Category Archives: Women’s Communities

Cause for Parish Visitors’ Foundress Moves Forward

The cause for the canonization of Mother Mary Teresa Tallon, foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, has moved another important step forward. On February 20, 2013, the Archdiocese of New York received the Nihil Obstat from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints indicating that the Archdiocese is free to pursue her beatification and canonization.

On April 16, 2013, the cause for beatification and canonization officially opened in the archdiocese for Mother Mary Teresa. She is now recognized as a Servant of God.

“The diocesan tribunal officials who would be working on the cause officially took their oath before the cardinal,” said Sister Maria Catherine Iannotti, P.V.M.I., vice-postulator, who also took the oath April 16.

Those on the tribunal will now interview witnesses who knew Mother Mary Teresa. There are two sisters still alive who knew Mother Mary Teresa who died in 1954. They have already given written testimony.

In signing the edict related to the cause, Cardinal Timothy Dolan invites all the faithful to submit any writings or helpful information, favorable or unfavorable, about the Servant of God to the Tribunal of the Archdiocese. All the information collected will give a true picture of the life of Mother Foundress and hopefully pave the way to her elevation amongst the saints.

The Parish Visitors are neighborhood missionaries, imitating Christ’s own way of life through the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, bringing the message and love of the Good Shepherd to all and seeking those Catholics most spiritually deprived and distant from the Church.

Mother Carole Marie Troskowski, P.V.M.I., superior general of the Parish Visitors, credited “Divine Providence” with introducing the cause of Mother Mary Teresa “in a time of the new evangelization, which is put before the whole Church as of greatest importance.”

For more information, visit the Parish Visitors website or see the article in the Catholic New York.

Singing Praise to the Angels and Saints

Tomorrow, May 7th, is the day that the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, will have their second CD of sacred hymns released to the general public. Titled Angels and Saints at Ephesus, this CD follows on the heels of their chart-topping first album, Advent at Ephesus, which was #1 on Billboard’s Classical Music Chart for 6 weeks!

“The Benedictines of Mary have again created a beautiful recording to connect us to the oldest traditions of European monastic chant and hymns,” said Costa Pilavachi, Senior Vice-President, Classical A+R Universal Music Group International.

The second album features 17 English and Latin hymns sung a cappella honoring feasts of the holy saints and angels. Songs include:  Ave Regina Cælorum, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, Virgin Wholly Marvellous, Lorica of St. Patrick. The sisters hope that this music will draw more people closer to the Lord through these most powerful intercessors, the angels and the saints.

The Benedictines of Mary are a young community that is growing. Following the Rule of St. Benedict, they are privileged to daily partake in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (1962) as well as the 1962 Monastic Office, with its traditional Gregorian Chant, in Latin, continuing the rich legacy of their predecessors.

As it says on their website: We have been richly blessed by God thus far with vocations, zealous young women imbued with the call to offer their lives to Jesus, through Mary, on behalf of all priests. Please pray that God Who has begun His work in us may bring it to fulfillment.

Ordering directly from the nuns allows more of the proceeds to go directly to them which helps to alleviate their debt and realize more of their new projects. Click here for more information on how to order.

The Fruits of the “Nun Run”

Lest anyone doubt the fruitfulness of  the “Nun Runs” I cite the recent example of a young woman from Minnesota who went on a “nun run” with 12 other young women from the University of St. Thomas. They visited  ten different convents in ten days in March of 2007, one which was the home of the Passionist Nuns in Whitesville, KY

The Passionists are one of the least known of our nation’s contemplative, cloistered communities so I am thankful that these young women made the long trek to Kentucky to experience their life.  Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, the Passionist Nuns are “Consecrated as brides of the Crucified by their holy vows, they live solely for the Christ and His Body, which is the Church…The Passionist Nuns vow to live in the light of the self-sacrificng love of Jesus.”

As the “Nun Run” van pulled into the Passionist driveway, one of the young women said to Ane Kirstine Wynn, “This is so exciting. Maybe one of us has a Passionist vocation! You might have a Passionist vocation!”  Her words proved to be prophetic as Kirstine found herself drawn to the Passionst way of life.

Kirstine, a Lutheran convert,  returned two years later for her three month aspirancy. After a year as a postulant, she received the beautiful Passionist habit and her religious name: Sr. Cecilia Maria. Finally, on February 2, 2013, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, she pronounced the five Passionist vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, enclosure and the vow to keep the Passion of Our Lord alive in her heart and in the hearts of the faithful.

Within the Church, the Passionist Nuns are called to be a sign of the love of Jesus Crucified for the Father and for mankind. By their unceasing contemplation of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus, the greatest and most overwhelming work of God’s love, they are certain of contributing to the fullness of the Church’s presence to mankind…convinced of the absolute necessity of God’s grace for the fruitfulness of the apostolate, they offer their unceasing prayer and joyful penance that God send zealous workers into His harvest, convert sinners and open the minds of non-Christians to hear the Gospel.

Chantal Artisans

In May, we will see the ordination of many men to the priesthood. Are you looking for a special gift to give one of these newly-ordained men? Is your Pastor having a Jubilee or Anniversary of Ordination? Would you like to remember a loved one by donating a vestment in his or her memory? Something magnificent  to consider are beautiful vestments created by the Sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary in Tyringham, Massachusetts.

The monastery belongs to the illustrious Visitation Order that was founded by St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal in France in 1610.  They were unique for their time in not practicing severe penances. Rather they are called to “interior renunciations, great simplicity and joy in the common life.” Even though they are a contemplative, cloistered Order, they welcome individual women retreatants, giving priority to those who are considering a vocation.

The sisters sing the Liturgy of the Hours five times each day and have special mission entrusted to them of prayerfully  spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Visitation Monastery in Tyringham is dedicated to the Heart of Jesus and the Heart of His Mother, Mary. Thus their monastery is called Mont Deux Coeurs or the Mount of the Two Hearts.

Sr. Gemma Maria is a master seamstress who has been practicing her craft for 40 years. She is now guiding other sisters in the design and creation of sacred vestments. Each Sister within the monastery contributes some artistic handiwork for the enjoyment of others. In order to provide for their growing community and to help to support themselves, they have brought together their creative talents to launch this endeavor.

The beauty and elegance of a well-made vestment enhances the solemnity and sacredness of the Liturgy.

We are privileged to share our artistry and our labor for the Lord with you!

For more information, visit Chantal Artisans!

He Leads, I Follow

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration received wonderful news during Holy Week!

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, signed a Decree of Miracle which paves the way for the beatification of the foundress of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Venerable Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel. The beatification will take place in Paderborn, Germany, on November 10, 2013.

A four year old boy (who is now a young adult) in Colorado Springs had a persistant severe viral illness that normally ran its course in one week but was stretching into months. The Sisters began a novena to Mother Maria Theresia and the young boy was healed without any scientific explanation.

As their name suggests, the sisters foster in a special way the continuous adoration of Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament as a sign of their surrender, in thanksgiving, in atonement for sin, and in intercession for the needs of the Church, for their congregation and for the world.

They have apostolates in Germany where they were founded, in the US, Brazil and the Philippines. They cherish the  the motto of their Foundress, Ven. Mother Maria Theresia , “He Leads, I Follow.”

May our dear Savior bless us from His Cross and preserve us in His grace.

Ven. Mother Maria Theresia

Mystics of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

A review of the history and tradition of the Visitation Order shows that Jesus Christ chose them to be the sanctuary of His Sacred Heart. A new video released by them highlights six nuns who were holy recipients of His messages.

Of course, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was the first privileged recipient of the revelation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; a heart burning with love for all mankind whose hearts are often turned away from the Lord.

Venerable Sister Anne Madeleine Remuzat (b. 1696), of Marseilles, France, was instrumental in having the city of Marseilles consecrated to the  Sacred Heart, which saved the city from the bubonic plague.

Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart Bernaud was Foundress of the Guard of Honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The origin of the Guard of Honor may be traced back to the first watch on Calvary, when our Lady, St. John and St. Mary Magdalene offered to the pierced Heart of Jesus the first homage of glory, love and reparation. Members can still join today!

Venerable Mary Martha Chambon of the Visitation of Chambery (d. 1907), France was mystically commissioned by Jesus during her lifetime (1841-1907) to renew reverence to His Holy Wounds. St. Francis de Sales in a vision told her “God has chosen you to complete the devotion to the Sacred Heart.”

Venerable Louise Margaret Claret de la Touche was chosen by Our Lord to live her religious life for the clergy.

Sister Marie Teresa Desandais was a Visitation Nun known as the Apostle of Merciful Love and a contemporary of St. Faustina.

The Visitation Nuns hope that His Sacred Heart will profoundly touch yours too.

Sisters of Life

When bishop-elect John O’Connor visited Dachau concentration camp and “felt the intermingled ashes of Jew and Christian, rabbi, priest and minister, ” he proclaimed, “Good God, how could human beings do this to other human beings?” He vowed then to do all he could to protect all human life, especially the most vulnerable among us.

Later, as Cardinal of New York, he wondered why the efforts of the pro-life cause were not gleaning the results expected. His eyes fell upon the passage from Scripture, “This kind of demon can only be cast out by prayer and fasting.” From this epiphany moment, a new gift to the Church eventually come into being: the Sisters of Life.

If you are not on their mailing list to receive their newsletter, you are really missing out. In every issue, there are incredibly inspirational stories about young, pregnant and vulnerable expectant mothers who find that the love, caring and shelter offered by the sisters transforms their lives and leads them to Jesus.

The sisters offer pregnancy services, “holy respite” facilities for pregnant women to live with the sisters, post-abortion healing seminars, evangelization talks, seminars and assistance to the Archdiocese by staffing the Respect Life Office. For more information about their life and services, visit their website.

Not Your Average 70’s Chapel

One year ago, I posted a blog on the proposed renovation of the Carmelite chapel in the Infant of Prague Monastery in Traverse City, Michigan.

Here is what it looked like then.

 

Here is what it looks like now.

The renovated chapel and new altar were dedicated by Bishop Bernard Hebda of the Diocese of Gaylord on Sunday, February 3, 2013

The design and renovation work were supervised by Notre Dame architecture professor Duncan G. Stroik.

 

The Carmelite nuns decided after years of reflection to transform the modern-style chapel into a place of sacred beauty and transcendence. For the Carmelites, every experience of beauty is an experience of God – and their renovated chapel, though small, offered an opportunity for this beauty.

The nuns lead lives of simplicity, contemplation, and prayer, but wanted a beautiful sanctuary for the glory of God and to inspire the laity. The nuns’ choir is positioned to the side of the sanctuary, separated from it by a new forged steel grille in the Spanish Carmelite tradition. The Choir is positioned to the side of the sanctuary, where the nuns attend Mass and pray. There is a new altar rail, marble floor, mahogany woodwork, and new shrines to St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St. Joseph, and the Infant of Prague. The nuns requested wood columns and a wooden altar rail to give the sanctuary a Spanish aesthetic – and to aid Michigan’s economy by using local labor and materials.

A new tabernacle was also installed, accompanied by a matching set of candlesticks and crucifix, first in a new line of altar appointments designed by Mr. Stroik called Rinascimento,. The tabernacle is enthroned on the Carmelite’s high altar, with views from the nave and through the cloister grille.

The inscription above the Ionic columns reads Adducam eos in montem sanctum meum et laetificabo eos in domo orationis meae (Isaiah 56) – “These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.”

Mother Mary of Jesus, Prioress of the monastery, said, “We would need a cathedral to seat everyone who has helped us. The overwhelming support of the community has demonstrated that people want churches that look like churches.” Amen!

The Call of Divine Providence

Some of the most beautiful apostolates that our religious communities engage in are those that serve the mentally disabled. One community in the Chicagoland area that has been caring for the most vulnerable people in our society for generations is the congregation of the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence, also known as the Guanellians after their founder, St. Louis Guanella.

The Guanellians care for the mentally disabled, the homeless, the elderly, youth, those needing catechesis, the hungry and the poor in 14 countries around the world and in the Midwest and eastern states of the US.

St. Guanella began the works of the Congregation in the US in Chicago where the first Sisters ministered to  Italian immigrants and their families. They taught school and later built a residential home and school with the focus of caring for the mentally and physically challenged.

The sisters will be holding a discernment weekend in Chicago from Friday, March 15, to Sunday, March 17, for single women at their convent at 4200 N. Austin Avenue, Chicago, IL. Contact Sr. Beth Ann Dillon, DSMP (773) 545-8300 for more information.

Participants will be guided through a process of personal reflection & discernment. The Liturgy of Hours, Mass, Lectio Divina and small group work will be included as part of the weekend. Individual mentoring will be available upon request.

In our discouraging times, when life seems to have little value or meaning for so many people, the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence give witness that every life is a gift from God to be cherished and nurtured and respected and, more importantly, loved.

We give witness to the value of human life from conception to natural death and to the merciful love of Christ toward all men and are alert and attentive to accept the signs of the times as the call of Divine Providence.

 

 

A Milestone in North Dakota

This year, the Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Hankinson, North Dakota, are celebrating their 100th anniversary in America. Also known as the Dillingen Franciscans, the sisters arrived in Collegeville, Minnesota, from Germany in the summer of 1913 and served in the community there until 1958. In 1921, they opened a parochial school in North Dakota where the Motherhouse was built and still is today.

There are many Franciscan communities around the world , many of them new foundations. The charism of St. Francis of Assisi has remained new and vibrant for lo these many hundreds of years. The Sisters however are one of the very ancient communities for they can trace their beginnings back to 1241 in Germany (just 15 years after the death of St. Francis himself!). In the early 1300’s they became affiliated with the Friars Minor of the Strasburg province and they received the Third Order Rule of St. Francis. To survive almost 800 years in the middle of Europe is incredible.

In 1803, the government confiscated all of their land and buildings. The sisters were allowed to remain in the convent until their deaths but no new postulants were allowed to enter the community. By 1828, there were only 5 sisters  left but it was enough for a new beginning. By1847, there were 53 sisters and by 1968 there were over 2300! The Lord uses even the smallest seed to grow a large, fruitful orchard. The sisters today serve in Germany, Brazil, India and the US. In North Dakota they care for the elderly and sick, teach young people, visit the imprisoned, support pro-life causes, run a retreat house, produce altar breads and do other evangelical activities.

Commenting on the German sisters who came to foreign soil in Minnesota, Sr. Ann Marie Friedrichs, OSF, said, “I am filled with an immense amount of joy and pride every time I think of the courage and vision it took for our German sisters to leave their homeland…not familiar with the American customs and totally unable to speak English. What trust in God they had to say ‘yes'”!