Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Today just when I was needing some hope, God sent Theo (not his real name) into my life. We shared stories of hope with another.  At age 18 I was led to Sinsinawa where I learned of God's love through liturgy, scripture, nature and sisterhood.  At age 18 Theo went to prison after searching for belonging through crime. God intervened in his life and Theo eventually became aware of God's love. We saw clearly God had been in both of our lives. This week Theo and I will give a presentation to the St Vincent de Paul Society of my parish on the 11 x 15 campaign.  The campaign is led in Madison by a community called MOSES (Madison Organizing in Strength, Equality and Solidarity).  We find hope in God bringing people together to work on systemic change, in this case reducing the prison population in the state of Wisconsin by half by 2015.  This is just one systemic change that is needed so that the children of this generation will know that th...

I’ve been spending a lot of time at a farm lately, where I’m learning how critical a plant’s root system is for its ability to flourish.  Tomatoes aren’t transplanted from their starter trays until the root system is tight and full, and then they’re planted deep in the ground to allow extra roots to sprout from the stem. We humans also put down roots.  I’ve moved four times in the past three years, and I know it’s not easy to put down roots in a new place or community.  Now I’ve begun this itinerant Dominican life, knowing that I’ll probably be called to live in many different places throughout the years. Yet no matter how grounded or ungrounded I may feel in a given place, I will always be rooted in something more certain: God’s love!  Ephesians 3:20 reminds me of this: “May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.” In the midst of transition, I’m learning to let my heart be rooted and gr...

In my ministry, retreat ‘season’ begins in September.  For this year’s weekend retreats – for the Morning Prayer that I lead I’m using Psalm 34.  Well most of it. It actually begins with this tribute:  “ Of David, when he pretended to be mad before Abimelek so that he drove him out and he went on his way.”  Jewish scripture scholar, Robert Alter, translates it as:  “…when he altered his good sense…” While many of the Psalms may note (King) David in some way – this reference makes my smile.  How clever he seems.  How deceptive.  Then wonder – how would anyone know the real “David?” It is dangerous to alter your good sense .  You could get caught, of course.  But a life-time of not being your true self is harmful mostly to your one wild and beautiful life. In my life, I need not only an annual time of retreat and an ongoing relationship with a Spiritual Director I also need daily time of quiet meditation and refl...

This is the first full day of autumn!  We don’t need the calendar to remind us because there are signs of autumn all around us.  The weather has cooled, the geese are heading south, the days are shorter, the fields have turned golden and leaves are turning brilliant colors. Along with its brilliance and splendor, autumn touches my core with wordless messages about the necessity of surrender and transformation. It reminds me that when I let go of certain things, it makes room for others and to see things more clearly.  Here’s a simple example.  We all have possessions that no longer use and yet that take up space.  A friend of mine adopted the practice of getting rid of one thing each day that she no longer needed.  What a great idea!  Letting go of possessions is very freeing. It opens both physical space, and well as psychic space.  It clears away space so there’s room inside and out for what’s new and creative and life...

Being in the hope business can be both life giving and downright frustrating at times.  One would think that managing a small country parish would seem less difficult than being in a large city one.  However,  this is not true,  because people are people no matter where they are and  they  deal with similar issues on a regular basis. Being a religious sister and a parish administrator daily ,  means that I am called upon to continuously share hope with the people who are minister with.  It means always being open, compassionate and a good listener.  I must confess that I am not always these things.   P arish ministry calls me to be continuously stre tched  and challenged to grow into my best s elf , something I know would not have been possible if I was  not a Dominican of Sinsinawa sister. On a regular basis I share in the life of my parishioners who share their joys,  griefs , hopes, dreams and failures.   T...

This past week I had the privilege of being present with a family as they mourned the death of a beloved member. My friend, Diane, called me on September 5 to share the news that her dad just died. By rearranging my schedule and asking the sisters here in Westchester for assistance, I was able to clear my calendar to go to Racine. Those days were profound days of grace. Diane is a Racine Dominican.  We have been friends since we were both in vocation ministry beginning in 1992. Our relationship has deepened over the years. We have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, jubilees, and weddings together with our families and communities. The greatest strength is the love we share in the hard times—illness, suffering, and death. The bond of our Dominican life initially drew us together. As vocation directors we collaborated in sponsoring mission experiences and other ventures. Our Dominican bond continues to be an important connection for both of us. I came to k...