Easter Celebrations and a Visit with Our Sisters

This year’s Easter celebration was beautiful, as always.

The chapel, decorated beautifully by our sacristan, Sr. Carmen Gloria.

After the solemnity of the Triduum, we celebrated the Easter Vigil Mass and concluded with our traditional midnight breakfast.

Sr. Miriam, Sr. Maria Rosario, and Sr. Maria Cabrini enjoy the Easter meal.

Sr. Bernadette Marie and Sr. Mary Giuse prepare the Easter dinner for us.

The novitiate worked very hard to decorate the refectory for Easter. This year, they made special mini Easter baskets woven out of various colors of yarn, and when the week was over we were allowed to keep them or send them to family or friends.

At the head of the refectory, the novitiate put up an elaborate display with an Easter cross surrounded by flowers.

Sr. Mary Christine designed the refectory decorations.

At the end of Easter week, we received special visitors: the Puerto Rican active Dominican sisters who live in Paris, TX. They brought a discernment group with them.

The group poses outside out monastery.

We enjoyed talking to the young women in the parlor. They were lovely and seemed very interested in religious life.

After our meeting, they joined us for midday prayer in the chapel.

The Dominican sisters brought an early Mother’s Day gift for our prioress, Sr. Mary Margaret.

Easter week was a time of celebration, relaxation, and visiting, in which we were reminded of our love for Jesus and why He has brought us all together in community here.

Visit with the Nashville Dominicans

Most people don’t consider Lufkin, TX a crossroads in America–but it sure does seem like we get a lot of visitors! And we’re delighted to have them! Recently, these two sisters from the Dominicans Sisters of St. Cecilia, based in Nashville, TN, stopped by for a brief visit. They’re vocation directresses for the community, and they were busy driving to various spots in Texas to promote vocations. They promised to spread the word about us, too, which we appreciate. We’re always struck by the similarities in our habits–only the veil is noticeably different.

May God bless the Nashville Dominicans with many good and holy vocations, and may He send some our way, too!