.

"Traveling scarf" it was!  Due to Spring Break, the scarf went many places with me for five days.  I explained the scarf's meaning to my husband, UD co-workers, and my Legion of Mary brethren at St. Albert's Church.  I wore the scarf as I served as secretary at one meeting, president at another, and then as a parish visitor.  Wearing the scarf to vote and happily putting my voting sticker on it, I thought of how women have the right to vote in this country.  We are privileged to live in the USA.  "To whom much is given, much is expected" (Lk. 12:48).  The scarf reminds me to live this spirit of equal sisterhood first in my own community, where I am happy to recognize the scarf.  May God bless us all as we build this spirit at UD!

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Gloria Falcao Dodd, Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute
300 College Park
Dayton, OH 445469-1390

USA
(937) 229-1431
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