Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Many stories are shared in the small community in which I live. Two sisters and one associate moved to a modest house on Madison’s near east side one year ago.  We had lived in a very large parish convent, where we often welcomed guests to share meals, meetings and/or overnight accommodations and, of course, stories. It may seem sad to give up a place that was a great place for Dominican life. But what blessings and what stories guests have shared in this smaller space. This morning began as usual with our 7 a.m. prayer that we share by phone with a sister in Maryland and an associate in Barneveld WI.   We begin by sharing the Gospel story for the week.   This time it was about what is required to be a disciple of Jesus.   We talked about the challenge of continuing to discern anew what it means to share the Gospel of Jesus with others. As two members were sent off to their day jobs.   A person came to the front porch to return keys and share abou...

I want to believe that if Saint Dominic were alive today he would just love Pope Francis because he is calling us to bear witness to the Gospel – the good news of Jesus.   And he has a way of doing this so that all of us are able to understand. Saint Dominic must have been this way as well.   There is an account of him staying up all night talking with a tavern owner – sharing the Gospel with him. On the first Sunday of September I led a Theology on Tap evening for young adults at a local bar.   I channeled my “inner Dominic” and had a great conversation with a wonderful group of people. What our Pope is calling us to – as he wrote in “The Joy of the Gospel” – is to be Missionary Disciples.   We are to go out and proclaim the good news in every place and in every way.   Yes, Saint Dominic would have liked this very much for it is inherent in our charism to go and bring the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ.   As members of ...