The First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death

These outdoor, tile-mosaic Stations of the Cross were designed
by our own Artist Sisters of the Monastery.

The kings of the earth rise up and the princes conspire together against the Lord and against His Anointed. I will proclaim the decree of the Lord; the Lord said to me: "You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possesion."
Psalm 2: 2, 7-8

Jesus said: "I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge."
John 12: 47-48

Mardi Gras @ the Monastery!

Greetings,

Yesterday, our community gathered for a festive evening of food, fun, and games.  Sister Marietta, Liturgist, found this prayer of blessing to connect our night of merry-making to the joy of the Lord.

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for it is from your goodness that we have this day
to celebrate on the threshold of the Season of Lent.
Tomorrow we will fast and abstain from meat.
Today we feast.
We thank you for the abundance of gifts you shower upon us.
We thank you especially for one another.
As we give you thanks,
we are mindful of those who have so much less than we do.
As we share these wonderful gifts together,
we commit ourselves to greater generosity toward those

who need our support.

Prepare us for tomorrow.

Tasting the fullness of what we have today,
let us experience some hunger tomorrow.
May our fasting make us more alert
and may it heighten our consciousness
so that we might be ready to hear your Word
and respond to your call.

As our feasting fills us with gratitude

so may our fasting and abstinence hollow out in us
a place for deeper desires
and an attentiveness to hear the cry of the poor.
May our self-denial turn our hearts to you
and give us a new freedom for
generous service to others.

We ask you these graces

with our hearts full of delight
and stirring with readiness for the journey ahead.
We ask them with confidence
in the name of Jesus the Lord.

From: Creighton University

Blessings,

The Gift of Elders

Greetings,

Yesterday, I had an epiphany moment in the midst of a very busy Mass.  Sister Roommate and I have joined one of the local parishes to attend while we live away from the Monastery.  Our parish is known for its growing number of young families which leads to pews filled with little ones.  There is a joy and energy that comes from the busyness and noise that comes with the young, but it wasn't the runaway toddler that held my attention in midst of the service.

There was an elderly couple that sat just in front of us.  She held his elbow to support him rising from the kneeler, and he waited until she had sat down after the Gospel to be seated next to her.  Then quietly, he laid his hand over hers on the pew between them while they listened to the homily together.  In the pew just across the aisle from us, three little-old-church-ladies were ensconced side by side.  Their joy in greeting each other and the families around them at the Sign of Peace shown in their faces.  Then at the communion procession, one opened the walker for the next, who handed the cane balancing on the end of the pew back to her.  This is the steady, quiet heartbeat of the parish.

One of the gifts in our community is the gift of our elders.  Our community is blessed to be able to care for all of our fragile elders as well as those young at heart within the Monastery.  This allows for a quite the multi-generational experience among the sisters.  And Benedict prepares for this in his Rule, as he calls on the sisters to treat their elders with respect and the elders to love their juniors.

"The juniors, therefore, should honor their seniors, and the seniors love their juniors...And wherever the brethren meet one another the junior shall ask the senior for his blessing." RB 63.

The role of those experienced in our Benedictine life is quite varied and, like those in the parish, they become the steady heartbeat of a Monastic Home.  The sisters are called upon to continue to use their gifts for leadership, problem-solving, and yes, the many little needs that come up in a Monastery.  They share the lived tradition of our House; the celebrations and ceremonies and concerns that have cycled through religious life are ever old and ever new, and their advice and reflection is without price.  In Benedict's time, he called on the elders to guide those struggling in his monasteries.  Today, we have the gift of also turning to those who have 'been there' before to seek support.

Let him send senpectae, that is, brethren of mature years and wisdom, who may as it were secretly console the wavering brother and induce him to make humble satisfaction; comforting him that he may not "be overwhelmed by excessive grief" (2 Cor. 2:7)..." RB 27.

To be quite honest, it is the little ways of care that share the most meaning.  One of our 90+ year-old-sisters is always the first to notice that I'm home for a visit.  She takes me by the hand, reminds me of her constant prayers, and often places a gentle touch to my cheek before she continues her way down the hall. Another vibrant sister in her late 70's, after scooting down the hall to find the sister home for visit, won't let you by until she has given at least one hug and the promise of prayer.  These are our gifts, our elders who share their wisdom with grace, their experience with stories, and their love with such freedom. 

Blessings,

Love of Community

Greetings and Happy Valentine's Day,

Immediately upon entering the front doors of our Monastery; Sisters, Visitor, Family, and Friends see a window that was part of the original covent building.  Surrounding an image of the Sacred Heart are the words "One Heart and One Soul".  Valentine's Day may not be a particularly 'holy day', but it is a day to make holy our love for one another in community.

After passing by the receptionist (portress) desk, you are met with the icon of our community.  A beautiful image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that was designed for us.  The grace, mercy, and love pouring out from His Sacred Heart and the inscription in the book are powerful reminders of how we should be living out our call to community and love for one another..."Love One Another As I Have Loved You."  At my first vows, one of our sisters gave me this poem that I've posted by my desk as a reminder of our love for God and each other, "Falling in Love".

Nothing is more practical
than finding God, that is,
than Falling In Love

In a quite absolute, final way.

What you are in Love with,

What seizes your imagination,

will affect everything.

It will decide

What will get you out
of bed in the morning.
What you do with your evenings,

How you spend your weekends,

What you read, who you know,

What breaks your heart,

and what amazes you
with joy and gratitude,

Fall in Love, Stay in Love,

and it will decide everything.

~ Pedro Arrupe, SJ

Blessings,

The Perpetual Monastic Profession of Sister Jill

Our songbook open to the Suscipe
and Sr. Jill's liturgy for profession.

Greetings,

Today, we celebrated the Perpetual Monastic Profession of our Sister Jill!  The day was filled with the blessing of Sisters, family, and friends!  The celebration began the morning prayer of Lauds.  At the close of our Saturday morning prayer, we prayed a blessing for Sister Jill...

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Who called people from their daily work,
Saying to them, 'Come to Me'
Bless Sister Jill who heard your voice
and gladly answered your call
to commit her life to this monastic community. 
Bless her hopes, deal gently with her fears
and bless all of us as we go together to everlasting life.
We pray this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Monastery began to buzz with the joy and energy of the day.  Sisters finished decorating the Chapel for Mass and Chapter room for reception.  Guests, family, and friends began to arrive at the door.  And our Sister glowed with joy as the time of her profession approached.



The Mass of Consecration began with statio (the solemn procession of the whole community) into Chapel with Sister and her parents processing after us, well gliding and grinning from ear to ear, she was so excited.  Sister had chosen readings telling the story of Samuel being called in the Temple and the Apostles being called to follow Jesus...the theme of leaving all behind to follow the call of Christ.  Father Thomas (our Benedictine pastor) picked up on this theme and with humor and tenderness called us all to a closer following of the Call.


• A reminder that it is God's Vocation inviting us and we who answer God's Call
• A reminder that the monastic life is show God's presence in the world with faithfulness
• A reminder that Sister is loved by her sisters and called to love her sisters

The ritual of profession began after the homily; Sister Jill was called to the sanctuary by the Prioress and the chanted refrain by her Benedictine Sisters...

Venite! Come, O sons and daughters of God!
Come and follow Me, I will teach you the way of Life, Venite!


Sister Jill and Prioress
signing the profession
document on the altar.

First the Prioress questioned her intent, then Sister read her document of Perpetual Profession before the whole community and congregation, and both she and the Prioress signed it on the altar.  This ancient part of the ritual concludes with the threefold singing of the Suscipe...which is also sung at the jubilee anniversaries and funerals in our Monastic life.  This is always when I cry, and a fair few Kleenexes came out today; remembering that moment of absolute commitment  in our own lives and receiving the gift of the absolute commitment of Sister's life to our community and in service to the Church.

 

Uphold me, O Lord,
according to your Word, that I may live,
and let me not be disappointed in the hope I cherish. 

Glory be to the Father...



The Sister kneels or prostrates herself before the altar as the community
chants the Litany of the Saints to intercede for her.

Next, the cantor sisters lead us in the Litany of Saints over Sister.  In recent years, the sisters get to include the names of those sisters or family who have died as part of the Litany...Sister Jill called upon her grandparents to pray for her on this special day.  Finally, she received the ring marking the Perpetually Professed sisters in our community.  The Greek initials of Christ in the center with the cross and nails and the palm fronds from Passion Sunday on either side of the ring.

  

A close up of our profession ring.

What comes next?  The celebration simply moved from Chapel to Chapter room for the reception.  Family, friends, and Sisters alike gathered around tables to visit over a simple meal and desert.  Sisters chatted with monks and sisters from visiting communities, nieces and nephews giggled and chased around the tables, and family and friends told stories.  Sister Jill moved from table to table amidst it all; greeting folk, receiving hugs, and laughing with us all.  It was a wonderful gathering of Benedictine and extended Family
...a great blessing to be shared.

Blessings,

The Feast of Saint Scholastica

Happy Feast Day!

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Schoalstica!  The hallways are filled with sisters wishing each other a "Happy Feast" as we join each other in prayer, work and meals.  The community honors this feast as a solemnity with chanted first Vespers, Lauds, Mass and second Vespers all celebrated in Bishop Marty Chapel.

"Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one: Come, come my beloved!  See that the winter, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone.  Come, come my beloved." 
Vespers II Antiphon

Our statue of Saint Scholastica reaches out to across our windswept hilltop shrine.  It is a peaceful place to pray, but a bit chilly in February.

"Love is a fire no waters avail to quench, no floods to drown it; those who love will give up all that they have in the world, and think nothing of their loss." 
Vespers I Antiphon

Blessings,

More on the feast tomorrow...

Candlemass at the Monastery

Greetings,

The Monastery commemorated the Presentation of the Jesus in the Temple with Candlemass.  It is a celebration of Jesus as the light of the world; we carry that light within us and bless the waxy reminders of that light.  Thursday morning the Peace Chapel altar was surrounded by a variety of the candles used during prayer in the Chapel and our living groups.


Candles from the Chapel and for the living groups all arranged in the Peace Chapel
and ready to be blessed and shared. Sister Mary Jo took the picture to share with us.





Sister Michaeleen's photo of the blessed
candles after prayer and Mass.



Opening Prayer:
Forty days ago we celebrated the joyful feast of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Today we recall the holy day on which he was presented in the temple, fulfilling the law of Moses and at the same time going to meet his faithful people.  Led by the Spirit, Simeon and Anna came to the temple, recognized Christ as their Lord, and proclaimed him with joy.  United by the Spirit, may we who are gathered in this house of God welcome Christ the Lord.  There we shall recognize him in the breaking of the bread, until he comes again in glory.
The candles were then lit...

Blessing of Candles:
God, our Father, source of eternal light today you revealed to Simeon and Anna your Light of revelation to the nations.  Bless these candles and make them holy. (Sprinkle candles) May we who use them to praise your glory walk in the path of goodness and come to the light that shines for ever.  In the power of the Holy Spirit,we ask this through Christ, our Lord.
~ Amen




A final photo from Sister Mary Jo of the blessed candles
in the Peace Chapel before the sisters
took them to the living groups.

The Prioress blesses the candles during morning prayer and they remain in the Chapel through evening prayer.  After our Vespers, a sister from each of the living groups carries the blessed candle to the group room to be used in our noon and compline prayers.  It is just one of the many little liturgies that connect us to the greater Church and to each other.  Knowing that even when we pray the shorter hours of noon and night, the blessing of the Prioress and the gathered prayer of the community continue to hold us all together.

The candles themselves are also a connection to the sisters at the Monastery.  While the Chapel candles for Mass are purchased, those used for prayers in the living groups are made by one of our own Sister Artisans.  She creates whole rainbows of candles for the sisters and our gift shop.  She even has some seasonal candles...
during the Fall she pours pumpkins, there are Winter snowmen,
and pastel Easter eggs.  Her most coveted creations? 
The tall pillar candles that are the full rainbow all in one. 

Blessings,

World Day for Consecrated Life

Greetings,

Today the Church commemorates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and honors all the women and men who live as witnesses in consecrated life.  Blessed Pope John Paul II established this annual celebration in 1997.  He wished to set aside a day for the Church to praise and thank God for the gift of the consecrated life, to promote a greater understanding of the consecrated life, and to encourage those in consecrated life in a "vivid consciousness of their irreplaceable mission in the Church and in the world" (Vatican City, 6 January 1997)

For some years now, in the Church of Rome and in other dioceses, the feast of 2 February has almost spontaneously brought numerous members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life around the Pope and diocesan pastors in order to demonstrate together, in communion with the entire People of God, the gift and commitment of their call, the variety of charisms of consecrated life, and their special place within the community of believers.


It is my wish that this experience be extended to the whole Church, so that the celebration of the World Day for Consecrated Life may gather consecrated persons together with other faithful in order to sing with the Virgin Mary the marvels which the Lord accomplishes in so many of his sons and daughters, and to manifest to all that being a "people consecrated to himself" (cf. Deut 28:9) is the condition of all those who are redeemed by Christ

The churches here in the United States have moved the celebration to Sunday, but I love the connection that Pope John Paul II made in setting the day with the Feast of the Presentation.  In celebrating Jesus' presentation at the Temple, we see him, all that he is and all that he will become, being offered to the service of God.  In our consecration to the Church during our Perpetual Profession, we too are being offered as Benedictine Sisters, with all that we are are and all that we will become, to the service of the Church through our Benedictine communities.

Prayer for Consecrated Life (USCCB 2011)

God our Father, we thank you for calling men and women to serve in your Son’s Kingdom as sisters, brothers, religious priests, consecrated virgins, and hermits, as well as members of Secular Institutes. Renew their knowledge and love of you, and send your Holy Spirit to help them respond generously and courageously to your will. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. ~Amen.