On Prayer

Finally ... just after the halfway mark in this most sacred of seasons, we share the third part of our Lenten reflections of St. Francis de Sales: on prayer.

In a letter to St. Jane de Chantal, St. Francis de Sales shares this thought on prayer. It is so characteristic of his own personal relationship with the Lord that it needs little commentary. It is a message which seems to be just as useful and helpful today as it was almost 400 years ago:

"The essence of prayer is not to be found in always being on our knees but in keeping our wills clearly united to God's will in all events. The soul which holds itself ready and open to yield itself obediently on any occasion, and which receives itself these occasions lovingly as sent from God, can do this even while sweeping the floor."

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us not be discouraged when things do not proceed as we hoped they might. Let us "hold ourselves ready" for what the Lord's will of good pleasure has in store for us -- even amid the daily chores of sweeping floors and washing dishes.

Shameless Promotion ... once again!

At the suggestion of some of the college students who join us for Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, we are hosting a "Fish Fry" next week. This is a new concept for those of us who are not familiar with southern customs. Since we couldn't host another "Monastic Meatball Supper" on a Friday during Lent we think the idea is a great one! We'll be providing the fish and nuns and our young friends will be providing dessert and salad. In addition to the food listed on our poster, we will also be serving "hush puppies." This is a new food for those of us who have never been to a Fish Fry. Our sisters were afraid to promise this delicacy on the poster lest some think we are offering men's shoes! For locals who are interested, kindly email us for more information.

Dessert During Lent?!

Yes, dessert during Lent ... and it's not even Laetare Sunday! This is a different sort of dessert: these Brownies from the 2nd grade troop at Holy Trinity were a real treat. They arrived on Tuesday afternoon with oodles of girl scout cookies to share with us.

Raise your hand if you want to be a nun when you grow up.

Faith rocks!

After they delivered their cookies to us, we shared a snack with the troop (cranberry juice and popcorn balls) we gave them some of our "faith rocks," smooth river stones that have virtues engraved into their smooth surface. It was a few days too late to call it a "Brownie Sunday" but we surely enjoyed our "Brownie Tuesday" and we are grateful for the gift of cookies. We'll be sure to think of our local 2nd grade troop when we eat their cookies.

From Zero to Sixty!

A week ago today we had a snow day and here, a week later, we are able to open our windows and enjoy 60+ weather. This is an aerial view (well ... the closest we could come, from our 4th floor porch) of our snow from last Monday. Stay tuned this week for the third part of our Lenten posts (On Almsgiving, On Fasting) .... on prayer.

On Almsgiving

We might hear someone say, "What are you giving up for Lent?" but we seldom hear someone say, "What are you giving AWAY for Lent?" Almsgiving is traditionally associated with the prayer and fasting that accompany this sacred season. When we deny ourselves something as an act of sacrifice we might also think that the empty space we've created -- be it in our hearts (or our stomachs) is a place which is open to the Lord.

The more we remove our own needs and concerns from our hearts and fill those spaces with the Lord, the more we become eager to notice and to respond to the needs of those around us. Whether we are knitting caps for a homeless shelter (as some of our number are doing -- more on this in a future post) or simply being more aware of a coworker who looks sad, our "empty space" makes us richer. We have more to give away: more attention, more concern, more love. Almsgiving is not just about writing a check to our favorite charity (although we are sure glad that some of our benefactors continue to give alms in this way) it is about allowing our sacrifices and our prayer to make room in our hearts for those around us.

"Deprive yourself frequently of some part of your property by bestowing it with a willing heart upon the poor. To give away what we have is to impoverish ourselves in proportion as we give; the more we give, the poorer we become. It is true that God will repay us not only in the next world but even in this world. Nothing makes us so prosperous in this world as to give alms."
St. Francis de Sales

On Fasting (Part II): Door to Hospitality

In his December 2008 Message for the Season of Lent 2009, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI focuses on the Lenten practice of fasting. Among his thought (and prayer) provoking comments is the notion that fasting can be a sign of hospitality in our hearts if not in our actions. He suggests that, "By freely embracing an act of self-denial for the sake of another, we make a statement that our brother or sister in need is not a stranger." We can do this in a very traditional manner by foregoing some food that we do not need. We can do this in other ways, too. By refraining from television or our use of the Internet or text messaging, etc., we can invite into our hearts those in our world for whom technology is an unknown experience. Perhaps we might walk to work or bike to work and, for a day or two and welcome into our hearts, those in our world who do not have cars or mass transit available to them. As we choose our acts of self-denial this Lent, let us open wide the doors of our heart to those, near and far, who are less fortunate than we. Let us invite them into our consciousness and our prayers by our little acts of sacrifice.

The Holy Father points out, in his message, the many fruits of fasting and how easily its meaning can be occluded in light of society's focus on our care for our bodies --no doubt a symptom of our culture's obsession with body image and dieting. It should be noted, however, that the spiritual discipline of fasting -- be it from food or from other goods in our life -- is a delicate tool, to be treated with care. To divorce it from its spiritual dimension and to observe only the discipline of fasting is to forfeit its fruit. To partake of it to an excessive degree is to risk losing our ability and our will to fast. Our own Holy Father, St. Francis de Sales had a lot to say about moderation in fasting. We share here a selection:

"I disapprove of long and immoderate fasting, especially for the young. I have learned by experience that when the colt grows weary it turns aside, and so when young people become delicate by excessive fasting, they readily take to self-indulgence. The stag does not run with due speed either when over fat or too thin, and we are in peril of temptation both when the body is overfed or underfed; in the one case it grows indolent, in the other it sinks through depression, and if we cannot bear with it in the first case, neither can it bear with us in the last. A want of moderation in the use of fasting, discipline and austerity has made many a one useless in works of charity during the best years of his life."
St. Francis de Sales

On Fasting (Part I): Follow the Community

As we begin this most sacred season of Lent, we share two thoughts on the topic of fasting. Today we share some advice from our Holy Father, St. Francis de Sales and on Sunday we will share an insight from our current Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. Both sentiments point toward the same end of fasting with the proper spiritual disposition.

St. Francis de Sales cautions us to "follow the community" in all things. This is not to say that everyone in one community, family, house, etc., has to observe Lent in the same way but that we strive to be faithful to a practice which is both suitable and appropriate. Sometimes we can feel discouraged about our own Lenten practices when we hear about the "heroic" feats that others have set out to accomplish. At other times, we may feel pleased with our own spiritual undertakings when we compare ourselves to a colleague or friend. St. Francis de Sales rescues us from this most human of temptations:

"Let the strong and robust eat what is given then, keeping the fast and austerities which are marked, and let them be content with that. Let the week and infirm receive what is offered them for their infirmity, without wishing to do what the robust do. Let neither group amuse themselves looking to see what this one eats and what that one does not eat."

Rwandan Visitation!

Father Romain visits with Sister Jacqueline, Sister Raphael and Sister Anne Francis, after he spoke to our community.

Just two weeks ago we were blessed to have a "visit" and a taste of the Eternal City and this week we were privileged to welcome Rwandan priest Father Romain Rurangirwa to our campus. Father came to speak to our junior religion classes as well as our French IV classes. Yesterday morning Father came to the monastery to speak to our community about his experience in the genocides in 1994. Father lost his entire family to the genocides: his parents, eight siblings and numerous nieces and nephews.

His story is an inspiring example of reconciliation and healing. It is a story about how the wounds of one man have helped to heal the wounds of others. Father left the seminary in the hopes of finding his family. During this time, he was moved by the example of priests and religious who poured out their lives to help the widows and orphans left behind after the killings. Despite the devastation of not finding his family, Father found, in the faces of those who survived and needed care, the faces of his lost family members and the face of Christ. Out of his wounds and grief, he brought healing to others.

Ordained in 1996 for the diocese of Butare, Rwanda, Father Romain has made retreats with our sisters at the Visitation Monastery of Save, located in his diocese. A small world, indeed! We are grateful for his example and his visit!

St. Valentine's Day - Follow Up

As a bit of a follow-up to our post about Valentine's day, we thought we'd share two great links about this sacred and secular feast. The English program on Vatican radio did a 9-minute spot about this feastday / holiday and its origin. Click here to hear the MP3 file. In addition, and as a timely piece for Valentine's Day, Vatican Radio also did a short explanation of the Retrouvaille program which helps couples in marriages which are in danger of separation or divorce. The program boasts of a 70-80% success rate for couples who complete a Retrouvaille weekend. Click here for the MP3 about this amazing program. If you know someone you who might benefit from this program or if you would like to learn more about it, click here to visit their website.

"A generous heart does not know how to refuse anything to God. It demands nothing, placing all its confidence is his strength."
St. Jane de Chantal

Everyday is Valentine's Day

As Valentine's Day approaches, it seems appropriate to remark on this holiday from a Christian viewpoint. The various legends about St. Valentine all point toward themes of love. Surely the "real" St. Valentine -- whoever he was -- was a holy man whose virtue was motivated by a sincere love of the Lord and of his fellow men.

It is no secret that this religious observance of a saint has evolved into a widespread secular holiday celebrated with gifts of flowers, chocolates, conversation hearts, balloons, and many other media which all beg the recipient to "Be My Valentine." It might be said that when someone agrees to be a "valentine" she -- or he -- agrees to give her heart to the beloved giver of the chocolates, or candy hearts or flowers, etc.

The act of giving over one's heart, however, should not be a once a year affair for the serious Christian! In fact, we might say that every day is Valentine's Day. The moment on the seashore when Peter and Andrew and James and John left their nets and their livelihood to follow the Lord was, perhaps, the first "Valentine's Day" as these men gave their hearts to the Lord forever in that one action of leaving all things to follow Him. For each of us, let us examine our pilgrim journey and recall the day when the Lord captured our hearts; for we may look upon that as a kind of "Valentine's Day" in our own love affiar with the Lord. There may not have been chocolates or flowers or conversation hearts, but surely there was something which drew us to his Most Sacred Heart. And this same heart awaits us daily. The Lord invites us, each day, to be his "Valentine" and give him our hearts once more.

"O when we hear this divine Heart, as it sings with a voice of infinite sweetness the canticle of praise to the divinity, what joy, what efforts of our hearts to spring up to heaven that we may ever hear it! And truly this dear friend of our hearts invites us to this. Arise, make haste, leave yourself and take flight towards me, my dove, my beautiful, unto this heavenly abode, where all is joy and nothing is heard but praises and benedictions."
St. Francis de Sales

The Eternal City in our Home

Perhaps our readers will remember that we've mentioned -- on occasion -- that there is never a dull moment in the monastery. (See previous posts here, here, here, and here about life in the monastery never being dull!)

This week, a touch of the Eternal City comes to us, right here on the second floor of our school building! The annual fund raiser for the Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas, an international (and Ecumenical) community of theology students located in the heart of Rome, will be held here on Tuesday evening. An all-star line-up is planned including Scripture scholar, Rev. Donald Senior, CP and Dr. Aurelie Hagstrom, professor of Scripture at Providence College. In keeping with our Holy Father's theme for the Pauline year, the topic of the presentation is "The Apostle and His Message for the 21st Century." The evening promises an engaging presentation, delicious refreshments and stellar company at the pre and post-lecture reception. Click here for more details about the Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas and here for more information about Tuesday night's benefit program. (With programming like this on our own campus, who needs cable television?!)

Spiritual Savings

Sometimes we can be tempted to "save up" things that we think we will need in the future. On a practical material level, this is often a prudent decision. On a spiritual level, however, it does not always work the same way. We cannot have a "storehouse" of spiritual graces that we have saved up from another day. If, with the grace of God, we have overcome a tendency to speak unkindly of our neighbor, it does not mean that we will never again be surprised by that same temptation. We cannot rest comfortably upon our "savings account" of graces. We must depend upon the Lord to provide what we need each day.

In today's Gospel, when Our Lord asks the apostles to take nothing with them on the journey, we can think of how we sometimes might like to depend upon our own resources. There are times when this is appropriate, but if we become too confident in our own ability to spread the Gospel, to be faithful Christians, to resist daily temptations, etc., we can forget that it is the Lord who provides our needs. The material dependence that the apostles manifested when they cast out demons and preached the good news of the Kingdom, is a symbol of the spiritual dependence that we should strive maintain in our daily lives. For it is by the grace of God that are able to take even one spiritual step in St. Paul's "good race" that we all strive to run.

"This kind of favor requires to be offered by way of invitation, persuasion, and solicitation, not violently and forcibly thrust upon a man, and hence it is done by way of desire, not of absolute will. It is the same with regard to the signified will of God: for in this, God desires with a true desire that we should do what he makes known, and to this end he provides us with all things necessary, exhorting and urging us to make use of them."
St. Francis de Sales

Hey YOU!

Many of our readers will, no doubt, have seen the news that the Vatican has launched its own channel on the famous You Tube service.

If you haven't yet visited the Vatican's channel, you can visit it here and check out video clips from Vatican as well as links to Vatican Radio, the Vatican website and the official website of Vatican City State, celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.

What might St. Francis de Sales have to say about the Pope signing on to the web-service that allows you to "broadcast yourself?" He would probably be the first to congratulate the Vatican for and the His Holiness for using the resources available to spread the Gospel. St. Francis de Sales didn't earn his title as "patron saint of journalism" by accident. During his time in the Chablais, St. Francis de Sales copied, by hand, many of his sermons and distributed them widely by slipping them under the doors of those who had strayed from the faith. These sermons later became known as "The Controversies" and, more recently, the title was "sanitized" and the works are now known as "Meditations on the Church." His creativity in dissemination of information won him the patronage of journalists. Pope Benedict is surely keeping up with the media of our day by bravely launching a Vatican channel on You Tube. Bravo!

Snow Day!

Even the dog likes a snow day! Nick, our faithful guard dog, got some extra playing time today as various sisters decided to test out the pack-ability of the snow. To no avail they mounded together handfuls of our first snowfall of the year; the snow proved to be impossible to pack and therefore we had no snowball fights, no snow-nuns to show off ... and no one attempted a snow-angel (so far). All refectory trays appear to be untouched, which is an indication that no one (or should we say, "no nun") has "borrowed" them to go sledding down the hill at the top of our property. (Maybe tomorrow.)

Nicholas is also the only resident of the monastery who taste-tested the snow. Several times, when his favorite neon tennis ball found its way onto the snow-covered grass, Nicholas decided to sample the snow's flavor and consistency before retrieving his ball. Since he uttered no complaints, we can presume that the snow tasted as good as it looked!

Salesian Theme Song!

As we celebrate the Solemnity of our Holy Father, St. Francis de Sales, we share a one-minute peek into the Divine Office for the day. The Canticle of Mary, at second Vespers for this Solemnity is probably the closest thing we have to a "theme song." It is comprised of the concluding lines of Book XII of St. Francis de Sales' "Treatise on the Love of God" and the music was composed especially for our Monasteries in the United States. (Many other members of the Salesian family borrow this lovely antiphon and many of our "Sunday regulars" are familiar with it since we also use it on special occasions throughout the year.) Do enjoy a short visit to Vespers with us!

"Live Jesus, Jesus whom I love. Live Jesus whom I love. Jesus who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen!"
St. Francis de Sales

A "Palatial" Feast

It makes sense that on today's feast of Saint Agnes two lambs are blessed and their wool is collected for a special purpose. The origin of this custom is somewhat obscure. It is likely that Roman Christians would have been familiar with the pagan custom of offering lambs to the goddess of shepherding, Pales. The temple of Pales is speculated to have been located near the forum on the Palatine hill. When many important (and wealthy) Romans built their homes close to the forum, these mansions became known as palaces. It is possible that they "baptized" this custom in honor of the young virgin martyr.

The wool from the two lucky lambs is woven into pallia, which can be seen on the shoulders of archbishops (when presiding at Mass in their own dioceses), patriarchs and the Pope himself. The pallia made from this year's wool are placed above the relics of St. Peter on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. They rest there until they are bestowed upon the new archbishops. Although "pallium" and the goddess "Pales" sound similar, it is unlikely that the vestment owes its name to the Roman deity. More likely, the long white garment used as outerwear for a woman, a palla or the rectangular garment worn by Greeks, the pallium is responsible for the moniker of this sacred vestment.

"If the martyrs had looked upon their torments outside this good-pleasure, how could they have sung, in chains and flames? The truly loving heart loves God's good-pleasure not in consolations only but in afflictions also; yes, it loves it better upon the cross in pains and difficulties, because the principal effect of love is to make the lover suffer for the thing beloved."
St. Francis de Sales

Coming to Jesus

In today's familiar account of St. Andrew calling his brother to meet the Messiah, we are reminded of one of our most important responsibilities as Christians: bringing others to Christ. Who knew, beside Jesus, how significant Peter's role would be in that first evangelization. Yet, we see that it was his brother Andrew who led him to Jesus.

We can never know what will become of someone whose life is changed when he meets the Lord. By our words, our actions, our example, we can imitate St. Andrew and lead others to Christ. In our workplace we may not be in a position to preach the Gospel as the apostles did, but the way in which we treat our colleagues can speak volumes. In our families, we may be ridiculed if we tried to preach the Gospel with the zeal of the apostles, but by showing interest in the daily life of our brothers and sisters or parents and in-laws being and by being patient with the idiosyncrasies of those with whom we live so closely, we may interest others to "come and see" the source of our joy. We, like Andrew, can bring our brothers and sisters a bit closer to Jesus by the manner in which we live.

"Neither tenderness nor desolation, shall be able to separate us from that Holy Love, whose foundation is in Christ Jesus. Such a fixed resolution never to forsake God, or let go of His Precious Love, serves as ballast to our souls, and will keep them steadfast amid the endless changes and chances of this our natural life."
St. Francis de Sales

A Thing of Beauty

A week and a half ago something beautiful happened: a 23 year-old woman said "Yes" to the Lord. We don't often hear about Consecrated Virgins but they are around and they are a beautiful witness to the kingdom of God.

Our community is privileged to have met Jenna several years ago when she made a retreat with us. She is thoughtful, prayerful, interested, interesting and has a great sense of humor. She is an artist, a student, a thinker, a "pray-er" ... and a lovely young woman. You can visit her blog here and read a bit more about her here in "The Catholic New York." Please join us in thanking God for the witness and the gift of this young woman's life.

"But if you are happily called to be the chaste and holy bride of spiritual nuptials, and purpose to live a life of virginity, then in Christ’s Name I bid you keep all your purest, most sensitive love for your Heavenly Bridegroom, Who, being Very Purity Himself, has a special love for purity; Him to Whom the first-fruits of all good things are due, above all those of love."
St. Francis de Sales

The Humility of John

In today's Gospel we hear something of the humility of St. John the Baptist, a humility we are invited to imitate. Not only does he reiterate for his disciples that he is not the Christ, but he speaks of the joy in being the bridegroom's friend, a joy that is complete even as John decreases and Christ increases. In a way, there is something about John's humility which goes against the grain of our human instincts. We are not accustomed to finding joy in situations where we "decrease" and another person "increases."

John's role as the "bridegrooms friend" brought him great joy because it brought him to honesty about his own role. John knew that he was not the Christ. He knew that he was the forerunner. There were no illusions of grandeur about John's role in Salvation history. And his joy was a joy that was born in truth. When we do not claim to be anyone other than who we are, we are poised to receive the Lord's gift of joy -- the joy that belongs to those who, in humility, accept their gifts and limitations. We may not be as smart, as attractive, as tall, as charming, etc., as we would like to be, but when we feign something that is not honest, we forfeit our chance to receive this joy.

"Oh, how far was St. John's spirit from that of our times! . . . We, on the other hand, are extremely receptive to the honors that are extended to us! Our human nature is anxious to attract whatever is to its advantage . . . . Our self love is such that it draws to itself all the glory that in any way belongs to it but also that which in no way belongs to it. . . . We act quite differently from the glorious St. John, who is not content simply to reject what does not belong to him; he even refuses what he could justly have accepted."
St. Francis de Sales

The Queen of the Bean!

Pictured above is a very special pink jelly bean. This year, it heralded the Epiphany queen. Some years it has been an M&M and other years a different sort of bean, but this year, buried deep inside a piece of pineapple-pecan fruitcake was the bean pictured above. The cake on the plate belonged to our dear Sister Mary Immaculata. After many "queen-less" years of religious life, Sister Immaculata was delighted to be this year's Epiphany Queen (of the bean).

Sister Immaculata is crowned by last year's Queen, Sister Leonie Therese and our lovely visiting vocational retreatant (who is responsible for the bead-work on the crown). Stay tuned for a short video featuring some end-of-year activities as well as scenes from the Epiphany play where the Irish, Colombian and Italian kings, bearing native gifts, visit Mary and Jesus ... and a late-arriving Joseph (immigration problems at the Judean boarder!).