Dear Oblates,

“If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.” Ps. 95:8

     This Gospel verse for Ash Wednesday is a perfect mantra for the Lenten season.  It is possible that, during this past year, our hearts may not have become totally hardened, but might be stiff, wobbly, cluttered, hurting, or fearful.   

Instead of the usual “giving up” routine, may I suggest that each of you take a deep dive into your inner self to reflect on a different practice or attitude each week and to listen to what God is saying to you about it.  Secondly, listen to what God may be calling you to do about this practice in today’s world.  

For example, you might reflect on prayer by checking into the depth and growth in your relationship with God through fidelity to prayer time, lectio, and mindfulness of God’s presence.  Then, ask yourself how lack of prayer time impacts your relationship with others, even your “enemies.”  Does it help you to widen your path to include others or shrink your path and exclude others on your journey?  Your response might be to pray for someone whom you find difficult or to visit someone living alone and pray with that person.

Some other topics to consider might include: racism, immigration, peace, community, obedience, self-care, acquisition of things, generosity,  addiction, or whatever God leads you to choose each week.  The point is to  “hear God’s voice and harden not your heart.”

In 2021 Pope Francis said:

       Lent is a journey that involves our whole life, or entire being.  It is a time to reconsider the path we are taking, to find the route that leads to eternal life, and to discover our profound relationship with God, on whom everything depends…This is the core of Lent:  asking where our hearts are directed. 

May the grace of your Lenten journey lead you to an experience of resurrection in Christ that you may never have imagined.  That is my prayer and hope for each of you.  May you and your family be blessed with the joy of Easter.

Peace be with you,
Sister Ruth Ksycki, OSB

The 2022 Appeal will help the following communities:

• Monastery of Saint Mary of Thu Duc in Viet Nam for food, electricity, and water to families affected by the pandemic

• Monastery of the Incarnation in Lurin, Peru, who need a new bread machine and oven for their bakery.

• Monastere de l’arbrede Vie, Kinshasa , Congo for education of two sisters.

Here is the link to get the flyer for more details: www.aim-usa.org. As always you may send your donation to me, and I will forward the donations from our oblate community to AIM.  Please make the check payable to St. Mary Monastery and send it me at St. Mary Monastery, 2200 88th Ave. W, Rock Island, IL  61201-7649.

Future Conferences

Sister Mary Core, who is in hospice with cancer.

Sister Roberta Bussan, who is undergoing chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer.

QC Oblate Dana Pendleton, who had cataract surgery on Feb 28.  She is already blind in one eye, and her daughter Elizabeth, who will have a thyroid biopsy.

Claire, daughter of BLM Oblates Madeleine and Chris Callahan, whose family of 8 are in various recovery states from Covid.

Father of Oblate Nancy Houston, who died February 23.

Save the Date - June 22-23, 2022

The Benedictine women's Federation of St. Scholastica will celebrate its Centennial with a Colloquium open to all followers of Benedict: women and men who are professed, oblates, or spiritual seekers. The Colloquium will take place at Mount Saint Scholastica in Atchison, KS, AND virtually June 21-24, 2022. 

Six presenters and two responders will explore the goals spelled out here that center on Benedictine wisdom, witness, and creating a way forward. Presenters will be introduced on the website soon. This will be a hybrid event, onsite and virtual, and registrations for both formats will open next month.