Category: Readings

Rachel Cato, Western Kentucky University An Ethnography of the Sisters of the Valley:  Looking at an Ecofeminist Approach to Religion Ecofeminist Perspective by Rachel Cato May 10, 2107 Despite (Sister Kate’s) choice to not identify as a religion, the community which Sister Kate founded herself, is entirely religious in its nature . . . Our…

Pantheism Summer Moon Ceremony June 2017 What is Pantheism? The first definition is a doctrine that identifies God with the universe or regards the universe as a manifestation of God.  Our pre-Christian Beguine mothers were Pantheists.  They saw God in each other.  They saw God in their Sisters.  They saw God in their children.  They…

The Role of the Brothers by Sister Kate, Vernal Equinox, Wind Moon March 2017 The mission of the Sisterhood Ministry is to grow more enclaves, more community living spaces, shared spaces for prayer, ecology, and survival through healthy co-dependence and a communal life-style that shares some of the resources, reducing the cost of living for…

On Human Connection – A Reading from Savage Grace Savage Grace, Women’s Moon Aug 2018 Individualism and isolation are two aspects of what has created our predicament.  Inherent in colonization is the notion of separation.  We cannot overemphasize the reality that resilience is impossible without reconnection.  As we navigate the global crisis in its myriad…

Simplify – A Reading from Savage Grace Savage Grace, Women’s Moon Aug 2018 The time to drastically simplify our lives is long overdue.  As part of our own de-colonization, we must detoxify from consumerist culture.  This does not mean that we must buy a homestead and live off-grid in a remote area.  What is most…

Occupying New Land Before the first Sister-farm in America was purchased, Sister Kate checked the history of the land to make sure no blood was spilled here.   She purchased as ‘near virgin’ land as is possible in these parts.  No animals were caged or slaughtered here, no one was ever hurt here, and in that…

Resistance There shall always be resistance to our movement because there are no men in charge here. There shall always be resistance to our movement because there is no male-founded, male-run, male dominated church here.  There are men here, of course, but they don’t run the show.  Furthermore, our order is ‘self-formed’ and, as ‘weed-nuns’,…

Embracing Excellence We aspire to excellence in conflict resolution, as an important survival tool. We have a ‘no surprise’ rule. We pursue quiet, humble excellence in our daily tasks and strive for excellence in all we do. We value system-driven operations. We are women (and men) of science who value data and run data-driven operations.…

Prayer & Ceremony We cross ourselves with moon water, but that crossing represents acknowledgement of the powers of the four cardinal directions and the four elements.  We cross ourselves with moon water, which is kept in sconces hung by the inside doorways of the enclave’s structures.   ‘Earth, Fire, Wind and Waters, Mother Goddess, bless your…

Moon Ceremony Services We are Beguine revivalists.  The Beguines were single focused women, unaffiliated with a church, who served the people, and especially, the women, in castles across Europe during the middle ages.  They provided housing and food security, they provided jobs and training and career paths.  They grew hemp and made textiles.  They wore…