Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

 “Because I have human dignity.” These words were spoken to me by a teenaged Honduran boy who had fled gang violence and migrated to the US.  He was staying in a shelter awaiting his court date. As a legal assistant at a pro bono law firm, I was interviewing him to determine what form of legal presence he might qualify for. “ Porque yo tengo dignidad humana ,” was his response to my question of why he left Honduras – spoken with a firm sense of self-worth and maturity far beyond his years. Human dignity - the belief that each human being is sacred and created in God’s image - is the bedrock of Catholic Social Teaching.  Regardless of a person’s age, race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, economic status, ability/disability, or any other factor, Catholics affirm dignity is always present.  Each and every person is precious in God’s eyes – no matter what. This past January’s “National Migration Week” had the theme “creating a cult...

Earlier this week I watched the “Contemplative Dialogue” around the habit that the congregation hosted and livestreamed.  I was unclear what to expect and—perhaps like many of the sisters that tuned-in—felt a tad anxious about how such a charged discussion would go.  The group discussion demonstrated a model of interaction and engagement that was inspiring: of respect, diverse expression, articulate sharing, and unity.  How wonderful to be a part of this congregation!  I watched it with my community, which includes as diverse a set of experiences with the habit as the group of women on the panel.  The dialogue was a success in that it stimulated our own conversation on the topic; we shared our experiences, opinions and perspectives about how, when, where, and what the habit can and does represent.  While we had our share of differences, there was consensus that the habit is a powerful and complex symbol that has multi-layered meanings to us, as women...