A Holy Week Surprise

If you had been a ladybug sitting on our chapel windowsill a couple of Fridays ago, you would had seen an unusual sight.

You would have seen Abbey, one of our Aspirants, come into chapel for Midafternoon Prayer. That in and of itself isn’t really odd . . . but you would have thought so, when every nun looked at her in surprise and the organist almost fell off her bench.

You see, earlier in the day, the nuns had sadly bade farewell to Abbey. She had been here on a visit for two months, but now it was time for her to return home. After many hugs and assurances of prayer, and a solemn promise on her end to come back soon, she rolled her suitcase out front to await her parents.

That was why everyone was startled to see her kneeling innocently at her choir stall again an hour later.

After the Offerings of the Precious Blood, she and Sister Mary Veronica had left chapel together, leaving everyone to try to recollect themselves for the hour of private prayer. However, twenty minutes later, Abbey came back into chapel carrying her books and trying not to make a scene.

She failed.

After prayer time, she passed a note to Mother John Mary, who then enlightened a confused but cautiously happy group of nuns.

One happy aspirant!

Abbey’s parents had tried to text her earlier, but there had been a technological issue, so she hadn’t gotten the messages. Later, she had called them from a monastery phone. They then told her that they had decided that on account of the coronavirus, the suspension of public Masses in her home diocese until further notice, and the general upheaval, they thought it would be better if she just stayed put. They were willing to make the heroic sacrifice and not have their only child home with them, so that she could have access to the Sacraments and celebrate Holy Week. Thus, she had returned to chapel with a heart full of mingled joy, gratitude and love for her parents.

All of the sisters were happy that she was staying longer, but one was particularly thrilled . . .

If you, as a ladybug, decided to fly the long distance from chapel to the recreation room, you would hear this exchange happening at least once, if not a hundred times a day:

Sister Miriam Esther: “Abbey! Guess What!”
Abbey: “What?”
Sister Miriam Esther: You get to be here for Holy Week!”
Both cheer.

So, Abbey is here to stay for awhile!