Light through Stained-Glass Windows

L is for Love

2012-02-09T15:38:00.002-05:00

Really, in these days preceding Valentine's Day and our own St. Scholastica (10th) how can I pick anything else? A beautiful time for us--a time for friendship and kindness, family and hospitality, compassion and understanding. All of which we need ourselves and to be for others.

Mary Oliver's take:

I Want to Write Something So Simply

I want to write something
so simply
about love
or about pain
that even
as you are reading
you feel it
and as you read
you keep feeling it
and though it be my story
it will be common,
though it be singular
it will be known to you
so that by the end
you will think--
no, you will realize--
that it was all the while
yourself arranging the words,
that it was all the time
words that you yourself,
out of your own heart
had been saying.

Look what you can see in winter!

Along the creek path at Glinodo.

K is for Kitsch

2012-02-06T06:02:00.000-05:00

Back in June 2008 I wrote this about a film maker who came to Erie to interview our Joan Chittister for a documentary she was hoping to complete.

"The director of the Women’s Studies Dept. at Loyola University of Chicago is on a sabbatical, taking time to produce and film a full-length documentary. Her thesis is that the visual portrayals of nuns in pop culture (movies, greeting cards, T-shirts, print ads, TV commercials, even Halloween costumes) don’t show or do service to the reality of who nuns are and what they are doing in our culture today."

Well, she did it and the film A Question of Habit made the rounds of film festivals last spring and, in January, reached a broader audience when a PBS station in her hometown of Chicago showed it to their audience.

When the directors were in Erie they taped our community’s Evening Praise and took a copy of our CD "Te Deum" home with them. When I first viewed the film I had forgotten that fact and was so surprised to all of a sudden hear us singing--both in the middle as background and at the very end as the closing music.

The one-hour documentary shows real nuns behind the kitsch that current American culture has turned the image of the habit-and-veiled nun into. Joan and Helen Prejean are the "real nuns" that appear throughout and both do a great job. Hopefully the film will continue to be shown to a larger and larger audience.

A visitor this week.

J is for Juxtaposition

2012-02-02T10:21:00.001-05:00

I admit it, I am a weather junkie. I suspect that if I were home all day I'd have the Weather Channel on all the time, just so I could glance over and not miss anything. My poor friends must endure a constant barrage of useless weather-related statistics that I throw at them all year round, and the last thing I do at night before turning in is call 452-6311, the free weather line that has kept us "addicts" up on the very latest for decades here in Erie.

But this winter has taken the proverbial cake, as it may have in your area, too. Here is a side-by-side (juxtaposition) of 2012 and its immediate predecessor, 2011:

Jan. 31 high temp: 58 vs. 17
Jan. 31 ice depth on our bay: 0" vs. 6-8"
(Our bay and Lake Erie itself are ice free.)
Season snow through Jan. 31: 36" vs. 60" avg.

Here is the front page of our newspaper with photos of January 31, 2012 vs. 2011 accompanying the article, "No Deep Freeze." The visual is amazing for us Lake Erie/lake effect snow dwellers!

More related weather trivia: gratefully the number of fender benders from icy highways is way down, as are falls on icy parking lots. I saw a snowy owl fly along the east side of the monastery last week and later read in the weather section of our paper that some owls are beginning to nest in our area. Our hermitage guests are having more of a muddy walk to and from their cabins rather than the usual slog through deep snow.

And, a final nod to the coming of February. I heard an announcer on a morning radio show welcome his listeners to the new month of "groundhogs, love and the Super Bowl." I smiled to myself as I thought of the month. We Benedictines would quickly add: the Feast of St. Scholastica (10th), the beginning of Lent (22nd), as well as here in Erie, hosting three large groups of visitors this month. Hope the weather remains nice!

I is for Interfaith

2012-01-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been very careful when using the two words "interfaith" and "interreligious." I know that they are used interchangeably, have the same meaning in everyday parlance, but people often prefer one or the other.

Inter-church (and yet another term!) Ministry of Erie County is an organization that has been in our area since 1910 and has a dedicated number of members with real interest in cooperative efforts among Christian religions in our county. We have had a sister-representative on the group for many years and even hosted their events at the Mount a few times.

This weekend one of our sisters spoke at the Presbyterian Church here in Harborcreek at one of their annual gatherings. Sister Mary Ellen Plumb's reflections were wonderful as she briefly shared the lives of five individuals who transformed the world of their time through their lives, often including interfaith efforts. Mary Ellen is an online discussion leader in our new Monasteries of the Heart program.

The graphics that groups use for interfaith/
interreligious efforts are beautiful. Here are a few I found. The meanings of most of the symbols can be found here.

H is for Halcyon

2012-01-26T06:08:00.002-05:00

Last week I got an email from a friend who ended his message with a one-liner that went something like this: I hope you're surviving in this neurotic and dysfunctional church of ours. He is an outspoken and very well-spoken advocate of an open church, the tenets of Vatican II, and the hopes and dreams of what the Catholic Church could be if it was less institutional and would be more like followers of the social gospel of Jesus of Galilee.

I answered right off the top of my head, without a second thought. I wrote: Yes, I am surviving, primarily because of where I am and with whom I share my life.

I was referring, I believe, to an inner life of calm, peace, acceptance and purpose within a world, a church, a country, a reality that does not always bring those about.

This exchange all came back to me in choosing the word halcyon for H. As a noun halcyon is the name of a bird, a kingfisher, who legend says builds her nest in early winter on a raft of sticks that fishermen push out to sea to keep winter storms at bay.

I met it as an adjective, meaning calm and peaceful. I first heard it on a Mary Chapin Carpenter album, in the beautiful, yet sad song "Jubilee."

If you have a few minutes here's Mary herself singing "Jubilee." Halcyon comes in right at the end. Enjoy.

G is for God

2012-01-23T02:47:00.002-05:00

"The One Hundred most beautiful names for God" from Islam.

Ya Muhyee O Quickener, Bringer to Life
Ya `Aahad O One and Only
Ya `Aakhir O Last
Ya Mu`akhherr O Fulfiller
Ya Mu`idd O Restorer
Ya `Aazalee O Eternal
Ya Mughnee O Sufficer
Ya `Aallah O God
Ya Mumeed O Slayer
Ya Mumeen O Faithful
Ya `Aawwal O First
Ya Mubdee O Beginner
Ya Barr O Good
Ya Baari O Skilled Worker
Ya Ba`eeth O Raiser from the Dead
Ya Mujeeb O Hearer of Prayer, Glorification
Ya Basir O Seeing
Ya Baseet O Uncloser
Ya Batin O Hidden
Ya Baaqiy O Eternal
Ya Rahmaan O Merciful
Ya Razzaaq O Provider
Ya Rasheed O Unerring
Ya Raffee O Exalter
Ya Raqeeb O Watchful, Guardian
Ya Ra`oof O Provider
Ya Salaam O Peace
Ya Samee’ O One who hears
Ya Shaakir O Thankful
Ya Shakoor O Appreciator
Ya Shahid O Witness, Martyr
Ya Saboor O Patient
Ya Sammad O Eternal, Solidity
Ya Musawwir O Sculptor
Ya `Aadil O Equitable
Ya `Azeez O Strong
Ya `Azeem O The Most High
Ya `Alim O Knower
Ya `Ali O Exalted
Ya Ghaffaar O Pardoner
Ya Ghafoor O Forgiver
Ya Ghanee O Sufficient
Ya Fatih O Opener, Conqueror
Ya Qadeer O Providence, Fate, Omnipotent
Ya Muqtadir O Powerful
Ya Muta'alee O One above reproach

Ya Tawwab O Relenting
Ya Jaami O Gatherer
Ya Jabbar O Compelling
Ya Jaleel O Glorious
Ya Jameel O Beneficent
Ya Hatim O Mighty
Ya Hafiz O Preserver
Ya Haqq O Truth
Ya Hakim O Wise
Ya Hakim-al-Mutlaq O Judge of Judges
Ya Halim O Clement
Ya Hameed O Praiseworthy
Ya Ha`iy O Life
Ya Khabeer O He Who Knows
Ya Mukhbeer One Who Informs
Ya Khafeez O Abaser
Ya Khalaaq O Creator
Ya Rabb O Lord
Ya Raheem O Beneficent
Ya Kareem O Generous
Ya Lateef O Gracious
Ya Mateen O Firm, Robust
Ya Hasib O Reckoner
Ya Majeed O Glorious
Ya Mukeed O Maintainer, Assurer
Ya Malik O King
Ya Malik-al-Mulk O King of the Kingdom
Ya Mumeen O Faithful
Ya Mannaan O Giver of Good
Ya Manee' O Withholder
Ya Nafi' O Favorably Inclined
Ya Muntaqim O Avenger
Ya Noor O Light
Ya Hadi O Guide
Ya Muhaymin O Helper in Peril, Protector
Ya Wajeed O Perceiving
Ya Waahid O One
Ya Wadood O Loving
Ya Waarith O Inheritor
Ya Quddos O Holy One
Ya Muqaddeem O Forewarner
Ya Muqsit O Equitable
Ya Quahhar O Conqueror, Violence, Force
Ya Qawee O Mighty, Strong of Mind
Ya Qayyoom O Self Sustaining, Straight
Ya Kabeer O Very Great
Ya Mutakabbeer O Majestic
Ya Wasi' O Abundant
Ya Wakeel O Guardian, Trusted One
Ya Walee O Nearest Friend
Ya Walee al-Ahsan O Friend of the Believers
Ya Waliy O Governor
Ya Wahhab O Bestower, Giver

And we say: O Holy One, O Adonai, Savior of Israel, God of All, Desire of Nations, Holy Spirit, I AM.

We have so much to share with each other.

F is for Firefighter

2012-01-18T20:40:00.001-05:00

It was an eerie feeling (a word we Erie-ites love to use) a couple weeks ago when I was browsing through USA Today and saw the short list (only 3) of the latest casualties from Afghanistan with an Erie boy's name first. He was really from our suburb, Harborcreek. We've had three from our borough, this latest an EOD (explosive-ordnance disposal) technician, age 23.

The wake and funeral were held in the high school he attended, with full military and local honors, as he had also been a member of our area volunteer fire department since a young teen.

We caught the 140+ vehicle procession at the corner of Buffalo and Nagle Rds. A small group of 8-10 year olds (scouts, I'd guess) were positioned right at the turn and waved flags and stood at attention as the cars and numerous emergency vehicles and firetrucks passed by.

Let us pray for an end to the wars that send so many young, young men and women back to their hometowns--for burial.

Here is a stunning list: total casualties in 20th century wars.

E is for Egan

2012-01-16T07:37:00.001-05:00

I try to always have a novel in process--usually a who-done-it, as I like mysteries and have a half dozen favorite authors. But lately I felt a need to try something else and after seeing Anderson Cooper's interview with three contemporary American novelists I thought I'd try one of theirs. This is what led me to a visit from the goon squad by Jennifer Egan.

What a read! First of all, it's different; not just the story line but even the print layout in one of the chapters. Secondly, it won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for fiction--WOW! and finally, amazon.com's review includes the phrase, "a story of self-destruction and redemption"--perfect.

So for the last week I've been reading a chapter at a time. Since every chapter is set in a different time period (past, present or future) it's the best way I can keep all the characters and what's going on straight.

Winter is a great time for reading as outdoors time is drastically reduced: see below. Hope you can find some good books, too.

My own personal snow gauge. When I went to bed Friday night this feeder was clear. When I woke up Saturday morning...voila 3-4". And we got another 2-3" Saturday.

D is for Daily

2012-01-12T07:03:00.000-05:00

Liturgically we are back to Ordinary Time, which we all claim to love--a break from feasting! But I must tell you that there has been nothing ordinary and daily about this first week after the Christmas Season. Most obvious has been our extraordinary number of guests/visitors. Sunday alone we had teenagers everywhere as a Confirmation class from Warren, PA. came for liturgy and our eight Canisius University students arrived at the exact same time to begin their week of ministry, prayer and community during their semester break. They are delightful, just great to have around.

Adding to our non-ordinary week is the continuation of the 24-48 hour flu which first appeared December 18th and is still with us--appearing subtly every couple of days in a new person. It has gone through our houses in Erie as well as the Mount. When we are "attacked" by one of these winter bugs we are much more use to the kind that puts 20+ of us down all at once. This one is unusual in its one-by-one advance. Most sisters seem to spend a day or two sleeping, lying low and then popping up as quickly as they went down.

Finally, with our out-of-the-ordinary winter (so far) we are seeing blue skies and white clouds rather than the normal grey dome that settles over the area. Earlier this week we were treated to a huge, beautiful, full moon at 7:30 am on the way to work. Here's one shot of it from East Lake Road.

C is for Child

2012-01-09T07:02:00.002-05:00

There are some feasts in the liturgical year that are just simply loved by everyone here. Yesterday, the Feast of the Epiphany, was one of those. We sing the song "Shepherds and Kings" only once a year, Epiphany; some held out adding the three Magi to their creches until just a few days ago; and we have other once-a-year references to the Wise Men, Wise Women, Wise Ones whose story we hear on this weekend: we come in search of the Child.

During Saturday night's Vigil of Sunday Evening Prayer this poem by Julian of Norwich was read. It's called "Seeking is as Good as Beholding."

If truth be told
we came
thinking we possessed
what we ought--

bearing frankincense
or myrrh,
as we ought,
bearing gold,
so we thought.

And today
finds us still
upon the way
in a landscape
we did not expect
with a treasure
we did not select
bearing incense
bearing gold and myrrh.

What least is ours
how will we give?
What most is ours
how will we give
and live?

Beneath a sky of night
alive with life
accept is give
and seeking is
our have.

When I heard this it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes: "The God you seek, is also seeking you."

_______________________________________

Finally, in my ongoing foray into Marlin Perkins's Wild Kingdom, look what I came face-to-face with this weekend. I'm sure he/she was spying the treats in my feeder and trying to gauge whether he could jump from the tree and land safely on it. As far as I know he didn't try---yet. But he did hold quite still for this shot!

See our community website's home page for some new entries.

B is for Bishop

2012-01-05T07:03:00.001-05:00

Good news: the woodpecker that I saw a couple weeks ago has now become a regular. However, looking at google images I'm suspecting that it is not a red-headed woodpecker but rather a red-bellied woodpecker. This photo of one looks very much like mine. The photos of a red-headed show that they have completely covered dark red heads. Either way, it's coming daily and when I happen to see it (it's extremely skittish), it is a delight. Never thought I'd be into birding, but the feeder that attaches right to my window has given me a very up-close view and has made me a happy birder. Getting the magazine Birds and Bloom sealed this new hobby.

We have a guest this week who works in a parish a few hundred miles from Erie. She has shared with us a little of the "challenges" of working with all the entities in a parish scene. These stories confirm in me the belief that the people who work in parishes and in diocesan offices are all leaders in the church. Day after day they minister within those structures to bring Christ's message to the realities of the every day--within our institutional Church. Not an easy "job."

This brought me, also, to a moment of gratitude for the good fortune of having a very good man as our current Bishop. He truly wants to serve the people of God and yet be faithful to the Church. He actually attended the Vatican II Council as a very young priest and we often see its philosophy alive in him. Personally, he has stood with us on a number of occasions, supporting our monastic life and our community. Would that we all had such fine, holy, simple, trusting and dedicated men as he.

A is for Autopsy

2012-01-02T07:35:00.001-05:00

It had a holiday surrealness about it as the neighboring row house had a display of lit candy canes and the nearby houses still had their outside lights up for the season.

It was cold and rainy (as we've had a green Christmas this year), just four days after December 25th. Nearly 75 people braved the elements and the sadness to Reclaim the Site for Nonviolence.

"Here we are, again," I thought, ending 2011 with our fifth prayer vigil this year; fifty-eighth since we began a dozen years ago. This one was not our "average." The average Take Back the Site Prayer Vigil is for an 18-30 year old young man---black, white, Hispanic. It's held downtown, near a bar after a fight or other type of confrontation. There are others, of course, like this one: our city's latest homicide victim, age 19 months.

The autopsy said he "suffered lacerations to his liver and his pancreas and a cut to his intestines." The day before we gathered was the Christian Feast of the Holy Innocents--the baby boys slaughtered by King Herod as he sought to root out the "newborn king of the Jews."

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loudly lamenting:
it was Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted
because they were no more.

Matthew 2:18

Abecedarian: an alphabetically arranged listing.

For the End of the Year

2011-12-29T11:38:00.002-05:00

An end of the year thought from Mary Oliver:

"Trying to be Thoughtful in the First Brights of Dawn"

I am thinking, or trying to think, about all the
imponderables for which we have
no answers, yet endless interest all the
range of our lives,

and it's good for the head no doubt
to undertake such meditation; Mystery, after all,
is God's other name, and deserves our
considerations surely.

But, but--excuse me now, please;
it's morning, heavenly bright,
and my irrepressible heart begs me to hurry on
into the next exquisite moment.

Lots of variety when it comes to manger scenes:

Christmas at Our House

2011-12-26T18:31:00.006-05:00

Here's a small sampling of Christmas at Our House.

This year we have a unique and lovely tree in chapel--this little wispy, looks-like-it-was-hand-drawn beauty.

And look what it "gave us" Christmas morning--a unique view of the reflection of the stained glass windows on the west chapel wall, seen through the trees branches.

Thank you, Jean, for first noticing this and sending all of us amateur photographers to our cameras to shoot uninterruptedly for five minutes.

Here are two of mine:

Click on any photo to enlarge.

Getting Close

2011-12-22T05:56:00.000-05:00

One of our sisters organized an outing last Sunday night to view Christmas house decorations in our nearby neighborhoods. It was a great success, topped off by hot chocolate upon return.

We are in the very middle of the O Antiphons, yet getting closer and closer to the celebratory weekend every second. Here are a few Christmas scenes that you may not see even if you visit us because most of them are in offices or the private hallways of our living areas. I'll post more after official decorating begins tomorrow night.

Our Community Room tree before decorating. Is that someone peeking around from the back...maybe looking for an early present?

Here is a delightful 2-minute Christmas video from the small Yupiq Eskimo Village of Quinhagak, Alaska. Much to the villagers' shock, over a half million people have viewed it.

Sneaking In

2011-12-19T05:56:00.002-05:00

Christmas is slowly sneaking into Mount St. Benedict even though we still have the 4th week of Advent to celebrate. The O Antiphons are prevalent everywhere here...not only at Evening Praise where they appear in the Divine Office but one panel of the O Antiphon's banner goes up every day-- by Friday all seven will be hanging in our cloister walk between chapel and the dining room. You can also see them on individual cards on our Pray With Us page here and you can hear us singing them here.

Also there is a new recording--our handbell choir playing "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" Advent's #1 hit.

If you haven't visited our site for a couple days you'll enjoy some Smile Boxes on the front page: Benetwood's Christmas dinner and all the SBA Lassies turning out for their annual December event, too.

Here's a collage of Christmas's attempts to "infiltrate" the Mount! (Officially we trim the whole house on Thursday).

O Antiphons begin Saturday

2011-12-15T07:16:00.000-05:00

Advent moves along, albeit amidst rain here rather than our typical snowy December, but no one is really complaining! I saw three deer on the east lawn the other day. They certainly know it's winter; their coats were so dark that at that 5:00 pm late afternoon they almost looked black.

Our newly designed website continues to get rave reviews from visitors. If you enjoy the O Antiphons you'll find both the text and our singing of Sister Mary David's musical version of each on the site beginning Saturday the 17th..."O Wisdom."

I attended the annual Christmas dinner/party at Benetwood Apartments this week. What a delightful time. I think every single one of the residents from the 75 apartments was there: all dolled up and ready to enjoy this annual very popular event at Benetwood.

Gifts Galore

2011-12-12T07:05:00.001-05:00

For five or six years now I've participated in the Emmaus Children's Christmas Gift extravaganza by purchasing gifts for some of the over 1,000-1,500 children that are in the families they serve. The first year, full of first fervor, I actually traveled up and back to our local JCPenneys three or four times--evenings or after work, to find all the items the children wanted (one special item of clothing per child). My fervor was quickly dampened by holiday traffic, elbowing busy shoppers, out of stock colors and sizes and just plain fatigue.

The second, and all subsequent years, I got smart and ordered online--delivery right to my door, free shipping and all. No more going out at night, getting there only to discover unavailable styles and colors. It worked to perfection!

This year's purchases for 40 children were no exception. I am almost done, with the assistance of my 2011 Sister Santa's helper at the Mount who graciously does all the wrapping for me. I'm ready for next weekend's delivery.

My favorite thing to order? Older boy's sneakers! I'm proud that I realized that boys over age 12 won't wear boots...so I buy the best sneakers we can afford knowing that they will be both sneaker and snow boot and might last all winter. My least favorite thing? girls jeans. Every year I am overwhelmed with the variety of jeans for teenage girls and I cannot imagine choosing jeans for any teenager that they would like and actually wear. But, I do it...grimacing at the thoughts of their faces on Christmas when they open their package and say, "I won't wear these, they are so lame."

Nevertheless, this huge project is a wonderful Christmas endeavor for Emmaus and I am grateful to be a small part of it.

_________________________________

As Mary Oliver's poem last week remarked, our first snow coverage occurred this weekend. Just beautiful.

With the snowfall I made sure my window bird feeder was filled. Ten minutes afterwards lo and behold I spied a bird I had never seen on our grounds, a red-headed woodpecker in the tree right outside our rooms. And, yes, minutes later he came right over to the feeder. What a thrill. He was beautiful. I'll keep trying for a closer shot, should he return.

Miscellany

2011-12-08T05:57:00.000-05:00

See our just-released winter issue of The Mount magazine here on our community's new website.

I just love what graphic artists around the world do with the google logo. Most of them are posted on google only in one country but some are posted worldwide. Here's one from November 30 posted here in the US: a tribute to Mark Twain on his birthday.

Google Doodles

And, an inspiration from Mary Oliver on the coming of the winter season, particularly for those of us for whom winter is spelled s-n-o-w!

In the Pasture

On the first day of snow, when the white curtain of winter began to stream down,

the house where I lived grew distant and at first it seemed imperative to hurry home.

But later, not much later, I began to see the soft snowbound house as I would always remember it,

and I would linger a long time in the pasture, turning in circles,

staring at all the crisp, exciting, snow-filled roads that led away.

Between Tuesday & Thursday

2011-12-05T05:42:00.000-05:00

Some time between Tuesday and Thursday our community's redesigned website will go online...and are we excited. This past weekend the organizing committee offered a Sneak Preview of the site to the community. Great fun, oohs and aahs, and much anticipation. It won't be perfect all at once (you faithful readers, don't hesitate to report typos or corrections to our webkeeper--she'll be grateful) but the general pattern will be there. Hope you like it---and let us know what your favorite sections are!

Check our current website's front page for three recently posted items: a new e-course on the RB by Sister Joan Chittister, a way to help SBEC receive a $15,000 grant by voting via the web (takes a few minutes the first time and after that only 20 seconds), and a photo from the beginning of Advent here at the Mount.

Visiting Rome

2011-12-01T05:37:00.000-05:00

This website is wonderful and quite appropriate for this time of year, I think, as we are awaiting the annual celebration of Jesus and his life among us.

Here is an interactive website that takes you inside the Sistine Chapel and enables you to "look around." If you've been there you can verify that this is exactly what it looks like. In reality it's wall-to-wall people with a United Nations of languages all around the room.

After seeing this site, I dug up my own photos from Rome a couple years ago and want to share my favorite thing about Rome: the Pieta.

Well, we survived November with 0.8" of snow against an average of about 10". But the last two days have brought in rain, cooler temps and these clouds that give new meaning to "ominous." Now to see what December brings---winter, surely.

Advent begins

2011-11-28T05:54:00.002-05:00

The Thanksgiving week 60 degree temperatures are making things a little surreal here, including the beginning of Advent which is usually accompanied by our first lake effect snowstorm.

Despite the unusual weather Advent has begun beautifully. Prayer and liturgy this weekend were just wonderful. We even "survived" the first Sunday with the new missal wording! By the way, the new Mass we're using is by Dan Schutte, aka one of the four St. Louis Jesuits of the 1970s and 80s. His new one, "Mass of Christ the Savior," is just as melodic and upbeat, yet reverent, as his others.

Here are some photos of chapel with the Advent environment. Our Advent speakers are here.

If you like online prayer, there will be a section of daily prayer on our new website set to debut December 8th. Meanwhile here's one.

How the World Eats Each Week

2011-11-24T07:37:00.002-05:00

My friend Pat shared this with me this week and it blew me away. I thought it would be an appropriate reflection for all of us here in the USA on Thanksgiving Day. We have had some excellent presentations and "encouragements" this year in our own community on healthier eating---and I think a lot of us are doing better. This is an encouragement of a different sort.
Click on photos to enlarge.

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide. Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina (Sure hope most American families eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and less junk food than this family.) Food expenditure for one week $341.98

Italy : The Manzo family of Sicily. Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca. Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna. Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo. Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo. Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village. Food expenditure for one week: 22493 ngultrum or $5.03

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp. Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

Our Community's Thanksgiving Greeting here.

South of the Border-one more day

2011-11-21T00:03:00.002-05:00

Our community website has a little smilebox scrapbook of our trip to the Mission of Friendship in Merida, Mexico. Enjoy!

Here are some more, too.

The Cathedral in Merida is one of the oldest in North America, begun in the 16th century. The stonework is awesome and this crucifix is beyond huge.

Many statues and altars fill the cathedral, each expressing some devotion of the people/area. Here is Our Lady of Guadalupe. Another one is covered with long colorful ribbons that people drape all over it with prayer intentions written on the ribbons.

Iron grates cover most first floor windows, especially in town. They have beautiful decorative designs. Someone should take photos of the best/most unique ones and develop a poster or website. Some are quite intricate and artistic, not merely functional.

This is the water source for a poor family that we visited. It is outside at the front entrance. Do you see the toothbrush and toothpaste in the cup in the stone wall?

More on Mexico

2011-11-17T09:01:00.006-05:00

Visiting the Mission of Friendship and the surroundings of Merida, Mexico was great. We were there so that Anne, our prioress, could receive, in person, the annual commitments of a group of our oblates. It took place in the context of a true Mexican liturgy Saturday evening.

The music at Mass was great, a bit louder than we're used to, but well played and sung. The oblate ceremony after the homily was serious, touching and very meaningful.

In between the "oblate business" we visited some of the Mission's ministries, homes of the people they serve, and did the "tourist thing" at the Gulf of Mexico and the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza--amazing.

While we were gone Erie received its first snow of the season, 1/2" on the 11th. That's one of the craziest things about traveling, isn't it? That you can go from 85 degrees on the Yucatan peninsula to 40 degrees back in the northeast!

Here I am with a little 3-year old in his home--which was for all purposes like a cinder block garage with two inside rooms, some plastic chairs, a TV, a refrig with no food inside, some sort of hotplate for cooking, and a covered small area attached...what we might describe as really rough "camping out."

An oblate who is now a school administrator grew up on a farm outside of Merida and he has planted in their backyard grapefruit, orange, coconut, and many other types of fruit trees.

The party following the oblate renewal ceremony.

Visiting Mexico

2011-11-14T12:30:00.002-05:00

The Mission of Friendship in Merida, Mexico.

Oblate Renewal during Sunday liturgy.

The 15th year celebration cake.

Oblates, directors and guests.

Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza.

Mission's Day Care facility.

Visiting a home.

The Yucatan peninsula is on rock and they are used for everything, especially walls.

More Thursday.

Sister Maria retires

2011-11-10T09:23:00.003-05:00

I was just short of 21 when I walked into my first teaching assignment one September quite awhile ago. We were still well within the first years of The Sound of Music, singing along with Julie Andrews "My Favorite Things" and the whole rest of the soundtrack. The story captivated movie-goers everywhere with the portrayal of the wholesome, cute, nun-turned-wife-and-mother of the Von Trapp family. Imagine my delightful surprise to discover that my principal was the real Sound of Music nun: she was young, beautiful, full of fun, a live Sister Maria! The kids, the faculty, the staff, and all the other sisters just loved her. My first principal and I will never forget her.

The years passed, of course, she went onto other things as did I, but whenever I saw her she was the same, aging gracefully and beautifully--just as you'd expect.

For the past 27 years she has been the Vicar for Religious of our diocese and last night we invited her to dinner at the Mount to celebrate with her and to thank her as she retires. The sisters lined up to express their appreciation for her years of ministry. She represented and served us well--to the bishop and within the diocesan structure. She was as gracious, as beautiful, as special as she was all those years ago to that wide-eyed novice beginning her teaching career.

I saw Julie Andrews interviewed on TV recently and, yes, you guessed it, still as lovely as ever, exactly like our own "Sister Maria" in real life.

Himalayan Bowls

2011-11-07T06:07:00.002-05:00

This weekend as part of the Seasons of the Spirit retreat held here at the Mount Kathleen Calby brought her Singing Bowls (Himalayan Bowls) and gave presentations to the retreatants and to all of us on Sunday. I found a You tube video of Kathleen which will give you a flavor of these unique instruments.

Beautiful experience!

Her own website is here if you want to explore even more.

I've always thought, "The most interesting people come down East Lake Rd and into our place!"

A Conference on the Life

2011-11-03T05:52:00.001-04:00

At one point in November planning I was going to be on my way to Columbus, Ohio tomorrow to attend the Ohio Wesleyan conference on monasticism: "Radical Gospel Living." But that was before 1,000 other things came into life---not the least of which was the last 10 days: a funeral, 100+ visitors to our own weekend conference of sorts, a Monastic Council meeting, and on and on and on.

Anyway, a significant contingent of representatives from our community is heading out for the event at which our Sister Joan is the Friday night keynoter. On Saturday, representing a new type of monastic life (based in downtown Philadelphia), is Shawn Claiborne about whom you can read a little here.

Meanwhile back in our monastic life, we are looking forward to a weekend of blessed ordinary time--something there is not much more of since Advent is only three weeks from this Sunday---yikes!

Finally, amidst all this ruckus, don't I get a surprise opportunity to try again for two impossible photographs. Our deer are being seen everywhere these days--this one right up near the St. Scholastica statue, nibbling on what's left of the rose bushes.

And our long, narrow stained-glass windows on the west wall of the chapel were glorious in the bright early setting sunlight yesterday....but it is impossible to catch on camera. Darn!

Love Feast

2011-10-31T07:07:00.000-04:00

The last 4-5 days here really have been a kind of "love feast" in many and various ways. Sister Margaret Mary's funeral and burial were lovely and one of the most beautiful parts of them was the attendance by eleven of her close relatives, including her two age 80+ sisters. They were quite moved by our rituals and hospitality. They couldn't say enough about how meaningful an experience it was for them. That is truly the very best part of having families with us during times such as these.

Friday through Sunday we were joined for our community weekend program and oblate commitment ceremony by 50-100 oblates (depending on the day!). They, too, are wonderful to be around and to have with us no matter the time or event, but especially this last weekend of October. The Saturday presentations on personal fitness and good health practices were just great and much-appreciated by all.

One of the small but unique parts of both of these events was the addition of matted photographs from Sister Margaret Mary's life and then of past oblate events and participants. These photos were scattered throughout the dining room and community room and truly "spoke" their own message within the other rituals. Visit our website today and throughout the week for a photo display of these days, as I saw many of our photographers very busy throughout.

And here's a new movie review for your consideration. John Dear, sj, reviews the new movie, The Way, with Martin Sheen, aka Jed Bartlett of West Wing fame. Seems like one we should catch.

Steelers, Browns or Bills?

2011-10-27T05:58:00.000-04:00

We thought we were attending and hosting the Memory Service for our Sister Margaret Mary. And we were and we did. But what we didn't know, and never would have expected in a million years, was the appearance of her great-nephew and NFL sports commentator, Scott Hanson, and the football talk intertwined with the spirituality of the wake of his favorite and much-loved great aunt.

My oh my, you just never know what a day will bring! Click here to make (partial) sense of it all!

On a more "normal" day--the two large rose bushes in the inner courtyard two days ago. What are they doing in full flower at the end of October?

And what are we doing going out to work at 7:25 am in the near pitch dark? Here's a snapshot of the chapel on the way to our car.

Rest in Peace

2011-10-24T05:54:00.002-04:00

We average about 3-4 sisters a year who pass onto eternal life. I'm not usually in the room when one dies--often because of schedule or other duties or just leaving that special time for those closest to her. But Sunday was an exception and I was one of three of us who were with our Sister Margaret Mary when she died early in the afternoon.

It was such a peace-filled, calm and loving moment. It was a privilege to be with her. Watch our community website this week for postings of her obit and prayer card.

Sunday was also Mission Sunday and our environment for Mass reflected that. Here we used our special candle holders...from Africa, I think.

Acknowledging that there are a zillion web sites and that our friends and family send us links to ones they like all the time...it's hard to suggest one that is really special, but I think I've got one. If you have the time...Enjoy: Google Doodles.

Deer Time

2011-10-20T05:56:00.002-04:00

Lots and lots of deer encounters these days. There are still plenty of apples in the back orchard that attract our "herd" all day long, but especially at sunset. The crab apple trees also have quite a bit of fruit on them, so they are still in the food chain. But, the last time I checked the grapes over at Benetwood Apartments they were just about picked clean.

Tuesday night I ducked out the patio door right after supper and took what I thought would be a quick spin around the Mount. I had only reached the old greenhouse when I met four deer and had a pleasant 5-minute staring contest, in which I hope I showed no fear even though one walked toward me before stopping about 50 feet away.

After we parted I continued around the east end of the house and as I came around to the front there was a lone small deer right off the blacktop of the front circle, quietly grazing under a tree. We stared a little, too, and then I continued to the front door while she continued to forage.

Took down the last of the hummingbird feeders this week, too, and noticed that one of our sisters who works on the chapel environment placed some of the huge mum plants from Jubilee outside at our entrances. They are still gorgeous and must be a welcoming sight to our many October visitors.

See our community site for two wonderful Smileboxes of Jubilee weekend. Very appropriately named--"Smile" boxes.

Everyone Seems to Stop By

2011-10-17T06:56:00.002-04:00

This is one of those times where it seems as if "the whole world" is passing by our front door---and stopping in. We had an 8th grade class that one of our sisters brought for the day to show them her monastery. We had a group from a parish down in the diocese come to have a little "time away" for the day. The AIM USA Board is coming for their annual meeting--10 monks and nuns from around the country, most of them abbots or prioresses. And over 40 women are participating in Benetvision's annual Readers' Retreat at a nearby conference center with many of them coming a few days early or staying later for a few days with us at the Mount.

And guess what? We love having them. Come one, come all, that's what monasteries are for; that's why we have a whole wing (15 rooms) for visitors; that's why we have 3 hermitages, and I wish we could build 3 more.

Some early autumn scenes from our place:

The Week After

2011-10-13T05:58:00.002-04:00

Boy, is it a quiet week in Lake Wobegon these days, as we are (pleasantly) recuperating from the weekend. What a time! For a different take on our Jubilee 3-day "bash" see these blogs: Alyssa's, Carrie's.
Some exciting news, our Sister Joan has a new book out just this week, Happiness, from Wm Eerdmans Publ. Here's the review from amazon.com

"Everyone wants to be happy. Many, however, wrongly believe that happiness comes from having enough money, fame, personal comfort, worldly success, or even dumb luck. Happiness just seems to be so elusive and arbitrary — something all too often just out of reach.

Joan Chittister sees happiness differently. To her it is not a by-product of wealth or success but, rather, a personal quality to be learned, mastered, and fearlessly wielded. Happiness, she says, "is an organ of the soul that is meant to be nourished." In these pages Chittister develops “an archeology of happiness” as she conducts a happiness “dig” through sociology, biology, neurology, psychology, philosophy, history, and world religions. Sifting through the wisdom of the ages, Chittister offers inspiring insights that will help seekers everywhere learn to cultivate true and lasting happiness within themselves."

What a Weekend!

2011-10-10T06:01:00.000-04:00

A very, very special weekend indeed. Three jubilee celebrations with a Community Dinner Friday night, the public (300+) Evening Praise and reception Saturday afternoon, and a special Sunday liturgy to cap it all off!

My favorite part or at least one of my favorite parts? To watch guests who have never been here or haven't been here in awhile or who aren't even Catholic, try to keep from gaping as they experience the best our liturgical efforts and Benedictine hospitality can offer. It's funny and wonderful!

Watch our community website this week for photos, Sister Anne's reflections and any other reports they may give about this weekend's events.

Here are some shots I got both inside and outside, since the weather was P-E-R-F-E-C-T.

Please note Our Lady of the Bathtub that has been on the Glinodo grounds for who-knows-how-long vs. the newly relocated statue of Mary from Glinodo to the Mount---courtesy of one of our very creative and artistic maintenance and grounds experts. Thanks, Gary.

Twenty-five, Fifty, Sixty Years

2011-10-06T06:08:00.000-04:00

Halleluiah

Everyone should be born into this world happy and loving everything.
But in truth it rarely works that way.
For myself, I have spent my life clamoring toward it.
Halleluiah, anyway I'm not where I started!

And have you too been trudging like that, sometimes almost forgetting how wondrous the world is and how miraculously kind some people can be?
And have you too decided that probably nothing important is ever easy?
Not, say, for the first sixty years.

Halleluiah, I'm sixty now, and even a little more,
and some days I feel like I have wings.

Mary Oliver for our Jubilarians

Our gardens slowly fading into autumn.

Jubilee Week

2011-10-03T06:02:00.003-04:00

All week the excitement builds because this weekend we will celebrate our 25-50 and 60 year Jubilarians with a community dinner Friday night and a large public celebration Saturday. The festivities spill over into Sunday as many guests stay the weekend and the liturgy planners make Sunday's liturgy a part of the jubilee time.

Profiles of the seven sisters can be found in this issue of the Mount magazine beginning on page 11: Sisters Judith, Mary Lou, Audrey, Rose Ann, Patricia, Miriam and Marlene. They are all great women---Enjoy!

A hidden rock garden at St. Meinrad Archabbey.

Benedictine Land--southern Indiana style

2011-09-29T00:37:00.002-04:00

Two-thirds of the Benedictine communities in the US are within 100-150 miles east and west of the Mississippi River, from Canada down to the Gulf. This week I'm in the very south of Indiana and spending time in "Benedictine land--southern Indiana style."

The two huge Benedictine places here are the community of women in Ferdinand, Indiana and the men's community in nearby St. Meinrad, Indiana. Both are among the two or three largest in the US and have made this part of the country a Benedictine landscape if there ever was one, with their large, large arrays of buildings, influence and century-old affects on the people, land and Catholicism here.

My time is at a subprioresses' meeting at the monastery of women in Ferdinand and a more welcoming and lovely community there cannot be...except for my own in Erie, of course!

Enjoy the scenes.

Imposing Monastery Immaculate Conception. Newly restored church is front and center. You can see it for miles around as it is on a hill high above the little town.

Blessed Sacrament chapel behind main altar. Wooden-outlined dome mimics the stone one it is under.

One of many gardens. This one styled amid a Benedictine cross.

The view from the other swing seat where yours truly was relaxing!

Just a fraction of the buildings and land that compose St. Meinrad Archabbey, seminary, guesthouse, Abbey Press, et al. Just a monstrous plant.

Some of the 3,700+ pipes of the organ in the main church.

Art is everywhere, including right on the walls. This one in a stairway.

Unique windows in the monks' Chapter Room. The ceiling, like the Sistine Chapel, was painted by a monk and is completely covered with bible-inspired themes.

One of Erie's Hidden Gems

2011-09-26T00:23:00.003-04:00

This weekend we finally got a chance to visit one of Erie's hidden treasures: the mile-long walkway along the edge of the bluffs overlooking the Bayfront highway and Presque Isle Bay. This partially hidden and not oft traveled path--except at noon time by nearby health-conscious employees--begins downtown across from Hamot Medical Center and continues west all the way to Liberty St.

On its south side is a blend of 100 year old simple city homes mixed in with more modern new or restored lofts and townhouses with large front windows facing north. A couple playgrounds and lots of natural green space are also along the path.

But the north side....the north side is a continuous, uninterrupted view of the bay, with all its marinas, restaurants and waterside parks viewed from 50-100 feet up (See two samples below). A blest way to spend an hour and a half on a beautiful early autumn afternoon!

Erie's bicentennial tower (1795-1995) and State Street marinas.

Marinas and the Bayfront Civic Center. The walkway connects to the Sheraton Hotel.

And on our walk we had an up close and personal experience with nature--ta da: a grasshopper that hitched a ride on my pant leg!

Couple new entries on our community website, here.

Sand Mandala

2011-09-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

All week six monks from the Tibetan monastery of Gaden Shartse in southern India have been at Gannon University in downtown Erie constructing a sand mandala and sharing their life, music, prayer and dance with the Erie community.

These six have been sharing their "Sacred Earth, Healing Arts of Tibet" tour throughout the States for 15 months and will return to their community of 400 in a few months. We attended their Monday evening presentation and were transfixed for two hours as they truly mesmerized a packed auditorium with their folk dance, music, costumes and some of their other rituals.

From here they go to Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

Go here for more and click on any photo to enlarge it.

We Are Ready to Sing

2011-09-19T06:09:00.001-04:00

This weekend brought the beginning of a "new year." September marks the return of many of our yearly pursuits that take a summer hiatus and one began this Sunday: schola practice. Over 25 sisters belong to this community singing group and we were greeted with news of four new members who have joined and three new songs that we practiced right on day one.

Although we only practice a couple times a month (there are just so many opportunities to get 25 people's schedules free at the same time) we do offer some good choral numbers for special events, feasts and for the traditional liturgical holy days.

Our first "appearance" this year will be in 3 weeks at the 2011 Jubilee weekend.

Two links that I think you'll like--One: the catalogue from the just-opened new show of Brother Thomas' pottery in Boston. Click here and then on the catalogue you'll see on the upper left.

And one of my favorite blogs from one of our best writers. It may be new to you but I know you'll like it. Click here and you'll see it on the right.

And finally, see our website this week for the story and photos that accompanied the welcoming of two gals to our Benedicta Riepp program for the next year. Lucky us.

A Berry Good Week

2011-09-15T00:04:00.002-04:00

Took a walk "around the back forty," down to the lake and along East Lake Road this week and was amazed that it seemed like every other green bush was loaded with berries. Purple, red, orange, green, the late summer berries are everywhere. Back at the Mount, I just walked right out the door of the library courtyard and found all these within a few yards of the house. Quite beautiful, but I think you have to be on foot to spy them, flying by in a car won't do.

If you haven't been to our community website this week there's a lot that was just posted, including Anne W's beautiful closing prayer at Sunday's Interfaith Service. She repeated some of it the next night, too, at another interfaith 9-11 service.

And, finally, I turned into our driveway Tuesday at about 8:15 pm and caught the somewhat unusual sight of our chapel, lit up from the inside after sunset. This is all I could do, I just knew my camera couldn't catch what I was seeing. But, the experience convinced me--I'm investing in a new camera ASAP. Watch for better photos coming soon!

-18x + 16 = 25

2011-09-12T00:03:00.003-04:00

What a thrill, I'm with the Pope! See Page 17 of our Erie Catholic diocese's September-October edition--OR--you can just read my column here:

I’ve spent a good deal of time tutoring since I left full-time teaching. Most of it involves “prepping” for the college entrance exams—the SATs or the ACTs. Recently I spent some sessions with a junior who had taken the tests in early spring but was unhappy with his math score and was determined to take the tests as many times as needed to get the score he wanted. Since he’s dreaming of pre-med I could understand his concern.

I don’t believe in trying to teach too much of the actual mathematics learned in algebra, geometry or trigonometry during these sessions. I’d rather do problems and "diagnose them" especially with the challenging or tricky problems that go way beyond a textbook’s presentations.

With this latest student I soon realized that it wasn’t a matter of knowing the college prep mathematics. He knew it quite well and had good recall. It was not a matter of memorized facts or regurgitated knowledge. It was about learning to think. Every time I realize that we’re getting to that point with a student I say to myself yet again, “How do you teach someone how to think?”

The pace of the life doesn't help thinking: fast, busy, over-involved and committed. None of us seemed to be in a lifestyle that fosters much learning through “thinking.” Undaunted, every time I jump into the hardest problems somehow, in one of the mysterious parts of teaching, something does happen--more miraculously than controlled--and we move into the realm of "thinking."

This latest junior did get it and not only did his scores go up, but I could tell he was sensing a different way of going about it. He was beginning to think.

There is a strong analogy here to our spiritual life. After learning the catechism questions and answers, adult Christians, both young and old, must face a spirituality and relationship with God that takes qualities far beyond black and white facts. It takes praying, learning, searching, faith development, love and the building of a mature relationship with your God. It's not easy and it certainly continues throughout a lifetime--not just for a few weeks before an important test.

---------------------------------------------------------

I was out near the peninsula this week and caught these photos in the early evening:

Word For the Day

2011-09-08T05:53:00.003-04:00

I love those 4" square one-day-at-a-time calendars that flood the market every Christmas. But I hardly ever buy one because I can never choose just one. Do I pick the one that gives you a Jeopardy answer every day? or a little crossword or sudoku? or how about a laugh a day? or word a day? or hundreds of other topics that give you 365 doses (366 next year) of your favorite subject.

But in their honor I do offer a word for today: poult...it rhymes with colt.

One of our resident wild turkeys, which we pay only passing attention to because: a) we love the deer more, and b) they are just homely birds, is a new mother. And, as proof of that, she is parading her 8 babies (poults) around our yard regularly. From afar they seem like they may even be cute, but come next spring...yikes!

Speaking of cute, here are two other late summer photos I took of the newly-finished "poetry park" that some of our sisters had a hand in and is located in an impoverished neighborhood of southeast Erie. This wonderful endeavor brightens up the block considerably.

And, finally, happy feast to all those for whom September 8th, the celebration of the Birth of Mary in the liturgical calendar, and a common entrance day for young nuns back in the day, is special. We do Marian feasts well, if I do say so myself. Bringing devotions to a contemporary post-Vatican II spirituality is not easy, but our liturgists are very good at it and we celebrate many Marian feasts gladly and meaningfully.

Post-Vacation Thoughts

2011-09-05T01:00:00.001-04:00

Yes, I'm a homebody and yes, I get homesick, no matter how much I enjoy the travel away. I miss my community, friends, family, the beauty of the peninsula and Erie summers (for all our brutal winters the other three seasons can be quite glorious) and, of course, my own bed!

But what I miss most is our prayer and liturgy and this Sunday's didn't disappoint---wonderful music, creative presentation of the Word, great homily reflections and an assembly fully engaged.

The seemingly simple environment caught my eye, too. On the left side was a tree! The "artist" brought one of our indoor ficus trees into the chapel. It was beautiful standing there rather stately and comfortable. Its leaves may react if it stays too long, but they do survive the moves. On the right was an orchid that's been around for months, and there it was with 3 new flowers. Again, rather unobtrusive, yet stunning in its own right.

And a final reflection: the current Monastic Council is continuing the practice of past councils of a common reading with the sharing of our reflections at the beginning of each Council meeting. This year we'll be reading Hope Abundant, Third World and Indigenous Women's Theology. I was able to get into it during vacation and admit, first: that my ignorance is embarrassing and, second: the first chapters are fascinating. Each one is on the challenges and nuances of being a feminist/women Christian theologian within her own country/culture. The first four chapters are by women from Kenya, Hong Kong, Brazil and Native American (Cherokee).

I'm looking forward to our sharings. So glad to be home.

People Watching

2011-08-31T20:33:00.000-04:00

As I spent 3 years in the original habit I remember quite vividly the unexpected awareness of always being stared at, living in the proverbial fishbowl. "Guess what we saw today, Mommy---nuns!" For a basically shy person it was awful. As much as I had looked forward to receiving it, the return to lay clothes and their accompanying anonymity was a welcome relief.

Beaches have to rank right up there with airports and malls for people-watching and we have done a great deal of that this week. Three observations: families are alive and well--all three generations, grandparents, parents and kids are everywhere; people still read books, as we saw paper books all over the beach----of course, Kindles and Nooks may not get along too well with the fine Jersey sand; and finally, vacation time is great, as most people we are seeing have a smile on their face, are dressed in shorts and summer tops, and are drinking and eating with friends.

Not to spoil the reflection, but the realities of the world don't take a vacation, so let us remember today all those in our world for whom the above experiences would be only a dream or even an unknown concept, as their life is one of just trying to meet their basic needs each day. Take a vacation? You're kidding.

Here are some everyday views of "life at the shore"!

Click to enlarge.

Two blogs you'll like: Alyssa's and Carrie's

Good Night, Irene

2011-08-29T11:39:00.002-04:00

Having a little adventure on vacation this week as we traveled to the Jersey shore for some fun and sun and ran right into the coming of Hurricane Irene and a mandatory evacuation of all shore towns 24 hours after we got there! Ended up in Philadelphia for the weekend but, hopefully, back to the sand and salt water soon.

We waited in a line for over 1 hour to fill up with gas before leaving. There were three lines feeding into the station and it was exactly like what we've seen on TV in numerous evacuation scenes. The locals here are split on the disaster warnings and preparations. Some think it's much ado about nothing and others think precaution is always the best decision. Everyone seems to agree that the east coast governors, mayors, and disaster officials have a strong memory of the Katrina mess in New Orleans and "don't want that on my watch"---so it's better to be overly cautious.

Unknown to us, Philadelphia just set a rainiest month record in August with over 13", so they rightly worried that an onslaught of water wouldn't be handled well by the city, its ground, reservoirs and streams.

As Irene passed by overnight the only two effects on us were 8 hours without electricity (3:00-11:00 a.m.) and a night of listening to wild winds and loads and loads of rainfall. Not much damage outside of trees down and isolated power outages. Low lying areas, as always, were the most affected with flooding in predictable places.

By noon Sunday we actually started to see bright sunshine and Jersey residents were allowed to start to return home. We'll be heading back Monday ourselves. Better a few days than none at all.

Meanwhile, back at the Mount, here is one of our loveliest bushes--the flowers are a beautiful light green.

Anniversaries

2011-08-25T06:07:00.000-04:00

In 1861 the young (only 5 years old) Benedictine community of Erie responded to a request by Louis Fink, OSB, to send sisters to Chicago to conduct a girls' school in a parish there that was headed by Benedictine monks. Three sisters were sent from Erie.

To take a quantum leap---this week the Benedictine community of St. Scholastica Monastery began celebrating their 150th anniversary of presence and ministry to the people of Chicago.

Four of our sisters, representing the founding monastery, traveled to Chicago for the opening of the year-long celebration.

Every columnist in the country, be they at national newspapers or local newsletters, will be reflecting on the 10th anniversary of 9-11 in the next couple of weeks. Here is a good column already by Mercy Sister Camille D'Arienzo. She mentions our Joan Chittister prominently.

Finally, two weekly blogs you might enjoy: Alyssa's Year and Carrie's Year

Lazy, Hazy Days of August

2011-08-22T06:00:00.002-04:00

We still have lots of retreatants around and some of our sisters, too, are getting in some last days of summer quiet time. Here's a beauty by Mary Oliver that would certainly take care of a day of retreat reflection by itself.

How Many Days

How many days I lived and had never used
the holy words.
Tenderly I began them when it came to me
to want to, oh mystery irrefutable!
Then I went out of that place
and into a field and lay down
among the weeds and the grasses,
whispering to them, fast, in order to keep
that world also.

Mary Oliver

As a sign of the lessening number of summer days we have a number of patches of Black-Eyed Susans that are dying away. On the other hand, luckily, we have other patches that are alive and bright.

This is one of my favorite trees on our property. It probably looks like a rather average tree to most, but it has three outstanding characteristics: 1) It is beautifully shaped, with feathery leaves that give it a rather wispy look; 2) It is positioned in the backyard so that whenever we eat out on the patio we get a perfect view of it; and 3) It's the last, very last, tree to get its leaves each spring, so late in fact that we all say, "Is that tree dead?" and luckily someone who knows its cycle is nearby and says, "No, it's just the last to come out, but wait until you see it." The proverbial best for last?!

And, welcome Alyssa and Carrie!

Photos of Light

2011-08-18T08:48:00.002-04:00

I bought a copy of Games magazine to help pass the time on the 4+ hour flight from LA back to Erie last Saturday. Games has just what you'd think, a wide variety of games from a couple standard crosswords to word games, visuals and puzzles of all kinds and levels. One of their famous games is called Eyeball Benders. Here they take a closeup photo of common everyday objects, where only a small part of each is visible. The challenge is to see if you can identify them.

So, here I am walking through our first floor making a type of Eyeball Bender for you. Can you identify where these objects are on first floor at the Mount? For those who have never been here, please just enjoy my small attempts to take photos of objects difficult to capture as such.

I think the first one's easy, the next medium, and the third challenging!

Sister Anne's personal reflections on the LCWR conference can be found here.

Purple Martin Time

2011-08-15T00:06:00.004-04:00

From the Erie Times News this week:

Purple gaze: Hooray for the Purple Martin Conservation Association. The association is based in Erie, and members estimate that as many as 20,000 purple martins can be seen when they stop in the reeds at Presque Isle State Park during their fall migration to Brazil and Peru. The birds are showing up a little earlier than usual this year and are expected to fly south in early September. "It's really unbelievable," nature photographer Michele Franz says about the experience of watching the birds fly into their roosts and hearing them land. It's especially stunning to see the birds pepper the sky during a gorgeous Erie sunset.

"The purple martin is impressive not only for its remarkably long migration (an estimated 5,000 miles), but also because they tolerate people so well," says John Tautin, executive director of the association, based at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center.

Of course, we're tickled that the thousands of purple martins visiting here also attract more than 100 participants to this annual conference, to learn how to protect the purple martin population. We're not so happy, though, that individuals can no longer traipse to the foot of Sommerheim Drive to watch the birds at the head of the peninsula. The site is off-limits because of construction and vandalism.

For another great story on this "Erie phenomenon" click here.

Don't miss another of our LLL "reports" on our website.

On the West Coast

2011-08-11T10:41:00.000-04:00

Here are some images that caught my attention at the LCWR assembly in Anaheim.

There was a whole aisle of religious candles in Target! Don't know whether it's because they don't have a religious goods store or that the people here are just very devotional!

Here are the beautiful foothills we came to when we visited the Benedictine Sisters of Glendora, CA. Just beautiful.

More from Glendora, at an outdoor dinner with wonderful music from a gal who records for Oregon Catholic Press.

Benetvision has a booth here among the exhibitors. Amazing how many sisters already know about our Monastery of the Heart program.

Though we didn't actually go inside one of the "worlds," we did go into the Disney entrance area that has this famous sign!

You'll notice that there aren't any photos of the 650 leaders of religious communities who are meeting...but those gatherings are going along fine, too!

Back in LA

2011-08-08T10:27:00.000-04:00

I will be outside of Los Angeles on the day this is posted, attending the annual LCWR assembly. Ironically, I have been to 6-7 of these already while handling the booth of products for Benetvision--and one of those times was in this very place, in Anaheim, home of Disneyland. This time I come as a participant. In an unusual event, a Benedictine from our Federation is one of the keynote speakers. Since Benedictines comprise somewhere in the neighborhood of 5% of Catholic sisters in the US, I say it is somewhat unusual.

Catch our homesite this week which will surely carry a variety of photos from our LLL summer community days last week which were just terrific--or so the early feedback indicates!

Peace Plant

2011-08-04T07:12:00.001-04:00

What a lovely ceremony and celebration Wednesday night for Al and Peggy Richardson, two longtime advocates of justice, education, peace, dignity and acceptance of all peoples in the Erie area. They and a couple dozen of their friends and family joined us for prayer and the awards ceremony with a reception following. It was very moving to see some of the "quiet" people, the ones somewhat behind the scenes, yet always part of the planning committee or organizing group, the ones that have truly dedicated their lives to causes for the betterment of humanity, receive some public recognition.

A peace plant was one of their gifts, along with a beautifully-framed award that include a Benedictine medal and an engraved metal-worked design with "Seek peace and pursue it" from the RB as the centerpiece of the award.

LLL Week

2011-08-01T00:01:00.002-04:00

This week finds our community committed to our annual summer community days, aka LLL Days: Learning, Leisure and Legislation. They begin Tuesday night and run through Saturday.

The Learning this year includes the area of Wellness: both for each of us personally and for the group communally. Additionally, there is always time for good community discussions on issue of import for all.

Leisure will find us with time for our own hobbies and interests along with reservations for the Erie Playhouse production of Fame, the musical based on the story of the New York City High School for the Arts.

Finally, Legislation comes in the form of Monastic Chapter meetings that are always needed since we are both a non-profit corporation of the State of Pennsylvania and a canonical entity within the Catholic Church and the Federation of St. Scholastica.

Though all three will be interesting, the real enjoyment comes from just spending 3-4 days together, which strengthens the bonds of friendship and community no matter what we are actually doing!

Each year for only 2-3 weeks our chapel is rimmed by these gorgeous yellow lilies. Beautiful.

Glorious Tribute

2011-07-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

What a lovely evening--a Celebration of Gratitude for our Sister Miriam Mashank and her 22 years at SBEC--founding it and making it the outstanding job training and placement center it is today. We love having a whole group of people, the majority of which have never set foot in our place. They almost stare open-mouthed, as they go through the experience! Fun and funny!

There will probably be a Smile Box on our community site from this event. Check here.

Sisterhood

2011-07-25T08:16:00.002-04:00

One of our sisters has been "walking a cancer journey," as they say, for a couple months now. Early on her hair started to thin and we have gotten use to the various baseball caps, colorful turbans, and creatively folded scarves that she has used as head coverings.

At the opening Invitatory of this Saturday's Vigil of Sunday Liturgy of the Hours doesn't she emerge as the candle bearer in one of our beautiful pink gowns brought home from the Philippines years ago, complete with matching pink headscarf. Coming right after her is another of our sisters, the candle bearer, in the Filipino blue gown, with her hair pinned up under a matching blue headpiece.

Their liturgical "dance" for the weekly incense and light ritual was just lovely and extremely moving in its inclusion and subtle awareness of one sister's present circumstance and the other's solidarity with her.

For you guys out there (and some gals, too) who never understood the term "sisterhood"---this is it.

Gearing Up

2011-07-21T05:59:00.000-04:00

The house (Mount) is slowly gearing up for a unique event next Wednesday--a Celebration of Gratitude is how it's billed. Twenty-two years of the founding and then dedication to St. Benedict Education Center by our Sister Miriam Mashank. Staff, agency heads and friends are invited to the monastery for Evening Prayer and a reception honoring Miriam as she steps down, no, steps aside from Executive Director to Consultant at our downtown job placement, GED, education Center.

The dining room, kitchen, halls and community room are getting their annual rug/floor cleanings this week for the big event. As Erma Bombeck once wrote, "I like to have guests over every six months or so, it gives me a reason to clean!"

One of my favorite things about summer events is that the weather always allows the "party" to flow out onto our patio which spans the length of the community room and dining room and where the view of our backyard is spectacular. If we're lucky, the deer will come out for a showing around 8:00 pm.

Another East Lake Road scene that we pass every day on our way in town and the view of Lake Erie from Beach 1 and the last Sunset Concert of the summer this week.

Midpoint

2011-07-18T05:49:00.002-04:00

Today is Day #50, the half way point of local radio stations' "100 Days of Summer" and I offer two Mary Oliver poems that express the experiences of this middle point of the season.

I can't keep my hummingbird feeders filled these days...they are emptied at record speed.

Also, this week, the roadsides of our rural-suburban roads have become saturated with wild Queen Anne's Lace and the blue of chicory (read and scroll down). Enjoy!

Passing the Unworked Field

Queen Anne's lace
is hardly
prized but
all the same it isn't
idle look
how it
stands straight on its
thin stems how it
scrubs its white faces
with the
rags of the sun how it
makes all the
loveliness
it can.

Of Time

Don't even ask how rapidly the hummingbird
lives his life.
You can't imagine. A thousand flowers a day,
a little sleep, then the same again, then
he vanishes.
I adore him.

Yet I adore also the drowse of mountains.

And in the human world, what is time?
In my mind there is Rumi, dancing.
There is Li Po drinking from the winter stream.
There is Hafiz strolling through Shariz, his feet
loving the dust.

Kateri

2011-07-14T06:04:00.000-04:00

Today is the Feast of Kateri Tekakwitha, one that we commemorate with great joy as she was the patron of our Camp Glinodo/Glinodo Center for many years. We often have an icon of her on display and have those rich prayers from our Native American culture added to our Liturgy of the Hours. Since the day falls in the middle of summer it adds to the celebration, as she is a patron of ecologists, too.

Some very nice entries on our community website, if you haven't been there in the last couple of days. Here.

Reflections from prioress Anne Wambach on the summer feast of Benedict, July 11 are here.

This isn't Kateri, of course, but I think I should make her the patron of this site as I gaze upon her every day through my office window. Here she is today--with a couple of memories from earlier entries this past year!

Beauty all around us

2011-07-11T05:46:00.002-04:00

I was out and about over the last few days and I'm sure I joined scores of Erieites who are in amazement of the summer beauty all around us. These shots were taken along East Lake Rd within 2 miles of the Mount. There are hundreds of scenes just like them.

I was especially drawn to little outdoor arrangements that people create around unlikely items: the huge array of daisies all around a telephone pole, including the guy wires; the beautiful purple flowers around an old mailbox and the tiger lilies that are allowed to grow even in front of the Kraus Drive sign.

I also stopped by an outdoor concert at Frontier Park. They are held in their little amphitheater. The group was terrific. Here's the view from our vantage point.

July 4th, 5th, 6th, etc.

2011-07-07T06:00:00.002-04:00

The weather was terrific--for about the 14th day in a row! Is this Erie we're in? And our Fourth of July picnic was perfect. About 75 were in attendance, sisters, family members and friends. Some great shots "of the crowd" are on our community website here.

What else would you see if you were with us this week? Here are two things: first, you'd see a lot of guests. Many sisters are here for private retreats and there are families and friends visiting nearly every day. Secondly, you'd see our new small front parlor. Yes, we have a large front parlor, too. The new furniture is compliments of a friend of the community who died recently--way too young--and her brother, knowing her relationship with the community, offered her furniture to us. We chose some lovely pieces and our small front parlor has a new look--courtesy of Barbara's generosity.

We're Part of a Study

2011-07-04T06:54:00.002-04:00

Four Ohio Wesleyan University (near Columbus, OH) students are part of a Theory-to-Practice Grant studying monasticism: its historical development, expression, and a particular topic within it.

One of the four students, Colleen, has chosen our community for her two week live-in experience as part of the grant. Colleen's topic is Feminist Leadership and Inclusivity in a Monastic Setting. Last week she visited some of our ministries and began interviewing individual sisters who wish to participate in her research. Colleen was a member of a group of OWU students who spent their alternative spring break with us last March, so she is already familiar with the Mount, our prayer, and other daily horarium issues.

The four students in the grant program will present their research as part of the OWU-hosted conference, "Radical Gospel Living: Monasticism Today," this November 4-5.

A Path of Life

2011-06-30T09:46:00.003-04:00

The spring/summer issue of the MOUNT magazine has "the path of life" as its major theme. It seems appropriate, then, that one of our sisters got it in her head that the stone path in our inner courtyard was way overgrown and had to be cleared out. Everyone knows that keeping grass and weeds from growing in, around, and through stones is a full time job...unless you use chemicals like Round Up, which is a no-no at our place...and understandably.

She and her helpers have done a beautiful job, as you can see here. But, what a task...hard, hard manual labor.

She told me that her family home had a brick path and that when her father got it in his head to change the direction of the path all the kids would dig up the bricks and re-lay them into the new pattern...until his next idea!

Thanks to Sister Marla and friends for this beautification of our inner courtyard. Greatly appreciated by guests and sisters alike (and especially by those whose offices look out upon it...yours truly included!)

BEFORE

and AFTER!

Faith entry

2011-06-27T00:05:00.011-04:00

My column in the July-August Faith magazine:

Recently I visited the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage outside of Cleveland and although the exhibit we went to see was excellent, what made a lasting impression on me was their gift shop!

It was one of those non-Hallmark places with things you don’t see anywhere else. Resisting the urge to buy everything, I did limit myself to what I wanted most, a mezuzah. Originally a mezuzah was a scroll in a little case fixed to an orthodox Jewish family's doorpost to remind them of their faith. This one is a metal “scroll” about 6” high and it announces, “Peace to this house.”

Peace/Pax has been a Benedictine motto for centuries. Pax Intrantibus, “Peace to those who enter here,” was placed above many of the doors and entrances in early monastic houses throughout Europe. Even today it is most common to have phrases or symbols built into the front doorways of our abbeys and monasteries. Though the phrases may vary, most include the word Pax/Peace.

In Benedictine communities the message of peace can be found not only over entryways, but in art pieces, liturgical books, medals and in many other formats.

In 1880 the abbey at Monte Cassino in Italy commissioned a jubilee medal in honor of the 1400th year anniversary of St. Benedict’s birth. Today that same medal is worn by followers of Benedict’s Rule throughout the world. It is crowded with symbols and letters, but clearly right above the cross on one side, is the word “Pax.” Coincidentally, the abbot of Monte Cassino at that time was a monk originally from an American abbey.

Here at our Erie monastery we continued this tradition by designing a four-foot high cornerstone to commemorate our chapel renovation in 2007. PAX is the only word; engraved under the same Benedictine cross used on the medal.

The modern “Welcome” mat may be a contemporary cousin of the mezuzah, placed at a house’s entrance as a sign of hospitality. In country living stores I’ve seen hangings such as: “Smith home since 1975” that can be hung on the lintel along with the house number.

Our contemporary mezuzah tells of our dedication and commitment to peace. What would you choose to say on a mezuzah if it hung at your entranceway?

P.S. By the way, the exhibit we visited was fantastic. It’s “Women and Spirit,” a traveling history of Catholic sisters in the USA and shares the effects thousands of religious women have had on education, health care and social services for 200 years. Go to womenandspirit.org for a great summary of it—with pictures!

The Addition

2011-06-23T05:54:00.002-04:00

In the late 1980s the community constructed an addition to the east end of our two residence wings. The addition added on 30 rooms in total, five on each of the three floors of both the north and south wings.

Also added on every floor was a porch. Only the front wall of each porch is open, making them really lovely places to sit outside and yet be enough out-of-doors without being in the direct sun.

The one right by my room has benefitted from the care of one of our green-thumbed sisters. It not only boasts a little patio set of table and chairs, but has the healthiest and prettiest plants, as the "open side" has a southern exposure.

I never cease being amazed at the decorative and design talents of so many of our sisters. Usually we see their talents in the chapel environment, but every once and awhile some little corner of the Mount benefits from a type of "makeover" and it always is just------just so right.

If you haven't seen these yet, on our community website are links to the spring/summer MOUNT magazine and a newspaper column by our Sister Mary Lou. Both are great! (Scroll down the news a bit)

June 21-Welcome Summer

2011-06-20T06:04:00.002-04:00

"Small Bodies"

It is almost summer. In the pond
the pickerel leap,
and the delicate teal have brought forth
their many charming young,
and the turtle is ravenous.
It is hard sometimes, oh Lord,
to be faithful.
I am more boldly made
than the little ducks, paddling and laughing.
But not so bold
as the turtle
with his greasy mouth.
I know you know everything--
I rely on this.
Still, there are so many small bodies in the world,
for which I am afraid.

Mary Oliver

The Desert Ammas

2011-06-16T07:11:00.000-04:00

This year's retreat is going along nicely--weather is cooperating beautifully so everyone can get outside as much as they wish, including for meals on our back patio. The subject matter is interesting: the desert mothers (ammas) of the 4th and 5th centuries. Amazon lists four current books on this subject: The first one, The Desert Mothers by Mary Earle, gives a very quick Q&A on the subject--just scroll down a bit, only takes one minute---it's very good.

The other three are: The Forgotten Desert Mothers by Swan; In the Heart of the Desert by Chryssavgis, Ward, and Ware; and Praying with the Desert Mothers by our own retreat director, Mary Forman.

If you like a little pre-Benedictine monasticism and monastic tales of the desert I think any of the four would be good.

Small town girl in the big city

2011-06-13T06:48:00.002-04:00

Just back from a great time in Detroit, Michigan, just 275 miles from the Mount. We attended the final day of the American Catholic Council an organization of groups promoting the tenets of the Vatican Council II--which opened 50 years ago this coming year.

Our Joan Chittister was one of the keynote speakers and brought hope and inspiration to the 2,000 attendees with her presentation titled, "Good Event, Bad Event--Who knows?" She used scripture stories, contemporary tales, and a summary of the major documents of the Council to urge these faithful and long-standing proponents of the Spirit of this Council and Pope John XXIII, to carry on, as "seeds that may or may never see the flower."

Detroit was a major underground railroad site during the days of slavery. Many moved on to Canada after arriving in Detroit--some came back after abolition.

This sign was translated into Spanish and Arabic.

A large park is right downtown. Mostly large cement areas with huge metal art pieces. Beautiful in its own way, I suppose, but give me more grass, flowers and average scale art any day!

A gigantic ferry boat, the Detroit Princess, was docked right by the convention center. That's Canada in the background, right across the Detroit River. The bridge is one of many over to it.

Here's Sister Joan (sorry for the fuzziness) on the large stage area giving her presentation. DVD will be available from either the ACC or Benetvision soon.

Is the spirit a bird?

2011-06-09T06:05:00.004-04:00

Pentecost week songs are coming fast and furious. Here's part of "Pulsing Spirit" by Benedictine Delores Dufner of Minnesota.

"Spirit free, unbounded motion,
Beauty's mirror, heart's delight.
Gift abundant all around us,
flood the world with life and light."

Noisy daytime hours at the Mount this week. Landscapers are giving our gardens their annual clean up and clear out. And, workers are giving our famous stained-glass windows a once-over, to minimize the build up of condensation between the windows themselves and the plane glass on their outer side. They're trying some sort of venting system. We'll see!

Funniest double-take at prayer today as I looked up and saw...the outside trees instead of stained-glass. Here's the whole south side. Can you spy the one whose window is out?

They're hopping around all day, but still spend a great deal of time in their "hatching area," near the nest. Three are in this photo. I've named them: A,B,C,and R. "American, Boy Wonder, Christopher and Rockin'."

Great coverage in our local paper for a very sad prayer vigil yesterday for a 14-month old.

On my way to Detroit this weekend for American Catholic Council gathering.

Spirit Week

2011-06-06T05:46:00.002-04:00

Lots of activities going on in and around the Mount/in and around the community these days. But I want to mention just two of them. One: Visitors are always a favorite topic of mine and this weekend we had a Seasons of the Spirit retreat with lots of high-energy retreatants who enter into the activities and spirituality experience with such enthusiasm. They are always, always delightful to have around and seem to have a wonderful time whether this is their first retreat or fortieth! Two: Our prioress, Anne, has been faithful to giving tours all week of her robin babies, but on Saturday she found an empty nest when she checked. She heard and then spied the babies in her little garden area, with their parents still supplying worms to them all weekend.

Click to enlarge and look in the very center!

Three: (I know I said two) This is one of every one's favorite liturgical weeks--the week leading up to Pentecost Sunday. We started with our "spirit" songs Saturday and will work our way through the entire repertoire by next weekend. One is just as great as the other and we usually sing them with great....well, spirit! I hope you have found enlivening liturgies in your area, too.

Our Sheraton Hotel on the far left, Bicentennial Tower on the right, Presque Isle Bay behind them and Presque Isle State Park beyond that.

A "Happening"

2011-06-02T15:18:00.001-04:00

When I was growing up my mother and dad had this wonderful friend: Sally, who was just eccentric enough to seem delightfully different from all their other friends. One of Sally's greatest lines, whenever she had an experience that the rest of us might say was "interesting," was to announce, "I had a happening"! I have adopted that in my life now, shared it with friends and keep the memory of Sally alive through it!
LTSGW is late today....because I had a happening!

I was just going about my "normal" life Tuesday evening, experiencing what I thought was a slight stomach ache or passing gas (you know the feeling!)...flash forward 12 hours to Wednesday morning, same feeling, but too strange, so we chose a trip to the ER at Saint Vincent Health Center by noon. Flash forward 24 more hours to noon today and I've been out and back home with a laparoscopic appendectomy!

What's going on at the Mount? Who knows? I was busy "having a happening"--Sally would be so proud.

Memorial Day dawned warm and sunny. Spent some time at our Presque Isle State Park with the amazingly tame geese and their goslings and then back to the Mount for a great hamburgers and hot dogs picnic. Fun, fun for sisters and guests!

On our community website: nice Letter to the Editor of our local newspaper from Fr. Jim Gutting, local pastor and supporter of all our endeavors.

Summer Begins

2011-05-30T07:05:00.002-04:00

Over the last four-five months our Sustainability Committee has been joining the efforts to educate our community on the natural gas drilling (that involves fracking) that is sweeping the US. Locals in a little town just 8 miles east of us signed agreements for wells to be dug before they were aware of the horrid dangers thereof...most particularly to the surrounding water supplies.

Most of our sisters viewed the DVD Gasland and were reading more and more about the issue, as we feared the offers would spread to our township next. Miraculously, on Friday our local newspaper announced that the efforts by a citizens' group caused the drilling company to announce that it is halting all proposed drilling in the nearby town! We still hope to continue our voice to intercede for other communities in Pennsylvania, New York and many, many other states.

Our prioress, Anne, has gone gaga (no not the singer, the emotion) over a nest of four baby robins that hatched 2 days ago. The nest is located right outside one of her windows, right at eye level, yet hidden pretty well in a bush there. She made me take about two dozen photos until she got the mother and I got the open-mouthed babies seen here. Tours are being given over the holiday weekend.

And the irises are beginning to bloom in our area. Joan Chittister's June issue of The Monastic Way is based on the famous painting of irises by Van Gogh. You should have received a free electronic copy of this issue if you get the weekly e-newletter from Benetvision.

Ten Unique Days

2011-05-26T00:06:00.002-04:00

Within ten unique days--four significant funerals for us: first, the father of one of our sisters; three days later, our own Mary Margaret; the very next day the sister-in-law of another of our sisters--yet another cancer story; then five days more to the 50-year-old husband of one of our longtime oblates and colleague in one of our community ministries--five years of ALS.

Four wonderful people---and sad, yet glorious celebrations of their lives.

Here's a take by Mary Oliver that seems to fit:

We Shake With Joy

We shake with joy, we shake with grief.
What a time they have, these two
housed as they are in the same body.

Our community website has some new stories if you haven't visited this week.

Recommendation

2011-05-23T06:04:00.002-04:00

One of the things that "got us through" the recent snowy winter and just-ended cool and rainy early weeks of spring was our falling in love with Christopher Foyle.

If you:
a) appreciate the marvelous writing and acting in BBC-produced TV;
b) like mysteries that are a great story without a lot of gore and violence;
c) had American History classes that emphasized the American Revolution and the Civil War but never quite got into WWII at all,

You'll love Foyle's War, a DVD series of 90-minute mysteries that are terrific. The series is set in the seaside town of Hastings in southeast England beginning in 1939. By the sixth set of 3 DVDs we've moved to 1945 and the beginnings of the post-WWII world.

Christopher Foyle is a marvel of understatement, intelligence, integrity and compassion. A combination that has given us hours of historical fiction intrigue and transported us to the WWII world we didn't know.

Not bad to get into for summer, too, I'd say.

Michael Kitchen as DCS (Detective Chief Superintendent) Christopher Foyle.

The Way We Are

2011-05-19T05:14:00.002-04:00

"If there was anyone suited to attempt the process of change, it had to have been Mary Margaret. She went through life a saint of the relaxed grasp. Almost totally without ego, it seemed, she vested her own success in nothing but the understanding and acceptance of the people around her. She lived the rules herself, of course, and she taught them to the community. But she simply had no rigid or unyielding expectations of anyone. She was far more adept at explaining why sisters couldn't do a thing than why they must. The Rule of Benedict, monastic scholars taught repeatedly, was built on exceptions. If so, then it was Mary Margaret Kraus who most embodied the spirit of it.

"In communities made up largely of an older generation, the pace of change was slow, the boundaries of change were clearer. In Erie, where the median age at the beginning of the renewal period was 52, the pressure for change was high. Change was a head-long attempt to catch the future before it was too late. It was Mary Margaret Kraus's laser-like attention to the needs of the members and the signs of the times that provided the stars to steer by toward tomorrow."

From The Way We Were, a story of conversion and renewal (The Benedictine Sisters of Erie 1958-1990), Joan Chittister, Orbis Books.

Available from Benetvision

Tender of Souls

2011-05-16T05:55:00.003-04:00

There is great sadness in our community today as our former and much beloved prioress, Sister Mary Margaret Kraus, entered into everlasting life Sunday, May 15 right at the end of Evening Praise at 6:00 pm. The coincidence that it was Good Shepherd Sunday was not lost on us, as this beautiful woman "shepherded" this community for 14 years: 1964-1978, the years immediately following the Vatican II Council and surely the most challenging of times for all leaders in the Catholic Church and, in particular, in religious life.

Check our community website often as her complete obituary and prayer card will be posted soon.

Sister Mary Margaret has been the keeper and loving gardener of our inner courtyard garden for over a decade.

Feeders for hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles are also hung there amidst the many flowering plants, bushes and even a few small trees--not to forget the statue of the Blessed Mother, featured often here in LTSGW!

First spring walk at Glinodo

2011-05-12T07:02:00.000-04:00

Since on Monday I shared the first spring walk at Presque Isle, today our own Glinodo property gets equal billing. Here's the first spring walk through our property on the north side of East Lake Road.

This tree is on the land right next to ours. How does it stay there? Here's an artsy shot through the trees of one of our waterfalls along the creek path; jack-in-the-pulpits are all along the path and throughout the woods; finally, one of my favorite signs of spring--two pure white hyacinths on the cliffs--same place, same time, every year.

One of our sisters, a lifelong baker, is featured in the latest issue of our Catholic diocese's magazine, Faith. Go to page 8 in the May-June issue here. Great photos, too.

First peninsula trip

2011-05-09T06:23:00.002-04:00

It was a beautiful Sunday in Easter season, Mother's Day weekend, for everyone in our area. As we sing "Alleluia" throughout our prayer and, especially on the Sundays of the Easter season, it was much easier to feel the spirit of rejoicing because our weather has taken a much-anticipated turn to warmth and sun.

Though there are still many flowers in chapel, the first ones have begun to fade and we were able to plant their bulbs in the inner courtyard garden. Fun to see lilies blooming in July and August!

We got the opportunity to travel to our peninsula, too. This time of year, pre-tourists, you only run into locals. Nice!

Here's the Oliver Hazard Perry monument area at the very tip of the peninsula, two of many fishermen on the bay, our lighthouse at the entrance to the channel with the Flagship Niagara out for an early spring sail, and the professional kite fliers on Sunset beach (quickly becoming known as the kite flying beach!).

May is Flowering

2011-05-05T06:04:00.000-04:00

I thought our onslaught of guests would wind down a bit, I was wrong. We have 4-5 women here this week who are fitting into our post-Easter "Let's all just be quiet and return to the every day" atmosphere just perfectly. They are all smiles, yet quiet and unassuming. We are trying to be the same! One, however, has taken me off guard, as she announced that she had me in high school some 30+ years ago. Yikes! She is back in Erie for awhile because of an ailing parent and she needed a quiet, away place to be while negotiating some parenting. This is just what Benedictine hospitality is for.

Our website has some new entries, including a fun slide show from Sunday's benefactors' brunch. A brief disclaimer on why yours truly looks so tired----I was! But happy...it was a fun event.

Despite our barrels of rain, acres of standing water ponds and endless sun-less days, our trees are flowering beautifully. If we weren't so cold we could get outside and enjoy them! But nonetheless, here are a couple lovely, delicate ones that I found hidden in obscure corners of the Mount. Can you tell where they are?

And Happy Anniversary

2011-05-02T05:59:00.002-04:00

Our guest speaker this weekend was terrific. Maria Cimperman is an Ursuline currently living in San Diego, CA, though doing some online teaching with occasional on-campus time in San Antonio. She is writing a new book on social analysis and we got a dose of the ideas, with twists and tweaking for religious congregations. The example we used to go through some of the process's steps was the natural gas drilling question that is THE topic throughout much of Pennsylvania as we are poised above huge natural gas reserves in our shale. However, the environmental and human costs, dangers and risks of this drilling and fracking are monumental. The film, Gasland, which documents one young man's research into this drilling, is currently #1 on amazon's DVD list---so interest in the topic is really taking off...thank goodness.

Two of our favorite Easter gifts: The DVD of "The King's Speech" from one of our English oblates and two volumes of the St. John's Bible: "The Psalms" and "Gospels and Acts." Beautiful, both.

If you haven't given the new Monasteries of the Heart website a look yet, you might try it soon. It's very cool and has lots of options, such as a blog with reader conversation, videos, and some daily postings by some of the sisters involved or those already in MoH groups or interested in starting one. It's here.

Happy Anniversary LTSGW....Today begins year #5.

Easter Week

2011-04-28T00:04:00.001-04:00

Ursuline Maria Cimperman will be our speaker this Saturday at our April Community Days weekend. Her topic is "From Paralysis to Analysis: toward a socially conscious spirituality." Additionally this weekend is our annual recognition of our major benefactors--at the Benefactors' Brunch Sunday morning. This is always a delightful affair, a good time to "touch base" with some people we only see a couple times a year.

Easter

2011-04-25T00:03:00.001-04:00

He is risen, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Easter Sunday

2011-04-24T00:05:00.007-04:00

"Thirst"

Another morning and I wake with thirst for the goodness I do not have. I walk out to the pond and all the way God has given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord, I was never a quick scholar but sulked and hunched over my books past the hour and the bell; grant me, in your mercy, a little more time. Love for the earth and love for you are having such a long conversation in my heart. Who knows what will finally happen or where I will be sent, yet already I have given a great many things away, expecting to be told to pack nothing, except the prayers which, with this thirst, I am slowly learning.

Mary Oliver

Holy Saturday

2011-04-23T00:04:00.000-04:00

"Making the House Ready for the Lord"

Dear Lord, I have swept and I have washed but still nothing is as shining as it should be for you. Under the sink, for example, is an uproar of mice--it is the season of their many children. What shall I do? And under the eaves and through the walls the squirrels have gnawed their ragged entrances--but it is the season when they need shelter, so what shall I do? And the racoon limps into the kitchen and opens the cupboard while the dog snores, the cat hugs the pillow; what shall I do? Beautiful is the new snow falling in the yard and the fox who is staring boldly up the path, to the door. And still I believe you will come, Lord: you will, when I speak to the fox, the sparrow, the lost dog, the shivering sea-goose, know that really I am speaking to you whenever I say, as I do all morning and afternoon: Come in, Come in.

Mary Oliver

Good Friday

2011-04-22T00:05:00.001-04:00

"Gethsemane"

The grass never sleeps.
Or the roses.
Nor does the lily have a secret eye
that shuts until morning.

Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept.

The cricket has such splendid fringe on its feet,
and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body,
and heaven knows if it ever sleeps.

Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did,
maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree,
and didn't move,
maybe the lake far away, where once he walked
as on a blue pavement,
lay still and waited, wide awake.

Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut,
that could not keep that vigil,
how they must have wept,
so utterly human, knowing this too
must be a part of the story.

Mary Oliver

The Triduum

2011-04-21T05:51:00.000-04:00

I'll be posting a Mary Oliver poem each day through Easter Sunday. Her book, Thirst, has so many spiritual-seeker reflections. Perfect for the next few days.
I hope you like them.

"The Poet Thinks about the Donkey"

On the outskirts of Jerusalem
the donkey waited.
Not especially brave, or filled with understanding,
he stood and waited.

How horses, turned out into the meadow,
leap with delight!
How doves, released from their cages,
clatter away, splashed with sunlight!

But the donkey, tied to a tree as usual, waited.
Then he let himself be led away.
Then he let the stranger mount.

Never had he seen such crowds!
And I wonder if he at all imagined what was to happen.
Still, he was what he had always been: small, dark, obedient.

I hope, finally, he felt brave.
I hope, finally, he loved the man who rode so lightly upon him,
as he lifted one dusty hoof and stepped, as he had to, forward.

Mary Oliver

Our community website has some new things on its opening page. If you haven't been there you'll enjoy them. Here.

And to the amazement of all

2011-04-18T00:05:00.002-04:00

For our third Lenten community gathering we were asked to choose our favorite story from 40 Stories to Stir the Soul our Lenten reading. Here was mine, #39: "A handful of wheat grains was found in the tomb of the ancient Egyptian kings. The grains were five thousand years old. Someone planted the grains and watered them. And to the amazement of all, the grains came to life and sprouted. After five thousand years!"

We were given a choice of five groups to join for expressing and sharing: drama, art, song, poetry or dance. I chose poetry--not wanting to miss the rare opportunity. Here was one of our "exercises": One line from each story was given and we were to write it five times and finish the phrase. From #39 the line was: And to the amazement of all...

An apt beginning for your Holy Week, try this "spiritual exercise." Here's a start for you:
1. And to the amazement of all,
the grains came to life.
2. And to the amazement of all,
the maimed child spoke of peace.
3.
4.
5.

Engaging Impasse

2011-04-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

Spent a couple days this week in Washington, DC at the regional LCWR meetings. The main presenter was Nancy Sylvester, IHM. She is the founder of the Institute for Communal Contemplation and Dialogue. She began this ministry in 2002 in response to her experiences working for justice and right relationships in church and in society. Contemplation and consciousness are two large parts of their offerings. Here's one definition that Nancy posited, "Contemplation is a long, loving look at the real." Their website is here and gives an idea of this fascinating ministry if you'd like to browse.

Her workshop for us was titled, "Compassionate Conversing in a Time of Chaos." Fascinating concepts and right in sync with the following of Jesus with his own challenges to the world of his time and his offerings of other directions, toward other realities than the accepted ones of that time.

Here are five Benedictines relaxing one night at Colonel Brook's Tavern near the retreat center in NE Washington--right across from the campus of Catholic University. We did visit the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Quite the place.

Everyday and not so everyday life

2011-04-11T05:53:00.001-04:00

This weekend was the funeral of a marvelous woman who I met via the Neighborhood Art House. Also, this week I read of the death of a woman who spent some time as a housekeeper at the Mount. Though these two women were polar opposites as far as their lives read, they were both a part of our life.

These two experiences lead me to reflect on the non-community members that come our way, usually through either our ministries, directly at the monastery or through retreats or other spiritual moments.

They really are significant to our journeys. I'm guessing that we may not tell them often enough how special a part of our daily life they are.

And in my mundane, daily life I pass this old, rather beat up birdhouse every morning and every afternoon as I walk to and from the car. It's attached right to the Mount itself. Most of the time I see one of the birds standing on the perch, sitting on the nearby ledge or peeking out of the nest. The best times are catching them with nesting material in their beaks, on their way into their home.

After many failed attempts, finally I was able, by hiding behind one of the entranceway pillars, to get a couple good shots. Now, of course, I'm getting attached and look for them every time I come or go. I'm even trying to mimic their whistle. Do you think they'll light on my finger? Not without food, I'm sure!
__________________________________

We are indeed blessed by excellent reflections every Saturday night in Lent at our Vigil for Sunday prayer services. This past Saturday even exceeded the average. Sr. Mary Miller, director of our Emmaus Ministries, gave a truly marvelous reflection on death--creative, personal, deeply human and yet divine. It should be up on our community website today or very soon. Don't miss it.

Thought for the Day

2011-04-07T00:24:00.002-04:00

The Today Program, the British equivalent of NPR's Morning Edition, has a daily 3-minute slot called a "Thought For the Day," a religious "thought" which briefly interrupts the daily news items.

The "thought" for March 30th was a reflection on the RB for today's world. (Put 30/03/2011 in the Search box.) "One benefit of having a State religion," says my friend in southeast England!

And, oh, that accent!

If you haven't been to our community's website in the last day or so, now is the time! Two great new posts are there: 1) our new Monasteries of the Heart program officially got off the ground April 6; and 2) a short, lovely smilebox for one of our sisters honored this week by the local Sisters of Mercy and their Mercy Center for Women.

Yesterday afternoon around 4:00. "Quick, beam us up Scotty. And put us down anywhere...anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line!"

April at last

2011-04-04T06:04:00.002-04:00

April

I wanted to speak at length about
the happiness of my body and the
delight of my mind for it was
April, night, a
full moon and---

but something in myself or maybe
from somewhere other said: not too
many words, please, in the
muddy shallows the
frogs are singing.

Mary Oliver

Well, the frogs may not be singing yet in Erie, but the "daffies" as one of our sisters calls them, are just days away from popping out; the birds are coming to our feeders in greater numbers and we are almost, almost, getting used to having spring sun nearly every day and temperatures that start with a 4 or even a 5! Nature doesn't seem to mind a bit the 0.4" of "white rain" we had April 1st--although we humans just shake our heads and sigh.

Here are some April 2nd looks at our creek and lakefront--beautiful even this time of year: not winter anymore, yet not fully into springtime. Caught in the "in between" for a couple weeks.

If you haven't read it already, there was a lovely review of our March Art Show in the Erie Times Showcase magazine last Thursday. Click here.

OMS #10

2011-03-31T05:57:00.000-04:00

Cuculla, koo-koo'-la, or monastic choir robe is in the same family as a cowl--a hooded cloak with wide sleeves. White ones were worn by Cistercians, black by Benedictines. They were initiated in the Middle Ages, probably for warmth for long hours in unheated and drafty churches and chapels.

Our sisters received their cuculla at the time of final profession of vows and wore it for special occasions--feast day liturgies, for instance. They had the wide sleeves, but were hoodless. In the early 1960s they stopped being worn in our community, though I know of at least one US community who still uses them.

The word I received from some who wore them (over their habits) was that they made events quite warm, especially in the summer!

Prayer shawls are actually quite popular these days. This one can be ordered from amazon.com

And here's another member of the family of this type of clothing: a cappa magna, a ceremonial train usually worn by a cardinal.

I doubt that amazon.com carries these.

Well, this ends my little winter diversion called Old Monastic Stuff (OMS). I certainly enjoyed finding things that I hoped would be of as much interest to you as they were to me. Spring is (slowly) arriving in Erie and our activities are picking up a pace so I'll be turning my attention back to weekly doings that come my way. Thanks for all the encouragement, especially with this feature, OMS.

Grand Central Station

2011-03-28T06:01:00.003-04:00

This weekend was one of our "Grand Central Station" ones.

Our Canisius students were here through noon Saturday. A delightful week with them. Click here for a Smile Box of their week which will be up sometime today.

Saturday morning we heard music coming from the chapel and discovered that a guest, who was here with his wife for a little away time, brought both his flute and hammered dulcimer. He spent about 2 hours practicing that morning and then serenaded us during lunch. What beautiful sounds from both instruments.

In the afternoon the young leadership team of a parish youth group came for an afternoon of planning. The adult leaders are oblates of ours and brought them here for meeting time. The Mount is really a perfect place for groups--from 3 or 4 to 40. We have small and large group gathering spaces, the chapel, and accommodations for meals and overnight stays.
____________________________________

Two more weekend experiences: This may look like our water symbol, but on Sunday morning it served as the well where Jesus met the Samaritan woman as two of our sisters memorized and played out this special Gospel. Wonderful rendition!

Our deer sightings are becoming more and more regular, even though their coats are still dark and there are no fawns with them yet. Here's a shot of some of the six that were on our east lawn Friday. Click to enlarge.

Photo by Charlotte Zalot, OSB

OMS #9

2011-03-24T06:14:00.004-04:00

Johannes Trithemius was a 15th century abbot, lexicographer, historian and cryptographer. He studied at the University of Heidelberg. Travelling to his home town in 1482, he was caught in a snowstorm and took refuge in a Benedictine abbey. He decided to stay and was elected abbot in 1483, at the age of twenty-one. He set out to transform the abbey from a neglected and undisciplined place into a center of learning.

However, his efforts did not meet with enthusiasm and his reputation as a "magician" was also a problem. He later become the abbot of St. James Abbey, Würzburg and died there in 1516.

Trithemius' most famous work is Steganographia. The work has lent its name to the field of stenography----the art of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient can decipher them. Additionally, his book, Polygraphiae, was the first printed book on cryptography.

One of Trithemius' schemes was to conceal messages in long invocations of the names of angels, with the secret message appearing as a pattern of letters within the words. For example, as every other letter: "My event was ten to morn" hides the message: "Meet at noon."

As an example of cryptography, try this cryptogram and see what you think!
_________________________________________

Click here for our prioress's reflection on the Feast of Benedict.

And more from our March Art Show:

Happy Feast of Benedict-March 21

2011-03-21T00:02:00.014-04:00

For the feast of Benedict I wanted to share this excerpt from an article in London's Tablet magazine of February 26. A lovely Benedictine tradition that I did not know of at all. Hope you enjoy it,too.

"Flame of peace burns brighter"

Every year for nearly 50 years, a torch has been lit somewhere in the Catholic world and carried to Monte Cassino Abbey to mark the death of St Benedict. This year, uniquely, its journey to Italy begins in London’s Westminster Abbey – a non-Catholic church but very much a Benedictine one.

At a special service in Westminster Abbey on Wednesday, March 2, the Torch of St Benedict will be lit in the presence of a representative congregation. The torch will then begin a journey to the Abbey of Monte Cassino, St. Benedict’s own monastery and the place of his burial, in time for the anniversary of his death on March 21.

This will be the first time that the torch has been lit in a non-Roman Catholic Church. We feel a great sense of delight and privilege that Westminster Abbey has been chosen for this honour. It is presumably no random decision. Not only did Pope Benedict XVI, in company with the Archbishop of Canterbury, address an exuberant ecumenical service at the abbey during his visit to Britain last September, but the church’s long history includes at least 600 years as a monastery committed to the Rule of St Benedict, from St. Dunstan’s foundation or refoundation of the abbey in 960 until its dissolution under Henry VIII in 1540, and then again from its refoundation under Mary I in 1556 until its fresh dissolution at the beginning of Elizabeth I’s reign. In 1560, Elizabeth reerected the abbey as the Collegiate Church of St Peter in Westminster, its proper title and character to this day.

Both individually and as a community, daily life at Westminster Abbey is infused with the spirit of the Rule of St Benedict. As a Benedictine community, we seek to be hospitable and to welcome visitors. We are also committed to the work of education. Part of the abbey’s mission reflects the Rule’s understanding of the monastery as a “school of the Lord’s service.”

The ceremony of lighting the torch began when Pope Paul VI visited Monte Cassino in 1964 and named St Benedict as Patron of Europe. The main purpose of Pope Paul’s visit was to reconsecrate the abbey and its church following its reconstruction after the Second World War. In 1944, there were four battles, costing up to a quarter of a million lives, between the German army, occupying Monte Cassino, and the Allies, including the British Eighth Army and the US Seventh Army, who were making their way northwards through Italy following the invasion of Sicily.

Before the second of these battles, the Allies bombarded the 1,400-year-old monastery from the air with 1,400 tons of bombs. Many of the treasures had been removed for safe keeping but the buildings themselves were laid waste and much of the artwork was destroyed. The Italian Government after the war committed itself to reconstructing the monastery as it had been. Much of the work was achieved in the first 12 years after the war, but some decorative work was not added until the 1970s.

Since 1980, the 1,500th anniversary of the birth of St Benedict, the torch has been lit in many different parts of Europe and traced its route back to Mont Cassino. It has been taken further afield to Jerusalem and New York, emphasising the Benedictine message of peace, particularly important following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, the tenth anniversary of which will incidentally be observed with a special service in the abbey.

An hour before the service on Wednesday, representatives of those who fought and suffered at the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944 will lay wreaths at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior in the abbey in commemoration of those of several countries who lost their lives in the conflict. The occasion will be one of remembrance but it will also symbolise and
strengthen the peace we have in Europe and point the way, hopefully, towards peace wherever there is conflict.

The Very Revd. Dr. John Hall, Dean of Westminster.

OMS #8

2011-03-17T00:01:00.007-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day and a perfect time to look at monasticism in Ireland. Two great monastic men, Columba and Columbanus, were early monks (5-6c.) in Ireland who also were missionaries, and who traveled to the European continent, Iona, etc. to spread Christianity and monastic life. In the mid-12th century an Irish cleric traveling to Rome stopped at Citeaux and ended up leaving some men there to be trained as monks. The first Cistercian monks were sent to Ireland in 1142 and the number of Cistercian monasteries multiplied quickly.

If you browse on any of the pages below, be sure to go to their history page--fascinating!

Today there are only a handful of Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries in Ireland. Kylemore and Glenstal castles were built in the mid-19th centuries and bought or given to Benedictines later on. The photos of the places are breathtaking. Roscrea in Tipperary is one of the first Cistercian places.

So, if you take one of those popular "pilgrimages" to Ireland that we Americans so often do...stop over at one of these places and enjoy the Benedictine world from their point of view.

Sisters:
Kylemore, Co. Galway
Tyburn Convent, Co. Cork
Cistercians, N. Ireland

Monks:
Glenstal, Co. Limerick
Mt. St. Joseph, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
Rostrevor, N. Ireland

If you haven't seen it yet, here is a 5-minute slide show of the Ohio Wesleyan girls' visit last week. Fun!

Just in time....for the Canisius students arrive this Sunday for their spring break week of ministry!

March marches on

2011-03-14T00:02:00.001-04:00

Gone are the days of sadness, mourning and long faces during Lent. An everyday "joy" is surely appropriate. Here's one take:

Don't Hesitate

If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don't hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that's often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don't be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.

Mary Oliver

And some more pieces from our March Art Show.

We don't really have this "window." It's a combination of two in the small chapel.

Three artists: weaver, woodturner and photographer.

OMS #7

2011-03-10T00:03:00.004-05:00

Not only was ordinary life in a monastic community in the Middle Ages rather basic and even harsh, especially compared to our standards today, but during Lent they added onto their usual discipline, making it quite the penitential season. I wonder if movie versions that include hair shirts, fasting to the point of fainting,and knotted cords for discipline may have been too close for comfort!

Rule of Benedict Ch. 49: "The life of a monastic ought to be a continuous Lent...This we can do in a fitting manner by refusing to indulge in evil habits and by devoting ourselves to prayer with tears, to reading, to compunction of heart and self-denial. During these days, therefore, we will add to the usual measure of our service something by way of private prayer and abstinence from food or drink...In other words, let each one deny herself some food, drink, sleep, needless talking and idle jesting..."

Today Lent is still noticeably different here, especially in practices, though the intentions are the same. The opportunity to spend more time in reading and quiet, eating moderately, and experiencing special prayer are still valued and important parts of our Lenten season.

If you're nearby and could use any of the above, please come--especially for weekends when our Saturday night Vigil of Sunday and Sunday morning Liturgy are quite special.

Click here for reflections on Lent by our prioress.

"Lent is a time for trimming the soul and scraping the sludge off a life turned slipshod." Sister Joan Chittister (newspaper "Celebrity Cipher" on Ash Wednesday!)