"And Mary, what shall we say to Thee? Mary, Thou art the Sacristan of the High Priest!
Thou wert a Sacristan in Bethlehem when He did come to Thee as wheat and grapes in the crib of Bethlehem. Thou wert His Sacristan at the Cross, where He became the Living Bread and Wine through the Crucifixion. Thou art His Sacristan now, as He comes from the altar of the Cross wearing only the drained chalice of His sacred Body." - Calvary and the Mass Last Friday, the Diocese of Santa Rosa received the great blessing of two new deacons: Deacon John Plass and Deacon Thomas Stuart. We thank God for these men who have answered His call and pray that they may be truly men of God. The gratitude and awe evoked by the sight of these virtuous young men prostrate before God in humble supplication during the Litany of the Saints was surpassed only by that evoked when the Bishop silently laid his sacred and anointed hands on their heads, consecrating them to the clerical state. May God bless our new deacons with fidelity and perseverance!
There are few things that bring more joy in Community life than sharing in each other's joy. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians, we collectively entered into the joy of Sister Mary Catherine of Mary, Mother of the Church and Sister Mary Emmanuel of Mary, Cause of Our Joy as they made their first profession of vows.
Our Marian spirituality is expressed primarily in our living of our total consecration to Jesus through Mary, but our Constitutions exhorts also to express our filial devotion in special ways on her feasts. Throughout this month of Mary, the Sisters have taken turns crowning our Lady. In addition to expressing our individual and communal love of our Mother, something of each Sister's personality appears in the crown she makes!
'Tis the month of our Mother, but it is also a season of retreats, sacraments, presentations, and any number of other apostolic adventures!
Work was the daily expression of love in the life of the Family of Nazareth.
St. John Paul II, Guardian of the Redeemer "Spiritual elevation to union with God through the power of Christ is what this holy night accomplishes...we must believe firmly that now, at Easter, God enters the world and our souls, to consecrate and sanctify." Fr. Pius Parsch
Resurrexit sicut dixit! Alleluia! May the grace of the resurrection of our Lord fill your hearts this joyous season! As might be imagined, the Sacred Triduum is a most beautiful and very full time for the Sisters. Living as we do at the service of the Sacred Liturgy, there was scarcely a breather between Palm Sunday and the present moment for side duties (such as blogging), but now that we are basking in the glow of the Easter season, there may be time to share a little about our Holy Week and Easter, beginning with a few highlights.
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