Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

Welcome to our Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories blog site. Through it we hope to post updates on our monastery renovation project so you can follow its progress from beginning to end.

Click here to read Sr. Pat’s welcome

We are immensely grateful to our dear friends of the Knights of Columbus and their beautiful families.

Tucson Prioress Sister Ramona recently accepted a check for $1,500, which was made possible due to a fundraiser hosted by the St. Thomas Apostle Church’s Knights of Columbus in March. She is pictured above with Lloyd and Erin Lacomb who worked very hard to make the event a success.

As always, we are grateful for their devotion to our community and for the wonderful acts of kindness they have shown us these many years.

F is for your faithful love of God and family.

Your love is a blessing.

A is for the attention you gave me while growing up, tagging along during work, getting lost, school dances.

Your love is a blessing.

T is for the time you took to teach me to skate, row a boat, whistle, do laundry and love life.

Your love is a blessing.

H is for being my hero, rescuing me in times of fear, guiding me through life’s ups and downs.

Your love is a blessing.

E is for every word you wrote and spoke, every laugh, every smile that expressed your love.

Your love is a blessing.

R is for the respect you give me even when we do not agree.

Your love is a blessing.

We had a lovely time hosting three young women for our Summer Monastic Experience in Tucson, Arizona.

They spent the week with our Sisters in order to experience monastic life. They experienced the rhythm of prayer throughout the day, recreation and work, such as helping out in the kitchen and at our retail gourmet popcorn location, Prayerfully Popped.

Joining Postulant Rosa (second from right)

There was daily input on prayer, monastic life and discernment, and time for personal prayer and faith sharing.

We will also host a Summer Monastic Experience at our Clyde, Missouri, monastery in July. There is no cost for the residential event. For more information, please visit our Vocations Page.

Stained Glass window in Clyde Relic Chapel

Prayer by St. Margaret Mary

Heart of Jesus, save me.

Heart of my Creator, perfect me.

Heart of my Savior, deliver me.

Heart of my Judge, forgive me.

Heart of my Father, govern me.

Heart of my Spouse, love me.

Heart of my Master, teach me.

Heart of my King, crown me.

Heart of my Benefactor, enrich me.

Heart of my Pastor, defend me.

Heart of my Friend, embrace me.

Heart of my Infant Jesus, draw me.

Heart of Jesus, dying on the cross, pray for me.

Heart of Jesus, I greet you in all your states.

Give Yourself to me.

“…and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

From Preface VII of the Sundays in Ordinary Time

It is truly right and just 

always and everywhere to give you thanks,

LORD, holy Father, almighty God

For Christ is the true and eternal Priest,

who instituted the pattern of an everlasing sacrifice

and the first to offer himself as the saving Victim,

commanding us to make this offering as his memori al.

As we eat his flesh that was sacrificed for us, we are made strong,

and, as we drink his blood that was poured out for us, we are washed clean.

And so, with Angels and Archangels, and with all the powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory…

Holy, Holy, Holy…

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who were touched, even slightly, by the massive storms in the midwest last night, especially those in the Oklahoma City area.   May God sustain you in hope while timely aid comes to help you re-establish your families and lives.

Welcome!

Is this not one of the first words you hear when visiting someone?  This simple word makes you feel loved and fills you with joy and expectant hope.  This is the word John “spoke” from the womb when the Blessed Virgin Mary came to visit her cousin Elizabeth.  This is the meaning of his leap for joy (Lk 1:44).

Let us take time today to welcome Jesus into our hearts by prayer, by being and doing for others, and/or by welcoming a guest.  St. Benedict teaches that we welcome Christ when we open our door to guests and offer hospitality (RB 53).  May we open our very selves and allow Christ to enter bringing his love and joy.  

There are many traditions of when we began to mark a day of remembering those who gave their lives in service for our country, many places of origin, differing persons and acts. Perhaps a look backward to those we knew, those who no longer walk the earth, will help us look forward to the days when we will no longer need war to settle differences.

Perhaps this Memorial Day we can honor those who gave their all by honoring God who gives us life, one person at a time, one unique human being to walk amid the loveliness of the Earth, one human heart to know joy, love and peace. Let us come together to give glory and praise to Whom it is due and honor those who gave their all.