One Jolly Monastery Tradition

Greetings,

The quiet of our simple Wednesday supper was interrupted with a joyful chorus of "Jolly old Saint Nicholas, lean your ear this way; Don't you tell a single soul what I'm going to say!"  Saint Nicholas himself came into our monastery refectory on the eve of his feast with two helpers to visit with the sisters and share his gifts of apples and oranges as well as chocolates and candies. As Saint Nicholas visited around the dinning room, he teased the sisters about eating all their spinach (the vegetable for supper that night) or they might get coal instead.  Saint Nicholas also visited our elders in the care center in their dinning room as his helpers and our staff sang and joined in the fun.  All of the sisters received a special blessing from our ancient bishop and legend.


Sister Sub-Prioress, Father Chaplain, and Postulant Peggy
with all Saint Nicholas' goodies for the sisters!

Our monastery has been celebrating the visit of Saint Nicholas for over 70 years! With our Swiss roots and many early sisters from Germany or German Ancestry, this festive celebration of generosity, hospitality, and child-like awe is a natural and joy-filled expression of our Advent waiting for the Lord's coming.  Our saint's visit began with with singing and laughter; and after he left, the sisters continued to visit  about their Saint Nicholas memories.  Over those 70 years, Saint Nicholas has been played by new novices and junior sisters, monastery and college chaplains, but the earliest memories were of Sister Georgia who died in 1968.  She would come to evening recreation, all dressed up with apples and oranges for all the sisters who then joined in with welcoming, song, and laughter...only to be quickly quieted at the bell for Compline. 

As this tradition continues to welcome and bless, new members and guests to the monastery are initiated into this celebration of our heritage.  This year on the eve of Saint Nicholas; Sister 5th Grade Teacher had invited a few of her students for a visit to the monastery.  They loved the 'surprise' visit by the saint and couldn't wait to go home and back to school and tell the tale of their monastery guest!

Blessings and Happy Advent,