Friar Jim VanVurst, A Friar from Cincinnati, Ohio ,is giving us a retreat from February 13 to February 19.

Friar Jim has been in many leadership roles, a teacher at University level, and presently, among other duties,is Religious Assistant to the Poor Clares in the Bentivoglio Federation.
Part of the retreat is learning to do some actual water color painting. The pictures above show Friar Jim doing a demo and other pictures are of the Sisters trying to do some painting.

Snow upon Snow -Beautiful, Quiet and Peaceful.

We pray today for those who are plowing the snow so people can get to work. We pray for Police and firefighters and all who have to be out in this weather.

While the weather outside is cold and frosty, our Sister Pat, works quietly in a nice warm Monastery.

St. Francis and Saint Clare loved all of Creation but the birds were especially loved by both of these Saints.

If you click on any of the slideshow pictures you can get a better view of the birds.

May God be praised in all of His creatures.

Sister Nelia received the Habit on January 15th and Sister Karen on January 17th. Congratulations. They are a blessing for our Community

Christmas, and Visitors ,Knights of Columbus, Rosary Society of St. Clare, Florence, NJ at the Monastery

Advent- Christmas Poem Dedicated to Sister Marge OSC

Watching the evening news-
commercials breaking in
after tragic tales
we are told the meaning of Joy-
A BMW -
Always with a song for Happy Holidays -
never Christ's-Christmas-coming.

Settling in for Night Prayer
the dusk filling the chapel panes-
enveloping the quiet space -
a door -
enlightening the Joy within.

For He is Creator and Gift,
The Shepherd and the Lamb-
He is the Son and the Babe of Bethlehm-
always God's Son and always Son of Mary.
He is the Story and the Song-
The Melody and the Notes-
But always the Song
He sings through us,
Played out once in time
for us to learn.

He is Hope and Love,
Always Love.
He is Peace and Joy,
always His Joy.
Open the doors of our hearts.
He is doing something new.
Happy Holidays ???
It is never Happy Holidays,
Always Christ-for-the-masses,
Our Christmas Joy

Sister Margaret (Marge) McGowan OSC died December 2, 2010

Our Sister Marge, died December 2, 2010 at 1:00PM at St. Joseph's Center in Morris Hall , Lawrenceville, NJ. Sister Miriam and the Sisters were present with Marge as she went home to the Good Shepherd whom she loved with all her heart.

Born in Summit, NJ, Sister Marge was a vice-president of a banking corporation for many years before entering the Poor Clares in Bordentown, NJ. Sister Marge was very instrumental in helping with the finances that helped build our new Monastery in Chesterfield, NJ. Mr Harry Hill, our lawyer at the time and Bill Taylor our construction person found Marge an asset to the building process.

The Sisters will miss Marge for many reasons not to speak of her wonderful Irish Wit.
We know Marge will intercede for us and send us vocations and maybe a dog.

Sister Nelia, our postulant, had visitors from North Carolina

We enjoyed the visit of Evelyn and Arcie and their son Raymon and their daughter,Krystle

Friar Ron Pecci and the three new Postulants visit the Monastery

The Three Postulants, Pedro, John and Jeff came for Mass and dinner and then shared with us their vocation story.

Our Sister Barbara leaves for Bolivia, South America

Sister Barbara, from our Monastery and Sister Ann from the Monastery
in Langhorne, PA
left for a visitation of our Monastery in Corico, Bolivia after a prayer service and blessing from the Community. We founded the Bolivia monastery around 1959 or so and now that it has all women from Bolivia we continue to be aware of them and wish to know that all is well with them- hence a visit from the USA Clares. Sister Jane from our Monastery in Montana and our Religious Assistant Friar Tom Hartle OFM, also went on the trip. The latter two are not in the picture.

Murray Bodo OFM gives the Poor Clares in Chesterfield , a day of Poetry Reading

Murray Bodo, OFM
Murray Bodo is one writer who, in this age of deconstruction and cynicism, resolutely believes that literature and life are deeply entwined. Perhaps that’s not surprising for a Franciscan friar and the author of best-selling books about St. Francis and St. Clare. But for Fr. Bodo, the essence of good writing is not preaching, but the adumbration of mystery. From his own poetry and creative non-fiction to his literary tributes to kindred spirits like Thomas Merton and Denise Levertov, Fr. Bodo invites us to find the meditative space where grace can make us whole. Unlike most religious writers, Fr. Bodo’s language never smacks of mere piety—which is probably why he’s one of our most popular Christian writers.

Sister Barbara and Sister Ann leave for our Foundation in Bolivia- Autumn Falls on the Monastery-Sister Mary Frances celebrates her Anniversary

A Retreat at the Shore

Slide Show of the Stain Glass Windows in our Monastery in Bordentown, NJ, our old Monastery