Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Last week at meeting at Sinsinawa, our sister artist, Joeann Daley brought a kaleidoscope. Besides the fun we had passing the kaleidoscope around the circle, that kaleidoscope became a symbol of the group working together. As children most of us have played with a kaleidoscope that encloses colorful pieces which get reflected by three mirrors to give astonishing patterns.   This particular kaleidoscope, however, used only the colors it captured in the room. .   So as we looked through the kaleidoscope we were seeing beautiful patterned reflections of the people in the circle. How many times have I sat in a community circle?   Do I come there just to speak what I know or do I also try to listen deeply to each one?   In community we make new patterns as we reflect each others' thoughts back and forth and around the circle.   Thus our spirituality grows through community. Dominicans are called to practice community.   Community is much more than shari...

Our life as vowed women offers many opportunities to examine who we are and explore ways to live our mission - our purpose or calling. As a member of a planning committee of newer Dominicans representing 8 different congregations, I had such an opportunity two weekends ago in our first face-to-face meeting. Since last summer, 10 of us have been working on a gathering for newer Dominican women religious to come together to share our hopes and dreams for the future of religious life and share our ideas on how we might respond to the needs of our times. A few questions posed in our recent planning meeting included: “What is our 800 year Dominican history calling forth within us?” “How is our presence in the world reflected in the world?” “What steps are we called to take today?” We are hoping for over 100 Dominican sisters to attend the late-August event. It is very exciting to think of newer members from many different congregations representing different ministries, cultures, e...