Lady Bugs ● Barbecues ● Fancy Cars ● Feast Days ● Religious Freedom ● Garden Walks ● Baseball …and even more as Residents, Staff, Volunteers, and Little Sisters celebrated spring!
Feast days began on June 7 as our neighbors from St. Dominic’s helped us solemnize the feast of Corpus Christi. Residents eagerly awaited the Eucharistic Procession from their church to our Home. After Father Ed’s benediction, we proceeded to our beautiful chapel filled to overflowing with all offering praise to our Eucharistic Lord. Later, our 125 invited guests enjoyed a picnic lunch before they began their walk back to St. Dominic’s.
An afternoon pilgrimage to the shrine of Mother Cabrini, who founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was the beginning of several special events planned for the feast of the Sacred Heart (Mullen Home is also known as Sacred Heart Home). Though it was raining as the Residents prepared to leave for the shrine, by the time they arrived the rain stopped for all to enjoy a few beautiful hours at this holy site complete with a view of the countryside below. The next day, June 12, feast of the Sacred Heart mass was festive, celebrating Him with honor, glory, praise and thanksgiving. After, Residents enjoyed a wonderful dinner and returned later in the afternoon to indulge in Banana Splits …yum, yum!
June 20 ushered in the Fortnight for Freedom consisting of a daily holy hour with exposition. Our prayer is freedom for all people. Midway through the fortnight, Deacon Donald Tracy participated in our holy hour encouraging us all to remain faithful and not to despair.
Hot Rods and Hot Dogs proved to be a great Father’s Day Celebration! Organized by staff member Peggy Dietz and her husband, Carey, who are members of a Collector Car Owners Club, Residents and guests enjoyed a great line up of vintage cars as far back as the early 1920s. Volunteers assisted Residents with a yummy barbecue feast of hot dogs and all the trimmings. Entertainer Johnny R provided toe-tapping music to get everyone up and dancing. After a careful tour of the cars, everyone was invited to cast their votes for the best. Winners were a 1926 Ford Model T Hot Road, a 1963 Studebaker GT Hawk, and a 1958 Packard Hawk.
And sandwiched in among all these activities were garden walks, an afternoon watching the Rockies playing baseball, a barbecue for Residents and staff, an outing to Leanin’ Tree Publishing in Boulder, and a special tea party where Residents released a beautiful array of lady bugs into the fabulous gardens so carefully attended by Sister Paul and volunteers.
But wait!!! There’s one more wonderful “gift” that came to Residents in our intermediate care facility – NEW BEDS!! State regulations required new bed specifications and through the kindness of two foundations – The Raskob Foundation and the Frances Melrose Foundation – new beds were acquired and quickly gained great favor among the Residents. In fact, Theresita Polzin – who turns 100 in August – commemorated the event with a great poem:
“O Bed! Sweet Bed!
Where I can rest my weary head
My tired feet
And body complete
Thank you, kind giver
Who has our comfort delivered
So we can wake up all rested again.”
NOW – ENJOY THE SLIDE SHOW!!!
SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES!!