50 Years in the Convent

On Sunday, July 18, with most of my family present, a Mass of thanksgiving was offered for the grace of my 50 years in the convent. The Mass was celebrated at the Society of St. Paul's St. Paul Monastery in Canfield, Ohio. The main celebrant of the Mass was Father Jeffrey Mickler, SSP. Father Jeffrey also entered religious life 50 years ago in September. He entered the high school program which was then offered for aspiring members of the Society of St. Paul. Father and I both entered from the same parish. Music for the Mass was provided by two members of the Pauline secular institute of Our Lady of the Annunciation: single consecrated women who live in the world "but not of it." One of them brought her two nieces who added an extra guitar and vocalist to the music.

I was honored to have three additional priests concelebrate: Fr. Anthony Warren, SSP, and Father Joseph Blasko from Michigan, and Fr. Robert Stolinski of Buffalo, NY.

Most of my siblings were present as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Some of my former classmates also joined the celebration.

A week before, my graduation class of 1960 from Youngstown Ohio's Ursuline High School held a three-event reunion. With their spouses, our group numbered about 230. Fifty-two have already gone to their eternal reward, a very sobering fact. I was pleased to be able to re-connect with some of my grade school classmates.

At my Mass on Sunday, July 18, I was privileged to have my first grade teacher present. She is still active in ministry. Sister Jeanne, OSU certainly got me off to a good start!

Rather than reading about the Mass, you are welcome to view the entire Mass on http://www.youtube.com/user/FatherJeffrey#p/a/u/2/ASRG-7QKCvg, or on StPaulsTube.com, hhttp://www.stpaulstube.com/video-liturgy-125339-50th_anniversary_mass_16th_sunday?n=1. Thanks to all who sent me good wishes for this occasion. I am not retired, since my health is good enough to keep on contributing to our mission of media evangelization. Pray that my energy keeps up so I too can give God the best of each day which he gives to me.

I am very grateful to God for having given me the grace to be among the Daughters of St. Paul for all these years. Our founding Sister in the USA, Mother Paula Cordero, used to say, "If I had a 100 lives, I would give them all to God as a Daughter of St. Paul." I can truly say the same as Mother Paula did.

July Celebrations

Happy Canada Day to any Canadians who read this blog. This marks the day back in 1867 when the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick joined together as a federation. Very much like our American Independence Day celebrations, Canadians mark this day with fireworks, picnics and various celebrations. Unlike the USA, Canadians did not revolt from Great Britain, but gradually developed an autonomous form of government. Since our respective holidays fall very close to one another, we rejoice together in the blessings we enjoy in this part of North America.
A few years ago in Toronto, I enjoyed a multi-cultural celebration of Canada Day.Held at downtown Dundas Square, the event featured dancers from places as far different as Ecuador and Egypt. Booths offered foods from around the world. Little children with white, or Asian, African or middle eastern features sat side-by-side waving Canadian flags. It is said that one in every six persons in Toronto is an immigrant. As in the USA, so in Canada, there is freedom of religion and in varying degrees, freedom of speech. How blessed we are to enjoy this lifestyle in a world where many cannot worship God freely or express themselves openly without death threats. During our holiday weekend, take time to thank God for the blessings we do have, and to pray for those deprived of their basic freedoms. God bless you!

International Blog

This morning our novice from Poland, Sylwia, informed me that our Polish Sisters' website has a link to this blog. I am honored to be selected by our Polish Sisters. I know how to say "thank you" in Polish, but I can't spell in Polish.
As World Cup soccer fans approach the final matches, excitement grows. I am a "partial US Soccer Team" fan. (By partial I mean my soccer enthusiasm heightens during the world cup and wanes when the World Series begins.) However, I am sorry that Team USA was knocked out of the running today. At least they reached the finals!
I saw that the US played Slovenia, a much smaller country. I had the privilege back in the 1990's of presenting an eight day seminar on parish evangelization to members of two Slovenian parishes in the Cleveland area. I remember that it was a frozen week in February which turned the waves on Lake Erie into mounds of stiff whipped cream. Once inside the classroom where I presented, the atmosphere was warm, friendly and full of enthusiasm. I discovered that the majority of my audience was made up of people who had grown up under Communist rule. Since formal religious education was forbidden, many of them learned their catechism outdoors. They relied on various forms of disguises to learn the Faith. Their parish priests often dressed as farmers while they taught their students, as both the teacher and learners worked back and forth, fences between them.
One of the men experienced the terror of being lined up before a firing squad of Communist soldiers. At the last minute the commanding officer called off the execution. For that man his near death escape meant an ongoing deepening of his prayer life.
The Slovenians whom I taught loved to sing. I had some English hymns woven into my program. One of the Sisters in my community suggested that I ask them to sing their own Slovenian hymns. Allowing them to sing in their own language enabled them to participate more fully and with great gusto. When we asked for volunteers to come door-to-door with us to meet people in their homes, more answered the call then we had dreamed of. Sister Diane, one of our Sisters, followed up the seminar by carrying out a parish visitation program accompanied by an Ursuline Sister who had attended my evangelization course.
The Lord was extra good to us during that course. On the "visitation" Saturday as we went door-to-door, the temperature rose to above freezing. After sub zero weather, it was almost like a Spring day.
I will always remember the Cleveland Slovenian evangelization team. Their faith had become so much a part of them, they were willing to die for it.
It is very enriching to be part of this universal, truly "Catholic" Christan faith. As the World Cup winds down and folks go back to their own homes, may they experience not only a deeper love for their sport, but a deeper appreciation of the love of God that binds us together as one family. Let us pray too for the leaders of the G-20 nations meeting in Toronto. May they focus not only on themselves, put on those nations struggling with famine and grinding poverty.

St. John the Baptist's Birthday

There are many Saints named John. Once I asked a visitor to our book center which St. John parish he belonged to: St. John the Baptist, or St. John the Evangelist. He answered me: "Neither one. I belong to St. John the Catholic"!
Today the Church honors the birthday of St. John the Baptist meaning the saint who baptized Jesus in the Jordan. This saint is also called Saint John the Forerunner, since his mission in life was to prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah. Today there are celebrations in Canada and Porto Rico which honor St. John the Baptist or Baptizer as their land's patron saint. We can all claim this saint as our patron because each of us can learn from his honesty: "I am not the Messiah," and his humility, "I am not worthy to unloose his sandal strap" (which he said referring to Jesus the Messiah.) Like John the Baptist who said, "He--Christ--must increase and I must decrease" we too want Christ to live more fully in us. St. Paul said it well in his letter to the Galatians, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."
Happy Name Day to all those who bear the name John or Joan. Have a blessed day!

Happy Father's Day

To all the fathers who may read this, I send greetings for a happy and blessed Father's Day! This includes my own brothers and brothers-in-law. And, this includes all the "spiritual fathers" the priests who bring the life of God to people. This morning I will attend Mass at St. Mary's Church in Dedham, Massachusetts. The Mass will mark the official installation of the new pastor, Father William Kelly. We will pray for Father Kelly as he begins a new ministry at St. Mary's and for the people of his vibrant parish.
Yesterday two of our Sisters celebrated jubilee days. Sister Laura Rhoderica celebrated 25 years of professed life as a Daughter of St. Paul. The other, Sister Augusta, made her first vows in Italy back in 1940. She had entered our congregation 4 years earlier. Sr. Augusta is an amazing 94 year old. She loves to knit and mend clothing. Sister spent the war years in Italy, and then came to the States in the late 1950's where her parents and some of her brothers had already immegrated.
Congratulations to these Sisters and to all who celebrate annivesaries this month.
Have a blessed day!

St. Paul and Sports

"Ball one, strike two!" I can still hear the radio announcer's voice calling out the scores for the Cleveland Indians' games my father listened to as he did chores outdoors or in the barn. As I grew older I also learned about soccer and American football. Once in my all girl 7th grade gym class our teacher handed out a paper with sketches of football referees and their many hand signals. Since I thought it was just "extra" information, I never studied it. Ooouch! It happened that she gave us a pop-up test on that referee sheet. That was the only "F" grade I remember receiving! Dismal as it was that grade did not dampen my interest in sports. My final high school year I rejoiced when my high school became co-champions of our city's football league. During my high school years, some Hungarian refugees in our area initiated a new sport: soccer. I remember watching soccer games on a polo field, since we had no suitable place for this game of bouncing a ball without touching it with any hands. Since then, soccer has grown into a sport much loved by American and Canadians. We are rather "later bloomers" in the soccer stands, however we play with all our hearts.
As a citizen in a sports-minded political world, St. Paul used imagery from sports when he wrote about how he felt at the end of his life. He said, "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of rightwousness" ( 2 Tim. 4:7-8).
As we wait to see who will capture the crown at the World Cup, or the trophy for the NBA, we could imitate St. Paul and see how we are doing in our spiritual life. Am I running with Christ? Keeping my eyes on the ball, that is the "life lived in Christ"? Paul kept his eyes on the Prize, Jesus Christ. So he won the race.
May we shine as spiritual athletes as Paul did.

now I wait the crown."

95 Years Ago...

It was 95 years ago, June 15, 1915 that a 21 year old woman named Teresa Merlo met a young priest named Father James Alberione.

Many called Alberione "The Theologian" because he taught a the diocesan seminary and he held a doctorate in theology.

Don Alberione, as he was also called, had already begun a printing school for young men aspiring to be priests who would use the press for God. His group of young men would grow into the religious order called the Society of St. Paul. The women's group Don Alberione envisioned and gathered for the first time that June morning did not have a name yet. What mattered to Alberione was that Teresa Merlo was already a person of deep faith, humility and a missionary spirit. She could not see any visible proof of Alberione' promise that one day you will be writing and printing for God. Your work will be a form of preaching the Gospel. When Teresa emerged from the sacristy of the Church of San Damiano in the town of Alba in Italy's Piedmont, her mother asked her, "What did you tell The Theologian?" She answered, "I said 'yes'." Teresa became Mother Thecla Merlo. Saint Thecla is said to have been the first woman collaborator with St. Paul. For that reason, when Teresa pronounced vows as a Daughter of St. Paul in July of 1922, she was given the name of Maestra Thecla. In Italian the word Maestra is the feminine for teacher or master. She was to be the first among the group of young Daughters of St. Paul. Among the Sisters she was called "Prima Maestra." We also called her Mother Thecla, since she was the spiritual Mother of our Congregation.
Her initial "yes" back in 1915 led to a sturdy religious family present and active in 55 countries. Wherever they are, the Daughters of St. Paul use the media of communication in its many forms to announce to the people of today the Good News of Jesus Christ.

On a personal note, today too is my anniversary of entering this congregation in Boston many years ago. The longer I am in the congregation, the faster the time flies! Together with me, thank God for the graces which have flowed to many people around the world through the cooperation of the members of the Daughters of St. Paul.

Lessons from a Pizzelle Maker

Today was the one Sunday a month which we call "Free Sunday". It means that each Sister is free to attend Mass in a parish, or visit a friend, or go to a movie, or just relax. I had all the ingredients and the time to make a cookie called a "pizzelle." They are relatively easy to make, the ingredients are fairly simple: eggs, flour, sugar, baking powder and flavoring. Some recipes add nuts. Today I made pizzelle with slivered almonds and almond flavoring. Home-made pizzelle are made one-by-one on an appliance that resembles a waffle maker. Some of the pizzelle makers have space for two at a time. The one I have is made for single pizzelles. Although the end products looked similar, no two were absolutely the same. Each one had been shaped by me. I made some smaller and some larger. There is no really fast way (at least I have not discovered a fast way) to make these. The store-bought variety are thinner and darker than mine. Yet they do not have the creative style that mine have.

I thought that although each person shares common human traits, not one of us is exactly the same. Even twins are not absolutely alike. God thought of me when he made me. He thought of you when you came into being. He still loves us into existence each moment.

We are not store-bought, but we are priceless because God loved me and you into existence. There is a Christian song that says we were "formed in the fire of human passion." Before that fire existed, the fire of God's love for each of us was already burning, waiting to give individual life to you and me. May this week be one of joy and gratitude for the gift of life.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Feast pt. 2

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus has always appealed to me. When I was a little girl, the bedroom I shared with my younger sisters had two diamond shaped images on the wall. The frames were like mirrors drawing attention to the figures on the glass: the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate heart of Mary. These fixtures helped assure me that God was watching over us.

In our Pauline communities every Friday is dedicated in a special way to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our Divine Master. The Founder, Blessed James Alberione, was accustomed to praying to the Sacred Heart of Jesus from his seminary days. He put a long prayer, called the Chaplet of the Sacred Heart into our Pauline Family's prayer book. In the prayer we thank Jesus for having given us the gospel, the priesthood, Mary as our Mother, the gift of religious--vowed--life, the Holy Eucharist and his very life on the cross.

Our publishing house, Pauline Books & Media, has published and republished countless times a Novena to the Sacred Heart. You may want to get a copy for yourself and for friends. Just go to http://www.pauline.org/ and under Store you will find the Novena to the Sacred Heart. Years ago I heard the story of a young man in Buffalo who was searching for a suitable wife. He was looking for a woman who was devout, and hard working as he was. The young man tried to go to daily weekday Mass. At each Mass he was asking God to inspire him to find the woman the Lord wanted him to marry. After a while he noticed a young lady who always seemed to attend the same noontime Mass. One day instead of rushing back to work, he followed the young woman. And, the rest is history. They were happily married, thanks to the Sacred Heart of Jesus who is the fount of all love. I remember a lady in Philadelphia whose son had married a lady who seemed to have no faith, least of all the Catholic faith. The dear mother-in-law kept praying for her son and daughter-in-law and their children. She would cry as she prayed thinking that the children were not even baptized. Although she did not give up praying, the woman was almost resigned that nothing could be done to change their hearts. Then one Sunday her son and his family came to visit. She was surprised that they offered to go to Mass with her. To her even greater surprise, when it was time to receive Holy Communion her son and his wife, and the older children approached the altar. The Sacred Heart had touched their hearts and brought them closer to him in the sacramental life of the church. The lady showed us Sisters the booklet she used for her devotion to the Sacred Heart. It was printed, I think, in the 1940's with simple illustrations and stories to enhance the text. In my home, we had the same booklet printed by the Society of St. Paul. I remembered the pictures which intrigued me, even though I did not know how to read at the time it first entered our home.

When we feel hard hearted toward someone, or if someone exhibits hardness of heart toward us, I suggest praying to the Sacred heart of Jesus. In the Bible Ezechiel tells of God's promise to give us a new heart, to exchange our stony hearts for hearts of flesh. The Gospel of John tells us that the heart of Jesus is a fountain of water springing up to life eternal. Jesus in Matthew's gospel said "Come to me, all of you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will refresh you." On the Feast of the Sacred Heart go to Jesus: if you cannot go physically to receive him in the Eucharist or in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, go to him with a simple prayer such as, "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto yours;" or, "Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on me;" or "Sacred Heart of Jesus, make me love you, more and more."

May the Heart of Jesus enfold you and your loved ones in his love.

The Feast of the Heart

Tomorrow is the Feast in the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. "Have a heart" was once a common phrase pleading that someone show mercy, kindness or openness to someone else. Jesus' whole life was a window to the Heart of God.

The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is based in Scripture, especially in Matthew 11:28 where Jesus invites us to "come" to him, and learn from him, because he is meek and gentle (or humble) of heart. Again in the story of the call of Matthew (in chapter 9 verse 13) the tax collector, Jesus answered his critics with these words: "Go and learn the meaning of these words, 'It is mercy that I desire and not sacrifice.' " Jesus echoes the prophet Hosea who tells us that God asks this of us: "I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). Certain Saints worked hard to make devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus a "household" phrase in Catholic communities. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque reported to her chaplain that Jesus had appeared to her and had asked people to pray to him with the title, Sacred Heart. Since she lived in a cloister with limited contact with any outsiders, Margaret needed to trust the chaplain with the task of letting others know about Jesus' requests. A Jesuit Father, Claude de la Colombiere was assigned to be confessor of Margaret's community. After discerning that what Sister Margaret asked for was the will of God, Father Claude got the word out. Thanks to Claude and his fellow Jesuits, more and more people were made aware of the love and mercy of the Heart of Jesus for them. Before St. Margaret Mary, St. John Eudes who lived from 1601 to 1680 preached devotion to the Sacred Heart.

Back in 1929 Pope Pius XI said this about devotion to the Sacred Heart: "From the Heart of Christ men and women learn to know the true and only meaning of their life and destiny...they unite a filial love for God with love for neighbor. This is true reparation asked for by our Savior. Then we can build the civilization of love, the kingdom of the heart of Christ."

Last year on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Pope Benedict said, "The very core of Christianity is expressed in the Sacred Heart of Jesus....God's heart calls to our hearts, inviting us to come out of ourselves, to forsake our human certainties, to trust in him and, by following his example, to make ourselves a gift of unbounded love." This year, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, will mark the close of the year for Priests. Let us pray for all priests that they each may reflect the love of the Heart of Jesus for those whom they are called to serve.

For the Spanish Speaking

Oe of my Daughter of St. Paul friends is in Spain. She has a blog in Spanish that anyone who reads Spanish may be interested in. Check it out: http://www.llamamadosmcs.blogspot.com.

A Movie, Solidarity and a Commandment

A few months ago I saw "Up in the Air" starring George Clooney. It had some humorous elements. However, there were a couple of very serious themes in that movie: an obvious one was the disillusionment which came from a relationship between Clooney's character and a woman whom he discovers is married; the other theme which I found all too realistic was that of hard nosed business owners terminating the employment of long-time workers. Clooney's character has the dubious honor of showing the ropes to a promising young woman. He shows her not only how to pack light so as to board planes more easily. The special skill he was charged to impart to her was that of being an expert terminator of people's jobs. The movie shows how employees of a vast corporation are told by these two experts that they no longer are needed, their job are terminated. Since the man whom Clooney portrays has to be quick about his business, not much time is spent dwelling on the heartbreak that is left in his wake. I know someone who has spent most of his adult life working as a trusted bank employee. He is often on call 24/7. His bank is under new management. A few people have already been fired because they dared to speak out about the ruthlessness of the new takeover. My friend never blows his own horn, so he may not be fired. Yet, after more than 30 years of working conscientiously and in many inconvenient environments, he was demoted. He does not have a college degree for what he does. Yet, his work is fine. Of course, he will have to re-work his budget. Car and insurance payments as well as medical bills will mightily stretch his lower paycheck.
His story brought to mind the lessons we were taught in American history about entrepreneurs who earned their money by depriving wages from steel workers and miners. In our religious classes, those stories were part of the application of the commandment, "Thou shalt not steal." In the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, wages, adequate or less, are covered in the section under the seventh Commandment. The new catechism adds a topic called "solidarity." It means our being united with the poor and marginalized. When men and women are deprived of a job, or given lesser pay for what they do, we are to be in solidarity with them. I have been praying for my friend, the bank employee. And, I have been praying for his employers that they may allow the ideas of solidarity, just wages and justice to penetrate their minds, hearts, and actions. May the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have done unto you" be a light to guide their decisions.

Ballet for God

Tonight we were treated to a ballet performance by a young woman named Molly. She is 21 years old, and a lovely ballet dancer. I was pleased by her moves, her seeming to fly through the air, and her smiling face. She obviously loves what she is doing. I have a nephew who is close to her in age. I have seen him dance only on his YouTube videos. His forte is film making. Like Molly, Steven is awaiting a big break to move into his field of art--movie making. It may be that one day we will see Molly on a professional stage in Boston, New York or Toronto. One day too when the credits roll on a new film, I will see Steven's name closer to the top. He may start as Best Boy or gaffer, but his ideal is to be director. I remember him as an 8 year old, rounding up his cousins to "star" in one of his video productions. John Paul II, once an actor himself, wrote a beautiful Letter to Artists. Their work tells stories that words cannot adequately express. May they use their talents to give glory to God and to help the rest of us strive for that Beauty that is God.

A Feast to End the Month

Today is still May 30th, Sunday and the Feast of the Holy Trinity. I found a reading from Pope Benedict on the Trinity which is so clear. It was his talk given last year on Trinity Sunday. He says the "strongest proof that we are made in the image of the Trinity is this: love alone makes us happy because we live in a relationship, and we live to love and to be loved. Borrowing an analogy from biology, we could say that imprinted on his genome, the human being bears a profound mark of the Trinity, of God as Love."
One of the early Christian bishops, St. Gregory Nazianzen was also a poet. I found a few his poems printed in an older pamphlet from England. I presume permission from the publishers of this work to share it with you as we conclude the Feast of the Holy Trinity:
Glory to God the Father,
And to the Son who reigns over all.
Glory to the all-holy Spirit to whom all praise is due.
This is the one God, the Trinity,
who created all existence
Who filled the heavens with spiritual beings,
The land with creatures of the earth,
the oceans, rivers and springs
With water's living things.
From his own Spirit he gives life to all that lives
So that all creation can sing out praise
To the wisdom of the Creator,
The solitary cause of their life, and their enduring.
But more than all others,
And in all things,
Rational nature shall sing out
That he is the great king, the good Father.
And so Father, grant to me,
by spirit and soul,
By mouth and mind,
In purity of heart,
To give you glory. Amen. (from Saint Gregory Nazianzen: Selected Poems, Translated with and Introduction by John McGuckin, SLG Press, Convent of the Incarnation, Fairacres, Oxford, England, 1986)
Tomorrow is another beautiful feast, that of the Visitation. We commemorate Mary's visit to her cousin St. Elizabeth. For those of you who have ipods or phones we now offer an application of the Rosary. I think it is really cool--you can choose from a myriad of religious art or contemporary photos for your reflection, you can see words from the Scripture, and you can hear hymns sung by our Daughters of St. Paul Choir, and of course, you can pray along with the Sisters. Here's a link to get your download: www.downloadsforcatholics.com.
The Visitation is the second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. I can picture Mary and Elizabeth dancing for joy as they share their good news with one another. N.T. Wright's book "Luke for Everyone" highlights the theme of joy in this gospel episode (Luke 1:39--56). I enjoyed Bishop Wright's insights on this favorite mystery of the Rosary. The book is available at Pauline Books & Media.
Have a good rest of the week. May our visits bring Jesus and joy to those we meet, just as Mary's visit brought joy to Elizabeth and the baby in her womb.

Feast of the Holy Trinity

This weekend the Catholic Church celebrates the central mystery of our faith: the Blessed Trinity. The Trinity is the Three-in-One; One God in Three Divine Person, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As St. John says, "God is love." In the Trinity the Father, creator and life-giver, generates the Son, and the love between them is the Person--the Holy Spirit. Since God is beyond what any human mind could fathom, I can introduce you to this mystery of a God who is One, yet Three Persons. Jesus gave the Great Commission in Matthew 28: "Go, and...baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." In those words at the end of Matthew's gospel, we have Jesus naming the Persons of the Trinity. This Trinitarian God tells us through Jesus that he wants to live in us. In a very modern translation called The Message, Jesus says he wants to move into the neighborhood. It goes like this: "Because a loveless world is a sightless world. If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him--we'll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words. The message you are hearing isn't mine. It's the message of my Father who sent me." Another translation says, "We will come to them and make our home with them." Whichever way I look at this passage, I am happy to know that God wants to "move into my neighborhood." I can ponder the Trinity Most Holy, and realize that God is community in a sense greater than any community on earth. Yet God wants to reside in our communities, in our very selves. That's a great consolation to me, that God loves me so much that he wants to move in. Although I cannot penetrate this mystery on Unity in Trinity, I adore it, and I accept it. And, I am reminded of this awesome reality whenever I make the simple Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Memorial Day

Americans have a day that opens the summer season with a holiday which marks the end of the lives of thousands who died serving our country. In the rural community where some of my family live, there is always a parade with flags, farm equipment, 4-H Club members, Veterans of Foreign Wars, servicemen and women and a band. For the folks in our small town, memory of our deceased loved ones is important. In the Church there is saying, "Life is changed, not taken away," when someone dies. One dies t this life as we know it, to awaken to the eternal life with God. When Jesus promised the Good Thief Paradise from the cross, he said, "This day you will be with me in Paradise." What a great promise!
As we enjoy our picnics on this holiday weekend, let us take some time to observe a memorial of those who have gone before us, especially those who died in our military service.
For books and religious music for your holiday time, visit http://pauline.org.

Movie Priests

Today in our community's morning prayer together we prayed especially for priests. Soon the special "Year of the Priest" celebrated by the church will conclude. Some people's image of a Catholic priest comes solely from Hollywood's depictions of Catholic priests. Our Sister Rose Pacatte contributes to the film reviews on St. Anthony Messenger's website. Here is a link to what Sr. Rose thinks about film priests: http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Jun2010/Feature2.asp#F1
One film depiction I consider honest and positive is that in Clint Eastwood's 2008 "Gran Torino." The young parish priest, Father Janovich, portrayed by Christopher Carley, perseveres in visiting the tough widowed veteran Walt Kowalski. Carley makes a believable, hard working parish priest. He respects Eastwood's character, while he works for justice in his racially mixed parish. Father Janovich never loses contact with Walt even when he becomes involved with neighbors threatened by a Hmong gang.
If you haven't seen the movie, see it and ponder what you think of how a priest is presented.

Apps

Yesterday I read a notice by a fellow Daughter of St. Paul, Sister Helena Raphael Burns, about Steve Jobs of Apple.
I do not have an Apple ipod, but I have had a Palm Pilot for several years. My Palm is in need of a new electrical attachment. However, I am very interested in ipod applications, and all things digital, since our publishing house, Pauline Books & Media, www.pauline.org, offers down loadable applications.
Sr. Helena referred to an article about Mr. Jobs in which a blogger complained that Apple is not progressive enough because it refuses to allow pornographic apps.
In a calm and rational defense published in the Wall Street Journal, Steve Jobs answered the young blogger that he would understand when he became a father. Jobs' argument is that we need to be protected against certain kinds of media. His statement reminded me of one made back in the 1970's by the Russian author Solzhenitsyn who told a group of American graduates that we need to be protected from an overdose of information. Or, as people who Twitter would say: TMI (too much information). I personally do not need to know everything, just what I need. Thanks to Mr. Jobs for taking a stand.

Martyred monks film nabs second prize at Cannes festival

Martyred monks film nabs second prize at Cannes festival

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Of Movies and Martyrs

Today I read two news feeds that tell of a film that depicts the story of seven Catholic monks who were martyred in 1996. The movie, "Of Gods and Men" by the French director Xavier Beauvois, won second prize, the "Grand Prix", at the Cannes Film Festival. I have not seen the film, but I am aware of the true story on which it was built. Seven Trappist monks lived at peace with their Muslim neighbors in the mountains of Algeria. Extremist groups began causing trouble. Even though the monks were advised to leave, they chose to remain at their posts, praying and working until death. In March of 1996, Muslim fundamentalists overran the monastery and killed each of the monks. Aware of that any day he may suffer a violent death, one of the monks wrote letter in which he forgave whoever would kill him. When I read his letter, I could not stop tears from flowing. A British film critic who saw the film in Cannes attested that "the audience wept" at the portrayal of quiet heroism and Christian love. I look forward to seeing the film when it reaches the USA. May its message of forgiveness and reconciliation penetrate our society.

May Brings Color and Variety

This week Ma has turned the landscape various shades of green and dotted it with pinks, purples and shades of white azaleas. Many of the trees are in full green, a sign that summer is just around the corner. Temperatures this week have risen too.
In my office space it is goo to be able to use natural light for much of the time.
The Church's liturgy is in a sense "in full bloom" today offering us three saints to venerate and remember: Pope St. Gregory VII, St. Bede the Venerable, and an Italian nun, St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi.
Gregory VII, also called Hildebrand, served as a valued aide to seven Popes. Then he too was named to the See of Peter. He was known as a "reformer", one who worked hard in a thankless job. Because he had to call certain clerics and political leaders to task, he was not always popular. History repeats itself, doesn't it? When a leader has to remind his followers to toe the line, his popularity status soon drops. However Hildebrand kept his eyes on the eternal goal, and did much good to the whole church.
St. Bede was an English monk known even before his death as a learned and holy man. His writings, including his history of the Church, still exist to teach us today.
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi rounds off the trio of Saints offered for today. She died in 1607 in Italy where she had lived a life of intense prayer and good works in a Carmelite convent.
May all three of this saintly men and women intercede for our church and our world today.

Happy Birthday to the Church

Pentecost the feast we celebrate today is the birthday of the Church. Gathered in the Upper Room with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Eleven Apostles prayed. They were anticipating help from on high, but they had no clue what form it would take. Jesus had told them, "You will receive power from on high." Their prayers were answered with a "powerful, driving wind heard throughout the house", and the Spirit came to them in the form of tongues of fire.
Then Peter, who had betrayed Jesus, and had slunk away from him when Jesus was accused, turned into a convinced and convincing preacher.
The Apostles understood people from many different nations.
As Pope Benedict said in 1983, the tower of Babel divided people. The Spirit, Divine Love, unites us in the love of Jesus crucified and risen for us.
Like the first followers of Jesus, these can be very scary times for us too. The sins of members of the church, even clergy and religious, drive us to that same Upper Room. There we turn to prayer and ask, together with Mary, the first disciple and our teacher, that God will pour his Spirit on us today.
Happy Feast of Pentecost. May the Holy Spirit renew in me and in each of you a new Pentecost today.

Bernadine of Siena

I have a friend in San Bernardino, California. Today is the feast of St. Bernardine, the saint in whose honor the city is named after. Bernardine, a Franciscan Friar, died on May 20, 1444. Because he traveled through most of Italy and gave sermons that drew thousands of listeners, he is considered by some to be a Patron Saint of Italy. As a true follower of Christ in the spirit of St. Francis, Bernardine preached peace. There were battles in Italian cities which were divided between families that vied for power and prestige. Each family was proud of its distinct coat of arms. Even some of the churches displayed the coat of arms of families that may have donated to the upkeep of a particular church. Bernardine suggested that instead of boasting of this or that family's coat of arms, why not glory in the Holy Name of Jesus. He had tablets made which showed the letters I. H. S. This symbol became popular in Catholic Churches around the world even today. Trusting in the name of Jesus and preaching with an eloquence that carried his voice far and wide, Bernardine established peace where there had been warring factions, and brought inner peace to thousands who met Christ in the sacrament of reconciliation after his words drew them to confession.
If you ever visit the Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York you will see the word Jesus inscribed on many of the trees on the grounds. St. Isaac Joques, one of the Jesuit missionaries who died evangelizing the Native Americans, used to carve the name of Jesus on the trees to draw people to Christ, and to plant peace among the tribes which warred among themselves. St. Isaac was killed on October 18, 1646 near what is now Auriesville, New York. (Auriesville is just an exit or two west of Albany off of US Interstate 90).
Both Saint Bernardine and St. Isaac realized in their own lives the power of the name of Jesus. As St. Paul said, "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow...".
If you are looking for a way to travel and be a pilgrim at the same time, why not visit Auriesville's Shrine, and then travel over the border to Canada to visit the Shrine of the Martyrs at Midland, Ontario. St. Isaac and his companions had their headquarters in what is now Midland, near Lake George. Across the road from the Jesuit Church in Midland is the village of Saint Marie, a replica built on the site of the original Jesuit mission. The Province of Ontario maintains this site in the summer months. I have been to Auriesville and to Midland. In Fonda, New York near Auriesville is another, smaller shrine where Blessed Kateri Tekawitha was born. All of these places were sources of inspiration for me. Today's Saint spread love for the holy Name of Jesus. The North American Shrines I mention all sprang up because of the love of the many saints and martyrs for the Name of Jesus.

St. Matthias, One Who Stepped In

Today's Saint is one whom we know about from the first account of Church History, the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:15--26). Jesus had chosen 12 men to be his apostles. At the time of the Ascension, they were 11, since Judas had betrayed Jesus and had already died at his own hands. While the Eleven waited and prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit after the Ascension, they decided to cast lots to see who should replace Judas. Matthias was chosen, since he was one who had been known as a follower of Jesus from the beginning. I look forward to meeting this saintly gentleman when I get to heaven. He is one of those unsung heroes who filled in when there was a need--the Apostolic group was to be 12. The number 12 was very significant to the early Christians. Some scholars think that St. Luke who wrote the Acts of the Apostles saw the Church as a new, reconstituted Israel founded not on twelve tribes, but on the twelve Apostles.
Matthias made the cut. His election fulfilled the requirement for the original group to be twelve. We do not know much else except that he was willing to step in to preach, to pray, and to serve. A tradition tells us that Matthias is the patron saint of tailors, carpenters, and of reformed alcoholics. At the moment I am not aware of exactly why he was chosen to be the patron of these occupations or states of life. What I do know is that as the 12th Apostle, he had the courage and the love for Jesus that was necessary to help plant the Church in the first century of Christianity. May St. Matthias intercede for all of us, so we will be ready to step in wherever the Lord wants to send us, even if it means just unloading a grocery cart for a frail person, or holding the door for a senior citizen

Ascension of the Lord Jesus

Today, 40 days after Easter, in various parts of the world, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. This year's gospel selection for the Mass is from St. Luke as is the first reading of the Mass from the Acts of the Apostles. He says that the Lord promised: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses...to the ends of the earth" (Luke cf. Luke 24:48--51; Acts 1:6--11 NRSV).
St. Matthew describes the same event with more detail: And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18--20). The gospel which I quote here is called "The Great Commission." When I served in the southern United States, I noticed that a number of churches advertised themselves as "Great Commission Churches." They were proud to say that they as a community were committed to telling people the Good News about Jesus and inviting them to be baptized and join in their communities for worship and prayer. As a baptized Catholic Christian I believe that my church is certainly a "Great Commission Church". As a member of my religious community, Daughters of St. Paul, I share in this Great Commission to teach people about Jesus.
With the various media of communications, we Daughters of St. Paul strive to carry out the Great commission to the people of today.
During this month of May when more of us pray the rosary, let us reflect on the second glorious mystery, the Ascension, and ask the grace to carry out this Great Commission with enthusiasm and dedication wherever we find outselves.

Damian of Molokai

On my first flight to Hawaii where I lived for three years, I was impressed to hear the attendant tell in brief the story of Father Damian. Our plane had lots of people headed for an island vacation. I was amazed that Hawaiians had adopted Damian as one of their own, and were very proud of what he did for them.
Today the Catholic church celebrates the feast of St. Damian of Molokai. Damian was born in Belgium and joined the Missionary order of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He volunteered for the Hawaiian missions and was ordained in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu. He served on Hawaii--the Big Island--and on Oahu. At that time there seemed to be an epidemic of leprosy or Hansen's Disease. Since it was thought to be highly contagious, lepers were sent to a smaller island, Molokai to a settlement called Kalaupapa. The Hawaiian government assumed that the people could farm the land and support themselves, despite their disease. When Damian volunteered to be their pastor, he found sickness of body and rampant sickness of soul. Due in part to their illness, people found it close to impossible to farm the land. Many lived in rundown shacks because they did not have the energy to build houses. Fresh water was hard to come by. Morale and morality were at a low ebb.
Damian set to work to cure illness, build houses, schools, and a church.
He used his imagination and strength to fashion water pipes from bamboo to bring fresh water to the colony. His enthusiasm and energy set an example for people who until his arrival had little or no hope. Robert Louis Stevenson, the famous author, was not a Catholic, but he defended Damian who was criticized by a Protestant minister who referred to him as a sort of unwashed peasant. Stevenson's defence helped to spread the good news about the missionary priest's heroic efforts to do all he could for the people on Molokai. Mother Marianne of the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse came and brought Sisters who would staff a hospital. Joseph Dutton, a native of Vermont and a Civil War veteran, came and offered his services full time. He became known as Brother Dutton. Doing what he could to bring hope to lepers, Father Damian made his life a sort of torch shining on a remote Hawaiian island. That torch beckoned people far and wide to come and help. Many did come and now Kalaupapa still has the leper colony which is much smaller. People in Hawaii never forgot the priest who became a leper with the lepers to bring Christ to them. May St. Damian pray for all of us, especially for all our Hawaiian people.

Mothers' Day and First Communion

Mothers' Day brings to mind many things: my own mother, my dear grandmother, and my First Holy Communion Day.
Both my grandmother and my mother have joined the Blessed Mother in heaven.
Today a friend of mine brought me to see a beautiful church in Cambridge, Massachusetts where she is a parishioner. the last child of the day's First Holy Communion group was being picked up as we stopped to see the church. The little girl was radiant in her white dress and veil, with a white shoulder cape that protected her from today's powerful winds. The young girl was all smiles as she joined her family in the car. She reminded me of my own First Holy Communion day, also Mother's Day many years ago in Ohio. My second grade mentality at the time understood something of the greatness of that day. However, as I grew older and understood more, I appreciate now and am more grateful than ever for that gift on Mother's Day many years ago. I pray that my mother and all mothers who have gone before us may be enjoying the radiance of the Son of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. And, I pray for all those little men and women who this month receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time. May it mark for each of them a beautiful, life-long journey of companionship with Christ.

An Almost Forgotten Saint

Today I was reminded about a favorite Saint of mine. His name is Benedict Joseph Labre'. He was tutored by an uncle who was a priest. Benedict felt called to be a monk, but after trying three separate monasteries and being turned away, he realized his vocation was elsewhere. He became a pilgrim, wandering the roads of Europe to visit and pray at the many religious shrines. Praying and adoration became his full time occupation. The streets were his monastery and the Blessed Sacrament his consolation. He kept in touch with God despite the often difficult surroundings.
Experts today describe Benedict as a very kind person who happened to also suffer from severe mental illness. Some say that his diagnosis today would be either bi-polar or schizophrenic. He begged for food and settled down in Rome near the Coliseum. He became a holy street person. His condition did not allow him to earn a regular income. He did have a writing kit which allowed him to keep in touch with his mother. Although he was "on the streets" he cared enough about her to write letters. He also cared for his fellow street dwellers. He would share the food he was given with more needy homeless. He died in Holy Week, April 16, 1783. When the local Romans heard of his death they shouted to one another, "Il Santo e' morto! The Saint has died."
In the Boston Museum of Fine Arts there is a painting of Benedict Labre' based on the death mask made of the 34 year-old holy man. He is invoked as the patron saint of the mentally ill and of those coping with a mentally ill family member. There is an organization you can turn to for more information on St. Benedict Labre'. Here is their web address: www.guildbjlabre.com. In the book I authored, "Tender Mercies, Prayers for Healing and Coping" from Pauline Books & Media, I present more about St. Benedict Labre' as well as prayers for his intercession. The Guild of St. Benedict Labre' provides spiritual support for the mentally troubled and for their families and close friends.
Mental illness is treatable--in many cases. Yet it is also a heavy cross to carry. May those who care for the mentally ill, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses and medical doctors, as well as family members be assisted by the intercession of St. Benedict Labre'.

What would you like to know?

The web is crammed with information of all sorts. Some of it is fun reading or viewing. Some of the information is trivia. Other information is vital. Have you ever wondered: Why do Catholics do this or that? Can Catholics be good scientists and real believers at the same time? What was Vatican II?
There are many books available from Pauline Books & Media products, or from the inventory our Centers carry from many publishers which hold answers to these questions.
Let me know what kind of (religious) answer you are looking for. With the help of other Sisters and a team of great consultants, we would like to help you.
I am counting on your answers which you can put in the comment section.
Thank you for reading this and God bless you!
Sister Mary Peter

Water

In Boston about 2 million of us area residents had a water crisis from Saturday evening until yesterday, Tuesday morning. A ten foot wide pipe carrying purified water to Boston and other communities burst the coupling. Water from two other reservoirs was used for bathroom use and fire hydrants. However that water had to be boiled. Local restaurants and coffee shops had a sharp decrease in business. Bottled water disappeared from retail shelves. And, even the simple act of brushing one's teeth forced a person to make sure the water used was boiled or purified. Compared to some of the flooding and other natural disasters occurring in the USA and other places, this water problem may have been a "blip" on the screen. Yet those few days of being careful of what came out of the faucet made me appreciate how great a gift it is to have clean running water so easily available. Thousands of people have to walk miles just to reach clean water, and then trek more miles to carry it home.
Jesus certainly knew what he was saying and how important water is to each of us when he said, "Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." (John 4:14) Again in John Chapter 7, Jesus said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'" (vs. 37-38)
Of course, Jesus was speaking of the deep spiritual thirst each person has for God. As St. Augustine put it, "Our hearts are made for Thee O Lord, and ever restless will they be until they rest in Thee."
How to quench this spiritual thirst? Pray for the "water gushing up to eternal life." Read the gospels, especially the gospel of John where Jesus makes the references to himself as the living water. Receive the Lord Jesus in the sacrament of the Eucharist where we partake even more fully of his life.
If you are reading this, and you are not a Christian, you may want to enquire about Baptism. It is the ritual whereby one who believes in the divinity of Christ, and in what he taught, and accepts it, is joined with Christ and his church. It involves submitting to a ritual which includes either the pouring of water on one's forehead, or total immersion in water, or sprinkling of water on a person. At the same time the minister (usually a priest or a deacon) speaks the formula: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." My blog space is limited, which also limits this description. As I think about how precious is the gift of clean, ever flowing water, I thank God for the gift of Jesus who is our fountain of water, springing up to life eternal. I also pray for those people who suffer from drought that they may be blessed with abundant, yet gentle rain for all their needs.

A Time for Prayer and Healing

On Sunday I made a "meditative walk" in Larz Anderson Park a stone's throw from our convent. Since it was a retreat day for us Sisters, it was a good day to enjoy God's creation and how people can make beautiful things of it. There is a saying: God made the rivers, but he did not make the bridges. A lovely gazebo is nestled on the shore of the Larz Anderson pond. A creative landscape artist worked with nature to make something beautiful and useful. City dwellers were tending their small "Liberty gardens" hoeing and weeding the rectangles of fertile soil.
Friends were walking together, couples and families were relaxing on the grass. I enjoyed the mother duck and her energetic duckling. Two Canada geese were totally intent on lunch. They seemed oblivious to the people who passed them.
I prayed for those of you who read my blog, and for those who will pray for our church using the prayers I wrote. To read (and hear some of) them, go to http://www.pauline.org/ and click on the link on your right hand side called: http://Prayers for Our Church in Troubled Times/. God bless you! Sister Mary Peter

Ready for May

After Easter I was adjusting to my new assignment. I wrote some things for our www.pauline.org website. Some of the writings will appear as audio/visuals. They have yet to be posted. I pray that they may help all who in this joyful Easter season still grieve for the pain that the whole church is going through.

Dedham is a small community next to Boston. Its small "downtown" is surrounded by quaint, lovely homes and narrow old streets dotted with flowers and trees. Since I was asked to drive someone to Dedham this afternoon, I took my camera and snapped some of the flowers. I hope you enjoy them too.
Even though this is a time of sorrow when we feel for those who are suffering because of hurts they received from clergy or other members of the church, there is still hope. As I frequently refer to Romans 8:28, I draw hope from St. Paul's words: "For those who love God, all things work together for the good." Just as the seeds that fall into the earth undergo a sort of death, so the church is undergoing a painful time. However I pray that this suffering will give way to a new springtime of clarity, respect and deep love for one another in our church. May compassion for victims of crimes of abuse, and any other crime committed by a church person be deeply rooted in each of us. May the victims be gifted with strength, healing and -- in due time -- with the grace to forgive those who have harmed them.
Our Pauline Book & Media Center is at 885 Providence Hwy. (US Route 1 South) in Dedham, just a few minutes drive from this very picturesque area. Besides a generous array of religious books and media, and religious articles, the Center houses a Blessed Sacrament chapel. If you are ever in Dedham stop in, visit the Center and the Blessed Sacrament chapel--a real oasis on a hectic day.
Since May begins tomorrow, be sure you have a rosary and some Marian titles to enjoy during May, the traditional month of Mary, Queen of Heaven, and our Mother. The Pauline Book and Media Center can help you find a rosary for your needs, or for a gift for Mother's Day. Best regards and blessings for a beautiful and holy month of May!

Christ is risen!

Since I arrived in Boston for Holy Week ceremonies, I was busy praying, unpacking and setting up in my new surroundings. Today I discovered that the Vatican News Service began its own blog last Friday. Here is the link for it: www.visnews.org.
The v i s letters stand for the Vatican Information Service. You may want to visit that blog site.
Easter celebrations in our chapel were very inspiring and enjoyable. It was a delight to hear our Sisters playing three keyboards, chimes, and kettle drums to accompany our liturgy. Many of our Sisters who sing on our recordings were also present, so their voices added to the beauty of the Masses and prayers.
This past Sunday, which was Mercy Sunday, I attended Mass with three of our Sisters at the chapel (once St. Stephen's Church) on the campus of Northeastern University. It was a joy to see almost 100 students joined by their chaplains, members of the Brotherhood of Hope, celebrate a lively liturgy. There too talented musicians added to the celebration with their playing and singing.
May you be blessed with joy and peace in this Easter season as we celebrate the reason for our believing and for our hope. God bless you!

Holy Week

Our Palm Sunday liturgy was very beautiful. We processed outside carrying palms and singing. During the Mass we read the Passion of Christ according to Luke. Read in three parts, I found that narrative very moving and so descriptive I could easily picture the scenes in my imagination.
Holy Week reminds us of Jesus' goodbye at the Last Supper, and the sadness he and his friends endured during his Passion. For me this is a time of saying goodbye too. I am experiencing some of the sadness that comes from taking leave of folks whom I may never see again on this earth. I want to express my gratitude to those who have helped me, yet I feel inadequate. I ask the Lord to thank them for me in ways only he can do.
I will be adjusting to a new room, a new work space and in some ways a new convent, even though I have lived in Boston many years. I look forward to seeing and greeting those Sisters and friends whom I have not seen for a few years. It is a sort of "dying and rising"--dying to an older way of life and starting a new one. May the Easter mystery of Jesus dying and rising for us, give you and me great hope and joy.
Best regards for a gentle and grace-filled Holy Week.

Earth Hour and Palm Sunday

As I write this blog, I am am aware of how millions around the globe are observing earth hour, conserving electricity and energy. Last year some of us Sisters used candle light to observe the hour as we enjoyed each other's company. Tonight some of my friends have built a campfire and are preparing s'mores (for those who don't know, a s'more is a sandwich made of roasted marshmallows, melted chocolate and graham crackers)even though the temperature is hovering over the freezing mark.
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the solemn opening of Holy week. Since evening prayer or vespers on Saturdays is always a commemoration or an introduction to the celebration of the coming Sunday, I already had a glimpse of tomorrow's liturgy.
We will have the blessing of palms and a procession to mark Jesus entry into Jerusalem. Then during Mass we will read from Luke's gospel account of Jesus' Passion. Since I will be one of the three person reading the Passion narrative, I have read it several times as a preparation. I invite you who read this to go to Luke's gospel and read the Passion account which begins with the Last Supper.
This will be a week of transition for me as I move to a new assignment in Boston. I will arrive in time to celebrate the Sacred Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday's Easter Vigil. I promise you my prayers for a blessed Holy Week!

Plus + or Minus

This weekend I overheard a conversation that jarred me out of my usual morning complacency. Two gentlemen were discussing their work environment, their bosses and the people with whom they served through their work. The tone kept going downhill, one complaint followed another, each seeming worse than the previous. When I actually saw their faces, I realized I knew them both at least to some degree. To all appearances, they are normal healthy men with good steady jobs. To counter the negativity I was hearing, a thought or an inspiration hit me: "I sure don't want to go through life with a negativity chip on my shoulder.Life is too brief, and God is too good to be labeled a complainer!"
It's easier to take a slip downwards and join in when someone lodges a just complaint. Yet as I heard this weekend, the pile of negativity just gets bigger and bigger. This morning as I was meditating the simple minus and plus signs I learned in second grade flashed before me.
The minus sign is the "take away" symbol: negativity takes away joy and often it takes away our peace. It may be a symptom of depression or fatigue. The vertical line which intersects a horizontal line and makes a plus (or a cross) adds to, enhances the value of what it stands in front of. I know that I desire a full life. That is, I want to make the most of whatever time God allows me on this earth. To the unavoidable minus situations in my life--be they health issues, airport delays, nasty remarks, or other unpleasantness--I want to add the vertical dimension and make a plus out of them. One author has said that the vertical bar of the cross leads us to God. In the morning I pray a Morning Offering--giving all my day back to God. That helps me to turn the minus signs of my life into positive plus signs. May you have a truly blessed day!

Real Issues

I made a short trip to the Post Office this afternoon. It was a pleasure to drive in the sunshine on a dry roadway. A robin perched outside our dining room on Sunday, and a pair of mourning doves lighted on their favorite tree at the front door. Despite the snow covered grounds, the birds know it is Spring. Lent truly is a Spring time for the spirit. If you have planted any seeds and then transplanted them to larger containers or put them into the ground, you may have marveled at what you saw. The tiny seeds swollen with new life had cracked open to reveal minuscule blades of green and yellow plants. There are things in you and me that may need to be cracked open, defenses abandoned, old ways discarded. Giving up habits of saying or doing things can be painful or tiresome--probably both.
Yet, Christ is waiting to give life to our efforts and help us carry the crosses we meet every day. My prayers accompany you and me as we undergo our own transformation from a winter time of the spirit to a spring time of our souls.

The Great 40 Days

Lent began yesterday with the imposition of he ashes on our foreheads. At the time of the homily, our priest surprised us all by stepping into the sacristy for a moment and coming out with a 6-iron golf club. Father demonstrated how to make a perfect shot, thankfully without a ball, by holding the club and taking dead aim. Dead aim and a relaxed, calm attitude are the ingredients-- he assured us--for a great golf game. And, he added for a great Lenten journey. The aim is to arrive at Easter, with the Risen Christ, and abandon ourselves into his care as we follow him more closely in these 40 days.
Blessed James Alberione was known for his positive approach to Lenten penances. He preferred that his followers would concentrate on one gifted aspect of their personality. He asked that we cultivate our gifts, be they intelligence, various skills, and interests so we would be the best we can be. Of course, the motivation for being the best is not a gold medal, applause or prestige, but the opportunity to be the best for God. I remember seeing a US Army recruiting center with the slogan: Army--Be the best you can be!
For Lent I know there are areas of my life which can be better from prayer life, to aqua fitness. I ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten me and you so that we can work on bettering at least one aspect of our lives so that on April 4, we may "be" at least a notch better than we are today.

A Great woman Remembered

Mother Thecla with her first successor, M. Ignazia Balla. Mother Thecla at prayer.

Today, February 5 marks 46 years since the death of Mother Thecla Merlo. Mother Thecla who was baptized Teresa Merlo became the first Superior General of the newly founded congregation called the Daughters of St. Paul back in the early 1920's. Teresa had wanted to enter a religious order but was declined because of poor health. In 1915 when the priest Father James Alberione was looking for a good, prayerful and intelligent young woman to head up his newly formed band of young women dedicated to using the press to spread the Gospel, he chose Teresa to be one of the "older" members. In those early years, the senior members were in their early twenties!
Alberione envisioned a group of women united by the ideal of using the most modern means of communication to bring the Good News to as many as possible. Their life would be woven with prayer, meditation, study and total dedication to the work of what was then called "The Good Press." An expert seamstress, Teresa Merlo grasped Alberione's dream of consecrating the press and other modern media to God. She learned the basics of editing and printing parish bulletins, magazines and books. She and the first Sisters brought the printed materials to the doors of many parishes and to homes and factories. In Alba, the Sisters operated a small book shop where a statue of the Apostle Paul was displayed in the window. Soon the towns people named the young women "Daughters of St. Paul." When the first group of Daughters of St. Paul gathered to pronounce vows of chastity, poverty and obedience and to live together in charity for the "Good Press", Teresa was named Mother Thecla. (The name is pronounced like Tekla. The "h" is silent.)
Tradition tells us that St. Thecla was one of the first women converts of St. Paul. She became an indefatigable missionary in the early church. Like St. Paul, Father Alberione saw Teresa Merlo as a modern Thecla. In the footsteps of Paul and Thecla,
Mother Thecla traveled from Italy to North and South America, to India, Japan, the Philippines and Africa to visit and encourage her daughters. Blessed Alberione founded three other feminine religious orders. Mother Thecla helped each group as only a mother could. Many of the early members of the Society of St. Paul went to M. Thecla before they left for mission assignments. They knew they would not leave empty handed. She would provide them with what they needed in their new surroundings.
Mother Thecla lived to see the seed she sowed in Alba grow and spread like a vine to more than 50 countries.
The Church has declared Mother Thecla "Venerable." This is the last step before one is declared Blessed.
I was privileged to meet Mother Thecla when I was still in high school. I was impressed with her gentleness and evident holiness. She did not speak English, but she communicated with her smile and with the help of the Sisters who translated for her. After I entered the community, she came to Boston where she spent a month with us. Again I witnessed her gentleness and prayerfulness as well as her delightful playfulness. I also saw her speak with a contagious enthusiasm about our Pauline life and the need to do good for souls. I am grateful to God for having seen her and lived with her, if only for a short time. My hope is that you who read this blog will get to know Mother Thecla and experience her intercession with our heaven Father. One day we Pauline Sisters hope to see Mother Thecla Blessed along with our Founder, Blessed James Alberione.

Prayers for Haiti

For all those who want to offer prayers for the people of Haiti, our Sisters have prepared prayers you may download, and reprint, and of course, pray!
Here is the link:
http://www.pauline.org/FreeEbookofPrayersforHaiti/tabid/375/Default.

May these digital prayers be a help for the people of Haiti. I have been edified by pictures of Haitians praying and singing in spite of all their problems.
Have a good rest of the week. God bless you!

January

I just realized that this is my first posting for 2010!
Of course, Haiti is on my mind, since one of the health care persons and the cook at our Boston convent have many relatives in Haiti. One of them had a relative working for the UN. Neither of them have heard any news. In Canada, the country's Governor General, is a woman born in Haiti. So the ties with Haiti are many. One of our Sisters has an aunt, a missionary nun, stationed in a mountainous area of Haiti. None of the Sisters from that mission are accounted for, so far.
In today's New York times, Nicholas Kristoff has an article which tells us that we are hard wired to give of ourselves to one another. The outpouring of solidarity for Haiti seems to prove that to be true. Kristoff gives evidence that people who are involved in their religion, and spend time helping others are happy, even if they are not "beautiful" or wealthy.
I pray that Haiti will rise from this disaster a much better nation in all ways. May this island nation find order, justice, adequate housing and nourishment, education and health care. Thanks to the media of all sorts: radio, TV, Internet and phones our world is so much more connected. The Co-Foundress of the Daughters of St. Paul used to remind us to send "phone messages" to the Lord with short prayers. I send up little prayers for our brothers and sisters in Haiti that they may not lose hope.
May this first month of the new year be one of much success and many graces for all who read this blog.
Tomorrow we begin the celebration of the week of Prayer for Christian Unity. May this week be marked by prayer, respect, and deeper understanding among all Churches that bear the name of Christian.

Happy New Year

My best regards to all for a new year of 2010 filled with blessings and deep inner peace.

Merry Christmas

My Christmas celebration began at 8:30 pm with Mass and Christmas carols.
this Christmas is a special one for me, since I am in a Catholic Christian community made up of religious priests, sisters and brothers. It is a unique experience that I find at once enriching and very human. Before Mass many of us watched the movie "The Nativity story." Even though I have seen this film several times since it was released in 2006, I am still moved by the portrayals of Joseph and Mary, and the three Wise Men.
If you have a chance to own the DVD or rent it, I recommend it as wholesome family entertainment as well as a source of meditation.
My best regards to all for a truly blessed Christmas day and Christmas season. As the priest said in tonight's homily, "God wanted to be with us, to speak with us by sending his son Jesus....the way He chose to come was in simplicity, poverty and love."
I know I have much to learn each time I contemplate this great mystery. Little babies invite us to gather them into our arms just by their littleness. Jesus wants us to do the same with him: to take him close to our hearts and love him and let ourselves be loved by him.
Enjoy these days of Christmas. Each day is a gift from God. I intend to live each day well in appreciation for this gift of life.
Merry Christmas!

Christmas Countdown

My best regards to all my readers for a lovely preparation for Jesus' birthday on Friday. I know some readers are getting lots of snow as I write this. Where I am in Ontario, snow is not expected until Christmas Day. However at this time of winter, winds and clouds can change rapidly.
On Friday I received a little reminder from the Lord that my life is in his hands. During morning Mass I felt my heart begin to race. When it did not slow down after an hour, I went to our nurse who drove me to the local hospital's emergency center. It was a busy day in the E.R. Since mine was a cardiac problem, I was wheeled by a formidable lineup of gurneys with accident victims and people who looked much worse than I did. I just closed my and began to breathe more deeply to calm myself as much as I could. When the nurse put an oxygen tube on my face, and an intravenous in my left arm some o f the seriousness of this event began to penetrate. The doctor told me my heart had an "electrical" problem. If an injection did not work, it would have to be shocked back into rhythm. The injection did not work, so I was given an anesthetic and the paddles were placed on me. I reflected that I had seen the procedure on many a TV show, but this was to be the real thing. After all, I have only one heart, so it needed some attention! I was home by 2:45 in the afternoon. I have gone "cold turkey" from a daily caffeine jolt in the morning to no caffeine. My medications have been changed and added to. How life can change within minutes.
I am grateful that our nursing staff is so concerned, and all those with whom I live are also very considerate and caring.
Jesus came to share this same human condition--to raise it up and sanctify it. The little prayer our founder was so wont to pray came back to me: "By myself I can do nothing. but, with God I can do all things. To God the honor and glory. To me, the eternal reward." I realize now more than ever that each day is a gift, and that's why it is called "the present."
May each of you have a blessed and truly Merry Christmas!

The Wolf Within

Advent moves along as we light the third candle on the Advent wreath. The color pink or rose signifies the words from St. Paul, "Rejoice. I say it again, rejoice!" When skies are gray and snow or drizzle is falling, it's comforting to be reminded to rejoice, be cheerful. Christ is coming liturgically on Christmas Day. How do I prepare for Christ's arrival? Yesterday's preacher gave an example of how to prepare by narrating a story with native American roots. A young boy asks his grandfather, "How am I supposed to be a good person?" The grandfather replied: "Each of us have two wolves within us. One is the wolf of kindness, compassion, love and mercy. The other wolf is that of anger, jealousy, rage, laziness, and cruelty. What kind of a person you will be depends on which wolf you will feed." Just as a wounded dog or wolf can lick his sores and seem to brood on what hurts, so can we humans curl up in self pity and feed the sneaky angry wolf.
I was reminded of this when I spoke to one of my sisters on the phone yesterday. At 4:55 PM I could hear her cocker spaniel barking and her cat meowing loudly. Her pets never forget that 5:00 PM is their supper time. My sister had to close our conversation to quiet her four legged companions.
When its time to have our meals, why not ask, "Which wolf am I feeding?"

Advent

This evening we began the new liturgical year with the season of Advent.
Our chapel has a very nice large Advent wreath--with 3 purple and 1 pink candle to represent the 4 weeks of Advent and the years before the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.
Advent is a time of anticipation of the coming of Jesus. the first part of Advent focuses more on Jesus final coming. In the final days of Advent the liturgy points more to the coming of Jesus in Bethlehem, and in our hearts.
I wish you a blessed and happy Advent. As the days darken and shorten in December, so the Light of Christ is even more needed to brighten our lives and our world. The candles of Advent remind us of that Light.
In thousands of churches around the world we will sing "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" as we usher in this season.
May Jesus come into our hearts, mine and yours, by our making room for him, leaving space for him to be "born anew in us."

Jesus comes anew every day in each sister and brother. As an Advent song reminds us, "Will we know him when he comes?"
God bless you in this new liturgical year!

Thanksgiving

Even though I am still in Canada, I remain an American. Thanksgiving Day was always celebrated very well in my family. Every few years my father's birthday happened to coincide with the Thanksgiving holiday, as it does this year. My Father passed away in the 1980's. In 1971 on American Thanksgiving Day--if I remember correctly--Father James Alberione, my "spiritual father", died in Rome. He was to proclaimed Blessed James Alberione in 2003, beatified by Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square in Rome. I was in Philadelphia at the time Blessed Alberione died. At that time we did not have the benefit of email and web cams to keep us up-to-the-minute with news of the Founder. However we did learn that a few hours before he breathed his last, Alberione was visited by Pope Paul VI. Pope Montini had a very high regard for Father Alberione, since all the institutes of the Pauline Family were present in Milan. Paul VI had been archbishop of Milan when he was nominated to the papacy. As I join my fellow Americans in giving thanks to God for his countless, gifts, I give special thanks for the gift of Father Alberione to me, and to the whole church. Through the consecration of the ever evolving media of communication for use in evangelization, the dream of Blessed Alberione continues to be fulfilled: that through the media of communication Jesus Christ may be given to each and every person on earth.
Happy Thanksgiving Day to one and all!

Seasons Secular and Sacred

This morning I and a few friends made a trip to the local dollar store. The aisles were filled with ornaments for the Christmas season. I was looking for a small pink candle to complete a miniature Advent wreath for my desk. My search was rewarded with a find: a pink candle not exactly like the other three, but close enough. The last Sunday of this month of November will be the first Sunday of the new Liturgical year--or, as some say, the church year.
I was struck by how busy the store seemed compared to my last leisurely trip. More families were looking for Christmas items. I was looking for a miniature Nativity scene. The only religious reference to Jesus' birthday was in the boxes of Christmas cards. At least the Lord's coming as a Baby is depicted on many of the cards. There were some religious paper weights and even plaster crosses. Those of you who are able to visit Pauline Book & Media Centers, St. Pauls bookstores, or the Liturgical Apostolate Centers in the USA and Canada can find many religious Christmas scenes. In Toronto, Canada, the Santa Claus parade is scheduled for Sunday, November 15. It seems Santa has to come earlier in the northern regions. I wonder if there will be any floats with the Bethlehem story.
A help to imbibe the spirit of the coming season, is the DVD "The Nativity Story." New Line Cinema released the film in late Fall of 2006. The opening scenes are accompanied by the ancient Advent music: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Every time I have watched those scenes I felt a deep nostalgia. The music brought back memories of learning the song in Latin and in English many years ago.
In the USA people are making plans for the Thanksgiving holiday. May all who will celebrate this beautiful day enjoy the company of family, and friends as well as a great Thanksgiving meal.

St. John Lateran , St. Martin and Veterans

As we begin the second full week of November, we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
I have many good memories of visiting this huge church in Rome. Next to the church is the Lateran Palace which was home to a succession of Popes for many years. Whenever the Church announces a Jubilee year, there is the holy custom of visiting Rome's four major basilicas. St. John Lateran is one of the four. Even though St. Peter's Basilica is much larger and more famous, since the Holy Father lives next to it, St. John Lateran is really the "cathedral" of the diocese of Rome.
On Wednesday, November 11, Americans and Canadians celebrate or better, commemorate the sacrifices of all veterans. In both countries, there is the custom of purchasing poppy shaped lapel pins to commemorate the sacrifices of those who fought in Flanders Field.
The poem "In Flanders field" by Lt. Colonel John McCrae is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made long ago by some, and more recently by others:
In Flanders Field

In Flanders field the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singling, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from falling hands we throw
the torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

In Canada, November 11th is called "Remembrance Day." In the USA we call it Veterans' Day or Armistice Day. It is fitting that this day falls in the middle of the month dedicated to prayer for the departed. We honor those veterans who have died, and those who among us who have survived combat.

November 11th is also the feast of St. Martin of Tours. Many bear the family name of "Martin" in various forms. Researchers say it comes from Martin of Tours, a holy monk who evangelized the countryside in what is now France. I chanced upon a book on St. Martin's life. I am fascinated by how much he traveled, and how his charisma influenced many who chose to become monks through his example. I wish happy name day to all who bear the name Martin--either as a first name or as a surname. May his zeal inspire all of us.

November

Happy Feast of All Saints! Today the Catholic church remembers all those who have died and are enjoying the presence of the Blessed Trinity in eternity. These are the "undocumented" citizens of heaven--so to speak--who are not written up in catalogs of saints. Yet, these people remained faithful to Christ all their lives. They are the "cloud of witnesses" that the Letter to the Hebrews speaks about. I think of my grandparents who worked hard all their lives, prayed daily and loved God and all their neighbors. My maternal grandmother gave our whole family an example of stepping out for Christ by helping battered women whom she knew to get help. She knew how to lend a hand, to give a smile and to be a great friend to all her bingo friends in her old age.
I think of my Dad who helped many relatives and friends to find gainful employment even when times were hard. I remember my Mother on Valentine's Day sending me to the farm house down the road to the old Ukrainian widow lady who lived alone. Mom made sure I brought her some cake and candy to show our affection for her. My parents always found space for someone in need. One needy person was a young high school graduate who lived at our house for four years until she could find herself emotionally ready to face life. When my youngest brother was a teen one of his friends was locked out by his mom's new husband. He stayed at our house for a year. Today is the day when we thank God for the communion of Saints--our membership in the Church which connects us to those who have gone before us in the Body of Christ.
The gospel read today was that of the Beatitudes. Some call these the blueprint for a holy life. Matthew and Luke both give us the blueprint. Matthew's version is more detailed. It begins in chapter five with the Sermon on the Mount. I plan to reread these blueprints and meditate on them.
Tomorrow we will celebrate All Souls Day. We pray for those who have gone before us, yet yearn to enjoy the fullness of eternal joy.
One of our early Sisters used to pray 100 "Eternal Rests" whenever she had to make a long journey by car, train or plane. By eternal rests I mean this short prayer: "Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord. and, may perpetual light shine on them. May they rest in peace. Amen." Sister's devotion often came through when she told us of graces she received through "the poor souls" as we often referred to the deceased.
May the Holy souls intercede for us as we begin this month of November.