In the Shadow of His Wings

Sponsa Christi October 2nd, 2012

Greetings on this rainy day from the Heart of the Church!  As you know we pray very much and live in a spirit of prayer that Jesus Crucified may be more known and ever loved and we also pray for the needs of our Holy Mother Church, our nation and our world. 

The Lord sends us abundant blessings in the midst of our life of union with him.  A recent blessing was the refurbishing of an old calvary scene and the creation of a “shadowbox” to protect it by Tim Wynn – Sr. Cecilia Maria’s father.

Some months back Tim refurbished and created a backdrop for a Calvary scene which was donated a year or two ago by a dear friend Charlotte Oberst. We wanted a way to protect the scene and he did a fine job!

For the crucifixion scene he replaced the cross with walnut, the backdrop is maple burl and the frame is walnut. The shadowbox itself is also walnut with slip dovetail joints and the door has mitered corners – quite a work of art!  Thank you Tim! 

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This is a familiar sight : lots of needles flying at recreation!
Crochet, darning, knitting, cross-stitch and more.

This month we also said goodbye to our dear aspirant Ruth. Her time with us came to an end after receiving special discernment graces during the Septenary prayed in preparation for the Solemn Feast of our Lady of Sorrows. Ruth returns to California and takes a bit of us with her as she seeks to follow God’s call there and beyond. We miss you Ruth and keep you in our prayers!

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Spiritual Mothers of Priests

Fr. Jeff, Sr. John Mary’s brother visited with us in August and he offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We had wonderful visit and some belly-aching laughter as he shared his journey from good job, girlfriend and nice truck to seminary, ordination and priesthood.  We continue offering the prayers and penances of our Passionist life for Fr. Jeff and all our priests!

I leave you with a quote from He is My Heaven, a life of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity. Although the book is written about a Carmelite Nun it can certainly be attributed to the life of a Passionist Nun as well. This is a good insight into what Spiritual Motherhood is all about:

The Carmelite prays and strives for closest possible union with God, not simply for her own holiness and salvation; she is aware that the more she is living in Christ, the more powerful she is in her prayer for others. Just as evil can pollute and corrupt, even more so can goodness and holiness transform.  Elizabeth herself expressed this in the first letter she wrote to a seminarian for whom she was praying:

“Oh, how powerful over souls is the apostle who remains always at the Spring of living waters; then he can overflow without his soul ever becoming empty, since he lives in communion with the Infinite! I am praying fervently for you, that God may invade all the powers of your soul, that He may make you live in communion with His whole Mystery, that everything in you may be divine and marked with His seal, so that you may be another Christ working for the glory of the Father! 

“You are praying for me too, aren’t you? I want to be an apostle with you, from the depths of my dear solitude in Carmel, I want to work for the glory of God, and for that I must be wholly filled with Him; then I will be all-powerful: one look, one desire will become an irresistible prayer that can obtain everything, since it is, so to speak, God whom we are offering to God. May our souls be one in Him and, while you bring Him to souls, I will remain, like Mary Magdalene, silent and adoring, close to the Master, asking Him to make your word fruitful in souls. “Apostle, Carmelite,” (Apostle, Passionist!) it is all one! Let us be wholly His, Monsieur l’Abbe, let us be flooded with His divine essence that He may be the Life of our life, the Soul of our soul, and we may consciously remain night and day under His divine action.”

 

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• Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Priesthood , Vocation Discernment
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Sponsa Christi May 18th, 2012

Sometimes people have the idea of cloistered life as being a selfish life…one “escapes” from the world to live on a spiritual “high” close to God. But if a woman enters the monastery to “escape” her troubles she will only find that they have followed her right into the cloister.

No, one enters the cloister not to escape her problems but to learn to embrace them as she embraces her own humanity in Jesus Christ. It is there, in the Heart of Christ, His pierced Heart, that she also learns to embrace aridity in prayer and daily life.

We are average, ordinary women, asked to stand before God on behalf of His people, such as Queen Esther did in coming before the King (Esther C: 12 – D:12).

As I shared in an earlier post, this past Lent I re-read He Is My Heaven: The Life of Elizabeth of the Trinity. When I read the section I will quote below, I thought, “this so clearly states the goal of being a Passionist Nun!”  You see, we are not freed up from the responsibilities of family life, employment, etc. to live a life of selfishness but we are freed up so as to give a complete gift of self.

Granted this is the end goal…it takes a life-time to reach this goal…and that too is the making of a Passionist Nun…the prayer and sacrifices of daily life teach one to live a holocaustal life in union with Jesus Crucified.  Truly a life of serious dedication…truly a life of JOY!

It was for self-sacrifice and total giving that she [Elizabeth] had entered Carmel. In February, a family friend, Mme. de Bobet, sent her a copy of the works of St. John of the Cross, and his writings helped her penetrate more deeply into the spiritual meaning of her self-giving. Quoting from his works she wrote:

“Most beautiful of creatures, who desires so ardently to know the dwelling place of your Beloved in order to seek Him and be united with Him, you are yourself the refuge where He takes shelter, the dwelling place in which He hides Himself. Your Beloved, your Treasure, your one Hope is so close to you as to live within you; and, actually, you cannot have life without Him!” (St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle, 1,7).

‘That is the whole life of Carmel, to live in Him. Then all sacrifices, all immolations become divine, for through everything the soul sees Him whom it loves, and everything leads it to Him; it is a continual heart-to-heart! you see you can already be a Carmelite [Passionist!] in soul.  (Letter 136)

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• Catholic Vocations for Women , Cloistered Life , Monastic Life , Passionist Spirituality
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Sponsa Christi May 2nd, 2012

Well…I can hardly believe it!

I created a widget in the side bar of this blog OVER A YEAR AGO called “Interesting Passionist Articles”, featuring PDF articles written by or about Passionist life in the Institute on Religious Life Magazine of September/October 2010.

Just last week it came to my knowledge that I linked to every one of those articles incorrectly! (Yes, I can believe I made this mistake) But I can’t believe that none of you, my dear friends, caught my mistake!

Please let me know if you find any other broken links on this blog site. I’ll gladly correct them if I can.

And I hope you’ll check out the articles in the side bar.

The Prefaces for Easter pray that we be “overcome with Paschal joy”…that is our prayer for you during this Eastertide!

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• Blessed Mother , Catholic Vocations for Women , Passionist History , Passionist Life , Passionist Saints , Passionist Spirituality , Passionist Vocations for Women , Saint Paul of the Cross , The Holy Eucharist
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Sponsa Christi March 12th, 2012

Well, greetings!  Did you think I forgot you? Yes, I guess I took a short vacation from blogging.

We are in the midst of a novena to St. Joseph. Since our monastery is dedicated to this great Guardian of the Redeemer we have a solemn novena to him each year.

Today was our community solitude afternoon and I spent it with Blessed Pope John Paul II’s Redemptoris Custos. What a beautiful reflection on the life and virtues of St. Joseph!

Each Sister is reveling in the spring weather. Every day we can see more buds opening and the grass is just beginning to green – although, we seem to have more wild onions than grass and the wild onions are the first to pop up!

These beauties are in bloom…

I think I have “writer’s block”.

I would be interested in hearing what YOU are interested in seeing more of on this blog.  Any ideas?

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• Catholic Vocations for Women , Monastery traditions
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Sponsa Christi June 22nd, 2011

    Annually on the Feast of the Sacred Heart each Sister receives a message from the Sacred Heart of Jesus typed out on a slip of paper. In 2010 the messages were taken from the diary of Saint Faustina. Currently, one of our Sisters is going through the belongings of our dear departed Sr. Margaret Mary.  She recently came across the message Sr. Margaret Mary was given last June. Immediately I thought of you all and wanted to share it with you.

    Our Sister Margaret Mary suffered immensely the last 18 months of her life due to Fourth stage Multiple Myeloma cancer and a multitude of other complications. It was so difficult to see her go through this. We couldn’t remove her suffering but we tried to journey with her through it. Although, ultimately, it became an intimate dance of surrender to Jesus, her Divine Bridegroom. We praise God that during her last weeks on earth she was alleviated of much pain.

    Here is the message Sr. Margaret Mary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus received from the Sacred Heart in 2010:

My daughter, know that if I allow you to feel and have a more profound knowledge of My sufferings, that is a grace from Me. But when your mind is dimmed and your sufferings are great, it is then that you take an active part in My Passion, and I am conforming you more fully to Myself. It is your task to submit yourself to My will at such times, more than at others. You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone. I am giving you a share in My sufferings because of My special love for you and in view of the high degree of holiness I am intending for you in heaven. A suffering soul is closest to My Heart.”

    I hope you will receive this message as personally transmitted to YOU.  He has loved you with an everlasting Love.

    And may Sister experience the full embrace of that special love from her Crucified Spouse and may she intercede for us!

     Above image found here.

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• Monastery traditions , Passionist Life , Redemptive Suffering
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Sponsa Christi March 19th, 2011

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

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

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

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

Aspirations to be offered during the day:

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

“O my heart, break with sorrow!”

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

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

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

 

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• Monastery traditions , Passionist Life , Prayer , Saint Paul of the Cross
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Sponsa Christi March 11th, 2011

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

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

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

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

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

    Feast of St. Joseph – March 19th

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

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Sponsa Christi June 28th, 2010

 Many hands make light work!

     Here’s a special thanks to so many friends for sharing their garden produce with us. God bless and reward you a thousand times!

    Presently we are enjoying the delightful and holy presence of our Dominican friar and friend Fr. Tom McGonigle, OP. This year he is giving us conferences on the spirituality of our cloistered Carmelite sister Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity. A true renewal in our contemplative life!  Thank you Fr. McGonigle!

P.S.  While we are giving thanks – a special thanks to Dame Agnes for so frequently linking to us on Phatmass. Yesterday we had 500 views!  Pretty good for a little cloistered monastery in the hills of Kentucky. 

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Sponsa Christi January 30th, 2010

…the Feminine way! 

    Meaning?  Well, I would think novices in a house of men would play football, have a bon-fire or ?? to celebrate their novice master’s feast day – of course prayer would be a part of that too.  But women have flowers, candles, tea, prayer, affirmation and song!  I might get into trouble saying that but it won’t be the first time – men and women are different! (Of course, our culture, with its struggle with gender issues, would not want you to believe this – they have gotten “equality” and “sameness” confused. But, enough of the commentary.)

    In our community we have the custom of the novitiate members hosting a party for the novice directress upon the occasion of her Feast Day. January 13 brought us the feast of little-known Blessed Veronica of Binasco. Butler’s Lives of the Saints tells us that hers was a life of innocence, from her childhood. She was known for her hard work, docility, love of solitude and gift of tears.  She became a lay sister of the order of St. Augustine in Milan.  She came from a very poor and devout family. Pope Leo X permitted her to be honored in her monastery in the same manner as if she had been beatified and her name was inserted in the Roman martyrology. She died in 1497 at the age of 52. 

    Sr. Rose Marie and Ane Kirstine hosted a delightful tea party in honor of their “little mother” and novice directress, Sister Mary Veronica.  Sister is incredibly generous and always available – truly “large hearted”. Here are some sweet photos from that sacred time.  This post is a little late, but better late than never!

Both Ane Kirstine’s mother and Sr. Rose Marie’s mother were present in spirit through the food enjoyed - bread with olive oil and homemade fudge!

Mary Veronica of Jesus Crucified
We were happy to be able to present to her an image of her Crucified Love – a present from Mother Superior and the novitiate.

Our Holy Founder watching over the festivities.

Saint Therese and our Blessed Mother teach us
how to love our Divine Bridegroom.

    Sr. Rose Marie recited a poem of St. Theresewhile Ane Kirstine played Ave Maria as background music.  Here are the words to the meaningful poem.

Song to the Holy Face

a poem of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face

Jesus, Your ineffable image
is the star which lights my path.
You know well that Your sweet face
is heaven for me here below!
My love discovers the charms
of Your eyes bathed with tears.
I smile through my tears
when I contemplate Your sorrows.

Oh! I love to console You,
to live unknown and solitary.
Your beauty knows how to sail,
to reveal to me its mystery,
And to You I would like to fly!

Your face is my only fatherland,
It is my Kingdom of love;
It is my bright meadow,
my sweet sun each day.
It is the lily of the valley
giving the mysterious perfume
consoling my exiled soul.
It gives me a taste of heaven’s peace.

It is my rest, my sweetness,
and my melodious song…
Your face, O my sweet Savior,
is the divine bouquet of myrrh
that I like to keep over my heart.

Your face is my one treasure;
I ask nothing more.
Hiding myself within it unceasingly,
I would resemble You, Jesus!
Leave upon me the Divine Imprint
of Your features full of sweetness,
and soon I will become holy.
I would attract hearts!

After I am able to gather
a beautiful golden harvest,
deign to embrace me in your flames.
Give to me soon the eternal kiss
of your adorable mouth.

    We first heard Twila Paris’ song “How Beautiful” when viewing some scripture videos by Ray Vander Laan. (Mr. Vander Laan is not a Catholic and has some misunderstandings about monastic life but, nonetheless, we have been very blessed by his studies of Scripture.) We bought the music with hopes of incorporating the song into Sr. John Mary’s Solemn profession in 2003 but it didn’t work out. But the music has been played almost each year on Sr. Mary Veronica’s feast. It is one of her favorites and ours too! 

How Beautiful

words and music by Twila Paris

How beautiful the hands that served
the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful the feet that walked
the long, dusty roads and the hill to the cross.
How beautiful,
how beautiful,
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the heart that bled,
that took all my sin and bore it instead.
How beautiful the tender eyes
that choose to forgive and never despise.
How beautiful,
how beautiful,
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

And as He laid down His life,
we offer this sacrifice:
that we will live just as He died,
willing to pay the price,
willing to pay the price.

How beautiful the radiant Bride
who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes.
How beautiful when humble hearts give
the fruit of pure lives so that others may live.
How beautiful,
how beautiful,
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the feet that bring
the sound of good news and the love of the King.
How beautiful the hands that serve
the wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful,
how beautiful,
how beautiful is the body of Christ.

     You may be wondering – who was the mysterious photographer?  Well, the assistant novice directress gets to also attend the party!

     I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse of novitiate happenings!  Today we are celebrating our Vicar – Sr. Mary Agnes’ feast day and are having a gaudeamus day in her honor.  More photos of that to come.  God-willing, it won’t take me 2 1/2 weeks to post them! 

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• Bride of Christ , Monastery traditions , Novitiate news , Passionist Life
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Sponsa Christi December 3rd, 2009

    So the saying goes on Thanksgiving Day in a monastery that doesn’t eat meat on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays nor during Advent and Lent. 

    Yes, it has been awhile (again) since I posted. This one is for A.K.W. – you know who you are!

   Many ask if we celebrate Thanksgiving in a monastery – of course!  For us it is a gaudeamus day – one of those rare days when silence and fast is dispensed the whole day. “Sister Cook” treated us to a wonderful breakfast and dinner with great left-overs for supper. Most of our food was donated and to those donors we express a might grateful “God reward you!”

Our Sister who resides at The Carmel Home (nursing home) was able to join us for the noon meal and a visit

    Some of us watched “Father of Mercy” that morning and evening. It is the life story of Blessed Carlo Gnocchi. It is one of those movies from Ignatius Press that is over 3 hours long! Talk about “spiritual fatherhood”…this priest truly lived his life as an alter Christus. This was a great movie to watch during the Year for Priests.

Sister is happy – she got to remove her sling yesterday!

Too much turkey?

    Other Sisters took this time to work outdoors, work on Christmas cards or visit our Sister who is in the hospital (BTW – she is still in the hospital two week now – currently they are looking at the gall bladder – please pray they can find out what is going on). 

    We also celebrate Thanksgiving liturgically with a special votive Thanksgiving Day Office and Mass. So it was a full day for us – a day of Thanking God for our innumerable blessings – and one last feast before Advent.

    We pray you have a most grace-filled Advent!

    P.S.  God-willing – there won’t be such a long stretch before the next blog post! 

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