Sunday, September 25, 2011

Sister Miriam celebrated her 50th year of entrance to the Poor Clare way of life, September 24,1961-2011

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The contemplative life, which St. Clare of Assisi loved with all her heart,
inspired Sister Miriam
as a young woman to follow her example. Day after day Sister Miriam and those like her,
surrender their will in little things and help to change the world, though unseen by anyone.
Thank you, Sister Miriam ,for your witness to Gospel Values and congratulations from all your Sisters.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Continued quotes on Gertrude von le Fort's book The Eternal woman

Christ does not emerge in a struggle against the cross but on the cross just as love always is triumphant in surrender.
Our weakness is our only strength and our surrender to God's will our only victory.


Surrender to God is the only absolute power with which the creature is endowed and to bring about our salvation all we have to contribute is our readiness to give ourselves absolutely and completely.

Pride or surrender is the tremendous alternative.



Gertrud von le Fort Baroness Gertrude von Lefort (1876–1971) is the author of over 20 books (poems, novels and short stories), honorary Doctor of Theology and «the greatest contemporary transcendent poet». Her works are appreciated for their breath-taking profoundness and virtuosity, beauty and actuality of her ideas, and for the sophisticateGertrud von le Fortd refinement of the form. Hermann Hesse, who evaluated her talent, proposed her as a candidate for the Nobel Prize.


Von le Fort was born in Westphalia, Germany, and studied at the Universities of Heidelberg and Berlin. A Protestant of Huguenot descent, von le Fort converted early to Catholicism.

Her novel Die Letze am Schafott (The Last or Song at the Scaffold), by far her most famous work, was the basis for Dialogues of the Carmelites. Set during the time........... of the French Revolution, the von le Fort novel tells the story of a troubled, frightened, and strange girl, Blanche de la Force, who has lived in fear from the moment of her birth. To overcome her affliction, she decides to become a nun of Carmel. Little does she know that she is no safer from fear at this convent than in the secular world.

The character of Blanche was von le Fort’s creation, but the other nuns in the story historical figures. Notice the similarity of "von le Fort" to "de la Force." This was no coincidence: much of Gertrud von le Fort’s inspiration for her novel came from her own experiences during World War II and her hatred of Nazism.

She recorded the origin of her 1931 novel: " The point of departure for my creation was not primarily the destiny of the sixteen Carmelites of Compiègne but the figure of the young Blanche. In a historic sense she never lived, but she received the breath of life from my internal spirit, and she cannot be detached from the origin, which is hers. Born in the profound horror of a time darkened by the signs of destiny, this figure arose before me in some way as the embodiment of the mortal agony of an era going totally to its ruin."

Thoughts and quotes from the book:

Forward: Gertrude von Le Fort addresses the topic of the role of woman in the Salvation of the world which is the battlefield between good and veil, life and death.

Since the Garden of Eden the Evil one and the woman have been in the arena.


We have to look on the positive place of woman and not the negative aspect of womanhood.

Her privileges:

1: Her body is not from dust but from the flesh of a human person.

2: She is called "Mother of Life."

3: That the female womb would one day be a tabernacle for the Holy One

It is Mary, the Mother of God, who teaches that receptivity-total openess to God's word-is the royal road to holiness.


To Be continued

Saturday, September 10, 2011

In Memory of 9/11 . We at the Monastery join in prayer for all those who died and for those who mourn them.

Friar Mychal Judge, was the first and most famous victim of the World Trade Center attack, and we in the Franciscan Family remember him in prayer and ask him to intercede for us and the World.
We pray for the firefighters, police and first re-sponders who brought comfort the best they could.
We hold you all in prayer.



Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that bible at home
Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened