Still Being Amazed ...by Sr. Monika
At age seventy, you might think I've seen all there is to see on our monastic grounds. I know the trees and shrubs and most of the wildflowers. I know about birds, especially the ones who visit our grounds. So, can you imagine my surprise at finding a fallen, old branch covered in what looked like bright white feathers? "Who threw their duster into the rocks in front of our Spirituality Center?" I said to myself.
My Psalm ...by Sr. Paz
Last year for the Priory Spirituality Center's Prayer Practices Certificate program, I prepared the topic “About Psalms. ” One question that came to my mind was, why are we singing and reciting the same psalms to God from more than two millennia ago over and over again? Our current understanding of the Universe and the whole of God’s creation is so different. Can we create new psalms? My relationship with God is more intimate.
The Infant of Prague and Me: A Lesson in Devotion ...by Sr. Anna-Camille
I am a Catholic convert, a longtime convert--since I was 20 years old. Yet, still there are times that my Catholicism remains a mystery to me, and it is still full of surprises. It doesn’t always make it easy for me to explain to my Protestant friends and relatives. When I came to the monastery to begin the path of religious vocation, I was unfamiliar with the Infant of Prague, both the history and devotion practices.
Read the full post: The Infant of Prague and Me: A Lesson in Devotion ...by Sr. Anna-Camille
Reduce, Reuse...Repair? ...by Sr. Dorothy
Life can be very busy in the 21st century. So busy that we often feel we don’t have time to repair things—clothing, furniture, electronic equipment. We just need to keep going, so we throw away things that could be repaired—some of which we could repair ourselves—and buy new ones. from Weaving Vectors by Vecteezy. com This feeling of time pressure is very real, but not particularly new.
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A Gift of Time and Space ...by Sr. Laura
Monasteries can be busy places. At least for us. Normally I carve out an hour here and an hour there to research, think and write. But the gift of uninterrupted time for writing is valuable. I have been gifted by the Board of Hypatia-in-the-Woods with a few days to do just that. This is a simple and beautiful place. I sit at their knotty pine table looking out at old forest--and if I look closely--the Puget Sound.
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Helping Each Other ...by Sr. Monika
We have all heard about Alcoholics Anonymous, which began in 1935, and has helped countless people overcome addiction to alcohol. There are many spin-offs of that model, including Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and Emotions Anonymous, (EA) among many others. I was introduced to Emotions Anonymous during my time in treatment for depression. It is based on the Alcoholics Anonymous model of support from people who have similar struggles in life.
Jubilee of Hope, a Time to Restore Hope and Trust ...by Sr. Paz
Pope Francis opens the Holy Door My baby brother Diego and his wife Lili just returned from their Vatican pilgrimage. He told me about the Jubilee year. Last year Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica on December 24 as a symbol of the opening of the Jubilee year of Hope, and called on all Christians to become pilgrims of hope. This Jubilee year will end on January 6. 2026.
Read the full post: Jubilee of Hope, a Time to Restore Hope and Trust ...by Sr. Paz
Christmas in the Monastery ...by Sr. Julian
Although the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours are the essence of our Advent and Christmas seasons, we do manage to celebrate in other ways too! After a wonderful Thanksgiving feast prepared by our Chef Nico, we gather in our community room to draw Kris Kringle names. All during Advent, we keep the secret of whose name we have chosen and may offer special prayers and little gifts anonymously for this person.
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Dedication to the Work of God ...by Sr. Monika
Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “Prayer is the mortar that holds our house together. ” Walter Burghardt said, quoting someone else, “Contemplation is a long, loving look at the real. ” St. Paul said, “Pray always. ” Teresa of Avila suggested that missing prayer is a mortal sin! And St. Benedict, a model of moderation, said, “Prefer nothing to the Opus Dei (e. i. the Work of God, referring to the Divine Office.
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Thanksgiving? ...by Sr. Dorothy
Our Sr. Paz was not with us this year to celebrate Thanksgiving. On the evening of Saturday, November 23, she received a phone call from her family: her mother had unexpectedly passed, following a fall earlier in the day. This was shocking news for her and all of us. Sr. Paz left early the next day to join her family in California.
