Archive for the tag 'The Cell'

Soon to be a Bride of Christ!

February 1st, 2013

Ahhh…I have wanted to post all week but we have been busy little nuns getting ready for the divine espousals of the King of kings to his little handmaiden on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – February 2nd (tomorrow!). What exactly does all this mean?  Well, after 3 years of monastic formation (1 year as a postulant, 2 years as a novice) Sister will make her First Profession of Vows during Holy Mass on Saturday. These are the 5 vows Passionist Nuns make: To Promote Devotion to and Grateful Remembrance of the Passion of Jesus, Chastity, Poverty, Obedience and Enclosure.

Although it is 6 years before Sister will make her profession of vows perpetual her first profession of vows must be made from a heart that is giving her entire self as gift forever.

As I mentioned above we have been busy preparing for the wedding day. Invitations to her family and friends, preparing for the reception, decorations, music practice, many details of the sacred liturgy, contact with the Bishop who will preside, arranging servers, etc.

The Lord has also seen fit to give us opportunities for “offering it up”. Imagine flashing lights, horns and the MOST painful whistle you’ve ever heard. That was the communal penance the Lord gave us the other night when the fire alarm system went off at 1:40 a.m. No fire – thank God! But a smoke detector needed to be changed. Ahh…the blessed life of “modern conveniences…”

Sister Cecilia Maria has also been busy making new black veils, writing “thank you” notes and preparing her new cell that will be in the area where the professed sisters dwell. It is always bittersweet to move out of the novitiate (where a young woman lives during those initial years of formation) – moving from the comforting surroundings of where one’s Passionist vocation was born and nurtured to maturing in Passionist life and getting to join her “older sisters” but it is worth it!

Sister is someone who has spent her life moving, in her early years as an “army brat”, as she puts it, and then during her undergraduate and grad school years.  As she was putting her books on her shelf she made the remark, “It is so nice being a nun, you don’t have much to move.”

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Please keep Sister, her dear family and friends and all of us in your prayers as we celebrate this glorious moment in the Church – another young woman giving the total gift of self to God and His people.

I hope to have photos of the celebration and a beautiful meditation written by Sister posted this coming week…Notice, I wrote that I “hope” to do so…time will tell.

Come Divine Bridegroom to your Temple, you who are the light to the nations and the glory of your people Israel!

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The Monastic Cell

April 21st, 2012

Please keep us in your prayers…

Half of the Sisters are in 8-day solitude retreat while the other half take on the extra duties.

During Lent I read a delightful book about one of my fellow contemplatives: He Is My Heaven: The Life of Elizabeth of the Trinity by Jennifer Moorcroft. Mrs. Moorcroft – wonderful job!  This is the 2nd time I have read this book since we received it as a gift for my Final Profession of Vows in 2003. If you like our blog you will LOVE this book!

Anyway, Elizabeth waxes eloquent about the spirituality of the cell and Mrs. Moorcroft quotes some of her letters. During my retreat I am spending more time in my cell…reading, praying, studying, crocheting, resting. It is good to be in solitude with the Beloved. Here is what Blessed Elizabeth has to write about it:

…it is filled with God and I spend such wonderful hours there alone with the Bridegroom. For me, the cell is something sacred, it is His intimate sanctuary, just for Him and His little bride. We are so much “together,” I am silent, I listen to Him…it is so good to hear everything He has to say. And I love Him while I ply my needle and work on this dear serge (her habit) that I have so longed to wear.

Our cells are plain, sparsely furnished mostly with donated or homemade furniture and absent of superfluities. This gives them an austere beauty and a visual peace. It is the outward embodiment of the inner cell we live in while in the state of God’s abundant grace. I must admit though, sometimes I have so many books on my desk that I can’t find the desk!  I have a little prayer altar where I keep a holy image, a candle and a notebook of prayer intentions, some holy relics and a blessed palm.

We find God in everything – by Faith. We live him, breathe him, love him – by Faith. Especially in the solitude of the cell.

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