Paraclete Press Blog

By Sr. Nun Other I’m told by a sister of Chinese heritage that I practice feng shui. And I thought I was merely rearranging furniture! I convinced her to join me, and, as we worked together, I periodically asked, “What’s … Continue reading →

By Sr. Spero In the Lauds service this morning, I noticed that the psalm verse familiar to me as “Let me hear of joy and gladness” (Psalm 51:8) was translated  “Let me hear joy and gladness.”   At first I thought it was a mistake.  But then I considered—is … Continue reading →

By Sr. Fidelis The chant repertoire runs the gamut between very ornate, melismatic chants, and those which are simple, 2- or 3-note  recitations.  As we said last week, many of the simplest chants are the most ancient. The recitation tone … Continue reading →

Today, in celebration of Phyllis Tickle’s life, we share with you an open letter, written in thanksgiving for her friendship, guidance, and love over the last twenty years. Dear Phyllis, What can we, at the Community of Jesus, say about … Continue reading →

Today, in celebration of Phyllis Tickle’s life, we share with you an open letter, written in thanksgiving for her friendship, guidance, and love over the last twenty years. Dear Phyllis, What can we, at the Community of Jesus, say about … Continue reading →

By Sr. Nun Other We did some fall housecleaning last night, starting with kitchen cupboards. Threw out some “lids to nowhere,” a melted turkey baster, and an old plastic measuring cup. It feels good to have dust-free, clutter-free cupboards, and … Continue reading →

By Sr. Fidelis We have taken a “romp” through the eight Church Modes over these past weeks and, for each mode, we have talked about the principal pitches, the Reciting Tone, and Home Tone.  There is always a “descent,” to … Continue reading →

By Sr. Nun Other I did laundry the other day, and noticed a drip or two of liquid detergent on our new washer. A Christmas gift from a sister’s mother, it’s beautiful, state-of-the-art, and eco-friendly. It even plays a little … Continue reading →

The feast of Simeon is celebrated on October 8th. Simeon is one of my favorite saints. We know him only from his welcoming the infant Jesus, and his mother and father, into the temple. But the words of his welcome … Continue reading →