Sister Jacci Glessner shared with us how the Sisters in Ozanam Hall in Bayside, New York spent their Labor Day, when the facility also celebrated the Feast Day of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam.
At morning prayer today we listened to two biographies of Blessed Frederic (one is in Give Us This Day and the other was online from Franciscan Media).
I think all of us learned several new things about his life and several of the Sisters added their comments after listening to the two readings.There was also some sharing on what impact St. Vincent de Paul Societies had on their personal lives. We concluded that it was amazing what this one man accomplished in his life and how the societies that he started are still carrying on the work of service to the poor.
There were several facts in the life of Blessed Frederic that the Sisters could identify with:
1. He was a teacher (professor at the Sorbonne) who taught for many years, and some of his students joined him in his work for the poor.
2. He suffered from poor health for many years - as are the Sisters here in Ozanam.
3. He spoke up to the government and the church regarding the problems at that time - just as we are called to do in our day.
The noon day meal was festive; colored tablecloths decorated the tables, beer was served to those who desired it, and the menu included barbecued spare ribs, French fries, corn on the cob and ice cream for dessert.
Not only did the Sisters enjoy the day, but they also learned much about the person behind the name that this center bears.
Hope you all had an enjoyable Labor Day!
