These past months of the year 2020 have been challenging for everyone, yet full of many graces in the midst of trials. We have been keeping all of you in our prayers, begging God for His help in this time of great need.
We tremendously missed the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass during the time of suspension in our diocese. As cloistered nuns whose entire lives revolve hour by hour around the Sacred Liturgy, being deprived of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for so long heightened our deep longing to unite our daily self-gift with Christ’s sacramental offering. This experience also highlighted for us the importance of the priest himself in our life, not only as the one who offers the Holy Sacrifice in persona Christi, but also as one who offers us the nourishment of preaching and who brings Christ by his very presence in living his priestly vocation. Truly our consolation was to pour out our longing in our prayer of the Divine Office and to offer this painful sacrifice in union with all the faithful deprived of the Sacraments. Now we have daily Mass again in our little chapel, and our gratitude overflows that our cloistered life is able to proceed undisturbed, as we continue to pray daily for an end to the pandemic and the full restoration of the Sacraments to the faithful.
Earlier this year, a priest friend making his retreat here was on his phone with his parish secretary attending to some pressing business. In rural Marbury visitors find the best cell phone reception outside, standing in just the right place, at just the right angle. Thus the question from the astonished secretary: “Are those birds?!” Yes, she heard correctly! The mockingbirds, blue jays, whip-poor-wills, and any number of songbirds energetically serenade us by day and night, as we too sing praises to God: “All you birds of the air, bless the Lord!”
Hairbreadth escapes, foiling of dastardly deeds, confrontation with notorious outlaws…what could the nuns be reading in the refectory? At the End of the Santa Fe Trail, by Sister Blandina Segale, S.C. The heroic adventures of the Sisters of Charity are recorded by Sister Blandina in her journal as she tells her experiences as a missionary, teacher, nurse, and builder on the Western Frontier in the late 1800’s. Sister’s faith, fortitude and compassion are very evident as she recounts nursing one of Billy the Kid’s gang and helping him prepare for death, and stopping a mob from lynching a man without a trial. Some of the incidents are heartwarming, others tragic, but all are recounted in Sister’s frank, vivid style, and well-seasoned with humor. In these days when fear and unrest are darkening many lives, we see how the Christ-like example of Sister Blandina made an impact on those who met her and helped many come closer to God.
As the Feast of Pentecost approached, Sisters could be observed heading off to the attic or to a remote part of the Monastery. Sometimes they carried musical instruments or boxes or bags. The reason? Our annual Pentecost Talent Show in honor of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Those who performed with violin, flute, or clarinet sought out places they could practice out of earshot. Pianist and harpist had to hope for practice times when others were not near. Those who needed props and costumes for skits scrounged for materials suitable for their purpose. The much-varied program featured combinations of instrumental and vocal talent, a “Commercial Break” especially aimed at cloistered nuns, a ballet, and several skits, including “Saint Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio.” Beautiful, artistic and creative performances balanced the comical for a most enjoyable evening. Send forth Your Spirit, O Lord!