In the Shadow of His Wings

Sponsa Christi August 28th, 2009

    Today’s first reading from 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 spoke of making greater progress and the Gospel spoke of the parable of the Wise Virgins. The following is a prayerful homily given today by our Msgr Bernard Powers on just how we as consecrated women can make greater progress in holy wisdom.

    Make greater progress in prayer
             by total abandonment to God
             and humble surrender to the Holy Spirit

    Make greater progress in silence
             by greater control of the inner faculties,
             the intellect, the memory, the imagination

    Make greater progress in holiness
             by being more like Christ in all you do
             and all that you say

    Make greater progress in community living
             by greater self-giving service…
             be victims of love

    Make greater progress in living the Passion
             by a greater fidelity to God’s will
             in the pattern of the day

    Make greater progress in the interior journey
             by greater desire
             for union with God

    Make greater progress in recollection
             by selective reading…
             by disciplined reading

    Make greater progress in loving
             through hospitality,
             that is, the readiness to be interrupted

    Make greater progress in loving Jesus in the Eucharist
             by frequent spiritual communions
             throughout the day

    Make greater progress in your love for the Virgin Mary
             by inviting her into your sufferings
             and your hunger for God

    Make greater progress in celebrating the Liturgy of the Hours
             by fuller union with Jesus

    The wise virgin is she who strives to make progress
             in all that pertains to greater love.

Tags: Msgr Bernard Powers

• Passionist Life
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Sponsa Christi August 24th, 2009

    Our Queen Mother gave our community a wonderful gift on her Feast this past Saturday – the gift of a new aspirant!

    Mother Catherine Marie had placed the small passion sign pin before our Eucharistic Lord shortly before First Vespers of Sunday began. After the scripture reading Mother presented the holy sign to Kirstine with these words:

Kirstine, receive the aspirant’s Passion Sign. As you begin this beautiful walk with Jesus, we entrust you to the maternal care and protection of Our Blessed Mother. God willing – with her example before you and your cooperation with grace – you will one day wear the large Passion Sign of a professed religious. God bless you Kirstine. Our love and prayers will be with you.

    Then each of us Sisters came forward to officially welcome her into our home during this time of greater discernment.

    Special thanks is due to The Anchoress for sharing with her large viewing audience of the news of our new aspirant. May God reward you for the other links you have made to us as well!

Tags: Stages in Formation

• Blessed Mother , Novitiate news , Vocation Discernment
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Sponsa Christi August 13th, 2009

    March of 2007 brought us a lovely group of women on a “Nun Run” from the diocese of St. Paul, Minnesota led by our dear friend Claire Rouf. One young gal in particular felt very drawn to our Passionist charism and desired to learn more about it.

Kirstine (circled) and others on that “Nun Run” of 2007

    Perhaps you remember Kirstine who visited usfor a couple weeks last summer. Well, the Lord has continued to draw her to Passionist contemplative life and I am excited to share with you that 2 1/2 years after that “Nun Run” she will be entering our 3-month aspirancy program. This will occur August 22nd – the Feast of the Queenship of Mary!

    The aspirancy is a prolonged live-in experience during which a young woman is aspiring to become a Passionist Nun although there is no formal commitment. It gives her a better opportunity to experience the rhythm of our life and to learn more about Passionist contemplative life through classes and speaking with the Novice Directress and the Superior. It also gives her and the community a better opportunity to get to know one another.

    We thank you in advance for keeping Kirstine in your prayers as she moves through this process of discerning a religious vocation to be a Passionist bride of Christ. Prayers especially today on her birthday - August 14th – Vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother and also the Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe!

    Blessed Birthday Kirstine and also to your dear mother!

Tags: Friends, Stages in Formation

• Bride of Christ , Novitiate news , Passionist Life , Vocation Discernment
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Sponsa Christi August 8th, 2009

    On the last Monday of June we received a phone call from the Producer of EWTN’s Life on the Rock. After visiting our website and reading the vocation stories, she was inviting Sister John Mary and Sister Rose Marie to be guests on their live show September 3!

    Mother Catherine Marie gave an enthusiastic “yes” to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity while Sisters Rose Marie and John Mary tried not to faint due to the fear of being interviewed on live TV! Even after this phone call we could hardly believe it was going to happen until a seminarian friend of ours with the Fathers of Mercy told us he had seen their names on the upcoming guest list!

    The Sisters will share about their vocational journeys and also the beauties of Passionist Contemplative life. This live-show will air at 7p.m. central time. Please tell all your family and friends, priests and seminarians, youth ministers, teens and young adults and any young woman discerning a religious vocation to tune in. And we ask your prayers that our Sisters will be inspired by the Holy Spirit in all they say.

Veni Sancte Spiritus!

Tags: EWTN

• Passionist Life
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