Marywood Merrymakers spend summer vacation ‘serving as Franciscans’

by Linda Kerrigan, affiliate

Why give up a precious summertime week to act as volunteer cook for retreatants and staff at a spirituality center? My answer is short and sweet: for fun!

It’s fun planning menus, trying new recipes and enjoying timeless and scenic views from lodge windows. Imagine lake waves lapping the shoreline, ever-changing hues of the horizon at sunrise and sunset, diving loons, seven ducklings paddling behind mother duck in straight line formation and inhaling the scent of skyward stretching pines which fill the landscape at Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center, Arbor Vitae, Wis.

The best part is the relationship-building opportunities, specifically with my joint ministry companion, Sister Bernyne Stark. For the second year in a row, Sister Bernyne joined in the fun as cook’s helper. In addition to getting to know Sister Bernyne better through story swapping during the car ride, while on kitchen duty, and while sharing an outdoor swing, I gained inspiration and admiration from her energy, wisdom and good humor. Although Sister Bernyne is modest about her culinary skills, she wields a kitchen knife and cutting board very well and handily transforms summer fruits and garden vegetables into desserts, salads and side dishes—no need for choppers, blenders or food processors!

Volunteer cooking at Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center is just one of numerous rewarding, joint ministry opportunities listed on our shared member and affiliate Web site. Opportunities include gardening, helping at Villa St. Joseph (visiting, reading, playing cards or facilitating a faith sharing group), working at a soup kitchen or an Indian reservation classroom in the Southwest, volunteering at Place of Grace, La Crosse, Wis., or with an outreach ministry to the local Hispanic community. You may decide to volunteer solo or link up with a friend, family member, affiliate or sister like I did. Just don’t plan to ask Sister Bernyne to be your co-volunteer; she’s already taken!