Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Advent is a pause, but not an empty one. Rather, it is pregnant with need and possibility. As I write this, Brittney Griner has just been released from a Russian penal colony and is on U.S. soil. We rejoice yet should be acutely aware how, in other circumstances, her race and sexual identity still leave her on the margins – in this country and abroad. The Advent pause is pregnant with oppression and injustice that begs our attention.   One of my dear Dominican sisters recently wrote that her twin is facing a serious heart problem. Even in the midst of her own worry and anxiety, this Sister reminds us of her family’s gratitude for the privilege of healthcare to which they have access. Her generous heart points to the dire circumstances in which many people in our own country find themselves without access to adequate or affordable health care. The Advent pause is pregnant with real people facing social injustice and need. This pause begs our attention.   In  weeklyprayers@...

Preparing to leave water in the desert for travelers   How do we live today as citizens of our global village?  How do our decisions and choices create or hinder a future for others?  Some of our state governments have decided that our newly arrived brothers and sisters can be treated like chattel and loaded on buses or planes to be dropped off in cities all over the country.       What are Dominicans called to do when we witness injustice?     Can we use our voices to bring the oppressive practices to light, such as writing editorials to local papers or joining GET OUT THE VOTE campaigns?     Can we join with others to eliminate suffering?     Can we offer time and energy as volunteers at respite sites?     How will this suffering of our brothers and sisters enter into our prayer?     We have a line in our Constitution:   “Present to God’s people whose hopes and sufferings are our own, w...

The cherry tomatoes on my sister Molly’s plant make my mouth water!     The first two tomatoes I pick are so beautiful; I do not want to eat them.     The Saturday morning farmer’s market during these last weeks of August is an experience in abundance.  Each fruit and vegetable demonstrates the mystery of sunlight and rain, of earth and air.  Hidden seeds become luscious food. As Dominicans, we are called to praise and to bless.  The taste of a crunchy cucumber, the tartness of a blueberry, or the drippy sweetness of a slice of watermelon make it so easy to exclaim God’s goodness. This past Sunday’s second reading from the Letter of James says, “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you…” Even as this pandemic rages forward and the international scene speaks of injustice and oppression, James reminds us that we are called to be the harvest of God wherever we are, in any way possible.  The harvest of God’s love, mercy...

It has been a struggle to find something uplifting to share in this blog. Although it is resurrection season, the news has been filled with excruciating stories of death and selfishness: the insurrection at the capital; 6 mass shootings since January;    3 million deaths world-wide from covid; the crisis at our southern border. But especially poignant and raw has been the agonizing murders of our black and brown siblings at the hands of law enforcement officers and other violent perpetrators.    How long will we tolerate these injustices? The sin of racism is imbedded deeply in our systems and institutions. But it can be uprooted with persistent and communal decisions and actions. Our Corporate Stance for Anti-Racism challenges us to show up and speak up in the presence of racism whenever it shows up where we are.    In this excerpt from the poem, “Here It Is!,” in her book,  Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart,  Alice Walker urges this further tran...

In these times of chaos and uncertainty, where hatred and violence seem to run rampant, I am comforted by our Orderly God and the Fibonacci Sequence. I am no mathematician by  any  stretch of the imagination. Math gives me a headache, it makes me hyperventilate. I can’t really explain the Fibonacci sequence except that each number is the sum of the two numbers preceding it. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, etc. and that it has many scientific and mathematical applications. But it has also been used in music, poker, and the financial trades, among others.  The point is that the application of the sequence came  only  after its discovery, found everywhere in Nature. The pattern existed first, perhaps God’s way of scattering crumbs to help us find our way, letting us know that while we are not in control neither are we alone. That there is Order amidst the chaos and uncertainty. How beautiful; how hopeful!   Seeing beauty and working to dismantle systems of injustice...

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...

During these Easter days, the lectionary offers stories of Jesus’ followers after His resurrection.  In the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about apostles who gave witness.  I have reflected on this word after a conversation with a friend who saw a shooting on Chicago’s South Side where she is in ministry. A “witness” is one who courageously speaks spiritual truth.   A “witness” – in the legal sense – is someone who sees a crime happen and gives testimony.   After hearing my friend describe her experience, and as I reflect on my own ministry with immigrants, I wonder if these definitions of “witness” aren’t mutually exclusive.   If we seek to be in authentic relationship and accompany those on the margins, we will hear personal accounts of violence, or we may even see acts of violence with our own eyes.      With our feet firmly planted on the ground of this real-world injustice, we aspire – like the early Jesus-followers – speak truth an...