Association Sharings

Electronic Edition # 10 August, 2012

President’s MessageAugust 2012

Dear Sisters,

I hope the past four months have been a pleasant and satisfying time in all ourmonasteries. We have successfully navigated the Easter season and all the joyful liturgical feaststhat string out behind it like the tail of a kite in a lofty summer sky. Summertime is traditionallyconsidered a quiet, leisurely time of relaxation and ease. I suspect, though, that this is not adescription of the summer of 2012 for the Dominican monasteries in the United States.

Looking ahead to the General Assembly, we can surely anticipate the presence of theMaster of the Order to be its most memorable event. To have the successor of St. Dominicamong us at any time is always a graced moment, but it is especially so at this particularmoment. Our preparations for this historic Assembly have involved us in several importantseries of discussions which were intended to sort of limber us up for our discussions with Fr.Bruno. Hopefully all these preparations will bear fruit not only at the Assembly but willcontinue to influence each and all of us in the years ahead. God knows already what theoutcome will be, we have only to wait for him to reveal it to us in due time.

Fr. Bruno, the Master of the Order, visited us at Lufkin on Tuesday July 10 for justth

about an hour - short yes, but graced all the same. He told us a bit about himself and in responseto concerns expressed by several Sisters, emphasized that the questions raised by our Assemblypreparations need to also be addressed in the context of and in conversation with, the entireOrder in the United States: Friars, Sisters, and Laity. He will not impose anything on themonasteries in the area of consolidation, but he is willing to be of help in anything we ask for.

I have great hopes for the outcome of the assembly and all that will follow from it. Letus continue to implore the Holy Spirit’s guidance during these final weeks before the Assembly. It will be good to see the many familiar faces again and to meet new ones, and forging yetstronger bonds of unity in mind and heart.

THE ASSOCIATION OF MONASTERIES OF THE NUNS OF THE ORDER OF PREACHERSOF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Berthierville, QC ** Bronx, NY ** Elmira, NY ** Farmington, MI ** Lancaster, PA ** Los Angeles, CALufkin, TX ** Marbury, AL ** Menlo Park, CA ** New Castle, DE ** Squamish, BC

Summit, NJ **Syracuse, NY ** Trinidad, West Indies

This is my last President’s Message; the next issue of Association Sharings will be anintroduction to our new President. I wish her well even now, as I know all of us do. May sheenjoy the same support and encouragement that I have received during my terms as President. And may each Sister and each Monastery find support and encouragement from one another tobe courageous in following God’s will.

With my gratitude and love,

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NEWS FROM FARMINGTON HILLSsubmitted by Sister Mary Vincent - Farmington

May 2 –Our postulant, Sr. Kathryn returned home to Florida for a very necessary operation. Shewas still on her mother’s insurance plan which would pay for a non-emergency surgery. Allwent well and Sister returned to us on May 19 . Later her dear Dad visited Sr. Kathryn and theth

community was happy to visit a little with them in the parlor. After teasing and telling him thatSr. Kathryn told us that her new name would be “Sr. Merry Christmas” he, with lively witresponded “Ho, Ho!” Sister will be receiving the holy habit on the feast of Bl. Jane of Aza,August 2 and is eagerly awaiting the day and yes, is jealously keeping the secret of her newname till then. We will let you know, but we’re pretty certain it won’t be “Mary Christmas.”

May 4 – Joanna Nhu They Phan came for a month’s aspirancy. She had been a former memberof the Dominican Vietnamese Sisters in Houston, TX. Joanna, a friend of our Novice, Sr. MarieTherese, was coaxed by her to “come and see.” She spent a good and happy month with us andis seriously thinking about it now.

May 5 – Sr. Mary Rose returns from the Novice Mistress Meeting and the following Sundayevening recreation shares pictures and we get caught up on the news from our Sistermonasteries.

May 6 – Our Sister Therese Marie fainted and her condition worsened so she was taken to thehospital. Sister was having difficulty breathing, her oxygen level was very low. They found outin time that she has bronchitis and pneumonia and a fractured left elbow. So our beloved Sisterhas to rest and for this generous, devoted Irish Sister of ours that is a difficult item on her usualschedule of baking Irish Soda Bread for us and our benefactors. She also bakes wheat breaddeluxe for breakfast - and a great variety of coffee cakes for special occasions -plus getting thesupper most nights and making order in the kitchen after the daily breakfast.

May 7 – Our annual retreat was supposed to be given by the English Dominican, Fr. AllanWhite, but because of difficulties of obtaining his visa he was unable to get leave to enter theUSA! Father apologized profusely and we hope he can come another time. So Sr. Mary

Page 2

Thomas had to try to get someone to come on late notice! Fr. Jacques Daley, OSB came to ourrescue and drove from St. Vincent Arch-Abbey in Latrobe, PA. Father had serious cancersurgery and it has taken two years to recover and this was his first outing – and he was so willingto come to our aid. Since about half of the community desired a preached retreat and the other amore quiet retreat, a compromise was struck: Father would offer Holy Mass and give oneoptional conference a day. He was available for individual counseling as well as Confessions. Itwas special retreat: on the sanctifying power of the simple surrender to the Will of God. As thisis written (in July) we have learned that Father’s cancer has returned. Please pray for this finepriest of God.

May 22 – Mr. Dan McAfe from the Liturgical Department of the Archdiocese of Detroit gave atalk and showed slides to the community regarding the liturgical aspects of renovation.

For some months we have been considering the necessity and possibility of certain renovationsof our Monastery Chapel and other improvements. We have contacted a fine architect and heand his associate have been sharing various designs and plans. Our roof is leaking in differentplaces, the ceiling lighting in our chapel needs to become more safe for our maintenance menand more economical in the lighting itself. Our Monastery has no insulation in its walls, ourMonastic store needs more space, we are hoping for choir to choir seating in our inside chapel. These are some of our needs and hopes. Of course we will need to raise money, so all this willtake great care and time.

May 27 - On the evening of Pentecost Sunday we had a very special recreation - a Vietnamesedance, its original choreography – its steps and many intricate movements was created by Joannaand carefully practiced and presented by our three Novitiate Sisters and Joanna. The music wasa truly beautiful song and the Sisters moved in graceful synchronization. Sr. Kathryn read thehymn in English as an introduction and we give it here:

When you said your Fiat, Mother, heaven and earth rejoiced.As sweet as Spring water come into the desert.

How mysterious your Fiat.

When you said your Fiat, Mother, a new millennium entered the world.As gentle wind come in the summer day.

How mysterious your Fiat.

When you said your fiat, mother, you became our most wonderful Mother.By you the Word of God came to be with humanity.

How mysterious your Fiat.

You said your Fiat to the holy Will of God the Father.You said your Fiat to the Good News of your almighty Son.You said your Fiat under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.I want to follow you to live out the Fiat with a filial heart.

May 30 - To honor Sr. Mary Thomas as she ended her term as Prioress and as a birthday presnt Sr. Marie Therese and Sr. Faustina Marie – very expert in computer adventures (they used theprogram ProShow Gold) – made many slides into a flowing program of various scenes from the

Page 3

last year – from so many ceremonies, get–togethers and happy times. There was fittingbackground music by David Kauffman. The songs by him “Every Beat of my Heart” and “MakeMe What You Will” were perfect as we watched the Sisters at work in their various duties anddepartments. It was alive and touching to recall these times of grace, peace and joy. A beautifulevening and a moving thank you to the devoted efforts of Sr. Mary Thomas and to thecommunity who has supported her with faith.

June 1 - We had our prioral election and Sr. Mary Peter was elected as our new Prioress. Shehad previously served as sub-prioress. Our new sub-prioress is Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart; Sr. Mary Rose is Novice Mistress; Sr. Mary Nuhra - Vicaresss; Sr. Mary of the Compassion -bursar; and Sr. Maria Pia - Sub-Mistress of novices.

June 3-10 – Our Corpus Christi Novena was well attended and fine talks were given at eachMass by the dynamic Fr. Ben Luedtke. Father gives talks and retreats across the country and isan unusual and powerful speaker. The people – all of us - loved him. “We have here the livingPresence, our living heaven – nothing surpasses this Sacrament…even the angels stand in aweof us when we receive the Blessed Sacrament…we have the obligation to become what wereceive…we must show Him, image Him in all things, at all times.”

June 23 – Fr. Ed Ruane, OP our faithful friend, advisor, former visitator and sturdy supportvisited for just a short time. He was in the area to give the Retreat to the Oxford Dominicans. Hewill be serving in Rome until this November, since Fr. Dominic Izzo cannot come to Rome untilOctober.

Back in June of 2011, Sr. Mary Martin of Summit was asked by the Association Council torepresent them by attending an Archival Meeting at the McGreal Center. At that time Sr. JanetWelsh, OP offered to take all of the archival material of the Conference of the Nuns to theCenter to be catalogued and stored - gratis! In October of the same year, she and a sistercompanion drove to Farmington Hills to pick up 40 archived boxes of documents which hadbeen saved from the early days of the Conference. It was then that Sr. Janet asked Sr. MaryThomas to attend the “In Our Keeping” Conference, saying that the Sisters needed to knowmore about the American Nuns.

June 28–29 -Sr. Mary Thomas was invited by Sr. Janet Welsh, OP, Director of the Mary NonaMcGreal Center of Historical Studies at the Dominican University in River Forest, IL to give apresentation at the 2012 IN OUR KEEPING - Dominican Archivist and Historians Conference. The theme this year was “For the Sake of Preaching”. Sr. Mary Thomas was asked to give “ANun’s Perspective: Yesterday and Today”. Her talk was very well received by the Sisters andDominican Laity who attended. Many approached to thank her for sharing information that theywere totally unaware of. In retrospect, we reflected that this was a good way to deepen ourcontact with our Dominican Sisters as our Master, Fr. Bruno, encouraged us all to do for theFeast of the Visitation.

June 30 – Sr. Miriam of the Word of God – 25 Anniversary of Profession of vows - Sr. Miriamth

is from Michigan so all her family, especially her beloved mother were right up front – and also,

Page 4

as an extern sister, she has made many friends for herself and the Monastery who were present ata most beautiful Mass which Sister had planned herself with Sr. Mary of the Savior. There wereseveral priests who con-celebrated the Mass – Fr. Michael Monshau. OP, ever a brother for us,flew in from Rome and Fr. Ben Luedtke preached. The priests processed into the Chapel at thesinging of Fr. James Chepponis’ “Go Up to the Altar of God;” At Communion time we sangChepponis “Life-Giving Bread” and the closing hymn was “Magnificat” by Feargal King. Some of the hymns were accompanied by a professional flautist which added to the beauty of itall. A glorious organ recessional was played by Mrs. Gerald Spry who has taught and continuesto tutor some of our budding musicians and singers. There was a fine luncheon afterwards in theGuild Room and a happy gathering and exchange of good wishes and sincere affection. It was acelebration not for Sister Miriam alone, but for all of us as a united and grateful community.

July 7 - We were blest by a visit of a young Dominican from Iraq, Fr Amir Jaje, OP who is theProvincial Vicar of the Vicariate Mission to the Arab world and he is also Prior of theDominican brothers in Baghdad. Father spoke good English, but was more comfortablespeaking in French or his native Aramaic, so he brought a friend who translated what he told us,when he spoke in French. The Dominicans in Iraq are a heroic group of men who desire to leadtheir beleaguered people to rebuild their cities, their culture, their lives. The great need iseducation and they are building a University which will be open to all levels, all people. Toquote a letter of Fr. Amir’s: (see - comece.org/europeinfos/enarchive/issue 142/article/42) “TheBaghdad Open University project is an initiative of the Dominican Fathers in Baghdad. Theysaw the need to create space for freedom, dialogue and study – in a country laid waste bytyranny and war, where few good educational opportunities exist for a traumatized youngergeneration with little to look forward to.” Our Master has been deeply involved in this mission inIraq for years, since the Dominicans in Iraq initially were from his French Province. FatherAmir gave us his blessing at the end of the visit in a moving prayer in French and then chanted abeautiful hymn (so we thought) in Aramaic – it seemed to us we were listening to the hauntingtones and melodies that must have been sung by Jesus Himself. One of our sisters later told us itwas the “Our Father.” An unforgettable experience. Pray for this brave Dominican and hisbrothers who are unafraid to lead, to teach, to enter new territories to give their people hope.

Recommending a few books:We have been listening to three fine books in the refectory:

- “Interior Freedom” by Jacques Philippe- “My Brother the Pope” by Georg Ratzinger- “In the Grip of Light” The Dark and Bright Journey of Christian Contemplation by Paul Murray, OP Right off the press!

A very fine DVD - Ignatius Press - St. Philip Neri “I Prefer Heaven”

Avery interesting and inspiring read - “In the Steps of St. Paul” by H. V. Morton. The edition Iam used was its 13 printing! Very much accepted, popular and most interesting. Morton Wasth

a British journalist-author and this book is the account of his actual journey following Paul fromthe Holy Land, through all the towns of Acts to Rome – giving a tremendous amount of little-

Page 5

know facts of places, people and background history. Plus humor which Morton has and whichPaul must have had in a big dose.

Here’s a good sample:

“When Paul came to Antioch, it was the third largest city in the world. (Rome was the largestand the power center. Alexandria, the 2 and the intellectural center.) Antioch was wealthy andnd

blatant, and there was a worship of the material achievements of life and the sensory attributesof riches, such as central heating, swimming pools, plumbing, and flood lighting, race courses,theatres, the building of new weapons of war…’In the public baths every stream has theproportion of a river, in the private ones several have the like…says Libanius…’ As an exampleof town-planning, ancient Antioch was probably finer than any city in the world today. Its mainstreet was a wide corso four and a half miles long—There was a central passage for horse trafficand chariots, and two covered colonnades for foot-passengers. At right angles to it stretchedmiles of colonnaded streets paved with marble…and on either side stood public buildings,market-places, temples and triumphal arches…When night fell, this enormous city was pickedout with thousand of lights in order that the business of Antioch, which was enjoyment, mightcontinue as if it were still day…If Alexandria (the New York of the ancient world) reflected thepermanent achievements of the new age, Antioch reflected the transient. It was a city ofconsumers…like Venice in the 18 century, with Paris in the 19 and with Hollywood today…” th th

See pages 95 – 100. So Antioch was like the Hollywood of today, as Paul and Barnabas knew it, a very modern andwicked city, yet there were Christians there – (the name ‘Christiani’ probably was first used insarcasm) and Paul stayed there for three years. Paul knew plenty of real life and its allurementsand problems, hopes and desires. I recommend that you read this very readable book ofMorton’s and get to know Paul and his world in a new way.

Another great read is “The Mystical Rose” by Cardinal John Henry Newman. You many beable to get it at bookfinder.comThis book on Mary is very interesting in that Newman treats of doctrine and devotion inlanguage for the ordinary person and meets us where we are. Truth, good, sharp, interestingreasoning to meet questions of Protestants and open up what we take for granted or skim over asCatholics; faithful to Tradition and the Fathers. The second part is Newman’s deep insights andreflections on some of the titles of Mary in her Litany.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Page 6

“IN OUR KEEPING”Dominican Archivist and Historians Conference

June 29, 2012

For the Sake of the Preaching: A Nun’s Perspective: Yesterday and Todayby Sr. Mary Thomas, OP - Farmington Hills, MI

Good Morning. It is so good to be here. Being in your midst seems to be a dream and a goodone at that! During my flight from Michigan I found myself asking, “what in the world are youdoing, going to this Conference?” Loud and clear came the answer: “for the sake of thePreaching!” of course, which is why we are all here.

I want to thank Sr. Janet Welsh, OP most of all, for her persistence in getting me here and for allthe work she has done to make this gathering a reality. Thank you, Janet. Some of you I know,most I do not but I hope that none of you are among those who know nothing of their sisters inthe cloistered branch of the family. I would also like to thank and acknowledge Sr. MaryMagdalen of the Newark Monastery who gave me invaluable historical information which youwill hear at the end of this talk. She, like “Nona” is an icon of Dominican Life, well lived. Thank you, Sister. When I entered the Monastery some 50 odd years ago, we were classified as the “Second Order”of the Dominicans but that terminology is no longer used. We are the Nuns of the Order ofPreachers, with you, part of the Dominican Family.

I’d like to capitalize on the notion of “family”. One of the definitions given for family is “people descended from a common ancestor.” We, nuns, are that common ancestor! And sincethis is a group of historians and archivists, lets go back to the history we’re all familiar with. Around the year 1203 we find Dominic, only 33 years of age, subprior of the church of Osma,asked to accompany his Bishop, Diego, as chaplain and companion on a mission to northernFrance to arrange a marriage, no less, between the son of King Alphonsus of Castile to a DanishPrincess. The agreement being concluded, they return to give the news to the king who sendsthem again, this time to bring the young lady back. Upon arrival they are dismayed to learn thatin the meantime she had died.

Dominic, by this time, is mesmerized by the great need he saw of catechizing the heretical sectswho were rampant throughout central Europe. He was energized and saddened to see the greatnumber of people who were adhering to their teachings of austerity and false doctrine and helonged to bring them back to the tenets of the true faith. He doesn’t return to his position as aCanon at the Church of Osma but instead goes with Diego to Rome to ask the Pope to send bothof them to the Cumins, that is, the pagans scattered throughout Europe. Bishop Diego also asksto be relieved of his Bishopric. The Pope refuses both requests. So they go back to France andthere they meet up with a group of Cistercian Legates who have been working hard at trying toconvert the heretics with little success. Dominic and the Bishop are asked their advice: give upall the pomp and fanfare that you surround yourselves with and approach these people on theirown terms. Preach the Gospel as Jesus did: simply and without affectation. Identify with the

Page 7

poor. Show concern for them. Do all you can to save their souls; free them from fear; showthem the beauty of all that God created; bring them to the truth.

Bishop Diego goes so far as to join the Cistercians while retaining his bishopric in Spain, butafter some time he returns to his See. No sooner does he arrive there, sometime in 1207, whenthe Lord calls him to his eternal reward. In the meantime, the Cistercian Legates return to theirmonasteries as well. Dominic is left alone, but not idle. He has already attracted a number ofwomen, converted from the ways and teachings of Albigensianism who come to him forguidance. What was he to do with them now that they recognized the errors of their ways? Hecouldn’t very well abandon them to the antagonism of their families. They had become ferventlovers of the Lord and thirsted, along with Dominic and the few male companions who remainedwith him to bring others to the truth. He prayed and he pondered.

So intense was his prayer that Our Lady herself intervened with a vision of a great ball of firehovering in the sky right over the Church of St. Mary in Prouille. This happened three nights ina row. The “Seignadou,” Sign of God. What did it mean? To Dominic there were no doubts:here he was to build a convent to house these women converts who had become silent partners inhis work of evangelization. Bishop Fulk, the bishop of Toulouse, gladly ceded the Church andadjoining property to Brother Dominic as he was thereafter called. It was on November 22, 1206that these ladies, now totally converted to the Lord, moved into the newly erected convent. Amonth later on December 27 , Dominic himself gave them the religious garb which to this dayth

is worn by the Dominican Nuns throughout the world: a white tunic, black veil and cappa. Laterto be added was the white Scapular given by Our Lady to Blessed Reginald to be worn by Friarsand Nuns alike.

From the very beginning St. Mary’s of Prouille came to be known as the “House of HolyPreaching”. It became the headquarters of the men who had joined Dominic in his preachingefforts: the women doing their part, the men theirs, both sharing in the great Mission envisionedby Dominic: to bring back to Christ the thousands caught in the errors of the time. Thesalvation of souls was paramount and Dominic knew that divine grace was needed to converteven one of them; hence, the role of the Nuns. By their prayer and sacrifices they would implorethe Almighty for the power and grace that alone could make the words of the preachersefficacious in the lives of those to whom the Friars would be sent. That in a nutshell explains‘who we are’ and ‘why we are’, historically speaking. We are like the blood flowing through theveins of the entire Order. Therese of Liseux would say of herself and her sisters that they werethe Heart of the Church. I firmly believe that we are, too but with a slant to our own DominicanMission.

The Fundamental Constitutions of the Nuns, promulgated in 1987, put all of the above in morecontemporary terms and at the same time insert us into the framework of the entire Order,stating: “The friars, sisters and laity of the Order are ‘to preach the name of the Lord JesusChrist throughout the world;’ the nuns are to seek, ponder and call upon him in solitude so thatthe word proceeding from the mouth of Gold may not return to him empty, but may accomplishthose things for which it was sent (Cf. Is 55:10).” Partners in Preaching . . . silently butpowerfully.

Page 8

Yes, collaboration at its deepest is our “prayer of life”, (notice that I didn’t say “life of prayer”) joined with yours and identified with yours in the manifold ways you fulfill the mission of theOrder. One of the striking paradoxes of monastic life is that withdrawal from the world bringsabout a deeper communion with all of God’s people. With Dominic, we too, cry out, “What willbecome of sinners?” . . . the poor? . . . the marginalized? . . . the oppressed and the oppressors? How do our lives, as cloistered nuns, touch these people? One nun put it this way: “We go intothe desert, the cloister, not for peace and quiet for its own sake nor to escape the burdens andresponsibilities of our brothers and sisters in the world, but to face head on, the struggle commonto all followers of Christ against the effects of sin” - and I might add, injustice. Ours is not a“Jesus and me” spirituality, but a “Jesus for all” spirituality.

At the heart of our life is the “solemn celebration of the Liturgy.” Day in and day out we standbefore the Lord chanting His praises and voicing the distress of humankind as portrayed in thepsalms. The joys, the sorrows, the loss of faith and trust, discouragement, the sense of beingabandoned by God - all of these sentiments are included in the psalms. And this prayer is rootedin the belief that living for God alone, as our Constitutions bid us, engaging in the head on battlewith our own demons will make a difference in the world. As the life is lived year after year wefind that we are more and more given over to this cry for mercy: for ourselves and for each andevery member of the human family. This “world” from which we have radically withdrawn butat whose center we remain and whose pain we hold up to the Lord for mercy and relief. AsEvagrius said: “A nun/monk is one who is separated from all and united to all.”

The Constitutions of the Nuns (LCM) quite succinctly captures the whole concept of our role inthe Mission of the Order. LCM 96.I. states: “The brethren of the Order, ‘commissionedentirely for spreading abroad the word of God,’ fulfil their vocation primarily by preaching. Thenuns, while commissioned by God primarily for prayer, are not for that reason excluded from theministry of the word (cf. Venite Seorsum, V). For they listen to the word, celebrate it and keep itin their hearts (cf. Lk. 2:18,), and in this way proclaim the Gospel of God by the example of theirlife.”

It further says: “The purpose of all regular observance, especially enclosure and silence, is thatthe word of God may dwell abundantly in the monastery. Therefore, the nuns, after the exampleof the Precursor, should prepare the way of the Lord in the desert by the witness of their prayerand penance.” (LCM 96. II)

Our very buildings preach. They proclaim to all who pass by that God exists; that a group ofwomen believe in God so deeply that they dedicate their whole lives to praise and intercessionby day and by night for the suffering of the world and those who have lost all meaning and hopein life. By their constant pondering of His Word in Sacred Scriptures, their concern for thesalvation of souls, by some hidden way of diffusion, connects with the fire burning in the heartsof the Friars as they go out and preach to a world weary of materialism and longing for “whatthey know not”.

I could go on and on listing and elaborating on the ways we nuns preach: the witness of our joy,by our community life, by our welcoming of guests, by our listening and responding to those

Page 9

who come to us in distress, whether in person, by phone, by letter or e-mail, by our publicchanting of the Office, by our study of Sacred Truth in the quiet of the cloister often leading tothe articles, books and poetry some among us write, by our praying of the Rosary together andwith the faithful, by our often beautiful and ordered Liturgies, by our wearing of the DominicanHabit, by our witness to the importance and efficacy of prayer in everyday life. (Cf. Survey onthe Dominican Charism of Preaching, Santa Sabina, July 2006)

The words of Fr. Anicetus Fernandez, OP, Master of the Order, in his presentation of our newConstitutions in 1971, sum it all up quite succinctly. He wrote: “Hence, the contemplative lifeof the nuns is of the greatest benefit to the apostolate of the Order, not only because, likeother contemplatives, they offer their prayers and their life to God on behalf of the apostolicneeds of the Church, but also because their contemplation and their life, inasmuch as they aretruly and properly Dominican, are from the beginning and by their very nature ordered to theapostolate which the Dominican Family exercises as a whole and in which the fullness ofthe Dominican vocation is to be found.”

Janet thought it would be good to give a brief rundown of the history of the Dominican Nuns inthe United States. Many of our brothers and sisters are not even aware of our presence let aloneof our history! It all began with two American women from New York, Julia Crooks and herniece, Virginia Noel, who desirous of the contemplative life, entered the Dominican Monasteryof Oullins in France to receive their formation as Dominican Nuns. Their goal was to bringCloistered Dominican Life back to the United States. They were given the names: Sister Maryof Jesus, the aunt and her niece, Sister Mary Emmanuel who was later to be the foundress of ourDetroit Monastery. In 1880 Bishop Michael A. Corrigan formally invited these two nuns tomake a foundation in his Diocese of Newark, New Jersey. They were joined by Sister MariaDominica and Sister Mary of Mercy, still a novice. On June 24, 1880 the feast of St. John theBaptist, the four pioneers left Oullins for America. The beginning had begun!

One month later, on the 26 of July the sisters moved into the house on Sussex Street which wasth

to be their temporary dwelling and cradle of their practice of Perpetual Adoration. Within fouryears they were able to build a large, permanent Monastery on 13 Avenue. April 3, 1884 sawth

the little band, now grown to fourteen Nuns, move once and for all into their “promised land” oftheir very own Dominican Monastery of Cloistered Nuns, The Monastery of Saint Dominic.

After only nine years this proto monastery of Dominican Nuns in the United States wassufficiently established to be in a position to make its first foundation, again under the auspicesof Archbishop Corrigan, who had been transferred from Newark to the See of New York. Hunt’s Point, now known as the Bronx, was the chosen destination for two of the originalfoundresses, plus four other professed nuns who completed the group. A new monastery wasbeing built there, larger than Newark’s, but modeled on similar architectural style. It was onDecember 3, 1889 that the sisters moved into this new building: Corpus Christi Monastery. Bronx, in turn, founded the Menlo Park Monastery in California in 1921, also named CorpusChristi.

Page 10

The Newark community continued to grow until 1906 when yet another foundation was deemedpossible and desirable. After writing to several Bishops, the Bishop of Detroit, Bishop John S.Foley agreed to welcome the nuns into his diocese, sight unseen but with the promise from them,to introduce and maintain Perpetual Adoration in the Diocese. So it was that on April 1, 1906Mother Mary Emmanuel, along with six sisters left Newark for Detroit to found the Monasteryof the Blessed Sacrament. Two years later they were able to move into their permanentbuilding on Oakland Avenue where they stayed until 1966 when they moved to a new locationand a brand new Monastery in Farmington Hills, Michigan. We are still happily there andflourishing. The Newark Monastery was unhappily closed in 2004 due to lack of vocations andconsiderable deterioration of the locality. Thankfully six of the Newark Nuns have joined us inFarmington Hills.

There were subsequently two more foundations made from Newark: One in Cincinnati in 1915and Los Angeles in 1924. Our own Farmington Hills Monastery sponsored four newfoundations as well. The first in Albany, NY in 1915 which has since closed, the second inLufkin, TX in 1945,which is still flourishing. Then came Squamish, British Columbia, begun in1999 with the collaboration of a number of other Monasteries in the United States, Queen ofPeace Monastery which received their autonomy and recognition from the Holy See in 2009. These sisters are about to dedicate their newly built Monastery this coming August 8 on theth

Solemnity of St. Dominic. The last is a foundation in Vietnam which is still under our auspices,mainly because their communist government will not allow them to build their own Monastery. They are doing very well but stymied in their desire for a permanent monastic structure. I wouldask you all to keep them in prayer. Vocations there are almost too numerous to keep up with.

In addition to these, four other foundations have been made by the American Nuns; one inKenya, founded by Our Lady of Grace Monastery in North Guilford, CT; in Pakistan by theMonastery of the Angeles in Los Angeles, CA and two in the Philippines - one founded by OurLady of the Rosary Monastery in Summit, NJ and the other sponsored by the Los AngelesMonastery. This account of the foundations of Dominican Monasteries in the United States is only half ofthe story. There was also another branch of Dominican Monastics: the “Perpetual RosarySisters.” They were founded by a French Dominican, Fr. Damien-Marie Saintourens, OP withthe purpose of praying of the Rosary throughout the hours of the day and night. These sisters,too, lived the enclosed life. It was on December of 1891 that four of these sisters left Calais and arrived in this country on December 21 to found the first Monastery of Perpetual Rosary inst

West Hoboken, now Union City, New Jersey.

Here, some clarification might be useful. The Sisters of the Perpetual Rosary were originallyestablished not as “nuns” in the strict canonical sense of the term: i.e. as making Solemn Vows, having Papal Enclosure and the obligation to the full daily choral recitation of the Divine Office. Fr. Santourens’ vision was rather that their status would be that of “Sisters of the Third Order- Enclosed.” Their life, in many ways similar to that of the Nuns of the Order, properly socalled, had its own regulations modeled on the Constitutions of the Nuns but with some

Page 11

mitigation of the more austere monastic observances. These were replaced by their obligation tothe perpetual recitation of the Rosary.

However, in the years between 1920 and 1960, all but one of the monasteries of the PerpetualRosary Branch in the USA took the necessary steps toward canonical incorporation as “Nuns ofthe Order” in the full canonical sense. Today, while there are a few monasteries of the “Sistersof the Third Order - Enclosed” scattered throughout the world, the Monastery of the Rosary inMilwaukee, WI is the only remaining one in the USA.

Now I would like to share briefly something of the development of the relationship of theMonasteries of Dominican Nuns in the United States among themselves. Historically, theDominican Nuns of the USA have cherished their “autonomy”, seen as a means of insuring thesolitude and privacy felt to be so essential to a life of contemplation. But with Vatican II and itsbeautiful document Perfectae Caritatis, followed by Venite Seorsum in 1969 things began tochange.

The first occasion for the nuns’ “coming together” was at the invitation of the ProvincialPromoter of the Nuns of Saint Joseph’s Province, Fr. William B. Ryan, OP. He had beenrequested by Master General Aniceto Fernandez to provide a nun from the USA to serve on theCommission of Friars and Nuns to sit in Rome for the revision of the Constitutions of the Nunsin April 1970. The gathering was held at the convent of the Elkins Park Dominican Sisters inAlexandria, Virginia. The group that responded to Fr. Ryan’s invitation was small butrepresented monasteries from all of the Provinces, and from thence the delegate for theCommission was chosen.

The nuns attending the gathering in 1969 had seen first-hand the value of their coming togetherto meet personally; something never experienced from the first foundation of the American Nunsin 1880. They shared with Fr. Ryan their desire to meet again. He responded by planning whathe called a “Dominican Contemplative Study Week: which was held for a week in June, 1973 atthe Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters at Caldwell, NJ, where Fr. Ryan served as Chaplain. All the arrangements were made by Fr. Ryan himself, who provided for lectures by variousFriars, some workshops by the Caldwell Sisters and ample opportunity for discussion among thenuns. A good number of them from all of the USA Monasteries participated.

The experience of their coming together for the Study Week in Caldwell was such a positive onethat the nuns were not long in desiring its repetition. Fr. Ryan agreed to the idea of a “NationalMeeting” but wisely said that the nuns should arrange the Meeting themselves. He suggestedthat a balloting be conducted to select five monasteries to take the lead. This was done. One ofthese monasteries was to be responsible for the over-all leadership and arrangements; the otherfour for presenting papers on various aspects of our life. This Meeting, which was open to thePrioress and one delegate from every Monastery in the United States was held at theMotherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL in the early part of 1975.

Though united in spirit and ideals and wishing to collaborate more among themselves, the nunswere not in favor of establishing a Federation, as many of the European monasteries had done.

Page 12

They did not wish to be bound to a “legal” set up but still wanted some kind of an approvedorganization that would provide for their coming together for mutual help and enrichment. Tomake a long story short, after the approval of the Conventual Chapters of the individualmonasteries, the Conference of the Dominican Nuns of the United States of America” came intoexistence on December 8, 1975, the date on which the official letter was sent to the monasteriesto this effect. The name “Conference” was chosen at the suggestion of Fr. Ryan because of thesimilarity of its proposed operation to that of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in the USA.

It was comprised of 15 Monasteries in the States and 2 affiliates: one in Berthierville QC,Canada and the other in the Port of Spain, Trinidad. It’s purpose was to foster the monastic,contemplative life of the nuns by means of sisterly sharing that would foster study andintercommunication through various exchanges and programs to facilitate the spiritual,intellectual and cultural development of the nuns. It would also serve as an outreach and meansof communication with the Friars and Sisters of the Order who were often called upon to give uslectures and courses.

The Conference had rounded out 25 years of its existence when in the year 2000 in response to aroutine letter requesting a permission called for by Venite Seorsum, the Prefect of theCongregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life wrote back to thePresident advising that the members consider changing either to a Federation or an Association,both needing approval of the said Congregation. Up to this time we functioned under theauspices of the Master General. All said and done, the Nuns did not favor Federation, so optedfor an “Association.” New By-laws were drawn up and the member monastery Chapters wereagain asked to vote if they wished to join this new entity. Most opted to join; some did not. However, this did not dampen the unity among us and we continue to collaborate as we shallmost certainly do in our coming Second General Assembly of the Association in September,when all of the Monasteries will be represented. Our new Master General, Fr. Bruno Cadore,OP will honor us with his presence. Do pray for its success in terms of an overflowing of thespirit of Dominic upon us all as we venture on into the beginnings of this 21 Century. Thankst

you.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Page 13

Too Much News from Summit(Editors note: no, not too much)

submitted by Sr. Mary Teresa - Summit

FEBRUARY – On 2 February, our Sister Mary Amata of Jesus made her Solemn Profession. OurAuxiliary Bishop Manuel Cruz was the principal celebrant—the first bishop to preside at aprofession at our monastery in 62 years! We had told Bishop Cruz before Mass that only thePrioress veils the newly professed sister, but when the moment for the veiling arrived hecouldn’t resist trying to “help.” At the end of Mass, he shamefacedly apologized for being“disobedient.” On 11 February until the 16th, our Sister Mary Catharine attended the council meeting of ourAssociation of Monasteries held this year in Lufkin. We are grateful for the wonderfulhospitality the Lufkin community provided for our sister and the other sisters of the council.

MARCH – On 9 March, Fox News visited ourmonastery to film a segment on our life, soapdepartment, and True Copy of the Shroud of Turin.The day began with filming our novitiate sisterscrafting a variety of soap products. Religioncorrespondent from Fox, Lauren Green, even tooka turn at blending a batch of hand lotion! Then itwas time to interview Sister Mary Catharine, thegenius behind our St. Margaret of Hungary SoapDepartment. The interview was very tastefullydone in our choir and the cameras quickly movedon to filming the Shroud.

APRIL – On 1 April, April Fool’s Day and Palm Sunday thisyear, our little Sister Mary Peter of Jesus Crucified wenthome to God at the age of 96. Sister had been living atCaldwell infirmary for the past few years since ourcommunity was unable to provide the medical care sherequired. Well-loved by everyone, sister was especiallypopular with the novitiate sisters who loved her perseveringhumor in the face of illness and aging. Some of sister’s mostcherished advice to the young sisters was: “It’s a good life ifyou don’t weaken!” and “When God calls, you go!” All ofour able-bodied sisters were able to visit sister the day thatshe passed away with the majority present at her death. Topick only one edifying story from her death: when ourchaplain, Fr. Gregory Salomone O.P., was anointing sistershe seemed oblivious to everything. However when Fatherasked another sister if she thought Sister Mary Peter would

Page 14

like to kiss the relic crucifix, Sister Mary Peter (who has been profoundly deaf for many years)suddenly opened her eyes and energetically reached for the crucifix to kiss. Afterwards she wentback to being unresponsive. She is greatly missed.

Also on 1 April the Fox News segment ran. As new groups of sisters came to Sister Mary Peter’sbedside, the tally of soap orders increased to astronomical numbers! By the time Sister hadpassed away we had more orders than we receive during our entire month-long Christmas rush.Holy Week became a flurry of activity as every available sister spent every available minute inour soap department filling the over 200 orders that needed to be shipped out by Wednesday sothat our Triduum could be spent in prayerful stillness and silence. Not only that, but in the midstof this was the planning of Sister Mary Peter’s funeral, the ceremony of bringing the body intochoir for the viewing Tuesday, and the actual funeral which took place on Wednesday. By thegrace of God the orders were completed, our sister was laid to rest, and all returned to “normal”just in time for the Triduum.

During Easter Week we were blessed with the visit of two of our deacon-brothers, AugustineMarie Reisenauer, O.P. and Bernard Marie Timothy, O.P. They spent a few days of retreat withus, taking turns preaching at Mass, and having a lovely visit in the parlor before they had toleave.On 23 April, we welcomed Sister Maria Guadalupe of Lufkin and Sister Mary of the SacredHeart of Menlo Park as they stayed briefly at our monastery on their way to the annual novicemistress meeting held this year at Lancaster. The next day Sister Mary Catharine left with oursisters for the meeting. Sister Mary Jeremiah also passed through for a brief stay as she and ourSister Mary Martin joined the sisters in Lancaster for the annual formation committee meeting.

MAY – On 6 May, we held our semi-annual Rosary Sunday with the solemn recitation of therosary and crowning of Our Lady. This year the preacher was our chaplain, Fr. GregorySalomone! His great-niece, Kelly, crowned our Blessed Mother and great-nephews Ryan andShawn placed a rosary in her hands. On 8 May, we had the joy of celebrating our Sister Mary Cecilia of the Annunciation’s FirstProfession. Sister’s family and friends journeyed all the way from Canada for the occasion andwere able to have a joyful visit with sister at the reception. Sister Mary Cecilia is our first externsister to make Profession in our monastery in decades!Also in May, Weronika made a 3-week aspirancy with us. Weronika came to us via New YorkCity, but she is actually a dual citizen of Poland and Canada whose home state is (currently)Minnesota! She hopes to return to us soon as a postulant.

JUNE – In typical Rosary Shrine fashion June was a very busy month! On 2 June, we held ourfirst ever Yard and Bake Sale (or as it was being advertised: Cloister Clearance and MonasteryMunchies!). Our volunteers spent many long hours sorting, pricing, and arranging the huge pilesof donations that we had been receiving for the past few months. Meanwhile our sisters werebusily baking goodies of every kind (including dog biscuits: “(say)Bina Biscuits”) for the bakesale. The Sale was a huge success! Will this be a new tradition at Rosary Shrine? Only time willtell!

Page 15

In the beginning of June Fr. Philip Neri Powell, O.P. of the Southern Province visited ourcommunity to give us seminar-style classes on Pope Benedict’s encyclical Deus Caritas Est. Wehad been blessed to have him for lectures the year before on Spe Salvi.

Also at the beginning of June began the desperately needed renovations of our St. Margaret ofHungary Soap Department. The paneled walls had become warped, the ceiling had significantwater damage, much of the floor was missing, the lighting was insufficient, and there was aconstant humidity problem that interfered with the soap production. Did we mention that thedoor to the room was more often climbed over (as it lay pathetically on the ground, just missingthe sister who attempted to open it) than walked through?? By the end of June the renovationswere complete—and beautiful! The weaving room also was moved out of the soap departmentand into its own renovated home, giving the soap department much needed expansion room.

On 14 June, Deepa Kingry from Georgia re-entered our community as a postulant. You mayremember that Sister Deepa was a postulant and novice with us back in 2007-08. We are thrilledto have her back and pray we may soon see her again in the white veil of a novice!

On 19 June, Bishop Christopher Cardone, O.P.,bishop of the Diocese of Auki on the SolomonIslands visited us. He was home visiting after hisad limina visit with our Holy Father. It is always ablessing to see and hear his incredible enthusiasmfor his work on the Islands and his deep love forthe people. He also expressed his hope that oneday there will also be Dominican Nuns on theIslands.

On 21-29 June, we had our annual retreat whichwas preached this year by Fr. John Paul, O.P. fromthe Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. Father preached to us on the Dominicanway of life as illustrated in stories from the Libellus, Lives of the Brethren, and other earlyDominican writings. It was Father’s first time preaching an 8-day retreat and we think he didwonderfully.

JULY– On 5 July and continuing for the following two Thursdays, Fr. Pablo Gadenz, assistantprofessor of Biblical Studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary (Seton Hall), gave us lectureson the biblical theology of Pope Benedict XVI as seen in his Jesus of Nazareth books. For thefirst lecture Father concentrated on expounding the Holy Father’s theology of the Temple as typeof Christ. We are eagerly looking forward to the next two lectures, as Father always hassomething profound to share with us and leaves us seeing the Word of God in a new light.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Page 16

Websites and Blogging

Talk given at the National Meeting of the Institute on Religious Life via SKYPEApril 30, 2011, Mundelein, IL

by Sister Mary Catharine - Summit

I am grateful to have been invited to take part in the National Meeting in this way. This ishistorical for the IRL, for my community and for the Church. I’m excited to be a part of it.

I want to thank:Most Rev. Thomas Doran, past president of the IRL who so graciously invited me,Most Rev. Robert Finn, current present of the IRL,Mike Wick and the entire staff of IRL.I also want to thank Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell who is there with you making it possible for me to dothis.

INTRODUCTION

When Mike Wick contacted me and asked if I would consider doing this I said that if myprioress agreed, “Sure!” Then I got off the phone and said, “Lord, what have I done? I have noexperience in something like this!”

I hoped he would forget but sure enough several months later I received Bishop Doran’sinvitation. My prioress and the Council agreed that we be a part of this.

St. Catherine of Siena, whose feast we would have celebrated yesterday frequently spoke ofGod’s Providence.

Certainly, in His Providential care for us this weekend is the PERFECT weekend for theNational Meeting with the theme GO MAKE DISCIPLES: utilizing the new media for theNew Evangelization because St. Dominic and his Order of Preachers and soon-to-be Bl. JohnPaul who so clearly gave us the clarion call for the New Evangelization, are in a very focusedway about going out to all Nations to preach the Good News, to bring Christ to the furthestcorners of the world, to bring the gift of the life of Christ through the Church and theSacraments.

Today, the World Wide Web, the Information Superhighway is the new frontier for us to bringChrist to a world literally dying for the Good news of the mercy of God!

BLOGGING AND WEBSITES:sharing with the world the beauty of a life of total consecration

In the early 1900’s Mother Mary Imelda of Jesus became the first American born prioress of theDominican Monastery of the Perpetual Rosary in Union City, NJ. She had been mistress of the“lay sisters”—a class of sisters in the monastery did much of the manual labor and really, for all

Page 17

intents and purposes kept the monastery running. These sisters were often women who had littleeducation who wanted to serve Christ and to live the contemplative life but didn’t have theeducation necessary to pray the Divine Office in Latin, especially.

Mother Mary Imelda heard of these new-fangled things called washing machines and shethought they would help make the lives of the lay sisters easier. Remember, this was the turn ofthe last century so we’re not talking state of the art Maytag! However, the other Mothers on theCouncil who were all French said NO, there was no need. The lay sisters didn’t need this help!

So, we’re told this was the catalyst for the founding in 1919 of my monastery of Our Lady of theRosary in Summit, NJ. Mother Mary Imelda had 2 goals in mind: she wanted to found anAmerican style monastery that would have not only Perpetual Rosary but also PerpetualAdoration and one that would be fully incorporated into the Order of Preachers. (At this time wewere what was then called 3 Cloistered Sisters) Perhaps, and whom am I to say, it is nord

accident that the two largest rooms of our monastery are the nuns’ choir…and the laundry!

I tell this story which is the stuff of monastic folklore to help illustrate the particular spirit that isthe Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary in Summit, NJ—a blend of the old and the new. Acommunity that weathered the changes of each generation brought with it, but especially thedramatic changes after Vatican II, with a sense of being rooted in the tradition that makes theNuns of the Order of Preachers who they are but at the same time, not afraid to face thechallenges of the present.

When my community began seriously considering introducing internet and email we approachedit in what I would call a very “Dominican” way. We didn’t just pray about it, although that isgood and necessary. We did what Dominicans do—we used the intelligence given to each one ofus by God and began looking at what this thing called the Internet was.

So, we invited 2 student brothers from the Dominican House of Studies to talk to us and tellabout their experience and about the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet. Was this justa passing fad? Was it something that would harm or help our contemplative life? Did we reallyneed this or was it something superfluous?

In true Dominican fashion we debated and discussed trusting that if we were seeking the truth,the One who is First Truth would guide us with His Holy Spirit to do the right thing.

At some point we realized that after all this, on an experiential level we really had no idea whatwe were talking about. None of us in the community had ever seen this thing called the Internet.Remember, this was still in the days of dial-up!

We asked around and found that one of our friends was the owner of a laptop! This itself wasquite a novelty! So, one evening, she came inside the enclosure and plugged her computer intothe phone line of the Infirmary office because this was the largest room of the house that had aphone line. And there for all of us to see was this thing called the Internet!

Page 18

Frankly, I had never liked computers. I remember as a child Radio Shack would havecommercials at Christmas time for “personal computers” but my dad couldn’t tell me just whyanyone would want one of those in their house…and for that price!

I had used a pharmacy DOS program for data entry in my job before coming to the monasteryand had learned graphics and design after entering but I never really liked it. I knew from myfamily that the Internet would probably provide opportunities for my community to better get outthe word about our Dominican monastic life but I wasn’t really clear how that happened!

So, there we were that night, seeing for the first time this thing called the World Wide Web! Icouldn’t help think of my own parents watching the first men land on the moon in 1969! To methey were in about the same category of historical events.

In our Dominican style of government any issue of major importance is decided not by thePrioress alone but by the monastery Chapter. This qualified as important and so we voted to usethe internet and email. As I look back I don’t think we really had much of a realization of whatthis meant but I don’t think anyone really understood how it would change peoples’ ways ofworking and interacting on a day-to-day level.

With the help of our Dominican brethren our Sr. Judith Miryam designed and uploaded our firstwebsite onto the friars’ server. It was an exciting moment that night when it finally happened.

Then what? How do people know it’s there? Where is “THERE” anyway?

Not having any money for advertising I hit the virtual pavement asking Catholic websites if theycould add our monastery site to their list of links. We had a few women inquiring but I thinkmost sisters would admit that we were disappointed.

I entered in 1992 and have been in the monastery for over 20 years. Except for one sister whoentered 2 years after me none of the women who entered persevered. We didn’t know what Godhad in mind for us especially when our sister monastery in nearby Newark closed in 2003.

We were down to 14 sisters, one less than the original number of sisters that came here fromUnion City in 1919.

In 2004, much to my surprise, I was appointed novice mistress and vocation directress after 6years as Infirmarian. Frankly, I was convinced that the prioress and Council (and God) had madea big mistake. That night, after the Chapter announcing the appointment I knelt on the prie dieuin front of our Lord exposed in the monstrance and from the fullness of my heart I said to theLord, “Just don’t let me rot!”

I had a fear of being novice mistress of an empty novitiate or of a line of novices who would allleave. I loved my Dominican vocation and was (and am) convinced that it was one of the best-kept secrets of the Church! I was just as excited about my vocation as I was when I entered 12years before! I wanted others to be as in love with Dominican mission of preaching the Gospel

Page 19

and the salvation of souls as I was. There had to be other young women out there who felt thesame way!

Around this same time I was reading a Dominican news portal and became intrigued by thisthing called the “Disputations Blog”. It was written by a lay Dominican, and he had been at itsince 2002. Not only that but his blog had this little advertisement that you too could have yourown blog…and for free!

So, one night, Sr. Judith Miryam and I signed on and set up this thing called a blog. We did itfirst and asked our prioress after the fact because until we set it up we weren’t sure if we couldeven describe it. We needed to say, “Can we do THIS and point to it?”

From the beginning in October 2004 we wanted our blog, named MonialesOP to be an entrywayinto what it means to be a Nun of the Order of Preachers:, to share this unique charism of beingnuns who live a purely contemplative life and are yet fully part of the apostolic mission of theOrder. We called it MonialesOP because Moniales is the Latin word for nuns and within theOrder this is often how the nuns are differentiated from the branches of the Sisters. So,MonialesOP is shorthand for Nuns of the Order of Preachers in Latin.

In our first entry we wrote: A blog from the monastery? And why not? With this blog is we share with you a bit of ourDominican monastic life.

Dominican nuns? Yes? In fact, Dominican nuns are the firstborn of the Order of Preachers,founded by Saint Dominic a full 10 years before the friars. The nuns are the "partners" of theFriars in the Holy Preaching. It is said that the Dominican Preacher speaks of God to men whilethe Dominican Nun in her cloister speaks of men to God.

The nuns are at the heart of the Order, holding in the inmost sanctuary of their compassion, thatis, in the heart, all those who St. Dominic used to cry out in the midst of the night, "O God, whatwill become of sinners!"

This "cry of Dominic" is the cry of every Dominican Nun. It is the cry of every Dominican who ispassionate for the preaching of the Good News and the salvation of souls.

Throughout the more than 6 years we have had the blog we have tried to have a combination ofreflective articles, posts that share the ordinary of our monastic life, highlights of our liturgicallife and news-worthy events. We’ve also made an effort to share Dominicana that we think thatmost people probably don’t know about. We also do this in order to emphasis that we are part ofsomething bigger than a little monastery on Springfield Ave in Summit, NJ. We are part of aworld-wide Order that has a more than 800 year old tradition.

Since 2004 many, many young women have contacted us about the possibility that God wascalling them to the Dominican way of serving Christ. We have had 11 women enter and of those

Page 20

11, 7 have persevered. (One is returning). We currently have several more women eitherpreparing to enter as postulants or come for theaspirancy.

A blog such as ours HAS been a positive tool towards helping young women attracted tocontemplative life in showing that we are just average, normal women whom God has chosenfrom all eternity to be His and to stand before Him in praise, adoration and intercession. LikeEsther we come before the King pleading for his people, echoing the cry of St. Dominic, “Lord,what will become of sinners?!”

It has been a wonderful help for parents who initially think that what their daughter wants to dowith her life is a fate worse than death!

Most people, including devout Catholics harbor many misconceptions about contemplative life.Our blog has been a way to educate our readers as to what contemplative life really is not whatthey think it is! I regularly visit several vocation forums and I am constantly appalled by all themis-information that is being shared and repeated!

Having a blog or great looking website is no guarantee of vocations. While either may attract ayoung woman initially, it is the witness of an authentic life of consecration faithful to the Churchand to ones charism that counts.

Would we have received these wonderful vocations we have today without our website andblog? Only God knows but I do believe that it has helped in the discernment process. Usually,when a woman begins to discern a contemplative vocation she immediately thinks of PoorClares, Carmelites, Visitation Nuns and Benedictines. Not Dominicans. Our blog has helpedintroduce to these women what is the unique vocation of a Nun of the Order of Preachers andhopefully, see in this charism something that answers the longing of their hearts.

Having a presence on the World Wide Web is something religious and contemplatives shouldnot be afraid of if done with prudence and discernment. The Holy See when promulgating thelatest directives on enclosure specifically states that the internet may be used for the exchange ofinformation and for reasons of work. It is the responsibility of each monastic community todiscern how much such a presence is appropriate for them. But it should not be a decision basedon fear.

The introduction of the internet and media into my monastery has provided some challenges buton the whole the experience has been a good one. In many ways, the internet and email haveprovided means for us to BETTER live our contemplative life and observe enclosure. We do ourbanking, order our shoes, supplies and even groceries, enabling us to remain in the enclosure!

Email is actually much more compatible with our life than the phone because often people havedifficulty getting us because of our schedule. I personally prefer initial vocation contacts byemail as it gives me a chance to reflect and pray on the young woman’s request and allows me tocommunicate at a time that is good for me. The nearly universal use of cell phones has changed

Page 21

how people see phone use and often don’t reflect that we don’t have personal cell phones or arefree to chat anytime we want!

The new and ever-changing technologies have changed our world forever and it continues tohappen at a rate that even people comfortable with these means of media can barely keep upwith. Not every form of communications media is helpful or even appropriate for every state oflife but for those involved in vocation work it can be very helpful to at least have a basicknowledge of what an iPad is or a SmartPhone or what Facebook or Twitter is because theseforms of communication shape how the young men and women who come to think, relate andyes, even pray.

For those of us in the contemplative life, such a plethora of communications media provideentirely new challenges in how we form new vocations to be silent, to ponder the Word of God,to listen. Forming them in how to be truly human and not just intakers or outpourers ofinformation! They may be challenges and I’m not sure we have adequately acknowledged thembut they are not insurmountable ones. My experience has been that young women whoexperience the freedom they find in NOT having cell phones, email, internet, etc. joyfully jumpinto the sea of God’s love—to use a phrase of my sister, St. Catherine of Siena!

In 1216, when my founder, St. Dominic, received the approval of Pope Honorious III, he sentout the friars of his little community throughout the world responding to Our Lord’s commandto:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and ofthe Son and of the Holy Spirit.

St. Dominic himself wanted to preach to the “Cumins”, the people of the farthest ends of theknown world in the 13 century Today, as our Holy Father, Benedict XVI and as Bl. John Paul IIth

have repeatedly told us, the “frontier” to which the good News of Salvation and Word of Godmust be preached is that of the Information Superhighway, or as to use the image of our HolyFather, the sea of the digital age!

The Church’s missionary mandate is as urgent for us as it was in the first age of the Church. In abeautiful passage in which he quotes Isaiah, St. Paul asks?

But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believein him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And howcan men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those whopreach good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who hasbelieved what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heardcomes by the preaching of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for "Theirvoice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."

Page 22

To each of you whom God has called, no matter what your state in life, to be a Holy Preaching toa world thirsting for Christ I can do no better than to quote someone who once stood in an earlyevening on the balcony overlooking the piazza of St. Peter’s Square:

Do Not Be Afraid!Do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept His Power!Like Moses who stood on the hill top, arms raised in prayer while the battle raged below, weyour contemplative sisters are with you in prayer, in sacrifice and in love.Amen. Alleluia!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

News from Lufkin Submitted by Sr. Mary Thomas

We had a joyous Easter and before we knew it, the day had arrived for Sr. Miriam’sgolden jubilee Mass! April 28 was the day we celebrated the Mass, and the Bishop was able tocome (a special treat, since he is now bishop of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and is only acting asadministrator of our diocese and therefore is not always in town). Her community celebrationtook place on May 12. The day was themed around mysteries, a favorite genre of Sr. Miriam,and we began the day with a variety of mystery-themed games. There were treats and gifts in theafternoon, and we ended with a dinner theater complete with pizza and episodes of “Mr. Bean”.Sr. Miriam said many times how much sheenjoyed the day and we hope everyone else did,too! Many more years, Sr. Miriam!

The next evening, May 13, we had ourMay crowning. Every night in May we make aprocession to the statue of Our Lady of the Pines,which stands on the breezeway, singing the Litanyof Loreto. This evening Sr. Bernadette Mariecarried a beautiful crown of flowers and Sr. Irmacrowned Our Lady. Sr. Mary John and Sr. MaryLucy played the violins, as is part of our custom,and it was especially lovely.

June was another month for celebration! This time we honored Sr. Mary John. Her feastday of course comes in December, but that is not a good time to celebrate a prioral feast day—sowe generally switch it to a more convenient time. We began a couple of weeks early with ashowing of “The King and I”—a movie that we all thoroughly enjoyed. We laughed a lot andeven cried a little, especially at the end! And we’re still singing songs from the movie like“Getting to Know You” and “Shall We Dance”.

Page 23

June 23 was the date of the officialcommunity feast. We started things offwith a bang—as we serenaded Sr. MaryJohn with her feast day song, in came aVietnamese dragon! It was the kind ofdragon often seen at New Year’s parades inAsian cultures. This was a special honorfor Sr. Mary John, who is a “dragon”according to the Vietnamese lunarcalendar. We borrowed the dragon from theVietnamese Dominican Sisters in Houstonfor the occasion—thanks so much to them!After the song and greeting, we playedsome fun games, mostly scavenger hunts,until time for a delicious dinner in thecommunity room. We had a treat and gifts in the afternoon. Sister received many beautifulhomemade items, which will probably be used for a future bazaar or raffle, and also severalbooks for the library. In the evening, we took a DVD trip “around the world” visiting severalexotic locales and being entertained by sisters who performed songs and dances in between DVDsegments.

June was also the month we began work on our new website. Yes, for reasons toocomplicated to explain here, we have decided once again to create a new website. This time weare using a company from Tyler, TX (about an hour and a half north of us, and the seat of our

diocese) and our domain name has changed towww.lufkintxnuns.org. By the time you see thisissue of Association Sharings the new website willbe up and running! The new website has newfeatures, including a contact form, an expandeddonations page, issues of “Monastery Bells” andmany new pictures. Be sure to check it out soon!

We celebrated July 4 with our usual picnicth

and festivities. Sometimes on the 4 a few braveth

souls venture outside to roam our beautiful groundsor eat lunch or supper but this year…just the flagraising was enough to send us all back inside asquickly as possible to escape the heat! A few sistersdid go for rides in the golf cart, which travelsquickly enough to raise a slight breeze, but for themost part we stayed inside where it was nice andcool. In the afternoon we watched “I Confess”, amovie about a priest who hears the confession of amurderer and then finds himself unable to tell

Page 24

anyone about it (because of the seal of confession, of course). It was an exciting film and weenjoyed it a lot.

On July 10, just a week later, the Master of the Order, Fr. Bruno Cadore, made a brief butmemorable stop at our monastery with Fr. Ed Ruane. We were so happy to see them both! Theyarrived in time to have lunch with Fr. Paul and then came inside for a quick photo op in thechapter hall before going over to the community room for about an hour of questions andanswers. The Master spoke very softly but he had good things to say and we were glad to hearhis opinions on various matters. We look forward to hearing what he has to say at the Assemblyin September.

We have several inquiries about our life coming in—pray for us that some (or all) willbear fruit!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

iPad

We must have been listening to somereading (Association Sharings?) in therefectory which was discussing the iPad. Later that evening Sr. M. Lucy came intothe Community Room for recreation andwe were concerned when we saw whatlooked like a bandage at the side of herglasses. "What happened, Sister?" severalexclaimed. "Nothing." she replied. "That'smy eye-pad!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Page 25

Feast Day Games from Lufkin!Submitted by Sr. Mary Thomas - Lufkin

For Sr. Mary John’s feast day, we played three games that were all themed aroundhunting for treasures. We share these games with you in case you are looking for an idea foryour next feast day celebration!

For the first game, Sr. Mary Margaret composed riddles, enclosed them in green and redpaper envelopes, and hid them in strategic places around the main building. There were twoteams: Red and Green. Each team was given an envelope to start off. They had to first solve theriddle, then go to the place indicated to find the next riddle. When a sister found it, she wouldreturn to her team and they would again solve the riddle before going to find the next one…andso on. Sr. Mary Margaret’s riddles were very clever and sometimes hard to decipher! Here aresome samples:

You kindly call me FatherBut there are really two of me. Under my smaller image Find what’s there to see. (Answer: small statue of St. Dominic in the corridor)

Three times a day you’ll see two of me Though you’ll use one just one time. I’m cool beneath my cover. Look there to solve this rhyme. (Answer: toasters in refectory)

The last riddle led the team to a “treasure”—a gift for Sr. Mary John’s feast day. Here arethe two final riddles for the red and green teams:

If you want some information Then you know where you can look.You can also find the treasureUnderneath the biggest book. (Found in the library under the big dictionary!)

If you’re looking for recordingsThen it’s to this place you’ll go.If you want to find the treasureYou’ll have to bend down low. (Found in the tape room!)

For the second game, each team was given a set of things to find in the main building—atraditional scavenger hunt. However, they had to look for the items one at a time and only oneperson could go to look for each item. The rest of the team had to wait patiently while oneperson searched out an item! There were about 15 items for each team to locate. Some items

Page 26

were actually activities—a team member had to do something, such as sing a song or do a dancefor everyone to see.

Our last game was simple yet challenging: each team had to find as many things in thecommunity room as possible that started with the letter “C”. We came up with a surprisinglylarge number of things and it was great fun. We hope you will be able to use these ideas (orexpand on them!) as you celebrate prioral feast days or other days of community celebration!Please let us know some of your game ideas, too!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOXsubmitted by Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart - Menlo

I would like to share with you an experience I had when we were at Lancaster for themeeting of Novice Mistresses. The Sisters there do not have Perpetual Adoration but they have aHoly Hour before Vespers on Sunday, when we could sit quietly before the Blessed Sacramentexposed in the monstrance. Just before this Holy Hour, I had been upstairs discussing withanother Novice Mistress the future of Dominican Monastic Life in the United States, itspossibilities and roadblocks.

On coming to the chapel and looking at Jesus in the monstrance, I tried to put aside theconversation I had been having upstairs, and concentrate on the present moment. This was nottoo successful and I soon saw, in my mind’s eye, in large block letters, the word ABORTION.This surprised me and I could not understand at first why this word should come into my mind ata time and place like this.

Further reflection made me think that when a woman chooses to have an abortion, she isselfishly choosing her own comfort, convenience, leisure, pleasure, freedom, over the very lifeof her own child. On the other hand, when she chooses life, over her own selfish desires, she alsoagrees, at least implicitly, to morning sickness, back aches, labor pains, the responsibility ofproviding for the child. All this is willingly accepted for the sake of bringing forth new life.

Then I wondered, can monasteries be guilty of abortion? If a community refuses to let goof the building that is comfortable, the families that provide happy leisure hours, the monasteryfriends that contribute all they can to supply the needs, wishes and pleasures of the Sisters, – arethey not selfishly refusing to give life to their own Order in a new setting?

At the Last Supper, the very meal when He instituted the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus toldhis disciples “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now”. Perhaps He said this tous too, on the day we made our profession. At that time, in our fervor and love, we let go ofeverything we could think of for the sake of life with Him in the Dominican Order. We wantedour oblation to be complete, at least as far as we could see. But He said to us “I have much moreto tell you, but you cannot bear it now”. And today, as we have lived the monastic life for manyyears, we are much more mature and ready for another sacrifice. Yes, we gave up everything

Page 27

then, but we gradually amassed other valuables and now He is asking again that we let go andtrust Him for the sake of spreading the Dominican Monastic Life anew. He has told us throughthe last several Masters of the Order, that He wants us to become spiritual mothers, to bring forthanew, with other monasteries, Dominican Contemplative life, possibly in a new place. It will notbe easy. There will be pain and suffering - labor pains to bring forth new life. We know thisbecause any work of God is marked with the Cross. But there will be joy to see the fruit of ourpain.

Many years ago, our monastery looked at the future with a discerning eye and plotted outwhat our community would look like in 10 or 15 years. Seeing the handwriting on the wall, weinquired if other monasteries would like to begin a dialogue on merging or some other form ofcollaboration. The others were not really there yet, but several offered to take us in if we werewilling to move to their house. Looking back we can see how accurate our figures were then.And now, after reflecting on Fr. Carlos’ letter, a number of other monasteries are seeing realityat their door. I think several are about ready to let go. What about others? It seem to me thatsome of them are beginning to open to new possibilities too. Can we invite them to think with usabout the future?

If five communities came together we would have around 50 nuns - enough for twoflourishing houses of about 25 nuns. There are several ways in which the nuns could bedistributed: 1) all the Sisters from two monasteries live together, and all from the other three jointogether; or 2) one could be a house of assisted living, and the other a house of formation andrenewed observance; or 3) each sister could choose whether to go ‘north’ or ‘south’; or 4) sisterscould be assigned where they are needed to cover all the necessary duties in each house; andthere are many other possibilities which could be chosen. This would make two healthymonasteries, which in 15 or 20 years, when many of us would have died, could then merge intoone. However, every new venture attracts young people who want to join the project. So if newvocations replaced all those who move to the heavenly community, we would still have twoflourishing communities.

Although a plan like this would be helpful to communities in crisis, I am not seeing thisas a rescue mission for dying monasteries. I see it rather, as a united effort for the renewal andrevitalization of Dominican Contemplative Life in the United States.

As a number of sisters have mentioned, we are not looking for a community that will‘take us in’. The better plan, and one which is working in several places, is for 3, 4, or 5monasteries to close, and the nuns unite in founding a completely new monastery. In thissituation all the nuns would be in on the ground floor and have an equal say, NOT in establishinga normal foundation of monastery X or monastery Y, but of setting up an entirely new entity. Allthe members would be in on the discussions which would choose music, horarium, style of veil,remunerative work, refectory observances, new customs and traditions, and so many otherthings. I would like to see us use electronic media such as the Christian Brothers have and areusing, to involve, not just the Prioress, but the entire chapter of the participating monasteries. Itwould be interactive and all would know what the others are saying and can answer directlywithout waiting to mail a letter or even email. It would all be done as Dominic did it with the

Page 28

very first brethren when he let them all decide on each issue of the new Order, even the Rulethey would follow. I hope that more of you will think outside the box and share your ideas,dreams, suggestions. We need a dozen crazy ideas to bring forth a good one.

When a little girl is sitting in her favorite chair and her Daddy wants to pick her up andtake her to another room for a very special delightful surprise, he cannot move her as long as sheholds on to the arms of the chair and says “No, I want to stay here.” God wants to pick us up andmove us to another location for his glory. Are we holding on to the arms of our chair (thebuilding we thought we would die in) and saying “No”?

The final decision just might be that my monastery building would be the best place for anew community to live. But we cannot even think along those lines until we have made thesacrifice, and said honestly to the Lord, “I will go to wherever you call me”. We each have to beready to live in another place for the sake of preserving the fullness of Dominican ContemplativeLife. It is the flourishing of the life we really want, not the building or the friends in the area.When we die, we will say with St. Monica, “Bury my body wherever you will; just rememberme at the altar.”

This is an exciting time to live. The Spirit of God is again stirring the waters of creationand offering us the opportunity to join in His creative action. If we are open to God’s will andearnestly ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, I believe that He will direct us on how best to bringabout ‘something beautiful for God’ as Mother Teresa described it. As we prepare for the Jubileeof the Order in 2016, let us ask Our Lady, Patroness of the Order to be with us and guide us aswe move forward in the footsteps of St. Dominic.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

LIVING IN SQUAMISH submitted by Sr. Mary Magdalen - Squamish

Dear Sisters All, This is an effort to convey what is happening here with us. I feel it is important to record

it, so here are some of the amazing characters we've met, and what they are doing for us. We decided that we want to build with the material from this part of the world and made

by the local people. We pay a fair price for all the work about which you will read below, but itis a far cry from big city costs. In return we get to meet some amazing characters. There aremore but I’ll save them for another letter.

THOR While Sister Mary Regina settled our accounts at the bank I spotted Thor waiting in

another line. Of medium height, spare, large boned, wearing his usual overhauls and denim cap,his long grey ponytail shining against his dark blue shirt; when he fixes you with a fierce stare

Page 29

under his craggy brows, his mouth lost between his full moustache and beard, you wonder if heis an eagle or a Viking, or partly both. Thor, (pronounced “Tor” and his wife Dorothy haveplanted an art gallery, small theatre, chapel for weddings, studios for artists, and fabulous gardenon an acre of land in Brackendale, a hamlet between this valley and Squamish. Thor is ametalsmith and he made the bell that is hanging in the tower on our roof. The bell, about 2’ high,heavy and sonorous, is a born-again Christian, having first known life as a 300 liter propanetank. I imagine that when I see Thor at the Dedication he might appear in a black suit with astring tie and a bowler. But then again, he could very likely be wearing the same clean, wornoverhauls.

MOSES Moses, I’m guessing, is in his 50s somewhere, of medium height and very slight build,

with long brown hair down to his shoulder blades. He is gentle and soft-spoken, and he can doanything with stone. He hired in as a labourer in the Squamish stone yard and when they foundout what he can do they made him artist-in-residence. He fabricates landscape and patiofurnishings, (among them a medieval Gothic stone window, shaped and filigreed, for a palace inWhistler). Moses spent days looking around the vast yard for the stones that will be the pillarthat supports the altar for the new chapel and the slab that tops it, which he will carefully fittogether. (Think of a chunky letter T). He looks for “organic shapes”, he says. On this altar, onlythe upper surface of the slab will be polished. He is also doing the ambo, for which he has pickedout a tall vertical rock. He will shape the top to accept the wooden slab that will make it areader’s desk, or lectern. Jade is doing the wood.

JADE DUMAS Jade is somewhere in her 30s and has a woodworking shop in downtown Squamish, in a

little enclave of wood and metal working studios at the end of 2nd Avenue. She lives with herpartner in a one room flat above the shop. Jade is about my height with a mop of curly blondehair and, you guessed it, she is very slight of build. In fact I am convinced that Jade misses a lotof meals. She comes every Thursday on her day off and rides horse at the ranch down the roadand then comes to our shop and coaches us in the fine points of wood working. She is asuccessful cabinetmaker and designer but still can’t afford her own piece of land. I love herdreams and her vision of a new society in a healed environment. She is part owner of a goodlittle vehicle which she has adapted to operate on vegetable oil. Seriously, it runs. Jade will alsodo the presider’s chair, which will be a combination of wood and stone. Oh, BTW, we give her agood meal on Thursdays.

DAN WALL Dan and Elaine live on Wall Street, a mud track just down the road from us. You pass

two homes and then turn left among the trees and emerge into a clearing, in the centre of which

Page 30

is a stunning 2 ½ storey log home, surrounded by outbuildings and Elaine’s well designedgarden. Dan is an early retiree, with a chiseled nose and jaw and once blond hair; he left theconcrete business to engage in his passion for wood. Their 15 acre piece of forested land has aconcentration of magnificent cedars, and when one came down recently he brought in a sawmilland harvested it on the spot. With the lumber he built 8 refectory (dining room) tables for us.They are trestle tables, made of cedar slabs 8 feet long by 28 inches wide by 2 inches think. Theslab is notched to sit on two shaped end pieces, inset a little from the ends, and held together bya tie bar down toward the bottom. I could describe it perfectly but it would sound like PopularWoodworking Magazine. There is neither screw nor bolt nor nail in any part of these tables. Andwith fir trees from our land he is making benches for the chapel as well as desks for each cell.Our commissions mean that Dan is off to a good start in his dream to make a modest living fromhis craftsmanship.

AND US Meanwhile we are collecting furniture for the new monastery, most of which comes in

boxes and which needs to be assembled. And the four of us in St Helen House, which is the Novitiate house on the property, need

to be moved out by July 18, when there will be guests from France coming for the week. We willgo into the new building and be there to welcome our monastic guests when they arrive.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THE VINEA Homily Given on the Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer May 5, 2012

by Sr. M. Vincent - Farmington

Fr. Michael Mascari, OP, appointed Socius by our Master, Fr. Bruno Cadore for theIntellectual Life of the Order recently sent out a letter to the brothers – “Dominican Study andthe New Evangelization: Initial Impressions” - a report (after visitations and consultation) on thestate of study in the Order linked to the need of evanglization in a profoundly changed 21st

century and the hopes for the future to meet the needs of our time. You probably have read it,but I want to review some heartrending facts Father relates and which we surely should take toour hearts.

In his early days in Rome - and now I quote Father: “… the Order sent me to Florenceto study Italian, where I took classes with students who could have been my children or almostmy grandchildren. When I introduced myself as a Dominican friar and a Catholic priest, myclassmates responded with genuine puzzlement. One young woman from Norway whispered toher neighbor, ‘What is a priest?’ I could have said I was a man from Mars and have been moreeasily understood. Perhaps most troubling was how my classmates identified themselves in terms

Page 31

of religion. From Holland, Norway and England, I expected the response Calvinist, Lutheran, orAnglican. From Bavaria, Austria and Spain, I expected the answer: Catholic. What I heardinstead was ‘I am an atheist – I am an agnostic, I believe in nothing.” Father was stunned.

Father goes on “We must, like the early fathers appeal to the minds and hearts of ourlisteners striving to make connections, to make the link, to respond to their questions – weobserve, listen, we struggle to make the connection, to establish the relationship before wespeak…” There is a tremendous crisis of unbelief in Europe – it can come to us in our country –Chapters 14 &15 from John are a call from the Vine –“ Remain in Me” – this is a call to listen,to make a relationship, to feel for the Vine. Countless persons are floating around as jetsam inthe air, “live today, tomorrow we die” with no meaning, no purpose, no hope.

Can we be indifferent or lukewarm or smug or condemn: “I do my part, I say myprayers.” Rather – feel for the Vine and the branches.

Vincent Ferrer was a man deeply concerned for the Vine and the branches. It wasnoteworthy in the reading on Vincent from the Dominican Supplement, to hear him quoteBishop Albert (illustrating, even in those early days a linked, vine-like relationship of Dominicans). St Antoninus, a contemporary of Vincent attributed to him the postponement ofthe last judgment, basing his assertion on the words of St Ambrose: “God will change the verdictif we but change our life.”

I can’t change the young from Norway or Austria or Spain, but I can change things inmy life that are half-dead or sickly branches.

We pray for our young people, our Church, our world. We pray for our Order that thefriars and nuns remain, abide, live in the Vine and bear much fruit; that our brothers may meetthe tremendous challenges of our times by listening, connecting, reaching hearts and minds intheir teaching and preaching, and that we all yearn by the offering of our lives to give meaningand hope to our world. Jesus calls us to be one fruitful and beautiful Vine for Him.

For the complete letter of Fr. Mascari see op.org/en/content/dominican-study-and new-evangelization-intitial-impressions-0

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Convocation Address

by Sister Claire Marie - Squamish

Archbishop Chancellor, Fr. Mark, Board, Faculty & Staff, Students, and guests. We aredelighted and deeply grateful ...

Page 32

“A Dominican should love to study, and study to love” This is what the former Masterof the Order of Preachers, Brother Timothy Radcliffe, once said to the Order. (And we could saythat a student of St Marks college should love to study and study to love).

Day by day, year after year, for 20, 40 and even 60 years a Dominican nun engages in a life-long pursuit of Sacred Truth.

Study, as a religious observance, is a form of asceticism which nourishes contemplationand deepens communion between the sisters, and communion with the world which is loved andcarried in the intimate sanctuary of our hearts.

Immersed in the Word of God the Dominican nun chants the Psalms in the Divine Officelistens to Sacred Scripture read to her at least 7 times a dayreads and meditates on the Word of God slowly daily during her Lectio Divina studies it methodically at her deskruminates on it while engaged in manual Labourenters the eternal “now” of the Liturgy and lives itshe ponders the Word lovingly in her heart, like Mary,

Dominican Monastic life is intentionally structured so that the Word of God dwells abundantly in our hearts, both as individual nuns and as a community.

Centuries of time tested tradition, insures that the different elements of our life are heldin check and balance so that intellectual formation be constant and integrated into our lives bythe ebb and flow of prayer and manual work and rest, within the context of a loving community.It is thus that Sacred Truth is slowly kneaded, like good bread, into receptive hearts.

Observances, like silence andenclosure, create a sacred milieu for theHoly Spirit to bring to birth a LivingWord for the world.

The Dominican nun prays andgives her life so that the Word which ispreached in the world today may notreturn to God empty but may accomplishthose things for which it was sent.(Is.55:10)

This day marks a historicalbeginning of a special bond between

Queen of Peace Monastery and St Mark’s College. This bond could last, not just 20, 40 or 60years, but perhaps 200, 400 or 600 years ... after all, I came from a monastery in France whichhas recently celebrated 800 years of existence.

Page 33

Queen of Peace is looking forward to offering our younger sisters in formation theopportunity to follow online courses offered by St Mark’s.

We also anticipate that individual students of this College will be coming to us to sharewith us the awesome beauty of our monastery in the Upper Squamish Valley. Our monasterywill open and be dedicated this summer, and it will become a spiritual oasis for those who wantto come to pray.

Small groups of students have already asked to come for a time of recollection anddialogue with the sister who is delegated by the community to welcome such groups.

Today marks our deeper commitment to holding St Mark’s College, and Catholic highereducation in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, in our hearts and prayer. We pray that studentsreceive a life-changing educational experience and become “servant leaders” for the church andthe world today ... in the service of the One who is Truth.

Like Mary in the Upper room, we will wait upon the Lord and ask that God send forthHis Holy Spirit upon you, so that the Word proclaimed in prayer and studied with love, will bearabundant fruits of holiness in every student.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTISTTHE ONE IN THE WILDERNESS

by Sr. Patricia Amrhein - New Castle

Where do you stand, oh Prophet!In the deserts of our life,

In the silent winds of Spirit and The sands of passing time

Your words travel to our noisy streetsCrashing against our concrete walls,

Reverberating in our rituals A quake to our towers and spiraling pinnacles

You speak at the edge of our time,An epitome of God-given directivesSnagged in our barb-wired borders,

Muted in our explosions of war

Page 34

Your way to dignity is hiddenIn the dark corners of our rooms

Where spouses cry and cower and Our children suffer and hide

Yet your truth burns its wayThrough the cold night of our mindsLove’s blinding flash emblazing and

Branding us with a moment’s sacred sight

What have you seen, oh Prophet!That your vision of things discomforts us so

Your lamentation of injustice and grief setting us afootRunning, shunning lest your eyes meet ours

A PROPHET’S ANSWERIn a gesture of God’s mercy and forgiveness

I have seen the timeless in timeWhere day has permeated night

And earth and heaven have embraced in peace

For a moment I have seen beyond us,A step from our selfish misery

The benediction of our innocenceIn the startling beauty of a hidden Face

My words have found justice in a sorrowing GodFalling silent to your castigationsIn a desert empty but for listening

I hear the whispers of justice and mercy from the mouth of Compassion

I am of you but God has smitten meI bear the agony of a love beyond bearingWalking your streets, clearing your paths

I cry out the ways of Love,

Of one greater than I…an unquenchable fire.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

News from Menlosubmitted by Sr. Maria Christine - Menlo

We send sisterly greetings to everyone with this issue of Association Sharings and usethis opportunity to prepare a little update of our latest activities and other memorialized events ofthe past several months in Menlo Park.

Page 35

Easter came with all it’s Alleluias and was again elegant in every respect as we preparedand celebrated the Liturgy with all it’s magnificence. The following week was filled with manyunexpected gifts of flowers, food, and candy. Family and visitors had been patiently waiting forEaster to arrive so they could reunite after what they felt was a super long Lenten abstinencefrom the parlors. A particular energetic group that made their annual visit was the class fromStanford University who are preparing or were received into the Church on Easter. Their heartswere filled with fervor and the fire of the Holy Spirit had certainly touched each one.

Mother’s Day May 13 was the big day forth

our Sister Mary Isabel of the Angels when shepronounced her first vows of poverty, chastity andobedience in the presence of our community, andher family and friends. The homily delivered byFr. Mark Padrez, OP noted how fitting thescripture readings of the sixth Sunday in Easterwere for the occasion of a profession. The subjectof the readings was love and friendship and FatherMark highlighted the fact that the religious life isan intense friendship with God. He mentionedmany of the qualities of friendship and the fact that a friend is always with us whether in our joysor sorrows, our confusion and pain or our successes and delights, and emphasized the need tospend quality time with our Divine Friend, and when we fail to do this, we deprive ourselves ofgrace filled moments. We now ask God to strengthen and confirm our Sister in this work andbring her to the day when she will make Solemn Profession “until death”.

The Feast of the Visitation of theBlessed Virgin Mary marked a specialvisit with our apostolic sisters from themotherhouse of the Dominican Sisters ofMission San Jose. Five of theirmembers journeyed to Menlo Park for an

afternoon ofinterestingconversation onministries,backgroundsand experiences, and together we celebrated with the Order the hopesand aspirations of our 800th Jubilee Year dedicated to DominicanWomen and Preaching.

Unexpected guests also arrived in various numbers andbiological species. Our best catch of the season was a beautiful BlueHeron who stopped in our fields for a leisurely visit. The small head,long neck, large body and tall legs would enthral both professional andamateur photographers. Another animal, caught in the act, was foundin our cloister patio. Surrounded by four walls and no escape route,

Page 36

this little squirrel took up residence sleeping between ascreen and glass window on the main hallway. He ormaybe she, was petite and cute as ever until one night shebecame confused about which window screen was open,so she generously chewed a new three inch crawl spacethrough another screen so she could pleasantly sleep in anew room. That was it! The trap was hauled out andfilled with peanut butter and crackers and two hours laterthe trap door was triggered and squirrely was captured. Score count, nun won, squirrel lost.

Our nun harvesters have been excited overtheir organic vegetable gardens and the response totheir motherly nurturing has been happening dailysince early springtime. Beautiful lettuce inabundance has filled our salad bar and recentlygolden orange carrots were among the treasuresbrought into the kitchen. We’ve about finished themany nectarines, oranges, lemons, apricots and ifall goes as plannedwe will have

another bumper crop of apples, pears, figs and persimmons. Godis good to us and his animal friends too. We seem to shareequally with many of the bandito’s who come prowling throughthe night picking the choice delicacies. The little vineyard hasgorgeous clusters of grapes hanging from the vine but it will be arace to the finish to see who of God’s creatures gets the first pick.

Corpus Christi Sunday was celebrated again with all thesplendor and dignity fit for our King. Many of our Dominicanfriars were able to be present, along with this year’s novitiate classfrom St. Dominic’s Priory in San Francisco. Fr. BryanKromholtz, OP professor and dean of academic studies at theDominican School of Philosophy and Theology was our guestcelebrant and homilist. Afterwards we all celebrated with ourtraditional Dominican Dinner together.

Something new we have tried these past two months is to have a General Hermit Daywhen the entire community takes their monthly hermit day on the same day. This “simplicity”effort has proven to be very accommodating and eliminates the need for a hermit to solicitreplacements and substitutes for herself. We pick a day when maximum staff is on duty,evening supper is a simple pick up from the food cart and everyone is to clean up afterthemselves.

For our monthly Culture Night we have been viewing the consecutive segments of Fr.Robert Barron’s DVD series entitled “Catholicism”. The magnificent art, exquisite photographyand clear explanations of the aspects of our faith give us a new appreciation of the glories of ourCatholic Church.

Page 37

Fr. Luke Buckles, OP , who is home during thesummer break from teaching at the Angelicum, came topresent two conferences on the encyclical of PopeBenedict XVI entitled Caritas in Veritate as part of theOn Going Formation classes sponsored by theAssociation. Blending the text of Pope Benedict with aDominican perspective, he splendidly wove the conceptsof the encyclical into an understandable short course thatwill become part of the 2012 series distributed toeveryone.

We now hold in prayer many special intentions asthe Order prepares for the great feast of our Father St.Dominic. We remember those who have received new

challenging assignments, especially our nuns in Squamish who are about the dedicate their newDominican Monastery, and all of our communities as we discern and pray that God’s word maybe received unconditionally in our hearts and minds.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

News from New Castlesubmitted by Sr. Patricia - New Castle

Caterina Benincasa Monastery in New Castle, DE sends its greetings and warm wishes toyou!

We, like many of you, have known quite a few interesting months as we tend to the maintenance of the daily needs of the monastery while striving to keep an open door for creativeand hospitable possibilities. In consideration of those realities we must express the gratitude wehave for the people of Holy Spirit Parish in this diocese. The newly installed pastor, Fr. JohnGrimm, has set his parishioners and the local group of Knights upon a welcoming andcompassionate path. They have assisted in the major repairs of roof and boiler as well as theoccasional need for patching and painting, mowingand mopping, lifting, moving and advising…allmuch appreciated when our expertise is limited!

At the end of March we were happy to offerhospitality to two orthodox Sisters of Mercy fromSt. Elizabeth’s Convent in Minsk, Belarus. Duringtheir week with us we learned much from themabout the political and religious world in whichthey serve as hospital workers in the RepublicanPsychiatric Hospital. Theirs is a newly foundedmonastic community that has known over a

Page 38

hundred new members in a short time. To help support their growing need, the sisters offer abeautiful iconography that is rooted in their rich Russian Orthodox tradition as well as otherhandcrafted religious goods and artifacts. These they offered to local parishes. Following a strictdiet of fish and no meat, the visiting sisters developed a fondness for peanut butter so we sentthem on their way with a few gifts- among which was a fair supply of Skippy!

As you may know from our spring newsletter, on April 29 , feast of St. Catherine ofth

Siena, we increased the number of sisters in our community with the joyful acceptance of twonew members: Grace Mortemore and Patricia Amrhein. Accordingly, Sr. Emmanuela and Sr.Mary Columba have begun to lead them in formation studies and the ways of Dominican life. Sr.Grace has come to us from Washington, D.C. where she worked in the business field andexpended extra ministerial energy in parish work. Sr. Grace frequented the Dominican House ofStudies in D.C., joining in its life of study and prayer as a member of the Dominican LayFraternity. She brings the valuable friendship of the Friars to us. Sr. Patricia is a native ofMaryland, who has centered most of her recent ministry in teaching religious studies andphilosophy in Washington, D.C. For Sr. Patricia, the study of Dominican thought as a path totruth was a natural “next thing” and living the life its best expression. Both of our new sisterswould agree that a life of prayer for the Church and the world was the resultant gift of their “yes”to a cherished call.

Spring brought us to the second segment ofthe yearlong exhibit entitled Visual Prayers whosepurpose it has been to share various elements ofartistic expression emanating from our DominicanMonasteries in the U.S. and Canada. In early Junequite a few participants enjoyed the paper-makingdemonstration given by Sr. Marie Therese Miville-Deschenes, OP who traveled from her monasteryin Berthierville, Quebec to share her exquisite artform. Sister led us through a process where thebasic elements of cotton and water result in a paperthat beautifully exposes a threadlike texture withgentle color and touches of nature. A collection of

Sister’s cards, journals and jewelry can be found in our gift shop. A final note of mention heregoes to Francois Bonneau, close friend of the Berthierville community, who served as SisterMarie Therese’s interpreter and “personal photographer”- a great effort from an expert for whichwe are all so grateful! Sister Marie Therese was later interviewed by videographer MikeRedfield. A DVD of all three events and the entire exhibit will soon be made available and sentto you for your enjoyment.

Visual Prayers will close on September 30, 2012 with a lecture given by Dominicanhistorian, Sr. Barbara Beaumont, OP. Sister comes to us following her talks presented at theGeneral Assembly. Not an ending at all, but an invitation to the future, Sister Barbara’s topicwill be: Dominican Monasticism and the Arts: Retrieving the Tradition.

Page 39

Within the realm of art, Sr. Mary Grace Thul, OP has certainly continued her ownprolific and varied artistic endeavors. Commissioned by St.Mary Parish in Ridgefield, CT, shecompleted a striking three paneled painting of the Last Supper with each panel measuring 15x5ft. The painting is displayed above and across the end of the nave facing the altar and as suchparticipates in a visually graphic way in each Mass offered there. Other works by Sr. Mary Graceare displayed on our website as well as this year’s array of Christmas cards.

We have continued to develop and improve our gift shop much to the efforts of AdrienneSuarez, a member of the Dominican Third Order. Adrienne’s ministry to the nuns and to thevolunteers staffing the gift shop is more than admirable. She, like many of the people whosurround and support us, is a ray of light that shines on us from the heart of our holy father,Dominic- an ever-present reminder of his all-encompassing truth, wisdom and compassion.

Lastly, we must mention our early May visit from Fr. Peter Lobo, OP and the opportunityto share a most enjoyable meal and conversation with his family. Fr. Lobo, who teaches half theyear at the Angelicum in Rome and the other half in India, is a gift of wisdom. Returning to theU.S. in the spring of 2013, he will be available for retreats for anyone that might be interested.

It bears mention at this conclusion that we were quite fortunate to have Fr. Lobo speak tous of St. Dominic, preacher and teacher, who as an embodiment of Christ, was called to set theworld on fire. Dominic, Fr. Lobo reminded us, was born into a world of great spiritual hungerand met its challenges not so much with physical mobility as with a necessary mental deepening.To do this he was chosen, formed, sharpened and polished. Of such Isaiah says, God called mefrom birth, a polished arrow hidden in his quiver. Through a lifelong process of formation, hemet the challenges within the Church and those posed outside it. For Dominic, said Father, therewere three essentials: sacrament, compassion and missionary depth. As we anticipate the feast ofour holy father Dominic and, too, the future of Dominican life, it is good that we recall Fr.Lobo’s words taken from the prophet Isaiah:

Look to the rock from which you were hewn,to the pit from which you were quarried. (Isaiah 51:1)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A blessed and happySt. Dominic’s Dayto all our Sisters

in all our monasteries

Page 40