Called by Joy!
Who We Are
Our Prayer
Our Work
Daily Schedule
Vocation
Contact Us
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Would you like to receive weekly spiritual help
for discerning a religious vocation?
Join our Free Ezine.
First Newsletter
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Making a decision to commit your life totally to God as a religious nun is a big step.
A step that requires prayer and spiritual discernment.
Each week our Vocation Ezine
explores the life of religious women as lived in our Poor Clare community in Spokane, WA.
You may not be interested in joining our community but I think the material shared
each week will be of valuable help for you in exploring religious life.
There is no obligation in signing up. You will not be contacted or
receive any material other than the weekly newsletter. Our desire is simply to share with
you what our way of life is like. You can unsubscribe easily at any time.
May God bless you and fill you
with All Peace and All Good.
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Our Work
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Work is
the usual way
of providing
what we need
in order
to live.
Art. 150.1
General Constitutions
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St. Francis and St. Clare considered work as a gift
from God and called it a grace, so that, with the help of the Lord, we may return
to him an increase of his talents.
Art. 109.1 General Constitutions of the Order of Saint Clare
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In the monastery there are many different types of work that we are called
upon to do. Some seem much more glamorous such as publishing books, managing a 24 hour, 5000 watt radio
station or creating beautiful ceramics that win great prizes. But in truth all
work if done for the glory of God is glamorous and holy and wonderful in God's eyes.
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Poor Clares Nuns are on the Air!
In September of 2005,
Sacred Heart Radio in Seattle purchased their first affliate radio station.
This is a fully functional 5000 watt AM station. The 700 foot high transmitting tower is
located on the South side of town, the large satelite dish from which most of the programming is received,
sits on a small cement foundation in the back yard of our monastery garden.
Since we had already been producing radio programs for two years in the Spokane diocese we were given
the opportunity to take on the management of this new 24 hour radio station.
It was not a decision that we made lightly.
It was a full community agreement that we arrived at
after much prayer, deliberation and help from many sources.
At one point when we had pretty much decided it was too big a committment and
had all sorts of other worries and wonders about this, God sent an angel to guide us
onwards in moving ahead. Father Eustace Sequeira, SJ was a friend of Sister Patricia's,
he had just been made administrator of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and was
two weeks away from taking up his duties. Sister Patricia sent him in email that he
received while in India. He casually mentioned that he could possibly come for a few
days to help us in discerning. We jumped at the chance because we knew that
Father Sequeira as the former diocesan communications director in Zambia had started
a radio station there and knew first hand not only what starting such a station entailed, he also
more importantly, knew, how powerful a force Catholic radio is for the Church.
With his guidance and help we met with Ron the president of Sacred Heart Radio in Seattle
and Bernadette, his wife, (who just happened to grow up a few blocks from our monastery and whose
parents were both daily communicants until their heaven ward journey). The way all the little
bits and pieces of this seemingly huge event seemed to just fall into place were truly
miraculous. At any rate together we discussed options and problems and worked through
solutions. Finally, we decided, "Yes, we would do it!"
That was in July. In September we went on the air from the new station for the first time. In
October my dear friend, Sister Janet (whom I had met via the Peace Cards and who by the
way is the one who introduced me to Father Eustace) came to stay with us for a week to
lend her help and advice. She works at Vatican Radio, in Rome.
Now just tell me, what are the chances
that two very important people from Rome, I just happened to get acquainted with, just happened to be able to come and help us
get started in this ministry if it was not God's blessing? Things like this don't just happen...God makes them happen is what I think!
Father Eustace calls it, "Divine Providence." There seems to be a lot of it going around don't you think?
Of course as exciting as the radio is, it actually does not take a lot of our time to run. Ron Belter in Seattle handles 98% of the
day to day concerns. This leaves us plenty of time to do other work. Like cook meals, wash dishes, vacuum, clean and oh
did I mention our garden?
We have quite a big garden!, We grow most of our own vegetables which we can and freeze to last during the winter months. We have apple trees,
pear, peach, plum, cherry and walnut trees. We grow grapes, raspberries, and boysenberries. Lots of time is spent in the garden during the
warm months of the year. We have at least four beds of flowers that we grow for use in the Chapel and tons of roses. Yes, gardening is a big
event at our monastery, I wouldn't want to forget that!
If you have questions or would like to know even more we invite you to send us an e-mail or contact us by U.S. mail or phone. Please visit our contact page.
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