Contemplative Spirituality

"When the Going Gets Tough..."

Sister Constance FitzGerald, OCD (Discalced Carmelite) is a woman I have admired from afar for a long time. When I had the great good fortune to meet her at a gathering of the Association of Contemplative Sisters (lay women and religious) I did not have a clue as to her background and achievements. That she was a lovely, well-spoken, gracious women of great spiritual depth and commitment to her contemplative vocation was obvious. What I did not realize was that she is a highly respected scholar, well-known for her studies of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. In our monastery collection of audio tapes I found some of her lectures, presented here over twenty-five years ago. The teaching was solid gold. How I wish there was time to transcribe them. Today, Sr. Connie is among the elders of her vibrant and growing Carmelite community in Maryland.

Recently, I twice came across citations for an article written by Sr. Connie in the 1990s. At first it seemed there was little chance of getting my hands on a piece first published in a journal in the mid-90s. But the second citation was for a book of essays, a volume in our own library collection. For me, it was a great find. The book is Women's Spirituality - Resources for Christian Development (second edition, ed. Joann Wolski Conn, NY:Paulist Press, 1996).

Two essays by Sr. Connie appear in the volume: Impasse and the Dark Night and The Transformative Influence of Wisdom in John of the Cross. Here I will refer only to the first essay concerning spiritual impasse or the dark night of the soul. Sr. Connie explains:

By impasse, I mean that there is no way out of, no way around, no rational escape from, what imprisons one, no possibilities in the situation. In true impasse, every normal manner of acting is brought to a standstill, and ironically, impasse is experienced not only in the problem itself but also in any solution rationally attempted...Dorothee Soelle [Suffering, Fortress, 1975] describes it as "unavoidable suffering"...Moreover, intrinsic to the experience of impasse is the impression and feeling of rejection and lack of assurance from those on whom one counts. At the deepest levels of impasse, one sees that support systems on which one has depended pulled out from under one and asks if anything, if anyone, is trustworthy. Powerlessness overtakes the person or group caught in impasse and opens into the awareness that no understandable defense is possible. This is how impasse looks to those who are imprisoned within it. It is the experience of disintegration, of deprivation of worth, and it has many faces, personal and societal.

This essay is so striking because first her description rings so painfully true and then she explores the realm of potential within an experience that not only seems to offer no options but, very realistically, does not have a way out at all.

Paradoxically, a situation of no potential is loaded with potential, and impasse becomes the place for the reconstitution of the intuitive self. This means the situation of being helpless can be efficacious, not merely self-denying and demanding of passivity. While nothing seems to be moving forward, one is, in fact, on a homeward exile - if one can yield in the right way, responding with full consciousness of one's suffering in the impasse yet daring to believe that new possibilities, beyond immediate vision, can be given.

I could go on and on because what Sr. Connie expands upon is the course that might be taken rather than the more common phenomenon of bailing out of the relationship, the marriage, the job, the responsibility, the religious community, the priesthood, the impasse of whatever kind. Another very wise friend of mine, Brother Donald Bisson, FMS (spirituality and Jungian psychology) speaks of this as the inability to live with paradox, to hold the often opposing factors simultaneously, at least for a while and let them work, give them time to become life-giving instead of life threatening.

Sr. Connie goes beyond the individual experience of impasse. She applies this analysis to societal impasse, impasse unexplored which leads to bailing out in the form of military attack or bailing out by refusing to deal with an issue vital to the entire country or the world. She also applies the concept to the impasse experienced by so many women who feel that their gender has hit the glass ceiling or the glass wall which allows them to go no further on the road to gender equality.

Have I recommended this piece highly enough? It seems a must for those seriously pursuing the spiritual path. I am very grateful to Sr. Connie for this work and so much more.

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Feast Day of

Our Prioress

Sister Paula

Schmidt, OSsR

To this day, in many monasteries, the feast day of the prioress is a major affair. Small gifts and cards would be arranged at her place in the refectory. She would be relieved of all tasks by her loving sisters. In our monastery every sister's feast is a special day and there is no array of small gifts. However, the honoree may chose her favorite foods for a celebratory dinner, her place at table is decorated especially for the occasion including flowers and mass is generally offered for her intentions. Our Sister Paula always has the benefit of this extra special feast day in the Church for two most important figures in its history. And it works out particularly well for her since when she professed vows fifty-six years ago she was given the name of Sister Mary Peter. So this feast of Saints Peter and Paul is perfect for her.

Sister Paula was one of the founding sisters of this monastery. Having first entered the Redemptoristine Nuns in Toronto, Canada, she never expected to see the United States again. Yet the mysterious workings of God brought her back into the country only eight years after her entrance to co-found this monastery here in Esopus, New York.

It has been my pleasure and great blessing to know Sr. Paula for over eighteen years; first as my spiritual director for ten of them, then as my postulant and novice mistress and now as the superior of this community. She is a small woman, very dainty and completely unassuming. Those who meet her always comment upon her gentleness and wisdom. She has been a vital, intelligent and faith filled influence in this monastery through all the years of renewal and through the process of writing new constitutions and statutes for the Order when she attended many international meetings. And she has been a wise, supportive model and praying presence for the many Redemptorist students who studied here and now for the many Redemptoristist priests with whom she enjoys friendship and mutual respect.

I admire her fortitude and perseverance through thick and thin. And any life that endures will experience both the thick and the thin. In religious life, the challenges can bring a sister to question her own vocation, especially in those years when there were so many leaving communities. I do not fully understand how their spirit was kept alive except by deep personal faith and courage and profound relationship with Jesus.

It was especially fortunate for this very late vocation to have Sr. Paula's gentle guidance through the thick and thin of initial formation. Sometimes I think of the stupid, obnoxious, or boastful things I said and grow red with embarrassment to realize how patient she was with me. But then, she'd had a lot of experience with people like me, especially the slow learners like me! And I am still learning.

Monastic contemplative community life would not go on generation after generation were it not for Sr. Paula and others like her living and praying and loving in monasteries all over the world. They teach by their lives. For this I am grateful.

Blessings on your feast day, Sister Paula!

Back to Quilting - A Contemplative Art

Airplanes - handquilted - 1978 to 2008

Garden Path - hand quilted - 90s

Wedding Gift Wall Hanging - Machine Quilted - '08

Center Amish Square - hand quilted - 90s

Wright Brothers Flyer in border

Flower Basket - hand quilted - 2007
Tomie De Paola ABC Quilt - machine quilted - 2007

The Needle Arts in My Life

On November 14, 2007 two photos of quilts were posted here (see archives or click on "art" in the list in the side bar). At the time more were promised but it never happened. Now with a little bit of breathing time this collection could be mounted.

If the truth be told, I was practically born with a needle in my hand. Most in my family and in my Brooklyn neighborhood worked in the garment district of Manhattan. My grandfather was a machine operator, my aunt a sample maker for a prominent designer of haute couture and my uncle a much valued presser in a factory. My godmother's husband held patents for machines that could automatically be re-sized for cutting out dress pieces from huge piles of fabric. I learned to sew on a factory machine kept in the basement. At seven I could crochet and by the time I was ten or so I could embroider a and knit. I remember following my mother and my aunt through the aisles of the fabric department of Gimbel's department store. They would finger the goods and make pronouncements about the quality. I touched the goods too and learned about quality, draping, and durability etc.

While I lived in Connecticut from 1969 - 1974 I was exposed to quilts and fell in love with them but could not find a teacher. Upon moving to Kingston, New York in 1974, I was introduced to a quilting teacher. Eager to learn the art from a master and make friends in my new town I enrolled in her class at the local community college. I was hooked by the colors and the geometrics. Then a tiny, tiny quilting needle was put in my hand and a thimble on my finger. I had thus far avoided thimbles. No way to escape them in hand quilting unless you want to bleed all over the quilt. I thought my days at the craft were numbered. Assured that practice and perseverance would win out, I kept at it and was rewarded. Now designing, selecting fabrics and hand quilting are my favorite parts of the process. I do use a rotary cutter as much as possible and machine sew the patchwork.

Eventually I became active in a guild, entered my work in shows, and taught some classes. Very special hand-quilted bed covers have been made to honor my parents' wedding anniversary (white and navy double Irish chain), as gift to my son and daughter-in-law upon their marriage (whole cloth white queen size) and now, at long last, as a gift to my middle son. This last one was begun in 1978 as a gift to Matthew (the artist son). It was to honor the 75th anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight. But thirty years later that quilt remained unfinished!!!!! Now it has been completed. But Matthew does not know that and since he doesn't check out this blog it will still be a secret.

Contemplative Nuns Come to Last Day of Novena

Feast of Our Mother

of

Perpetual Help

June 27, 2008

Last of of Triduum

Readings: Isaiah 7:10-17 Revelation 12:1-6,10

John 19:25-27

Sr. Paula Schmidt, OSsR, Prioress

Good evening! My name is Sister Paula. Welcome to this concluding Mass of the Novena in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Today is her Feastday. As we are celebrating here, we are united with so many lovers of Mary under this title, who are gathered in other shrines and churches throughout the world. God alone knows the tremendous chorus of intercession and praise arising through the Eucharist and all who are joined in prayer as we are. Father Charles Brinkman, CSsR is our celebrant.

Tonight in the Gospel we will hear Jesus, on the Cross, say to us, "Behold your Mother." And with his last breath, whispering to Mary, "Behold your children!" With deep gratitude for this wonderful gift from God, let us joyfully begin our worship.

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful, be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people; let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

V: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
R: hat we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother, ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore your aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Some of Our General Intentions for This Novena

· the poor, the sick, the suffering people of our world
· peace and harmony for all families and nations
· an end to violence and war, and the safe return of our armed forces
· a future full of hope for our young people
· our Church and all its needs, for healing and holiness
· the guidance of the Holy Spirit upon our national elections
· vocations to the religious life and priesthood

Mother of Perpetual Help,

pray for us.

Nuns Continue Novena to Perpetual Help

June 26, 2008
Eighth Day of Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help
Readings: Sirach 24: 9-11 Responsorial Luke 1:46-55
John 2: 1-11

MOTHER OF DIVINE HOPE

Good evening. I am Sr. Moira and on behalf of our community I welcome you to the second night of our Triduum and eighth day of our Novena. Today we honor Our Mother of Perpetual Help under the title of Mother of Divine Hope.

Gazing at this icon I notice the figures are almost overpowered by the gold surrounding them. In my heart I think of that as the symbol of Divine Hope. Jesus is our Divine Hope and when he was frightened Mary surrounded him with her arms and held him, and encouraged him, as she did at the wedding feast of Cana. She does so with us now; she gives us Divine Hope.

A few years ago I wrote a poem in honor of Mary which spoke of this hope; our longing for that which we most desire will be fulfilled: our salvation. It says, in part:

Gold is the rose of triumph unimagined.
Woman of hope, you sensed all would be well.
You shared that trust in One who came to save us;
Pray we be one: a people full of hope.
Walk with us now, our Mother and our Sister,
We follow you, our guide in times of hope.
© Moira Quinn 2005

Therefore, as one, let us unite our hope-filled prayers with Our Mother of Perpetual Help’s, Our Mother of Divine Hope, as we celebrate this Eucharist with our celebrant Fr. Charles Brinkman, and give thanks for all our hopes fulfilled.

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful, be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people; let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

V: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
R: That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother, ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore your aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Contemplative Nuns Continue Novena

June 25, 2008
Seventh Day of Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help
First Day of Triduum
Readings: Galatians 4:4-7 Psalm 22 Luke 2:16-21

Mother of God

Theotokos

Good evening. My name is Sr. Hildegard. On behalf of this Redemptoristine community I would like to welcome you to the first Mass of the Triduum for the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. We are so happy that you are with us tonight.

In these days of the Novena we have been honoring Mary in her various titles such as Mother of Good Counsel and Queen of Peace. Tonight we ponder her title as Mother of God, in Greek, Theotokos or Godbearer. It is a title which we rather take for granted. Of course, Mary is the Mother of God. But in the 4th and 5th centuries this theological concept was not a given. The story of how the title Mary Mother of God was proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in the year 431 is filled with heresies and intrigues fit for CNN Courtroom coverage. Why the battle and why the title?

Catholics are fond of the expression "to Jesus through Mary". We believe she points to Jesus, leads us always to Jesus. It is said that the prominence of Mary's right hand in the icon of Perpetual Help is like the needle of a compass always pointing to true north. She seems to be saying, "Look to him in everything."

The title Mother of God was vital sixteen hundred years ago in the year 431 because it pointed to the divinity of Jesus. In the presence of tumult and discord it underscored forever the divine nature of Jesus. It was much more about him than it was about her. And Mary must have liked that. The title, Mother of God, points to her son, the Word of God incarnate in our humble flesh, both divine and human.

May we follow Our Mother's lead as we begin this banquet of Word and Eucharist. Let us rise to greet our celebrant Father Charles Brinkman and lift our voices in a joyful song of praise.

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful, be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people; let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

V: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
R: That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother, ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore your aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Contemplative Nuns Continue Novena

June 24, 2008
Day Six Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help
Readings: Solemnity of the Birth of John
the Baptist Isaiah 49: 1-6 Psalm 139
Acts 13:22-26 Luke 1:57-66, 80

Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist

Good evening, I am Sr. Moira, and on behalf of the community I welcome you to the sixth day of our novena and the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist.

As most of you know, John is very near and dear to my heart, as it was while mediating on his life as I was writing my novel about him, that he reawakened in me my call to religious life. I became a Redemptoristine by directing my gaze to the Lamb of God.

John’s life was all about witness. Our Mother of Perpetual Help began her calling early when she gave witness to God’s greatness when she went to the aid of her older relative. At that time, John gave his first witness when he leapt for joy in Elizabeth’s womb in response to his Savior in Mary’s womb.

Then, when it came time for his circumcision eight days after his birth, his very being gave witness to the mystery of salvation when his parents named him John, meaning God’s gracious gift, for ‘nothing is impossible with God.’

By our baptism we, too, are called to give witness to God’s gracious gifts in our lives, and the mystery of salvation.

Our celebrant this evening is Fr. Joseph Freund, CSsR. So, with joyful hearts, let us rise and give witness by our praises during this Eucharist along with our Mother of Perpetual Help for the many gifts and blessings we have received in our lives.

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful,be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people; let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

V: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
R: That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother, ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore your aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Contemplative Nuns Continue Novena

June 23, 2008

Day Five of Novena of Mother of Perpetual Help

Readings: Acts 1:12-14, 2::1-4 Sirach 14:20-27

Mark 3:31-35

Mother of Good Council

The introduction to this evening's Mass for our Novena was presented by our Sister Maria Paz. We were blessed with the presence of over twenty active religious sisters who are making their retreat at Mt. St. Alphonsus Retreat Center, just a few hundred feet from our monastery. Ever gracious and generous, Sister presented each of our guests with a picture of "Mater Boni Consilli", Mother of Good Council. On the reverse was the story of how Our Lady, under this title, came to be venerated in Genazzano, Italy. Then Sister presented an extemporaneous welcome which I paraphrase.

I welcome all of you here. It is not an accident that you are with us at this moment. The Holy Spirit has done the work of bringing you here to be with US and for us to be with YOU. I could go on and on but I cannot. I am supposed to be brief. But we are together for a reason, together in God's love. Now let us welcome Father Gerard Brinkman, CSsR for our celebration.

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful,be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people; let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

V: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
R: That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother, ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore your aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Contemplative Nuns Continue Novena

June 22, 2008
Day Four Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help
12th Sunday Ordinary Time
Readings: Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 69 Romans 5:12-15
Matthew 10:26-33

Dear Friends, WELCOME! Welcome to our monastery of Our Mother of Perpetual Help! I am your sister, Lydia, and I have been here for 45 years.

We are very happy that you could come to this Sunday Mass with all of us to pray, first of all, for our world, for our families, and for each other.

Let us greet Father , CSsR, with our entrance song and begin our celebration.

Contemplative Nuns Continue Novena

June 21, 2008
Day 3 Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help
Readings: Isaiah 61:9-11 Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1-8
Luke 2: 41-51

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Good Morning! For those who might not know me my name is Sr. Paula. Welcome to the third day of the novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Our celbrant this morning is Father Thomas Travers, CSsR. The Mass chosen for today is that of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In the first reading from Isaiah we can hear the joy of Mary’s heart at the wonderful blessings God has given her. In the Gospel we see the sorrow of her mother’s heart at the loss of her son. Mary's Immaculate Heart is with us too, feeling for us in our own joys and sorrows. With grateful song let us begin our celebration.

[Fr. Tom's Homily will be posted to his blog. Check side bar for link.]

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful, be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people; let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

V: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
R: That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother, ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore your aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Redemptoristine Nuns Continue Novena

June 20, 2008
Day 2 Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help
Readings: 2 Corinthians 4:10-18 Psalm 103
Luke 1:37-56

Health of the Sick

Good afternoon. My name is Sister Peg Banville. Welcome to our Eucharistic liturgy for the second day of our Novena honoring Our Mother of Perpetual Help. We have chosen a different title of Our Lady for each day. Today we honor her under the title of Health of the Sick.

Surely we have all experienced healing graces received through the mediation of Mary. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer some years ago, I went before the icon in our chapel, very distraught, and begged her to help me. Interiorly I heard her say: "I held him, can’t I hold you too?”

With these reassuring words, I was able to undergo surgery and radiation therapy, carried along in her arms. I thank Mary’s intercession for the fact that I have had no recurrence of that dreaded disease.

May you all be strengthened in your confidence in the prayers of this powerful Mother to bring healing to yourself and your loved ones as each has need.

And now with Rev. Joseph Freund presiding, let us celebrate the votive Mass of Mary, Health of the Sick, asking her to intercede with our Redeemer for continued spiritual and physical healing.

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful,be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people; let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

V: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
R: That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother, ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore your aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Contemplative Nuns Begin Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help

Our annual Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help began at our 5pm Mass this evening. At each of the nine novena Masses one of our sisters will welcome our guests and offer some comment on the title of Mary or the feast we are honoring that day. Each of of these introductions will be published to the blog. Below it will appear the Novena Prayer should you which to join us in spirit.

June 19, 2008
First Day Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help
Readings: Isaiah 9:1-3,5-9 Psalm 85 Luke 1:26-38

Queen of Peace

Good evening. I am Sr. Hildegard, and on behalf of our community I would like to welcome you to the first Mass of our Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help.

On each of these nine days, except for the Feast of John the Baptist, we will honor Mary under one of her many titles. The title of our Blessed Mother chosen for today is Queen of Peace. How wonderful a place to start. Could there be any need more urgently crying out for satisfaction in our world, in our country and in our families today than that of peace?

Today in our hearing the prophet Isaiah declares that a son will be given us and he shall be called the Prince of Peace. The Psalmist sings his appeal to God, "surely the Lord will proclaim peace...Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss." And from the Gospel of Luke we receive the account of Mary's acceptance of Gabriel's message that she would be the instrument through whom the promises of the prophet and prayers of the psalmist would be fulfilled.

War, conflict, violence in our streets, interior battles resulting in addiction and self-destruction, as well as, discord among families and friends fill us with fear and dread. Even Mary recoiled in fear at the angel's announcement and what it could mean for her. But the angel said, "Do not be afraid...you have found favor with God...the power of the most high will over shadow you."

As we share this Eucharistic feast let us pray for peace and pray too that we might become fearless instruments through which the Prince of Peace is made known in our time, in our place.

Our celebrant this evening is Fr. Gerard Brinkman, a Redemptorist. With faith and hope in our hearts, let us begin our feast of praise and communion in the company of our Mother of Perpetual Help.

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful, be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people; let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

V: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
R: That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother, ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore your aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Feast of St. Romuald

Saint Romuald (951c. - 1025/27) was the founder of the Camaldolese order and a major figure in the eleventh-century renaissance of eremitical asceticism. The following comes from Richard McBrien's Lives of the Saints (pgs.245-46).

Born of a noble Ravenna family, Romuald Onesti fled to a local Cluniac monastery after his father killed a relative in a duel over property. His austere lifestyle and devotional practices irritated some of the other monks, and after about three years he left the monastery and place himself under the spiritual direction of a hermit near Venice. He lived a solitary life for some ten years and only returned to his home area to assist his father, who had also become a monk after his duel and was having doubts about his vocation. In 998 the emperor Otto III appointed Romuald abbot of San Apollinare in Classe (the very monastery he had originally entered some years earlier), but he resign after only a year or two to live once again as a hermit, this time at Pereum, which became an important center for the training of clergy for the Slavonic missions. He later wandered through northern Italy, setting up hermitages, and obtained a mandate from the pope to carry out a mission to the Magyars in Hungary, desiring a martyr's death. Illness upset his hopes, and he returned to Italy.

After prolonged study of the Desert Fathers, he concluded that the way of salvation was along the path of solitude. He founded a monastery at Fonte Avellana, later refounded by his disciple Peter Damian, and another in Camaldoli, an isolated valley in Tuscany....After Romuald's death, this latter community developed into a separate congregation, known as the Camaldolese order. He did not leave a written rule.

His distinctive contribution to Benedictine monasticism was to provide a place for the eremetical life within the framework of the Rule of St. Benedict...

The charism of his Calmadolese order is to live a eremetical life in community. Camaldolese monasteries, like the one at Big Sur in California, feature separate hermitages in which their monks spend most of their time in prayer, work, and tending a small patch of land. They come together at set times in the day for communal prayer.

Romuald did not write a rule for his monks. But the following is attributed to him and speaks of the fertile soil that is the silence and solitude of the hermitage. It is known as St. Romuald's

Brief Rule.

Sit in your cell as in paradise.

Put the whole world behind you and forget it.

Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman

watching for fish

The path you must follow is in the Psalms;

never leave it.

If you have just come to the monastery,

and in spite of your good will

you cannot accomplish what you want,

then take every good opportunity

to sing the psalms in your heart

and to understand them with your mind.

And if your mind wanders as you read,

do not give up;

hurry back and apply your mind to the words once more.

Realize above all that you are in God's presence,

and stand there with the attitude of one

who stands before the emperor.

Empty yourself completely

and sit waiting, content with the grace of God,

like a chick who tastes nothing and eats nothing

but what his mother gives him.

Knowing God's Will

How often do we complain, "If only I knew what God's will is for me!" Sometimes we are so specifically goal directed in our discernment that everything else - what turns out to be the very significant "everything else" in our lives - gets ignored. It seems to fall out of the realm of consideration in terms of what is God's will. How easy it is, and how much is a type of "Freudian slip," to ignore the everyday, the common place, the routine. Could it also be a case of denial?

Our first Office of the day is the Office of Readings; Psalms followed by a reading from Sacred Scripture and a second reading, often a sort of commentary on the first. This morning the second reading was a continuation of a treatise of the Lord's Prayer by St. Cyprian, bishop and martyr. It concludes with this description of what it is to do God's within ourselves. This is what we are to be doing as we discern, as we travel on to that ultimate question of God's will in our lives. This is God's will for the DAILY.

All Christ did, all he taught, was the will of God. Humility in our daily lives, an unwavering faith, a moral sense of modesty in conversation, justice in acts, mercy in deed, discipline, refusal to harm others, a readiness to suffer harm, peaceableness with our brothers and sisters, a whole-hearted love of the Lord, loving in him what is of the Father, fearing him because he is God, preferring nothing to him who preferred nothing to us, clinging tenaciously to his love, standing by his cross with loyalty and courage whenever there is any conflict involving his honor and his name, manifesting in our speech the constancy of our profession and under torture confidence for the fight, and in dying the endurance for which we will be crowned - this is what it means to wish to be coheir with Christ, to keep God's command; this is what it means to do the will of the Father.

Annual Novena Begins

About 125 years ago the Pope entrusted to the Redemptorist Congregation an ancient icon of the Blessed Mother. They were also entrusted the work of promoting her veneration under the title of Mother of Perpetual Help, the image of Mary and the infant Jesus depicted in the icon. The Redemptorist Mission Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Boston, Massachusetts http://www.themissionchurch.com/omph.htm

has a wonderful website where the history of the icon and current devotions can be found.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help is the patron of our monastery. A large image of the icon hangs in our chapel, a great aid to prayer for a community of contemplative nuns and for many who come here to venerate our Blessed Mother.

The Novena, nine days of special prayers to Mary under this title, will begin on Thursday the 19th of June. All of our friends and neighbors are invited to join us for mass each day.

Redemptoristine Nuns Monastery
Chapel - Route 9W, Esopus

Masses for the first 6 days
Thursday & Friday, June 19 & 20 - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 21- 8:00 a.m.
Sunday, June 22 - 11:00 a.m.
Monday & Tuesday, June 23 & 24 - 5:00 p.m.

Evening Triduum of Masses: Wednesday - Friday, June 25, 26, 27 - 7:30 p.m.

Museum Features Historic Holy Places

Redemptoristine exhibit at the Klyne Esopus Museum, Route 9W south of Port Ewen, New York

(Exit 18 off Thruway, turn right onto Rt. 299 to end - turn left onto on Rt. 9W north - 5+ mi. museum on left)

The Klyne Esopus Museum which strives to document the history of our area of the mid-Hudson River valley is currently featuring an exhibit concerning the many religious institutions here. They were especially eager to document the numerous religious institutions often referred to as "monastery row," a section on the west side of the river from Ulster Park to Esopus. These include, running from the south to the north, Mother Cabrini Home, the Christian Brothers, Holy Cross Episcopal Monastery, the Marist Brothers and Mount St. Alphonsus. The last is the former Redemptorist seminary, now a retreat center, and also the location of our monastery.

The large photo above is a collection of Redemptoristine memorabilia which is on loan to the museum. The items beginning with the doll and moving clockwise are:

* original Redemptoristine habit of red, white and blue - blue mantles worn in choir (we continue to wear dark red with optional black veil)

* crown of roses received at Solemn profession (we retain this custom)

* white candle received at first profession (we retain this custom)

* excerpt from solemn profession ritual explaining all of the items received on that occasion

* Breviary - Liturgy of the Hours sung in Gregorian Chant (we continue to sing the Office but with new chant tones)

* a Redemptorist Mission Cross received at first profession (each of us has one of these beautiful crosses which is customarily placed on ones bed)

* Rosary which was part of the original habit

* "Bon Gesu", an oval painted portrait of Christ the Redeemer which was worn in the center of the scapular which was part of the original habit (today we wear a pin or a hanging emblem of the Holy Redeemer)

* photo of a Redemptoristine nun at her solemn profession

* a card used by the priest during Mass with particular prayers (no longer used)

We were delighted to have our community of contemplative nuns included in this impressive reflection of the religious history of our area. We learned a great deal about our neighbors and hope that all who visit the museum and learn about us will come to visit and experience a bit of our life first hand.

New Feature

"Blog List" Link to Great Homilies

It seems that every couple of months Blogger.com add some great new feature to its roster. The latest is "Blog List" which allows for a list of favorite blogs in the side bar. It gives a snippet of text from the last entry to the blog and you can reach the blog itself with just a click of the mouse on the title. The first offering on my "Blog List" is the one posted by our faithful Redemptorist friend, Father Thomas Travers, CSsR. His homilies are gems. Fr. Tom, or Tomas as he was known in Puerto Rico, was a missionary and a provincial. Today he serves on the Extraordinary Provincial Council of the Baltimore Province of the Redemptorists and as a member of the community at Mount St. Alphonsus Retreat Center. He enjoys presenting Progoff Journal Workshops, working with retreatants AND serving the Hispanic community in nearby Kingston. With the death of Fr, George Keaveney, the Mount's rector, Father Tom has taken on many other responsibilities. We are so grateful for his presence and his faithfulness to service and ministry. We are among his beneficiaries.

What's New at the Monastery

Most readers express great interest in the day to day of monastic life. You can find our schedule by just typing the words "schedule" in the Search Box in the side bar. That will bring up a few articles that you can just scroll through. That schedule of communal prayer, work, solitude and recreation is a given in our lives. But a whole lot more gets into the mix.

Recently we experienced a great loss. Father George Keaveney, CSsR, Rector (superior) of Mount St. Alphonsus, died on May 23rd. He was a most extraordinary man and Redemptorist and our true brother. He was outstandingly generous to us (our monastery is on the grounds of the Mount), and compassionate to all. And beyond that he was brilliant; former provincial for nine years, former professor in the seminary, former pastor, etc., etc. News of his death, after a very brief battle with cancer, was a shock even to those of us who had visited him in the hospital only a few days before. We are still sort of reeling as a result of our loss; the loss of a dear friend.

This is a very busy time of year in our cape room where we make ceremonial capes for the knights and ladies of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. Orders mount as investiture days loom. Recently Redemptorist habit orders have picked up too.

These days we are working hard to put some new vocation development outreach into place. This is a critical issue for us and many other communities. It is all very necessary and worthwhile but time consuming.

But the schedule (horarium) I mentioned at the beginning is the axis, the pole around which all else revolves. The monastic horarium is a frame work providing balance and assuring right focus. The contemplative nun's first call is the search for God. This is the primary path. The rest are just brief stops along the highway, necessary but temporary. The life of prayer is our "true north", beginning with the Liturgy of the Hours which provide the setting for daily Mass, and impelling us to seek silence and solitude in which to savor the grace, to be present to God, and remember the needs of our world.

Something Very Different

Responses to this blog are coming from some very interesting people and places. Recently, a representative of Jade Music http://www.jade-music.com/ sent two CDs asking that I listen to them and perhaps write a review. Me! A contemplative nun! I feel rather like a pretender in even attempting such a thing.

I have no, absolutely no, formal musical training except for school choruses and the community choir of this monastery. My sisters can tell you how well, or not so well I do in the choir. My first musical memories consist of the themes of various radio soap operas and Teresa Brewer singing "Put another nickel in. All I want is music, music, music." As for recorded music, that began with my father's first LPs of the original Broadway cast album of South Pacific and the lilting tones of Lily Pons operatic soprano in the Bell Song from Lakme and the mad scene from Lucia di Lammermoor. So early on I was hooked on rock and roll, light classical music and opera. Then came the movie Amadeus with its announcement that there was a world of heavier classical music being missed. I was off and running.

I had heard of Olivier Messiaen 1908-1992) only a few weeks before receiving the CD. There was a big article about him in the Arts and Leisure Section of the Sunday New York Times. The following is from his web page:

From very early on it was clear that Messiaen would be a composer who would stand alone in the history of music. Coming not from any particular 'school' or style but forming and creating his own totally individual musical voice. He achieved this by creating his own 'modes of limited transposition', taking rhythmic ideas from India (deci tala), ancient Greece and the orient and most importantly adapting the songs of birds from around the world. He was a man of many interests including painting, literature, and the orient where he took in not only the musical culture but theatre, literature and even the cuisine of foreign countries! The single most important driving force in his musical creations was his devout Catholic faith.

In my amateurish way I describe his music as avante garde. Judging from the responses I have received from a few who have heard his works he is either adored or dismissed. Perhaps in the way that Philip Glass's modern operas are embraced by some and ignored by others. Since I am a simple melody-type person some of the pieces on this CD, Olivier Messiaen -Never Before Released, did not have much appeal to me but I found the organ pieces to be wonderful. The artists rendering Messiean's compositions are superb. Since this significant composer of the 20th century is receiving such attention these days, this CD would be a good place to find an introduction.

About the second CD, The Marriage of the Heavens and the Earth, modern renderings of the words and music of the medieval mystic Hildegard of Bingen, I feel a bit more competent to make comment. I have long been a student of Hildegard, a genius by any definition; woman of faith, leader, author, playwright, natural healer, preacher, musician, composer, as well as friend and critic of monks, clerics, and bishops.

In the last twenty-five years many recordings of her chant, unusual for its range and patterns, have been released. The CD mentioned here is very different in straying from historical authenticity and venturing into new expressions of words and melody along with interesting accompaniment by variety of percussion instruments. Along with the dulcimer there are bells, mbira, tanpura, Tibetan bowls, cymbals, Burmese gongs, bendirs and darabuka. In addition, the voice of Catherine Braslavsky has an unusual quality which I attribute to her experience not only with Gregorian chant but also Indian and Judeo Spanish harmonic chant. At times the vibrato in her voice reminded me of Arabic keening, that high pitched undulating wail. The use of Oriental percussion instruments was very appealing. Perhaps Hildegard purists would disagree about these adaptations. But I think Hildegard would be delighted. I particularly liked the Kyrie Eleison.

Listening to these CDs was an exploration into the previously unknown. It was an interesting and pleasurable journey. Perhaps it is one you'd like to take.

Redemptorist Brothers of the North American Region

Redemptorist Brothers of the North American Region - Canandaigua, NY

Last week I had the great good pleasure of attending a meeting of twenty seven Redemptorist Brothers of North America. They came from all parts of the U.S. (Biloxi, Grand Rapids, Denver, Washington, DC, South Carolina, Chicago, Wisconsin), Canada, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, St. Lucia, and Domenica. The topic under discussion was the current state of religious life and the expectations of those entering religious life today. Since I am a newly minted Vocation/Formation Director (aka recruiter and novice mistress) it was thought that I would benefit from what the speakers had to offer. And the Brothers, of course, were most welcoming.

Since these meetings are not only about input but sometimes even more importantly about sharing and mutual support for ministry, I did not spent my free time with them. However, our shared discussions and conversations at table provided wonderful and blessed incite into their dedication to the Redemptorist charism for serving the poor and the most abandoned and their faithfulness to the particular vocation of brothers in our Church.

Unlike the days of old, their ministries vary greatly and include hospitality, maintenance, finance, a variety of parish ministries, retreat house ministry, executive assistance in health care for elderly priests, ministry to youth, cooking, music, mentoring those in formation, missions, preaching, etc., etc. In other words, the scope of their work is impressive and so was their commitment to service. To use and old term, they were edifying.

As for content: I came away with two outstanding lessons. The first is that the greatest crisis in religious life today is not aging, or dwindling numbers. Rather the greatest crisis may be the growing tendency to being insufficiently rooted in contemplation; contemplation of God; contemplation of creation; contemplation of the present moment. Contemplation is the place from which all relationships, commitments and ministries grow. In addition, a life rooted in contemplative prayer can prevent unhealthy coping mechanisms from taking over our lives. While this certainly was support for my own vocation, the speaker directed his remarks to the Brothers and also to any one who desires to walk the spiritual path. Certainly this is a challenge in our age and our culture. It is even a challenge here in the monastery.

The second lesson is that those who are coming into religious life today, those so totally immersed in the nature of our times, are drawn by their desire for community and mission. Congregations and orders who hope to attract and keep new members must examine themselves for the vibrancy and health of their community life and their expressions of dedication to the stated mission of their group. Young men and woman are looking for the real, real expressions of the ideals of community and mission. We must ask ourselves, "Are we living these values in a way that demonstrates obvious attributes?" This is the stuff of personal and communal examinations of conscience.

I am very grateful to the Redemptorist Brothers for allowing my participation, for being so welcoming and for being the instruments of grace and encouragement in my life.