A Small Success
We recently made our first foray into livestreaming, with the livestreamed videos of the Triduum and Mass on July 13th, July 14th, July 15th and July 16th. Compared to the livestreamed Masses and conferences on the well-known Catholic websites, it can only be called a “small success”. But though it was small, it was definitely a success. Except for a technical flub at the beginning of the first video (some things need to be learned the hard way by experience!), the livestreaming went off without any problems. The chapel looked both beautiful and austere, which is how a Carmelite chapel should look. Fr. Eck’s homilies were touching, challenging and at the same time encouraging and reassuring. The liturgy was quiet and restrained and deeply moving. All the feedback that we have received was positive, indeed, glowing!
So we have decided to try again. We will continue to livestream our Masses and liturgies. St. Mary Magdalen is the co-Patron of our Monastery, so the next livestream will be this Saturday, the Feast of St. Mary Magdalen. We will livestream our Mass at 6:45 am this Saturday, July 22nd. (For those who find this too early in the morning, let me reassure you that our videos remain available at the same link after they have been livestreamed.) We hope that you will be able join us for Mass, and even if you can’t join us at the actual time, that you will “stop in” and visit us at the video.
As I wrote, all the feedback that we have received has been positive, but someone might still wonder why cloistered nuns livestream, why do they post videos and articles online? Shouldn’t we remain in our silence and solitude praying for people, for the Church and the world?
I think that it is precisely because we are praying for people that we need to make that fact known. Prayer is made to God, but it is made on behalf of actual people, of situations in which people are struggling and suffering. It is also made in thanksgiving and praise for what God has done and what He is still doing. We believe that it helps people to know that we are praying for them, that they are not alone in their struggles, that we behind our cloister grate take into our hearts and our hands their desires, their longings, their needs, and we raise them up to God and entrust them to Him. People need to know that they are not alone. If having a website and posting videos encourages people to continue to trust in God, then we will continue to post articles on our website, we will continue to livestream our liturgies. We will do our best to make it known to everyone who believes in prayer that we are here for them.
Please share your thoughts with us:
Do you believe in the power of prayer?
Do you believe that we should continue to pray for you, for others, for the Church and for the world?
If you think that our life dedicated to prayer is worthwhile, then please let us know. Please help us to continue to live our life of prayer and to make it known. Show that you believe that our prayer is important.
Sr. Gabriela of the Incarnation, O.CD.