Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

Our Tucson, Arizona, community hosted a farewell party for our Sister Margaret Mary yesterday before she left to join our Sisters at Our Lady of Rickenbach in Clyde, Mo.

Sister Margaret Mary smiles as she’s presented with a beautiful cake. Also pictured is (far right) Tucson Prioress Sister Ramona.

The Tucson Sisters will miss her, but we know our Clyde community will enjoy her beautiful and radiant spirit now.

P.S. Sister Margaret Mary just celebrated her 90th birthday this month. Doesn’t she look terrific?

It snowed in Missouri today.

Ugh.

So we’ll look at this beautiful photo from our Tucson, Arizona, monastery to feel warmer.

This is the Ave Maria Shrine our good friends, the Knights of Columbus, repaired a few years ago. Now the climbing roses planted by landscape volunteers are blooming in the most beautiful way we’ve seen!

Many joyous thanks to all our friends who have helped make our monastery such a beautiful and relaxing place for us and our guests.

Last week’s snow draped our Clyde, Mo., monastery. But, hey, it’s February. In Missouri. No surprise there.

However, Mother Nature did have a trick up her sleeve, bringing some snow to our community in Tucson, Arizona.

Sister Kathleen Clare took these beautiful shots from the roof deck of the monastery.

What a crazy weather week it has been! Our Tucson, Arizona, community saw snow flurries, and the Midwest was hit with fierce Winter Storm Q yesterday, dumping up to a foot of snow in Kansas City.

Fortunately, our Clyde, Missouri, community fared a little better. We got around 6 inches, maybe a bit less.

Snow like this causes a lot of problems, but it certainly is pretty…if you’re safe and warm indoors and just looking out the window!

Fortunately, our wonderful maintenance staff is already busy at work, clearing driveways and sidewalks. God bless them!

Sister Pascaline Coff

Our Sister Pascaline took part in World Religion Day on Saturday, Jan. 26., hosted by St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Tucson, Arizona.

The event, which centered on the theme of A Celebration of Oneness, included representatives and celebrants of seven different faiths.

A video marking highlights of the celebration can be viewed by clicking here.

Our Tucson, Arizona, monastery hosted a free concert on Saturday. It featured violinist Monika Stauss Joensen and pianist Birgitte Schnakenburg, who have been spending some time at the monastery.

Monika Stauss Joensen, Frederic Balazs and Birgitte Schnakenburg

Photo courtesy of Paula Smith

 They are pictured with Frederic Balazs, renowned violinist, composer, conductor and former director of the Tucson Symphony.

“Frederic, who has known Monika since she was a child, is the person who invited the duo to Tucson,” Tucson Prioress Sister Ramona Varela, OSB said. “It was a beautiful concert, and we were so grateful they shared their amazing talent with us.”

Are you or someone you know discerning a religious calling?

Visiting different types of religious communities is an important step. Please don’t skip it.

We offer several opportunities to visit our contemplative monasteries, to meet others just like you. Let our Sisters help you. We’ve been there and know what you’re feeling. The questions? The pressure? The uncertainty?

Spend time in prayer, get closer to God, discover what he wants from you.

2013 Monastic Experiences

Winter Monastic Experience: Feb. 15-17, Tucson, Arizona

Spring Break Monastic Experience: March 16-20, Clyde, Missouri**

Summer Monastic Experience/Tucson: May 23-29, Tucson, Arizona

Summer Monastic Experience/Clyde: July 20-27, Clyde Missouri

Individual visits can also be arranged. Please visit our VOCATIONS page to learn more or contact Sister Ruth Elaine Starman, OSB, at (660) 944-2221 or vocation@benedictinesisters.org.

**Spring Break Experience is open to students not necessarily discerning a religious vocation but who simply desire a quiet place of retreat to recharge their emotional, physical and spiritual selves.

On Tuesday, our Tucson, Ariz., community hosted an appreciation dinner for the volunteer members of two very special committees. It was a fantastic opportunity to express our gratitude in sharing their time and talents in helping keep our monastery a welcoming place for guests.

In deepest gratitude, we thank the members of our Building Maintenance Committee: John Wesley Miller, Al LeCocq, Al Nichols, Hy Kaplan, Gene Zonge, Frank Frisina and Ted Fleck.

Donating their time and wonderful talents on our Grounds and Landscaping Committee: Jesse Zoernig, Diana Turner and Paula Smith.

“The Grounds and Landscaping Committee, along with the Knights of Columbus, have done a tremendous job, little by little, beautifying areas throughout our property,” Tucson Prioress Ramona Varela, OSB said. “Many friends and Sisters have commented that they have never seen it so inviting. Our landscape volunteers also rescued our citrus trees after the hard freeze two years ago.”

Subprioress Sister Joan Ridley, OSB added, “The men on the Building Committee have, for four years, been donating their expertise in contracting, engineering and architecture to keep the monastery in good shape and to improve it in many ways. Most recently they helped renovate a guest area, doing the work themselves or arranging their co-professionals to help at a reduced cost.”

We are excited to host two classical musicians as guests of our Tucson, Arizona, monastery this month!

Visiting will be talented Monika Stauss Joensen and pianist Birgitte Schnakenburg, the creative duo behind “Classical Musicpearls.” They are from the Faroe Islands, a small island group located between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.

While here, they will perform a concert at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, in our Monastery chapel. It is free and open to the public.

For more information, please contact our Tucson monastery at (520) 325-6401 or ramonaosb@gmail.com.

If you live in or will be visiting near our Tucson, Arizona, monastery, please consider joining our Sisters this holiday season.

Monday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve

8 a.m. – Lauds

9 a.m. – Eucharist

Noon – Day Hour

7 p.m. – Solemn Vespers

Tuesday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day

8 a.m. – Lauds

9 a.m. – Eucharist

12:15 p.m. – Day Hour

5:30 p.m. – Vespers

Wednesday, Dec. 26, St. Stephen

8 a.m. – Lauds

9 a.m. – Eucharist

Noon – Day Hour

5:30 p.m. – Vespers

Thursday, Dec. 27, St. John the Evangelist

7:30 a.m. – Lauds

Noon – Day Hour

5 p.m. – Eucharist

7 p.m. – Vespers

Friday, Dec. 28, Holy Innocents

7:30 a.m. – Lauds (No Vigils)

Noon – Day Hour

5 p.m. – Eucharist

7 p.m. – Vespers

Saturday, Dec. 29, Octave of Christmas

7 a.m. – Lauds

8 a.m. – Eucharist

Noon – Day Hour

5:30 p.m. – Vespers

Sunday, Dec. 30, Holy Family

8 a.m. – Lauds

9 a.m. – Eucharist

Noon – Day Hour

6 p.m. – Vespers

Monday, Dec. 31, Renewal Day

8 a.m. – Lauds

9 a.m. – Eucharist, Adoration until Holy Hour

5 p.m. – First Vespers of Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

7 p.m. Holy Hour New Year’s Eve

For more information about these events, please contact our Tucson Sisters at (520) 325-6401 or Sister Lupita at barajasosb@gmail.com. For directions to our Tucson monastery, please visit us online.