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.

Martha, Martha, you are busy about many things...

Yesterday the Church celebrated my patron saint, Saint Martha, the beloved friend of Jesus. I always anticipate the reflection on Martha from the Gospels, because as our chaplain at Mount Saint Joseph stated, " Martha gets a bad wrap. She was just being practical." I totally agree. I mean who would not have preferred to stop and set at the feet of the Master, but Martha was about being welcoming and hospitable. I loved the fact that Martha had such a genuine relationship with Jesus that she felt comfortable and free enough to be honest with Jesus. Thus, Jesus was also able to be honest with Martha because he said with LOVE, Martha, you are busy about many things (and I imagine Jesus to say, and I deeply appreciate it, what ever you are cooking smells delicious) but Mary has chosen the better part. I know as I hear that gospel, I always recall that there has to be a balance in our life.

St. Martha, I call upon your intercession, continue to walk with me in my journey in life and be evident in the ways I strive to be balanced, in prayer, in ministry, in time for myself, in time with community, in time with family, in time with friends. I fail most days, but you and Jesus know my desire. St. Martha, pray for me!

...enough light within

Today, I turn to one of my favorite spiritual authors, Henri J. M. Nouwen and I share with you a story from his book entitled, Finding my Way Home.

A rabbi asked his students: "How can we determine the hour of dawn, when the night ends and the day begins?"

One of the rabbi student's suggested: "When from a distance you can distinguish between a dog and a sheep?"

"No," was the answer of the rabbi.

"Is it when one can distinguish between a fig tree and a grapevine?" asked a second student.

"No," the rabbi said.

"Please tell us the answer, then." said the students.

The wise teacher said, "It is when you can look into the face of another human being and you have enough light in you to recognize your brother or your sister. Until then it is night, and darkness is still with us."

Let us pray for the light to deepen within that we might be instruments that shed light rather than darkness, and bring peace the world cannot give. May peace and light reign within me, in me, and through me!

Holy and Sinful---yet Saint and Sinner

I celebrated the Eucharist at 12 Noon today at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Paducah where I minister. At the Eucharist today as always I am blessed and fed. Today, I was very inspired and edified by our pastor's message on the Scripture. I want to give him credit for this, so I quote...

"Jesus could find holiness in the least likely people; in a tax colletor named Matthew; in an old woman who put her last penny in the temple collection box; in criminal nailed and hanging on a cross next to him.

Today,the Word of God acknowledges that there is evil, and that evil is self-destructive. At the same time, the Gospel today cautions us that our response to perceived eveil should be tempered with patience.

Why? We are all at the same time HOLY and SINFUL, SAINTS and SINNERS."

I couldn't help but acknowledge how easy it is to fall into judgment of others and at the same time, try to recognize Christ in all. I appreciate and marvel at the kindness and goodness I experience and yet find people so negative and quick to condemn. Yes, I am looking in the mirror today, and agree. We are all holy and sinful, saint and sinner... Jesus heal us of all the evil within us, in us, and that slips through us. Thanks FBR for your inspiration today!

I would like to invite you to check out the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph Vocation blog at http://ursulinesmsjvocations.blogspot.com

I am also being instructed on how to post it but am pretty much a novice with this.

Regarding the blog, I welcome your reactions, suggestions, questions, comments.

God speaks in unique ways

It's Monday and I am back to work after being gone to the Motherhouse for 3 weeks in a row. It is good to be back, and to treat myself, I opened one, only one, piece of Dove milk chocolate with peanut butter. If you are familiar with dove chocolate you know there is a promise message on the wrapper. So if the chocolate isn't enough to savor the promise message might delight you even more.

Such was my experience today... the message was LOVE IS, ABOVE ALL, THE GIFT OF ONESELF....

So, I delighted in both the chocolate and message,and spent the rest of the day giving of myself. Love to all!

A powerful reminder from St. Angela

This evening after a fruitful day, I was led to the Rule of St. Angela. Angela's word always seem to come from her heart and touch my heart. This evening I quote from the Prologue of the Rule, verses 7-10.

...I exhort you, or rather I beg and entreat you all, that having been chosen to be the true and virginal spouse of the Son of God, you be willing first of all to recognize what such a thing implies, and what a new and astonishing dignity it is.
Then that you strive all all yourmight to remain as you are called by God and to seek and desire all the wyas and means necessary to persevere and make progress to the very end.

What an awesome reminder, I am humbled by the reality of my call from God, and I give thanks for the grace of perseverence which sustains me as I strive to bear witness to the "astonishing dignity" of God's call as an Ursuline Sisters, and the numerous other avenues of God's leading.

Today's Gospel reminds us, 'Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find,knock and the door will be open." Gracious God, coninue to deepen the awareness of this sacred call. Thank you for my call to be Ursuline and for all daughters of Angela in the Church.

Bidding farewell to MSJ for summer

The past three weeks I have dwelt at Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center. It has been a wonderful home away from home. As I head back to Paducah where I am Pastoral Associate at St. Francis de Sales Church, my heart is filled with gratitude as I recall the blessings of these days. I am eager and excited about returning to ministry with the added responsibility of vocation ministry.

My first week I completed a two year spiritual direction training program. It has been a wonderful experience and I believe the skills I have learned and practiced as well as the people I have met to be lasting friends and companions. The second week we gathered as total community for community days and meetings. The liturgies and prayer services each day nurtured my soul and drew us closer together as daughters of Angela. In between there were celebrations of feastdays, birthdays, Jubilee, Associates day to name a few. This final week has been a retreat with Fr. David Knight ad director and once again my soul was fed.

Today I leave feeling renewed and refreshed, reconnected with my Ursuline sisters, ready to go forth and love with Christ, in Christ and through Christ.

Life's persistent and most urgent questions

It is Friday and inspite of the humidity I am looking forward to the weekend. Presently, I am reading a very inspiring book entitled, The Power of Half by Kevin and Hannah Salwen. I heard about it on NPR the day after I returned from our parish mission trip in Mandeville, Jamaica. The book was the result of 14 year old Hannah who had a eureka moment. Seeing a homeless man in her neighborhood at the same instant she spotted a man driving a Mercedes, she said, "Dad, if that man had a less nice car, that man there could have a meal." From there the family invested together in living on half. It is a powerful story of one family's decision to stop taking and start giving back. I would highly recommend it. If you do, let me know what you think?

Which leads me to a question that I have been pondering. It is a question that always makes me stop and evaluate my life.It was proposed by a man who made a difference in the lives of many people. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr once stated, "Every person must decide whether they will walk in the creative light of altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life's persistent and most urgent question is 'What are you doing for other?'"

I was blessed today as Sister Mary Timothyand I went to our Villa after breakfast to present a gift to our Powerhouse of Prayer Partner, Sr. Helen Ann, who will celebrate her patron saint, St. Anne, on July 26th. She was delighted and delightful! I already feel the effect of her prayer. We stopped to visit a few other sisters, and the last one said, "Thank you so much, you don't know how much your visit means to an old lady!" Actually, Sister, I need to thank you. I received much more than I gave.

Isn't that what always happens. What are YOU doing for others?

The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. And the activity of making them changes both the maker and their destination.
--John Schaar

I have been thinking a lot about the future, our future, my future. Do you think this new appointment to Director of Vocation Ministry for the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph has anything to do with my pondering?
I love Schaar's quote which reminds me that I am an essential player in the future. The choices I make, the attitude I bring, and the outcome is determined by numerous factors. However, I must never underestimate my role in making the future all it can be. What an awesome thought! What an awesome challenge!
St. Angela Merici's words are most app0priate--ACT, MOVE, BELIEVE, STRIVE, HOPE, CRY OUT to God with all your heart... and you will see marvelous things, if you do all for the honor and glory of God.
With St. Angela I pray, "light up the darkness of my heart" enlighten my mind. I encourage you too to walk the path into the future with confidence and high hopes! Let me know if you discover marvelous things!
Make it a great day! Make it a great future!

Refreshing rain

It's Wednesday and the earth is refreshed with the gift and blessing of gentle rain. I can't help but recall my recent mission experience trip to Mandeville, Jamaica. I went May 26-June 1, 2010 with nine other parishioners, now referred to as Missionaries of Mandeville. We were blessed to be able to build a home for a young single mother named Marian and her two sons, 4 and 12. We made great accomplishments the first day by transforming a slab of concrete, the foundation for the home, which was all that was present when we arrived, into a pretty impressive looking home. With great anticipation yet not knowing the first thing about building a home, we jumped into the task. By the end of the day we had the walls standing, window blinds installed and were ready for day two to complete the roof and painting. We awoke to the gentle falling of rain and were so disappointed. We soon made an attitude adjustment when we realized that we were thinking of ourselves not the people of Mandeville, who welcomed the rain which was their only source of water. They collect it in barrels and then filter it for drinking, cooking, baths and other needs. That day our schedule was rearranged and we were able to build prefabricated walls enough for three homes. The group was delighted! This will be a lasting reminder that God knows our needs and will provide in God's own time. So today I give thanks for the blessing of rain in my life and in the life of all God's people----in particular my extended family in Mandeville.

Greetings from the Vocation Office of Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph

To listen to the voice of God requires building up

a resistance to all the other voices that compete

for our attention.

Come and enjoy our sacred space to listen

to God's call in your life!