Ideas For Gifts

[MissScripture]

Okay, so I've decided to send them a book of stamps (Mother Teresa!)and ask them if there is anything else they need that I could help with. But that brings me to a new problem. How do I start it? Do I just say, "Dear Sisters of St. Clare's Monastery," or "Dear Mother So-and-so and Sisters," or what?

Thank you.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

You can start it:

"Dear Mother (Abbess*) ________ and Sisters,"

(*I'm not sure if Mother is the Abbess in OSC communities like in the PCC communities)

That's how I start all my letters to the PCCs in Rockford (which reminds me, I have a letter to finish and mail today).

or even:

"Dear Sisters,"

Either way you have it sounds just fine as well.

Edited October 29, 2010 by FutureNunJMJ

[krissylou]

[quote name='FutureNunJMJ' timestamp='1288360755' post='2183436']
You can start it:

"Dear Mother (Abbess*) ________ and Sisters,"

(*I'm not sure if Mother is the Abbess in OSC communities like in the PCC communities)

That's how I start all my letters to the PCCs in Rockford (which reminds me, I have a letter to finish and mail today).

or even:

"Dear Sisters,"

Either way you have it sounds just fine as well.
[/quote]

My guess is it'll vary from house to house ... some communities may have chosen to address the abbess as Sister and some may still use Mother.

[holly.o]

Stamps are a great idea!

If they have pets, you could also in the future send pet supplies

[MissScripture]

So, when they wrote a thank-you card to my parents, it was signed "Mother M. Matthew and Sisters," so they use Mother. I would guess the "M" stands for Mary? Maybe I should just go with "Dear Sisters" and stop worrying about it!

[vee]

[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1288366312' post='2183447']
So, when they wrote a thank-you card to my parents, it was signed "Mother M. Matthew and Sisters," so they use Mother. I would guess the "M" stands for Mary? Maybe I should just go with "Dear Sisters" and stop worrying about it!
[/quote]

It could stand for Martha or Maria or Margaret or Mark or Michael or Monica or Martina or Methodius or Matilda or Martin or ....... Yeah just go with Dear Sisters

[MissScripture]

My goodness, I am starting to understand why some of you get so nervous about contacting communities! I'm having trouble just saying THANK YOU!

[dominicansoul]

Stationary is a nice gift. Stationary and stamps. Holy Cards? We used to cherish those, just to give them to each other and/or family and friends!

It was nice, receiving/giving gifts that we ourselves made with our own hands. Out here in the world, I don't even have time to send letters to convents much less make them gifts....

*(I still haven't sent your sister my first letter to her!!!)

Edited October 29, 2010 by dominicansoul

[MissScripture]

[quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1288370289' post='2183455']
Stationary is a nice gift. Stationary and stamps. Holy Cards? We used to cherish those, just to give them to each other and/or family and friends!

It was nice, receiving/giving gifts that we ourselves made with our own hands. Out here in the world, I don't even have time to send letters to convents much less make them gifts....

*(I still haven't sent your sister my first letter to her!!!)
[/quote]
And I got time taken away from MY letter for her to tell me to pass a message along to you?!? SO NOT FAIR!

[holly.o]

Does anyone have any information about this community? I found their site on the IRL site ([url="http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/51"]here[/url]) and noticed they're Poor Clares of the Primitive Observance. Have you been there, MS?

[MissScripture]

[quote name='holly.o' timestamp='1289152041' post='2185555']
Does anyone have any information about this community? I found their site on the IRL site ([url="http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/51"]here[/url]) and noticed they're Poor Clares of the Primitive Observance. Have you been there, MS?
[/quote]
I've been to Mass there on two occasions with my sister. And I've called them a few times to ask for prayers. I don't know that much about them, but I know they have at least a few younger Sisters, because the first time I went to Mass there, one of the Sisters had just passed away, and the extern Sister asked us if we wanted to see her when we gave her some Christmas cookies. We didn't know how to say no, so we went to the window in the chapel to see her, and we could see other Sisters praying on the other side. I was quite impressed with how young some of the Sisters looked! My mom asked the extern once how they got new vocations, and she said that God just sends them! She said that "someone put our name on a website, so we get some inquiries from there" but they don't do any formal "recruiting" so to speak.

[MissScripture]

[quote name='vee8' timestamp='1288367241' post='2183450']
It could stand for Martha or Maria or Margaret or Mark or Michael or Monica or Martina or Methodius or Matilda or Martin or ....... Yeah just go with Dear Sisters
[/quote]
It was Mary, I was right. They wrote back and she signed it "Mother Mary Matthew and Sisters."
They also sent me a "Prayer for the Blessing of Health," and a St. Philomena prayer card (because I told them I'd say a novena to her for them...I guess they wanted to be sure I had the prayer. ) along with a few other little prayers, and a really cool aerial picture of their monastery, with the Blessing of St. Clare on the backside. I heart them!

[Luigi]

Flowers. Not the cut-and-in-the-process-of-dying kind, but plants or bulbs - roses, lilies, irises - something that will last, something they can put on the altar. Most monasteries grow flowers, and I'd bet they'd be grateful for some variety that they'd like to buy but won't spend the money on.