Journal

2019 Journal

Christ is risen, Alleluia! We had a beautiful Holy Week and Easter this year, and we hope you did, too! We are most grateful to Fr. Thomas, monk of New Clairvaux Abbey in CA, for being our chaplain during these special weeks, and to his abbot and community for sharing him with us.  Now as we bask in the over-flowing grace of the Easter season, we'd like to share with you some photos from our recent celebrations. Palm Sunday As Jesus rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;  and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all...

2019 Journal

We are happy to introduce two new additions to our community of Santa Rita: Sister Hildgard and Postulant Sharon! Sr. Hildgard Wanjiku Mberere is a native of Kenya. She grew up not far from the Trappist monastery of Our Lady of Victoria and felt called to monastic life from a young age. Her call persisted over the years, and at last the monks in Kenya recommended her to the Abbaye N.-D. de Bonne-Esperance in Echourgnac, France. She entered our Order there in 2002. We are happy to welcome her to Santa Rita Abbey as she continues her monastic journey. ...

2019 Journal

Spring has arrived! Remember that huge snow storm we had on February 22nd and how we were buried in snow for three days? Spring arrived within a week! Our ornamental pear tree in the garth south of our church decided it just couldn't wait to bloom any longer. We've never seen it bloom so gloriously, but then again, it has been many years since we've had such a wet winter. We just had another storm March 11-12 which gave us over an inch of rain and dressed the Santa Rita Mountains in a fresh robe of snow. Thank you, God! Ash Wednesday 2019 The liturgical season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday, March 6, this year. Our faithful friend, Fr....

2019 Journal

Hi! It's been a while since our last journal entry. Instead of looking back to the Christmas season, which seems like ancient history now, we'll begin this one with current events. The big excitement of the last few days was the huge snow storm which enveloped Arizona. It began with rain last Thursday, Feb 21, which turned to snow on Friday, Feb 22. Wow did it snow! For about twelve hours straight. Photos will describe it better than words can. Friday, February 22       Note that one of our...

2018 Journal

A blessed Advent and grace-filled Christmas to you and all the world! We are about to launch our new website ... which is why we've neglected this one so much this past year. Look us up again in a couple of weeks and you can see the new site! Same address as the old one, but completely re-designed. We are grateful to Kevin and his team at Anchor Wave for all their work on it. We Sisters still have more to do regarding the content of the site, so we'll continue to work on it in 2019. Please let us know what you think of the new site by sending us a message through our Contact Us page. In the...

2018 Journal

Santa Rita Abbey July 2018 Update Hello! We're sorry that we've been neglecting our website and our journal page these last several months. First we were busy finishing up the new Family Guest House project, and then trying to catch up on other projects also neglected during the construction ... And now we are re-creating our website with the help of the folks at Anchor Wave! We are hoping to have the new site ready for launch by the end of the summer. So stay tuned! In the meantime, here's a summary of the last few months. Family Guest House Project The new Family Guest House was completed by the end of April, just in time for visitors from our...

2018 Journal

On Tuesday, May 1, 2018, we had the great joy of re-electing our Mother Victoria Murray for a second six-year term as our Titular Prioress! Here are two photos from this happy occasion. Dom Brendan Freeman, superior at Mellifont Abbey in Ireland, presided at the election. Mother Kathy DeVico, abbess of Redwoods Monastery in California, was an official witness for our election. Please pray for M. Vicki as she begins this new term of service to our community.   left to right: Mother Kathy, Mother...

2018 Journal

January-February 2018 at Santa Rita Abbey Things have been busy around here so far this year. Here are some highlights. Fr. James Garcia was our resident chaplain for six months of 2017, July-December. He left us after Mass on January 1, 2018. We are grateful for his generous service--not only providing us with the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but also cheerfully lending a hand with various chores around the monastery and retreat house! Thank you, Fr. Jim, for your months of devoted service to our community! May God bless you as you move on to your next assignment. On January 3, Dom Brendan Freeman,...

2018 Journal

Mother Cecile Jubinville Our beloved former superior and first prioress, Mother Cecile Jubinville, was called home to God on December 31, 2017. She was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island on February 17, 1920, daughter of Raoul Jubinville and Leoni Laroche. After graduating from high school, Cecile studied nursing and worked in that profession for several years. Discerning God's call to the contemplative life, she responded by entering our mother house, Mt. St. Mary's Abbey, in Wrentham, Massachusetts, in November 1949. In those days she was considered a "late" vocation, being about ten years older than the more typical vocational candidates at the time. Mount Saint Mary's Abbey itself had just been founded in...