Gardenin' Angels Part II

It almost looks like a garden!

After our first garden party of the season, we've had some other gardenin' angels who have helped to make the 27' x 75' vegetable plot look like a garden. Someone was outside early yesterday morning because an entire bed full of weeds disappeared overnight -- literally! It might have been the squirrels -- offering help for all the produce they eat -- becuase most of our sisters are still sore from Saturday's book-moving-escapade! Pictured below, Sister Mary de Sales, on her way out for a walk, stops for a few minutes to clean some weeds among the tomatoes and onions.

Coming soon ... colorful pictures of the non-edible section of the monastery garden (which is just about everything outside the green fence!)

Nuns Stopping Traffic (and Neighbors!)

It was an ordinary Saturday until 7.15pm when, during recreation, the doorbell rang and the latest "shipment" of the new 400th Anniversary book arrived. Earlier this year we published a new history of the Order of the Visitation in the United States (soon to be available for purchase on line!) Neighbors stopped their cars to take pictures of nuns unloading the 125 cartons of books. Some neighbors even stopped to help!

Our good friend Michelle McAndrews (far right, top picture) was kind enough to use her business truck to collect the 5,000 books from our Monastery in Rockville, Virgina where they had been residing.

Book-signing at a moment's notice!

As neighbors stopped to help, our Sister Archivist decided to inscribe books for each of the recruited book-movers. Sister, along with Mother Mary Berchmans, contributed to several sections of the book.

Who needs a gym membership with housework like this!

When the books were unloaded from the truck, sisters and happy-helpers (recruited neighbors) wheeled them into our vault cellar where another group of sisters strong-armed the boxes into rows and stacks. We figure that at 40 lbs. a carton, the sisters and helpers hauled close to 5,000 lbs. in 45 minutes. Teamwork!

The unloading crew flexes their muscles for the camera.

Thanks to our happy helpers who helped to make light work of a two and a half ton job!

Graduation 2009

With impending thunderstorms safely kept at bay (thanks, no doubt, to fervent prayers from Monday night's Baccalaureate Mass), yesterday morning's graduation was a picture-perfect event. At 11.00am 118 young women arrived at the tent as students; one hour and 55 minutes later, they left as alumnae. We've captured a few highlights to share with our readers. The address to the graduates was delivered by Liz McCartney, class of 1990, CNN's "Hero of the Year" and foundress of the St. Bernard Project. We excerpted a few minutes of Liz' inspiring and amusing remarks about her experiences in New Orleans. In addition, we have included a short sound byte of the student address which traced the journey of the class of 2009 using the metaphor of a diamond being formed in the earth. Do enjoy a visit to the tent on our McNabb field!

Congratulations to the class of 2009!

Transferred Solemnity

Due to the Celebration of Pentecost on Sunday, our celebration of the Solemnity of the Visitation is today, 30 May. As we reflect on the exchange between Mary and Elizabeth, it seems fitting to celebrate their embrace on the eve of the coming of the Holy Spirit. For, "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit."

Mary responded with generosity by going "in haste" to be with her cousin Elizabeth. When we respond generously to the invitations to be generous that come our way each day, we share in Mary's journey to Ain Karem. Just as Mary's visit to Elizabeth brought the blessing of the Holy Spirit to her cousin, so our acts of charity and kindness to those around us also bring the blessing of the Holy Spirit to those whom we serve. For it is remarked that the kindest of people are those who themselves have received many kindnesses. And so when we respond generously to the needs of others and show compassion, kindness, patience, etc., we invite them to open their hearts to the many gifts of the Holy Spirit.

We turn our thoughts and prayers to this beautiful exchange between a young maiden, soon to be the Mother of God and her cousin, soon to give birth to the voice that will announce the coming of our salvation. How joyous must have been that first Visitation. As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Visitation and the eve of Pentecost, we pray to be open and willing instruments of the Lord so that we, like Mary and Elizabeth, may be filled with the Holy Spirit. What better a place to find ourselves than awaiting the gifts of the Spirit. And so we pray with our Holy Mother, Saint Jane de Chantal, "Truly, this is the place of our delight and rest."

All is His

In today's Gospel Our Lord, in his prayer, acknowledges that all he has been given has been given to him by the Father. This window into an intimate communication between the Our Lord and his heavenly Father calls us to consider our own lives. All that we have is a gift from the Father. Even our good works are gifts; for the ability to do good works for others is itself a gift in response to the very desire, given by God, to do a good work.

In a culture that rewards independence and praises individualism, we can be tempted to take ownership for many of our gifts. One sign that we may have begun to stake a claim on things which do not "belong" to us is when we feel an attachment to the outcome of tasks or responsibilities entrusted to us. It is natural to want to see our undertakings turn out well: for us and for those whom we serve. But the "turn out" is not ours to control. We will only be held responsible for how we have set about to do our work -- be it our "job" or the duties proper to our state in life such as raising a family, etc. The means we have of doing our work is a gift from the Lord and so the success -- or lack thereof -- belongs entirely to the Lord, as well. Let us ask for the grace to be good stewards of the gifts which the Lord has given to us ... and for the grace to acknowledge that every good gift belongs to Him who created us.

"Oh how blessed are such souls, bold and strong in the undertakings God proposes to them, and also tractable and flexible in giving them over when God so disposes! These are marks of virtue, to leave off doing a good when God pleases, and to return from half way when God's will, which is our guide, ordains it."
St. Francis de Sales

The Good News

"When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world."

Would that more people in our world might feel inclined to agree with the woman in today's Gospel. But perhaps more people do. Check out this encouraging "Good News" from a May 15th Gallup poll. Deo gratias!

Gardenin' Angels

It's that time of year again ... dirty fingernails, waist-high weeds and fruit punch Gatorade: all essential ingredients for a successful garden party! Sister Leonie Therese, pictured above, makes short work of some stubborn weeds.

Every family has an over-achiever. Meet Sister Rosemarie. The weeds see her coming and they flee. Sister covers more ground (pun intended!) as all the rest of the gardenin' angels put together. And when someone comments on her pace she asks, "Don't you see the host of angels who come down and help me when I work?"

Sister Anne Francis and our helpful vocational retreatant make headway in the south west corner of the vegetable garden. Although there are no "pretty flowers" in the vegetable garden, several other gardenin' angels have been beautifying other areas of the monastery garden with splashes of color and bursts of beauty at every turn.

"Besides all this, I bade you gather a little bouquet of devotion, and what I mean is this. When walking in a beautiful garden most people are wont to gather a few flowers as they go, which they keep, and enjoy their scent during the day. So, when the mind explores some mystery in meditation, it is well to pick out one or more points that have specially arrested the attention, and are most likely to be helpful to you through the day, and this should be done at once before quitting the subject of your meditation."
St. Francis de Sales

A Funny (true) Story

In light of today's Feast of St. Matthias, we'd like to share an amusing (and true) conversation that was (over)heard in the monastery -- several years ago -- between one of our sisters and a great friend of our community who is a devout Baptist.  

Our Baptist friend was asking interesting and insightful questions about the Catholic Church. One question she asked was, "I don't understand, if Jesus says, 'You shall not make my Father's house a marketplace,' and he chased out the money changers, why you Catholics have Bingo in some of your Churches."  Since we don't have Bingo here at the monastery, sister tried to reply in a general (and humorous manner).  With a twinkle in her eye, sister said,  "Well, you see, gambling actually has its roots in the Bible."  Our Baptist friend, who knew her bible well, looked her up and down and said, "Just where does gambling come from in the Bible?"  Trying hard to choke back a smile, sister replied, "In the Acts of the Apostles."  Our Baptist friend didn't know whether to laugh or to take out her bible and take on sister.  She didn't have a chance to decide. Sister continued, "Do you remember -- in the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles -- where the they have to replace Judas, so they 'cast lots' and the 'lot fell to Matthias' ... well, that's the root of the word 'lottery' in English ... so you see, the Apostles had a LOTTERY to choose the successor to Judas ... so having Bingo isn't so bad after all."  Our friend looked at sister with a big smile and repeated, "Jesus chased the moneychangers out of the temple and said not to make his Father's house a marketplace.  I don't have a problem with Bingo ... or the lottery ... I just don't understand why you Catholics have it in Church.  Why don't you all just hold it in the parish hall?"  

We must keep in mind that St. Francis de Sales was writing during the 17th century when "games of chance" were, perhaps, not as harmless as today's parish bingo; his remarks, however, are as amusing as they are insightful:

"Such games are unreasonable:—the winner often has neither skill nor industry to boast of, which is contrary to reason. You reply that this is understood by those who play. But though that may prove that you are not wronging anybody, it does not prove that the game is in accordance with reason, as victory ought to be the reward of skill or labor, which it cannot be in mere games of chance. Moreover, though such games may be called a recreation, and are intended as such, they are practically an intense occupation. Is it not an occupation, when a man’s mind is kept on the stretch of close attention, and disturbed by endless anxieties, fears and agitations? Who exercises a more dismal, painful attention than the gambler?"

A Time to Pick, A Time to Prune

With spring well underway and summer quickly approaching, the monastery garden grows ever more colorful each day (thanks, in no small part, to our gardenin' angels: the sisters who plant a flower here, a bulb there and lovely trios of colorful delights that Sister Mary Blogger couldn't begin to pronounce!) Above, Sister Mada-anne prunes a rosebush while Nick, the monastery watchdog , takes a moment from his snoopervising to pose for the camera.

Today's Gospel speaks a very uncomfortable truth in "garden lingo." Our Lord tells us that the Heavenly Vine-grower will discard any branch that does not bear fruit (sound fair enough) and will prune those that do bear fruit (ouch) so that they may bear more fruit. Anyone who has gardened can attest to these maxims. Pumpkin growers who yield fruit that weigh hundreds of pounds are able to do so only because they pinched off all other fruit bearing flowers from their vine. Strawberry farmers who plant a new crop know the importance of pinching the first fruit-bearing flowers so as to ensure a hearty crop for future years.

And so it is very similar in our own lives. We may feel as though we have made progress in a particular area of our spiritual life or that we have been involved in a worthwhile and fruitful ministry and all of a sudden we find ourselves facing an unexpected impasse. We may feel discouraged or hurt; it can be tempting to ask why God would permit such good "progress" to be frustrated. Sometimes this pruning can take the form of ridicule or unjust accusations; other times it can be experienced as tension in some of our relationships. Whatever form it takes, if we stop and look carefully at our situation, we just might find that it is a call to go deeper into our relationship with the Lord -- to trust Him and to depend on Him more than we have in the past. It is these moments of pruning, of being "cut back", that serve as gateways into fertile fields of growth. We need only to trust the Vine-grower as He clips and trims us.

"Be sure that, if they should succeed in rousing any evil impression against you (clipping the beard of your reputation, as it were), your good name will soon revive, and the razor of slander will strengthen your honour, just as the pruning-knife strengthens the vine and causes it to bring forth more abundant fruit."
St. Francis de Sales

Thou Shalt Not Judge

How often we might find ourselves described by today's Gospel: "If anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn them . . ." Our Lord speaks mercifully about those who listen to him but are unable to live out the Gospel virtues. Another translation reads, "I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them." Surely, when we heard the words of the Lord, we do not intend not to keep them, but sometimes we do not always respond to the grace offered us and we fail to follow the Lord as closely as we had intended. It is important to note that the Lord, in the face of our failings, offers us his mercy and he withholds judgment.

For most of us perhaps we can say that the challenge is not only the places in our own lives where we do not keep the Lord's words but actions of those around us: the opportunities we have to judge -- or to refrain from judging -- those in our midst who appear to us to have fallen short of keeping the Lord's words. When we observe the actions of another person -- at home, at work, in school -- we naturally tend to ascribe to him the motives we might have if we were in his shoes. Sometimes these motives are good and other times, if we are honest, they are not as pure as we might like them to be. The catch, however, is that while we can be certain about the motives we might have in a similar situation, we can never know the many factors which contributed to our neighbor's actions. For all we know, our neighbor may have been heroic in overcoming some other temptation and has fallen short in this other way which is visible to us. In all her humility, our neighbor does not share her "victory" over this or that temptation and all we know is what we have observed. The next time we are tempted to judge the actions of our neighbor, let us pray for the grace to respond in the gentle manner of Our Lord.

"Be sure then often to examine your dealings with your neighbor, whether your heart is right towards him, as you would have his towards you, were things reversed—this is the true test of reason. When Trajan was blamed by his confidential friends for making the Imperial presence too accessible, he replied, 'Does it not behoove me to strive to be such an emperor towards my subjects as I should wish to meet with were I a subject?'”
St. Francis de Sales

The Grace to be Changed

In today's Gospel, the Lord speaks haunting words to some of his early followers, "Do you also want to leave?" It is easy to forget that not all of the Lord's followers persevered in their new lifestyle. For just before this question, the evangelist tells us that "many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer walked with him." This is a very sad but often overlooked aspect of discipleship: not all those who set out to follow the Lord respond to the grace of perseverance.

As is the case in many new undertakings, the beginning steps of following the Lord closely are not always difficult ones and, often, they are lined with consolations and tangible graces. At some point, however, we discover that following the Lord is hard work -- and heart work. We come to realize that if we are going to follow Him seriously, we must make changes in our lives. It is not easy to be open to changing the ways we behave, respond, react, think etc. but we learn quickly that the road to discipleship is lined with opportunities to conform our lives ever more closely to the Lord's gentle and humble manner. For the grace to recognize and embrace these opportunities, let us pray. For the grace to resist the temptation to return to our "former way of life" -- be it in how we act, think or spend our time -- let us pray.

"Perseverance is the most desirable gift we can hope for in this life, and the one which, as the Council of Trent says, we cannot have but from the hand of God, who alone can assure him that stands, and help him up that falls."
St. Francis de Sales

Senior Service Day

For the second year in a row, our Fathers' club and senior class teamed up to plan an amazingly successful campus clean-up day. Pictured above, Sister Mary de Sales visits with seniors who are scraping and preparing to paint the railings that run from St. Joseph's Hall down to the athletic center. Pictured below, Sister Mary Roberta takes a moment to chat with a student who is busy transplanting items in the monastery garden.

While we are delighted that the service day was as successful (and enjoyable) as last year, some among our number are sorry to report that for the second year in a row, the white team out-gobbled the gold team in a twinkee-eating contest. We won't report the number of twinkees which were consumed but we'll observe that Salesian moderation was *gently* placed aside for the event!

"All things in moderation, including moderation."
Sister Anne Marie of happy memory

Crab-Free Clergy

With World Day of Prayer for Vocations approaching quickly, it seemed fitting to share this stellar interview with the new Archbishop of New York, His Excellency Timothy M. Dolan. If you have not already heard or seen Raymond Arroyo's interview on The World Over click the link to hear the MP3 file. Archbishop Dolan has an enthusiasm for his new assignment which is both infectious and encouraging. When asked about how he hopes to increase the number of seminarians during his tenure, he spoke of how happiness is contagious; he regrets that sometimes the administrative pressures of running a parish can cause some clergy to appear to be "crabs." By supporting his clergy and providing skill sets to help them manage both pastoral and temporal affairs, he hopes to eliminate the unfortunate (hopefully infrequent) experience of some clergy as "crabby." Do take a moment to listen to this engaging interview. Also, of interest, as we approach the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, the Holy Father, earlier this year, released his message to the faithful.

Easter Video

As promised, we've got a few sights and sounds of Easter to share with our readers. It's a bit shorter than our Triduum video but it concludes with an unusual finale. It seems that two of our sisters found a creative way out of washing dishes one evening ... and yet a third sister had a camera on hand. Please note, however, that dancing with Easter items on one's head is not a Visitandine tradition (although, given the number of sisters who enjoyed their impromptu performance, it holds great promise!) Do enjoy a three-minute visit to our home for Easter!

The Octave of Easter

In today's Gospel we hear about one of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to his disciples. As he converses with them -- and comforts them -- he reminds them of the quotation about how the Christ must suffer first and then rise from the dead on the third day. This reality is represented by many examples -- both in nature and in the spiritual life.

In his book, "Jesus of Nazareth" our Holy Father talks about how the grape must suffer the process of pressing before it can be made into wine. So too, we can see how the grain of wheat must be milled before it can be baked into the bread. Just as Our Lord suffered death before his resurrection, in our own spiritual lives we too must undergo a death -- a daily choosing to follow Christ in all the little challenges that come our way: being compassionate to a co-worker who can be irritating, unjamming the xerox machine (even when we didn't jam it ourselves), reaching out to someone who has treated us unkindly, etc. These small deeds are ways in which we "die" to the often-easier choice of doing what is more comfortable.

When we allow ourselves to be suffer some small inconvenience without counting the cost, we follow closely in the way of the Lord's cross. For these daily acts of virtue, when practiced often, will quickly be pressed into wine worthy of sacrifice. And these small sacrifices are not in vain since we know that the Lord's cross was the gateway to his triumph over sin and death. As we sing our Easter Alleluias, let us sing them from a place where we can still cast our eyes on Mount Calvary, the birthplace of our salvation.

"The death and passion of Our Lord is the sweetest and most constraining motive that can animate our hearts in this mortal life."
St. Francis de Sales

Alleluia!

Happy Easter to all our readers! We have a few highlights to share from our Sacred Triduum these past few days. We had record crowds for all celebrations with standing room only on Thursday evening for the Mass of the Lord's Supper. Our celebrant for the Triduum was Fr. Donald Heet, OSFS. Concelebrating on Thursday was Visitation's own Fr. Franco Soma, FSCCB and on Saturday, our venerable neighbor, Fr. James Schall, SJ. Master of Ceremonies (and master-decorator) for all services is our dear friend, Mr. David Gardiner.

Among the highlights we share in the video are the Lamentations which are sung on Good Friday and Holy Saturday morning at Office of Readings and the "crossing" of Sister Rose's hot buns for supper on Good Friday. We take our crosses seriously around here -- especially if there is icing involved! The candles next to the crucifix aren't a fashion faux pas -- orange and red on the same table -- but their color is such because they are made of unbleached beeswax, as suggested for use on Good Friday. We've included a few shots from the Vigil Mass and the "post-Mass" decorations, but we hope to have a few more sights and sounds of Easter later in the week in a follow-up video. It seemed prudent to edit this movie down to 5 minutes, lest it be too long to call it a "highlight video."

Harvest Time!

It might seem funny to be talking about "harvest time" in a season where we should be planting and sowing seeds. This isn't a misplaced fall post, it's time for a "spiritual harvest!" St. Francis de Sales referred to Lent as yearly autumn for our spiritual lives. In a culture where we can buy fresh fruit in the grocery store -- at almost any time of year -- the notion of "harvest time" doesn't mean as much to us as it might have meant to someone in the 17th century. Autumn was the season when families would gather the fruits of their spring and summer plantings. They would try to secure provisions which would last them through until the first fruits of the next planting season were ready. Root cellars dug into hillsides would provide room to store unblemished vegetables for use in the winter months.

And so Lent is a time to gather spiritual fruits, the products of a grace-filled season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These fruits, St. Francis de Sales suggests, should nourish us throughout the coming year until Ash Wednesday heralds another season of spiritual harvest for us.

Whatever our spiritual discipline has been during these past five weeks, let us find a way to preserve its value in our lives. If we have been counting the days until we can once again indulge in chocolate or caffeine then, perhaps, our efforts to bend our will not to partake of something we enjoy may bear the fruit of helping us see the Lord's hand at work in situations which do not go our way. When we have practiced the work of choosing to deny our will -- be it to forgo a cup of coffee or to refrain from voicing a cherished opinion -- we are better equipped to respond graciously when we are faced with a situation over which we have no control. Perhaps our Lenten practice was an increased amount of prayer time. This fruit, if protected well, could serve to nourish us in ways beyond what we can imagine.

Let us strive to protect the spiritual fruit which we have gathered during this sacred season of Lent. May our spiritual "root cellars" be well tended and well guarded places where our Lenten harvest may be kept alive for months to come and may the harvest be abundant!

A blessed Holy Week to all our readers!

Passiontide

As we approach Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, we thought we'd publish our Triduum schedule for the benefit of our locals who may be planning to celebrate with us this year.

Palm Sunday Mass will be at 9.00am in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart. The procession will begin in the ante choir, so locals may want to arrive a few minutes early. The Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord's supper on Holy Thursday. Please feel free to join us for any of the Liturgies of the Hours as well as the usual Masses/celebrations. Underlined events take place in the chapel and all others in the Monastery choir, just down the ramp from the chapel. Do plan to arrive a few minutes early for the Liturgy of the Hours since we do not ring bells after Holy Thursday Mass. We look forward to seeing some of our locals (and their families) during the sacred days to come!

Holy Thursday

5:00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper

8.00pm Night Prayer

Adoration until Midnight

Good Friday

7.30am Office of Readings

8.45am Morning Prayer

11.00am Daytime Prayer

3.00 Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion

7.00pm Night Prayer

Holy Saturday

7.30am Office of Readings

8.45am Morning Prayer

11.30am Daytime Prayer

5.05pm Evening Prayer

8.00pm Vigil Mass of the Lord’s Resurrection

In the Holy Night of Easter

Fish Fry Fun!

After several weeks of planning and inviting, we are happy to report that our first ever Fish Fry was a successful and delicious event. Several "yankees" who had never before met a "hush puppy" were seen sneaking seconds (and thirds!) from the buffet line when they thought no one was watching! Many students from Georgetown University's Catholic Student Association attended along with several chaplains-in-residence from campus housing. We were pleased to welcome a van-full of pilgrims from Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Mary Washington.

An alumna from our Visitation Academy in St. Louis Missouri was the "guest who came the farthest" for the evening's event. (Truth be told, she was visiting friends at Georgetown, but we were thrilled that she came!) Edward, our evening guard, is distinguished as the "guest who came the shortest distance" since he was even closer than the sisters from the monastery when he walked downstairs to the student dining room.

The superbly organized CSA students from Georgetown arranged for a door prize raffle of several "I love the Jesuits" t-shirts. Pictured above, Sister Mary de Sales picks the name of a winner.

The student dining room was alive with laughter and lively chatter. Above, Sister Leonie Therese enjoys her fish fillet and her company. She was among the "happy hands" who helped to clean up when the crowd departed. Among other helpers, Matt, one of the GU Knights of Columbus, was a skillful and speedy dishwasher as many hands made light work in restoring the dining room to its pre-fish fry condition.

Thanks to all who attended and helped out!

The One and Only

It has been suggested by some creative (and, no doubt, thought provoking) preachers that the mystery of the Annunciation wherein Mary said, "Yes" to Gabriel's message was the last in a line of "askings." Mary was not the first to be asked, but the first to say, "Yes." For Catholics, this poses both a problem of logic and a problem of faith. (If, dear reader, you are so fortunate never to have heard such a suggestion it sounds like this: "Who knows how many other young women Gabriel asked ... and how many women said 'No' before he got to Mary, who said, 'Yes?'" ... the real answer to the question is: "We all know. Zero." But for argument's sake, we'll suggest a gentle response to this well-intentioned -- but problematic -- suggestion.)

First, a problem of faith. If Mary was not, in the heart of God, the chosen vessel of His only son, then the Immaculate Conception -- we would have to agree -- was not the "singular privilege and grace" that we believe it is. To follow the faulty path of this suggestion, we would have to believe that Mary was one of a number of immaculate "conceptions" and that God -- in some way -- awaited news from Gabriel as to which of these handmaids said "yes" to the heavenly message. This is hardly fits the pattern of the God of Israel and His passionate engagement with his people throughout history. The God who chose Joseph to save the tribes of Judah, Moses to be the liberator of His people, David to lead His chosen people does not act with detachment toward the descendants of Israel. The God who sent His only Son to die for our sins is passionately in love with and intimately involved with His creation.

Second, a problem of logic. To conjecture that Mary was last in a line of women who were approached by Gabriel is to defy probability with respect to Jesus' heritage. It would have to have been a great stroke of luck for salvation history for Mary to have been one of "several contenders" -- young women born without the stain of original sin -- who were betrothed to a man from the House of David and whose cousin was in her last trimester, about to give birth to a prophet -- the very prophet to announce the coming of the Messiah. To the contrary, Mary, filled with the grace of God, was chosen by God to be the earthly tabernacle, the privileged dwelling of the Messiah. She was no accidental choice; this, "new Eve" was destined from her Immaculate Conception to bear the Son of God.

"Oh, how supremely did this young maiden, Our Lady, love the Divine Spouse! And how supremely was she loved by Him, for at the same time that she gave herself to Him . . . immediately He descended into her chaste womb and became the Son of her who called herself His servant."
St. Francis de Sales

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!).

Christmas Ass

Don't be scandalized, that's what the ancient holy card says, "The Ass." To be exact, it says, "No. 19: The Ass."

We have a Christmas custom in our community -- very likely one which is found in other monasteries as well -- where we draw billets for offices in the Court of the King Jesus. No one seems to recall the origin of these billets, but they are a beloved tradition in our monastery. Each billet has a quotation from scripture, a spiritual description of the office itself as well as a suggested practice and an aspiration. Besides this noble animal, other offices in the Court of King Jesus include the ox, the lamb, the lamp, the straw, the stable owner, St. Joseph and The Blessed Virgin.

This year, the editor of our humble blog was privileged to draw billet No. 19, The Ass. Perhaps it is the Lord's way of calling her to be a bit more humble in the world of push-button publishing. (or, perhaps, to resign from publishing entirely.) What follows is the text of the holy card:

No. 19
The Ass.
---------
THE ASS KNOWETH HIS MASTER'S CRIB
(Is., 1, 8)
--------

At the court of the King JESUS you will have the office of the Ass, which a GOD permitted to be near His crib.

Offer yourself very humbly to this divine King, to be engaged in the most abject services, since you are incapable of sublime and elevated employments. Resign yourself to suffer and to be despised, in imitation of our Lord; say to Him with the prophet King that you are as a beast of burden before Him; ask Him to give you the understanding of Christian truths with humility of mind and heart.

Practice: Love to be unknown and reputed as nothing.
Aspiration: My Saviour, give me the treasure of Thy humility.