Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

I am guessing that there were fireworks at our Mound Motherhouse last night to commemorate Independence Day in the US. Certainly some root beer floats and wine!  Our sisters know how to celebrate!  Here in Trinidad we have already started celebrations for the 50th anniversary of our independence on August 31st! But even as we value and celebrate our independence, our deepest call is really to be interdependent.  Let us celebrate this when we see it happening and let us pray for this when we become aware of how selfish and individualistic we still can be.   "...For I could well have supplied each of you with all your needs, both spiritual and material. But I wanted to make you dependent on one another so that each of you would be my minister, dispensing the graces and gifts you have received from me. So whether you will it or not, you cannot escape the exercise of charity!" (From the Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena) Celebrate with a prayer, how in...

This past weekend I visited a cousin in Atlanta. While there I met lots of people, one who is particularly significant in her life. The three of us were very intentional about how we spent our time together. In spite of the heat it was a memorable weekend that included family stories, looking at old photographs, a museum visit, outdoor music and other happenings – sights and sounds reminding us of sacred connections in our everyday lives. At the High Museum in Atlanta, there is currently an exhibit by Hale Woodruff who painted a series of murals, “Rising Up,” that portray significant events in the history of blacks in this country. We made a point of going there and spending time. I also experienced the electric sounds and rhythms of “house music” at an outdoor event. Connections between the music selections were practically seamless. Even in 90-plus degree heat, none of us could help moving to the repetitive drumbeats. All of it was quite amazing! Throughout the we...

This past week I joined with about 200 other people of Dane County, Wisconsin   to hear Joanna Macy, a scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory and deep ecology.   Joanna travels the world offering trainings to empower our responses to planetary crisis. Her term for our time in history is, The Great Turning.   She says:   A revolution is underway because people are realizing that our needs can be met without destroying our world.   We have the technical knowledge, the communication tools and material resources to grow enough food, ensure clean air and water, and meet rational energy needs.   Future generations, if there is a livable world for them, will look back at the epochal transition we are making to a life-sustaining society.   And they well call this the time of the Great Turning.   It is happening now. http://www.ecoliteracy.org/essays/great-turning As a Dominican woman I was greatly encouraged by her message.   I ...