Until December 6, 2013, the only Capuchins Steven and I had met were those affiliated with the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit. Then we attended Bishop Danny’s annual dinner in Weslaco and learned about the Poor Clares at the Monastery of St. Joseph and St. Rita in Alamo, TX. Amazing, considering that the only Poor Clares we’d heard about were those whom Fr. Mario had visited in June when he’d taken St. Anthony’s relics to their monastery in the Chicago area.
Clarisas cookies
Bishop Danny’s annual fundraiser for the various charities in the diocese was the perfect venue for sales. The Capuchin Poor Clare nuns had provided a palette of cookies to be sold before the live auction, so Steven purchased a box of Clarisas and quickly handed them to me. Gingerly examining the container without flipping it over, my fingertips felt something on the underside of the soft plastic container so, naturally, I picked away at it with my nails until the tape gave way.
The neatly folded paper square, once smoothed open, satiated some of our curiosity— when, where, and why the Poor Clares had taken up residence in the Rio Grande Valley and why their cookie sales were so important— but the invitation to prayer immediately propelled us into let’s-check-it-out mode.
We fully intended to visit the Capuchins during the Christmas holidays, so we had work to do. I’d write to the Sisters and learn more about the chapel, and Steven would search online for a map and directions.
My letter
Sisters’ email
Subject: Capuchin Poor Clare Nuns – Alamo, TX
Date: Monday, December 23, 2013 9:39 AM
Pax et bonum!
Dear Deli and Esteban Lanoux,
May God reign in your hearts. Thank you for your letter. God be your reward.
Ten years ago our monastery was established in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Here, we adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
We’re glad you liked the cookies that we make. We sell our cookies only at the convent. We do not sell online because they are very fragile and may break during shipping. The cookies that you viewed on the website are sold by the Capuchin Sisters of Denver, CO.
We hope to meet you one day and personally thank you for your support.
May God bless you always, especially this Christmas.
In Francis and Clare of Assisi,
Your Capuchin Poor Clare Nuns
St. Joseph and St. Rita Monastery
P. O. Box 1099
Alamo, TX 78516-1099
My response
Subject: Capuchin Poor Clare Nuns – Alamo, TX
Date: Monday, December 23, 2013 9:55 AM
Dearest Sisters,
What a delight to hear from you personally. Oh, my goodness, yes. Steven and I will be going down to Brownsville during the Christmas holidays, so we’ve already made plans to go visit you before the New Year.
It’s wonderful to know your monastery is so welcoming, that you responded to my letter right away, and that we can buy your delicious cookies when we’re there at the monastery. (Something I’ll definitely post on my personal blog!)
God bless y’all most abundantly!
Merry Christmas!
Heartfelt hugs,
Deli & Steven
St. Anthony Guide.
Our visit: December 27, 2013
Reminiscent of Isaiah’s “treasures in secret places” (45:3), Steven and I are always in awe of the wonderful places (and people) we find here and there. For instance, not long after we arrived at the St. Joseph chapel in Alamo we met three lovely visitors, a mother and her two daughters from south of Houston, in the gift shop in the vestibule. Like us, they were so taken with their first visit to the Capuchin sacred space that they’ll be returning again and again.
Slice of heaven
Before leaving the chapel, Steven lit twelve votive candles for the twelve months in 2014. As we think back on our visit, our prayers for everyone will be doubly special for having been remembered a year in advance as well as daily wherever we happen to be.
Next, we made our way to the monastery. When we’d walked the grounds earlier, we’d spotted a family dropping off a box of clothing to one of the Sisters so we thought we might ring the doorbell. Still, we were reluctant to disturb the Poor Clares, since they’re cloistered nuns. Even the chapel has the one-way glass panels on either side of the altar so the Sisters can attend Mass unseen by the public.
Standing outside the small, wrought-iron barred patio area in the biting cold, I guess we made enough noise that one of the Poor Clares stepped out of the house to see what we needed. When we explained that I’d written to let them know we’d be dropping by, Sr. Marta started to let us in but I motioned to her that we didn’t want to intrude. We merely wanted to leave some items, find out more about the Clarisas cookies— which we now know are sold at Breadsmith in McAllen— and thank them for the invitation to visit their beautiful chapel.
“Oh, you’ve seen it already?” Sister asked.
“Yes. It’s lovely,” Steven told her.
“Did you photograph it?” Sister asked.
“Yes,” I chuckled. “We spent about three hours in the chapel, so we had more than enough time to pray and take photos.”
Sister was glad for our visit, and we were most appreciative of Sister’s time. The day was cold and damp, but we’d enjoyed a very special slice of heaven that day.
Prayer
Holy patroness of those in need, St. Rita, so humble, pure, and patient, whose pleadings with your divine spouse are irresistible, obtain for me from the Crucified Christ my request (mention here). Be kind to me for the greater glory of God, and I promise to honor thee and to sing thy praises forever. O glorious St. Rita, who miraculously participated in the sorrowful passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, obtain for me the grace to suffer with resignation the troubles of this life and protect me in all my needs (Catholic Digest).
March 19, 2014
How does Joseph respond to his calling to be the protector of Mary, Jesus, and the Church? By being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God’s presence, and receptive to God’s plans, not simply to his own (Pope Francis).
March 24, 2015
“God is so good and merciful that, to obtain heaven, it is sufficient to ask it of him from our hearts” (St. Benedict Joseph Labre).
February 2, 2016
We often think we receive graces and are divinely illuminated by means of brilliant candles. But from whence comes their light? From prayers, perhaps, of some humble, hidden soul whose inward shining is not apparent to human eyes (St. Thérèse of Lisieux).
February 28, 2016
“When the afflictions of this life overcome us, let us encourage ourselves to bear them patiently by the hope of heaven” (St. Alphonsus).
April 12, 2016
“The more we indulge ourselves in soft living and pamper our bodies, the more rebellious they will become against the spirit” (St. Rita of Cascia).
March 13, 2017
We engage in works of mercy not so that we can present Saint Peter at the pearly gates with our list of accomplishments but because we cannot live honestly before God and with others unless we are attentive to human need (Pat McCloskey in Peace and Good).
August 11, 2017
While both Clare and Francis left the world to pursue God insofar as they abandoned their status, wealth and security, never did they renounce the world for the sake of God. Rather, they realized that the created world was the world embraced by God; thus God could not be found apart from the world. The world, not the monastery, was the true cloister (Ilia Delio, OSF, in Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love).
St. Joseph & St. Rita Monastery – 725 E. Bowie Avenue – Alamo, TX 78516-5500
Links of interest… Capuchin Poor Clares / chapel / cloistered life (more) / history / monastery… Clarisas: Breadsmith / cookies, cleaning, & holiness… St. Clare: about / companions / don’t bring eggs (article) / enlightened one / little plant or mighty oak / profile / prayers… St. Joseph: devotion / helps (blog) / in theology (more) / man of virtue – to emulate… St. Rita: about / biography / chaplet / May 22 / forty-six miracles / growing in holiness / hope for the impossible / lessons / national shrine / profile…
WP posts… Budding relationships… Capuchin Christmas… Christmas blessings… Clarisas cookies… Finding St. Rita… Pink divinity… San Giuseppe… Santo Niño… St. Felix… Twelve candles
Filed under: call of service, chapels, Christmas, prayer, spiritual gifts, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Joseph, St. Rita | Tagged: building community, God's master plan, St. Joseph & St. Rita Monastery-Alamo TX, St. Joseph Chapel-Alamo TX |
Shared thoughts... 
There are wonderful photos in this post. Thank you sharing them with us.
Dear Matti, when I discovered your blog years ago, I was taken by the enormity— not to mention the richly unique historical and aesthetic quality— of the many sacred spaces you photograph. Our churches are small compared to most featured on your blog, some even tinier than the Capuchin Sisters’ chapel. But, for someone wanting (needing) a quiet place to pray, any size is ideal. Here’s wishing you warmth this very cold day in your part of the world!