Greetings,
Pope Francis' Sunday Angelus invited us all to pass through the narrow gate into life with Jesus.
"The image of the gate recurs several times in the Gospel and is reminiscent of home and hearth, where we find safety, love and warmth. Jesus tell us that there is a gate that allows us to enter into God's family, into the warmth of the house of God, of communion with Him. This gate is Jesus himself. He is the gate. he is the gateway to salvation...Don't be afraid: He's waiting for you. Be lively, have the courage to enter through His gate. All are invited to pass through this gate, to pass through the gate of faith, to enter into His life, and to allow Him to enter into our life, because He transforms it, renews it, the gifts of full and lasting joy."
The loving call of the Holy Father is reminiscent to us of how Saint Benedict closes his Prologue to the Rule of Benedict. He challenges the monks and nuns to follow the narrow way of love through life in the monastery, the school of the Lord's service.
"And so we are going to establish a school for the service of the Lord. In founding it we hope to introduce nothing harsh or burdensome. But if a certain strictness results from the dictates of equity for the amendment of vices or the preservation of charity, do not be at once dismayed and fly from the Way of Salvation, whose entrance cannot but be narrow. For as we advance in the religious life and in faith, our hearts expand and we run the way of God's commandments with unspeakable sweetness of love. Thus never departing from His school, but persevering in the monastery according to His teaching until death, we may by patience share in the suffering of Christ and deserve to have a share also in His kingdom."
Blessings,
.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Benedictine Kitchen Service
Greetings,
The summer of kitchen service continues! The sweet corn has been prepped and frozen, the nun-better noodles are dried and bagged, but there is more to be shared with our sisters.
Chapter 35 in the Rule of Benedict calls upon the sisters to serve each other in all ways...including the kitchen. "Let the brethren serve one another, and let no one be excused from the kitchen service except by reason of sickness or occupation in some important work. For this service brings increase of reward and charity. But let helpers be provided for the weak ones, that they may not be distressed by this work; and indeed let everyone have help, as required by the size of the community or the circumstances of the locality."
Blessings!
The summer of kitchen service continues! The sweet corn has been prepped and frozen, the nun-better noodles are dried and bagged, but there is more to be shared with our sisters.
Chapter 35 in the Rule of Benedict calls upon the sisters to serve each other in all ways...including the kitchen. "Let the brethren serve one another, and let no one be excused from the kitchen service except by reason of sickness or occupation in some important work. For this service brings increase of reward and charity. But let helpers be provided for the weak ones, that they may not be distressed by this work; and indeed let everyone have help, as required by the size of the community or the circumstances of the locality."
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| Our student-sister from the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters of Busan, Korea treated the community to buchimgae. There was quite a line of sisters waiting for the tasty veggie pancakes. |
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| Sister Gardener set up in the 'canning' area of our kitchens and began the sauerkraut making by shredding dozens of cabbages. She prepared a variety of purple and green heads with pickling salts for the hard work to come. |
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| The volunteer sisters soon began to arrive to help fill the pre-washed, pre-labeled jars with the cabbages freshly cut from our own gardens. Novice Peggy joined our student sister from Busan and others in this community service. |
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| Sister Erin switched from college work to kitchen help to share the kitchen service with our student sister from the Daughters of Mary in Uganda. After 21 years in community, she knows how much our sisters LOVE the homemade sauerkraut! |
Sunday, August 11, 2013
On the Daily Manual Labor ... and Parties
Greetings,
Chapter 48 of Benedict's Rule begins "Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore the sisters should be occupied at certain times in manual labor, and again at fixed hours in sacred reading." Gathering to share our manual labor has been a part of our life at the monastery since our founding in the late 1880's. The tradition of this communal work has been referred to as parties in recent years.
While preparing for the Holiday Fair, Sister Francine gathered together sisters for the third annual noodle party! Various sisters worked the dough, cut it into smooth noodles, separated those strands by hand to dry, and gathered up the prepared handiwork to be sold at the October fair. The monastery dinning room was filled with alternating periods of lively laughter and chatter and reflective silence as the sisters shared this labor of their hands.
A much longer annual tradition is our monastery corn parties! Our gardening sisters have been busy picking bushels and bushels of sweet corn for the monastery. While the sisters eat a great deal right off the ear, we also freeze a few hundred pounds for eating during the winter.
The corn must first be husked and washed clean of their silks. Sister newly 'retired' school teacher and Sister wisdom figure volunteered to work their way through several piles of corn. Willing to help the community with the labor of their hands.
The next day the ears were steamed and cooled throughout the day. That evening sisters gathered again to cut corn away from the ears, weigh them in five pound pans, and wrap them them for the freezer. Approximately 300 pounds have been prepared for our enjoyment throughout the winter months.
The 'party' comes from simply gathering together, to laugh and visit, to enjoy the support of our sisters while working on the needs of the monastery. The 'party' is also the promise of a treat at the end of the work. The corn party concluded with ice-cream or fruit bars to sweeten the deal.
Blessings,
Chapter 48 of Benedict's Rule begins "Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore the sisters should be occupied at certain times in manual labor, and again at fixed hours in sacred reading." Gathering to share our manual labor has been a part of our life at the monastery since our founding in the late 1880's. The tradition of this communal work has been referred to as parties in recent years.
A much longer annual tradition is our monastery corn parties! Our gardening sisters have been busy picking bushels and bushels of sweet corn for the monastery. While the sisters eat a great deal right off the ear, we also freeze a few hundred pounds for eating during the winter.
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| Sister guest-mistress, massage therapist, and librarian (left to right) cutting away in the kitchen. |
The next day the ears were steamed and cooled throughout the day. That evening sisters gathered again to cut corn away from the ears, weigh them in five pound pans, and wrap them them for the freezer. Approximately 300 pounds have been prepared for our enjoyment throughout the winter months.
 |
| Sisters compliance-officer (left) and accountant (right) offer the work of their hands. |
The 'party' comes from simply gathering together, to laugh and visit, to enjoy the support of our sisters while working on the needs of the monastery. The 'party' is also the promise of a treat at the end of the work. The corn party concluded with ice-cream or fruit bars to sweeten the deal.
Blessings,
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Feast of Saint Dominic
Greetings,
Happy Feastday to all the family of the Order of Preachers!
Thank you for all your good work in continuing to evangelize the mission of Jesus!
Happy Feastday to all the family of the Order of Preachers!
Thank you for all your good work in continuing to evangelize the mission of Jesus!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Chapter Deliberation and Celebration
Greetings,
Phew! The past weekend was a flurry of work, prayer, and play. The monastery convened our third Chapter Meetings of the year, usually held in late July or early August, to discuss important financial, community, and spiritual matters.
Lauds preceded a full day of meetings on Friday including all 102 of us gathering for a new family photo. The last session of discussion was wrapped up early to prepare for our final Jubilee celebration of the year. The Diamond Jubilarians celebrating 60, 70, and even 80 years were honored during the community Mass. The celebrants then lead the procession from Chapel to dining room to continue with supper together.
Saturday's meetings were also quite full; however, the to come evening was the focus for many of us. The Chapter Meeting concluded with a prayer and commissioning by the prioress. During the prayer, each sister was called forward by the Procurator, blessed by the Prioress, and greeted by the subPrioress with a holy card to remind the sister of her commission throughout the year. The call for the year is...
"Rooted Together in Christ we Participate in God's Mystery Unfolding"
Sisters are commissioned to many works and services to the Church and people of God...most importantly, our call to prayer.
Phew! The past weekend was a flurry of work, prayer, and play. The monastery convened our third Chapter Meetings of the year, usually held in late July or early August, to discuss important financial, community, and spiritual matters.
Lauds preceded a full day of meetings on Friday including all 102 of us gathering for a new family photo. The last session of discussion was wrapped up early to prepare for our final Jubilee celebration of the year. The Diamond Jubilarians celebrating 60, 70, and even 80 years were honored during the community Mass. The celebrants then lead the procession from Chapel to dining room to continue with supper together.
Saturday's meetings were also quite full; however, the to come evening was the focus for many of us. The Chapter Meeting concluded with a prayer and commissioning by the prioress. During the prayer, each sister was called forward by the Procurator, blessed by the Prioress, and greeted by the subPrioress with a holy card to remind the sister of her commission throughout the year. The call for the year is...
"Rooted Together in Christ we Participate in God's Mystery Unfolding"
Sisters are commissioned to many works and services to the Church and people of God...most importantly, our call to prayer.
The Chapter celebrations continued on Sunday evening with Postulant Peggy being received into the Novitiate during Vespers. After a reading from the Rule of Benedict, the Prioress called Peggy forward as the community chanted, "Come, children, hear Me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord." The Prioress then set forth the goals and challenges that Peggy would meet during the upcoming year, asking her if she was resolved to enter the Novitiate. The Novitiate Director then came forward to both present Novice Peggy with the Rule of Benedict and receive her into her care. What followed after Vespers?
More celebrating over supper!
More celebrating over supper!
What can be sweeter to us than the voice of the Lord inviting us? Behold in His loving kindness, the Lord shows us the way to life.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Love God with all your soul.
What can be sweeter to us than the voice of the Lord inviting us? Behold in His loving kindness, the Lord shows us the way to life.
You who desire life, listen to My words;
fulfill them without delay.
fulfill them without delay.
What can be sweeter to us than the voice of the Lord inviting us?
Behold in His loving kindness, the Lord shows us the way to life.
Behold in His loving kindness, the Lord shows us the way to life.
Zealously let us love;
always preferring nothing at all to Christ.
always preferring nothing at all to Christ.
Blessings,
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