Who among us doesn’t weep or at least tear up and grimace at the seeming endless death and disease in our country wreaked by the coronavirus pandemic? There is great sadness and grief at the deaths and suffering caused by COVID-19. Way too many lives in way too many places…
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“Never forget!” was a common cry that followed the horrific events of September 11, 2001 because, as human beings, we naturally recognize the power of remembering. We create holidays and set up memorials so that significant people and events who have made us what we are do not become lost…
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Not too long ago I was speaking to a person seriously ill, unsure if he would survive or not. Naturally, the severity of his condition led him to question how God would receive him if he were to die. Had he lived a good enough life? He knew he had…
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On Sunday, October 11, 1931 Sacred Heart Monastery Chapel was solemnly dedicated by Bishop Thomas Joseph Toolen of Mobile. Last Sunday we celebrated the 89th anniversary of this dedication as a solemn feast. For eighty-nine years this Gothic edifice has stood tall at the center of Sacred Heart Monastery both…
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Each year on the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7, I recall my childhood days in which praying the rosary was part of my everyday prayer practice. I can remember the beautiful white pearl rosary my grandmother sent me for my First Communion Day and always…
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One of the joys of welcoming new members into the monastery is the enlivened retelling of familiar stories from years gone by at meal times. Eventually, new members will read and study the community’s history, On Good Ground, written by Sister Mary Ruth Coffman, but the oral tradition of the…
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Every year as summer begins to give way to autumn, Jewish people throughout the world gather in synagogues and homes to celebrate the High Holy Days, the ten “Days of Awe.” The message of their celebrations is one of spiritual renewal, fresh starts, and repentance. Every year I try to…
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The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated on September 14. This feast day gave me an opportunity to reflect again on the cross of Jesus and its meaning for me at this particular moment in time. As I began my meditation, the first image that came…
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It was a dark and stormy night. Yes, it really was. It was Thursday, March 12, 2020. Watching the local evening news, we decided to begin pandemic sheltering at home the next day. Coronavirus had arrived on our doorstep. As the rain pelted the windows, it seemed a precursor for…
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Unlike silence, obedience, and humility, The Rule of St. Benedict does not have a chapter on stability. However, stability is a hallmark feature of Benedictine life and spirituality. St. Benedict concludes Chapter 4 on The Tools of Good Works with this statement: “The workshop where we are to toil faithfully…
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