Since moving to Tonopah last year, and now having a Chapel open to the public, each day seems to bring new friends into our life.  Seeing the broad span of visitors that come to see this little ‘slice of heaven’ makes me realize how each human person is unique, unrepeatable, and infinitely LOVED by our good God.  

Just this morning, I was walking out of the Chapel after making a Holy Hour and a mini-van pulled up.  It was a beautiful family from India, who now live in Surprise, AZ.  The mother of the family was all smiles and greeted me with great excitement.  They finally made it to Our Lady of Solitude…after being lost for 2 hours.  My heavens, I reflected later, don’t know if I would have been still smiling!!  I was so happy to be able to bring them into the Chapel where the Lord was waiting for them, ready to greet the weary travelers…and give them many graces I’m sure.

Yesterday, after our mid-day prayer, one of the Sisters saw 2 trucks pull in.  As the Chapel was locked up, I went over to let our visitors in.  They were 4 rough and tumble hunters, who came to see the marvels of the Lord here in this out of the way place.  Even in their camo, the Lord could spot them right away and…again…bestowed on them many graces.  

One of my favorite visitors was a man who drove a truck that towed some construction equipment.  When I went out to sign for it, the man started talking to me about the Lord.  He explained that he was not Catholic, but loved the Word of God.  He went on to share a bit about his experiences of God’s Divine Providence, the power of His Word, and the goodness of His Love.  I went back into the house with a renewed sense of wonder!  
Just this week, we were blessed with another visitor: Fr. Sean from Ireland…now living in France.  Father is a newly ordained priest with the Missionaries of the Holy Eucharist.  He was in town doing a mission at St. Joan of Arc in Phoenix and decided to recharge his spiritual battery here in this desert solitude and Eucharistic haven.  We were blessed to receive Father’s first blessing and also hear sermons that highlighted the heart of our life as Eucharistic Adorers.

And finally, another visitor came…and she’s decided to stay!!  Yes, as you see to the left, the newest Chapel appointment arrived in all her glory.  This beautiful and unique statue of St. Therese was donated to us by Mrs. Vitale.  The Little Flower will now find a home in the back of the Chapel where people can pray and implore the intercession of this powerful saint. 


St. Therese is a favorite saint of many of the nuns.  Her unique and unrepeatable love for the Lord inspires us to seek to love Him in the full totality of our being, with our own unique and unrepeatable love.

And her great devotion to praying for priests is something we try to imitate as well.  So let us pray with her:

 ‘O Holy Father, may the torrents of love flowing from the sacred wounds of Thy Divine Son bring forth priests like unto the beloved disciple John who stood at the foot of the Cross; priests: who as a pledge of Thine own most tender love will lovingly give Thy Divine Son to the souls of men.
May Thy priests be faithful guardians of Thy Church, as John was of Mary, whom he received into his house. Taught by this loving Mother who suffered so much on Calvary, may they display a mother’s care and thoughtfulness towards Thy children. May they teach souls to enter into close union with Thee through Mary who, as the Gate of Heaven, is specially the guardian of the treasures of Thy Divine Heart.
Give us priests who are on fire, and who are true children of Mary, priests who will give Jesus to souls with the same tenderness and care with which Mary carried the Little Child of Bethlehem.
Mother of sorrows and of love, out of compassion for Thy beloved Son, open in our hearts deep wells of love, so that we may console Him and give Him a generation of priests formed in thy school and having all the tender thoughtfulness of thine own spotless love.’