Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Diamond Jubilee”
We share an archive treasure from the more recent past from our arrival in New Market. A Church built upon rock. Cor Jesu Monastery was originally a large lodge in the woods. Before building it, the previous owners had core samples drilled to assess the construction site for suitability. In limestone country it’s understandable that you don’t want to build …
Saint Augustine is credited with stating, “He who sings prays twice.” And there are variations of this gem and debates about its original source. Some will give the version of “He who sings well prays twice.” While we aren’t sure about that, it’s a pretty good bet that no one can imagine the music of Heaven. Yet we have music …
It seemed fitting that as we readied the Advent wreath’s violet and rose candles, we unpacked a violet treasure tucked away in an archive box: Father Gerald’s confessional stole. Carefully folded up in tissue paper with a simple handwritten note labeling it from the year of his death, “Father Gerald, s.P. Confession stole 1969”. One wonders how many absolutions, how …
As the Catholic Church in America gets its Eucharistic Revival underway, there are plans for a National Eucharistic Congress in July 2024. (For more information visit: https://www.eucharisticrevival.org) As cloistered contemplatives we will only be attending in spirit. But in 1976 we were still a Diocesan Community with a semi-active rule and not yet, enclosed. So we had the honor and …
Happy Veterans Day! Father Gerald Fitzgerald was a priest, a religious, and a founder but he was also a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army in World War II as a Chaplain. He attained the rank of Captain, and was stationed both in the U.S. as well as the Pacific theater. As a priest out to save souls, he …
This 1966 letter from the Bishop of Burlington is a happy memory from our time in Vermont. It was the first convent set up outside of New Mexico when the Handmaids from the desert mountain canyon traveled to the colder climate of Vermont. Bishop Robert Joyce was letting the Mother General, Mother Dolorosa, know what he thought of her Sisters. …
Yes! Constantly! So even an exercise period can become a time of prayer. In this 1988 photo from our Priory in Spokane WA, we see Sister Mary Clare taking a stationary spin on an exercise bike in the tape office. She could easily keep all priests and the needs and intentions of the world in mind seeing the world map …
We’ve been sharing several posts called “Archive Treasures” where a photo or an object is highlighted from our archives of the last 75 years. Now we again send out our prayers of gratitude to the benefactors who have enabled us to really tackle the huge labor of love in sorting through decades of photo material stored over the years in …
This photo was captured in 1999 at the Motherhouse for a candlelight procession up the cloister. You can notice one Sister, Sister Mary Patricia of the Holy Souls, with her hand to her ear to pick up the strains of what the Sisters behind her are singing. It’s not just about singing the right hymn together, but also the right …
We share a fast glance instruction sticker for the portable reel to reel magnetic tape recorder, the Wollensak, that was used to record conferences and homilies over the years in our community. Our community wanted to record for posterity the spirituality of our Founder but did much of that by hand in the early days. It wasn’t until the 1950s …
We share an early color photo from 1962 of three Handmaids adoring our Lord in Saint Anne’s Chapel in Jemez Springs, NM. Pews were not installed until later and the seating consisted of chairs and prie-dieus arranged in rows in the small chapel.
Our Founder, Father Gerald, was prepared for his role by living several types of priesthood. First, he was a diocesan priest for 12 years. Then he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross for 12 years. In World War II he served as an Army Chaplain and following the war, asked permission from his congregation to explore the foundation of communities …