Contemplative Nuns Begin Novena

Novena for the Feast
of Mother of Perpetual Help
Begins Today

Today we announce the beginning of our annual novena to Mother of Perpetual Help. For those who have not received it, I post the 2012 edition of our annual novena letter written by our Prioress Sr. Moira Quinn which was sent out a few weeks ago via surface mail. Please do join us in offering the daily prayer given at the end of the letter. We are united in prayer for a myriad of personal intentions we are receiving. We are also united in prayer for peace in our world, our Church, our communities and our families. 

Although we are not having our usual Tridiuum Masses in the evening prior to the feast we do invite you to join us at 8:00am Mass daily during all the days of the Novena (Sunday at 11:00am). We are located at Cabrini West Park, Route 9W, West Park.

Dear Friends,

In our Advent letter we came to you in the posture of Naomi and Ruth, Mary and Joseph: standing together at the crossroads journeying to a new home.  This Easter season we are now traveling on the Road to Emmaus: bewildered by what has happened, yet walking with Jesus. We beg Him to “Stay with us,” along the journey.  We have “…recognized Him in the breaking of the bread,” and say to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road!” 

As we write this letter we we still find ourselves "on the road." We have been on the road since spring 2011. After a long search we thought we had found a new home in New Jersey but it was not meant to be. So we continue our search.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Women are like tea bags; you never know how strong they are until they’re put in hot water.”  Our strength, over the last year since we began our search, has come from the Lord, Mary, our Mother of Perpetual Help and so many wonderful people, like you, who have supported us with your prayer, love and friendship.  

Because of this development, we are going to move temporarily into the lower level of Cabrini on the Hudson in West Park.  It is only about five miles south of our Esopus monastery on 9W.  We will have access to their chapel upstairs for our daily Mass.  We will keep the same schedule of 8:00 a.m. Mass Monday through Saturday and 11:00 a.m. on Sundays.  Thankfully, we will still be close to the Redemptorists, our friends, associates and doctors and will be able to keep our post office box in Esopus.  After we settle in, we will renew our search of where the Lord is leading us.

As we do at this time every year, we invite you to participate in our Annual Novena in Honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, June 19-27^th.    As Jesus turned to his mother Mary when he was frightened, so we also confidently turn to our Mother of Perpetual Help and invoke her powerful intercession for all our needs and of those of the world.

Because of circumstances beyond our control, we are saddened to inform you that we will not be holding a public Triduum in honor of our Mother of Perpetual Help this year. 

Please keep us in your prayers, and send us your intentions to be placed before the icon of our Mother of Perpetual Help in our chapel as you join us from home throughout the novena, June 19-27:

                               NOVENA PRAYER

All:    Holy Mary, help all in distress,

encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful,

be the advocate of all 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.

       Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

      That we may be made 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 her aid

may deserve to enjoy perpetually

the fruit of your Redemption.

You who live and reign for ever and ever.  Amen.

 Pleace and blessings be yours

and may our Mother of Perpetual Help

be your strength in all your needs.

Your Redemptoristine Sisters

Contemplative Nuns Relocate

Current News ...As Promised

         The Redempstoristine Nuns, formerly of Esopus, New York are eager to remain in contact with all their friends. We are newly relocated to the grounds of Cabrini West Park along Route 9W, just five miles south of our old home. In the last year and a half our community has followed a demanding path, searching for and investigating scores of possible sites for a suitable permanent home. There were great hopes for a former friary in an urban area of New Jersey where we could happily relocate and be part of the local Church community in a new way. Unfortunately issues involving a buried leaking 4,000 gallon fuel oil tank made it necessary to withdraw from the purchase contract at the end of April. There remained little more than a month in which to find a temporary home for the community and its monastic furnishings.

          Our current home includes the lower level of the administration building (kitchen, dining room, common room and nine bedrooms with baths), two offices on its first floor, use of a lovely chapel and ample space for storage.  The view of the river fills us with awe. May not seem possible but it is an even more beautiful view than the one offered by the Mount. However, our presence on the property is invisible to those passing by.

Except for the time of daily Mass, visitors must ring the bell at the side service entrance to access the Redemptoristine quarters. The common room has been arranged to accommodate the cape sewing room (in full swing at the height of the season), computers and mailroom as well as makeshift community room space. While far from ideal, we are nonetheless grateful to the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart for their willingness to rent this space to us at such short notice. In the spirit of Mother Cabrini they have once again welcomed immigrants into their midst.

          The move itself was quite a marathon – three days of packing by the movers, two days of loading trucks and two more days of unloading. It was a blessing that we were able to welcome the return of our older sisters from a Carmelite monastery the day after the movers left. Our first Mass took place the next day, Trinity Sunday. The sisters who facilitated the move appreciated three days of generous overnight hospitality from the Benedictine Sisters in Kingston.

          We will be taking some time to recuperate from the rigors of transition and formulate a plan for the next stage of their journey. We pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our discernment and count on the support of your prayers. Mailing address and telephone number remain the same. The physical address is Cabrini West Park, 2085 Route 9W, West Park, NY, 12493. The sisters maintain a community Facebook Page which can be checked for updates. In addition, a new edition of our website is about to be launched.

Habits in the Making

First a Note: The small but none the less faithful audience for this blog must be waiting for an update of our relocation situation. Frankly the process was so demanding and arduous that we've been taking time to catch our breath. Small updates appear every few days on our Facebook Page "Redemptoristine Nuns of Esopus". One of the things that has to be figured out is how to change that name! In the meantime...someone asked on Facebook for pictures of Redemptorist habits. That was easy to do.

The "Habit Work" of the Redemptoristines

Almost complete - only sleeves need to be sewn on

When the Redemptoristines first came to the Mount St. Alphonsus in 1957 their remunerative work was to be sewing habits for the many professors and seminarians. Brothers who were expert in this work taught them how to make the habits. One of the brothers had been trained as a tailor of German military uniforms. Over time each sister took a turn  working in the  habit department. When the seminary closed this work could no longer provide adequate income. Then the community began to make capes for the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre.

Detail of side poket flap and sleeve button holes
Note top stitching in both

Still we are very attached to providing this service to our Redemptorist brothers. Sr. Paula is the master of the craft providing expert measuring, establishing proper patterns for fit, cutting and putting it all together. Sr. Mary Anne taught me how to make the stiff collars (machine belting)  complete with hidden hooks and loops and insert them by hand. This process takes about an hour and a half. Often I do the sleeves with their faced cuff and lapped button closure.

Collar put in by hand just yesterday
Note hidden hooks and loops as well as
collar extension that gives a bit more neck
room after a good meal

It gives us great pleasure to see a Redemptorist wearing one of our habits, especially if it fits well. Even Archbishop Tobin and Father General wear our habits. But it is such fun to meet and measure those men about to profess vows. It feels as if we too are sending them on their way attired in a new habit and accompanied by our prayers.

Contemplatives' Mass of Thanksgiving

For everything that has been we say,

"Thank you, Lord."

On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 2pm our contemplative monastic community invited friends to join us for a Mass of Thanksgiving - also a bit of a send off as we prepare to leave our current monastery on the grounds of what was Mt. St. Alphonsus Retreat Center (former major seminary of the Baltimore Provine of the Redemptorist Congregation).

The celebration has a bit of a new twist to it since it turned out to be an opportunity to explain to all present the recent change in plans for our relocation. As previously announced on this blog, we had intended to move to a former convent in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Until last week we were in contract to do so. Due to difficulties concerning a buried and leaking oil tank we were forced to withdraw from the contract which was due to expire on the 27th.

As of May 1, 2012 we have 31 days to find interim housing and begin a new search for a permanent home. We are arranging to rent space in a nearby facility. We have already begun to network, talk to realtors and personally visit properties.

In the meantime I post here the introductory remarks offered at the Mass by Sr. Moira Quinn, our Prioress. They are followed by the Intercesory Prayers written for the Mass. We count on your prayers and support.

Mass of Thanksgiving Introduction

Good afternoon and welcome to our Mass of Thanksgiving for all the love and support all of you have given to us here in Esopus over the years.

Over 54 years ago the sisters came down from Canada to the Town of Esopus.  Foundresses, Sisters Paula and Mary Anne, are still with us today. The Redemptorists had rented a lovely old house in West Park called “Heart’s Ease,” as a temporary residence while their monastery was being built on the property of Mount St Alphonsus.   Soon after their arrival Sr. Mary joined them.

Recently, we made the acquaintance of the new owners of “Heart’s Ease” who are restoring it to its former glory. We were invited as a community to have “tea” and to celebrate the Eucharist in the very room where the sisters had Mass those many years ago.  It was a moving experience for us all; an  experience of coming full circle in our history.   

Eleven years ago we moved into this lovely monastery and now God is calling us to move again.  For the last six months, we thought we had found a place that would suit us in East Rutherford, New Jersey; a place which offered the possibility of a future for our community.  However, we have come to realize, after being unable to come to a satisfactory understanding with the owners of the property, that it was not meant to be. 

So, while we will be moving from Esopus May 31^st, we will be moving for  only a temporary stay until we discover the place God wants us to be a radiant witness, a living memory of the Redeemer and God’s plan of love for the world.  Presently, we are in negotiations with the Cabrini Sisters just down the road for our temporary location.

Prayer of the Faithful

For all that has been, we say, “Thank you, Lord.”

For all that will be, we say, “Yes, Lord”

Ø With gratitude for our Redemptoristine and Redemptorist family.

we pray that the mystical charism of Maria Celeste and the missionary charism of Alphonsus will continue to invoke the “Living Memory” of Christ’s redeeming love, we pray to the Lord. 

Ø With appreciation for the beauty of this land and it river, we pray for the protection of all creation and that this property will continue to be a locus of spiritual blessing, we pray to the Lord.

Ø Remembering all the sisters who have gone before us, especially Sister Mary Catherine and Sr. Peg; invoking their intersession for the two foundresses who remain among us, Sr. Mary Anne and Sr. Paula, and upon the entire community, we pray for an outpouring of the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, we pray to the Lord.

Ø With grateful hearts we remember the many women who have sojourned for a time with this community; may they be blessed always in their spiritual journeys, we pray to the Lord.

Ø On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, we ask that those hearing the call of God will be given listening hearts and guidance in discernment.  With appreciation, we pray too for all women in vowed religious life, that our Church and all the People of God will offer them generous support, we pray to the Lord.

Ø Appreciating the presence of so many here today, we also remember many others who have gone before us and offer a prayer of profound gratitude. We remember all of our friends, lay associates and benefactors, may they be abundantly blessed, we pray to the Lord.

Ø We pray for our Church; may Pope Benedict, the bishops, pastors and lay leadership be encouraged and enlightened as they respond in love to the signs of the times and the needs of all, we pray to the Lord.

Ø We remember all those who have gone before us to the heavenly feast; that they may be enjoying the fullness of God’s presence and interceding for us in our need, we pray to the Lord.

Ø For all the graces received through the intercession of our Mother of Perpetual Help, we say, “Thank you, Lord.”  In all that is yet to be, with hearts open and courageous, in unison with Mary, may we always respond with a resounding, “Yes, Lord”, and so we pray to the Lord.

Check out oru FACEBOOK Page for pictures.

EasterTriduum 2012

Here is (I hope) A slide show of our recent Holy Week, our last in Esopus.Enjoy.

http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p296/Hildegardnpleva/?action=view&current=bbfc9831.pbw