Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope.…It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.” – Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
It has been way too long since we posted photos of the ‘latest goings on’ here at the Monastery! So enjoy this little photo update of the month of November in review!
All Souls Day Mass – you can see the prayer intentions for our beloved departed in the basket near the ambo
One morning we had a little friend visit the chapel – a ringtail! He perched atop a pipe above the Chapel door all day!
Fergus has been busy keeping warm and being cute and sniffing out the ringtail
Celebrating Sr. Marie St. Paul’s bday on November 19th – with Sr. Augusta’s now famous almond croissants!
Ya, just another day in the desert! “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down…” (Is 64:1)
Our turkey…our really big turkey…our really big turkey that we are still eating the leftovers…our really big turkey that we may still be eating leftover at Christmas!
These turkeys are great decorators!
This turkey was such a cheese ball!
First Sunday of Advent! Come Lord Jesus! Happy New Year 🙂
Celebrating Sr. Marie Andre’s Feast Day on November 30th! Happy St. Andrew Day!! Fergus is celebrating too, as St. Andrew is the patron of Scotland and that is his homeland afterall! (You’ll notice he made the “Nice List” this year!)
Happy Birthday, Sister Marie Andre.
I wonder if you are beginning the St. Andrew Christmas Novena which begins today. It involves saying the following prayer 15 times a day (I usually say it 5 times at Morning Prayer, 5 at Evening and 5 at Night Prayer) from Nov.30th until Christmas.
Hail and blessed be the hour and the moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure virgin Mary at midnight, in Bethlehem in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe O my God, to hear my prayers and grant my requests through the merits of Your Son, Jesus Christ and His holy Mother.
I have been sending it to everyone on my e-mail list with a request that they say the prayer with the petition for the demise of all of the terrorist factions throughout the world. I have over 100 contacts. If everyone to whom I sent the message forwards on to all those in their e-mail lists, and so forth, imagine how many people will be praying for peace. May He Who is the Prince of Peace grant us this gift for Christmas.
Have a joyous and blessed Advent.
Judy Kallmeyer
Just wanted to let you all know how dear you are to me. I love thinking about your lives there in solitude with Christ. And I love the pictures! You are in my constant thoughts and prayers this Advent.