Yesterday was quite windy.  A very fallish day with crispness in the wind.  I was sitting in a gazebo (I am on my last day of retreat) right next to a wind chime.  I have had the experience before of wind chimes kind of barging in on my quiet with their clanging sounds.  However, this wind chime had very soft, melodious tones and just seemed a very natural addition to my quiet.  The tones added to the contemplation of the moment. Continue Reading

What a gorgeous day today. I believe Autumn is my favorite season. There is something that touches me when I see the bold gold and russets among the rich green. Add the deep blue sky or water and that is just about the best combination of colors. Autumn also brings the ending of richness in creation to the more stark winter. I like Winter as the snow settles on the landscape. Continue Reading

October 15 was our Founder’s Day, celebrating the day that our founding Sisters arrived in Nauvoo, Ill., to open a new school 135 years ago.  Every year, it is a special day with special prayers as well as a festive dinner.  It is always a fun day as many stories float around about Sisters from our past.  Often we read a letter from our foundress, Sr. Ottilia. Continue Reading

We welcomed our Oblates and Abbot Jerome Kodell for a day of prayer, sharing, presentations and reflection at the monastery yesterday. Abbot Jerome spoke to a full house. Read what he had to say about Benedict’s strategy for freedom!

This weekend I am at St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN at a National Benedictine Vocation Conference. Today included very engaging presentations by Sr. Joan Chittister. She spoke quite energetically about the vitality of Benedictine life for today’s world. As she was recounting the original reasons that Benedict left Rome to begin a new way of living – it was all to similar to today’s world. Continue Reading

Several events happened in the last week that can give an ‘eye view’ to our monastic values. On Thursday evening we held a special prayer to commemorate the International Day for Non-Violence.  We prayed for growth of non-violence in our world as well as making an individual pledge to be non-violent in our lives. This was the first prayer we have done entirely devoted to non-violence in a long time. Continue Reading