laetitia crucis Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share Posted January 25, 2010 [quote name='Muus' date='25 January 2010 - 06:42 AM' timestamp='1264416149' post='2044099'] Where's VA? [/quote] I kept hoping she'd drop in! However, I think she's definitely gone M.I.A. (Missing in Action). Perhaps when September 8th, 2010 rolls around, the Sisters will post pictures of her entrance!! [sub]P.S. When I typed in "ninja" for that emoticon, I first typed "[b]nun[/b]ja" -- AAAHAHAHA![/sub] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laetitia crucis Posted February 7, 2010 Author Share Posted February 7, 2010 I just found this lovely video on YouTube of their Salve Procession and O Lumen. When I was there I recorded the same thing on my phone, but it turned out [i]horrible[/i]. So, to say the least, I'm thrilled to have found this and thought some might like seeing and hearing it. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4o0GOb3D0g[/media] I also thought it was pretty interesting to see just how bright it is in the summer evening there (when that video was taken)... I visited in November/December and by the time we began evening Adoration (which concluded with Compline and the Procession), it was pitch black outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tridenteen Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 [quote name='laetitia crucis' date='18 January 2010 - 07:26 PM' timestamp='1263860798' post='2039903'] Hey, Tridenteen! Ask me some questions about the retreat! Sometimes I have a hard time coming up with what to talk about, even though I had such a great time, you know? [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img] Ah, and yes, you are absolutely correct -- the grounds are so very peaceful! Sometimes I could hear cows mooing. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol_grin.gif[/img] I really liked that. And there were always birds chirping away. So nice! [/quote] JMJ For instance: What did you do when you first got there.? What did you think to yourself when you went to your room for the first time/said the Divine Office with them/walked around the grounds? Did you take a few prayer walks around the grounds, when I did at my retreat at a convent, I imagined myself as a nun walking around (yeah, it is silly!)? Did you begin to feel a part of the monastary, or envision yourself living there? Did you participate in recreation with the nuns, did you get to talk to them alot? What time did you wake up and go to bed at, later than the nuns? In general, what was your horarium like!!! I might have some more, but I'm done pestering for now! Semper Fi Jesu, Tridenteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laetitia crucis Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 [quote name='Tridenteen' date='07 February 2010 - 09:06 PM' timestamp='1265591216' post='2052913'] JMJ For instance: What did you do when you first got there.? What did you think to yourself when you went to your room for the first time/said the Divine Office with them/walked around the grounds? Did you take a few prayer walks around the grounds, when I did at my retreat at a convent, I imagined myself as a nun walking around (yeah, it is silly!)? Did you begin to feel a part of the monastary, or envision yourself living there? Did you participate in recreation with the nuns, did you get to talk to them alot? What time did you wake up and go to bed at, later than the nuns? In general, what was your horarium like!!! I might have some more, but I'm done pestering for now! Semper Fi Jesu, Tridenteen [/quote] Hey Tridenteen -- thanks for the questions! Here are my attempts at answering: 1. [b]What did you do when you first got there?[/b] -- When I first got to the convent my friend and I were taken to our rooms for a nap. Our journey there took us almost 20 hours (thanks to various airplane layovers and problems with the train system) so we were pretty pooped. We had a little nap, then went to Mass for the Feast of the Presentation in the village church. When we returned we had a light dinner and joined the rest of the Sisters for Compline. 2. [b]What did you think to yourself when you went to your room for the first time/said the Divine Office with them/walked around the grounds?[/b] -- When I went to my room for the first time my literal first thought was, "Heeeey! That picture of St. Dominic (Fra Angelico's) is the SAME one I have for my cellphone wallpaper!! And heeeeey -- Guadalupe's here!!!" I was pretty excited about that. Also, when guests come to visit the Sisters, they stay in "retreat house" part of the convent/priory. Since I was staying for much longer than the other visitors, they placed me in the room they usually keep for visiting priests -- "St. Joseph's" room -- it has a toilet/bathroom attached to it. Because of that I felt really pampered actually and had to get used to it. The room itself, however, was very simple and had huge windows looking out to the chapel on the right and this beautiful, really old and big oak tree in front. Gorgeous view. Good for contemplating the beauty of God. My first time praying the Divine Office with these Sisters was.. well, I was literally [i]speechless[/i]. I don't mean to sound like a drama queen, but I found myself so overcome by the beauty of chanting the Office with them.. sometimes all I could do was work on holding back my tears. I've always loved chanting the Divine Office, but the way these Sisters chant it... it's truly PRAYER -- there's nothing [i]rushed [/i]about it, you know? Just breathing in the Psalms through music and letting those Psalms resonate within you... I don't know how else to describe it. My first time walking around the grounds was somewhat surreal. There I was in the English countryside... the wind blowing, the gorgeous clouds floating by, the birds chirping, and the cows moo-ing. I kind of felt like I'd just been transported to that opening scene of "The Sound of Music". 3. [b]Did you take a few prayer walks around the grounds, when I did at my retreat at a convent, I imagined myself as a nun walking around (yeah, it is silly!)?[/b] I liked to walk in their Mary Grotto a little down from the Chapel, but most of the time I really liked to be either in the chapel praying or in my room studying. It's peaceful wherever you go there. Aaaand, if it's silly imagining oneself as a nun living that kind of life while you're there, then I'm silly, too! I think it helps you to see if you could really picture yourself there. 4. [b]Did you begin to feel a part of the monastary, or envision yourself living there?[/b] -- I don't know if I'd say I felt like a part of the monastery there, but I can say that it felt very [i]natural [/i]being there...living their schedule and way of life, praying with them, and working with them. I felt very comfortable being there, and always welcomed by each of the Sisters. They really embrace you as you are and make you feel "at home" immediately. And well, I do think I could see myself living there. 5. [b]Did you participate in recreation with the nuns, did you get to talk to them alot?[/b] -- I didn't get to participate in the Sisters' normal daily recreation because this takes place within the cloister after dinner -- the Sisters eat all their meals in the cloister refectory. The only exceptions to this (at least to my knowledge) is when they're hosting a "Come and See" weekend and will have lunch and dinner with the guests in the guests' refectory. However, there was definitely plenty of time to speak with the Sisters! I was able to work with a few of the Sisters in their apostolates -- which was SO much fun and so good! (In one week, I "shadowed" one of the Sisters when a school came to the priory for a day-retreat; helped with another after-school "oratory"-type program; went to one of the Sisters' adult faith-formation groups; sat in on the boys' post-Confirmation group; and went to a really great talk/presentation given by one of the Sisters. It was fantastic!) I also worked with the Sisters in moving a LOT of furniture in the "retreat house" part of the convent, cleaning the convent and the chapel, and well, just being with them whenever I could. It was WONDERFUL! Before I went for my visit I was also able to speak to the Sisters, both the Prioress and the Novice Mistress (Vocation Director), quite a few times. They were always very helpful and so kind answering my questions. 6. [b]What time did you wake up and go to bed at, later than the nuns?[/b] -- I usually woke up about the same time as the Sisters. Since I was in a different part of the convent, I couldn't hear their morning bell, but I set my own alarm in the morning. I usually woke up around 5:15 - 5:30am (which is a little earlier than the Sisters' rising bell) because I liked to have some extra time for spiritual reading and studying. I went to sleep between 9:30-10:30pm. As the years have gone by, I think I'm definitely becoming a "morning person". In college, I think I would have found that shocking. (Haha!) Though I must admit, I'm still in need of caffeine for the wee hours of the morning. Here's the Sisters' daily schedule: [quote][u]The Horarium[/u] 05.45 -- Rising Bell 06.30 - 07.00 -- Meditation 07.00 -- Office of Readings and Morning Prayer 08.00 - 10.00 -- Study 10.00 - 12.00 -- Work 12.00 -- Angelus & Midday Prayer 12.15 -- Holy Mass (Sunday 09.30) 13.00 -- Lunch 14.30 - 16.55 -- Work 17.00 -- Rosary followed by Evening Prayer 18.15 -- Supper 19.45 -- Recreation 20.15 -- Adoration followed by Compline The Grand Silence follows Compline until after Morning Prayer the next day.[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tridenteen Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 JMJ THANK YOU! I felt horrible about putting so many questions, but your answers were very descriptive. I love convents! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laetitia crucis Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 [quote name='Tridenteen' date='08 February 2010 - 08:01 PM' timestamp='1265673710' post='2053725'] JMJ THANK YOU! I felt horrible about putting so many questions, but your answers were very descriptive. I love convents! [/quote] You're welcome! And no worries -- I tend to ask a LOT of questions, too. And I guess since I'm one to ask a lot of questions, I also don't mind answering a lot of questions. In fact, I kind of enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sistersintigo Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 (edited) I had a question to which the website offers no answer ( I looked too) so of course the Phatmass Phorum search scared up an older thread where somebody else got the answer. Here is a link to an older thread about English congregations of Dominican women. Scroll to the bottom, and the poster forwards an e-mail message from current Prioress, Sr. Michelle. The message answers the question, of which Dominican pre-existing group was the origin of the Dominican Sisters of St Joseph (Oakland, Natal). http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=567348 Edited October 7, 2010 by sistersintigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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