Sister Esther’s Golden Jubilee The big event this month was our Sister Esther Sawal’s Golden Jubilee, celebrated on Monday, March 13, 2017. Sr. Esther began her religious life in her native Philippines where she entered the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master soon after her high school graduation. She made her first vows in 1967. After twenty years in active ministry,
WHY DO WE DO THE THINGS WE DO DURING LENT? March 8, 2017: A Reflection for Ash Wednesday Why do we fast and you take no notice? Deny ourselves and you pay no heed? (Isaiah 58:3) Good questions. Why DO we do the things we do during Lent? This leads to an even bigger question: who is the God I
The Latest News from Santa Rita Abbey Father Bernard Johnson, RIP Our beloved chaplain of many years, Fr. Bernard Johnson, went home to God on February 21. He was our Advent & Christmas chaplain from 2000 to 2012. He served our Order in many capacities over the years: as Procurator General for our Order in Rome, a kind and wise abbot,
The Christmas Season is so beautiful, so meaningful. We hope you and your loved ones had a special one! We are composing this journal entry on the last day of the Christmas Season, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 9th this year. Here are some glimpses of Christmas at Santa Rita we hope you will enjoy.
January 15, 2017: A Reflection for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A MARK 2:18-22 Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wine skins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wine skins. I once had someone say to me when challenged
Fourth Sunday of Advent The final candle has received flame into its heart and completes the circle of light. In one week we will celebrate the coming of the fullness of Light into our universe in the Person of Jesus. God from God. Light from Light. The coming of the God who longs and the God who waits for us
Thanksgiving & Advent at Santa Rita Abbey Christmas is just a week away! We plan to publish a Christmas photo journal sometime afterward. In the meantime, however, here’s a little update on the last several weeks. Thanksgiving Day was the lovely feast it always is, celebrating God’s wonderful gifts to us throughout the year. On the first Sunday
Third Sunday of Advent Candle and flame. Light and relationship. Our third Advent Candle burns with the desire of the God-who-waits that we yield our substance to the flame of his love in relationship. Relationship which takes its expression in how we relate to God’s presence in us, in others and in the circumstances that make up our lives. We
Second Sunday of Advent Another candle expands the circle of light we call the Advent Wreath. One more candle welcomes the flame of our God who waits. Last week we spoke of yielding our inmost depths to God-with-us in the silence of our being. Our second candle invites us to open out to the God who surrounds us in all