Blog - Page 17 of 18 - Dominican Nuns

May 8, 2013December 12, 2017Dominican Life, Marian Consecration, Prayers

Consecration of the Dominican Order to Mary

Today, May 8, we celebrate the feast of the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary over the entire Order of Preachers. “From the events surrounding the beginning of our Order many reasons can be adduced why the Blessed Virgin Mary herself may be considered the special patroness of our Order. From what I have heard with my own ears and from the many accounts in the Lives of the Brethren, it seems that she is our special Mother, bringing forth, advancing and defending the Order whose purpose is to praise, to bless, and to preach her Son.” Thus says Bl. Humbert of Romans in the passage of his Commentary on the Constitutions of the Order of Preachers which we read in this morning’s Office. The following Act of Consecration was originally said on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, but it equally suitable for today.

Act of Consecration of the Dominican Order to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

O Queen of the most holy Rosary, Help of Christians, Refuge of the human race, Victress in all God’s battles, we, suppliantly and with great confidence, not in our own merits but solely because of the immense goodness of thy motherly heart, prostrate ourselves before thy throne begging mercy, grace, and timely aid.

To Thee and to thy Immaculate Heart we bind and consecrate ourselves anew, in union with our Holy Mother, the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. Once again we proclaim Thee the Queen of our Order–the Order which thy son, Dominic, founded to preach the Word of truth everywhere for the salvation of souls; the Order which Thou hast chosen as a beautiful, fragrant, and splendid garden of delights; the Order in which the light of wisdom ought to shine that its members might bestow on others the fruit of their contemplation, not only by courageously uprooting heresy but also by sowing the seeds of virtue everywhere; the Order which during the course of centuries has gloried in thy scapular and in thy most holy Rosary, which daily and in the hour of death devoutly and confidently salutes Thee as advocate in those words most sublime: Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy.

To Thee, O Mary, and to thy Immaculate Heart we consecrate today this religious house, this community, that Thou might be truly its Queen; that perfect observance, the love of thy Son in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, the love of thy praise, and the love of St. Dominic and his virtues might reign here; so that we, thus filled with the spirit of truth, might effectively communicate it to others.

To Thee, O Mary, we consecrate ourselves and those within our care, firmly believing that Thou wilt watch over us in all our tribulations and wilt aid us in fulfilling our sublime Dominican vocation.

O Mother of Mercy, our Mother and Queen of the World, grant that not only we but that all nations, under the guidance of our Supreme Pastor, might proclaim Thee blessed, and together with Thee intone from pole to pole an eternal Magnificat of glory, love, and gratitude to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in whom alone can be found Life, Truth, and Peace. Amen.

From Analecta Ordinis Fratrum Praedicatorum, vol. XXXI (Oct.-Dec., 1954), PP. 388-89

April 20, 2013December 12, 2017Dominican Saints

St. Agnes of Montepulciano

Her Story

Agnes was born in the little town of Graciano Vecchio in Tuscany in 1268. Drawn to a life of intimate prayer even from her infancy, she was 9 years old when her parents finally allowed her to consecrate herself to God in the religious life. The radiant young girl joined a convent of sisters in nearby Montepulciano who were renowned for their prayer, penance, and poverty—they were called “del Sacco,” or “of the Sack,” because of their rough habits. Once in the monastery, Agnes grew rapidly in the love of God and the practices of the religious life. When the nuns were asked to found a new monastery in another town, her Novice Mistress chose Agnes to join her in making the foundation. There at Procena, with the express permission of the Holy Father, the 15-year-old Saint was soon named Abbess of the budding community.

Agnes’ installation as Abbess was marked by a miracle of falling “manna,” a mysterious substance composed of little white flakes shaped like crosses (seen in the image above). Indeed, heavenly miracles seemed to confirm many of her virtues: her love of the Eucharist, which she received miraculously at the hand of an angel for nine Sundays in a row; her tender devotion to Our Lady, who once appeared to her and let her hold the Infant Jesus; her remembrance of Christ’s Passion, once rewarded by an angel who gave her a handful of earth from the Garden of Gethsemane. Agnes’ generosity to the poor did not deplete the community stores, as several time provisions were miraculously supplied or multiplied, and her charity for the suffering had practical effect in the deliverance of possessed persons and the miraculous conversion of sinners.

In Agnes’ two decades as Abbess, her virtue became famous—but although a nun, she was not yet a Dominican! One day, as Agnes implored God in prayer to show her clearly what he seemed to be asking of her, St. Francis, St. Augustine, and St. Dominic appeared to her in a vision. Each Saint stood at the helm of his own ship, and invited her to join him on board. The poverty she had espoused as a Sister “del Sacco” endeared her to St. Francis; it was St. Augustine’s Rule she continued to follow as Abbess at Procena; but St Dominic spoke with authority: “Agnes will sail in my ship; that is the Will of God.” With that, he took her hand and drew her aboard.

This vision, which has counterparts in the lives of many of our Saints and Blesseds, shows in a striking way how our Holy Father St. Dominic is truly the Father of all those chosen by God and himself to join his religious family. Following the heavenly instructions, Agnes indeed returned to Montepulciano and founded there a monastery of Dominican nuns. She died in 1317 at the age of 49 at the head of her Dominican community, full of virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, after a life of intense love and suffering in union with Christ. Her story also has a Dominican post-script: only a few decades later, when St. Catherine of Siena visited St. Agnes’ tomb to venerate her incorrupt relics, the holy deceased nun actually raised her foot (lying there in the coffin) as the holy still-living tertiary bent to kiss it in reverence, so as to spare her the trouble of bending further down.

In the Liturgy

As Nuns of the Dominican Order, we celebrate our sister St. Agnes of Montepulciano on April 20 with the liturgical rank of a Feast. In the following Benedictus antiphon, her name, Agnes, from the Latin for “lamb,” is paired with the divine Lamb of the Book of Revelation, calling to mind the virgins who follow Him wherever He goes. The Alleluia is sung at the end because her feast is celebrated during the Easter Season.

Prayers and Practices

Practice: Gentleness.

Prayer:

Deus, qui sponsam tuam Agnetem miro decorasti orationis ardore, concede ut eius imitatione, tibi mentibus semper intenti, copiosum pietatis fructum exinde consequi valeamus. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

O God, who adorned Agnes, Your bride, with a marvelous fervor in prayer, grant that by imitating her example, we may always hold fast to You in spirit, and so come to enjoy the abundant fruits of holiness. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

April 6, 2013April 11, 2018Vocation Letters

Vocation Letters: Visiting a Cloister

This installment in our fictional Vocation Letter series is from Melanie to her older sister Clare.

JMJ

Dear Clare,

Thank you for your prayers during my latest vocation visit, to the Dominican Nuns in Marbury, Alabama. You know I have been increasingly drawn to contemplative life, but this was my first visit to a cloistered order.

You are probably wondering, “What is it like to visit a cloister?” Since the nuns stayed in the enclosure and I stayed outside, how much “come and see”ing could there be? I found the monastery to be amazingly simple and radiantly beautiful. Yes, I stayed outside the cloistered part, in the small guest area. Through a door at one end of the hall I could walk right into the chapel, where Our Lord awaited me in the Blessed Sacrament; at the other end, the door opened to the parlor, where the visitors’ section is separated from the nuns’ section by a railing and grille. I thought the grille might be an obstacle in talking to Sister, but after a few minutes I didn’t even notice it. There is also a grille in the chapel separating the sanctuary from the choir (the part where the nuns pray).

Praying the Office with the nuns was incredible. They gave me a little booklet with the chant so I could follow along with the antiphons and with the Latin psalms and canticles of Lauds and Vespers. (Compline has its own booklet—with the Dominican Salve Regina for the Salve procession!) The chant itself is so beautiful. I was also able to speak with the Vocation Directress, who answered many of my questions about discerning a cloistered contemplative vocation and about the Dominican monastic life. It was also helpful and a lot of fun to hear a few of the Sisters’ vocation stories—some more recent, one from the very first Sister to enter this monastery back in the ‘40s! She’s been here 68 years! Do you know what she told me? “It’s been the best life.”

My strongest impression from the weekend is of simplicity and peace. From the chapel, with its simple concrete block walls and holy statues immersed in peace and the presence of God, to the grounds (they have some nice wooded parts in front, lots of pine trees), to the spirit of the Sisters. It really is the spirit of Our Lady, too. Sister says that they are hidden away “under the mantle of Our Lady.” That is a really beautiful image.

I could go on and on, but I’ll tell you more when I talk with you next. Please keep praying for me to know what is God’s will!

With love,
Melanie

The complete series of Vocation Letters can be read here. See also Vocations, Vocation Retreats.

March 31, 2013April 17, 2020News and Updates

Easter Greetings

Alleluia! This is the day the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it! Alleluia, alleluia!

Joyful and blessed Easter greetings from Mother Mary Joseph, O.P. and all the Sisters. We rejoice in this feast of our Savior’s Resurrection, and share great joy of His Mother and of His Bride, the Church, at His triumph through the Paschal Mystery over sin and death.

February 19, 2013March 7, 2022Prayers

Reparation Prayer for Lent

I adore You, O loving Savior, Jesus Christ, Who died on the Cross for me. I very humbly thank You and ask pardon for all my sins through the merits of Your Passion and Death. I ask the grace to live and to die holily.

Courage, my soul, time in flying, death will come, eternity is nigh.

O my God, grant me the favor to pass this hour and every one of my life as well as I would have passed them at my last hour.

My God, I believe in You, I hope in You, and I love You with all my heart. I am extremely sorry for having offended You.

V. Love, praise, adoration and glory be given forever,
R. To Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
(Repeat 3 times)

My God, I wish to unite myself to You by a good and holy Communion; grant me this favor. R. Amen.

O Jesus, impress on my heart the memory of Your bitter pains. R. Amen.

V. O Mary, conceived without sin,
R. Pray for us who have recourse to thee.

February 4, 2013December 12, 2017Uncategorized

World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

This past Saturday, February 2nd, we celebrated the feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, remembering St. Joseph and Our Lady’s obedience to the law of Moses. From the beginning of time, men recognized that all belonged to God. But it was Moses that God asked that the first born males be consecrated specifically to Him. The concept of consecrated life owes part of its roots to this idea, that God calls certain persons to consecrate themselves totally and exclusively to Himself.

For this reason Blessed Pope John Paul II set aside February 2nd as the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. Not only do we pray for all consecrated persons, but we should also encourage young persons to ask themselves if they are called to give themselves to God in a special way. Many saints have said that perhaps one out of every three or four people have a religious vocation. So the first question every young person should ask himself or herself is, “Is God calling me to religious life?”

Blessed Pope John Paul II describes the process in this way: “In the hidden recesses of the human heart the grace of a vocation takes the form of a dialogue. It is a dialogue between Christ and an individual, in which a personal invitation is given. Christ calls the person by name and says, ‘Come, follow Me.’ This call, this mysterious inner voice of Christ, is heart most clearly in silence and prayer. Its acceptance is an act of faith.” Many times Our Lord’s call is heard in the circumstances of one’s life and the desire of one’s heart to live for Him; silence and prayer help focus on His Will and on eternal values, so often drowned out by the noise of the world.

It is heartening to see that the number of young people willing to discern a vocation to the religious life is on the rise. As cloistered nuns, we pray that they will find God’s Will for their lives, and especially that God will raise up holy priests and religious to help guide their discernment.

January 16, 2013April 11, 2018Dominican Life, Vocation Letters

Vocation Letters: Why Cloistered Dominicans?

The following is a letter to a fictional young woman discerning a Dominican monastic vocation. It is the second in a series of Vocation Letters which will accompany her discernment and formation.

Ave + Maria

Dear Melanie,

Joyful greetings on this feast of the Baptism of the Lord. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed such a good Christmas holiday with your family. Our Christmas was very beautiful as well—Father sang Midnight Mass in Latin with a solemnity truly befitting Christ’s birth. In the monastery the Liturgy carries us through all the seasons of the Church year, so that we can experience again in ourselves the graces of each of the mysteries of Christ’s life. Each year seems to bring something new even in the midst of all our traditional celebrations.

I am glad you asked about the role of our vocation as cloistered nuns in an Order dedicated to apostolic preaching, because this is so central to our identity as Dominican nuns. We are contemplative nuns, “free for God alone,” as our Holy Father St. Dominic founded us to be, but at the same time we are associated with the “holy preaching” of his Dominican friars by our prayer and penance. There is a beautiful passage from the letter of Fr. Anecitus Fernandez, O.P., the Master General who introduced our new Constitutions. He says: “The contemplative life of the nuns is of the greatest benefit to the apostolate of the Order, not only because, like other contemplatives, they offer their prayers and their life to God on behalf of the apostolic needs of the Church, but also because their contemplation and their life, inasmuch as they are truly and properly Dominican, are from the beginning and by their very nature ordered to the apostolate which the Dominican family exercises as a whole, and in which alone the fullness of the Dominican vocation is to be found.” It is a great motive for fidelity and joy in living our cloistered, contemplative life, to know that we are living it on behalf of and in union with our brethren the Dominican friars (and the other members of the Dominican family) in their consecration to God and in their preaching for the salvation of souls.

That is also why we recommend reading the Spiritual Motherhood for Priests booklet (PDF) published by the Congregation for the Clergy. Although it is not about Dominican nuns, the stories it contains illustrate so vividly the value of a hidden life of prayer and penance for the salvation of souls. We hope that is a help.

Concerning your visit, the dates you mention work well for us. Flying is no problem; just send us your flight information and we will have a friend pick you up at the airport. We hope your semester has gotten off to a good start, and we will look forward to seeing you next month!

With prayers in Our Lady,

“Sister Mary Magistra”

View the Vocations Page, contact the Vocation Directress.

December 17, 2012April 11, 2018Vocation Letters

Vocation Letters: Contemplative? Active?

The following is a letter to a fictional young woman discerning a Dominican monastic vocation. It is the first in a series which will accompany her discernment and formation. The name of the Novice Mistress is also fictional: “Magistra” is Latin for “lady teacher.”

Ave + Maria

Dear Melanie,

Prayerful Advent greetings from Marbury! We received your letter expressing interest in our community, and sharing about your family and your own discernment. May Our Lord be praised for what He is working in your heart! Yes, it may be possible to arrange a discernment visit. Would you be able to come over your Christmas break from college? Please let us know.

In answer to your question about discerning the contemplative life, it seems to be a common misconception that “extroverts should be active, introverts should be contemplative.” However our community history does not bear that out. We have had outgoing, “extroverted” Sisters as well as more withdrawn, “introverted” types. God calls people of all temperaments to live for Him in the contemplative life. The question in discerning a vocation to a particular religious community involves two elements: first, the desire to be consecrated to God through a life of obedience in that particular charism; second, qualities suitable for the life (such as good health, appropriate maturity, etc.). The Dominican contemplative life calls for an interior solitude with God, which might be seen as “introverted,” along with an intense community life of prayer, work, recreation, everything—which is more on the “extroverted” side. So really a balance is best.

We have included some of our vocation literature with this letter. Let us know if you have any other questions! We will keep you in our prayers as we enter this last period of Advent. The great “O” antiphons begin today in anticipation of Our Lord’s birth. We hope you have a blessed Christmas.

In Our Lady,

Sister Mary Magistra

Also see: Vocations, Vocation Contact Form.

November 23, 2012Uncategorized

St. Clement I

Pope St. Clement I was a disciple of St. Peter the Apostle and his third successor. He is the same Clement that St. Paul mentions in one of his letters. His teaching and writings won so many converts to the Faith that the Emperor Trajan exiled him to Kherson, in Crimea, which is on the Black Sea. There he found other Christians, all condemned like himself to work in the mines there. At one point there was a great drought in the area and everyone was in great need for water. Pope Clement prayed and God showed him a spring. This angered the Roman authorities and he was condemned to death by drowning. A large anchor was tied around his neck and he was thrown into the Black Sea. Several centuries later Sts. Cyril and Methodius decided to look for his relics. Tradition gave them many clues by which to go on, and with prayer they succeeded. When they came to Rome to get the blessing of the Pope on their work among the Slavic people, they brought some of his relics with them to give to the Pope. But his skull is still kept in the Cave Monastery in Kyiv, Ukraine, which belongs to the Russian Orthodox. It exudes a fragrant oil, which the Byzantine rite calls myhrr and is greatly venerated.

Let us all pray to the Lord Jesus Christ,” said the blessed Clement, “that He may open the course of the spring to his people so that we may thank Him for His benefits. He who struck the rock in the desert of Sinai, and made the waters flow in abundance, may He bestow on us the abundant water.” When he had finished his prayer and looked round about, he saw, upon a mountain, the Lamb of God standing; from under His foot a living spring flows out.

November 12, 2012Uncategorized

Novena for Pro Orantibus Day

Today begins the novena for the feast of Our Lady’s Presentation, designated in 1997 by Bl. John Paul II as Pro Orantibus Day, “For Those Who Pray,” in remembrance of those who lead a cloistered, contemplative life. Especially during this Year of Faith, the cloistered vocation stands out as an exemplary witness to faith. Our life, totally centered around God, is an exact reparation for the exclusion of God from secular society. What would our life be without faith, that supernatural virtue of faith which grounds us in the truths of the Catholic Faith and allows us to reach out to God in hope and charity? Please join in this novena to pray for us and all who have dedicated their lives solely to God in a contemplative vocation. Know that our lives are offered to Him on your behalf.

For more information and resources concerning Pro Orantibus Day, see the Institute on Religious Life’s website on the contemplative vocation, cloisteredlife.com. The novena published by IRL is available here (PDF).