St.Cecilia
By Sister Maria Catherine, OP
“You are a garden enclosed, my sister, my promised bride.” Song of Songs 4:12
he feast of St. Cecilia occurs in November, the month in which the Church sets her gaze on the coming of her Bridegroom, who, sharing His beauty with His Bride, the Church, draws her to share in the Wedding Banquet of the Lamb in the Heavenly Kingdom. Mystically espoused to Christ, St. Cecilia points by her total consecration to the beauty of the eschaton, when all will be renewed in Christ Her virginal consecration is a living sign of the brideship of the Church with Christ: longing for “ one thing...to gaze on the beauty of the Lord” (Psalm 27:4), the “ one thing necessary ” (Luke 10:42), seeking Christ with an undivided heart Here in this third window of St Cecilia’s life, we contemplate her earthly wedding to Valerian by which she would invite him. To live the life of vowed chastity, to be an eschatological sign of the majestic beauty Christ promises to each one of us in Heaven
She had discovered His joy and beauty penetrating every aspect of her daily life, from times of prayer to service of her family Her spousal heart and maternal instinct, her powers of mind, her interests and talents, even daily care for her family were ever more directed to Him Every power of her soul became integrated in charity and a burning fire of love for Him. Her heart became totally one with His and beat in union with her Spouse. She became the “garden enclosed” whose life breathed forth the fragrance of union with Christ in love (Song of Songs 4:12) Living with an undivided heart for in her Divine Bridegroom, the beauty of abiding in Christ’s love radiated from her
Then she reached a crossroad in her life How would her espousal to Christ take shape in this new stage of her journey on earth? Was there a contradiction between her life of consecration to Christ and her obedience to her parents’ will to marry the pagan nobleman, Valerian? Trusting in God’s Divine Providence, Cecilia leaned on her Heavenly Spouse and, during her wedding, called out to the Lord in a prayer that has been enshrined in the Divine Office for her feast day, and which surrounds our Sisters on the walls of our chapel: “Cantantibus organis, Cecilia Dominio decantabat dicens: Fiat cor meum immaculatum ut non confundar (As the instruments played, Cecilia sang to the Lord in her heart, saying: Make my heart immaculate that I may not be put to shame) ” Cecilia trusts that the beauty the Lord had in store for her exceeded her expectations, though that beauty may come through suffering and even death. At every moment, she confidently entrusted herself to Christ that her heart would remain undivided in every situation Rather than relying on her own strength and plans, she put her heart and trust in the Person of Christ, abiding in Him with abandonment to where He would lead.
Cecilia’s trust in the Lord's Divine Providence was indeed not put to shame Continuing to embrace her Divine Spouse with an undivided heart, Cecilia introduced Valerian to the love of Christ, her Bridegroom, and of His Bride, the Church The fragrance of her heart as a “garden enclosed” mystified Valerian. The beauty of total union with Divine Love made visible in Cecilia’s consecration captivated him and opened the pagan Valerian, who had lived for earthly beauty, to wonder at the beauty of Christ and His Church. Cecilia’s consecration and integrity of heart bore fruit for her husband and the whole Church.
As Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia, our beloved patroness calls us to fix our eyes on Christ our Bridegroom with an undivided heart. Like her, we can say a total yes to Christ and grow in conformity to Him moment by moment Like her, we can trust God’s Providence, confident that no circumstance can disrupt our union with our beloved (cf Romans 8:35-39 ) Like her, our consecration to Christ will bear fruit as a garden enclosed, witnessing to the beauty of Christ and His Church. Like her, our lives are an eschatological sign, a reminder that each member of Christ’s Bride, the Church, is invited to a spousal union with Christ that will be fulfilled in the beauty of Heaven, where God is all in all.
In this month of November, her solemnity and the whole liturgical calendar remind us and the whole Church that the eschaton is not far away. Jesus calls us to “be awake” and “ready”, for He comes soon. Our union with Him begins now: in the Eucharist, in conformity to Him by Baptism, in the indwelling of the Trinity by grace We are now the “enclosed garden” whose sweet fragrance beckons all to Him. And yet, the Lord has more in store. He has come in His Incarnation, He will come again in glory, He wants to be present to us in every moment that we may “ gaze on His beauty” And so this November, we sing with Cecilia and the Church, “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’ ’Come, Lord, Jesus’” (cf. Rev 22:17).
DrawntoHim
Sister Maria Sophia, O.P.
While growing up, my parents were very ......involved in ministries at my home parish, and I spent a lot of time at the church. As far back as I can remember, everything from the stained glass windows to the posters on the walls in the religious education classrooms caught my attention and I desired to know more about the faith. I loved the Lord and wanted to know everything about Him. I also had a love for Mary, and I prayed the rosary daily as a child before going to bed at night
I experienced Eucharistic adoration for the first time in high school, and I perceived in a new and very profound way that the Eucharist is truly Jesus. It awakened in me a deep desire to do everything to please Him I became very involved in my parish’s youth ministry program, and after graduating high school, in my university’s Catholic student center as well.
Upon graduating from college, I desired to share the love of God and our Catholic faith with others, and I began working at my home parish doing youth ministry However, I could sense there was something still missing; I was giving my time and my labors to the Lord, but I knew He desired more. As I continued to pray and spend time in Eucharistic adoration, I heard his gentle invitation- He desired my whole heart and being! I began seriously discerning religious life and felt drawn to our Dominican charism. When I visited the St. Cecilia Motherhouse, my heart felt so much at home. Our religious life is a marvelous gift, and every day I am grateful to be a Dominican Sister of St Cecilia!
SisterMariaSophiaprofessedherperpetualvowsin 2021.
November 22
Saint Cecilia
Patroness of the Congregation
Blessed Feast of ST. Cecilia!
Click the links to find out more about our patroness
Patroness of the Congregation Life of St. Cecilia
St.Cecilia, My Friend
By Sister Mara Grace, O.P.
Has a saint ever come into your life in a seemingly ........random way, yet you came to know that the saint wanted to be part of your life? This is my story with Saint Cecilia.
In eighth grade, the time came for receiving the sacrament of Confirmation. As part of sacramental preparation, we were told that we needed to choose a saint. Although good reasons were no doubt given to the class of 13-year-olds, the only thing that stuck in my mind was that the Bishop would call me by this name during the Confirmation Mass. Frantically flipping through the pages of saints looking for the most beautiful name, I stumbled upon Saint Cecilia. What a beautiful name! Although I don’t remember reading the short summary of her life, I do recall being excited that she was the patron saint of musicians, as music was a big part of my life
The day arrived when I was called “Cecilia” as the Bishop put sacred chrism on my forehead and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation. After that day, however, Saint Cecilia did not get much attention from me. Then, Saint Cecilia caught my notice two years later when my dad told me about a retreat at a place called “St. Cecilia.” I was drawn to the retreat by the name of the place until I learned that “St. Cecilia” was a convent! This would be a new experience for me I had never encountered religious life so closeup before, and I was afraid at what I would find. However, my connection to my Confirmation saint prompted me to attend the retreat at the St. Cecilia Motherhouse, beginning a beautiful journey of seeking and discovering the Lord’s call to become a St. Cecilia Dominican.
With St. Cecilia as my patroness both in Confirmation and in religious life, I have come to see that my initial choice of her name was in no way random She, in fact, chose me to inspire and intercede! Learning more deeply the virtues she possessed while in life and the powerful sway she has in heaven, I have come to know St. Cecilia not just as a patroness but as a friend. St. Cecilia, pray for us!
The Ecstasy of Saint Cecilia by Raphael (c.1514)
Book Recommendation
And You are Christ’s: The Charism of Virginity and the Celibate Life
by Father Thomas Dubay, S.M. (1987)
“Thisbookdealswiththemostradicallifestyleonecanimagine.Itdealswithajoyloftyanddeep soloftyanddeepthatmostpeoplehavenoconceptofit,notevenaclue.Virginityisradicaland beautifulforthesamereasonthatGodisradicalandbeautiful.”(pg.15)
Considered a classic and oft-recommended book for those discerning a vocation, AndYouare Christ’s: The Charism of Virginity and the Celibate Life clearly shows the beauty of one of the most important aspects of religious life, the charism of virginity. In a comprehensive way, Father Dubay draws from the Biblical foundations of this charism to show how consecration images the spousal relationship between Christ and the Church. To embrace a life of virginity is not just a life of “no’s,” but to those who are called, it is to enter “into the transcendental sphere of the utterly Sacred One in a new and exclusive manner, a manner that becomes a permanent state in life.” (pg. 33)
November 22 Saint Cecilia
Patroness of the Congregation
Dominiodecantabatdicens: Fiatcormeumimmaculatum utnonconfundar.
As the instruments played, Cecilia sang to the Lord in her heart, saying: Make my heart immaculate that I may not be put to shame.
Click on the video to hear our sisters sing Cantantibus Organis on the feast of St Cecilia
