Today is the 75th anniversary of the uprising in Poland. Three Benedictine Sisters had to hide in the basement of a Church which they made into a safe-haven, a clinic for the wounded. From the beginning they knew they were going to die. They made a promise: they would give their lives for the success of the uprising and freedom for Poland. The Nazis bombed the Church. The Sisters who made this sacrifice died at this time.
Thursday, August 31, 2023
MOTHER BLANDYNA MICHNIEWICZ, OSBap
Abbess, Monastery of Benedictine Nuns of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Warsaw, Poland will present a first-hand account of the tragedy of the war in Ukraine.
Today Benedictines around the globe celebrate the Feast of Saint Benedict.
Benedict had an extraordinary power to read and discern souls of others, and his Rule shows his rare insight into human nature. Benedict stressed the role of community as a school for holiness.
Throughout the centuries, Benedictine monasteries marked by a vision of peace, wholeness, and ecology have offered the witness of an alternative society governed by the Spirit of Christ.
By a nun of a Benedictine Abbey in Ukraine – Written on 27 April 2023
Today is a war... this we can mention instead of a calendar date.
O God, who on this day,
through your Only Begotten Son,
have conquered death
and unlocked for us the path to eternity,
grant, we pray, that we who keep the
solemnity of Christ's Resurrection,
may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit,
rise up in the light of life.
We ask this in the name of the Triune God.
Amen
Ever faithful, God,
We witness your love in the expression of Benedictine Life. As we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Benedict, may we be ever-mindful of Benedictine influence in past ages. May the life and values of Benedict call us to seeking God more deeply in prayer and living mindfully hospitality, peace and justice in our world.
We ask this prayer in the name of Jesus and with the Spirit.
Amen.
Since March 15, 1964, more than 111,929 people in Mexico are listed as missing or unaccounted for. AIM Board Member Sr. Mariana Olivo Espinoza answered a call from God to attend to families of these people, providing assistance such as accompanying mothers to identify bodies and participating in demonstrations and protests. You can learn more about her story in this excellent interview from Global Sisters Report.
Lent is upon us. St. Benedict tells us our lives should be a “continuous Lent”. For many monastics in developing countries, a time of Lent is their daily reality. Every year we send a Lenten appeal to support monastics with specific needs.
AIM USA is now accepting donations for the Earthquake Assistance.
It will benefit the poor in need of earthquake assistance. We will send donations to
* Catholic Relief Services
* Catholic Near East Welfare Association
Both are well respected organizations and have people on the ground responding to the tragedy.
On Monday, February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and western Syria. The events have been devastating, with the death toll placed at over 42,000 people. AIM USA is seeking ways to financially support the community and their area.
We received the following message from Sr. Marta from the Fons Pacis Monastery in Tartous, Syria:
"The earthquake was very strong also in our region. All the walls and lamps were moving, but there aren't any serious problems with our building at this moment.