“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” (Isaiah 40: 3) Once again, we mark the arrival of the liturgical season of Advent. The Lord is coming! It is time to prepare! Into our wonderfully beautiful yet very wounded…
Read More
During the Jubilee Mass celebrating the 25th anniversary of my monastic profession on November 25th, I watched helplessly from my seat in the front pew as melted wax drained down the side of my jubilee candle from beneath the chrome topper candle as it stood of the altar. The…
Read More
When I was in junior high school, like many girls my age I struggled to learn about handling my emotions and how to get along with others. Whenever I experienced disappointment or a misunderstanding with someone, Mom would advise me not to wear my heart on my sleeve. I came…
Read More
My younger sister, Martha, visited recently from Florida. We love to find things to do outdoors on these visits. One beautiful autumn day, we went out to Red Mountain Park to walk the forested trails. When I visit Martha, we drive to a beach or walk in her neighborhood, completely…
Read More
The Holy Spirit is certainly very active these days. We receive multiple requests daily looking for information about our community and for help with vocation discernment. That’s great! What we have learned from these requests, however, is that most inquirers have lack a basic understanding about vowed religious life in…
Read More
All of the supplies on the journey thus far prepare the way for being a compassionate person. What is compassion? In Hebrew, the noun for compassion, “rachamin” refers to the womb of God or movement of God’s deepest self in response to pain, mercy distress of others. If you take…
Read More
In the midst of the beautiful change in seasons, I really tried to make this blog about the cycle of nature and life inspired by a slow walk in nature to enjoy the colors of God’s creation. However, my mind and heart cannot escape the pain and suffering happening on…
Read More
As I do around 5:15 every morning, I sauntered out to the back lawn with my Chihuahua, Hector, and gazed Eastward at planet Venus while he sniffed a frog and relieved himself in the grass. Then, cradling my iPad, I stumbled onto the screened-in porch to pray the Divine Office….
Read More
“You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped!” (Jer 20:7a) These words from Jeremiah the prophet has followed me throughout my years in the monastery since it was quoted by the homilist at my first monastic profession liturgy. I return to them when life’s challenges become crushingly…
Read More
I dearly love to travel and to watch movies. Although I have had the opportunity to visit the Northwest, the Gulf Coast, the Midwest, British Victoria, the Caribbean, and Italy (my favorite pilgrimage), my life as a monastic does not allow me just to embark on a new adventure anytime…
Read More