The monastic community celebrated a festive Easter despite continued coronavirus pandemic ‘shelter in place’ conditions. With a diocesan suspension of public Masses and our usual priest-celebrants from St. Bernard Abbey also sheltered in place, we celebrated Easter morning with a simple yet festive Communion Service. We also celebrated our usual round of Offices and Tenebrae services during the Triduum, including the Office of Readings in place of the Easter Vigil. We sang the Te Deum, which concludes this Office, with fervent joy.
Throughout our celebrations, our hearts and prayers were filled with remembrances of those suffering from the coronavirus and our joy was tempered by somber awareness of the pain currently being experience by so many. We were grateful for the opportunity to be together as a monastic family and feast on the riches of God’s word and share Communion at this most sacred time.
We share with you here Sister Tonette’s Easter Reflection that she offered to the community on Easter morning.