Holidays and Hurricanes

Tonight we in New England await for Hurricane Earl to pass by us, or brush the shoreline, or veer off to the east and leave us. It is muggy, misty and "close" as the day's heat is slow to dissipate and the humidity hugs our hallways.

This is the beginning of the last legal holiday which we Americans and Canadians celebrate before Thanksgiving. We Sisters at our Boston convent plan on an "All American" cookout on Monday to celebrate and to wish the best for one of our Sisters who is leaving to serve in our Rome Generalate Community. Of course the very name of the holiday means that it honors workers. This term covers all kinds of work. And, we Catholics have a Saint who is the Patron of Workers--St. Joseph. One of our best selling book titles is "St. Joseph, Help for Life's Emergencies." It is available at Catholic bookstores and at http://www.pauline.org/. Even though the Church honors St. Joseph as "The Worker" on May 1st, we can always remember him on Labor Day. He labored in the carpenter shop at Nazareth. There were no Home Depots or Lowes stores selling electric saws or lathes. He experienced what it meant to pour his sweat and strength into fashioning wooden objects for all sorts of needs.

On another note, the anticipation of a hurricane with all the potential it carries for damage, floods, and high winds reminds me of the awesomeness of God the Creator. I beg to differ with the scientist Stephen Hawking who recently was quoted as saying that God did not create the universe. Hawking's expertise lies in gravitational singularities and black holes. The "law" of gravity holds an important place in his theory. I may be misreading him, but it seems to me that Hawking does not recognize an ultimate "Law Giver" who set the law of gravity in motion. Astronauts in space experience what it is to be without gravity. I once had a science professor who pointed out the delicate balance of life on planet earth. Just a few molecules off of carbon or hydrogen or other vital elements and we along with the rest of animate beings would cease to breathe. The same professor was fascinated by the Black Hole theory. He was convinced that creation of this universe began when that "hole" in space began to expand rather than contract and disappear. The professor whom I refer to is a fervent Catholic who saw many signs in nature of a loving Creator. Where did that first black hole come from? As St. Thomas Aquinas said, we look to the "Uncaused Cause" who is the same as the first Law Giver, God the Creator.

Psalm 136 sings the praises of God the Creator "whose steadfast love endures forever." The late singer Rich Mullins made the Christian praise and worship song, "Awesome God", a very popular song among young people. Some of the lyrics go like this: "Our God is an aweome God. He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power and love. Our God is an awesome God...". At one time I actually mastered hand gestures to accompany this song.

Our closest neighbors, across the street from us, have the Clayton Observatory, which helps us to see some of the awesome parts of the universe through its powerful telescope. I always enjoy our visits to the Observatory and the good neighbors we have at the Dexter and Southfield Schools. The few classes I attended in astronomy were eye openers which truly led me to a deeper awe at the immensity of our universe.
Scientists, physicists, astronomers and folks of higher learning of all stripes may yet discover when our universe came to be, or when that first exploding black hole began the millennial process of creation. God has infinite patience, and he is the Lord of time and eternity. May we honor him in our resting and in our labors and "give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 136:26) Enjoy the holiday!

A Night Out at Gillette Stadium

Yesterday evening four of us Sisters left our house about 6:00 PM headed to a New England Patriots ball game. I had not seen a "live" football game since my last year in high school, so I was happy for the offer from friends of ours who had some tickets available.

Linda, our customer service person, provided us with great

directions to the correct parking lot, and she gave us football necklaces to show our loyalty to the Patriots.

We even had hot dogs and pasta for dinner at our fiends' tailgate dinner party.

The weather was very pleasant, the moon was rising and very full. The players were working hard. It was all fun except seeing our team lose by one point! However, it was an exhibition game, so it was good practice for them all.

At the end of the game as we were preparing to descend the stairs, one of the women in our group pointed to a large circle of the players kneeling in the middle of the field. She pointed out "You never see this on television. Yet they do this at every game. Players from both teams kneel and pray together at the end of every game here." I wish I had not packed my camera away. That would have been a great shot

I was pleased to learn about this good habit--seeing these expert, well paid players kneel before thousands of fans is a great tribute to God as well as to these men who are not afraid to express their gratitude to God.

(In the photo Randy Moss faces off a Rams player.)

Thinking and Reflecting

This morning I read an article in the New York times which resonated with me. The writer's literal "bottom line" was that we do not think enough.

In the play, The Man for All Seasons, about St. Sir Thomas More, Lord Cromwell tells Sir Richard Rich, "You haven't thought enough!" Cromwell as well as The Times' David Brooks both were pin pointing mental laziness. Brooks calls it a "metacognition deficit." Brooks may have been referring to celebrities and politicians whose selective memories force them to make public statements about pronouncements they had made which were false and/or faulty.

In every Catholic spiritual tradition there is time set aside daily for an examination of conscience. Some call it a "verification" of the day. St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits, called it a consciousness exam. Actually rewinding the video tape of our previous 24 hours, and pausing at our own behavioral mishaps, helps to prevent metacognition deficit and mental laziness.

Ignatius recommends beginning this daily examen with a prayer for enlightenment. Then he tells us to thank God for the many graces which God gave us since the last examen. Then we are invited to look and see how we responded to the graces, or if we just ignored them, or, if we even acted contrary to what our good judgment told us.

If we discover lapses, mistakes, and sins, then we tell God how we are sorry. Then we resolve to do better tomorrow, or from now on. Then we pray again to be more Christ-like.

St. Paul told his readers, including us, to "put on the mind of Christ."

I consider this advice to mean that I use a new set of lens to see the world, and especially my own particular circumstances. These lens are the criteria of Christ. In Philippians Chapter 4, Paul spells about his view of Christian criteria:

"Whatever is true,

whatever is honorable,

whatever is just,

whatever is pure,

whatever is commendable,

whatever is pleasing,

if there is any excellence and

if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things. "(Philippians 4:8)

Today I think of two good persons who died in this week: Brother James Mann, a Brother of the Society of St. Paul, and Sister Maria Rosa Ballini of the Daughters of St. Paul. Both gave their lives to God in the Pauline family, and both spent all their energies for God.

Brother James died in Ohio of pancreatic cancer. Sister Maria Rosa died at our clinic in Albano, Italy, about an hour's drive from Rome. Brother James worked in the CD and DVD duplicating department of the Society of St. Paul in Canfield, Ohio. He was also active in keeping the extensive grounds very well groomed. Brother James was known for his serene smile. Sister Maria Rosa too was one who smiled often. She spent many years in Africa, especially in Nairobi. However, like our Patron, St. Paul, she often ventured to many parts of Africa to bring the Word of God to people who were not able to "come and get it" at one of our book centers. She arranged "Bible Days" where easy to purchase Bibles were made available to the people. Sister herself would speak to the people and explain the Bible with clarity and enthusiasm. Like a farmer who sowed the seed, she "sowed" the seed of the Word of God in Ethiopia, Swaziland, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania and several other African nations. May these Paulines, Brother James and Sister Maria Rosa, reap an eternal reward for their years of service and loving fidelity.

Check out news and activites of the Pauline Family on http://www.stpaulstube.com/.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin

Today in Boston we had the joy of celebrating Mass with our Archbishop, Cardinal Sean O'Malley. Cardinal Sean prefers to wear his brown Capuchin Friar habit and sandals when he can. After Mass we all enjoyed a brunch together.
The cardinal concelebrated with Fr. Robert Kickham, his secretary, and Father Michael Harrington. Father Michael is the first American member of the Pauline institute for diocesan priests: The Institute of Jesus the Priest.
The Mass was one of thanksgiving to God in a special way for 50 years of vowed life for our Sister Mary Philomena Mattuzzi. Sr. Philomena grew up in Italy in a small town near Verona.
Shortly after her first vows, she was sent was sent as a missionary to the USA.
In the Eastern rite Catholic Churches, and I believe in the Orthodox Churches as well, this day of the Assumption of Mary is also celebrated. In the East it is called the Feast of the Dormition of Mary. Cardinal Sean reminded us this morning that among Mary's first recorded words, was the phrase, "Be it done to me as you say", in response to the angel's invitation to be mother of the Redeemer. Her last words in the gospel are "Do as he (Jesus) tells you" when Jesus turned water into wine. Mary gives us a path to follow.
May you have a blessed week.

Cinema Divina Retreat

From August 2nd until Monday noon august 9th, I was part of a small group of Daughters of St. Paul who participated in a "Cinema Divina" Retreat. The priest chaplain is a Jesuit Father who hails from Munich, Germany, Fr. Christof Wolf, sj. Sister Suzanne Mayer,IHM, a Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary from Philadelphia, was also a director for the retreat.

Almost everyday we began by viewing a film at 9:00 AM. Each film was chosen because it somehow incarnated the gospel reading for the day's Mass. At 5:15 pm there was a sharing on the day's film. A person was free to share, or free even not to attend the sharing but to pray more.

In the group photo Sr. Suzanne is second from the left, Father Christof is on the right.

Each Sister had a retreat "director" whom she saw for about a half hour each day. The director would suggest a reading, usually from the Scripture. Then we each would pray with that Scripture at least three times throughout the day.

Father Christof offered Mass each day. His homilies were very focused, practical and Christ centered.

The last film we viewed,"The Lives of Others" (Das Leben der Anderen) made in 2006, depicts life in Communist East Germany. A career Secret Police interrogator has a change of heart when he bugs a a playwright's apartment. Because of his change of heart the policeman is demoted while the writer is eventually freed from surveillance. The silent and beautiful surprise ending is very moving. This film had particular significance for Fr. Christof who lived 19 years in Communist East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In almost every movie at least one person chose to change for the better. Both their behavior and their perspectives changed. God's grace is powerful. Grace even permeates movies when they are seen from a Faith-filled perspective.

One of the first movies which we saw, "The End of the Spear" takes place in the Amazon jungle in 1956. This true story of five American Protestant missionaries' efforts to evangelize the Waodani people is very moving. The widows of the five men became a missionary presence among the people who killed their husbands. The unassuming heroism of these good people won over the hearts of a tribe that was literally dying because of its ruthless violence.

In one of Fr. Christof's homilies he quoted a contemporary author who said that (wasting our minds) with trivia is sinful. Father noted how so much of television fare is trivia. Father is a TV and film producer in Munich.

In our Pauline Family Prayerbook there is a prayer called The Pauline Offertory. It has nine petitions in which we ask God to increase the ranks of those who produce quality Christian media. May God increase and multiply Father Christof's productions for Loyola Productions in Germany. And, may God bless and multiply the efforts of Christian film and TV producers in the USA and Canada.

May you too have the grace of one day spending time in prayer on a Cinema Divina retreat.

Retreat

Today, Monday, August 2, I am beginning my annual week long silent retreat. I am at our St. Thecla Retreat house in Billerica, Massachuetts north of Boston. I promise to pray for all of you who read my blog. God bless you! Sister Mary Peter

This photo shows the bell tower and front of St. Thecla's.

Young Sisters

On July 5, a young Daughter of St. Paul pronounced her vows as a Sister "for life" in Samoa. Sister Fey Josephine Pele was in the second grade when I and Sister Cynthia visited her classroom as part of a Catholic book fair. When she entered our Boston community, Fay told me she remembered me coming to her classroom. Sister Fey's final profession ceremony was held in the area where she grew up so more of her family and friends could attend. Because Samoan culture is distinct and colorful, the ceremony was replete with local flavor. Instead of church bells ringing, drums announced the Mass time. I was not able to attend, however with the eye witness account of one of the Sisters who attended, and with pictures on the Internet I felt that I was there--at least virtually.
The photo on your right is that of Sr. Fey and I after her first profession of vows, five years ago. The photo on the right is of Sr. Christina Miiam and myself on the same day.

Sister Christina Wengendt who is from my hometown will be traveling to Youngstown, Ohio to pronounce her final vows in her home parish. Since Youngstown is reached by car in about 10 hours, a good number of our Boston community will attend her profession. Sister Christina wrote an article about the upcoming event which is published in the Youngstown Diocese's weekly paper, The Catholic Exponent. Here is a link to her article: http://www.cathexpo.org/articledetails.aspx?articleid=657
Congratulations to these two young Sisters who have already spent at least ten years in formation and activity as Daughters of St. Paul.
Our USA/English Speaking Canada Province is blessed to have three young women joining our postulancy program in St. Louis. There are already two postulants in formation. For those unfamiliar with thse terms, postulant comes from the Latin term "postulare" which means to petion or to ask (to be admitted to the congregation.) On the Daughters of St. Paul website, http://www.pauline.org/ you can find more information about my order. We are also called Paulines in the English-speaking world. In Italian we are "Le Paoline" while in Spanish we are "Las Paulinas." But, whatever you call us, we appreciate all the prayers sent our way, as well as the chance to serve the Lord and his people with the media of communications. God bless you! Sister Mary Peter

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.