ASH WEDNESDAY

In the heart of Sioux City, a unique bond had formed between Sister Mary Claire and young Kathy Dennison, a second grader with aspirations as high as the church steeple. After an unforeseen turn of events, Kathy had come to stay with Sister Mary Claire in her cozy Airstream trailer, nestled on the outskirts of the St. Boniface parish grounds.

The Airstream was a humble abode, filled with the warmth of Sister Mary Claire's spirit and the echoes of prayerful meditations. It was here that Kathy’s admiration for the sister’s way of life blossomed. Each morning, she would watch Sister Mary Claire drape her habit with reverence, her young mind already dreaming of the day she might do the same.

Their shared mornings began with whispered prayers and were often spent tending to the small garden beside the trailer, where Kathy learned the virtues of patience and care. She saw in Sister Mary Claire a model of the devotion she yearned to emulate, understanding even at the tender age of seven that a life of service was a life of profound purpose.

As Ash Wednesday arrived, marking it on their foreheads was not just a symbol of faith, but also a silent promise between them. For Kathy, the ash cross was a tentative step toward a future she envisioned, one following in the footsteps of her mentor. And for Sister Mary Claire, it was an affirmation of her role in nurturing a young girl's dream under the vast Iowa sky, in the sanctuary of their Airstream, where faith was both a journey and a destination.