Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

The clerestory in our new entrance (above) has been given windows and is now closed up tight.

These two windows (above) have gotten new lives – one was a statue niche and the other was inside the now-gone south wing.  Each is being treated as a window once again.

And lastly, these windows have gotten a different kind of treatment – paper and tape so that the workmen can begin painting.  They are almost finished with the bedrooms and bathroom suites on the third floor.  I am almost giddy to think we are moving closer to being back in our home!

This stairwell (above) in our west wing has looked like a big dark hole for months.

Finally, progress is evident!  This worker is prepping the space for the staircase that will arrive in a few days.

Stay tuned for a glimpse of the finished product.  The same work is being done in the east wing where another emergency stairwell is planned.

There are no good pictures of our elevator shafts.  They are either inaccessible or deep, dark empty spaces.

Today I noticed a cable dangling in the new elevator shaft.  Word is that the two new elevator cars will be arriving in the next month or so!

Recycling as much materials as we can has been a top priority in this project. It keeps stuff out of the landfill and also gives us additional opportunities to incorporate green-living practices into our new spaces.

Here we are reusing an old door frame and door (above). It will stand between the new computer lab and reading room.

And here we see a shower stall many of us used until we moved out (above). Even the green tile surrounding it is still intact! It is becoming part of a bathing suite up on the third floor.

Even the over-the-sink light housings in our bedrooms will be created from recycled wood from trees that were sacrificed for the deconstruction. A Sister in another Benedictine community is doing the work – all 40 of them.  No need to buy something else if we already have what we need.  I call this smart….very smart.

Benedictine Sister Maria Victoria Cutaia, OSB (center) visits with two of the 10 participants in this year’s Summer Monastic Experience. The annual week-long event, typically held our Clyde monastery, took place at our Tucson monastery this year because of renovations. Some of our Clyde Sisters traveled to Tucson for the event.

Even with a new location, participants still had an amazing time spent with current women religious and others discerning a vocation.

“It was a bit different in Tucson because we don’t have as much outdoor space to take advantage of as we do in Clyde,” Vocation Director Sister Ruth Elaine Starman, OSB said. “However, both communities are always warm and welcoming to guests, so the women still achieved a better understanding of our Benedictine lifestyle.”

Ten participants, ranging in age from 18 to 45, spent the week delving into sessions on Liturgy of the Hours, adoration, vocation discernment and contemplative prayer. They also enjoyed playing games and took part in a variety of works such as food preparation, gardening and sewing.

Two participants joined Sister Lucia Anne Le, OSB (center) for some gardening and yard work

“They had the opportunity to learn what our total life in the monastery is like. It’s spent in prayer, in work and in enjoying each other in community,” Sister Ruth Elaine said. “Many of the participants wished the experience was longer and hope to visit Clyde next year. Several expressed that participating in lauds and vespers was a highlight as well as hearing vocation stories and meeting with other women on the same spiritual quest.”

The Benedictine Sisters’ Summer Monastic Experience is a companion retreat to several vocation weekends offered throughout the year and the Spring Break Monastic week-long experience. For more information, please contact Sister Elaine Ruth at vocation@benedictinesisters.org or (660) 944-2221.

###

It is part of our history now: the old entrance steps, porch and columns our visitors and guests used to enter the main building of our monastery.

Here’s what it was like before:

During the removal:

And here it is now:

What we found underneath the floor of the porch was a large empty space looking much like a catacomb.  The pieces of the façade will hopefully be stored and reused if possible.

Now the western face of our building is smooth and awaiting new facing bricks that will make it look like it was always this way.

This is the final day of special prayer for our priests before Pentecost. For us, prayer is eternal…so we will continue to lift up blessings for those who serve the Church as well as for all they serve each and every day.

Ninth Day, June 11: The fruits of the Holy Spirit

The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve whom is to reign.

Let us pray. Come, O Divine, Spirit, fill our hearts with thy heavenly fruit, thy charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness and temperance that  we may never weary in the service of God but by continued faithful submission to thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.

Pray the Our Father once, the Hail Mary once and the Glory Be seven times then pray the Prayer for the Seven Gifts:

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (recited daily)

O, Lord Jesus Christ, who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish thy work in the souls of thy apostles and disciples, deign to grant, in our own times, the same Holy Spirit to our bishop and priests, that he may perfect in their souls the work of thy grace and thy love.

Grant them the Spirit of Wisdom that our priests may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our priests’ minds with the light of thy divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel that our priests may ever choose the surest way to pleasing God and gaining heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude that our priests may bear their crosses with thee and that they may overcome with courage all the obstacles to salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge that our priests may know God and themselves and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety that our priests may find the service of God sweet and amiable; and the Spirit of Fear that our priests may be filled with a loving reverence toward God and may dread in any way to displease him. Mark our priests, dear Lord, with the sign of thy true disciples, and animate them in all things with thy Spirit. Amen.

Just two more days until we complete the prayer for priests in preparation for Pentecost. In addition to these daily prayers, you can pray the Rosary or fast.

Eighth Day, June 10: The gift of wisdom

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written “all good things came to me with her and innumerable riches through her hands.” It is the gift of wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor while the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Savior: “Take up thy cross and follow me for my yoke is sweet and my burden is light.”

Let us pray. Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, reveal to our souls the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach us to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help us to attain them and possess them forever. Amen.

Pray the Our Father once, the Hail Mary once and the Glory Be seven times; then pray the Prayer of the the Seven Gifts (below).

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (recited daily)

O, Lord Jesus Christ, who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish thy work in the souls of thy apostles and disciples, deign to grant, in our own times, the same Holy Spirit to our bishop and priests, that he may perfect in their souls the work of thy grace and thy love.

Grant them the Spirit of Wisdom that our priests may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our priests’ minds with the light of thy divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel that our priests may ever choose the surest way to pleasing God and gaining heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude that our priests may bear their crosses with thee and that they may overcome with courage all the obstacles to salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge that our priests may know God and themselves and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety that our priests may find the service of God sweet and amiable; and the Spirit of Fear that our priests may be filled with a loving reverence toward God and may dread in any way to displease him. Mark our priests, dear Lord, with the sign of thy true disciples, and animate them in all things with thy Spirit. Amen.

It’s always fun to see Sisters and visitors stopping by the construction site to take in the changes (above).

And crew members are great about explaining different processes or types of equipment. For instance, this worker is showing Sisters and visitors one of the large saw blades that is used to cut through walls to make doors.

Today is the seventh of nine days of prayer for priests as we approach Pentecost. Please join us!

Seventh Day, June 9: The gift of counsel

The gift of counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by knowledge and understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duties. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. “Above all these things, pray to the Most High that he may direct thy way in truth.”

Let us pray. Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide us in all our ways that we may always do thy holy will. Incline our hearts to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil and direct us by the straight path of thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which we long. Amen.

Pray the Our Father once, the Hail Mary once and the Glory Be seven times; then pray the Prayer of the Seven Gifts:

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (recited daily)

O, Lord Jesus Christ, who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish thy work in the souls of thy apostles and disciples, deign to grant, in our own times, the same Holy Spirit to our bishop and priests, that he may perfect in their souls the work of thy grace and thy love.

Grant them the Spirit of Wisdom that our priests may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our priests’ minds with the light of thy divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel that our priests may ever choose the surest way to pleasing God and gaining heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude that our priests may bear their crosses with thee and that they may overcome with courage all the obstacles to salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge that our priests may know God and themselves and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety that our priests may find the service of God sweet and amiable; and the Spirit of Fear that our priests may be filled with a loving reverence toward God and may dread in any way to displease him. Mark our priests, dear Lord, with the sign of thy true disciples, and animate them in all things with thy Spirit. Amen.

Today is the sixth of nine days praying for priests as we near Pentecost. Please join us!

Sixth Day, June 8: The gift of understanding

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion by faith. We know these truths, but by understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to “walk worthy of God in all things pleasing and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Let us pray. Come, O Spirit of Understanding, enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of thee and of the Father and of the Son. Amen.

Pray the Our Father once, the Hail Mary once and the Glory Be seven times; then pray the Prayer of the Seven Gifts:

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (recited daily)

O, Lord Jesus Christ, who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish thy work in the souls of thy apostles and disciples, deign to grant, in our own times, the same Holy Spirit to our bishop and priests, that he may perfect in their souls the work of thy grace and thy love.

Grant them the Spirit of Wisdom that our priests may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our priests’ minds with the light of thy divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel that our priests may ever choose the surest way to pleasing God and gaining heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude that our priests may bear their crosses with thee and that they may overcome with courage all the obstacles to salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge that our priests may know God and themselves and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety that our priests may find the service of God sweet and amiable; and the Spirit of Fear that our priests may be filled with a loving reverence toward God and may dread in any way to displease him. Mark our priests, dear Lord, with the sign of thy true disciples, and animate them in all things with thy Spirit. Amen.