For many years now we’ve been blessed in our friendship with Fr. Jim Parker from the diocese of Rockford, IL. Though, due to his responsibilities as Pastor, he can’t make it out to see us as often as we’d like, we enjoy his visits immensely when he can squeeze in a trip to the desert. And during his time here, we put him to work. He is a Pray-er Extraordinaire and a Bless-er Extraordinaire! Early in the morning, so as to avoid the mid-day heat, he and Sr. Marie Andre walked around the perimeter of the fence – with Father Parker hard at work with over a gallon of Holy Water, blessing the nearly mile-long fence.
Other blessings abound as well! As our new Postulant, Jennifer, settles in, we happily received Tonya into candidacy just one week later. It’s been busy! Candidacy is a 3 month live-in experience that follows Aspirancy and the application process. Living within the Monastery, Tonya will take part in our life of Adoration, as well as joining the Sisters for formation lessons, Divine Office, and monastic work and recreation. This immersion live-in experience gives the candidate an opportunity to further discern and assess both her call to contemplative life and to this particular community. Candidacy also provides an opportunity for the community to get to know the candidate and thus assist in the discernment process. So please keep Tonya in your prayers during this time of candidacy, prayer, and discernment.
And lastly, not only is the Lord bearing fruit in our little Community, but even in our littler garden! For the first time I am trying my hand at growing strawberries – so far so good! We also put in a community favorite: Japanese eggplant! A few tomato plants and a variety of herbs finish off our little Summer garden. Already we are scheming about putting in a larger one in the Fall. 
We are open to suggestions of good veggies that grow well in the desert (as well as the best time to put the plants)!
Watching these strawberries mature from bloom to ripe fruit is pretty awesome. And each day brings more little berries. Truly blessings abound!
Let everything in creation draw you to God. Refresh your mind with some innocent recreation and needful rest, if it were only to saunter through the garden or the fields, listening to the sermon preached by the flowers, the trees, the meadows, the sun, the sky, and the whole universe. You will find that they exhort you to love and praise God; that they excite you to extol the greatness of the Sovereign Architect Who has given them their being.’
St. Paul of the Cross
Dear Sisters,
What happy times for you! A cherished visitor. A new postulant and now a new candidate! Wow! Hopefully this means that things are flourishing among you. I can’t help noticing the broad smiles on all of your faces. A sure sign of your happiness. I am looking over Tonya’s right shoulder and noticing one of my favorite pictures–“See o see how I love thee.” I have a small magnet of it on my frige. Who can’t keep from responding to such a beautiful plea.
May I ask your prayers for a Salesian Brother friend of mine who will be ordained a deacon on Saturday, May 24th, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, our Patroness (I say our Patroness since I have been a Cooperator Salesian for 32 years). We will be celebrating her feast during that day and Brother Michael’s ordination will be a great part of the celebration. And for a Capuchin Brother who will be ordained to the priesthood on May 31st. There is so much joy in my heart for these two wonderful young men as they offer their lives to the Lord as a glorious sacrifice. I have known both of them for a while so witnessing this step in their lifes is a gift to me. As an Oblate of the Precious Blood, it is my privilege to offer my life for all priests and seminarians, for their sanctification and salvation. So these young men have a special claim on my prayers. I feel like a spiritual mother to them and try to keep in touch with them offering them all the support and encouragement that I can. I call them “my boys.”
Know that I pray for all of you every day and feel very close to you even though we are miles apart. May you continue to be blessed in your precius vocation. May Tonya and Jennifer find a true home with you and their true vocation in the cloister. Such a blessing to have such a vocation!
In His Heart,
Judy Kallmeyer
Subscribe to your Blog does not work. God Bless all of You!!!
Past posluants you have referred to as Sr. how come Jennifer isn’t referred to as Sr. Jennifer?
Jennifer is a postulant. The Church does not consider a postulant to be a religious. She is simply in the first stage of preparation for the later profession of religious vows, at which time she becomes a religious, according to Church law. Since she is not yet a religious, she does not wear a veil or use the title “Sister.”
[…] our “Desert nuns”: a new postulant and a new candidate who moved in a week […]
Aren’t postulants required to wear veils as part of their religious vocation? If so, why isn’t Jennifer wearing one?
Jennifer is a postulant. The Church does not consider a postulant to be a religious. She is simply in the first stage of preparation for the later profession of religious vows, at which time she becomes a religious, according to Church law. Since she is not yet a religious, she does not wear a veil or use the title “Sister.”
Wonderful news! All things in Tonopah, AZ are flourishing–postulants and plants too! 🙂 and the heat….
Wishing all y’all the very best–ALWAYS! One of these days I hope to make another business trip to Phoenix and will plan to take a little extra time to come and visit your beautiful location. I have been truly fortunate to make business trips to visit customers in Alabama on multiple occasions and to visit your wonderful anchor home monastery in Hanceville.
God’s Blessings continue to be upon the Poor Clare’s in Tonopah
Deacon Carl
Dear Sisters: Fr. Parker was our pastor in East Dubuque, Il and often talked of his visits to see you and pray with you. We have been blessed at St. Mary’s Church and school for knowing him and receiving his blessings and his love for God, St. Faustina, Padre Pio, and many saints. Also please pray for my mom, Charlotte who is having vision problems after surgery that she will be able to see to say her prayers, watch EWTN, and enjoy, what she loves most besides family and God, is playing bridge! She is 92 and very mentally and socially, and healthy aware. Thank you for your prayers and I will be praying for all of you and especially your new postulant, Tonia.
Kathy Petitgout
I hope August finds you all well, I am looking forward to the upcoming Novena to St. Clare.
My thoughts are with you all and special prayers for Jennifer and Tonya that they succeed in their journeys. Please keep us updated on them and all of the Sisters I know I love to hear about you all.
I was just wondering if Tonya is still there? haven’t heard anything about her love hearing about you all, you are an important part of my daily life.
Mary