by Sister Mary Forman, Prioress
We are doing fine and are blessed to have Fr. Meinrad Schallberger as resident chaplain, so we could have Triduum and Easter Week services, all the while offering prayers and intentions for all unable to attend either our services or those of their respective churches. We have put in place the CDC directives on what employees are to do and the local clinic has been invaluable in sending medical personnel up to the Monastery when there has been need.
Not a Divine Office or Eucharist is celebrated without our remembering the responders, health care professionals, those with the virus and their loved ones. Most of us watch the evening news, to keep abreast of the people for whom we need to pray. We have also had a couple of parties to deal with “cabin fever.”
We continue with our Wednesday evening lectio discussions, first on the Joyce Rupp’s book Beyond Compassion during Lent, and now a series of articles on Resurrection during the Easter season. Before those discussions begin, announcements are given, sometimes related to covid-19 directives, and often other matters in the community.
On Easter Sunday I called each sister living away from the Monastery to hear how she was doing. They all are well and ministering to those most in need in their area, often via telephone conversations to see how their people are doing. One of our sisters, who is away with her sick relative, devised an online retreat, for which there are 523 participants! This time of “sheltering-in-place” has certainly been teaching us how much we are a global community on our planet.
God bless you all for thinking of us. May you all continue in good health!