Meeting of Novices, March 5-8, 2020

On Thursday, March 5, our novices of the English Congregation of St. Catherine of Siena, Stone (Sr. Chiara Mary and Sr. Mary Magdalene), together with their novice mistress, Sr. Angela Mary, flew to the Czech Republic for a gathering with other Dominican novices and their novice mistresses from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, and Hungary. The number of persons, including those of the local Dominican community, was 26.

The event was organized by Sr. Bernadeta Prašková of the Czech Dominican Congregation and was held in Bojkovice. Sr. Marie Kašparová kindly gave our sisters a lift from the Brno airport to the convent in Bojkovice. Each day, each congregation of sisters took turns preparing music for Mass and the Divine Office. The Mass was celebrated in Latin by Fr. Damián Němec, O.P., with the readings of the day given out in diverse languages.

The evening of March 5 was spent getting to know one another, with each community providing a short presentation on themselves and their apostolate. Many also brought gifts, such as candies, little angels, etc. to share with the other sisters. It was a beautiful time for all, and included a few recreational games.

For the next three mornings, Sr. Benedicta Hübnerová, an historian, gave the sisters a lovely series of talks on St. Catherine of Siena’s life and spirituality. The talks were given in Czech and translated into English by Sr. Marie, and into Hungarian by Sr. Mirjam Hřebačková.

On Friday afternoon, Sr. Marie provided an artistic workshop on the interior life, allowing the sisters an opportunity to follow St. Catherine by growing more deeply in self-knowledge and prayer.

On Saturday afternoon, the sisters all enjoyed a pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and St. Cyril and Methodius in Velehrad, walking and praying along a footpath which had stations of the mysteries of the rosary. This beautiful baroque basilica in Velehrad was visited by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1990 after the fall of communism. (He had declared Saints Cyril and Methodius to be patrons of Europe in 1980.) After Sr. Benedicta had explained the history of the basilica, the sisters were also given a private tour of the crypt beneath, which included a lapidarium (a collection of Romanesque architectural pieces) and the remains of the original Cistercian monastery from the 13th century. Upon their return from Velehrad, the sisters had a loving evening of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

After Sunday morning Mass, a closing talk from Sr. Benedicta, and lunch, the sisters said their goodbyes and returned to the Brno airport to fly home to the U.K. It had been an exciting and fun-filled few days in the Czech Republic, and we were grateful for the generosity and kindness shown us by the Czech sisters. It was a wonderful experience for all.