Tag: Monastery of the Infant Jesus

A Visit from Fr. Fernando Fernandez, O.P., Promoter General of the Dominican Nuns

From November 3 to 5, we were honored to share an extended visit from Father Fernando Antonio García Fernández, O.P., Promoter General of the Dominican Nuns. Father gladly joined us for Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, meals, and a special evening recreation.

Fr. Fernando with our prioress Sr. Mary Rose

Fr. Fernando took several days to visit with us. He talked to us about the importance and meaning of contemplation, and listened to us talk about our cloistered lives. He also shared with us about his visits to other nuns throughout the world. We especially enjoyed his slideshow of all of the other monasteries he’s visited.

At the end of his visit, we put on a special program for him to thank him for his time with us.

Sr. Mary Pauline and Sr. Irma Marie sing De Colores

Fr. Fernando shared with us that he loves the Dallas Cowboys football team, so as a special gift and a remembrance of us we bought him a team t-shirt.

We had a wonderful visit with Fr. Fernando. We loved talking with him about our lives and hearing about the other nuns. This visit from the Promoter helped us feel connected to our sister nuns and also to the greater Dominican order.

The Monastery of the Infant Jesus Celebrates Our 80th Jubilee

On the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, we celebrated the 80th Jubilee of the Monastery of the Infant Jesus.

We began the day visiting with many friends of the monastery in the parlor. Several of them had come from out of town to help us celebrate our special day.

Sr. Mary Rose with Sr. Maria Christi, of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Georgetown, TX. They were college roommates and are now both prioresses of their respective communities!

We were very honored that Bishop Gregory Kelly visited us and celebrated Mass for us on our jubilee.

Bishop Gregory Kelly celebrates Mass.

Many priest friends of the monastery concelebrated Mass with the bishop.

After Mass, we enjoyed a special visit with Bishop Kelly in our community room.

Sr. Mary Rose with Bishop Kelly.

It was a wonderful day that we were honored to share with our bishop and many friends. We are truly grateful and thankful to God and everyone who has made our lives here possible over the last 80 years.

A Fairy Tale Feast Day for the Prioress

We celebrated the feast day of our prioress, Sr. Mary Rose, with a fairy tale theme this year.

The decorated community room windows

The day began with the sisters singing a feast day song, written by Sr. Mary Margaret.

Sr. Mary Rose greets Sr. Miriam

The day began with a “Fairy Quest”, fairy tale-themed games played in teams.

Sr. Mary Rose’s team do a picture find.

Another team does a word find.

A third team puts together a puzzle.

“Fairy food”–special fairy tale cookies

At the end of the games the nuns were given treats–fairy tale cookies, wand pens, and lollipop rings.

In the afternoon, we gathered in the community room and Sr. Mary Rose opened her many gifts.

The gift table, full of presents the nuns have made over the year

Sr. Marie Augustine embroidered a beautiful pillow

Sr. Mary Christine cross-stitched a tablecloth

Sr. Irma Marie made many beautiful rosaries

In the evening, we had a fairy tale themed talent show, with songs and dances, jokes and skits.

Sr. Mary Therese gave “fairy tale facts” between the acts.

Sr. Mary Pauline and Sr. Mary Giuse performed a beautiful Vietnamese dance, complete with rose petals.

“Grandmother Goose” (Sr. Maria Cabrini) told funny stories about getting older.

Since it wasn’t just Sr. Mary Rose’s feast day but also her birthday, we gave her a “fairy” special birthday cake.

At the end of the day, we all sang happy birthday to Sr. Mary Rose.

The festivities continued the next day when we watched the movie Disenchanted, a fairy tale movie we all enjoyed.

Prioress feast days are always special days for the community to get together and enjoy each other having fun. This year’s day was full of laughter and special surprises for Sr. Mary Rose, and we were able to show her how much we appreciate all she does for us as our prioress.

A Festive Columbus Day

Every year we celebrate Columbus Day with a big picnic day, full of games, food, and community fun.

We began the day gathered around the flagpole to pledge allegiance and sing patriotic songs.

Some of us wore patriotic hats and leis to begin the celebration.

Sr. Mary Veronica and Sr. Marie Augustine pose with some pumpkins a benefactor kindly donated to us.

We put some of the pumpkins outside to decorate the monastery.

Since the weather was so nice, some of us decided to explore our grounds (which encompass 80 acres, only some of which are actually within our enclosure). We’re putting up a new fence around our perimeter, so it was fun to see the progress the workers are making.

We encountered some workers putting up the new fence.

Sr. Mary Margaret drove around to inspect the part of the fence that had already been put up. It looks great!

Afterwards, we gathered in the community room to play games. We have our regular favorites, and this year some of the sisters tried their luck at Jenga.

Sr. Mary Magdalene considers her next move while Sr. Mary Rose watches.

Sr. Mary Margaret very carefully makes her next move.

Sr. Mary Margaret very carefully tries to remove a piece.

As usual, we had a lot of fun (and ate a lot of great food!) as we celebrated our country and our community, for both of which we’re very thankful.

A Retreat with St. Catherine of Siena

We recently welcomed Fr. Thomas McDermott, O.P., to the monastery to give us a week of talks on St. Catherine of Siena.

Fr. Thomas McDermott

St. Catherine of Siena was an Italian mystic who lived in the 1300s. Although not a nun, she lived as a Dominican mantellate, a lay woman who embraced Dominican spirituality.

Fr. McDermott is a Dominican priest with the Central Province, who did his doctorate and wrote several books about St. Catherine. He taught us all about her life, spirituality, and visions, and the things she did to try to make herself more in conformity with Jesus Christ.

We enjoyed the talks and meeting with Fr. McDermott. We love learning more about our Dominican heritage, and St. Catherine of Siena is a model to us all in how to live our Dominican life.

We Have a New Prioress!

Sr. Mary Margaret and Sr. Mary Rose

The Monastery of the Infant Jesus is pleased to announce the election of our new prioress, Sr. Mary Rose. For the last six years she has served the community as our sub-prioress (in addition to many other duties) and we are confident she is well-prepared to be our new leader.

Our outgoing prioress is Sr. Mary Margaret, who served for six years and six years before that as sub-prioress. Throughout her six years as prioress, she saw the community through many changes and challenges, including COVID, big maintenance projects, and the addition of three new nuns to our monastery. We thank her for all that she has done for the community.

Pentecost Celebration in the Monastery

Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and others followers of Jesus, signifies the end of the Easter season and is always a special celebration in the Monastery.

The chapel altar decorated for Pentecost

Every year on this solemnity, every sister is given a special card during midmorning prayer.

2025 Pentecost card

On the back of each card is a different gift and fruit of the Holy Spirit.

At evening recreation, we share with each other what the Holy Spirit has specially given us.

Throughout the next year, we reflect on the special way that the Holy Spirit is working in our lives to help us in our monastic community and to strengthen our relationship with God.