First Monastic Profession of Sister Beatrice Brady
On the feast of St. Benedict, 11th July, 2021, following her two year novitiate, we celebrated the joyful occasion of Sister Emma Brady’s First Profession of Monastic Vows. Sister Emma chose to take the religious name of Beatrice, after Blessed Beatrice, the Cistercian nun of Nazareth (1200-1268).
The ceremony took place following Lauds in the presence of the Abbess Mother Marie Fahy and the community of St. Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn, in the Chapter Room of the monastery following our monastic tradition. After all had assembled, the rite of profession began with a reading from the Rule of St. Benedict, chosen by Sister Beatrice, followed by her prostration before the Abbess. Mother Marie then gave a Chapter talk, reflecting on this important step of commitment that Sister Beatrice was about to take and exhorting her to live by the monastic values laid out by the Rule of St. Benedict to be lived out faithfully in the Cistercian way of life.
Sister Beatrice was then questioned about her desires and intentions:
Abbess: Dear Sister Beatrice, you have been consecrated to God by water and the Holy Spirit since the day of your Baptism. Do you wish to be more deeply united to God by Monastic Profession?
Novice: Yes, Reverend Mother, I do.
Abbess: Sister Beatrice, in order to follow Christ ever more fully, do you desire to promise obedience, stability and conversion of life?
Novice: Yes, Reverend Mother, I do.
Abbess: Do you desire to walk on the straight and narrow way indicated by the Rule, to hold with all your heart to that love of God which is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and to grow in God’s love until, becoming perfect, it will banish all fear?
Novice: Yes, Reverend Mother, I do.
Abbess: Do you desire to truly seek God in solitude and silence, in prayer and humble work, in joyous penitence and fraternal communion?
Novice: Yes, Reverend Mother, I do.
Abbess: May God who has begun this good work in you bring it to fulfilment.
All: Amen.
Sister Beatrice then read aloud and signed her formula of profession promising stability, conversion of life and obedience for one year. Then kneeling before Mother Marie and joining her hands and placing them in those of the Abbess she made her promise of obedience. Mother Marie prayed for Sister Beatrice’s perseverance and with the following prayer:
‘Lord, give ear to the prayers of your people and through the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, pour out an abundance of your Holy Spirit on our Sister Beatrice whom you have called to the perfect following of Christ. May what she has promised as a temporal offering be confirmed in perpetual devotion, through Jesus Christ Our Lord.’
Sister Beatrice then received the black scapular and belt of a Junior Professed Sister. The Abbess led the community in a final prayer: ‘May the Lord direct our hearts and bodies in the love of God and the patience of Christ’. Psalm 66 was then sung by all, followed by our greeting of our newly professed sister!
Congratulations Sister Beatrice! May your self-gift to God in the Cistercian way of life in St. Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn bear fruit in you for the life of the Church and for the world. Deo Gracias!
Sister Beatrice prostrates before the Abbess in a gesture of self-offering.
Abbess, Mother Marie Fahy shares with Sister Beatrice and the community words of wisdom and encouragement before she makes her monastic profession.
Mother Marie greets Sister Beatrice as a newly Junior Professed Sister following Sister Beatrice’s promises and the signing of her formula of profession.
Sister Beatrice Brady outside the Abbey Church, St. Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn.
