Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

My nephew Daniel was three years old at the time and his sister Brenna was two. It was early April in Wisconsin, and the streets were clogged with slush. The sky was gray, and the air was damp and cold. Brenna turned to her brother and asked, “Will it ever be warm again?” Daniel, having acquired an unusual lot of wisdom in his young age, responded, “Yes, it will be warm again…and then it will be cold again. It’s ALWAYS like that!”   As we human beings move from one period of life to the next, we begin to see patterns and the patterns give our lives meaning and as we share that meaning with one another we grow together in the realization that there is a Being in the Universe who loves us and cares for us and provides us with what we need. As we share life’s journey, let us be grateful for the kind of change that makes us whole. Mary Ellen Green, OP Woodruff, WI

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...