Prayers for the Phillies: Sisters of Saint Francis root for a World Series win
ASTON, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- "Grant that we may not so much seek to win one game, as to take the series," said Sister Kate O'Donnell, OSF, during a special prayer for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sister O'Donnell has been a Sister of Saint Francis for 57 years. In that time, she's seen two Philadelphia World Series wins. This week, she hopes to make it three.
"I think it's a good idea to keep praying all the time, no matter whether the Phillies are playing or not," she said. "But particularly, I think in the next couple of days we need to really pray hard."
The Phillies craze reached Our Lady of Angels Convent early in the postseason. Sisters and lay staff alike would wear their favorite gear and decorate their offices. Little by little, a statue of St. Francis would start collecting a full outfit of Phillies memorabilia.
"Part of who we are as Franciscans, we tend to have a very joyful spirit and we like to celebrate life and good things," said Sister Debbie Krist, OSF. "And this just brings us all together."
The whole building has enjoyed hosting guess-the-score contests and praying for Phillies wins as a group. They even seemed to convince a Yankees fan to join their ranks.
"After watching the game last night, I thought maybe it would help if a Yankee fan put on a Phillies uniform and give them good luck," said Sister Karen Pourby, OSF. "So, I could say, 'Go Phillies!'"
When the sisters are not celebrating their sports teams, they are living out the mantra of their ministry.
"The mission of the Sisters of St. Francis calls us to reach out to the poor, women, and those who are underserved," said Sister O'Donnell. "Some of our sisters are still teaching, some of them are also nurses. But also, fun is a very significant part of our life."
Win or lose, the sisters hope that this sense of joy and community will persist in the Philadelphia area for years to come.
To learn more about the Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia, visit their website.
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