Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

"...set out for any place where the work is great and difficult, but where also with the help of Him who sent us, we shall open the way for the Gospel." These words from our founder, Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, have always stirred in my heart. At different points in my life I felt called to go to places, not necessarily more difficult, but far away from the center of our community. I am now in Alaska. Juneau is a medium-sized city, but what makes this place unique is that it is not on the road system--our road is the water, called the marine highway. Being the only woman religious in the city is both a blessing and a challenge; a blessing because for many people I am the face of compassion and a witness to God's love given as gift to them, and a challenge because of the distance between me and other sisters in my community. My support is not close by, but comes through e-mails and phone calls. But when God calls, God never leaves us without resources. Parishioners have welco...

It’s great having people especially young adults join us to learn about our life as vowed religious. For the past 3 months I’ve been a sister blogger! I’ve really had a FEAR of blogging and joining Facebook. Will you guide me in entering your world of social networking? Help me face my fear with your suggestions. Thanks, Sr. Colleen Nolan, OP

I love to garden and it is a wonderful metaphor for my spiritual life. So we have had a very very rainy spring. And my fledgling small veggies are not getting much sunshine and look spindly and dissatisfied for sure. The same is true of myself when I get too wrapped up in my ministry, or in others needs I have my own sort of spindly happening. It is when I get the sunshine of acceptance, encouragement and gentle challenge from my sisters in community that I can dare to become less spindly myself. Then I try to do different behavior and love God, myself, others honestly, openly and much more genuinely. Bring on the Sunshine! Sr. K.C. Young, OP Seattle, WA