Additionally, during these days we had seven sisters from a missionary order in Toronto, here for some retreat days. We saw them at every prayer period and at meals. They were lovely and, I think, had a very nice 3-4 days in our guest quarters.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Dec. 26-29
The four days Dec. 26-29 are really wonderful times for people that pray, formally, a couple of times a day such as we do! Four feasts make them really very, very nice: special prayers, hymns and blessings. St. Stephen, first martyr; St. John, the Apostle; the Holy Innocents, slain baby boys when Herod went on a rampage to get rid of the "newborn king of the Jews," and the Feast of the Holy Family....which was highlighted by a great homily on the evolving and growing definition of "family" and how the Church is slowly getting its head together about that reality.
Additionally, during these days we had seven sisters from a missionary order in Toronto, here for some retreat days. We saw them at every prayer period and at meals. They were lovely and, I think, had a very nice 3-4 days in our guest quarters.
Additionally, during these days we had seven sisters from a missionary order in Toronto, here for some retreat days. We saw them at every prayer period and at meals. They were lovely and, I think, had a very nice 3-4 days in our guest quarters.
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Christmas 2019
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| Seven-mile creek, open and flowing strongly in our 50 degree weather! |
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| Our beach (about 10' of sand) and lakefront. Water was very, very calm. |
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| At sunset Christmas evening. |
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Very special days
Saturday the 21st was a special day on its own--made more special within our community.
On its own it was the date of the Winter Solstice for 2019--the shortest day of the year, but also the beginning of the return of light that will grow throughout the next three months until Spring arrives. For those of us who celebrate the O Antiphons, it was the fifth day: "O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death." Fitting for the solstice.
In our community it became a very special, a very blessed day for all of us as we accompanied two of our sisters into Eternal Life. Sister Mary Bernard, 90, entered new life at 9:30 a.m. and Sister Dorothy Szczypinski, 88, entered her new life at 9:30 p.m. In both cases the sisters had been experiencing failing health and were at peace with the next phase of their journey. The community was present with them throughout the last three days and recited and sang our ritual prayers at the time of death. You can read their beautiful obituaries and prayer cards here.
Our Christmas decorations "erupted" this weekend. As we've converted to LED lighting for our large tree in the inner courtyard this year, I wanted to use the old lights for something as long as they still worked. Here you see them drizzled over our azalea bushes along the windows of the cloister walk between the chapel and dining room. Sister Veronica would be so thrilled to have them on either side of her beloved Mary statue!
On its own it was the date of the Winter Solstice for 2019--the shortest day of the year, but also the beginning of the return of light that will grow throughout the next three months until Spring arrives. For those of us who celebrate the O Antiphons, it was the fifth day: "O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death." Fitting for the solstice.
In our community it became a very special, a very blessed day for all of us as we accompanied two of our sisters into Eternal Life. Sister Mary Bernard, 90, entered new life at 9:30 a.m. and Sister Dorothy Szczypinski, 88, entered her new life at 9:30 p.m. In both cases the sisters had been experiencing failing health and were at peace with the next phase of their journey. The community was present with them throughout the last three days and recited and sang our ritual prayers at the time of death. You can read their beautiful obituaries and prayer cards here.
Our Christmas decorations "erupted" this weekend. As we've converted to LED lighting for our large tree in the inner courtyard this year, I wanted to use the old lights for something as long as they still worked. Here you see them drizzled over our azalea bushes along the windows of the cloister walk between the chapel and dining room. Sister Veronica would be so thrilled to have them on either side of her beloved Mary statue!
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Pink, patience and pizzelles
If you were visiting us this weekend....which from the size of the crowd at Sunday's liturgy included a lot of people...you would have seen lots of pink (for Gaudete Sunday--the third Sunday of Advent), been challenged to work on your patience during this holiday season (as the second Reading in the Mass was on this virtue..not exactly one that is heard too much about in our society these days) and you would smell the Christmas holiday scents of both vanilla and anise pizzelles (as one of our part-Italian Sisters got out her mother's pizzelle irons and recipes and organized her annual pizzelle extravaganza). Many of our newest members came out to see yet another of our holiday community "traditions": pizzelle night.
Having been faithful to the celebration of Advent while minimizing Christmas decorations, this week we both continue the Advent days but the decorations will slowly, slowly seep out. I saw a Christmas elf on a door handle this morning and a jingle bell wreathe in an office. This week we are schizophrenic.
Having been faithful to the celebration of Advent while minimizing Christmas decorations, this week we both continue the Advent days but the decorations will slowly, slowly seep out. I saw a Christmas elf on a door handle this morning and a jingle bell wreathe in an office. This week we are schizophrenic.
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| photographer-postulant Jen Frazer |
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Our Lady of the Snows!?
Today, December 12, we celebrate the beautiful feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Right outside of Mexico City. Never to be confused with Our Lady of the Snows...which is located right outside of Erie, PA.
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| Our new feeding station this year. The inner courtyard where everyone can see the winter birds feeding. |
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| Seed is safely inside. No critters, allowed. Notice that it doubles as a snow measurer. |
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| My so far unsuccessful attempt to offer water in the winter. It keeps freezing over! |
Sunday, December 8, 2019
The prophet Isaiah.
The Isaiah readings that fill our Advent days speak so eloquently of God's loving care for us, God's ever presence with us and a multitude of imageries of God's relationship with the people.
It has brought to mind one of my favorite sayings--which, by the way, is on a plaque placed among the trees in our woods by a guest in our hermitages. Here it is. It is written in English, but I kind of like the Latin: "Vocatus atque non vocatus Deus aderit.
I read that Carl Jung had it carved in Latin over the front door of his house. And he was a psychoanalyst-----nice!
It has brought to mind one of my favorite sayings--which, by the way, is on a plaque placed among the trees in our woods by a guest in our hermitages. Here it is. It is written in English, but I kind of like the Latin: "Vocatus atque non vocatus Deus aderit.
I read that Carl Jung had it carved in Latin over the front door of his house. And he was a psychoanalyst-----nice!
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