The three days preceding the feast of the Ascension are called the Rogation Days and are marked by processionsThe grounds and fields are blessedHere, the procession passes in the convent’s enclosed garden, which bears many fruit treesThe novitiate has an outing to ProcidaWhere the sisters take in the fresh sea air and marvel at God’s creationVespers and Benediction on the feast of our patron, Saint Madeleine-Sophie BaratFor the feast of Corpus Christi, it is tradition in some regions to make beautifully designed “carpets” out of flower petals. Here, the Holy Ghost shining His rays of graceAn outdoor altar is prepared in the convent’s interior courtyardElevation of the Chalice during a Solemn High MassThe Eucharistic procession beginsWhen the procession stops at an outdoor altar, or station, all kneel for prayers and BenedictionThe procession re-enters the churchAnd then there is the great final benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to finish the morning liturgyA sister works on attaching a delicate piece of lace onto a pall, which is used to cover the Chalice during holy MassFirst Vespers for the Feast of the Sacred HeartThe sisters share their common joy at the beginning of the feastOn the morning of the feast, the Office of Lauds precedes the Holy MassPreparation for a lovely and festive lunch outdoorsThe novitiate takes a daytrip to a region called the Colle Sant’AlfonsoPraying in the Redemptorists’ chapel
