Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Last month, my family had a wedding.  My nephew, the oldest son of my twin sister, was married.  It was amazing to share in this journey with my twin as she and her husband accompanied their son and his bride-to-be in this life transition.  Some of the accompaniment was financial, some sharing included plain old practical advice, but most of it involved trying to move out of the way as the young couple negotiated all that it means to start a new life together…for two to become one.  Our families are often signposts for us.  They point us to the ways God finds us and loves us.   They remind us of God’s call to mercy, to generosity, and to our vocation to be God’s presence in good times and bad.  What a gift!!! Who is a signpost of God for you today? Peggy Ryan, OP Whitefish Bay, WI

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 ...

Have you ever had computer problems ?   It always happens to me when I already feel   over extended. Everything seemed to be going all right and then all of a sudden I got left behind.   I do understand that the computer world changes overnight, and I just want to continue doing what I’ve always done.   That’s no longer possible!   “Vanity of vanities” it says in the reading from Ecclesiastes today.    My wishing it would be otherwise will not slow the world down! That’s when I need to breathe .   Stop what I had been doing, and take time out to just breathe.   And to remember…that it doesn’t all depend on me. What do you have a hard time letting go of?   Ruth Poochigian, O.P. Madison WI

Last month the parish where I minister had a celebration in honor of my juiblee.  It was a joyous event and I was flooded with cards and well-wishes.  I didn't want to miss thanking everyone who came so I wrote a note to be printed in our Sunday bulletin.  One woman who had given me a substantial gift told me that this note was enough—I didn't have to write anything more. However, I did not feel comfortable with this.  I knew all the people who had given me a gift; I wanted to give them something more personal, some words that would express not only gratitude for the gift but also gratitude for the connection I had with them.  This was a time-consuming project and took a month to complete.  However, already two of those who received notes have told me how much they meant to them:  "This note is a keeper."  "I'm going to keep this note next to my chair and when I start feeling down I'll read it again." Wow!  A few minutes of my time--it w...

We say that the one constant in life is change.  We may not be sure of many things, but one thing that we can be absolutely sure of is change.  In religious life we like to call this transition.  I think it has a nicer ring to it.  However, it is the same thing- change.  I remember when I first entered religious life I dreaded the idea of change, yet it is part of religious life and also part of being Dominican.  It is with this itinerant spirit that Dominic founded the order and was himself itinerant. Over the years I still don’t like change much.  I like to be in control and for change to happen one has to let go of control, of the known and the unknowns.   I am still learning not to dread it as much.  In my eleven years with the Dominicans of Sinsinawa I have probably moved about six times already, and I am sure there is more to come.  One of the many things that have drawn me to this courageous group of wom...