Franciscans in America

Firstly, I want to reflect upon the Scriptures from today's Mass before talking about a Franciscan woman who came to America.
These are proclamations of Jesus and St. Paul in 'farewell' speeches. Jesus is talking about returning to the Father, this phrase caught me; "I glorified you on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." "Now glorify me, Father with you, with the glory I had before the world began."
Then St. Paul "and now behold, I am going to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what shall befall me there; except that the Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and trials await."...and further on he says "if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." This is where I follow intoline with Jesus and St. Paul, and want to exemplify Mother Ignatius Hayes, Third Order.
She was the 8th child of an Anglican clergyman in England. She joined the Church of Rome after being influenced by the Oxford Movement there. Under directions of Dr. Manning, later the Archbishop of Westminster, she entered a community dedicated to the care of the poor. Later, she became a sister in the Third Order of St. Francis of Assisi. She obtained permission to come to America, as she had desires of founding a congregation of her own.
Under a bishop in Minnesota, she worked with the children of the poor Canadian settlers.
In 1872, she began the first Franciscan convent in Minnesota. Other convents began to grow in other states. In 1880 she visited Rome, now Mother Ignatius, and at the suggestion of Pope Leo X111, a community of sisters was formed. A year later she moved the motherhouse to Rome from Minnesota. In 1893, she wanted to visit her sisters in America, but became ill in Naples but died in Rome on her return on this day May 6,1894.
Her community would become three groups: Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Rome, Minnesota, and Rock Island, Illinois.

As I reflect on the readings and the work entrusted to St. Paul and Jesus, I can see the movement of the Holy Spirit in the life of Mother Ignatius. I can hear her saying something like, "I am on my way to America, I don't know what will befall me". But she accepted the work that God had entrusted to her far away from her native England. May we listen, too, to the Holy Spirit and follow Our Lord in the vocation he has called us to and be brought to the Glory of Heaven; just as Jesus and St. Paul.

O Lord send your consoling Spirit into the Church.