This Spring has already been very full! We have had retreats nearly every weekend, have been taking a course on Wisdom Literature in the Bible and the Psalms, and still kept up with all our regular apostolic work. While the Sisters have been balancing these activities, we’ve had lots of help addressing the maintenance needs around the property. In February, we posted pictures of the flood and erosion issues at the pond. Thanks to the help from many donations and the hard work of good friends, the pond and the surrounding drainage areas are being reinforced with rock to help meet future water influx.

We also were thrilled that about seventy members of the local Fraternus men’s group came to volunteer one Saturday. They spread out, clearing the undergrowth, fallen limbs, and who knows what from the many wooded areas around the property.

The fountain in the courtyard developed several leaks over the years which required extensive repair and rebuilding of the stonework. A generous donor covered half of the costs at the start of this project, and several others have contributed to the remaining expenses. Below you can see the beautiful results! God bless you for your generosity!

We look forward to your next visit, and we hope all these lovely improvements will provide an even more inviting setting for your retreat!

In the midst of the Church, we Sisters embark on this Holy Week, walking with Christ, and meditating prayerfully on quite a bit of Wisdom Literature during the past several weeks, through our latest course from Augustine Institute on Wisdom Literature and the Psalms. It might seem surprising to spend so much time in the Old Testament as we follow Jesus to Calvary this week, but in Jesus’ own words on the way to Emmaus, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:26-27).

Some Sisters recently reflected on Job in our class essay: “God’s mastery over evil is not as obvious as that over the material world. Job spends quite a bit of time putting his misfortunes on trial because he doesn’t understand why he suffers, asking the question ‘Why?’ five times in sixteen verses. Interestingly though, when God finally reveals Himself to Job, Job’s words convey the impression that the face-to-face encounter with God is more than adequate compensation for his affliction. In the end, Job knows no more about why he suffered at the end of the story than he did at the beginning. But he has seen the face of God.”

As Christ Himself says, all of these events in the Old Testament point to Him. And during this Holy Week, God’s compassion on the fallen human race and His mastery over evil is unquestionably demonstrated through His victory at the Cross. Any suffering, any affliction, any unanswered question finds its fulfillment through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. God revealed in the Old Testament that He himself is the only answer to Job’s question, “Why?” Even more so this Holy Week, Jesus shows us the visible explanation of God’s answer that each and every one of our sufferings is taken up, offered to the Father, and included in the sacrifice of His own blood. Let us walk with Jesus this week, knowing that when we unite everything we have to the Cross, nothing is ever offered or suffered in vain, and everything is brought to light and glory in the Resurrection.

By Sr. Madeleine Marie, SsEW

Before COVID, Sr. Mary John Paul and Sr. Philomena had an opportunity to share a table with Curtis Martin, the Founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast. Curtis encouraged the Sisters to visit the various campuses in our region, something we have done ever since. While we make monthly visits to the University of Alabama, Auburn, and the local campuses in Birmingham, we occasionally visit other schools as our schedule permits.

Back in September, Jimmy Schomburg, a young man from Sr. Clare Marie’s hometown of Decatur, AL, invited us to speak to the Loyola Society he started at his school, Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL. Huntingdon is a small private school under the sponsorship of the Methodist Church, and there aren’t many Catholics on campus. Mother Louise Marie accepted this invitation and sent Sr. Clare Marie and me to visit.

With the support of the campus minister, Rhett Butler, the room was full of both students and faculty members for our visit. When we realized there were only two Catholics in the room besides ourselves, we just decided to open the floor to questions. It was a new experience to present the beauty of our life and the Church to a group of people who have never encountered it, but I found it fruitful.

A few months before, a friend recommended Mike Cosper’s book, Recapturing the Wonder: Transcendent Faith in a Disenchanted World. Cosper, an evangelical writer, makes the claim that the answer to “re-enchanting” our modern culture is by taking up certain practices, such as fasting and feasting according to the liturgical year, regular examination of conscience, praying the psalms daily, daily silence, annual retreats, and living according to a rule of life. As I read this book, I kept thinking, “This protestant pastor is describing my life as a Religious sister.” It turned out Cosper makes his annual retreat at the Trappist monastery in Gethsemani, KY, which influenced the development of his ideas.

I’m pretty sure the Holy Spirit put that book into my life for that day. I remembered it as we were getting ready to leave, and I pulled it off the shelf of my office bookcase. One of the students asked how they, as non-Catholics, could live some of what we do. I pulled out Cosper’s book and went through how each of these spiritual disciplines–which I pointed out were all Catholic at heart and lead us to encounter Christ–corrects a specific defect of modern culture. It wasn’t what I planned to say, but the Holy Spirit really led us to speak to these students in way that they found both understandable and challenging.

Our experience with the students and faculty at Huntingdon was truly remarkable. We were edified by the zeal of the students, as well as well as the college’s support of its Catholic students’ faith.

Recently, Huntingdon College posted an interview with Jimmy Schomburg about his work with the Loyola Society, the Catholic group on campus. We invite you to read about this young man and the good work he is doing to share the Good News of the Gospel to his fellow students which has been influenced by our community.

Dear Family and Friends,

I am writing you to ask for your prayers and support as we begin to repair damage from a serious storm water issue affecting our pond. Many of you know that the drainage retention pond was required by ADEM Alabama Department of Environmental Management when we originally cleared the land and began the building. The damage to the pond has gotten considerably worse and more costly over the past several years. 

There has been a tremendous increase in volume and speed of storm water run-off onto our property due to land developments north of I 459 (Bainbridge housing development and the Mercedes dealership). This has resulted in periodic flooding, massive inflows of silt from other properties, and erosion to our retention pond wall on one side (where the road is closest to the pond).

Our dear friend Alain Gallet (Senior Vice President Terracon Geotechnical) who has worked with us since we began building in 1993, directed an impact study on the increased amount of storm water and the damage to the property. Alain is evaluating options and solutions to the underlying problem of the water entering the property. In the meantime, we are immediately beginning to repair and forestall any future erosion on the pond banks – a substantial challenge! 

We ask for your prayers as we seek the help of those who have the authority and ability to correct the underlying situation so our property can be preserved. Please join us in praying daily for this intention and asking for St. Joseph’s and the Holy Spirit’s guidance and assistance in this work.

You are in our daily prayers, with gratitude,

Mother Louise Marie

Sister Servants of the Eternal Word

May you find your peace and joy with the Holy Family during these most special days. You are in our joyful prayers!