Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Dear Seeker, Well, some would say these are “the worst of times” for nuns and the U.S. Catholic Church. It could be at the same time the “best of times.” If you are reading these blogs to find out what women religious are like, I would share with you these qualities of women religious that were observed by Barbara Marx Hubbard, a Jewish scholar who spoke to our leaders recently. As you scan the list you might say that many people have one or more of these qualities and you don’t have to be a Sister to have it. Sure, but Grace is in the Group. All of us together, the living Body of Christ, have these qualities together. We are a great company of woman. Not a bunch of women BUT a person with a voice and a commitment to the gospel. gospel living; mystical presencing; faithfulness and responsiveness to unmet needs; solidarity with Earth; building of community; risk-taking for the sake of mission; social entrepreneurship; practice o...

Today my prayer took me to Psalm 139, where I am reminded that God knows me better than I know myself.  Yes, God knows the very depths of my being.  The Spirit of God is not passive, waiting in the background, but is very active, and is ready to help each of us to know God, and also ourselves.  We can gather all the human knowledge we want on our own, but to know God, to know our true inner selves, we have to be open to the Spirit.  We cannot do it on our own.  Before God, we are always humble.  So we ask the Spirit for help—the Spirit, always eager to help us. Then what?  Again, we need the Spirit’s help to know how to best use this knowledge and the gifts we have been given.  We are called to be active and eager, too, in our response.  The Spirit can’t use our gifts unless we cooperate.  We have to say yes.  Sometimes it can be tempting to see how our gifts enhance our own reputation or our standing with othe...

Summer is often a time of family reunions and vacations. That’s true for our Dominican community too. We celebrate our Dominican life with great gusto! Each summer we honor our sisters who are celebrating their diamond, golden, and silver anniversaries. We fondly call them “our jubilarians.” There are many trips down memory lane, time for renewing friendships, and celebrating with family and friends.  Laughter and tears express deep joy and gratitude that touch  hearts with renewed commitment to Dominican life. Another  highpoint of summer is coming together in August around the feast of St. Dominic (August 8). These are our “Community Days,” our Sinsinawa family reunion. Ruth Poochigian, OP has written about this year’s gathering in her blog on August 8. The gift of sisterhood is alive in us. We entrust our lives to one another in a heartfelt way that strengthens us for our mission of preaching and teaching the good news. Sisters and Associates...

“So, how’d you sleep?” No one ever asked me that question when I was younger, but it is now something I get asked often. Sleep is an issue for me. I am no longer very good at it, despite the fact that I have a comfortable bed that I love to be in. I’ve tried many solutions to address my problem, I have practiced meditation and relaxation techniques, downloaded apps designed to aid sleep. You would think that listening to music might be helpful, but as a former music teacher, I can’t help analyzing the music. I’ve listened to many an audio book, figuring that the story would transport my mind beyond my own racing thoughts. Know what works best? Prayer, of course! I start with some scolding. “Dear God, if you are as loving and compassionate as I trust that you are, why on earth are you plaguing me with this? I will be better able to serve you tomorrow if I am not so tired.” Sometimes I grab the olivewood rosary in my nightstand drawer, figuring that fingering beads has to...

In retreat ministry, it is an ordinary reality to welcome people whose lives are weary from so many situations.   Who could be forgotten are those who support this ministry in administration,   the kitchen and maintenance. In recent months, some of those working at the Spiritual Center have been struggling as parents with their teenage children.   Each, very different situations, but each causing hearts that hurt. Whether a parent’s child graduates high school with no life plan [as hard as that parent has tried to instill this] or another’s young teen has been caught with drugs, parents’ life ministry never really gets a rest. My July blog was in part about listening – deep listening.   In ministry, this means everyone who surrounds you, not only those who come seeking support and nurturance ‘officially.’ And, as one who ministers, I/we should not think we are out of the loop of needing mutual care.   Fortunately, I minister in a setting where there ...

All around us things seem to be falling apart.   Yet on a day like today, The Feast of St Dominic, we can celebrate because we have experienced grace and we can be genuinely hopeful! Last weekend more than 200 of us gathered at Sinsinawa for Community Days 2012.   We sat knee-to-knee, in small circles, leaned in closely, and listened to stories that were truly shared from the heart.   And what stories we heard!   There were both tears and laughter as each of us dug deeply into our experience and memory. This is what GRACE looks like! We are also very realistic, I must add.   Our elected leadership shared with us the hard work they have been doing as they told us “what they see from where they stand” and our prioress reviewed the difficult decisions that her predecessors had to make.   So, while many things around us do seem to be falling apart, whether health, the economy or employment (or lack thereof) or politics or war or tragedy, we ...

Recently I participated in a water walk around Lake Monona.   The walk was lead by Grandmother Josephine Mandami, Anishinawbe, who helped us to pray our way around the lake while carrying water from the lake some of its water. We asked Creator to send the Spirit and let the Spirit of the Water bless us. Then the walk, not a stroll, began.   Less than half way around the 13 mile lake I realized that I wasn't going to make it at the clip we were going, and I joined others on the trolley provided by the walk organizers.    I had lost track of my walking partner, but he had the courtesy to check on me, the sister.    And so at one of the trolley stops the driver received a phone call.   "Joan," he announced to all.   "Joan, the nun, is she on the bus?" Up until   then I was just an anonymous rider.   The passengers were delighted, however, to know that they had their own "nun on the bus". I was grateful to be identified with th...