brandelynmarie Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Blessings & prayers, Brandelyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortnun Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I can't wait to hear how it went!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificat Posted March 20, 2006 Author Share Posted March 20, 2006 Welp...I'm back and alive! I just got back in and after rising before 6 am, I'm pooped and it's time for me to get some much needed sleep. The retreat was FABULOUS and incredibly grace-filled for myself and all the other young ladies, so thank you for your many prayers! I'm happy to try to answer any questions you have about the weekend...so just start asking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Do you feel called to enter? Did the sisters invite you to enter? What did you think of Mother Agnes? Were they just a most joyous bunch (still)? Did you love it? Which convent did you stay at? What did you think of their prayer life? How many are in formation now? Tell all! <~~~ that's me, impatient!!!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificat Posted March 20, 2006 Author Share Posted March 20, 2006 Welp, let's see... I stayed at their retreat house in CT. It's a magnificant place to be and so peaceful. They have outdoor stations and a beautiful chapel. We also went into NY to visit the Sacred Heart convent which is used for the Visitation Mission. It was beautiful to hear the stories of one of the co-workers and a woman who had recently stayed with the sisters there. We also got to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral which was very very cool..esp. since it was the day after St. Patty's Day! In formation now are 8 postulants and I think 8 novices. About their prayer life, we actually spent most of Friday in prayer (it's a day of recollection for them every week). It's wonderful--Divine Office, Mass, rosary, Stations, Holy Hour, etc etc. They also have a beautiful devotion to Our Lady. They live a very very beautiful contemplative life which overflows into their active apostolates. The sisters are so awesome! Very down-to-earth yet incredibly intelligent and funny! They are all so full of grace and loving. Mother Agnes is a joy and Sr. Mary Gabriel (the vd) can make me laugh for hours! That's the 25 cent version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Sacred Heart is the one that is in NYC, right? That one wasn't in existence when I was there. Just the two in the Bronx. Originally, the NYC convent was to be a more contemplative convent for those sisters who, well, were to be a more contemplative branch, if you will. Then, I heard nothing so I don't know what happened to that experiment. Did you meet Sr Lucy, or Sr Margaret Mary or Sr Sheila? LOL I know I know. . .too many Qs What do YOU think of them as a vocational choice? Still a possibility, or did you discern it wasnt for you? Was there a time for you to discuss this with their VD? God bless you!!! I'm so glad things went well for you! And that you had a wonderful time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificat Posted March 20, 2006 Author Share Posted March 20, 2006 Yes, Sacred Heart is in NYC. I think that that experiment ended because they are all concemplative/active. I did meet all the sisters you mentioned PCPA2Be and got a chance to talk to Mother as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 [quote name='magnificat' date='Mar 19 2006, 07:40 PM']Yes, Sacred Heart is in NYC. I think that that experiment ended because they are all concemplative/active. I did meet all the sisters you mentioned PCPA2Be and got a chance to talk to Mother as well. [right][snapback]915355[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Yes, they were all contemplative active then as well. But what Mother told me (remember this was a long time ago), that some sisters wanted to be even a little more contemplative than that. So they were going to use Sacred Heart as a retreat for pregnant women and those sisters who would be there, would be a little more . . .well cloistered isn't the right word, but more stabilized there. Anyway, it's obvious it isn't the same now, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificat Posted March 20, 2006 Author Share Posted March 20, 2006 Hmm...let's see...what else can I share? Friday is their day of recollection/pray each week so we participated in that with the Sisters. So lots of silence! I got a chance to meet privately with Mother Agnes which was an absolute joy though I was rather nervous at first. Then after Holy Hour and Vespers, we got to break silence at dinner and the refectory was really LOUD! Since the Archdio. of NY got a dispensation to celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick's, we had corned beef & cabbage and brownie sundaes for dessert! Then we had recreation with the Sisters, in the form of a St. Patty's Day Jeapordy game. Saturday was spent delving into their charism and apostolate. We visited St. Patrick's Cathedral where John Cardinal O'Connor, the founder of the order, is buried. Then we spent the middle of the day at one of the convents that is involved with the Holy Respite mission. Once we returned to the retreat house, we had a short game of flag football...made slightly more confusing because we didn't really have established rules In the evening we had an "annonymous" Q & A session with the Sisters & Mother. Annonymous is in quotes because I definately got some looks from Sister who, I think, recognized my handwriting...she'd told me to put some questions in there to start so that other people would add more questions in...haha. It was a beautiful and grace-filled weekend. It was very sad to have to leave...although I almost didn't make my flight because we nearly ran out of gas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 So I gotta tell you a story. When I entered the SV, we went to a barbeque that was situated in a little patio on the grounds of St Patrick's cathedral. You wouldn't know it existed because just by looking at the cathedral, it's situated behind this block wall that blends with the rest of the structure. Anyway, there we were, new postulants, and then the new novices, who received their habits shortly after we entered. So, two of the 3 novices were standing on the stoop to the patio and started to sing to His Eminence. . . . Starrrrrrrrrrt spreadin' the news. . .I'm wearing black shoes, I wanna be a part of them . . . Sisters of LIFE. . . . . We were DYING! It was too cute That should have been taped and it should have been placed in the archives. [end story] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificat Posted March 21, 2006 Author Share Posted March 21, 2006 Awesome! Now THAT would've been something to see, I'm sure!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortnun Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 [quote]I'm wearing black shoes[/quote] People have this strange fascination with nun shoes... I don't get it, but I think it's hiliarious!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 I think that was all they could think up at the time that rhymed with Start Spreading the News. . .. News, shoes, get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortnun Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 [quote name='PCPA2Be' date='Mar 20 2006, 10:21 PM']I think that was all they could think up at the time that rhymed with Start Spreading the News. . .. News, shoes, get it? [right][snapback]916174[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Oh I get it. I've just heard so many religious sisters (and others) talk about how "trendy" their shoes are... that kind of stuff. By the way, I just love hearing all these stories about "life on the inside"... thanks so much for sharing them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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