Day three began with a big, old, flashback. Back ten years to the time I got all my littles up and hauled them 2 miles down the road to an even smaller town called "Clyde" - the home of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. It was this place, ten years ago, that made me fall for the Benedictines - their hospitality, their faith, their love-in-action, and it hadn't changed in the decade that we had been gone.
Well, with the Sisters at least, lol. When we pulled in, a very old nun was doing laps around the parking lot/driveway. To avoid hitting said nun, I slowed down then stopped. Suddenly, someone is honking from behind, trying to get around. Ok...we dove over to the left to let the person get by. Turns out it was the Benedictine priest from up the road, trying to get in and get ready for Mass. More on that later...
We walked into the chapel and it was as beautiful as I had remembered. One of the nuns, Sister Ruth, came up to welcome us and point out where to find the readings/songs for Mass. We sat just behind the rows of choir stalls and wondered at the time when they were all full. It's a truly beautiful place, full of joy. On the way out after Mass, some of the Sisters stopped to greet us, one telling us how handsome the boys were, another, when finding out we were from PA, noting that we "must be lost" and generally, making us feel welcome. Adoration began after Mass and we stayed a bit to pray. The simplicity of the "monstrance" - a holder for the large host that sits afloat above the chalice - just beautiful!
After a short time of Adoration, Sister Ruth asked what I was hoping, if we would like a tour of the relic chapel. Being from the land of St. Anthony's Chapel, it may seem small but, truly, this is an incredible find in the tiny village in Clyde. So many relics, monstrances, statues and this day, unlike last visit (probably because the kids are a manageable size) we were invited into the "back room." It seems the nuns, who came over to originally teach, found "that wasn't their gift" (lol) but instead began to make the most amazingly beautiful linens and vestments. It's hard to appreciate in the pictures but this embroidery is truly stunning. What a wonderful gift - used to glorify God!
While we were in the relic chapel, I looked out to see Mother Nancy Rose speaking to the priest from Mass. He ended up coming in to introduce himself because he was confused. He figured we were from out of town because our license plates were from California but the Sisters were claiming we were from PA...so, we explained our car (rental) and our pilgrimage and other fun facts, like we were from Pittsburgh and two of our kids were attending St. Vincent College, our local Benedictine university. So, because the Holy Spirit, it turns out that he was actually once stationed at a parish North of Pittsburgh and, from that, he was heading back to the Cathedral in Pittsburgh later that month to marry a couple from the North Side Parish. He was hoping, additionally, to see his good friend at St. Vincent. Perhaps you know him, Fr. Maximillian Maxwell? Yes, of course, Father...he was the head of Campus Ministry for the previous two years and Silvana worked closely with him. Ahem. Holy Spirit.
Day three was exceptionally long so I'll stop for now. We will continue as we move through Iowa to Nebraska...the longest.day.ever (or at least this trip!). We are blessed.
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