KENDAL HUNTSMAN
STAFF WRITER
A YouTube fire, desserts and a Fr. Mike Schmitz video welcomed women of campus to Women’s Ministry’s last night of the semester, beginning at 7:30 p.m., which addressed the question of how to live out advent.
Advent is a season of devout and joyful preparation for the coming of Christ, said Sister Maria Pio Wiggins, TOR, head of Women’s Ministry. She advised the women to “allow this time to help you decide which advent virtues you will seek to cultivate this season.”
According to Wiggins, the virtues of advent are prayerfulness, humility, obedience, generosity, gratitude, patience and docility. Women’s Ministry strongly encouraged everyone to pick two to focus on this advent and to listen to what God is calling them to do.
In addition to the virtues, Wiggins explained how for many people, when they leave the “bubble” of Franciscan University for Christmas break, it’s hard to explain to family that one needs some alone time with the Lord.
“You have to adapt to the environment that you’re given where you are. Create your own sacred space,” Wiggins said. Over break she intends to get in her daily prayer time in the bathroom, because she said “even though it seems silly, it’s the only place where I can have privacy, peace and quiet time with the Lord alone.”
Freshman Drane Perpepaji shared that she loved how she had the opportunity to have this time before advent to really focus on what she should be doing. “I will be focusing on the virtues of docility, humility and obedience,” she said.
Perpepaji also pointed out that she loved how all the virtues “intertwine with one another.”
“We are supposed to be expectant and active, not passive,” said sophomore Jessie Leatherby, a Women’s Ministry member. “God has great graces planned for us this advent, and all He wants is for us to be receptive.”