Nashville Dominicans' new chapel!

Wow! Congratulations to the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, on the (almost) completion of their new chapel at the Motherhouse in Nashville! It looks AMAZING - even better than I imagined when they were explaining the concept to me a couple of years ago when I went down there for a discernment week.

Back in Minnesota there is an apostolate of these sisters in Stillwater, doing wonderful work teaching at the local Catholic school (in full habit of course!). I also have classes here at the Angelicum with two of the sisters from this order, Sr. Gabriella and Sr. Mary Justin, who are here for a year of study as well.

So I've had pretty much ongoing contact with this order for a few years now - and I can say in complete agreement with many others that this order is one of prime examples today of the renewal of the religious orders who proclaim He who is Truth in Love to the ends of the earth, and who do not deny (but exemplify!) the joyful reality of living as Brides of Christ in full communion with His vicar on earth, the Holy Father. And they are flourishing!

Click Nashville Dominincans Construction Slide Show for more pictures, including a better shot of the tabernacle/altar/baldichino and of their first stained glass rose window (St. Cecilia of course!). There are also links there for anyone willing and financially able to help them raise the final funding needed to complete the building project - I encourage you to prayerfully consider this.

Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever! I pray that He will continue to bless this project of love and committment in Nashville, and may St. Joseph's intercession be with them:

O God, in Your loving providence, You were pleased to choose St. Joseph as guardian and protector of Jesus and Mary. Grant, we beg You, that we may be worthy to have him as our intercessor in heaven whom we, at Saint Cecilia, have long venerated as our protector. We implore his help especially as we plan and seek the means to build at our Motherhouse. We ask this so that we might continue to live our Dominican life in its fullness and depth, for the glory of God and the good of His Church. Amen.