After our Morning Praise I went out of the chapel and opened the door leading to the garden, and what did I see! A beautiful flower carpet from the top of the stairs until a little farther down. Our two big Cherry Blossom trees were shedding their flowers and petals were scattered like carpet on [...]
It is such a beautiful spring morning! I looked out of my window during meditation and I was greeted by loud and joyful chirping of different kinds of birds in our garden. I breathed in the fresh air and drank in their beautiful singing. We’ve just finished our Morning Praise (Lauds) and the birds were [...]
It was raining gently outside and yet the sun was shining. It’s almost evening, but the sun has not yet set. When I went out of my room, a sister called me excitedly but in a subdued tone because of our rule of silence (our rule, though, does not prohibit us from sharing beautiful and [...]
Some lay missionaries from Portugal called “Dialogos”, whose main objective is to support the three Congregations of St. Arnold Janssen, were brought to us by Fr. Renato Gnata, SVD and Fr. Tony Pates, SVD for the purpose of getting to know us, whom they are assisting with their prayers and good works. They were shown [...]
A few weeks ago, while I was tending the plants in our dining room, I saw a broken young shoot of a potted Geranium. I picked it up and seeing that it was still fresh I planted it on the pot of another Geranium. After a few days again, I saw another young shoot cut [...]
Today is Labor Day and a day dedicated to St. Joseph, the Worker. There is so much to thank St. Joseph for. He has been such a good provider and still is. Our community, in fact, our whole Congregation is devoted to him. He helps and never disappoints those who call on him. There [...]
Psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; He refreshes my soul.He guides me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side [...]
This week I am the prayer leader. This evening, during Compline (Night prayer) after a short silence of examination of conscience, as I was supposed to intone the penitential rite, I accidentally hit the books on the shelf of my pew. All my prayer books fell with such a loud noise after I said: “I [...]
This morning as I entered our chapel I saw our two elderly Sisters walking together, the older one supporting the other and leading her to her place. Both Sisters could hardly walk without the aid of a walker and yet there they were, helping each other. It was really so edifying to see them. It [...]
As suggested by Pope Francis on this Year of Consecrated Life for “monasteries and groups which are primarily contemplative to meet or otherwise engage in an exchange of experience on the life of prayer, on ways of deepening communion with the entire Church...”, the Superiors of the three contemplative congregations in the Diocese of Roermond (where [...]
