A Letter from Our Director
Dear Friends,
When I was in the novitiate, every day around noon right before lunch we would gather in the chapel to pray the Litany of Loreto. It is a litany that contains the many titles of Mary. One day when I was a novice, the title “Mary, Cause of Our Joy” leapt off the page and touched my heart. Ever since then (and that was many years ago!) I have carried that title and its meaning in my heart.
From the moment Mary first appears in the gospels until the very end, Mary’s joy is evident. Even in the moments of confusion and grief, the joy of following God’s will is part and parcel of Mary’s life. That joy was communicated in her visit to Elizabeth when she said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” Her joy does not reveal itself always in constant smiles or laughter. Rather, it is a deep, rich joy that nothing can disturb. I don’t think this means that Mary never cried, feared, or wondered. How can a mother not cry when her son is being tortured? How can a mother not cry when a trip to Egypt is necessary to escape harm? How can a mother not cry when someone tells her that her son is destined for the rise and fall of many and that her own heart would be pierced?
I think there is a difference between the joy we usually think about and biblical joy. One definition of biblical joy is “choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish his work in and through lives.” Mary and the early disciples certainly did this! Filled with the Holy Spirit, they proclaimed the good news, shared in common prayer and in the breaking of the bread. Living like this brought true joy to them and to others. We can learn this joy from Mary who endured everything with a love that would fill her heart with joy.
There is one word in the gospel that best demonstrated Mary’s joy: “exult.” It comes from the Latin ex-saltare, which means to leap for joy! Mary is the perfect model for and cause of our joy! With her we learn that God uses us, as God did Mary. to “accomplish his work.”
During this month dedicated to our Blessed Mother, may we, like Mary, choose to respond to all the circumstances of our daily lives with joy, and pray in the words of the psalmist: “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have. . . clothed me with joy.” (Ps. 30:11) Mary, Cause of our Joy, pray for us!
Happy Mother’s Day to all our Mothers, Grandmothers, and Godmothers --
and all the women in our lives who modeled for us the joy of our Mother, Mary.
When I was in the novitiate, every day around noon right before lunch we would gather in the chapel to pray the Litany of Loreto. It is a litany that contains the many titles of Mary. One day when I was a novice, the title “Mary, Cause of Our Joy” leapt off the page and touched my heart. Ever since then (and that was many years ago!) I have carried that title and its meaning in my heart.
From the moment Mary first appears in the gospels until the very end, Mary’s joy is evident. Even in the moments of confusion and grief, the joy of following God’s will is part and parcel of Mary’s life. That joy was communicated in her visit to Elizabeth when she said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” Her joy does not reveal itself always in constant smiles or laughter. Rather, it is a deep, rich joy that nothing can disturb. I don’t think this means that Mary never cried, feared, or wondered. How can a mother not cry when her son is being tortured? How can a mother not cry when a trip to Egypt is necessary to escape harm? How can a mother not cry when someone tells her that her son is destined for the rise and fall of many and that her own heart would be pierced?
I think there is a difference between the joy we usually think about and biblical joy. One definition of biblical joy is “choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish his work in and through lives.” Mary and the early disciples certainly did this! Filled with the Holy Spirit, they proclaimed the good news, shared in common prayer and in the breaking of the bread. Living like this brought true joy to them and to others. We can learn this joy from Mary who endured everything with a love that would fill her heart with joy.
There is one word in the gospel that best demonstrated Mary’s joy: “exult.” It comes from the Latin ex-saltare, which means to leap for joy! Mary is the perfect model for and cause of our joy! With her we learn that God uses us, as God did Mary. to “accomplish his work.”
During this month dedicated to our Blessed Mother, may we, like Mary, choose to respond to all the circumstances of our daily lives with joy, and pray in the words of the psalmist: “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have. . . clothed me with joy.” (Ps. 30:11) Mary, Cause of our Joy, pray for us!
Happy Mother’s Day to all our Mothers, Grandmothers, and Godmothers --
and all the women in our lives who modeled for us the joy of our Mother, Mary.
Spiritual Treasury Cards
If you were wondering how to obtain more of the Annual or Perpetual Enrollment cards for many various occasions...look no further! Simply click the link below, which may also be found with more information on how to order on the same page where you may leave Prayer Requests, right here on our website! The link will provide you with a peek at the many cards available at Camilla Hall, the Convent Home for our retired/infirm Sisters. All enrolled in the Spiritual Treasury as well as those who support the enrollment program are remembered in the daily prayers and works of the Sisters!
Check it out now: www.camillahall.org/spiritual-treasury
If you were wondering how to obtain more of the Annual or Perpetual Enrollment cards for many various occasions...look no further! Simply click the link below, which may also be found with more information on how to order on the same page where you may leave Prayer Requests, right here on our website! The link will provide you with a peek at the many cards available at Camilla Hall, the Convent Home for our retired/infirm Sisters. All enrolled in the Spiritual Treasury as well as those who support the enrollment program are remembered in the daily prayers and works of the Sisters!
Check it out now: www.camillahall.org/spiritual-treasury
WE OFFER OUR GRATITUDE!
We often have folks contact us by phone or email asking how they can be a help to us...as a way of showing their gratitude for just being a part of our Conference Center "Family!" First of all, we are always so very grateful for a remembrance in your prayers as that is the best support to us in our ministry. Each day at our Morning Prayer, which we pray in common, we specifically ask God's blessings on our "Benefactors"...those who have gifted us with their presence, their time, their prayers and their treasure. If you would like to become one of our monetary Benefactors, we will gratefully accept a donation in any amount toward our ministry. Checks should be made to IHM Conference Center and sent to Sister Marie Gipprich at the Center. We are most grateful for all that you do for us and continue to ask God's blessings on each one and your special intentions! Thank you!
We often have folks contact us by phone or email asking how they can be a help to us...as a way of showing their gratitude for just being a part of our Conference Center "Family!" First of all, we are always so very grateful for a remembrance in your prayers as that is the best support to us in our ministry. Each day at our Morning Prayer, which we pray in common, we specifically ask God's blessings on our "Benefactors"...those who have gifted us with their presence, their time, their prayers and their treasure. If you would like to become one of our monetary Benefactors, we will gratefully accept a donation in any amount toward our ministry. Checks should be made to IHM Conference Center and sent to Sister Marie Gipprich at the Center. We are most grateful for all that you do for us and continue to ask God's blessings on each one and your special intentions! Thank you!
Please be sure to look for us on Facebook: IHM Conference/Retreat Center in Bryn Mawr, PA...if you like and share our posts, you will be helping to spread the ministry of the Center to others! Thank you!
Also, be sure to check out our new Photo Gallery Pages by clicking here! We are posting, in slideshow format, all the photos we have taken at any event or program hosted here at the Center.
Hopefully, you have seen the news on our Home Page about the available Reflections we offered during the pandemic, via YouTube. Please see our new page, Zoom and YouTube Library, to access these. Simply click the link to view them!
Please remember that you are always in our prayers and we ask a remembrance in yours, as well. Don't forget that you are always welcome to call or email us with any special intentions you wish us to put in our Convent Book of Prayer Intentions! The email address is ihmconferencecenter@gmail.com and our office phone is 610-581-0120.
Hopefully, you have seen the news on our Home Page about the available Reflections we offered during the pandemic, via YouTube. Please see our new page, Zoom and YouTube Library, to access these. Simply click the link to view them!
Please remember that you are always in our prayers and we ask a remembrance in yours, as well. Don't forget that you are always welcome to call or email us with any special intentions you wish us to put in our Convent Book of Prayer Intentions! The email address is ihmconferencecenter@gmail.com and our office phone is 610-581-0120.