Father Palka's Blog: May 2026

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Cute Kitty Photos! Convent Critters!

So you have all seen the photos and video of the young goats. I would have thought that would be enough cuteness for you. But no, you wanted kitten photos, too! Ok, who am I to say no to that?

Oops! That was the wrong critter. That’s Blackie, the nearly four-foot-long rat snake who was checking for mice around the mailbox the last time I was sending out some cards. Here are the kitten photos:

Darn! How did this small speckled kingsnake get in here? These things eat, among other things, poisonous snakes, so he is even more helpful than the rat snake! He, too, was crossing the driveway one morning as I went out to the mailbox. Maybe the USPS needs a new mascot? But that is not what you were looking for, so hopefully the kitten photos will be attached below.

All together now: Awwww!

These photos were taken a few weeks ago. The kittens have mostly been adopted, but there is still one left. The runt of the litter, a little male, is still in the convent. He is a cutie and quite a climber. The other day Mother said he clawed his way up her habit as she was sitting at her desk trying to do some work, continuing his climb all the way to the top of her head! Then, just yesterday, he was outside with Sr. Maria Josepha as she took him over to the construction workers to try to entice one of them to take him home. When I saw her on her return from her unsuccessful attempt, the kitten was riding on her shoulder, under her veil! He must think he is part mountain goat! If anyone wants to adopt a climbing kitty, let me know. He’s an active, charming black cat with grey eyes! I think the last photo is the kitten in question.

Now, back to even less serious stuff, if that is possible. I am still sitting at the computer looking out over the goat pen. I have been enjoying the antics of the young goats most of the day. They run and jump and twist around in the air and fall and slide and push each other and then stop and eat some weeds. Then start all over again. And again. They are just getting to the point where they are starting to butt their heads together—very softly—as if they know this is what goats are supposed to do, but they don’t know why or how to do it right.

At the same time, I have a mirror on the window ledge so that I can also see the birdfeeder out the window behind me.

I didn’t think to get a photo of this setup when the goats were out playing. Even now, it is hard to show what I see, and the birds won’t hold still for a good photo as it is. Next time I think I’ll show some of the visitors I’ve had to the feeder. I also have a hummingbird feeder, but it can only be seen out of the window in the other cell. I am usually reading in there and not as easily distracted, so I don’t see too many of them, and there certainly aren’t nearly as many hummingbirds visiting as those at the first feeder.

Anyway, today was a quiet day of prayer. Except for goat watching and writing this article, of course! Most of the Sisters left very, very early this morning to go to the 10:00 am FSSP ordinations. It is a 290-mile drive according to Google Maps, and they wanted to get there in time to pray a holy hour before the Mass. I’m telling you, I live with Saints! So this morning, for the first time since I have been here, we had more people in the pews than Sisters, as all but three were on the road too early to even ring the 4:00 am bell.

Oh, and now the chickens have made it down to this side of the pen. Only the older ones. The new chicks don’t yet have the freedom to roam the entire pen. They have just recently been given freedom to be in a small part of the yard during the day and are still taken into the convent at night. This week will see them outside full time, though, as they are probably large enough that the older chickens won’t peck them to death and hawks won’t swoop down and snatch them. Maybe. We shall see. The Sisters will be very happy to have no kittens and no chicks messing up the place!

Before signing off, I have one request for information. We have some critters that are causing trouble with the chickens, gardens, and other areas of the property. Possums, coons, rats, coyotes, skunks, copperheads, and whatnot. A gun would be very helpful. But this is a peaceful place, and the noise would not be conducive to prayer. I am thinking that a compressed air gun (22? 25? 30?) or something like that might be quiet enough to use (I would need to shoot a lot for practice, so this would not be just a one-shot-a-month noise), but I have never seen or heard one in use. We used to have a man stop by the parish whenever he was in town for a gun show, and I believe he sold such guns.

Does anyone know who I am referring to? Do any of you know anything about “quiet” guns? My only experience, and it has been many decades, is using an old Daisy BB gun that couldn’t kill an aged butterfly at 10 yards, and a 22 rifle, which would be too noisy for my purposes, and I only shot targets, squirrels, and rabbits, so I don’t know if a 22 can take out raccoons or coyotes. The deer and wild hogs will be left to themselves! If you can help me out, give me a ring! Or write. Or holler really loud. Or drop by and teach me a thing or two in person!

With prayers for your holiness,

Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For those who wish to ask for prayers, discern a Vocation, or make donations:

[The Sisters now have a website! https://filiae.org/]

This blog is not monetized, since the good Sisters give me food and shelter. But if you wish to support the Filiae Laboris Mariae Sisters under my spiritual care, feel free to send them a note to: St. Joseph Convent, 1250 Hackberry Road, Redfield, KS 66769. They constantly pray, and their benefactors will get great spiritual rewards! That is also the address you can send snail mail to me. I suppose you already know or can guess my gmail address with the F*P in front of it!

Friday, May 8, 2026

Kittens and Kids at the Convent

Kittens and Kids

There is so much new life at the convent! We begin the story today with a cat. A feral cat. A black feral cat. She was found by the Sisters, seemingly abandoned on the property when young. Already past the cute kitten stage but not yet mature. She stayed around but wanted nothing to do with anyone. The Sisters already had a caramel-colored cat, named, conveniently enough, Carmel. She was “grudgingly” allowed inside once in a while. Stories vary as to how welcome she was, but let’s just say that somebody had made a cat ramp up to the window in Mother Superior’s office, where, coincidentally, there just happened to be a cat door in the window for her to enter and exit. The two cats didn’t get along, but they didn’t fight, either.

One morning before Mass, I was standing outside the sacristy door, looking at the beautiful sunrise, when the black cat, now named Shadow, came bouncing through the tall, wet grass. She seemed oblivious to my presence, but one of the Sisters came walking up, crunching the gravel underfoot, and Shadow immediately stopped what she was doing, momentarily distracted by the intruder, and unsure if she should run away as per usual. But in that split second of hesitancy, it became clear that she was not simply frolicking in the grass, but rather hunting. Her prey, seeing its chance, made a mad dash for the Sister’s feet, becoming visible for the short time it was on the gravel walkway. Fortunately, Sister did not see the rat running full speed ahead toward her, and it kept going until it turned the corner of the chapel and disappeared.

Shadow had lost her breakfast, all because she was afraid of people. But that was soon to change. Some of the Sisters, with Mother’s grudging permission, began feeding her. They still couldn’t get close, but it was at least a start, as Shadow began showing up at the Sisters’ door to the chapel before Mass and before Compline. The cat would come close, the Sisters would set the food out, and, as soon as they went back inside, Shadow would eat. Then one morning, I spotted something very odd. The Sister milking the goat (there were two female goats, but only one was lactating) was leading the goat from the milking area outside the kitchen back to the pen, but Shadow was right at her heels. Not running away but walking with her! You might well guess that the Sister had been offering Shadow a little bit of fresh goat milk every morning once the goat was put up. That did it! She was soon able to pet the cat.

As the days and weeks went by, Shadow discovered that she liked being petted. By one Sister, then two, and soon by all of them. But not by the priest. I even tried feeding her. She wouldn’t get within ten feet.

But as she matured, a tomcat from several miles away smelled romance in the air. He arrived unannounced, chased her all day, and that night, well, the honeymoon must have gone well, for Shadow was pregnant and the tomcat has not been seen again. She just gave birth to five adorable little kittens. In the convent, of course. She still won’t let me get close to her. So I have no cute kitten photos to share.

In the meantime, somebody brought over a “tom-goat” (or is that “Billy”?) for a rendezvous with the second female Alpine goat. She, too, just gave birth to two kids. One mostly white female and one mostly black male. They were up and walking within 30 minutes. The photos below are from April 27, the day the kids were born, with some Sisters holding them, and today, May 5, as they play in the goat pen. Their mother goat is the darker of the two adults. Enjoy!

With prayers for your holiness,

Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka