Abby in the Abbey: Thanksgiving

 

 

 

 

I have a new friend!  Imagine, Glena had surgery and Cindy has been helping out in the front office while she’s recuperating.  Cindy gives me treats, lets me sit on her lap and plays with me.  How much better could life be?  Well, I’ll tell you one thing that could be better and it’s the weather!  This ice and snow makes my feet ache, but it doesn’t stop me from going for my morning walk because that is my favorite time of the day!   Anyway, back to Cindy.  She even gave me two new toys on which I immediately “fixed” them by taking out all of the stuffing and the thing that makes them squeak.  Sr. K said she had to do “surgery” on them to repair the damage, but I did such a good job that the “surgery” didn’t work!

I just wanted to say that now that Thanksgiving is coming up fast we all need to be thankful for friends, old and new, for all the good things that God gives us and for which we forget to say “thanks”.   I’m thankful for my good home with the Sisters here at Immaculata Monastery, for all the love they give me and each other, for all of the nice people who come here every day most of whom want to say “hi” to me.  I must say that I’m not always very hospitable when I bark at people.  Somehow I just can’t help myself but don’t we all do stuff like that?  Maybe a good resolution for us all to be thankful and stop the barking!!

~Abby~

Peramiho Priory Series: How YOU can Help!

(While on home leave Sr. Rosann Ocken, Prioress of Peramiho Priory, sat down with Sr. Inviolata and talked about the work of the sisters in Tanzania-Peramiho Priory. If you would like to learn more about the work the sisters are doing check out www.mbsmissionaries.org.) 

The Missionary Benedictine Sisters are doing amazing work all over the world, but need partners who want to do good. The sisters in Norfolk try to help our sisters in foreign missions to access partners and opportunities to help with their missionary work. The sisters are working hard to be the hands and feet of Christ all over the world.

If someone would like to donate to Sr. Rosann’s mission in Peramiho they can send donations directly to the Immaculata Monastery with a note specifying where they want it to go or by going online to mbsmissionaries.org and donating there. The online donation page is completely secure and goes directly to the sisters.

 If others don’t have the resources to share Sr. Rosann says, “I really do believe all the prayers that are offered just storm heaven for us and that is so important. I really appreciate the prayers. If people want to connect with us in friendship and promise us their prayers and spiritual support that means the world to me.”

Abby in the Abbey: Hospitality

 

I’m just a dog, but I’ve noticed that the weather is changing!!!  Sr. K and Sr. GM are wearing jackets and gloves now, but they still haven’t made me wear my jacket which is fine with me because I just hate that thing!  I’m going to put on here a picture of what we saw this morning.  Isn’t it just beautiful?  There were some guys fishing in boats and Sr. K and Sr. GM wished they were out there too!  I remember going fishing with them this summer and I just loved riding in that boat.

I’m still busy making sure that the people who come to the Monastery are friends and not robbers!  Sometimes I have a hard time telling them apart and then the Sisters get mad at me and tell me to stop my barking.  Since hospitality is a huge part of the Sister’s ministry I guess barking is not a good way to greet visitors and I am trying hard to learn that part.  Luckily most of the people are dog lovers and understand that I am still learning not to be fearful of them. 

My word of wisdom today is that being hospitable in how we treat each other especially our family and friends is a great way to make a peaceful world.  It seems like with all the bad things going on that a lot can be learned from us dogs.  I heard from Sr. K just today that some people are chaining up dogs and beating them right here in Norfolk!   Isn’t that just awful???  It makes me wonder how they are treating their own people if they treat dogs that way?  Our world could use a lot more calm energy and you can find that by taking a long walk around the lake with your dog and letting your cares fly away.

~Abby~