Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

One month ago I started my pastoral ministry practicum at the correctional facility where I have worked part-time for almost three years. I meet individually with inmates for “spiritual care” sessions and co-facilitate two groups: an anger management group with the men and a grief group with the women. I am very excited about this opportunity! A lot of life happens before and beyond the iron gates, electronic doors, and concrete walls. There is also much suffering. The details of our personal stories may be different but we are more alike than not. I identify with their feelings of loss, grief, remorse, and anger toward injustices that occur in the world in which we live, including the criminal justice system. The inmates help me become more honest, compassionate, and present in the moment. We also find occasion to laugh and work together to put dreams in action toward a brighter tomorrow. Five days a week I encounter God beyond steel bars and concrete. Will you help me pray for all o...

I am chewing on the question: “How we (vowed religious) are different from say, the consecrated virgins, other than we have a congregation to fall back on? In today’s gospel, April 20, the people ask Jesus for a sign that they might believe in him. The desire today as well, seems to be for outward, external signs-dress, way of prayer. For me vocation is relationship. I explained Dominican life to the 5th grade as a desire to “tell the word about Jesus” like St Dominic did; and to do that with others that like each other so much we call ourselves brothers and sisters. Our Order- our club is also called a family. The energy of this “band of sisters” changes lives: those we serve as well as our own. In a parish prayer group, someone asked me was it hard to leave behind things like sex and a family. I answered that I did not feel so much like I was leaving behind as much as I was moving toward something that my heart sought. Happy seeking, Sr. Mary Mc Nulty OP

This past weekend we had a fundraiser for the ministry I direct. We did a Fun Run and it was a great success. I was amazed at the number of people who came simply because they wanted the tee shirt which stated “I Run with Nuns”! Now initially I was not crazy about the title but the more I think about it the more I like it. I do ‘run with nuns’. And they are wonderfully made persons. The nuns I run with are so genuine and are so committed to the Gospel. They take great joy in serving the People of God. They teach, the console, they preach, they administer, they listen, and they give. Indeed what a neat group of people to be running with. It is these women who renew my faith in God and who renew my commitment as a vowed religious. We are not perfect. Sometimes in the run we stumble but we help one another get up and continue on in the run. Want to run with nuns? Sr. K. C. Young

Where can I find God’s presence? What signs can I count on? How will I know when I’ve found God? These questions have been hidden deep inside my heart for as long as I can remember. They’ve meant different things to me over the years, but the questions haven’t changed all that much. When I was a child I was confused by the preaching I heard Sunday after Sunday. God seemed like a powerful judge, and I was errant at best. One answer I grasped at a fairly early age was that I could immerse myself in “God-friendly” activities. It wasn’t until many years later that I discovered the most God-friendly activity was being my own best self, not someone else’s idea of what it meant to be good, and definitely not undermining my own self by living in fear. The great thing about this discovery is that it’s something I can live into for the rest of my life, and I can count myself in the crowd of all the wrong people Jesus chose to show the scope of his love! Learning to live in love has shown me the ...

Every day here in Southeast Alaska I am surrounded by incredible natural beauty--majestic, snow-covered mountains, winding waterways, and scores of eagles, gulls, and other birds. But since this area is made up of islands it can be a challenge for a faith community to meet on a regular basis. In Juneau we have four Masses every weekend, but I recently flew to Petersburg to facilitate a retreat morning with a group of women. This community shares its pastor with a parish about 50 miles away, so every other week the pastor travels by ferry to Wrangell and stays the week. Therefore, two weekends every month parishioners lead Communion services which are well-attended. St. Catherine’s parish is truly alive in its faith! I was inspired by each parishioner’s commitment and willingness to share responsibility for all the activities that make this such a vital parish. It was a joy for me to share my faith with them. Sr. Marie Lucek, OP

Greetings from Mobile, Alabama, where everything is in bloom! As you can see from the picture, I work with children. What isn't obvious is that I 'm not in a school setting. I teach at a place called "the Art Instructional Center" in Lavretta Park for the City of Mobile Department of Parks and Recreation. Ministry can happen anywhere, even in a beautiful park! I think a lot about what it means to teach art to children. We, all of us, are hardwired for artistic expression in one form or another. It is one of God's great gifts to us. The wonderful thing about working with children is that they have not yet learned to fear this gift. They love coming to the Art Center and I love creating opportunities for unleashing their creative potential. What they make (usually) adds to the beauty of our world. Making art teaches children how to work toward a goal. No kits. The outcome is not immediately evident, and skills have to be learned in small increments. Lots of problem...

Cards in the dark? Well, kind of… Only dim candle light helped us see our cards. At least we couldn’t peep over at someone else’s cards. Our dear planet needed us to remind one another that she is indeed fragile – hence Earth Hour all over the globe and in Atlanta, Georgia. Many of us are “in the dark” when it comes to the cries of Earth, kin to us and our Divine Companion. This 500 Rummy game proved to be delightfully humorous tinged with the usual competitive desire to win. I lost miserably but my wonderful community of sisters won in the light of new understanding of Earth’s needs. Sr. Patty Caraher, OP