August 15, 2005
+JMJ
Feast of the Assumption (woohoo!)
Last weekend I went to the Visitation Sisters in Brooklyn and I had a really good time! The Sisters are monastic and contemplative, but leave their enclosure for an hour a day to teach religion at the Visitation Academy next door. When I walked up to the place, I was amazed at how huge it was, at least by NYC standards! I stayed in the retreatant wing which has a little living room/library which is really nice. One of the coolest things is this window that opens up overlooking the nuns chapel and the public church. It's was just a nice quiet spot.
One of the things I had to adjust to was the quiet. See, in the morning all the sisters are doing their chores so I was pretty much on my own. They keep silence during their work periods, and for breakfast and dinner. I did get to read a lot and just be with God which was great. I just needed to work with the quiet and find God there, if that makes sense.
The community has about 21 sisters, including a postulant, 2 novices and 4 in temporary vows. I wasn't able to be with the Sisters for recreation, but I did walk the grounds with two of the younger Sisters. Sr. Michelle (novice) was really sweet. She actually entered after leaving a Phd. program in psychology! Crazy....and Sr. Sharon (postulant) is from St. Lucia and sooo funny and cute! Right before I left she gave a card of Our Lady of Medjugorie, it was so nice!
So, here's the basic rundown of one of my days, in case y'all were interested LOL!
7:30-Morning Prayers
8:10-Mass
9ish- Breakfast
Reading, walking the grounds
11:30- Office of Readings
12:00-Lunch (yay for talking!)
1:00-Midday Prayer
more reading and stuff
3:00-Chaplet of Divine Mercy/Adoration
4:00-talk w/ Sr. Marie de Chantal (vocation director)
4:30-Evening Prayer
5:40ish-Dinner
Recreation/talk w/ Sr. Michelle
7:45-Night Prayer
10:00-Lights out
They are a great community, but I don't think they're for me. Their charism is humility, gentleness and kindness towards your neighbor, very beautiful for those who are into it, but not moi. Sr. Marie de Chantal invited me back anytime, even just to get my head clear. It was totally what I needed. I needed to see the contemplative life and just prove to myself that I could do it.
Feast of the Assumption (woohoo!)
Last weekend I went to the Visitation Sisters in Brooklyn and I had a really good time! The Sisters are monastic and contemplative, but leave their enclosure for an hour a day to teach religion at the Visitation Academy next door. When I walked up to the place, I was amazed at how huge it was, at least by NYC standards! I stayed in the retreatant wing which has a little living room/library which is really nice. One of the coolest things is this window that opens up overlooking the nuns chapel and the public church. It's was just a nice quiet spot.
One of the things I had to adjust to was the quiet. See, in the morning all the sisters are doing their chores so I was pretty much on my own. They keep silence during their work periods, and for breakfast and dinner. I did get to read a lot and just be with God which was great. I just needed to work with the quiet and find God there, if that makes sense.
The community has about 21 sisters, including a postulant, 2 novices and 4 in temporary vows. I wasn't able to be with the Sisters for recreation, but I did walk the grounds with two of the younger Sisters. Sr. Michelle (novice) was really sweet. She actually entered after leaving a Phd. program in psychology! Crazy....and Sr. Sharon (postulant) is from St. Lucia and sooo funny and cute! Right before I left she gave a card of Our Lady of Medjugorie, it was so nice!
So, here's the basic rundown of one of my days, in case y'all were interested LOL!
7:30-Morning Prayers
8:10-Mass
9ish- Breakfast
Reading, walking the grounds
11:30- Office of Readings
12:00-Lunch (yay for talking!)
1:00-Midday Prayer
more reading and stuff
3:00-Chaplet of Divine Mercy/Adoration
4:00-talk w/ Sr. Marie de Chantal (vocation director)
4:30-Evening Prayer
5:40ish-Dinner
Recreation/talk w/ Sr. Michelle
7:45-Night Prayer
10:00-Lights out
They are a great community, but I don't think they're for me. Their charism is humility, gentleness and kindness towards your neighbor, very beautiful for those who are into it, but not moi. Sr. Marie de Chantal invited me back anytime, even just to get my head clear. It was totally what I needed. I needed to see the contemplative life and just prove to myself that I could do it.
August 01, 2005
Visit to the Summit Dominicans!
Well, it seems that God continues to surprise(and confuse!) me. I took the train out to Summit NJ early in the morning and was met at the station by Greta, one of the aspirants. She was really sweet and she eased a lot of my nervousness. We got to the monastery and I got to talk to Sr. Mary Catherine for a while in the parlor. She really helped me understand cloistered life in a new way. Then it was time for Sext, one of the midday Offices of the Divine Office. It was so strange to hear the nuns, but not see them! They sounded very beautiful though. After that, it was time for lunch which I had with Fr. John Paul who is visiting the nuns. It was really nice to talk to him and swap stories.
After lunch the nuns have a "siesta" or quiet time. For this time I chilled in the guest room and read and just listened to the quiet. At 3 was None (another hour of the Office) and the Office of Readings. Afterwords I went back to the parlor to talk with Greta and Lisa (the two aspirants). It was so interesting to hear about how their aspirancies have been! Lisa had to leave for Adoration at 4:30 and Greta was soon kicked out (j/k!) by Sr. Mary Catherine because Sr. Mary Martin, the prioress was coming in. She was very nice and good hearted. A little bit before Sr.Mary Martin came in, I asked Sr. Mary Catherine if I could make an aspirancy! She said she didn't see why not!!! I still have to meet with the Monastery Council and get papers, but things are looking good :)At 5 there was Vespers, which was so beautiful. Right before Sr. Mary Catherine closed the curtain that separates the public from the nuns' choir, she waved to me, it was so cute!
Greta picked me up after Vespers and then I was back on the train. I left with a lot of peace, but some confusion as well. I still have a visit to the Visitation Sisters this weekend and I'm going back to the Apostles for Sr. Angela's first vows. Anyway, I'm trusting that God will lead me home.
After lunch the nuns have a "siesta" or quiet time. For this time I chilled in the guest room and read and just listened to the quiet. At 3 was None (another hour of the Office) and the Office of Readings. Afterwords I went back to the parlor to talk with Greta and Lisa (the two aspirants). It was so interesting to hear about how their aspirancies have been! Lisa had to leave for Adoration at 4:30 and Greta was soon kicked out (j/k!) by Sr. Mary Catherine because Sr. Mary Martin, the prioress was coming in. She was very nice and good hearted. A little bit before Sr.Mary Martin came in, I asked Sr. Mary Catherine if I could make an aspirancy! She said she didn't see why not!!! I still have to meet with the Monastery Council and get papers, but things are looking good :)At 5 there was Vespers, which was so beautiful. Right before Sr. Mary Catherine closed the curtain that separates the public from the nuns' choir, she waved to me, it was so cute!
Greta picked me up after Vespers and then I was back on the train. I left with a lot of peace, but some confusion as well. I still have a visit to the Visitation Sisters this weekend and I'm going back to the Apostles for Sr. Angela's first vows. Anyway, I'm trusting that God will lead me home.
