Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Today is the Feast of Christ the King, the end of our liturgical year.  For us as Americans the idea of a king ruling over us is not something to which we can relate.  But if we look at the Gospel reading (Matthew 25: 31-46) we can see that what we are being called to is the building of God’s reign here on earth.  We do this by feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, clothing the naked, etc.  All over the world faithful Christians are doing such things – participating in the ministry of service.  We create a more just, peaceful world when we work and speak out for justice. This past weekend Sister Geri and I conducted a retreat for the catechists of St. Leo Parish in Murray, KY.   Eighteen young men and women came together to nourish their spiritual lives as we end this liturgical year and prepare for the beginning of Advent.  Every Sunday they give their time and talent in love and faithfulness to h...

The older I get, the more I realize that there are very few, if any, coincidences in our lives.  This is the way God works. I think back to when one of my brothers was dying of cancer and I came back to Iowa from California to visit him. Not until I arrived did I realize that I would care for him the last week of his life and be present as he journeyed to heaven.   God gifted me with this deeply moving and holy experience while also helping my brother. I watched “The Blind Side” last evening with a friend and was moved once again by this powerful story when a black homeless teenager and a white wealthy family transform each others’ lives. I don’t know if any of these people had faith in God but they certainly allowed themselves to change and be changed. It was no accident that these people came together. Our lives are not ours alone. We have been given certain strengths and abilities in order to share what’s best about ourselves with others. Often we do not know how we ...