Too busy to blog?

Where shall I begin? I came home to the monastery on Monday and spent the last four days hard at work on some upcoming vocation events. “Too busy to blog” doesn’t sound good, but it’s the truth. The lovely summer slow-down in most of our ministries has come to an end. Regular programming begins mid-August for most of us – especially Vocation Ministry and the Benedictine Pastoral Center.

As glorious as beach week was, I have to confess that I love work – even now when it seems a bit overwhelming. I came home to 94 e-mails and a stack of mail on my desk doing a fairly good impression of the tower in Pisa. I needed to fine-tune the new budget and gather receipts for our merciful treasurer, Sister Henry Marie. Packets of information needed to go out to new inquirers and two rooms in Saint Maurus Hall (a.k.a., "the dorm",) needed to be readied for women beginning the “Live-In” Program in August and in November. All this “busy-ness” has been about our future. All this “busy-ness” brings me great joy.

What’s new with The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia? Well, our prioress, Sister Cecilia, is two weeks into her recovery from the knee replacement. Sister is working hard with her Physical Therapist and seeing great improvement for her efforts. Our subprioress, Sister Glenna, is doing a wonderful job leading our community while Sister Cecilia is recovering. Saint Benedict was so wise in setting up the structure of our leadership. Many wise and holy women work with our prioress to keep our community moving forward into the will of GOD. The Council, our Monastery Coordinator, and our Director of Hospitality all contribute to the smooth ebb and flow of our life. All is well with us. And, we are grateful for your prayers, as you are for ours.

Blessings and love…

- Sister Vicki

http://www.sisterbloggers.blogspot.com/

Week 52...

Greetings from Nags Head, NC! I had hoped to offer you a "beach blog" and have had the good fortune of finding a bagel shop with free wi-fi. It’s only Tuesday and already I’m feeling the burn. It’s not the worst sunburn of my life, just a medium rare. It’s funny how I forget every single year that the sun on the water is a bit stronger than Bristow poolside. But, Sister Gail came to my rescue with soothing cream and serious sun block for my next adventure in the ocean.

Here’s what I like about being a nun at the beach… For starters, I care very little how I might appear in my suit. As I watch the women stroll the water’s edge – carefully adjusting straps and elastic to properly conceal and reveal all at the same time - I am grateful for this healthy body in all its middle-aged glory.

I like to read on the beach, but I really love to listen to the waves and watch the light bounce on the water. The further along I go on this GOD-quest, the more the world seems to sing a love song to me – a sweet refrain of cosmic blessing. I wonder about this GOD who made the millions of grains of sand and marvel at the huge hermit crab (who scares me more than I want to admit,) burrowing beneath the sunbathers under the next umbrella. It all seems a miracle to me.

I like eating when I’m hungry and sleeping when I’m tired. I like praying when the Spirit invites me and napping in the middle of the afternoon. I like seeing my sisters “at ease” in shorts and summer shifts. I like cooking our dinners and the table conversation that mixes memories with dreams for our future.

Basically, I like everything about being a nun at the beach. I think the very best part is the feeling that surfaces around Friday or Saturday when my consciousness remembers that this week must come to an end. It’s the feeling of going home – back to the structure and balance of monastic life. It’s the joy of knowing that I will love the next 51 weeks even more than week 52.

More when vacation is over…blessings and love,

- Sister Vicki

A Midwestern Celebration...

I had the privilege of spending last weekend in St. Joseph, MN. My friend, Sister Mary Catherine Holicky, OSB, celebrated twenty-five years of fidelity to the monastic way of life. First, there was the simple joy of friendship and sharing a very special day. Second, I was overwhelmed, yet again, by the beauty of their liturgy. Finally, there came awe for the fine-tuned hospitality of St. Benedict’s Monastery. There were 14 jubilarians – Mary Catherine at 25 and 13 celebrating their 50th. So, there were 14 families and 14 collections of friends gathered on the same campus. Each jubilarian had a separate reception hosted by two or three sisters. For two hours Sunday afternoon, sisters went from party to party wishing their sisters well and visiting with their friends and family. I’ve never seen a community so focused on the details of welcoming or so genuine in their desire for one another’s joy. Each visit to this house reminds me that our monastic life is lived so beautifully in so many places – whether a house of 30 or 300. GOD bless this house with many more like my friend.

Blessings and love…

- Sister Vicki

http://www.sisterbloggers.blogspot.com/.

Summer Reading...

I've been asked, more than once, by women in discernment with our community, to assemble a list of books that I would recommend to the spiritual seeker. Having no authority other than my own preferences, I offer you a short list of the books that have changed me. These books are in no particular order but they reflect a decade of searching in my own life. Some are "heady" but most or just soul-stretching reflection. I think GOD uses everything to help us see the next step in the path. Certainly, the core events of our lives - joys and sufferings - are the most illuminative. Spiritual reading, though, plays a significant part of the everyday search for holiness. Whether it's five minutes, five pages or five chapters a day, we will be changed by what we read. That's not to say that all spiritual reading will be edifying. Some books don't seem to do much for us. But, Michael Casey, OCSO, urges us to read them start to finish anyway. Every book has its integrity - a message intended to be heard in its fullness. So even the dry and dull can have an effect on the soul. Having never written a book, I am in awe of both the process and the vulnerability of those who dare to share the insights of their inner life. The books that really change us are the ones we cannot forget. We might not remember every idea or even the main thrust of the author's work, but we know that this book was part of GOD's plan for us. We remember where we were on the spiritual journey when we read it and where it helped us to go. So, I offer these books to you who are searching for GOD's will in your life. Perhaps one of them might let in some light or even help you to close another door. If you've read something really good lately, I'd love to hear about it. vocations@osbva.org It's good to be back on-line. More tomorrow...

Blessings and love,

- Sister Vicki

http://www.sisterbloggers.blogspot.com/

More "Good News"...

I hinted not too long ago that we'd have some more good news soon. We will have two postulants this fall - Mary Clark, who I wrote about a few weeks ago, and Jennifer Short, who was accepted for entrance this week. Jennifer is an Ohio native who most recently lived and work in Chicago. We met Jen in the winter of 2007 at one of our Monastic Discernment Weekends. Her visits to us continued and she became an Affiliate of our community soon after. Her long blond hair and distinctive blue glasses make her recognizable to many of you, I think. Her presence has always added joy to our house. Jennifer will arrive at the end of July and knock on our chapel door Friday, August 29th. Please keep Jennifer and Mary in your prayers and join us in thanking GOD for this double blessing!

I am traveling to Minnesota this weekend and will reappear on Wednesday of next week.

Blessings and love to you all...

- Sister Vicki

www.sisterbloggers.blogspot.com

Sister Mary "Mapquest"...

I’ve been “off the grid” now for nearly nine days. I’ve been eight days in Richmond and four at the monastery. I’ve made two trips to NJ in the last month – one planned visit to a friend and a family funeral I wouldn’t have missed for the world. I’ve been to Ridgely, MD for the installation of the new prioress, Sister Catherine Higley, OSB – a happy day for a community which has been through so much. I’m back in Richmond now and grateful for your patience. There are more summer travels ahead, but I hope to be better and returning to the Internet in between.

LOTS happening at the monastery… On July 11th, the summer feast of Saint Benedict, our Oblates organized a picnic supper on our patio. After a lovely Evening Prayer, planned by Sister Cecilia, the sisters and the oblates dined together al fresco. Greg Evans, Obl. SB, was the grill-master and the rest brought a delicious dish to share. It was a wonderful evening of good food and holy conversation. I know the sisters are hoping this becomes an annual event. The highlight for me was the late arrival of a whole family from the Bedford deanery. Sister Charlotte brought out food for them when they arrived and I got visit with these good people before they headed west again.

The sisters have begun their annual “beach week” vacation. We rent a house on the Outer Banks of NC for five weeks. Sisters go down in small groups of 4 or 5 for one week of rest and play in the ocean. Group #2 has just begun their week. We pray for our absent sisters at the end of every hour of the Office. And, we hope for good weather and a big dose of fun!

Blessings and love to you all…

- Sister Vicki

http://www.sisterbloggers.blogspot.com/

Three birthdays to celebrate...

There is so much to celebrate on the 4th of July. Certainly, the founding of our great nation takes precedence. There is no better day to remember who we are or who we can become again by grace. It is also our prioress’ birthday – quite the celebration in its own right. There is yet another layer of festivity beneath it all. July 4th is the day three Benedictine sisters arrived in New York harbor from Bavaria in 1852. Women have lived the monastic life here for 156 years – not quite as old as American, but certainly within the frontier days of the earliest German settlers.

I am still in awe of these brave women who left their monastery in Germany believing that they would never see home again. Their willingness to go where they were needed regardless of their love for their community astonishes me.

I pray on this day for our Grandmother – house in Eichstätt, Germany that their generosity of spirit will be rewarded by many new vocations. And, I pray for all Benedictines who continue our mission tradition. The wisdom of Benedict is for all God’s people – near and far.

Blessings and love to you all…

- Sister Vicki