Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

"What will life look like in the future?" (Georgia's last blog.)   Sunday morning our Sister, Rose Marie Conway, may have been wondering the same. She knew she was living with cancer for the past couple of years. And she was living!     She planned time to connect with each person she met or had known. She would sit quietly with   a friend enjoying the beauty of a park or kayaking on Madison's lakes.   "I love you," she would say to each duck or bird on those excursions. And she put up her hands and blessed the water. " I love you," sparkled in her eyes as she greeted me or others. She participated fully in each gathering of sisters. On Sunday morning she was called to truly see future life. She died as she had lived with a peaceful smile on her lips.   Those of us who live in Madison gathered by her bed to pray with and for her. The picture that Sister Isabel had taken of Rose blessing the water was placed on the bed where Rose's body...

As we celebrate the saints who have gone before us during this chilly (yes, even in Kentucky) fall season, I have taken some time to reflect on recent opportunities I have had to delve deeper into my Dominican heritage. On November 4 we Sinsinawa   Dominicans celebrate Founder’s Day, the birthday of our founder, Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP. Samuel left home at an early age and devoted his life to bringing the Good News of God’s love and mercy to everyone he met, particularly the Native Americans and immigrants. My study group recently spent some time sharing our insights on the life of Fr. Samuel.   Another opportunity came to me this year as Sister Geri and I spent a week volunteering at the McGreal Center in Chicago.   This center is a place dedicating to telling the story of American Dominicans -   sisters, nuns, brothers and priests.   Helping out there always reminds me of the great 800 year heritage of preaching and teaching begun by St. Dominic but al...