Effective January 1, 2017, Sister Hilda Tuyuc, was appointed Prioress of our community, a blessing by Abbess Mary Barnes, of the Benedictine Abbey, Jamberoo, Australia. Sister Benedicta Serna, will be relieved of her position as Prioress, and we are very grateful for the service that Sister Benedicta has provided over the last eleven years.In 1986, former Sister Hilda entered the Missionaries of the Eucharist in Guatemala and spent ten years doing missionary work.  During that time, she met Benedictine monks in Guatemala, and knew she wanted to be one of them, but there were no Benedictine nuns in Guatemala.  When she found Benedictines in New Mexico, USA, she wrote asking the community to give her an opportunity to visit. They said yes.  The American Embassy made it very difficult for her to obtain a Visa; not until Sister Julianne Allen, former Superior of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Desert and Father Christian Leisy, from the Monastery of Christ in the Desert went to Guatemala and helped her obtain the Visa in 1998.Prioress Hilda quotes from the Rule of St. Benedict, that, Our life in the monastery is ‘ora et labora’. We gather to pray the Divine Office seven times a day with daily Mass. As any monastery, we have a schedule that allows us to spend time doing lectio divina, individual study, and recreation.  Since building a monastery, everything here is small like our Chapel, Guesthouse, etc.  Guests are usually happy to spend time at the monastery. Our life in here in Gobernador is very simple like Bethlehem or Nazareth at the time of Jesus.  I am very grateful to God and to the community for allowing me to be a part of this monastic journey.  May God be glorified in everything.

Profession of Simple Monastic Vows of Sister Scholastica Nguyen December 6, 2016

Following the Gospel of the Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sister Scholastica read the Chart of her Profession, promising Stability, Conversion of Life and Obedience according to the Rule of St. Benedict, and the Constitutions of the Abbey of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, for one year.  Abbot Philip Lawrence, from the Monastery of Christ in the Desert officiated the celebration.  Sister Scholastica, Sister Hilda and Abbot Philip go to the altar to sign the Profession of vows, which is left on the altar.

Sister Hilda reads:  “May Sister Scholastica continually ponder the Word of God as it comes to her in liturgy, Lectio and prayer, and in the sharing of the common life, and may she treasure that Word in her heart, as Mary did.  May His Word become of joy of her heart.”

Welcome our new Novice: Sister Stephen Phiri, November 15, 2016

A Novice is a new Benedictine-in-training who has not yet made vows.  The novice-nun wears a white veil for two years.  Sister Stephen will be studying the vows of Obedience, Stability and Conversion; The Rule of St. Benedict, Psalms, Monastic History, and Prayer. Please pray for her.

During the ceremony before she received her new name, she was asked: “You have come here to seek God and Saint Benedict offers you his Rule to help you.  You have read it and you know what it asks. You are free now to accept it or to choose some other way.” Dailesi willingly received the Rule of St. Benedict.

September 22, 2016

Abbot Guillermo becomes the first Abbot President of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation from the Americas. As many know the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation is an international union of Benedictine houses (abbeys and priories) within the Benedictine Confederation. It developed from the Subiaco Congregation, which was formed in 1867.

In 2013 the expanded congregation was given this new name. -We were pleased to hear that the General Chapter of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation elected Father Guillermo Arboleda Tamayo, abbot of the Abbey of Santa Maria of Medellin and Administrator of Guatape, Columbia to be the new Abbot President, on September 22, 2016.  Abbot Guillermo becomes the first Abbot President of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation from the Americas. Congratulations and many prayers for you Abbot! Abbot Gregory Polan, O.SB Elected Abbot Primate of Benedictine Confederation – On September 10, 2016, Abbot Gregory Polan, O.S.B., of Conception Abbey, Conception, Mo., was elected Abbot Primate of the 1500-year-old Benedictine Order at the Congress of Abbots meeting in Rome, Italy held every four years, which is made up of all abbots and conventual priors, both of monasteries that are members of congregations, as well as of those unaffiliated with any particular congregation. The Congress of Abbots elects the Abbot Primate, who serves a four-year term as the Confederation’s representative and administrative head. We congratulate and pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and inspire our new Abbot Primate.

On September 17, 2016

Dr. Francisco and Marie Colon, had a fund raiser Get-Together in their home.  This was the fifth year that they had such a wonderful Gala, catered by Marc and Anne Weigel’s, “Come to the Feast.”  Besides the delicious meal, the sisters sold their crafts and there was an auction of retablos and an icon.  We were blessed to raise more than $6k, which will go towards our general expenses.  Thank you Lori and Friends who provided a wonderful concert of Mozart music.