Sandy Donovan
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January 18, 2022I am an Army brat and our family moved about every eighteen months. Once I settled in San Antonio, as an adult, I never wanted to move again. There was no way I was ever going to move from San Antonio! God had other plans.
My husband died in 2011 and I had to make a decision about a possible move to Plano to be near my daughter.
To leave San Antonio meant leaving life-long friends, family and my church community that I loved. Years of working with our church and ministries, especially as Eucharistic minister to the Homebound serving many that became dear to me over many years.
I realized the only way to make this decision was to turn it completely over to God. This was a journey of prayer and discernment, and a lesson in surrender.
In time I experienced a great peace and knew without question I was moving to Plano.
The move to Plano, being near my daughter and grandchildren, and being a part of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, brought unexpected blessings and joy.
As a single person (or widow as I am) , there may be some uncertainty about where to sit at Mass, hoping you are not in someone's usual place. As you know, we tend to sit in “our place, in our pew” every Sunday.
A small group of women invited me to sit with them and then asked if I would like to join them for breakfast. I cannot tell you how thankful I am to this day for that invitation!
SEAS became home.
Second, a sprightly senior lady at morning Mass invited me to join a group at McDonald’s for coffee after morning Mass.
I was told this was an “eight o’clocker thing”! Now this was FUN! My kinda’ church! Sign me up!
To find a warm and welcoming church community such at SEAS, and ways to continue to serve as I had in San Antonio in Ministries and Bible studies, made all the difference in moving to a new location.
God led me, I believe, not away from a home but to a new and wonderful home ,
one that is a great blessing for these senior years of my life.
Sandy Donovan
