Feast of All Souls in the Motherhouse

November 9, 2020

Our Motherhouse property has the great blessing of having its own Mausoleum which contains the blessed remains of many of our early Motherhouse Sisters, including Mother Mary Vera.

On the Feast of All Souls, we gathered as a community to honor our beloved dead. Beginning in the chapel, led by the Coesfeld Cross, we processed with lighted candles to the Mausoleum. Along with us we carried the names of all our deceased Sisters who had gone before us this year. Chanting a Taize hymn, we processed as the sun was setting.

The Mausoleum was beautifully decorated with plants, flowers and lighted candles. As we lifted our voices in song and prayer, the sacred ground was incensed again. At one point of the prayer service, the Sisters were invited to pray for anyone who had died. As the prayer service ended, there was darkness all around, but the Mausoleum was lit from within while the garden around us was aglow with candles. After the prayer service ended, many sisters remained to spend time reflecting on the lives of these great Sisters of Notre Dame who have gone before us.