Why, after Roe V. Wade has been overturned, is the March for Life still happening and marking its 50th year in D.C. while many scores of local marches also take place? Maybe an answer is found in the name itself. It is called “March for Life”, not “March for the Overturning of Roe V. Wade.” It isn’t about one law, one right …
Archive Treasures: Christmas in the Canyon from 1956
It’s an old photograph from 1956 but we can sense the care and creativity our Handmaid pioneering Sisters took to create a little Christmas corner at Cor Jesu. The tree looks to be real. A large statue of Mary, robed in green, looking down at a swaddled Christ child at her feet. To the left might be a small votive …
What Do You Get Cats For Christmas?
We can laugh about the gifts the cats are sometimes sent and in this cartoon we poke fun that Shadow and Sunbeam (a.k.a. Gunther and Gertrude) are disappointed with practical presents found under the tree. Us nuns are thrilled with such items while the cats may be sniffing around for catnip and other edibles. An interesting fact about Gunther is …
Another Christmas Cat Laugh
Humor can extend Christmas too. And animals as well. This is a cartoon many cat owners might sympathize with, though in full disclosure, we must admit Gunther has never climbed the Christmas tree. [It took him over a year to even touch his cat tree. Russian Blues are notorious about disliking change.] But he does like to be the present …
Archive Treasures: Christmas in Capena, Italy
We share this little post as part of our continuing Christmas spirit so people not living in monasteries and who might be suffering Christmas withdrawal due to the world declaring the Incarnation “over” on December 26th can linger in thanksgiving a little longer. We keep our creches up until the Feast of the Presentation, February 2nd even though Ordinary Time …
Gunther’s Christmas Wardrobe – the bowtie
We know our cats are popular with those who frequent our website or social media venues. In the cartoon world they have nom de plumes (Shadow and Sunbeam) but we call them by their real names (Gunther and Gertrude). Fans, both feline and human, have sent the cats notes, gifts, as well as well wishes and prayers. Regarding Gunther: his …
Archive Treasures: The Little White Church
For many years at our Heart of Mary Priory in Lake Villa, IL the foyer was graced by a little handmade miniature southwest style adobe mission church. Built by a talented friend and benefactor it was used as a donation box next to the votive candle stands. Delightful in its details, the stucco was uneven, bells hung atop the roof …
Of Community Christmas Photo Sessions and Cats
We had our community Christmas photo and invited Gunther. He declined the invite though he did wear his bowtie and even seemed to parade it before every Sister that entered the house. But as the photos indicate, he prefers to play with his tie than wear it. He also likes trying to eat artificial Christmas decorations. All the beautiful poinsettias we …
Of the Incarnation, Creation, Christmas, Crawl Spaces, and Septic Tanks
We have had quite an end to Advent and a start to the Christmas season by ‘returning to Bethlehem’. While we were spared any truly life threatening issues from the great arctic blast that devastated parts of the U.S., we did enjoy circumstances that were both occasions of humor and trial. There were multiple opportunities to thank God ‘for everything’; …
Archive Treasures: A Septic Tank?!!!
Bet you never guessed something like that would be included in our list of “memories”! Since we had a little “septic scare” on Christmas Eve, we thought this would be a great time to share this archive photo. As we’ve explained to numerous plumbers, tradesmen, construction workers, contractors, and benefactors over the years monasteries and plumbing challenges go “hand …
O Antiphons and the Home Stretch
It’s the last week of Advent. All the candles are lit on the wreath and we are singing the O Antiphons that signify ‘the home stretch’. The Nativity of Our Lord is closer and the acrostic first letters of the antiphons in Latin, when written backwards, gives us “Ero cras” meaning, “Tomorrow I come!” The building excitement is not in …
It’s Beginning to Smell A Lot Like Christmas!
Though we have held off on decorating, the cleaning has begun and the requisite baking so it’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas! Our Come and See, Sarah, has rolled up her sleeves and joined the formation group under Sister Christiana’s supervision to rollout lots of sugar cookies. Novice Sister Maria Crucis and Postulant Shannon all enjoyed the double …