Surprise!

[memory-singer]

[quote name='Piobaire' post='1021494' date='Jul 10 2006, 07:08 PM']
Uh Yeah.........I want to know it all haha! I have so many questions you should just start from the beginning and go from there Seriously, anything and everything you want to share I would love to hear. Like what did you do, what did you wear (it must have been sooooo hot), how does the whole discernment/acceptance thing work (I thought the acceptance process would take a lot longer, you must have loved it!!!) Did you eat meals with all the nuns in the refractory (not sure of spelling)??? What are Sr Lauren and the other sisters like? Did you get to see the cloister/enclosed portions? Did you get to meet any of the friars? I am so nervous and so excited that I would love to hear about you visit, help me to understand what to expect somewhat I am sooo happy for you!

God Bless
Allison
[/quote]


I want to know everything also. So happy for you.

Dare

[zunshynn]

Oh gosh, ok. Well I got to the guest house too late to go to the Shrine on Friday. So I just went to my room at Queen of Peace guest house (the monastery guest house was full of Sr. Cristina and then Sr. Jacinta's family, so I stayed at one of the places nearby.

Then Br. Dan came by at 5:45 am on Saturday to take me to the Shrine on Saturday morning. We also picked up Sr. Thomas Aquinas of the SMMEs who was visiting Sr. Jacinta, which was cool, because she let me interview her for that project I did and it was cool to meet her.

Divine Office was incredible. I wasn't sure what I would think of it... but it's powerful. Because it really starts to click that they are truly the voices of the Church crying out to the Lord in praise and supplication. I mean... it really registered for me. And I was totally confused about where I should be, but Sr. Lauren helped me that first time, and then Sr. Judith helped me the rest of the time with Divine Office, and I started to get the hang of it eventually. And it wasn't difficult to chant at all. I mean, you have to pay attention so you're in tune with the others but it wasn't hard. Sr. Judith has a beautiful voice. I mean I'm sure they all do but she was the one I heard the most... Then the externs go to do the stuff they have to do before Mass, and then Mass starts at 7, which was incredibly beautiful. Just the reverence and the love they lavish upon Our Lord is... unsurpassed. It certainly doesn't happen at my parish. The first day I was there Sr. Christina had her 1st profession, so that was cool to see. Mother Vicar recieved her vows and she recieved the black veil.

Then we had the Rosary, and some other prayers, like the Novena of Our Lady of Good Remedy. (I don't know if they always have a novena going on, or if it was a special occasion, or if they continuously do that novena, but it was cool. Then there was a reception in the large parlor for the nuns to meet with people at the profession, and I had breakfast in one of the parlors and then met with Mother Vicar. She asked a little about me, and then said she hoped I had a nice visit.

Sr. Anastacia then showed me around, after I'd spent time at the reception, where I talked with Sr. Augustine briefly. I met a couple more of the Knights... Then we had Divine Office again at 11:30, and then the Chaplet of St. Michael, which is basically asking for the intercession of the angels. And the Angelus, which was confusing because it's in Latin. They gave me cards of all the Latin stuff, but I always seemed to pull out the wrong card. lol.

Then we had Lunch in the cloister (normally the externs eat seperately, but there aren't enough externs for a cook right now) Normally they eat in silence but since it was a profession we talked. The food was all amazingly good... And two of the kitchen sisters serve the other sisters their meals. The days we ate in silence were scary at first because all the clanking silverware sounds REALLY loud and you turn beat red wondering if everyone thought you were nuts because you ate the skin on your mango because you're nervous and you've never eaten a mango, but you just thank the sister that pointed out you could just peel it off and move on with life. lol. And they process in two by two to the refectory, stop in the center, bow to the cross of San Damiano and say Adoremus in Aeternum and then as you go to opposit sides, everyone says Sanctissimum Sacramentum. Then when everyone has done that they say grace in Latin and then take their seats. When everyone is pretty much done eating they start to clean up. I have no idea how, but everyone seems to know exactly when to start cleaning up, and then you wipe your platre into a little trash can, and then go back next to table for grace after meals and we process out the same way they process in. After Dinner some Sisters kneel to ask permissions of Mother Vicar, she makes announcements and gives a blessing.

Then we have some free time after Lunch where we can read, go for a walk, or take adoration. which is incredible. That monstrance.... oh my, oh my. Then I helped Sr. Lauren in the lower church.... I swiffered between pews and then she was getting ready for Mass in the vestry. Then we went back for adoration and then had Spiritual Reading. It's hard to choose a book because there are so many good ones lol.

Then we have Evening prayer, which probably got to be my favorite. It's very very peaceful. Then we had the chaplet of Divine Mercy. The extern sisters sit in the first row of the public part of the shrine, and we can all hear the cloistered sisters from the other side of the reredos. And we alternate on the parts we say.

Then we had dinner, and recreation, and then some more free time. Sr. Anastacia took me home around seven each evening, then I was really tired, but I usually called home, took a shower, then went to bed.

Anyway, I must run. I'll tell you more later or tomorrow.

[be_thou_my_vision]

Are you going to be a cloistered nun or an extern?

[zunshynn]

An extern! If I end up in the cloister after my canonical year I will trust that was God's will, but I am very drawn to extern life. (At present they cannot accept new applicants into the cloister anyway)

Edited July 12, 2006 by zunshynn

[awyers]

[quote name='zunshynn' post='1022963' date='Jul 12 2006, 11:16 AM']
and you turn beat red wondering if everyone thought you were nuts because you ate the skin on your mango because you're nervous and you've never eaten a mango, but you just thank the sister that pointed out you could just peel it off and move on with life. lol.
[/quote]
HAHAHA! This has to be the funniest thing I have ever heard, I am just picking myself up off the floor! How the heck did you manage to swallow the mango skin??? That must have tasted awful!

Thanks for sharing! Sounds like you had an amazing time. Cant wait to hear more :

[zunshynn]

It did taste pretty bad. But like I said, I don't think I've ever eaten a mango... and like, it was soft... so I thought you were supposed to eat it, like a pear or an apple. lol. I should have noticed that Sr. Lauren was peeling hers off. But I remember thinking, this is fruit? Why do people like these?! And then Sr. Gabriel said I could just peel it off. So I started to try to do that. But that was a little awkward. I felt like I was making a mess.. because I've never peeled a mango... lol... but now I really have to go.

[brandelynmarie]

When I visited the Basilica back in April...I literally just sat or knelt there in awe...for three hours! I couldn't move! We had Adoration & to hear the voices of the nuns...amazing...God is so good!

[zunshynn]

Hmmm... ok now some more.

It was hot, but it wasn't really that bad, and it wasn't really humid. Of course, I'm from California, which is essentially a desert and you're from Canada which is essentially not... so it could be a bit more of a shock for you. It's hot... but not uncomfortable. Besides, you'll probably be inside most of the time anyway. It's the Knights that take the heat I think. lol. I wore long but light skirts or nice capri pants.

I sort of met Fr. Mark when we had lesson with him on Monday. His lesson was about community, and it was really good, even though it's from this book that looks like its from the 70s. That was the only lesson I was able to go to, because they didn't have one with Mother Vicar on Tuesday and I left right after Mass on Thursday.

One thing unusual about my visit was that we had 3 free days while I was there, because the day of Sr. Christina's profession was a free day, as is Sunday, and so was 4th of July and on free days they only have to do really essential work, like setting up for Mass and such. You can spend the rest of the time in private prayer, go for a walk, read, take a nap, etc. That also meant I had more meals talking than usual. Plus on 4th of July we had a picnic lunch outside, which was nice because I got to talk to a lot more of the sisters (the way the refectory is set up, you can kind of only talk to the sisters on either side of you.) It was beaucoup fun, and we had hamburgers which were quite good. We had dinner outside that day too, although it was under a little porch, because we weren't sure if it would rain, and we had hot dogs. Free days are nice because they were kind of like a retreat, although I liked the work days because you get to see what life is really like.

Most of the time I was working with Sr. Lauren in the lower church. We mopped one day... and she was much faster than I was, lol. And another time we cleaned the restrooms. I mopped and she cleaned the toilets, because she probably felt like being nice, but I wouldn't have minded cleaning the toilets... because even the chores that aren't lofty at all have so much meaning when you know that God Himself is in the same building and He's pleased with what you're doing, and in some small way, it's making the Shrine a beautiful place for people to encounter Our Lord.

[awyers]

awww it all sounds wonderful, thanks for sharing : I am so happy for you! How did you decided on All Saint's Day or did they pick that for you?

[passionheart]

quote name='zunshynn' date='Jul 13 2006, 03:07 PM' post='1023728']
Hmmm... ok now some more.

It was hot, but it wasn't really that bad, and it wasn't really humid. Of course, I'm from California, which is essentially a desert and you're from Canada which is essentially not... so it could be a bit more of a shock for you. It's hot... but not uncomfortable. Besides, you'll probably be inside most of the time anyway. It's the Knights that take the heat I think. lol. I wore long but light skirts or nice capri pants.

[/quote]



Sorry but I can't let this incorrect assumption about Canada go by. Depending on where you live, we have hot humid summers as well. The humidity isn't as bad the Toronto area but where I live in Ottawa right it is 40 C with the humidity. Which is 104 is the old Fahrenheit scale. I am very happily writing this from an air conditioned house!!!

That is why I am so glad God left me up north because I hate the humidity!! I don't mind the heat and I spent a month in Kenya in tent in 40 C weather but you can have the humidity!!

[zunshynn]

[quote]How did you decided on All Saint's Day or did they pick that for you?[/quote]

I picked it. I was having a little trouble picking a date. All Saints was my ideal feast/solemnity, because it's one of my favorites. And I wanted all the help I could get. lol. Apparently it's actually customary to take a feast of Our Lady, and Mother Vicar did ask if I wanted to pick one of those after she told me I could come, but I wanted to stick with All Saints... I get Our Lady and all the rest too!

I was reluctant about that date because it was so soon, and because many of my closest friends and others I would want to come to my investiture and other ceremonies are teachers or will be in college for a while, and November is right in the middle of the school year, so they might not be able to come... but I decided to let that work out for itself. I thought of the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus for that reason... but I'm happy with my date. Though it is before Christmas and Thanksgiving.... I think my family was sad about that.

[awyers]

Thats interesting, I thought that you had to pick a Marian day. All Saints Day is a beautiful choice! When I was trying to imagine my future I always thought that I would like to enter on the feast of Divine Mercy which is so very close to my heart but I always thought that either All Saints Day or the feast of the Archangels (Sept 29th) or the Guardian angels (Oct 2) would be wonderful as well. Then again St Francis or St Clare or St Augustine (which would be my birthday) would be great as well. Oh so many choices lol! I think I would find it really hard to enter before Christmas and I know my parents would have a fit if I did. You are a real inspiration for being able to follow your heart! I thought about friends and family too. I was thinking that entering in the winter months could be a real travel issue for us in Canada but like you said, it is best to just let those those go and trust Thanks for sharing with us!

[zunshynn]

Well you should pick a date after me so I can see somebody else's entrance!

lol... teasing... but boy you do have a lot of dates to choose from!

[awyers]

[quote name='zunshynn' post='1024487' date='Jul 14 2006, 11:49 AM']
Well you should pick a date after me so I can see somebody else's entrance!

lol... teasing... but boy you do have a lot of dates to choose from!
[/quote]

lol! I would be happy to enter after you and so would my mum : I have been thinking about this a lot and I just dont know. As much as I love Divine Mercy that would be in late April so that is probably too long and the weak human side of me really doesnt want to enter before Christmas I just pray that the Lord will let me know when and where (seeing as I havent even visited OLAM I just love it so much I talk like I am going to enter there lol)
Only 3 days til take-off!!!