November 2019
November 21, 2019 ~ Presentation of Mary
First Profession of Sr. Teresita Maria and Investiture of Sr. Elizabeth, Sr. Maria, and Sr. Anna
After the homily began the Ceremony of Investiture:
The Cutting of the Hair
The Sisters have their hair cut as a sign of their total dedication to God - a symbolic rejection of the world's idea of beauty and embracing a greater reality that in the eyes of God, beauty is a soul consecrated to Him alone.
Blessing of the Articles of the Habit
HABIT: Receive this white linen habit. May it be a daily reminder to you of the white linen with which Our Lord’s dead Body was wrapped after He died a painful death on the cross for love of you. Through your life of prayer and sacrifice, may you bring this white habit to Him on the last day adorned with many souls.
CINCTURE: Receive this cincture, a sign that you are bound to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as slaves of love, and for love of Them, a servant to all God’s people.
SCAPULAR: Receive this purple scapular, a symbol of the yoke of Christ, a yoke that is easy and light when worn with great love for Him.
The purple signifies the grace with which you are clothed because of the His Passion. It is made of wool, a reminder that you are one of His sheep, following your Shepherd wherever He leads, and obeying the shepherds He places over you – His vicar, Our Holy Father, and all of the bishops and priests in union with him.
VEIL: Receive this white veil, a reminder to put aside all earthly concerns and put on the mind of Christ. May this novitiate be a time of detaching yourself from created things so that your heart can be filled with love for God holy zeal for souls.
The First Profession of vows ceremony:
Blessing of the New Articles of the Habit
Black Veil: Receive the black veil, a sign that you have worn the white veil, have put on the mind of Christ, and that you are now willing to die with Him - to be the spouse of your crucified Spouse. Your goal in life will be to please God alone in your every thought, word, and deed. Through this consecration to God, your every act will be an act of worship. Whether you are cleaning, praying, eating, recreating, everything you do will be an act of worship, something beautiful for God.
Crucifix: Receive this crucifix, a symbol of Christ crucified and sacramentalized, proclaiming to the world your love for Him Who died for you and Who now remains with us in the Most Holy Eucharist, longing for our love.
Cincture: As a novice, you received a cincture that was a sign that you were bound to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as a slave of love, and for love of Them, a servant to all God’s people. Now you will wear the knotted cincture that proclaims your decision to be bound by the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience and the vows to pray for priests and bishops and to give your life to quench the Thirst of Jesus to be loved in the Most Blessed Sacrament.