Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

I grew up on the south side of Chicago and at that time it was a strictly segregated neighborhood. Most of my neighbors were not consciously or actively racist but they shared a prevailing fear that “other “ people might move across 59th street. Much worse, the pastor of our parish was known to have turned black people away when they came to worship in our church. I went to school across the street from that church and, particularly as a sophomore in high school, I saw that there was a different way to look at diversity. The Dominican sister who taught English—and a lot more—to us teenagers opened new windows for us. She moderated the “Brotherhood” club; she introduced us to literature and to people who represented worlds we’d never experienced. She invited us to get involved in activities that followed from our beliefs, such as handing out open-housing leaflets on local street corners. I felt free—like I was a person that Jesus was talking to in the gospel. I wondered if the way this ...

In 2000, I attended my first vocation retreat. I was 47 years old. Three weeks ago, I publically made perpetual (final) profession of vows as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa. Why would anyone say “yes” to beginning a discernment process toward vowed religious life when in her late 40s and early 50s? I have been asked some form of that question numerous times. There is one answer for me: The inner stirring was too great to ignore. The “chase” [by God] in The Hound of Heaven , a 19 th century poem by Francis Thompson, has become a metaphor for my journey into religious life. There was pursuit, surrender, and a “yes” – actually, many yeses. Discerning religious life in your fifties is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Separately and together, the Congregation and I took the time we needed for good questions, honest conversations, and much reflection to determine if this would be a good fit. There is a lot to let go of when you’re my age, including a few possessions ...

As summer ends, August brings new beginning for students and teachers returning to school. This means new challenges for families/parents, employees of colleges and universities, and businesses that provide supplies for schools. Religious communities are not excluded from August beginnings. Currently, my theology studies have begun and a sister I live with is preparing to teach her ESL class beginning next week. Our summer schedules have changed. So, what kind of changes occur for community of Sisters? As a community, we gather for a house meeting as soon as summer ends. We don't simply go from the previous year's community schedule. It is a new beginning. We look at our ministry/school schedules and determine car schedules so that everyone can get where they need to go. We look at times and days to schedule dinner together and determine who will cook. We look at house and yard chores and new community needs, etc. Sounds similar to family scheduling, right? We also schedule pr...

I'm just finishing a six month internship followed by a year-long residency in CPE (that is Clinical Pastoral Education - which means basically a program which educates pastoral ministers, in this case, at the bedside) in a hospital setting. It was a surprisingly intense experience - and I loved it! I had no idea when I began that I would find myself engaged with so much learning, with so many different people, with so much pain, with so many memories, experiences and with my own faith. I had lots of transferrable skills from my years of ministry, but it was important for me to enter into the mystery of this learning experience with a spirit of unknowing. My friends will also confirm that along the way I broke my ankle and so my CPE experience also included a few weeks of being a recipient of both medical and spiritual care. Did I mention I learned a lot?! Why am I surprised? I'm a Dominican after all. Seeking truth is a characteristic of our common life. That means we can n...

Did you notice the new slideshow? It has pictures from Krissie's Koll's "welcome" as a candidate and from the first profession of Gail Jagroop and the final profession of Tanya Williams. These celebrations came at the end of our Community Days, a yearly time when about 400 of us gathered at Sinsinawa, "the Mound," to pray, study, enter into dialogue and deepen the bonds of our affection. In the context of our remembering our founding father, St. Dominic, on his feast, we welcomed these women to the journey with us. The celebrations were spirit-filled, joyful and unifying! It's very hopeful to know that together with these good companions "we enter a process of change that carries our past into the promise of the unknown future." Mary Ann Nelson, OP Madison, WI

I like to think about the word courage (although I don't always possess it.) The phrase I prefer is "action from the heart." Although this is probably a stretch, encouragement, to me, is wrapping someone in courage. The two beautiful women in this picture, grandmother and granddaughter, are both named Maria. The younger of the two comes to my art classes and needs no encouragement. Her creativity is imbued with confidence. She was very late for her first class because her grandmother couldn't find the Art Center. I had a hard time reassuring her that it was okay. Maria could catch up easily. In the course of our brief conversation, I learned that the older Maria was a Cuban refugee. The struggle to find a home had taken her and her husband to four continents. I was torn between my students who needed my attention, and Maria's story which came pouring forth from deep within her. The students won, but not before I encouraged the older Maria to write down her incred...

Recently a 21-year old woman asked me this question. It caused me to reflect on the many ways God chooses to call us. First, I assured her that if we don't hear God's call the first time, God will call again. God is persistent! And rarely does God speak directly to us in such a way that we have no doubts. God sometimes brings up a thought in prayer. Many times God uses others to speak to us. This is what happened to me. For three years I had been thinking off and on about religious life, but I think it scared me, so I kept putting it to the back of my mind. Finally, a friend of mine told me she herself had heard God's call, and this became the grace for me to take my own call more seriously. I also find that it helps to develop listening skills so we are more able to listen consciously for the inner voice of the Spirit. What has been your experience? Sr. Marie Lucek, OP Juneau, AK