Prayer for Peace in our World

        for this New Year of our Lord, 2014

Gathering

Taize #37 Within our Darkest Night

Lighting of candles near Our Lady of Compassion Icon

Leader begins:  Let us praise the Lord of days and seasons and years, saying: Glory to God in the Highest!

All respond:  And peace to God’s people on earth!

Taize #16 Glory to God in the Highest

Silence Taize # 29 Nothing Can Trouble

 Silence

Passing of the Light

Lighting of the vigil lights

Taize # 36 The Lord is my Light

Silence

Leader: Our lives are made of days and nights, season and years, for we are part of a universe of suns and moons and planets.

We mark ends and we make beginnings and, in all, and we praise God for the grace and mercy that fill our days.

 Word of God

Reading from the Scripture, Gen. 1:14-19; 26-28a.

Silence

Taize #48 Sing Praises

 During the singing come forward and place your vigil light on the stand by Our Lady.

Psalm 91 prayed in choirs:

Universal Prayer

Taize #28 Come and Fill our Hearts

Let us pray for God’s blessing in this New Year.

Intercessions:

Remember us, O God;

From age to age be our comforter.

You have given us the wonder of time,

blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.

Bless your children at the turning of the year

and fill our months ahead with the bright hope

that is ours in the coming of Christ.

You are our God, abiding with us for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

Thanksgiving

Taize #47 In the Lord I am ever thankful

Silence

Taize #30 Lord of All Goodnes

Christmas, 2013

Dear Family and Friends,

Earth and sky are connected in this photo by Dale Kaminsky of Kearney, Nebraska.  In the photo we see lightning over a village, or a village calling forth lightning. For some people lightning could be a frequent experience that lights up the sky and passes in a moment. Or depending on your perspective, you might experience a cosmic moment of connectivity when the electrical energy in the atmosphere seeks a partner with the opposite charge, and equalizes the atmosphere with a show of light. When two of our Sisters saw Dale’s photo on CNN, they looked at one another and said “Christmas!” Sister Gabriel contacted her nephew and he agreed enthusiastically to let us use his photo for our Christmas greeting this year.

One Sister looked at the photo and saw the Word of God made flesh in a small town named Bethlehem, the sky alight with signs and wonders. For another Sister it was a dramatic demonstration of cosmic beauty that only now scientists are beginning to understand.  We see the little town and the great force of energy; the ordinary and the unusual.

The photo could be prompting our inner world, nudging memories and feelings from the past.  Or it could be calling our imagination into the future when ordinary people will ride a space craft beyond our atmosphere. It might be an invitation to ready ourselves to move from this life into the spiritual realm of life beyond death.

For all who are in awe of theology in conversation with scientific study, this is a reminder that theologians and scientists for most of the centuries following Christ’s life on earth worked closely together to express the reality and wonder of life.

The First Christmas was an open system, that is, people in their environment exchanging and sharing with one another: the Child, Mary, Joseph, shepherds and kings.  Animals provided not a small amount of chaos, entertainment and warmth. The Spirit of God works in openness and confusion.  God is with us.

United with you in prayer and affection,

your Sisters at St. Clare’s

What do you see?

 

 

Our Korean Missionaries, Sister Kate and Sister Donna, share a moment in the Chapel before Donna returns to South Korea where her Community is building a new monastery on the Island of Jeju.

Sister Kate was the first member of our Community to go to Korea in 1969 at the invitation of Bishop Henry.  She studied at the Columban language school in Seoul  before  heading to Jeju Island.

  The Minnesoto Poor Clares  began work on Jeju in 1971.  Donna has been a member of the Poor Clare Community on Jeju from the beginning until the present.

Gene Drabeck and Bill Weldon stopped in for cookies and coffee.  They came representing the Knights of Columbas, Marian Council, bringing the Christmas gifts from all the Knights in our area.  The best and brightest of the Knights’ gifts to us  are Gene, Bill and Jim Haeg.  Jim was not able to come for the party.   He had come earlier in the morning bearing beautifully decorated wreaths.  These faithful brothers in Christ have helped the Community from the very beginning of the monastery in 1954.  Sister Kate is holding up gift cards from our local Cub food store.

 Sister Cecilia was with the Community for the celebration of her feastday.

Many friends joined us for Eucharist.  Sr. Cecilia is well known for her telephone and letter writing ministry which she continues at Catholic Eldercare where Sister resides.

 

 

 

VISITING WOMEN’S RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES

 

Visit four different religious communities to meet, learn, share meals, and pray with Catholic Sisters. We will visit local communities of Benedictines, Franciscan Poor Clares, School Sisters of Notre Dame, and Sisters of St. Joseph. Carpooling will be arranged.

 

When:  Saturday, October 5, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Cost:   This event is free; the day is a gift to participants. 

 

The Event was a great success.  Our visitors arrived at the monastery before 8:00 am to join our Saturday Eucharistic community. Following the Eucharist we enjoyed a modest brunch and a presentation by Sister Beth on COMMUNITY which is a central aspect of Poor Clare life and a needed focus for our country and our world at this time. The group left St. Clare’s at 10:30 to continue their visits to Communities of Benedictines, St. Joseph Sisters and School Sisters of Notre Dame.  There are tentative plans for another opportunity to visit Religious Communities in January.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VISITING WOMEN’S RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES

 

 

 

 

Visit four different religious communities to meet, learn, share meals, and pray with Catholic Sisters. We will visit local communities of Benedictines, Franciscan Poor Clares, School Sisters of Notre Dame, and Sisters of St. Joseph. Carpooling will be arranged.

 

When:  Saturday, October 5, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Cost:   This event is free; the day is a gift to participants. 

 

The Event was a great success.  Our visitors arrived at the monastery before 8:00 am to join our Saturday Eucharistic community. Following the Eucharist we enjoyed a modest brunch and a presentation by Sister Beth on COMMUNITY which is a central aspect of Poor Clare life and a needed focus for our country and our world at this time. The group left St. Clare’s at 10:30 to continue their visits to Communities of Benedictines, St. Joseph Sisters and School Sisters of Notre Dame.  There are tentative plans for another opportunity to visit Religious Communities in January.

 

 

The Eucharistic celebration is at 9:30 am followed by conversation and refreshments in our hospitality area.  Michael Joncas is presiding and all are included in the choir.

It is also the first feast day of Papa Francisco of Rome.

The conversation of Papa Francisco with Antonio Spadaro, S. J. editor of La Civiltá Cattolica “A Big Heart Open to God” is available on www.americamagazine.org.  In this interview Francis shows his big heart open to all God’s people.  And that means you. Remember the words of Jesus, “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters (and the greatest), you do to me.”  We are all one in this all inclusive global family.

For every section of the interview of Pope Francis with Spadaro, you could match the stories and the teachings of Jesus.  For example, when the pope is asked, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?”  he responds with the story of the calling of Matthew the tax collector.  Jesus looked on Matthew with love and chose him to be a disciple.  That’s our Pope.

 

 

 

 

Blessed feast day to all!