April 30th
The excitement continues as two more sisters moved into their rooms today. The hard workers from Wilhelm Construction continue to work tirelessly inside and outside getting our new home ready. Rooms are beginning to empty out in the monastery making our journey more and more evident and exciting. The new statue of Mary arrived today. It will replace the present statue that greets us, our visitors and guests when arriving at the Monastery. We held our final Evening Prayer in the Chapel. Our Presider, Sr. Mary Luke, captured our hearts with her beautiful prayers reflecting on the many years spent in the holiest place in the Monastery, at the end. (See below for her petitions.)
On Friday, our Sisters in the healthcare area will move in and by Friday evening, we will begin our Monastic life in the new Monastery. Our hearts are filled with joy. Our gratitude goes out to each and every one of you who has helped to make our dream come true. May you be blessed abundantly for your kindness and generosity.
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Petitions for our Final Evening Prayer in the Monastery
by Sr. Mary Luke Jones
Our response: Remember us, O God
Let us pause to think about the hundreds of sisters who have prayed in this chapel. Our own sisters who have faithfully recited the Divine Office here for 70 years. We’ve hosted prioresses, subprioresses, general chapters, vocation, formation, finance, retreat center and development teams, sister visitors, retreatants and other women and men religious throughout the years who joined us in praising God in psalms, hymns and inspired songs. As we remember them, we pray…
Let us pause to think about those who made this chapel a reality beginning with the sisters at Ferdinand who conceived this daughterhouse, Archbishop Schulte, the architects who designed the original house of God and those who reimagined this space in 1980 to meet new liturgical norms. As we remember them, we pray…
Let us pause to think about the people of the archdiocese who were invited to support this vision. All we had was 50 acres of swamp land and a desire to create a monastery, dedicated to Our Lady of Grace, a girls’ academy and a facility to care for the aged. We only needed the funds to bring it to life and those were provided by people who believed in us. As we remember them, we pray…
Let us pause to think about those who served most closely in this chapel; our liturgists, sacristans, creators of the environment, artists, those who enhanced our prayer through music--playing the organ, piano, bells, guitars, bass, flute, saxophone, recorder and drum, the liturgical dancers, presiders, cantors, readers, eucharistic ministers, cross and candle bearers, altar and hospitality ministers, Gospel commentators and gift bearers. And those who maintained this holy space, our housekeepers and maintenance crews. As we remember them, we pray…
Let us pause to think about those who were honored here beginning with the 94 sisters whose Mass of Resurrection was celebrated within these walls; jubilarians, professions, elections and luminary deceased. As we remember them, we pray…
Let us pause to think about everyone we have ever prayed for in this holy space; petitions have been offered for a return to good health, for those undergoing serious troubles--financial and emotional--and those delighting in good fortune, for our nation and all other nations, for peace, for the lost and forsaken, for those who had no one else to pray for them and finally for the deceased, our friends, families, oblates, benefactors, former members and co-workers. May they rest in peace.
Closing prayer:
Remember us, O God, as we pause to give thanks for all the good things that have transpired in this chapel. It has been the heart of our home and provided a tranquil space for public and private prayer, for celebrations of happiness and loss.
Millions of prayers have been offered here and these walls reek of incense and holiness. Now, you have given us a new heart, equally beatified, that will provide a sacred space to praise you, the giver of all good things.
We ask this through the intercession of Our Lady of Grace, mother of your son upon whom we place our trust now and forever, +Amen