Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Lately, the concept of   Hospitality   has been in the forefront of my days.     Even the Scriptural readings for this past Sunday have focused on offering hospitality – Abraham and Sarah greeting and providing a meal for travelers outside their tent, Martha and Mary providing food & beverages and a listening ear when Jesus came to enjoy their company.     I recently read a novel called  Martha  based upon the Mary, Martha, and Lazarus stories in the Gospel. Throughout the story, gracious hospitality was extended to guests who appeared at their gate.     My sisters and a cousin came to visit the home where I live last weekend.  In that case, the hospitality was reciprocal.  Since I am still in full-time ministry and they are retired from full-time employment, they brought the first evening’s supper and ideas of “adventures” they’d like to explore during the weekend.  I provided beds, showers, a...

The Community's Cup is overflowing with Divine Cosmic Presence! You and I, along with all life, are privileged to sit and sip together around its rim.   Hand-picked leaves of compassionate love, forgiveness and inclusion have been seeped together to create this brew.   Really smell life's aromas.   Feel their textures. Taste their flavors. See similarities and differences in this ONE Cosmic Cup of Tea.   Eighty-five of us from twelve different countries (Nigeria, Spain, Philippines, Canada, Jamaica, Kenya, USA, Iraq, Lebanon, Belgium, England, Australia) attended an English boarding school, in Southern England. We slept, played, prayed, talked and ate together.   When Tea Time came around, each of us excitedly brought out our prized treat packages received from home to share at table.   As Sinsinawa Dominicans I believe we live on the rim of this Cosmic Cup, looking outward and looking inward. Grounded in Contemplative Wholeness. I personally imagine the Co...

How sad we have been!  In the midst of sickness and death of the pandemic, we saw repeated over and over again the murder of Mr. George Floyd by those who are named peace officers.  Three Dominicans share community where I live .  Gratefully in the midst of such sadness and stay at home challenges we can also make one another laugh. We reflect on scripture together.  Share articles of interest.  Come together for wake services and Mass that are live streamed from the Mound. We take turns cooking and pray together. We mourn with those who are mourning and speak out for justice with those who are protesting. For a number of years the Sinsinawa Dominicans have supported me in the work I get to do to advocate for change in the criminal justice system with another community called MOSES (Madison Organizing in Strength Equality and Solidarity.)  Then there is the parish community with which I share scripture study each Friday. I am...

Since early childhood I loved to learn. I was an over achiever so I put forth a lot of effort. Learning provided meaning and purpose in my life. I connected learning with school so I have a love for education.  When I entered the Sinsinawa Dominicans and became a teacher I felt right at home. I’m grateful for the educational opportunities I’ve had. After my teaching degree I went on to receive two masters and certification. What blessings these experiences have been. Beyond formal study, Dominicans are life-long learners. In fact, study is an essential part of our charism. The longer I live the more I realize the many ways we learn. Learning has become a way of life that enriches me with meaning and purpose. Living at the Mound I have so many opportunities to study and learn. Mealtime is a great source of learning. The sisters provide a wealth from their life experience. There are many different study groups, mini-courses, prayer groups, book clubs, seminars and regu...

Here’s a rousing cheer of gratitude for all the wonderful Sinsinawa Dominican women I live among and also all our small “s” sisters whose partnerships make our mission in the world possible and full of meaning and joy. Women seem to share a deep concern for the earth and all earth’s people. Daniel Ladinsky in  Love Poems from God says: “God has a special interest in women for they can lift this world to their breast and help [Him] comfort.”  What an honor to answer the call to vowed religious life in community, have the privilege of ministering with strong committed women, and help God give comfort!  Some of my favorite mission partners are women with whom I do jail visitation as part of the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants. We meet with detainees from all over the world, but especially now from Central America and Mexico. We are a compassionate human presence for people who have experienced terrible trauma at home, during their perilous journeys here...

A very wise mentor suggested that as part of my spiritual journey, I might incorporate eating an apple into my prayer life, a metaphorical way of getting to the core of my spirit and the questions that lie there. We use the word ‘core’ more often than we may realize, in phrases and idioms like “getting to the core of the matter”, or the “earth’s core”, or of businesses that use “core competencies” to evaluate their employees. One of our Sinsinawa-sponsored ministries –Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin – has as its motto, “Cor ad Cor Loquitur” - “heart speaks to heart” – a dialogue between souls, based in compassion, leading to understanding. When we are open to prayer that spirals us ever closer to the Sacred Center, we will discover at our core seeds. They are like God’s breadcrumbs, leading us to further questioning, deeper searching, and more profound union with the One who scattered them. I am grateful for this new prayer experience and what it has meant to me thi...

Grace Roidt, associate, who lives with us in Madison especially wanted to see Mavis Staples on the Kennedy Honors. Then our friend rang the doorbell, and we missed the portion of the show with Mavis.  So today we researched Mavis Staples on line.  We found her singing “Wholy, Holy” on a UTube,   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfRw_WdWazU Besides the energy that Mavis brings to this song, written by Marvin Gaye, the words speak to my thoughts and mood these days between 2016 and 2017. Many ask, What stands out about 2016? What calls us in 2017? 2016 often found people divided, but the song and many leaders said, We all gotta come together 'Cause we need the strength, power. In April 2016 at chapter (our highest governing body) Sinsinawa Dominicans realized “God’s mission is our mission” It’s like the song says, We should believe in one another (Believe in Jesus). We can conquer hate forever. In April, much like the song, we proclaimed our vis...

The primary way that I’ve been getting around and becoming familiar with Denver is by riding my bicycle.  This city is an ideal home for bikers, too—between the bike-friendly public transit, the abundant bike lanes and the extensive trail system you can pretty much get anywhere. I’ve found that biking these trails provides some of the best space for contemplative time and personal reflection.    It recently dawned on me that there are some similarities between those exploratory rides and the journey that has been my discernment of religious life.  The trail infrastructure in and around Denver is excellent—it’s well-planned and carefully thought-out and clearly took years to develop.  Similarly, the discernment process that I’ve experienced with the Sinsinawa Dominicans has been solidly founded, well-developed and thoughtfully designed over time. My first time on a trail, there are often mysterious forks where the signage at a given juncture is confusing...

Recently I was asked to do a reflection on Mary, the listening virgin. As I pondered what I would say I reflected on how much our society today needs good listeners who show respect for the person speaking. It seems almost everyone has an opinion and expresses it, sometimes shamelessly, on social media—often what is said is degrading and hateful. Are they really listening to one another? Yesterday a woman came to my office saying she didn’t think anyone cared about her; no one loved her—she didn’t even think God loved her. She felt very alone. What could I do; what could I say? I listened to her and reminded her that God loved her into existence and will never stop loving her. We prayed together and she left. I don’t know what I did for her, but I knew she needed someone to listen to her. Maybe she needed the reminder that God loved her, but she didn’t need my advice nor did she need me to resolve her angst. I listened; was that enough? I hope so. It has been said that we have...

"Called forth by God's expansive love and mercy for all creation...we commit ourselves to the urgent summons of Laudato Si to care for Earth, our home."  These words taken from our Direction Statement 2016-2021 will be my inspiration this week as beginning today at Dominican Wellspring, I host a camp for kids.  This will be the second year for the camp that has as its main aim to introduce the children and their families to our responsibility as earth dwellers to become better caretakers of all of God's creation.   The children will be immersed in activities which will model caring for creation, from reducing consumption and waste to being thoughtful about reuse and recycling.   I feel very happy to have this opportunity to raise awareness in children, of the need to care for our planet, and I am grateful that I belong to a congregation that extends its ministry of mercy to include all of God's creation.   What are you doing to care for Earth, o...

I continue to be appalled and deeply saddened by our human capacity for “othering” and demonstrating violent behavior. I am also in awe of expressions of openness, inclusivity, and delight. How do we continue to find and welcome each other, in our beautiful diversity, in this very different time of our lives? Not only did the horrific mass shooting happen in Orlando two weeks ago, but there are thousands upon thousands of gun related deaths and acts of violence around our country. At the same time, there are thousands upon thousands of ordinary and extraordinary incidences of inclusivity and welcome. I experienced one last week, with co-workers of the nonprofit organization where I work and members of a Muslim community in our service area. About 200 of us came together for prayer and the meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan. The witnessing of welcome, hospitality, and conversations about God’s/Allah’s presence during prayer and community remain with me in all of its mag...

At a recent parish event, I joined with others in experiencing an evening of Mexican dancing.   It was a magical night, with a cool breeze and the setting sun adding to the delight.   A common parking lot in a broken-down neighborhood was turned into a beautiful and plush theatre.   In these dances, we witnessed the ancient rituals and social traditions of a people put to music and movement. Together, as a group, we were moved to a profound joy.   We crossed boundaries and traversed understanding to experience our common humanity.   We became one. In any experience of sharing in another culture, Dominicans are called to preach truth.   It is up to us to name the communion we share as God’s family.   The gospel leads us to proclaiming where God is found.   No walls could possibly be built.   No group of people could possibly be asked to “go home.”   We are united and called to be brother or sister to each other. What cultural exp...