Sr. Mary Catharine Perry, OP, President of the North American Association of Monasteries and Prioress of Corpus Christi Monastery in the Bronx, notified the pilgrims of the Seton Route that cloistered nuns from across the Association have committed to days of prayer for each of the days of the Eucharistic Pilgrimage.
The North American Association includes the Dominican cloistered monasteries of Corpus Christi in the Bronx; Blessed Sacrament in Farmington Hills, Michigan; Mary the Queen in Girard, Illinois; Infant Jesus in Lufkin, Texas; Corpus Christi in Menlo Park, California; Our Lady of the Rosary in Shawinigan, Montreal, Quebec; Our Lady of the Rosary in Summit, New Jersey; and Queen of Peace in Squamish, British Columbia.
After a visit from Father Roger Landry of the Seton Pilgrimage on April 8 for the observed Solemnity of the Annunciation, Sr. Mary Catharine Perry sent out a note to the monasteries of the Association encouraging nuns to take one or more days of prayer for the success of the Eucharistic Pilgrimage. The nuns of the monasteries of the Asssociation responded with enthusiasm.
"The Sisters were very excited that I asked them to do this," said Sr. Mary Catharine.
She said she hoped that their commitment might inspired other monasteries, religious and faithful to adopt days or pilgrims.
The Carmelites of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Los Angeles have adopted individual pilgrims and are praying for them over the course of the pilgrimage.
Similarly, the fellows of the Leonine Forum Chapter of New York City have made a similar commitment to pray for the pilgrims over the 65 days of the pilgrimage.
Father Landry was grateful for the sisters' commitment.
"Cloistered nuns are the unsung heroes of the Church in every age. Every good that happens occurs, I believe, because of their beseeching God for the blessings we need. I walk more confidently each step of the pilgrimage knowing that the sisters have preceded that step with a lot of prayer."
"When I informed other pilgrims of the commitment of the Dominican nuns, there was a serene smile and almost a sigh of relief, knowing that if the sisters are praying, then we can be even more confident that everything will work out for the good."
Father Landry said that every November 21, the Church marks Pro Orantibus Day, a day in which the Church prays for those praying for all of us. It's a day of gratitude for all of the blessings the cloistered religious obtain for the Church and the world.
Father Landry, however, thinks every day should be a November 21. And he says that he and his fellow pilgrims are prepared over the course of the two month Eucharistic pilgrimage to make each day a Pro Orantibus day, praying for all those nuns praying for them.
"That's one of the most beautiful things about the communion of the Church," he said. "It's a communion of prayer."
Comentários