As spring grows into summer and the rose bushes around our monastery put forth their beautiful blooms, I am reminded of our Golden Jubilee Gaudeamus celebration for Sr. Mary Therese of Jesus Crucified, which occurred wayyyyyyy back in October 2014. I decided there must be no more delay; it is time to tell you all about it!

Our Gaudeamus began after Mass with a rousing chorus of the monastery’s Gaudeamus Song, after which we enthroned our dear Jubilarian in her celebratory wheelchair.

The rose trellis may be self-explanatory for a nun who takes St. Therese as her patroness and who also tends many of the monastery flower gardens. But what on earth is that creature???

Whatever it is, it must be sorry it got too close to that rose trellis!

After a scrumptious breakfast banquet and some free time, we all re-convened for a skit to celebrate Sister’s vocation. Our Jubilarian was seated front and center before a makeshift recreation room stage as the first act rolled out a musical comedy of the ongoing battle between Sr. Mary Therese (played by Sr. John Mary) and Little Bunny Foo Foo (played by Sr. Rose Marie) in the flowerbeds.

Little Bunny Foo Foo, hoppin’ through the garden, chomping all the flowers and tossing them on the ground!

Out came the Good Nun and she said, “Little Bunny Foo Foo, I don’t wanna see you chomping all the flowers and tossing them on the ground!

I’ll give you three chances, and if you don’t behave, I’m going to cook you into a stew!”

But did Little Bunny Foo Foo listen? Noooooo! So the next day….

During a brief intermission, we were treated to a recitation of two poems by St. Therese, A Rose Unpetalled and Strewing Flowers. Then the curtain opened again and brought us into the heavenly rose gardens of Act II, where none other than St. Therese herself (played by Sr. Cecilia Maria) welcomed Sr. Mary Therese to her eternal reward!

“My dear Sister Mary Therese, welcome to Heaven! Our Lord – and all of us – has been eagerly awaiting this day, when He can crown you anew with the many rose petals you have strewn at the foot of His Cross. Each petal, each service, each sacrifice has been carefully kept for you here… and look! This glorious crown is woven of them all! Not one petal has been lost.

Our Lord especially wants me to thank you for your union with Him upon Calvary, as you have allowed suffering to transform you into your Crucified Bridegroom. You have been a radiant Bride and a powerful helpmate in the Redemption! Dear Sister, you have truly suffered with Christ, and now you will reign with Him forever!”

Act II also starred Flopsy and Mopsey, the heavenly bunnies who would help – not hinder – Sr. Mary Therese in tending the heavenly rose gardens. Here Sr. Mary Therese meets her first angel (Christie Anna).

And it concluded with Little Bunny Foo Foo serving her purgatory under the tutelage of Flopsy and Mopsey, and the entire cast doing the bunny hop around the room:

Put your right foot forward, Put your left foot out. Do the Bunny Hop, Hop hop hop!

Have some recreation In the new creation, Do the Bunny Hop, Hop hop hop!

All join in the fun, Saints and blessed ones, Do the Bunny Hop, Hop hop hop!

(pictures of the Bunny Hop were a little too silly to put on the world-wide internet. :) )

A game of "pin the halo on Bunny Foo Foo"

We feel confident that Sr. Mary Therese – who shed a few happy tears as we transferred the rose-crown to her head – will never again view our garden pests in quite the same way!

Our two Therese's pose with St. Therese before she went back to heaven's garden. (And the holy habit was returned to our Carmelite Sisters.)