Category: Uncategorized

Early Summer

Our Summer so far has not been as bad as it could be, weather-wise. It seems we\’ve been having a little rain one or two days a week. The plants have really been thriving. So we have a few pictures where you can see some of our lovely flowers.

Above is a photo of our “Baby Jesus” Shrine. We call him that because the statue arrived on Christmas Eve. If you haven\’t had a chance to visit Him, He\’s on the far right side of our building.

A Surprise from India

Recently we had a surprise visit from Father Peter Lobo, OP, who teaches at St. Charles Seminary in Nagpur, India. This is up in the north of the country, although he is originally from the southwest (Mumbai/Bombay).

Father first came to see us about 30 years ago. Although we have not seen him often, went do keep in contact by correspondence and he has sent us several of his books.

Father taught for a number of years at the Dominican Pontifical University in Rome. Many years ago, he founded an English-speaking periodical on Dominican spirituality. It ceased publishing for a few years while he was away from India. However, now that he has returned he has begun publishing Dominican Ashram again. Ashram is an Indian word for a spiritual hermitage, prayer community or monastery.

Father was able to visit us because he is in the United States visiting relatives in different parts of the country. A younger brother, Michael, is retired and lives in the Houston area. So, Michael and Fr. Peter came up to the Monastery for lunch and a good visit.

Fr. Peter Lobo, OP
Michael Lobo
Come back soon!

Our Annual 8-Day Retreat

St. Dominic on outside walk-way

Men and women who dedicate themselves to the Consecrated Life are encouraged to have a retreat once a year. This week, we are coming to the end of our annual retreat in a few days. Every year we have a preached retreat by a Dominican friar. It is a wonderful time to have space for extra rest and prayer. Although, depending upon our duties and work assignments, we may still be called upon to continue fulfilling them.

This year we are having wonderful weather. The time of year for our retreat varies, depending upon our schedule and that of the preacher. In the picture below you can see that it is not only the nuns who rest, but also the “animal” members of our monastery.

One of our many lizards sleeps contently on St. Dominic\’s arm

A Visitor from Trinidad

We have had the joy of a visit from Sister Ann, prioress of the Dominican Monastery in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. She has been here about a week and will continue to be with us for a few more days.

In the photo above, Sister Ann is admiring our “Rock & Roll” Rose bush. Of course, she\’s used to many exotic tropical flowers in Trinidad. We have known Sister Ann and her community for over 40 years. It has been a wonderful sisterly experience. Please remember Sister\’s brother, Victor, who died Saturday, on Sister\’s Birthday. May he rest in God\’s peace.

Holy Saturday 2019

From a famous ancient Holy Saturday homily:

Something strange is happening–there is a great silence  on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. …


Jesus has died and been buried. We all know what it is like to lose someone we love. Everything in life seems empty and useless. Our lives as nuns revolves around the chapel. Now it is empty – empty of the One Who IS our life. Every Church in the world is empty – stark – bare – just a room, a building, that has lost its purpose for existing. And this is what our lives would be without Jesus.
On this day of emptiness and silence . . .
     let us renew our efforts to be faithful to our Baptismal and religious/marriage vows.
     let us renew our commitment to be faithful to Jesus Christ, our only Savior.

Good Friday 2019

Today is the most Solemn day of the year for Catholics. It is the day on which Jesus Christ gave His life to redeem all people from their sins. He poured out every drop of His blood to bring us to Heaven.

John 19:34 – But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 

The piercing of Jesus\’ side is a most profound and meaningful mystery. Saint Thomas Aquinas speaks of it in his Commentary on the Gospel According to John.

Why does the Evangelist add, but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs? … We are told why they pierced his side, because when the soldiers saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

To make sure that Jesus was dead one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear. It deserves notice that he does not say “wounded” but “pierced,” that is “opened,” because in his side the door of eternal life is opened to us: “After this I looked, and lo, in heaven, an open door!” (Rev 4:1). This is the door in the side of the ark through which those animals entered who were not to perish in the flood (Gen 7).
This door is the cause of our salvation; and so, at once there came out blood and water. This is a remarkable miracle, that blood should flow from the body of a dead person where blood congeals. If someone says that this was because the body was still warm, the flow of the water cannot be explained without a miracle, since this was pure water. This outpouring of blood and water happened so that Christ might show that he was truly human. For human beings have a twofold composition: one from the elements and the other from the humors. One of these elements is water, and blood is the main humor.
Another reason why this happened was to show that by the passion of Christ we acquire a complete cleansing from our sins and stains. We are cleansed from our sins by his blood, which is the price of our redemption: “You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things, such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Pet 1:18). We are cleansed from our stains by the water, which is the bath of our rebirth: “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses” (Ez 36:25); “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness” (Zech 13:1). So it is these two things which are especially associated with two sacraments: water with the sacrament of baptism, and blood with the Eucharist.
Or, both blood and water are associated with the Eucharist because in this sacrament water is mixed with wine, although water is not of the substance of the sacrament. This event was also prefigured: for just as from the side of Christ, sleeping on the cross, there flowed blood and water, which makes the Church holy, so from the side of the sleeping Adam there was formed the woman, who prefigured the Church.
 
Jesus teaches us the value of suffering with nobility and generosity. Whatever one\’s current state of suffering … hold a crucifix in your hands, look at it closely, and try to understand that He endured all this out of love for all of us.
H.T:  at Lifezette.com