Tag Archives: Roswell

News, Women's Communities

Roswell Poor Clares Celebrate Diamond Anniversary of Foundation

Leave a comment

On November 13, 2023, the Poor Clares in Roswell, New Mexico, celebrated the 75th anniversary of their foundation with a solemn Mass of thanksgiving, over which His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke presided. The chapel was packed to overflowing with friends who came from all over the country for the occasion. Although not all who attended were able to stay afterward to greet the sisters briefly in the parlor, the line was long enough to keep the sisters busy greeting visitors for a full hour and a half!

Most touching was the presence of friends whose parents or grandparents had supported the monastery since its small beginnings in 1948. The journey of the foundresses by train from Chicago was delightfully recounted in the very popular and joy-filled book A Right to Be Merry by Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C., who was a very young sister at the time of the foundation. Since then, the “farmhouse-turned-monastery” has flourished and become a motherhouse to five daughterhouses, either founded from or restored by the Roswell community. Today the Roswell community has twenty-four members, with two aspirants scheduled to enter in the coming months.

As part of the jubilee celebrations, the Apostolic Penitentiary has granted a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, to those who make a visit to their monastery chapel before the conclusion of the jubilee year on November 13, 2024. The indulgence may also be gained by those unable to visit in person due to infirmity or inability to travel if they offer their sufferings to the Lord or carry out practices of compassion.

“We ourselves can make no suitable return to you for all your goodness to us, so we rejoice all the more that Holy Church herself can help us out in this way!” wrote Mother Mary Angela, P.C.C. “May this jubilee indulgence bring you (and all the deceased loved ones for whom you may wish to offer this indulgence) an eternal reward for all of your goodness to us.”

For more information about the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe, visit: poorclares-roswell.org

Untitled-1

 

Cloistered life, News

Timeless Lenten Meditations From Mother Mary Francis, PCC

Leave a comment

pccJust in time for Lent, Ignatius Press has released a book of profound and timeless Lenten mediations from Mother Mary Francis, PCC, the abbess of the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, New Mexico.

Mother Mary Francis (1921–2006) was abbess for over 40 years and is most famous for her classic book on Poor Clare life, A Right to be Merry. This new work, entitled A Time of Renewal: Daily Reflections for the Lenten Season, presents beautiful meditations on the liturgical season of Lent, revealing the treasures of the liturgy to Christians in all walks of life. Her insight into Holy Scripture and her poetic way of writing make her reflections on the daily Mass readings fresh and attractive.

As the Ignatius Press press release says:

Mother Mary Francis excels in the art of persuasion, aware that the human heart cannot be forced but only gently led to holiness. She makes this goal attractive and desirable by tirelessly explaining why striving for holiness is the happiest and wisest way to live. This book provides a wealth of material for plundering the riches of the Lenten season and for deepening one’s spiritual life. Her meditations are profound and timeless, not changing from year to year, thus providing a lifetime of Lenten meditations in this one volume.

To order, visit the Ignatius Press website (www.ignatius.com) or call: 1-800-651-1531.

Cloistered life, News, Women's Communities

Help Wanted: Long Hours, Hard Work, No Pay

Leave a comment

The Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, NM, put out a funny vocations brochure in 2009 which just came to my attention. Here are some tidbits from their brochure:

Hard Labor: If you have ever secretly supposed that the contemplative life to be a leisurely round of devotional exercises, punctuated by strolls in the garden and a spot of embroidery now and again, FEAR NO  MORE!….Here you will be given ample scope and freedom to pursue an ambitious career as a fully-certified, full-time lowly servant of God.

Long Hours: Imagine the joy! Each night you will leap from your sleep at the enchanting hour of 12:30 a.m.!!

No Pay: Yes, say goodbye to that jingle in your pocket for there are no salaried positions to be had in the monastery, no payroll, no wallets, not even a piggy bank.

For as there can be never be labors too hard, nor hours too long in the service and praise of God and in the life and death struggle for souls, it follow that…

THERE CAN NEVER BE TOO MANY POOR CLARES!

The Roswell Poor Clares were established in 1948  as a foundation from Chicago. Since then they have established 6 daughter-monasteries over the years including one in the Netherlands and one back in Chicago. There are currently 23 in the community.