In honor of the recent summer Olympics held in Brazil, we had our own games here at St. Anne’s.
Residents were invited to construct a flag for a country and participate in a variety of competitions throughout the last week of August, including golf, rodeo golf, flag races and ‘Don’t Hit Zeus.’ We also had a torch run. Closing Ceremonies were August 31st. Our activity director, Shelly Mack, even dressed up in a toga for the occasion. Staff told participants they thought they were ‘top dog’ and served hotdogs and all the fixings to them for afternoon snacks.
We dare say some appetites were not as hearty at supper that evening!
Did you know that the word inspection comes from the early 17th century Latin inspicere or inspectare which means “looked into or examined”?
Residents here in our apartments experienced first hand the meaning of this word during a visit from Federal Government Housing and Urban Development (HUD) staff Wednesday morning. During these periodic inspections, HUD checks for cleanliness and safety within the individual efficiency apartments, especially including electronic devices and ensuring there are no insects around.
The week prior to this infamous “looking into / examination,” inspection was definitely the buzz word around St. Anne’s, especially among apartment residents. One would hear: “No, I can’t help with that; I’ve got to finish cleaning my room for the inspection.” or “Sorry I didn’t come down; I was putting the finishing touches on my room for Wednesday.”
Staff here have reflected that it is a good thing that we have inspections; it motivates residents to do a needed cleaning of their living quarters. Cleaning that needs to be done is finally undertaken; procrastination is no longer an option.
St. Anne’s does conduct annual inspections, but this big one from HUD really has a way of impelling residents to roll up their sleeves and tidy up their apartments.
Although you do not have any government inspections to worry about, is there an area of your home that needs some “tidying”?
For most of us, when we hear the date 9/11, we think about the horrific acts of terrorism against our country.
Little did I know that God’s plan for me that day would take on a whole new meaning.
For you see, that is the date I started working at St. Anne’s. The first thing that struck me was the acts of kindness happening all around me. Mostly, they are done out of sheer goodness.
Everyday I see my coworkers making a difference in the lives of our residents. There truly is no small gesture. Something as simple as a smile, an ear to listen, a hug to brighten someone’s day, goes a long way.
The following are just a few of the examples I have witnessed:
helping a resident find a shirt and tie for a funeral
shopping for a resident – clothing, soda pop, groceries
sharing a newspaper
picking up a favorite fast food
watching a favorite TV program together
bringing in fleece for residents to make blankets for the hospital VA, etc.
arranging stuffed animals on a bed when making it
bringing in a family pet for them to hold and pet
going for a walk or sitting outside together
bringing in food from a UND wacipi powwow to celebrate a resident’s heritage
This is why I feel God’s love shines through my co-workers.
Harvest season has begun, and St. Anne’s is reaping the benefits!
We have received some delicious home-grown beets in recent weeks from Fr. Schneider who comes here Thursdays and Fridays.. This week, he brought us more garden delights: fresh potatoes and cucumbers.
Last year was the season for string beans. We received many donations of them that harvest season.
If things go as usual, we will probably receive quite a bit more delicious, nutritious produce before frost, including sweet corn that we enjoy then throughout the year.
Even though our little resident garden hasn’t produced too much, we should be well supplied with fresh veggies.
Thank you so much to everyone who shares their bounty with us. It is appreciated!
PS: As this article is being written, another large donation of rhubarb is being brought in.
Cake Walk during St. Anne’s Week enhanced physical and mental health.
Holistic medicine is defined as the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors rather then just the physical symptoms of disease. How we live and what we get out of life depends heavily on balance. The philosophical definition of holistic is: the parts of something being interconnected and explicable only by referring to it as a whole (as in a whole person).
As a spiritual community, we all know that a crucial part of sustaining balance in our life goes beyond what we can touch. Nourishing just the mind and body isn’t enough; we need to feed our souls as well. Our spiritual health is important and needs to be addressed as part of our overall well-being.
St. Anne’s has a team that takes care of every part of the residents’ self:
Body: The Dietary department nurtures our body. Nursing is responsible for addressing all medical concerns. Care is given for our senses: hearing, vision, taste, smell and touch. Staff work with outside souces such as Audiology, optometry, ENT (Ear-Nose-Throat), and PT to keep our bodies strong and healthy.
Mind: Psych appointments as well as friendly conversation can lift someone’s mood and brighten their day. St. Anne’s staff and sisters provide much “food” for the soul. A beautiful outdoor area and atrium with life all around, the turtles, fish, as well as the flowers and plants growing everywhere enhances the residents’ lives. Caring for plants and our environment is very helpful to make someone to feel complete.
Spirit: Chapel, church, activities , social events are also a part of holistic health. Chuck and Sr. Elaine make sure there’s plenty of music.
Fresh air, sunshine, good friends, a little music, does more for the well-being than any pill ever could. Sr. Christina helps keep minds sharp with reading and writing. We are encouraged to express ourselves, and we find a friendly face with a smile or listening ear.
St. Anne’s is probably the greatest place I’ve ever worked. Walking in the door, you feel the easy, friendly atmosphere. Sr. Elaine’s unique brand of humor, Sr. Rebecca’s unbelievable kindness and selflessness and Sr. Christina’s news update and articles keep keep things very interesting.
The receptionist and dietary staff and the aides are all warm, kind, caring. Some Creativity and silly, funny people in our daily lives contribute to the positive environment. I feel very blessed to be a part of the St. Anne’s team and part of all of your community.
Some cultures have siestas; others have afternoon teas. As Catholics, we have Coffee and Rolls, and this applies even at St. Anne’s. At a priest at St. Michael’s just down the street, I get to say Mass there on Tuesdays, and I’ve gotten into the habit of joining the sisters and some staff and other friends for a cup of coffee and maybe a cookie or a bar of some sort.
This past Monday I noticed something special was going on at St. Anne’s when I saw everyone was wearing themed T-shirts, even the Sisters. Then Sr. Christina, always diligent about liturgical preparedness, came forward asking how we would celebrate Mass this Tuesday. Normally, in liturgical terms, we would celebrate the “Memorial” of Saints Joachim and Anne, the traditional names passed down for the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (St. Anne, of course, is the namesake of St. Anne’s Guest Home.) Thus the question: will we celebrate the day as a Memorial (its typical designation) or will it be raised to a higher celebration within this institution?
Unsure of which level it would be, we discussed how it could affect the Mass for that day. Will be become a “Feast Day,” meaning we would add the “Gloria” to the Mass, or would it be a “Solemnity”, the highest of Feast Days, which would tell us to also pray the Creed during Mass? That would make it like a SundayMass.
“Well the only difference between the two would be the Creed…” it was said, but I knew there would be more differences than that. After all, the liturgy is supposed to influence us beyond the Mass itself. It tells us to be joyful at certain times and repentant at others.
My mind immediately went to the coffee after Mass. “Well, it will also make a difference in the quality of baked goods served afterward!” I reminded them. Everyone laughed as I intended, but I also hoped they might take it seriously. I wasn’t disappointed.
Spread out on the table after Tuesday’s Mass were full-sized Caramel Rolls and Cinnamon Rolls, fruit pies, various creamers for the coffee, and even multi-colored napkins. The sisters always excel at hospitality, but this was at a new level.
They saw through my half-joking suggestion, and it increased the joy in all of us to celebrate St. Anne once again.
So, you may have heard about our upcoming festivities for “St. Anne’s Week,” including wearing our special blue shirts, dressing up on various theme days, having a party with bingo, and a little dance. But, do you know what it’s really all about?
Who is Saint Anne, you may ask, if you are not too familiar with the history of one very important family. St. Anne is the mother of Mary, and thus Jesus’ own grandmother. That’s a pretty special role, wouldn’t you say?
This special woman was chosen as the patron saint of our facility actually long before St. Anne’s moved from Fargo to Grand Forks. Celebrating her feast day (July 26) has long been a tradition for us.
In more recent years, we started making this celebration into a week-long event, and Sr. Christina wrote a poem in its honor (See below).
If you happen to be stopping by St. Anne’s this coming week, you may notice a bit of festivity in the air. You might also see people dressed in a somewhat unusual manner. The list below should be informative:
Dress-Up Theme Days
Monday, July 20 ~ Sports Day
Tuesday, July 21 ~ Colorful Sock Day
Wednesday, July 22 ~ Shorts Day
Thursday, July 23 ~ Western Day
Friday, July 24 ~ Wear Your St. Anne’s Shirt Day
Saturday, July 25 ~ Patriotic (Red, White & Blue) Day
Sunday, July 26 ~ Dress-up Day
Poem in Honor of Sts. Anne and Joachim, parents of Mary (Based on early legends)
We make a special point each year
To honor Anne, our patron dear
When e’er her feast day comes around
Joy and fun times will abound.
This week we’ll honor Sts. Joachim and Anne.
They had a special place in God’s plan.
Though old and childless they’d become
grandparents of His only Son.
We don’t know much about this pair
but generous love they both did share.
With a special daughter they were blest
And ancient tales tell us the rest.
They were both from David’s clan,
This old woman and old man.
One eve while praying in the hills
Joachim heard news his heart to thrill.
At the same time his holy wife
heard some news that changed her life.
She was taking a garden stroll
when from her eyes great tears did roll.
A nest of young birds she had seen,
making her sorrow very keen.
Seeing these babies pierced her heart
like a stinging little dart.
For she wanted a babe of her own
One to be her own flesh and bone.
For this favor the couple did pray,
pleading for it ev’ry day.
To both, separately, an angel did speak
Off’ring the favor both did seek,
telling then that their prayer’d been heard
though at their age it seemed absurd.
Anne was told a daughter she’d bear
who would be blest through ev’rywhere.
She then met Joachim at the gate
and with him did jubilate.
Mary was born, and at three years of age
her life’s story turned a page.
Now in the temple she would live;
Her life to God she’d surely give.
Her parents brought her there one day,
in God’s presence to work and play.
They gave her wholly to the Lord
whom they both faithfully adored.
Thus goes the story of that holy pair
Their longed-for daughter they did share.
And in due time they both became
Grandma and Grandpa, called by name.
Did you know that the word inspection comes from the early 17th century Latin inspicere or inspectare which means “looked into or examined”?
They saw through my half-joking suggestion, and it increased the joy in all of us to celebrate St. Anne once again.