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BLESS the Lord, all ye His Angels: you that are mighty in strength, and execute His word, hearkening to the voice of His orders. ~ Introit from the Mass for St. Michael On this feast of the three named Archangels, the Sisters particularly love to honor the angels by singing the hymn "Michael, Prince of All the Angels". In this triumphant hymn, St. Michael is given pride of place for His role as Defender, but the Gabriel and Rafael are also honored in their roles as Messenger and Healer. Each of the other choirs of angels are mentioned, with a special note of thanks for our faithful guardian angels.
 Mary, Queen of all the Angels, "whose garment is the sun," pray for us who turn to thee! "Only a God Who is love could ask you to love Him with all your heart. Only He Who has given you everything could ask you for everything."  .
 Regina Pacis, ora pro nobis!  Regina Pacis in the basilica of St. Mary Major "In union with Mary, Mother of the Church, we strive to magnify Jesus Christ, her Divine Son, by communicating the Beauty, Goodness, and Truth of the Catholic faith in a spirit of joyful evangelization while living the fullness of the Church's liturgical life." ~ Charism Statement of the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa
"What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church’s faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place " ~ Letter accompanying Summorum Pontificum
In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the issuing of Summorum Pontificum and in thanksgiving for our precious charism, the special gift that God has given us for the life of the Church, our Superiors and Chaplain recently traveled to the Eternal City on pilgrimage. There they had to opportunity to join in many of the liturgies and conferences hosted by the Summorum Pontficum 2017 pilgrimage and to pray for the community and the Church at the major basilicas and other sacred places.  "When you shall see a soul leave all things to adhere to the Word with all her strength, live by Him, allow herself to be guided by Him... a soul, in short, who can say: for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain, then you can indubitably recognize her for a spouse of the Word." ~ St. Bernard  The Virgin Mary holding the Infant Jesus as He places a ring of St. Catherine's finger - by Hans Memling Our consecration as religious women is most beautifully expressed and summed up by the three primary relationships in our life: Daughter, Spouse, Mother. Daughter "I am a daughter of the Church." ~ St. Teresa of Avila
Spouse "The nuptial dimension belongs to the whole Church, but consecrated life is a vivid image of it, since it more clearly expresses the impulse towards the Bridegroom." ~ Verbi Sponsa
Mother There is a need for people able to show... the motherly face of the Church, people who spend their lives so that others can have life and hope. The Church needs consecrated persons who, even before committing themselves to the service of this or that noble cause, allow themselves to be transformed by God's grace and conform themselves fully to the Gospel. VC 105
 Daughter, Spouse, Mother ~ in each of these, the Sister holds Our Lady as her Model and Mistress. May Mary, Daughter of the Eternal Father, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, and Mother of Christ and of the Church, pray for us and obtain for us the grace of final perseverance in our holy vocation as a Daughter of the Church, Spouse of Christ, Mother of souls!  God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14). ~ Introit for the Exultation of the Cross 
“There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already born for us, and does not now bear with us.”~ St. John Paul II  Saint Augustine says: "Beautiful is God, the Word with God ... He is beautiful in heaven,
beautiful on earth; beautiful in the womb, beautiful in his parents' arms, beautiful in his miracles, beautiful in his sufferings; beautiful in inviting to life, beautiful in not worrying about death, beautiful in giving up his life and beautiful in taking it up again; he is beautiful on the Cross, beautiful in the tomb, beautiful in heaven. Listen to the song with understanding, and let not the weakness of the flesh distract your eyes from the splendor of his beauty." The consecrated life reflects the splendor of this love because, by its fidelity to the mystery of the Cross, it confesses that it believes and lives by the love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In this way it [consecrated life] helps the Church to remain aware that the Cross is the superabundance of God's love poured out upon this world, and that it is the great sign of Christ's saving presence, especially in the midst of difficulties and trials.... Fidelity to God also inspires devotion to neighbor, a devotion which consecrated persons live out not without sacrifice by constantly interceding for the needs of their brothers and sisters, generously serving the poor and the sick, sharing the hardships of others and participating in the concerns and trials of the Church. ~ Vita Consecrata (emphasis added) "Thy Name, O Mary, cannot be pronounced without bringing some grace to him who does so devoutly!" ~ St. Bonaventure
 Birth of the Virgin by Bertolome Murillo The liturgy today commemorates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast, very important to popular piety, leads us to admire in Mary the Child, the purest dawn of the Redemption. We are contemplating a little girl like every other, at the same time the only one who was "blessed among women" (Lk 1:42). Mary was the immaculate "Daughter of Zion", destined to become the Mother of the Messiah. ~ St. John Paul II
 Maria Bambina by Pietro Favaro  "Religious consecration establishes a particular communion between religious and God and, in Him, between the members of the same institute." ~ Essential Elements, 18  The Sisters at recreation A consecrated woman is called to give up many things for the One Thing Necessary, a renunciation that is repaid a "hundredfold in this life" as well as in the life to come in the possessing and being possessed by Him Who is beyond price. The hundredfold is expressed in many ways, big and small. For our contemplative-active community, one of these is our very communal life. Each Sister has been gifted by the Holy Spirit with the communal charism to communicate the Beauty, Goodness and Truth of our faith and has been called specifically to live her consecrated life in this community. This foundational calling and gift enables the Sisters to connect with each other in a manner that transcends differences in manner and temperament (although those are also part of the hundredfold and may be given as God's gift to help each of us smooth off our rough edges).
 Latte's recreation - destroying the squeak in his newest toy!
Behold, this child is destined for the ruin and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign of contradiction; and your own soul a sword will pierce. ~ Luke 2:34-35
O God, who willed that, when your Son was lifted high on the Cross, his Mother should stand close by and share his suffering, grant that your Church, participating with the Virgin Mary in the Passion of Christ, may merit a share in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Texts from the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows  Virgin of the Seven Sorrows
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