Passionist Assembly - September 2017
In September, St. Joseph Monastery was blessed to host an international Assembly for English-speaking Passionist Nuns. This was a graced and fruitful time for the superiors and delegates from each monastery to gain a better understanding of the new juridical structure of communion we will soon be establishing. With the guidance and assistance of Mother Fernanda Barbiero, smsd, Fr. Floriano de Fabiis, CP, and Msgr. Michael Palud, CO all received a clearer picture of how we can move forward as sisters in Christ and daughters of St. Paul of the Cross to promote devotion to the Passion of Jesus in this world so desperately in need of His saving love.
While most of the community here did not attend the official meetings, all were able to enjoy meals and conversations with the visiting nuns, who hailed from around the US, the Philippines, and South Korea. On the last day of the Assembly, we had some after-meal entertainment with nearly everyone contributing something from their talents and unique cultures.
Mother Maria Theresa of the South Korean Passionist community performed a traditional Korean dance while Sr. Paulina and Sr. Marianna, OCD (our wonderful Korean translator for the week) sang.
On a totally different note, our own Sr. Cecilia Maria led everyone in a rousing rendition of an Appalachian folk tune, “Bile dem cabbage down.”
Sr. Magdalena, from the Passionists in the Philippines, treated us to some recorder music, with Sr. Mary Angelica, OP (one of the Italian translators) assisting as a faithful, living music stand.
We rounded out the evening of international entertainment with something all Catholics know and love regardless of their native tongue: the Ave Maria. The three-part round was a fitting conclusion to our time of building sisterly communion, as we look to the patronage of Our Mother and Our Holy Founder to bring this important work to speedy fruition!
A thousand measures of gratitude go to all who so generously gave of their time, talent, and treasure to make the Assembly possible. We recognize especially Fr. Arthur Carrillo, CP who translated all the documents from Italian into English; our translators, Fr. Joseph Barbieri, CP, Fr. Brad Smith, CO, Sr. Mary Angelica, OP, and Sr. Marianna, OCD, volunteers Janet Nemec, and Kate Mims, and all our Passionist Oblates who helped us keep everyone well fed! Thanks to all who have supported us, and please keep up the prayers for the soon-to-be-established structure of communion.