Sixty Years of Fidelity!

August 5 is very special day for many Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity. It’s the anniversary of the day they entered the Congregation, or as we say their “entrance day”.
Today I was privileged to celebrate with one of our Sisters who is a dear friend. Sister Catherine Francis, MSBT celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of her entrance to the Community.
Sister is now missioned to St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham, Massachussetts where she is responsible for ministry to the homebound parishioners.
As you know, part of our charism or gift to the Church is encouraging an apostolic spirit in the laity. Sister Catherine has spent many years doing precisely this. One of her assignments was working with several of our priests and Brothers as they went about the various missions assisting members of both congregations with practical means for carrying out this aspect of our charism.
Sister also worked in several dioceses in Parish Social Ministry travelling from parish to parish enabling all to live out their baptismal call to holiness and ministry, particularly the social dimension, service to the poor and abandoned.
Today the pastor asked Sr. Catherine to be a Eucharist Minister in the Mass. In accord with her strong belief in lay ministry, she would have preferred that one of the parishioners do this. Frankly, I was pleased that he asked her. The Eucharist is such tangible sign of Christ’s love for us. Sister Catherine Francis has spent the last sixty years inviting so many, laity, religious and clergy to live out and be Christ’s love and presence in the world. The Eucharist is the “sun and center of our apostolic life”, and this has certainly been the case with her.
Congratulations and thank you, Catherine, for being a “wisdom figure”, an example par excellence of faithfulness and a wonderful mentor. May God gift you with many more years of love and service. It was a joy and a privilege for me to receive the Blood of Christ from you today.
It is no small coincidence that Sr. Olivia and I were here in Wareham to begin a discernment weekend for young women who might be considering religious life. Please pray for this and that there may be many more “Sister Catherines” in the future.

St. Mary Magdalene

Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, one of the more prominent women of the New Testament. Many hear her name and immediately think she was quite the sinful woman before she met Jesus, but not all scripture scholars agree that she was that infamous woman. Part of the problem is that the name Mary is mentioned a number of times in the Gospels. Perhaps Mary was as common a name in Jewish families first century Palestine as it had been in Irish (and other) Catholic families. In my own family we have had more than a few women by the name of Mary!
In the Gospels we meet Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Some have said she and Mary Magdalene are the same person. There are times when we meet her and her name is quite obvious: in the Gospel of St. Luke (8,2), she is the woman “from whom seven demons had gone out”. We meet her at the cross (Mt 27,56; Mk 15,40; John 19,25); at Jesus’ burial (Mt 27,61; Mk 15,47); at the Resurrection (Mt 28,1-10, Mk16, 1-9; Lk 24,1-12). Then there is that beautiful encounter between her and Jesus in St. John’s Gospel(Jn 20,1-18) where after the Resurrection she is weeping because the tomb is empty, and she fears “they have taken my Lord away”(20,13).
Mary saw Jesus but didn’t recognize him until he spoke her name. I have pondered this passage frequently. Very often those we love have special names for us, or even a certain way of saying our name. Most people who have lost parents and other loved ones say they really miss their hearing that person’s voice. I can agree with that. So, we can imagine what joy it must have been for Mary to hear Jesus say her name one more time. Have you every thought how Jesus might call you, how he might say your name?
Whatever we don’t know about this great saint, we do know that she was a loyal disciple of Jesus. She was one of the women who left everything to follow him. She was one of his supporters. St. Luke (8,3) tells us she was one of the women who provided for Jesus and “the twelve” out of their resources. She was courageous. She stood by Jesus at the foot of the cross when many others hid. She was fearless and caring, especially shown when she went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. She was a trusted disciple. Jesus revealed his Resurrection and entrusted to her the mission of giving that news to the Apostles.
Mary Magdalene is truly one “who found him whom my soul loves” (Song of Solomon 3,4). What a wonderful example for all of us.

Discerning Your Call

As you know my present work is to help people discern their calling in life. You might notice I didn't just say young people. I receive mail from people of all ages who are are trying discern where God is leading them. Some are in their 40's, 50's and 60's. I recently received an email from a woman who is 70. You might say they are responding to a "mid-life crisis" or they are wondering what to do now that they are retired. I am convinced it is more than that. Whether you are at the point in life that you can make a major decision or if you are at the point where a major shift in your life style would be difficult for you as well as for those around you, you have a call.
Each day of our lives God is inviting us to something more, whether it's responding to God's invitation to a deeper life with Him, or being more attentive to the needs of those around us, or perhaps living more wholeheartedly the vocation and career we have. Life is an adventure, and a sure way to enjoy it even more is to take a few quiet moments each day and ask God to reveal to you His ideas of how you might best live out the day.
Perhaps you could share some ways you've felt "called" recently, whether it involved a major life change or another that has truly affected your life.
Sr. Olivia, my coworker, recently pointed this video out to me which I think is so well done, and shows us that "vocation" is not an either/or. No, it is much more inclusive. I hope you enjoy it.

Pentecost

Happy Feast of Pentecost! In our Community we have been preparing for this feast for the past nine days by praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit. The time of the Pentecost Novena has always been a rather solemn occasion in our Motherhouse. Until several years ago when we had more young Sisters in Formation we had Eucharistic Adoration 24/7 for the nine days preceding the Feast of Pentecost. Young and not always so young Sisters took those after midnight hours. This year was very special, too. We invited people from the neighborhood to join us in our prayer. It was a very edifying experience for all.

We do have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every day from around 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. During the Novena the time was extended until 9:00 p.m. As we took our turns in Chapel we remembered our families, friends and benefactors in a special way.

Our Founder, Father Thomas Augustine Judge, CM, had great devotion to the Holy Spirit. This is an important part of our spiritual heritage. Article 11 of our Rule of Life says, "We are to make the Holy Spirit better known and loved. By steadfast prayer in our Cenacles we seek to attract the Holy Spirit so that our own hearts may be enkindled with God's love and that we may spread this fire to others. We ask to be filled with the gifts of the Spirit, wisdom and fortitude especially."

There is so much that could be said about the Holy Spirit, but anyone that I know who has this devotion has had powerful experiences of his presence. Let us pray that Holy Spirit continue to lead, guide and enlighten us in all that we are about so that we may attain the holiness to which we have been called.

Holy Spirit Novena Day 9

Day Nine
The fruit of the Spirit is Self-Control.

Scripture
Finally, we beg you in Jesus Christ, that as you learned from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are now doing, you will do so more and more. (1 Thes 4:1)

Missionary Cenacle Meditations
What is the big thing you are going to do for your Savior? Choose some specific work of self-control, self-renunciation, or detachment: an act that is contrary to the spirit of the world. Do something which will mark off for you another chapter of progress in the spiritual life. In all things let it be a closer following of Him, a more cheerful taking up of His cross. (p. 21)


For reflection
In baptism, I received the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is already mine. How have I grown spiritually over the years? How is my behavior a witness to my commitment to follow Jesus?

Holy Spirit Novena Day 8

Day Eight
The fruit of the Spirit is Gentleness.

Scripture
But a Samaritan came by, and when he saw the man, he had compassion, and went to him, and bound his wounds, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. (Lk 10:33-34)

Missionary Cenacle Meditations
The love of Christ urges us. In other words, we are doing it for Him. We see Him in them—in their souls created to His Image and likeness. We minister to Him. Surely, that was a soiled face that Veronica ministered to. It was blood-stained and dirty. But it was the face of Christ. (p. 9)


For reflection
In baptism, I received the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is already mine. Today, where am I being called to respond with gentleness?

Holy Spirit Novena Day 7

Day Seven
The fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness.

Scripture
If God is for us, who is against us?...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Rom 8:31,35)

Missionary Cenacle Meditations
We should be like a rock in the midst of an angry sea. The waves beat against it and over it, but when the waters have subsided and the calm comes, the rock is still there. And so it should be with our will. No matter how our mind seems divided, no matter how distracted we are, no matter whether we be in the clouds or in the shadows of darkness, this we should know: that we love God and we want Him. If you feel that, you are as that rock in the midst of the waters. (p. 200)

For reflection
In baptism, I received the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is already mine. When have I felt like a rock beaten by the waves? What trials has my faith already survived?