Sister Regina is a fictitious Handmaid who appears almost every week on this site, on our Facebook page, and in our Twitter feed. She gives those outside the cloister an idea of what life within the monastery can be like. Click any cartoon to see a larger image.
Sister Regina the cartoon is not published during the seasons of Advent, the Christmas Octave, Lent, or the Easter Octave to not only allow the Handmaids to more deeply enter into those times of more intense prayer, but also to encourage others to do so as well.
At the Speed of Monasteries
On the secular level, today`s world is one of global intercommunication and connection of such astounding speed that it has passed boggling the mind and has settled into the arena of expected performance. Now, something is no longer a wonder if it`s done by instant information exchange across the planet. It`s the status quo and when it fails the assumption is that something is very wrong. In the business and education world, messages, and entire conversations, are sent back and forth with no more effort than it takes to talk to a person standing by your desk. Now, you don`t even need a desk.
It can happen, given that environment, that `monastery speeds` seem a bit slow. But that`s on purpose as our first duty is to pray, not check the inbox. Does that cause a backlog in correspondence? Yes. Are good people left waiting for answers or long overdue, but sincere and grateful, expressions of thanks? Yes. Does it frustrate and perplex folks on occasion? Yes. Are even nuns left with messy desks and office papers? Most assuredly. But fear not! Recall the famous photo of Saint Maximillian Kolbe at his rather busy looking desk? He probably was behind in his letters too...but he was never behind in putting the only thing that matters first; God!
We thank you all for your patience and understanding whenever we aren`t able to answer the mail (regular or electronic) immediately. God bless you!
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As Fall approaches people could be forgiven for looking forward to the end of 2020. Or even for anticipating 2021 a little gun shy, leery of what the next disaster might be. There has been no lack of material leaving the year 2020 not only historic but the subject of many jokes as well.
It is well to remind ourselves that the acronym A.D. is more than one system of marking time among others equally useful. It is not simply some utilitarian reflection of the use of a certain calendar. Anno Domini Nostri Jesu Christi, shortened to “A.D.”, was usually placed before the year number to ensure the year was in reference to Jesus. Not the other way around.
Our God is outside time. He is it’s Creator and master. This mysterious thing we call time and place numbers on is neither something we manage nor control. It is not ours except in how we choose to use it. It is a gift. We can ask why A.D. 2020 has been so difficult but it might be better to thank God that we have made it to 2020 at all. This time given to us is a gift. And mercy.
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There’s much to be excited about this week and it’s not the secularized macabre celebration on Oct 31st of ghouls and goblins and vampires. Rather all Americans, all Knights of Columbus, and all priests - and frankly anyone loving that great cloud of witnesses Saint Paul speaks of - can praise God in thanksgiving for the beatification of Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus on, appropriately enough, All Hallows’ Eve in Connecticut. How the timing certainly helps put the right perspective on Halloween, All Saints, and All Souls’ Day. How America needs true Saints at this moment in our history! Father McGivney’s cause has moved forward one step but even now, may he intercede for our sin-sick land as he did for physically sick little Mikey Schachle from Tennessee.
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Website note: September 2020 – We switched to posting Sister Regina’s Comic Strips on Instagram, but you can still enjoy her past comics in the archive below.
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- Humor helps. A cartoon from the not so distant past.
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- Excerpt from a summer cartoon about bats
