Author: Texas OP Nuns

Today, with the words \”Repent, and believe in the Gospel\” and a cross of ashes smeared on our foreheads, we begin the season of Lent. This promises to be an interesting Lent, marked as it is by the upcoming resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the promise of a new Pope…by Easter, we hope. No matter what happens, today is a reminder that we all  need to turn around and change our ways, to soften our hearts and open them to contrition and compassion. Here at the Monastery, we mark the season of Lent with fasting, penances, communal Stations of the Cross, and other observances. Even the psalm tones and hymns we sing take on a penitential sound, and Compline (the last office of the day) is especially beautiful with traditional Dominican chants such as \”In media vita…\” (In the midst of life, we are in death) and \”In pace…\” (In peace, I will lie down and sleep). We will be praying in a special way for Pope Benedict XVI and his successor, and of course we will be praying for all of you as well. Please keep us in your prayers as well. May we all have a beautiful and Spirit-filled Lent that leads to a glorious new beginning at Easter!

 Last night we welcomed the Year of the Snake as we celebrated Tet!

We learned some interesting facts about the presence of snakes in Scripture, and then several of the sisters performed a dance set to music played and pre-recorded by Sr. Mary Christine (who also choreographed the dance!). 

There was the usual table with treats and the tree with lucky money envelopes…

…and after the treats and dance we played a rather intense game. We tried to throw beanbags through a wooden target (seen below). Sisters could also score points by landing their beanbags on one of the snakes. Several sisters proved to be quite good at both and scored numerous points. It was a simple game, but it definitely brought out the competitive spirit in many sisters!

The target!

Sisters throwing their beanbags with skill and dexterity! And of course there were prizes for the winners!

It was a delightful evening, and as always we are thankful to all who provided us with Vietnamese treats, lucky money envelopes and other goodies to make our evening so special and fun! Thank you, and God bless you!

We were shocked to hear the news about Pope Benedict XVI\’s decision to resign. However, we trust that he knows what he is doing, and we are praying for him very intensely. We trust also in our cardinals who will elect a new Pope, and in our holy Catholic Church, and in the promise, \”You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.\” (Matthew 16:18) Blessed be the Lord forever!

It\’s time for another issue of \”Monastery Bells\”! You can see it as a PDF by going to our website, HERE.

You can also participate in our 2013 Raffle, if you live in the United States! (Sorry, we can\’t send prizes overseas because of the expenses involved.) 

Just send your name and snail mail address to our email address, nuns@lufkintxnuns.com, and we will happily fill out your tickets and enter your name in our drawing to be held on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013! No donations are required but any donation you would like to make will benefit our life of prayer. You can make donations (if you would like to) using PayPal–the link is conveniently located at the top right hand corner of this blog, or through our website on the Donate page HERE. 

We will not put you on our mailing list unless you request it.

There are six great prizes, five of which were handmade by the nuns–and one is a SURPRISE! (Maybe the nuns made it too!) You can see pictures of the five known prizes HERE.

We will post the winners after the drawing!

 Sr. Bernadette Marie\’s place mat in the refectory for this special day

Today Sr. Bernadette Marie of the Sacred Heart, OP made her first profession of vows. It was quite an event, as our bishop asked to combine the ceremony with the annual celebration for the religious men and women of the diocese on this day honoring consecrated life. So…we had Sr. Bernadette Marie\’s family. all the religious in the diocese, and various friends of the monastery. What a day!

Sr. Bernadette Marie listens as our chaplain, Fr. Paul Philibert, proclaims the Gospel

Sr. Mary John, our prioress, questions Sr. Bernadette Marie before her profession of vows

Sr. Bernadette Marie makes profession in the hands of the prioress. Dominicans profess only one vow, obedience, which includes the other evangelical counsels (chastity and poverty). Sister promised obedience for three years. If all goes well, after that she will promise obedience \”until death\”.

Bishop Strickland was here for the celebration of consecrated life, and he was the main celebrant at our Mass today. Here he blesses Sr. Bernadette Marie\’s scapular before giving her the black veil. 

Bishop Strickland blesses Sr. Bernadette Marie after she has received the black veil. Sr. Mary John and Sr. Maria Guadalupe, our novice directress,  put it on her.

Sr. Bernadette Marie (do you recognize her in the new black veil?) smiles while eating dinner.

February 2 is Sr. Bernadette Marie\’s profession day…but it\’s also the day our local Catholic school, St. Patrick\’s, is having its annual fundraising gala. Part of the gala is a dessert auction and they asked us to donate some cakes or other baked goods for this. Despite a very busy schedule preparing for the profession, a few sisters found time to do some creative baking!

The small cake with nuts on top is a hummingbird cake made by Sr. Mary Gabriel (with help from others); the cake below it (like a large white doughnut) is a cake based on a recipe by Martha Washington (the wife of President George Washington) baked by Sr. Mary Jeremiah; the darling ladybug cake was baked and decorated by Sr. Mary Dominic, and Sr. Maria Cabrini is holding her cake creation, an open book with the words, \”We Love You, St. Pat\’s School\” written in green and decorated with shamrocks! Sr. Marie Augustine made some delicious cookies, too (unfortunately not pictured). We hope our small contribution of desserts will help support St. Patrick\’s School at the gala and in years to come. Although we have chosen to lead a hidden life of prayer, we enjoy making our own contribution to our local parishes and supporting the efforts of the Church in general. These cakes are a reminder of all the prayers that we send up every day, not only for St. Patrick\’s School, but for the whole world!