Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

In conversation with our Novice who is preparing to make her first profession in August, I began to reflect on how my life has changed from being a Novice to being a Professed Sister. In Augustof this year, even though I have been a Religious Sister for four years, it will just be one year since I made my first profession. Let me explain first profession. In the simplest terms it is when you profess your vows to God and formally become a member of the congregation. Please understand though that it implies much more. Being professed is different. It is most definitely different in that I have become more aware of my rights and responsibilities as a member of the congregation. But, it is much more still. For me, professing my vows and the commitment of those vows to my God somehow took root in me. The phrase that best explains is “a tree is only as strong as its roots.” God’s love for me is like the root of a tree and forms the foundation for my full commitment to God. In reflecting on t...

The last time I blogged I was experiencing spring and discernment. This is also the season for spring concerts and art exhibits, so this is the topic for this month's blog. I have attended the Spring dance and Musical recital, the Pops Concert and the Fine Arts Night at Dominican High School, Whitefish Bay. My heart is bursting with pride and gratitude for the many students who danced and sang their hearts out, and for the students who created from their souls in the art classes. But most of all I'm grateful for the school that considers the arts programs an essential part of the school academic program. From my perspective it is the heart and soul of Dominican High School. It also is a value statement of the school and the Sinsinawa Dominican tradition of the arts in its schools. This is especially significant during this economic climate, where many schools need to make serious cuts. Unfortunately, the arts are often the first to be eliminated because they are considered non...