The Benedictine life is both ordinary and human, extraordinary and divine. It is ordinary and human because St. Benedict in his Rule encourages us to get on with the business of monastic life; it is extraordinary and divine because it is a response to a call from God and it is a life lived for others. Welcome to St. Scholastica Priory, a community of sisters located in Petersham, Massachusetts.

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MONASTIC EXPERIENCE WEEKENDS

In 2013 St. Scholastica Priory will host two Monastic Experience Weekends for young women interesting in discerning their vocation by living with the community for a few days to see their life at close hand. The dates are February 15-17 and August 16-18. For more information please click here.

 

On September 22, 2012 novices Sr. Mary Emmanuel Wade and Sr. Mary Therese Morales made their simple (first) vows. Here’s an article from the Catholic Free Press on the profession ceremony.

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On October 20, 2012, two public conferences for the Year of Faith were hosted by St. Mary’s Monastery and St. Scholastica Priory. To listen to them click here:

The Year of Faith and the New Evangelization

by author Philip Zaleski

St. Benedict and the Life of Faith

by Fr. Christophe Vuillaume, OSB

 

News

May 5, 2013 —

Hello!

 We are nearing the end of the glorious Novena to the Holy Spirit that ends on Pentecost. May the Holy Spirit fill our hearts, souls and minds as He has never done before – the only reason he could fill them more is because we open them ever wider!
We are also in the days approaching Sr. Mary Herbert’s celebration.  She is a bit aware that there will be a special something happening but not the details.  I’ll fill her in on them as it gets closer.  She is hoping that I am telling her the truth (she didn’t say that!) when I told her that she needn’t worry, it wasn’t going to be big.  That is true!  But it will be big enough that our Bishop will be with us. We will spoil her as best we can on that day – 80 years of religious vows!

Last Sunday we celebrated Sr. Monica’s 25th.  The simple but moving ceremony took place right after the homily, and we had the joy of having most of her family here and very specially, her Dad. She renewed her vows and then sang again the chant that has been sung by Benedictines for centuries, The “Suscipe.”  It translates into English, “Receive me, O Lord, according to your word, and I shall live. And let me never be ashamed of my hope.”  This is a link that has a monk singing this piece for his Solemn Vows but it will give you an idea of what it is like.  We sing it three times as this monk does on the day we make or vows for life, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq3nClElORE  Sr. Mary Herbert won’t be singing this by herself.  We’ll just all jump in and sing it together!

God bless you during the following week – may it be full of grace for you.

Love and prayers always,

Mother Mary Elizabeth, OSB