Happy Spring!

The Crucified One has risen that we might have new life!

    The past couple of weeks have been full of duties as we sought to catch up on work we had set aside while we kept a sacred vigil with our dying Sister during the 2 weeks preceding Easter. May she rest in His undying Love!  

    Now...from yesterday (Friday) through next Friday one half of the Sisters are in retreat. They are the praying Marys and the rest of us are the working Marthas. Although, prayer is very much work too...a work of love.

    We make our annual 8-day monastic retreat each spring. These retreats are either solitude or directed. The "Marys" are freed up as much as possible from her daily duties so that she is free to spend privileged time in prayer, Eucharistic adoration, Scripture reading and other spiritual reading, etc. She may also do yard work, go hiking, sit by the lake or in the woods, etc. It is a real time for renewal, rest and being with the Beloved. Please keep us all in prayer at this time and know we are praying for you and our nation and world in a special way during these days.

    Shortly before our retreat we had a Gaudeamus day in honor of Mother Catherine Marie's feast day. She is pictured here with various gifts she received from the Sisters. Yes, the Holy Infant of Prague got a new outfit. And the granny afghan from the novitiate wasn't quite finished! - Perhaps by Mother's Day?