Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

It’s been a very full year, and I’ve been looking forward to this vacation. Long sleeps, long (gentle…) walks, long books, long loving looks from two doggies (until they’ve gobbled down the meals their feeder - me – provides), and long periods each morning for contemplation and prayer. How lucky can a person be? What have I been up to for the past year? Well, primarily a residency as a hospital chaplain. In the midst of that daily grind, however, I broke my ankle! It quickly got me signed up for a practicum in “observing health care” from the bed rather than from the bedside! When I was able to return to the residency it was with some added wisdom I had picked up along the way. There were many lessons in being patient and kind. I learned not to insist on my own way, and that it didn’t help to be irritable or resentful. I needed to find those things that helped me rejoice in the truth (and there were many). More than anything I learned that I needed to bear all things, to b...

This question was asked on my last blog post and I thought I would address it in this post. Personally for me, letting go of control is hard because it means I have to fully trust, have faith and be vulnerable. For example, today is one of those times of letting go. I was at “Haven for Hope” (a homeless/transitional campus) to begin a new spiritual program of “being present” to others one on one. I’ve been excited about it for weeks. I arrived and was asked if I could lead this group for women. I attended this group the week before, so I agreed. After the group ended, I was asked to consider leading the group from now on. Wow, this hit me like a brick. I really enjoyed the gathering with these women, it was a blessing. But, being the leader was not on my radar. Leading a group is a different dynamic than one on one with another. I felt disappointed and frustrated because I had this beautiful vision of what my new ministry would be. It was difficult to let go of “my plan,” sounds like ...

On August 7, I stood in front of 400 people (mostly sisters) and was officially welcomed as a Candidate of the Dominicans of Sinsinawa. It was the next stage on a journey that will take many years, but as I looked out on all those people holding up their hand in blessing I had to smile. I felt their love and support as I took this formal step toward becoming their sister. Not only did I continue to feel their love as I received numerous hugs after the prayer, but as I opened the many cards of congratulation from sisters I had never met, I knew I was now part of a large family. Since that day, joy has been overflowing from my heart and my spirit feels at home. A month and a half ago, I left behind a spacious two bedroom apartment full of my own furniture and now have a bedroom in a large convent with ten other women. These sisters, who are many years my senior, have welcomed me into their lives and agreed to journey with me in a special way this year as I continue my formation. We share...