QUASQUICENTENNIAL

125th Anniversary

Olivetan Benedictine Sisters in Arkansas

1887-2012

Calendar of Events and Dates

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2011

Dec.10, 11, 12 -    Tridiuum in preparation for opening of Quasquicentennial Year

                    Sat. - Sun. - Mon.     Holy Hour Honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary – Blessed Sacrament,

                                            St. Benedict and St. Bernard Tolomei. 

December 13  -     FOUNDERS DAY –  Opening of Quasquicentennial Celebration

            Tuesday                124^th Anniversary, of our Foundation in Arkansas.  Mass &  

                              Dinner - Bishop, Mayor and his wife, and Community.

Click here to see the pictures!

 2012

March 21        -    FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT – Mass and Dinner – Special Guests:

              Wednesday          Abbot General, Superior from Switzerland & All Benedictines 

July 4            -     SISTERS OF HOLY ANGELS DAY - Community Celebration

                                               Wednesday                  Vespers, Picnic at Frierson State Park

July 11       -    SOLEMNITY OF ST. BENEDICT – Jubilee Day: Mass, Dinner,

                                              Wednesday                     Special Guests:  Relatives of Honorees

August 15       -      FEAST OF ASSUMPTION OF MARY -  Final Vow Day - Mass &

               Wednesday          Dinner - Special Guests: Relatives of Honorees and all Sisters.

                                     Afternoon Reception:  Guests: Friends of Community 

     October 2           -       FEAST OF HOLY ANGELS – Afternoon Reception & Open House

                   Tuesday             Special Guests: Oblates, Hospital Administration, Governing                 

                            Board, Foundation Board & Convent Advisory Board

October 12     -     38^th ANNIVERSARY OF CONVENT DEDICATION – Mass &

                                                Friday                 Dinner – Special Guests – Diocesan Clergy

November 25    -    OPEN HOUSE & RECEPTION – Special Guests, Former Members,

                                           Sunday               Parishioners, Hospital Employees, Volunteers, Medical Staff,

                           Ministerial Alliance & Friends.

December 13    -    CLOSING OF  QUASQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

                                        Thursday            Community Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving for all God’s blessings 

                           during these 125 years.

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For you reading pleasure below:

A VERY SHORT and CONDENSED

  HISTORY OF THE OLIVETAN BENEDICTINE SISTERS

Holy Angels Convent

Jonesboro Arkansas

1887- 2012

            The Community of the “Jonesboro Benedictines” had its origins in the Convent of Maria Rickenbach in Switzerland.  In response to requests for Sisters to teach in the mission fields of America, five Sisters were sent to make a foundation in 1874 near Conception, Missouri, a little Village named, Maryville.  Additional Sisters followed in succeeding years.

            Meanwhile, Father Eugene Weibel, an early missionary in northeast Arkansas persuaded Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, DD, to request some of these Sister for Pocahontas, where he was pastor.  The first four Sisters arrived in Pocahontas on December 13, 1887, where they established a convent and school.  According to Sister Felicitas’ Hunkler’s unpublished history, the group arrived in Pocahontas with a cash fund of 75 cents. The community grew when additional Sisters came from Maria Rickenbach, and local girls joined the community.

            After eleven years in Pocahontas, the Sisters relocated to Jonesboro, a thriving lumber town, served by two railroads.  While the community relocated to Jonesboro, a mission house was kept in Pocahontas, as the Sisters continued to teach in St. Paul’s School. As the community grew in membership, the were asked to staff other schools

throughout the state. 

By 1898, Bishop Fitzgerald had the community officially affiliated with the Olivetan Branch of the Benedictine Order, headed at Mount Oliveto in Italy.  Consequently, The Sisters changed from wearing black habits (robe), to white, in honor of Mary, our heavenly mother.  The community continued to respond to requests from pastors to teach in parish schools.  In 1900, during the Malaria Fever epidemic in northeast Arkansas, the Sisters were persuaded to open a hospital in Jonesboro.  St. Bernards Hospital was opened on July 5, 1900, to alleviate the suffering people in northeast Arkansas.  Although the Sisters continued their educational ministry, the healthcare ministry has grown over these years.

Although the community will be 125 years old in 2012,   It has been headed in Jonesboro for 114 years.  The bond of friendship formed in 1898, between the people of Jonesboro and the Sisters, when they first came to Jonesboro to serve, the people in Jonesboro have been a welcoming group.

                                                                 Sister Henrietta Hockle, OSB                 

                                                                          December 11, 2011

MISSION  STATEMENT

( Front and Back Covers 

of current Souvenir Booklet

written by Sister Henrietta )

THIS NEW PUBLICATION :

            All those who sent in $10 to have name listed in Memories and Milestones,

(as Friends of Holy Angels) will receive a copy of the commemorative souvenir book, 

written by Sr. Henrietta Hockle. 

If your name is not listed in the book,

and you are interested in receiving a copy,

please send in name and address, along with a small donation

to cover cost of postage and handling, and you will receive a copy.

.  SEND to Sr. Romana Rohmer, Gift Shop, Holy Angels Convent, P.O. Box 1209, Jonesboro, AR 72403-1209.

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Copies of the complete History of the community, “On High Ground ,“ written by Sister Henrietta Hockle and published in 2003,

will be available for the anniversary price of $10.00, plus $4.00.for Shipping and handling: TOTAL:  $14.00. 

Write or email to Sr. Romana Rohmer, at Holy Angels Convent Gift shop for complete book. 

Holy Angels Convent, ADDRESS  P.O. Drawer, 1209, Jonesboro, AR, 72403-1209 or E-MAIL to

Sister Romana Rohmer at < mana@olivben.org >  or  FAX  (870) 935-5810.

Jonesboro made the National News
 for the South with just 6 inches of Snow

May

Your

Advent

Journey

Be Most Blessed

and

Grace Filled.

The Last Of The Trees

   With Autumn Leaves.

We have had the pleasure of sharing our home with a fellow Olivetan Benedictine,

Brother Bernard M. Keele, OSB oliv.,

who is here on a visit, slowly unwinding from an Italian immersion

and shocked into our ‘Southern Hospitality’, as he gets ready to go even further South.

He has been in Italy for further exposure to the charisms of our

Olivetan Benedictine Congregation

and plans to embark on a new affiliation with

Monastery of Mother of the Redeemer

in Opelousas, Louisiana.

These pictures are offered from our

Community of Olivetan Benedictine Sisters

for the expressed use of Family and Friends of

 Sister Cabrini

in Thanksgiving for all the

 Joy, Peace, and Love you gave her.

We all have a GREAT intercessor before the Throne of God.

May she and all the Saints of God and her Family & Friends

intercede for more Faithful and Good Vocations

 for Holy Angels Convent.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL !!!

EVENING PRAYER

for the Deceased led by

Sr. Lillian Marie, Prioress

ROSARY led by Fr. Kyle Walterscheid

from Muenster, Texas who was a

student of Sr. Cabrini

at

Sacred Heart School.

Reception after the Rosary

Click here to see Community Picnic Pictures

Abbot Gregory Polan, O.S.B.

Power Point Workshop on the

REVISED GRAIL PSALMS

OF THE ASSUMPTION

OF THE

BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Click here to see all our pictures of August 15

Novice Michelle receives her Mission Assignment from Prioress Sr. Lillian Marie,

with Sub-Prioress, Sr. dePorres, assisting, as Sisters line up, to also receive theirs.

2011 Community Picture

Adoration before Mass

Welcome Home Party
 

Present and Former Prioress' were honered

Milton, our 'Country Singer' Groundskeeper,

entertains the Sisters.

Novice Michelle Crowns

the Blessed Virgin Mary Statue,

assisted by Sr. Glorea.

Sr. Therese Marie Intones Office

3 O'Clock Divine Mercy Chaplet & Rosary

THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament before Mass

Entrance Procession

The Liturgy of the Word

Proclamation of the Gospel

Homily

Renewal of Baptismal Promises

Prayers of the Faithful

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

Offertory

Invocation of the Holy Spirit

over the Gifts

Consecration of the Holy Eucharist

THIS IS MY BODY

TAKE AND EAT

THIS IS MY BLOOD

TAKE AND DRINK

CHRISTIANS PRAISE the PASCHAL VICTIM

Christians praise the Paschal Victim!

Offer thankful sacrifice!

Christ the Lamb has saved the sheep.

Christ the Just One paid the price.

Reconciling sinners to the Father.

Death and life fought bitterly.

For this wondrous victory.

The Lord of life who died reigns glorified!

O Mary come and say,

What you saw at break of day.

The empty tomb of my living Lord!

I saw Christ Jesus risen and adored!

Bright angels testified.

Shroud and grave clothes side by side!

Yes, Christ my hope rose gloriously!

He goes before you into Galilee.

Share the good news, sing joyfully:

His death is victory!

Lord Jesus Victor King.

Show us mercy.

AMEN.

ALLELUIA!

Christ has died - Christ has risen - Christ will come again !

EASTER DINNER

AFTERNOON EASTER PARTY

H A P P Y    E A S T E R   Y 'A L L   !!!

The Service of Light

The New Fire

Preparation of the Candle

Procession into Chapel

We enter into darkness

to embrace the LIGHT !

Christ our Light

Thanks be to God

Easter Proclamation

Liturgy of the Word

Gospel Reading

Homily

Blessing of the Easter Water

and

Renewal of Baptismal Promises

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

CHRIST HAS BECOME

OUR PASCHAL SACRIFICE

Take and Eat

THIS IS MY BODY

Take and Drink

THIS IS MY BLOOD

This is the Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world.

Happy are those who are called to His supper.

A  M  E  N

Painting by Sr. Therese's Grandmother

From noon until three o'clock

there was darkness over the whole world

The Way of the Cross led by Fr. Udo & Sisters in Convent Chapel

1. Jesus is condemned to death

2. Jesus takes up His Cross

3. Jesus falls for the first time

4. Jesus meets His Mother

5. The Cyrenian help Jesus carry the Cross

6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

7. Jesus falls for the second time

8. Jesus meet the women of Jerusalem

9. Jesus falls for the third time

10. Jesus is stripped of His garments

11. Jesus is nailed to the Cross

12. Jesus dies on the Cross

13. Jesus is taken down from the Cross

14. Jesus is laid in the tomb

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD'S PASSION

He was pierced for our offenses

and crushed for our sins,

by His stripes we were healed.

Reading of the Passion

Fr. Udo's Homily on the Passion

 Veneration of the Cross begins.

Father venerates and kisses the Cross,

and the assembly of the faithful follows.

Holy Communion

(Only day of the year that Mass is not said)

Prayer after Communion & over the people.

All depart in silence.

The altar is stripped again.

The cross remains, with candles.

Close-ups of the Crucifix,

hanging above the Altar, in Chapel

Thank You, Father,

for the Eternal Gift of Your Son, Jesus,

and for His death on the Cross for us.

AMEN

The Institution of the Holy Eucharist

This is the Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world.

Take it,

This is My Body.

This is My Blood .

The end of the Procession after the Holy Eucharist.

Transfering the Body of Christ .

Placing the Holy Eucharist / New Covenant

in the Temporary Repository.

Adoration and Prayer

The Stripping of the Altar and Tabernacle

His soul was sorrowful to the point of death.

Betrayed by a kiss.

They seized Him,

bound Him,

and led Him away.

Outside of Chapel

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Palm Sunday

Behind the Glory

of the Palm,

is The Death

on the Cross

Blessing of the Palms at the Entance to the Convent

Entrance Procession to Chapel for the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist