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

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.

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 sophisticated 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

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

Franciscorps Visits the Monastery

The Franciscorps , directed by Friars Jim and Rick visited our Monastery so that we could learn about their new ministries and for them to learn our way of life.

All the young men and women are college graduates who have given one year to the service of the Poor.

Our Faith is enriched by their witness

of commitment.

We continue to pray for them.

Capuchin Poor Clares of Wilmington, DE join us to celebrate 800 Years of Clare Heritage

We began our celebration with a prayer service followed by a delicious dinner

prepared by Sisters Fran, Etta, Nelia and Karen.

We had lively discussions at the dinner table about our way of life and everyone went away enriched by the day.

Visitors in August

Friar Frank Walter visit us from Rome.

Father Resti celebrates his 20th anniversary of Ordination to the priesthood with us. Father Peter Cebulka joined in the celebration.

Friar Steve Kluge OFM blesses the grave markers for Sisters Marge and Shirley

Friar Steve blesses the grave markers

during a prayer service in the cemetery of The Poor Clare Sisters in Chesterfield, NJ

August the 11, Feast of Saint Clare

Evening Prayer,on the Feast of Saint Clare, was celebrated with the Friars and The Divine Word Community. Our Bordentown Knights of Columbus and Lady Yolanda, provided a festive meal for our guests and for us. The Knights have been doing this for over 35 years and we are most grateful to them.

At 7:00 PM all our friends joined us for the Eucharist. Friar Kyle Haden once again gave a very

meaningful reflection on being true to our identity and making Jesus the person we identify with each day.

August 10- Our Transitus of St. Clare

August 10th, at 7:00PM, The Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) joined us to celebrate the death and passing of our Foundress, Saint Clare.
Friar Kyle Haden OFM, from the Holy Name of Jesus Province, shared his reflections on Saint Clare telling us that Clare, along with us, had to find her true identity by surrounding ourselves with friends and relatives that have the same value system.
One true friend for Clare was Jesus. So as Clare was dying she was able to say to her soul,

"Go in peace, my soul, because you will have a good escort.
The One Who created you
has made you holy.
The One Who created you
has infused the Holy Spirit in you
and then guarded you
as a mother does her littlest child. "

Feast Day Greetings

Secluded but monitoring the world -

Our Poor Clare Life

We are preparing for the Feast of Saint Clare and we hold you all in prayer for all your loved ones, living and deceased.

Happy Feast to all our Brothers and sisters Throughout the world.

Prayer to Saint Clare

O good and gracious God, we thank you for all that you have done for us.
Through the intersession of Saint Clare who, in her life time healed many
people, heal all our loved ones in body and spirit. Keep them in peace and joy.
We ask this through your Son and our Brother, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Secluded but Monitoring the World- The Poor Clare Life

St. Clare of Assisi
Foundress of the Order of Poor Ladies, or Clares, and first Abbess of San Damiano; born at Assisi, 16 July, 1194; died there 11 August, 1253.

She was the eldest daughter of Favorino Scifi, Count of Sasso-Rosso, the wealthy representative of an ancient Roman family, who owned a large palace in Assisi and a castle on the slope of Mount Subasio. Such at least is the traditional account. Her mother, Ortolana, belonged to the noble family of Fiumi and was conspicuous for her zeal and piety.

From her earliest years Clare seems to have been endowed with the rarest virtues. As a child she was most devoted to prayer and to practices of mortification, and as she passed into girlhood her distaste for the world and her yearning for a more spiritual life increased. She was eighteen years of age when St. Francis came to preach the Lenten course in the church of San Giorgio at Assisi. The inspired words of the Poverello kindled a flame in the heart of Clare; she sought him out secretly and begged him to help her that she too might live "after the manner of the holy Gospel". St. Francis, who at once recognized in Clare one of those chosen souls destined by God for great things, and who also, doubtless, foresaw that many would follow her example, promised to assist her. On Palm Sunday Clare, arrayed in all her finery, attended high Mass at the cathedral, but when the others pressed forward to the altar-rail to receive a branch of palm, she remained in her place as if rapt in a dream. All eyes were upon the young girl as the bishop descended from the sanctuary and placed the palm in her hand. That was the last time the world beheld Clare. On the night of the same day she secretly left her father's house, by St. Francis's advice and, accompanied by her aunt Bianca and another companion, proceeded to the humble chapel of the Porziuncula, where St. Francis and his disciples met her with lights in their hands. Clare then laid aside her rich dress, and St. Francis, having cut off her hair, clothed her in a rough tunic and a thick veil, and in this way the young heroine vowed herself to the service of Jesus Christ. This was 20 March, 1212.

Clare was placed by St. Francis provisionally with the Benedictine nuns of San Paolo, near Bastia, but her father, who had expected her to make a splendid marriage, and who was furious at her secret flight, on discovering her retreat, did his utmost to dissuade Clare from her heroic proposals, and even tried to drag her home by force. But Clare held her own with a firmness above her years, and Count Favorino was finally obliged to leave her in peace. A few days later St. Francis, in order to secure Clare the greater solitude she desired, transferred her to Sant' Angelo in Panzo, another monastery of the Benedictine nuns on one of the flanks of Subasio. Here some sixteen days after her own flight, Clare was joined by her younger sister Agnes, whom she was instrumental in delivering from the persecution of their infuriated relatives. Clare and her sister remained with the nuns at Sant' Angelo until they and the other fugitives from the world who had followed them were established by St. Francis in a rude dwelling adjoining the poor chapel of San Damiano, situated outside the town which he had to a great extent rebuilt with his own hands, and which he now obtained from the Benedictines as a permanent abode for his spiritual daughters. Thus was founded the first community of the Order of Poor Ladies, or of Poor Clares, as this second order of St. Francis came to be called.

The Co-op Staff-Duncan, Lo, Jeff and Tori-Picture of Jeff Tober, Farmer and Manager of co-op and Sr. Fran checking things out.

Flowers around the Monastery and The Pigs at Kuser's Farm