October, 2024 Volume 50: All about Maryville
Here in Tennessee, we've been remaining very busy between our many hours of prayer every day and continuing to evangelize by sharing the Divine Will writings of the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta with others. Every Thursday at 11am ET, we're regular guests on the Radio Maria program - School of Mary, A Kindergarten of the Divine Will - hosted by Peter DePalma. We also join Peter live every Sunday on Mary's Hill, an online contemplative Divine Will cenacle, where each sister reads some select passages from Luisa’s writings and reflects on how she understands and seeks to live the beautiful truths contained. Each week we take turns with the sisters in San Marino and Talamello, Italy...
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July, 2024 Volume 49: “The whole creation is waiting with eagerness for the children of God to be revealed…” (Rm 8:19)
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Before discovering the Divine Will writings of the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta, most of us didn’t really think much about Adam and Eve or original sin…other than the fact that we often struggle with its effects. But the more we read about our glorious call “to the order, the place and the purpose for which [we were] created by God” – a subtitle Jesus Himself gave to Luisa’s diary – the more we realize the need to ponder our beginnings. Who are we as human beings, as God intended us to be? What exactly did we lose at the Fall? And through the Gift of the Divine Will, how is the Lord restoring us to His original plan? As St. John Paul II urges us, “Man – precisely the one who listens – must rediscover the lost fullness of his humanity and want to regain it” (TOB 43:7, General Audience 10/8/1980).
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Upcoming Divine Will & Spiritual Exercise Retreat in Garabandal, Spain: September 19-26, 2024
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March, 2024 Volume 48: The Road to Easter |
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We’ve heard it said that the forty days of fasting during Lent are meant to prepare us for the fifty days of feasting during the Easter season. At the surface, this seems to simply imply that we deprive ourselves so that we can eventually indulge. But the exact opposite is actually true. We deprive ourselves, we enter into a greater acknowledgement of our littleness, and we open ourselves to a deeper conversion of heart not to fall back into our old ways, but to enjoy the glorious freedom of the children of God. We are called to live the redemption Christ won for us to the fullest! As St. Paul says, it is “for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1). This is not a freedom to indulge ourselves, but a freedom to choose the good and to love. It is a freedom to become a gift to God and our neighbor. It is the freedom we need to give the Divine Will free reign in our lives. This is man fully alive and fully himself! ... (Read more)
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Is the Divine Will Approved by the Church?
In this issue of our newsletter, you'll also find an article discussing the current status of the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta's Cause and her Divine Will writings. We mention a document in which we’ve compiled a list of facts and helpful information from various credible sources for those who may still have some questions and doubts about Luisa and her 36-volume diary, entitled Book of Heaven. You can download that file to the right. |
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December, 2023 Volume 47: And the Word became Flesh
One afternoon not that long ago, while recording an episode of Radio Maria, one of the sisters glanced up at a painting that has been hanging in our parlor of Talamello for the past ten years. She has obviously looked at this image of Mary holding the infant Jesus a million times before, but this time Jesus’ penetrating gaze caught her eyes and spoke these words to her heart: “This one at last is bone of My bones and flesh of My flesh!” (Gn 2:23). The New Adam was looking at His bride. He was seeing her with delight. And for sister, seeing Jesus see her was very healing.
One of the reasons that the Word became flesh was “so that thus we might know God’s love” (CCC 458). In fact, the very first words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, taken from John’s Gospel, are: “Father…this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” In other words, knowing God is Heaven. And in Luisa’s diary, aptly entitled Book of Heaven, Jesus tells us that “the happiness, joy and glory of the blessed will be in proportion to how well they will have known Us [the Most Holy Trinity]” (Vol. 36, 6/12/1938). He emphasizes over and over again that acquiring the knowledges and truths of His Divine Will are essential for living in It. But what does it mean to know God, His love, and His Will? We can find our answer, once again, by going back to the beginning: “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived” (Gn 4:1). Knowledge of God is intimacy with Him - a real, lived intimacy that brings forth divine life... (Read more) |
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October, 2023 Volume 46: The Bridegroom and the Bride |
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"Mamma Mary, teach me how to receive.” This has been the prayer of one sister since discovering Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. For the past couple of months, the Holy Spirit has been immersing us in this treasure of a catechesis, particularly through the inspired teachings of Dr. Christopher West – the internationally well-known theologian affectionately referred to as “the Theology of the Body guy.” We’ve not only discovered a remarkable connection with the Divine Will writings, but TOB has also helped us to penetrate their depths in a new and exciting way. To put it briefly, the late and great Pope takes a deep biblical dive into the meaning of life - into what it means to be human, male and female made in the image and likeness of God – through the lens of spousal love/union that permeates all of Scripture. It is a theology of the Incarnation, for as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The entire Christian life bears the mark of the spousal love of Christ and the Church” (CCC, 1617). And who lived this great mystery with Christ more perfectly than Mary? In fact, She lived it perfectly for us all... (Read more)
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June, 2023 Volume 45: All things work together for the good of those who love God
Pretty much every year, usually during Lent, we watch the film Jesus of Nazareth during our recreation time. Some sisters look forward to those six epic hours, split up throughout the course of a week, more than others. But one thing we all seem to agree on is how much we love the portrayal of St. Peter. In addition to his part being both written and acted out very well, Peter is probably one of the most relatable figures in all of Scripture...Peter has so many wonderful qualities. He’s full of good will, holy passion, genuine love for the Lord, and a sincere desire for holiness. Throughout the Gospel, Peter also seems unafraid to step up, speak up, and take a risk. He’s a born leader, but with one debilitating flaw that we all suffer from to some extent: unholy self-sufficiency. Peter relied way too much on himself and way too little on God. But before judging him, honestly ask yourself: Do I not do the same? Even as you journey in the Divine Will, whose ability, whose strength, whose reason, whose holiness – whose will – are you really relying on? ... (Read more)
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March, 2023 Volume 44: New Wine
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By living in the Divine Will, Jesus promises us great peace, joy, and freedom…”the glorious liberty of the children of God,” as St. Paul describes it (Rom 8:21). But Jesus never promises that this will come without struggle, without difficulties or sufferings. In fact, both in the Gospel and in Luisa’s writings, He prepares us for just the opposite. As the above song by the Christian band, Hillsong Worship, so beautifully illustrates, it’s in those very moments when we feel crushed and tilled that God is making of us a new creation. It’s in those moments of obscurity where Christ wants to shine His light most powerfully in our souls. He wants to bring us out of darkness and gloom, breaking our bonds asunder, as Psalm 107 reminds us. “Even there Your hand shall lead me, Your right hand shall hold me fast…for even the darkness is not dark to You, the night is as bright as the day; for darkness is as light with You” (Ps 139:10,12)...
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December, 2022 Volume 43: Nazareth
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The other night, Mother Gabrielle Marie and another sister were speaking to a girl discerning her vocation. She was still unsure if the Lord was calling her to the religious life and, if so, which community would be best suited for her. At one point, this young woman in all sincerity said, “I just want my life to be meaningful. I want to do something meaningful to serve God.” The sister sitting by Mother, as the three video-chatted an ocean away from each other, felt something stir in the depth of her soul. Isn’t that the cry of all our hearts, whether we’re still searching for our place in the divine plan or already settled in our vocation? We all want our lives to be meaningful. We want our Father to be happy that He created us, as a friend of ours so candidly put it. St. Mother Teresa called it doing, or better yet, being “something beautiful for God.” That common ache is there for a reason and it won’t go away when we finally get married and have a house full of children. It won’t go away when we’re ordained a priest or enter the convent. It won’t go away when we finally get that perfect job, achieve success in our work or ministry, or even win the praise and esteem of others. The ache will only go away when it finds its perfect fulfillment – living in the Divine Will...
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October, 2022 Volume 42: How to pray the most perfect Rosary in the Divine Will
It’s not the most creative headline, but we bet it sparked your curiosity! We wanted to dedicate this newsletter to the prayer that St. Pope John Paul II ranked “among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation,” since October is the month of the Most Holy Rosary. There are so many quotes we could cite and things we could talk about: miracles attributed to the Rosary, the history of the Rosary, the many graces Our Lady has promised to those who faithfully pray the Rosary. But all of that can be found with a simple internet search or by picking up one of the many beautiful books written about the late pope’s favorite devotion. Instead, we’re going to discuss how to pray it in the most perfect way... (Read more)
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June, 2022 Volume 41: Vulnerability |
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Sister Grace Thomas is no more. Well, she’s no longer known by that name anyway. On Friday, May 13th she entered the novitiate, receiving both a new habit and a new name – Sister Maria Jacinta of Our Lady, Queen and Mother of the Divine Will. As with all of our investment ceremonies, Mother Gabrielle Marie cut off Sister Jacinta’s long, thick, curly locks. And, as usual, that touching moment brought many to tears. Together with Sister Maddalena, our community seamstress, Mother then began to cloth her nineteen-year-old spiritual daughter with the white tunic, scapular, and cape that she helped to sew…one of Sister Jacinta’s many “firsts” since entering the convent. Once the cap and veil were properly adjusted, the new novice was then armed with her shield and weapon – a Benedictine medal around her neck and a rosary hanging on her left side. All the while, the rest of us sang the Magnificat in Italian as we watched our very childlike younger sister with great affection. Even Sister Jacinta’s father was able to fly in from Georgia for the big day! Though a couple of mistakes were made here and there, lightening the emotional ceremony with a bit of laughter, it all couldn’t have gone better. But the most precious scene actually came after everything was all over and it was noticed by only a few... (Read more)
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April, 2022 Volume 4o: What do You want from me? |
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When Mother Gabrielle Marie and Sister Francesca came back from their trip to Portugal last November, the whole community got on a bit of a Fatima kick. Every evening we watched a new documentary about Our Lady’s 1917 apparitions and one sister even showed her catechism students an animated film based on Sister Lucia’s memoirs. As Sister watched the cartoon with her third and fourth graders, something in particular struck her. Ten-year-old Lucia would ask Our Blessed Mother the very same thing at the beginning of every apparition: What do You want from me? How often do I ask that question of God, or of His Mother? Or do I rather jump into what I think I should be doing for God’s glory without actually consulting Him first? (Read more)
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December, 2021 Volume 39: Restoration |
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One of the sisters was talking to someone the other day about trust. They both honestly shared their tendency to worry or even obsess over difficult situations rather than surrender them to the Lord. After laughing a bit at their silly, unproductive and, quite frankly, exhausting interior habits in the face of trial, one finally exclaimed to the other: “But why is it so hard? It shouldn’t be. Trust in God should, in itself, be the easiest thing in the world.” Amen! And yet…it’s not.
According to Fr. Mike Schmitz, host of Bible in a Year podcast and popular Catholic speaker, surrender means giving God dominion over everything. And if God has dominion over everything, that means I have dominion over nothing. That very definition, particularly the release of control part, is what scares the pants over all of us. Deep within our broken hearts, we doubt the Father’s love, goodness, and even wisdom. We forget that He has no agenda or ulterior motives and that He wants nothing but our eternal good and happiness...(Read more) |
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September, 2021 Volume 38: Be of Good Cheer |
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“Hope,” Jesus said, “provides the soul with a garment of fortitude, almost of iron, in such a way that, with all of their arrows, the enemies cannot wound her; not only this, but they cannot cause even the slightest disturbance. Everything is tranquility in her, everything is peace. Oh! it is beautiful to see this soul invested with beautiful hope, all cleaving to her Beloved, all distrustful of herself and all trustful in God.” (from the diary of the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta, Book of Heaven, Volume 1) In the face of suffering and trials, sorrow is normal. Sadness is normal. In fact, it is beautifully human. When Jesus took on our humanity, He gave meaning to our sorrow. He sanctified it, divinized it, and associated it with love...(Read more) |
June, 2021 Volume 37: Who are you, St. Joseph? |
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For most of his priestly life, St. Maximilian Kolbe pondered the question: Who are You, O Immaculate Conception? And in 1941, only a few hours before the arrest that would eventually lead to his martyrdom of love under the Nazi regime, the great Marian saint penned his last reflections on the Mother to whom he had consecrated his entire “life, death, and eternity.” Now eighty years later, with Pope Francis proclaiming December 8, 2020 through December 8, 2021 as the Year of St. Joseph , that same Mother is now pointing to Her Most Chaste Spouse and asking the Church’s faithful to more deeply ponder another question: Who are you, O Dear St. Joseph?
This newsletter was initially meant to be a comprehensive ode to the first and greatest among all saints (after Our Blessed Mother, of course). We planned to share some of the so many beautiful things we’ve learned about St. Joseph that have fostered our own personal devotion to him - insights flowing from Sacred Scripture, the Divine Will writings, books we’ve read and talks we’ve listened to. But after some prayer and reflection, we want to tell you a little story instead... (Read more) |
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March, 2021 Volume 36: The Friends of God
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There was a holy priest assigned to a nearby parish who died a couple of years ago. Fr. Giorgio was simple, humble, and childlike, and you couldn’t help but love him. One Sunday when we decided to attend mass at his church in San Leo, the Gospel was taken from Matthew 21:28-32 with the following verse at the heart of Our Lord’s parable: “In truth I tell you, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.” And in the typical, unpretentious Fr. Giorgio-like fashion, he begins his homily pointing out what probably most people were thinking. Jesus says some strange things. It almost seems as if we have to become swindlers and streetwalkers to get into Heaven.
Of course the saintly priest expounded on the true meaning of the gospel passage, but it does make one think of Jesus’ unusual taste in friends – those He blessed with special favors, exalted, chose to be closest to Him, or set apart for special missions. But what attracted Him so much to these unusual characters with shady pasts or obvious defects? Their misery. And through the great wonders of love and mercy that Christ worked through their miseries, He wanted to give us courage and hope in our own... (Read more) | ||
December, 2020 Volume 35: The Person of Christ
Catechism (or CCD) classes got to a late start here in Talamello due to the coronavirus, but the three sisters who are helping out this year were not at all disappointed with the delay. It gave them more time to gather resources, brainstorm new ideas, and prepare their curriculum. They stocked up on books, watched videos, and shared materials, all agreeing that there were so many beautiful things about the Catholic faith they wanted to impart to their students with not nearly enough time to cover everything. And they really didn’t just want to “cover” everything as a history or mathematics professor might try to do, but rather set their young students on fire with love for God and His Church. How does one teach to both the head and the heart?
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One sister really struggled in particular, unable to prioritize, organize, or even come up with a clear objective for the year. It was as if the Holy Spirit put a block over her mind, which was very frustrating for the former teacher and recovering perfectionist. However, in these moments when we’re most tempted to fall into discouragement, the Lord uses the very darkness to reveal a light to us that we wouldn’t have otherwise recognized. As with John the Baptist, the word of God often comes to us in the desert (Luke 3:2), and usually in the simplest of forms. For sister, the word was this: Just get the kids to really know Me and I will take care of the rest. And the message wasn’t just for her class, but for her as well. How well did she know Jesus? How well do any of us Christians really know Christ? ...(Click the file above to read the rest)
October, 2020 Volume 34: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
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One day when young Dominic Savio was playing soccer with a few of the other boys from the Oratory, St. John Bosco came along and asked him: “What would you do if the world was going to end at this very moment? The future saint replied with candor, “I’d continue to play, because I know that what I’m doing is God’s Will.” Are we always that ready? Do we have that kind of security? We have to address the elephant in the room: all of the rumors, prophesies, and conspiracy theories floating around cyberspace about what’s coming. There may be some truth in what we’ve been hearing or maybe not. But does it really matter? Should that give us reason to worry or lose our peace? Our Lord does allow certain circumstances to light a fire under us, to wake us up out of our complacency so that we’re not caught off guard. This is His mercy working through His justice. In fact, we’re living in such times now. However, if we were prepared in all seasons and watches of the night as Jesus exhorts us in the Gospel, nothing that may or may not happen in the world – or in our own personal lives - should be cause for fear or panic...(Click the file above to read the rest) | ||
June, 2020 Volume 33: Little Luisa
The spiritual life shouldn’t be an obstacle course. Sure there will be highs and lows, consolations and desolations, dryness and sweetness, sufferings and delights, lights and darkness, but none of this should have any impact on our peace of soul if we truly live in holy abandonment. We complicate things with our worry, with our need to always know exactly what’s going on, with our control. “Lord, I surrender myself to You. Do with me whatever You desire…as long as You make Your plan clear to me every step of the way so I may promptly respond to Your grace and perfectly do everything I’m supposed to do. Oh, and please show me the fruits immediately so that I may know that You are pleased with me and that I’m on the right track.” How often do we think that way, whether consciously or subconsciously? Of course, that’s not real surrender and this kind of mentality brings nothing but stress, anxiety, and frustration that we’ll never measure up to God’s impossible standards. We end up jumping through lots of hoops that the Lord never actually placed in front of us. Those standards, those pressures – if we look closely – haven’t been placed on our shoulders by God or even others. For whatever reason, whether psychological or because of past experiences and wounds, we’ve taken them on all by ourselves... (Click the file above to read the rest)
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March, 2020 Volume 32: Divine Life through Mary
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According to its Latin roots, the word “consecrate” literally means to make or declare someone or something sacred by association. For those of you who have ever made a Marian consecration, you did just that. You promised to give yourself entirely over to the Blessed Mother, trusting that She will make you a holy, sacred vessel through association with Her Immaculate Heart. It’s that old “not what you know but who you know” tactic of getting ahead, but with holy ambitions: for the sole purpose of glorifying God, fulfilling His Most Holy Will, and winning for Him lots and lots of souls.
St. Louis Marie de Montfort – the Marian heavyweight who gifted the Church with his Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary – knew this was the quickest, easiest, and most secure way to become a saint. And, may we add, it’s the quickest, easiest, and most secure way to live in the Divine Will. But easy doesn’t mean consecration should be taken lightly, so de Montfort suggested a 33-day preparation period to make sure we’re really ready to make such a solemn pledge... | ||
December, 2019 Volume 31: The Real Bethlehem
Have you put out your crèche yet? That’s usually a job reserved for Mother Gabrielle Marie at our convent. She’s got a real eye for the artistic and always gets our Nativity looking just perfect. The statuettes of Mary and Joseph peacefully gaze upon Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The wise men and shepherds are strategically spread out to avoid overcrowding. Even the ox, ass, and three little lambs seem to be smiling as they hover at a reasonable distance from their newborn Creator while matching angels are poised to sing glory to God. And when the adoration candles are all lit and the chapel lights are dimmed, the whole scene is simply breathtaking.
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Now let’s rewind 2,019 years and peek into the real grotto of Bethlehem just before the Holy Family arrived. It was probably damp, drafty, and freezing cold. There must have been a pungent odor emanating from the cave’s four-legged tenants, most likely exacerbated by the little “treasures” they left hidden among the hay. Our animal figurines are mute, but the real chorus of moos, baas, and hee-haws would have undoubtedly driven most of us crazy after a long, tiring journey. Beautiful picture, huh? Well, to Jesus it was because that’s where He chose to be born. That should be very consoling to us, we who often feel like hot messes ourselves. In fact, we waste a great deal of time mulling over our weaknesses – worrying about them, feeling guilty over them, trying to fix or cover them up, justifying and rationalizing them, etc. etc. But does it ever really do any good? Ready for a different approach?
September, 2019 Volume 30: Are you happy?
This is the number one question Mother Gabrielle Marie asks young sisters who are in the beginning stages of the religious life or those preparing to take important steps forward. That’s the first thing she asked Sister Maria Teresa when the two discussed if the novice was ready to make her first profession. She said yes, both to her spiritual mother and to Jesus, as would any woman in love when her fiancé pops the question. And that yes was confirmed on Sunday, August 4th, Feast of the Eternal Father...
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June, 2019 Volume 29: Do not let your hearts be troubled
Have you given some thought to what we talked about in our last newsletter? To refresh everyone’s memory, we started to touch upon attachments – those things in our lives that we’re not ready to give up. We often think of them as physical things – possessions, bad habits, certain pleasures. But our deepest (and most harmful) attachments come from within – those inordinate “needs” we greedily hold onto interiorly which, when not satisfied, manifest themselves as anger, jealousy, resentment, or depression. Maybe we’re addicted to affirmations, affections, our own opinions. Do we need to be the best, to be right, to be noticed? How about successful, attractive, or impressive?
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Our focus the last time was pride as the root of all our issues. But roots can’t grow unless nurtured by some good soil. There’s another word at play here that makes us all cringe, something else we don’t like to admit that we suffer from: FEAR. We grab onto the things of this world because we are afraid of our nothingness and we’re searching for security. Solution? Divine grace. We won’t be able to take control of this one and fix ourselves. Only God can see the whole, long complicated picture of who we are and provide the healing that we all need, without exception. However, we have to be ready to correspond to that grace, to welcome the medicines our Heavenly Father knows we need.
April, 2019 Volume 28: There is still one thing you lack
This line might ring a bell for most of you. It’s from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 18:18-23), the story of the rich man who asks Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. First Jesus admonishes the poor guy for calling Him “Good Master”, for “no one is good but God alone.” Then He reminds him of a few commandments, to which the unnamed rich man responds, “I have kept all these since my earliest days.” But what comes next is pretty funny. Reading his heart, Jesus tells the man that there’s still one thing he lacks…just one little, itsy, bitsy thing. That one thing just happens to be: selling everything he owns...
Download our April newsletter above for the rest of our Lenten reflection along with a bit of happy and sad news from the BDDW family.
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December, 2018 Volume 27: Gloria, Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Ever get a song stuck in your head, or rather, just a few words of a song that keep replaying over and over again? Well, the Gloria has been making its rounds in one little veiled head over here for about a month now…the same one currently staring at the computer screen. The human will found this a bit annoying, but the Divine Will continued to whisper, “Inspiration for the newsletter.” The angels were at it again, reminding us, as they did the shepherds two-thousand years ago, how we should approach the glorious birth of our King, Savior, and source of all our joy: glorifying the Most High God...
To read the rest of our Advent reflection along with other articles about the Divine Will, our Third Order of Benedictine Oblates, and some news and landmarks in our community the past few months, click on the file above to download the full December newsletter.
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September, 2018 Volume 26: The Right Response
By now it’s no breaking story that the Church is in the midst of another crisis. But we’re not going to comment on all the details because, first of all, we don’t know them all. Secondly, it’s not necessary. Though it can be important to stay informed about what’s going on in the world so we know for whom and for what we need to pray, the devil would love nothing more than to twist those good intentions for his gain. A healthy desire for truth and knowledge can sometimes turn into a time-consuming, almost addictive hunger for more and more “news”, giving the evil one exactly what he wants…all of our attention to be fixed on him and what he’s doing. No matter how dark things may seem, whether in the Catholic Church or in our own personal lives, we must remember that we are children of the Light and respond accordingly. The most dismal periods of history have also produced some of the greatest saints, and as St. Louis Marie de Montfort prophesied: “Almighty God and His holy Mother will raise up saints in the latter times who will surpass in holiness most other saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs.” We might just be living in those times now, so are you in?! Put on your work boots and let’s get started…
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June, 2018 Volume 25: The Fathers in our Lives
We have no other reason or explanation for this newsletter’s theme than the Holy Spirit. He has filled our hearts with so much gratitude for all of the different paternal influences in our lives that we just couldn’t keep it to ourselves. How important, indispensable is a father’s love and guidance! Bet you don’t realize just how many dads you have. We’ve got a bunch whom we cling to and try to learn from every day...
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March, 2018 Volume 24: An Interior Lent
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“Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him; it is the things that come out of a person that make him unclean” (Mk 7:15). This passage from Scripture got us to thinking about the usual Lenten sacrifices that we almost all take on each year: the giving up of some kind of food or beverage. And that’s super important. Even the Church asks us for days of fasting and abstinence to mortify our bodies and wills as means of reparation for our sins. Yet do these penances alone change us? How many of us still feel so weak, so full of defects and sinful tendencies even after forty days of physical renunciation? Our theory is because we tend to focus more on exterior practices than on what’s going on in the depths of our soul. Only in our interior will we find both the roots of our faults and the source of our goodness, depending on how much space is occupied by the Most Holy Trinity or by the “not even close to holy” earthly trinity…me, myself, and I...
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December, 2017 Volume 23: And a little child shall lead them...
...Some of you may be a bit tired of reading about this littleness that we perhaps write about ad nauseam, but it’s kind of a key element if we want to live in the Divine Will here on earth or even make it to Heaven at all: “In truth I tell you, anyone who does not welcome the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Luke 18:17). So how exactly do we get little and stay that way, in addition to prayer and grace of course? Well, Jesus gives us a big hint: look at the little children and imitate them. I think we can all admit that, though we love them, kids are not perfect and we certainly don’t want to copy some of their less than holy behaviors. But let’s take a look at what does make them so loveable, so much so that the Almighty God Himself chose to enter the world as one and set them up as our model...
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September, 2017 Volume 22: And they had but one heart and one soul
The other night for recreation, we watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. It was actually a Christmas gift from our monks. At a certain point, Mother Gabrielle Marie turns to one of the sisters and says, 'They kind of remind you of a religious community, don’t they?' She hit the nail right on the head. That’s exactly what we are: little dwarves. A bunch of unique characters living together with very distinct qualities and personality quirks. We’ve got a variety of talents and strengths with no shortage of defects and weaknesses, as well. Yet somehow, it seems to work…not despite our differences, but because of them...
To read more about the Benedictine Daughters, how we feel about our Oblates, and the interesting connection between Luisa Piccarreta and Padre Pio, download the full newsletter above. |
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June, 2017 Volume 21: Triple Profession
We had a big day for the whole Benedictine of Divine Will community this past May 13th: The Perpetual Profession of three sisters and one brother along with the First Profession of another brother. Though try as we might, the Lord never wants the focus to be on us. Don’t worry, of one thing we are all sure…our vocations are nothing more than a loud, booming proof of God’s infinite mercy. But surprisingly, even that’s not where He wants us to place the spotlight this time. We’ll be celebrating not only our own FIATs this issue, but those of our families as well…particularly our parents from whom we received life, love, God’s grace, and the seed of our religious vocations (whether they were aware of it or not)...So we pass the baton to our three newest perpetually professed brides - Sister Maria Scholastica of Our Merciful and Loving Eternal Father, Sister Gemma Marie of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Sister Maria Benedicta of Our Little Mother of the Divine Will and Her Most Chaste Spouse – for a firsthand glimpse into the hidden grace behind their “I do"...
For our three newly perpetually professed sisters' testimonies along with some simple, concrete practices for living in the Divine Will, click on the file above to read our complete June newsletter. |
from left to right: Sister Scholastica, Sister Benedicta, and Sister Gemma Marie
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March, 2017 Volume 20: Our Lady's Newsletter
Lent and the 100th Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima’s first apparition. We had those two ideas in mind for our March newsletter, but couldn’t figure out the 'angle'. Then after some pondering, researching, brainstorming, and staring at the blank page on the computer screen, the Lord must have felt that we suffered enough and finally whispered: 'With God, there are no angles, just the plain, simple truth'... Our Lady has had a lot to say the past couple of centuries in trying to fulfill Her maternal mission, appearing all over the world with urgent messages for Her children…messages filled with both the hard truth, important requests, and tender, motherly love. We’ve chosen just a few to focus on from three separate, though similar, Church-approved Marian apparitions in recent history – Fatima (of course), La Salette, and Akita. So we hand this newsletter over to the Blessed Mother. What better way can we prepare ourselves for Fatima’s 100th anniversary than by pondering Our Lady’s words in our hearts? And who would be better suited to guide us through the end of Lent than our sorrowful Mother Herself?...
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December, 2016 Volume 19: For His mercy endures forever...
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Earlier this year, a slip of the tongue made all of the religious in our diocese laugh when the “end of the consecrated life” was announced. A quick correction reminded those present that we were about to commemorate the solemn closing of the Year of Consecrated Life and not the religious life itself. And the same goes for the Year of Mercy. Though the physical Holy Doors were shut, bringing the extraordinary jubilee year to an end on the Solemnity of Christ the King, God has not suddenly crossed His arms and said, “Sorry, you had your chance. Too late now.” Much like the season of Advent, we should look back at the Year of Mercy as a beginning, a time for renewal. We wait and yearn for the birth of our Savior, not to forget Him once again on December 26th, but rather to revitalize our love that can often grow so tepid. And as we wait for Jesus, He waits for us also…to return to His Most Sacred Heart with true repentance, deep affection, and childlike trust in His mercy...
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September, 2016 Volume 18: The Family is Complete!
We’ve got big news for all of the laity out there who feel drawn to the Benedictines of Divine Will, yet not to the religious life. You can now live our charism from outside of the monastery walls as Oblates!
Want to find out more about what's required of Benedictine Oblates of Divine Will? Check out our fall newsletter where Fr. Elijah will fill you in on everything. |
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June, 2016 Volume 17: Food for thought...Holy Communion on the Tongue
Like many American children of her generation, one of our sisters grew up receiving Communion in the hand. She and her second-grade classmates were taught to do so in Catechism class when preparing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist for the first time. Though not forced to adopt the method, when no one offers a seven year-old another option, she will follow what she is told. And so this continued into her late teens until she heard a Sunday homily preached by a young and fervent priest that opened her eyes and permanently changed the way she approached this most sacred of mysteries. Reflecting back, the sister recognizes the moment when she began receiving Holy Communion on the tongue as a turning point in her spiritual life. The external practice, little by little, transformed her interior…igniting in her soul a deeper faith and love for the True Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist...
For more about the reception of Holy Communion, a tribute to Mother Angelica, and a few of our thoughts on Ordinary Time, download our June newsletter for a little summer reading. |
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March, 2016 Volume 16: And the greatest of these is LOVE
As two Benedictine Daughters prepared to vow themselves to the Lord in poverty, chastity and obedience for the first time, the question arose in our community as to whether this would be consistent with the Benedictine tradition. Though most religious orders profess these three customary vows, Benedictines throughout their history have chosen to keep more in line with the language of their Holy Patron’s famous Rule. They, instead, take vows of obedience, stability (the promise to remain in the community where he or she entered), and conversatio morum (“conversion of morals” - the promise to faithfully persevere in the daily conversion of oneself within the context of the monastic life, which includes the evangelical counsels of poverty and chastity)...
Download our March newsletter to read what the Holy Spirit eventually inspired as well as our Lenten reflection and other BDDW landmarks. |
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December, 2015 Volume 15: A Living Nativity
Despite the “Happy Holidays” epidemic that every year renews its attempt to ignore Christ on His own birthday, the land of St. Francis continues to remain faithful to the now famous tradition its patron began one miraculous Christmas night almost 800 years ago – the Nativity scene. Like many small Italian villages, our own Talamello takes pride in the various crèches that the parish church and its parishioners set up throughout the historic center, creating a type of scavenger hunt that both natives and tourists can enjoy from the Feast of the Immaculate Conception to the Epiphany. However, when asked to participate for the third year in a row, we, in all honesty, hesitated...
Check out our December newsletter to find out what we decided along with other BDDW news. |
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October, 2015 Volume 14: Our Greatest Weapon
We don’t know about you but for us, this past summer seemed to be filled with nothing but disturbing news. Almost every time we logged into out emails, something made us shake our heads or immediately fold our hands in prayer. Whether learning of natural disasters, the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters, or of our society’s joyful acceptance of mortal sin on national levels, one thing always came to mind without fail – how much more we need to pray the Rosary. As Padre Pio, Saint John Paul II, and many other holy men and women have affirmed, the Rosary is our greatest weapon in these sad times. There’s always that temptation to despair of the state of our world, to feel helpless, to passively shrug and say, “But what can I do about it?” But we are NOT helpless. There is MUCH that we can do...
Ready to arm yourself? Download our October newsletter for more on the wonders of the Rosary. |
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July, 2015 Volume 13: The Importance of Our "Yes"
Two more Benedictine Daughters have entered the novitiate, bringing our white habit count up to seven. But the sisters themselves don’t get top billing this time. Don’t worry…you’ll be able to read more about them, about their investment ceremonies, and about all those external details we like to know in the pages to follow. For now, however, let us focus on the real centerpiece of our story – the importance of our ‘yes’ and the Eternal Love that obtains its victory...
Take a look at our July newsletter to meet Sister Maria Benedicta, hear more about Sister Gemma Marie, and get our perspective on the famous "Call." |
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March, 2015 Volume 12: "Lord, please let me see"
Why do we have such an aversion to suffering? We’ve all heard it said before…If the angels could envy us of anything, it would be that we can suffer and they can’t. But it’s almost impossible for us to understand this weird kind of jealousy because deep down, we don’t really buy it. That’s the root of it all, isn’t it? We refuse to see the cross for what it truly is – a gift. The blindness with which we endure our pains makes them so heavy to bear, not the size and substance of our crosses. For who will ever have to carry a greater cross than Our Lord’s, yet He Himself was able to say, 'My yoke is easy and my burden is light' (Matthew 11:30)...
Need a little encouragement carrying your cross? Download our March newsletter to see how wonderful our sufferings can be. |
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December, 2014 Volume 11: Oh come let us adore Him...
Beginning on December 25th, as a birthday gift to our newborn King, the Benedictine Daughters will be kicking off all-day Eucharistic Adoration at the parish of San Lorenzo in Talamello...
Check out the BDDW December newsletter for more info. about our Adoration plans along with lots of other exciting news from the end of 2014. |
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August, 2014 Volume 10: Behold how good and pleasing it is when brothers live in unity...
Congratulations to Father Elijah John Joseph and the group of young men who have been eagerly longing to begin their monastic life together as Benedictine Monks of Divine Will! Just before sunset on July 4th, eve of St. Annibale DiFrancia’s birthday, His Excellency, Mons. Andrea Turazzi bestowed his official blessing upon the new community, thereby granting the much desired permission for the male branch of the Benedictine Daughters to finally commence...
To learn more about the Benedictine Monks of Divine Will, click on our August newsletter for all the details.
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April, 2014 Volume 9: Unless you become like little children...
Inspiration sometimes arrives in the most unusual packages and always at the perfect moment. As we labored over the topic of our next newsletter and admittedly fell into the temptation of being overly complicated, the Lord reminded us that He is simple and even sent one of His littlest emissaries to deliver the message…
For the full story of childlike faith, Divine Mercy goodies, and other Benedictine Daughter news, check out our April newsletter above. |
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December, 2013 Volume 8: In thanksgiving...
"How easy it is, even when sincerely trying to do God’s Will, to focus only on what we need and lack rather than what we have already been given. So as we enter the last few days of waiting and preparing for the coming of Our Little Savior, we wanted to share with all of you a small piece of the Advent sacrifice we chose for this year… a sacrifice of thanksgiving. To the One through whom “all things came into being” (John 1:3). To the King of Kings and Father of Fathers who grants His children even that which He denied Himself and His Own Mother."
'…and She brought forth Her firstborn Son, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn' (Luke 2:7) |
Download our December newsletter to read more about all the Lord has given us to be grateful for in 2013.
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September, 2013 Volume 7: "I am Ready"
"There’s a new novice in our midst. On Sunday, August 4th, the Feast of the Eternal Father, Sister Alessandra Monserrat Hernandez-Soler gave up the black jumper and veil of her
postulancy, along with quite a bit of hair, and entered into the next phase of her life with Jesus – the betrothal!" For more about the ceremony along with other summer "news", check out our September newsletter to hear it all. |
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May, 2013 Volume 6: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart...
"God really does take care of everything if we just let Him. All it takes is a little trust. Unfortunately, trust can only be learned and proven through suffering, through difficulties, through those moments when we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. But if we clench our fists and hold onto faith with our bare hands, the resurrection will ALWAYS follow the
cross. After spending some weeks in the U.S. obtaining religious visas, the Benedictine Daughters of Divine Will returned to Italy this February to find a few new tests of our trust in Divine Providence..." To find out if we passed our tests, download our May newsletter for the full story along with lots more vocation news for the Benedictine Daughters. |
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December, 2012 Volume 5: Knock and the door will be opened...
"Although God enjoys watching us trust and wait until the eleventh hour for Divine Providence to kick in, He never fails to come through in a big way. After several months of asking, seeking, and knocking, the Lord has not only opened a door for the Benedictine Daughters, but He has handed us over the keys…literally. With the contract for our current housing situation coming to a close at the end of the calendar year, Our Lady has found us a new place to rest our heads. We have a home for 2013 and every year thereafter!"
Download our December 2012 newsletter for all the details about our housing situation along with more exciting news for the Benedicitne Daughters. |
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March, 2012 Volume 2: Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...
"Most religious communities plan their spiritual retreats. The time, the place, the talks…all details usually organized ahead of time. Not the Benedictine Daughters of Divine Will. Like a loving Father, the Lord loves to surprise His little children when they least expect it…and surprise us He did! After spending five weeks in the United States visiting family and friends for Christmas and trying to obtain Italian religious visas, we arrived back in Rome on the very day that record-breaking snow began to hit Italy..."
For the full story and more articles about the BDDW, download our March newsletter. |
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December, 2011 Volume 1: Vows with Bishop Luigi Negri!
"On December 11th 2011, the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday, three Benedictine Daughters of Divine Will espoused themselves to the Lord. Mother Gabrielle Marie of the Annunciation, Sister Mary Rose of the Seven Swords of Sorrow, and Sister Maria Francesca of the Two Hearts vowed tp perpetually 'live in chastity for the Kingdom of Heaven, embrace voluntary poverty, and offer to God the gift of obedience'..."
Learn more about our vows and other changes for the BDDW in 2011 by downloading our December newsletter. |
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