Summer at the Monastery, Getting Ready for Chapel Renovations, and the Bridegroom's Banquet

It's summer at the monastery! We just wanted to show you some of what's been going on so far this summer. It's been very full and very beautiful. 

Mother Theodora's hard work in our gardens has been very fruitful, and she's gearing up to start canning green beans, and salsa, and all kinds of other wonderful things. 

The flower gardens are moving through the many phases of summer blooms.

We've also been enjoying the wildlife around the monastery. Some baby foxes were born on the grounds earlier this summer, and we've been watching them grow up.

Many of the nuns are going on their annual home visits and retreats during the summer months.  

Mother Natalia and Olivia spent part of their recent monthly poustinia backpacking in Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. 

Early next week, chapel renovations will begin, and we'll be evicted to pray in the "wilderness" of our parking lot and at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch.

(If you are planning on coming to pray with us soon, please note that we'll be praying Matins, the Hour at noon, Vespers, and Compline under a tent in our parking lot, and Divine Liturgies will be at the Shrine.)

We're so glad that this project is finally happening. Materials are being moved into the chapel, and we're packing up all of the liturgical books, icons, vestments, and well, everything. 

Stay tuned for renovations progress photos in the coming months. 

We spent a full day last week filming the new video that will premier at this year's Bridegroom's Banquet, "Receive the Gift: Reflections on Chastity."

We're so excited to share the video with you. It amazing to see how each of our reflections can come together into a single video and be shared with you all.

The Bridegroom's Banquet is coming up on September 10th. There's just one month left to register! The registration deadline is August 29th. 

All of the details about the event can be found on "The Bridegroom's Banquet" tab at the top of this page.

We've been doing lots of other things as well as maintaining our life of prayer and hospitality. 

In the midst of life feeling overwhelming at times, we have the consistency of prayer to bolster it all. We walk across the street to our chapel for compline each night as the sun sets, and there's peace in the air.