you contribution to God's plan

As the new year lurks closer, I am reminded of the importance of creating some time and space to reflect on the past and plan for the future. I read yesterday that Ignatius of Loyola one day was walking along a river bank and found himself immersed in God. As he reflected on his experience he grasped that "God's plan is really a project that each person on earth contributes to; what God HOPES in us rises in our consciousness and, by God's grace, to free enactment."

This resonates with my own experience for I believe we ARE CALLED to be Women of HOPE and in our hopes the plan of God is revealed and made manifest. I look forward to a day off from work tomorrow to savor some time and space to reflect on this past year and welcome God's plan and hopes for me for the new year.

Make time for the quiet moments, for God whispers and the world is loud.

I am struck by the invitation during this octave of Christmas to continue to savor the precious quiet moments where God dwells. I am drawn at age fifty three to kneel at the manger scene and get caught up in the miracle that is displayed. The mystery of the Infant Child that drew me, and so many to come and worship. The whisper of God is heard clearly. "Behold, my beloved child, who comes to save you".

Be consoled...

Today's gospel is Matthew 2:13-18

Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."

What are you saying to me, Lord? When I hear those words, "She refused to be consoled, because they are no more", I am very aware that many mothers and fathers can relate to this Scripture. I would think especially those who have had their child's life ended prematurely. I pray for those who weep this day-- for those whose hearts are broken and nothing can comfort. I pray for mothers and fathers who watch helplessly as their infant fades in their arms because they have no food. Their hunger pains are mute and life fades quickly. I weep for so many children without a future. I lament the children who are living in the midst of war.

God you hear our wailing and lamenting. You hear our crys. I know You weep and lament with us. Grant us the gift of peace that only you can give. Show us how to trust in your protection and give us a clarity of vision to attempt comforting those who cannot be consoled.

Christmas...shimmering with divinity

This quote from the great theologian, Avery Dulles, express why Christmas, the feast of the Incarnate Word, continues to draw me to celebrate, rejoice, and continually seek the gift of light and peace within me. Christmas always leads to an amazing awareness and discovery of the Incarnate Christ in those around me.

"The incarnation does not mean that God saves us from the pains of this life. It means that God-is-with-us. For the Christian there will be cold, lonely seasons, seasons of sickness, seasons of frustration, and a season within which we will die. Christmas does not give us a ladder to climb out of the human condition. It gives us a drill that lets us burrow into the heart of everything that is and, there, find it shimmering with divinity."

May the Light of Christ within you glow with divinity. Merry Christmas!

Quiet me within

The Scripture of this Advent season is so rich. Isaiah prayed...
"Let the earth open wide her mouth; as justice descends, O heavens,like the dew from above, like gentle showers, let salvation fall from the skies; let justice spring up and salvation bud forth."

These beautiful words of Isaiah, ring true as the feast of the Incarnation draws near. As I gather and celebrate with family, friends, and co-workers I am reminded that all the joyfulness is truly about God's love for each of us. The God Incarnate is a sign of God's incredible desire to give us the gift of salvation. God gave us, the Word made flesh, Christ Jesus, infant child, to come down among us, and be one with us that we might be one with each other in peace and gentleness.

Quiet me within, clothe me in peacefulness, that Your Word once again may take flesh, this time, within me---as once it did in Mary, so let me be done unto me. Amen

When his children see
the work of my hands in his midst,
They shall keep my name holy;
they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob,
and be in awe of the God of Israel. -Isaiah 29:23

Today I am aware of the work of God's hands in the beauty of creation. There is a beauiful rose bud bush outside my office window that is in full bloom in the dead of winter. Praise God!

I recognize the beauty of God's hand in the people who come into my life today.

I ponder the mystery of God becoming one with us. I am in awe of this loving God, this God of simplicity, awesomeness and mystery!

I pray, God come to me and change me. Free me from the self-centeredness that binds me so that I can live in gratitude, wonder and praise of you!

Rock or sand

Two houses were built, one on rock and one on sand. When it comes to building a relationship, it is important to have a strong foundation. What starts out as a strong attraction matures into a deeper reality. You discover in a relationship one who accept you as you are, one who nurtures you when you are lacking, one who believes in you on days you cannot, one who loves you beyond what you deserve. A solid relationship is build on honesty, understanding, respect, reverence and love.

As I continue through this first week of Advent, I ask myself how solid and grounded am I in my relationship with Christ?

Today's readng from Isaiah reminds me."Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is an eternal ROCK. He humbles those in high places and the lofty city he brings down. He tumbles it to the gournd, levels it with dust. It is trampled underfoot by the needy, by the footsteps of the poor."

I hope to deepen and renew in my own life my relationship with Christ, my rock, this Advent. Winter storms are coming, and the rain and snow are thrashing around me. I cling to the Rock who sustains me, rather than the sands that pull me away from being grounded in FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY. Only 24 rebuilding days remain until the feast of Christmas, the Incarnation. Build your hope on Jesus!

I came upon a reminder that today is World AIDS Day, a time to re-dedicate ourselves to prayer and action to alleviate the great suffering caused by AIDS. I invite you to join in prayer today for the men, women and children who have AIDS.

I also invite you to remember by name the people in your own life who have died of AIDS and now rest with the communion of saints. It would also be appropriate to remember and pray for all the children and families of Hope House in Memphis where Sr. Margie Z. ministers. We pray for a loving response to people with AIDS and a end to the illness.

Prayer for World AIDS Day
Excerpt from Catholic Relief Services, Candlelight Vigil of Hope

We indeed find hope in the light of Christ. Yet, we cannot remain complacent in this hope. We must not forget that 33 million people in the world are living with HIV and AIDS and 5,700 are dying from AIDS each day. Many of those infected are ostracized by the stigma. They live in silence and suffer alone, afraid to seek the help they need, afraid to go against their culture’s norms. HIV and AIDS affect men, women, and children of every race and economic level.

As one human family, we are all touched by HIV. And as one family, together, we can touch the lives of others, raising awareness of the pandemic and reducing the crippling stigma often associated with HIV. As Christians, we are compelled to act. Through our prayers, learning, advocacy, and giving, we can make a difference in another person’s life.

Advent--a season of longing

To you O God, my soul in stillness waits, surely my hope is in you.

This was a beautiful song we sang at Mass and at the Advent Walk to begin this grace-filled season of Advent. I look to this season to create silence and quiet in the midst of lots of activity to empty myself and allow God to fill me with peace, hope, God's very self. I pray these weeks of Advent may prove fruitful and blessed.

To you O God, my soul in stillness waits.

Abundant blessings

This week we celebrate the feast of Thanksgiving. I am always amazed at the many ways God showers down blessings upon us. Abundant blessings in fact. Just being able to breathe and meet the new day is awesome. Hearing from family and friends who care and grace me over and over with their love is such a gift. As I gather with those I love this Thursday, I will pause, remember and acknowledge the abundant blessings in your life. I am very blessed.

Reawaken

We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.
---Henry David Thoreau

We are only a few days away from the liturgical season of Advent when the Scriptures invite us to stay awake. I am confident that Thoreau's invitation to learn to "reawaken and keep ourselves awake" has a unique meaning for each of our life's journey. I need to learn to reawaken to the beauty of each moment, where God speaks and is discovered. I do believe the bursting forth of each dawn is a powerful example of all the infinite discoveries and miracles that await us. Have you ever known someone who carried with them a spirit of "expectation"? They are joyful, wonder-filled and eager to celebrate each person and event in their day.

May you find within you a spirit to reawaken and keep yourself awake to the infinite suprises and miracles of this dawning day!

Fullness of love

If you want to know the will of God as it relates to pure intentions, go to God in prayer. God is not waiting to take something away from you. God is waiting to teach you to love.

Ultimately, it is all about loving of which it is essential that I become self-less and be willing to sacrifice my preference and pour out myself for those I choose to love.

May this day be full of love that others might know and experience God, the fullness of love with you, in you, and through you.

We pray with St. Gertrude today who dedicated her life to god and to the pursuit of perfection through prayer and contemplation...

O God, worthy of infinite love,
I have nothing which can
adequately measure your dignity,
but such is my desire towards you,
that if I had all that you have,
I would gladly and thankfully
give it all to you.
O Love, O God,
you loved me first,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you. Amen.

- St. Gertrude the Great

"...in your midst furthering your prayers."

" I assure you that every request you make of God will most certainly be granted, and I myself shall be in your midst furthering your prayers... Be consoled and keep your faith and hope alive." -- Last Counsel fo Saint Angela Merici

After two meetings this weekend with the Vocation Team and the Vocation Advisory Board, I am confident that Angela is truly in our midst as a community furthering our prayers for what our future holds. The joy of being Ursuline was confirmed and shouted loudly to me through members of the team, associates, and young adults who recognize the gift that Angela was and continues to be for the Church.

Let us act, move, believe, strive and hope... and be open and expectant of marvelous surprises!

Time for prayer

There can be no genuine discernment without quality time for prayer. There is a inner yearning to spend some time and create space in our day to stay alert and awake to God's lead. The only way I am able to do this is to quiet my thoughts and slow down my steps and be at prayer. I hope that you can create some quality time for prayer, for silence, for some space just to be. In that silence I discover a desire to be in the awareness of the presence of God. What a gift! Savor this gift daily.

A place called home

Today I have a special blog post written by an IHM Sister reflecting on her "home" in community. She graciously allowed it to be shared for the public's enjoyment. I resonated so much with my own feelings about our home and listening to some of our elderly members speak about the Mount that I offer it to you with some additions and omissions.


"For 98 years," we have had one place-which we call home: our motherhouse at
"8001 Cummings Road." It is here where most of us were introduced to the
religious life as "Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph." It is
here that the foundations of our uniqueness as "Ursulines" were planted, nourished
and nurtured. It is here where we returned every summer (until the early
70s); it is here we come for conferences, learning seminars, congregational
updates, meetings, assemblies and chapters. It is home for our major
celebrations; especially our "profession of vows",jubilees, anniversaries, and funerals.

It is a place of new beginnings when a sister makes her first vows and it
is a place of retirement when one no longer can actively minister. It is
the place where we make our first commitment and it is the final resting
place when God calls us home. It is the intangible bonds which have
developed over the years, the spirit underlying the relationships which
define our uniqueness. Nothing can replace these relationships. What is it
that makes this home? for me?

What is the strong link that binds me to Home?

It is rising each morning knowing that in a short while our family meets
together around the table, the altar in our simple but elegant chapel for
morning Liturgy or the Eucharistic Celebration. Whether I am confined to my
room using in-house channel or brought down in my wheel chair, walk with
a walker, and drive myself with a mobile cart or walk unassisted I actually
physically, participate with all our sisters in what is one of the
essential parts of our religious life—daily Eucharist. We know Jesus Christ in the
breaking of the bread and in sharing the cup of salvation. We believe that
where two or three of us are gathered in his name, Jesus is in our midst
and that whatever we ask in his name he will give us.


It is in this place where we come together for communal evening prayers. It
is here where I can sit quietly in the Presence of God uniting my prayers
with the needs of the entire global world. But I am not alone; everywhere
around me are sisters affiliated with me in an sacred, invinsible, specific
covenant. Like Jesus, who prayed-in solitude-in the midst of action, and-in
public gatherings of his people, we promise to be faithful to personal and
communal prayer.


It is here where the Eucharist is central to our lives; where the
sacraments of reconciliation and anointing are celebrated communally; where
we extend our times of prayer to the People of God who sometimes gather with us in petition and intercession. The link among us is situated in the call we
all answered in entering this congregation. This relationship is real but
intangible embedded in spirituality but lived in practicality.


This Home is indeed sacred space for me: it is not just brick and mortar
but rather the vitality which the various spaces imbibe from the
relationships that formed our history, enhance our present and gives us
courage to move into the future.

Its bricks remind me of the sacrifices our first sisters made and so many
of us continue to make in order to ensure we would have a home. Whether I
walk slowly through the "hallways" leading to the dining rooms or to the
chapel or the "hallway" leading to health care or residents rooms it is this
kinship which enables me to be.

The windows of this dwelling place bring in the light of God’s external
beauty- a landscape of flowers, bushes, trees planted and nurtured by the loving
hands of many of my sisters; where each segment of the land recalls a
blessed piece of "MSJ" history in time and space.

The various wings of the building make real for me my life as a member of
this religious family:

The community room where relationships begun earlier now enable us to
discuss our lives as women religious; our ministries; or come together to
socialize when we celebrate jubilees of 80,75, 60, 50, 40 and 25 years of service.
The community room a hallowed area in which we have been called to make
serious decisions as a family; where each of us has actively entered into
these life giving processes. This place is a hub for fun times like card
games or bunco; even a tailgate party-another opportunity to meet with my
sisters regardless of walkers, wheel chairs, scooters and or canes; for
reflective times when we gather for contemplative prayer, yearly retreats
or remembering those who died during the past year. Again entering into a
close alliance forming the I into the we a vital source of synergy.


The library where our minds are fed with knowledge needed to carry out
ministerial activities but more so where the soul finds great theological
and spiritual resources; a quiet place to catch up on the news, locally and
nationally; a book mobile that comes to my room if I am not able to get to
the Reading Room or the stacks and if I wish, a time to be an active
member of a book club And it is all mine for the asking. Thus, the
lifelong learning process begun in early years gels into savoring wisdom
and expanding mental acuity even as the aging process shows its signs.


The Health Care Center where so many of our elderly sisters reside; what
sacredness is felt as one walks these hallways knowing here live those who
no longer can be active among us but are with us physically and
spiritually, whose active life was an asset, gift to community and now is
dependent on family, whose countenance glows when another sister visits,
stops in to pray with or helps with reading or addressing envelopes or
simply reminisces days of yore; whatever is needed is there at the hands of
another sister, family member. Lovingly and graciously anytime of the week, day
or night ties of a distinctive union spanning time and age ever increasing
our relationships we are drawn together in community by our passionate love for Jesus Christ and each other.


"Saint Joseph Villa" where I know I will be cared for no matter how
incapacitated I will be, I will never be away from family. I will never be alone. That even though I receive the best of care from staff, one thing I am certain, I
can always be physically present. To this community and to the activities I
have committed myself as a religious member of this congregation whether it
be via channels on the television or having an aide wheel me to the area of the
specific activities. My sisters will be there waiting for me to enter into
the event or in many cases bring the event to me. Again, the ever present
relationship-connectedness which no one can ever take from me for the love
of Jesus Christ unites us in community.


The dining rooms where we meet for meals several times a day; an
opportunity for me to be with my sisters-my family-where I can be part of a
camaraderie that is integral to a family’s life and energy. Whether it is in
the main dining rooms or the dining areas throughout the campus, sisters find life
in discussions, reminiscing, reflecting, sharing today and yesterdays in
laughter or in somber wistfulness or in compassionate sorrow. Kindred souls
empathize, intimately allied in vision and mission as we continue to forge
vibrant forces within this community; this one of a kind family in my
home, our home.


This home is indeed sacred space for me:

Where else can I hear the resounding peals of our chapel bells calling us
to prayer at " seven am, noon and at four thirty pm most" every day, a united family heeding the call
of Jesus to be who we are and do what we do best?


Where else can I seek the willing hands, hearts and counsel of other
sisters in pastoral care or close sister friends who understand the
queries, the fears and joys I experience as a religious woman?


Who can count the sense of belonging whenever I encounter a sister in
hallowed "hallways" narrating sacred history of who we are together by just
being together?


Who can measure the sense of security, love and affirmation that envelopes
your very being as sisters remember your birthday with a shaky scrawling
signature on a homemade card, or greeted by a great big smile,"smothering you in a warm embrace" even at
times belting out the happy birthday tune wherever and whenever one is met?


Who can describe the underlying "of Angela Merici" that melds us as family in
a home that breathes the very spirit of our founder, which reminds us in
every nook and cranny of the commitment we made living; our life of vows
within community.


Where else will I find the loving attention of my sisters sitting with me
as I begin my last journey of dying; no matter how long the process knowing
that their physical comfort and encouragement and powerful prayers are with
me even to the last?


Or who can ignore the sense of coming home when we meet the body
of a sister as she is wheeled into our front foyer and met by all her
sisters with a hymn or prayer of Thanksgiving and Praise for who she was among us,
raising our hands in blessing as she enters into her final home with God?
What more fitting manner to celebrate the end of ones physical journey as
sister among sisters gathered around the table in our magnificent chapel to
celebrate the Eucharist, rejoicing in the shared gifts of a family member
who has gone home to God? "Who is reunited with the earth by a moving hymn of angels, our Ursuline sisters singing the Magnificat."


Home is indeed a sacred place where each lives for the other and all live
for God.

Celebrating with gratitude

Today I join many in celebrating a dear friend and Ursuline Associate, Kathy Kiper. Kathy Jo as she is fondly called is a faithful and genuine presence in my life. She has a sincere and compassionate heart that extends to family, friends, community, and even strangers. I appreciate her laughter, her enthusiasm for life, especially good music, good food, a good game of bingo, and a Kentucky Wildcat game thriller. I have known Kathy since 1992 and my life is much richer as I have been enriched by her goodness, her support and faithful friendship.

On this celebration of her birth and life, I pray in gratitude for her goodness, her friendship, her genuine faith and service to all. May this year unfold with much grace and blessings for you, my friend.

Saints---people like us.

Saints, People Like Us

We started this month of November recalling all the saints. It seems like the significance of the communion of saints is more and more relevant in our global church, nation and world. Henri Nowen reminds us that through baptism we become part of a family much larger than
our biological family. It is a family of people "set apart"
by God to be light in the darkness. These set-apart people
are called saints. Although we tend to think about saints
as holy and pious, and picture them with halos above their
heads and ecstatic gazes, true saints are much more
accessible. They are men and women like us, who live
ordinary lives and struggle with ordinary problems. What
makes them saints is their clear and unwavering focus on God
and God's people. Some of their lives may look quite
different, but most of their lives are remarkably similar to
our own.

The saints are our brothers and sisters, calling us to
become like them.

St. Martha, pray for us.
St. Rita, pray for us
St. Angela, pray for us.
St. Ursula, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Jude, pray for us.
All you holy women and men, make intercession for us.

Casting the nets....

Having just returned from the National Religious Vocation Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, I am renewed and invigorated not only by the four inches of snow we received on Saturday, but by the passion and enthusiasm for the call to consecrated life. The theme of Global Vocation Ministry really resonated with the gathering and seems to be a response to reading the signs of the times. I look forward to sharing pieces of the convocation with you.

In God's eyes there is no distance between top and bottom

I found this little meditation written by Henri Nouwen to be very appropriate for the feast of today. There are many experiences of Church and sometimes I think we forget who are church is founded on. I believe our baptism calls us all to be priestly, faith-filled witness of truth, and when our hearts and conscience tell us something other than what our church leader say, we are obliged to follow our heart and conscience. I love what Nouwen states, "In God's eyes there is no distance between top and bottom."
Today I pray for all in leadership in the Church, may God's grace fill them and sustain them in their role of proclaiming the truths.
........................................................_

The Poverty of Our Leaders

There is a tendency to think about poverty, suffering, and
pain as realities that happen primarily or even exclusively
at the bottom of our Church. We seldom think of our leaders
as poor. Still, there is great poverty, deep loneliness,
painful isolation, real depression, and much emotional
suffering at the top of our Church.

We need the courage to acknowledge the suffering of the
leaders of our Church - its ministers, priests, bishops, and
popes - and include them in this fellowship of the weak.
When we are not distracted by the power, wealth, and success
of those who offer leadership, we will soon discover their
powerlessness, poverty, and failures and feel free to reach
out to them with the same compassion we want to give to
those at the bottom. In God's eyes there is no distance
between bottom and top. There shouldn't be in our eyes
either.

Happy Feast of All Saints

What a beautiful feast we celebrate today, all the communion of saints, those uncanonized and those canonized. As I gathered for noon Mass today, I was reminded of all those who have touched my life, my mom, my dad, uncles, aunts, grandparents, Ursuline Sisters, Tom Crenshaw, and others who throughout my life have inspired me by there positive attitudes, their treasured faith, and their generosity which flowed from their heart like a river. What a treasure we claim in our belief in the communion of saints.

"For God alone my soul waits in silence." Psalm 62

Though we try to deny it, we thirst for silence; we yearn to reside beside the still waters and to be silent. Saint Augustine wrote the he could not truly mourn the death of his mother, St. Monica, until he was quiet and alone in his bed. His journey toward healing began with the tears that flowed from faithful silence.

So, with Augustine and the honoring the "gift of tears" I remember, I weep, I treasure the silence where I am united with the communion of many whom I love and who brought me life.

Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize. ---Elizabeth Harrison

Are anyone of you ready for the elections to be over? The campaign attacks and smears are getting ugly and so un-Christian. I do believe that there is a way to present your platform without attacks and criticism. It really turns me off immediately. I believe that people of truth and integrity do not feel the need to criticize or attack another's character. Let your life speak; your words encourage and your way of life inspire.

Let us call on the gift of wisdom and ask the Holy Spirit to heal our broken world. I do think it is important to vote. Let us pray for God's guidance as we cast our vote for the best woman or man to lead us.

Finding the River

Presently in my parish ministry, we are at a very exciting time of inviting inquirers of the Catholic faith to discern if they desire to continue the initiation journey and take the next step toward full communion in the Catholic Church. What this basically means is that they choose to move into the second phase of the process and celebrate the Rite of Acceptance or Rite of Welcome.

There is a neat resource that has a poem entitled "Finding the River" by Carol Gura that is helpful in making this decision. I would like to share part of the poem with you today. You might find it enlighten in your own recommitment to faith, or to life in general.

Pilgrims and pioneers
Searched the landscape
to find their way
to where?
The place of promise---
The River of Life.

Along the way;
Great walls
needed scaling and tearing down;
Let go of the burdens that fill your
hands and hearts
Let go!

Along the way
Thorny, densely tangled mats
of confusion and doubt;
Let go of the voices of the past
that block and bind,
Let go!

Round the corner
For the river you seek
Lies at your feet.

As you reflect on this piece of poetry, recall your own pursuit and search. These questions might be helpful.

What walls need scaling or tearing down in your own journey?

What are the unexpected twists and turns that you are dealing with at this time in your life? Where do you see grace? What is the blessing?

What do you desire in this River of life?


May the healing waters cleans and bring you new life!

Joyful Witness

"We believe that our joyful witness as consecrated women is a compelling influence for drawing others to share our vision."
-Constitution of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph

Yesterday, our community celebrated the feast of Saint Ursula. Inspite of the Church not recognizing her in their sanctoral calendar, for Angela Merici and her daughters, we delight in honoring and celebrating her witness and influence on our way of life as Ursuline gospel women. I found the passage from our Constitution to be very appropriate to review and recommit to as we celebrate the feast of Saint Ursula.

By our joyful witness and living out of our sacred call, we are capable of alerting other women to the possibiity that our way of life might be a worthy option to discern. I am convicted in my belief that women are still called to be Ursuline and that inspite of the many areas of ministry in the church, our profession of vows and life in community is a viable option. A way of life that is uniquely fulfilling and life-giving for women as well as for the Church of today.

Who is the most the compelling witness of joy and fulfillment in your life?

"Willingly hold in consideration and have engraved on your mind and heart, all your dear sisters, one by one; not only their names,also their condition and character and their every situaiton and state. This lnot be difficult for you if you embrace them with charity."

--Second Legacy of St. Angela Merici, founder of Ursuline Sisters

Today this quote of Angela stirs my heart because this day there are three special Ursuline women in my life who are celebrating the gift of life on their birthday. Birthdays give us cause to savor and celebrate the beauty, giftedness, and uniqueness of life, of friendship/relationship, of God's favor in placing significant and special people in our life. Today I recall, savor and celebrate each of you and your beauty, giftedness and unique reflection of life and being Ursuline among us!

I give thanks today for these faith filled women, passionate MSJ Ursulines in many ways in their love for life, their dedication to ministry, and genuine support of me. I give thanks for your life today, Mary T, Monica and Diane. May your day be filled with special blessings and more than you deserve!

Honor your own complexity

"Honor your own complexity."

- Mark Gerzon

Now doesn't that say it all. I have been pondering this for a while and it truly express the journey of self. Just when you think you have figured out your dream it is shattered. Just when you think you discover all there is to know about a friendship it changes. Just when you think you have life figured out it dumps something unexpected on you.

Honor... Reverence.... cherish.... hold with attentiveness all that you are. In the depth of it all is the mystery which is God. Complex, yes, God is that but God is also nurturing, healing, and unfanthomable. God is mystery.

I pray today O God of True Mystery, help me to trust and honor myself and all that you offer me today. May I honor you in all of this day. Amen

Grieving many things today

Grief is a strange reality. It slips up on you without any warning. I came home and experienced the loss of a special friend in my life. It is still a little too raw to speak about now, but I am trying to hang on to the memories, the joy we shared and the good times and memories that cannot be stolen from us.

God is good, all the time. God seems to put in my hands just want I need to hear or experience when I need it. I will share with you, hoping it touches your heart with a call to action. It is a meditation called, "Litany of Remembrance" by Joyce Rupp. I want to acknowledge her as the source and share pieces of it with you. I ask that you say this prayer for all children and creatures of this earth who are victims or are treated unkindly, unjustly. May our prayer through God's mercy free them in whatever way they need.

Joyce Rupp writes: "I remember the children of the world. As Jesus called to the children to come to him, so I gather in prayer the children of my world who are hurting. I embrace them with loving kindness and with a desire to mend the systems that bring such pain to their young lives. I remember the children:

... who will go hungry today,
... whose parents are on drugs,
... who have no one to teach them to read,
... who are handicapped and unattended,
... who do not know love,
... who live in filth and degradation,
... who have no friends,
... who are not listened to,
... who have never been sung to or read to or taken by the hand or experienced earth’s mystery and beauty,
... who do not have anyone to tuck them into bed at night,
... who are shunned or mistreated because of their color, their religion, or the place where they live,
... who have no awareness of their inner goodness,
... who have stopped believing in love,
... who are filled with anger and hate,
... who are receiving a poor education,
... who are ill or in pain,
... who are grieving the death of a loved one,
... who are suffering from AIDS or drug-related diseases,
... who feel lonely, desolate, and unloved,
... who are filled with fear for their lives,
... who hear only harsh words and hostile language,
... who have been bruised, beaten, and mutilated,
... who are victims of incest, rape, and pornography,
... who hide in fear from the sounds of war,
... who are ill and have no medical attention.

Yes, I pray for the children of my world today and I pray for each man and woman of this world, including myself, that we will do our part to create better living conditions for these children. Show us the way and prod us into action, God of justice and compassion!"

Joyce Rupp is one of my favorite spiritual writers, I encourage you to ready anything by her. I think I need to return to one of her books, one I turn to in times of loss, Praying our Goodbyes.

"No use crying over spilt milk!"

Yesterday I received word that one of my community sisters, Sr. Ann Victoria Wasylina, osu was called home to eternal life. Sr. Ann Victoria was from Ukraine, then a part of Poland. She travel many miles away from family and served our community with faithfulness, cheerfulness and tremendous joy. I worked with her as a young sister in dairy and made plenty of mistakes, but she always encouraged, affirmed and rarely was upset. She just smiled and said with all sincerity, "no use crying over spilt milk!" I think the young sisters were assigned to her because we had our rounds of homesickness, but realized after working with Sr. Ann Victoria that we were in the presence of one who had reason to be homesick. She had a beautiful smile and a lovely voice which she eagerly blessed us with by singing her favorite songs which reminded her of home.

Sr. Ann Victoria, I am grateful for your presence in my life. May your new home where you are reunited with your family, St. Angela and all our Ursuline family give you reason to rejoice and yodel. You are forever engraved upon my heart!

Vacation time

Today, I officially begin a week of vacation. I am headed north to visit my youngest sister, Margaret and her family. It is a time to put aside deadlines and commitments and relax and renew myself. I am looking forward to sleeping late, staying up late, and reading a good novel. Life is good, and especially when you have the luxury to stepping aside and giving thanks for blessings and graces.

Today's gospel of the 10 lepers is a reminder to never overlook the blessings of the moment. Last night I visited with a dear friend who has been in my life since high school. Thanks Nelda. Tonight I enjoyed supper with another dear friend, who treated me to a delicious home cooked supper, thanks Brad. But tonight I am aware of so many blessings and reasons to give thanks. My heart is grateful beyond words, and especially for this week of vacation. I am on vacation!!!!!!!!

"Madre"

"To the beloved daughers and sisters of the Company of Saint Ursula. Because, dearly beloved daughters and sisters, God has granted you the grace of setting you apart from the darkness of this miserable world and of uniting you together to serve his divine Majesty, you have to thank Him infinitely that, to you especially, He has granted such a singular gift..." --- Rule of Saint Angela Merici: Prologue 3-5

It is the Madre who is speaking to her "dearly beloved daughters and sisters". As an Italian madre, Angela never had any inhibitions about showing her warm and tender love for her "beloved children". She refers to being set apart by their behavior and way of life . There will be something special about them that will invite others to say, "Who are these daughters and sisters that Angela makes reference to so lovingly?"

Madre is such an affectionate name for another. It is evident that Angela had a special fondness for each of her daughters and desired that they be together, united in love and compassion for each other too. That is why she often referred to them as her "cherished daughters"!

Madre Angela, pray for us. Guide us into the future with confidence and unity that we may truly give honor and glory to God, the Lover of us All!

Blessed and Indivisble Trinity

Today, I was drawn to the writings of Saint Angela Merici, founder of the Company of Saint Ursula, the origin of the Ursuline Sisters. Angela's rule begins..."In the name of the blessed and indivisble Trinity." As is noted by many writers on the life of Angela,her rule opens with a powerful statement of faith. The "Blessed and indivisble Trinity" is the foundation upon which the Rule of Angela is based. It is the source from which her message will spring. It is a divinely inspired message, with God as the true author. Angela serves an God's instrument. Angela serves as the voice of God to her daughters. As she begins her rule, this is more than a statement of faith but also gives clarity of mind and vision. This serves as a sign of her humble and self-effacing attitude.

As baptized followers of our Redeemer, our Savior and Faithful companion, we are called to witness the Triune God in our call. It is our way of life that speaks of the clarity and foundation of our call to serve and witness our consecration to God as virgins and daughers of Angela. Angela's wisdom and spirituality is evident in beginning her rule with an acknowledgement of the Trinity. It compels us as her daughters to aspire to a realization of our baptismal call and defines our identify.

I pray, Triune God speak with me, in me and through me. Triune God, source and foundation of my call, I ask today for the grace to come to a deeper realization of my call as a daughter of Angela. " Light up the darkness of my heart" and give me whatever I need to be faithful to you.

Celebrate life!

Yesterday, October 3 we celebrated Right to Life Sunday, and today, October 4th is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. I may be a little biased,since St. Angela Merici had a trance of Francisan formation, but I find Francis to be the most passionate “right to life” saint that there ever was. He saw the world and all of its creatures as completely connected; we are all brothers and sisters-- every tree, every plant, every cat, every bird, every man and woman and child! What a great description of “right relationships!” If we could live Francis’ vision-- with Francis’ passion-- the world would be a much better place.

In the words, of St. Francis, Pax et Bonum... Peace and Everything Good!

Holy Mary.... pray for us.... now and at the hour of our death.

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary. This devotion was establish in my family life as my brothers and sisters fell to our knees every night as Mom or Dad lead us in the recitation of the rosary. It is a very special family memory of coming together especially in troubling times to place our intentions in the hands of God asking Mary to help us to surrender and embrace God's will.

There were definite roadblocks in my life, losing my mother at age 16 to cancer; we gathered around her bed as she was taken from us praying the rosary as a family. A few years later struggling to know where God was leading me in my vocation, I turned to these sacred beads to guide and direct me to embrace and know God's plan. Again letting go of another parent, my father slipped away with us gathered praying the rosary, a devotion he prayerfully lead in our formative years.

Perhaps this is why I keep turning to this sacred devotion of the Holy Rosary, especially in the month of October and May when the Church reminds us of Mary's role in our own salvation and redemption.

Pope John Paul stated when he initiated the luminous mysteries: "Rediscover the Rosary in light of Scripture." Rosarium Virginis Mariae (RVM), 43
Pope John Paul II

I find there are many Scriptural messages of life found in the Rosary mysteries
The Joyful Mysteries focus on choosing life. The Luminous Mysteries focus on living the Catholic Sacramental Life. The Sorrowful Mysteries give us the strength and courage to accept God's will in suffering and death. The Glorious Mysteries allow us to hope in God's promise of eternal life.

The Rosary helps us to be conformed ever more closely to Christ. I hope you find comfort, direction, solace and deep peace in your recitation of the rosary. May the rosary and Mary, our Mother draw each of us closer to Jesus, our Savior, our light, our Redeemer, our Hope.

Unlease your sense of wonder!

If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life.
---Rachel Carson

A sense of wonder! Yes, what a gift to watch it unfold in the life of a small child. My question is, does it have to stop as we reach our teenage years, young adult years and midlife years? I love to be in a conversation with another as they dream and expound on possibilities. It is truly an experience of WONDER! Don't stifle it in your own life! Reach for new possibilities. Dare to dream! Experience what stirs within when you have no limitations.

I have to admit yesterday I was with someone who let go, and kept apologizing for boring me, however, my experience was quite the contrary. I am amazed at the depth of possibilities that can be if we dare to unlease our sense of wonder! Thank you Sharon for the trip!

St. Wenceslaus in legend we celebrate today

Wenceslaus in legend
There are many legends about King Wenceslaus. An old one claims a huge army of knights sleep inside Blaník, a mountain in the Czech Republic. The knights will awake and under the command of St. Wenceslaus bring aid to the Czech people when they face ultimate danger.

There is a similar great legend in Prague which says that when the Motherland is in danger or in its darkest times and close to ruin, the equestrian statue of King Wenceslaus in Wenceslaus Square will come to life, raise the army sleeping in Blaník, and upon crossing the Charles Bridge his horse will stumble and trip over a stone, revealing the legendary sword of Bruncvík. With this sword, King Wenceslaus will slay all the enemies of the Czechs, bringing peace and prosperity to the land.

He is the subject of the popular Christmas Carol "Good King Wenceslas".

Thus, we can anticipate Christmas or we can take time today to appreciate Saint Wenceslaus in the communion of saints. Not only do I love his name which speaks of uniqueness but I read that Wenceslaus taught that the safest place to meet the trials of life or to prepare for eternal life is before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

So today I anticipate Christmas and eternal life and commit to taking time before the Blessed Sacrament for prayer today. I have an unreal schedule but there is definitely nothing more important than spending time before the Eucharistic presence.
I will carry each of you in prayer today as well.

May St. Wenceslaus's prayers free us from our self-seeking and help us to serve God with all our hearts.

Spirit of God, throught the mystery of Your Divine Indwelling, may I submit to Your Will and Your Way in everyday life. Amen

This week the nation looks at education

I find it appropriate as I was reading our URSULINE WAY OF LIFE: Constitutions and Book of Directives to note that under the Orgins of the Congregation states:

"As patroness of her new work in the Church, Saint Angela Merici chose Saint Ursula, a virgin martyr of the early Church and a special patroness of learning."

It is evident in the mission and ministry of our sisters that education and learning is a hallmark. St. Ursula, patroness of learning, intercede for us and touch the hearts of others to join us in our misson of Education and Christian formation.

I quote again from our constitution. We, the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, are a community of women religious who come together attending holiness. We freely answer the loving call of God by dedicating our lives and our gifts to God in the service of he Church. -Ursuline Way of Life, "Our Charism", paragraph #1)

I entered community 35 years ago today as an Ursuline Sister

On this day thirty-five years ago I entered this Ursuline family. There were four very young women from St. Mary of the Woods Parish in Whitesville who came to the beautiful campus of Mount Saint Joseph, home of the Ursuline Sisters that day in response to a call that could not be ignored. We entered around 3:30pm and became postulants. There were six total. I recall so vividly the feelings of excitement and anxiety as we were welcome by the seven other young sisters in the Novitate at the time who greeted our families and carried our belongings up the four flight of stairs in Bethany to the dorm.

My father and two sisters came with me, and I remember feeling commissioned by the parish that morning as the closing song for Mass that day was, " Sent Forth by God's Blessing". I still recall this day every time I hear that song because it really did feel like a commissioning and sending forth blessing from the faith community where I was baptized.

The journey has been a blessing and today as I return to the Mount, "holy ground" I am filled with gratitude for my family who nutured me and my call, and to my sisters in community who radiated the joy and continue to radiate the joy of being in love with God and pouring out their gifts in generosity and service to God's people.

Strange, I never would have dream 35 years ago, that I would be in the position as Director of Vocation Ministry seeking new members for this community which I love. I heed Angela's words, "...act, move, believe, strive, cry out to God with all your heart, and you will see marvelous things."

Prayer expands the heart and inspires action

To cultivate a life of prayer reqires attention, discipline and steadfastness. It is really hard work, but I have come to recognize that without prayer in my life, I am an empty shell. My actions and words are compelled by what I cultivate in my heart. It there is hurt or pain, than my words cultivate bitterness and anger, if my heart is full of excitement and joy, my words and actions cultivate laughter and openness. "Prayer expands the heart and inspires action" that radiates the peace and love of Christ.

I was told once by a very wise person in my life that if we are too busy to pray we are too busy. I have discovered that being busy is a poor excuse. For when I am most busy is when the need for prayer becomes even more of a gift. Taking all that is on my day's agenda before my God and asking God's guidance and grace is more productive than any number of hours or worries that I pour into getting ready to deliver or meet the day's challenges.

Prayer has a way of expanding our perception of life to see people as sons and daughters of God, as my own brothers and sisters in Christ, who are different than me, who have their own uniqueness, and rest assuredly something to teach me that I need to learn. If I prayerfully embrace them rather than dismiss them , my heart is expanded and I am moved to action that not only inspires others but takes me offguard and I am giving thanks for a lesson in expansion of the heart.

Light up the darkness of my heart and give me the grace to be light today!

Pope Benedict's message on discernment to Catholic youth

I was reading over some material and came upon Pope Benedict's sharing on how he discerned his vocation and found it to be very interesting. I hope you find it interesting as well.

" I had to ask myself: Is this really the path I was meant to take? Is this really God's will for me? Will I be able to remain faithful to him and completely at his service? A decision about embracing God's will demands a certain struggle. It cannot be otherwise. But then came the certainty: This is the right thing! Yes, the Lord wants me, and God will give me strength. If I listen to God and walk with him, I become truly myself. What counts is not the fulfillment of my desires, but of God's will. In this way life become authentic."

Now, I can resonate totally with his statement of knowing and embracing God's call in my own life. The struggle is disturbing but the peace and certainty that follows confirms that it is a genuine call.

I pray today for all youth and young adults who are struggling to know and embrace God's will and call to authentic and fulfilling life. Give them your peace, Gracious and Loving God to know that your call will not lead them where the grace of God will not sustain you.

My most profound experience

IF YOU HAD TO DESCRIBE THE SINGLE MOST PROFOUND EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LIFE SO FAR, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Isn't it amazing that when you have to give one response there are numerous responses that come to mind. Yet, when you are asked to give several responses your mind goes blank. As I try to prioritize the many profound experiences of my life I smile because some profound experience have been very simple yet powerful. Others are truly once in a lifetime experiencea and we know it at the moment.

If I had to describe the single most profound experience it would have to be in May of 2008 when I went to the home of St. Angela Merici, the founder of the Ursuline Sisters, and gazed upon her incorruptible body. I was moved to tears of joy and reverence for such a holy and convicted woman of faith. I knelt in front of her and recalled and prayed in gratitude for all the Ursuline Sisters who had taught me, those who had a significant influence on me, and those who supported my vocation to be a Mount Saint Joseph Ursuline Sister. I never felt so blessed to be called a daughter of Angela.

Her prayer flowed from my heart: "O God light up the darkness of my heart.'.. It was a sacred encounter and remains a graced moment in my life. I am filled with gratitude just recalling the memory. St. Angela,interceed for our community and stir in the heart of others as you did mine, a desire to give all to our loving and gracious God.

How about you? What is your most profound experience of your life, thus far?

Favor from God

IF GOD WERE TO GRANT YOU ONE FAVOR WHAT WOULD YOU ASK?

The thing that I might ask for today is unity and peace in my heart, family, community and world. What a difference life would be with the gift of peace and unity among us.

St. Angela reminds us, " ...live in harmony, one mind, one heart..." Grant this O God in your own way, in your own time.

What part of your day is service, what part is work?

We are just a few days past the celebration of labor day-- I came upon this reflection by Joyce Rupp and want to share it with you, but acknowledge her as the author. I share pieces of her reflection and ask you to take time to respond as your heart and spirit is moved. Joyce Rupp raises a very powerful and insightful question.

HOW MUCH OF WHAT YOU DO EACH DAY IS SERVICE AND WHAT PART IS JUST WORK?

Meditation
"Stand in an open doorway. Take a deep breath and deliberately unite with the Holy One’s presence. Call to mind qualities you bring with you into your labors. Extend your arms outward beyond the door. As you do so, send forth your earnest love toward those who are a part of your life and recepients of your service today. Imagine this love blessing them. Continue standing in the doorway. Now extend your love to the larger world. Face the East. Send your love to this part of the world. Do the same for the South, the West, and the North. Close by folding your hands over your heart and extending this same goodness to yourself."


God who labors and serves with us, in us and through us---
Teacher and Healer,
your brought the gift of yourself
to those who benefited from your work.
You touched them with steadfast love.
Remind me each day to do the same.
Touch and bless all I do today
so my service to others brings a blessing to them and also to me.
I open the door of my heart to you.


Rupp's words are worth your time for reflecting. There is a tremendous difference between labor and service. Both require energy, determination and attentiveness. However service is shown with tremendous care, compassion, selflessness and humility. Bless my service with your grace and direction.

Golden Present

We do not know what is in store tomorrow, or, whether there is a tomorrow, or even a tonight! But still, we have the golden present. Now we are alive and passionate. What should we do now? Love all, serve all.

Yesterday I celebrated my birthday, we won't go into the exact number. However, the number is large enough to claim a piece of wisdom to know that it is important to live each day to the fullest. Why does this kind of wisdom wait until you reach a ripe age? In my youth, I had extreme enthusiasm and energy, Life was good, challenging, exciting and one discovery after another. Strange, how life seasons you and you discover that the most important, fulfilling, meaningful things in life are much different than what you valued in your youth. For me the most important things are not things but LOVE and SERVICE.

If you don't love what you are doing, why stay in it? If you don't love the people around you, why not? Can't you see the person of Christ that dwells in them?
If you are not willing to serve all, what is your purpose on this earth?

Love and service are very fulfilling and rewarding for me. In my new year of life that I begin today I want to hold and cherish the golden present, for the way I love and serve will determine my golden eternal future.

I invite you to examine, reflect, ponder your life today. Take advantage of the golden present to discover how well you are loving? Whom do you choose to love today? Whom do you offer your life in service. Enjoy the golden present! In fact I challenge you to enjoy the opportunity and blessing you have to love and serve in this golden present!

Happy 40th

Today, the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph invite you to our 40th annual picnic to benefit our retired sisters who have served the People of God and the Church so faithfully through the years!

It is a glorious day and all the effort, energy and prayers that culminate today is an example of the fruit of a group of women who love God and give it their all, while at the same time inspiring others to join in the mission. If you travel out to our beautiful campus you will discover lots of reunions--families, parishioners connecting with an Ursuline sister, youth giving in service, and flocks of benefactors who have so faithfully come over the past 40 years.

God of all gatherings, I ask your blessing upon this day, shower all the reunions with joy and laughter, keep everyone safe and grant us a successful picnic!
Thank you for all who have done so much to make this 40th MSJ picnic possible. And yes, praise God it is over for another year!

Remembering and reverencing the memories

Today is 9-11! That phrase speaks volumes to those of us who lived through it. Today I had a little time before heading to Mount Saint Joseph for picnic preparation to catch a memorial. It was a hanging of a wreath at the Pentagon. The mood was sober and the memories flooded over me.

One of the speakers stated, it is best summed up in the words of a 6 year old. Our hearts remember and our minds honor all those whose lives were changed forever on 9-11!

What do you remember? Let us pause for a moment of silence and remember, honor and reverence all those who continue to grieve their loved ones and for all those who continue to sacrifice for our safety.

God of Peace, please protect all countries from the evil of terrorism. Amen

for all dog lovers!

This is one of the kindest things you may ever see..

It is not known who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies..' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey &Meredith and this note:


Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven.
Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by..
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God

I wish I'd known....

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting;
The soul that rises with us, our life's star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar;
Not in entire forgetfulness...
--William Wordsworth

Human beings seem to be divided into two subspecies--the RESIGNED,who live in quiet desperation and the EXHAUSTED,who exist in restless agitation.

The quiet and resigned believe that our time on this earth is random, a roll of cosmic dice, completely beyond our control. You know these folks when you hear them; their sighs speak volumes. (Point well made, Brad!)

The restless agitatiors sense that there's got to be something more to why we're here, something other than discovering what money, power,or love have to do with the meaning of life. They grow their own vegetables, take vitamins, drink water, meditate, start study groups, exercise. They work five days a week and then wonder why they are perpetually cranky.

Can you tell what kind of mood I am in today? Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting.... Wordsworth had it right. I wish that I'd known from the beginning that I was born a strong woman. What a difference it would have made! I wish I'd known that I was born a courageous woman; I've spent so much of my life cowering. How many conversations would I not only have started but finished if I had known I possesssed a warrior's heart? I wish I'd know that I had been born to take on the world; I wouldn't have run from it for so long, but run to it with open arms.

Is it too late to be re-born? If only I had known!

"The soul that rises with us, our life's star, Hath had elsewhere its setting." -WW If only I had known....

I need to honor Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa is a favorite minister of mine, and I know she recently celebrated the mark of 100 years. I think she has so much to teach all of us. Today I share some of her words to live by…

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier..."

Mother Teresa help me to touch others with the love of Jesus as you did.

...pursue your DREAM!

As a member of the NCCL, I receive a weekly newsletter and it is always packed with new and exciting articles. In particular I was thrilled to see a premier issue of a newly published newsletter on adult faith formation entitled GEM:Great Endeavors Mined and Shared. How clever! It also featured our own Fr. Tony Shonis Sunday/Monday Connection. Way to go Fr. Tony!

The newsletter also had a lovely quote from Earl Nighingale which I will share with you.

Successful people are dreamers
who have found a dream too exciting,
too important to remain in the realm of fantasy.

Day by Day hour by hour,
they toil in service of their dream
until they can see it with their eyes and
touch it with their hands.

May you take time today to nurture your dream and then pursue and share them.

Laughter is carbonated holiness.

Let us strive for holiness---and try to erase from our mind, the corrections we received for laughing at inappropriate times and inappropriate places. Why is it that you are overcome with laughter at the most solemn times. I recall gathering with our novice director daily for midday prayer in the Motherhouse chapel and someone would say the wrong word or drop their prayer book, and the 8 novices would break out in laughter, and eventually Sr. Marie Goretti, our loving and proper novice director, would start shaking with silent chuckles.

We didn't know then, but now in hindsight we understand that we were growing in holiness. Joy is a sign of holiness you know.

May your day be filled with laughter from within, and may you spread it to those around you. Laughter is carbonated holiness---ponder that one.

Death is upon us again

Having just received word of the death of another Ursuline Sister, my sister in community, I pause to give thanks for her life and the many lives she has touched in her ministry. The feeling of sadness and loss is a reality, but it is soon replaced with feelings of rejoicing for her battle is over, the victory over pain and illness is over, and she is now experiencing the fullness of life eternal. What ever eternal life looks like we are promised that it is more than we could ask or imagine.

Eternal peace and light upon you Sister! I ask that you intercede for us as your Mount Saint Joseph Ursuline Community. Grant us wisdom and welcoming hearts! Intercede for vocations to our community, that the legacy of Angela Merici and her mission may be realized through her daughters!

I am back

Greetings, this past week I have been very occupied with office responsibilities. It was stressful but things worked out. It was an opportunity for the staff to pull together in the absence of the pastor who was where he needed to be with his family. He got the news that his mother, age 64, had a heart attack on Sunday afternoon in Nashville. After his evening mass he went to be with her and his siblings. It was what I would call a "see-saw" week with one phone call being good news followed by another phone call with serious concerns. She made it through 4 quad bypass surgery on her heart but has a very long way to go. I beg your prayers for her recovery and peace and comfort for her family. So, the rest of the staff kept the parish afloat, but it was not the same.

I share all of this to try communicate my absence but to continue to ask for prayer.

Life is hard, and there are many times when it becomes overwhelming. When it does, God has placed within our reach himself, the Body of Christ, in those that we live, work and love. I was able to reach out last week to them in moments of pain, tears, doubt and exhaustion and was renewed, encouraged,loved and able to keep going. Thanks my dear friends, family and community for being the hands, eyes, ears and touch of Christ to me. May your healing and prayers carry us through these next weeks and whatever it holds.

Today has been a fruitful day. It is that time of year to sell picnic tickets for the Mount Saint Joseph picnic to benefit our retired Ursuline Sisters. A friend from Owensboro came to assist me at St. Francis de Sales Church in this annual task. It was good to be with Wendy and also have her help in offering others the chance to help our retired sisters who have served the Church and the People of God so faithfully. We did well, people are kind and generous toward such a good cause.

It also provided time to pause and recall the fruit of perseverance. Someone told me once, to pray daily for the grace of perseverance. As I age, I discover the wisdom of this advice. As I listen to stories about our sisters' years of service I recall their perseverance. Perseverance implies a sense of fidelity to something that engages not just the mind, but also the heart. In an article I read by William Clark, he defines "PERSEVERANCE as integrity sustained over time."

It was a honor to invite the People of God to reverence these Ursuline Women who through the years have lived the virtue of perseverance and have inspired me through the years and still do to this day.

Mark you calendar and come join us in celebrating our 40th BBQ picnic to benefit and celebrate the gift of the Retired Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph on September 12 from 11am-4pm at the Motherhouse in Maple Mount, Kentucky.

The good of a smile is inconceivable

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.--Joseph Addison


I have always known that a smile cost nothing but really it is true that a smile can bring about something within another that is inconceivable. Why are we so reluctant to share a smile? There are some people in my life who keep a smile planted on their face and it seems so false, then there are others who greet me with a smile on a regular basis. If I am ever feeling low, discouraged, disappointed, I know that an unexpected smile removes this feeling and replaces it with gratitude.

Smile--everyone deserve it!

The promise of abundance startles us.

I have several spiritual resources that I use on a daily basis and today as I read from the Living Word I was struck by the reflection on "The Abundance of God". The reflection flowed from today's Scripture,

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthias 9:6

Generosity truly does give us a glimpse of God. We do not have to think very much at all to list an abundance of blessings which God has showered on me daily. The promise of abundance startles us....

The memories of a good friend, a sister in community who celebrates her feastday today, Happy Feastday Laurita---the promise of abundance startles us...

The coolness of air condition on a humid, hot day---the promise of abundance startles us...

The forgiveness of a co-worker for our insensitivity and harsh words and actions---the promise of abundance startles us...

The unconditional love of a friend's pet---Blizten, what a blessing you are to me---the promise of abundance startles us...

The welcome voice of a friend on the end of a phone--the promise of abundance startles us...

Reasons for gratitude break into our lives unexpectantly and startles us as we recall the giver of all blessings. Thank you God for the promise of abundance in my life!

God is boundary-breakingly beyond everything...

I quote from David Knight's commentary on the first reading of liturgy today from the book of the prophet Ezekiel 1:2-28.

"It is a common testimony of the mystics that the experiences they had of God, whether in visions or ecstasies, were indescribable. Words do not exist to portray what they saw, because our words express our perceptions of created reality, and God is BOUNDARY-BREAKINGLY BEYOND EVERYTHING GOD HAS CREATED."

I love that phrase, "boundary-breakingly beyond everything"! There are so many times that I try to define God in my ministry of faith formation for children, youth, adults, or inquirers of the faith and words are so limited in capturing the reality of God.

People are always asking me why I insist on being so inclusive in my language especially in gender phrase defining God. I find that our language is so formative and God would never exclude anyone. I find exclusion to be very hurtful and on the edge of sinful. We, as the Body of Christ, have so much to learn. But today, thinking of God as boundary-breakingly beyond is a powerful truth.

Use me God, to open the eyes of others, and grant me the sight and insight to be boundary breakingly beyond everything that I try to limit today.

I am BLESSED

Yesterday as I greeted one of my sisters in community with the typical greeting, "Julia, how are you?" I was taken back by her response, " I AM BLESSED." What a powerful acknowledgement of truth. Then she added, " I don't ALWAYS take the time to be aware, but I am blessed." I went through the rest of the day, recalling that line and trying to nuture that awareness in my own heart.

Thus, perhaps the next time someone greets you or asks how you are, if you are AWARE and BELIEVE to shower them with your awareness and respond, I AM BLESSED!

Make it a great day! Make it a blessed day for another!

See what is in front of us...

The feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.... so many thoughts going on in my mind and mixed emotions on my heart. The gospel of today, Luke 9:32 states, " They saw his glory..." The disciples saw Jesus' glory unveiled on Mount Tabor. It really does take time to see what is in from of us. The disciples had been with Jesus many days but this day, they truly were able to see with different eyes, with a new perspective. Everything is ultimately in God's time.

Yesterday was a true lesson in this reality. I was both shocked and filled with gratitude at the same time for the unexpected death of my/our sister in community, Vickie, age 59. As one sister tried to comfort another, she stated, " Vickie has a very different perspective now, and sees what we continue to long for". Powerful words, comforting words, faith-filled words and convicted words to ponder.

Vickie, you now behold the splendor and glory of God. As daughters of Angela we walked side by side, and just a few weeks ago, sat side by side during our retreat at the Mount. I will treasure that experience, not knowing how close you were to the call to eternal life. It does take time to see what is in front of us, and I know you and God were preparing for the reunion and union that took place as you left us. Thank you for all you are to our Ursuline community. You knew so well our history, and the legacy we have. I ask your intercession on my ministry of inviting new members so that that history and legacy can continue. You have a clear and unique perspective now, continue to enlighten us with your research, enthusiasm, and reverence for the past, present and future. May God's peace enfold you, it takes my breath trying to picture the embrace of St.Angela greeting you and welcoming you into the eternal kingdom as her cherished daughter. You will be missed but remembered always for you gave so cheerfully and generously.

Develop an inner ear for recognizing God's voice

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the dedication of Saint Mary Major Basilica. This is the largest church in the world honoring God through Mary.

One legend of this feast gives this day a different name, Our Lady of the Snows. According to that story, a wealthy Roman couple pledged their fortune to the Mother of God. In affirmaton there was a miraculous summer snowfall and a church was built on the site. This legend was long celebrated by releasing a shower of white rose petals from the basilica every August 5th.

Now isn't that a lovely thought on this hot and humid day? Just the thought cools me from the 100+ degree temperatures promised us this August 5th. Happy feastday Sr. Amelia and all who look to Mary as their model for their faith.

On another note, I was reading that if we are truly committed to living the spiritual life, as Mary, the Mother of God was, we will listen in a very personal and intimate way to the Word of God. Through the regular practice of reading the Scripture, God's Word, and letting the Word descend from our minds into our hearts we are inviting God's Word to become enfleshed. Through the regular practice of spiritual reading and meditation we develop an inner ear that allows us to recognize God's Word that speaks directly to our most intimate needs and aspirations.

Enjoy the voice of God discovered in the Word today! We join Mary in prayer as we pray, "My soul proclaims the greatness of God, my spirit rejoices in My Savior!"

companions on the journey to Christ

I have been very involved with the Initiation process of welcoming those inquiring about the Catholic Way of life these past few days. It is exciting to have seven enthused and excited men and women coming together to learn about the Catholic faith. I couldn't help but draw parallels between vocation ministry and working with those in the Initiation process, more commonly referred to as RCIA.

In both areas there are particular stages and each stage of formation hold special blessings. In vocation ministry I have the opportunity to walk with women who are discerning and desiring to become a consecrated woman in the church. Both candidates for RCIA and consecrated life require deep honesty, intense prayer and willingness to discern the movement of God in one's life. It is awesome to witness God working in their lives. Both are very grace-filled ministries.

I feel very honored to walk with both, for I find my own faith and commitment deepening as well. Ultimately we are all really companion on the journey to Christ.

When did you know you wanted to be a sister?

Today I want to share with you an opportunity that arose to share our way of life with young people. Thanks Alicia for your enthusiasm, passion and love for consecrated life!

Are there other MSJ Ursulines out there who are doing vocation ministry? I would love to hear about your experience as well.

Sr. Alicia Coomes, osu wrote:

The Western KY TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) weekend which was held July 24, 25, 26, at Madisonville, was a marvelous retreat experience in sharing the Paschal Mystery with young people. This particular weekend we had 13 young participants.As a member of the TEC adult team, I felt that vocation ministry was a significant part of the weekend experience. We had time for questions and answers and the question specific to vocations was directed to me. One question was "When did you know you wanted to be a sister?" Of course I have answered this question many times and my response always is when I was in the first grade, I fell in love with the sisters. I told my parents, "someday I'll be a sister", and I never forgot that. When I was in the seventh grade, I became very serious about seeking out religious life and that desire stayed with me until I finally made the choice to enter the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph after graduating from high school. In responding to the TECites particular questions and also in my reflection on "SIGNS", I was able to share some of the symbols in my life that are reminders to me of my commitment to God and religious life. I really enjoyed the opportunity to share with high school youth my life as a Mount Saint Joseph Ursuline Sister.