The Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament held their
annual international meeting here in Baton Rouge at the Cypress
Springs Mercedarian Prayer Center. The Sisters were here from
March 5th -12th and each of the 12 countries, where the
Mercedarians are present were all represented.
The Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament are
a papal order with over 600 Sisters actively participating in
the mission of the order which is Adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament and teaching. In addition to the United
States, where Mercedarians are located in Ohio, Texas,
California and Louisiana, they are also in Mexico, Italy,
Costa Rica, Spain, Guatemala, Venezuela, El Salvadore, Columbia,
Chili, Cuba and Mozambique. For more history on the Mercedarian
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, please visit our website at
cypressspringsprayercenter.org.
We are thankful to God, that the Mercedarians chose
the United States and specifically, their Baton Rouge
convent, the Cypress Springs Mercedarian Prayer Center
to gather. It was an honor to welcome them to our
country and to share the wonderful blessings that God has
bestowed upon us here in this great state of Louisiana.
They came from afar…
St. Joseph’s Altar - Sunday, March 20th
The Catholic Church is founded on traditions and this very special
celebration, the St. Joseph’s Altar, is no different. The Cypress Springs
Mercedarian Prayer Center is honored to host its’ 2nd Annual St. Joseph’s
Altar on Sunday, March 20th at 3:00 p.m.
You are invited to join us for this wonderful devotion and to place
your petitions at the altar for St. Joseph. Many petitions are answered
through the intercession of St. Joseph and this is a wonderful opportunity
to ask the father of Our Lord for his help with your needs. The altar is
also erected in thanksgiving for blessings received. You are welcome to
bring your prayers of thanksgiving. This is an exceptional venue to meet
others who celebrate one of the traditions of our Catholic faith, the St.
Joseph’s Altar.
Many people are working tirelessly to provide a breathtaking altar with
the traditional, Sicilian treats for the altar: mudica (toasted breadcrumbs
representing the sawdust of St. Joseph), pignolati (pastry kernels molded
with carmelized sugar into pyramids which represent the pinecones that
Jesus played with as a child), pupa ca lova (colored eggs in sweet bread
which foretell the coming
of Easter), along with
beautiful breads, cakes,
meatless dishes and those
delicious Italian cookies.
Last year, over 400
people participated in this
Sicilian tradition and we
hope that you will join
us as we celebrate our
Catholic tradition.
Sunday, December 5, 2010, was the day hundreds of people
followed the Shepherd as he led them in search of the Holy Family.
The children, along with their parents, anxiously searched the grounds
of the Cypress Springs Mercedarian Prayer Center in search of the
place that “took in” Mary and Joseph so that our Savior could enter
this world. At their third stop, which was at the Chapel of Divine
Providence, the Mercedarian Private Chapel, located in the center of
the property, the children opened the doors to find the true meaning
of Christmas. There, cozily nestled in the hay, were Our Mother
Mary, her spouse Joseph and the infant, Jesus.
This Mexican tradition, known as La Posada, is an enactment of
looking for lodging of St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary. In Spanish it
is called “Los Peregrinos, San Jose y la Virgen Maria.” The Peregrinos,
the children and adults seeking the Christ Child, ask for lodging in
three different houses but only the third one will allow them in. That
will be the house that is supposed to have the Posada for that evening.
Once the innkeeper lets them in, the group of guests come into the
home and kneel around the Nativity scene to pray the Rosary and sing
traditional songs like “O Holy Night”.
In 2009, when we first introduced LaPosada to the children in our
community, we hosted 23 children and their parents or grandparents.
In 2010, that number grew to around 90 children who brought their
parents or grandparents making the total about 200 participants.
We know that as adults, we are charged with the responsibility of
teaching our children about God and our faith. At Cypress Springs
Mercedarian Prayer Center we introduce programs such as LaPosada
to help you with this responsibility.
Please check our website often for other programs that will enable
you to experience your faith and Catholic teachings with your family.
In Search of the Christ Child
