Never was this prayer said at the end of Compline more true Monday, October 29, 2012, as Hurricane Sandy made landfall and the winds pounded and shook our monastery with lightning flashing and the rain falling.
As Sisters kept their hours of adoration and rosary and as we prayed Compline the walls shook and we could here debris falling and banging on the roof below the chapel and choir windows. It seemed as if any minute something would come flying in. But our Angels were protecting us and nothing did. The next day we found that the what we were hearing was the slates falling off the chapel roof!
We lost power around 10PM Monday night and immediately everyone took advantage of the emergency lights and began setting up candles in the choir, refectory, halls, etc. Our monastery is built in such a way that it is very dark without lights and the kitchen is especially a challenge. The cooks were amazing, though, and everything worked like clockwork (battery operated, that is) having learned many tricks from last year’s storm!
Unlike many, many people in our area we came out of the storm relatively fine. Eight large pine trees were uprooted, four of these along the enclosure wall on the northeast side but thankfully, they fell IN the enclosure and not OUT onto the wall and the street. One tree did fall on a line and as of now it is still there. The tree near St. Dominic’s garden that half survived last year’s storm came down in this storm as we all expected.
We’ve spent the last 2 days cleaning out the refrigerators and freezers, creating a makeshift frig on the cloister, trying to preserve what we could and cooking up anything that wouldn’t keep. Meanwhile, people were stopping by with the contents of their refrigerators! We’re going to be eating hard boiled eggs for a while! And yes, we ate most of the ice cream!
Although we use electricity for so many things, for us, what we noticed the most was not having light. The antiphons and prayers of Lauds became especially poignant and Christ as our True Light took on an new and more intense meaning. We reflected too, on what it means for us to be light to the world. Our constitutions tell us that a Dominican monastery is to be a “radiant center of charity”. One of the most-loved invocations to our Father, St. Dominic is one that we sing every night after the Salve at Compline: O Lumen Ecclesia, O Light of the Church!
We were without power until around 1AM this morning! A big thank you to all the crews of JCP&L for their hard work! We know that many of our neighbors are still without power and that there are many downed trees in Summit and many homes damaged. We are with everyone in prayer, praying for them and for so many who are helping restore normal life in the area.
This probably means that I am a bad person, but I am reminded of the old joke about members of various orders gathering at a conference and praying vespers together when the lights go out and nobody can read their prayerbooks anymore.
The Benedictines just keep on going, they know the liturgy by heart.
The Domincans launch into a disquisition on Christ as our Light (Just what you said!!!)
The Franciscans give thanks for Brother Night.
The Carmelites slip into silent contemplation
The Jesuits start debating whether this means they are dispensed from praying Vespers.
And the parish priest goes downstairs and replaces the blown fuse!
Dear Sisters
Thanks be to God and His holy angels you are all fine! I was very concerned with your well being.
I must say your coping abilities are outstanding. The pictures tell the story quite well. The last picture was just precious with Sr. Veronica on the top of the tree and all the other sisters decorating it.
Imagine you were able to keep up with adoration and Rosary all during the storm!.
Luckily here in Indiana we just had some lake effect snow. Being a Jerseyite I can well imagine the pain and anguish of the people. My heart goes out to them.
Prayers,
Margaret
These jokes are actually really telling but you notice they are about MEN religious and not WOMEN!
We: keep singing the office, talk theology by candlelight, thank God for Brother Night, contemplate and keep our perpetual adoration, DON’T wonder if we are dispensed from the Office AND go down and replace the fuse…:-)
Thank-you for posting this update. I (and I’m sure many others) have been praying for you, and wondering how the Community was doing in the wake of Sandy. We’ll continue to pray for you and your neighbors as you begin the clean-up. I hope the damage to the monastery roof wasn’t serious.
Denise
Sisters,
I’m sorry to see you lost trees, but so grateful to God that you are all okay. My heart and prayers go out to you.
Love in Christ,
Candice
Thanks for the update. We were very scared after watching all the CNN coverage.
Thanks for the update. We were very scared after watching all the coverage on CNN.
Love the joke–but even more I love your response to it! Thanks.
Thank you for sharing the photos. The devastation will mean major changes in your landscape. The fact that your wall and building are okay is very good news. I hope that by now your power has been restored. God bless all of you and thank you for your prayers and positive attitude.
Hi Sisters
I just realized I posted this on the wrong blog entry.
Wow you were really hit hard! I remember when you needed some renovations and put out a call for donations. You went over your goal! How about asking for donations toward a generator? There are generators that cost about $2500 + cost of a plumber and electrician to install (about $3500 total) They are hard wired into your heating/electrical system and kick in as soon as the power goes out. They run on gas from your gas line so you don’t need to keep feeding gasoline into them. If you want the Ph# let me know. I think the friends of the Monastery could easily come up with that much and would be happy to help you!
XXX
Rosanne
In response to Sister blogger I found another saying that is appropriate as we approach Christmas : )
What if it had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men?
They would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts.