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.

Tweet

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
• Comments(0)

Sponsa Christi March 26th, 2013

Jesus loved us “to the end” – to the fullest extent possible.
What other religion can boast that their god loved them so much
he/she became a human being and died for them that
they might know Love eternal?

Our post last year entitled Meditations for Holy Week is getting a lot of views so I thought I would re-post that again this year.

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

Holy Week

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Friday of the Lord’s Passion

Easter Vigil in the Holy Night

Tweet

Tags: Liturgy, Nuns Reflections, Pope John Paul II

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Easter , Holy Week , Passion of Jesus , Passionist Spirituality , Passionist Vocations for Women
• Comments(0)

Sponsa Christi February 5th, 2013

I don’t have time to give you much text but here are the photos of the divine wedding day!

Beautiful bouquet of flowers from our Passionist Nuns in Erlanger, KY!

Bishop Medley incenses the altar and crucifix.

Fr. Rodger Hunter-Hall gives the homily

Sister makes her profession of Vows. Her mother looks on in the distance.

Master of Ceremonies seminarian Will Thompson watches the masterful switching of the veils…

Giving her dad the sign of peace

A number of gals from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY joined us for the great occasion…perhaps a future Passionist candidate is somewhere in their midst???

Sr. Cecilia Maria’s dear sister did a most excellent job playing during the Profession Mass. Here she is practicing the day before.

The newly professed nun with her parents and dear grandmother. Really they aren’t wearing purple…

Hats off to our wonderful photographer Larena who provided most of the pictures in this post! Shown here with our diocesan seminarian Michael Charles.

Another post will come giving credit to our dear Bishop, priests, deacons, seminarians, Passionist Oblates, photographers and videographers…special thanks also to the friends of Sr. Cecilia Maria who traveled so far to be with her on this very special day. It was a true joy to meet you all!

Tweet

Tags: Liturgy, Profession of Vows, Stages in Formation

• Bride of Christ , Catholic Vocations for Women , Monastic Life , Novitiate news , Passionist Spirituality , Passionist Vocations for Women
• Comments(14)

Sponsa Christi November 15th, 2012

Next Thursday is devoted to praying for “Those Who Pray” – that is – a day devoted to praying for the prayer warriors. Yes, we need prayers too! It is called “Pro Orantibus Day” and was instituted by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1997 to be celebrated each year on November 21st – the Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple. You can learn more about Pro Orantibus Day here.

The following is part of a reflection by Most Rev. Joseph Tobin, C.Ss.R.   Archbishop-elect for the Indianapolis diocese.

Contemplative monks and nuns pursue a manner of living in which the faith they profess and celebrate gradually becomes life itself. In this way, they strive to heal the terrible schizophrenia that happens to Christians when faith is separated from life. This manner of living is held together by some important forces, such as the wisdom of the liturgical year, offered by the Church as a way of re-living the great events of our salvation. The liturgy invites the contemplatives to immerse their lives in the life of Christ, so that He might transform them to ever more resemble Him. In union with the entire People of God, the community drinks each day from the fountain of the liturgy, as the members continue their pilgrimage towards the “promised land” that is the glorified body of their Risen Lord.

Find the rest of that reflection here.

Tweet

Tags: Liturgy

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Pro Orantibus Day
• Comments(1)

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

_________________________________

Tweet

Tags: Liturgy, Pope John Paul II

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Holy Week , Monastery traditions , Passion of Jesus , Passionist Spirituality
• Comments(2)

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.”

Tweet

Tags: Liturgy

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Holy Week , Monastery traditions , Passionist Life , Vocation Discernment
• Comments(1)

Sponsa Christi February 10th, 2012

What must it be like to live in a monastery?

Praying, living, working, recreating, studying, thriving, growing and wondering…am I going to be a Passionist Nun?  Will I get to wear that holy habit one day?  Will I, one day, be bound to Jesus Crucified FOREVER by the five Passionist vows?

I thought you might find it interesting to see life from the perspective of an aspirant.   According to our Rule and Constitutions (#91)…

 The better to discern God’s Will in their lives, the aspirants live in community for a definite period of time, not beyond three months, as arranged by the Superior, having heard her Council.

The attitude of the aspirant to contemplative life in a Passionist community, her character, health, psychological balance and sociability are evaluated. Meanwhile they familiarize themselves with the scope and mission of the Passionist contemplative life, the poverty, simplicity and detachment from everything which must characterize their life.

As contemplative nuns we are deputed to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. This perfect prayer of worship, praise, intercession and reparation brings the graces of redemption to all times, people and places.

Various forms of work, manual labor and study
- good for body and soul

Typing a supplement to our Passionist Proper Offices

One does not need to be a mystic to enter the monastery
nor does she need to know how to sew…all things in due time!

Scripture sharing on Sunday mornings

Time for the Rosary, Stations of the Cross and other devotional prayers throughout the day

Our aspirants use a book on St. Gabriel by John Joseph Schweska followed by a class on our Passionist charism and Passionist saints. 

During the aspirancy there is also a video course by Fr. Timothy Gallagher on the Rules for Discernment of Spirits. This class has been a great grace for a number of women who have come here discerning God’s plan for their life.

Next week Anne and Sr. Cecilia Marie will begin the scripture class from Genesis to Jesus generously made available through the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology (whose President is Dr. Scott Hahn)

Darning socks?
be careful not to darn too thick or you’ll have sore heels!

One is encouraged to grow in her natural talents

Well, I hope you enjoyed this short day in our life. Please pray for us as we seek to live out #90 of our Constitutions:

The Passionist Nuns, being cooperators with God who chooses and calls whom He wills, strive to encourage vocations by making known the value of the consecrated life and the challenge involved in the following of Christ Crucified, as also through the example of their lives, their prayer and the spoken and written word.

We have several young women who have expressed interest in coming for a visit in the spring and one who hopes to return this summer for the aspirancy.  Please pray for them and for all whom God is giving the gift of being radically consecrated to Him. To love Him and make Him loved!

Tweet

Tags: Humor, Liturgy, Rule & Constitutions, Stages in Formation

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Monastic Life , Novitiate news , Passionist Saints , Passionist Vocations for Women , Vocation Discernment
• Comments(11)

Sponsa Christi February 2nd, 2012

Happy Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple!

This Feast, which occurs 40 days after the birth of Christ, is also known as Candlemas Day. The day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. Veni Lumen Christi!

Did you know that in 1997, Blessed Pope John Paul II instituted this a day of prayer for men and women in consecrated life?  It is our hope then that you will pray for us Nuns here in at the Monastery of Saint Joseph!

…that we be holy, zealous for God’s glory and for the salvation of souls, wholly enveloped in the Paschal Mystery and eagerly entering into our role as intercessors, participating with faith and attentiveness in the Liturgy of the Hours – the Divine Office which we chant throughout the day and which brings the fruits of Christ’s agony and death on the Cross to all times, peoples and places.

In order to highlight the gift of Consecrated Life the 16th annual World Day for Consecrated Life will be observed in parishes in the United States this coming weekend of February 4-5.

The blessing of candles in our chapel this morning.

Pray for us, and all Consecrated men and women, that we may fulfill our calling to reflect light of Jesus Christ to all peoples.

Collect for this Feast:

Almighty ever-living God, we humbly implore your majesty that, just as your Only Begotten Son was presented on this day in the Temple in the substance of our flesh, so, by your grace, we may be presented to you with minds made pure.

For an excellent meditation on today’s Feast and Liturgical readings visit Catholic Culture.

+++

*The first photo of our aspirant Anne!  I hope to blog about “the day in the life of an aspirant” this weekend or next week.

Tweet

Tags: Feast Days, Liturgy

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Christmas , Cloistered Life , Monastic Life , Passionist Life , Passionist Vocations for Women
• Comments(2)

Sponsa Christi December 31st, 2011

How grateful I am to have a monastic vocation!

Not that it is an EASY vocation – no way!  No one’s life on earth is easy.

Nor is our life full of pious thoughts and spiritual highs…no, often our day is busy and we struggle to maintain recollection and to live the virtues…can you imagine living with 13 other women 24/7 and never having a judgmental thought or a cross word?  No, our life is no utopia. We are daughters of Adam and Eve.

BUT our life IS consecrated…consecrated to God for His glory and the salvation of souls. As we ring in this New Year…or rather “pray in” this New Year I am filled with gratitude for the monastic life and it’s power – hidden in weakness. God chooses the week, those who account for nothing! So that His power and Love may show forth. It is a tremendous blessing to live with 13 other consecrated women, being of one heart and mind…a blessing of which I am not worthy and am so grateful.

We just chanted our Solemn Office of Night Prayer. The monastery is stilled in silence. The silence of Nuns being with the Beloved in prayer, stillness, waiting and expectation.

At 11:20 p.m. our bell with toll to call us to pray in the New Year. At midnight the bell will toll again and with that the chantress will take up the “O Lord open my lips…” and the choir will respond, “and my mouth will proclaim your praise.” Then we will proceed with the solemn sung Office of Readings.

We greet the New Year with prayer and praise, thanksgiving, supplication and reparation. Reparation for our sins and the sins of the world. Thanksgiving for the graces of 2011 and the graces to come in 2012. Supplication for blessings upon our monastic community and the gift of new members, for our little town of Whitesville, our diocese of Owensboro KY, our relatives, benefactors, friends, nation and world… especially begging God to intervene in our national elections in November 2012.

We are spiritual mothers, co-redeemers…not because of anything we have done or merited. But because God has called us. And when God calls he gives the grace to fulfill the call. Pray we respond most generously to His grace! As we pray in this New Year we will be praying for you and all your needs and intentions.

Blessed Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God! We leave you with this prayer from the pen of our Holy Founder:

 I am praying the Sovereign Divine Infant and the divine Immaculate Mother to have you reborn to a new life of holy love. This Divine Birth will take place in the interior temple of your soul if you continue, as I hope, to be faithful to God, a lover of virtue, with a continual exercise of humility of heart, patience, silence, meekness, most fervent charity, and, above all, remaining solitary in the holy desert of your soul, taking your rest on the bosom of God in a sacred silence of faith and holy love.

May 2012 be overflowing with a deep knowledge and acceptance of God’s merciful love for you personally.  Blessed New Year!

 Special thanks to Mark Schoppe (Sr. Rose Marie’s father)
for the monastery night photo

Tweet

Tags: Liturgy

• Blessed Mother , Bride of Christ , Catholic Vocations for Women , Christmas , Cloistered Life , Monastery traditions , Passionist Spirituality , Prayer , Saint Paul of the Cross
• Comments(5)

Sponsa Christi December 25th, 2011

We hope this finds each of you having a blessed Christmas. Perhaps today was too hectic to spend much time in prayer and reflection on this great mystery – have no remorse! The Church celebrates an entire Octave of Christmas!

Let us pray for one another, that we may enter fully into such a great mystery. God become man for our sake, that we might become divinized. How awesome is that! There is truly no greater love…let us give thanks, let us worship, let us bow down in silence and adore…

Who would not shed tears of tenderness from the heart, seeing a God, for our sakes become a Babe in swaddling bands, for our sakes placed on the hay of a manger, for our sakes in need of the breath of two beasts of burden! What a misfortune it would be if I would not let myself be consumed by holy love and would prefer to remain tepid and cold as I was before.

~ Saint Paul of the Cross

Lord, help me to gaze on the crib and hear your love in sending your Son to become so little and needy for me. May I be one of your little ones, docile to every breath of your Spirit.

Tweet

Tags: Liturgy

• Christmas , Passionist Spirituality , Prayer , Saint Paul of the Cross
• Comments(5)