We are in a seemingly quiet time of the year. The holiday festivities are over and we have not yet begun the penitential season of Lent. Nature also has seemed to shut down. Days are short; weather is gloomy, and we see little growth in vegetation about us. Wild animals are hibernating or spending more time in sheltered surroundings; even we humans are spending more time indoors.

Yet we all know that nature is quietly regenerating itself and getting ready for a burst of activity as soon as the temperature rises, the days lengthen, and spring arrives.

We, too, should be using this time of decreased external activity to regenerate spiritually so that we can burst into the season of Lent and Easter with renewed fervor. Moreover, we are blessed, at this time, with the celebration of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. We all remember the Gospel story of how Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by his cousin John. We remember how the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove, and we remember how the voice of the Father announced, �This is my Beloved Son.�

I think that much of that Gospel story applies to each of us as we were baptized �in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.� We all know that we received the Holy Spirit at our Baptism; however, we might not be aware that the Father looks down upon each of us as a beloved son or daughter. How awesome that thought is; like Jesus, we are the Father�s beloved sons and daughters! That thought needs some getting used to! If we truly let it permeate our whole being, it will regenerate us! Like Jesus, we will be inspired and strengthened to go out and seek the Father�s will.

Now God won�t be making any public announcement about His will for us but He will speak to us through our Church services and our prayers, through our reading and reflection, through those around us, and through the inspirations derived from reflection on the wonders of creation about us. So let us be alert and let us remember that we are "Beloved Sons and Daughters" of God!

Sisters Share "Interviews With Missionaries" Award with the Catholic Lighthouse
	Sister Evelyn Korenek, General Superior (white jacket) and Sister Laura Toman (left) receive the Archbishop Edward T. O'Meara Award from the Society for the Propagration of the Faith from Cynthia Brewer, editor of The Catholic Lighthouse newspaper, and assistant, Regina Matus-Janak (right). Cindy's article on Sister Rebecca Janacek, Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament missionary in Africa, won Honorable Mention 2011 "Interviews With Missionaries." The story was titled "Sister Rebecca: Kenyan Daktari Ya Watu, Wanyama Na Mtu Ya Duka (Doctor, Veterinarian and Shopkeeper)".


	Sister Adelaide Popp Answers Final Call! After many years as a religious Sister, Sister Adelaide was called home to Heaven on September 30, 2011. Let us see how she had answered an earlier call to dedicate her life to the Incarnate in order to honor and to serve him: My call to the Religious Life was loud and clear- but deep within... I hesitated a long, long time. But I feared to disappoint my God - so, at the age of 21 - because of an agreement with Him, I answered that call and oh what a joy I experience today after a fruitful 70 years and more - a peaceful life within with Him. If you hear His whisperings fo a "Religious Call" deep within your soul have no fears, for He is here, always near where I live! Now we know that she is living with Him for all eternity!		All Souls' Day Remembered Sisters hold a prayer service at the graves of the Sisters who have preceded us in death. Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.Amen

IWBS Sisters and Associates Host National Incarnate Word Reunion


The Victoria Sisters and Associates of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament of Victoria hosted the Eighth Incarnate Word National Reunion on July 22-24, 2011. The theme of the assembly was: Sisters and Associates of the Incarnate Word: On the Cutting Edge of a New Vision - Where are WE Standing? As the Sisters and Associates of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament from Cleveland, Corpus Christi, Houston, along with representatives from the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word gathered, the reception area rang out with greetings of joy upon reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones who shared the Incarnate Word heritage. The Reunion gave us the opportunity to search out some aspects of our common heritage, and to share prayer, food and laughter. It gave us an opportunity to share what the Incarnate Word is doing in our lives and ministry,as each Congregation gave a presentation on how its members were "extending the Incarnate Word".


Pictured: (top left) Victoria Sisters; (top right) Victoria Associates; (center right) Corpus Christi Sisters and Associates; (bottom left) Cleveland Sisters and Associates; (bottom center) Houston Sisters and Associate; (bottom right) Houston Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word

Sisters, Charism, and Mission

We, the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament of Victoria, Texas, are women of the Church, who, in our communal living, seek to focus on the Person of the Incarnate Word through adoration, witness, and the Extension of the Eucharist by service to others in a spirit of charity and simplicity.
Our mission is to extend the Incarnation in today's world by living the Gospel of Love, proclaiming the Good News and building the Kingdom of God. Impelled by love to share the Incarnate Word's mission of bringing God's kingdom to be, we joyfully seek to serve those in need, through an apostolate of Christian education and care of the sick as determined by the current needs of the church.
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Sisters Enjoy Time Together on Community Days
Every member of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament was present at the annual gathering in which we focused upon the continuing effort to Refound our Congregation upon the spirit and charism of our foundress, Venerable Jeanne Chezard de Matel.

In the opening session of the assembly, Sister Digna Vela helped us explore the mystery of the Trinity as a model for community and unity.
Saturday Father Stan DeBoe and Brother Patrick Wildgen continued the process of encouraging us to live as our foundress did -enbracing whole-heartedly our Triune God and letting go of our fears and beliefs and practices that no longer fit our world today.
Sunday morning began with a prayer in which we illustrated the weaving of our spirituality and practices around a maypole. May we continue this weaving as we continue Jeanne de Matel's spirit and charism as we meet the challenges that the "Signs of the Times" present to us as faithful daughters of the Church. We pray that the grace of our Creator God, the love of the Incarnate Word and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit sustain us as our Refounding journey continues.

IWBS Sisters Welcome New Associates of the Incarnate Word

The Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Sisters are happy to welcome newly consecrated Associates. Their foundress, Jeanne de Matel received a special call to institute an Order that would be a new introduction of the Incarnate Word in the world. She saw, in the Associate program, a way to share this gift with many more persons in their own particular way of life. In an effort to be faithful to our own call "to draw others to share in the graces of the Incarnate Word", we have been sharing our spirit with Associates for some twenty years. We have 140 Associates from more than 20 parishes.

Click on "Our Associates" for more on "Associates' Consecration".

Victoria IWBS Sisters Have a Meeting with "Partners in Mission"
		The Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Sisters have invited "Partners in Mission," some of the lay men and women among whom they minister, to reflect upon needs of the Church and how we can address some of them together. Click here for more on "Partners in Mission". Go to Top

Our retreat provides time for spiritual renewal, prayer, and reflection!

Competent directors, attentive listening, and quiet reflection spaces contribute to a God-filled experience!

We strive to deepen our relationship with the Incarnate Word so that we can more authentically proclaim Him.
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	Our Sisters Support Pro-life Activities Sisters Ready for Right to Life March in January Our Sisters demonstrate our strong pro-life stance by participating in pro-life activities such as "right to life" marches. On evenings of executions in Texas, you are invited to join us in a Prayer Vigil at 5:45 PM* in our Incarnate Word Convent Chapel, 1101 NE Water Street in Victoria, Texas. We pray for the murder victim, for family and friends of the murder victim, for the prison guards and correctional officers, for the family of the condemned man/woman, for the man/woman to be executed, and for an end to the death penalty. If you plan to join us, please call and check on the time because some days, our scheduling is altered. Scheduled Executions in Texas Jan. 26 Rodrigo Hernandez -Executed Feb. 1 Donald Newbury - Stayed Feb. 28 Anthony Bartee Feb. 29 George Rivas Mar. 7 Keith Steven Thurmond Mar. 8 Beunka Adams Mar. 28 Jesse Hernandez		Our Continuing Call in Today's World As we reflect on the Incarnate Word and his call for us to rejoice, let us be mindful that we are celebrating the major events of the awesome incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of the Second Person of God, in which He became one of us so that He could redeem us and lead us to the Father. Now, let us seek Him and let us look afresh at this awesome mystery through the eyes of mystics since we are all called, through our Baptism, to be mystics, that is, persons of prayer, persons whose experience of the presence of God is intense and leads to continuing conversion. Let us respond to this call to deep communion of love and of knowledge with God and then share it with all humankind as prophets -persons who communicate the message of God to the whole world. Therefore, let us receive God�s love and, in turn, extend it to others -as mystics and prophets in today's Church. Go to Top

For more information about us, please contact:
	Incarnate Word Convent 1101 NE Water Street Victoria, Texas 77901	Phone: (361) 575-7111 FAX: (361) 575-2165 E-mail us!

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