Farewell to Sangre

All smiles from Sr. Diana from Australia, Fr. Richard from Pittsburgh, and Sr. Cecilia from Malaysia as they celebrate and say goodbye to Sangre Center.

Picture on the left: Fr. John from New York, Fr. Ron from Brazil, and Fr. Tim from New York enjoying time together after dinner.

Sisters Mary from Australia, Joanne from Kenya and Guia from Davao City, Philippines enjoying each other company and celebrating their final hours at Sangre Center.

Today was a day of packing, closure, and celebration. We had a session this morning on closure and sharing of our time here during the past 99 days. In the afternoon most of us spent time packing and getting ready to leave on Tuesday morning. After a beautiful Mass at 4:00 pm, we had a delicious and relaxing dinner with all the trimmings. Enjoying conversation during dinner were Fr. Rudy from Costa Rico, Fr. Roland from Hawaii, Sr. Cheryl from Minnesota, and Fr. Ron from Brazil. Aloha and Mabuhay as we depart to our religious communities, parishes and ministries. It has been a blessed and joyous time for each one of us. I am so grateful for this opportunity to share life with these men and women. Until we meet again, may God bless us as we give thanks and praise for these shared and precious moments.

Monastery of Christ in the Desert

Four pilgrims on their way to the Monastery: Sr. Marci from California, Sr. Madeleine from Uganda, Fr. Richard from Pittsburgh, and Fr. Roland from Hawaii

Right photo: Majestic mountains on the way to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert

The peak of Pedernal where Georgia OKeeffe made famous through her paintings.

A benedictine brother at the Monastery chapel meditating after the celebration of Eucharist

This Sunday morning on Mother's day several of us went to visit the Monastery of Christ in the Desert for Mass. We traveled through the town of Abiquiu, the home of the famous artist, Georgia OKeeffe, where she painted many scenes of the mountains and vistas while living at Ghost Ranch. One of her famous landmarks was the peak of Cerro Pedernal. She once said that if I painted that mountain many times, God would give it to me. The monastery is located in the Chama Canyon where the Benedictine monks established this unique monastery in 1964. There are a community of 35 monks including priests and brothers. There is also a community of Benedictine women near the monastery. Many of the brothers and sisters are from all over the world.

Bandelier National Monument

Frs. Tim, Larry and Tony along with Srs. Joanne and Anne resting after hiking down two and half miles from the Visitor's Center to the Rio Grande marveling at the vistas, waterfalls and streams along the way.

"Islander tourists," Fr. Edd from New Orleans, Fr. Malo from Figi and Fr. Roland visit Bandelier park

Majestic cliff dwellings of the Native American Anasazi people in the 1300's

Bandelier National Monument became a national park in 1936 when President Roosevelt enacted the CCC to help preserve and begin national parks throughout the United States. Adolf Banelier, an antropologist, discovered this region inhabited by the Anazasi Native Americans in 1880's. It is located not far from the Sangre de Cristo mountains and the Jemez Mountains.

We went to visit this Park maraveling at the awesome and majectic beauty of the mountains, vistas, woods, streams and rivers besides the Native American cliff dwellings.

Hiking at Sangre Mountains

The "fabulous five" resting after an enjoyable hike up in the hills of Sangre.

Heading home to Sangre Center after three and half hours of hiking up in the mountains of Sangre.

Photo on the right - Bro. James crossing Rio En Medio; "dancing on the rocks"

Fr. Chris admiring the beauty of the forest

Photo taken along the Green trail while hiking up to the Rio En Medio.

This afternoon we went hiking up in the hills of Sangre Mountains. Bro. James from Florida, Sr. Mary from southern California, Sr. Bernadette from England and Fr. Roland took the green trail to Rio En Medio along with Fr. Chris from Ireland who took this picture. We spent three and half hours up in the trail marveling at the beauty of the Santa Fe National Forest. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed walking and taking in the sights and sounds of the forest and streams.

Last Week at Sangre Center

Fr. Roland is "blessed among women" at Sangre Center; left to right - Sr. Ann from Australia, Sr. Joanne from Nairobi, Kenya, Sr. Bernadette from England, Sr. Marion from Sydney, Australia and Sr. Margaret from Belen, New Mexico.

Festive meal after our social prepared by several members of our Sangre community. Frs. Ray, and Jack along with Bro. Dennis and Sr. Helen are filling their plates with the chicken and ham along with bread and salad.

After Eucharist we had a social before our festive meal. Gathering around the table - Fr. Rudy from Costa Rica, Sr. Susan, staff member, Fr. Ray from Rhode Island, Fr. Roland from Santa Cruz, California, Fr. Jack from Philadelphia, and Sr. Margaret from Belen, New Mexico

After the presentation of the gifts , we gathered around the altar to celebrate the liturgy of the Eucharist. It was so fitting to celebrate and offer thanks for these past three and half months being here at Sangre de Cristo Center. We leave this place full of thanks and gratitude.

Blessings to your hearts. Well, this is the last week before all of us depart for our religious communities or parishes. We will be leaving Sangre next week on May 15th. During this week we are having sessions of refocusing on our sabbatical program. We began the closure events with Eucharist on Sunday. Photo on the right is taken during Mass this past Sunday. Fr. Tim, campus minister at Syracuse University in New York, was the main celebrant and homilists. He sang the Eucharistic prayer which was very inspiring and prayerful.