“May the Mother of Jesus and our Mother, always smile on your spirit, obtaining for it, from her Most Holy Son, every heavenly blessing.” ~St. Padre Pio
This year our annual May Procession to honor our Blessed Mother took place on Mother’s Day! How perfect! Enjoy the video!
We have officially moved into the new addition at IHM School, which includes a brand-new refectory and kitchen! Although we are still adjusting to the layout of the new space, it has been fantastic to have more room to work with. Just take a look at this spectacular view of the valley from our dining room! For more pictures from the day we moved into the addition, check out the full gallery on the monastery website here! Thank you for your support!
Christmas is particularly special here at Saint Benedict Center. While many visitors come to admire the lifesize Nativity Scene on the front lawn of IHM Chapel or to visit the beautifully adorned inside, the gem of the Sisters’ private Gate of Heaven Chapel is rarely seen.
The convent’s private chapel is lovingly decorated with evergreen garlands, poinsettias, and Christmas trees. The Infant Jesus rests in a hand-carved manger, prominently displayed at the altar rail and surrounded by flowers.
With school closed for two weeks, the Sisters enjoy “a week of Sundays.” This celebration also includes a visit and lunch with Bishop McManus, a tradition they have maintained for several years. Everyone enjoys the delightful atmosphere filled with laughter, storytelling, and blessings. After the visit this year, the Sisters gathered for a photo in the Gate of Heaven Chapel with Bishop McManus. We are truly grateful to God for our prayerful bishop.
We love Saint Patrick’s Day here at the monastery, and we love our Irish Apostle! This year, our annual Talent Night took place on the eve of the feast and was such a great show! The Sisters performed two songs. The first song was a re-write of a country tune we had debuted last year at Morning Star Camp called “God’s Soldier.” (Watch the video below.) The song tells the story of the great mission of Saint Joan of Arc, and reminds us that “everything is possible with God”! The second song is a brand new song that we hope to share on video soon! The next day, St. Patrick’s Day, was also a Sunday, and we celebrated with a feast of corned beef, cabbage, Irish soda bread, and green water! It’s the small things that make the memories!
Take a look into the behind-the-scenes preparation for Palm Sunday here at the monastery. Sr. Magdalene Marie also shares how to make a simple palm cross, and explains that blessed palms are a sacramental. Learn how to make one and share it with others!
This winter, our Sisters have enjoyed some ice skating during afternoon recreation! No sooner was school out than Sisters were grabbing their skates and heading not to a rink, but the flooded (and frozen) fields in the valley and the abutting conservation land. It made for some lovely skating, as you will see below! Enjoy the video!
We are blessed to have four beautiful seasons here at our monastery! Winter (although cold) can be visually glorious. Our grounds are lovely in all seasons, but there is a special magnificence to those days when all is adorned with a fresh New England snowfall!
Our Sisters MICM Facebook page has featured some lovely photos of our life and the seasons here at the monastery over the years. We wanted to share a few here from our recent winter weather. We hope you enjoy them! Click to enlarge!
“God is an artist, and the universe is His work of art.” ~St. Thomas Aquinas
Build a Spriritual Christmas Crib in your heart to prepare for the birth of Christ!
Written by Fr. Frederic Nelson, the “Spiritual Christmas Crib” gives a practice and prayer for each day of December until Christmas. Each day is a part of the stable that you prepare by practicing the suggested exercise and reciting the prayer as often as you can throughout the day.
The Sisters love this devotion so much that we make a version you can buy for your home… but we also wanted to share each day in a video form as found below! These videos were made for Advent of 2020, and were posted originally on our facebook page.
Enjoy this perfect Advent activity with your whole family … and the Sisters too! Come Lord Jesus!
The autumn months are quickly coming to a close here in Massachusetts… but it has truly been a beautiful one! The glory of the vibrant foliage always raises our minds and hearts to God! Enjoy a few photos of the foliage from Fall 2021 here at the monastery in the photos below.
“Question the beauty of earth… question the beauty of sea… question the beauty of sky… All respond: “See, we are beautiful.” Who made them but the Beautiful One?” ~Saint Augustine
