In the Shadow of His Wings

Sponsa Christi March 28th, 2013

Today our community and all of the you have entered into the most sacred days of the Church Year. We have many beautiful monastic customs during the sacred Triduum. One of these is a communal gathering of our intentions for our spiritual children. Earlier today our Superior shared with us the following words of encouragement…

    After making the Lenten journey with the whole Church—and ours was certainly a strenuous journey!!— we have come now to the blessed days of the Paschal Triduum.

We, the “daughters of the Passion and brides of Christ Crucified”, feel ourselves prompted from deep within to spend these days of the Sacred Triduum as Our Lord’s close companions and helpmates. We can also be a great help to one another by trying to maintain silence and recollection as much as possible, and helping out where others need our help–either in the care of the sick, or food preparation, sacristy work and so forth. As for the correspondence work, we can let that go until next week. These days are too precious to spend them on anything that is not really necessary.

We know from our community sharings on Bl. John Paul’s encyclical on the Eucharist, that the Pascal Triduum is, as it were, concentrated in the Holy Eucharist.

So the Last Supper, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday are all “concentrated” in the Holy Eucharist.  We are mysteriously and really made present to them at every Mass.  And we know and believe–also from Pope John Paul’s encyclical, that there is a mysterious “oneness in time” between that first Triduum 2000 years ago and today.  We could meditate on these truths til our dying day and never exhaust their magnificent riches.

In these sacred rites, there will be a oneness in time between the Last Supper, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.  We will truly be there!  And we know from Church teaching that we are not play acting, we are not spectators.  We are participators, we are really and truly taking part in and reliving these events with the Church, as the liturgy makes them present in a unique way.

Jesus wants to celebrate His Passover here with us in our monastery, with us, His brides, closest companions and helpmates in the work of redemption.  We want our hearts to be like His.  His great Heart has the whole world gathered into it and embraced in saving love.  Before He offered His sacrifice on the cross, He made His intentions, and we read them in chapter 17 of John’s Gospel.

We too, before entering the Triduum, make our intentions– we gather into the embrace of our prayer, our new Holy Father, and also Benedict XVI, our bishops, priests, religious, laity, our families and their crying needs, all our Oblates and Associates and friends, all Passionists, our benefactors, all who need and ask our prayers, all who attend our services, etc. – we gather them all up and carry them in our hearts into the liturgy, into our prayers and sacrifices of these precious days, pleading the Passion of Jesus, His wounds, His Precious Blood, His own bitter sufferings for them.  Let us not forget the wonderful doctors and nursing personnel who generously care for us, our employees, etc.  Our hearts are to be as wide as the Heart of Jesus!

Just as Jesus is never possessive or stingy–keeping anything only for Himself–so we literally give our lives and prayers away for souls, for the intentions of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  Spending time with Him, gazing at Him, at His suffering Face, His Sacred Heart, His strong virtues, and uniting ourselves with Him in His humility and obedience, His love for souls—all of this not only sanctifies us, but is a saving work for the Church and the world.

So let’s be generous during these days, trying our best also to give of ourselves fully in the liturgy.

Tags: Liturgy, Nuns Reflections, Pope John Paul II, Spiritual Motherhood

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Holy Week , Monastery traditions , Passion of Jesus , Passionist Spirituality , The Holy Eucharist
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Sponsa Christi January 9th, 2013

“Can we keep the Christmas tree up a bit longer…?  Perhaps we can put it on wheels and bring it out at certain times of the year…”

So went the conversation last night during our evening recreation. We LOVE the Christmas Season!  We hate to see it end.

Below are some snapshots of our Christmas-Epiphanytide…

Singing Christmas Carols and wearing those zany hats loaned by our sweet Oblate Veda!

One Sister enjoys Christmas music on a subdued Sunday afternoon while working on a Jane Wooster Scott puzzle – a snow scene of course!

Blessed be God this year we have Epiphanytide – that week between Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord in which to continue to partake of the rich liturgical readings and hymns.

And to continue to make many visits to the holy crib…to meditate on the Word made Flesh – the whole “reason for the season”. We have several nativity scenes throughout the monastery. Today we took this one down…until next year!

We also enjoyed a visit with some of our seminarians of the Diocese of Owensboro, KY

My…them Texan boys sure know how to make a snowman…out of 1/2 inch of snow fall! Sr. Rose Marie’s brothers had to run those balls of snow up and down the hill many times to pack in that much snow!
There are those zany hats again…

The nativity scene in our library…a beautiful gift from
another of our Passionist Oblates!
Nice photo from Sr. Rose Marie’s dad!

Our Lord Jesus Christ…truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. How full of wonderment we have been as we revisit His great love for us in assuming flesh and becoming a little child and then remaining with us in the
Sacrament of His Holy Love!

O Sacrament Most Holy
O Sacrament Divine
All praise, all thanksgiving
be every moment Thine

Tags: Family, Owensboro Diocese

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Christmas , Cloistered Life , Monastery traditions , The Holy Eucharist
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Sponsa Christi November 23rd, 2012

Sound interesting?  Indeed! 

We had a grace-filled retreat early this week and a wonderful Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple. The next day we had our annual Thanksgiving Day Gaudeamus. Christie shared the following bird-watching experience and Mother asked her to type it up for the blog. Christie, ready to make good on living the spirit of obedience, has done just that! 

I hope her story blesses you!

+++

I was on retreat and had just finished my spiritual reading from a book that had been suggested to me by one of the Sisters.  It was a most perfect day for a walk outside—slightly cool, not a cloud in the sky.  At the beginning of my walk, glorying in the day, I started pondering some of the words I had just read– how before original sin, all the animals were obedient to Adam and came close to him.  He knew all about their nature and named them from this knowledge.  I was thinking how beautiful the original state of man was.  Then I became aware of how active the birds were at this particular time of morning. I enjoy looking out for different kinds of birds on the monastery grounds and then looking up their pictures in our bird book. 

As I walked I spotted a blue jay.  But there was a flock of birds in the trees  that kept flying ahead of me as I neared them.   I looked hard and tried to identify what kind of birds they were, but they moved so fast that I couldn’t tell.  They wanted to stay far from me!  Thinking again about Adam and the animals, I asked Jesus if He would get them to stay still so I could get closer to them.  I told Him to let them know that I wouldn’t hurt them.  But they kept darting ahead of me, and I continued my walk down the path. What a day it was; I was so aware of God’s goodness in His beautiful creation.

I started down another path on a different area of the grounds, and as I neared a wooded area I noticed a lone bird perched on the trunk of one of the trees.  It’s pose on the tree was very striking, not like any other.  As I tried to focus in on it, the thought came into my mind, “Is that a nuthatch?” I think I had only seen a picture of a nuthatch a couple times, but I thought again, “That looks like a nuthatch.”  I was getting a little excited, because I had not seen this bird around this area. I was disappointed, though, because it was too far off to see any of its markings. 

Suddenly, this bird takes flight and is making a beeline right toward me.  I am not exaggerating—if I had not ducked the bird would have flown into my forehead.  I actually felt the air move as the bird flew over my lowered head!  I turned as the bird flew by and I saw it land on a tree just close enough that I could see the markings of its face and head which were very distinctive.  Glory to God, I just knew it was a nuthatch! (which was later confirmed by the bird book). 

After the excitement of the moment settled down, I continued my walk.  A chuckle started to well up within, though, with the thought that Jesus was playing games with me. I wanted the birds to come close, but not that close.   I jokingly said to Him, “Jesus that was not funny at all; that bird almost hit me!“, but then I quickly added, “yeah, it really was funny.”

Tags: Weather Flora & Fauna

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Monastery traditions , Monastic Life
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Sponsa Christi November 16th, 2012

Each year Passionist Nuns throughout the world make a 3-day retreat (in our monastery we make a 4-day retreat!) in preparation for our annual devotional renewal of vows on the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple. This day also celebrates Pro Orantibus Day. A day set aside for people to pray for those who live a cloistered or heremetical life.

The nuns often renew their consecration to the Passion of Jesus. Each year, moreover, on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, they make a general renewal of their vows, preparing for this renewal by a three-day retreat.

Rule & Constitutions #113

So, we humbly ask your prayers for Passionist Nuns throughout the world during these sacred days of November 17-20, that we be refreshed in body, renewed in spirit, re-energized  in fervor and love for our Divine Bridegroom. Also, that he would raise up valiant young women to join our ranks in quenching the One who thirsts to love and be loved.

The following is an excellent article written by Sr. Cecilia Maria about the relevance of our cloistered life in the Church.

Passionist Nuns, dwelling in the “cloister” of Calvary, find at the foot of the Cross not only their path to contemplative union with God, but also the means of profound interaction with their brothers and sisters on earth. Their very union with the Redeemer spurs them to share in His work of drawing all people to Himself, in practical as well as mystical ways.

Closely joined to their contemplative prayer is a life of intercession for the needs of the world; indeed, their constitutions enjoin them “to know the life of the Church and of society” in which they live, in order to hold in prayer all its varied needs. Nuns keep abreast of the world through a variety of different media and through good and reliable contacts, and can often be better informed about current events and key issues than the average American citizen!

From their very beginnings Passionist Nuns have sought to welcome others to the fountainhead of God’s mercy, flowing from the wounds of Christ Crucified. They are called to be witnesses to this merciful love not only by their prayerful presence but also by their words — regularly written and spoken to family, friends, and visitors — and by their deeds.

Many monasteries have retreat-houses where others are invited to spend time at the foot of the Cross with the nuns, whose privilege and responsibility it is to minister to these retreatants. Thus the clear waters of the “sealed fountain” of Passionist monastic life (cf. Song of Songs 4:12), protected as they are by the restrictions of the cloister, are able to reach and to refresh far more souls than merely those of the nuns who dwell there.

The vocation to be a “dove in the clefts of the rock,” the open side of Jesus, is certainly not restricted to any particular sort of personality or skill-set! Like all cloistered nuns, Passionists are as varied and variously gifted as any natural extended family. One finds among the brides of the Crucified extroverts and introverts, doctorates and high-school diplomas, seamstresses and construction workers and artists (and everything in between).

The unique personalities and gifts of each sister simply indicate how the Lord wills to bless the community with a sister’s strengths and how the other sisters can support her in her weaknesses. Thus they enable the whole community to live out more fully the life to which they are all called! United by their love of Him who calls them into the intimacy of His love, the nuns rejoice to offer their daily lives as an oblation for the sake of God and His whole world.

Photo of crucifix at the entrance to our monastery
Kindness of Mrs. Larena Lawson
The dead tree in the left of the photo is just one sorrowful reminder of the terrible drought we had in these parts this past summer.

Tags: Rule & Constitutions

• Bride of Christ , Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Monastery traditions , Passionist Vocations for Women , Pro Orantibus Day
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Sponsa Christi August 30th, 2012

I am still putting together a post about Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s Gaudeamus last week but thought I would give you a little taste of the celebration…here’s a little background information.

“Young Air Force Woman Rides Cargo Plane to Visit Dominican Nuns in California” 

Sounds like a good headline doesn’t it?  Our Sister Mary Elizabeth did just this while she was discerning a religious vocation and stationed in Colorado Springs, CO while serving for the United States Air Force.  And if one was riding a cargo plane, one was also wearing a parachute. (At least that is how the story goes…) This was one of the themes we used for her Gaudeamus.

Yes, this really is a photo of Sister, formerly known as Betty Jean

At 9:45 a.m. the main festivities began as Sr. Rose Marie wheeled Sr. Mary Elizabeth from her cell into the recreation room to the music of the Air Force Song, “The Wild Blue Yonder,” which we rewrote to reflect Sister’s career as a spiritual warrior. The sisters in formation had decorated the wheelchair with red, white, and blue crepe paper and bows, American flags, heavenly-looking streamers, and – to top it all off – a parachute which billowed out behind her as she rolled in.

Here she comes out of the wild blue yonder, Sorgho’s boast—Betty Jean Sauer!
Air Force trained, ready to battle Satan, Cross in hand, “Thy Kingdom come!”
Clothed with pow’r from His Sacred Passion, with His seal over her heart;
The souls of men she’ll capture for Crucified Love, Christ Jesus, Savior!

She’ll reside in an enclosed garden, armed with pray’r and sacrifice;
Spirit-filled, flaming with love for Jesus, she’ll fly high, on wings of pray’r.
Simple days, doing the ordinary, used by God, they’ll become great!
She’ll live with Him and not turn back; Nothing’ll stop our Betty Jean Sauer!

Let us sing to Him who called her sweetly to His side, to be His bride!
Fifty years she’s given all her heart’s love faithfully, nothing held back!
Five her vows, five her unfailing weapons furthering His Kingdom on earth!
His Spouse, His Joy, for fifty years—Thanks be to God for Betty Jean Sauer!

More to come about the celebration…I am off now to stir the chili and pray a rosary!

Tags: Gaudeamus Days, Golden Jubilee

• Bride of Christ , Catholic Vocations for Women , Monastery traditions , Passionist Spirituality , Passionist Vocations for Women
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Sponsa Christi August 2nd, 2012

Gee…I feel as though every time I post I must first apologize for being truant or something!

Summer is a busier time for me. Hopefully, a month from now will bring regular blog posts again…

Anyhow…let’s get on with the story…

When I last left off with you it was the day after our public celebration of Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee, that is, fifty years of vowed Passionist life!

In honor of Sister’s Golden Jubilee we gave her a large crucifix for our altar. This gift she got to open early along with a nice gold vase. You can see below that we used these during her Jubilee Mass.

Priests – Msgr Bernard Powers, Fr. Ray Clark, Fr. Joe Mills and Fr. John Schork CP (Passionist). Servers in back – seminarian Jarrod Kaelin and Dwayne Roby. Greg Mills also served but is not in this photo.

Her celebration was glorious in many ways…the Holy Mass, prayers, flowers, reception, photos of Sisters life, food, friends and family.

Here is Sister with her only surviving sibling Marguerite.

Two posters were made for the occasion. The one above shows pictures of Sister and her family, etc. from early childhood up to her Silver Jubilee (25 years of vowed life)

This poster includes photos of Sister during the last 25 years.

August 22 will bring us a private celebration here in the monastery…good food again, gifts, song,  joy and perhaps a skit!

The cover of Sister’s Mass program booklet.

The following message from the heart of our Jubilarian was featured in the front cover of the Mass booklet.

From Janssens’ painting of our Suffering Redeemer on the front cover, we see Jesus looking out at us and over the whole world.  From the cross, He saw all generations from beginning to end, and the loving thirst in His Heart burned to save each and every human person.  This made our Divine Savior send out from the cross His agonizing cry: “I thirst”.

The sacrifices and sufferings we embrace in union with Jesus become our language of love, to satisfy His “thirst”.

The charism of our founder, St. Paul of the Cross, was to keep alive in the hearts of God’s people the grateful memory of Christ’s redeeming love and thirst for every soul.  In solitude, silence and prayer within the life of our cloistered community, I strive to let the Holy Spirit renew the Passion within me.

Daily I strive to live our Passionist vows in the atmosphere of Christ’s sacrificial love, offering myself with Jesus to the Heavenly Father for the salvation and sanctification of all.

As I celebrate the wonder of Christ’s love to which I have committed myself by vow, I invite all of you to honor Him with me each day by offering this prayer:

Lord Jesus, by Your suffering and death, You made it possible for us to be holy and to share in the eternal joy of Your resurrection.  With trust and confidence we look upon You on Your cross and strive to unite ourselves with You in the passion of our daily lives.

Look down upon us and draw us close to You.  Give us, we beg You, a share of Your courage in times of adversity and anxiety.  Strengthen us in our struggle against physical and spiritual evil.  In our efforts to imitate You in Your Passion, help us to look upon those around us with loving care and concern. 

We pray that those who have turned away from You may be drawn back to You through the merits You gained for us on Calvary, so that all of us might live in never-ending peace with You forever.  Amen.

Tags: Golden Jubilee

• Bride of Christ , Catholic Vocations for Women , Monastery traditions , Passion of Jesus , Passionist Spirituality , Passionist Vocations for Women
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Sponsa Christi May 10th, 2012

This past Sunday we had our community May Procession culminating in the Coronation of our Lady of Sorrows statue in the back of our monastery chapel.

During the procession a sister, chosen by lot, carries Mary’s crown of flowers as we sing hymns in honor of our Lady.

When we arrive in chapel we pray various prayers including a Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

During the coronation hymn, a sister, chosen by lot, gets to crown our Lady’s image. This year, Sr. Cecilia’s name was drawn. What a privilege! Her name was also drawn when she was a postulant.

At the end of our devotion we pray the Litany of Loretto.

V. Lord, have mercy.

R. Christ have mercy.

V. Lord have mercy. Christ hear us.

R. Christ graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

Holy Virgin of Virgins, [etc.]

Mother of Christ,

Mother of divine grace,

Mother most pure,

Mother most chaste,

Mother inviolate,

Mother undefiled,

Mother most amiable,

Mother most admirable,

Mother of good Counsel,

Mother of our Creator,

Mother of our Savior,

Virgin most prudent,

Virgin most venerable,

Virgin most renowned,

Virgin most powerful,

Virgin most merciful,

Virgin most faithful,

Mirror of justice,

Seat of wisdom,

Cause of our joy,

Spiritual vessel,

Vessel of honor,

Singular vessel of devotion,

Mystical rose,

Tower of David,

Tower of ivory,

House of gold,

Ark of the covenant,

Gate of heaven,

Morning star,

Health of the sick,

Refuge of sinners,

Comforter of the afflicted,

Help of Christians,

Queen of Angels,

Queen of Patriarchs,

Queen of Prophets,

Queen of Apostles,

Queen of Martyrs,

Queen of Confessors,

Queen of Virgins,

Queen of all Saints,

Queen conceived without original sin,

Queen assumed into heaven,

Queen of the most holy Rosary,

Queen of families,

Queen of peace,

V. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

R. Spare us, O Lord.

V. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

R. Graciously hear us, O Lord.

V. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we thy servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may we be freed from present sorrow, and rejoice in eternal happiness. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

• Blessed Mother , Catholic Vocations for Women , Monastery traditions , Prayer
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Sponsa Christi April 2nd, 2012

Here are some EXCELLENT meditations
on the spirituality and history of Holy Week.

These were posted on the blog last year.

Holy Week

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Friday of the Lord’s Passion

Easter Vigil Mass

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Tags: Liturgy, Pope John Paul II

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Holy Week , Monastery traditions , Passion of Jesus , Passionist Spirituality
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Sponsa Christi April 1st, 2012

Holy Week is upon us! I hope you are ready for this week so full of grace and mercy.

One of the Sisters shared with me a bit of her Easter letter that she is sending to her family…

“We are looking forward to Holy Week… I feel truly blessed to be living here at the Monastery and able to enter more fully into the mystery of this week. On Palm Sunday evening at supper, we set up a place at our table for Our Lord to join us, as we recall Martha, Mary, & Lazarus giving Him a place to rest away from the noise and pressures of the crowds who were divided for and against Him.

Some of the Sisters gather around our Lord’s image.
(How did the tall ones end up in the front?!)
You see we have a young woman here for a 4 day visit.
Keep her in your prayers as she discerns Passionist life!

“Wednesday of Holy Week (Spy Wednesday) we remember the day that Judas went to the chief priests to arrange to betray Jesus.

“Then, beginning on Holy Thursday morning, we enter into like a “mini-retreat” (the Sacred Triduum) as we are free to spend the whole day in prayer, with a nice meal at lunch to remember the Last Supper. Most of Good Friday we spend in prayer, although we do have some free time in the afternoon after the Liturgy to work quietly, etc…

“Holy Saturday is busy with an air of expectation in preparation for the great Vigil of Easter (setting up flowers, etc… in Chapel, preparing our meals for Easter, some cleaning etc…). Then on Holy Saturday evening, we begin the great Vigil, oh, what a glorious celebration this is!

“I am looking forward to these days, & I hope you, too, are able to enter into them at your own parishes or elsewhere.”

Tags: Liturgy

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Holy Week , Monastery traditions , Passionist Life , Vocation Discernment
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Sponsa Christi March 16th, 2012

Last month I shared with you a bit about the life of an aspirant in our community. (In case you have forgotten our monastic terminology – an aspirant is a woman who lives in the monastery for 3 months to discern our way of life.)

I forgot to mention that a special point in this stage of discernment is the reception of the small Passion sign pin at the beginning of her aspirancy.

Mother Catherine Marie places this pin near the Tabernacle, asking for our Lord’s blessing upon our aspirant. During Vespers she takes the pin and gives it to the novice directress to pin it on the aspirant, asking our Lord to bless her and that if it be his will one day she receive the large Passion sign of a professed Passionist Nun.

If the woman is so blessed to enter the monastery she will continue to wear the passion sign pin along with a crucifix.

In the Sourcebook on St. Paul of the Cross by Fr. Jude Mead, CP, Fr. Jude gives this explanation of the Passion sign:

Among the intellectual visions that preceded the foundation of the Congregation of the Passion, St. Paul of the Cross received one of the “sign” or emblem: a white heart, surmounted by a cross, bearing the title of the Passion of Jesus Christ. It was formed in his mind in successive phases: first the Cross and the name of Jesus, then the rest. He always considered it as a sublime gift that came to him through the hand of the angels, and he referred to it as holy, most holy and the terror of Hell, the sign of salvation.

The signs worn by the saint himself had a special, even miraculous power. He had no difficulty in giving away those signs which he no longer wore…

The seal of the whole Congregation is composed of this sign, which he had encircled with the devices of victory and peace: the palm and the olive branch. It is a compendium of his charism.

St. Paul himself explained the white color of the heart as meaning that the heart which had the Passion imprinted on it ought to be pure. He further affirmed that this public and visible glorification of the Passion caused all Hell to tremble in a special way…

Please keep up those prayers for Anne during this important time. We recently admitted another young woman to the aspirancy – praise the Lord! She hopes to come this summer after graduating from college. Please pray for these two and for the other two women who hope to visit us this spring.

Tags: Stages in Formation

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Monastery traditions , Passion Sign , Passionist Spirituality , Passionist Vocations for Women , Saint Paul of the Cross , Vocation Discernment
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