All Things are Possible

     This morning the Sister who led our morning prayers read a piece of the homily of Pope Francis on the Holy Spirit. He reminded us that the Spirit is God's power driving us forward. As I mentioned yesterday, we are disciples of Christ, the Crucified and Risen Lord.
     This winter we have witnessed the power unleashed by hurricanes, tornadoes and heavy snowstorms. These are all forces of nature. I remember several years ago driving through a 300 mile stretch of Texas. Only the day before a tornado had swept down and up, down and up. It followed the same 300 mile route that we were traveling. It left a church building with its roof gone, and the pews stacked up against each other. As we drove through a small town the local grocery store was roofless and a huge highway sign was draped in corrugated metal dangling from either side.I still remember scenes of wrecked homes and insulation splattered against tree trunks. Yet this is the power of our natural universe.
The Holy Spirit--God's Power--is an unstoppable force. One of my favorite Bible verses is in St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians:

 "To him whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine--to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, world without end. Amen." (3:20)

     Paul had experienced in his very being that power he was telling us about. Christ had turned him from a ferocious persecutor of Christians to one of Christ's foremost spokesmen. We do not live in denial of the evil and negative events and actions that occur in our lives. Sins are committed, rights are denied, even human trafficking is all too common. Yet as Paul reminds us "we are more than conquerors" in the midst of all this. We do not panic and join the doomsday sayers. We are part of Christ's flocks. He does not abandon his sheep. He lays down his life for us. And he takes it up again.
     Tonight I was reminded of a daily sight I experienced on the way to our classes in Rome. Our convent or generalate as it is called, lies not far from Rome's city limits. As two car loads of us Sisters drove to class on the busy Via della Pisana we passed many apartment houses, and businesses. There is even a large Ford auto sales place. Then we would make a right turn onto a street with scattered businesses to our left followed by drab concrete housing projects. Patches of grass separated the buildings. To our right was an expansive field of emerald green grass with low slung electrical grid The toweers resemble short, stout weight lifters with arms raised supporting thick wires with electrical power for miles. The towers seemed lower to the ground than those in the USA. Amid the trucks, cars and other modern trappings we always witnessed a shepherd with his flock on that stretch of highway. Always the same man, rain or shine. He must have been a good shepherd.
He was a modern Good Shepherd: boots instead of sandals; umbrella instead of a staff; and cell phone rather than a King David model harp. On one rainy day he stood out with his black boots, huge black umbrella and his cell phone. His flock never strayed far from him.They munched away at the urban grass. The sheep were content and secure. Why if even one sheep did go astray the shepherd could have alerted the local carabinieri to help find his stray sheep. We have Jesus the Good Shepherd always with us, watching over us. Even in the midst of troubles, aggravations, pain and sorrows he is there with us. He says to us just as he said to Peter and the men with him on the rough Sea of Galilee: "It is I do not be afraid."

 

Not Easy

Someone commented about my blog post yesterday. He seemed to think my take on the Marathon Bombing and its aftermath was "too easy." A Christian/Catholic view of life is that of the Crucified and Risen Lord. Jesus' resurrection and ever present help is always available. However this help comes to pull us out of the depths of sorrow and pain that we can experience, especially when faced with the evil, destructive violence. This pain is our "cross". Putting up with it, without undue complaining, blaming and other negative comments is our living the Scripture's advice: "Bless and do not curse."
Once in Rome, after spending three hours with a friend viewing the beauty and history of the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls, I experienced what that phrase meant. I was standing on a street corner near the Basilica speaking with two of our Italian senior Sisters. All of a sudden I felt my head jerk. A group of young men in their early twenties had come along and pulled off my veil, throwing it into the gutter. My first reaction was not a prayer, but something else.
Then I thought of the words, "Bless and do not curse!" That is in no way easy to do when justifiable anger rises. However it is possible with the grace of God.

Marathon Mourning

Yesterday I received two text messages about the Boston Marathon bombings. Both messages came while I was praying in our chapel. I immediately turned to the Lord Jesus and asked him to be with all those people.
Having lived in Boston several years, I am very familiar with the area of the Marathon Finish Line. Various television networks supplied on-going coverage of the blasts and the human toll. I appreciate the networks' discretion in refraining from not showing every detail of the wounded and traumatized victims of the blasts. I regretted that the thousands of runners who train for months on end were denied their rewards. Their joy was turned to sorrow.
My heart was touched when I saw so many people rush to help others. Many were trained first responders, police and firemen, others were generous bystanders. Their selfless deeds counter-acted the wickedness of the bombings. As Pope Benedict once said, "Only God can bring good out of evil." God was working through the people kneeling on the pavement staunching blood flowing from the wounded; he was present in the ambulance personnel who worked endlessly to rush the victims to various hospitals; his spirit was present in the doctors, nurses and health care persons who worked tirelessly to save many lives. I was proud of our Bostonians and of all the good people who ran to the aid of the wounded.
Where is God in the midst of all this chaos? He works through his sons and daughters who are living out the command: "Love one another as I have loved you." During my Eucharistic Adoration this morning I finished reading and praying with the final chapter of "Jesus of Nazareth" the second volume by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict). Benedict speaks of the resurrected Jesus' presence among us today. He did not go away and "leave us orphans" to face the maddening violence of terrorists and other evil minded persons. No, he is with us. May Pope Benedict's words console all of us and refresh our spirits:

After the multiplication of the loaves, the Lord makes the disciples get into the boat and go before him to Bethsaida on the opposite shore, while he himself dismisses the people. He then goes "up on the mountain" to pray. So the disciples are alone in the boat. There is a headwind and the lake is turbulent. They are threatened by the power of the waves and the storm. The Lord seems to be far away in prayer on his mountain. But because he is with the Father he sees them. And because he sees them, he comes to them across the water; he gets into the boat with them and makes it possible for them to reach their destination. 

 This is an image for the time of the Church--intended also for us. The Lord is "on the mountain" of the Father. Therefore he sees us. Therefore he can get into the boat of our life at any moment. Therefore we can always call on him; we can always be certain that he sees and hears us. In our own day, too, the boat of the Church travels against the headwinds of history through the turbulent ocean of time. Often it looks as if it is bound to sink. But the Lord is there, and he comes at the right moment. "I go away, and I will come to you"--that is the essence of Christian trust, the reason for our joy. (Jesus of Nazareth vol. II, pp. 284--285)

I pray for the physical, mental and emotional healing of all the victims of the Boston bombings. May the Risen Lord Jesus give strength to the care-givers and law enforcement personnel. May this incident never deter any of us from loving one another. I pray for our civil leaders that they may be clear headed, strong and determined. May the citizens and visitors to Boston be safe and sere as they rebuild their lives.

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Spring

In this part of our country Spring indeed has arrived. Flowers are blooming--tulips, pansies, dandelions-- and trees are sporting their blossoms. their pollen is layering on our outside sign. This year I am more bothered by Spring allergies than ever before.
However lest you think me a pessimist, I do love Spring. On those days when a light rain softens the earth, I am reminded of Monet paintings. I was in Ohio for almost a week. When I returned I found the sycamore tree outside my room already sporting green leaves.
Today's gospel passage reminds us that Jesus forgave Peter who had denied him. He also entrusted his church to Peter and the other Apostles. The affirmative response Jesus was waiting for came in Peter's words: "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus asked for Peter's love for him as Master and Lord. Jesus' love had already been proven when he died on Calvary and when he gave the Apostles his body and blood on the evening of the Last Supper. Let us pray for Pope Francis, the successor of St. Peter as he continues in his ministry as Bishop of Rome and head of the universal church.

Easter and New Life

My apologies for not blogging sooner. My family has had some trials lately. On March 1, my Uncle William J, Malone was buried. Earlier that morning, my brother-in-law Dennis died suddenly. Dennis was the husband of my youngest sister, and Dad to Steven and Megan. Dennis was well loved in the rural community where he and Kelly spent the last 25 years. A lover of the outdoors, Dennis worked for the Army Corps of Engineers guarding and sustaining the Berlin Lake area. He loved hunting and fishing, and his wife and children followed his example. Soon a man-made lake will be named after him. The lake will be stocked with fish to perpetuate his memory. Another brother-in-law, Bob, gave a moving eulogy.
On Easter one of my older sisters was rushed to the hospital with what appeared to be severe pneumonia. The doctors soon concluded that all her symptoms were those of Legionnaires Disease. She caught it while in Florida. Now she is on a ventilator to assist her breathing. She is hooked up to many tubes, and monitors in an ICU unit in Ohio.I went home to Ohio for a few days to see her. On my last visit she opened her eyes for a sustained period and I assume she understood what I said.
I ask the prayers of all of you who read this for my sister Coletta who is 5 years older than I. She is the mother of five adult children, and grandmother of many! On my last visit home in September, I stayed at her house.
On a happier note I was happy to meet my four-month-old great niece. She is a cheerful and content little girl. She seems eager to walk already. Also before I left Ohio Father Jeffry Mickler took me to see a real eagle's nest in North Lima, Ohio. The nest is atop a very tall, barren tree. I was able to see the white topped eagle peeking down at me. Father has a super strong lenses that shows much more than my eyes could see. Check out his Facebook page: Jeffry Mickler. The lines "Fly like an eagle; and I will raise you up on eagles' wings" kept replaying in my head.
Thank you and I hope to write more next week. Starting tomorrow we will have our once-a-year visitation from our Provincial Superior. So my blog time will be minimal at most. Have a blessed rest of April.
The photos are Father Mickler's. That's me staring up at the nest.

St. Joseph Day 2013

St. Joseph is the "Quiet Man." who speaks not a word in the Scriptures. Yet he is the Patron of the Universal Church, Foster Father of Jesus Christ, and Spouse of the Virgin Mary. St. Joseph too is Patron of all fathers of families, of carpenters, builders, of families and more. It is especially fitting that today in Rome Pope Francis celebrated his inaugural Mass on this day which commemorates St. Joseph. It is a day when the Gloria--usually not prayed in Lent--is recited or sung, and the Creed is recited at all Masses too.
I just finished watching the inaugural Mass on the Vatican's TV service.
There were no commentaries, just the filming of the Pope's entrance into St. Peter's riding the uncovered Pope Mobile. 
From his elevated Pope Mobile Francis noticed a young man holding up a crippled elderly man. The Pope descended his vehicle and went up to the railing to embrace the handicapped gentleman. The elder person's face broke into a huge smile. It was a touching scene.
 Having been in St. Peter's several times and also having spent hours straining to see the late John Paul II, I could almost feel myself present in the crowds greeting Pope Francis.
The Mass was celebrated in Latin; the readings were in English and Spanish; a choir boy led the assembly in Latin by singing the responsorial psalm. A deacon sang the gospel of Matthew in Greek. At Papal Masses, Greek is used to represent the eastern "lung" of the church. The other "lung" is the west which uses Latin as its main liturgical  language.
The Pope's homily centered on taking care of the poor among us, but also taking care of ourselves too. He said we should not be afraid to love tenderly. Tenderness is not a sign of weakness, he pointed out, but a sign of strength.
Before the Mass began Pope Francis received the pallium, a circle of white wool with five crosses which symbolizes his role as chief pastor of the Church. He also received a ring -- the Fisherman's Ring--symbol of his role as successor of Peter. Again at the end of his homily he asked us to pray for him. May we pray for him and listen to his words. If we practice what he is preaching, God's kingdom will grow on this earth.
Earlier today I read Pope Francis' pastoral letter to his Buenos Aires Archdiocese for Lent. It is available on line in this week's installment of our Discover Hope newsletter. (To subscribe to Pauline Books & Media's Discover Hope weekly newsletter, email: discoverhope@paulinemedia.com.)

Habemus Papam! Pope Francis

Yesterday a few of our Sisters here received text messages, and I had a text and a phone call from family: There's a new Pope!
After the Cardinal announced those famous words, "Habemus Papam", We have a Pope, it seemed so long before the newly elected Successor of St. Peter appeared on the loggia, the balcony where we all could see him. I heard the name in Latin, then the announcement came in English.
With my handy laptop computer, I was able to receive live streaming video of the history making events in St. Peter's Square. At least three of our American Sisters were squeezed into the joy-filled crowds waiting to hear the name of the new Pontiff. We in the TV/Internet audience were more fortunate because we could hear distinctly the name of the Cardinal, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who is now our Pope. When Pope Francis asked us to pray for him before he imparted his first Papal Blessings, he asked us all to pray for him. United with the faithful in St. Peter's, we three gathered in front of my laptop screen prayed for our new Pope.
This morning at breakfast our chaplain remarked: A Jesuit wearing  Dominican garb with a Franciscan name--what a combination. Or, rather, what a marvelous blend of gifts to lead our church. Today we had a steady wind rattling our old windows and shaking our tree branches. During EWTN's evening broadcast tonight a brisk wind was shaking the shrubs behind Raymond Arroyo and his panelists. Perhaps this windy weather symbolizes the wind of the Holy Spirit shaking us, moving us, and converting us to a deeper life of prayer and action as committed followers of Christ.
I look forward to the powerful witness of Pope Francis as he begins to serve in this Year of Faith. Pray this short prayer for him: "Lord, cover with thy protection our Holy Father the Pope. Be his light, his strength, his consolation.  Amen."

Historic Times

Today a woman rushed into our Alexandria, Virginia Book&Media Center saying aloud to any who would hear: "Cardinal Wuerl is going to be elected Pope, and the Conclave begins on Tuesday!"
As to Cardinal Wuerl's being elected Pope, that remains to be seen. Being Archbishop/Cardinal of the capitol of the United States of America, Cardinal Wuerl would have an unenviable position.
The Holy Spirit knows who will be the best man to guide the boat of Peter as Bishop of Rome.

                                                               

We Catholics are committed to praying for the election of the Pope, praying for the Cardinal electors and for an openness to the Holy Spirit for all of us. I subscribed to an email invitation to "Adopt a Cardinal." This program started in German and assigns each "adoptive prayer" a Cardinal to pray for. My adopted Cardinal  is Cardinal Hummes from Brazil.
The Holy Spirit is guiding the Church.
In the past week, my family buried our last Uncle from the World War II generation. In the early morning hours of the same day as our Uncle's funeral, my youngest sister's husband suffered a severe allergic reaction. Unable to breathe, Dennis died about 3:00 AM Friday.
Without warning we were faced with  sorrow once more. "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Dennis had retired from his work for the Army Corps of Engineers seven years ago. One of his part-time jobs since then was the work of mercy--burying the dead--of our mostly rural Township.May Dennis and Uncle Bill rest in peace and may our grieving extended family be given much peace.
I was in Philadelphia for about nine days. Sister Maria Elizabeth and I had several events. Folks were very appreciative of our coming to their parish and the other events. It was good to see many of our dear Philadelphia friends.We keep praying that soon we will re-open in that vast Archdiocese.
As I near the end of this night's blog entry, I ask you all to pray with the whole church for the election of our new Pope; pray for our pope Emeritus; and for all those who are not free to practice their faith. Amen!

Our Times

We seem to be living in a whirlwind of events, ideas and changes. The Pope is resigning. Values that we cherish: marriage, priesthood, life itself are challenged and ridiculed. St. Paul said it long ago: "These are evil times." However we, like St. Paul, are called to preach the Good News of Jesus "in season and out of season", whether our audience likes it or rejects it.
There is evil in our times. Yet Jesus promised to be with us until the end of time itself. He is Goodness itself, the essence of Good. Again looking at St. Paul's assurance, we can say too, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (See Romans 8:28 and following.) The Lord Jesus also said--when speaking of earth's "end times"--that nobody knows when that will be. The Anti-Christ will show up to deceive people then. The Devil, the Father-of-Lies, never sleeps either.
However it is not for us to say who or what is the "Anti-Christ." When atheistic communism in Europe formed repressive anti-religious governments, some said communism is or was the Anti-Christ.
Rather than using a form of name-calling, we Christians believers have the anchor of hope and the cross of faith to steady us. To those whom we think act like an anti-Christ, we direct the intentions of our prayers for their conversion of mind and heart. To those who may hold political offices whom we are convinced are weak, and irreligious, we respect their office. However we pray for their conversion and work to insure that in the next election to whatever office more qualified candidates are put in place.

St. Thomas More 1498-1535 by Hans  Holbin the Younger

St.Thomas More is quoted as saying about a certain political office that he would rather take that job than have someone else whose standards were lower and values were questionable. In the book and the film, Amazing Grace, about William Wilberforce, we see how this man discerned that he was called to do more good as a politician than as a clergyman. His untiring efforts in Parliament led to Great Britain's abolishing the slave trade in 1833.

William Wilberforce 1759 - 1833

Our Founder, Blessed James Alberione, preferred that we Pauline Family members speak well of all persons, no matter how they act. Blessed Pope John XXIII reiterated the phrase, "hate the sin, but love the sinner." Of course this does not mean that we condone evil. Rather we pray and work that those who commit evil will turn and do good.

The years of  World War II, especially for those who endured the fear of invading troops and violence must have been trying times. In the midst of war's chaos, the Holy Spirit comforted and inspired Gabrielle Bossis. Each day she was open to what she recognized as the Spirit's guidance. Wisely she wrote down the conversations which we can learn from. "He and I" the book which preserves for us today the Spirit's conversations with Gabrielle has been reprinted by Pauline Books & Media of Boston. On the Pauline website you can see what it looks like and order it for yourself or for a gift.

Leading By Example

This week began with the announcement of our Holy Father Pope Benedict's decision to resign his office. the news sent shick waves around the world. Nature this week provied a shock with the landing of a meteroite in Russia. It seems to me that the Pope's decision has caused much stir in the media. For most Catholics whom I have encountered this week, the history making news did not "rock Peter's boat".

I have been graced to be a daughter of the Church under six Popes: Pius XII; John XXIII; Paul VI; John Paul I; John Paul II, and then Benedict XVI. Each one exuded holiness, wisdom; strength and peace. Each of couse in his own way. John XXIII was--in some peoples' estimation--an interim "filler" who would not last long. Instead the Holy Spirit used Pope Roncalli to usher in the Vatican II Council. Paul VI had the task of pulling together the many topics of the second Vatican Council and concluding it. He had the courage to issue the brief, clear and prophetic document On Human Life Humanae Vitae. He wrote much including a document of Joy.
Pope John Paul I had a very short time to reign as Pope. His smile and his choice of a double name had a lasting effect. When Karol Woytya was elected to replace John Paul I, it seemed like the swoosh of the Spirit's wind and fire
of its light lit the world. Now both John XXIII and John Paul II have the title "Blessed."
John Paul II built on the principles in Paul VI's Humanae Vitae and fashioned a beautiful understanding of human life in the "theology of the body."
Pope Benedict a true teacher issued his first encyclical on love: God Is Love. His summary of the work of the Synod on the Word of God, titled Verbum Domini", The Word of God is a wonderful meditation on Scripture and a call to all of us to become immersed in the Word. Today I was walking the isles of our book center and amazed at how prolific a writer is this Pope. Check our Discover Hope page to see some of the covers of his many books. Our Pauline Books & Media weekly newsletter "Strength for the Week"
 discoverhope@paulinemedia.com offers a video tribute to Pope Benedict.
This week's edition lists several of the books written by Pope Benedict.
I say my humble thank you to Pope Benedict who has always been an inspiration to me. When I spent a year in Rome (2003--2004) I often saw the then Cardinal Ratzinger at Masses in the Vatican. At times John Paul II was present, but not well enough to preside. Ratzinger was usually the celebrant whose humble and devout manner impressed me. He never seemed pompous or arrogant.
As a smiling Pope Benedict XVI he has given me plenty to study and to meditate on. May his retirement be blessed with peace and,  if God wills,  with more of his insightful writings.

Make It the Best

My wish for you and me is that we make this the best Lent ever. Who knows if this will be my  last. It seems that for my Uncle Bill this is a time of finality. He has entered into a hospice program. His health has been diminishing at a fast pace. Yet he is serene and he seems to know that eternity, a new life awaits.When his son Michael died about 17 years ago, his faith was reinforced. Michael who was 37 had a pre-death experience of heaven. He saw his mother, our grandmother, our great aunt who "still had her red hair," and other relatives who died before he was born. Pray for my Uncle Bill that his passing may be peaceful. Pray too that his two sons and his grandchildren will be strengthened and consoled as their Dad and grandpa goes to encounter the Lord face-to-face. A World War II veteran, Uncle Bill shared his vivid memories of war in the Aleutian Islands and in the jungles of the Philippines. He assured us that "war is hell." He lived a long and faithful life. We pray for him and for all whom the Lord will draw to himself in these first days of Lent.
I pray that Christ whose death and resurrection we treasure and commemorate in this season will welcome Bill into his presence. Let us live this Lent as the best ever so when God calls us we may be ready to pass from this life to eternal life.

A New Springtime

As we walked to St. Mary's Church this morning for Ash Wednesday Mass, the local bird population was chirping away. Despite an overcast sky the birds seemed to be signing God's praises. They made it sound like Spring is in the air.
When it comes to "soul" matters it is Spring. Each year when lent occurs Spring comes along with it. Lent is a time to prepare the soil of our spirits to receive the seeds or little plants of grace that God is waiting to give us. Lent retains the aspect of "giving up" bad habits, certain foods or desserts, certain TV shows, or movies. An entire litany can spin out things we can give up. Today's gospel sets a kind of criteria for giving up or taking on a good practice: Do what you do not to get approval from others, or their praise. Rather make sure you do it for the heavenly Father who "sees in secret."
The late English author Caryll Houselander suggested something practical in a quote which appears in the monthly Magnificat. She suggested that any real spiritual growth in Lent came about with a steady resolve. She had resolved to simply think of Christ when she was tempted to think about or dwell on herself. The thoughts of self were more like self pity.
For instance, if she felt insulted she would think of Jesus who was mocked and ridiculed during his Passion. She would take the focus off of herself and fix her mental gaze on the Lord Jesus.
Whatever Lenten resolve you make, do it for the Lord, to please him and grow closer to him.
Of course this resolution applies to all 24 hours of the day: to family time, and work space time, to drive time, to TV time, to Internet time, etc.
Happy Lent!

History in the Making

Monday morning I was surprised to see Pope Benedict's face appear immediately as I opened the Internet. "Pope to Resign!" Wow! That news came as a shock to me and to millions of other Catholics as well as to many non-Catholics. Yet I knew of a precedent in a Pope Gregory. I couldn't remember off hand which Gregory resigned, but it is true. He--for the good of the Church--also resigned his office.
Pope Benedict is a wise man, as well as a learned scholar, theologian and great teacher. The current Pope's schedule is demanding for anyone, let alone a senior citizen of 85. May God grant Pope Benedict true peace and an ever deepening relationship with our Lord in his retirement.
On Tuesday the chaplain who offered Mass in our chapel used the Mass for a Pope. It was so appropriate. The Holy Spirit remains with the Church. No one whom I have met seems perturbed or bent out of shape at this announcement. There is a serenity about this news which affirms our trust that God is in charge and he will see to it that Benedict's successor will be the right man for the moment.
Here are two links to our Pauline Internet site where you may see for yourself the Pope's words about his decision: http://store.pauline.org/SinglePages/PopeBenedictXVI/tabid/212/Default.aspx
and
https://store.pauline.org/SinglePages/PopeBenedictXVILegacy/tabid/213/Default.aspx
In our Pauline religious family we pray this prayer for the Pope:

"Lord, cover with your protection
our Holy Father, the Pope.
Be his light, his strength,
his consolation. Amen."

 

Grown Up?

When I entered novitiate 5 decades ago, it seemed that I was really grown up. Our Novice Mistress, Sister Concetta, seemed pretty strict and a no-nonsense person. She asked us to use our time well. Then our novitiate was only one year to prepare for a lifetime of being a consecrated religious Sister. Looking back on the work I did in novitiate in our apostolate, it seems almost medieval compared to the technical advances of our digital age. I worked at the Linotype and I helped with proof reading. There was no computer nor spell check. For the uninformed the Linotype was a way of setting type: using a wide keyboard because the capitol letters each had their own key, we typed from original manuscripts. Each line was formed with brass letters which were filled with hot molten lead. After awhile the Linotype operator caught onto the routine of typing lifting the line which was cast in lead and moving on. Spaces between words were filled by metallic space bands which we lubricated with a powdery form of graphite. On Saturdays we often melted the old lines of type, skimmed off the dross and poured the fluid lead into molds. They were ingots of lead. We used to call them pigs. Their weight came in handy for doorstops besides needed lead for our machines. The work was truly labor intensive. Once in a while a space band was not sufficient to keep the hot lead from seeping through a form. The liquid metal would squirt upwards. Once I was typing a Spanish book when I had a "squirt." At that moment I was reaching for an accented matrix letter. My veil was doused with a thin layer of lead. Providentially I was not harmed at all. We did the work as a form of evangelization, making the Word of God available in print for many readers.
Sister Concetta had worked as a Linotype operator when she first entered the Daughters of St. Paul. When she arrived in the USA, she began our editorial sector. Sister Concetta was pleased to see the coming of the digital age.
One product of our media saturated age is Internet news accompanied by video. One evening this week after the Super Bowl, part of the news I was viewing on the web struck me as odd. Three gentlemen were discussing their behavior with women. One of them wore a clerical collar. The most vocal of the three defended his extra marital activities with the expression, "After all we are grown ups."
His rationale--the people involved were older than 18. It is OK to be intimate as long as the woman felt inclined to cooperate. The man kept reiterating his reason to follow his feelings. "After all, we are both grown ups." He revealed that going to dinner, or watching a form of entertainment was too restrictive. They were after all "grown up." This fellow was long past the hormonal drives of the teens and young adulthood. He appeared to view women as objects for his pleasure alone. Never did he mention how well he admired the female intellect, talent, or even beauty. He admitted that his mind is overcome with urges, not with ideals. No matter. He and she are "grown up" so they can ignore God's law as they please.
One of the Super Bowl ads affirmed this man's attitudes. The commercial insisted that the young man in the ad had the right to unlimited information and perhaps to anything else he desired. What if another person's desire happened to collide with his desire? There is no waiting, no reining in of desire, No willingness to wait.
On our streets and highways unlimited desire in a driver can result in nasty road rage.
St. Paul would have challenged that excuse. When Paul made his Bar Mitzvah he committed to keeping the Commandments which apply to the unmarried as well as to the married. Mitzvah means commandment, Bar is "son". Although the gentleman who spoke is not Jewish, he may have some Christian affiliation.
In a very recent Washington Post article a columnist bemoaned an incident involving high school boys and female class mates who made a porn video while they were drunk. The author pointed out that the current generation has grown up getting their picture taken from the first minute they emerge onto this world. As she wrote, they are a real, ongoing "Truman Show." How did the teens acquire the alcohol? Where were parents and other adults when the criminal activity took place? Did any of the teens feel any ounce of restraint? It seems not. I pray for those young people that their whole lives will not be ruined because of promiscuous, stupid actions. After all, they are not yet "grown up" when, as the man on TV declared, they won't have to bother with all these formalities (moral and legal restraints). As grown ups they can just go ahead and do it!" Why bother practicing the least amount of self-restraint. The martyrs whose feast day we celebrate today, St. Paul Miki and his companions, were willing to practice self-restraint, mortifications, and humility. Why? Because they set their hopes on Christ and on heaven. Paul Miki and those with him were crucified in Nagasaki, Japan.They died praying and with serenity. May all those who are grown up follow their example and live with and for Christ that they may one day die a holy death.

Mother Thecla

                                         Mother Thecla at prayer.

As the month began I mentioned Mother Tecla Merlo, Co-foundress of my community, the Daughters of St. Paul. February 5th marks the 49th anniversary of her passing from this world into eternity. Known as Venerable Mother Thecla, she was born Teresa Merlo in 1894. In 1915 she met Reverend Father James Alberione. (Now  Blessed Alberione, he founded the Daughters of St. Paul.) He invited the young Teresa who was an accomplished seamstress to be one of the first members of the new feminine congregation dedicated to media evangelization. Of course in 1915 media was limited to the printed form. Radio was just beginning.
Teresa was appointed Mother General of the new religious family. The Founder gave her a new name, Thecla. St. Thecla is said to be one of St. Paul's most devoted converts.
The Sisters'  title, Daughters of St. Paul, was bestowed on them by the laypeople of the towns of Alba and of Susa in Italy's Piedmont region. Everyday the Sisters prayed through the intercession of St. Paul to help them carry out a mission of evangelization with the printed, broad casted, and filmed Word of God. The townspeople noticed this Pauline devotion and thus named them "daughters" of this saintly apostle.
Mother Thecla's life was demanding, yet she was always serene and upbeat.
When she visited the USA about a year before her death, Mother Thecla gave a rousing talk to all of us in which she encouraged us to be Sisters who prayed well and worked intensely but serenely.
There is much more to say about Mother Thecla. I was privileged to have met her when I was in the last year of high school. When she last visited the USA I was newly professed. She spent a month with us in Boston. Her frailty, her prayer life, and a terrific sense of humor left a lasting impression on me, and no doubt on all who saw her.
Here is a prayer for her intercession:

Most Holy Trinity, we thank you for the singular gifts of light, grace and virtue which you granted to Mother Thecla Merlo, and we thank you for having chosen and constituted her the wise mother and sure guide of the Daughters of St. Paul.

Through her intercession, grant that we may live of her great loves: Jesus Master in the Holy Eucharist, the Church, the Gospel and souls--souls sought and served through evangelization with the instruments of social communication to the point of total sacrifice.

O Lord, if it be in the design of your divine wisdom, carry out even on this earth, for this very devoted Daughter of St. Paul, your divine promise: "If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him."
Exalt this faithful servant to the joy of the Church and the good of many souls and grant us, through her intercession, the favor we ask of you. Amen.



Mother Thecla with her successor
M. Ignazia Balla.













Feast of the Presentation/Candlemas

Today, February 2nd, is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus who as a baby was presented to the Lord in the Temple.
At today's morning Mass in Alexandria, Virginia we had the grace to see a baby boy presented to the Lord in holy Baptism. An infant was given the gift of faith immediately after the reading of the gospel. The little fellow was making baby sounds all the while, participating in his own way in this big step in his life. The presence of the little one made it easier to picture the gospel narration of Simeon holding the baby in his arms whole thanking God for the grace to have seen the long expected One.
Anna a woman advanced in years appears too praising God and telling others the Good News about this holy Baby. Today's Feast sheds light on saintly seniors: Simeon and Anna. How often our grandparents, and great grandparents are the "holy ones" in our families. They lead us to God by their steadfast faith, prayer and good example. I can remember my grandmother taking me to Mass with her. During her last months on this earth her blue crystal rosary beads never left her hands.
In our religious, convent life, we turn to our seniors who pray the rosary frequently. Those who are able also make rosaries. Their rosaries are available to our Pauline Book & Media patrons. Like Anna of today's gospel these Sisters praise the Lord day and night.
Today in the Catholic Church is also the World Day for Religious. As Mary and Joseph presented Jesus to the Father in the Temple, so we present and offer our very selves to God through our religious vows. In fact the word "religious" stems from the Latin word religare which means to bind, or to tie. Through our vows of chastity, poverty and obedience we are bound to God.
As Christ is the Light of the world, so a candle represents that light of faith and love. It is a custom in the Church to bless candles which are destined for use in the church as well as for family prayer. Thus the word Candlemas from Candle Mass.
We religious who are vowed to the Lord and live for him most especially are to be living candles. Years ago I borrowed an old prayer book. I think it was esoecially for young women. I remember the line: Rabboni when I am dying, how glad I shall be that the lamp of my life has burned out for Thee. With God's grace I want that lamp to keep burning for many more years!
Have a blessed Sunday!












Sr. Madonna Janet,fsp

















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1/25/2094

February

Today we begin a new month: February. Short as it is, this month holds a lot of promise! I have a brother and a sister who celebrate their birthdays this month. On Feb. 20, we celebrate the birthday of the first Mother General of the Daughters of St. Paul, Mother Thecla Merlo. This pioneer Sister was born Teresa Merlo in 1894 in the town of Castagnito among the hills of Italy's Piedmont. Teresa was named Superior General of the newly founded Daughters of St. Paul.
Mother Thecla's "birthday into heavcn" is February 5th, the date on which she died in 1964. She lived to see the small group of mainly teenage young women dedicated to media evangelization advance into a world wide religious congregation with over 2,000 members. Learn more about Mother Thecla on www.paoline.org or on www.pauline.org.
(We pronounce her name as we would the "tech" in the work technique or technical.)
Mother Thecla's cause has been introduced for canonization. As a person progresses on the way to official church recognition of his or her virtues titles are assigned to the candidate for canonization: first one is named "Servant of God" So & So. Then after official processes have finished and all is well, the person is called "Venerable." This title remains until beatification. Then one is called Blessed James or Blessed Kateri, etc. To arrive at this goal, a verified miracle obtained through the intercession of the Person in question must have occurred. Miracles are not easily verified when scrutinized by the Vatican experts. To help us speed Mother Thecla's "cause" for beatification/ canonization, you can help by:
1) Spreading the good news about Mother Thecla's life as a pioneer in the apostolate of media evangelization.
2) Pray to God through the intercession of Mother Thecla Merlo
3) If you are the recipient of any special favor or grace, please inform our Mother General at this address:
Daughters of  St. Paul
Via San Giovanni Eudes, 25
00163  Rome  Italy

February is Black History Month in the USA. Many believe that Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry his cross to Calvary was from Africa. Venerable Pierre Touissaint was a black African slave born in Haiti in 1767.  When unrest and revolution threatened the Berard family, the French slave owner and his wife left for the United States with their house slave Pierre
and his sister Rosalie. Each morning Mr. Touissaint attended Mass at St. Peter's Church in Manhattan. After her husband died, it was Pierre's skill as a hair dresser which supported Madame Berard and Rosalie. Pierre eventually became a free man. His efforts contributed to building the first St. Patrick's Church in New York City. His virtues were well known to Catholics and to many wealthy New York ladies who relied on Pierre to transform their hair into works of art. With his wife, Pierre dedicated himself to helping poor black children and many others. May Venerable Pierre pray for us and especially for all Black Americans who may have need of special graces.
 Mardi Gras comes shortly and then Ash Wednesday brings us Lent.
Best wishes for a good February.

Venerable Pierre Toussaint

 

Catholic Schools Week

Throughout the USA this week is Catholic Schools Week. Catholic schools, parochial, regional and private celebrate their contributions to their students, their families, and to the whole country.

My first grade teacher Sister Jean, OSU with my sister and I.

I am grateful that my parents made the sacrifice to send me to Catholic schools from grade one through high school. I only missed one year--7th grade--when there was no parochial school yet in our new parish. My first grade teacher, Sister Jeanne is still relatively active. I was privileged to have her as a guest when I celebrated 50 years in the convent. Sister made sure that we all learned our ABC's, basic writing skills, and of course lessons about God. We sat straight so our Guardian Angel could sit next to us. I still remember the colorful flip charts of Bible stories Sister used to keep our attention.
Parochial schools in the USA  began with St. John Neumann in Philadelphia. Mother Seton opened schools which were at the time more like private academies. Mother Katharine Drexel, Foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament was from Philadelphia. She established schools and parishes for Native Americans and African Americans thoughout the United States. Xavier University in New Orleans is one of the jewels of Mother Katharine's efforts to raise the level of education for Black Americans.
Here in Northern Virginia Catholic parochial schools are flourishing. I am  impressed at the many, large and well equipped Catholic schools provided for young people in this part of the country. This past weekend Sister Elizabeth and I were at St. William of York parish and school in Stafford, Virginia. The school hosted an open house and a Pauline Book & Media fair as the beginning of their Catholic Schools Week. Parents visited our book display and were eager to take home reading for themselves as well as for their children.
Catholic schools sometimes are in "out-of-the-way places" such as the remote island scattered across the Pacific from Hawaii to Guam and Saipan in the Marianas Islands.The last time I visited Guam I was able to visit the island of Truk, now called Chuuk. There the Jesuits operate Xavier High School which hosts young people from all over the Pacific islands, especially Micronesia. There the students learn not only their academic lessons, but how to provide for themselves, to care for the property, and to become competent leaders. Wikipedia states that this school is called "The Harvard of Micronesia" because it has trained many of the leaders of the Federated States of Micronesia and others. Although the information page on the web says that the school was founded in 1952, it was already in existence when the Japanese invaded the islands in World War II. Part of the building has walls four feet thick to withstand bombardments. See xaviermicronesia.org/
Jesuits are spearheading the growth of Cristo Rey schools in inner city areas. These schools help young men and women to thrive academically by offering extended hours, and demanding commitment not only from the students but from their parents as well. Jesuit universities, such as Boston College, are engaged in helping to train teachers for all academic levels.
Tomorrow and Thursday two of us Sisters will be at St. Timothy School in Chantilly, Virginia with our JClub Book Fair. JClub gives an opportunity for students, teachers and parents to acquire wholesome and specifically Catholic reading and viewing (with some DVD's). I look forward to being with the young and eager students. Their minds are waiting for information and their hearts and imaginations are looking for good example.
This week let us pray for all those dedicated to Catholic education in the USA.

Where Has Civil gone?

If you think I misspelled Sybil in my title, "civil" is not a mistake.
In Sunday's Washington Post, Cardinal Donald Wuerl placed an opinion piece about Catholic dogma and its consequences: Catholic social action. As I searched for the on line format of the article, I was appalled at the remarks which showed up on the web page. Not only were the comments far from the facts of the real world, they were riddled with derogatory and vicious remarks.
I came across another article printed in the New York Times. The author wrote of Nellie Gray who started the annual March for Life to organize Americans to push for the rights of the unborn, as well as for all life from conception to natural death. Nellie died at the age of 88. Again the article in its on line version was followed by a barrage of negative comments.
 So many took a stance that the Catholic church  and all pro-lifers are forcing women to have children they don't want. Why is it that we mourn very rightly those 20 children killed in Connecticut, yet dismiss the antiseptically destroyed lives of 4,000 children lost every day through legally sanctioned abortion?
One comment today said abortions eliminate children who are not wanted in the first place. I know the head of an adoption agency who had to seek adoptive babies from other nations, since there were very few to satisfy couples who do want babies. Even if a mother would wish to terminate the life of the child within her, there are so many more prospective parents waiting to adopt.
Semantics or the manipulation of our words/our vocabulary are such effective tools for an agenda that promotes abortion. Pregnancy is not a pathology to be treated as a dread disease. Calling a pre-born child a "fetus" masks the truth that what is growing inside a mother is a real human being. When Gabriel announced to Mary the fact that she would soon be the mother of God, he did not say the fetus you are carrying, but "the child" will be the Son of God. The angel Gabriel told her, "You will conceive...and bear a son".
In some of the comments I read today, the writers decried the "over population" of our country. How can one write those words when a few days  ago newspapers said that our birthrate is declining. In some other countries the birthrate is below replacement. Perhaps these over population believers do not keep up with national and international news. Europe and parts of Asia are feeling the shortage of young people.
I veered off my topic of civility. Downton Abbey viewers are soaking up much of the high culture of once very wealthy British aristocracy. Granny Grantham played by Maggie Smith would never be uncivil. Oh that some of that civility would be absorbed by all who watch the series. Today's saint, St. Thomas Aquinas, used his talents for profound study of philosophy and theology. His technique in writing the great Summa Theologia employed the "sed contra" phrase: If this is true, but on the other hand this too is true--something seemingly or truly --the opposite is true how do we answer?
May St. Thomas intercede for us all that the Light of Christ's Truth may penetrate our minds and hearts. Amen.

January 25, 2013

Here in the Washington area it is snowing once again and the temperatures are way below freezing. Yet thousands of people marched on the Mall in Washington to show their support for life. Thousands of these marches are young adults, some college and high school students, and senior citizens as well. I saw one news clip which allowed the reported to give a non biased summary of the huge crowd and its bottom-line message to end abortion and support life from womb to tomb. However the woman commentator who allowed little time for the reporter to continue tried to quash his positive remarks with her assurance that many people who say they are against abortion aren't really 100% against it. Belief is not something everybody has. Apparently this young woman (or her editors more likely) are so afraid that maybe, just maybe, those hundreds of thousands of people of all colors and creeds braving very cold temperatures are really convinced that abortion is murder--he ending of a human life. Some people find this reality hard to believe.
Life is beautiful and a gift. I doubt if a person who is "half for life and half for abortion" would be out there today in freezing cold weather with banners, smiles and prayers marching "for life."
As St. Paul said after his conversion to Jesus, we need to preach "in season and out of season", in the cold or the heat, whether politically correct or incorrect. Pro-lifers preach the Gospel of Life. In the book of Deuteronomy the people are asked to "choose life." May God grant our nation the grace to once more choose life and honor its sacredness from conception to natural death. Amen.

Two Daughters of St. Paul on the far left side with a group of the 7 bus loads of youth from New Orleans gathered for the Pro-Life March 1/25/2013.

Sister Margaret |Michael and Sr. Maria Elizabeth at a gathering of 6,000 at George Mason Univ. Arlington, VA Diocese.