In recent weeks, we have noticed some strange behavior on the part of our novice, Sr. Miriam Esther. She seems to have suddenly developed a passion for hemming large rectangles of black material …
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It has been quite a while since we’ve shared a community newsletter — but this latest 16-page edition is chock-full of exciting and beautiful things that have been happening over the past year! Even in the midst of the many challenges facing us today, the Lord continues to show His love and providence in marvelous ways.
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Ps. 54 is a song of lament, but all of a sudden we see David breaking forth into thanksgiving and praise. He is so confident in the Lord’s deliverance that he begins his thanksgiving while still undergoing trial!
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You are all in our hearts and prayers as we celebrate two of the most important feasts in our Passionist calendar! May our Sorrowful Mother lead each one of you to a deeper appreciation and love of her Son’s saving Cross!
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As the Jubilee Year enters its final months, this latest Communication Bulletin draws our attention back to one of those central themes: prophecy. What does it mean to be a prophet of Christ Crucified? How are we as Passionists called to live out this prophetic vocation in our world today?
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The VISION Vocation Network recently published an online article about retreat centers run by different religious communities around the U.S. and Great Britain. Among the places featured was our own Retreat House here at St. Joseph’s Monastery!
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Listen to the sermon preached to you by the flowers, the trees, the shrubs, the sky, the sun, and the whole world. Notice how they preach to you a sermon full of love, of praise, of God …
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Very often in our day, obedience to God’s law is portrayed as blind, unthinking anti-intellectualism. However, Moses here insists that the opposite is true! Secular society may paint religion as childish, but the example of saints throughout history proves that mature obedience to God and His commandments is ultimately the path of “wisdom and intelligence.”
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This summer our community was blessed to have a week-long liturgical music workshop with Fr. Vincent Ferrer Bagan, OP. Ever since Father came to play organ and conduct our choir for Sr. Cecilia Maria’s perpetual profession in 2019, we have wanted to bring him back to work more intensively with us to help us praise the Lord more beautifully through the gift of song.
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Several generous benefactors have recently gifted us with lots of produce, including multiple loads of fresh sweet corn. Enjoy some photos from a couple of our recent recreations … after all, nothing says “summer in the monastery” like a good old-fashioned corn party!
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The Solemnity of Our Lady’s Assumption is always a beautiful day in our community, but this year we had the added joy of witnessing Sr. Frances Marie renew her temporary vows for another year. This renewal is particularly special because, God willing, next year will be Sister’s definitive commitment to Jesus Crucified through perpetual profession!
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Last month, our community participated in a virtual vocation event called “Behind the Veil #3” where those exploring different vocations could learn more about different forms of consecrated life.
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O Mary, “Summa Contemplatrix,” Queen of Heaven and Earth, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
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The Blessed Virgin Mary, especially under her title of Our Sorrowful Mother, has been central to Passionist life throughout our history. It was she who gave the habit to St. Paul of the Cross, and it was in her Roman basilica (St. Mary Major) that our Holy Founder first made the “Passion Vow.”
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The last weekend of July, some girls from Steubenville, Ohio came for a “junior” vocation retreat. The “Wildflowers,” as they call themselves, are a girls’ middle/high school youth group that combines faith with outdoor adventure, and it was a joy to host them for the weekend!
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Over the past two months, our Helmings crew has been hard at work, becoming more and more efficient with each section of roof completed. With the public areas all but finished, they have turned now to the monastery roof proper. Tile saws, drills, dump trucks, and heavy boots tramping overhead have become a familiar sound in the cloister these days!
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Our mulberry tree has one problem: all of its lower branches were mistakenly cut off several years ago. This means that we are unable to reach most of the fruit, even when we resort to pulling down branches with a garden hoe! So we resign ourselves each year to seeing the birds enjoy the biggest, tastiest berries … Until this year, that is!
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We welcome with joy our newest aspirant, Hannah, who on Pentecost Sunday entered formally into this period of deeper discernment with our community! Women in our aspirancy program continue to live in the world for at least 12 months, but they also come for live-in visits to the monastery and begin taking classes with our Novice Directress, Sr. Mary Veronica.
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Jesus is the Son of God, the all-holy One, and we find Him weeping at the tomb of a friend, passionately decrying abuses of the Temple, and – in this Sunday’s Gospel – being “moved with compassion” at the sight of those in need.
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Attention all discerning women! This Saturday, July 17, the Passionist Nuns will be participating in an exciting virtual vocation event called Behind the Veil #3, and it is not too late for you to register! We will be one of four communities of consecrated life being featured. Best of all, this is a FREE event!
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