Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Did you awake this morning wondering “Where am I called this day? this week? This life?” In 1170 Jane de Guzman had a vision that the child in her womb was like a dog running with a torch to set the world on fire.  After his death in 1221 the world knew this child as Dominic, the hound of God, and the order that grew out of Dominic’s adventures as the order of preachers. The Order is to proclaim the word of God by preaching, teaching and example, while being sustained by community.  In 2021 preaching takes on many forms. How are you called to preach?   On this day I awoke remembering that today is my turn to write the blog for Catherine’s Café.  What a wonderful call to preach!   I began by praying to God’s Spirit.  “What do you want of me to preach today?   I found a life of Dominic.*    It is an adventure story and a mystery story too.  The events that led to the beginning of the order of preache...

Several years ago one of our elder Sisters asked Sr. Ann Willits, OP this question:   Are we coming or going?   Ann was in the process of writing a presentation for an event as the Order of Preachers was celebrating our 800 th anniversary worldwide.  She said the question was just what she needed for her presentation. I have never forgotten this question and in times of transition it especially comes to mind.  For me this summer is a time of transition as I move from a long-time retreat ministry in Florida to my hope of developing an itinerant preaching ministry…and…moving back to the Chicago area. (Oh my – the artic vortex!) This time of transition is filled with the question – am I coming or going?  The only correct answer is: YES!  That little connector – “OR” --  belies the truth about transitions because these times in our lives include both. They include goodbyes and hellos, letting go and going forth, p...

“Dominic witnessed first-hand the harm that not knowing the truth about God and God’s creation could do to people . . . .”   (www.op.org/en/content/dominican-charism) These words offer a starting point for reflection about a value at the heart of the Order of Preachers: Truth.   During these days following his feast (August 8th), let’s take some time to consider this special preoccupation of Dominic, who was called, “Doctor of Truth”.   At this time in the United States – and perhaps throughout our world – truth seems scarce and elusive.   With expressions like “alternative facts” and “fake news”, some would have us believe that truth itself can be reduced to ideology and opinion.   However, a positive consequence of these times might be that we become more deliberate about seeking information from reliable sources and less casual in our acceptance of the pablum offered by much of the media.   Over the centuries, philosophers have written vol...

This Saturday we celebrate the Feast of St. Mary of Magdala – the first witness to the Resurrection, Apostle to the Apostles, and one of the patrons of the Order of Preachers.  Unfortunately, this preacher and faithful Christ-follower is one of the most misunderstood women in Christian history.   For centuries, Mary of Magdala has all too often been seen as repentant prostitute and public sinner – an image reinforced by artistic representations of her.   Books and movies like The Da Vinci Code which present her as Jesus’ wife add to the confusion. So who is the real Mary of Magdala? The Gospels describe her as accompanying Jesus during his ministry in Galilee and supporting the mission from her means.   She is at the foot of the cross during the crucifixion - in contrast to Jesus’ male follower who fled or hid. She is among the myrrh-bearing women who go to Jesus’ tomb early on Easter morning – and there she has a powerful encounter with the Risen Chr...

Last month I wrote on the topic: Anticipation, because I was heading to Rome for a global gathering of members of the Order of Preachers.  I promised to share some of that experience here. I had to let that my first trip to Rome was not going to be as a tourist.  A bit of extra time before the conference started and aspects of the schedule did allow for some sites/sights to be seen. With my travel companion, we had just enough time to see St Peter’s Basilica and even able to get into the crypt church below the altar.  By sheer chance we ran into two other Dominicans and spent the rest of the evening with them.  Most evenings of the Mission Congress concluded at various worship sites including the main church for the Order, Santa Sabina, the Great Synagogue of Rome and more. What does stand out for me is the new and renewed connections with Dominicans from around the globe.  On this side of the Rome experience, I carry the conversations and learnings I...

Dominicans are Easter people.   First of all, we are devoted to newness and open to risk.   Our founder, Saint Dominic, began the Order of Preachers in order to launch new ways of spreading God’s Word. Secondly, we are women and men of hope.   As our brother, Thomas Aquinas said, “Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not as hand.”   We want to see with eyes of abundance, not scarcity.   Finally, we are committed to the belief that anything is possible.   When a situation appears without promise, we will look for what could be there.   We will live in the paradoxical.   We will strive to turn our deepest sorrows into a joy that cannot be contained.   We long to share our talking to God and about God.        So, how about you?   How are you connected to Easter? Peggy Ryan, OP Waukegan, IL

This coming Saturday, November 7th, Dominican laity, nuns, sisters and Friars worldwide will officially begin the 800th Jubilee Year of the founding of the Order of Preachers.  Here in Trinidad we have been preparing for this great event for some time now.   Our celebrations will officially kick off on Saturday too with Eucharist at the only monastery here on the island.  In fact most of the celebrations we have planned will take place at the monastery to facilitate the nuns' participation.    The history of Dominicans in Trinidad is as old and as rich as the history of the Church here!  Dominicans Friars, sisters and nuns sent out on mission, built many of our churches and schools.  I have vivid memories of the excitement it generated among us as children when we would see the parish priest, fully robed, coming up the road to visit with us at home.  Those were the days!  As I reflect on this time ...

When I came back from our Community Days (annual gathering of Sisters for both the work of our life and renewal of our life together) the song in my head was the one written for the 800 th Jubilee Year for the Order of Preachers.  It reminds us, as Dominicans, of our calling to praise, to bless and to preach with our lives. As I write this blog entry there is a very different song looping over and over again in my head.  It is the 1957 song by the Silhouettes:  Get A Job .  It is the words from the refrain:  “Sha Na Na” …that are looping.  But I didn’t start with that golden oldie. News came recently that Dennis Greene had died.  Dennis was lead singer for the group: Sha Na Na who took their name from the 1957 song.  He went back to school, got a law degree and chose a path out of the limelight.  Music and lyrics can grab us.  We may hear a full orchestra and choir in our heads.  These two songs that I have experienced ther...

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 ...