Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Recently, I attended a Circle Keeper’s gathering at Sojourner Family Peace Center, my place of ministry, a gathering based on the circle model of restorative justice. The group that evening was racially, economically, gender, and experientially-diverse. As each participant, in turn, picked up a talking piece, full attention was given to that person alone until they had shared what they wanted to share. Wounds buried surfaced and were held up to the light, which began the process of healing ragged edges. I was struck by how similar and universal our individual woundedness seemed and by the healing power of circles. We must have been created to be part of circles, rather than lines. Lines can be relational but only at the point of intersection. Circles, on the other hand, embrace. Lines can lengthen, but only on one end or the other. Circles widen, making room for more. Lines are not very welcoming. When we stand in line, we see only the back of the person in front of us but when we...

Last Saturday I hosted a “Circle” gathering of Sisters and Associates at our house.  Although Sinsinawa Dominicans use the word “circle” for these, generally monthly, meetings, each group’s circle seems to be one-of-a-kind with little in common with other circles other than we all tend to sit in circles.  Circles have no canonical status; but from the way the members cling to them, it’s obvious that circles are important. Theoretically, the circle I belong to has 17 members.   But about 5 Associates and 10 professed Sisters usually show up for a gathering.   Someone may be out of town.   Another person may be sick.   Someone else may just have a conflict for the date we’ve chosen.   Individuals in our group are not necessarily close friends and may not often meet one another except at Circle gatherings where we snack a bit, pray, “check in”—meaning catch up on what’s going on in one another’s lives, what’s important, how each member is feeling abo...

Today when I went to the library for fun films, my eyes lit on a new book.   Zealot, The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslam.  Jesus is zealous for the Kingdom of God.  The book that I had not planned to see is an instrument of God's call for me.  I am called to a great adventure-- to be a zealous for God's Kingdom. Zeal according to the dictionary is a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone very eager to do. Zeal to be effective, however, needs to be tempered by wisdom.   And so I frequently gather with others who are also seeking in order to fine-tune my hearing. Where I live circles of sisters and associates gather monthly to share and listen to each other. Each brings into the circle where she has been during the month. Then each takes in the wisdom of the circle in order to become genuinely zealous for God's adventure.     Together we discern where our zeal is needed.   Where are you being cal...