Archive for March, 2011

St Paul of the Cross ~ Hunter of Souls

March 22nd, 2011

    I love this title of St. Paul of the Cross. He truly was a Hunter of Souls…and still is today! 

Icon by Michael Moran, C.P.

        I was visiting one of our Sisters who resides at a nearby nursing home and she was delighted to share with me a current copy of The Word Among Us. This Lenten issue features the vocation story of one of our very own – Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P.!  Fr. Cedric was instrumental in encouraging Sr. Rose Marie to make contact with our community as she discerned her vocation to religious life – specifically a community devoted to Jesus and Mary in their greatest act of love – a total self-gift to the Father on Calvary.

    In this article Fr. Cedric shares how the Holy Spirit worked marvels in his life through St. Paul of the Cross. Unfortunately, you can’t read the whole article at the site unless you are a subscriber but these little booklets are so popular hopefully you can find one and read the rest of the story.

    Here’s the intro…

Sometimes a friendship with a saint begins in a most unlikely way. For me, it started on a Friday afternoon, as I walked the campus of the large state university where I was a freshman.

My eyes were drawn to big, colorful posters on the lounge windows of one of the dorms: P-A-R-T-Y-! they spelled out—and a big one, too, with college girls coming from all over the state!

That evening I got dressed up in my best blue jeans and angora sweater. as I looked at myself in the mirror, I decided to add a sterling silver cross and chain, a gift from my mom as I left for college. It glistened in the light as I slipped it on over my sweater.

I knew there was something special about the cross—I’d been born and brought up Catholic—yet at that time in my life, I treated it as a kind of lucky charm. I was hoping it would separate me from all the other guys at the party…

    Fr. Cedric’s vocation story is so inspiring – don’t miss it!

Paul was so drawn by the cross that he meditated on the Passion constantly and spoke about it every chance he got. For him, Jesus’ suffering and death were the greatest sign of God’s love. ‘Immerse yourself in the sea of God’s love,’ he would tell people. And he would urge them to go to Confession, where he knew God would touch them as he had been touched…”

~ From Fr. Cedric’s story

     Saint Paul of the Cross ~ Hunter of Souls ~ Ora pro nobis!

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Greet St. Joseph Often…

March 19th, 2011

Happy Feast of St. Joseph!  We had a delightful day. Since we keep this solemnity like a Holy Day of Obligation we had much time for prayer to plunge into the mystery of this Feast. Dear St. Joseph – who can fathom your glory!?

We are also blessed to have two women visiting us this weekend to discern a Passionist vocation. They joined us for a wonderful feastday game - a combination of Wheel of Fortune, pictionary and charades – only in a monastery! Our two topics we either had to spell, draw or act out, were the Litany of St. Joseph or the early years of our foundation in this diocese.

I was looking through the letters of my dear Founder today for some mention of St. Joseph. Here is one little mention in the midst of some aids to prayer and recollection he is giving to a young woman. May these inspire you to greater holiness in the midst of your vocation!

Go to sleep with holy thoughts, but try to sleep so that you are more ready for prayer.

Aspirations to be offered during the day:

“O Jesus, my love! would that you were never offended.”

“O my heart, break with sorrow!”

“Ah! Infinite Goodness, when will I love you! When will I be burnt up with love!”

“Ah! my dear Jesus, how much you suffered for me! and I do not love you? O my cruel heart, why do you not love Jesus who is your life, your supreme good?”

I have given you these prayers as examples. Use those where you feel more devotion, but use them with a peaceful spirit, gentle and relaxed, without strain of head or stomach, but gently. Thrust your heart often into the pure Heart of Jesus in the Sacrament. Greet Mary and Saint Joseph often as well as your guardian angel.

 

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Empowered by the Passion of Christ

March 16th, 2011

    In the last blog post I mentioned a few situations in need of prayer, but the list of needs is endless! 

    In our monastery we have a number of prayer bulletin boards throughout the monastery to keep before our eyes the many prayer requests that come to us. We feel our inadequacy before such a need of God’s love and compassion in these situations. Yet, the Passion of Jesus is an endless sea of love and mercy. May He be blessed that through our baptism we have been plunged into His Passion, Death and Resurrection and therefore, His saving mysteries now belong to us! We are empowered by these graces! His prayer is our prayer! And He prays perfectly. Therefore, let us never cease to pray and beg for God’s gracious aid. 

    Saint Paul of the Cross wrote so eloquently about the royal road of suffering and the union we have with Jesus in these sufferings.  The motto of the Passionists flows out of this thought: “May the Passion of Christ be ever in our hearts!” Paul, so in touch with the Catholic theology of redemptive suffering, thought of the Passion not merely as a past event, but as a present sign which we need to contemplate and allow to penetrate us. To be plunged into the Passion of Jesus and empowered by His Resurrection!

The world lives unmindful of the sufferings of Jesus which are the miracle of miracles of the love of God. We must arouse the world from its slumber. His Holy Spirit will teach us how.

~ Saint Paul of the Cross

    We must take time to gaze on the crucifix during the great sufferings of our time. Gaze on Love, gaze on the One who was tortured and murdered for me. Gaze on Him whose wounds cry out, “I love you!”, “I thirst for your love!”

    Let us love Him in the mystery of our sufferings and let us renew the gift of our baptism and unite our self-gift with Christ’s in His offering to the Father for the redemption of the world. The Holy Sacraments, especially Christ - ever present in His total act of self-offering in the Eucharist, will empower us to do just this.

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A Great Need for Prayer…

March 15th, 2011

    We continue to be united with so many of you in praying for our dear brothers and sisters of Japan at this time. We recently heard from our nuns in Japan that they did not suffer directly from the earthquake nor tsunami. We thank God for that. Special thanks also to Lisa Graas who kindly posted this on her blog just today. Now we must pray against all harm from the damaged nuclear power plants.

Jesus Mercy!

    Another prayer need…yesterday we learned that one of our Passionist priests at St. Ann’s Basilica in Scranton, PA was attacked on Ash Wednesday. He had 12 stab wounds, lacerations and some bruises.  We thank God that he is resting, healing and hoping to be back in full swing soon.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners!

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“Go To Joseph”

March 11th, 2011

   Today we begin our annual solemn novena to Saint Joseph – patron of our monastery! Two years ago I shared how our Foundress, Mother Mary Agnes, chose St. Joseph to be protector of our monastery.   

    This statue has been with us since the beginning of our foundation in this diocese in 1946. It was donated by the Steele family who have been wonderful friends of our community since those early days.  A few years ago a friend of ours painted it. May the Lord bless all our benefactors who make our life of prayer and penance a possibility!

    Perhaps you would like to join us as we make this novena. Each day we have a common reading from Guardian of the Redeemer by the Servant of God Pope John Paul II. Below is the prayer we are using. It is by Blessed Pope John XXIII.

Saint Joseph, guardian of Jesus and chaste husband of Mary, you passed your life in loving fulfillment of duty. You supported the holy family of Nazareth with the work of your hands. Kindly protect those who trustingly come to you. You know their aspirations, their hardships, their hopes. They look to you because they know you will understand and protect them. You too knew trial, labor, and weariness. But amid the worries of material life, your soul was full of deep peace and sang out in true joy through intimacy with God’s Son entrusted to you, and, with Mary, his tender Mother. Assure those you protect that they do not labor alone. Teach them to find Jesus near them and to watch over him faithfully as you have done. Amen. 

    During this novena we are especially reminding St. Joseph of your needs and intentions. Would you please pray for us? Especially for more young women to respond to God’s call to be a Passionist Nun. Two or three women will be here for a vocation visit on St. Joseph’s weekend!

    Feast of St. Joseph – March 19th

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    Thanks for your kind prayers for Liz. Her discernment with us was very graced and she returned home earlier this week. I’m sure she would appreciate a prayer or two as she re-adjusts to life outside the monastery and peacefully seeks the Lord’s plans for her future. God bless you Liz. We miss you!

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Lent With Saint Paul of the Cross

March 7th, 2011

    Our friend, Fr. Victor Hoagland Passionist of the Province of St. Paul of the Cross (East Coast), has a new book out. I haven’t read it but the cover is so appealing I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share it with you.

If St. Paul of the Cross–Paul Danei, founder of the Passionists–were to accompany you through Lent I’m sure he would be with you as you are and the world you live in as it is. He was never afraid of darkness and dark places, so you may find him a helpful spiritual guide. He trusted in Jesus Christ and his cross, ‘the wisdom and power of God;’ I’m sure he will bring some of that wisdom to you.

~ Fr. Victor Hoagland, CP

You’ll find here a short biography of St. Paul of the Cross, a brief history of the Passionists, a description of his writings and spirituality, and reflections and prayers for each day of Lent based on the gospels and the writings of the saint.  244 pages.

Consider making St. Paul of the Cross your companion this Lent!

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I Call You By Name

March 4th, 2011

    “Why do you change your name?” This is an often-asked question when we have a group of young people here.  Sr. Cecilia Maria’s recent name change inspired her to write some of her thoughts about it.

    Be Inspired…

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All For the Beloved

March 3rd, 2011

    The last few weeks here have been very full. So much to post and so little time to do so! The following are some random things going on around here.

    There was a Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat held in our Guest House. This retreat is for Post-Abortive men and women. Please do keep them in your prayers. Fr. Ben Cameron is the site leader for the Rachel’s Vineyard retreats in our area and recently founded a Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy for post-abortive persons seeking healing and holiness. The confraternity also includes persons who have not undergone abortions but wish to join themselves spiritually to a beautiful work of healing such as this.

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    Sr. Cecilia Maria’s family was here for the traditional visit after a vestition.

Sr. Cecilia Maria with her beloved family.

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“Strike up the instruments!”

Whitney on violin treats us to Mozart’s Concerto No. 4

Sr. Cecilia Maria experimenting with the dulcimer and her family sings along – of course, it is a folk song of “The Brothers Four” entitled “Michael Row the Boat to Shore”.
This one’s for you Tim!

Sr. Rose Marie on the banjolin!

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    Our nine days of prayer to St. Gabriel of our Lady of Sorrows, patron of our novitiate brought many graces and some visitors discerning Passionist life.

    Fours special gals and their devoted chaperones from Smyrna, Georgia made us a part of their Spring Break Nun Run - Do come again! Plus another young woman and her mother were able to join us for several days of Passionist living. Please keep these young women in your prayers as they seek to find and follow God’s plan for their beautiful lives.

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Lastly, I thought I would bring you some highlights from this year’s feast day party for the Novice Directress
Sr. Mary Veronica.

Real china for this year’s tea party!

Tea leaves without a tea ball???

The novitiate (Liz – “Much-Afraid”, Sr. Cecilia Maria – “The Shepherd”, Sr. Rose Marie – Narrator) acts out a scene from Hinds’ Feet on High Places. For you Hannah Hurnard fans this is from page 127 of her book. The theme? “Doing the impossible is the funnest thing ever!”
(Sr. Rose Marie’s paraphrase)  :)

Sr. Cecilia Maria introduced us to “Here is My Light”
by Ed Conlin of Ann Arbor

Sr. John Mary had to get in a favorite from her NET days
- “Song of the Beloved” by Laure Krupp

 

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