Dominican Life on Lotus Lane

Today is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Under this title, Mary is the patroness of the United States and also of our diocese of Tyler, TX. This also happens to be the day the Southern Dominican Province was founded, back in 1979. And, it\’s the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy announced by Pope Francis. It\’s a holy day of obligation, too, so hopefully you will go or have already gone to Mass!

Mary was conceived without sin–that is, she had no trace of the original sin all the rest of us are born with–but that doesn\’t mean she didn\’t have free will. She had the possibility to choose the wrong things, but she never did. Many times we recognize the difference between a good thing to do and an evil thing to do–these things are seldom gray–and for whatever reason we choose the evil. Let us pray today that through the intercession of Mary Immaculate we may always choose the good which will bring us closer to God.

Advent is a season to prepare for the great solemnity of Christmas. But it has also been a traditional time to consider the \”four last things\”…death, judgment, hell, and heaven. We would like to consider these four last things during this Advent season. So, without further ado, we bring you the first of these: death.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that 1) death is the end of earthly life; 2) death is a consequence of sin; but also 3) death is transformed by Christ, Who also suffered death. (CCC 1007-1009) Christ has given death a positive meaning. \”What is essentially new about Christian death is this: through Baptism, the Christian has already \’died with Christ\’ sacramentally, in order to live a new life; and if we die in Christ\’s grace, physical death completes this \’dying with Christ\’ and so completes our incorporation into his redeeming act.\” (CCC 1010)  As St. Therese of Lisieux said, \”I am not dying; I am entering life.\” (Last Conversations)

Ray Bradbury wrote a novel called Death Is A Lonely Business, and this title probably sums up the way most of us view death. But not so long ago people kept vigil with the dying, offering prayers and other consolations, encouraging them as they faced the temptations that afflict the dying in particular (represented by demons in the woodcut above). We still keep vigils with our dying sisters here at the monastery, praying, singing the \”Salve Regina\” and other hymns, and being a quiet loving presence for them as they make this transition. But even if one is alone at the moment of death, as believers we know we are surrounded by hosts of saints and angels who are there to assist us, to guide us through this passage. It is helpful–and not morbid!–to pray for the grace of a \”happy death\”, that is, a calm, peaceful death, in which we can make our last surrender to God. We pray for this every time we pray the Hail Mary–\”Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death\”. We can also pray to St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus, who is the patron of a happy death. In the end, death is not the end. There is more to come!

St. Paul wrote to Timothy, \”This saying is trustworthy. If we have died with him, we shall also live with him.\” (2 Timothy 2:11) Amen!

We have been privileged to have Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP, from the province of St. Albert the Great (the Central Province) visiting us this week. Fr. Charles gave us some excellent lectures…on the Ars Moriendi and the Spirituality of a Happy Death, Catholic Preaching, and Suffering and Sanctity. In between lectures, he has been giving talks at some of the local hospitals here in town, since he is an expert on medical ethics. 

Father enjoying a parlor visit with the community

Father requested a photo of himself with the community, so we got one for ourselves, too! This is most (but not all) of us. 

We hope to see Fr. Charles again some time soon! Thank you for visiting us! 

We just finished a beautiful retreat on mercy with Fr. Jorge Rativa, OP. Father presented a lot of very profound information in an informal, upbeat style, using PowerPoint slides and eliciting participation from the nuns, using prizes as incentive! The conferences were held in our community room and led us all to meditate deeply on the mystery of God\’s mercy. Father skillfully tied in the Jubilee Year of Mercy as well as our own Dominican Jubilee to bring his points home. We also had a very moving healing service one afternoon in the chapel. The retreat was really amazing and made us all humbly grateful for the gift of mercy God gives to each one of us at every moment.

 Father brought us a Dominican jubilee candle from the New Orleans celebration, which we used as part of our prayers before and after each conference.

 Fr. Jorge with one of his many PowerPoint slides

Most of the community with Fr. Jorge after the last conference

Thank you so much, Fr. Jorge! We hope you will come back again some time soon!