Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Community life (living together as sisters) has always been a high point of my vocation. The rhythm of a community can give, or stifle life in all forms of communal living, families, roommates, etc.     Time dedicated for prayer, meals, study, and play are essential components in a religious community. The morning hours, in all the communities I have lived, are quiet times. There is always movement about the house, but silence provided an opportunity for private prayer.  Time to sit in silence with scripture and in God’s presence was my “get right” opportunity to start my day.   In community living there is designated time for communal prayer and meals, and opportunity to talk about your day. There was time after the evening meal to play games (Hand and Foot was my favorite card game), watch TV, read a book, grade papers, or visit with one or two sisters. Usually between 9-10 pm there was silence, another opportunity for private prayer. The rhythm of these communitie...

My son did a bit of ‘guerrilla gardening’ in Iowa City some years ago, planting a variety of plants and seeds in what was once a trash-strewn concrete slab next to an alley. Acorn squash grew up the chain link fence separating this ‘plot’ from a transforming station. Neighborhood residents and passersby were fed. An older brother had a pumpkin vine growing in a crack between his concrete driveway and the side steps to his house. The vine bore fruit. In New Orleans, I remember seeing beautiful oak trees upheave sidewalks to continue their growth. Today, March 14, signals the end of Catholic Sisters Week, a week highlighting the vocational call to vowed religious life. Honest, intentional discernment in the company of supportive communities may lead a woman to vowed religious life or it may lead her to another vocation, another relationship altogether. Each of us is called to bear good fruit. Discernment is a lifetime call to listen to the voice of God. When we do that with trust and fai...

One hundred years from now, I hope people will remember this about our community: We were people who spent our lives advocating for the rights of women, people of color, native peoples, immigrants... all the while treating each person we encountered with profound dignity.   Carol Fox, OP

  The Quest Never Loses Its Savor   Who was this young student-sister whose final essay in English comp at Rosary College she titled “The Image of Man in Western Civilization” (Sister Julie said, “Let Christopher Dawson do this.”) And whose final paper for her MA she titled “Man in Search.” (inclusive language had not yet been invented.)   It could only be the daughter of a mother and father, Third Order Dominicans, whose daily reading as she grew up was publications like  America ,  Commonweal ,  Integrity , and  The Catholic Worker . Not that I understood a word of it--though I did try, once…   But I did catch the Dominican quest-bug, even as we children crouched near the radio for “Nick Carter Master Detective” and “The Shadow” while our parents went off on Sunday afternoons to Marquette Poetry Teas and meetings of the Thomist Association they started for the theological education of laity.   Thus, I found myself, three years after my sist...

One hundred years from now, I hope people will remember this about our community: that we used our talents and time to reach out to people in need. Sheila Griffin, OP 

When I was a sophomore in high school a sister invited me for a walk, and we sat down together at a shrine of the Sacred Heart. She began to talk about her relationship with Jesus and shared her deep faith with me. Later she continued to invite me for more walks and her sharing encouraged me to want to know Jesus as a person in my life. This eventually opened me to the desire to become a religious and give my life to God.     Helen Marie Raycraft , OP

When I entered the Novitiate, conformity, uniformity were the themes of the day. No casting of the eyes. Hands under scapula. Little sleeves had only one purpose, not to be used for dusting pianos! Particular friendships were frowned upon. It was 1902, no, 1964.   The rolly polly pope, John XXIII, had just opened the doors of the church to experimentation and ecumenism. What a breath of fresh air it was for many of us.    Time has changed us. Seasons have nurtured our vision to embrace a global world deepening Cosmically our Contemplative spirituality.   Our soul's field has and is being tilled and composted by pandemics of every sort. Sexism, racism, inequality, politics, lies, cover ups, climate change, division and abuse rage while the Institutional Church remains almost mute.   As Sinsinawa Dominicans, we have taken visual and active stances against these wildfires of rage and displaced power.   Now it is time for harvesting. Just as Vatican II opened d...

The song that best describes my call to religious life is   Amazing Grace . I never felt I had a call to religious life, despite some Ursuline and Dominican Sisters having suggested it to me. So how did I end up here?  First, I had started a novena to the Mother of Perpetual Help because they always did that novena at my church, Holy Names in Omaha, NE.  My intention in making the novena had nothing to do with discerning religious life but was to ask for help in finding me a job because I was just graduating from college at the University of Omaha with a degree in Home Economics and a minor in Education. I was praying to the Blessed Mother to help me find an appropriate job.  As I waited for the bus to “the U”, a young man passed me at the bus stop. He could see that I was going to the University, and I could see by the stack of books in his car that he was, too. He offered me a ride so I wouldn’t have to take the bus. One morning, he had his car radio on, and I...

The day I professed my final vows I remember so clearly. It was Thanksgiving Day in 1965 in the church in Janesville, Wisconsin – St. John Vianney Parish. I had taught in the school for five years and was given the opportunity to affirm my vocation in that parish. Our Provincial, Sister Regina Kelly, OP, received my vows. My family, my Dominican community, and the parishioners celebrated with me. The parishioners provided a reception after the Mass. It was a most memorable day for me, and I remember it every Thanksgiving Day. Lynn Lisbeth, OP 

When I was in first grade in Oak Park, IL, I was first attracted to the Dominican Sisters who lived across the street because of their smiling faces and cheerful dispositions. These attitudes continued inside the classroom and beyond. It occurred to me that the joy that came from those sisters may have been a sign of God’s call to me. 60 some years later, here I am! I stayed this long because, no matter what has happened in my personal or communal life, that joy never diminished. Mary Margaret Pazdan, OP

I suppose one reason I entered religious life was that I had a sister (Sr. Dominicana Dwyer), an aunt, and a cousin who were Sinsinawa Dominicans and another cousin who was a Racine Dominican.   I was always getting in trouble in school. Always in detention. So, when one day I came home and announced that I was going to enter the convent, everyone was surprised and said I wouldn’t last. But I did. This is to where I was called and in 2021, I am celebrating 67 years professed as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa! Catherine Thomas Dwyer, OP

A song that represents my call to religious life:  “God has chosen me…”Without God’s call, I wouldn’t be here.   cf; God’s call to Samuel (1 Samuel 3). Listen and respond.    Geri Kline, OP

At my Golden Jubilee (50 years of professed life), I realized, “I’m going to be here a while!” I was happy and my heart was at ease. When I made my first profession, I was a little nervous. For me, the best part of religious life is that I am never alone. This year, I am celebrating my 60 th   anniversary of the profession of my vows! Elaine Taylor, OP

  “Whatsoever you do to the lest of these you have done to me.” Matt. 35 “Yours are the hands through which Christ blesses all the world. ...Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” Teresa of Avila I have tried to live out my religious life following these two quotes, realizing they are addressed to lay folks as well. In 100 years from now, I hope people will remember the Sinsinawa Dominicans for doing this, responding to the needs of the day with courage and love, strengthened by living the 4 pillars of the Dominican order (prayer, study, community and mission) and knowing that we have each other's back. Stella Storch, OP

Many things to think about, pray about these days. People are sharing the abundance of their gardens-- a large butternut squash, wonderful tomatoes, gallons of maple syrup. “ Bless us O Lord and these thy gifts.” Grateful thoughts come to us as we share an evening meal together. Then we share the wake service of a sister or the talk on the Doctrine of Discovery from our sister, Christin. We ponder together what struck us and what we are to do now. What a blessing to share Dominican community. Where are you being called now--compassionate care for others, joyful singing making hearts glad, teaching a child to read? Each of us is called , vocatur, vocation. As we grow in vocation so also does our vision. In the Sinsinawa community new visions have moved us to take on new commitments together. We have spoken together in corporate stances. RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP 2021 ANTI-RACISM 2020 CLIMATE CHANGE 2018 JUST IMMIGRATION REFORM 2013 HUMAN TRAFFICKING 2008 AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY 2002 I...

I never wanted to be a religious sister (nun) because I felt I would never be happy.     This calls me to reflect on what is happiness.     Some say that happiness is a feeling.     It is when you feel good and cheerful about something that happened or is happening in your life.     However, I think that true happiness comes from when you make others happy.     After I went out of my way to assist someone and they unexpectedly tell me how much my helping meant to them.     I experience an unexpected warm feeling inside.     True happiness I think is a sense of fulfilment you feel even if what you did was not acknowledged, yet you know that deep down inside you did and gave of your best to help someone without any conscious ulterior motive.     You did it because it was the right and necessary thing to do at the time. Everyone searches for happiness and many know that true happiness cannot be found in things,...

In my March 2020 post I shared about being a life-long learner. In Dominican life we are encouraged to cultivate a love for learning. Little did I realize that my learning experiences would expand immediately when the pandemic became widespread. We have sheltered in place at the Mound since March 18, 2020.  I’m on an adventure--learning to navigate the world of technology. I’ve participated in virtual Community Days, retreats, classes, webinars, book group, family meetings, a wedding, and birthday parties. I feel more connected with the world. An abundance of resources are available via the internet. At times I am overwhelmed and fatigued by it all. Mostly I am energized by all that has opened up for me since March.    Now I am looking forward to a new learning opportunity within the Dominican Family. Two Dominican sisters from Vietnam are participating in a process that will prepare Tuyet Pham for perpetual profession. Although I have ministered with women in discernment...

This October I got a great opportunity to attend a Choice Asia Conference in Hong Kong.  Nowhere in my wildest dreams would I have believed that I would have gotten this fantastic opportunity to represent Choice T&T in Asia.  A few months ago I did not even know that there was Choice in Asia!   The Choice Movement is an international movement that hosts weekend retreats for single young adults between the ages of 18-40 years of age.  These weekends are filled with personal testimonies, spiritual inputs, activities and group sessions all with the intention of creating a space during the weekend that the young adults can do a lot of introspection and reflection with the help of the Holy Spirit on what their vocation maybe. As the spiritual director of Choice T&T, I along with the Gabby the chairperson was able to attend this momentous event in Hong Kong.  The moment we landed in Hong Kong, after twenty-three hours flying and hours spent awaiting t...

My sisters and me in our orange walk shirts!! And it’s something I’m learning to live with!   Exercise is important, so I’m walking nearly every day and on the days it rains I go to the Y and work out on their machines. I’ve also joined a Boxing class for people with Parkinson’s.   I may not be Muhammed Ali, but I LOVE IT! (And he lived with Parkinson’s for thirty years.)   And next month I’ll be rowing in an 8-person skull on Lake Mendota with my Boxing buddies.   It’s a program the University of Wisconsin makes available every July, free of charge for people with Parkinson’s. In April nine Sisters joined me in a Walk-fundraiser for Parkinson’s.   This was so supportive for me.   We joined with many others that day.   We had a great time and raised over $56,000! This is all new to me, and I’m learning so much.    One thing I’m learning is that many people live with chronic and progressive diseases.    I consi...

Last week I had the privilege of being with our Sister Marie Lee in her last days here on earth.   She was 98 years old and spent 71 of those years as a vowed Sinsinawa Dominican Sister.   In her active years of ministry she was a teacher, a band leader, a founder of a sewing program for Hmong immigrants, a spiritual guide and mentor to many women.   Having been given the gift of a long life, she spent the last years of her life in contemplation.   She read the current spiritual books on the “new cosmology” and willingly shared her deep insight into this new understanding of God in the Universe.      When one of the nurses asked, how she as a nurse could achieve her tranquility and peace?   Sister Marie responded, “By being yourself.”   This reminded me of EE Cummings poem To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day,            ...