Sr. Patty Welcomed in Trinidad
Sr. Patty Rinn
by Jean Tranel, OP, and Patty Rinn, OP
On April 3, the community of the House of Discernment greeted Patty Rinn, OP, welcoming her to Trinidad for the first time. Patty has been assigned as Director of the House of Discernment, taking the place of Jean Tranel, OP, who’s six year missionary permit is coming to an end.
Upon arriving in Trinidad, Patty said, “It’s wonderful.” When she departed on April 8, her sentiments were much the same as she stated, “I love you. I love this place.” At the House of Discernment, Patty was introduced to her first native dish, corn soup. She enjoyed the spicy flavor of Trini food after her long flight from the cold, winter weather of Nebraska to the warm, sunny climate of the Caribbean.
Patty’s first day was spent exploring the local business places, the Archdiocesan Chancery office, and the Sinsinawa mission on Petra Street in Port of Spain. The second day was filled with meeting different groups connected with the House of Discernment community.
The days were full of new experiences as Patty met new people, enjoyed the beauty of the Caribbean, celebrated the liturgy with the wonderful people at St. Joseph Parish, and had conversation with many different folks.
Another experience offered by the House of Discernment community was a tour of the area with our candidate and discerners. The group visited the University of the West Indies, Mount St. Benedict, the Carmelite Motherhouse, and many other scenic places. In keeping with the spirit of our culture, Patty was offered another Trini special, “doubles,” and loved the sharp spicy taste of the popular Trini snack.
A sacred time for all of us was our gathering of the entire Sinsinawa Dominican family at the House of Discernment for our regular monthly meeting. The Scripture reading for the weekend was the Emmaus story; therefore, the gathering was woven around the theme of Jesus revealing himself in the breaking of bread. Each member beautifully revealed her story of “being Sinsinawa” so Patty would learn about each of us and share her own story as well. At the closing of the meeting, Jean presented Patty with the Trinidadian-Dominican pin which is given to each member as they become a candidate on their journey of vowed Dominican life.
The remainder of Patty’s time in Trinidad was spent going over records, books, and files to make this a smooth transition for everyone on Aug. 11 when Patty begins ministry here. We are all most grateful for this sacred time together, and we’ll continue our prayers of gratitude and love for everyone.