Help for our Poor Clare Sisters in Mexico

We just received the following letter from the prior in the Benedictine Abbey of Christ in the Desert. He is concerned about a Poor Clare community in Mexico that needs to purchase some property near their monastery because others who wish to buy it have plans to build a hotel and discoteque there. If anyone is inspired by God to help our Sisters, please contact Father Christian as soon as possible. Be assured that the Sisters will pray for you and the Father of Mercies will bless you most abundantly!

MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN THE DESERT
P.O. BOX 270 + ABIQUIU, NEW MEXICO 87510-0270



July 17, 2007

Dear Mother Abbess and Sisters in Christ,

Christ’s peace be with you and greetings from New Mexico!

On the feast of Saint Benedict this year Mother Abbess Josefina of the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Clare, Yautepec, Morelos, Mexico, phoned me to ask for prayers. I was privileged to visit that Monastery a few years ago and to witness their good zeal as they strive to build a new Monastery and adequately receive the many promising vocations to their way of life, a strict Poor Clare observance. They still have work to do to complete the Monastery, but move forward with strong faith.

Mother Abbess Josefina called to ask for the prayers of us monks, interceding through Saint Benedict, for an urgent need at this time. Right next to the nuns a small piece of property is up for sale and the likely buyers are planning a hotel and discoteque there!

This of course could easily ruin the life of the nuns with all the noise and traffic from the discoteque on their otherwise quiet lane. The nuns are really concerned and understandably eager to purchase the property themselves, but really have no means to do so. The cost of the property in U.S. dollars is approximately $280,000.00.

I assured Mother Abbess of our prayers and I asked her if the Franciscans of the world have an organization similar to what the Benedictines have, called AIM (Alliance for International Monasticism), which assists “Third World” Monasteries of the Benedictine Order, for projects just as this one the nuns in Mexico are facing. Mother Josefina said she is not aware of any such organization, but it came to mind to ask American Poor Clares if they are able or know of people who may be able to contribute to “help save the Poor Clares” of Yautepec. I know you are mendicants and I realize fully your own limited resources, but thought I would ask. I am learning more and more as time goes on that we Benedictines are also mendicants; at least we of Christ in the Desert. So I ask in faith.

If there is any way you could contribute or find others to help in such a project, I will see that each and every penny gets to the nuns. We are used to such transactions as we have two Monasteries ourselves in Mexico. We are simply acting as “brothers in the faith” of the Poor Clares to see if we can assist in their hope of obtaining the property. Wouldn’t that be wonderful to set their minds at ease.

The money you may wish to contribute or may be able to find from others could be sent to us here in New Mexico or I can easily find out what bank the nuns use in or near Yautepec for funds to be deposited there. It is large sum that is needed, I fully realize, but it does not seem out the realm of possibilities. Miracles still happen, as you well know.

If you are able to respond to this appeal, may God bless a hundredfold. If you cannot, know the nuns will appreciate your prayers very much for this special intention.

Please let me know how you would like any money to be sent to the nuns in Mexico (either through us at Christ in the Desert or directly to the nuns bank account) and we’ll rejoice greatly in whatever we can do.

My email address is: monkchristian@gmail.com

My telephone number is: 801-545-8566. Begin to leave a message and if I am in my office I will pick up the phone.

Thank you for reading and considering this request and for your very important contemplative witness in our world today. You are in our prayers and I ask you to keep us in yours.

Fraternally in our Lord,


Father Christian Leisy, OSB
Prior and Business Manager
Monastery of Christ in the Desert
P.O. Box 270
Abiquiu, New Mexico 87510-0270