Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

This past weekend I participated in a spirit-filled gathering of Dominican women from several different congregations. The focus was "PREACHING the WORD: the Dominican Imperative Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow."   The opportunity to be with over 400 Dominicans who are enthusiastic about our Dominican mission strengthens my commitment and broadens my vision. Joy is a tangible quality of our Dominican gatherings. We embrace friends and discover new ones. Laughter, song and smiles brightened the days. Our "market place" displayed the many different ways that Dominicans are preaching the Word with their lives. In the "market place" I was at a booth that display ed what Dominicans are doing to support Dominicans in ministry among the native/indigen ous peoples. The organization is called Las Casas, named after a Dominican who, after a conversion of heart, ministered diligently on behalf of native/indigenous people over 500 years ago. Las Casas organizatio...

I want to believe that if Saint Dominic were alive today he would just love Pope Francis because he is calling us to bear witness to the Gospel – the good news of Jesus.   And he has a way of doing this so that all of us are able to understand. Saint Dominic must have been this way as well.   There is an account of him staying up all night talking with a tavern owner – sharing the Gospel with him. On the first Sunday of September I led a Theology on Tap evening for young adults at a local bar.   I channeled my “inner Dominic” and had a great conversation with a wonderful group of people. What our Pope is calling us to – as he wrote in “The Joy of the Gospel” – is to be Missionary Disciples.   We are to go out and proclaim the good news in every place and in every way.   Yes, Saint Dominic would have liked this very much for it is inherent in our charism to go and bring the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ.   As members of ...

Quoting (as nearly as I can remember) one of our wise Dominican Brothers, “Sometimes we can’t see the picture when we’re standing inside the frame.” I experienced that the afternoon of the 2 nd full day of our annual Community Days gathering of 400+ Sisters and Associates.   As uplifting and hopeful as the days were for me, (and they were,) I found myself caught up in the machinations – the nuts and bolts - of issues about which conversations were taking place, and which were very necessary.   I looked around me, watching everyone hunched over, heads together, the buzz of conversation filling the air, and wondered, “What am I doing here? Why , again, did I leave my family, my friends, my job, my house, my car?” At that point, I stepped outside the frame and surveyed the scene through a different lens.   And I quickly remembered.   I remembered that what I left for was Mission … to work with like-minded women and men who wanted to fulfill God’s Mission, to b...

Maybe you have heard about the recent humanitarian crisis at our U.S. borders.   Children fleeing violence and hardship are making their way to the U.S.   Who will set an example for our country to be a welcoming and inclusive place?   Women religious from all over the country have answered the call to drop everything and be willing to go to the borderland.   This is what it means to be a religious sister today.   We point to peace, justice, love, joy, and hope.   We must unveil the way for the gospel to be lived here and now.   And in our sharing, in our opening up to the lives and needs of others, we find mutual bonds of love, strength, and solidarity.   We receive the “one hundred fold.”   Stay tuned for next month’s post on my border trip!      What are you being called to this summer?         Peggy Ryan, OP Whitefish Bay, WI