Paraclete Press Blog

May 29 Echoes of Eternity Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us: for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us. Isaiah 26:12 In My Spirit there is peace. In My Presence there is joy unspeakable and full of … Continue reading →

By Melodious Monk This Memorial Day, hearing the hauntingly beautiful sounds of the simple melody we call ‘taps’ brought unexpected tears to my eyes. There’s a fair bit of mystery about the exact origin of this tune coming out of … Continue reading →

By Renaissance Girl We marched in a Memorial Day parade in Holden, MA Monday. We’ve marched it for a few years now and it’s a parade the whole band looks forward to. It’s almost more a liturgy than a parade – and rightly so … Continue reading →

By Cantor Psalm 51: Have Mercy on me, O Lord You might expect that this is a chant blog for Lent with such a title. No. At Friday morning Lauds, we chant Psalm 51 –  perhaps the most well-known penitential … Continue reading →

By Gourmet Nun One of our cooking sisters has made it her “mission” to incorporate healthy foods into the convent diet and get people to eat things they would not naturally choose-by making them into tasty, attractive dishes. She certainly … Continue reading →

By Sr. Nun Other I’m aware of my impatience and its demands that escalate into anxiety. Impatience can be masked as virtue when perceived as efficiency. But instant results aren’t necessarily of God, at least according to scripture. Here are … Continue reading →

We live in a culture that is awash is discouragement.  Last night a party conversation went downhill after the words “post Christian era” were mentioned. One person noted that moral values in politics, business and public institutions do not reflect … Continue reading →

We all approach the December 25th celebration with different levels of expectation.  Our hopes at Christmas are always conditioned by past experiences. But what if you had no expectations and were totally surprised? In Matthew 1:20 Joseph is informed by … Continue reading →

Having grown up as a baby boomer, I have become accustomed to yearning for things on a grand scale.  I am drawn to large fireworks displays or Super Bowl events or parades down 5th Ave in the “Big Apple” of New … Continue reading →