by Sister Comfort Arthur, CSC
Long-awaited pineapples have finally arrived!
More than two years ago Holy Cross sisters in Ghana who are on the Congregation Justice Committee planted a garden and began growing mangoes, sweet apples, oranges, avocados, tangerines and pineapples. The fruits were to supplement vitamins needed for students, the sisters and the buildings and grounds staff at Our Lady of Holy Cross School in Kasoa. It was also a way of beautifying the environment, providing shade and clean air to the atmosphere by giving us oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide. We harvested mangoes and other fruits, but the pineapples did not seem promising.
This month, to our surprise, they gave fruit for the first time. We did all we could do by weeding around them and providing water. Had we planted them with chemical fertilizers they would have been ready long before, but we decided to have our fruits the organic way.
Everyone had nearly given up on the pineapples, so it was a shock when one of our grounds workers found plenty of pineapples blossoming at once. How fortunate that they came at a time when we can use some as gifts for others during this Christmas season.
I agree with the writings in our breviary*: “they bend their fruit as if to say thank you for taking care of us and take this in return for kindness.” This is true and amazing with the pineapples, and that same joy fills our hearts while preparing to celebrate our Savior, the Prince of Peace. We will celebrate this joy of our Savior as we share the gifts of our naturally grown pineapples with others.
* Revised and Expanded Edition of the New Companion to the Breviary with Seasonal Supplement
