A New Member of Our Heavenly Family

Our St. Patrick's Day celebration was a bit subdued this year in our Boston commumnity. Sister Cecilia Paula Livingston was laid to rest after a funeral Mass in our chapel at 11:00 AM this morning. Sister's younger sister, who is also a Daughter of St. Paul, Sister Jane Raphael was present along with friends, cooperators and members of the Pauline laity. At her wake the previous day, we prayed the rosary for her soul. The room where the casket lay was decorated with photos and mementos of her life. Sister had been suffering from cancer off and on since 2008. After the rosary, we were surprised that Sister Cecilia "spoke to us" via a DVD her sister filmed shortly before her death on March 11.  Her basic message, delivered in a serene and upbeat manner was that in this life what matters is to love God, and to love and support one another. Many of the Sisters recounted th kindnesses Sister Cecilia had shown them, her care for others, her desire to do God's Will, and her quiet but very real sense of humor.
Sister had many assignments, including being one of our "pressroom Sisters" who operated our four color presses some years ago. She served as local superior in Bosotn and in St. Louis. In the last five years, she was home in California caring for her elderly parents. However as the cancer advanced and resisted any chemotherapy, Sister re-enterd the community in Charleston, SC. The superior in Charleston is her younger sister, Sister Jane. Friends of the community assisted  in many ways as Sister Cecilia prepared herself to meet the Divine Master face-to-face. We are grateful to the Sisters of teh Charleston Community and the good people of that lovely city who appreciated Sister Cecilia's prayers and offering of herself to God.
Thanks to Sister Marie, one of our blog readers, whose commented added to mine about the Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade. A Sister was the Grand Marshal of that great Parade.
May your troubles be few and the graces be many! May St. Patrick pray for us all, and help us to prepare well for the Solemnity of the Feast of St. Joseph. Happy Feast Day to all the Joseph's and Josephines, and to all Canadians whose Patron Saint is St. Joseph.

St. Patrick and St. Joseph

St. Patrick Day celebrations began early this week. Philadelphia had a big parade in honor of St. Patrick on Sunday. The celebration began with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Rigali in the church of St. Patrick. We know St. Patrick was not born in Ireland, yet he is equated with the people of the Emerald Isle. He, like St. Paul, made himself "all to all in order to save" as many of the Irish as he could. Patrick persevered in his efforts to bring Christianity to the Irish people. He met opposition of many kinds, yet he never gave up. Thanks to his untiring zeal, his love for God and for the men and women of Ireland, Christ is better known, loved and lived not only by Irish, but also by the multitude in locales where Irish missionaries have preached around the world. May St. Patrick intercede for all the Irish, part-Irish and all who associate with them. Best regards for a Happy Name Day to all the Patricks, Patricios, Patricia's, and Paddy's.
On Saturday we will celebrate the real "Quiet Man" who was not Irish, but Jewish: St. Joseph. May he be an example for all of us in our prayer life and in fulfilling our day-to-day tasks.
With best regards to all the Joseph's and Josephine's,

Sister Mary Peter

Mardi Gras, Carnevale, Fat Tuesday

Mardi Gras has arrived, and will soon be over. Folks who love to party will enjoy their last hurrah as Tuesday wanes and Wednesday dawns with the promise of ashes. Forty days of Lent. It seems like forever in this age of instant messages, tweets, and cyber symbols. I will spend most of Ash Wednesday in the Cathedral of St's. Peter and Paul in center city Philadelphia. We Daughters of St. Paul will hold a book and media display geared to Lenten reflection at the Cathedral as well as at Holy Martyrs Church in Oreland, Pennslvania.
As one retreat master put it, "a good book can tell you more than your best friend would dare to tell you." Lenten Grace" is one such good book of daily reflections based on the gospel readings for each day of Lent.
Pauline Books and Media offer a variety of Lenten titles, as well as a new series of books called The Catholic Wisdom Collection. The CWC presents the reflections of Christian writers known for their spiritual depth: John of the Americas, Cross, Jean  Pierre de Caussade, John Henry Newman and more. Although John of the Cross lived at the time of the colonization of the Americas, his pen still touches the hearts of people today who experience a spiritual darkness. The Wisdom Collection offers light and guidance to all who want to learn from the classics who have gone before us.
Enjoy Shrove Tuesday and prepare well for the graces in store for us in Lent.
For more Lenten reading visist http://www.pauline.org/

Prayers for Our Times

As some of you may know, the Church is suffering from the wounds caused by clergy sexual abuse in some parts of the world. The Church in Ireland is taking steps to heal from the hurt caused by people who betrayed the sacred trust of innocent children. In the Archdiocese of Philadelphia allegations and investigations are underway to make sure that victims are protected and healed, and perpetrators removed from the chance of endangering any more persons.
We pray for the victims of clergy sexual abuse, as well as for the many who suffer such abuse from within their own families or other situations. Let us implore the Lord's healing grace for all, especially for the victims. Follow this link to find prayers directed to help us find God in this crisis: http://pauline.org/PublishingHouse/PrayerforOurChurch/tabid/414/Default.aspx