Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 18, 2025: Acts 14:21-27; Psalm 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13; Revelation 21:1-5a; John 13:31-33a, 34-35

In today’s Gospel from John 13:34, we hear Jesus saying, “I give you a new commandment: love one another.” People sometimes ask me if the Commandments of Moses supersede the “new commandment.” No, of course not, the love is the expression of fulfilling the law of God. The ten commandments remain as our foundation of faith, but the new commandment of Jesus adds a stronger emphasis to the principle of love. Jesus self-sacrificial love is an example for us to follow through our lives of being kind, and forgiving. God bless you, SK.

This past Saturday we had the Youth Group and adults of St. Mary’s/St. Rose of Lima Parishes as volunteers to clean up our yard. They did a fantastic job and after the main meal, they hiked up to the cross on top of the mountain behind the Monastery.

As we celebrate the 5th Sunday of Easter, the Benedictine Sisters of the Monastery pray that you have a Blessed Easter with continued hope in Jesus Christ, Our Risen Lord! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, also giving thanks to God for the new Pope!

Pope Leo XIV’s coat of arms
The motto
Pope Leo XIV has also chosen a motto that reflects this Augustinian tradition: In Illo uno unum, which means “In the One, we are one.” The phrase is taken from Saint Augustine’s Exposition on Psalm 127, where he explains that “although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.” (Vatican News)

Assumption College for Sisters, Denville, New Jersey, held Commencement Exercises at St Mary’s Church, May 10, 2025. Six graduates received Associate degrees, which included our Sister Stephen, who began studies in August 2022. Congratulations, Sister Stephen!

Pope Leo XIV: In his first homily as Pope Leo XIV, May 9, 2025: Called for missionary outreach to heal societal wounds and emphasized the need for the Church to respond to modernity and the challenges of secularism and the digital revolution, expressing a commitment to peace.

“BE DOERS OF THE WORD,” by Bishop James S. Wall, Bishop of the Gallup diocese 2024: “Most Rev. James S. Wall, Bishop of Gallup discusses his special connection to the diocese and his experience as bishop in this unique diocese. Bishop Wall also talks about how the Catholic Home Missions Appeal helps provide the faithful of his diocese with the most basic things and why contributing to the Collection is so important. Bishop Wall’s diocese also has the highest percentage of Native American lands of any diocese in the country, he briefly discusses how the Church can minister to Native Americans through the Pastoral Framework for Indigenous Ministry “Keeping Christ’s Sacred Promise”. Bishop Wall just completed his 6th pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago this October!”

MISSION STATEMENT –The Monastery of Our Lady of the Desert is a monastic community of women in the Benedictine tradition. We profess vows of stability, conversion of life and obedience. Our primary mission, is to seek God through a life of prayer, silence and solitude. Our way of life frees us to give glory and praise to God, intercede through prayer for the needs of the world and hospitality