In the Shadow of His Wings

Sponsa Christi May 10th, 2013

Isn’t that a neat word? – heterogeneous!  Meaning “different in kind, unlike, incongruous”…I thought that a good description of the photos in this post. Really, I was just wracking my brain to think of a unique name for this post and happened upon this word.

Please keep us Sisters in your prayers…the Marthas of a few weeks ago are now the Marys. That’s right – half the Sisters are beginning 8 day solitude retreat Saturday through Pentecost Vigil – while the other half keep the monastery running – hopefully the kitchen will survive – the 3 junior professed sisters have taken over…

Some monasteries news…

Nothing like putting a meal on the table for the Nuns and also baking some bread for a feastday breakfast.  Mmmm…delicious!

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Several weeks ago we celebrated Mother Catherine Marie’s feast day (St. Catherine of Siena) with a lovely Gaudeamus day.

Sr. Mary Therese surprised Mother and all of us with about 7 new oil paintings!  I think some of them might be put in our on-line gift shop so stay posted.

Sr. Cecilia Maria presents Mother Catherine Marie with the “first fruits” of her peppermint and spearmint plants. We are enjoying fresh mint tea!

One can’t outdo the Superior in generosity – Mother Catherine Marie has treats for all the Sisters, with the blessing of our Eucharistic Jesus – Lord of our House.

Sr. John Mary presents Mother with some note cards made from cartoons drawn by a recently deceased sister of our Passionist Nuns in Japan – Sr. Maria Dolores.

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Recently we were invaded by the Niehaus clan (Sr. Mary Andrea’s family) who helped move and stack wood. Sr. John Mary’s brother also joined in on the fun. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK! ! !

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Thanks to our dear Passionist brother in Christ – Fr. Giuseppe Barbieri, C.P. – we have these photos from Easter day.

Christie and Sr. Ann Miriam have a transfiguration moment.

These smiles show forth the joy of being brides of Christ and living a life of love in the heart of the Church.

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I hope you enjoyed this little highlight from the past couple of months.  God-willing and the creek don’t rise (which it is currently doing with all the rain we are getting) I will write another post with photos of our grounds during this beautiful Spring weather.  Please join us in praying for good planting weather for our farmers!

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Sponsa Christi September 19th, 2012

Ah! I am back!   Perhaps you thought I forgot I even have a blog to tend to!? 

Even though some days have passed I still have the fun of sharing with you about our Gaudeamus day August 22. By the way, my little sis in Tennessee wrote asking what is a Gaudeamus Day. Gaudeamus is Latin for “Let us rejoice!”  So it is a day of rejoicing. And rejoice we did in honor of Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s 50 years of Vowed Passionist life!

The following is an account written by one of our “monastery chroniclers”. I shall let her tell the story…

Our dear Jubilarian was finally relieved of the “complex” she said she was getting as a result of being banned for weeks from an ever mounting number of rooms in the work wing, as we prepared the decorations and entertainment.

“Poor Sister” was even banned from evening recreation last night as we decked the refectory and recreation room with balloons, streamers, and golden place settings!

One of those “off-limit” rooms.

After saluting the angels in the corridor outside of chapel after Mass, we congregated in the refectory for a breakfast banquet: ham, biscuits, gravy, egg casserole, cinnamon coffee cake, and more.

As I shared in the previous post  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.

We then had a play-doh sculpting competition, with five teams trying to depict scenes from Sister’s life. The results ranged from clever to hilarious, and we decided that the Holy Spirit had to determine the winning team by lot.

Sister as a young girl being greeted by a not-so-friendly goat who kept her from getting into her house one day as she arrived home from school.

“Sister cleaning Steve’s room” won the prize.
(our grounds-keeper’s room)

Then we had a word game in which each nun tried to make as many words as possible out of Sister Mary Elizabeth’s name. Next came the skit, in which the novitiate and juniorate dressed up as heavenly visitors to our Jubilarian. Sister was overwhelmed with all the gifts and celestial greetings…

Sister’s father, “Papa Sauer” was a wise man full of mischief.  He planted a garden for the nuns and had interesting ways of delivering his produce. One time he stacked up the pumpkins against the doors so that the Sister Portress would have an avalanche at her feet when she answered. Another time he threw green beans, dirty roots and all, over the cloister wall! Sr. Mary Andrea at right is dressed as Papa Sauer and Sr. Rose Marie at right center is representing Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s older sister Katherine.

What does one get a poor cloistered nun for her Golden Jubilee? Well, as you saw in an earlier post we invested in some beautiful liturgical gifts. This day brought candles, colored napkins and various “do-dads” for decorating the refectory on special occasions. This is one of Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s monastery duties.

Below are some of the hand-made jubilee cards given to Sister by the nuns. Quite works of art!

Sr. Ann Miriam and Mother Catherine Marie marvel
at the home-made cards.

At our evening meal, Mother Catherine Marie had set out jubilee place-cards for each of us, with quotes from our Holy Founder on the back. All the quotes were different, culled from his letters and dealing with the themes of faith and the will of God, and we had some lively banter about how most of them seemed to be exhorting us to silence and solitude. Attempts to foster these virtues at the Gaudeamus supper proved fruitless (at least exteriorly), but we were all touched by the Holy Spirit’s knack at once again giving each nun exactly the exhortation she needed to hear.

At the end of the meal Pope Benedict paid Sister a “visit” with a special message just for her thanking her for being a faithful daughter of the Church all these years. At Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s request, we crowned the day by singing the first verse of “Now Thank We All Our God.”  We truly give thanks to God for his fidelity to his little bride of 50 years!

Sister stands near a photo of Fr. Wood who was instrumental in helping her enter the Passionist cloister in 1960.  A young Air Force photo of Sister is in the center and at right, a photo of our original monastery in 1946.

 The community (minus 2 sisters) poses for a photo at the close of a happy day.

Blessed be God!

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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!

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Sponsa Christi August 16th, 2012

Summer days are almost gone…along with many of you, this summer has been unusual with the triple-digit weather and lack of rain.

This summer brought us a large track hoe to dig out the sides of our lake which was becoming quite the weed-bed. So now we have huge piles of clay in our woods where they dumped the lake mud. It was a messy job; grass seed will definitely need to be sown in the fall.

Sisters watch the track hoe at its first day on the job.

Independence Day brought us a Gaudeamus Day  – a free day with time to relax and enjoy one another’s company. With the terrible drought we skipped the fireworks. This was the final day of the Fortnight for Freedom.

Grilling out on Independence Day. Delicious! But those barbecued grills were tough to clean!

Braving the heat on Independence Day—after a water balloon toss! The Lord sent a nice cloud cover and we enjoyed a game of croquet before Vespers.

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Today we had a Passionist Renewal morning led by our Msgr Powers. He has gradually been leading us through our Holy Founder’s letters to Mother Mary Crucified. This was letter #7. Msgr likes to pull words out of the letter and go very deeply into them.  He himself is a poet and mystic and keeps busy giving retreats and days of recollection and spiritual direction.

In today’s letter St. Paul of the Cross told Mother Mary Crucified (the Superior of the first Passionist Nuns, she was a Benedictine for many years, waiting the foundation of the Passionist Nuns) that he so desired her to be clothed as he was in the Holy Passion of Jesus Christ. Ah…he waxed eloquent on the holy habit for about an hour…one point he brought out is how we are clothed in the Passion of Christ, clothed in Jesus’ greatest act of love clothed in a spousal garment. This is the reason we wear black…to symbolize the love of Jesus crucified.  Our Passionist emblem – that the Passion of Christ would be ever in our hearts…not only his physical sufferings but the love, the virtues that motivated our Lord to endure all he did for our redemption, our sanctification – that this would be ever in our hearts!  Then we had a 45 min prayer period and then discussion time.  Truly, Passionists are “robed in salvation!”

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I just read in our Holy Cross Province Newsletter of our Passionist men that tomorrow, August 17, four men will be vested in the Passionist habit and enter the novitiate! Alleluia!  I don’t have any other details but please keep them in your prayers.

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Next Wednesday will bring our Gaudeamus Day in honor of Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee. Which reminds me that I only have 5 days to finish my card for her.  You see, each Sister creates some kind of card for Silver or Golden Jubilarians….recycled cards, computer cards…whatever a Sister can come up with!  I must get busy…

Next week’s post should bring to you all the goings on that have been thus far worked on in secret for Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s day!

Ta ta!

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Sponsa Christi July 2nd, 2012

Wow, it has been so long since I posted I almost forgot how…I guess I shall take you on a little journey covering highlights of this past month…

When I last left off we were preparing for Mother Catherine Marie’s Gaudeamus Day.

I shall let the pictures tell the story…

These first photos are of some handmade gifts we brought to Mother for her to keep or give away…

 A beautiful Thomas Kinkade (RIP) cross stitch done by
Sr. Mary Therese

Decade and 5-decade rope rosaries plus a lovely bookmark which Sister has been working on for about 5 years! Or maybe it is 7 ??? Anyhow, she finally finished it.

yes, we got those granny squares sewn together.

A fruit of Sr. Rose Marie’s 8 day retreat. The little girl on the left is looking at Jesus as the rays of his love and mercy flow upon her.

For our “After Meal Entertainment” we enjoyed some live music.

(Also, we were sad, but accepting of God’s will, as we said “goodbye” to Anne who returned home on June 12. Please keep her in prayer as she continues to discern the Lord’s will for her life. We miss you dearly Anne! God love you!)

With delight Mother Catherine Marie opens her last gift -
a kite!

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A few days after the Gaudeamus Sr. John Mary, after receiving permission, was blessed to attend her brother Fr. Jeff’s ordination to the priesthood.

Visit the website of the Diocese of Evansville IN to read about it and see some photos of the ordination.

Congratulations to Fr. Jeff along with his parents Bill and Bernadine and his brothers and sisters.

Fr. Jeff’s Ordination card

AWESOME…

Fr. Jeff’s First Mass at St. John’s Catholic Church
in Daylight, IN

Fr. Jeff incensing the altar and the crucifix

Fr. Jeff consecrates his life as a priest to our Lady,
Mother of all Priests.

Please do pray for Fr. Jeff and all our newly ordained priests – may they be men after the heart of God…contemplatives active in the heart of the world.

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We’ve also been happily preparing for Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee celebration which will take place this Sunday, July 8th. Her actual anniversary is Monday, July 9th – the Passionist Feast of our Lady of Holy Hope.

Image of Our Lady of Holy Hope – Our Holy Founder, St. Paul of the Cross, was very devoted to our Lady under this title.

In an upcoming post I will share photos with you of Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s celebration along with a message from her heart about living vowed Passionist life for 50 years.

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We also recently printed an 8 page newsletter. We are in the midst of stuffing them with envelopes, then they will be off to the post office and in your mail box!  If you don’t receive our newsletter and live in the United States and would like to receive it please leave your name and address in the comment box below. We’ll gladly add you to our newsletter list.

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We have been very united with our nation during this Fortnight for Freedom. One point of interest – our novice Sr. Cecilia Marie created a summary of the history of our Congregation during the Napoleonic suppression of Religious Freedom in the early 1800′s. She has been reading this to us each evening during the Fortnight.  I hope to share that with you soon as well!

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I must say adieu!  (I commend you “to God” – a derivative from the Old French)

Take care of yourself in this heat – we have been in triple digits for a week now and our grass has been brown for several weeks. The lake is getting low.We are beginning to feel we live in a dust bowl – please God, mercifully send us rain!

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Sponsa Christi May 30th, 2012

Hello!  We are busy around here with preparations for our Gaudeamus Day tomorrow in honor of Mother Catherine Marie. We have this special day each year as a way to thank and honor our Superior for her generous service to the building up of our community and her charity toward each Sister. It is a day of joy and festivity!  May God reward you Mother for your generous response to God’s call to serve our Passionist community in this way!

Above is our celebratory schedule for the day

Sr. John Mary tries to finish up an afghan for Mother.

Many of the Sisters make gifts to give the Superior on this day. The Superior in turn, can use these as gifts to give to benefactors, etc. This is a long-held monastic tradition.

There will be special food and a musical tribute using violin, Appalachian dulcimer and flute!

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Speaking of Sr. John Mary…her brother Deacon Jeff’s ordination to the holy Priesthood is this Saturday! The long-awaited day has almost arrived. Please do keep him in prayer, along with all our newly ordained priests throughout the world.

Deacon Jeff’s invitation in front of 3 very holy priests -
St. Padre Pio, St. John Vianney and St. Anthony of Padua

It is a special gift to have a nun in our community who has a brother who is a priest.  Two other of our Sisters here have had this wonderful grace in their family. One was Sr. Jeanne Marie and her brother Fr. John Wehmhoefer both of whom have now passed to their eternal reward and are united in gazing on the merciful face of God.

Another is Sr. Ann Miriam seen below with her brother Fr. Joe Mills.

This photo was taken while Father was in the seminary at St. Meinrad and shortly before Sr. Ann Miriam entered the monastery.

This photo was taken last fall, approximately 60 years later!

Thank you Deacon Jeff for your “yes” to the Lord’s call in your life!  And congratulations to Sr. John Mary’s parents Bill and Bernadine and also to her siblings Patricia, Doug and Mitch!

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Sponsa Christi October 9th, 2011

This week brought us some excursions “over the creek and through the woods…”

GAUDEAMUS DAY OUTING!

Wednesday brought us a gaudeamus day in honor of our 65th foundation anniversary. With a large chunk of time on our hands and the sound of crispy leaves under our feet we set out…

All enjoy the smell of the Virginia Mountain Mint plant…By the way, why does this Virginia plant grow in Western Kentucky?

Ever seen an eerie form walking in the woods? Well, we have groves of these “Devil’s Walking Sticks”… Sr. Mary Magdalen is keeping watch…

“The Dinosaur Tree”

Ahh civilization again…

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ON THE ROAD AGAIN
(er…off the road again…second outing this week…)

FEASTDAY OF THE QUEEN OF THE HOLY ROSARY

First we have to introduce Anne. She briefly made an appearance at the corn party. (Please keep up those prayers for St. Joseph’s intercession so she can sell her home and seriously discern Passionist life!)

As you can see she came back so we promptly took her into the deep woods and she actually seems happy about it. She even made it through the briar patch with only one thorn in her hand!

Sr. Rose Marie got a little giddy looking down; she wasn’t feeling so well…get it…”well”…ahhhh…

Years back, when we first relocated to this rural setting in 1995 we hiked all over the property “reconnoitering the land”. We came upon this old well (or is it a cistern?). It is said that there are a number of wells like this in these parts.

It would be so interesting to know WHO did it, WHEN they did it and HOW they did it. Incredible work of art.

Ummm…Sister I think those rocks are moving under you…

We stopped for a rest in the creek bed on the way back to the monastery…

Ahh…we finally found the monastery! and we made it in time for Sr. John Mary to get changed and make oatmeal before Vespers.

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Sponsa Christi June 26th, 2011

    I know, you’re wondering if you are really at the monastic blog of the Passionist Nuns or the “Passionist Nuts” – as we might be referred to on a Gaudeamus day!

   Some years ago, (how many I don’t know, before my time, which would be over 16 years ago) the brother of Sr. Ann Miriam gave us an Appalachian mountain dulcimer which was handcrafted in eastern Kentucky. One of the songs in the book of directions and music that came with the dulcimer was the old American folk song – “Bile (boil) ‘dem (them) cabbage down”.  Sr. Cecilia Maria was able to figure out the dulcimer pretty quickly and we just had to make a skit to go with this song. Hence, our after meal entertainment for Mother Catherine Marie’s gaudeamus day last week.

   Since the directions say that the dulcimer is “best” played with a turkey feather we just had to include that “five-legged” turkey that Sr. John Mary saw a few months back on the back hill of our cloister courtyard. Yes, perhaps I’ll tell you that story at another date.

The schedule for Mother’s special day

The cast of “The Passionist Nuts Meet Mad Kentucky”

    In case you are in need of some comic relief here’s the skit…

The Dulcimer Chronicles:
Passionist Nuts Meet Mad Kentucky

Cast:
Sr. Mary Poppins Veronica
Sr. Rose Marie
Sr. Cecilia Maria

Part The First  (announced by the passing of the poster nun- SMV)

[The three sisters gather at the back of the recreation room, coming in from the refectory.]

SMPV: May St. Michael and all the holy angels…

Novices: guard us in all our ways!

SMPV: The presence of God…
   Jesus, Mary and Joseph be praised…

Novices: forever and ever!

SMPV: Well…. Wacha wanna do?
 
SRM: I dunno. Watchoo wanna do?

SCeM: When in doubt… consult the novitiate store room!

SMPV: Of course!

 [SMPV goes over to a door in the recreation room opens it and disappears into the “store room”]

SMPV: Aha! I have just the thing!

 [She brings in a box, setting it on the puzzle table, which is covered with a cloth. There will be a helper (SJnM?) behind the table.]

SCeM: Ahh! What’s this?
SMPV: Well… I thought that we could learn new instruments and start a Passionist band so we can play for MCM’s Gaudeamus today. What do you think?

SCeM: (Use some fun Latin word that would be the equivalent of “Great! Let’s do it!)

SRM: So what kind of band do you have in mind, Sister?

SMPV: Well, let’s see

 [SMPV opens up the box and begins to pull out some of the smaller instruments—flutophone, yuke, etc…
 She bends down and looks deeper into the box and says:]

SMPV: Ha! that’s funny! I was sure there was something else in here… Hmm!

 [She reaches and digs around in the box, bent and looking deeply into it as though into a deep hole…
 She reaches deep and the hidden helper hands her the xylophone]

SMPV: Aha! Here’s one!

 [She pulls the xylophone out. SRM & SCeM look astounded…
 She reaches in again, and the hidden helper gives her the mandolin banjo]

SRM & SCeM:  ????? How did you…? But where…?

 [SMPV digs a little more and pulls out a dulcimer with the help of the hidden helper…]

SCeM: What kind of a violin is that?

SMPV: I’m not sure… I think it might be a dulcimer.

SRM: A whatimer?

SCeM: Let’s see…
 [SCeM opens up the case. We all “ooooh and ahhhh.”
 SRM reads instructions while SCeM takes it out and follows the instructions
 for how to hold it and how to play. Read note about the *5-legged-turkey  feather.]

SRM: Now where would we get a feather from a 5-legged turkey???

SCeM: I know! SJnM saw one the other day. You could ask her!

 [SRM goes to the TV room door which has a sign that says “SJnM” on it.]

SRM: [to herself] She’s not here. I guess I’ll have to find one myself.

(all exit the scene at this point.)

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Cast:
Sr. Rose Marie
The 5-legged-turkey

Part The Second  (announced by the passing of the poster nun- SMV)

SJnM comes out wearing the 5-legged-turkey get up. She does a little turkey  walk/dance made up impromptu by herself.   Then she “parks” somewhere and acts like she’s sleeping…

SRM comes in with a “bush” in front of her. She spots the turkey, gets excited, and signals for all to be quiet. Then she slowly creeps nearer to the turkey and…. SPRINGS!

The turkey has a “gobble fit.” SRM obtains a turkey feather. She holds it up like a trophy. The turkey takes off, exiting the scene, but pokes her head  back in just long enough to make a funny teasing face. Then SRM exits the scene holding up the feather.

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Cast:
Sr. Mary Poppins Veronica
Sr. Rose Marie
Sr. Cecilia Maria
Community

Part The Third  (announced by the passing of the poster nun- SMV)

[Someone (SCeM?) plays a trumpet tune on the xylophone introducing SRM  onto the scene where the other sisters are waiting with the dulcimer.  She is victoriously displaying the turkey feather. She’s wearing a straw hat with a blade of grass in teeth. She’s also holding a bag with a paper coon tail sticking out.]

SMPV: SRM! What happened?!

SRM: Whew-Wee! It was a big-un, yaw!…

Uh-saw-t… jess-uh snoozin’.
‘Den I comes up reeeeel ‘kwite’, an’ Hot dawg!
I gots de fether uh-de fi-legged turkey!…
Am I back in time fer muther’s gig?

SCeM: SRM! You ‘done turn’d hill-billy!

SRM: Yep! I done ben kentuckianized!

[She tosses SCeM a straw hat]

(I thought it would be awesome if SCeM burst out with some “hill-billy” Latin right here as she puts on her hat etc… If we have time to figure that out.)
 
SRM: Sis-ter Mare-D’lores. Guessh whut… I done got some coons!
 
[SRM then goes over to SMD and holds up the coon-tail bag]

SCeM: Bedder go git de cook book an’ dat smokin’ flaver.

SRM: Den we ken bake ‘em up reeeeel good! Whewwww Wee!

SCeM: Maybe we ken puts ‘um in de mikerwave fer ur week er two!

SRM: [Remembering that she’s holding the turkey feather…]
 Eh! Ere’s de noter. Give ‘er uh go!

SCeM: Whewww Weee!
 [She hands SCeM the feather. SCeM begins to play the cords of “Boil ‘dem Cabbage Down”]

SMPV: I have just the thing!
 
[She goes over to her box and pulls out a stack of lyrics to give to each sister so they can sing along.]

SRM: Yaw come’on now! Ever’ body sang!

[Everybody joins in singing Boil ‘dem Cabbage Down.]

All end with “Happy Gaudeamus Mother!”

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   Now, remember that all copyrights to photos and text on this blog belong to the Passionist Nuns. Therefore, don’t be getting any ideas of copying any of this and using it elsewhere. Our reputation for somber, boring nuns might be ruined. I hope no one is “offended” by our play on the legendary Kentucky hill-billy accent. Since we ourselves live in Kentucky we thought we could get away with sharing it with you without “upsetting” anyone.  If you are offended perhaps you need someone to tickle your funny-bone with a turkey feather and to serve you up some boiled cabbage and ”coon”, raccoon, that is.

    Anyhow, there was some spirituality in our day as well. Mother Catherine Marie has great devotion to Our Lady of Fatima and the theme of Our Lady’s messages which is to join her in being “coredeemers” for the salvation of mankind. So that was the theme of her card. She also received some practical and some spiritual gifts, including a very special book Eucharist – God Among Us by Joan Carter McHugh, given to us by a special benefactor.

    We also watched a great movie - Paul VI from Ignatius Press. We highly recommend it. What a saintly man this pope was. How blessed we are to have had so many saintly popes in the 20th century!

Sister Ann Miriam wearing the “party hat”

Sr. Cecilia Maria with her origami bunny wabbits which were a part of the party decorations. Mother Catherine Marie’s beloved deceased father, having his “Doctorate in Rabbit Psychology” , was famous for his love of domesticated rabbits and their many uses.

Catching the last glimpse of a rainbow at the end of a wonderful day in the monastery.

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Sponsa Christi November 26th, 2010

    Thanksgiving Day brought us an opportunity to reflect on the many gifts of God to us over this past year.  We also had much to be thankful for on this particular day – both our Sisters who reside at Carmel Home were able to be present with us for Thanksgiving dinner – Hooray!

Sister Ann Miriam listens intently to Sister Mary Dolores’ story

Sister Margaret Mary enjoys the peach pie

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   So, what are those nuns up to now?  Another skit? No, this is the real deal!  Thanksgiving Day brought us much needed rain, along with a sag in the paint filled with rain water in the refectory.

    This was our evening after-meal-entertainment.

 Mother Catherine Marie is about to demonstrate another use for the veil pin!

As the on-lookers watch…

Do other monasteries have these exciting experiences??? You betcha!  One has to have a sense of humor in this life and our Lord helps us fulfill this need!

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    Back to gratitude…

    I haven’t been able to keep up with sharing all the monastery news with you.  Our Sister Mary Andrea renewed her temporary vows on the feast of our Holy Founder October 20th. The Bishop presided at the Mass and it was followed by a lovely feast of food and fellowship.

 (Well, I can’t seem to find the photos from Sr. Mary Andrea’s vow renewal – I’ll have to post them later!)

   September 8th – the feast of the Birth of Mary - brought a great grace to our community and to the world. Our affiliate Christie made a private vow of chastity. Here she is pictured with our dear friend and her spiritual director Fr. Andy Garner. The ceremony took place during Vespers.

    Well, I will have to continue this year-end reflection on gratitude another time. It is time for that holy repose!

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Tags: Gaudeamus Days, Humor, Stages in Formation

• Bride of Christ , Passionist Life
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Sponsa Christi November 16th, 2010

Pray for us as we enter into retreat! Our annual November retreat prepares us for our devotional renewal of vows on November 21st. This year November 21st falls on the last Sunday of the Church Year and the Solemnity of Christ the King. But normally this is the day of the feast of Our Lady’s Presentation in the Temple.

The tradition of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple was very dear to St. Paul of the Cross because it reminded him of his own consecration to God by the foundation of the Passionist Congregation. He wanted the first house of Passionists on Monte Argentario and the first Monastery of Passionist Nuns founded at Tarquinia to be dedicated to the Presentation of Mary. Hence this feast came to be celebrated among Passionists with much solemnity. Today, however, it commemorates the Blessed Virgin as the humble handmaid of the Lord, associated in the mystery of redemption, rather than the traditional Presentation of Mary in the Temple.

The Passionist Nuns throughout the world will be renewing vows on this day!  This day is also known as Pro Orantibus Day.

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   We recently had a wonderful celebration for Sr. Marie Michael in honor of her 60 years of Passionist vowed life.  It was a surprise celebration and she was delighted.  Sister is also our sacristan and so a new pix and cruets were given for her gifts.

    Sr. Rose Marie and Ane Kirstine gave us some good laughs after the noon meal. We recently obtained a new microwave. This microwave actually gives messages on its little screen, such as, “Have a good day.” etc.  The after-meal-entertainment was a creepy spin on this!

“When Technology is too Smart…”

Role of characters:

-Sr. Bright and Early

-Sr. Sleepyhead

-the Microwave

Introduction: Sr. Bright and Early and Sr. Sleepyhead are currently on their way to the kitchen on an ordinary morning to make their oatmeal for breakfast. To their surprise, a new high-tech microwave has been installed. But their initial experiences are drastically different.

(Enter Sr. Bright and Early)

(She goes to the microwave with her bowl and goes through the normal procedure of heating up her oatmeal. While she is waiting on her oatmeal…)

Microwave:  BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. DING!

Microwave:  Enjoy your meal!!!

Sr. Bright and Early:  Why thank you!

(on her way to the corridor exiting the refectory, Sr. B&E runs into Sr. Sleepyhead who enters the scene now)

Sr. Bright and Early:  Sister! You should try our new microwave… It’s so polite!

(Sr Bright and Early exits the scene)

(Sr. Sleepyhead goes to get her bowl, and goes to the microwave, examining it with interest. She presses the button to open the door…)

Microwave:  Good morning!

Sr. Sleepyhead:  Good morning (?)

Microwave:  Please insert your dish.

(With a surprised expression, Sr. Sleepyhead puts her dish in and closes the door to the microwave. She presses the buttons for the timer.)

Microwave:  One moment please….

Microwave:  BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.  DING!

Microwave:  Enjoy your meal!!!

(Sr. Sleepyhead takes out the bowl, looks at the oatmeal…)

Sr. Sleepyhead:  …Not quite warm enough… Just a bit longer.

(She puts it in for another minute, and stands by to watch with her hand on the button to open the microwave. She presses the button to open the microwave and takes out her bowl.)

Microwave:  You lost 30 seconds!

Sr. Sleepyhead:  That doesn’t matter… It was boiling!

Microwave:  PUT IT BACK!!!  I wasn’t done.

Sr. Sleepyhead:  But I’m done! I don’t need to put it back! I’m ready to eat my oatmeal…

(A hand reaches out of the microwave and grabs the bowl back into the microwave and slams the door shut.)

Sr. Sleepyhead:  WHAT IN THE WORLD! … HEY!!!!

(Sister pries the microwave door open and wrestles her bowl out of the microwave’s hand… Sister begins to take off in a hurry to leave the kitchen…)

Microwave:  You’ve lost one minute! (Sounding perturbed)

Microwave:  Fine! … Don’t blame me when your meal is cold!

(Re Enter Sr. Bright and Early)

(Sr. Sleepyhead is on her way out of the refectory/kitchen when she runs into Sr. Bright and Early.)

Sr. Bright and Early:  Sister! What’s the matter!

Sr. Sleepyhead:  Ummm… You’re not going to believe this, but I think we need to have the new microwave exorcised.

Sr. Bright and Early:  Really??? What for? I didn’t have any problems with it… I thought it was very nice.

Sr. Sleepyhead:  Shhh!!!  Don’t encourage it! It might hear you! … I’ve never had a real argument with a piece of machinery until today.

Sr. Bright and Early:  Uhhh… Sister, are you feeling well?  Perhaps some extra rest might do you some good. (Pats Sr. Sleepyhead on the back and goes on, exiting the scene)

(Sr. Sleepyhead stands looking after her looking bewildered. Looking up, she says:

Sr. Sleepyhead:  Lord, from now on I’m using the stove top!

(Exit Sr. Sleepyhead.)

THE END

Sisters admiring a bouquet of flowers, a gift from our nuns from the Passionist monastery in Erlanger, KY after one of our Sisters underwent surgery. It was a welcome addition to the beauty of Sr. Marie Michael’s celebration.

    More after-meal-entertainment!

   We thank you for all your lovely comments left recently!  Please pray that young, happy, healthy Catholic women are moved so much by this blog that they will join us in seeking quench the Divine Thirst of Jesus.  Please send this blog link to young Catholic women and encourage them to be open to cloistered life. The Lord bless you!

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Tags: Gaudeamus Days, Humor

• Blessed Mother , Monastery traditions , Passionist Life , Pro Orantibus Day , Saint Paul of the Cross
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