What a beautiful day Sunday was and what tremendous joy for our community. Barbara was simply radiant and it was wonderful to have guests from all over the United States. The morning started with Morning Prayer with the community and then we had a bit of time before the actual vow ceremony.
As the guests gathered in St. Scholastica Chapel, the sisters gathered in the choir Chapel in silent prayer. As the time to begin arrived, the sisters followed the processional cross, candle and incense in a formal statio procession of the community into St. Scholastica chapel. This means we processed into the chapel 2x2 and as we reached the front of the chapel, bowed in reverence to God and to each other. It is a powerful procession and is beautiful to watch and participate in.
The mass continued with a sprinkling rite, readings, psalm, Gospel and a wonderful reflection given by our prioress Sister Anne. (This reflection and the one given the night before can be read on our website www. mountosb.org under "whats happening".)
Then it was time for the monastic profession itself. This perpetual monastic profession consisted of Barbara requesting to make perpetual monastic profession, the community agreeing, lighting a candle from the Easter Candle while the Veni Creator is sung, reading her profession and signing the profession on the altar (the prioress also signs this), singing her suscipe 3 x's (Receive me O Lord as You have promised that I may live, disappoint me not in my hope) lying prostrate covered with the pall while the community prays for her monastic life and receiving her ring. Barbara is then congratulated by all in attendance. The mass then continues.
After Mass we had a nice dinner for all in attendance and it was a great chance to talk with many of our guests which included Barbara's family and friends, sisters from many other communities and many friends of the community. It was a great day!
If you would like to see more pictures they also can be found on the website. What a blessed community we truly are.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing about Barbara's profession. I liked the photos from the congregation's webpage! I feel that I got a nice sense of the community.
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