Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

In my last blog, March 15, I wrote about my passion for being a life-long learner. Then my learning experience took a sharp curve with two pandemics—the corona virus and the 400 year deadly racism virus. The blatant killing of Mr. George Floyd on May 25, 2020 set the world on fire. We cannot and must not ignore the urgent cry for justice. Learning, for me, now focuses intensely on this deadly racism virus. Over the past two weeks our sisters shared articles, videos, took part in teach-ins and dialogs about “Where do we go from here?” (Oprah’s question).  Our congregation made a public statement expressing our outrage, sympathy, and solidarity with people of color. We stand on the side of justice for all. On June 8 th  Joan Duerst, OP wrote in her blog about ways she has engaged in action for justice now. Our congregation’s commitment to being anti-racist and multicultural has reignited our resolve. Learning is not always enjoyable. Bryan Massingale, SJ has put a “fi...

I haven’t felt like writing these past days.  Like many others, my heart has been sick and saturated with the pain we seem so easily able to inflict on one another.  Polarity reigns, fed from our sense of right pitted against your equally adamant one.  As we each stand up and speak out, I wonder how it is that we can look at and listen to the same things, but see and hear them so differently?  In the midst of all of this turmoil, I am grateful for the sunrise, for the heaving of the Earth as she slowly slips off her frozen blanket and prepares, once again, to rise.   I am grateful for the wonder of the stars and the moon and for delicate fingers of frost, for bird songs.   I am grateful for smiles and kindness and forgiveness and compassion.   As St. Augustine said, “My heart is restless, O Lord, until it rests in you.”  And so, I am most grateful for the chance to hold all of this while hanging with God, who is Constancy and Love, with ...