On Friday and Saturday, June 10-11, Sister Teresa de Jesus Angeles, OSC Cap., will celebrate the 25^th anniversary of her first profession as a Capuchin Poor Clare sister. Sister Teresa was one of the original ten sisters who came from the Capuchin Poor Clare Monastery in Irapuato, Mexico, to establish a new monastery of sisters here in Denver. Except for the year that Sr. Teresa participated in courses in Franciscan Spirituality in Mexico City, she has spent all but two years of her professed life here in Denver. Some of her family will be joining her for the celebration. On Friday evening, the sisters and the friars will join for Evening Prayer and a celebration meal. Then on Saturday afternoon, Father Christopher Popravak will lead the sisters and family and friends in a special anniversary mass at St. Patrick’s Oratory. The Capuchin Poor Clares are the “second order” of St. Francis, founded by the one who probably understood Francis and his ideals the best, St. Clare of Assisi. ("OSC Cap.," stands for "Order of St. Clare, Capuchin.") Clare left her family 850 years ago on March 18, to join Francis and his brothers at Our Lady of the Angels (commonly called, “The Portiuncula” or, in English, “The Little Portion.” The Portiuncula was the headquarters for Francis and his brothers. Francis, after cutting Clare’s hair as a sign of her abandonment of the world and her commitment to living the Gospel, took her to a nearby Benedictine Monastery where she lived until Francis readied San Damiano for Clare and her sisters. The Capuchin Poor Clares are a Contemplative Order. The schedule of their day centers on the Eucharist and on prayer, especially contemplative prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. They pray all the hours of the Divine Office together each day. Their manual labor consists of making habits for the Capuchin friars in North America and baking cookies which are sold nationwide. The cookies, along with donations from friends and benefactors, are the sources of their income. Sr. Teresa prepared for her “jubilee year” by spending ten days with the Benedictine sisters at Benet Hill, near to our own province’s friary named, Our Lady of the Angels. During this ten day retreat, Sr. Teresa was able to renew her own spiritual life and her commitment to the Capuchin Poor Clares. Congratulations, Sr. Teresa! May God continue to keep you close to Himself.