Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Last month (July 21 Post), I wrote about women religious from all over the country responding to the call to help out with the recent humanitarian crisis occurring at our border with Mexico.  I was privileged to have been able to go and spend ten days in El Paso, Texas, welcoming families from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico, as they arrived in this country.  The welcome offered by myself and other women religious was nothing more than a listening ear, a clean pair of clothes, a hot meal, and a safe place to sleep. Good Dominicans ask questions!   During these ten days of accompaniment, I had so many questions.   Why do we have borders?   What can the U.S. do about the reasons children and families are fleeing their countries?   Why won’t my country be more welcoming or inviting?   How can someone else travel with only a mochila or backpack full of everything they own and I have so much?    I am so grateful to have had...

I need to be honest.   I didn’t want to write an entry for the blog this month.   You may recall my entry in July about the Iraqi Dominicans and the tragedy that is unfolding.   Now you may know that much more horror has unfolded.   All the Christians and other minorities in the Nineveh Plain had to flee into the Kurdish region, of the desperation of people’s lives and the humanitarian crisis. So what’s with my entry title?   I am preparing a day of reflection for a grammar school faculty & staff and have been rereading Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation: The Joy of the Gospel.   In his introductory section he writes:   “I realize of course that joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty… I understand the grief of people who have to endure great suffering, yet slowly but surely we all have to let the joy of faith slowly revive as a quiet yet firm trust, even amid the greatest distress...