Chapter meeting for April

Now that we've got Easter out of the way (see our Refectory for an easy key lime Easter pie recipe), it's time to think spring. Which is fairly difficult seeing as how the Mother House is under a couple inches of snow so that it's going to be impossible even to get the peas in.

While we're waiting for the thaw, this is a good time to read about our Animal Friends for April, Sts. Guthlac and Drogo (check 'em out at right under the Kalendar).

Guthlac is one of Sister Jean's favorite saints. A former solider and mercenary, St. G. finally snapped on the battlefield one day and headed off to the monastery to atone for his sins. He started a monastery in the English fen country and lived mostly as a hermit, in fasting and prayer. Apparently, God thought he'd gone a bit overboard, because the crows in the area would bring him food to keep him going, hence the name of his establishment was Crowland--or Croyland of today.

Crows, as we know, are somewhat marginalized creatures, associated with blood and carrion. They were harbingers of ill luck. But it says somewhere in the Bible that "God protects even the ravens," which the Sisters take to mean all the marginalized and unloved.

April is also the month that Chaucer's pilgrims took the road to Canterbury (they must have had nicer weather then), staying at inns and convents along the way. Co-Foundress and Internet Porteress Sister Shari notes that you can make like Chaucer and stay at convent "hotels" right today! Check it out and "get thee to a nunnery."

Before you leave the Virtual Convent, please stop by our Prayer Room and offer up something for Sister Polly Flo's Syd, who finally succumbed to old age, and Sister Carrie's Mr. Noodle, a stray she was feeding who was hit by a car.

Remember, this is the season when stupid pet owners let their unneutered and unspayed animals roam, and that's why we have so many homeless pets. Raise awareness about this issue with everyone you meet.