Poem by Mother Mary Monica, O.P.

Part 3 of 3: Cloistered Nuns Forever More!

This excerpt from Mother Monica’s Rhymed Narration of our Foundation tells of our new little home, our original monastery on the day of the bishop’s approval and blessing of our enclosure and the election of our foundress, Mother Mary of Jesus Crucified, as our first Prioress. All of this happened in less than a month from our arrival in North Guilford! Blessed be God!

When at last we’d gotten the workmen out
And cleared the space all round about,
This is what was there to see
In place of cartons and debris.

A built-in porch as bright as could be,
For printshop, laundry, refectory.
Each nun possessed a tiny cell,
And, though quite small, they served quite well.

But the Bishop’s visit we can’t forget,
For the twelfth of February the date was set.
Our cloister fence was now complete –
It measured then about fifty feet.

On that day when the Church directs us to pray
To Seven Founders on their feast day,
Seven Foundresses chose at the four foot grille,
Our Mother then, who is our Mother still.

In a little while with prayer and praise,
With hand in benediction raised,
His Excellency turned the key in the door –
We were cloistered nuns forever more!

For now this tale must end right here –
We keep the rest for another year!

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