On the Feast of Saint Isidore the Farmer

Greetings,

As we look out over our flower beds, orchard, and vegetable garden, it is natural for us to join in the Church celebration of the memorial for Saint Isidore the Farmer.  Many of our own sisters have come from rural farming families and small towns throughout the plains states.  Even our community's mission statement reflects these roots:  Rooted in our rural heritage and growing in relationship with God and one another in monastic community; we life a life of prayer, work, and lectio by which we serve God and God's people in our time and place. 

We invite you to take time today with Saint Isidore; go out into the beauty of nature and consider the gift of creation renewed by God each day.

Bless, O God, those who live close to the land.
Bless them as You blessed Jesus, Mary and Joseph. They, our model of family life knew the struggles, the fears, the joys, and the rewards of life in a rural area. 
Help us all to be aware of the quiet beauty of night, the fresh green growth on trees and all plants, and the songs of birds, and to give thanks for all of these. 
May we always show respect for all of creation. Bless each of us and help us grow in love and unity with You and with each other. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Solemnity of Saint Joseph

A summer day at the Saint Joseph
grotto at Sacred Heart Monastery.

Prayer to St. Joseph,
Protector of Homes

Sisters and guests can pause
to pray at Saint Joseph's grotto
between the Stations
of our Sorrowful Way.

Pour forth heaven's blessings on our families.
Remain in our midst. Help us to live in love and harmony, in peace and joy. May the wholesome fear of God strengthen us that virtue may adorn what we do and our way may lead to heaven. 

To you this day we give you the key to our dwelling places. Lock out all things that could do us harm. Lock our homes and loved ones with us in the hearts of Jesus and Mary. This we beg of you that our days may be like your days in the holy home at Nazareth. Amen.

Celebrating the Feast of Saint Scholastica

Happy Feast Day!

Tomorrow, the Church honors Saint Scholastica with a day of Memorial and the title Virgin; Benedictine's honor her life of great love and prayer.  All we know of her was shared by Saint Gregory the Great in his Dialogues.  The story of her great love for her brother and her God is one of the first we learn as new members in Benedictine life...and the next several years in the monastery seeking to follow that storied model of faithful love and prayer.  Symbols of her faithful love and patronage are seen throughout the the monastery as we prepare to celebrate.

Saint Scholastica is a patroness for protection from storm (or for those in need of rain) and her icons often include the lightning and rain, the result of her deep prayer.  Her patronage is also called upon by Benedictine abbesses and prioress today with the symbols of the Rule and Crosier.  Finally, Scholastica is also the patroness of all Benedictine sisters and nuns; the dove, a reminder of her souls flight into heaven, is a reminder of our charism and call to "seek God in everyone and everything, everyday of our lives."

We invite you to join us in celebrating Saint Scholastica's feast day.
The monastery will be praying the Divine Office in Bishop Marty Chapel:
First Vespers ~ Monday, February 9th ~ 5:15 PM
Lauds followed by the Celebration of the Eucharist ~ Tuesday, February 10th ~ 6:30AM
Second Vespers ~ Tuesday, February 10th ~ 5:15PM
If you cannot join us for the feast, you can join in the festive prayer with a prayerful recitation of Psalms 16, 100, 84, or 145 and a reflective reading of Saint Gregory the Great's Dialogues telling about Saint Scholastica.

"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."
(Song of Songs 8:7)" ~ Vespers Antiphon

Book II of the Dialogues: The Life of Saint Benedict: Chapter 33
GREGORY: Who is there, Peter, in this world, that is in greater favor with God than St. Paul? Three times he petitioned our Lord to be delivered from the thorn of the flesh, and yet he did not obtain his petition. Speaking of that, I must tell you how there was one thing which the venerable father Benedict would have liked to do, but he could not.  His sister, named Scholastica, was dedicated from her infancy to our Lord. Once a year she came to visit her brother. The man of God went to her not far from the gate of his monastery, at a place that belonged to the Abbey. It was there he would entertain her. Once upon a time she came to visit according to her custom, and her venerable brother with his monks went there to meet her.

They spent the whole day in the praises of God and spiritual talk, and when it was almost night, they dined together. As they were yet sitting at the table, talking of devout matters, it began to get dark. The holy Nun, his sister, entreated him to stay there all night that they might spend it in discoursing of the joys of heaven. By no persuasion, however, would he agree to that, saying that he might not by any means stay all night outside of his Abbey.At that time, the sky was so clear that no cloud was to be seen. The Nun, hearing this denial of her brother, joined her hands together, laid them on the table, bowed her head on her hands, and prayed to almighty God.

Lifting her head from the table, there fell suddenly such a tempest of lightning and thundering, and such abundance of rain, that neither venerable Benedict, nor his monks that were with him, could put their heads out of doors. The holy Nun, having rested her head on her hands, poured forth such a flood of tears on the table, that she transformed the clear air to a watery sky.

After the end of her devotions, that storm of rain followed; her prayer and the rain so met together, that as she lifted up her head from the table, the thunder began.  So it was that in one and the very same instant that she lifted up her head, she brought down the rain.

The man of God, seeing that he could not, in the midst of such thunder and lightning and great abundance of rain return to his Abbey, began to be heavy and to complain to his sister, saying: "God forgive you, what have you done?" She answered him, "I desired you to stay, and you would not hear me; I have desired it of our good Lord, and he has granted my petition. Therefore if you can now depart, in God's name return to your monastery, and leave me here alone." 

But the good father, not being able to leave, tarried there against his will where before he would not have stayed willingly. By that means, they watched all night and with spiritual and heavenly talk mutually comforted one another. 

Therefore, by this we see, as I said before, that he would have had one thing, but he could not effect it.  For if we know the venerable man's mind, there is no question but that he would have had the same fair weather to have continued as it was when he left his monastery.  He found, however, that a miracle prevented his desire. A miracle that, by the power of almighty God, a woman's prayers had wrought. Is it not a thing to be marveled at, that a woman, who for a long time had not seen her brother, might do more in that instance than he could? She realized, according to the saying of St. John, "God is charity" [1 John 4:8]. Therefore, as is right, she who loved more, did more.

Book II of the Dialogues: The Life of Saint Benedict: Chapter 34:  

GREGORY: The next day the venerable woman returned to her monastery, and the man of God to his abbey. Three days later, standing in his cell, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he beheld the soul of his sister (which was departed from her body) ascend into heaven in the likeness of a dove.

Rejoicing much to see her great glory, with hymns and praise he gave thanks to almighty God, and imparted the news of her death to his monks.  He sent them presently to bring her corpse to his Abbey, to have it buried in that grave which he had provided for himself. By this means it fell out that, as their souls were always one in God while they lived, so their bodies continued together after their deaths.

Let us pray:  
Saint Schoalstica, you who have followed the example of your older brother Benedict
in serving Jesus Christ with love and silent prayer, 
grant me the desire to know and love more and more
God who created and redeemed me.  Amen.

Happy Feast of Saints Maur and Placid!

Happy Feastday!

Today, Benedictines celebrate two saints mentioned in the Book Two of the Dialogues telling about the Life of Saint Benedict.  In chapter seven, Saint Gregory the Great tells the story of Maur walking, well running, upon the water to save young Placid.  The story's emphasis isn't about the miracle, but Maur's humble obedience in following the will of Abbot Benedict and God.  Benedict's Rule teaches that:

"The first degree of humility is obedience without delay. This is the virtue of those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ; who, because of the holy service they have professed, and the fear of hell, and the glory of life everlasting, as soon as anything has been ordered by the Superior, receive it as a divine command and cannot suffer any delay in executing it.  Of these the Lord says, "As soon as he heard, he obeyed Me".  And again to teachers He says, "He who hears you, hears Me" ... 

But this very obedience will be acceptable to God and pleasing to all only if what is commanded is done without hesitation, delay, lukewarmness, grumbling, or objection.  For the obedience given to Superiors is given to God, since He Himself has said, "He who hears you, hears Me".  And the disciples should offer their obedience with good will, for "God loves a cheerful giver"...   (Rule of Benedict Chapter 5).  

Benedict calls for not only a faithful obedience to the superior but also a cheerful and heartfelt obedience to our community (Rule of Benedict, Chapter 71). Celebrating this dual Feast of Saints Maur and Placid is call for us to celebrate our loving service to each other.  We invite you to read Saint Gregory the Great's story of the young saints and find a word or two to call you to care for your community today.

Once while blessed Benedict was in his room, one of his monks, the boy Placid, went down to get some water. In letting the bucket fill too rapidly, he lost his balance and was pulled into the lake, where the current quickly seized him and carried him about a stone's throw from the shore. Though inside the monastery at the time, the man of God was instantly aware of what had happened and instantly called out to Maurus: "Hurry, Brother Maurus! The boy who just went down for water has fallen into the lake, and the current is carrying him away!  

What followed was remarkable indeed, and unheard of since the time of Peter the apostle! Maurus asked for the blessing and on receiving it hurried out to fulfill his abbot's command. He kept on running even over the water until he reached the place where Placid was drifting along helplessly. Pulling him up by the hair, Maurus rushed back to shore, still under the impression that he was on dry ground that he came to himself and looking back realized that he had been running on the surface of the water. Overcome with fear and amazement at a deed he would never have thought possible, he returned to his abbot and told him what had taken place. 

The holy man would not take any personal credit for the deed but attributed it to the obedience of his disciple. Maurus on the contrary claimed that it was due entirely to his abbot's command. He could not have been responsible for the miracle himself, he said, since he had not even known he was performing it. While they were carrying on this friendly contest of humility, the question was settled by the boy who had been rescued. "When I was being drawn out of the water," he told them, "I saw the abbot's cloak over my head; he is the only I thought was bringing me to shore."  

Peter:  What marvelous deeds these are! they are sure to prove inspiring to all who hear of them. Indeed, the more you tell me about this great man, the more eager I am to keep on listening (Book Two of the Dialogues: Life of Saint Benedict Chapter 7).

Blessings and Happy Feast!

In Honor of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

Greetings,

Today, the Church honors Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. In celebrating her, we seek to honor and celebrate the faith and courage of the Native American peoples and tribes of North America. Our community has ministered with the native peoples of the Dakotas beginning as early as the 1880's. We continued to serve on various reservations throughout North and South Dakota through 2000. We were honored to share our faith and community life with the peoples of the Dakotas. To learn more about our early ministry, follow this link to Our History as Yankton Benedictines.

Celebrating the Saints!

Greetings,

We celebrate God's Divine Mercy that He shared with us through His generous servants, Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.  We join the Church in honoring the continued service and intercession of these two saints of God.

Saint John XXIII of Rome and Saint John Paul II pray for us!

See our Facebook page for the intercessory prayers (shared by the Vatican) for these two new saints.

Celebrating the Communion of Saints

Greetings,

The month of November includes many feasts important to our Benedictine community; however, it begins with two days sacred to the whole Church.  The Solemnity of All Saints and the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed are days of celebrating all of our beloved in the Communion of Saints.  We honor the saints great and small and tell stories of our loved ones who have died.

We invite you to join our prayer through these images and antiphons from our Divine Office and Eucharistic celebrations:

"Let us keep festival in honor of all the saints giving God
the glory for the grace bestowed on humankind."
~ Vespers Call to Prayer

"Hallelujah! With my whole heart I praise the Lord among the just.
Great are God's works, a delight to explore.
In splendor, in majesty, God's justice will stand." ~ Psalm 111

"Imitate God, walk in his love, just as Christ loves us."
~ Lauds Antiphon

Reliquary and Relics in veneration (left to right):

* Saints Maur, Benedict, and Placid

* Saints Alexi, Herman, Benedict, Agatha, and Severanta

* Saints Seodati and Amandi 

* Saint Grucis

* Saints Gertrude, Scholastica, and Boniface

* Saint Benedict

* Saints Donald, Ursini, and Victoria

"...They have come out of the great tribulation and
have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.
They need fear no peril or danger
for the Lamb will shepherd them..."

~ Lauds Responsory

* Saints Gertrude, Scholastica, and Boniface

* Saint Benedict

* Saints Donald, Ursini, and Victoria

"Give glory as the name of God deserves;
bring gifts into the courts of the Most High.
Adore God in the splendor of holiness.
Earth, tremble before the Holy Presence!"
~ Psalm 96

* Saint Grata

Our relic of Saint Benedict was carried
during the procession into Chapel for Mass.

"Let me peak your praise, O Lord, let all peoples bless
your holy name forever, for ages unending." ~ Psalm 145

Reliquary and Relics in veneration (left to right):

* Saints Speciosa, Fortunata, Nicolas, and Theodore

* Saints Columban, Victoria, Ursula, Crescenta, Desidii, and Gereon

"I will give you glory, O God my king, I will bless your name forever.
I will bless you day after day and praise your name forever.
You are great, Lord, highly to be praised, your greatness
cannot be measured." ~ Psalm 145

"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" 

(Rule of Benedict, Prologue: 49-50).

"From the earth you formed me, with flesh you clothed me;
Christ my Redeemer, raise me up again at the last day."
~ Lauds Antiphon

Blessings,

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!

Saint Joseph the Worker

Happy Feast!

The Diocese of Sioux Falls celebrates Saint Joseph the Worker as their patron.  Our sisters join in this commemoration with prayer for our diocese and Bishop Paul Swain on this day. 

However, this day honors not only St. Joseph, but also the labor of his hands that he taught to Jesus.  They are blest who continue to carry out God's command to steward all of His creation through their work, and they are blest who seek to honor all with labor that helps to lift up Catholic Social Teaching: the dignity of work and the rights of the worker.

"Joseph, the faithful and prudent steward,
you have been set over the household of the Lord."
~Vespers Antiphon

Eve of the (March) Feast of Benedict

Saint Benedict, framed by angels, above the altar in his cell
at his monastery, Monte Cassino.

Greetings,

Tonight, we begin our celebration of Saint Benedict, by commemorating his death we celebrate his life in Christ.  At our Monastery, this Eve of the Feast is celebrated with chanted Vespers.  The Lenten purple will not be completely shaken off for this feast.  However, a more festive joy in the day will pervade our Liturgy of the Hours, Mass, and community meals. 

"Come let us join with the angels and saints in offering thanks and praise to the Lord on this the solemnity of our Father Benedict."  Vespers Antiphon on the Eve of the Feast

Pope to canonize and name Hildegard of Bingen as Doctor of the Church

Greetings,

It is exciting to learn that our much beloved Hildegard of Bingen is going to be "Sainted" this fall and then proclaimed as a "Doctor of the Church"!  Benedictine monks and sisters have long celebrated her wisdom and faith and studied her work.  It is a blessing that now we can share her with the wider Church.  To learn more about Hildegard, American Catholic has already added her to their listing of the saints and Pope Benedict XVI shared a series of teaching about her during his General Audiences on both September 1st and Semptember 8th of 2010.

Blessings,