In the Shadow of His Wings

Sponsa Christi November 14th, 2012

…this post is a little late…but better late than never!

Read our summer newsletter at our website. It features the ordination to the priesthood of Sr. John Mary’s brother and lots of news from the monastery. Enjoy!

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Tags: Family, Friends, Passionist Nuns Newsletter, Priestly Ordination, Spiritual Motherhood

• Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Monastic Life , Priesthood
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Sponsa Christi August 4th, 2012

Today being the Feast of St. John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests, I thought I would bring you the article Sr. John Mary wrote for our recent community newsletter. (No, the newsletter hasn’t been posted on our website yet but as soon as it is I will let you know.)

My Brother, the Priest…

Ten years ago I never thought I’d say that! Not that he did not have priestly qualities but because he had set his course on a different path. It was the evening of my Perpetual Profession of Vows, as I said goodbye to my 22 year old brother Jeff , I whispered to him to stay close to our Blessed Mother. He became very solemn and said, “we don’t pray the rosary enough.” I realized then the Lord was awakening within him a desire to live his faith more fully. Two years later he entered what is now known as Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary and seven years after that on June 2, 2012, he was ordained a Priest of Jesus Christ for the diocese of Evansville, Indiana!

He is only a man, this brother of mine, but a man chosen by God to be indelibly marked as an “alter Christus”. “The world looks to the priest, because it looks to Jesus! No one can see Christ; but everyone sees the priest, and through him they wish to catch a glimpse of the Lord! Immense is the grandeur of the Lord! Immense is the grandeur and dignity of the priest!”

 ~ Blessed John Paul II

My brother, the priest…As I write this article he is one week old, a “baby priest” some say. As the days pass I find myself uniting my life to his priesthood. His offering of Christ and all of humanity to the Father. His call has called me to a greater realization of my own priestly vocation as a baptized daughter of God, offering my life through, with and in Jesus to the Father by the Holy Spirit, to pray and do penance. To live Saint Paul’s admonition to the Romans, “…I beg you through the mercy of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may judge what is God’s will, what is good, pleasing and perfect.”

~ Romans 12:1 – 2

All the Sisters here have been just as delighted as I am over this wondrous gift of a priestly vocation in my family. As contemplative nuns, dwelling in spirit at the foot of Calvary, we take seriously our mandate to be Spiritual Mothers, especially of priests. To pray and do penance for the sanctification of priests following our Lady of Sorrows, Mother of the Eternal High Priest and Helper in his work of Redemption.

The vocation to be a spiritual mother for priests is hardly known, barely understood and consequently, rarely lived, although fundamental and vitally important. It is a vocation that is often hidden, not apparent to the human eye, but intended to transmit spiritual life.

~ Adoration, Reparation, Spiritual Motherhood for Priests
by the Congregation for the Clergy 2007

Through fidelity to our daily hidden life we seek to help priests to be faithful in all their life of self-offering, prayer and duty. I think of the closing words of Bishop Charles C. Thompson, who ordained Fr. Jeff and his classmate Fr. Brian Emmick, “Dare to be priests of JOY.” Yes, we offer our lives for priests that they may know and show forth the joy of a life totally dedicated to Christ. I ask your continued prayers for my little brother, the priest – that he may be a holy priest. A holy priest means a holy people!

…the community of the baptized…’by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, that…they may offer spiritual sacrifices.’ This ‘common priesthood’ is that of Christ the sole priest, in which all his members participate…But ‘the members do not all have the same function.’ Certain members are called by God, in and through the Church, to a special service of the community. These servants are chosen and consecrated by the sacrament of Holy Orders, by which the Holy Spirit enables them to act in the person of Christ the head, for the service of all the members of the Church. The ordained minister is, as it were, an ‘icon’ of Christ the priest.

~ Catechism of the Catholic Church 1141, 1142

 Fr. Jeff pictured with his and Sr. John Mary’s brother Mitch (right) and Mike (left), one of Sr. Mary Andrea’s brothers.

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• Catholic Vocations for Women , Priesthood
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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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• Blessed Mother , Bride of Christ , Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Novitiate news , Passionist History
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