Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

At our motherhouse the Sisters gather three times a day for communal prayer: Morning Prayer, Eucharist and Evening Prayer. Most of those who are there are retired. Many are quite frail, but there they are, three times a day. We sit facing each other “choir to choir” and I love to look at their faces, worn and wrinkled, but alive with the joy and peace that are the fruits of their years. Some can hardly see or hear, but they come. Many are leaning on walkers or canes, but they come. They come because they are faithful to what they promised long ago. They are faithful to their profession of obedience to a way of life that will someday be culminated by the jubilant encounter face to face with the God who called them.  This communal prayer is built on the private prayer of each of these holy women. In the cloister of their rooms, in the sanctuary of nature, in the silence of the chapel, each one has had her unique encounter with her Creator. Each one brings her precious experience...

I don’t know about you, but this time of the year tends to be exceptionally intense for me.  Keeping the “wheels on” in everyday life in addition to preparing for Christmas leads me down the path of overwhelming.  During my daily commute to the Mound, morning reflection time, and before I go to sleep each night I am praying, “God, let me serve with joy, and let me know your peace.”  Fortunately, our good and gracious God, in infinite kindness has bestowed peace and patience upon me.   In addition, God has used both ordinary and exceptional events during Advent to remind me of what is really important.  One of those exceptional events occurred yesterday on Gaudete Sunday.  We were blessed with the perpetual profession ceremony of our Sr. Kathy Flynn.  What joy, peace, and excitement we experienced through the music, Word of God, preaching, and words of commitment during that ritual! In the program distribut...

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...