Happy Pentecost!

Dear friends,

Happy Pentecost! After a week of retreat with lots of sun (and sisters gardening), the Holy Spirit seemed to descend outdoors in the form of a gentle rain, making all things new and green.

We’ve posted this before, but think it’s worth a repeat—here is a fr. Andé Gouzes O.P. piece celebrating the Holy Spirit, God’s love and breath.

As we all know, breathing is essential to our life as humans. Taking a deep breath can help us relax, enjoy a beautiful day, enter more deeply into prayer. Conversely, not breathing fully can make us feel anxious, panicked and tense. Especially this year, when the idea of being near to another person and their breath may cause fear or alarm rather than a sense of consolation, it is interesting to reflect on verses in Scripture that recall God’s nearness to us in this way (e.g. Genesis 2:7, Ezekiel 37:1-14, John 20:19-22). He in whom we “live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28) is closer to us than our own breath—and, just as every breath we take nourishes our heart and body with oxygen, “God’s love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us” (Romans 5:5) can continuously nourish us with the quiet peace and hope of His Presence.

Stay well, dear friends. We continue to pray with you and for you.

Sr. Marie Thomas LawrieMay 31, 2020Pentecost, liturgy

Wildfire and Rosary Rally

The view from our south field, looking at where part of the fire crested the ridge.

Dear friends,

As some of you may have heard, there was a wildfire in the Upper Squamish Valley during the Easter Octave and we were evacuated for four days. Our community and monastery are fine, thanks be to God, and we are all grateful for the current rains which help protect our area against further fires. We have been so touched by the many friends and members of the local community who have expressed concern and support. Please pray for our neighbours who were most affected, especially those who lost their homes. Sr. Claire, our prioress, talks more about the fire here.

On April 29, the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, the entire Dominican Family celebrated a Rosary Rally to pray for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. At nine o’clock p.m. local time, Dominicans in each timezone prayed the glorious mysteries of the rosary, forming a network of prayer that encircled the whole globe as the day went on. Our community gathered by candlelight after Compline to pray for the sick, medical personnel and caregivers, those who are suffering in any way from the current isolation and uncertainty. Our Lady Queen of Peace, pray for us!

P.S.:

Here is the view from the Chapel as we evacuated:

And, at the end of the summer, a success! Thanks to the generosity of a beloved Lay Dominican benefactor, we are now adequately protected with rooftop sprinklers. We are deeply grateful for being able to protect our home, this “house of prayer for all peoples.”

Sr. Marie Thomas LawrieMay 2, 2020

Christ is risen, Alleluia!

Dear friends,

Happy Easter, alleluia! May the joy and hope of our risen Christ be with you all. Here are a few photos from our preparations and celebration of the Paschal Triduum. We were praying with you and for you throughout, especially as we gathered around the Paschal fire at the beginning of the Vigil on Saturday. Wherever you are, however you are, may the joy of Eastertide fill your hearts and chase away any darkness or anxiety. The Easter Octave is a special celebration in the monastery. As we humans are creatures who exist in time, it takes time for the good news of the resurrection to sink in! For the liturgy, we pray the office of Easter Day—for the next eight days! We also take extra time for what St. Augustine called “holy leisure.” If the good weather continues, many sisters will be found this week in the garden or the forest (some with a shovel, some with a good book).

Stay safe, dear friends, and may God bless you and those you love as we celebrate His victory over sin and death—alleluia!