You're invited to our spring work day & summer picnic

Spring Work Day & Cookout

Saturday, May 31

We invite you to join us for a day of outdoor and indoor work projects, prayer, food and fun at the monastery and the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch on Saturday, May 31. Volunteers of all ages and abilities are welcome! The day begins at 1:00 p.m. and closes with Vespers at 5:00 p.m., followed by a cookout. Come whenever available, and bring a side dish to share if you're staying for dinner. The monastery is located at 17485 Mumford Rd. Burton, Ohio. Please RSVP using this form by Monday, May 26, so that the appropriate amount of food can be prepared.

Some tools that may be of help to bring: shovels, trowels, work gloves, wheelbarrow, pruning shears (please mark your name on tools).

Summer Picnic

Saturday, June 14

You're invited to our Monastery Summer Picnic on Saturday, June 14, 2025. We will gather at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch (across the street from our monastery; 17486 Mumford Rd. Burton, Ohio) for Vespers at 4:30 p.m. in the outdoor chapel and then a picnic dinner following at the shrine cafeteria. The event will end at 8:30 p.m. For those who haven't visited the monastery before, we'll be glad to give you a little tour of our monastery and chapel. 

Please bring your own picnic dinner and beverages. You may also want to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chairs in case we run out of room at the shrine's picnic tables. Please RSVP using this form by Monday, June 9, so that we can provide enough booklets for Vespers and notify you if anything changes.  

Pulled up by the Wrist

 A Paschal Reflection by Mother Cecilia

My favorite part of the icon of the Descent into Hades is the way Jesus is pulling up Adam and Eve by their wrists. This depiction communicates that He is the one doing the action, not the first-created couple by their own ability to grasp hold of Him with their hands. This gives me so much hope. He comes to me in my Hades, my sin, my despair. He comes into my hopeless situations, and then there is hope, because He is our hope. 

But, it is also a challenge. If I want Jesus to come and pull me up by the wrist, I have to let myself be needy. I have to acknowledge that He is God and not me. I have to stop trying to control everything. I have to stop acting like I can pull myself up. I have to cry out, "Help!," and then wait for Him to help, in the way He chooses to help. His idea of help, with my eternal salvation and the salvation of my brothers and sisters in mind, isn't always my idea of help. I'd like immediate solutions, according to my preference. I don't want to wait, and I don't want to remain in my weaknesses. Faith, which is given to us as a gift, tells me that He is helping me. Some days it is easier to believe than others. He knows. It's ok. 

As we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ and praise Him for pulling us up from Hades, you may not feel a lot of joy. Maybe there are very difficult situations happening in your life right now. You don't have to manufacture Paschal joy in order to be a good Christian. Joy, like faith, is also a gift. The Lord is not sitting there judging how much joy we have. However, He is inviting us to let Him give us joy. His joy, like His help, comes as He chooses. It is often a surprise. And His joy is deep and steady, welling up like a spring from within us where He resides. 

Please be assured that even nuns struggle to let Jesus pull them up by the wrists and give them His joy. You are certainly not alone! Let's sing together in faith these words from ode 8 of the Paschal Canon:

Come, on this glorious day of resurrection, and partake of the fruit of the new vine, the divine joy of Christ's kingdom, ever praising Him, our God! 

The Coming of the Bridegroom

It's the week of the Bridegroom (Great & Holy Week). Bishop Robert and a chapel full of guests joined us this morning for Bridegroom Matins, our patronal commemoration.

Enjoy this reflection written by Mother Gabriella for the Hope's Garden blog: 

The Coming of the Bridegroom in the Byzantine Tradition