Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Ill., blog with inquirers discerning their religious calling to monastic life.
Posted in discernment on Jun 23rd, 2011
With the beginning of June came thoughts of my great-grandmother’s rose bush. A lush green bush covered with antique roses. I’ve never known such breath-taking fragrance! This rose bush remained at the house where we grew up.
Posted in monastic profession, video on Jun 18th, 2011
Sister Jackie’s Monastic Profession Here’s our home movie of Sister Jackie’s First Monastic Profession. What a blessing it is to welcome her fully into the community. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the chapel!!
Posted in Pentecost, discernment, ordinary time on Jun 15th, 2011
Now that Pentecost is over, we have returned to Ordinary Time in the cycle of the Church. Nothing is ordinary about it, however. We travel with Jesus as he begins his public ministry of healing, forgiving and preaching the Kingdom of God. On Pentecost he blesses his disciples with the Spirit that will continue to [...]
Posted in Pentecost on Jun 12th, 2011
Happy Birthday, everyone! That’s right, Happy Birthday! Today is Pentecost, the 50th day after Easter, and is often called the “birthday of the church.” In fact, Pentecost actually ranks higher than the wonderful celebration of Christmas. We began our celebration here with a Saturday evening vigil.
Posted in Benedictine Prayer, Benedictine Sisters, monastic profession, religious life on Jun 11th, 2011
In her 40’s, Jackie Walsh (far right) was happy. She had a great job as a business systems analyst, a comfortable home in Bloomington, Ill., and a new Ford Focus. She had lots of friends. And she belonged to an active and wonderful parish. So why did she chuck it all to jump half-blind into [...]
Posted in Benedictine Prayer, Benedictine practices, retreat on Jun 10th, 2011
Parting the clouds like water, the sun shone brightly this morning for the first time in 2 days. As we gather now for our conference, it slips behind the clouds, dimming the diamonds in the grass. From the top of a nearby sapling, a cherry red cardinal calls out. No answer. He tries again. Below, [...]