Almighty and everlasting God, Who in Thy beloved Son, the King of the whole world, hast willed to restore all things, mercifully grant that all the families of nations now kept apart by the wound of sin, may be brought under the sweet yoke of His rule: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth. V. Dicite in … Read more
Excerpts from the Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII: IUCUNDA SEMPER EXPECTATIONE, September 8, 1894 The recourse we have to Mary in prayer follows upon the office she continuously fills by the side of the throne of God as Mediatrix of Divine grace; being by worthiness and by merit most acceptable to Him, and, therefore, surpassing … Read more
In this poor room, now lavishly decorated by grateful pilgrims and devout Catholics, we recall to mind the great mystery of the Incarnation. “Hic Verbum caro factum est.” Thus are the words inscribed upon the altar: Here, the Word became flesh. These bare and naked walls heard the “yes” of Mary, that mysterious assent which … Read more
King St Louis has the distinction of being the only French King to be canonised (he was also a personal friend of St Thomas Aquinas!). His memory will no doubt be more dear to us, however, because that was the day that the new building was approved by the Council for occupancy. Two days later, … Read more
As children of St Dominic, we love to recount his life and virtues, which still spread their lustre over the Order he founded, nearly 800 years after his death. Time does nothing to dim the brightness of the star over his forehead. Rather, yet another year lived in the company of St Dominic only reveals … Read more
The Gospel of the feast of St Martha brings to light once again the greatness of St Mary Magdalene, the sister of the saintly woman whom the Church celebrates today, even if she did earn herself a rebuke from Our Lord for imagining that she could tell Him what to do. “Mary has chosen the … Read more
The first surprise we had was the sudden and immediate announcement that both Boarding House Mothers would be returning home. Ines-Marie and Helene have been stuck here in Wanganui since the lockdown, though they were supposed to return home in April and in June. News came that Ines-Marie had permission to return to New Caledonia, … Read more
The Sunday before, we had a Procession of the Holy Name of Jesus. Processions are a big part of the Liturgy in the Dominican Order, and the second Sunday of the month is usually dedicated to the Holy Name. We didn’t really have a place to process to, but I think Our Lord was still … Read more
On the Feast of Pentecost, it is customary in our Congregation for each Sister to receive a “Gift” of the Holy Ghost and also a “Fruit” of the Holy Ghost. During the singing of the Veni Creator Spiritus during the hour of Terce, the Prioress goes along the choir with a tray with these gifts, … Read more
On 25th April 2020, the Sisters and the Boarding School pupils held our own ANZAC Day service to remember those brave soldiers who have fallen in the wars in defense of their countries and ideals. We typically make sure we get to the Dawn Service each year, but this year the lockdown has made that … Read more
