A Nun's Life

Epic fail with a side of compassion

Sister Julie — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:33:43 +0000

Julia is our guest blogger today. We are so grateful to you for continuing to donate in support of Julia’s fundraising marathon for A Nun’s Life Ministry. Pledge $1 per mile of Julia’s marathon — that’s $26.20 that will add zip to that grueling 22nd mile AND support A Nun’ Life Ministry. You can donate electronically or by check — DONATE NOW at aNunsLife.org/donate !

Recently, I went on a long run. And it was REALLY long. Twenty miles, to be exact, the longest run of my training. It started out great–and then, around mile 13, I had an unfortunate encounter with a 3-year-old cyclist and took a rather nasty spill.

I turned and headed for home, shortening my run to 18 miles and beating myself up with every step because I couldn’t seem to “run off” the pain. I got home in tears, and the reassurances of my parents (that NO, I hadn’t ruined my training and YES, I would be fine on race day) fell on deaf ears. I was mad, and that was that.

I talked to a friend of mine on the phone later that day–mostly because I needed a new audience to whom I could explain just how wimpy I was–and true to form, I launched into a tirade about my failed endeavor. My friend listened patiently, and when I finally stopped to take a breath, I heard her voice, quiet but firm, in my ear. “You know, I wish you’d be nicer to my friend,” she said. “She’s had a really hard day; her run didn’t go so well, and she could use some compassion.”

This request stopped me dead in my tracks. My first instinct was to be indignant–I could treat myself however I wanted!–but as I let her words sink in, I realized what wisdom she had spoken. I’ve always struggled with patience, and most often with myself. I have high standards and I don’t take kindly to being disappointed. But my friend’s suggestion that I show myself some care and respect has been running through my head ever since our conversation, and (shocker) I’ve decided that she’s exactly right. As poet Max Ehrmann wisely suggests, “Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.”

I think it’s easy to take ourselves out of the human equation. When I think about “doing unto others,” I am not the first person who springs to mind. In fact, I am usually the LAST person who springs to mind–after all, it’s “others”, right? But patience and compassion are important virtues to master, and I can use all the practice I can get. I should probably start close to home so that when I deal with others, giving them the dignity and respect that they deserve is second nature.

In what ways can you show yourself compassion?

Read all of Julia’s posts as she trains for the Ann Arbor Marathon.

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Join us for prayer this evening at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live. All you need is an internet connection and to turn up the volume on your computer! You can also share your prayer requests in the chat room.

Game-show God

Sister Maxine — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:26:49 +0000

“This is not what we were praying for, but this is what God sent.”

After last night’s In Good Faith podcast with Jane Knuth, I couldn’t get these words out of my head.

Jane volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The store is in a rough area of town, and she began working there to lend a hand for just a short time. The next 15 years took her on a spiritual journey that she didn’t expect, a journey that continues to this day. She wrote about that journey in her recent book,Thrift Store Saints.

During the podcast last night, Jane recalled a time when she and her co-workers prayed for more volunteers to help with heavy lifting and other physically demanding tasks at the store. Shortly thereafter, a woman in frail health came to volunteer. I can imagine a look of incredulity on Jane’s face when the woman said was ready to dig in and work.

As Jane told the story, I thought about the many times that God sent me someone or something that didn’t match up with my hopes or expectations. I remembered wondering if God hadn’t bothered to listen, or worse, if God was just messing with me.

In Jane’s story, it turns out that the woman was a real estate professional. In the short time that she was able to work, she helped a family avoid eviction and homelessness. She did some “heavy lifting” that was much needed but unanticipated at the time she showed up at the thrift store.

Late into the night I thought about this story and about the various reactions I’ve had when God’s response to me was unfathomable at the time. Sometimes I felt disappointed, confused, frustrated. Other times I had a good laugh, a new way to look at a situation, a deep sense of trust.

Sometime after midnight, I started to imagine God as the host of a TV game show called Jeopardy. On the show, the contestants get an answer first, and then they have to come up with the right question. It made me smile to think that maybe God is always giving me answers, and that maybe my prayers are actually questions.

What are some of the reactions you’ve had to God’s response to your prayers? What image of God and prayer does it bring to mind for you?

P.S. We’ll post the recording of our podcast with Jane Knuth on our website in a couple of days. You can listen to it there or download the MP3 file.

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Join us for a live prayer webcast this evening at 6 p.m. Central Time at aNunsLife.org/live. On Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Central Time, join us for Ask Sister, a live webcast where we take your questions and insights about God, faith and religious life.

In Good Faith with author Jane Knuth

Sister Julie — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:25:12 +0000

Join us today for a live broadcast of In Good Faith, a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie.

On Air: Today from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central Time (your time zone)

Where: www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE

Guest: Jane Knuth

Jane Knuth is the author of “Thrift Store Graces” and “Thrift Store Saints,” which recently won first place for “Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith” from the Catholic Press Association. She has been volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the last 15 years. She is also an eighth-grade math teacher. Jane and her husband, Dean, live in Portage, Michigan.

We’ll talk with Jane about her experiences as a volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Kalamazoo, MI, about how her faith has been transformed one donation at a time, how her sense of humor factors into her faith, and her pilgrimage to Medjugorje in Bosnia.

Details: The broadcast is free and open to the public. You can tune in from any place you have internet access. We also have a chat room for you to use during the broadcast in order to connect with one another and with us. You can also submit your questions ahead of time by using the comment box below.

If new to A Nun’s Life podcasts, the podcasts are basically like tuning into a radio program, but instead of broadcasting it on the airwaves, we broadcast it on our website. All you have to do is visit our website and make sure the volume on your computer is up.

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

What I Long For Spiritually

Sister Julie — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:11:15 +0000

So often we hear that people are longing for something more in their spiritual life. We want to explore this a bit more and invite you to answer a mere seven questions (all anonymous) so we can see what you are interested in exploring, how the A Nun’s Life community can help, and how we can be with one another in some of the big questions of our life today.

Click here for the What I Long For Spiritually survey

Survey will be open for a short time so don’t delay! Respond now!

“I don’t know how to do this”

Guest Blogger — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:18:50 +0000

I went out on a run a few days ago. (Shocking, I know–sometimes it seems like that’s all I do.) I got home from work and grudgingly got ready — I was not enthused about the prospect of an hour-long workout. I racked my brains for some way, ANY way, that I could rearrange my schedule and take the day off. Alas, there was no viable solution to be found, so off I went.

After a few yards, I came to a horrifying realization: I had forgotten how to run.

Oh, sure, my legs were still moving the way they were supposed to, and on the outside I looked relatively normal, but my heart was hammering and I couldn’t seem to get my breathing under control. I couldn’t fathom running six miles; I didn’t have it in me. But I couldn’t stop–this needed to happen, and it needed to happen TODAY. What was I going to do?

As I turned on to the trail that runs near my house, I made a deal with myself. One mile: that’s all. I would go down the trail one mile, and if I couldn’t figure out how to calm down, I was allowed to turn around and go home. After all, I reasoned, one mile made me much less nervous than six. I could worry about schedules and logging more miles later. I cranked up my music and worked on settling into a rhythm, and asked God to stick around: I was going to need major help on this one.

... random running trail ...

As I got farther down the trail, I saw my neighbors riding their bikes. I spent some time looking at the gorgeous purple flowers that covered the ground beside the trail–they hadn’t been there the day before! I passed two college girls who were talking about their finals, and I said a prayer for them (I remember finals week all too well). I couldn’t wipe the grin from my face at the sound of a little guy giggling madly in his jogging stroller, on a run with his mom. A saint bernard scared me half to death when he appeared beside me and nudged my hand with his nose, looking for a scratch behind the ears. (His name was Bailey, and he was the size of a small horse.) And before I knew it, I was three miles down the trail, at the halfway point of my run, and feeling great.

Sometimes, life seems so big. Every disappointment makes the earth stop spinning, and every choice is life-or-death. I find that it’s quite easy to psych myself out and feel helpless looking at the “zoomed-out” picture, instead of thanking God for the smaller joys that make life so rich and complete. I’m going to have to work hard to keep that in mind during the marathon, so instead of getting overwhelmed, I’ll seek out the little things: a loud cheer from a spectator that keeps me going for a few more steps, a cup of sports drink at mile 22, or the knowledge that I CAN do this.

What little joys has God put in your life today that brought a smile to your face?

Read all of Julia’s posts as she trains for the Ann Arbor Marathon.

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Blessed are the Persistent

Sister Maxine — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:12:49 +0000

Today is the 58th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. It’s a day of great celebration on behalf of social justice!

In the case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1954 that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. An earlier doctrine allowed for “separate but equal” facilities for black students and white students. But the Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education stated that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” Within months, the Court also required public schools to move forward with racial integration “with all deliberate speed.” The significance of the case was huge, given that education has a big impact on a person’s ability to participate more fully in society.

Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark case. But it wasn’t the first time the issue of segregated public schools had been raised. That path for justice was well-worn, long, and arduous.

Today, I celebrate this historic case and all those who played a role in it! I also pray for people who face discrimination in today’s world, that through persistence and faith, the walls of intolerance and injustice will one day come tumbling down.

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AS111 Ask Sister – attracted to convent but not to religion, sins of the parents, nun boot camp?, submissiveness in the bible

The Nuns — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:38:19 +0000

Join us today for the Ask Sister podcast, a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about faith, nuns, prayer, religious life, and pretty much everything in between!

What: Ask Sister LIVE Podcast
When: TODAY at 6 p.m. Central Time (your timezone)
Where: www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE

Here are some of the questions we’ll address in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is it still a vocation if you’re attracted to a simple lifestyle in a convent community, but not so much to God and religion?
The bible says that God punishes children for the sins of their parents. What does that mean? Isn’t life is hard enough with just our own sins?
Would becoming a nun force someone to be a better person?
According to scripture, wives are to submit to their husbands. Similarly, are nuns supposed to obey the pope?

Do you have a question for us? Contact us and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Monday Nunday Runday Update

Sister Julie — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:23:42 +0000

Monday is usually a “gearing up” day for many of us but today I’m feeling like it’s all downhill into the weekend from here! I ran and finished my first 5K yesterday. I have not run in a long, long time and decided to do the Pink Ribbon Run on less than 3 weeks ago, so training for this was short, brutish, and nasty. Okay it wasn’t that bad, but it was tough to get back into training!

One of the very cool things about this experience is the village phenomenon. ”Ora na azu nwa,” a Nigerian phrase from the Igbo culture, means “It takes a village (or community) to raise a child.” Same is true for us adults! We humans are built to be social creatures no matter no matter how much of an eremitical streak we may have! This is not the same as being social butterflies because God knows that even this nun prefers being a quiet wall flower to alighting on every social grouping! We are built for connecting and engaging — with one another and with God.

So even in a very “solitary” sport like running, it’s helpful to have people around you who encourage you, train with you, coach you, and make dinner for you when you are dead tired. There’s also the scores of people who have written books, recorded videos, and added their insights into the pool of wisdom around nutrition, physical fitness, training, and running (including how to run with a broken toe … yes, it’s ouchie).

Oddly enough, this whole running thing reminds me of why I love religious life and being a Catholic nun soooo much. We are a “village”, where each of us lives with and for the other and all of us together live for God. I did not anticipate this village effect as I used to think of a religious community as a group of people who are nuns or sisters. Community is so much more than that — community is friends, companions on the journey, encouragers, challengers, wisdom voices, adventurers, and more!

So even though the 5K run is over, I’m going to keep up on my training and being part of the “running village”! That means now continuing to run and being a village person for Julia as she trains for the marathon in June! I invite you to be part of Julia’s running village as she trains and runs in support of A Nun’s Life ministry. Check out her “Run for the Nuns“!

And see you tonight at prayer — yet another village experience! Come on over to aNunsLife.org/live at 6 p.m. CT for prayer, scripture, and sharing.

A Prayer for LCWR and Our Sisters

The Nuns — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:38:31 +0000

God’s Spirit
A Prayer for our Sisters

In this time of pain and promise,
we call on God’s Spirit to bless
the leadership of LCWR, of our
Congregation, and all women religious
who strive to live the gospel in these
uncertain times.

We call on the Spirit of God to reveal
the way forward that is faithful to God’s
dream for us and our lives together.

May all who are called to engage
in prayer and conversation come to
the table with hearts that are open,
transparent, and faith-filled. May their
reflection be marked by a deep listening
to the voice of the Spirit at work in
our world.

May the holy ones who have gone
before us inspire us by their courage
and wisdom and affirm that we are
not alone.

May we continue to faithfully live the
questions of our time and witness to
the people of God that we are women
at home with mystery and filled with
fierce hope for our shared future.
Amen.

by Sister Chris Koellhoffer, IHM

Please feel free to use this prayer and distribute widely!

AS110 Ask Sister – Prince of Peace causes anxiety, romantic relationships a productivity downer, good discernment questions to ask nuns

Sister Maxine — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:07:21 +0000

AS110 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 9, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Prince of Peace causes anxiety, romantic relationships a productivity downer, good discernment questions to ask nuns, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What to do when thoughts about Jesus, God, and religion lead to great anxiety, not feelings of peace?
How do I know if the pure path (abstinence from worldly pleasures ) is the right path for me?
Romantic relationships take a lot of time. How can a person deal with relationships issues and still have a productive life of service?
What are some good questions to as nuns when you go to talk to them about discerning religious life?

Neither stellar nor mediocre but still I run

Sister Julie — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:52:15 +0000

Inspired by Julia’s “Run for the Nuns” marathon in support of this ministry (June 17 in Ann Arbor, Michigan), I decided to enter a 5K with my sister.

I’m not a runner. I did my first and only triathlon back in 2007. Like that event, the one I’ve entered now is in support of those affected by breast cancer. I’d like to say I’m a better runner since training for the triathlon, but sadly, I still am not fond of the run. What I am fond of is conquering my fear and my self-imposed mental and physical barriers to running. I rather like the idea of doing something I don’t think I can do. That was one of the things that compelled me to sign up for a triathlon without knowing how to swim or run.

As I’ve been trying to train these last couple weeks, I’ve carefully meditated on Julia’s blog posts, especially the one about running with sickness because I’ve only just gotten over a respiratory affliction and my toe is still sore from breaking it a couple weeks ago. I wanted to quit because I couldn’t run the way I wanted to, and under the best of circumstances it was going to be a challenge for me! I could spend hours on why this isn’t my plan or how it’d be so much better if … but I’m afraid that if I do, I’ll miss what’s right in front of me. I kept reading Julia’s words: “I might not be able to run the marathon I wanted, but could I run a marathon? Absolutely.”

So it’s a mere 6 days till the 5K. I’ve had some good days and some not-so-good days. But as my karate teacher used to say, “If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.” So I keep on. I don’t expect to have any kind of stellar or even mediocre performance on Sunday, but I’m going to get it done. And that will be a good thing.

What’s one of your personal challenges? What is the marathon or 5K in your life? Why do you do it?

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Please consider donating in support of Julia’s marathon for A Nun’s Life Ministry. Pledge a $1 a mile for a $26.20 donation. Help keep this ministry up and running!

NUNDAY – Habits of Change

Sister Julie — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:42:55 +0000

Carole Garibaldi Rogers is an oral historian and a poet. She is also author of Habits of Change: An Oral History of American Nuns (Oxford University Press, 2011). She recently blogged about the current situation involving the Vatican and U.S. Catholic Sisters drawing on her experience conducting interviews with 94 women religious across the United States and across religious communities beginning in the 1990s. Rogers’ message is clear: Get to know the Catholic sisters and nuns who are “behind the controversy”.

This is a welcome approach to the endless commentary on a situation that we continue to know very little about. Lest we baptize all of our personal opinions (indeed some rather scathing and unconscionable opinions) as undeniable fact, let’s shift the discussion and get to know U.S. Catholic sisters and nuns and see where religious life is in the ecclesial landscape.

Rogers first couple of blog posts introduce us to Sister Rosemarie Milazzo, a Maryknoll Sister, and to Sister Mary Rose McGeady, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

Reflecting on her work in Tanzania and Congo, Sister Rosemarie tells Rogers:

“That’s the cost of relationships. You’re into their lives. They’re into your life. We enter into the pain of people, and I guess for me it’s become more the pain of the world. It’s so deep. There are so many trouble spots and there are so many people who don’t get a share at the table. I hope my prayers are deeper. I hope my walking on this earth is gentler and more caring and more compassionate. I also feel that I have met the people and they’ve told me their story. So what is now my responsibility?” (read more at the Oxford University Press blog, May 6, 2012)

Sister Mary Rose, who succeeded Father Bruce Ritter as the Director of Covenant House, an agency to protect runaway teens, spoke to Rogers about her work:

“These kids are trying to figure out what they’re going to do with their drunken father who beats them or who sexually abuses them. Or they’re kids forced into prostitution to have money to buy their school books. What a different world it is. What it does, it just whets my appetite for what we do, to try to give these kids the second chance they need to get started over again. People will say to me, ‘How can you do that work all the time? Don’t you begin to feel overwhelmed by all these kids?’ And I always say, ‘The only way we can make a mistake is to stop.’ The only time the church fails is when it stops being a caring community.” (read more at the Oxford University Press blog, May 7, 2012)

Check out more by Rogers and her book Habits of Change at carolegaribaldirogers.net.

To see all the NUNDAY stories of Catholic sisters and nuns we’ve posted, visit the NUNDAY at aNunsLife.org. If you’ve got a photo and story (how you know Sister) of a real Catholic sister or nun, check out the details on submitting your photo for consideration.

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Join us for prayer tonight at 6 p.m.CT at aNunsLife.org/live – we pray together across the world using the Scripture of the day. During the prayer you can offer your prayers using the chat room.

Running and Discernment

Guest Blogger — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:15:50 +0000

Guest blogger Audra Turnbull of Awkward Catholic fame writes today of running and discernment in support of Julia who is running a marathon to support the nuns!

“Run for the Nuns” directly supports the work of this ministry. We need your help. We ask you to pledge $1 per mile of Julia’s marathon — that’s $26.20 that will add energy to Julia’s “get up and go” AND support A Nun’ Life Ministry. You can donate electronically or by check — DONATE NOW at aNunsLife.org/donate !

One of the best articles that I’ve read in the 2011 VISION Vocation Guide, was written by Brother Carl Wisdom, O.P. The title of the article is “Get ready to run the race.” It’s about – you guessed it – running and discernment. Brother Carl compares his training for a half marathon to discerning God’s call.

While I am not a marathoner, I now look to discernment as training for a big race. Brother Carl was right when he said that It takes a lot of preparation and little craziness to meet your goal: to find where God is calling you. And while your “training days” are important, your rest days are just as critical.

There are times in my discernment where my “discernment muscles” got tired. I was overwhelmed with over-analyzing everything that might be a possible sign from God.

Just like a runner who tried to run too much, I was feeling sore, scared and frustrated. I had a race to run; a goal to meet- there was no time to stop and recover.

Luckily, God knew just the answer: I needed take a step back and become a human BEING instead of a human DOING. I needed to stop and just feel God’s presence.

Feeling refreshed, I could continue training or, actively discerning, to meet my goal.

Here are a few pieces of advice that Brother Carl gives to discerners:

Stay hydrated by constantly drinking at the fountain of God’s presence in prayer.
Load up on carbs by energizing and nourishing yourself daily at the tables of word and sacrament through the Eucharist.
Before each day’s run, pause and stretch your muscles of faith, hope and love are limber and agile.
Plan for the “caffeine boost” you will need in the middle of the race by mobilizing family and friends for spiritual support. They can serve to remind you of the nobility of your aspiration to even have begun the race.
When you get close, but the finish line still feels elusive, turn within and storm heaven while concentrating on each final footfall.

(Source: “Get ready to run the race” by Fr. Carl Wisdom, OP, in Vision Vocation Guide 2011)

What are your images of discernment? if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed while seeking God’s call what helped you stay on course?

Read more from Audra on A Nun’s Life and at her blog The Awkward Catholic and continue following Julia’s running posts.

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New machine produces vocations to religious life?

Sister Maxine — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:43:16 +0000

Early this morning, I saw this sign while driving through a small town near Toledo.

The idea of a Speedway mini-mart producing vocations to religious life from a machine made me laugh. So much for the often-messy process of discernment!

Even though the spelling isn’t the same, “Capuchin” (as in the friars) and “cappuccin” (as in the drink that ends with “o”) sounded enough alike in my head to make the connection. I imagined hundreds of friars emerging from Speedways across the country, going into the world to do good.

In the course of what’s been a challenging week, it was great to encounter this bit of fanciful humor. Stuff like this reminds me that the world can offer two seemingly opposite things at the same time–delight and difficulty. It reminds me that it’s important to keep an eye out for delight and allow it to transform me.

What signs have been transformative for you today?

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AS109 Ask Sister – disappearing prayer, Rules that nuns follow, charisms and Constitutions, mom encounters mum nuns, religious role models in schools

The Nuns — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:51:46 +0000

AS109 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 2, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: disappearing prayer, Rules that nuns follow, charisms and Constitutions, mom encounters mum nuns, religious role models in schools.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Where did the prayer at the beginning of the podcast go?
I hear people in religious congregations speak of a “Rule,” a Constitution, and a charism. Can you explain what is meant by these terms?
A reading from the 1920 IHM Constitutions and the current Constitutions.
Ways to understand the vow of obedience.
Do you ever speak of a particular sister being an example of a “living rule”? If so, what would be her defining characteristics?
A mom wonders if she overlooked her calling to religious life when younger. Would her choice have been different if her nun-teachers had talked with her about their lives?
If more sisters were teaching in schools, wouldn’t that help get the word out about religious life and increase the number of vocations?

Nuns on the Internet? Really?!

Sister Maxine — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:55:55 +0000

Two Catholic sisters who podcast on the Internet (me and Sister Julie)

Nuns on the Internet?! Yep. The topic is still making news, which is great! One of the latest articles, from the Associated Press, just appeared in ABC2News.com, the Huffington Post, CBSNews.com, and other major media sources around the world.

The article makes a point that merits emphasis—that interest in religious life is on the rise, and that sisters and nuns are using the Internet to raise awareness about what religious life is today.

These two things are interrelated. If a woman can’t imagine herself being a sister, even though she feels called to religious life, then it’s unlikely she’ll pursue religious life as an option. Case in point: myself. For years, religious life wasn’t even on the radar screen for me. Praying all day, yeah, that’s great. But I wanted action and adventure! What I didn’t understand then was these things are a huge part of religious life. When I became aware of that, hello religious life.

The article also quotes Patrice Tuohy of the National Religious Vocation Conference, which represents vocation directors in many religious organizations of women and men. She makes the point that interest in religious life is increasing. Contrary to a common misperception, it’s not just interest in orders that wear traditional habits. There’s a lot of new interest in orders of all kinds. The more awareness there is about the wonderful diversity of religious life, the more ways there are for people to imagine themselves in religious life.

One more thing—I kinda chuckle when I see the word “recruit” in the article. That’s not actually our job. It’s what God does! Our role is to help those who feel called by God to see the possibilities for their own life and to discern their calling. Maybe the discernment will lead to religious life, or maybe it will lead to a different way to serve God and others. But I sense that’s part of the renewed interest in religious life too—recognition that the traditions of religious life, such as discernment, can be of great service to the larger Christian community and beyond.

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Join us for a live prayer webcast this evening at 6 p.m. Central Time at aNunsLife.org/live. You can share your prayer requests in the chat room
On Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Central Time, join us for Ask Sister, a live webcast where we take your questions about God, faith and religious life.

Understanding the Vatican call for reform of the LCWR

Sister Julie — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:24:45 +0000

News and commentary about the doctrinal assessment of LCWR by the Vatican Congregation for the Faith abounds. How to understand the Vatican call for reform of the LCWR?

We’ve had so much input coming from both professional and armchair commentators that it can be challenging to remember that all the “buzz” (no matter how well articulated or compelling) is not the story. While we might resonate with what commentator says or writes, we cannot hang our understanding on it without short-shrifting our own due diligence. Part of the problem, however, lies in the fact that precious few of us have expertise in all the areas involved in this particular event.

The relationship of U.S. Catholic sisters and the Church — which includes the people, the hierarchy, the teaching, the tradition, the faith — is a complex one which intersects theology, religious life, authority, history, politics, sociology, and other spheres of life. This relationship, however, resides ultimately in the sphere of God, the one in whom each of us lives and moves and has our being.

It is out of this place in God where each of us is called to understand and engage this event. What does this mean?

First, understanding and engaging the Vatican call for reform of LCWR means letting go of the devil. Our human tendency is to demonize that with which we do not agree with or by which we’ve been hurt. This devilish language is laced into many a conversation and commentary and we must make it an act of our will to have no part in it. This does not mean that we agree with everything or that we cannot give voice to our experience. Clearing out the devil gives us space to be open to grace.
Second, it means taking to heart WWJD. Scripture reminds us: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). We must turn first to God before we turn to our favorite news outlet, commentators, and bloggers. That’s where our grounding is lest we become mere aggregators of others’ agendas. Praying with and reflecting on this in light of the Gospel must be our home page.
Third, it means extending our prayer to theological reflection. “Theological reflection is a way of doing theology that starts from the experiences of life and leads to searching in faith, for deeper meaning, and for the living God. However, it is deciding how to live out of this reflective search that is the critical intention of the process of theological reflection.” (Sister Kathleen McAlpin in Ministry That Transforms: A Contemplative Process of Theological Reflection) Read more at What is Theological Reflection?
Fourth, it means putting faith into action. Our faith is not a museum. It is alive with the breath of God. This means that our prayer and reflection transform us and impel us to engage with the world. In this particular context that means engaging the “primary sources” of the doctrinal assessment document as well as the statements of LCWR and the CDF-appointed Delegate Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle. It also means engaging in conversation with others, including the myriad of commentators and bloggers, both those we tend to agree with and those we tend not to agree with. Click here for helpful guidelines in engaging with articles, news stories, blog posts, etc.

Let us hold all who are involved in and affected by the doctrinal assessment in our prayers. We pray that the Spirit continue to breathe new life in each one of us!

God as Running Partner

Guest Blogger — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:09:08 +0000

Julia is our guest blogger today. Now’s the time to join in Julia’s fundraising effort for A Nun’s Life Ministry. Julia and running buddy Audra would like you to pledge $1 per mile of Julia’s marathon — that’s $26.20 that will add energy to Julia’s “get up and go” AND support A Nun’ Life Ministry. You can donate electronically or by check — DONATE NOW at aNunsLife.org/donate !

When I started running (legit, several-times-a-week, I-need-a-second-pair-of-sneakers running), I remember being surprised about how spiritual the experience was for me. Now, don’t get me wrong, there had been times before that when I talked to God on my runs–mostly when my parents would drag me out for a jog, and I would beg for death, or the end of the run, to be swift in coming.

But this was different; this was me, relaxed and (somewhat) enjoying myself, chatting with — and listening to — my Creator. It was pretty cool, even though the conversations were super awkward at first. (I’m not the best conversationalist when I’m nervous.)

In fact, I’m pretty sure my first attempt went something like this:

“Hey, um, God… it’s, uh, it’s me, Julia.” *pause* “Oh, um, but I guess you knew that, right? Right.” *longer pause* “Oh, a butterfly! Wow. Um, thanks for… making… that butterfly…” *longest pause EVER…Julia turns iPod back on*

I wasn’t used to God Outside of Church. As a cradle Catholic, I was quite familiar with God of Kneelers and Holy Water, but that kind of relationship didn’t seem to fit. It felt… too formal.

Plus, I couldn’t exactly kneel, what with all of the running.

I decided to try a different approach. I’d heard people talk about God as a friend, and that image seemed like one that might work for me. The next time I went out for a run, I invited Jesus along. I said the same things that I would say to invite any of my friends for a run–I told Him to make sure he had some good sneakers (“The sandals are great–I really like ‘em–but they might not hold up too well”), and I offered to carry the water bottle.

And just like that, I had a new running partner. Sometimes I talked out loud, and sometimes I just ran. The idea of God being RIGHT THERE wasn’t something I had given a lot of thought to before, but it became one of my favorite ways of experiencing my Creator. It’s one that still speaks to me, and I highly recommend it. It might speak to you, too–even if you’re not a runner. Do you like to knit? Sit with God as you make a baby blanket. Long commute ahead of you? God makes a fantastic passenger.

If you ARE a runner, I know of Someone who would be ecstatic to keep you company. His pace will match up perfectly with yours, and He’ll never leave you in the dust.

Be sure to complement His running sneakers.

Read all of Julia’s posts as she trains for the Ann Arbor Marathon.

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Resource for reflection on doctrinal assessment of LCWR

The Nuns — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:05:21 +0000

After the Vatican made its announcement about the Leadership Council of Women Religious (LCWR ) last week, many Catholics expressed a desire to learn more about the doctrinal assessment and reflect on its meaning in light of theology, which Saint Anselm described as “faith seeking understanding.”

To assist in this, we highlighted a few areas for consideration, based on a study guide that Sister Regina Siegfried, ASC, developed for the novices with whom she works. Sister Regina is a Catholic sister in the congregation of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ. She has taught at Saint Louis University and Aquinas Institute of Theology and works with new members of religious communities and with people who are in RCIA in her parish. The study guide also includes questions from Sister Amy Hereford, CSJ, a Sister of Saint Joseph and an attorney canonist.

Downloadable and printable PDFs of this reflection guide as well as of the doctrinal assessment are available at the end of this post.

The Bigger Picture

1. What are the various centers of authority in the Catholic Church?

2. Name some of the many theologies that are operative in the Catholic Church today. How would you describe the theology at work in your life? in the Church? in LCWR?

3. What do you see as the place of religious life in today’s Church? In today’s world? How might others in the Church see the place of religious?

4. Discuss the notion of human dignity and human rights in this process.

The Assessment Itself

(pp. 1-2) The Introduction situates the assessment in the background of Vita Consecrata, an expression of gratitude for years of service to the Church and for the charism of religious life. It also mentions that the investigation of LCWR does not mean judgment on the life and faith of individual women religious.

What do you sense is the overarching concern of the assessment?

(pp. 2-3) This section outlines the chronological setting for the assessment including the three major areas of concern that surfaced in the April 8, 2008, meeting with LCWR and Cardinal Levada: LCWR assembly addresses, policies of corporate dissent, and radical feminism.

Familiarize yourself with the work of NETWORK and the Resource Center for Religious Institutes (RCRI)

(pp. 3-4) Documentation presented to the ordinary session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF)

What are the issues at stake here?
Where do these issues intersect in your own life?

(p. 5) Principal Findings of the Doctrinal Assessment

What is one of the conclusions about LCWR assembly addresses?
What issue from 1977 is still open?
How do you make sense of the jump in the conclusion that since no clarification was offered, it therefore is seen as an endorsement of the positions presented in talks?
Note the discussion on prophetic office in the last paragraph. How does this paragraph agree or disagree with discussions on prophetic office by people like Walter Brueggeman, Michael Crosby, and Sandra Schneiders?

(p. 6) The Role of the LCWR in the Doctrinal Formation of Religious Superiors and Formators

What’s the difference between “doctrinal content” and “theological education”?

(p. 7) The Mandate for Implementation of the Doctrinal Assessment

Read Canons 708 and 709 in light of the broader context of religious life mentioned in Canon Law and lived through the centuries.
What are the five points of the mandate of the Delegate? Do any of them strike you in particular?

(p. 8 ) Conclusion

This is a five-year process. Any thoughts on where you will be personally in five years? Any thoughts on where you imagine religious life will be? The Catholic Church in the United States?
The assessment calls for the formation of an advisory team. If you were on the team, what would you bring to the table?

We invite you to download this post to use for further personal reflection or in a discussion group.

PDF Download: Resource for reflection on the doctrinal assessment of LCWR
PDF Download: The doctrinal assessment of LCWR

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Join us for a live broadcast this evening and every weekday at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live. Tonight’s broadcast is “Praying with the Sisters,” a podcast where we gather around the Word of God and share prayer requests and prayers of thanksgiving with one another.

Disorder Reigns!

Sister Julie — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:09:03 +0000

It was an interesting week at the convent — we moved our residence and A Nun’s Life studio, we received news from the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about the LCWR Doctrinal Assessment, I got the flu and broke my second to last toe (seriously, don’t ask). Here’s hoping for a calmer week!

In the midst of boxes and general disorder here in the studio, I am delighted that we are here. Sometimes we take disorder and chaos as signs of dis-ease and desolation — and indeed such can be the case! But these can also be signs of the creative power of the Spirit. I will try to keep that in mind as I search for stuff amidst the boxes and unpack, unpack, and unpack!

What disorder and chaos have you found yourself in lately? What helps you to tap into the creative power of the Spirit?

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LCWR and the Vatican

The Nuns — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:17:18 +0000

It is impossible to miss the flood of social media updates and news articles that have made LCWR a household acronym. The Leadership Council of Women Religious, a canonical organization representing the vast majority of Catholic Sisters in the United States, received notice by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) that Archbishop Peter Sartain of Seattle will be overseeing a “renewal” of the organization.

With our sisters and the broader Catholic family, we are shocked and saddened. We are still processing the news and there are still many unknowns. We do not know, for example, how the mandates in the Doctrinal Assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious will be implemented. As we’ve read and listened to the news, we’ve found some resources that have been helpful to us in looking at both the immediate story and the bigger picture. We hope these are helpful to you as well.

Leadership Council of Women Religious (LCWR) website
Dr. Margaret Susan Thompson’s guest blog post for The Tablet – Peggy is Professor of History and has researched and written extensively on the history of women religious in the United States (and she’s a frequent A Nun’s Life guest!)
Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK, talking with NPR’s Melissa Block (April 19, 2012)
Scripture, in particular the Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Transformation of American Catholic Sisters by Sisters Lora Quiñonez and Mary Daniel Turner (1993) – provides a history of LCWR including its relationship to the Vatican
James Martin’s Twitter Drive #WhatSistersMeanToMe Supports US Nuns via Huffington Post (April 19, 2012)

We ask for your continued prayer and support of LCWR and the sisters it represents, of Archbishop Sartain and his assistants Bishop Leonard Blair and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, and of the whole Catholic Church in the U.S.

We hold LCWR in our prayers for their faithful service to the Church and for furthering the mission of the Gospel in today’s world.

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Join the community of faith who gather here weekday evenings at 6 p.m. CT for prayer using the Scriptures of the day’s liturgy at aNunsLife.org/live. All are welcome.

Running with Sickness

Guest Blogger — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:59:09 +0000

A Nun’s Life community member Julia writes about training for a marathon. Whether you are a runner or not, how might Julia’s words apply to a situation in your life? What bits of wisdom shine out for you?

Sneaker Down

A few weeks ago, I started to feel a little run-down. I didn’t think much of it; I kept working and kept running. I got a sore throat, lost my voice, started to cough, and continued to feel pretty awful, but I was so busy that I managed to push it out of my mind and motor through. After all, I had a 7 mile run to tackle; who had time to wimp out? No pain, no gain, and all that.

When the fever hit, I made it two days before making a doctor’s appointment, since it was clear that this–whatever it was–wasn’t going away. A few hours later, I had a prescription for a hefty dose of antibiotics and a diagnosis of pneumonia. (In retrospect, I suppose that explained quite a bit.) My doctor ordered me to take two days minimum off of work. I sheepishly agreed, but then she dropped the bomb: “…and NO RUNNING until you’re back to your baseline.” (Um, excuse me?) In a trembling voice, I asked what she meant by “baseline”–were we looking at a day? Two days…a week? “It all depends on your recovery, but we could be looking at up to two months,” she replied.

Just like that, my carefully crafted plan fell to pieces.

Numbly, I thanked her, gathered up my things, and left. As my brother drove me home, I thought about my training. How could I run a marathon if I couldn’t work out AT ALL for two months? What was I going to do? I hated the thought of scrapping my plan; it was a good one, and I had been working really hard. True, my recovery probably wouldn’t take two months, because my immune system was doing its job nicely, but I couldn’t afford to waste any time.

I went home and parked myself on the couch for a week. I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without resting three times–30 seconds after standing up, I had to sit down again. Once I was on the mend, my body flat-out refused to work past its potential, and (luckily) I was so scared of getting sick again that I listened. If I was tired, I skipped my run and took a nap instead. I did what I could, when I could, and tried to work from there. Despite my compliance, I was full of anger and frustration over my situation. I couldn’t seem to make sense of my new circumstances, no matter how hard I tried. I’m a 24-year old distance runner who eats well, drinks tons of water, takes vitamins, gets lots of sleep. I was doing the right things for a good cause. How could this be happening?

After letting my negative thoughts ruin my attitude for a few days, I took the advice of a friend, stepped back and took stock of the situation. I had been given another chance. I was still healthy, my body had done its job, and a disease that could have killed me was working its way out of my system. I might not be able to run the marathon I wanted, but could I run a marathon? Absolutely. I hadn’t lost much of anything except a bit of time–and my temper. In the process, I learned a valuable lesson in curbing my tendency to be a bit, shall we say, “controlling.” I needed to hold on to my hopes with an open hand, just in case God had other plans. I’m happy to say that I feel MUCH better now, and I’m still on track to run the Ann Arbor marathon in June. I’ve also learned an important lesson about God as sovereign, one that I will work hard to carry with me.

What experiences have you had in which God’s plan didn’t match up with yours? What did the experience do for you?

Read all of Julia’s posts as she trains for the Ann Arbor Marathon.

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Also a reminder — “Ask Sister” has moved to Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. Central Time. “Ask Sister” is a live broadcast where we talk with listeners about faith, community, ministry, prayer, and many other topics! All other weekdays the NL community comes together for prayer. Join us!

Sorting and packing—a moving metaphor

Sister Maxine — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:28:45 +0000

Boxes are stacking up here at the convent as we get ready for a weekend pack-a-thon. Even Chloe is getting boxes ready! Early next week, we move the convent and the A Nun’s Life studio from Chicago to Toledo, Ohio.

In general, moving isn’t one of my favorite things to do. But what I like about moving is that it offers a metaphor for other aspects of life. For example, right now I’m sorting through things like books, files on my computer, photographs, etc., trying to decide what to take and what to give away or dispose of.

I try to be very thorough because the less I have, the less I’ll have to carry during the move. Plus, we have a steep set of stairs, so that’s an extra incentive. My goal is to bring along more of the things I really want and need, and fewer of the things I don’t.

The act of sorting out material items makes me think of non-material things that I value and want to have plenty of space for – things like compassion, a sense of humor, patience. This means sorting out things that take up too much space, like some of the impatience I feel when technology fails to cooperate. Or some of the frustration when things go awry despite careful planning. I’m sorry to say the list could go on, but you get the picture. As I sort material items, I imagine putting the unwanted non-material things in a composter, so they can be transformed. Yep, I feel lighter already!

Over these next few days, I invite you to join me in the sorting process. I have some extra boxes, so think about what you’d like to keep and what you’d like to send to the composter! It’s gonna be a great move!

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

IGF016 In Good Faith with Prof. Sister Patricia Wittberg

Sister Julie — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:49:12 +0000

Join us today for a live broadcast of In Good Faith, a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie.

On Air: Today from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central Time (your time zone)

Where: www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE

Guest: Sister Patricia Wittberg, SC

Sister Patricia Wittberg is a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati who ministers as Professor of Sociology at Indiana University – Purdue University. She is also on the vocations team for her congregation. She is the author of many articles and books including Creating a Future for Religious Life and Pathways to Re-Creating Religious Communities. Among her most recent articles is “A Lost Generation?” in America on young women in the Catholic Church.

The sisters will talk with Sister Patricia about her life and ministry, how she got into the field of sociology, and some of her insights and discoveries along the way of bringing sociological study to bear on religious life and vocations. In particular, we’ll talk about her article Lost Generation? and the situation of young people in the church today. We’ll also discuss Sister Patricia’s understanding of the “religious virtuoso“, the attraction to intentional communities, and analogies such as “family” for understanding and negotiating religious life.

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

Anointed on Easter Monday

Sister Julie — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:12:07 +0000

This Easter vigil, I was honored to be a sponsor for a friend who is now fully Catholic. YEA! The deal was sealed as she was anointed with the oil of chrism.

“In treating the rite of Confirmation, it is fitting to consider the sign of anointing and what it signifies and imprints: a spiritual seal. Anointing, in Biblical and other ancient symbolism, is rich in meaning: oil is a sign of abundance and joy; it cleanses (anointing before and after a bath) and limbers (the anointing of athletes and wrestlers); oil is a sign of healing, since it is soothing to bruises and wounds; and it makes radiant with beauty, health, and strength.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1293)

This Easter Monday morning there’s been a new twist to this whole anointing thing. I’m staying here in Monroe at our IHM Mothership and frankly couldn’t sleep very well. So I was sorting through my stuff and settling into my room (just here for a visit while Sister Maxine and I get our new office and convent together — see A Moving Experience for details). And lo and behold on the guest towels are stitched these words: BE ANOINTED.

It caught me off guard. Maybe it’s because it is only 4:13 in the morning or maybe it’s because of the boldness of the command. The words are strong, powerful, compelling, and they are directed right at me. BE ANOINTED.

I’m not sure just yet what these words mean for me personally this day, but I do know that they are a reminder to me and to you that each and every day we experience our own anointing from God. There are the wonderfully rich moments as in the receiving of chrism oil and the oils of the catechumens and of the sick. And there are the other sacred moments when we are anointed in a special moment with our God.

When I saw the towels this morning, I thought instantly of a time in my life about 10 years ago when I had just in the beginning stages of chemotherapy — I had had my head shaved and for the first time I experienced raindrops falling on my bald head! BE ANOINTED.

Another thought was when I was driving home from work one windy day. All of a sudden the white blossoms from a tree cut loose and were dancing around the street alighting upon my car and everything in sight. BE ANOINTED.

These moments of anointing can happen at the most random, unexpected times. They can happen in good or tough times and in the ordinary stuff of everyday life. In what ways have you experience a random act of anointing?

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat
tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

And BE SURE to join us for a live broadcast of “In Good Faith”
on Wednesday with our guest, Prof. Sister Patricia Wittberg, SC.
More info on the In Good Faith page.

Getting to know Mary – books, prayers, and more

Sister Julie — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:38:12 +0000

Question from Ed …

Hello, What is the best book on Our Lady? Something not too sweet / saccharine on the one hand, nor too dry / academic / theological on the other. I don’t that about much about Our Lady and want to learn more. Thank you.

Annunciation by He Qi, 2001

First, of course, consult Scripture! That is our primary source for what we know about Mary.

Second, I must confess that I tend to swing towards the more theological side of things but I think you’ll find some some of that very accessible and engaging.

Third, talk to Mary herself! We are blessed to live in and with the Communion of Saints meaning holy people like Mary are with us always. So spend some time in quiet and be open to Mary’s presence with you. Sometimes it is helpful to use Scripture as an entry way to prayer in this regard. Take a passage with Mary in it and imagine that you are in that scene (the Nativity, in the Temple for Jesus’ Presentation, at the Wedding Feast of Cana, at the Cross, etc.). Allow your imagination to wander and interact with the people and things in the scene. Praying with your imagination is a great form of prayer!

And finally, BOOKS and articles!

The best book I know on Mary by far is Truly Our Sister: A Theology of Mary in the Communion of Saints by Sister Elizabeth A. Johnson. Now it does have that word “theology” in it, but I have to say, you just might want to give it a whirl. As a first step, perhaps, read this review by Nancy Hawkins in America magazine: Spirit-Filled Companion (June 9, 2003). I love this book because it gives us a real-life sense of Mary that takes account of her real-life circumstances and tries to free Mary from some of the unfortunate accretions of her story over time. Another way to see if you’ll like this book is to read Sister Elizabeth’s article for Catholic Update in 2001: In Search of the Real Mary.

The next place I’d go for resources on Mary is over to my friends at Loyola Press. Loyola Press is a Jesuit ministry and have a fantastic collection of writers and resources on all things Catholic. I used to work there and can say from personal experience that they have a great grounding in theology and the faith. Their materials are top notch. Here’s a few on Mary I’d recommend (en español tambien):

Mary: Jesus’ Mother–And Ours: Six Weeks with the Bible (Catholic Perspectives) by Kevin Perrotta
Mary and the Saints: Companions on the Journey in the “Catholic Basics” series
Mary, The Compassionate Mother: A Part of the Somos católicos Series by Virgilio Elizondo

Ed, I’m sure the A Nun’s Life Community has a bunch of suggestions too so check back here to see the comments folks leave on the blog post here! Blessings to you!

AS108 Ask Sister – what to do with blessed palms after Palm Sunday, how nuns decide to relocate, mom desires different life, convent vs. plain old house

The Nuns — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:52:04 +0000

AS108 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 4, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: what to do with blessed palms after Palm Sunday, how nuns decide to relocate, a mom desires different life, convent vs. plain old house.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What’s the significance of palms? What should we do with blessed palms after Palm Sunday mass is over? WWJD about the huge number of palms used and the ecological issues that raises.
How do nuns make decisions about moving? Does the vow of obedience come into play? Sister Maxine and Sister Julie tell the moving story of their upcoming relocation.
A mom asks, Is it possible to live God’s call to religious life while residing with one’s family as a habited nun?
Is a sense of failure in life the result of not acting on God’s call?
I mentioned something about coming by the “convent” at a certain time and was told “It’s not a convent, just a house.” What makes a house a convent, and vice versa.

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Welcome to the Convent, Jane Lynch and Jennifer Hudson!

Sister Maxine — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:20:05 +0000

Photo: Peter Lovino, 20th Century Fox

It’s time to build a new wing on the virtual convent of the Movie Star Sisters!

Jane Lynch, Jennifer Hudson, Kate Upton, and Larry David have entered the congregation of the MSS. I heard of this auspicious event in an ad for the upcoming Three Stooges movie. Welcome to religious life, sisters!

I can tell from the photo that you are prayerful, happy women, which is a characteristic of sisters! Even you, Sister Larry, although you are frowning in the picture. I’m sure that the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is standing on your head in the picture, will help you through your doldrums. (BTW, once when I was talking to a friend, I mentioned a sister in my congregation, Sister Kevin, and my friend exclaimed, OMG, men can join the convent now! Hehe.)

The photo also indicates that running an orphanage is your ministry. For decades, many sisters have served in that ministry, caring for children who had no other place to call home. The sisters provided safety, love, and a sense of family. Although you, my Movie Star Sisters, are in ministry for the purpose of comedy, may you draw inspiration from the compassion and love of your foremothers in ministry.

I also find it interesting that you wear full habits. Only a relative handful of sisters in the U.S. do that today. Most wear regular clothes, and some wear a modified version of a full habit. As you know, there are many theological reasons for why sisters wear what they do. Perhaps you’ve read The Transformation of American Catholic Sisters, by Quinonez and Turner–a great source of info.

You and I know that the habit wasn’t meant to be an ad for super-holiness or a way to sell products like NunZilla and the Boxing Nuns. But old images die hard in the popular imagination. Do not be discouraged, my sisters. Get out there and serve God and one another as best you can, despite the stereotypes. You may find it edifying to see Prof. Bren Ortega Murphy’s recent documentary, A Question of Habit: The Image of Women Religious in U.S. Popular Culture. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll leave wanting more! I give it two thumbs up. Also, we interviewed her in one of our podcasts—you can listen to it right on our website, on the In Good Faith podcast page.

In the meantime, my dear sisters, enjoy virtual convent life. You’ll be in the good company of other Movie Star Sisters–please say hi to Meryl, Susan, Whoopi, and of course Julie for us. And if you ever want to visit a real convent, get in touch with us here at A Nun’s Life! We’ll be glad to show you around.

Blessings and Peace,
Sister Maxine

P.S. Sister Jane, your character in Talladega Nights totally rocks! Plus you are terrific in Glee. And Sister Jennifer, you can be part of our choir any time! Also a confession: I don’t plan to see the Three Stooges movie, as I’ve never been a stooges fan. But I’ll keep you all in prayer for a good opening day.

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Run the Good Race

Guest Blogger — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:19:35 +0000

“I’m training for a marathon.”

The words are like magic. They surprise, confuse, and even inspire awe from time to time. They excuse all manner of quirks, too–nobody questions my choice to eat a big honking ice cream sundae when I can justify it as necessary preparation for a 15-mile run the next morning, and few people have the nerve to laugh at me when I hobble around like an old lady because I tweaked my hamstring during my fartlek workout. (Some people laugh at me for using the word “fartlek”, though. For the record, it is a real word.)

What about this statement is so impressive? In my humble opinion, it’s the mental picture that appears in our minds when we think of a marathon. Ever since Phidippides ran the 26 miles from Marathon to Athens in Ancient Greece, the race has represented the human tradition of meeting–and making friends with–our physical limits. Upon mention of the word, we imagine smiling men and women striding gracefully across the finish line–of course, they would be tired after 26.2 miles, but they have transcended the boundaries of exhaustion and found themselves in a state of calm and happiness.

Well… not necessarily.

First of all, the marathon experience is often more about the training than it is about the actual race. True, nobody gets a medal for finishing their training, it’s rarely televised, and I’ve never worn a number on my shirt when I go out for a Saturday morning run. But the training takes at least 16 weeks, not counting the “base mileage” that must be in place beforehand (most beginner training plans recommend the ability to run at least 5 miles comfortably before starting Week 1). Getting myself out the door for all of those runs felt like just as much of an accomplishment as the one day where I showed up at the starting line and ran 26.2 miles.

Second of all, training is so much more than running. Attention to factors like weight training, cross-training, and core work can make or break a race. Food issues–too much, not enough, or the wrong kind–can leave a runner hurting, and poor clothing choices can spell doom on a long run.

That brings me to Third of all: running a marathon is hard. By mile 22 or so, I was pretty miserable. My legs were jello; it was all I could do to keep them moving. I tried stopping and walking, but it didn’t feel any better–plus, I knew that running would get me to the finish line faster, so I stuck with that as much as possible. I never wanted to see water or energy drinks EVER AGAIN, and if one more person said “you’re almost there!” I was going to scream.

However, Fourth of all is really important: I did reach a point where the pain was worth it. I thought of people who would love to be able to do what I was doing, of people who supported me, and dedicated a mile–or a half mile, or a few steps–to them. I felt as if, for a little while, I was standing on the edge of something bigger than myself, and it was both energizing and humbling.

So when I run in Ann Arbor on the 17th of June, will I glide over the finish line, smiling serenely? Absolutely not. I plan to stagger across, grinning from ear to ear.

Read all of Julia’s posts as she trains for the Ann Arbor Marathon.

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

AS107 Ask Sister – are nuns a topic in Women’s Studies, following God’s call into chaos, saying yes to God when you’re tempted to say no, and more!

The Nuns — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:04:44 +0000

AS107 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 28, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Dr. Margaret Susan Thompson. Topics include: nuns in history books, following God’s call into chaos, saying yes to God when tempted to say no, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

SPECIAL GUEST: Dr. Margaret Susan Thompson, professor of History at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, where she also holds appointments in the departments of religion, political science, and women and gender studies.

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I want to study the history of Catholic sisters. Can I find that in a Women’s Studies course? In a U.S. History course?
Why does history include primarily the experience of men but not women (let alone nuns)?
In ecclesiastical history, which is often organized by a bishop’s term of office, where do Catholic sisters and nuns fit into that kind of organizational scheme?
Dr. Thompson offers suggestions around how to research the history of congregations of women religious
What if I take a risk and follow where I think God is calling me, and then all hell breaks loose? Is it a sign I should quit? Is God testing me or what? The nuns discuss a number of themes including Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s understanding of consolation and Saint Alphonsus of Liguori’s understanding of “il distacco” or “detachment“
In scripture, Mary said yes to God without hesitation. But what if we’re tempted to say no?

On the broadcast we mentioned a number of great resources on Catholic sisters and nuns in history. Check ‘em out!

Dr. Thompson’s own 18-lecture series on The History of Women Religious in the United States. The publishers of this series, Now You Know Media, have provided the first lecture for free. Listen to the Introduction and Lecture 1: Discovering Foremothers: Origins of Women’s Religious Life.
Dr. Thompson on our show “In Good Faith” back in 2011
Building Sisterhood: A Feminist History of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Women and Gender in North American Religions. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1997. (be sure to check out the bibliography which we’ll post as a PDF asap!)
Weavers of the Tapestry – the story of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland by Kathrine E. Bellamy, RSM (2006)
Rebel, reformer, religious extraordinaire: the life of Sister Irene Farmer by Geraldine Anthony (1997)
Work by Elizabeth Smythe including Wisdom Raises Her Voice: the Sisters of St. Joseph (2001)
Work by Rosa Bruno-Jofréas at the University of Ottawa on Canadian French-speaking sisters
Conference on the History of Women Religious

A Moving Experience with the Nuns

The Nuns — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:32:20 +0000

Our last move fit in a 17' truck. Might be time for an upgrade!

We have always know the Holy Spirit was in the lead of A Nun’s Life Ministry. Our role has been to keep up with where the Spirit is taking us. When the Spirit pointed us in the direction of Toledo, Ohio, we were a little surprised!

Sure we knew that the ministry was expanding like loaves and fishes but we only had one basket! It’s difficult to fit an 8-channel mixer, a 5-drawer steel file cabinet, and 3 desks in a single basket!

So when we started looking for a new space, we went out with an open mind, took in all the possibilities, and found ourselves in Toledo, Ohio!

So really, why Toledo?

We can say “Holy Toledo” all the time.
We’ll be at the edge of the Great Black Swamp, a glacially-caused wetland in northwest Ohio.
An homage to Teresa of Avila who journeyed from her home in Avila to set up a new monastery in Toledo, Spain.
Because we can go to Tony Packo’s, famous hotdogs made even more famous by Jamie Farr, a.k.a., Corporal Max Klinger on M*A*S*H*.

Oh, yeah, and a divine office that is the answer to our prayers!

Since our move will take place the second and third week of April, you can expect to see lots of moving footage as well as a couple paint-splattered nuns. We also plan to do a “moving edition” of Ask Sister to capture all the joys and tribulations of moving. If you are on Facebook, be sure to “Like” us at Facebook.com/aNunsLife where you’ll find regular real-time updates. The ministry will continue even through the move with regular blog posts, forum conversations, chat, and Praying with the Sisters.

Please keep us in your prayers as we sort, pack, and move!

Sister Madonna Buder – the Iron Nun

Guest Blogger — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:36:49 +0000

A Nun’s Life correspondent Audra Turnbull of the blog The Awkward Catholic recently spoke with marathoning nun Sister Madonna Buder. We are delighted to have this story from their conversation!

At age 81, Sister Madonna Buder is proving that she is still the “Iron Nun”. She has been invited once again to run the Boston Marathon this year. She expressed a little worry that she hasn’t found the time to train properly but said she’s ran so many marathons in her life that she “can get away with less training.”

Even though the marathons came late in Sister Madonna’s life (she started training for races at age 48) she recalls that she was a very active child. In fact, one of her favorite photographs was her as a child running away from a nurse to her father’s arms. According to Sister Madonna we have look to running in the eyes of a child. She says that it helps her to feel like the child in the picture while running.

Though she was 48 when she started training for races she’s certainly made up for lost time. Over the past 30 years she’s competed in numerous marathons and even set world records for Ironman triathlons. Today, race organizers must extend the age limit just so she can compete.

However, Sister Madonna admits that running isn’t always easy. To get her through the tough moments she says that praying for people and counting her steps helps. She also looks to Jesus carrying the cross as inspiration. “It’s easy to call out to God while running,” she says with a laugh.

For the inexperienced she gives this advice: “You know your body the best…if you need to rest; then rest.” She says to not get discouraged if you don’t meet your running goals. “(By) just doing something” can be beneficial. She also said if your legs get tired to try “skipping, walking or stretching” to break up the monogamy.

Lastly, Sister Madonna, a member of the Sisters of Christian Community, offers a few words to those considering religious life. She says that it’s important “to live out the will of God everyday; every moment.” Also, having a companion, like a spiritual director can help articulate God’s will for your life.

“It’s the most wonderful thing in the world to know that you’re doing the will of God.”

For more on Sister Madonna Buder check out her autobiography, “The Grace to Race”.

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Nun Road Trip with Pink!

The Nuns — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:15:29 +0000

Sister Maxine and Sister Julie bring you a collaborative blog post from somewhere in the midwest.

How did nuns do it in the old days? Traveling by stagecoach, steamboat, or mule? Sometimes we think it’s tough to travel by car, but at least we have Pink to sing along with as we drive these newfangled vehicles.

Imagine Saint Teresa of Avila in 16th century Spain traveling from monastery to monastery in the back of a mule cart. No Pink. No windshield wipers. Writes Mirabai Starr: “Teresa of Avila founded seventeen convents and monasteries throughout Spain. She traveled by donkey cart over rugged terrain, spending nights in squalid inns, enduring sweltering heat and bone-chilling cold.” (source: Saint Teresa of Avila, 2007, p. xxvii)

Wow and we thought it was tough to get up at 4:30 in the morning and NOT have the coffee on auto-timer.

What possesses people to do these things? These were nuns, many of whom were “cloistered” setting out beyond the monastery embarking on great adventures. They went out of their convents and their comfort zones for the sake of serving God and the world.

On this rainy morning in Chicago, we are just glad that we are not riding mules. Yet at the same time, we go forth with the same kind of energy and zeal and desire to serve God’s mission. True, we may not get ambushed by Wild West outlaws, but I’m pretty sure we’d have a good chance at talking sense into them as Sister Blandina Segale did with Billy the Kid.

What road trip stories about Catholic sisters and nuns do you know? We can’t wait to hear about them! Comment below!

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

AS106 Ask Sister – unresponsive vocations director, disappearing nuns, body language at Mass, what nuns study in the novitiate

The Nuns — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:19:59 +0000

AS106 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 21, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: unresponsive vocation directors, disappearing nuns, is religious life dying?, body language at Mass, what nuns study in the novitiate, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I’d like to be a nun who works in health care or with people with disabilities. Book mentioned: Adam: God’s Beloved by Henri Nouwen
I’ve thought about becoming a nun for a long time. But when I called the vocations director at a local convent, she never called back! What should I do? Links mentioned: How to Become a Nun and The Vocation Forum
It is a very rare thing to see a nun these days. There must have been something that not only drew the young girl to a convent but also kept here there pre-Vatican II. What happened? The nuns put to rest some incorrect information about the decline or religious life with the very good news that it is very much alive!
What is the proper hand-folding protocol at Mass? Should everyone keep their hands folded whenever we’re standing at Mass?
What do nuns study when they’re in formation? Find out how the nuns are taught not to smoke, drink, or curse!

Faith Heroes: Catholic Sisters and Nuns

Sister Julie — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:24:13 +0000

Did you see this article in Huffington Post from former British Prime Minister Tony Blair? Mr. Blair wrote “My Female Faith Hero: Catholic Sisters” (March 8, 2012) for this year’s UN International Women’s Day on his Foundation’s blog. Check out these excerpts below and be sure to read the whole article!

Tony and Cherie Blair

One of the striking features of innovative interfaith work is the very high proportion of women and girls who are involved, despite the received image of mostly male religious leaders in dialogue…. This is, of course, typical of the willingness of women of faith to make new commitments, innovate, and take risks. The women who have inspired me most recently have shared these attributes: they are the Catholic Sisters who are dealing with sexual trafficking….

Nuns work with the police, get girls out of brothels, brave local mafias. They seem a long way from the old Hollywood movie nuns with their wimples and distinctive habits, bobbing out of cloisters to smile at Bing Crosby in a clerical collar. It is hard to remember that, not too long ago, they had to seek permission from bishops to study gynaecology, and some were even advised by their Mother Superior on how to vote.

Their celibacy is chosen. They give themselves entirely to caring for trafficked women, protecting them in safe houses, educating about the dangers of “attractive” job offers overseas, helping them escape from vicious pimps, making safe their return to their families in the midst of threats. This does not make celibacy easy or less of a sacrifice. Their spirituality is not incidental either. Dealing with young traumatised women at the very beginning of their recovery from rape and sexual slavery – if they ever fully achieve it – requires that amalgam of compassion and street toughness that does not come from reading “how-to-be successful” books.

I think what I admire most is their ability to champion human dignity when human dignity is the very last thing that the people they are working with have experienced. It means swopping a cosy convent parlour for the rigours of the street and the pain of empathy with people who have experienced some of the worst that human beings can do to each other by way of degradation and enslavement. (source)

And a random shoutout to those of you who celebrating the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) — Mr. Blair became Catholic just a few years ago! Clerical Whispers had the scoop back in 2009!

Reactions? Comments? Kudos? Quandries? Have at it in the comment box below!

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Woman Who Runs with Tunes

Guest Blogger — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:34:55 +0000

Our runner Julia weighs in on music and running. Check out Julia’s other posts as she trains for a marathon and raises money for A Nun’s Life Ministry — the only nun-run social media hotspot helping people discover and grow in their vocation by engaging questions about God, faith, and religious life! Support Julia and A Nun’s Life – DONATE NOW!

I love running with music. To be precise, I can’t stand running WITHOUT music. My workouts are, without fail, dictated by the songs on my iPod shuffle, which goes with me on every run–as long as it’s not raining. (I tried that once, and the results were disastrous.) Sometimes, the only thing that gets me out the door is the knowledge that my new musical obsession is just waiting to pour through those earbuds and fill me with sound.

Nun Note: I stumbled upon this while searching in vain for a runner silhouette. I was so deeply compelled by Leia with an iPod that I decided it must be used (the Force made me do it).

I am always amazed at the powerful effect that music has on me. When I’m tense, Michelle Branch’s “Breathe” hauls me out of my slump. When I’m tired, a few bars of Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” is all I need before I’m practically dancing down the sidewalk. Sometimes, when I feel as if I just can’t go anymore, I hit the skip button furiously until I find that song–the one that I’ve been listening to on repeat for days, the one that I know will loosen up my achy legs and put a smile back on my face. Sometimes I go five miles listening to that same song over and over again.

Now, I know plenty of people who don’t need music to run; in fact, many of my runner-acquaintances prefer their workouts to be decidedly soundtrack-less.

Quite frankly, I think they’re nuts.

Then again, music has always been a huge part of my life. I often associate songs with memories and emotions; so strong are these connections that at times an unfortunate event has ruined a perfectly agreeable song–or the correlation of a tune with a wonderful friend has me grinning from the time I hear those first notes. This has worked in my favor as I have embarked on my training. The songs that Sister Julie and Sister Maxine play after podcasts have expanded my musical horizons, and many of them have ended up in my music library; as a result, when I hear those songs I often associate them with my A Nun’s Life peeps! They come on during my runs and not only do they make me run faster, they also remind me to pray for my friends. One of the things that I love about NL is the amazing network of prayer that exists here, and I am so happy to be able to add to that.

Rock and run, friends.

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

The Dogs sing of Lent

Sister Maxine — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:38:10 +0000

The first time I heard music by the group called the Dogma Dogs was in theological school. My professor, seeing the students drift off a bit in the middle of our two-hour afternoon class, cranked up the song “Lent.” Next on the playlist was the dance tune, “21 Ecumenical Councils,” followed by the rock classic, “Pharaoh.” It was the comic break that we needed!

The songs are actually for helping children learn about their Catholic faith. But for adults, the songs have a cleverness that makes them funny, sort of like a “Grammar Rock” for religion.

So have a listen to the Dogma Dogs clips below, but beware — you might hear the words “Lent, Lent, Time to Repent” replay in your head all day.

Click PLAY below: Dogma Dogs, “Lent”

Click PLAY below: Dogma Dogs, “21 Ecumenical Councils”

Click PLAY below: Dogma Dogs, “Pharaoh”

Do you have a song recommendation for Lent or other seasons in the church year? We’d love to hear about them!

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

IGF015 In Good Faith with guest David Nantais

The Nuns — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 07:32:18 +0000

IGF015 In Good Faith with drummer David Nantais, recorded live on March 14, 2012. Produced by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include the spiritual roots of rock music, redeeming qualities of “the devil’s music,” music as a spiritual exercise, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Drummer and author David Nantais

What can rock music teach us about God? Quite a lot, according to David Nantais. Dave is the author of the book Rock-a My Soul: An Invitation to Rock Your Religion. He’s also the director of campus ministry at the University Detroit Mercy. A rock drummer, Dave has played in numerous bands over the past 20+ years, including a band called Skill-o-Bexx. He has attended over 150 rock shows since 1986.

Show Notes:

A brief history of rock music–and its transformation from “the devil’s music” to prayer.
A listener who wasn’t alive for most of the 70s or 80s asks Dave for advice to a newcomer to rock and roll — what are some “must hear” songs?
The inspiration for the band name, Skill-o-Bexx.
How campus ministry, biochemistry, theology and rock fit together for Dave.
Dave talks about the African influences on rock music
Dave’s playlist for rock music with soul: “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by the Who, “Human Touch” by Bruce Springsteen, and anything by Kings X

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

Sister Janet Mead — a REAL rocker nun

Sister Julie — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:06:38 +0000

Sister Janet Mead, RSM, is one of the best known rocker nuns! She is a Catholic sister belonging to the Sisters of Mercy in Adelaide, South Australia. Her recording of a rock version of The Lord’s Prayer reached #3 on the Australian Singles Chart and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award and a Golden Gospel Award in 2004. (source)

On the album With You I Am (1974), Sister Janet writes:

“I believe that life is a unity and therefore not divided into compartments. That means that worship, music, recreation, work and all other ‘little boxes’ of our lives are really inseparable and this is why I believe that people should be given the opportunity to worship God with the language and music that is part of their ordinary life. The words of the songs on this record almost all come from books of the Bible, which so richly expresses the longings of our heart, our loneliness, our joy, our dependence on God, our desire to love our fellow man and to live in peace. We all recognise these yearnings — they are ours and are common to each of our lives.”

Here she is with the single “The Lord’s Prayer,” December 20, 1973, from the album.

On In Good Faith tomorrow we’ll ask rock drummer David Nantais if there are any “Sister Janet Mead” influences in his music! Join us at 6 p.m. CT and be sure to invite all the rockers in your social media circles to join us! More info at aNunsLife.org/ingoodfaith.

Be sure to check out Sister Janet Mead’s website for more info on her and her music legacy!

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Nuns Rock!

Sister Julie — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:41:41 +0000

This past weekend we had a big meeting of IHM Sisters at our Mothership in Monroe, Michigan. One of my nuns had said something awesome and I exclaimed, “You rock!” She looked at me with a rather disturbed look. “Why are you calling me a rock?” I LOL’d and explained what that meant, and included a Pete Townshend signature move!

I was never much of a rocker in my former life — my music landscape was pretty much Peter, Paul, and Mary and Neil Diamond (thank you, Mom and Dad)! I still adore their music but along the way I found Whitney Houston and Duran Duran (and then there were the dark years of dance music in college).

Now in my later years, I am re-discovering rock music, including that sometimes frightening category of Christian rock! NL peeps (that is, people who hang out in the A Nun’s Life community on chat, or the forum, or on Facebook), have introduced Sister Maxine and myself to Kutless, Superchick, and others. The classic for me of course is U2 though they crossed the line into mainstream rock. I am also rather partial towards hip hop and heart TobyMac and have the sweatshirt to prove it.

I am totally looking forward to taking with rock drummer David Nantais this Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT on the live broadcast of In Good Faith — all are welcome! David is the author of Rock-a My Soul: An Invitation to Rock Your Religion We’ll be talking with him about rock music and the spiritual life!

I’ve been working fervently to have at least one song ready to play on my electric guitar (that’s right, nuns play electric guitar). But I tell you, “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” is a tough one! (I was inspired by my 2.75 year old nephew.)

Tell us about your forays into rock music! What’s up in the world of Catholic rock music (is there such a thing??)? What’s the connection to your spiritual life?

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Run for the Nuns

Guest Blogger — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:52:19 +0000

A Nun’s Life is gearing up for another FUNraiser! This time NL community member, Julia, is lacing up her running shoes and running a marathon in June to raise funds for this ever-growing ministry. Almost every week we’ll hear from Julia about her training and have guest bloggers speak about the spirituality of running.

Hi! My name is Julia. I’m 24 years old, and I live in south-central Pennsylvania. I’m a practicing runner, and a practicing Catholic.

Stick with me… this will make sense in a minute, I promise.

I come from a family of runners. Both of my parents are marathoners several times over, and my younger brother is a high school cross-country and track star. In our house, you either run or you are quickly left behind. I didn’t start running until college, and let me tell you, it’s been a rocky relationship to say the least. I’m beginning to find my groove, though, and the feeling of accomplishment I get after a long run is unlike anything else I’ve found.

The endorphins–or “instant happy”, as I like to call them–aren’t awful either.

I’m about to embark on something that I like to call “marathon training.” Marathon training is a magical journey in which I sacrifice 16 weeks of my life running lots of miles so that I can have the unique experience of running 26.2 miles all at once and wishing that my legs would just fall off so I wouldn’t have to finish this stupid race. (That’s my anticipated sentiment around mile 24 or so.) I have done this once before; in September of 2009, I ran the Via marathon in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Now, this experience means more to me than just the act of training and running, because I’ve decided to run this one for the nuns.

(Yes, really.)

A few months ago, I stumbled across this AMAZING website called aNunsLife.org… perhaps you’ve heard of it! I was completely thrilled to experience such a warm welcome from the fantastic community here at NL, and I soon found myself trying to think of ways that I could contribute to this ministry.

Then it hit me. I said to myself, “self, I know you don’t always like running, but what do you think of a marathon fundraiser?”

I thought for a moment, and replied, “well, self, I think you’re OUT OF YOUR MIND.” (It took a brand new pair of running shoes and the promise of a HUGE ice cream sundae after the race before I relented.) I’ll be running the Ann Arbor Marathon on Sunday, June 17th, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Here’s the important part: YOU. That’s right; YOU, dear reader, are the most vital piece in this whole process. You see, without your support, this fundraiser won’t go anywhere. Keep reading my training updates, and please consider making a donation either here at aNunsLife.org or by check (more details to come about that.) Give what you can; I’ll do all the legwork, I promise! (Pun intended.)

Long story short: here I am, training to run for the nuns. I’ll be chronicling my preparations for the race on my tumblr (http://runforthenuns.tumblr.com/), as well as writing periodic blog posts here, and I promise some cool photos–and good laughs. (Spoiler alert: I fall down a lot.) Stay tuned!

Read all of Julia’s posts as she trains for the Ann Arbor Marathon in June!

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer and chat tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live. All the prayer leaders converge tonight at prayer! (Tune in to find out what that enigmatic statement means!)

Join our “Quest for the Living God” Book Discussion

Sister Julie — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 07:59:23 +0000

A number of folks in the A Nun’s Life Community wanted to engage in some good spiritual reading during Lent and Easter. The community chose the book Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in the theology of God by Sister Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ (New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc, 2007).

The book discussion takes place on A Nun’s Life Community Forum and begins now! All you need is to sign up on the forum (free and easy to do) and engage in the discussion! Here’s the schedule:

By March 10, 2012 — Obtain the book and read the Introduction

Chapter 01 — March 11 to 17
Chapter 02 — March 18 to 24
Chapter 03 — March 25 to 31
Chapter 04 — April 1 to 7
Chapter 05 — April 8 to 14
Chapter 06 — April 15 to 21
Chapter 07 — April 22 to 28
Chapter 08 — April 29 to May 5
Chapter 09 — May 6 to 12
Chapter 10 — May 13 to 20

Finale TBD

This is a great opportunity to deepen you spiritual life and to engage with a fabulous faith community. This is our first book discussion and we look forward to many more!

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

AS105 Ask Sister – spiritual inventory, the nuns advise celebrity about the convent and sensible shoes, health care nuns in Europe, when nuns sing, test your nun knowledge

The Nuns — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:48:14 +0000

AS105 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 7, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. With special guest Audra Turnbull. Topics include: spiritual inventory, advice to a celebrity, singing nuns, finding patience, picking a religious order, etc.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

SPECIAL GUEST: Audra Turnbull, author of the blog The Awkward Catholic.

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How to take stock of your spiritual life using a spiritual inventory. Consider the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love; the Beatitudes, the Examen of Consciousness, the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, Mindfulness, and more as helps in taking stock of your spiritual life.
A celebrity seeks to escape the pressures of the world. The nuns offer advice about discernment, religious life, the convent, and sensible shoes.
Our guest, Audra, tests her knowledge on the fine points of religious life. Questions that people often have about religious life … but hesitate to ask. For example, are nuns allowed to throw snowballs? Check out the video below for a preliminary response from Winter 2011!
What to do about being impatient?
What is the difference between enclosed and cloistered?
How to pick a religious community when there are so many?

Declaring Yourself a Nun … Not

Sister Julie — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:40:36 +0000

I am sure Caroline Flack thinks it was kind of clever to declare herself a nun after rumors about her relationship habits. Flack, the TV cohost of “reality companion show” The Xtra Factor (another Simon Cowell production), reportedly tweeted, “Decided I won’t make eye contact with a male human being again. Going to become a nun.” (source)

But you know, Caroline, many have tried to pull the nun card when they were in similar situations. Think Sinead who got married shortly after making her nun declaration. Think Emma Pooley (one of your country women) who declared her cycling fail to riding “like a nun in a habit”. In fact there was even a Facebook group dedicated to people declaring their nunhood after a bad relationship, too many relationships, or no relationships at all! Dear Natalie Portman and Heather Graham have also wrangled with nun-related issues.

Sure it’s a fun publicity stunt to draw attention, but in the meantime, you manage to reinforce a rather disrespectful stereotype of Catholic sisters and nuns. It sounds something like this:

“My boyfriend/girlfriend left me so I’m going to become a nun.”
“Since I can’t get a man then I guess I’ll become a nun.”
“If I’m not in a relationship (or several) then I must be a nun.”

Basically being a nun is equated with not having a romantic relationship or not having sex. Never mind those pesky distractions like prayer, mission, ministry, and community. Consecrated celibacy, which is what we Catholic sisters and nuns profess, fits into a whole life commitment that is dedicated to God, and it is an adventure the likes of which would blow your mind!

I encourage you, Caroline, to understand what a nun’s life is really like before you make comments that are inaccurate and disparaging. Perhaps then when you declare yourself a nun, it will be because you have reached beyond yourself to help another person, or because you have immersed yourself in loving kindness, or because you have noticed the great beauty in your life and in the world around you.

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today. And don’t forget! Tomorrow is Ask Sister where you and Caroline can ask any question you’d like about being a nun!

Nuns on Lent

Sister Julie — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:02:11 +0000

Lent is a wonderfully fertile time for the soul. What do Catholic sisters and nuns have to say about Lent? Here are a few selections from across the nunosphere. What nugget of wisdom strikes you?

Lenten Reflections: Ash Wednesday – Sister Mary Zirbes, Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls

What Should I Give Up For Lent? – by Sister Margaret Dorgan, Carmelite Nuns of Eldridge, Iowa

“And we are [Jesus'] messengers who convey love and comfort to those whose emotional reserves are so depleted. In our fragile world, no age is free of losses. Christian compassion reaches out wherever we see sorrow. And Lent can be a time for opening our eyes to the sadness we have not paid that much attention to in our own small circle.”

Lent and Vocation Discernment – by the Dominican Nuns of Ireland

“Lent is always a very fruitful time for those extra little ‘nudges’ that God gives… So for those of you who are discerning your Vocation, embrace Lent this year as a particularly graced period for discernment!”

Gracious, Spacious, and Precious: Lent 2012 – by Sister Denise Wilkinson, Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana

“I’m exploring notions about making my prayer deliberately mindful of those persons and beliefs that are different from mine; prayer mindful of those who consistently fall under my radar and attention because I’m simply not paying attention to the people and issues of Earth. Mindful of the all-encompassing embrace of Providence, I will consciously widen my own embrace of the other, the least, the oppressed.”

And don’t forget to see what the nuns here at A Nun’s Life have to say about Lent!

Lent: desert and/or dessert?

Lent — a time to anticipate this summer’s reading list!

I NEED SILENCE, shouts the nun!

AS064 Ask Sister – confession and reconciliation, chapel veils, Lent, and more!

Lent, Repent, Reinvent

AS062 Ask Sister – spiritual poverty, preparing for Lent, ways to pray, and more!

Lent and the A-word

Lenten Fasts

And so Lent begins

Lent Gives Way to Easter

AS104 Ask Sister – self denial as a spiritual act, Jesus and the widow’s mite, why God answers some prayers but not others, does God hear our prayers

The Nuns — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:22:12 +0000

AS104 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 1, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: self denial as a spiritual act, Jesus and the widow’s mite, why God answers some prayers but not others, and does God hear our prayers

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Self-denial as a spiritual act–is there meaning in making a sacrifice?
What to do when asked to give to a good cause? Revisiting the Gospel story of the widow’s mite (Mk 12:38-44).
Why does God answer some prayers…but not others?
Does God really listen to our prayers?

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/ and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Is self-denial a spiritual act?

Guest Blogger — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 07:03:51 +0000

We welcome again writer Kerri Leigh Power as our guest blogger today.

Two years ago, my husband’s elderly mother passed away, and we spent several days cleaning out the house where she had lived for sixty years. As we sorted and packed belongings, deciding what to donate and what to keep in her memory, we unearthed many hidden treasures from her long life. Among them were three colourful little cans that I found in the bottom of a dusty cookie jar.

I wasn’t familiar with them, but my husband told me they were Lenten offering cans left over from his boyhood in the ‘60s. The idea was to put the money you would have spent on candy or other pleasures during Lent into the jar, and then offer the donation at Easter.

I was charmed by the cans and the images of Jesus that seemed to belong to another time. I was also reminded of my own years in an all-girl Catholic school. I’m sure the nuns did their best to teach us about the meaning of the Lenten season, but as kids we made a game out of Lent — gossiping about who was giving up what, or trying to outdo each other by claiming that we would give up something unthinkable, like Coke, or even chocolate.

Recently I’ve begun to explore my own long-buried Catholic roots. Now, for the first time in my adult life, I’m entering the season of Lent consciously, and wondering what it means. Should I give up something I enjoy? Will this deepen my relationship with God? How can my sacrifice become more than a surface act of self-denial, and take me into deeper spiritual terrain? I look forward to exploring these questions in the coming weeks and seeing what new and unexpected treasures turn up.

Do you find meaning in making a sacrifice during Lent?

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Continue the conversation using the comment area below AND tune into Ask Sister tomorrow night where the nuns go live on the topic of denying oneself and taking up one’s cross. And be sure to join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

Nun on Red Carpet: Mother Dolores Hart

Sister Julie — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:00:17 +0000

What’s a cloistered nun like you doing at an awards show like this? That was the question on many a star’s mind last night. Reverend Mother Dolores Hart graced the red carpet at last night’s Oscars. Perez Hilton snagged a great clip where Mother Dolores steals the show from Tim Gunn and Maya Rudolph when she appears to the right during the primetime red carpet interview.

So what was she doing there? For one, she stars in Academy-nominated God Is the Bigger Elvis, a film about her journey from actor to nun. The award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) eluded her, but I’m guessing she celebrated with the folks of the Pakistani documentary film Saving Face. Mother Dolores also happens to be a card-carrying member of the Academy. She faithfully reviews the movies, including (insert exaggerated gasp) R-rated movies. I love this quote from Mother Dolores:

“I’m not afraid of sex in [movies],” she said. “Sex is not evil; it’s part of life . . . watching movies always tells me what’s happening in civilization and how much people are suffering.” (source)

It’s cool to have nuns represented in do many sectors of life including the movies! Mother Dolores is a cloistered Benedictine nun at the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut.

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

Hospitality–creating a space for mourning

Sister Maxine — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:48:00 +0000

Yesterday I attended a funeral service in a Christian church in a small town. The parking lot was packed. People of all ages squeezed into pews, sitting elbow-to-elbow to make room for all. The love and respect in the worship space were tangible.

When the pastor spoke, he articulated the spirit that I felt in the church. He talked about hospitality, and how it creates a space for mourning.

He urged the assembly to embrace their feelings about the death of their loved one – to grieve, to celebrate a life well lived, to be angry, peaceful, joyful, sad. The pastor didn’t suggest that they should just be happy that their loved one was now with God, or that they should simply be stoic.

It’s hard to let go of the people we love. In times of grief, it’s hard to believe the psalmist’s words–that our despair can be turned into a dance. But the small-town church was a space where people were free to bring all their emotions to God, trusting that the Spirit would be with them, offering consolation and healing and hope.

The church service reminded me of the unselfish nature of hospitality. Hospitality has no hidden agenda. It has no answers or quick fixes. It is open to mystery. It lets people take their time.

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

AS103 Ask Sister – guest nuns join our hosts, living the life of Jesus, too much bling in church, ways to pray in everyday life

The Nuns — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:00:56 +0000

AS103 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 22, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Sr. Marie Gabriel and Sr. Dorothy guest nuns, living the life of Jesus, too much bling in church, ways to pray in everyday life, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Sister Dorothy and Sister Marie Gabriel share their stories about the journey to religious life.
What does it mean to “live the life of Jesus”? How the gospel stories influence our lives.
Opulence in the church. What about fancy vestments, expensive church buildings, etc., in the face of poverty and need in the world? WWJD?
Churches as praise to God and as a reflection of the image of God.
Walking outdoors, poetry, music, meditation, and other ways to pray in everyday life.

Lent: desert and/or dessert?

Sister Julie — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:59:06 +0000

Mardi Gras is here and that means it is Catholic party time! Enjoy the day, but don’t forget the best part of the part — the desert! Or is it the dessert?! I was reflecting on today’s Take Five for Faith and I inadvertently switched the “desert” in here to “dessert”.

Preparation is crucial for a meaningful celebration. Advent prepares us for Christmas, Lent prepares us for Easter, and Mardi Gras prepares us for Lent. These alternating seasons of quiet and celebration help us notice and appreciate the fact that God is found not only in austerity and prayer but also in music and celebration. As a result, we experience the sustaining presence of God in every aspect of our lives. A good Mardi Gras will help us have a good Lent. A good Lent, in turn, ensures a spiritually rich Easter, which is the ultimate goal. So go ahead and celebrate Mardi Gras today! Decorate your home, gather with friends, enjoy some good food. Tomorrow you enter the desert.

That’s right, I thought it said that tomorrow I enter the dessert. That to me sounded a lot better than entering the desert (or the dragon for that matter).

Desert and dessert seem to have such opposite meanings and so whether you are entering one or the other can make a HUGE difference! The desert is often used, though not terribly correctly, as a symbol of lifelessness, vastness, and oppressive conditions . It can seem hostile and unwelcoming. Desserts, on the other hand, are sweet, lush, and luxurious. We turn to them for comfort and for celebration.

And so now I am left with this curious image of Lent — how is it both desert and dessert? If that isn’t enough to blow one’s mind check this out — the word “dessert” is actually Middle French, from desservir to clear the table, from des-de- + servir to serve, from Latin servire (Merriam-Webster). So dessert might actually be an apt image for us during Lent — to take time to clear the table and to prepare to serve.

Tell us your thoughts on desert and dessert as you prepare for Lent!

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For kicks and inspiration, listen to one of our famous podcasts on Mardi Gras. Also, don’t forget, we are doing a live broadcast of Ask Sister from a secret location tomorrow (Wednesday). And finally, join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

Rite of Awesome – The Elect and The Candidates

Sister Julie — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:04:41 +0000

On Sunday I had the privilege of being part of the Rite of Sending, the Rite of Election, and the Call to Conversion which were celebrated first at Saint Clement Church where my friend is in formation to become a Catholic and later in the day at Holy Name Cathedral, the home parish of all of us Chicagolanders.

In the course of the celebrations, I had an opportunity to mingle and talk with the newly Elect (formerly “catechumens”, people being baptized for the first time) and the Candidates (person coming from another Christian tradition or renewing their own Catholic faith). I was so moved by their commitment and their palpable joy in this moment and in their journey toward full communion with the Catholic Church. They are a fantastic group of women and men, with a most excellent good shepherd in their primary catechist, Christina Bax, Pastoral Associate and Director of Evangelization at Saint Clement.

Cardinal George presided at The Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion and gave a scripturally robust homily that was so encouraging to those gathered. And I was struck once again by these words of the Rite which the Cardinal proclaimed with such solemnity: “Christ’s body, the Church, recognizes your desire.”

Here’s some photos from the celebration. As we enter into the Lenten journey toward Easter, let us pray that with the Elect and the Candidates, we too might hear God’s call to conversion, “strive courageously to reach the fullness of truth,” and faithfully live our baptism.

Holy Name Cathedral

Francis Cardinal George

Christina Bax holds high the Book of the Elect

The Cardinal with The Elect and The Candidates

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

Nun 1.0 — Romantic, but is it accurate?

Sister Julie — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:08:26 +0000

“Do not think I am sitting here to pass the time away telling you that
religious life is poetry. It is the roughest kind of prose.”
- Mother Justina Reilly, IHM (b. 1848)

Tis the season to be romantic — an awesome thing to behold! Just a few letters away however, is the word romanticize — and that can be anything BUT awesome.

Let me start with my unabashed biases:

I love religious life.
I love being a Catholic sister in community with my nuns.
I never lived pre-Vatican II religious life having been born after the fact.
I love all things “nun” — from old-school nun stories, finding a beloved copy of Bernie Becomes a Nun, bumping giddily into nuns at the airport, meeting corporate board room sisters, and more!
…. I honestly can’t help myself!

Sister Chloe the Convent Cat reads "Bernie Becomes a Nun"

Given #3 above, I have spent a lot of time reading and asking questions and learning about religious life not only in my Sitz im Leben but religious life throughout the years, across the globe, and spanning theologies and cultures. I’m no expert, but my explorations have been enough to give me a good flavor of religious life as a whole and to see myself situated within it.

One of the challenges in not having experiencing religious life before the second Vatican Council is that we can sometimes romanticize what it was like — nuns in their flowing habits, serenity and silence, compliance both within and outside of the convent, blissful singing and playing of guitar, etc. Aspects of these things were and continue to be accurate and beautiful! Yet it gets a little dicey when we begin to imagine that that is all it was or when we focus only on the poetry of religious life and forget the rugged prose.

In addition to the sisters and nuns whom I know, there are many great resources to check out in terms of seeing what religious life was and is really like. For historical scholarship I always turn to Dr. Margaret Susan Thompson, the leading expert on the history of Catholic sisters and nuns in the United States. Here are some links for Dr. Thompson:

Guest appearance on In Good Faith – an hour-long show including a section where Dr. Thompson discusses what “the “good old days” of religious life was actually like.
An 18-lecture series on The History of Women Religious in the United States. The publishers of this series, Now You Know Media, have provided the first lecture for free. Listen to the Introduction and Lecture 1: Discovering Foremothers: Origins of Women’s Religious Life.
“Concentric Circles of Sisterhood” – an essay that appears in the book Building Sisterhood: A Feminist History of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe, Michigan (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1997)
Faculty and publications information at her page on Maxwell School of Syracuse University

For theological and scriptural scholarship I turn to my own nun, Sister Sandra Schneiders.

Guest appearance on our very first episode of In Good Faith
Another guest appearance for our A Nun’s Life fundraiser where Sister Sandra talked about saints, saints, and more saints! Father James Martin, SJ, is also featured on this podcast — he’s got some great stuff on religious life and vocations as well!
A series of essays on religious life initially published by National Catholic Reporter and now gathered in the book Prophets in Their Own Country
Books on religious life by Sandra Schneiders

This is only a smattering of what is out there, but very good places to begin!

So let’s talk about past and present religious life? What are “romanticizations” that you’ve encountered? What questions do you have about “the good old days” and today?

P.S. Check out the last night’s Ask Sister where we tangled with this topic as well — recording will be up by Saturday!

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

AS102 Ask Sister – Would you have become a nun in the old days? Hopeful husband-to-be wonders if convent trumps marriage, online vocational resources, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:23:17 +0000

AS102 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 16, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: becoming a nun in the old days? hopeful husband-to-be wonders if convent trumps marriage, online vocation help, professional nuns, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What do today’s teenagers think about nuns?
I have known a dear friend for over two years. One day I wish to be her husband. However she is seeking a life as a nun. Should I keep my feelings to myself in fear I may be in her way to a life as a sister, or should I confess my feelings?
I have seen a few convents that have weekend retreats where women can go to experience what it is like. Is there any website where I can get a list of all convents that have these events? Be sure to check out Vision Vocation Network!

- Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace
- Poor Clares of New Jersey
- Redemptoristine Nuns
  More info on scoping out nuns at aNunsLife.org/comeandsee – links to resources to help discern how to become a sister or nun

What to do if you don’t get a good vibe from a religious community? Does that mean you don’t have a vocation?
Can you be a speech language pathologist and a nun too?
Knowing what you know now about past nun life, as opposed to modern day nun life, would you have joined then, or not?

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/ and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

From the Letter of James–be quick and slow!

Sister Maxine — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:18:39 +0000

“Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.”
- James 1:19-20

In today’s world, it seems like everyone has something to say. There’s nothing wrong with that (I say as I type these words). But James’ letter reminds us to listen before we speak or react to what others say or do.

Listening is easy to do – when I agree with what I hear. But when I hear something that’s totally not what I agree with, it’s much more challenging. Yet James’ letter doesn’t say I have to agree with everything I hear! But it urges me to respond in Christ-like way.

What James does ask of me is to respect differences of opinion – to stand in my own truth while allowing others to stand in their own truth. My prayer for today is to listen carefully to other people, especially those whose political, religious, or social viewpoints are very different from my own.

While it might be tempting today to avoid conversations on controversial topics, I will remind myself instead to listen without judging others or myself and in doing so to cultivate a spirit of patience and acceptance in the world.

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

Love, Uninterrupted

Sister Julie — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:21:16 +0000

Ah, love. It is good, isn’t it! No matter how crazy this day gets commercially, I still get a kick out of giving and receiving “valentines”, seeing little red and pink hearts everywhere, and hearing the sweet stories of valentine celebrations.

As a Catholic Sister, I still enjoy the romanticness of the day, though of course the celebrations are different today than my “pre-nun” days. And, my sense of what love is has evolved over the years too as I’m sure it has for you as well.

Here are a few quotes that speak to me about how I see love now … please share some of your own!

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.” – Father Pedro Arrupe, SJ (talk given to a group of religious sisters per Father Kevin F. Burke, SJ)

“As for what concerns our relations with our fellow men [sic], the anguish in our neighbor’s soul must break all precept. All that we do is a means to an end, but love is an end in itself, because God is love.” – Saint Teresa Benedict of the Cross (Edith Stein) (source unknown)

“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” — Saint Augustine (source unknown)

“It is not so essential to think much as to love much.” — Saint Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, Fourth Mansions 1.7)

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

An old nun and a young woman

Sister Julie — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:55:59 +0000

I was at our IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan, this past weekend. It is always great to be home and to hang out with my nuns. I want to tell you about this amazing moment that happened at the Sunday Eucharist. Chapel of course was filled with IHM Sisters, associates, family and friends of the community, and a variety of visitors.

I was sitting about midway back and in front of me was the family of one of our sisters who is in health care. Sister was in a wheelchair at the side of the row. Next to her was this precious young woman, a grandniece perhaps, maybe in her late teens, early twenties. The young woman had on a bright fuchsia and had fabulous blue-painted nails. She emanated vitality and youth!

When I first saw the family, I thought how sweet it was that they were here and wondered briefly what the young woman might have been feeling sitting there with her aunt and surrounded by so many adults and elders. I wondered if she felt uncomfortable or nervous or out of place. It didn’t take long for me to find out that my fleeting thought was far from the truth.

Around the time of the homily, the young woman turned toward her aunt and smiled – a long, beaming smile. She reached gently for her aunt’s hand and for a few minutes the two just looked at one another with this profound tenderness and love. For the rest of Mass, they remained this way, hand in hand.

I don’t remember the homily or much of the rest of Mass but I can tell you that in that moment an old nun and a young woman preached one of the most powerful homilies I will ever have the privilege of witnessing.

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

Feast of St. Scholastica

Sister Maxine — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:05:06 +0000

Today is the feast of St. Scholastica (d 543 CE), a remarkable woman who has influenced spiritual seekers to this day! Among her life’s work was the founding of a monastery of nuns just a few miles from the monastery established by her famous brother, Benedict.

A year ago, Benedictine sister Lynne Smith described St. Scholastica’s life and ministry during an Ask Sister podcast. We’re delighted to offer this recording of Sister Lynne’s story of St. Scholastica!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

AS101 Ask Sister – how nuns elect their leaders, congregational leadership positions, the common good, and a myriad of images of God

The Nuns — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:01:14 +0000

AS101 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 9, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: how nuns elect their community leaders, saying no to nun smear campaigns, the common good, the book of Genesis, varied images of God and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

The IHM sisters recently elected a new leadership team. How is this done? Do sisters run against each other? Are there term limits? Is the process similar for most orders?
What about general chapter for contemplative monasteries or for international communities? And differences or similarities?
A listener named Anna talks about her joys and challenges in reading the book of Genesis and encountering a myriad of images of God — are there any wrong images of God? What happens when one image is used as the only image of God?
Mentioned in the broadcast: “Are Our Images of God Growing?” by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M. in Catholic Update

In Good Faith with guest Meredith Gould

The Nuns — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:42:25 +0000

IGF014 In Good Faith with Meredith Gould, recorded live on February 8, 2012. Produced by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: real-life ups and downs in ministry, the domestic church, social media in parishes, insights from Judaism, religious kitsch.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Meredith Gould

Meredith Gould the author of eight books, including The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions(Doubleday) and Why Is There a Menorah on the Altar? (Morehouse) and most recently, Getting #Married, Using Social Media to Celebrate the Sacred. She’s founding moderator of the weekly Twitter-based chat about church social media (#chsocm) and blogs about culture and faith at More Meredith Gould.

Show Notes:

How Meredith’s faith journey led to full-time ministry using social media
The practical challenges of responding to the call to service–and making a living in the process
Home-based rituals that extend practices of the faith into the “domestic church”
The foundational role of Ignatian spirituality
How Judaism informs Meredith’s understanding of Catholic Christianity
Religious kitsch as an expression of spiritual passion
Encouraging the use of social media in the parish–risks, successes, and new insights
The power of social media for evangelization
Advice for others who seek to use social media for ministry

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

What is General Chapter?

Sister Julie — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:32:57 +0000

At the end of January, Sister Maxine and I had the awesome privilege of attending our congregation‘s General Chapter. It was a week long and consisted in prayer, community, study, conversation, reflection, and decision-making. Our primary decisions were to embrace a specific direction for our congregation over the next 6 years and to elect a new leadership team.

Although Chapter is part and parcel of our life as Catholic sisters and nuns today, it might seem like a secret event veiled in mystery for those outside of religious life! So, here’s a bit more about what Chapter is. I am drawing here from my brother Redemptorists who provide a great intro on General Chapter.

The General Chapter is a visible expression of a fundamental sense of democracy that lies at the heart of religious life. This democracy is based on the radical equality of all the members by virtue of their baptism and their religious consecration, hence their common vocation to be prophets or spokespersons for God. In this sense, a General Chapter resembles more the gathering of Mary and the apostles at Pentecost than a modern parliament or congress. The participants in the General Chapter gather in the name of Jesus Christ, confident that his Spirit will help us to accomplish our work.

What are those tasks? The General Chapter must first take an honest look at the state of the Congregation… This examination should then lead the Chapter members to face honestly certain discomforting questions: are we faithful to our mission or have we slid into mediocrity? What is the Lord asking of us today? How are we being asked to change? The General Chapter will offer specific directives for the whole Congregation as it proposes a path to help [religious] live more authentically their … vocation. Finally, the delegates will elect the leadership of the Congregation for the next six years … (source: Redemptorist website)

For our IHM General Chapter, we had a gathering of over 150 IHM Sisters and were joined for some parts of Chapter by our IHM Associates and others who could be of great help in our discernment and decision-making. One of the best parts was that we come together from across the globe, across ministries, across generations, across cultures and gather under one roof. It was a visible expression of the community we experience with one another every day of our religious life no matter where we are.

What questions do you have about Chapter or related topics? Sister Maxine and I are going to tackle the subject on this week’s Ask Sister Podcast so let’s get the conversations started now!

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

Reinvent Yourself

Sister Julie — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:33:41 +0000

As a Catholic, I feel blessed to have not one but two Madonnas in my life. I of course adore Mary the Mother of God but I also dig Madonna the performing artist! I blogged about Madonna and discernment a few months ago and yesterday was another great Madonna moment in history inspiring today’s blog post. While the Super Bowl game and commercials were entertaining, the Halftime Show was riveting!

At 53-year-old, Madonna can still rock the house big time! She did a cool collage of “Vogue,” “Music,” “Party Rock Anthem/Sexy and I Know It,” “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” and “Like a Prayer” and was joined by other top performers including Nicki Minaj (great voice), M.I.A. (gesture fail), LMFAO (first hamsters, now Madonna are grooving with them), and Cee Lo Green (who was also in a great commercial with his The Voice costars and Betty White). The visual effects were amazing too — thanks to Cirque Du Soleil and Jamie King.

Why is Madonna so awesome? Well, she’s a fabulous singer and performance artist. She is not only the Queen of Pop but she’s also the Queen of Reinvention.

Considered to be one of the “25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century” by Time for being an influential figure in contemporary music, Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry.Considered to be one of the “25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century” by Time for being an influential figure in contemporary music, Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry. (Wikipedia)

Madonna has done dance, music, acting, fashion design, film directing and producing, writing, and business. She sees what she wants and goes after it, trying it out, turning it around, creating and recreating it. If it doesn’t quite stick or it isn’t energizing for her, she moves on. I’ve got a lot of respect and admiration for this habit of Madonna’s. Reinventing oneself is something I think we all need to do now and again.

Who doesn’t love an invention? Think of the light bulb, which had never shined in all of history until Thomas Edison switched it on on Dec. 31, 1879. Think of lasers, helicopters, microchips, elegant equations like E = mc², and even modest wonders like batteries, Velcro, and air conditioning. We honor inventors, enrich them, ask them about the meaning of life.

Reinvention isn’t in that league. The tip-off is the “re,” meaning it’s been done before. If invention is the dazzling hit, reinvention usually begins as a miss. But a miss that is taken back into the workshop, rethought, reworked, and brought out for a second, third, or fourth try can change the world. The light bulb, for instance, only stayed lit after it hadn’t at least 6,000 times. Each time, Edison and his co-workers took stock of what went wrong, made improvements, and tried again. His invention was a serial reinvention. (by John Yemma, Editor for The Christian Science Monitor, February 5, 2012)

Reinvention is not annihilating what was or who we’ve been, rather it’s tinkering a bit and finding a new way to be most fully ourselves.

In what way are you inspired by Madonna? What might you need to bring back into the workshop, rethink, rework, and bring out again to change your life and perhaps the world?

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.

AS100 Ask Sister – Highlights of fav shows in honor of 100th Ask Sister episode, World Day for Consecrated Life, GPS rosary for finding religious life, vow of obedience vs. doormat

The Nuns — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:10:14 +0000

AS100 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 2, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Highlights in honor of 100th episode, World Day for Consecrated Life, GPS rosary for religious life, vow of obedience vs. doormat, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

In honor of the 100th episode of Ask Sister, audio clips of some of our favorite shows: tin-can podcast #1, Chloe the Convent Cat, putting the “man” in “mantilla,” and the sisters’ best jokes.
World Day for Consecrated Life–an opportunity to celebrate God’s calling in our lives.
The Rosary as a GPS for finding one’s way to religious life.
The Rosary as a Marian devotion, and the role of Mary in our lives and in the tradition of religious life.
Fond memories of the glow-in-the-dark Rosary.
How does one live out the vow of obedience, without falling into the unhealthy habit of being a doormat? The ups and downs of obedience not just for sisters but for all Christians!

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/ and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Justice and Catholic Nuns go hand-in-hand

Sister Julie — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:23:02 +0000

The New Orleans paper, The Times-Picayune posted a great story this week — Young lawyer fights for social justice on her way to becoming a nun (January 29, 2012). The article is about Alison McCrary, a young woman who is a lawyer and in the process of becoming a Catholic sister with the Congregation of Saint Joseph. Alison lives with a community of St. Joseph sisters near Bayou St. John.

You might be wondering, A nun AND a lawyer? But of course! Justice and Catholic nuns go hand-in-hand!

Alison sees her role as a lawyer fighting for social justice meshing perfectly with becoming a nun.
“People have such a misconception of what nuns are,” she says. “We’re supposed to run into the world, not out of it. Our eyes are wide open, and our sleeves are rolled up.”

…

“There are so many struggles of the poor and oppressed,” she says. “If I’m not engaged in some kind of social change, then something is wrong.” During an internship with the PeaceWomen Project at the United Nations in 2005, she met impressive women doing the kind of work she wanted to do. “I found out they were lawyers,” she says. “I was inspired by what they were doing, and that planted the seed for going to law school.”

…

She entered the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in August 2007. During her work as a paralegal and volunteer activities as a law student, she met several Sisters of St. Joseph and saw the important work they were doing, and she felt called to become a nun. “I met Sister Helen Prejean and Sister Lory Schaff and all these incredible women who were living the gospel values, and I thought, ‘I want that,’” she says.

She started meeting with a spiritual advisor, and after finishing law school and passing the bar in May, 2010, she took the first step to becoming a Sister of St. Joseph on Aug. 15, 2010. “I knew I had to find the beauty in the middle of all the struggle,” she says. “My decision is something I feel at peace with.” In a world that values money, power and sex, she is ready to live the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. “I believe our vows have a lot of meaning,” she says. “I feel like I’m called to that commitment.”

As you read Alison’s story, what strikes you? What gives you something to think about in terms of your own life?

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.
Our prayer leader today is Audra.

The Monastery as the Household of God

Guest Blogger — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:34:54 +0000

Our guest blogger today is our friend Sister Hildegard Pleva, OSsR. Sister Hildegard is a regular at evening prayer, appeared on an Ask Sister podcast, and has guest blogged before! You can find Sister Hildegard and the Redemptoristine nuns at the blog Contemplative Horizon.

“… Form ever follows function…”
~ Louis Sullivan, 1856-1924, Father of Modern American Architecture

Our contemplative monastic community has been searching for a new monastery. Our current home and its land is changing hands requiring us to move. In the process have had to explain over and over again the nature of our life and how radically it differs from service oriented apostolic religious life.

The mental image of a cloister is often limited to a dark monastery vestibule or parlor where the visitor glimpsed a heavily veiled nun behind metal grille appointed with spikes to remind that the encounter would not include a touch or kiss.

These images belong to the past and do not point to the real purpose of the cloister. The architecture of enclosure supports the life of prayer to which the nuns are dedicated. The enclosure ensures silence and solitude. It is a living space for the community set apart from space open to the public; that more private space for a community praying, working, eating and recreating together while managing a large household. It allows those activities to cluster around the center which is prayer and praise at the Eucharistic and the Liturgy of the Hours.

Within the enclosure all of the functions of the monastic household are carried out 24/7 within a fixed group of members. It must have room for everyone to do everything together most of the time. No members will be off to a ball game or have a late night at the office. No one will go out to work. No one can arrive home after a long hard day and announce their departure to take in dinner and movie with a friend. These realities determine architectural form.

In our search we visited large homes and former convents. Invariably we realized that each structure conformed to the “form follows function” rule. Private homes were built to be just what they were. Buildings designed for apostolic religious supported the kind of life they lead, a life with work outside the residence. No effort at remodeling would successfully transform them into suitable monastic structures. We had to face in-depth consideration of our monastic enterprise. “What is it we wish to protect; what is it we wish to nourish and pursue in the structure we envision?” “Form follows function”; not the other way around. In the end we recognized that no mere structure will guarantee dedicated contemplative life. Thoughtful design provides suitable space, an environment conducive to prayer, a place apart. The rest is the work of God’s grace in the desiring soul.

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.
Our prayer leaders for this week are Audra of Awkward Catholic fame
and Regina who is engaged in Soul Composting!

Gain or Loss?

Guest Blogger — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:58:36 +0000

Welcome back today’s guest blogger — Sister Lynne Smith, OSB, a member of the inclusive Benedictine community, Benedictine Women of Madison, at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Madison, WI. Sister Lynne was our guest on a recent Ask Sister podcast so be sure to listen in!

Someone asked me recently if I felt I had to give up a lot to become a sister. Something in me resists thinking about religious life in terms of giving something up. The question might come from the image of monks “leaving the world” to live in the desert or from the image of religious life as made up of strict ascetical practices.

To be sure, one does give up some things to enter a community and there is asceticism involved in religious life. The practice of asceticism is different in each order. For Benedictines, living in community with our promises of stability, obedience and conversion of life is the asceticism. The rub of daily life and living patiently with our own and one another’s weaknesses is asceticism enough!

My aim of seeking God through Benedictine life leads me to make choices that might seem to others to be loss. For me, those choices help me be available to God and others. I find it helpful to think about entering religious life as a change of lifestyle just as marriage is a change of lifestyle. One exchanges one way of living for another. The change involves some loss as well as gain and it takes time to adjust to the new way of living.

Religious life is about pursuing your heart’s desire. It’s like falling in love. When you fall in love with someone and start spending more time with him or her, you give up some of the ways you used to spend your time. In the process, you gain the love of your life. Over time as you nurture your relationship, you discover you have gained much more than you ever gave up. So it is in religious life.

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For a taste of life in community, check out our Benedictine Sojourner experience for single Christian women. Live in an inclusive ecumenical community at Holy Wisdom Monastery for a year. Pray, play, work and learn with us.

For a shorter experience in the summer consider spending two weeks to a month with us as a Volunteer in Community.

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Join the A Nun’s Life Community for prayer at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room today.
Our prayer leader for this week are Audra of Awkward Catholic fame
and Regina who is engaged in Soul Composting!

Do Catholic college students eat meatloaf? Sister Michele finds out!

Guest Blogger — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:35:39 +0000

Today we are pleased to introduce you to today’s guest blogger: our friend, Sister Michele Fisher of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

This past week, the Sisters in my local community and I had the grace of hosting a group of students from the Newman Association of Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. They were seeking to do a Winter Break Mission Trip and their first requirement was to stay with a religious community and try to find service opportunities sponsored by religious communities. Imagine that!

Our contact started almost nine months ago when I received an e-mail from their president. Strangely enough, the e-mail went into my SPAM folder. Good thing for them that I give my SPAM folder a thorough review before deleting it!

Over the course of months following that initial e-mail, the plans for our week together began to take shape. I know that there was prayer and discernment taking place at both ends of the state (we live in Philadelphia, on the eastern part of Pennsylvania and they are from the northwestern corner of the state). But God had us covered! As the week of the students’ arrival got closer, I began to have all kinds of thoughts – anything from “Did I find the “right” service experiences for them?” to “What if they don’t like the meatloaf?”

Last Monday evening, when I got the call that our long-awaited visitors had arrived, my heart did a little dance and I begged the good Lord to “take the wheel!” I could tell by the joy with which we greeted one another that this was going to be a special week.

The greatest joy for me was watching how freely they related to one another, to the Sisters and to the people that they served during the week. In their simple smiles, willing gestures and even in their tiredness at the end of the day, they filled the place with the fragrance of God.

When they drove past the convent after bidding us all farewell, there was a bit of sadness in the cold January air. We will miss our dear young friends! Thank you, dear friends, for your example of love in action, faith in practice and boundless trust in the goodness of God!

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There will be no prayer leader today but please feel free to meet at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room to connect with the A Nun’s Life Community. We will have prayer leaders Wednesday through Friday for the week.

NUNDAY with HOPES Center, a ministry of the Racine Dominicans

Sister Julie — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:33:09 +0000

Founded in 2008, the HOPES Center is the newest ministry of the Racine Dominicans. The mission the HOPES Center is “to shape the future by collaborating for healing, peace, spiritual growth and action on behalf of justice.”

The HOPES Center includes three unique services. Cup of Hope is a fair trade coffee shop. Purchasing fair trade products from the Just Trade store is one way of fighting global poverty by providing workers throughout the world with a living wage. The HOPES Center provides mental health and healing arts services free of charge to people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless in Racine County.

How can the HOPES Center offer free services? The Board Directors, staff and volunteers at the Center seek grant monies, fund-raise, and accept monetary gifts to carry on the work. The dream is that one day profits from sales in the coffee shop and fair trade store will also help support services to those in need.

The HOPES Center is located at 507 Sixth Street, Racine, Wisconsin. Stop by for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate or consider a unique gift from Just Trade. Not near Racine? Visit HOPES Center at www.racinedominicans.org and click on the HOPES logo. Be sure to sign up for the HOPES newsletter and learn about ways that you, too, can volunteer.

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The mission of the Racine Dominicans: “Commitment to truth in the light of the Gospel compels us to consecrate our whatever power and influence we have personally and as a community, to sustain the fundamental right of every person to pursue the fullness of life and to share in the common good.” (Racine Dominicans, Constitutions 8.1)

For more on the Racine Dominicans and to meet some of the sisters, check out our Ask Sister podcast with the Racine Dominicans.

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There will be no prayer leader today but please feel free to meet at 6 p.m. CT in the chat room to connect with the A Nun’s Life Community.

AS099 Ask Sister – Mass fracas over word changes in liturgy, unruly use of church rules, where to find a spiritual mentor, does God have plans for the world

The Nuns — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:08:55 +0000

AS099 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 19, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Mass fracas over word changes in liturgy, unruly use of church rules, finding a spiritual mentor, does God have plans for the world, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Why are some people vehemently upset about the changes to the Mass? Jesus is still Jesus in the Eucharist — isn’t that why we go to Mass anyway?
Can I be a sister if I am not a conservative Catholic (or in other words, have a problem with strict applying of rules in the church)?
Where to find a spiritual mentor when it seems there’s not one anywhere nearby.
What are God’s plans for today’s world?

In Good Faith with Coach Cathy Rush

The Nuns — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:41:55 +0000

IGF013 In Good Faith with Coach Cathy Rush, recorded live on January 18, 2012. Produced by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: coaching 1st national champs in women’s basketball, working with nuns, Mighty Macs movie, Future Stars summer camps & more

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Coach Cathy Rush

Cathy Rush was the head women’s basketball coach at Immaculata College (now University) from 1970-1977. She led Immaculata to three consecutive AIAW national titles from 1972-1974. Coach Rush also led the 1975 U.S. Women’s basketball team at the Pan American games to a gold medal finish. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 7, 2008. She was inducted into the women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. She is the founder and president of Future Stars Camps.

Be sure to check out The Mighty Macs movie featuring Cathy and the Immaculata IHM Sisters!

Show Notes:

From underdog to national champion–Cathy talks about her experience as a young head coach at Immaculata College and the team that won against great odds.
What it was like to work with nuns at a women’s college.
Cathy talks about the making of The Mighty Macs movie and its depiction of the nuns, the team, the school, and herself.
How Title IX affected women’s sports at Catholic universities.
Sports, femininity and young female athletes today.
What it means to follow your dream, even when it leads to unexpected places.
The development of Future Stars Camps for children.

The podcasts are basically like tuning into a radio program, but instead of broadcasting it on the airwaves, we broadcast it on our website. All you have to do is visit our website and make sure the volume on your computer is turned up.

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

Imperfection, a BFF!!?

Sister Maxine — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:41:07 +0000

My spiritual exercise for this morning was to imagine a perfect me in a perfect world.

It was great! No more struggles or stress or frustration. No more weighing decisions and wondering if I should do one thing instead of another. No more need to consider if I should cultivate more virtues in my life. I would already know the answers! I would already know what to do! I would already be perfectly virtuous! I was giddy at the prospect of perfection.

Then doubts began to creep in. If everything was perfect, including me, what kind of life would that be? I’d never experience the joy and challenge of learning. I might never be surprised again. What would happen to the thrill of adventure?

When it comes right down to it, if I had a choice, I would choose an imperfect me in an imperfect world. Ok, granted I don’t have that choice. I suppose I could be bummed out that no matter how hard I try in this life, I’m not going to be perfect. The world isn’t going to be perfect. Yet scripture tells me that I’m a part of God’s good creation. That even in the midst of imperfection, humanity and the rest of creation is pleasing to God.

So my prayer today is to embrace my God-given imperfection – to bring creativity to situations where frustration might otherwise set in, to cherish eccentricities in myself and others, and to be okay with striving but not yet arriving.

What are your thoughts about imperfection? Feel free to type them in the comment box below (and no need to worry if your spelling isn’t perfect

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for a live podcast and chat every weekday at 6 p.m. CT
(find your time zone) at aNunsLife.org/live

Austerity, Thou Art My Friend

Sister Julie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:51:00 +0000

We had a very interesting conversation about penance and sacrifice on the last Ask Sister podcast. For some people those are harsh, negative words, but for others, they are words of freedom and wholeness. While discussing this, an interesting word popped up from the chat room: austerity. That’s another great word that tends to be dismissed as harsh and negative. But what does it really mean? Does it have a place in Catholic faith and spirituality today?

What does it meant to be austere? When in doubt, turn to Sister Merriam Webster!

aus·tere adj \ȯ-ˈstir also -ˈster\

1 a : stern and cold in appearance or manner; b : somber, grave
2 : morally strict : ascetic
3 : markedly simple or unadorned
4 : giving little or no scope for pleasure
5 of a wine : having the flavor of acid or tannin predominant over fruit flavors usually indicating a capacity for aging

While I appreciate #5, it’s probably not the definition we are after here. As we look through the first 4 definitions, however, there is are several distinct meanings for “austere” ranging from the more harsh, negative sense (stern, cold, no pleasure) to the positive (simple, unadorned).

In centuries past, austerity was often interpreted in practices that were indeed harsh and unhealthy. These include but are not limited to repression, self-denial and other severe “bodily penances” — that is, physical actions taken to avoid and “defeat” occasions of sin. There are many dangers to body and spirit when a person is compelled by and engages in these extreme acts. And what is extreme and severe for one person may be quite natural and necessary for another. I leave this discussion to others much wiser and knowledgeable about such matters than myself. What I’m more interested in is the “ordinary” practice of austerity.

Some of austere actions — when properly understood within Catholic spirituality and one’s relationship with God, and with the support of a spiritual mentor — can be a help to one’s spiritual life. Fasting and abstinence, for example, may be done as a penance (an act moving toward reconciliation/wholeness after one has turned away from God) or as an act of sacrifice (letting go of one good for a greater good) — listen to Ask Sister AS098 episode for more on the distinction. But these are not to be “extreme” nor unhealthy for mind, body, or spirit. Saint Jerome (who himself was a bit too overzealous when it came to austerity) cautions that us:

“Be on guard … lest you imagine yourself to be perfect and a saint; for perfection does not consist in this virtue. It is only a help; a disposition; a means though a fitting one, for the attainment of true perfection.” (source)

(By the way … “true perfection” is another one of those phrases we often misinterpret … will write about that tomorrow. Email me your thoughts or good theology quotes on “true perfection” @ )

Austere practices also include fasting and abstinence — these maybe done as a penance (an act moving toward reconciliation/wholeness after one has turned away from God) but also as an act of sacrifice (letting go of one good for a greater good) — listen to Ask Sister AS098 episode for more on the distinction.

It is this more accessible form of austerity that I think bears consideration and reflection. Also the aspect of “markedly simple or unadorned” that Sister Merriam points out in the definition above. These choices, practices, actions, and movements of the spirit are ones that are very personal and unique to each one of us. They may be things that are part of our way of life, or they might be things that we do for a defined period of time.

One small example from my own life is when I felt drawn to not eat meat. It is a choice for me that has deep spiritual meaning along with physical and emotional aspects. It is indeed “necessary” for me in the sense that it allow me to be most truly myself. For me, it is a movement toward wholeness. But just because it is that way in my life, doesn’t mean that it is a “higher good” or more spiritually significant than other practices in which others engage. It’s what works for me. I have no need to broadcast it (well, other than as an example here), or to tout my awesome vegetarianness. I don’t think of it as extreme or radical — it just is what I need to do.

Each of us has and are drawn to these kind of “austerities” in our own life. But it’s up to you to know them and choose them. A spiritual director or mentor can provide some help and guidance and I definitely recommend one if you are unsure what to do or the thing you feel compelled by has a significant spiritual, physical, and/or emotional impact on you (e.g., I talked with my doctor and with a couple of my nuns when I realized I wanted a life-long commitment to not eat meat).

What are your thoughts or wonderings about austerity? What are some other ways that you practice austerity that is “markedly simple, unadorned”?

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for a live podcast and chat every weekday at 6 p.m. CT
(find your time zone) at aNunsLife.org/live

AS098 Ask Sister – the difference between penance and sacrifice, speechless God, is grief a rejection of faith

The Nuns — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:44:24 +0000

AS098 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 12, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: the difference between penance and sacrifice, speechless God, is grief a rejection of faith, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is the difference between penance and sacrifice?
Austerities and asceticism
I don’t feel like God is telling me much. Am I going to hear a voice one day before graduation telling me to go to a convent? Or is saying “I want to go to college and study anthropology” sufficient?
Measuring up to the holiness of friends and other people.
My mother died recently and I’m very sad. But some of my bible study friends say, “She’s in heaven with God now and you should be happy about that.” Is my sadness somehow a rejection of my faith?

In Good Faith with Sister Pat Daly, OP

The Nuns — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:26:19 +0000

IGF012 In Good Faith with Sister Patricia Daly, OP, recorded live on January 11, 2012. Produced by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include gospel values in corporate culture, Catholic nuns, corporate responsibility, socially responsible investing and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Sister Pat Daly, OP

Sister Patricia Daly, OP, is a Dominican Sister of Caldwell , NJ and has worked in Corporate Responsibility and Socially Responsible Investing for over 25 years. She serves as the Executive Director of the Tri-State Coaltion for Responsible Investment, an organization of 40 Roman Catholic Dioceses and Congregations of Women and Men in the NY metropolitan area. Pat represents these institutional investors to the national Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility: 275 Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish organizations holding more than $110 billion in investments. Pat is also the Corporate Responsibility Representative for the Sisters of St. Dominic of Caldwell , NJ and consults for the American Baptist Churches in their Socially Responsible Investment Program. See Sister Patricia onCBS News!

Show Notes:

Sister Pat’s community, the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell, New Jersey, and her attraction to their commitment to social justice
what it means to do socially responsible investing
personal investors and institutional investors (including dioceses and other Catholic organizations)
asking the question about where people who are poor, hungry, homeless, etc. fit in with our choice of investments
“the power of one is not to be underestimated”
helping companies do good in the community and also have just practices within their corporate structure and policies and how they are impacting society as a whole
sometimes (especially in the early days) it’s a struggle for companies to engage with their shareholders about social responsibility
how Jesus informs Sister Pat’s ministry — Jesus as a change agent who understood the abuses in the economic governance and faith systems and challenged them
a critical vocation to speak up for people who have no role or power in society
successes that Sister Pat has seen through the years, e.g., working with General Electric (responsible for much of the contamination), other companies, religious orders, and the community to clean up PCB contamination along the Hudson River
the effects of global warming being addressed more and more compared to 20 years ago when they filed the first shareholder resolution on climate change
criteria to evaluate companies in which one wishes to invest can be found at iccr.org, tricri.org, greenamerica.org
disappointments that Sister Pat has encountered, e.g., addressed the irradiation of food but didn’t at the time have the resources to address concerns around genetically-modified foods
is better to only invest in companies that have their social-responibility acts together or to stick it out in less socially responsible companies and demand change?
it’s all about dialogue — understanding a companies culture and bringing in one’s concerns so that both can walk away and say “I did a good thing”
the Catholic Church’s role in promoting socially responsible investing
a quandary when a company that has questionable practices invests generously in church and community work
the Occupy Wall Street movement
abuses around compensation for senior executives
what it’s like to be a Catholic sister in the board room and in the media spotlight
Ford on the “best of” list of the really good guys in terms of social responsibility — also Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster) with food sustainability, Walt Disney Company with concerns in supply chain — not only make changes with their companies but instigate change within their industry
a company that could do better is Exxon Mobil, especially around greenhouse gas emissions
the so-called “sin stocks” — gambling, liquor, and tobacco stocks
myth busted — the truth is that you can do well investing in socially responsible investing

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

Hello, are you there? God calling.

Sister Julie — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:44:25 +0000

We may be nuns and have a penchant for talking nun stuff, but we are all about promoting ALL vocations — and that’s why no matter who you are, what you do, or what your spiritual persuasion is, we’re here for you!

This week is a great time to celebrate all manner of vocations because it is National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) which began in 1976 by the U.S. Catholic Bishops. It coincides with the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. This is of course is très significant because the Church recognizes the universal call to holiness of every Christian by virtue of her or his baptism.

What does this mean? Here’s a snippet from one of my favorite Church documents, Lumen Gentium – The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church from the Second Vatican Council.

[We are called] to live “as becomes saints”, and to put on “as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience”, and to possess the fruit of the Spirit in holiness….

All the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society. In order that the faithful may reach this perfection, they must use their strength accordingly as they have received it, as a gift from Christ. They must follow in Christ’s footsteps and conform themselves to God’s image seeking God’s will in all things. They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history.

The classes and duties of life are many, but holiness is one—that sanctity which is cultivated by all who are moved by the Spirit of God, and who obey the voice of God and worship God … in spirit and in truth. These people follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross-bearing Christ in order to be worthy of being sharers in God’s glory. Every person must walk unhesitatingly according to her or his own personal gifts and duties in the path of living faith, which arouses hope and works through charity. (Lumen Gentium)

What crosses your mind when you think about what it means for God to be calling YOU?

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Join A Nun’s Life Community for a live podcast and chat every weekday at 6 p.m. CT (find your time zone) at aNunsLife.org/live

NUNDAY – Sister Hiltrudis Powers, CPPS

Sister Julie — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:13:38 +0000

Sister Hiltrudis Powers of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, was an amazing nun and artist. She died on December 31 and left a legacy of beauty.

Sister Hiltrudis Powers was well-known for her work painting colorful murals, designing stained-glass windows, and making sculptures, silk-screened banners and other items that decorate churches here and abroad. (source)

She was born in Quincy, Illinois, and belonged to the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of O’Fallon, Missouri. The sisters are known for their beautiful artwork.

In 1945, when Sister Powers was 25, the director of the embroidery department died. Sister Powers was named director of what came to be the Ecclesiastical Art Department, and this became her life’s ministry.

She specialized in stained glass, metal and wood. When newly appointed Archbishop Justin Rigali needed a coat of arms, the St. Louis Archdiocese commissioned Sister Powers to design and craft the work in copper and enamel on wood.

Before Vatican II, in 1962, her order’s art department made articles only for Catholic churches. After that, the department began making artworks for other denominations….

Sister Powers designed the miter and stole worn by Pope John Paul II during his visit to St. Louis in 1999, according to the order.

Here is an awesome sampling of Sister Hiltrudis’ work.

Stole for Pope John Paul II

Iron works in St. Joseph Chapel in O'Fallon, MO at the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood

Stained-glass window in St. Joseph's Chapel that Sister Hiltrudis Powers designed and help make.

AS097 Ask Sister – Travel troubles for road nun, Christian feminists-do they really exist, building the kingdom of God locally

The Nuns — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:06:40 +0000

AS097 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 5, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: travel troubles for road nun, Christian feminists – do they really exist?, building the kingdom of God locally and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What happens when a nun is traveling and runs into really bad weather? Is prayer her only option?
What does it mean to be a Christian feminist?
What does it mean to build the kingdom of God? How can we do that locally?

Feast Day Letter to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Adventure Nun

Sister Maxine — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:07:23 +0000

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 1774-1821

Dear Sister Elizabeth Ann,

Just a short note to say that I’m a big fan of yours! It’s not just because your feast day is on my birthday, which it is. Or that my momma’s name is also Elizabeth Ann (BTW she’s a huge fan too).

I really admire your sense of adventure, or whatever spirit it was that allowed you to say “yes” to God in so many different ways. Raised an Anglican in New York, you married and went to Italy with your hub and one of your five kids. (My mom and dad also raised five kids).

It must have been very difficult when your husband died in Italy. Yet even then, you did not lose faith. Even then, you turned to God. Maybe the challenge of being a single parent led you to such a deep desire to help others. Back in New York, you became a Catholic and raised your kids.

And then you began a religious order! Way to say “yes” to that one – the Sisters of Charity, Emmitsburg, Maryland, was the first order of women religious that originated in the United States! (My congregation was also founded in the U.S.!) Not only did you and your sisters help many poor young women by providing free Catholic education, but you left a legacy that’s still vibrant nearly 200 years later!

Throughout the day today, I’m going to pray in these words you wrote to a good friend in a letter in 1810:

“Faith lifts the staggering soul on one side, hope supports it on the other, experience says it must be and love says let it be.”

Thanks for the many ways you said “yes” to God, Sister Elizabeth Ann!

* * *

Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer (Mon.-Wed and Friday) at 6 p.m. Central Time at aNunsLife.org/live. Join us there on Thursdays at 6 p.m. for the Ask Sister broadcast.

Mohawk and Nun to be Sainted

Sister Julie — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:08:01 +0000

Kateri Tekakwitha stained glass window by Debora Coombs in St. Mary

Let’s hear it for the Mohawk Valley area of New York state! From that area of the world not one but TWO soon-to-be saints have emerged (not counting myself who was born a mere 3 hours away).

“The Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk Indian, spent most of her life here during the 17th centurY. About 200 years later and 40 miles to the west, the Blessed Mother Marianne Cope began a religious life that focused on providing medical care in central New York and the Hawaiian islands.

On Dec. 20, Pope Benedict XVI certified miracles attributed to the two women, the final step toward sainthood. The women’s canonization is expected to happen this year.

When they are elevated to sainthood, they’ll be among just 12 of the Catholic Church’s thousands of saints who either were born in America or ministered in what is now the United States.” (source)

While many may be familiar with Kateri, let me fill you in a bit more on Mother Marianne. She belonged to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities.

“Mother Marianne Cope’s roots in the Mohawk Valley began in Utica, where her family settled in 1840 after emigrating from Germany the previous year, when she was a year old. A factory worker until she joined the Franciscan sisters in Syracuse in the early 1860s, the young nun worked as a nurse and hospital administrator, helping to found two hospitals — St. Joseph’s in Syracuse and St. Elizabeth’s in Utica — that are still in operation today. Under her direction, no one was denied medical care, according to Sister Patricia Burkard, general minister of the Syracuse-based Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities.” (source)

Marianne Cope in a 1883 photo provided by the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities

She was “the only one of 50 religious leaders to respond positively to an emissary from Hawaii who requested for nuns to help care for Hansen’s disease patients on Kalaupapa.” This earned her the title “beloved mother of the outcasts.” The place where she went was a settlement on Molokai island run by Father Damien who was recently canonized a saint in 2009.

“Marianne was known for demanding money from the government to help the leprosy patients. She wasn’t “afraid to pursue anything for her people,” said Sister Davilyn Ah Chick of Honolulu….

The nuns said Marianne is credited with having a school built and teaching women and girls to sew and garden. She was also a source of support during a time of much suffering, which included abuse, families forced apart and the banning of pregnancies, [Sister Rose Annette] Ahuna said.

Marianne died there of natural causes in 1918.” (source: Hawaii nuns describe life of soon-to-be saint, Jan. 2, 2011)

We look forward to the canonizations!

The Most Interesting Nun in the World

Sister Julie — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:38:59 +0000

I was out with friends on New Year’s Eve and they joked saying, you are like the most interesting nun in the world”, a shout-out of course to the clever Dos Equis commercials featuring Jonathan Goldsmith as the Most Interesting Man in the World. I had to laugh because there is some truth in that! Not that I’m particularly interesting (after all, I was in bed by 11 p.m. that night), but there is something about NUN-NESS that is infinitely intriguing and captivating.

It has nothing to do with what we wear, although I did once wear an Easter hat that caused quite a stir. And it has nothing to do with what we do (I have ministered in bicycle stores and bars). I think it has much to do with seeing things and making choices that our society deems crazy and turning them into a blessing.

making lifelong vows of obedience, poverty, and celibacy
making everyday and life decisions in common
upholding the dignity of the “least” (e.g., the poor, the outcast, the enemy, the oppressed)
holding secular and sacred not as opposites but as one
believing that through the cross comes the resurrection

Even as a nun of 10+ years now, I am still wholly compelled by all that is NUN. It is truly an adventure that engages all aspects of my being — mind, body, spirit, memory, hopes, dreams — and is crazy goodness! What is cool is that I find that so many nuns are like this. Just listen to their stories of how they have lived. Read the histories and foundation stories of congregations. What’s not to love?!

As we head into the new year, I encourage you to tap into your inner nun and allow this new year to take on all sorts of awesome adventures that thoroughly engage you.

And in this spirit, “Stay thirsty, my friends!”

P.S. Some advice for the new year …

When New Year’s Resolutions Find Us

Sister Julie — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:01:01 +0000

I am not a big fan of the New Year’s resolution thing, and so I wasn’t planning on blogging about anything resolution-esque.

But then I read Father Jim Martin’s post over at Huffington Post, 12 Really Stupid Things I Never Want To Do Again (December 29, 2011). As I reflected on it, I realized that I’ve partaken of a dozen or so really stupid things myself! So I figured it wouldn’t hurt for me to consider something new for the new year. No, not a new really stupid thing, but a new idea or habit or virtue I could reflect and focus on.

Nothing much had come across my path in the last 24 hours so I figured I’d just skip it. Then, as I was going through me email, I found one that our IHM Community sent out — a “Remembering” reflection in honor of my friend and IHM Sister who died early this week. In her remembering I found these words of hers:

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.
~ Sister Frances Ryan, IHM

These are words that I will treasure and strive to live out of as Frances did throughout her life. You can read more about Sister Frances in a 2009 article on our IHM website.

AS096 Ask Sister – run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary, hanging on to pre-Vatican II stuff, adopt-a-nun, and more

The Nuns — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:31:46 +0000

AS096 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 29, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary, hanging on to pre-Vatican II stuff, adopt-a-nun, how to know and respond when God is calling, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I’m not Catholic but have had a few run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary. What could this possibly mean?
Is it wrong to hang onto pre-Vatican II understandings and expressions of the faith? Of religious life?
I’d love to spiritually adopt a nun. How to I go about doing so?
How do you know if God is calling you to something, and what can you do about it?

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from which you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

In history and sistory, Prof. Margaret Susan Thompson rocks!

Sister Maxine — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:51:43 +0000

Icame across this article yesterday about Prof. Thompson, one of my fav historians! Through her work, she tells the stories of U.S. women religious and how they have shaped U.S. culture and society. Plus she’s a lively writer–she makes history come alive! I am grateful to her and all historians who help to share accurate, authentic stories about sisters!

Sister Julie and I were delighted to have Prof. Thompson join us on a live podcast last year. To hear a recording of the conversation, go to the In Good Faith webpage.

Are there sisters you know whose stories should be told? Please share your stories here and on the A Nun’s Life Discussion Forum

* * *

Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer tonight and every weekday at 6 p.m. Central Time at aNunsLife.org/live.

True or false: The world would be better off without religion?

Sister Maxine — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:43:29 +0000

Photo by eye2eye

Iheard the question being debated on the radio as I was driving back to Chicago recently. I myself debated whether or not to turn the radio off. I’m cautious about debates involving religion–I try hard to avoid those that are one-sided or unchristian in tone, and there seem to be plenty of them these days.

But this debate was incredible! I couldn’t stop listening. The four debaters included the great great grandson of Charles Darwin, a prominent rabbi in California, a philosophy professor and author, and a college president and former policy analyst in the Reagan administration.

One of the first statements I heard was that this wasn’t a debate about the existence of God or the rationality or irrationality of faith, but about the human-made phenomenon of religion. Context is soooo important!

Here’s the link to the debate, which is on a program called Intelligence Squared.

After listening to the debate, I came away with more questions than answers regarding whether or not the world is better off without religion. But I deeply appreciate the new insights I gained on both sides of the question. Take a listen and see what you think. Would the world better off without religion?

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Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer tonight and every weekday at 6 p.m. Central Time at aNunsLife.org/live.

In the Light

recknun — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:36:27 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 24 :: O Lex Mundi written by Regina

I’m not afraid of the dark. Although I don’t like waking up in the dark during winter, in general I am very comfortable with dark places and spaces. Some of my most creative moments come deep in the night, long after so many have already gone to rest; sometimes I genuinely lament the constraints of 9 to 5 employment that require consistent, relatively early bedtimes. Dark for me is like a cocoon, a place where life is being nurtured.

And yet, I love light.

sunlight through bark

Stained Glass, IHM Motherhouse, Monroe, MI

I love sunrises and Christmas lights and candles and long summer evenings and stars shining in the inky night and luminaria illuminating pathways and the play of light through trees, leaves, bark and clouds and through stained glass windows and lightning.

Luminaria on Christmas Eve

And I love Jesus, the Light of the World. I want to live in that Light. I want to dance in that Light. I want that Light to flow around me and illuminate my world. I want that Light to shine through me so that when people encounter me they see the Light of the World and it brings them joy the way sunrises and Christmas lights and stained glass windows and lightning and luminaria bring me joy.

I want to be in the Light.

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

BONUS MUSIC FOR CHRISTMAS EVE

Emmanuel, For Real

Guest Blogger — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:00:28 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 19 :: O Emmanuel written by Marla

A three year old boy has kept me from sleeping all week. He isn’t any trouble, don’t get me wrong. He isn’t a loud child I hear through the walls, and he isn’t a neighbor running over to torture my dogs. I don’t even know this boy.

But this particular male child might not live until Christmas, and that has been keeping me awake. On Monday, this tiny boy and his 4 year old brother were beaten with a belt–one of many beatings in their short lives, it seems. The four year old was dead before he reached medical help; the three year old is in the ICU.

Lying awake, I wondered, should I pray for this child to recover? Would he be better off going to God and not having to live with the scars of his abuse? I wasn’t prepared to pray for those who hurt these children and I felt immense guilt about that. My uncertainty about how to pray stifled me altogether. No words would come.

I thought about Emmanuel, God With Us. Throughout scripture we are urged to call, that God will answer, and to seek, for God will appear. We are told to “come to the water.” But sometimes we might be too tired, too despondent, or too fearful to go looking for God.

Thankfully, about 2000 years ago, the omnipotent, omnipresent being in the sky with the power to create and destroy life came to earth in the form of Jesus in order to be more fully with us. And we don’t have to do anything for God to get there, except know.

GOD IS WITH US.

Now.

Here.

God is with me as I struggle to find words to pray. God is with my friend who is drowning in grief at the loss of her son. And God is in the ICU with this three year old boy whose world has fallen apart.

Michael Card sings (according to scripture): “For all those who live in the shadow of death a glorious light has dawned. For all those who stumble in the darkness, behold! Your Light has come!”

The Internet has been ablaze with comments on this video of Linus telling Charlie Brown the meaning of Christmas (I found it courtesy of Fr. James Martin). At some point in his story, Linus drops his security blanket. God is with him, and that is enough.

God is not in some distant place, looking down on us. God is with us!

Is it any wonder we are called to rejoice?

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

O Rex Gentium

Guest Blogger — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:48:10 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 22 :: O Rex Gentium written by Meredith Gould. Meredith is the author of eight books, including The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions (Doubleday) and Why Is There a Menorah on the Altar? (Morehouse). She’s founding moderator of the weekly Twitter-based chat about church social media (#chsocm) and blogs about culture and faith at More Meredith Gould.

O King of nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.

While most people usually focus on the “O King of nations” part of this O Antiphon, I remain fixated on the last two lines. More precisely, I keep zooming in on the word “clay.” Being fashioned from clay by the Creator is a metaphor that has always worked for me.

Add water to clay and it becomes mud. Add even more water and mud turns into a slurry. Slurry can be washed away, but not without leaving a messy trail. Let mud dry out and it can be crumbled into dust. Dust is always at risk for blowing away before being reconstituted as clay.

On a brighter note, clay is very pliable. How well I know this.

During my years as a visual artist, I’d switch to pottery whenever I needed a break from drawing. I loved the tactile messiness of working with clay as it swirled into form on the pottery wheel. When the form wobbled off-kilter, I happily pounded it back down into a lump and started over. Happy about the pounding. Happy about the starting over.

We humans seem quite adept at pounding ourselves and one another into lumps, let’s not blame God for this. Instead, let’s give thanks for every opportunity to be formed, yet again, by our loving Savior of clay. God knows, I do.

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

O Radiant Dawn

Guest Blogger — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:33:11 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 21 :: O Radiant Dawn written by Sister Joyce

Original art by Sister Joyce Durosko, IHM

O Oriens: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”

I saiah had prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” (9:1).

Listen to this verse sung in Gregorian chant by the North American Choir:

O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justitiæ: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

What dawn do you await in your life?

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

O Key of David

Guest Blogger — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:01:01 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 20 :: O Key of David written by Denise Gorss, Web Editor at Loyola Press, where she works on various online projects including managing the photo blog Picturing God: Faces and Traces of the Divine

O Key of David, open the gates to our heavenly home.

In the days of key cards and remote controls, the image of today’s O Antiphon, “O Key of David,” may not have the same effect it once did. It seems too easy to just “beep, beep” and imagine the gates swinging open.

With God’s grace, the essence of the gates opening is true, and we are granted free access thanks to the death and resurrection of the one we will welcome as a child just days from now. When Jesus comes, it’s as though the locks are changed, and we can hope for salvation. But we need to take some action here too.

We need to prepare our hearts to walk through the gates. We need to leave something behind to go forward. Maybe it’s a dependence on familiarity, or a struggle with any one of a number of worldly temptations, or something else that we’d rather be kept locked away. But in welcoming a new key, we likely have to open ourselves in honesty about that something else. The old key won’t work once the locks are changed.

There’s something to be learned by remembering the act of physically touching a key to the lock and turning it to open the door. Sometimes the key sticks a little, or we accidentally pull out the wrong key on our first try, because we are too preoccupied to check which of the items hanging from the chain is right for the situation.

But Jesus will always be the right key.

So even though the Key is coming, and the Key will determine what opens or remains shut, we need to ask ourselves, are our hearts and hands ready to open the unlocked door?

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

O Radix Jesse

recknun — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:00:28 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 19 :: O Radix Jesse written by Regina

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

Two years ago after my sister’s kidney transplant, I planted a Bleeding Heart plant in her honor. And then I promptly forgot to tend to it, and it withered away. When our landscaper cleaned up the garden in late summer, the plant was gone.

My untidy garden

The following spring as I came into the house after work, I noticed a green shoot, roughly in the spot where I had planted the Bleeding Heart. As I am an untidy gardener, I did not pay it much attention, thinking it was perhaps a weed, or at best a wild flower. Several weeks later, I came home and found a tiny pink blossom on my “weed” – our plant had come back, because the roots had never been torn away – it remained in the earth, patiently awaiting it’s time to bloom yet again.

As we complete this homestretch in Advent, the cry of “Come and deliver us” feels particularly pressing, particularly acute. We long to be delivered from the dark (literal and spiritual, for some), we long to be delivered from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we long to be delivered from the frustration of politics as usual and corporate greed… Even in our longing, though, we spy hope, like a tiny bloom on a spring plant, because we long for the Root of Jesse, promised to us so very long ago. The Root of Jesse is strong, it is sure, and no amount of neglect, or hapless tending to our spirit changes that. The Root of Jesse remains, and so our hope of deliverance remains.

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

The more you shop, the more you save … for A Nun’s Life!

Sister Julie — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:38:40 +0000

Here’s your chance to do your holiday shopping AND help out A Nun’s Life Ministry. We’ve partnered with iGive.com so that whenever you use their search engine or shop at stores that have signed up with them, A Nun’s Life gets a donation!

Here are some stores that you may be using already (plus there are many, many more!):

1-800-FLOWERS.COM
Adobe
Amazon.com
Apple Store and iTunes Store
Babies and Toys R Us
Barnes and Noble
Bass Pro Shop
Bed Bath and Beyond
Cafe Press
Disney Store
eBags
eBay
Entertainment Books
Guitar Center
Holiday Inn
Home Depot
Joann Fabrics

Kohl’s
LL Bean
Lego
Macy’s
Office Depot and Office Max
Oriental Trading
Overstock.com
Performance Bicycle
PetSmart
REI
Sears
Sierra Trading Post
Sirius XM Radio
Staples
Starbucks
Vistaprint
Walgreens

Click here to begin at iGive.com. Many thanks for all the ways that you support our ministry! You can also donate directly to A Nun’s Life or become a corporate sponsor.

O Adonai – Jesus is Lord

recknun — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:01:39 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 18 :: O Adonai written by Erin Edwards (Regina’s sister!)

When my sister, that would be Regina, asked me to sign up for a blog for Advent for a Nuns Life, I said “Sure, I can do that”. I’ve written devotions for Advent for a good part of my adult life. This is a piece of cake, I mean really, I am theologically trained, how hard could this be? Then panic struck….Wait, I’m a Protestant…. How am I going to write a devotion for a Catholic Community?? Yes, I was raised as a Catholic and I still pray the rosary, and I wear St. Gerard and St. Lucy on a chain around my neck (no, really I am Protestant). Then I remembered who I AM. I am a child of God. You are children of God. We are connected by the love we have for God.

And we are connected because together we proclaim Jesus is Lord! How wonderful is that! The phrase puts a song of joy within in my soul and heart. It brings light out of darkness, it turns tears into joy and it transforms lives because when Jesus is Lord, our role is to be good and faithful servants. Learning how to be good servants and stewards transforms our lives!

In Advent, we take time to prepare for the birth of our Lord and think about how we can become better servants. It’s not always an easy road when we turn our lives to serving the Lord, but for me it is the only road I know. It is embedded in me that my life is to serve the Lord; it is what I do. It is what I prepare for each Advent season. It is a way for me to reemphasis my life as a servant, as a follower of Christ.

I pray that you all are blessed through the rest of this Advent season!! My husband and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a joyful New Year.

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Jesus is Wisdom

Guest Blogger — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:06:22 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 17 :: O Sapientia (O Wisdom) written by Wren

"Sophia, Divine Wisdom" - Gouache and gold leaf on sculpted board, written by Mary Plaster 2003

December 17 marks the beginning of the “octave before Christmas”, when the seven “O Antiphons” are recited before the Magnificat during Vespers during the Liturgy of the Hours.

Catholic SAT words FTW! Let’s engage in a little clarification, shall we?

To begin with, the Liturgy of the Hours are prayers said at certain times of the day; usually this means you are praying the Divine Office, which are the official prayers sanctioned by the Catholic church. However, some people pray other prayers during these times that are not the Divine Office, though most Catholics use these terms interchangeably (kind of like “nun” and “sister”). If you were to pray the full Liturgy of the Hours, there are seven times in the day for prayers: The Office of Readings, otherwise known as Vigils or Matins, which in modern times may be prayed at any time of day, but traditionally are prayed at midnight. Next comes Morning Prayer, AKA Lauds, which nowadays is prayed any time between 6 and 11AM, and traditionally was prayed at dawn. Then Midmorning Prayer, AKA Terce, prayed at about 9AM. Midday Prayer (AKA Sext) is next, which is prayed around noon. Then Midafternoon Prayer is prayed around 3PM, and Evening Prayer, AKA Vespers, currently is prayed between 4 and 11PM but traditionally prayed between 3 to 6PM. Night Prayer, AKA Compline, is prayed before bedtime. Not everyone who prays the Liturgy of the Hours prays all seven hours, but some do. And no, each prayer does not take an hour: the word “hour” here is somewhat like saying “o’clock”. It’s like saying a store is open “round the clock” or “24 hours”: the LotH are formal prayers prayed around the clock.

So in the case of the O Antiphons, we are talking about something recited (or chanted) during Evening Prayer.

The Magnificat, which is Latin for “[my soul] magnifies,” is also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary. It is taken from Luke 1:46-55, where Mary says: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.” (RSV)

Each of the O Antiphons highlights one of the titles for the Messiah. We start with O Sapientia, which means O Wisdom: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.”

So, now that we all know what the O Antiphons are, and when they are prayed, let’s talk about why they are prayed. During Advent, we are anticipating and celebrating the forthcoming arrival of Jesus. As we get closer, the O Antiphons are a way to meditate on some of the many attributes of Jesus, examining one per day. Today, on the first day of the octave, we meditate on “Jesus is wisdom.”

As part of my Advent meditations, I began reading Matthew straight through, and am reminded of John the Baptist: he had prophesized that one greater than he would soon come, and when Jesus sought him out to be baptized, he seemed surprised, recognizing right away Jesus’ wisdom, when he said, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” In modern sci-fi terms, this would be like Yoda asking Luke to teach him about the force, and Luke saying, “But you’re Yoda.” Did I just reference Star Wars when talking about the gospel? Yes, yes I did.

There are certain figures in life that everyone can see their wisdom. Do you need to be Buddhist to think the Dalai Lama is a pretty wise man? Of course not. Did John need to witness all the miracles that Jesus had not yet performed or the resurrection in order to know how wise he was? Nope. He recognized him for what he was. Later in the gospel, while in jail, John sends word through his disciples asking if indeed Jesus is the Messiah when he hears of Jesus’ many deeds (Matt. 11:2-6), which means that he recognized Jesus’ wisdom before he even knew for certain that he was the one (I will refrain from making a Matrix reference here).

As we contemplate the impending arrival of Jesus at Christmas, take a moment to meditate on Jesus’ wisdom in your life. How does it manifest? Do you take comfort in his teachings in the gospel? Do you work to seek his direction in your life?

Happy Advent!

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Yo, the Forerunner is here

Sister Julie — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:27:53 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 16 :: John the Baptist written by Sister Julie

Ever pray with a hip hop song? I’m prayin’ this one today. It’s Stephen the Levite’s song “John the Baptist”(music and lyrics below).

I love this song — for such a familiar Bible story, so many new images pop up in my mind when I listen to Stephen the Levite’s retelling of the story. Makes me want to “get with this” and proclaim “Yo, God is here!”

The verse that struck me upon first listening was, “not a reed bent easily he was built for this.” This is particularly meaningful for me because it reminds me that we are built by God with both strength and tenderness, standing tall like an oak yet flexible like leaves in the wind. I’m conscious that if I swing too much toward “unbending” or “easily bent” then i lose my center, I lose my footing in God and in myself.

What strikes you in this song and why?

“John the Baptist” by Stephen the Levite on the album Forerunner EP

Yo, what the deal wit’ this, voice cryin’ out in the wilderness/ “make the ways of the Lord straight, no hills in it”/ level out the valley’s make plains, He’s revealed to kids/ prophesied by Isaiah, He’s fulfillin’ it// spirit of Elijah with the same clothes killin’ it/ Camel hair and a leather belt no frills in it/ What did you expect to see, some kind of silkiness?/ not a reed bent easily he was built for this// More than a prophet, he’s a man on a pilgrimage/ the messenger, written of in Malachai, spillin’ it/ “Repent of your sins, He can cleanse all your filthiness/ There’s a new era comin’ through, can you get with this//

Hook: The Kingdom of Heaven’s at hand (get with it)/ Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven’s at hand (get with it)/ and switch, the Kingdom of God is at hand/ (get with it) ya dig? the Kingdom of Christ is at hand (get with it)//

Check the hype bruh, cats call John “the Baptizer”/ wild style vow since a child, Nazerite stuff/ cousin of the Son, born of parents that are righteous/ leapin’ in the belly when the fetus of the Christ comes// Mary and Elizabeth can identify, “the/ Spirit of the Lord is in here” queue the choir/ not a lot of singin from the pops Zechariah/ vocalizin’ doubts had him silent for the nine months// neighbors get floored when the Lord broke his silence/ couldn’t even chat, now the cat prophesies stuff/ all that God’s done got ‘em wonderin’ the kind of/ man he’s gon’ be, a strong beast from the wild cuz// fast forward, John’s at the Jordan spittin’ fire/ “b3ar fruit…axe is at the root…brood of vipers”/ there’s a new steeze and you’ll see the Messiah/ is comin’ next, I’m just here to prep ’til His time ’cause//…

Hook

Peep the drama, Christ comes just like he taught us/ John baptizes little cousin in the water/ Dove drops with a little ac’ from the Father/ sayin’ that He’s pleased with Him, leavin’ ‘em awestruck// dudes must’ve missed when he spit what his job was/ seein’ that when Jesus baptizes, all come/ upset, thinkin’ He’s a threat to what John does/ not so, John got low, givin’ props up// “i need to shrink so that he can be honored/ He holds the mic, I’m the hype man, I’m not much/ He get’s the Bride, I’m the side groom it’s not dumb/ i’m gon’ rejoice at his voice, I’ll be all done// same team, say the same thing, see the plot bruh?/ last words lotta cats heard ‘fore he got plucked/ later on he fades from the pages he’s got one/ scenes left, he will see death, but it’s fine ’cause//…

Hook

End the saga, foul plot, mouth got him locked up/ there for a while, so His doubts start to pop up/ sent a couple cats just to ask “was I wrong cuz”/ came back, tellin’ of the acts He’d accomplished// After peeps left Jesus was rep’ed for’em hard bruh/ sayin’ he’s the greatest man born of a mama/ wonder what the reason they seized him at all was?/ let me go back, show the wackness upon us// Herod wil’ed took the spouse of his Mom’s son/ John put him on blast sayin’ it was wrong but/ He’s shook, knowin’ peeps took him for a prophet/ she’s not, fiendin’ for the opp just to squash ‘em/ chance comes, he received a dance from her daughter/ “anything you want will be yours” is the offer/ mama says, “bring me John’s head on a charger”/ but he’s just a finger, the Kingdom of God comes//

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Mary Christmas!

Sister Maxine — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:53:41 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 15 :: Mary written by Sister Maxine

Artwork by He Qi

With Christmas just around the corner, ‘tis the season for Nativity sets. They seem to be everywhere – at churches, the grocery store, schools, my neighbors’ front lawns. Inside each of them is the familiar figure of Mary, about to give birth to Jesus.

In some of the Nativity sets, Mary wears a blue and white flowing gown and is surrounded by dramatic lighting. In others, she looks like a travel-weary young woman in threadbare clothing. In one very unusual Nativity set Mary is wearing a 1960s style peasant blouse and a long brown skirt probably made of organic material (Joseph was wearing sunglasses).

The various images of Mary make me think about the various Marys in my life, and the ways they symbolically give birth to something new. There are the two Marys who received me into the IHM congregation, certainly a life-changing moment for me. There is the good friend Mary whose death at an early age awakened in me a profound sense of the beauty of life. There is the Mary who was my first encounter with Vatican II theology and, to my astonishment, talked about an imminent, loving, caring God and a Church known as the People of God.

So as I go by the Nativity sets this year, I say a prayer for all the Marys in my life, the Marys who are the source of new life not only for me but in all the relationships around them. Thank you, Marys!

Who are the Marys that you know who bring forth new life? How have they affected you?

Mary, be with us as we seek to be a source of new life and hope in the world, to be the bearer of Christ to all we encounter in our life

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Joseph’s Fiat

Guest Blogger — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:08:06 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 14 :: Joseph written by Marla

In trying to write about Joseph, I realized I know little about him despite his importance in the whole nativity narrative of scripture. I know that superstitious Catholics have long believed that burying a statue of this under-appreciated saint in the back yard is a step in the right direction for anyone trying to sell a home, but aside from that I’m sorry to say I know almost nothing about dear old Saint Joe..

Scripture doesn’t help. Joseph is hardly mentioned at all in the gospels. Mark ignores him completely. A quick search at Gateway Bible online shows a measly eleven references to this brave soul who took on the enormous task of being stepfather to the Savior.

Despite Joseph’s minimalist biography, we can know with certainty that he pleased God. After all, Joseph said yes to God, just like Mary did, just as the prophets did, and just as the apostles did. He agreed to marry a pregnant girl and raise a child that was not his own. That’s a big deal.

But saying yes always is.

My friend Colleen taught the kids in our parish—and me—improvisation every Wednesday for an entire year. According to Colleen, the first rule of improv is to always say yes! If your partner on stage says, “Can you tell me how to get to State Street?” you have to give directions, thereby saying yes to his premise. If you say, “I’ve never heard of State Street” you are saying no to the bit and the scene stalls. In other words, saying yes means opening up to every possibility.

Saint Joseph absolutely opened himself up to any and every possibility. He was asked to serve God and he said yes, and I’ll bet his life was never the same again. And even with a tiny 11 references in scripture, Joseph is not a figure we are ever likely to forget.

In this season of Advent, may we all be more willing to open ourselves up to whatever God requires of us. Even if we have to practice saying yes every day, let’s go for it. Because saying yes to God can only bring amazing goodness (even if it hurts a little).

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

Unusual Wisdom

The Nuns — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:40:37 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 13 :: Solomon written by Sisters Julie and Maxine

Sometimes wisdom doesn’t come in a nice neat package. It can be messy, cranky, weird, and downright bizarre. Who would have thought that the great king of wisdom — Solomon, the son of David and builder of the first temple of Jerusalem — would have suggested a very gruesome solution in order to settle a dispute between two mothers? Yet, in the end, the case was solved and Solomon has been praised for centuries for his most unusual exercise of wisdom.

We could use a little bit of unusual wisdom today. We had a full day planned for today and not one, not two, but a whole bundle of contrarieties popped up today throwing a gorilla wrench in our plans. Now we both appreciate a good plan and when it is blown asunder, it’s difficult to switch gears. Any chance you can relate?!

You might think that just because we are nuns that we would blissfully and serenely adjust to life’s unexpected twists and turns. But, you know, we’re human too and bliss is not what we were initially feeling. Then we took a moment and decided that out of this unexpected chaos, we could still make good on our day. We could make a choice to ape-preciate the gorilla wrenches and open ourselves to the new possibilities while simultaneously bidding farewell to the perfectly-good-but-no-longer-helpful plans we once had.

And therein lies the wisdom of Solomon — sometimes wisdom comes in very unusual packages. In what we initially took as a preposterous problem (how dare life change our plans!) we discovered a new way to be with one another and with our plans for the day. Surely the two women who fought over the child, each claiming that the child was theirs, thought it preposterous when Solomon suggested dividing the child in two. But one woman tapped into the deepest truth of her own being and her love for the child, and was willing to shift gears for the sake of the child. She didn’t hold onto her previous position (give me the child) though she had every right to. Rather she shifted and opened herself to the new. The other person? Not so much. She was willing to dig in her heels and take her “half” of the child. Obviously that would not end well.

So here’s our invitation this day — what contrariety has come your way? What unusual wisdom may be lurking within the situation?

Solomon, be with us as we negotiate the contrarieties of our daily life. Help us to use the wisdom and creativity that God has gifted us with and to remember always our truest self in Christ.

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

God for the win

Guest Blogger — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:27:49 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 12 :: David written by Audra from the blog The Awkward Catholic

Yesterday Regina wrote that God knew what (s)he was doing when (s)he picked little David to be anointed. So we fast forward to when David’s three older brothers went off to war with Saul. Jesse, David’s father, asked David to see how his brothers were getting along in the war. When David reaches the camp Goliath had already proved to be impossible to beat. Israelite soldiers were running scared from this giant but to David he was not so much a scary giant as an obstacle to the Israelite people.

David’s brothers become angry and accuse him of being a smart aleck. David believes he can actually defeat Goliath because he had protected his sheep from lions and bears. Saul and the others try to convince him otherwise but David don’t care. David gets what he wants. He tells the others repeatedly that God had their backs. Saul gives David his really nice armor but it made David too uncomfortable so he takes it off. David goes with what he knows…his sling and five smooth stones and the rest is history.

It took just one pebble to bring a giant obstacle down. Even though at first David wasn’t sure why God chose him, he certainly felt confidant that God had his back. But maybe David was so confident because he didn’t understand why the others were scared. David never experienced the feeling of God leaving him. God never failed. What if we acted as though we never felt God leave us? What if at all times we felt confident that God has given us the right tools to get the job done? How many Goliaths would we be able to “slay”?

It’s a message we hear over and over again yet we need to hear everyday- God will never leave you. There are times in my life when I sensed defeat just around the corner. There were days I thought things were never going to get better. However, it was the little “pebbles”- the little blessings- that defeated the darkness. Those were the moments I was confident God had my back.

As always I found God helping me throw pebbles at Goliath because I didn’t have the strength to throw the boulders.

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

What God Sees

recknun — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:31:16 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 11 :: Samuel and Jesse written by Regina

But God say to Samuel, “Pay no attention to appearance and height; I have rejected height, I have rejected him. God does not see as mortal sees; mortals see only appearances but God sees into the heart.” I Samuel 16:7

Dura Europos, Samuel anoints David, 244

It’s happened to all of us. A friend introduces us to a new boyfriend and after the encounter, you’re puzzled. Where exactly is the attraction coming from? You don’t see it. “I don’t know what she sees in him,” you think. Yet your girlfriend sees something that brings her joy, something that satisfies a place in her soul. She sees deeper than you.I’m sure Samuel, Jesse and David’s brothers were thinking pretty much the same thing when Samuel anointed David. Imagine Samuel, looking at this youngest boy, ruddy and disheveled, thinking, “How can this boy be King? I hope you know what you’re doing, God.” Imagine David, summoned from the flocks, oil poured over his head, thinking, “What in the world is this old man after?” Imagine the brothers, thinking, “Why him?”Over and over we here sentiments like this echoed through Scripture, ordinary human beings questioning God, wondering what He’s thinking, wondering if they are up to the task being asked of them. Yet God simply says, “Don’t worry. I know the score. I’ve got this.”I rejoice that when God looks at us human beings, She sees so much more in us than what we see, that God sees into our hearts, and says, “I want YOU, beloved Creation. I made you, I love you, and we’re going to do marvelous things together.”I rejoice that God believes in me.
* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Wherever You Go

recknun — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:13:51 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 11 :: Ruth written by Marla

I avoid most apps on Facebook, but when “Which Bible Character Are You?” showed up, I had to have a go. I took the quiz meant to determine my biblical qualities (I guess) and was pleased when the result came up: “You are Ruth.”

I could only hope. Ruth is the very personification of loyalty in the Bible. She is meant to be. “Ruth” means friend. Whenever I have been asked to describe myself I have always said, on the plus side, that I am loyal to a fault to anyone I call a friend.

The beautiful words that Ruth speaks to Naomi in this book of scripture are often sung at weddings, too: “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.” What husband or wife wouldn’t want those words included in their marriage rite?

But when I look at the world today, I see that Ruth has a bigger lesson for everyone in 2011: Inclusivity. Ruth unhesitatingly embraced Naomi’s people and culture, despite very obvious differences in every aspect of life. There was no fear, there was no judgment, there was only acceptance and an understanding that all people, in the end, are God’s people and all people are one.

When church and state turn their backs on people because of gender or sexual orientation or skin color (boy—and I thought we were done with that! http://abcnews.go.com/US/kentucky-church-bans-interracial-couples/story?id=15065204#.TuNZyGMr27t), Ruth’s great lesson—and therefore, God’s—is that we are all the same.

My Christmas wish is that a few more people “get” that great truth soon and that hurts of exclusion will finally be done with for good.

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *