Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

These are challenging and disturbing times to say the least.     Perhaps you have felt concerned and overwhelmed by all that is happening in our world.     The list is long:     too many wars on many fronts, our planet is in critical condition, so many immigrants needing a new place to call home, frightening virulent health issues worldwide and government disruptions in countless countries.     Here at home, we have our democracy teetering and people of various faiths strongly critical of each other.   Recently I was introduced to a ‘new’ song by our Dominican brother, Jim Marchionda, OP entitled ‘Become What We Pray’ and all of this angst began to settle, and I felt an inkling of hope.  It is a beautiful song, and you can go on  You Tube  to listen to it.  There are several hopeful phrases.  ‘When Believers truly practice what we pray’, is one of the lines that spoke to me.  I again realize t...

Some things not to love: “Fall back” in time (takes me days to readjust!), colder weather, no leaves left on the trees, and the apocalyptic readings in the lectionary leading up to Advent!     All of these require a “reset” of my body, mind, and spirit.  Each of these asks me to face change and challenges me to refuse to whine or complain, or to waste time wishing for warm weather and beautiful colors and only parables with happy endings.  I believe the cycle of seasons and the cycle of our liturgical life are essential to growth – in faith, in self-understanding, in willingness to look at hard truths and harsher realities.   I do not eagerly jump into these changes and embrace all that requires, but I know jump I must – except maybe for me it’s more of a slow and reluctant stroll.  I do think we each have to ask ourselves at this time of year, “Would I be content staying exactly the same?”  “Do I never want to experi...

Black sisters connecting with other Black sisters or sisters of color is never a given. But when you do connect, it is a hair letting down moment.  Knowing that you will be totally accepted no matter what degree, office, committee, or ministry position you held is the first hair pin drop. You stopped checking your expressions and emotions, and you got a break from the eggshells you often encountered. The first summer I attended the National Black Sisters’ Conference and saw over 100 sisters of African descent I immediately felt at home. Listening to other sisters’ stories of how they were able to be authentically Black and a SISTER was/is a healing experience. This annual event of checking into your roots is healing, rejuvenating, and the reasons why we keep returning and are still SISTERS.   Patricia Rogers, OP Glendale, WI

In May I started a new ministry.  A number of our sisters are at an assisted living facility which is not connected with our congregation.  How do you keep strong and ongoing connections with them? Well, I am one of five "caregivers", who visit 5 or 6 sisters once a week.  Though we are called caregivers our main purpose is to get to know these sisters, to see if all their needs are being met, to enjoy conversations together, and to have a few laughs. When this assisted living facility had to go into lockdown because of COVID cases we could not visit in person, but had to resort to calling.  When the restrictions on visiting were finally lifted we found out how much our presence has meant to the sisters we visited. They were overjoyed to see us!  However, we also discovered that we were just as happy to see them again.  In today's lingo I would call this a win-win situation, but also an example of the importance of connections, especiall...

Even after over 2 weeks have passed, I am still savoring the joy of the Jubilee celebration. During the weekend close to the feast of the Most Holy Rosary, those of us who have been professed for 50 (Golden), 40 (Ruby), 25 (Silver) or 15 years (Crystal) gathered with family, friends, and the Mound community of Sisters to commemorate our professions. We participated in beautiful liturgies, shared a bounteous meal, and visited with each other, family, and friends. Due to everyone’s generosity, each of us received a large gift bag filled to overflowing with cards, notes, and other momenta. Even after 2 weeks, I am still opening and reading messages in cards and basking in the love of each sender.  I remember saying once or twice, that we need to tell each other how much we appreciate each other before the remembering service after our death. The notes the Sisters have written to me do just that.     As Dominicans of Sinsinawa, we say, “Relationship is at the heart ...

I am a dawn watcher. I like to get up early, when it’s still dark. I like to sit and watch the sky slowly almost imperceptibly lightening. It’s the quietest part of the day. Everything is waiting on this new dawn.   It’s different every day, every minute. Light hits clouds and color reenters the world. Today the horizon suffuses with oranges and pinks and the few wispy clouds turn violet. Everything is impermanent, in flux. The colors change all the time. The clouds mutate, coalesce, move on, disappear.   At last a deep orange lunette shyly appears and in rising transforms into a full bright circle of orange red light. The new sun sits on the horizon line for the merest few breaths before continuing its’ majestic rise into the sky of the new morning, What a gift.   We have been given the gift of a new day. A fresh start. A new beginning for ourselves, our earth for all living beings.   How will I use this gift of life today? What awaits me as I step out int...

In the Northwoods where I live it is starting to be the season of Fall – my favorite season. I love the chill in the air and the crisp leaves on the ground, but most of all I love the colors of the trees as they change from green to brilliant red or yellow. Often, as I’m driving along a wooded area I see green, green, green, and then a splash of red. Only one branch has turned red on an otherwise green tree. How does this happen? This phenomenon speaks to me of Mother Nature’s sense of humor and sensitivity to our human appreciation of surprises. People can be like trees, too. We can rub shoulders with someone day after day and never really notice their gifts until, all of a sudden, they do something or say something that is so thoughtful that it leaves us almost breathless – like a splash of red in the midst of green. I am challenged to pay attention to these otherwise ordinary moments and let my mind and heart be open to the new story that I’m being told. What or who has surprised yo...