New Life and Valentines

I gasped when I realized that I haven't blogged since January! Much has happened in the past month and in these February days. On January 28, Sister Emily Marsh who spent five months of her novitiate here in Philadelphia, pronounced her first vows as a Daughter of St. Paul. Sister Emily added a new name, Beata,  to signify the blessings she has received. Sister too is to "be" a blessing to all she encounters. Her assignment for now is assisting in the children's editorial department of our Boston publishing house. Sister Emily Beata begins a joyful, new life as a professed Daughter of St. Paul.
Early the next day, Sister Annette Margaret Boccabello left this life to begin her eternal live with Jesus Master. Sister Annette spent most of her religious life in our Boston community. With a great sense of humor, and tireless dedication, Sr. Annette carried out several responsible roles until she began her seven year struggle with cancer. When medical resources were exhausted, Sister wrote a letter to each of us Sisters sharing her decision to enter the hospice program. From then on her focus was to prepare for the final invitation when Jesus would take her by the hand into his heavenly home. Sister Annette now rests with Jesus and with all our Pauline Family members who preceded us into heaven.
On February 5th, we remembered the death or rather the entrance into new life of Mother Thecla Merlo, the first Superior General of the Daughters of St. Paul. Mother Thecla is now called Venerable Mother Thecla, the last stage before a person is proclaimed "Blessed" by the Church.
Today we recall the death of Sister (frequently called "Mother") Paula Cordero in 1991. Mother Paula arrived in the USA at the age of 23, with another young Sister to begin the mission of the Daughters of St. Paul in North America. Armed solely with great faith and enthusiasm for the work of bringing the Word of God to people Mother Paula surmounted one obstacle after another to sow the seed of evangelization with the media deep into American soil. Mother Paula's birthday was on February 16. She enjoyed celebrating Valentine's Day along with her birthday. She often said, "Jesus is our Valentine!"  The day before Valentine's Day in 1991 she was called to begin the eternal celebration of our God who is Love. Mother Paula's delight in celebrating her Divine Valentine was so evident that she passed her joy to all of us her spiritual daughters.

Happy Valentine's Day to each and all of you readers. May our hearts be one with Jesus our Eternal Valentine!

New Year

Happy New Year! I write this from Boston where our novices reside as they prepare to take a definitive step in their formation. During the Christmas school break, our younger Sisters (called Junior professed)  gather for an updating and renewal meeting. We call it an "Encounter" as our Italian  and Spanish-speaking use the word "incontro" or "encuentro" to describe similar meetings. Today we enjoyed a festive meal  prepared by a bevy of talented Sisters. Last night we closed out the old year with a retreat and a commual Hour of Adoration. During the Hour we prayed for all of you too.
May 2012 make us more aware of how God is acting in our lives, and more open to the flood of graces God wants to give us.
Father Ron Rolheiser offers some great practical New Year's advice. Here is an excerpt from Father's article:

Guidelines for the Long Haul

Don’t be naïve about God: She or He will settle for not less than everything!

Distrust all talk about the consolation of religion. Religion puts a belt around you and takes you to where you would rather not be. Get used to virtue; it gives you a constant reminder of what you have missed out on.

Know that God will not settle for less than everything. Demands from God always seem unreasonable. Learn to wrestle with God; you can win by losing.

Pray that God will hang on to you!

Distrust Gallup polls. Trust prayer. Prayer is an enlargement. Be willing to die a little to be with God. He is dying to be with us. Let your heart, as Henri Nouwen puts it, become the place where the tears of God and the tears of God’s children merge and become the tears of hope.

Excerpts taken from the book “Forgotten Among The Lilies” by Ronald Rolheiser, OMI. Published by Doubleday, 2005.

Holy Innocents

Today, December 28, marks the Feast of the Holy Innocents: little baby boys, two years of age and under who were massacred by King Herod. It was Jesus whom he sought to kill, but his blind rage would brook no opposition to his seething ambition to allow no rival ascend his throne. Scholars estimate that perhaps 20 innocent children perished because of the king's jealousy. Some wonder why the  Church honors these little ones. Without words to speak they shed their blood in place of the Divine Baby hidden in the arms of Mary and protected by Joseph. Safe in Egypt the Holy Family escaped Herod's wrath. As the writer in the current issue of Magnificat magaine says what an honor to be "mistaken" for Christ.
Would my actions today be mistaken for those of Jesus?

Christmas Hope

In my last post I  placed an image of Baby Jesus with the words, "He is our Hope."  The original bookmark I used had a wonderful timely prayer on the back that I would like to share with you as my gift to all my readers:

A Prayer for Unfailing Hope



Lord Jesus, you see my entire life:


past, present, and future.


You know my thoughts and feelings.


You see how hard life can be,


how unfair it can seem at times.


In all the confusion, one thing is certain—


your love for me never changes.


I place all my hope in You.


You embrace me as I am.


You walk with me and guide me.


Help me to recognize Your presence


and to follow where you lead with trust.


You desire only the greatest good for me;


You are on my side.


I place all my hope in You.


Help me to know how much


you want to be part of my life.


Widen the limits of my heart


to make room for You


and through You for others.


You are God, my Savior.


I place all my hope in You.


Blessing: “May the God of hope fill us


with all joy and peace in believing,


so that we might abound in hope by


the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13).


To practice: Read a passage from the New

Testament daily.


www.pauline.org


www.mydiscoverhope.org


© Daughters of St. Paul

Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my readers.Today, as we celebrate Christ's birth we enjoy a lovely crisp winter day. All of nature seems happy to receive the Baby who came to save the world. Even our Christmas cactus is loaded with blossoms slowly opening their delicate flowers.
As our pastor said last night, "Let's keep it simple. God became 'Baby'-- human--for us". So at this morning's Mass when a toddler's voice pierced a momentary silence, it seemed appropriate--a reminder that God took on a Baby wordless voice too. In real time he grew up to preach, teach. die and rise. That night in the stable in Bethlehem when God appeared as Baby and man for us a never-ending fountain of grace opened to refresh and sustain us.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving greetings to all my readers. On Thursday, millions of Americans will gather for a family meal, many with turkeys or hams and all the trimmings. In my family, thanksgiving remains a day when as many as possible of my siblings gather together for a festive meal and fellowship. We always used special amber glass plates. Only a few years ago did I realize that the dinner wear is called "Depression Glass." Now sought-after by antique collectors, the made-in-America tinted glass substituted for fine China.
Although not a church holy day, it is our American day to thank God for his unending goodness to each of us, and to our nation. We are one nation under God.

When you feel like getting cranky or ready to complain, it may help to sit down and write a litany of thanksgiving/a list of your gifts, and ways others have gifted you.
My best wishes and prayers for you that your Thanksgiving Day may be joyous in all ways!

Turning Leaves

Yesterday as we were on our way to Mass, a carpet of multi-colored leaves decorated the pavement. I almost hesitated to walk on it.
Glancing out my window I see our fig tree refusing to turn colors, our peach tree slowly surrendering its leaves, and our neighbor's gloriously scarlet maple leaves shimmering bright. For those who live in a warm climate, it is worth putting up with the cold to see at least once the variety of color that only comes with the changing of seasons.
Change is everywhere in nature this autumn. Soon the weather man says it will all be covered with a blanket of wet, heavy snow. Thankfully, the weather person is reassuring: the snow won't stick, at least not here.
All this change going on outside of us can question us: Am I changing for the better? As the leaves fall, am I letting go of things I don't really need. I notice a proliferation of storage units for rent. I wonder if the bins awaiting donations for the St. Vincent de Paul Society or other worthy charities are as frequented as the storage units which charge rental fees. The hymn "Abide with Me" says "Change in all around I see...Dear Lord, abide with me." Some have experienced loss of jobs, loss of homes, and other significant people in their lives. May we see God active in the changes. He is consant and unchanging "our rock of refuge."

Reflections

In my last blog I mentioned the "move night" in Newark, Delaware. About a dozen people attended our Faith and Film evening at Holy Family Church. The group held a very animated discussion after watching the film "Ladder 49" starring Joachim Phoenix and John Tavolta. None of the audience had seen the movie before. Many expressed amazement that such a wholesome film was produced by a Hollywood company. Filmed in Baltimore (about 50 miles from where we viewed the film), Ladder 49 portrays firemen on the job fighting real fires, as Dad's involved in their kids' school and sports, as husbands confronting wives anxiety and as faithful believers. Before we watched the movie, we began with a short prayer and a reading from St. John on the Good Shepherd. The word "sacrifice" came up often in the discussion. Characters in the film made small sacrifices daily. Some made the ultimate sacrifice. If you are interested in a Faith and Film night at your parish, please email me at pmartin@paulinemedia.com. You may also want to check out  Sister Rose Pacatte's blog and movie reviews http://sisterrose.wordpress.com/.
Today I was at a parish health fair. What has a media evangelizaer to do with a health fair? As I see it, a wholistic view of the person includes his or her spiritual and mental health. Pauline Books & Media offers a wealth of titles on the spiritual life, and several titles on healing and coping which attend also to the mental health of their readers.


Dome of Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral



Celtic Coss Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral

 This evening it was a pleasure to arrive at our parish church, Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to see many people--from grandparents down to grade schoolers--adoring the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The Forty Hours Devotion is being led by with a special preacher. It includes prolonged time for Eucharistic adoration and a closing celebration for the entire parish. St. John Neumann initiated the 40 Hours devotion in Philadelphia when the Catholic church was targeted by a group called "The Know Nothings." Their bigotry led to church burnings and other forms of persecution. Philadelphia's Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral Basilica has no street level windows because of fear that any windows in range of rock throwing rowdies would be shattered. When police would investigate criminal allegations against the group their answer was always: "I know nothing!" In our day the need for The 40 Hours" is more to fan the flame of our love and appreciation of God's presence in the Holy Eucharist than to ward off the Know Nothings. As one of the parish priests remarked tonight, the presence of the Lord is even more felt as the parish gathers as a family around the Center of it all.  May you  too enjoy the benefits of participating in Forty Hours in  your parish.