MTS 2015 Has Begun!
The student sisters are now half-way through their first course for the summer: "Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas". This year there are some new faces as Sr. Mary Austin and Sr. Mary of the Angels from the Monastery of the Angels in Los Angelos, California join the program. Another new face is Sr. Francisca from the Corpus Christi Monastery in Nairobi, Kenya who has also started the program.
Sr. Mary Catharine (R) shows Sr. Francisca our candle department. Sr. Francisca makes candles at her monastery in Kenya.
This first week of classes is being taught by Fr. Andrew Hofer, OP. Father had asked that each sister have a Summa. We have many copies of the Summa, but not enough for the whole class of 11 sisters! Fr. Andrew solved the problem by bringing copies for each sister...although it did mean that some student brothers will be missing their copies for the Summer. "Anything for the nuns!"
The sisters didn't just jump right into class, though. First we had to officially welcome them with a barbecue cookout and picnic on the cloister!
Sr. Maria of Jesus and Sr. Marie Therese help out with cookout preparations.
Mmm...freshly baked cookies!
Yesterday, Fr. Andrew Hofer was invited into the community room for recreation. With the temperature over 90F the air conditioned community room was a welcome break from the heat.
Not only do the sisters have three classes a day, but in the afternoon each student is giving a presentation on the papers she wrote this past year.