June 2019 at Santa Rita Abbey
Feasts of the Lord
All of the post-Easter season solemnities fell in the month of June this year: the Ascension of the Lord, Pentecost (photo above), Most Holy Trinity, Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, along with the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on the last Friday of the month. In addition, June has two solemnities of its own: the Nativity of St. John the Baptist on the 24th, and Sts. Peter & Paul and the 29th. These are of course beautiful feasts, each with its our proper Office and Mass–lots of singing practices!–and each one a gift from God to draw us further into the mystery of God’s love and saving power. Aren’t these the same feasts, year after year? But we are not the same every year, and God never runs out of grace to pour out upon his beloved children!
If there is any advantage to be found in our not having a resident year-round chaplain, it is that we value the Eucharist so much the more when we do have a priest. We are so grateful to Fr. Eddie for being our faithful Sunday chaplain. We are also grateful to the occasional visiting priest (that’s Fr. Callistus above) who offers Mass for us during his stay at our retreat house.
Family Visits
Our new family guest house is already one year old! Several of our sisters’ families have come to stay there. In June members of Sr. Esther’s family traveled all the way from the Philippines to visit her. That’s Sr. Esther in the photo above with two of her niece’s children. Sr. Pam’s immediate family came later in the month, from northern Arizona and southern California; her nephew took delight in riding in one of our golf cars with his auntie.
