Vestition of Sr. Dominica Maria
 
 

As Jesus was “driven into the desert by the Holy Spirit” on the First Sunday of Lent, it was our great joy to celebrate the “entrance into the desert” of postulant Khuyen as she received the Dominican habit and the religious name Sr. Dominica Maria of the Lamb of God. The ceremony took place in our monastery’s Chapter hall shortly before the Sunday Eucharist. In Dominican tradition, the reception of the habit marks the formal entrance of a sister into her time as a novice, which lasts two years.

During the ceremony, the sister is clothed piece by piece in habit by the hands of her sisters, without herself trying to help. This physical sign of trust shows both that the contemplative life is a gift which can’t be grasped, and that the monastic community will provide the care and guidance necessary to support the young sister along her walk with God.

 
 
 
 
 
 

At the end of the clothing, the moment everyone has been waiting for: what will the sister’s religious name and mystery be? Each candidate prays and discerns with the novice mistress in the months leading up to the ceremony (while the rest of the community tries very hard to guess!). Some receive a completely new name, while others are called to receive their Confirmation or baptismal names (or variations thereof). To our great joy, Sr. Dominica Maria received a “new-old” name, remembering both our founder St. Dominic and our dear Sr. Maria Dominica, one of our first foundresses who passed away while the monastery in Squamish was under construction.

 

Sr. Dominica Maria with a photo of Sr. Maria Dominica.

 

Please pray for Sr. Dominica Maria as she continues to “follow the Lamb wherever He goes” (Rev 14:4) in the footsteps of St. Dominic!


Sr. Marie Thomas Lawrie
Blessed Advent
 
 

Dear friends,

A blessed First Sunday of Advent to you all! The prologue of St. John’s Gospel includes the encouraging message, "The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall never overcome it” (Jn 1:5). This verse comes easily to mind this time of year, as the days grow shorter and snow begins to fall. As we enter into this beautiful season, we want to share with you a bit of the news from around our monastery.

After a few weeks of hard frost (below), we received our first bit of snow on the feast of St. Andrew. This means that the garden is officially put to bed for the winter, with the last harvest of kale coming up to the kitchen on December 1.

 
 
 
 

Our winter newsletter will be heading out to friends near and far beginning this week. If you’re not already a subscriber, you can sign up for a print or digital edition here. In the meantime, you can read it online in both French and English. This has meant a lot of recreations of sticking, folding and sealing—and, as ever, our monastery’s rabbit Dominic tries his very best to help.

 
 

Construction continues on our new workshop building. The candle shop was completed in mid-September, the paper making and packing rooms are almost finished, and work continues on the soap department. The increased space, light and ventilation are very much appreciated by all the sisters in the work areas, and we are very grateful for your support for this project. The new shops are safer, quieter and much more conducive to prayer and recollection. Thank-you!

 

Candle shop, and some finished altar candles.

Construction on the soap shop.

Drying racks for curing soap.

 

As they await their new workspace, the soap sisters have been busy creating a new “Winter Collection” inspired by the snow and forest around our monastery. Containing a bar each of our Mint Swirl, Log Cabin, Pumpkin Spice and Mint & Eucalyptus blends, each box is $25 (and shipping is free on Canadian orders of $100+). You can find out more and place an order through our online store, or pick up a box in our monastery’s gift shop.

 

During what can be a busy season for many, we just want to remind you that our chapel is open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. most days of the week (Sunday opening 7:00 a.m., Mondays closing 7:30 p.m.). You are welcome to join us for the liturgy at the scheduled hours, or simply to enjoy the atmosphere of silence and recollection. Mondays this Advent will be hermit days of solitude for our community, with no public liturgy apart from Mass.

May God bless you and those you love as we prepare to celebrate our dear Saviour’s birth!

 
Sr. Marie Thomas Lawrie
Solemn Profession of Sr. Marie Thomas
 
 

On October 9, the memorial of St. John Henry Newman, it was our great joy to celebrate the solemn profession of Sr. Marie Thomas of the Divine Word. Our Dominican Provincial of Canada fr. Yves Bériault celebrated the Eucharist, and fr. Don Goergen O.P. preached the homily. Many of sister’s friends and family came from across Western Canada, including her parents and siblings, her university chaplain Fr. Dean Henderson, and the abbot of our local Westminster Abbey, Fr. Alban Riley OSB. This day was also Canadian Thanksgiving, and there were certainly many reasons to give thanks!

 

Originally from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Sr. Marie Thomas attended high school just up the road from us in Whistler. She discovered our community during university when a Google search of “nuns, BC” brought her to our website. Captivated by pictures of our liturgy, the glaciers, and a nun skiing in full habit, she made contact with our community just a few months after our Squamish monastery was opened and blessed in August of 2012. Her profession marks a significant step in our foundation’s development, as she is the first solemn professed sister to complete the entire monastic formation program “in house.”

As St. John Henry Newman wrote, however, “Holiness is the great end. There must be a struggle and a trial here.” In this case, shortly after Sr. Marie Thomas went on retreat in our hermitage, six sisters and our monastery’s chaplain fell ill with COVID. Thankfully, no one was gravely ill, and our novice mistress and liturgist returned from quarantine just in time for a final choir practice and rehearsal! The quarantined sisters who were well enough donned parkas and participated in both the Mass and reception by staying outside behind glass (see the sisters on the roof in photo above). As one sister quipped, “The prayers of hermits and those who suffer are highly efficacious; quarantine combines both!” Well supported by these prayers and the joy of the Lord, we thank God and sister’s family for her gift of life. Ad multos annos!

 

“What’s solemn vows?” asked Dominic the monastic rabbit. “Are they tasty? Can I eat them? Are they like carrots?”
“True love is even better than carrots, Dominic,” replied the newly solemn professed. “God is just that good.”

 
 
Sr. Marie Thomas Lawrie