Soapmaking & Holy Water
Just what do the two have in common? When I started to make soap almost nine years ago I found myself wondering how I could integrate Prayer, which is our main work together into my newfound passion, that of soapmaking.Inspiration came to me and I decided then and there to add some Holy Water to each batch of soap and to pray for everyone who would be using it.
In the photo included here you will see our Holy Water font that is located within our monastery cloister.From this I have filled my holy water bottle many times over.Praying for all of you who use my soap is an obligation that I take very seriously. The life of prayer that I have been called to in my vocation flows in and through my life as a soapmaker.
On our Congregations’ website we have several prayer opportunities for you to share in.The first is the prayer request tab located on the home page in the upper left hand corner. Here a link for you: http://tinyurl.com/ncsmza The second is to share in our daily life as we pray the Divine Office through our Podcast: http://tinyurl.com/yuvpox.
It’s been a busy week, month, here in the soap shop. During the month of July Sr. Judy and I made 2,250 bars of soap. For the year we have produced over 9,000 bars of soap! Thats alot prayer! Every once and awhile several of our Senior Sisters who reside at Our Lady of Rickenbach here on our grounds stop in for a visit during their daily walks outside.
This coming week our Novice Nancy will make her First Monastic Profession of Vows. I’m sure I’ll be giving a number of tours of the Soap Shop! Blessings upon Blessings.
Question: What are the blessings you’ve experienced in your life? You’ve also been a blessing to someone?
Tags: Add new tag
August 9th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Sister Cathleen,
I enjoyed reading your post. I love that you are adding holy water to your soap!
We share the gift of soapmaking and I find that a blessing in my life. Meeting people like you and likeminded new friends at the soap guild conference this year is another blessing…there are many; God is good.
I look forward to your next post.
~Marla
August 9th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Sister Cathleen: Ever since you first told me about using holy water in your handmade soap, I have been enchanted and inspired. I can only begin to imagine the comfort using your soaps brings to people — a LOT of people judging by how much soap you are making.
I have numerous blessings — the one I’ll share now is my friend Robin. She passed away 10 years ago, but as my dearest and best friend ever, she taught me so much. She was truly a symbol of God’s grace in my life. Grace is something you get that you don’t deserve and I did not deserve Robin. She was a much better friend to me than I ever was to her. She taught me how to be a friend. I never got to practice on her like I would have liked, but I am able to pass along what she taught me to others today, especially the women I serve in the Indie Beauty Network. That’s a blessing that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. Thanks for asking this question.
Please give Novice Nancy a big hug for me too!
xoxo
dM
August 9th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Marla and Donna Maria, thanks for the kind words you spoke mixed in with words of wisdom. Yes Friendship is definitely one my blessings. I look forward to practicing on both of you (as you say dM). Hope you both have a great week ahead.
August 27th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I met you today when I was at work at the Tarkio, Mo Caseys. You gave me some soap and it was a wonderful gift. You have a wonderful gift of making soap. It smelled so great. Thank you from me and my husband-to-be. We are going to enjoy it for some time. Hope you have a great time and a safe trip. Thank you, Roxi and Bill
August 27th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Hello Roxi, thanks for stopping by.It was great to meet you this morning. We got to Omaha and got our booth all set up. Perhaps we’ll stop by on our way home Monday. Blessings
May 27th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Hello Silvia, yes we do mail order. You can find my soap at http://www.monasterycreations.com Or you can email me at soap@bspa.us
I look forward to hearing from you! God Bless You, Sr. Cathleen Marie