Strengthen Your Brethren - Fr. Louis Bulletin Letter - May 21, 2006
Congratulations and God’s blessings on our parishioner, Katie Buss, daughter of Dan and Colleen, who on July 16 will be entering the religious community of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama. This community was officially established in 1962 by Mother Angelica who, of course, also founded the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). The community’s charism – or particular supernatural character, goal and spirit – is offering prayers and sacrifices for their salvation and that of the whole world. As their name indicates, the life of prayer of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration is specially centered on adoration of our Lord present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. In 1999 the Monastery was able to move to a new home which is now filled to capacity with 33 cloistered nuns and eight extern sisters! There are several stages of discernment and formation through which a young woman passes before making her solemn profession of the evangelical counsels (vows) of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Katie begins her religious life as a postulant participating fully in the community’s life of prayer and discipline. This initial time of discernment of God’s will – normally lasting one year – affords her the opportunity to experience the day-to-day rhythm of monastic life. During this time Katie lives as one the so-called “extern” sisters, that is, those who have “usual” contact with the outside world. The majority of the community, however, are cloistered nuns living a radical separation from life in the world. Those who willingly embrace this profound spiritual discipline have an extremely limited opportunity to leave the cloister and their interaction with those outside the cloister is severely restricted. We can be very proud of Katie and humbled, too, that God has chosen yet another young woman from our parish to live the consecrated life! Let us accompany Katie with our prayers – begging God’s blessings on her, her family, and her new family of Poor Clares!
Mother Angelica has been one very active and zealous religious! In addition to establishing Our Lady of the Angels Monastery and what would become the world’s largest Catholic multimedia apostolate – namely, EWTN – she founded the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word in 1987. The charism of this community of priests and brothers is to preach and teach the Catholic faith via the modern means of mass communication and conducting spiritual retreats. One of my former students from my days of teaching at the seminary in Ohio is now part of these Franciscan Missionaries. Mother Angelica also established (1999) the magnificent Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery. There are a number of other buildings associated with the Shrine to accommodate the great number of pilgrims who come to this part of Alabama for spiritual renewal. In fact, I am the spiritual director for one such pilgrimage this summer (June 17-23). Finally, with the many practical chores that must be done to keep the Shrine complex going, Mother Angelica founded the Knights of the Holy Eucharist. They are single, young men who live in community a life of prayer and work. They assist pilgrims visiting the Shrine, give talks to the pilgrims, care for the buildings and grounds, and help out the Poor Clares.
Saint Peter, pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!