Spring 2011

Easter

Joy

"Christianity is, by its very nature, joy the ability to be joyful." ~ Pope Benedict XVI

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he Divine Liturgy pulls us into the mystery of Christ's Life. The sacraments, Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours are personal encounters with the love and mercy of Jesus. In the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, we experience union with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ; nothing is more profoundly intimate than the sacred moment of Holy Communion.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the summit of all liturgical prayer, unveils the drama of redemption. The signs and symbols woven throughout the Liturgy wed the senses to realms beyond time: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (Cor. 2:19). These realities carry us to the Paschal Mystery of Christ, enkindling in us a vivifying joy. This joy proceeds from an unshakable faith in our wounded and risen Savior. Each sacrament offers us a foretaste of the supernatural joy of Heaven.

The liturgical year, with its rhythmic ebb and flow of fasting and feasting, culminates in the Easter Triduum.

The rich ceremonies enlighten the eyes of the believer, making visible our joyfilled faith. These sacred moments in our salvation history are recalled with solemn devotion every year; they remind us of the reason we rejoice and sing, 'Alleluia'! The rigorous forty days of Lent prepare us for the festive Easter season, which, significantly, comprises fifty days, reminding us that “[t] his momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…” (2 Cor. 4:17-18)

This ‘Easter joy' survives even the confusion and anguish of remaining faithful and true to the Gospel. The mingling of joy and suffering is an integral part of the Christian experience. The events of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the glorious Easter Vigil confirm this. The life of Christ

Left: Sr. Christy from Texas entered Our Lady of the Angels on December 8th, 2010! With spring in the air, our newest sister is excited to experience her first monastic Lent in preparation for the great Easter Triduum! Right: A library has tremendous importance in religious life! These hardworking librarians take great care of our books! Sr. Francis Sharbel and her helper, Sr. Nicole, keep this favorite nook in ship-shape with a smile. From the Holy Bible to Cookbooks, from A to Z, they know where to find what you need!

becomes our own in and through the Divine Liturgy. “By becoming Incarnate, Christ has made it possible for us, not to imitate, but to ‘relive’ His life; to conform ourselves to its essence, which is precisely what the sacraments and the liturgical cycle teach us.” (Paul Evdokimov1)

Real happiness is proved by its ability to endure. Ours is a religion of authentic joy because, paradoxically, it is rooted in the prolonged suffering and death of our Savior. The joy of the Christian finds its genesis in the crucible of affliction in union with the Crucified. The drama of the Passion finds its fulfillment in the triumph of Easter. In turn, the abiding Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament lends peaceful continuity to the elation of Easter, catalyzing our response of loving thanksgiving.

1 Evdokimov, Paul. Woman and Salvation of the World. Trans. by

Anthony P. Gythiel. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press,

Crestwood, NY:1994.

Sr. Mary John Paul Professes First Vows on February 2, 2011 "The Lord Who chose you, by identifying you with His Paschal mystery, unites you with Himself in His work of sanctifying the world. This ought to be every day's prospect of faith and spiritual joy: for Him, with Him, and in Him." - Bl. John Paul II

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ister Mary John Paul of Our Lady Czestochowa professed vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for the first time on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Sister's fervent response to God's call and her commitment to live a life focused on 'the one thing necessary' brought great joy to our community and her family and friends that gathered for this great occasion! February 2nd, known also as 'Candlmas', is aptly named for the candlelight procession at the beginning of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The candle held by the soon-to-be-professed novice, a symbol of Christ and the light

of faith, reflects the significance of religious profession as a deepening of one's baptismal consecration. At baptism, when “It is Jesus in fact that you seek when you dream of happiness. He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you. He is the beauty to which you are so attracted. …It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your life.”

- Bl. John Paul II

faith is first given, and at the Easter Vigil, when baptismal promises are renewed, candles are held as a sign of this union with 'Christ our Light.' How fitting then,

that Sister should make her profession, taking a strong stand on faith, having just carried the 'light of Christ.' In addition, having a whole church filled with persons carrying the fire of faith certainly provided inspiration and encouragement for this step. Being surrounded by the faithful of Christ's flock while one is consecrated to perpetual adoration on behalf of the Church is no small consolation! Please keep our newest Junior Professed in your prayers as she launches into this new exciting phase of her religious life.

REMEMBERING

Sister Mary Berna

dette

September 12, 1919 - December 1, 2010 Requiem Aeternum Dona Eis Domine "The best way to show our gratitude to God and to our neighbor is to accept their gifts with joy. Joy is a net of love in which souls can be caught. Joy can multiply itself in a heart that overflows with love. We impatiently await God's paradise, but we have in our hands the power to be in paradise right here and now. Being happy with God means this: to love as he loves, to help as he helps, to give as he gives, to serve as he serves." -Blessed Mother Teresa r. Mary Bernadette of the Immaculate Conception, a PCPA religious for over 60 years and a beloved friend of so many, passed away peacefully on December 1, 2010. She was of Italian heritage (and proud of it!), born to Peter and Florence Cafarelli on September 12, 1919. Sister had an undying love for her hometown of Akron, Ohio and for Canton, Ohio, where she spent the first decades of her religious life as an extern Sister at Sancta Clara Monastery.

Here Sister Bernadette greeted countless people, inspiring many to a deeper faith in our Lord, and witnessed to the love of Christ in her actions.

Her stories from past years revealed a woman with many an accomplishment.

She was an experienced gardener, rosary maker and ‘florist’; she had proficiency on the piano and excelled in detailed

S

seamstress work. These are just a few of the many trades plied by Sr. Bernadette during her religious life!

Among those inspired by Sister’s joy in living her vocation was a young man, now Fr. Joseph Tuscan, a Capuchin priest. It was a great blessing for us that this beloved ‘mentee’ of Sr. Bernadette was able to preach at her funeral Mass.

Sister Bernadette had a deep love for the priesthood. She would often remark that our priests suffer so much, and she emphasized time and time again that we must pray for them!

One of the greatest privileges of her life was her opportunity to welcome Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta to Sancta Clara Monastery. The memory of that event never left her, and she frequently spoke of Mother Teresa's holiness.

Perhaps it was the joy Sr. Bernadette

To be an authentic… steward of the mysteries of God, the priest is also called to be a man of God’s word, a generous and tireless evangelizer. Today the urgency of this is seen even more clearly in the light of the immense task of the “new evangelization.” …The priest must “live by the word.” - Bl. John Paul II – Gift and Mystery

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e are tremendously blessed by the vocations of the MFVA friars! In the present day, when priests are sorely needed in every nation, we are immensely grateful for the service of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word who also pastor a worldwide flock via EWTN! Please keep Brother Leonard and Brother Patrick in your prayers. They will soon be ordained as deacons, a major stepping stone on their journey to the priesthood. The above passage from Bl. John Paul II’s Gift and Mystery elucidates one of the keys to an effective and supernaturally fruitful ministry: sacrificial generosity. These nascent preachers of the Word, helped by intensive studies and the Holy Spirit, will certainly make a vibrant contribution to the mission of the Church!

“May God sustain in all priests a grateful awareness of the gift they have received; may he also awaken in many young men a ready and generous response to his call to give themselves completely to the cause of the Gospel. The men and women of our time, who have such need of meaning and hope, will greatly benefit from their witness.” – Bl. John Paul II

Mother Mary Angelica and Sister Mary Bernadette are seen visiting with Sister's good friend, Father Joseph Tuscan. These three natives of Ohio & members of the Franciscan family enjoyed their time together!

found in serving others, in ‘giving Jesus,’ that gave her such an affinity to this holy woman of God. In the last years of her life, our eldest Sister quipped in all honesty and with a smile on her face, “My ‘get up and go’ has gone up and went!” Even the trials of her advanced age found a place in her sense of humor. One of her favorite poems cleverly highlighted the challenges of life as a senior citizen, and she could hardly read it without laughing!

Her humor, her dedication to prayer and service to others, all flowing from her single-hearted attention to her Savior, proved to be a leaven and source of life to us and to all she met. May our dear Sister Mary Bernadette rest in peace.

commitment

Contemplative Spirit

Freedom

Integrity

Desire for Holiness

Joy

Attentiveness to God

Wholeness

Joint PCPA Formation Meeting January 2011

"The foundation and center of all human formation is Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. In His fully developed humanity, He was truly free and with complete freedom gave Himself totally for the salvation of the world."

(Pastoris Dabo Vobis) Lady of the Angels Monastery hosted the first ever joint PCPA formation meeting this past January. It was grace-filled time of Ourrenewal with our extended community. Many exciting themes focusing on the core of our contemplative vocation coalesced during these four days: PCPA identity, integrity, human development and flexibility were included in the discussions. Underlying and supporting these important ideas is the need to inspire one another with a good example. Formation is an ongoing venture that depends upon the energy generated by the solidarity of sisters. We pray that our dear Lord, “Who began a good work in [us,] will bring it to completion.�

Counting our blessings...

These are some captured moments from the past few months when we enjoyed the visit of our Sisters in Arizona (Sr. Esther Marie & Sr. Marie St. Paul). Above: Sr. Esther and her sister, Sr. Marie St. John, give some attention to our labrador, Bruno. Sr. Christy is seen soaking up some spring sunshine; sisters share some laughter and light moments with the AZ crew... and Sr. John Paul is seen full of happiness after her first profession of vows! With the arrival of spring, the outdoors, after some hard work, have been transformed into a burst of vivid green and sundry colors! As the Franciscan saints would say, the 'vestiges' of God in creation seem to be shouting in every living thing! "Wherever we are, in every place, at every hour, at every time of the day, every day and continually, let all of us truly and humbly believe, hold in our heart and love, honor, adore, serve, praise and bless, glorify and exalt, magnify and give thanks to the Most High and Supreme Eternal God Trinity and Unity..." St. Francis of Assisi