June 22, 2014

The Beautiful Feast of Corpus Christi




This is how the Mississippi Valley looked this morning.  It's the view from the refectory.

Fr. Alberic incensing the altar.  Sr. Mary Therese serving as thurifer.
The procession
 Corpus Christi is one of the beautiful summer feasts.  It has a deep tradition in our Cistercian Order.  Traditionally, on this feast, the cloister was strewn with flowers for its whole length.  We don't have quite enough flowers for that this time of year but we make a special effort with the flowers for Church.
After Mass we have a procession to the circle in front of church.  There the priest blesses the 4 corners of the earth.  We process back into Church for adoration for the rest of the day.
The blessing of the 4 corners of the world.







June 19, 2014

Different Soaps for Different Folks

Our Sisters at Tautra Mariakloster in Norway make soap.  One of our volunteers, Sr. Jeroma Day, BVM went to Norway to be a volunteer for the abbey there for 3 months this winter.  She often helped the sisters make soap.  While she was there she made soap for all of us at OLM.  We all got to choose one.  Thanks Sr. Jeroma!