by Dave Nimmer,* Guest Blogger When I first heard about Sister Mary Margaret McKenzie’s idea to start a 12-Step Group to deal with the corrosive effects of white privilege on her life and on others, I was skeptical. I’ve been going to 12-Step meetings for Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for more Read more…
At Girard House, if you take the back stairs (the “servant stairs,” in the old days) from the kitchen to the second floor, you find yourself in a small alcove with chairs in a half-circle around an altar: the Chapel. You cannot rush through this quiet room: pause, bow to Read more…
by Sister Mary Frances Reis, VHM Greetings and, on behalf of all the Sisters, a most Blessed New Year to everyone “in the Cave and in the Cosmos”! Advent 2017 was a precious and sacred moment in our community (you can catch a glimpse in this blog). Believe it or Read more…
One of my favorite parts of the monastery lifestyle on Fremont and Girard is the Sisters’ prayerful attention to detail. Every flower, every candle, every table centerpiece is chosen with care. This spirit is especially evident during Advent, when the Christmas hustle and bustle must somehow be balanced by a Read more…
by Sr. Mary Frances Reis, VHM Theologian and retreat leader Sister Joyce Rupp reminds us that before we can say hello to new beginnings, we need to pray our good-byes. This wisdom applies to many of our life’s journeys as we move from dying to rising. For the past seven Read more…
by S. Suzanne Homeyer, VHM “We were, indeed, pilgrims on the same path, engaging each other in contemplative conversation. We were using the same concepts if not the same language and imagery, and saying so many of the same things. And that, after all, is what it’s all about isn’t it? Read more…
by S. Mary Frances Reis, VHM Isaiah 52:13-15; 53: 1-12 A Blessed Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion. This is the day to gaze on Love—a day, in the words of the Palmist, to “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps.46:11). What other stance can we take before Read more…
by S. Suzanne Homeyer, VHM TRAVEL DOESN’T CHANGE MY DAILY PRAYER LIFE as much as one might think. I begin each day with prayer. As St. Jane de Chantal suggests: “Upon awakening in the morning, turn your thoughts to God present everywhere. Place your heart and your entire being in Read more…
by Sr. Karen Mohan, VHM March, once primarily known to this Irish “lass” as the “month of St. Patrick,” now includes an awareness of “Women’s History Month“, “National Catholic Sisters’ Week” (March 8-14), and even “Nutrition Month.” These themes: being Irish, being a woman, and a religious Sister who values the Read more…
by Jody Johnson, Visitation Companion “Lord, what else hast thou said to me by placing me in this holy monastery, but ‘My daughter, walk always in my presence, think of me in all thy ways, and I will direct thy steps?’ “–St. Jane de Chantal Out of the stillness, time unfurls Read more…