Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

A prominent Dominican characteristic is joy.  Many of our sisters will tell you that one of the things that initially attracted them to the Congregation was the infectious laughter of our sisters.  Saint Dominic was called not only called a gospel man of prayer, but a joyful preacher as well. Life is never easy and bumps along the way throw us many reasons to be full of despair.  The fate of many is another reason to be vigilant and serious.  What a gift we have to offer each other and ourselves with our desire to be joyful.  Let’s just let it spill over and ooze out the edges of our lives, insisting that we walk lightly and with open arms.  Let’s let joy govern our decision-making processes and infect our way of thinking.   What keeps you laughing these days?    Peggy Ryan, OP Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

I’ve just returned from a Dominican Sisters Convocation.  These events, which occur every few years, brings Sisters from most of the Dominican congregations in the US and are another way of deepening our lives together. For me this is important because women religious are living through major shifts for our lives and future.  This is fine and events such as this brings friends together and forges new ones.  We celebrated the particularities of our congregations and the ‘mutualities’ of our Dominican life.  We come to know one another which will help us as there is increased collaboration among the congregations - not only among leadership but among members as well. I joined the choir during the convocation days and there is one song that continues to play in my mind and dance in my heart:  “I Am for You.”  It speaks of God being for us, Mary’s “yes” at the Annunciation, Jesus’ with us to the end and more. In the vowed li...