Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Sequestered, quarantined, moving our ministries and relationships to digital realities, and keeping a social distance in all that we do has not encumbered the Resurrection of Christ.     Nothing could ever impede God’s unending love.     Nothing ever will.     We see Resurrection in our movement from outside to inside, opening up the opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Risen Christ. We see Resurrection out the window and on our daily walks or bike rides as we witness spring happening everywhere, even with some Easter snow.   We see Resurrection in the indomitable courage and strength of the hospital workers and first responders who are bringing healing and hope.  We see Resurrection in the community spirit that fills balconies and porches every night to applaud these heroes and heroines of goodness. We see Resurrection in the naming of long-term disparities and the sin of racism behind them, which this global crisis ...

We don’t often think of putting the words “laughter” and “holy” together – at least I don’t!  Sometimes people assume as a sister-in-training I must be very serious.  In fact, in my experience of religious life, joy and laughter are central.  Recently, a sister shared a memory from her college professor days: a student, overhearing the loud laughter of sisters, exclaimed how much fun they were having while he was stuck in his room studying!  And, yes, she laughed as she told me that story. From another sister, I learned about a tradition I’d never heard of: the risus paschalis (Easter Laugh).   Homilists would tell jokes in their Easter Sunday preaching to make the assembly laugh all together – a welcome change after solemn weeks of Lent. Some sources say that the ancient practice of the Easter Laugh symbolizes the Resurrection’s triumph over evil.   Like the bells, flowers, water, and fire that are used during the fifty days of the Easter seaso...

I have always believed that living in community allows one to become an Easter person, or a person dedicated to resurrection and hope.   As Dominican women, we are offered the great gift of living in community “for the sake of our mission.”   In other words, our lives at home should give us all we need to be gospel women.   We live together to cherish gifts, inspire prayerful hearts, accompany each other in whatever struggle arises, learn to laugh, dream and act to make the world a better place, as well as occasionally love off the rough edges.   We can let each one become new, no matter what the circumstance.   Where do you find resurrection happening?   Where do you hear hopeful voices these days? Peggy Ryan, OP Whitefish Bay, WI