Commissioning ~ Sent Out to Serve

Greetings,

Our summer Monastic Chapter concluded with a prayer of commissioning.  Within the prayer, called each sister forward and was blessed by Sister Penny, our prioress.  Each year the prioress chooses a theme to send us out in service to the community and Church.  This year she reflected Pope Francis call to religious:

"I am counting on you “to wake up the world”, since the distinctive sign of consecrated life is prophecy. As I told the Superiors General: “Radical evangelical living is not only for religious: it is demanded of everyone. But religious follow the Lord in a special way, in a prophetic way”
(Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter to All Consecrated People).

After reading and reflecting on our Holy Father's call to "to wake up the world", Sr. Penny called forward the two newly elected members of our Monastic Council.  These sisters were reminded of their role as members of the council in advising the prioress and listening to the monastic community, and then she offered a prayer of blessing over them while the whole community offered their silent prayers.

The commissioning began as each sister was called forward by name to be blessed by Sister Penny, prioress.  Her blessings were all based in Pope Francis' call to "Go Out and Wake Up the World!" but were individualized to each sisters' current ministry or service for the Church.  It was a reminder to us that while some of our sisters serve the needs of the monastery in care for our home and gardens, others reach out to the local needs of others, and still other sisters serve the needs of God's people while living away from home in other towns and cities...we can all wake up the world to the presence of Christ and love of God in their lives.

After receiving the blessing of the prioress, Sr. Jeanne, sub-prioress, gave each sister a commissioning card with the logo for the Year for Consecrated Life as designed by the National Religious Vocations Conference.  This little card calls out to us "Go Out and Wake Up the World!" a reminder for our personal prayer.  We encourage you to remember your call to live in God's service as well, your call to share the message of Christ...your call to wake up the world.

Blessings to you,

Monastic Chapter

 Greetings,

Please pray for us as we prepare for our Monastic Chapter at the end of this week.

It is wonderfully appropriate that our June Monastic Chapter should coincide with Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ; for we as discern the needs of our monastic community, we strive to see Christ present in each other. We ask for your prayers as all of our sisters, from prioress to newly professed, travel home to discuss the "important business [that] has to be done in the monastery" RB 3:1.

However, it isn't all work and meetings.  All throughout the weekend, we visit with our sisters: catching up on news, sharing joys and sorrows, taking walks and playing favorite games. We also take time to celebrate.  One evening we will honor our Jubilarians of 25, 50, 60, 75 and even 80 years as professed sisters.  The next night we will remember our beloved sisters who have died this past year with prayer and a procession through our cemetery. 

Whenever any important business has to be done 

in the monastery, let the Abbot call together the whole community and state the matter to be acted upon. Then, having heard the brethren's advice,
let him turn the matter over in his own mind and do what he shall judge to be most expedient. The reason we have said that all should be called for counsel is that the Lord often reveals to the younger what is best. 

Let the brethren give their advice with all the deference required by humility, and not presume stubbornly to defend their opinions; but let the decision rather depend on the Abbot's judgment, and all submit to whatever he shall decide for their welfare. 

However, just as it is proper for the disciples to obey their master, so also it is his function to dispose all things with prudence and justice.

Rule of Benedict 3

Prayer schedule during Monastic Chapter...

Thursday:  Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel

~ Prayer 8:30 AM

~ Mass 9:00 AM

~ Prayer 5:00 PM

Friday:  Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel

~Prayer 8:30 AM

~ Mass 9:00 AM

~Prayer within the Monastic Chapter

Saturday:  Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel

~ Prayer 8:30 AM

~ Prayer 5:00 PM

Sunday: Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel

~ Prayer 8:30 AM

~ Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ 10 AM

~ Prayer 5:00 PM

Blessings,

Welcoming Rites of Postulant & Profession!

Greetings,

The start of August has traditionally been marked with celebrations honoring not only the milestone moments but also the beginnings of our Benedictine life.  Friday, August 1st, was filled with joy as we celebrated Diamond Jubilarians: 75 ~ 70 ~ 60 years of religious life.  Among the twelve sisters being honored, we recognized a milestone of 775 years of professed life and loving service to the Church and all God's people.

Sister Vocation Director,
Postulant Theresa, and
our Sister Prioress

The beginning of our religious life was honored on Saturday evening as the whole community gathered at the front doors of the monastery to welcome Terry into the Postulancy. The Rule of Benedict teaches us, "Do not grant newcomers to the monastic life an easy entry, but as the Apostle says. Test the spirits to see if they are from God. Therefore, if someone comes and keeps knocking at the door...then she should be allowed to enter...A senior chosen for her skill in winning souls should be appointed to look after them with careful attention" (RB 58: 1-6). 

The newcomer, escorted by our vocation director, knocked at the monastery door. Prioress Penny greeted her and asked, "Terry, what do you seek?" She responded, "I seek to live in loving service to God in this community." Each new postulant offers her own response to this question.  After the Postulant Director proclaimed a reading from the Rule of Benedict, the Prioress called upon the whole community to live as example and share our support with Terry as she begins this deeper discernment of our monastic life.


Finally, Sister Penny dressed Postulant Theresa with a Benedictine medal as a sign of our acceptance of her desire to seek God in our community.  The community processed on from this entrance rite to the Chapel to Vespers while singing: "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."

Our community symbol & sign waiting to be
blessed and given to N. Peggy as a sign of our unity.

Novice Peggy chose a line from Jeremiah for the theme of her first Monastic Profession, "For I know the Plan I have for you, says the Lord."

Sister Penny, Prioress, looks on while N. Peggy
declares her first Monastic Profession.

The dialogue within the rite of profession reminds us that while the community tests and receives the new member, the initiative is hers. Sr. Penny, Prioress, asked, "Novice Peggy what do you ask of God, of the Church, and of this community?" And Novice Peggy responded, "Mindful of God's merciful love, I ask to share in the life of this community by making my first Monastic Profession."

Following the instruction of the Rule, she was then invited in the name of the Church to declare her promise of profession before God and His Saints. After this, Sister Peggy and our Prioress signed her profession document on the altar as an offering to God where it remained throughout our Vespers prayer.

The profession document is signed on the altar as a
sign of Sr. Peggy's offering of self.

Sister Peggy singing the Suscipe with her sisters.

"When she is to be received, she comes before the whole community in the oratory and promises stability, fidelity to the monastic life, and obedience. This is done in the presence of God and the saints to impress on the novice that if she ever acts otherwise, she will surely be condemned by the one she mocks. She states her promise in a document drawn up in the name of the saints whose relics are there, and of the prioress, who is present. The novice writes out this document herself...puts her mark to it and with her own hand lays it upon the altar. After she has put it on the altar, she begins the verse: Uphold me, O Lord, according to Your word that I may live; and let me not be disappointed in the hope I cherish. The community repeats the verse three times, and adds the 'Glory be to the Father'" (Rule of Benedict 58: 17-22).

As a sign of her Profession and commitment, Sister Peggy received the symbol of our community. The Benedictine cross with the Sacred Heart of Christ in the center, and the flowing love of His mercy and our ministry of prayer and service. This pin (and pendant) stands as a uniting sign of her membership in our community and a reminder to her of our life together in Christ.

As a vowed member of our community, Sr. Peggy will continue to discern God's call in her life throughout the next four years of temporary profession. She will continue to engage in lighter schedule of monastic classes while returning to her service as a nurse in ministering to the needs of God's people. Follow this link to read more about Sister Peggy.

Please pray for Sister Peggy and Postulant Terry as they continue to discern God' call in their lives.

Blessings,

Monastic Chapter

Greetings,

This weekend is double the celebration for the monastery.  We are preparing to celebrate the descent of the Spirit upon the Apostles with Pentecost Sunday and our Monastic Chapter.

It is wonderfully appropriate that our June Monastic Chapter should coincide with Pentecost, for we rely on the wisdom and guidance of the Spirit as we discern the needs of our monastic community. We also ask for your prayers as all of our sisters, from prioress to novice, travel home to discuss the "important business [that] has to be done in the monastery" RB 3:1.


However, it isn't all work and meetings.  All throughout the weekend, we visit with our sisters: catching up on news, sharing joys and sorrows, taking walks and playing favorite games. We also take time to celebrate.  One evening we will honor our Jubilarians of 50, 60, 70, and even 75 years as professed sisters.  The next night we will remember our beloved sisters who have died this past year with prayer and a procession through our cemetery.

Whenever any important business has to be done 

in the monastery, let the Abbot call together the whole community and state the matter to be acted upon. Then, having heard the brethren's advice,
let him turn the matter over in his own mind and do what he shall judge to be most expedient. The reason we have said that all should be called for counsel is that the Lord often reveals to the younger what is best. 

Let the brethren give their advice with all the deference required by humility, and not presume stubbornly to defend their opinions; but let the decision rather depend on the Abbot's judgment, and all submit to whatever he shall decide for their welfare. 

However, just as it is proper for the disciples to obey their master, so also it is his function to dispose all things with prudence and justice.

Rule of Benedict 3

Prayer schedule changes during Monastic Chapter...

Friday:  Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel

~Mass 8:30 AM

~Morning Prayer within the Monastic Chapter

~Evening Prayer 4:45 PM

Saturday:  Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel

~Morning Prayer 8:30 AM

~Evening Prayer within the Monastic Chapter

Blessings,

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.

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!

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.

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.

Zealously let us love; 
always preferring nothing at all to Christ.

Blessings,

Monastery Mystery Six Revealed

Greetings,

This beautifully carved wall-hung clock now presides over our meetings and celebrations in the Chapter Room.   I cannot find the origin of this clock, but I had a marvelous time seeking out it's history. 

Interviewing our elders seemed the best way of determining this history of this mystery item.  One sister, a wisdom figure and former prioress, believes it might have been given to the monastery in the 1920's as a gift.  The earliest she can remember others referring to it was the late 20's or very early 30's.  After consulting with a few other elders at the card table, they all believed it had hung in the main hallway of the original monastery by the front entrance. 

The sisters also agreed that it was a treasured item from the beginning.  The wood-carved exterior was always dusted and polished to a rich shine.  The winding of the clock was (and still is) done by hand; Sister Peter, the monastery's resident clock-tinker and Jane-of-all-trades was the only one to wind it for decades.

After the monastery's front buildings were rebuilt at the end of the 1990's, the clock was restored to a place of honor in the Chapter Room.

Blessings,

The Feast of the Sacred Heart



This Sacred Heart of Jesus mosaic blesses us from the
walls of the Monastery Chapter room.  It was designed
by one of our own artisan sisters and created (at the time)
by each sister placing a tile of the mosaic.

 Happy Feastday!

Today, we celebrate our monastery's patronal feast on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We will begin our celebration with the Liturgy of the Hours at Lauds and Mass in Chapel; the Psalms and antiphons all echoing reminders of the Christ's great love for us poured out through his Sacred Heart.

"Let us love one another with fervent love, endure one another's infirmities; patiently serve and obey one another, and prefer nothing whatever to Christ." ~ Vespers Antiphon

We end our celebration of our feast with an act of dedication to the Sacred Heart at Vespers:

God of all creation, and God of our hearts, on this feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we remember the love with which you first loved us.  We remember the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ who brings us to birth and feeds us with the blood and water flowing from his side, pierced on the cross. 
Inspired by the Spirit of Love, we desire to give our hearts to you, and to make the heart of Jesus our own.  Through his most Sacred Heart we consecrate to you our monastery, the life and work of each member of this community, and our beloved sick.  We ask you to receive this offering, which we make through Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, one with you forever and ever.  Amen. 

Coinciding with our feast, all of our Benedictine family has gathered at the monastery for our spring Community Days and Chapter meeting. Please keep us in your prayers as we celebrate and discern throughout this weekend.  Three times a year the prioress calls us all from postulant to diamond jubilarian to meet and discuss the needs of the community.  St. Benedict explains the reason for this in chapter three of The Rule of Benedict. 

Whenever any important business has to be done in the monastery, let the Abbot call together the whole community and state the matter to be acted upon. Then, having heard the brethren's advice, let him turn the matter over in his own mind and do what he shall judge to be most expedient. The reason we have said that all should be called for counsel is that the Lord often reveals to the younger what is best.

Let the brethren give their advice with all the deference required by humility, and not presume stubbornly to defend their opinions; but let the decision rather depend on the Abbot's judgment, and all submit to whatever he shall decide for their welfare.

Blessings,

Monastic Chapter

Greetings,

Keep our community family in your prayers as we gather for our August Monastic Chapter in July.  Three times a year the whole community gathers to discuss the business of the monastery, progress of members (new and old) in their spiritual life, and other issues of importance. 

These few days at the end of July will be quite busy with prayer honoring the anniversary of the dedication of Bishop Martin Marty Chapel, meetings, Eucharistic celebrations for our Diamond Jubilarians, and Vespers commemorating the transfer of a sister to our family. 

Whew!  We will rely on your prayers during these days!

Blessings,

Remembering

Greetings,

The act of remembering is important within the monastery.  We celebrate the history and ancestors of our community in remembering.  Each year during the June Chapter, we remember and celebrate the sisters who died during the year.  It is incorporated into our evening prayer of Vespers by lighting a candle in each sister's name, reading a reflection of her life, and showing a few pictures of her life throughout the years.  After each sister's reflection we sing the Suscipe, a chant that is sung at our Professions, Jubilees, and Funerals offering our whole life up to God and seeking his faithful support.

After commemorating each sister, we process out to the cemetery following the Prioress and sisters bearing baskets of flower petals.  The Prioress closes Vespers in the midst of our cemetery, blessing the graves of our sisters with holy water and leading us in honoring our beloved dead with flower petals.  It is a communal time of praying with our sisters who have been with the community since 1880; and also a time for sisters as individuals to go to the graves of dear friends, sisters, and even family members, to shower their grave with petals and offer a few prayers.  The silence of this solemn time is often interrupted by whispered stories, a few tears, and laughter too.
Blessings,


A springtime view of our Monastery Cemetery.  The graves in this portion are some
of the oldest and date back to the late 1890's. 
Those closest to the crucifix are our Mothers, superiors of the monastery.

Morning Praise

Greetings,

Last Friday and Saturday the whole Monastic Community gathered at the monastery for a few days of meetings...Chapter.  Each morning begins with our morning Lauds before moving from Chapel to Chapter room.  The first morning of prayer there was a little quiet whispering as sisters who worked away from home greeted friends in the pews.  But soon enough, we were all sitting in a reflective quiet until Sister Organist began to intone the call to prayer and opening song...but we weren't alone. 

All through out the sung portions of our prayer a little bird joined us with all her heart!  She must have been perched just outside one of the windows, but it sounded like she was seated right in the midst of choir among us.  She had a lovely voice that pipped up only as we began to sing the Psalms and verses.  There has been some debate as to what kind of bird she was; however, consensus seems to hold that she was a Baltimore Oriole because she had such a lovely call. 

If you too would like to join us for our Morning Praise of Lauds, prayer begins in the Peace Chapel at 7:00 AM Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM on Saturdays.  Sundays we move to the Bishop Marty Chapel at 8:30 AM for Lauds.  Even if you don't sing like an Oriole we'd be glad to see you there!

 Blessings,

Supper and Celebration

Greetings,
 

Piles of Empty Pizza Boxes!


 At the end of a long day's Chapter Meetings, we gathered for supper in the refectory.  The monastery dinning room is host to a variety of meals; everything from turkey and dressing served family style at Thanksgiving to simple soups during Lent.  To celebrate the end of our Saturday Chapter Meeting (and let our lay staff go home early), we ordered pizza!

Our Sister Procurator ordered ahead for carryout.  When she went to pick up the over 15 pizzas, she took along a couple other sisters for help!  In Benedictine fashion we had a few choices of pizza...Chapter 39 of the Rule of Benedict begins...

"We think it sufficient for the daily dinner,
whether at the sixth or the ninth hour,
that every table have two cooked dishes
on account of individual infirmities,
so that he who for some reason cannot eat of the one
may make his meal of the other
Therefore let two cooked dishes suffice for all the bethren;
and if any fruit or fresh vegetables are available,
let a third dish be added."

We had the choice of supreme, pepperoni, or cheese slices of pizza.  The Sisters with serving duty for the day found the hot pepper flakes and brought up some sodas and beer.  The sisters, old and young, gathered their slices, a few cut veggies, and the drink of their choice and headed to fill the tables. 

You'd think that after a day of meeting and voting we would be weary enough to simply eat and go.  The room was filled with laughter, stories, and sisters catching up on friends, family, and news.  The relaxed meal stretched out as we chatted between bites of pizza.  While I checked to see who wanted seconds at the table, some of the elder sisters began to tell some tales of "we remember when..."  I love these stories!  The theme that night had to do with fun with their 'classes' during the novitiate and juniorate years.  We continued to laugh and share our stories long past our usual supper hour.  It was a wonderful way to end the day of seeking God in the midst of our deliberations at Chapter.

Blessings,

Monastic Chapter

Greetings,

This weekend we gathered at the Monastery to pray, discuss, and do a bit of business...Monastic Chapter.  The most joyous part of our Chapter was one particular vote.  When considering new members, the Rule of Benedict says  "If after due reflection she promises to observe everything and to obey every command given her, let her then be received into the community" chapter 58, 14.  Our Sr. Jill stood before the whole community to request our permission to celebrate her perpetual profession in our community.  She shared a beautiful letter telling of her growth, prayer, and love in our Benedictine community.  While listening to her gentle voice, I looked around the room to the faces of our Benedictine family; sisters' faces were shinning in the reflection of Sr. Jill's joy, some grinning ear-to-ear, others tearing up, or remembering this moment from their own request.  After she finished sharing, the junior sisters left the room and the chapter then discussed and voted on the junior sister.  Later when Sister Junior Director brought Sr. Jill back into the chapter, we greeted her with applause and hugs of joy.  The Monastic Chapter had accepted her!  We will be celebrating the Perpetual Monastic Profession of Sr. Jill within a few weeks!

Blessings,

The Chapter of Election

Greetings,

Chapter 64 of the Rule explains that "In choosing an abbot, the guiding principle should always be that the man placed in office be the one selected either by the whole community acting unanimously in the fear of God, or by some part of the community, no matter how small, which possesses some sounder judgment. Goodness of life and wisdom in teaching must be the criteria for choosing the one to be made abbot, even if he is the last in community rank."

We spent four days in prayerful discernment during our Chapter of Election. It was an amazing experience to consider all the sisters' gifts & talents, and how those could be shared as the prioress of our community. All throughout the prayer and discussion and prayer and balloting and prayer and more voting, I found a great peace in the faith that Jesus Christ was guiding our discernment through the gift of the Spirit (for which we prayed at every celebration of our Liturgy of the Hours). The culmination of these days was our 'canonical' election which is the decisive balloting for prioress. Our sister Penny Bingham was chosen as prioress of Sacred Heart Monastery.

Following the election were the two most enheartening parts of the whole process (for me). We all approached Sr. Penny, placed our hands in hers or hugged her, and offered our support. I have to admit to a few tears in my eyes as our elders would come up to her and offer their prayers with great love in their voices. The agape with wine and homemade bread was a wonderfully joy filled time as well. The sisters celebrated in the Chapter room with Sr. Baker's fresh bread in one hand, a bit of wine in the other, and greeted each other with hope, joy, and faith-filled anticipation for our future. It was beautiful to listen to the blessed sound of laughter fill the room.

Blessings,