Just like GLEE

Today we had another group come and perform for us. This time it was Soundmasters from ACCHS. Their director is wonderful and brings the young people to perform each year. They do such a great job. I am including a couple photos and video clips for your enjoyment. God is truly good

A Few Short Video Clips

A Little Christmas Caroling

This afternoon a group from St. Benedict's Abbey across town came over to share a few carols and some cookies with the Sisters in Dooley Center. They did a wonderful job and even had song sheets available for the Sisters to sing along. Here are a few photos from the event.

The Monks of St. Benedict's Abbey

Sisters Theophane and Maria

Sisters Irmina, Joachim and Jeremy

Sisters Judith, Ann, and Rosina

More of the Monks of St. Benedict's Abbey

Finally, I end with a short clip of their performance.

What a wonderful Advent Gift!!

Cookie Baking

Well tonight was another wonderful evening here at the Mount.

Tonight was our annual Partners in Prayer Cookie Baking. We had almost 70 students from the college who came over to join us for Vespers, share a meal, and assist us in baking cookies to share with various groups in the Atchison area.

This year we made approximately 100 plates of cookies for the meals on wheels program. We are also giving plates of cookies to many friends of the community and are sharing the cookies with those who join us over the Christmas holidays.

I have attached a few photos of the evening for your enjoyment. Hope you enjoy them.

Some students playing a Christmas game

Sisters and students work together to solve the puzzle

Frosting cookies

Popping the cookies into the oven

Plenty of opportunities to be creative

Lots of choices for dipping

We are truly blessed!!!

National Catholic Youth Conference

Jenny, Colleen, Sr. Suzanne

Well today was day two of NCYC. What a great time it has been! Below are a few photos that I have taken while here.

Sr. Elizabeth overseeing a challenge activity

Downtown Eucharistic Procession

Sr. Judith and Sr. Molly

Sr. Barb, Sr. Barbara Ann, Sr. Judith

I can not wait to see what tomorrow brings!!!!

First Snow of the Year

Well it has officially happened. We have had our first snowfall of the winter. While I appreciate the beauty of the first snowfall (the photos are taken from my office window) I also am not a big fan of cold or snow. So today I will appreciate the beauty and tomorrow I will pray for sun!

Hope everyone enjoys the beauty and stays warm and dry. Remember to pray for all those who are without heat or shelter this day.

Oprah Day - O You

For the past couple years, my 4 sisters (siblings) have attended the Kansas City Oprah Day (also referred to as O You). This year they decided it would be nice to bring me along and so all 5 of us (and a few other friends) signed up for the day. And what a day it was.

As you enter the conference center, each person is given a personalized name badge, a journal, a pen and a bag to carry all of your things. (You are also given a bag of goodies at the end of the day). The day itself consisted of many things including presentations by various Oprah personalities, you pick which 4 you want to attend. There are 2 speakers in the morning, a lunch, and then 2 speakers in the afternoon. In between, are opportunities to visit booths (about a dozen specially picked booths), to peruse the bookstore and Oprah store, to get a massage, makeover, or new hair style, to try yoga or Wii Fit Plus or to wait in line to get autographs and speak with the presenters.

This year we heard presentations by Nate Berkus (Decorating), Suzi Orman (Finance), Dr. Oz (Health), and Martha Beck (Loving Your Life). Each person had a lot to say and was interesting and informative in their own way.

In between two of the sessions, I decided that since one of our sisters, Sr. Mary, really loved the show "What Not to Wear" that I would wait in line and get an autograph from Stacy London to bring home to her. Well after waiting in line for 45 minutes, I was finally up to the front. I knew I was one of the last to get her autograph since her time was running out, so I quickly gave her my book to sign and explained about the sister who loved her show and gave her Sr. Mary's name. As she looks up, she screamed out (as she is known to do) and started giving me grief about my outfit - see below. As you may know, Stacy hates holiday wear and flipped that I was wearing a Halloween vest. I was laughing, since I knew I would get grief but was willing to offer it up to get Sr. Mary the autograph. Finally, after what seemed like ages of her picking on my vest (she was fine with the rest of the outfit), she asked my name, since I only gave here the name of the other sister, and she writes an autograph and hands it over to me. It read " Sister Mary, Work Hard! Dress Right! Don't let Suzanne wear holiday sweaters EVER!!! Stacy London.

It just really made me laugh. And even though she was giving me grief, she really was very nice and friendly and seemed to be a good person. But it was quite the encounter and a wonderful shared experience of loving fun with my sisters.

New Parking Lot

View from St. Scholastica window

Another view from St. Scholastica window

Laying the asphalt

Moving asphalt

Smoothing out

The whole project

Over the past several months, our community has been renovating St. Cecilia's. St. Cecilia's was purchased by the sisters in 1877 and was the first building that our sisters purchased on our current land. The house was originally used as the school, monastery and dorms and has had many uses since that time. The most recent use was as our music conservatory.

St. Cecilia's is currently in the process of being renovated to accommodate more guests to both our monastery and to Sophia Center. It will also be the location of our historical room and other gathering spaces. Today, the crew was putting in the new parking area that will be located behind the building and will offer handicap access to our new space. It is so exciting to see all the pieces taking shape!

Moon Dance

These pictures do not do justice to the beauty of the moon with the clouds rolling by.

Well, its a marvelous night for a moondance with the stars up above in my eyes

A fantabulous night for a moondance neath the cover of October skies

And all the leaves on the trees are falling to the sound of the breezes that blow

And I'm trying to please to the calling of the heart-strings that play soft and low

And all the nights magic seems to whisper and hush

And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in the blush

As I returned home to the monastery last night, I was overwhelmed by the amazing beauty of this gorgeous moon. As I stood there in the field looking up, my first thought was of the song Moondance by Van Morrison and what a wonderful night it was for a "moondance."

I decided it was so beautiful that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to just spend some time in the cool quiet night air, listening to the rustling of the leaves and watching the clouds roll by this amazing moon. (I really love night!)

As I sat there in the quiet, watching the clouds roll by the beautiful moon, I began to think of the wondrous gifts that God gives to us each day and how often I don't take the time to notice or to enjoy the gifts of God's creation. As my thoughts continued to progress, I soon began to think about Psalm 8 and not only the gifts from God but our responsibility to care for that great creation!

O Lord, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! You have set your majesty above the heavens!

Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have drawn a defense against your foes, to silence enemy and avenger

When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place--

What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor

You have given them rule over the works of your hands, put all things at their feet:

All sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth!

What amazing gifts God gives to each of us each day if we only take the time to notice!

Angels

Liturgically, this is the week for angels. On Tuesday we celebrated the feast of the Archangels. Today we are celebrating the Feast of Guardian Angels.

Now as funny as it may sound - guardian angels (my guardian angel in particular) have been a part of my every day life as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I was given lots of advice about dealing with my guardian angel. This advice included leaving room on my chair for my guardian angel, asking my angel its name before I go to bed at night and it would reveal it to me as I slept, saying my guardian angel prayer each morning when I awoke, and thanking my angel when it saved me from mortal danger.

At various times in my life, I have to admit, all of these "customs" were a part of my life - sometimes for a short time, sometimes longer. But one habit has curiously remained with me to this day. That is the habit of thanking my guardian angel. In fact, thanking my guardian angel has become such a natural part of my life that I probably say thanks about 20 times a day. While I am sure my guardian angel has saved me from mortal danger on more than one occasion, I am more grateful for all the "little saves" that I am sure have happened on my behalf because my angel is so diligently looking out for me.

• There are those times I am driving along and slow down for no apparent reason only to have an animal cross the road a short time later or a police officer pull over the car ahead of me for speeding.
• There are the times I changed lanes or take a different route only to witness or hear about an accident where I would have been had I not changed.
• There are the times my alarm fails to go off or I fall asleep and suddenly I wake up for no apparent reason right when I need to.
• There are those times I am feeling down and completely out of the blue, I hear from someone with just the right words of encouragement or love.
• There are those times when I am internally nudged to call someone - only to find they were in need of a friend right at that moment.
• There are times I may trip or stumble, only to catch myself at the last minute and avoid injury.
• There are those times someone suddenly pops into my mind and I add them to prayer, only to learn later they really needed prayers right at that moment.
• There are those ideas or inspirations that suddenly pop into my head from out of the blue when I am trying to design a retreat or class.
• There are those "aha moments" when the problem I am trying to solve becomes clear and I know just how I need to proceed.

While some may chalk these moments up to fate, luck or skill - I am certain that my guardian angel has a hand in them and so I quietly whisper a thank you for the help.

So my question becomes, "Have you thanked your guardian angel today?"

Partner in Prayer Opening Blessing

Tonight was the beginning of Partners in Prayer for this school year. Partners in Prayer is a ministry where college students sign up to partner with a Sister from our community for the year. The partners agree to pray for each other all year and each week the student joins our community for Vespers and Supper. This year we have over 80 students participating in the program! What a blessing these partners are to our community. Below are a few photos from the evening.

The gathering begins

Our youngest partner

Meeting for the first time

Reconnecting with partners from last year

Gathering in the dining room for introductions

Prayer begins

A moment of silence

Many are chanting for the first time

Prayers are offered for a blessed year

Final blessing of all the partners