Fri 29 Jul, 2011
Our sweet Maggie is posing as if to say, “Come and see my room!”
This ramp is something new. Now everyone can get to the basement from our lower hallway – even those who are wheelchair bound.
We have to travel past Maggie’s room, and if she is home, she will greet you and make you feel welcomed to the neighborhood. It is a good place to be.
Thu 28 Jul, 2011
We are waiting with expectant hope for the new elevator cars to be installed.
One has arrived and is waiting to be tested and used. The second one has not yet arrived. It seemed the shaft wasn’t quite plum – it leaned, not like the Tower of Pisa, but enough to warrant correction before we install the new car.
How does one correct a leaning elevator shaft without tearing it down and rebuilding? By chiseling away the brick and mortar while maintaining proper code requirements.
Better to take the time now and do it right than hurry through and have something go amiss later on. Thus, we wait with hope.
Wed 27 Jul, 2011
Sister Rebecca is the potter….
…and Sister Jane is the decorator.
These two Sisters are good friends and work together to create lovely gifts for our gift shops.
This is not the only thing they do together. They are also the two who are in the Low Gluten Production Room, meeting the needs of customers who desire to participate in the Eucharist but need a special bread to do so.
With the low-gluten altar breads in high demand, Sisters Rebecca and Jane make every minute count in the pottery shop and in the Low Gluten Production Room. They are our dynamic duo!
Tue 26 Jul, 2011
It’s with sad hearts we’ve witnessed the passing of several of our pine trees on our monastery property in Missouri.
Many states in the Midwest have been fighting this fatal disease with very little success. If possible, we will harvest the wood and recycle it (provided it won’t cause any further advancement of the disease).
Most of these beautiful pines were planted by our early Sisters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Missing the Alpine views of their native Swiss home, they planted these pine trees as an homage when they began their lives in the New World.
We can just imagine them sitting on the east porch and watching the sun rise over the tops of the tall pines, reflecting a little bit of home in the rolling hills of northwest Missouri, bringing comfort to them as they traveled so far to undertake their monastic mission. Since then, generations of Sisters have enjoyed the same view. We pray that future Sisters will also have the chance to bask in their majesty too.
Sun 24 Jul, 2011
Sister Nancy Rose (third from left) joined seven other temporarily professed sisters and two directors for Vow Camp. Others include from left to right: Back row, Sr. Magdalena Craig (Cullman, AL), Sr. Nancy Rose Gucwa (Clyde, MO), Sr. Karen Rose (St. Joseph, MN), Sr. Julianne Gilbert (St. Joseph, MN), Sr. Karen Lynn Trespacz (Bristow, VA), Sr. Jennifer Mechtild Horner (Beech Grove, IN), and Sr. Lisa Maurer (Duluth, MN); Front row, Sr. Kathleen Persson (Bristow, VA), Sr. Linda Larkman (Pittsburg, PA), Sr. Madelyn Louttit (Bismarck, ND)
It’s affectionally called Vow Camp, but it serves an important purpose: helping women prepare to take their perpetual monastic vows.
Sister Nancy Rose joined seven other Sisters from June 21 to July 12 at Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman, Alabama, host to the annual Benedictine Spirituality Workshop and Retreat sponsored by the American Benedictine Formation Conference.
The two-week workshop included a focus on community building and reviewing significant aspects of Benedictine life such as Benedictine charism, the three-fold monastic commitment of obedience, stability and fidelity to the monastic way of life, lectio and contemplation, monastic prayer, discernment, cenobitic community, celibacy, sexuality and personal wholeness, gospel ministry, reverence, stewardship and hospitality, peace and justice and humility.
Then the event concluded with a six-day directed retreat for prayerful reflection and one-on-one direction.
“Our classes on the vows, the Rule of Benedict and many other facets of monastic life brought me to a deeper appreciation of our life together,” Sister Nancy Rose said. “I look forward to continuing my journey toward and with Christ together with my Sisters.”
Sat 23 Jul, 2011
This right here is one of our main motivations for the Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories project.
Can you imagine having a propane tank this big in YOUR backyard?!
We are so grateful to everyone who is helping us reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, to use cleaner and renewable energy to heat and cool our monastery through a geothermal system. We can’t wait!
Fri 22 Jul, 2011
The Magdalen by Bernardino Luini (courtesy of Haverford College)
Today is the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene (also spelled Magdalen or Magdalena).
She is honored as The Penitent one and is the patron saint of our Sister Lynn Marie who shares her thoughts on this beautiful and iconic woman from the time of Christ:
There has been much debate throughout the life of the Church as to who exactly she was. Was she the woman caught in adultery, was she the repentant sinner that bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears, could she be the sister of Mary and Lazarus of Bethany, was she – as Dan Brown would have us believe – Jesus’ mistress???
Well, that last piece we know is NOT true, but for the others we don’t really know. Scripture and tradition leave us without definite answers to these questions. We do know from Scripture that Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out from her. She was a woman of some means for she, along with several other women, helped provide for the needs of Jesus and the disciples (Luke 8:1-3). Aside from that brief mention in Luke, the reason for Mary Magdalene’s prominence in the hearts and minds of believers, what has caused her to be the subject of countless works of art, has been her presence at the crucifixion of Christ and the fact that all four Gospels list her as one of the first witnesses to the Resurrection. She is sent by Christ to tell the Apostles of His resurrection, thereby earning her the title of “the Apostle to the Apostles.”
I love St. Mary Magdalene, so much so that I chose her as my patron saint when I professed my vows nine years ago. Here are the top three things I love about Mary Magdalene
As we celebrate the feast of St Mary Magdalene, I pray that we may love Jesus fearlessly, faithfully, and fully as did this beloved disciple. St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us!
Thu 21 Jul, 2011
This section of the east wing was exposed when the southern portion was deconstructed:
Now workers are creating a new brick face on it, blending in with the current surface. It already looks great!
Elsewhere on the exterior, roofing on the new addition is almost done, work continues on gutters and metal trim on the roofing.
Work on the road to the new entrance and parking area will begin soon. We will salvage gravel and rock used for the existing construction road to use elsewhere after the renovations are complete.
Countertops and vanities are being installed on the third floor, most of the second floor has been painted and tile work will begin soon.
We haven’t fallen too far behind on our projected finish date. Slowdowns have been due to the thickness and hardness of some walls (which, really, is a good thing overall) that necessitated bringing in different equipment.
We also have been slowed because of the extra time we are taking to select and match existing pieces of wood trim we have recycled. Rome wasn’t built in a day either….
Wed 20 Jul, 2011
On a day like today, entrenched in a massive heat wave, one needs to get out early to enjoy God’s beautiful day. I saw this little fellow enjoying one of Sister Mary Edward’s beautiful flowers….
…and our sweet dog Maggie hanging out by the gazebo…probably looking for squirrels.
Then we can take a rest near the pond….
Take a stroll down this path, into the woods….
Where I’ll find this beautiful grotto tucked away under the trees. It’s a very special place for prayer and contemplation.
Afterward, we can take advantage of one of the many paths cut through the fields, which take us to a variety of places that offer quiet solitude and the simple enjoyment of being outdoors.
There is an abundance of nature found on these walks. Including gorgeous flora like these sweet little pink flowers. How I wish we had Smell-O-Vision so you could fully appreciate them!
Tue 19 Jul, 2011
Sister Dawn Annette (above) and Sister Maria Victoria enjoyed hosting a booth at the Nodaway County Fair in Maryville, Mo., this past weekend.
Our booth included information about our ministries of prayer, altar bread production and handcrafted soap making and renovations to the monastery. Almost 200 people entered to win a free gift box of handcrafted soap.
“This was the first year we hosted a booth at the local fair, and we had a marvelous time!” Sister Dawn Annette said. “We met so many new people, those who attended the fair as well as those who hosted their own booths. It was a special time of fellowship in many ways.”