Last Friday, the sisters had a day of prayer and fasting in response to the sexual abuse crisis in the Church. We closed the monastery to visitors, maintained strict silence, and performed no work except that which could not be postponed. The day was devoted to prayer and penance for the crimes committed by the Church against children, young people, adults, and their families.
We modified our horarium to follow the schedule of prayer that we use on Good Friday. Indeed, the Good Friday liturgy is a fitting model for prayer in the face of these crimes and this crisis in the Church. Through prayer, we placed the innocent victims before the cross on which Jesus, the Son of God, the spotless Lamb, was crucified, in the hope that they will find healing and new life in His resurrection. We asked for justice for them and for their families; we asked for forgiveness for our sins, as members of the Church, and for the sins of those who committed or hid these crimes. We prayed for the conversion of every heart, the protection of all children and all those served by the Church, and reform.
The monastery was silent throughout the day, except for Mass and for the seven times we came together as community to pray the Divine Office. Even our recitation of the Office was more silent than usual; we omitted all music.
Our chapel, and especially the Blessed Sacrament within it, is the heart of our monastery and our life here. Last Friday, we stayed in our heart, in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, in silence, with the survivors of sexual abuse and their families, with all those who are hurting, with Jesus.
Remain with us, Lord Jesus. Heal the victims. Bring justice. Heal your Church.