Handmaids' News Blog
We needed to get the Stations of the Cross that hung in our Saint Anne’s Chapel in New Mexico ready for Lenten use in the Cor Jesu Chapel. After thirteen years in storage, they needed some serious cleaning, polishing, and buffing. If you’ve ever polished brass you know what that looks and smells like. But did you ever reflect on …
The photo captures a Handmaid of the Precious Blood taking in a gorgeous sunrise yet still close to and touching the cross. There is beauty in both sky and crossbeam.
Merry Christmas! It has been a busy time at Cor Jesu Monastery since our last Newsletter. Hope and Joy The Jubilee Year of Hope may end in 2026 but our hope does not. When one has hope, confident hope in eternal salvation through Christ, then one can more easily choose joy! Handmaids’ final profession rings are engraved with “JOY Semper”. …
For an amazing third time East Tennessee was treated to a spectacular display of the aurora Borealis. Initial expectations of just hoping to see some green colors below on the northern horizon picked up by a camera quickly gave away to naked-eye-visible reds and greens. Can we believe all these amazing opportunities to admire the Heavens? Yes. Because we know the Maker and shouldn’t be surprised at his generosity. We don’t have to exist. Neither do aurora. But God wants to delight in both. Wow.
On the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7th, 2025, we had a Mass in our Chapel celebrated by Bishop Mark Beckman followed by our Chapter of Elections. Mother Rose Philomena was elected the new Rev. Mother Prioress. As we enter into a period of transition, we hope our friends and benefactors will be patient as everyone steps into new roles and duties. Thank all y’all for your prayers for us!
We are getting ready for our upcoming Chapter of Elections that will take place Oct 5-8 and are reducing our communications ahead of time to enter into a deeper period of silence and prayer. Please join us in prayer invoking the Holy Spirit’s guidance on our deliberations.
We have a new novice! Postulant Sarah received the habit and her new name: Sister Joy Marie of Divine Mercy!
Now that we finally have a new Pope, we are happy to share that Pope Leo XIV is in the Mary, Mother of Priests Tribute Garden. May Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy and Mother of Priests wrap him closely in her mantle of love and protection. VIVA IL PAPA!
If you wish to submit a priest’s name for our Mary Mother of Priests Garden please visit our website: https://nunsforpriests.org/mary-mother-of-priests-garden/
Habemus Papam! We Have A Pope! Habemus Sponsam! We Have A Bride! What the Pope and the Bride Have in Common: “Fiat!” Whether one is a new Pope or a new Bride of Christ, both share the truth expressed in the simple word, “Fiat!” Our Lady spoke this to Gabriel as she consented to God’s glorious will in the Incarnation, …
Praised be Jesus Christ! What a glorious sunrise he gave us to start the month dedicated to his Mother, Mary. As this Paschaltide continues enjoy the marvels of God’s glory shining out to remind us of his strength and power and also his unimaginable and tender love for each one of us. Sometimes it just takes a bit of sunshine to remember the Light of the World.
He is risen! He is truly risen indeed! The link below “should” lead to our YouTube Vocations Channel. If not, please holler.
It’s Holy Week. Very soon we shall sing Alleluia again. In the mean time, we can allow sorrow and repentance side by side with hope.
On March 14th, 2025 we spent a little extra time with Our Lord in a different way – by admiring his marvelous creation during a total lunar eclipse. Each time we witness any spectacle of nature, no matter how small, we can raise a prayer of thanks to the One who made all things and holds them even now in existence.