ENTRANCE OF SR. GRETA!

A new "Dominican Prayer Warrior!"
Rosary in hand and ready for some
intercessory action, Sr. Greta poses with
the icon of Our Lady of San Sisto.

Yesterday, at 3 p.m., we welcomed our new postulant, Sr. Greta, into our community, with a simple ceremony in our monastery choir. Sister chose the reading from the Book of Samuel ("Speak, Lord, your servant is listening..."), a passage so meaningful to many of us. The ceremony concluded with our prioress, Sr. Mary Martin, reciting the following prayer:

Lord, you given your servant Greta
the desire to serve you.
Complete the work you have begun.
Make her gift of self whole-hearted
and bring this first beginning
to its perfect end.
We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Afterwards, we greeted Sister in the community room. It was a beautiful autumn day full of blessings and memories for Sr. Greta and her family, and also for each of us. Each entrance ceremony brings back memories of our own leave-taking from our families and loved ones, and the excitement (and nervousness) of taking our first steps in the Dominican life. What a fitting day, the Feast of All Dominican Saints, for this "first beginning" in following the footsteps of Our Holy Father St. Dominic, confident of his intercession and the prayers of our brethren and sisters in heaven., and, yes, of YOUR prayers for Sr. Greta, that the Lord may complete the work He has begun in her!

The postulant's white veil and bright
periwinkle blue jumper make her highly
visible to the novice mistress!


Sr. Greta points to her name on the Rosary
Guard card. Most of the sisters have two half-hour
Rosary times during the day.


Checking out St. Thomas Aquinas' SUMMA
in the novitiate library. Classes and study
are a vital part of Sister's day as she is formed
in the life and mission of the Dominican Order.


Outside her cell in the novitiate.

On the cloister.