I was feeling overwhelmed by personal concerns and the suffering of friends.  It was an avalanche of bad news to start off the year. Then, it came to me:  It is all taken of.  And I immediately felt an amazing peace. 

            Faith can be elusive. It seems to come and go; rushing in when needed and then receding from consciousness when not.  This intangibility is probably intensified by my yo-yo relationship with it, being complacent during smooth, upward swings and then grasping for it when things are headed downward in a twisting, floundering mess.  But it is a learning process.   And I am making some headway in moving beyond my limited understanding to a more authentic experience of faith.  I try to accept things as they are now and dwell less on wishful thinking.  I make fewer predictions and less demands, calling instead upon a steadfast –and steadying -- source of inner strength while I let go of all expectations, dreams, and mirages. I don’t want to miss the emergent good, the abiding love, in the present reality.

            But how can I even consider all will be well when calamities erupt and evils like poverty, prejudice, crazed politicians and war abound?  I’m not sure.  My faith journey is still hesitant; my spiritual quest incomplete; and I can’t crack the code. But, in the face of insurmountable injustice, and with the odds stacked sky-high, I can only do as Martin Luther King, Jr. did:  If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl. But by all means keep moving forward. If there is a plan, I think this is it. Moving forward and climbing up the mountain of malady, and helping those reduced to crawling along the way, is a personal witness that justice and mercy will prevail. The kingdom of God is a work in progress, led by groundbreaking, unstoppable, ascending pioneers, who let us know the view is great; the path is true; keep on task.

My sudden revelation of faith, in the midst of awful news, actually came out of my solidarity with the Sisters of Charity, BVM.  You are my back-up network, my push forward.  I am a member of a faith community that is constant in its compassion and timeless in its tradition of prayer, support, and the open embrace of what is to come.  Just knowing that I have such love holding me up, as well as all those I hold dear, has put me in the place that BVM President, Mary Ann Zollman, BVM recently described as “grace-filled spaciousness.”

Being connected to the BVMs has made me delve deeper and seek higher in my daily life.  BVMs have a history of leading by example, quietly taking care of the duties at hand, while moving steadily upward over steep terrain. BVMs witness to the Creator of a universe outside of our realm of comprehension and of an infinite spirit of cosmic expansiveness that extends beyond our understanding.  And BVMs do so simply by following the One who does not forget the sparrow, who cherishes the wild lilies, and who lifts us up and carries us with a love that is absolute, unceasing, and, ultimately, restorative.  It is all taken care of.

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Fr. Jim Groppi is synonymous with the civil rights movement of the ’60s in Milwaukee.

Yesterday at an event in Milwaukee in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., Jim was honored for his work.  Jim’s wife Margaret accepted the award and addressed those assembled.

As BVMs and Associates we have been challenged to look at prophetic ministry as described by Walter Bruggemann in his book The Prophetic Imagination.  Bruggemann calls us to “hope in God, not in situations.”  Jim Groppi was a person of hope in the difficult days of the ’60s.  I share a little about his life.

Jim grew up in South Milwaukee and was the 11th of 12 children.  His activist work began when he was in the seminary; he was ordained in 1959.  Many of us remember hearing about his organization of marches in Milwaukee to bring about a fair housing ordinance which eventually came to be, largely through Jim’s leadership. He organized over 200 marches.  He also worked on behalf of desegregation of public schools and participated in the march on Selma as well as in other national events.

Jim eventually became disenchanted with the priesthood and left.  He married Margaret Rozga, a university English professor, and together they had three children, now grown.  One of them was at yesterday’s service.  At some point Jim became a bus driver, a job which he also had held when he was in the seminary to help pay expenses.  He died in 1985 of a brain tumor at the age of 55.  I'm so happy he was honored on Monday.

In 1963, MK King said “Birmingham was probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the U.S.”  In 2011, Milwaukee earned that “dubious distinction.” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 15, 2012).   Obviously, the work of Jim Groppi is not finished here yet, nor is the work of Dr. King.

(To anyone wishing to learn more about Jim Groppi and the civil right movement in Milwaukee, I highly recommend The Selma of the North, Civil Rights Insurgency in Milwaukee by Patrick D. Jones, published in 2010).

Our country and church stand on the prophetic shoulders of people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jim Groppi plus innumerable others, including those in our BVM congregation and beyond.  As we held hands Monday and sang “We Shall Overcome” I felt as a people we had come a long way in “walking hand in hand” over the past 40-some years, but realize we still have a long, long way to go.

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“And our motto on this island is salaam”

Since January 4, Witness Against Torture has been fasting, organizing, and witnessing in Washington, D.C., as have several people across the country.

“Courage, brother, you do not stand alone;
we will walk with you and sing your courage home.”

Yesterday we sang these lines over and over as we marched and formed a human chain in front of Chicago’s federal building, calling for closure to the prison at Guantanamo Bay and an end to torture and indefinite detention everywhere.  January 11, 2012, is the 10^th anniversary of Guantanamo and still 171 men remain detained without trial; 89 of them have been cleared for release. 

As we transitioned from Courage to a litany of names of the men who remain at Guantanamo, following each name with “…is a human being!”, some from the group knelt before the doors of the federal building and surrounded themselves with these same names, creating a memorial.  People knelt before the names, paying their respects for the inhumane torture and detention that is being carried out in our name, by our country, under a president who promised ‘change’ and the closing of Guantanamo to us in 2008.

As we marched, sang, and memorialized, I couldn’t help but reflect on torture and indefinite detention in the context of Epiphany.  The distance we are, as a country, from the spirit of Epiphany, the spirit of the birth of justice and truth, overwhelmed me.  I thought of the few poems I’ve read by Guantanamo detainees in the past.  One of them reads:

Where is the world to save us from torture?
Where is the world to save us from fire and sadness?
Where is the world to save the hunger strikers?

But we are content, on the side of justice and right,
worshiping the almighty.

And our motto on this island is salaam.

I am overwhelmed by the desperation of torture and indefinite detention, but am also awe-struck by the spirit of nonviolence and peace maintained by these men in the face of being stripped of their dignity.  In this spirit, I find hope in humanity, hope that maybe some day our own country’s leaders will embody this spirit of nonviolence.  I find hope in communities like Witness Against Torture and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture who have committed their work to bringing justice to these men and all who are tortured.  Through community and solidarity, may we never lose sight of our struggle toward Epiphany, toward giving birth to truth and justice.

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  It is the first week of January and I’m already at a stand still.  I welcome the annual quest for personal transformation and self-enlightenment but by day’s end on January 1^st, I had tacked on enough resolutions to my 2012 reformation mandate that I was already in abandonment mode.  Consequently, I have decided to leave behind the marching orders and am initiating a slow dance to metamorphosis. 

   My first step needs to be an honest and searching self-examination.  But even a cursory appraisal is overwhelming.  As a 58-year old American woman, I have accumulated an opaque and nearly impenetrable layer of artifice over time.  It will take patience and perseverance to reveal my fundamental self.  But, for once, I feel up to the challenge.

    Where will this venture lead?  I hope meditation and prayer will guide me to the deepest part of me.  When my daughters were infants, I would look into their clear eyes and ask them, “Where do you come from?” I believe this secret home and its encoded message still exists in all of us.  And I need to discover this opening to truth, this source of self-understanding, this untouched core of goodness.

    I keep reflecting on the directive that we must enter through the narrow gate because the wide and easy path leads to destruction.  But what if Jesus’ real message was less of a cautionary tale and more about finding peace?  I think he was pointing to an inward journey and leading the way: “There is a path to your authentic being and you must seek it with all the love that is within you. Then the gate will swing open and you will enter the place you will recognize as home.  Once there, you will know yourself as you truly are and as one who is forever cherished.”

   I am seeking so much more than I thought I wanted just six days ago.  I realize now that I am searching for my very soul.  And when I cross the threshold to this inner passage, I expect that it will lead to revelations beyond my present grasp.  But, for now, I am still in the far country and all I can do is dance my way home.                  

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The second day of a new year and already the calendar is filling up with upcoming activities.

One begins to wonder when will the rushing from one thing to the next stop and the quiet time begin?

Why do we run around trying to accomplish this and complete that?

New Year’s Resolutions just seem to compound the whirlwind of activities.

Maybe in the midst of this new year frenzy it might be best to just slow down, take a deep breath, and look at the horizon and contemplate the beauty that God has given to us.

Our tasks will still be there in a minute or two, but at least for now during this quiet moment all can be suspended and one can breathe in God’s stillness and silence.

In so doing the activities can be refocused and we can enter into them with a clearer purpose.

When was the last time in your busy day that you just stopped to breathe in some quiet?

Have a Happy New Year.

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For four weeks we have read about Advent patience. About curtailing our consumerism. About remembering the Prophets and their call to justice. About standing in solidarity with the marginalized, such as Occupy Wall Street, about those killed in civil wars or military atrocities by SOA graduates. 

We were reminded that our BVM charism calls us to be free and to free others. 

Now the days of Advent are behind us.  The exhortations have been uttered and we stand amidst the Christmas days. 

We are now called to rejoice, our Saviour is born, the Saviour who will bring justice, harmony, the promise of a new world grounded on love. 

But we look around and there is little justice for those oppressed economically in our country and globally, harmony in our country shines very faintly—check out the political sound bites and the increase in violence in our urban centers—and finally the horizon for this new world is barely visible.

We could be totally discouraged or we could embrace this moment and promise that we will continue to live the life that Jesus lived.  Our lives will be a witness to Jesus¹ birth, teachings, and death. Jesus life was not a waste, but a beginning for us here at this moment in time. 

It is now that we rejoice at the birth. And others will know our joy by the works of justice that we perform.  Works of justice that will help to transform this world and bring the promise of salvation to fruition.

What activity did you engage in today that witnessed to your joy at the birth of Christ?

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Deck the halls . . .

If you have strolled in your malls or downtown shopping areas you have seen the many  stores that have been 'celebrating' Christmas since October. The hold-outs, such as Macy's, were willing to wait‹until Thanksgiving.

The ubiquitous, yet out-of-place sights and sounds of Christmas can preclude us from fully entering into the Advent season, which, traditionally, is thought to be a time to pause and reflect, to prepare our minds and hearts to celebrate the birth of the Savior on Christmas morning. This Sunday's Scripture readings, however, remind us that Advent is also a season of joy:

My soul rejoices in my God.

At first it may appear that waiting and rejoicing are dichotomous realities.

In fact, they go together quite well. We are able to wait in hope for the future because we joyfully remember all that God has done for us in the past. Taking time to revel in our previous experiences of God's grace gives us the ability to stand strong in our hope that God will continue to self-reveal love and compassion now and into the future. Thus, it is through rejoicing in the past and living mindfully in the present that we remember that the Incarnation was not a one-time event, and we open our hearts to the hope that we will continue to experience God¹s Incarnation throughout our lives. 

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The month began in Milwaukee at the Call to Action Conference and it ended in Fort Benning, GA, at the School of the Americas Watch Vigil & Protest.  Two different parts of the country, two different focuses of injustice, but the interrelated nature of the issues shone through clearly, especially this year in light of the Occupy Wall Street Movement. 

At Call to Action, feminist theologian Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, delivered a keynote address connecting the Occupy Movement with issues of exclusion within the Church, reiterating that the common thread is always solidarity.  Without solidarity, we are like travelers without a compass.  Walking with and living in solidarity with those on the margins is what enables us to work for justice in a manner that honors and respects the lived experience of those facing injustice.  We work for equality within our faith community because of our solidarity with folks who are pushed to the margins by the hierarchical institution of the Church.  The Occupy Movement, similarly, is rooted in the importance of using our bodies and our voices to stand together in solidarity with those most devastated by the economic reality in our country and our world.

 This year’s theme at Call to Action was Living the Gospel of Love.  Appropriately, I recently discovered this video that discusses the Occupy Movement as a “Revolution of Love”.  The video’s producer, Charles Eisenstein, author of Sacred Economics, says of the Occupy Movement, “What we want is the more beautiful world that our hearts tell us is possible, a sacred world, a world that works for everybody.”  As I heard these words, I couldn’t help but relate them to each movement that both the BVMs and 8^th Day Center for Justice are a part of.

 I think this reality was felt, as it is year after year, as we rallied, protested, and vigiled to call for a closing to the School of the Americas.  Eight BVMs made the journey to Georgia this year to join their voices with about 5000 others.  While this was my fifth year at the vigil, it was my first as part of the 8^th Day and BVM communities.  As part of the SOA Watch coordinating team this year, I not only gained more appreciation for the movement, but I feel like new life has been breathed into my energy for it.  Viewing this justice movement through the charism of being “freed by love”, left my feet feeling more grounded, my voice more emboldened, as we called for a close to the school. 

 At this annual gathering that calls to mind unimaginable atrocity and despair, in a movement that has had few victories in its 22-year history, a feeling of hopelessness might easily move in.  But as we processed, as we honored each person who has been killed at the hands of those trained by the School of the Americas, solidarity remained our compass; we traveled the route of the procession holding with us the knowledge that a more sacred and just world, free of violence and oppression, is possible.  This year, as I walked in that solemn procession, I was moved to reflect on the act of ‘walking with’ that we are called to if we are to live more deeply in solidarity with those who are not yet free from violence and oppression.

 These movements for change in our Church, our foreign policy, and our economic structures are struggles for justice that require great patience.  As we move into the waiting of Advent, may we reflect on the importance of steadfast patience in these movements; may we trust that this patience will be fostered in community as we journey together with solidarity as our compass.

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Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.

Amid a period of ongoing oppression, God raised up a prophet to proclaim a message of hope to the Chosen People. In our own day, as the wage gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to grow, as children suffer abuse at the hands of trusted adults, and as the institutional Church preaches a message of exclusion rather than warmly welcoming everyone to the table, we stand firm on our belief that God continues to proclaim a message of comfort and hope for all people. As Jesus’ followers, we have the opportunity to cooperate in God’s ongoing revelation by modeling hope for those around us. By doing so, we follow in the example of Mary Frances Clarke, whose hope was evident in her trust of God and love for her sisters.

Who in your life models hope for others? What are you doing to preach a message of comfort?

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This week we begin again the deeply rich liturgical season of Advent…a time of waiting, hoping, preparing and pondering the mystery of the incarnation, of God-become-human, Emmanuel.

It is a season that calls us to be more reflective and contemplative…to ponder the meaning of God’s presence with us, of our call to bring God’s “kindom” to earth; to bring compassion, justice and peace to our troubled world.  This is a season which challenges us to grow spiritually, not just wait in sentimental fashion to remember the birth of the baby Jesus.  We are called to live out our adult faith which often must challenge the values of our contemporary society.

One of the things that bothers me every year, and even more so this year, is the great emphasis on “buying!”  Our consumerism seems to get more “out of hand” each year.

This year I was deeply disturbed by the number of stores that were open all day on Thanksgiving!  It just seems so wrong to deprive workers of one day of the year to “give thanks” with family and friends.  We seem to be putting more and more emphasis on what we have rather than who we are.

What would happen if every Christian chose to spend as much time and energy developing and sharing his/her spiritual gifts with others this Advent?  In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians this Sunday, he tells us we can do it!  “You are not lacking in any spiritual gift”…God’s grace is with us and God seeks us out in the messiness and busyness of our lives.  God’s light, love and life are available to us…we just need to be open to God’s presence with us…in the beauty of creation, in the compassion of those who serve the poor, in the prophets of our day calling us to live just and simple lives.

I was talking with a friend about this the other day, and she said her former pastor always made one suggestion to the parishioners each Advent:  to consider NOT shopping on the Sundays of Advent and perhaps spend some time in reading/pondering the Advent scriptures.

As we begin this Advent season, what would you like to do to grow spiritually…?

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          I’ve been thinking a lot lately about fragments and how they define my life.  In retrospect, my guiding principles seem to be based upon a mysterious mishmash of significant moments and words, lots of words, spoken to me or calling out to me in music, poetry, prose or biblical verse.  I have completely internalized these life-changing events and life-shaping lines but when I try to convey them to others, I can neither nail down the substance or the delivery; somehow, personalizing and “re-creating” the fragments into something altogether new.

             But I seem to gravitate towards fragments, being the perpetual collector of rocks and shells, the photographer with way too many albums, and the diner who opts for appetizers over entrees.  Is this a personal quirk or a telling lack of development on my part?  Or, this the ultimate writing on the wall – fragmentation as a way of life from birth to death?

             And the questions continue:  Is a predilection to the small, coupled with an inability to see the larger picture, an innate flaw of the human condition?  To paraphrase yet another key snippet, is it our lot in life to see through a glass darkly now and turn away from those who ardently tell us that there is more, much more, out there?  We, little ones, fixated on grasping at glints, tend to have trouble with the Teilhard de Chardins and their blazing insights into cosmic truths.

            And then there’s Jesus, teaching us the most rudimentary truths in the simplest, most direct communication, and we’re still having difficulty understanding him or his message 2,000 years later.  What could be simpler than the Sermon on the Mount…except to follow it? The Beatitudes are the foundation of my faith, yet I betray them repeatedly.  But, Jesus, the merciful, keeps at it.  ‘Can’t see it or do it now, then let’s go with what you know:  leftovers.

            After feeding the multitudes, and providing spiritual sustenance for the ages, Jesus gets down to basics, commissioning a core of followers to pack up the picnic.  Off I go on this simple mission but I’m still at it.  Still gathering in the scraps; still trying to see holiness and wholeness in the broken, the discarded, the forgotten; and still so little to offer back.  Not to worry.  Jesus knows my basket of fragments is more than enough to feed both body and soul, connecting me to profound truths spiraling eons beyond my comprehension, and holding us together until the light of day fully dawns in all its immensity, beauty and simplicity.

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Greetings!
My name is Mary Ellen Madden and I am the new BVM representative at 8^th Day Center for Justice here in Chicago.  As the first lay staff representing the BVMs, I am honored to be on board and deeply humbled by the legacy that has been laid before
me by the seven BVM's who have served at 8^th Day since its founding in 1974.  As you may know, 8^th Day is a coalition of religious congregations that acts as a critical alternative voice to oppressive systems with the intent of changing those systems.

 I felt drawn to 8^th Day and the BVMs because my concern for justice is rooted in both my Catholic identity and my worldview that all creation and humanity are interrelated.  8^th Day and the BVMs approach justice work in a manner that resonates deeply with my own vision of the world we must create for true peace and justice to be realized.

 I see the BVM blog as a platform to communicate my work at the Center with the greater BVM community, and I hope we will enter into dialogue together to reflect upon and analyze the many injustices facing our world today.  Right now, the main areas I intend to focus on are women in the Church, immigration, and School of the Americas Watch.  I am also a member of a group at 8^th Day that analyzes structures of institutional power; that group will be focusing on the G8/NATO Summits taking place here in Chicago in May, so some of that analysis may also find its way to the blog this year.  
I am excited to embark on this journey with the BVM and 8^th Day Center communities, and I look forward to our upcoming conversations!

In Peace,
Mary Ellen Madden

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            A few months ago, in a burst of enthusiasm, I ordered two books on the topic of hospitality.  I placed them on my reference shelf and there they have languished ever since.  I guess I would rather give and receive hospitality than read about it.

            Authentic hospitality is a rare gift and, in gratitude for the times I have been given it, I have tried to sustain others with its healing grace.  Influenced by the example of Dorothy Day, I have been working & volunteering in soup kitchens for nearly 25 years.  And I entertain frequently on the home front, including hosting a monthly neighborhood dinner.  Still, giving hospitality doesn’t come easily for me, or for most Americans.  Its minimal requirements of time, attention, and caring are all weak points in our make-up, which are further exasperated by our frenetic lifestyle.

            My family, and our large group of American and international guests, were awed by the hospitality we experienced at the establishment we stayed at during my daughter’s wedding in Ireland.  Our engaging innkeeper amazed us with the countless ways he extended himself in offering sincere, considerate and generous service, and delighted us simply by being a genuine, welcoming, responsive host who took time to get to know us, care for us and cultivate bonds.  John demonstrated the true meaning of hands-on hospitality -- from the zillion pots of Irish tea and French press coffee he produced for the caffeine-deprived, to fixing our rental car’s flat tire, to putting on a fabulous wedding reception, to the final surprise of serving us breakfast at 4:30 am before we drove three hours to Shannon Airport – and it is a legacy that will keep on giving us comfort and inspiration for a life-time.

            On this cool August morning, I know that autumn is coming and with it the traditional time of re-connecting with family and friends, and building community.   I really should grab those books, but, instead, I’ll simply tend to the guests around my dining room table and at the soup kitchen in a wholehearted, loving way.  Practice may make for perfection but I’m aiming for something that is more within my reach, my touch, my comfort zone.  Hospitality calls for -- and calls forth – compassion and that’s the place I want to call home.

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            As I walked to the hospital, I tried to stay completely in the present, mindful of the ephemeral moment, and finding peace in the rain-drenched, two-mile journey.  So, I soaked up the scenery along with the precipitation but, all too soon, I was in an elevator en route to the radiology department.

            My appointment had been scheduled there after I went to my internist for a routine ailment and was subsequently informed of a potentially life-threatening condition. After an hour of angst in the waiting room, the ultrasound itself took a mere five minutes, and the technician laughed when I said I was heading over to Dunkin’ Donuts whatever the outcome.

             And it was the most delicious chocolate donut ever because I did not have an abdominal aneurysm.  But after the chocolate euphoria, as I walked home in the continuing deluge, I was aware that my fleeting medical episode was both a temporary reprieve and an opportunity for lasting change.  Inevitably, there would be a grim, unyielding prognosis in my future and this false alarm had actually been a blessing, presenting me with a clear initiative to transform my life while time allowed. 

            Yet, only a few days have passed since this compelling experience and I am already teetering on the verge of amnesia.  Blissfully back to taking things for granted; being much too busy; and opting for the easy and superficial over the more rigorous and meaningful.  It is definitely time for me to establish a set of guidelines to help keep me centered and committed before I permanently slip back into a stupor.  Here, are some early ground rules, and your creative and clarifying input would be appreciated as well:

 -Stay in the present, grounded in reality and truth, yet open and receptive to spiritual signs along the way.  

-Soften up to avoid a hardened heart.

  -Don’t hesitate to go overboard on gratitude & generosity.

 - Dedicate more time to do what I enjoy but also for sampling the new with the same zest.

 -Meditate, recollect, and pray in order to cultivate a healing spirit of faith, forgiveness and inner peace.

-Let go of assumptions, expectations, judgments, and other limitations.

-Concentrate on family, friends, and those in need in the community.

 -Surprise others with caring acts and do so anonymously when possible.

 -Focus on fostering hope in myself and then in others.

-Take risks to do what is right and just and compassionate.

-Simplify.

 -Revere this rare, sublime existence on this fragile planet.

-Cherish chocolate donuts…..always.

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    During this summer of extreme temperatures, inflamed politicians, and a potentially combustible US economy, I have been seeking refuge in my garden.  Just yesterday, after the worst week on Wall St. since the 2008 debacle, I was rooting out my mint patch to make space for another herb garden and mucking around in the rain to clear two other small areas for a fall display of asters and mums.  Nothing makes me happier, or more oblivious to current events, than dreaming up a new garden design and planting an abundance of beauty in my urban backyard.

            Creative endeavors are a source of illumination and solace in our present twilight zone, a tempestuous time that is growing more feverish and dark by the moment.  As things get seemingly more out of control, we need to seek peace in the little things we do well and that keep us emotionally and physically healthy. Without a respite at hand, we will be unable to focus on current policy-making on vital issues ranging from climate change to proposed budget cuts to vulnerable social programs, and lack the fortitude to get involved and act on our beliefs at this critical time.

A troubled world needs our utmost attention but we also need to tend to our inner gardens.  What are you doing to restore your equilibrium, strengthen your resolve, and feel blissfully in the moment during summer, 2011?

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The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) is to be commended for gifting us with another superb publication in its annual series, which serves as a prayer topic and resource guide spanning from the Visitation, 5/31, to the feast of Mary Magdalene on 7/22. This year’s compilation, entitled Behold, I am Doing Something New, focused on the “something new” that may be evolving now or in the not-too-distant future for women religious.  But it also was a meditative leap into the future for the lay reader as well.

            I was so swept away by the 2011 edition that I was compelled to mine the pages, scissors in hand, for powerful insights from the LCWR writers and the myriad of biblical, theological and philosophical selections.  Then, I mixed up the mountain of fragments and re-assembled them collage-style in a journal that I use for artistic expression and spiritual enrichment.  Six pages later, at the heart of what I consider my personal prayer book, I now have a launch pad into a new consciousness.

            Discerning what shape and direction our lives will take is still a major, re-occurring theme for my friends in their 50’s and 60’s, and for me.  The search for a new and abiding relevance at our age is rather surprising because I assumed we would have “settled” in so many ways and been solid and rather stolid founts of wisdom by now.  Instead, the quest continues and the hazy frontier where we’re bound is out there…..somewhere.

            The message of Behold is that the emergent new is already germinating in and around us if we are but receptive to the unfolding creation.  So, the “aha” moments, those tantalizing but elusive hints of enlightenment, are within reach, if we can see with eyes of hope and faith, catching those gleaming kernels of truth and beauty when the time is right for our understanding to take wing. 

             Those of us who often fail to see what is right in front of them may feel we’re not going to catch this next wave at all.  But this mysterious urge for personal and collective re-generation is beckoning us from deep within.  It is an implicit prophetic call, urging us to pay attention to what undoubtedly we’re already thinking about, loving, aspiring to attain, and maybe even tripping over at this very moment.

            And, by the by, has anyone heard from Mary Frances Clarke of late?  In a flash of soothing and motherly mysticism, did she gently fan you with her apron, put the kettle on, listen intently to your inquiries and needs, and then open the door for you to a refreshed vision of the world?   If so, please let us know if you both laughed at the revelation waiting right on your doorstep and if you’re already joyfully setting off on mission and could use some help from those of us poised on the threshold of the here, now and ever-becoming.

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      I am a morning person, and I like nothing better than to begin my day, watching my street in downtown Albany come alive at dawn.  From my window in a Victorian era brownstone, coffee cup in hand, I see an urban mosaic taking shape and changing by the moment.  Here, in  Center Square, an awakening city comes together.  But my neighborhood, only a few blocks from the magnificent New York State Capitol, is both an appealing metropolitan gathering place as well as a quarter-mile conduit between blighted and impoverished sections of the city.   And, at 6 am, I observe once again the wake-up call of a city of great resiliency but ebbing resources.   

            Inevitably, as I begin my second cup of coffee, I’m offering a prayer for the fleeting souls passing by.  After eight years here, I’m acquainted with many in the early-morning crowd and I know their lives are difficult in this economically-depressed upstate city.  For those at the corner of Lancaster & Lark Sts., and at similar crossroads across our nation, the cards are stacked against them and our elected officials no longer feel obligated to help them achieve egalitarian parity.  These cynical politicians have turned a blind eye to the people and the vital intersection that I watch over with tenderness.  But off-the-grid to D.C. or not, we still carry on.

            Sighing, I allow myself a half-cup more, and then I, too, will be out the door to where the opulent 19^th century meets the downtrodden 21st .  And, as usual, my daily ritual has offered more questions than answers.  I only know that it is imperative that I stay focused on doing what I can to bring positive change to my enduring but ever-tenuous neighborhood.  But, this morning, as President Obama prepared to sign on the debt ceiling bill, I was taking in the diverse, eclectic and spirited street life of an extraordinary – albeit forgotten -- American city, and I felt the stirrings of hope within.  

Take a moment, coffee cup in hand, to look out on your window of the world and feel free to dream up ideas on what we, as a nation, can do – in gestures small and large -- to save our cities and the precious people who live in them.

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   I’m starting off a stint of posting here this month by sharing an experience that has been in uppermost in my thoughts of late.  I keep going back in my mind to Clogher Strand, a spectacular beach in the west of Ireland where my daughter, Kelley, was married on the afternoon of May 20th.  Before the wedding began on that dramatic threshold of the Atlantic Ocean, guests made lighthearted comments about the coming of The Rapture, which was predicted to occur at midnight.  But the timing of the prophecy was to be more immediate for I was on the verge of being caught up and inwardly swept away then and there on the Dingle Peninsula.

          The simple ceremony started with local musicians singing in Gaelic, lulling me into a meditative state.  I recalled the Irish belief that the seashore is the place where wisdom is revealed and the backdrop of the magnificent Blaskets reminded me that islands represented a bridge between heaven and earth for my ancestors.    As I watched the hands of my daughter and those of her anam cara, her soul mate, being gently intertwined together in a green satin knot, crystalline waves rose and fell around them.  I was moved by the joining of two lives in a glorious immersion of sunlight, wind and water as their love was being woven together in a Celtic design.  The recitation of the marital vows ensued and I felt deeply connected to our living and deceased loved ones and to those that would follow after us.  Suddenly, I knew that they were all there. For one translucent moment, on that most western rim of Europe where ancient peaks meet waves upon waves from beyond the beyond, I saw the ocean shimmering, sheep grazing, hikers striding upward in fields of wild fuchsia, and Kelley kissing her husband.  And I knew I was in heaven.

     I keep returning to Clogher Strand because I am trying to translate this vision of an intimate eternity into a new way of living, somehow fusing the heart and soul of what I experienced on the coast of Ireland into everyday life in Albany. So far, the only by-product of this mystical event has been an enhanced understanding of the poetry of Gerald Manley Hopkins, which extraordinary as this is, I’m hoping it is just the beginning of the learning curve! I would be grateful for the relating of any personal epiphanies (difficult though they are to put down into words) and how these revelations have empowered you to transform reality and transcend end times to help bring alive the kingdom of heaven in the here and now. –

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The Story of Damien House /Casa Damien

Today the 16 of us flew to the coast city of Guayaquil.  Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador, and the largest port in all of South America.  While we had read, and been told, that Guayquil is all business, and not a good place for tourists, when we arrived we found a city much more modern than Quito, with a very nice downtown, and a beautiful waterfront.  There is a city park full of iguanas and turtles, and along the waterfront there were several colorfully painted statues of horses.
The purpose of our trip was to visit Damien House and Nuevo Mundo.  We also planned on visiting a home or two in the barrio of Duran, but time escaped us, and we were not able to make it to Duran.
Our first stop was Damien House.  Damien House is a residential care facility that houses, and cares for, 30 residents who suffer from Hansen’s disease, as well as 500 people treated on an outpatient basis.
Hansen’s Disease is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria thought to be carried by the Seven Banded Armadillo.  Before the discovery of the cause of Hansen’s Disease by Dr. Hansen in the late 19th century Hansen’s Disease was known as Leprosy.   Although Dr.  Hansen discovered the bacteria which causes the disease, it was not until the early 1980’s that a multi-drug therapy was developed which has rendered Hansen’s Disease controllable and curable.  Despite this, Hansen’s Disease remains a highly stigmatized disease.
Damien House is named in honor of Father Damien, who ministered to those who were exiled to Molokai in the late 1800’s.   During our visit to Guayaquil we met the modern day Father Damien, Sister Ann Credidio BVM, who insisted we all call her “Annie.”  For the last 20 years Sister Annie has made it her mission in life to care for those afflicted with Hansen’s Disease at Damien House.  She met with us before we toured Damien House and told us the residents have been shunned by their friends and family.  Although it is currently known that Hansen’s Disease is not contagious (unless one is immunocompromised) most people who see victims of Hansen’s Disease are reticent to physically touch them.   Hansen’s Disease attacks the skin and nerves of afflicted people, and many of them lose their toes or fingers, or even end up with amputations of the legs or arms.  Hansen’s Disease can also cause a loss of cartilage in the nose.  
When we first met with Sister Annie she told us the thing the residents of Damien House crave more than anything else is human contact.  She encouraged us to shake hands and hug the patients we met. 
While there we met most of the 30 residents, as well as some of the outpatient visitors to the clinic there.  Every one of us shook hands with, or hugged, or both, every resident we met.  To see the joy on the faces of the residents, and how genuinely happy they were to meet and see us, was very moving.  One of the first residents we met, a woman named Mercedes, is blind and had a bandage on her right leg.  However, from her chair she sang us a beautiful Ecuadorian song to welcome us. 
We then went and sat with several of the woman residents, who had made us each a rosary as a welcome gift.  It was obvious a lot of work and love had gone into making the rosary beads for us.
We then went to the men’s section, and the smiles on their faces were so genuine and heartfelt that all of us were touched.  Just shaking hands and saying “Buenos Dias, Mucho Gusto” brought so much joy to these men.  The experience was very touching for the adults, and seemed to have made a significant impact on the teenagers in our group, as well.
After meeting everyone we got a chance to see some of the crafts they make there.  We had seen the handiwork of the rosary beads, and one of the men had made a wooden cross as a gift for Father Justin.  We also saw some of the men working on woven baskets and hammocks.  At the end we saw the finished products.  Everything was beautiful, from the bracelets and necklaces, to the baskets, hammocks, and paintings.  We left Damien House feeling very blessed for the opportunity to spend time with Sister Annie and the residents there.
Anyone interested in learning more about Damien House can go to their website at www.damienhouse.org <http://www.damienhouse.org>
-- 

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Many of you know Leona Cook.  Leona has returned many times to Quito to volunteer at the WBC. This summer she invited her family members to join her. Here is their picture at the WBC. 

Left to right: Liz, Brian, Allison, Philip, Leona and Claren

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Today we began our project, which is to make curtains for the original Working Boys Center in La Marin. It was very interesting to see how the women working in the sewing room operated.

The volunteers from St. Mary's who could not sew or didn't wish to help with the curtains had to help sand layers of paint off desks. I was not part of sanding group, but heard from others it was very difficult. You could easily tell this from the blue desk paint covered hands that they all shared.

The curtains will hopefully help the people of La Marin Center. It was nice to feel as though I made an impact in someone's life. The curtain making was frustrating though. But, as some other group members said, it was very instructive and educational. This fits in with the ten values of the center; instruction, loyalty, work, recreation, living, hygiene, personal formation, economy, religion, and family.

After sewing and before our dinner, some of the other teenage groups, some of our group, and I went to play with the kids of the center. We met them after their dinner, and began to play volleyball with a tennis ball. Once finishing an intense game, the smiles and laughter on the childrens faces just made you feel happy and grateful for the oppurtunity to see those faces. We also played at the playground, called the park. The kids would love to jump on our backs and shoulders and then have us run around. They also would just come up to us, pull us to the playground by our hands, and begin to play with us. It seems unusual to us, but to them it's natural.

Overall, today we learned that most events happening throughout the day tie to these values. They are so important to the center and should be as important and part of daily life not to just people of the center, but to all.

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The Minga time to rest and eat.

We did it!!

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Photo of indigenous celebration on the way back from Otovalo.  Madre

Miguel explained they were celebrating the feast of St. Peter and

Paul, as well as the pagan Solstice celebration, which the Ecuadorians

commingle on this day.  Everyone in town was dancing and singing,

wearing costumes.  It was quite the celebration and just beautiful.

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Patrick Tabari, Connor MacLean, and OrlaLua MacLean at the barrio. Read the blog below for more information.

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Be sure to check the Photos following this post. Pictures of the Graduation and Bumblebees.

We all arrived safely!  We received a warm welcome from Madre Miguel and Padre Juan.  Today we had a slow start and even got to sleep in. We met again with the Madre and Padre and got our schedule for the week.  We had a quick tour of the Center and cut it short to go to the Kindergarten Graduation Mass. Then had lunch with all the students in the main dinning room.  In the afternoon we went out to the barrio to visit 2 homes of families from the Center.  A real eye opener for our children. It was humbling for them to see how proud they are of their homes in comparrison to our homes in California.   Upon our return we had a real treat in watching the Kindergartin Graduation.  It started off with the 2-3 year olds dressed as bumble bees with a "Adios" banner.  Then the 4 year olds did a traditional dance in regional Ecuadorian costume. The 5 year olds recited a poem.  And the 6 year olds did a different traditional dance in a different  regional costume.  Then the graduates were presented their Diplomas.  The Parents and siblings were so proud of the students.  The boy graduates were most excited about completing enough education to receive their shoe shine boxes. They will be presented at a later date.   So for our first full day at the WBC, it was as good as it gets:)

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The younger children participated in the Graduation Ceremonies

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St. Mary's Summer Volunteers assembled with parents and teachers to celebrate the Kindergarten Graduation at the Working Boys Center

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Are you overwhelmed with statistics? Do you just close your ears when some one starts giving you percentages of number of unemployed today versus 10 years ago? I tend to turn off, but the personal stories behind the statistics are what do grab me. The stories of families trying to make ends meet by each parent working two or three jobs. The stories of young men riding their bicycles from home to work because they do not have enough money to spare for bus transportation. The story of two to three families sharing a two bedroom apartment to make ends meet. It is those stories that make me take notice and then the statistics that NETWORK (Catholic Lobby in Washington, DC) publishes make me stop and listen.
Did You Know
The wealthiest 1% of our population own more than 90% of us combined.
The wealthiest 10% of our population own more than ¾ of the nation’s wealth.
But my next question is what can I do about it?  Well check out NETWORKs’ new campaign as a possibility. http://www.networklobby.org/campaign/mind-the-gap

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Reflection: Are our gifts and our crosses related?  Two verses from Matthew 10 seem radically different but upon further reflection, offered me a new insight.  In the New American Bible we read: 

“The gift you have received, give as a gift.” (Matt 10:8)                                            

Later in that same chapter we read:

"…whoever does not take up [her] cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” (Matt 8:38)  

In meditating on these two passages I reflected:

Sometimes –

our gifts are other people’s  crosses.

Sometimes –

other people’s gifts  are our crosses,

Sometimes –

our own gifts are our own crosses.

Sometimes –

our gift is the  Cross.

May we find God’s love in all of the gifts we receive including our crosses.

Please share with us your reflections:
In what way has one of your gifts sometimes been a cross?
Is there any time in your life when a cross turned out to be a gift? --
Or a gift became a cross?

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Have you seen the Women and Spirit Exhibit?  Were you one of the 40,000 visitors to the exhibit in Dubuque, Iowa or did you catch it in Washington, DC or Cincinnati?
I was in Dubuque during April and one of my must do activities was to visit the exhibit. We did not have much time, but it was enough to get the flavor of the exhibit. I was so impressed with the families coming to view it.  Young children who had never had nuns in school finding out about the varied contributions of women religious to American society.
 If you have not seen it yet, it will be in Los Angeles, then South Bend, then Sacramento.
If you saw the exhibit, what is one thing that stands out for you?
If you have not seen the exhibit go to: http://womenandspirit.org
Upcoming Schedule

June 19, 2011 - August 14, 2011(Mount St. Mary's College (Los Angeles, California)(
September 2, 2011 - December 31, 2011(Center for History in association with the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College (South Bend, Indiana)(
January 24, 2012 - June 3, 2012(The California Museum of History, Women & the Arts (Sacramento, California)

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Ironically the most rewarding part of the weekend Service Experience had little to do with the service we performed at the shelter homes.

My daughter invited me, for the first time, to come and spend this weekend with her in service.  She attends Clarke and works part-time in the Caritas Center at Mt. Carmel as a nurse’s aide in the Alzheimer’s unit.  During a short interval between our service work, my daughter took me to meet the Sisters she works with in the center.  These “ladies,” as she calls them with respect, may not all have known her at this moment, but she talked to them gently and introduced me to them.  She was so kind to them that my heart burst with pride.  I don’t always get to see this side of her! 

This memory will remain long after the service we did is forgotten.

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The BVM service weekend allowed me to fuel my passion of serving by

being with others who desire to change the world, impact lives, learn

about/challenge themselves and share love with those in need. 

I experienced joy, hope, love and much more from those I served and the people I served with.  I was reminded that one smile can change your entire day, and by keeping your heart and mind open, love will continually enter and leave—two things I try to live by daily.

I met people who have forever changed my life and pray to have impacted the life of another.  I continued to live out the mission of my home church (Immanuel Lutheran in Independence, IA):  “Be an open door through which the world meets Jesus.” 

I recommend this service experience to anyone who lives, breathes, loves.

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Associate Mary Ann Krems and Nancy McCarthy, BVM wash doll house at Lantern

Associate

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Sara McAlpin Does Windows and Flo Heflin paints. These BVMs volunteered for the Dubuque Service Project in April

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Mary Ann Zollmann, BVM meets Volunteers in Dubuque                                        

                                                                       Evening  Prayer and Orientation    

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Sheila Fitzgerald with Maria at Damien House in Guayaquil.

Ann Credidio, BVM is the Director of Damien House.

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Dick Volpe knows slides are fun at any time.  He joins the students at Nuevo Mundo during the recent Volunteer service trip to Quito and Guayaquil.

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A piece from the concluding prayer of the BVM Dubuque Service Weekend (4/8-10) stated:  “We walk with our hands empty seeking to be filled with your presence.  We go full of poverty to be enriched.” 

This was clearly an apt expression of how we participants entered into, and came out of, the experience(s) we had at several local centers for those with extreme needs of various kinds.  As is so often the case, much more significant than any service we gave, were the new insights and realizations we gained.  Fresh awareness could be expressed in a long list of ways. A short list for me includes:  In order to follow Jesus, it’s important to have the experience of realizing that Jesus loves everyone.  Sharing an experience with others in community deepens its impact. Dedicated people give an enormous amount of love and care daily to people who tend to be dismissed by much of society.  Seeing realities through a lens different from my typically narrow and limited one, leads to countless new discoveries. 

Stretching myself around the new discoveries can help me, I hope, to have a wider and more welcoming presence.  My hands may still feel empty, but I am definitely enriched by my weekend experience(s).  

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On the BVM Service Weekend I was deeply moved by the combination of prayer, reflection, and community along with service actions undertaken. It was a joy to see the community of action that developed among all of us! Perhaps most moving of all, was the service done at Hills and Dales. It taught me the value of letting go of tangible results and just being with someone in need. I also learned on the weekend that it is a lot easier to take a window out than put it back in!

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Thursday, April 7, 2011
Today started with a bus ride to Yachay Wasi with LuAnn as our guide.
Yachay Wasi is aschool of 70 darling students dedicated to preserving their native

culture.  When we arrived westopped at the chakara, which is the garden they planted themselves.The indigenous people strive to be one with nature, so all plants were medicinal or forfood.  We learned how to substitute some plants for salt or sugar.  From the garden we tasted several varieties of potatoes.  The mashua potato is especially useful for a healthy prostate.  The jicama plant is used to prevent diabetes and the top of the white carrot helps to firm the uterus after giving birth.  We harvested
several ears of corn which were painted by the hand of God....white,purple, orange.

All cameras came out to photograph as the children performed dances
from each of their provinces dressed in their native costumes.  Songs sung to the seeds

of their garden were in three languages; Quechua, Spanish and English.  Quechua is a native language which is declining,and the school is teaching it to encourage pride in their heritage.  We loved the sweetness of the children´s faces.  Upon leaving
the school the rain was coming down which changed our plans for the rest of the day.

Shopping for the St. Mary´s auction was a good indoor activity for the
rainy day.  We drove to Calderon to Blanca´s House where we bought dough art, ceramics, and wooden figures.

LuAnn entertained and informed us with facinating facts about Ecuador
during our bus travels.
·The president of Ecuador was kidnapped in 2010 by the police
·Ecuador has "coup days" for school children instead of "snow days"
·Guinea pigs are used for diagnosing illness by the shamans and are
also eaten as a delicacy
·Pica y Placa is an attempt to control traffic congestion.  Driving
time is limited depending on the last number of your license plate.
·Citizens are required by law to vote.  Penalty is loss of business for one year.

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Oops we can't close the window. Sometimes helping out has its draw backs.

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Theresa's Shelter, Maria's House, and The Lantern got a spring cleaning. 

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Last evening 28 kindred spirits met to embark on the Dubuque Service Experience sponsored by the Initial Membership and Associate teams.  The group is quite diverse: BVMs and lay Associates, Clarke students, Mt. Carmel personnel,  and friends of all the aforementioned – all united by the common bond of doing service in the context of a faith community. We spent Friday evening sharing a meal and prayer, and learning about the places where we would work on Saturday.         

            Saturday morning we divided into groups and went to help at three local non-profits:  Teresa Shelter and Maria House -- a women’s shelter and transitional living  house, both established by the Dubuque area  women religious; and the Presentation Lantern Center, an educational center where immigrants from many countries learn how to speak English.  In all three places we had memorable experiences ranging from the profound to the humorous…windows that were opened to clean and then couldn’t be shut, painting the wrong bathroom, hearing the moving story of a Russian immigrant, recognizing the shelter’s need for basic cleaning supplies and a decent vacuum—and filling the need by the end of the morning.

            Six of our participants had lunch with the folks at the Dubuque Rescue Mission, after serving the meal to all who came from the Dubuque community seeking a hot meal.

The rest of us ate and chatted with the sisters in the BVM dining room.  Then all of us proceeded to our afternoon activity, which was to work with the residents of Hills and Dales, a residential center for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities.

All of us were deeply moved by our experiences with these residents, and by the care and respect given them by their caretakers.

Tonight we are reflecting on our day and tomorrow we will share our insights within the context of prayer as our little community gathers to conclude this weekend, which has been transformative for all of us. 

 In the coming days we will share some of our reflections.  Please join us as we continue this spiritual journey.

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Participants volunteered at Maria's House, Theresa's Shelter, The Lantern, and Hills and Dales.  Friday evening began with prayer and orientation.

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Pictures of the Working Boys Center

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These are the first set of photos of those in Quito right now.

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 “Though the Mountains may fall and the hills turn to dust” IS 54:10  

So many mountains have been falling: the joblessness, the Middle East unrest, the disasters of tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, the headlines of murdering pirates, the email requests for prayers for serious surgery, for families in tumult. 

Lenten readings suggest that my own hills may quietly be turning to dust:

proclaim a fast, be reconciled to God
Tell my people their wickedness,
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed
We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;

But the readings do continue:

My love for you will never leave you.

In order to proclaim a fast for myself, and acknowledge that we have done evil, I do need the reassurance that “my covenant of peace with you will never be forsaken.”

As we prayed the other day: in place of greed, generosity; in place of competition, cooperation; let us live together in love and compassion. 

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 from http://www.internationalwomensday.com/iwd2011_pressrelease.doc

International Women’s Day Centenary sees largest ever activity

London, March 2, 2011: March 8 sees the highest level of global women’s activity ever witnessed as groups celebrate the International Women’s Day centenary.

The first International Women’s Day events were run in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in 1911 and attended by over one million people. 100 years on, International Women’s Day (IWD) has become a global mainstream phenomena celebrated across many countries and is an official holiday in approximately 25 countries including Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam and Zambia.

8 March sees extensive global women’s activity. Performer and social activist, Annie Lennox, will lead a mass march across London’s Millennium Bridge for charity. In Washington D.C. over a thousand people will descend on Capitol Hill demanding a better world for millions of marginalized women and girls around the globe. A major international businesswomen’s conference will be hosted in Sydney, Australia. Schools and governments around the world are participating in the day. Trade Unions and charities are campaigning. Global corporations are hosting conferences and distributing extensive resource packs. The United Nations Secretary-General delivers a formal message. The United States even designates the whole month of March as Women's History Month as officially proclaimed by President Obama on February 28, 2011.

International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. However, activity has not always been on the increase. Australian entrepreneur and women’s campaigner Glenda Stone, who founded the www.internationalwomensday.com website, a global hub of events and information, said:

“A decade ago International Women’s Day was disappearing. Activity in Europe, where International Women’s Day actually began, was very low. Providing a global online platform helped sustain and accelerate momentum for this important day. Holding only a handful of events ten years ago, the United Kingdom has now become the global leader for International Women’s Day activity, followed sharply by Canada, United States and Australia. 2011 will see thousands of events globally for the first time.”

More recently, social networking websites like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube have also helped fuel International Women’s Day activity. Generally the day has moved away from its socialist Suffragette beginnings to become more mainstream in celebrating women’s achievements. Women’s rights campaigners, however, continue to remind that vigilance rather than complacency is essential in striving for women’s equality.

For more information about activities for International Women's Day go to

http://www.womenforwomen.org/

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“After hearing the voices of our sisters, experiencing their pains with them, and feeling their hopes and fear, we are empowered to act. Prayer and action are not two different things connected by a string but rather inseparable realms of our faith experience. To pray truly is to be changed. To truly let in a new perspective is to be changed. To act in accordance with these shifts happens organically. Action continues our prayer.”

                                                                                        http://www.worlddayofprayer.net/action.htm

 The World Day of Prayer began in the 19^th century when Christian women from the United States and Canada began to dialogue about the necessity to gather in support of women’s issues throughout the world. Since then the movement has become grown dramatically and is observed in 170 countries throughout the world on the first Friday in March.

 The theme for this year’s day of prayer is “How many loaves have you?” All over the world people are gathering to pray in solidarity with women of Chili who continually struggle with:

          -the the impact of globalization and social and environmental issues such as pollution of the environment and over-population in the urban areas.

          -the lack of prospects for young people and issues such as drug consumption and trafficking, prostitution, and dysfunctional families—problems directly affecting women and children.

         -gender issues resulting in the gap in women's rights in theory and in practice, especially regarding equity and respect in the workplace, which oftentimes is in difficult work environments.

Let us all pray and work for the end of greed that accounts for so much suffering in our world. Let us realize that God has given us all what we need to end the pain of so many if we give from our hearts and share what we have.  

                                                         Information gathered from http://www.worlddayofprayer.net

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Blog: So, What Is “Perfect,” Mr. Speaker?

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This is the lead line in the inside book jacket of New Feminist Christianity, Many Voices, Many Views edited by Mary E. Hunt and Diann L. Neu.  It states that Feminist Christianity isn’t just about women.  It’s about all people who have experienced oppression or discrimination—because of their race, ethnicity, nationality…Feminist Christianity is working to fight these prejudices and realize compassion and justice for all people.

The book is divided into five sections with a total of 28 essays by feminists writing from their particular expertise regarding those oppressed or experiencing discrimination.  Each author provides her theological insights or practical experience in the struggle to bring compassion and justice for the people in their community or the world at large.

Check http://medusacoils.blogspot.com/2010/09/review-new-feminist-christianity.html for a review of the book.

Skylight Paths Publishing, Woodstock, Vermont

www.skylightpaths.com

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The air is cold and damp as I step outside. A low fog hangs in the air blocking out the sun and making the world around seem grey and sad. My garden and those of my neighbors are muted, with few blooms and many dead leaves and plants. Even my winter vegetables of beets, kale, lettuce, and bok choi seem subdued, just holding on, although the weeds are thriving. All of this coldness, dampness and lack of sun make me want to stay indoors where I can turn on my heat and lights: such wonderful creature comforts at this time.

As I reflect on what nature is telling me I realize that this is truly a season that is inviting me to turn inward, to nurture and replenish myself like the dormant plants that need a time to NOT be putting out leaves and blossoms, but drawing what is needed from the soil in stillness.  It is a reminder to slow down and respect this message from nature as spoken so well by the gifted poet John O’Donohoue.

Here is an excerpt from his poem, “A Blessing for One Who is Exhausted”

“You have been forced to enter empty time.

The desire that drove you has relinquished.

There is nothing else to do now but rest

And patiently learn to receive the self

 You have forsaken for the race of days.

At first your thinking will darken

And sadness take over like listless weather.

The flow of unwept tears will frighten you.

You have traveled too fast over false ground; Now your soul has come to take you back."

. . . .

"Stay clear of those vexed in spirit.

Learn to linger around someone of ease

Who feels they have all the time in the world.

Gradually, you will return to yourself,

Having learned a new respect for your heart

And the joy that dwells far within slow time."

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Mother Us Mary

          Mother us Mary.  Feed us as you fed Him.  Clean

us as you cleaned Him.  Clothe us as you clothed Him so

many times when He was little.  We, too, are little and in

need, so clothe us in His love, His faithfulness, His will

and wishes. Cleanse us with his purity and holy light.

Feed us with his justice and mercy.  He gave you to us.

So now we are totally yours.

          Let us become so totally yours that we are totally

His, as you were.  Thank you Mother, simple,

humble, pure and holy one. We enter your ordinary

hidden life where love is all that counts.  Love that       

cleanses, heals and unites.  Help us to fully live our

ordinary daily life with the greatest of awareness,

presence and love.  Let us be surrounded and

enfolded in graced ordinariness.  Let us see each

moment as an opportunity to meet and see Him. 

          Let us praise, love and serve our God through the

daily stuff, the ordinary, the everyday people,

places and circumstances sent our way. Help us

to be alert, attentive and willing vessels of love

to others we interact with each moment. 

            Mary, we know we are not alone.  You and our loving,

faithful God are always present with us. Let not our

busy-ness push you aside.  Teach us that no matter how

hectic life becomes, you are always at its center.  With Jesus

you are at the center of our lives.  Help us to return to this calm, quiet

center where we meet on holy ground.  Let us keep all

these events of our lives carefully in our hearts as you did.

Guide us to bring great mindfulness to our daily happenings

and their meanings. 

                  Loving Mother Mary, hold us closely.  Feed us.  Cleanse

us. Clothe us and never let us go.  We then are totally united

to you, and therefore to your Son, the  Father and the Spirit for

now and all eternity.  Amen.

     How can I open my heart more this new year to Mary so she can bring me closer to her son, Jesus?

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Birthdays are curious things.  If any of us made a list of the most important, happiest, proudest days in our lives, the particular day we were born would not likely factor high on the list, yet that is the day the world appoints for us to celebrate our life.  It isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  It might even be good, but I still wonder about it periodically.  

This year, I experienced a birthday in an entirely new way for me: as the mommy.  Myles turned 1.  I would love to say that I handled the day with dignity, but that would be a lie.  I suddenly contracted the same form of insanity that drives my own mother to set her alarm for 2 a.m. so she can be the first person to wish me a happy birthday every year.  I planned multiple parties, baked for days, cleaned, cooked all his favorite foods—which I must admit was not the most appetizing menu for his guests with actual teeth.  I told my family they were not allowed to buy gifts.  They needed to make gifts at the party because the things they made would ultimately be far more precious than anything they could find in a store.  I even called the members of my family who are prone to bickering and threatened them with an old-fashioned ear-boxing if they uttered so much as one cross word.  Myles is more of a lover than a fighter; I figured he would appreciate the peace on his big day.  

Somewhere in the middle of the whole mother-of-the-birthday-boy insanity, it dawned on me that Myles would see pictures of this day, but he would not remember any of it.  I also reminded myself that he will not list the day he was born among the highlights of his life, so he will ultimately spend the same amount of time considering his birthday as the rest of us.  All this enlightenment changed nothing.  You see, the day he was born is the number one highlight at the top of MY list of best days ever.  

So, this year I plan to celebrate Christmas in solidarity with Mary.  I am sure if Jesus made a list of all the best days in his 33 years on earth, he would overlook Christmas.  Mary, on the other hand, would know just how important the day really is.  In honor of her, I will bake and clean and cook.  I will remind my family that the best gifts are the ones from their hearts, not the mall.  And I will take the necessary steps to ensure peace on my little corner of Earth.  No matter how many millennia have passed since she welcomed Him into her life and ours, He is still her little boy and help never hurts when you have a big party to throw.   Merry Christmas!

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Then God spoke and said, “Ask for a sign, let it be deep as the netherworld or high as the sky!” (Isaiah 7:10)

Dare we ask for another sign when signs are all around us – both deep and high?  The incredible mystery of the cosmos unfolding for billions of years!  The gift nature of our very existence!  The desire for beauty and truth and love that continues to expand within our being!

God is in us, around us, up and down, woven into the fabric of all creation and we, too, are called to be signs of that Incredible Mystery.  Each of us, in a unique way, makes God visible; each of us brings God to expression.  My act of care, your invitation to hospitality, our living in joy and peace, affirmation and thoughtfulness are all signs.  Over a lifetime, long or short, we create, adjust, renew, deepen and highlight the signs that we are.

Little Suzie got that message. 

It was time for art in the kindergarten classroom.  Each promising young artist was intent on producing a masterpiece.  The teacher wandered the room, observing, commenting, encouraging.

“I’m drawing a picture of God,” little Suzie offered. 

“But no one knows how God looks,” responded the teacher, as she glanced over Suzie’s piece.

“WELL,” said Suzie, “they WILL, when I’m finished!”

When we look around us, what wonderful signs we see!  God is coming to visibility in each one of us.  But we’re not finished!  We are always called to more.  There are always deeper invitations.  If we’re still alive we’re not finished.

Little Suzie was right, when she is finished, not with her picture, but with her life, we will all know a little better who God is.

How are you doing with your picture of God? 

Comment (1)

The Indigenous of the Andes have compared the Northern hemisphere to the eagle and the Southern hemisphere to the condor. The eagle is associated with logic, reasoning, empirical proof -- the head. The condor symbolizes emotions, feelings, and intuition -- the heart. Modern Andean Indigenous recognize the need for dialogue between the two in order to be healthy and balance life. Below are some of the contrasts between Western Cosmology and Andean Indigenous Cosmovision.

The Cosmology of Western thought is intellectual, empirical, and abstract. It views the cosmos only from ideas, intellect, and reason. The Cosmovision of the Indigenous comes from a sensate, affective, and esthetic conception that includes the intellect.

Andean Cosmovision is holistic and sees that family as a unit. The community comes first in making priorities. Western thought is impersonal and individual. People are separate and individual achievement and self-actualization are stressed. 

Andean Indigenous live in harmony with the land. Equilibrium is found with and within the land.  Human beings are not owners, but guardians, caretakers, and conservators of the land. The Andean lives in harmony with the land. The human community, the natural community, and the sacred community live in mutual empathy. Humans are in conversation with nature and natural elements are considered to be alive (e.g. Yakumama=Mother Water). Andean agriculture conserves and respects, giving nutrition to Pachamama (Mother Earth). Andean medicine is holistic, integrating the body and spirit.

Western Cosmology separates religion and science. It concentrates on information and discovery, viewing nature as a resource. Nature is appreciated for its functional use, to be exploited by people.  Humans are the owners of everything. Humans and nature are not considered sacred. Everything revolves around the human being. Western agriculture is mechanized, using machinery and chemicals, for mass production. Western medicine has side effects. It is cold and mechanical.

With which Cosmology/Cosmovision do you identify? Can the two live in harmony and dialogue with each other?

Information retrieved from a table prepared by Laura Santillàn and Fernando Chimba.

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December 12, 2010

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas.  Today we recall Mary reaching out to Juan Diego, a poor Aztec peasant in Mexico.  Mary, appearing as an Aztec princess, was a sign of God’s love for the oppressed people of Mexico who had been brutally conquered by the Spanish.   With these words of tenderness, Mary reached out to Juan Diego and his people:  “I want to be your mother.  I want to be mother of all the inhabitants of this land.  I want to right the wrongs.” 

Mary empowered Juan Diego to be a Christ-bearer to the indigenous people of Mexico…she sent him forth as messenger and teacher.  Our Lady of Guadalupe stands as a symbol of unity for all those struggling to leave a state of oppression in order to be free.  She invites each of us to be “Christ-bearers” in our world and to help those imprisoned by poverty, prejudice, injustice. 

Each of us can ask ourselves during this Advent season and on this special feast:  “How do I bring Christ’s message of love, justice, forgiveness and peace to our divided world?”

This feast has a special meaning for those of us in the community who made our novitiate at Guadalupe College in Los Gatos.  For us, Our Lady of Guadalupe visibly represents our BVM commitment to justice, especially as called forth in the 1960’s in our community involvement with Caesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers.

Recently at Holy Family in Glendale, some of the former members of the set of 1965 were able to view the DVD of the BVM Historical Society presentation regarding Guadalupe College.  Below are the reflections of Joanne Pfeiler.  We welcome your reflections… 

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 At this Advent time I am asking myself what the Incarnation really means.  As I begin to comprehend all that it implies, how will I live differently? In memory of Blanche Gallagher I offer a quote from her book Meditations with Teilhard de Chardin, which is in turn a quote from Teilhard.

“In the humanity which is begotten today, the Word prolongs the unending act of God’s own birth: and by virtue of God’s immersion in the world’s womb, the great waters of the kingdom of matter have, without even a ripple, been imbued with life, the immense host which is the universe is made flesh.”  (Mooney, Christopher. Teilhard de Chardin and the Mystery of Christ. pg. 81)

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Live the Questions

“Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord.” These words from Saint James seem to contradict the overall theme of Gaudete—or Rejoice—Sunday. This juxtaposition, however, underscores the already/not yet tension of God’s kindom. On one hand, we rejoice and celebrate God’s dynamic presence manifest in the world around us. On the other, we await the fullness of God’s kindom that is yet to come.

In a world rife with violence and aggression, discrimination and injustice, we may be tempted to cry out, “How much longer must we wait, O God, for the fullness of your kindom?” In these moments we can find comfort in Rainer Maria Rilke’s often-quoted line: “Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart . . . Live the questions now.” Amid this already/not yet tension, we realize that our answer comes only when we live out the questions.

When we listen to and honor the deepest stirrings of our heart, when we choose to live with integrity, when we practice right relationships, we ground ourselves ever more deeply in the always, already present love that God is. Then, firmly rooted in God, we find ourselves able to risk the openness and vulnerability necessary to share God’s love with others.

As we authentically live the questions in the exigencies of our lives we notice the answer to our cry emerging before us: We do not have to wait for the fullness of God’s kindom. By our very being, rooted within God’s very being, we actualize the fullness of God’s love in the world around us.

How are you living the questions this Advent?

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"The voice cries out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’"  Today's Gospel presents John the Baptist announcing the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Kingdom, guided by God's spirit, will be one that establishes justice, provides peace, and radiates joy.  John's message was similar to the message of the Old Testament prophets who chided the people of God for their unfaithfulness and who tried to awaken true repentance in them. Living among a people unconcerned with the things of God, John's work was to awaken their interest, unsettle them from their complacency, and arouse in them enough good will to recognize and receive Christ when he came.  Are you eager to hear God's word and to be changed by it through the power of the Holy Spirit?

 Jesus is ready to give us the fire of his Spirit that we may radiate the joy and truth of the gospel to a world in desperate need of God's light and truth.  His word has power to change and transform our lives that we may be lights pointing others to Christ.  Like John the Baptist, we too are called to give testimony to the light and truth of Jesus Christ.  Do you point others to Christ in the way you live, work, and speak?

 For our second week of Advent, I invite each of us to slow down (as I know I need to do) and ponder the meaning of Christ’s coming, explore how we may or may not be living up to the standards of discipleship, and consider how we might ourselves better seek God's Spirit at work in and around us as we seek to establish justice, provide peace, and radiate joy in our world.

 "Lord, let your light burn brightly in my heart that I may know the joy and freedom of your kingdom.  Fill me with your Holy Spirit and empower me to witness the truth of your gospel and to point others to Jesus Christ."

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Come, Come O Emmanuel 

Imagine entering a room and finding under a lighted tree a beautifully wrapped present with a sign: “Don’t open now”.  Here is the question:  Do you think that you would wait?  What would you do?  Some , might react with the question, “Why can’t I?”  I remember when I did slip under the tree and poke at the package, peeling of the scotch tape to rip open the present…to be in the moment!

Waiting for some us does not come naturally.  Waiting puts us at odds with Christmas.  As we walk into church during these Advent days, we hear the hymns of “Come, Come, O Emmanuel”, we wait for a Messiah who seems to be running late.  In our American culture, we experience a desire for things to be here NOW.  We expect speed:  fast internet, speed reading, microwave, minute managers, to “end the war now”.  Who likes waiting?  A relative of mine tells me that we would be abandoning the people and others have told me that the pressure created in the country will be lasting for decades.  Americans are not good at waiting.

Yet, waiting is at the foundation  of our life. Can we see that in waiting we come to recognize the receiving in our lives of mutuality, listening, trust, friendship.  The capacity to be present in the moment, the Now of our lives is the gift a gift often given in the waiting.

These times have been tough, even fearful for many experiencing huge losses  in their lives….I do not need to remind the readers of the blog our consciousness of those losing their homes, jobs, the confusion as to what to do next, and for the Afghanistan people fearful for their children and themselves as to whose side to be on, how to go forward in their brokenness.

We know that there is room for impatient waiting, waiting for God to come, desperate waiting, “come, comfort, comfort my people”.  And we raise our voices in joy as we watched on our TVs the Chilean miners come up from the prison to be greeted by families, workers, by all of us thanking God for coming quickly to our aid.  Let us remember one another in these weeks ahead.  Remember now, no peeking under the tree!!!

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I have been reading Care of Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth by Ilia Delio, OSF.  She describes what she calls “The Method of Reflective Action.”  These are action steps taken after reflection on our relationship to the Earth as we ask ourselves questions like:

1)   To what extent do I realize my interconnectedness: my dependency on the things of the created world: my sisters and brothers as St. Francis termed the sun, the stars, the water and even the wolf?

2)   Do I perceive that in all created things I see around me I am looking at the face of Christ?

3)   Do I give myself the gift of regular contact with nature through walks in the woods, trips to the ocean, gardening or any other activity that deepens my connection to my Mother Earth?

I hope these probing questions stir something in you as they do in me.  More next month.

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Greetings form the Middle of the World

People in the United Status are celebrating Halloween. This holiday is generally not observed in Ecuador, though some of the practices have crept in. The holiday that is observed here is the Day of the Dead or All Soul’s Day, on November 2nd.  

 Relating to and communicating with loved ones who are deceased is an integral part of Indigenous spirituality.   For the Indigenous, death is a continuation of the life that we know in the spiritual sense. Thus, on the Day of the Dead, people travel to the cemeteries in droves to visit dearly departed. There, they converse with the deceased, telling them how their lives are going and recounting troubles and worries.

 In addition to the conversation, people bring food to share with their loved ones. The most popular foods are from the Andes: potatoes, ocas (a variety of potato), habas which are similar to lima beans, but much better!), and cuy (guinea pig). The specialty foods of the season are guaguas de pan (decorated bread babies which represent the departed souls) and colada morada ( a thick, hot, spicy fruit drink made from black corn, oranges, raspberries, pineapple, strawberries, and other native fruits, flavored with lots of sugar and spices).

 Outside of the culture, one might view these practices as macabre, but they can be cathartic and healing. Continuing a relationship with loved ones who have passed on is a beautiful way to face the loss and feel the presence of those who are physically absent from our lives.

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10/8/2010 by Elizabeth Fitting, BVM Associate

I have been working in my city garden the last few days, harvesting the last ripening tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash and enjoying their bounty.  At the same time I am thinking ahead to winter and planning my crop rotation: crimson clover for the nitrogen where the tomatoes grew, moving the strawberries to a fresh bed, and planting kale, broccoli, beets, onions and garlic seedlings to carry me through the winter.

I wonder what the humming bird dipping into my water fountain knows and how the warm earth, that provides so much nourishment to me, feels as I dig.   And I resonate with Passionist Father Thomas Berry’s statement that there is “a profound Christian awareness that the natural world is itself a manifestation of the divine.  This has led to the concept of revelation being contained in two scriptures: one the scriptures of the natural world, the other the scripture of the Bible” 

As I plant, I reflect on Thomas Berry’s words about the New Story: “the story of the universe is the new sacred story. . . The Genesis story, however valid in its basic teaching, is no longer adequate for our spiritual needs. . . .”There is a need for the religious traditions, . . . to appreciate that the primary sacred community is the universe itself  (italics mine).    He goes on to explain, “We need to understand that in all our activities the Earth is primary, the human is derivative.  The Earth is our primary community.” This statement will take me a long time to digest and even longer to grapple with the implications.

Quotes from Thomas Berry, Evening Thoughts, Chpt. 4, “Earth as Sacred Community”

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Greetings from the Middle of the World!

According to the Andean calendar, we are in the season of planting, known in the Quichua language as Kulla Raymi.  At our school, Yachay Wasi, (House of Wisdom),

we have prepared the fertile Andean land for the planting of corn, beans, and habas (which are like lima beans, only much better!)

There is a ritual in which we ask Pachamama (Mother Earth) for a successful harvest and give her thanks for the abundance of gifts in our lives. Each of us offered her half of our favorite fruit and enjoyed the other half for ourselves.

This type of sharing with the earth has been around for centuries. The Andean Indigenous cultures have been practicing it since ancestral times.   It brings to mind the offerings of Cain and Abel in the Old Testament. I ask myself, “What are some other ways that I can express thank to Pachamama and return to the earth something I have been given, rather than only taking of her rich abundance?”

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The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") provides an opportunity for
individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on
a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to
coincide with the opening of the General Assembly.

May Peace Prevail On Earth
                                                from http://internationaldayofpeace.org/

 “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” Jimi Hendrix

I’m not a big Jimi Hendrix fan but I do I think he nailed it with this idea along with many others over the years who have shared similar thoughts. For me it makes it more personal. It’s not a matter just for Afghanistan and the United States, or Palestine and Israel. It’s also about how I use or misuse power. Yeah, I would like Secretary of State Clinton and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to work from this stance, but I know I also need to challenge myself to do the same.

People all over the world will stop for a minute to pray for world peace at noon Tuesday, September 21^st. Join us to pray for peace in the world—and realize that it needs to start in each one of us.

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It’s Labor Day and so officially the last weekend of summer—how did THAT happen? It’s also a time of mixed emotions for me. I’m grateful for a work that I find meaningful and at the same time very concerned for all those who are desperately looking for work. The unemployment rate in the U.S. right now is about 9.6%. I know that sometimes when I see a statistic I don’t react too much—but when that number represents people you love who are hurting then it does take on much deeper meaning.

The thing about work, too, is that it is paradoxical—work energizes and exhausts you. If you’re lucky you have friends at work but at the same time you don’t always want to go to work. You need to work but then often wish you didn’t have to work. Sometimes you avoid work which just means you’ll eventually have more work. Or my favorite- if you’re good at the work you do that often just means you’ll get more work to do!

I know my attitude about work, or about ministry which I believe our work really is, makes a huge difference. When I concentrate on being of service and sharing my gifts, then my hours spent at my ministry really isn’t work. The hours spent at my desk or talking with people isn’t hard, but is a privilege. When I find myself thinking that I’d really love to stay home and just read a book instead of going to the office I do really need to think of

the 9.6% who would love to have an office to go to, a work to do. And so I think I’ll make a better effort to be mindful of the gift of my ministry and to also pray for those who need employment.

Also for those of you interested, the US bishops have a Labor Day statement about work and justice issues that is also a good read.

http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-151.shtml

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Everything is God’s to give and to take away, so share what you’ve been given, and that includes yourself.  – Mother Teresa

St. Mary’s parish has embarked on a beautiful mission in its partnership with The Working Boys’ Center (WBC) in Ecuador.  Prior to the trip, I found myself somewhat reticent or even embarrassed to describe my visit as “missionary.”  It seemed somehow too lofty and too overly religious.  After all, my main goals were rather commonplace, even secular.  I wanted to see what this “Ecuador thing” was all about.  I wanted to try to find some meaningful way to make a difference.   I wanted to spend some time with my daughter, who will be leaving for college next year.  My reasons were quite mundane, even a bit self-centered.
My short time in Ecuador freed me of my inhibitions in describing the visit as “missionary.”  It opened my eyes to a world I heretofore had only seen only on TV.  My heart was moved by the smiles, perseverance, and faith of the Ecuadorians – over 70 percent of whom live in abject poverty.  My soul was touched by the simple, strong work of those who started the WBC, Fr. John Halligan (Padre Juan) and Sister Mary Miguel Conway, a BVM nun (Madre Miguel).  Padre Juan and the BVM nuns truly live missionary lives, helping thousands to better their lives through education, faith and family.  Nothing about what they do and have done in Ecuador is “lofty” or “overly-religious.”  I was humbled once again.   The mission of the WBC is simple and faith-filled.  In its simplicity, God was evident, not hidden in the complexities and privilege of our daily lives in Los Gatos.  I want to be a part of this mission.
While in Ecuador we toured; we met the people; we saw the WBC and its accomplishments; we witnessed the poverty and . . . we stood in the presence of God – evident in the Ecuadorians themselves, as they work against formidable foes of government and poverty, and also present as we saw the Holy Spirit at work in Padre Juan and Madre Miguel. 

I am inspired to help, to work, to understand more and to become a missionary with them.  I invite you to join me in prayer and action.

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 You drive into the compound in Quito on the 18-seater bus, rocking heavily on its axles. The security guard nods to Vicente, the bus driver, as you make your rollicking way down a hill. On the left you pass a three-story school building, closed for the summer. It still buzzes with activity as kids chase each other in and out of hallways.  To the right, a high fence separates the Working Boys’ Center (WBC) from a housing project recently built by the government. As you continue past the playground towards the volunteers’ dormitory, more kids wave hello. This is the Working Boys’ Center in Quito, Ecuador.
To me, the story of how the program developed is the key to its efficiency. It began as an effort in the early 60’s by Father John Halligan, SJ to help the boys who shine shoes on the streets in Ecuador. Later, Madre Miguel, a no-nonsense Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, joined Father John. She noticed that the boys who came to the Center rarely bathed, because many had no running water at home. So daily baths became a part of the program.
Step by step, the two of them identified needs and met them. Today, the WBC offers services for the whole family, including three meals a day, school for everyone (including parents), technical job training and certification, savings programs, health and dental care, daily mass, and daily baths! All run in the simplest, most elegant manner I have ever seen.
    After working with non-profit organizations all through high school and studying many more, I came to Quito expecting a complex mission statement, lofty goals that read like a philosophy textbook, and a program that got everyone about half-way there. I was wrong. The mission of the WBC is to make sure every person gets ten moral values.  That’s all, ten moral values. They are: loyalty, personal development, family, religion, education, economy, work, recreation, health and housing. The simplicity is refreshing and eye-opening. The WBC starts with values that translate directly to programs. It’s a barebones program with no unnecessary frills around the edges. And it works. That much is evident by talking to anyone in the program.
    When I got back to the States, I realized that I live my life with precious few simple things. Nothing I do is cut and dry; there’s always an intermediate stage. Today, I try to tackle problems and solutions head on. I strive and pray for understanding and clarity in all things. Simplicity can work miracles. Of that I am sure.

Bronwyn Stone is from Los Gatos, CA and is 18 years of age. Bronwyn will attend the University of California – Berkeley in the fall.

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Greetings, friends!  All of us are back home with the exception of the Maloney-McCrystal family and Caitlin.  We left for the States on Wednesday with the Maloney-McCrystal's and Caitlin staying behind to enjoy the beauty of the rain forest.  Our family traveled with Fr. Rick and Jeremy while the Stones and Tabaris left a couple of hours later.  We had quite the excitement trying to get out of Ecuador.  For some reason, it took a crazy amount of time to check everyone in and to get through Customs, despite arriving two hours early.  We all had to do the classic "OJ sprint" through the airport.  After arriving in Miami, they lost a trailer load of luggage for about an hour, so we were again in peril of missing our flights.  Alas, we all made it home safe and sound.  Despite the challenges that international travel can bring, it was an awesome trip!!  The Working Boy's Center, Nuevo Mundo School and Damien House, all run by BVM's or BVM associates along with Fr. John Halligan, long term volunteers and committed Ecuadorians, are completely inspiring.  What a beautiful blessing it was to see these programs at work.  Our entire St. Mary's contingent was absolutely in awe of the dedication, perseverance and selflessness of Madre Miguel, Fr. John, Sr. Cindy, Sr. Annie, and BVM associate Pat McTeague.  They serve as beautiful examples for all of us to emulate.  We have returned home with renewed energy and excitement to further their mission.  Our last day there, we brainstormed on new ways to further enhance the relationship St. Mary's has established with the WBC.  Both parents and children have come up with some new ideas to raise funds as well as deepen our solidarity.  It is amazing what can happen when a person is able to witness, first hand, the work of God!  I know we all look forward to the future and what will grow out of this experience - personally, as a parish community and as a partnership with our brothers and sisters in Ecuador.  Thank you to all of you for your thoughts and prayers during our journey and may the peace of Christ continue to disturb you!
God Bless,
Carol Braham

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Sunday: The group arose early again---and again could see the surrounding peaks covered in new fallen snow!---and headed out to a minga. A minga is sort of like a cross between an Amish barn raising and a one day Habitat for Humanity. It is organized and carried out by members of the CMT community. We headed to the same poor neighborhood where we had visited two houses during our memorable home visits, and arrived to be assigned basically three jobs: carrying tiles, cement, pieces of wood, etc., up two flights of stairs; whitewashing some new rooms in the house; and the major job, digging out half a hill side adjacent to the home so that a new structure could be built. It was all good fun, despite being hard work and at times failing total clarity in the digging directions department. At the end of our labor, the host family shared a meal of french fries, rice, fried chicken, and coca-cola, which was enjoyed and appreciated by all. We then arrived back at the Center in time to shower off a couple tons of dirt and then watch the World Cup Final. That was a blast, especially since I am a huge Spain fan. Afterwards, Father Rick celebrated a very nice Mass, and then we headed out to dinner, Sunday being the one night that Antonia and Maria have off in the kitchen.

Monday: The whole group except for myself, Clare and Caitlin, flew on a short flight over the Andes for a day trip to the huge coastal town of Guayaquil to visit several ministries of the BVM, including a clinic for people affected by Hansen´s disease, which is Leporesy. Caitlin, Clare and I chopped a mountain of onions and peppers for the evening meal, which will be served to hundreds of members of the center tonight. Our teacher was 11 year old Alex, who was an incredible chopper and about as cute a kid as you could meet. Well, hasta luego!

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Dear friends back home: Since Bronwyn´s last entry the group has been quite busy, here is a brief review of our activities: 

Friday: While Bronwyn and the others painted rooms at CMT 2, Maureen, Anne, Katie and myself traveled back to CMT 2 to finish the murals. Thank heavens we had Katie, whose art skills saved the faces and hands of the four familes we painted; without her the paintings would have been a little spooky, I´m afraid! We returned in time for dinner and a very nice reflection led by the father-son team of John Robert and Bob, and then Father Rick and Jeremy led us in a sing-a-long until late at night.

Saturday: A tourist day. We headed north of the equator to lago Cuicocha (which means lake of the guinea pigs in Qichua!) which was beautiful. We took a boat ride around the lake, which sits in the collapsed caldera of an active volcano! We then headed to San Antonio de Ibarra for a short time to look at the famous woodworking shops, and then headed to our primary destination: Otavalo, a city famed for the native people who are experts at textile artesania.  The main square is literally covered with stalls, so that one enters into a labyrinth of colors, sites, and sounds. After two hours wandering the narrow lanes between the incredible stalls we relunctantly boarded the bus for a trip back to Quito. We passed an amazing local celebration of the Patron of a local Parish-St. Peter-which included large groups of local people heading down from the mounntains and dance-singing their way to a central festival point. Men dressed in ancient outfits directed traffic--on the Pan-American Highway!--while the singing and guitar playing proceeded to the festival site...Fr. Rick and I wondered how we could incorporate this site into the County Faire!

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It´s Friday and another beautiful day here in Quito. This morning, we woke up early to participate en los juegos para los niños (games for the kids here at the Working Boys Center). As I ate my delicious breakfast of peanut butter, cornflakes, and banana on delicious bread baked in the bakery here at the center, a yearlong volunteer told us to get it in gear because we were taking the kids to a park today.

¡Que emocion! As I walked through the busy Quito streets, it struck me what an effort it is to escort 105 very excited niños to a park on the other side of town. But the voluteers at the center, as well as Rodolfo, handled it with apparent ease. It was super fun to joke with the kids as we marched in a tight clump to El Parque Ingles.

The park was beautiful and fun for both the kids and myself. They ran on the grass, we played jumprope, and I got to help one young girl named Stephani conquer her fears of the monkey bars. What a day!

Father Rick said a beautiful mass. His homily was about how finding peace is the goal of everyone, be they American or Ecuadorian. His conclusion was that all need to hear and live the word of God to find this inner peace.

Lunch followed at the bakery and I have heard murmurings of future fundraising activities upon our return to the US...we´ll keep you posted. I´m excited to help paint at Centro No. 2 today. I still have paint from yesterday covering my hands and cannot wait to start again.
Hasta luego,     Bronwyn Stone

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I´m here on my third day at the Working Boys Center (WBC) in Quito.  Despite being married to Carol, who is a very active participant with the WBC, I am one of the last people you would imagine for a trip like this.  I´m a middle age, high tech marketing geek.  I like the comforts of my California home and to watch a good ball game during the weekend.  While I did these sorts of trips in my youth, I imagined myself sending my wife and kids to these events while I wrote a few checks.  I did not see myself with an obligation to leave work and be here myself.
 
At the time I made this committment, I was unemployed with bills stacking up, my daughter in college, my son a few years from high school graduation, and having to worry about aging parents who needed more of my attention.  There are always reasons to say ¨no¨.  But I decided to come here because I wanted to do something of service that would take me out of my proverbial comfort zone.
 
The WBC is amazing.  In the world of high tech, we regard Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Eric Schmidt as visionaries.  The leaders of the WBC including Madre Miguel, Madre Cindy, and Father John are visionaries too.  The organization they have assembled to enable these people to improve their lives is incredible.  Their team is training people to earn a living in restaurants, computers, carpentry, metal work, toy building, sewing, and beauty salons.  Í´m sure others on this trip will share the details of their experiences.  I simply wanted to share that this establishment oriented guy answered a call to come here and is very grateful for the experience.

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We arrived around 9:00 at night. The flights were fairly easy, no delays, not too much turbulance and no lost goup members with the exception of my Mother who was unable to join us due to an expired passport. Once in Quito we hit a road block when we discovered that Carleen´s suitcase had been swapped with another identical one. We utilzed our Spanish speakers and had the airport broadcast throughout the building for Veronica, the owner of the look alike suitcase to please check her bag tags. We were also able to use the contact infomation on the bag tag to get in touch with her uncle, aunt and finally Veronica in order eventually make the exchange. Patrick, one of our fluent spanish speakers, told her to look for a group of ¨Gringos Altos¨ or tall white people. Once we arrived at the center we met up with Caitlin and Jeremy, both who have been in Quito for at least a week  and then broke off into our room assignements. Although it sounds as if airplanes are taking off from the roof during the early hours of the morning most would agree that they slep soundly, going from sea level to 9,000ft will have that affect.

Our first full day at the center consisted mainly of becoming acclimated to the alltitude and some light touring. We were given a tour of El Centro del Muchachos Trabajador numero dos(where we are staying) in the morning and numero uno in the afternoon. At the first center we were intoduced to the ten values that they teach the families such as education, character development, health and religion.  We also toured all of the workshops such as the sewing, bakery, hair salon and auto shop where the kids learn a trade and then go on to hopfully start their own business. At the second center we saw the medical clinic, main hall, library and recration room where the kids were watching the world cup on a large projection screen. In between touring we attended mass where Padre Juan gave a beautiful sermon during which the children crawled all over us asking questions and luring us into hand games. I felt like a new toy and they wanted to be the first to play with me. After mass I  was able to reunite with a little girl who´s birthday party I attended two years ago during my first visit here! She is now nine years old and her family is doing very for themselves with the help of the center.

Peace, Katie

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Last Saturday, five of the BVMs who made all or part of their novitiate at our “second” novitiate at Guadalupe College in Los Gatos, CA, shared our story with those who attended the BVM Heritage Society meeting.

This story is unique in that only 10 BVMs made their complete novitiate in Los Gatos, and a few others made the latter part of their novitiate there.

It is also unique because Guadalupe College operated as a novitiate for only five years in the 1960’s. Though the buildings no longer exist, the spirit of Guadalupe lives on in  the lives of all who lived there as professed BVMs, as postulants and novices and those who were BVMs even for a short time.

Because we were “pioneers,” almost every major event was a “first”, and history/herstory was being written.  Thankfully we kept annals, which helped us to go back and relive the joys, the challenges, the changes and the learnings of those years.  Some of the words we feel best describe our experiences are:

• freedom
  holy time
  nourished
  growth through cultural, intellectual and spiritual experiences
  the strength of women bonding together 

Kate Hendel summed it up well in her closing comment:

            “Our community at Guadalupe--the BVMs, the lay staff, and our neighbors--was our family away from home.  The warmth and patience, the humor and flexibility, the love and compassion helped in our formation in ways that would not be written in a Directress’ book on how to deal with young postulants and novices.  To remember any of these individuals now, only brings smiles and thoughts of deepest gratitude.”

It was a joy for us (Kathy Carr, Margaret Cosgrove, Fran Donnelly, Kate Hendel, and Regina Qualls) to share the Guadalupe story with the congregation.  A DVD of the presentations will be available in the future."

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After having some time to reflect on their experiences of the weekend, several participants would like to share how this has impacted their lives:

"Walking with the poorest of the poor and marveling at their positive attitudes and resilience."  Mary Ann Krems

"The gift of meeting persons and programs that show such respect for each person and their needs.  The blessing of sharing in prayer, processing, conversation with BVMs and associates.  To quote one of the homeless women at Deborah's Place: "The joy is in the journey!"  C. Jean Hayen

"I appreciated the immigration information and process that we had on Sunday morning.  It was so informative and powerful."  Joni Davis

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(delayed due to technical difficulties)

Friday evening 20 BVMs, friends and associates from Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Texas gathered to begin our immersion experience in Chicago.  Sr. Francilla Kirby talked about Holy Family parish, the first BVM mission in Chicago, comparing what the sisters did in the mid 1800's with the ministries they continue to do today.  Sr. Brigid Hart then explained the activity we would do with the women at Deborah's Place on Saturday morning:  make May Baskets, in keeping with the Celtic tradition of celebrating the 6 months of light following the 6 months of darkness!

Saturday dawned bright and sunny as we headed to Deborah's place, a housing and outreach center for homeless women.  We unloaded soil, potting containers and bright pansies and begonias.  The women enjoyed making and decorating May baskets for themselves and for friends.  As the morning wore on, we chatted over cookies and coffee, with much positive energy filling the room.

We then went to Inspiration Cafe in Uptown, where women receive training for jobs in restaurants.  In addition to supporting this ministry, we enjoyed the delicious brunch items on the menu that were served with a smile.

Next, it was across the street to Sarah's Circle, which has a long history of BVM involvement.  Carol Cook and the current volunteer director explained how this drop-in center helps homeless women, many of whom have physical or mental health issues, or have experienced violence in their lives.  Sarah's Circle is a place of confidentiality and safety for these women, offering many services for them.

Carol then took us on a walk through the Uptown neighborhood, pointing out the many organizations that offer various kinds of assistance to the homeless.

Our last stop was the Cornerstone Community Outreach, established by the Jesus People Community to serve the homeless.  They are one of the few organizations that offers housing not only for single men and women, but for families...so that mother, father and children can stay together.  Because we were a large volunteer group, half of us began serving the meal while the others visited with the families, and then we switched places.  We were touched by the fact that so many of the male diners made a special effort to thank us for our presence and our work.

After finishing with the clean-up, we headed back to Wright Hall, exhausted but fulfilled.  We shared our learnings and impressions of the day over pizza...then hit the sack to prepare for a morning of learning about the need for just immigration reform.

P.S. One "small world" experience:  at Inspiration Cafe, we met a young woman who works part-time there (not in the homeless training program)...turns out she graduated with an education degree from Clarke College about 6 years ago and is currently teaching at a Catholic school in Chicago!

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The dream of a community library and adult education centre in Kumasi, Ghana is moving forward!  Approximately 150 children, youth, and adults gathered on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker to give thanks for the work of God’s hands and to ask for a successful completion to the construction process.  The joyful program included music, a brief history of the library, testimonies from a library participant, adult education student, the rector of St. Hubert’s Secondary School on which land the library will be built and hope-filled comments from the contractor. 

Following a reading from the late Archbishop Oscar’s Romero’s “Master Builder” prayer, Archbishop Thomas Mensah shared how his own love of reading began as a middle-school child. He commented on the value of adult education and referred to Archbishop Romero’s inspiring words reminding us that we are all workers, not master builders, prophets of a future not our own. The Archbishop was most generous in his praise and gratitude for the influence and generosity of the BVM Congregation and the many benefactors who have helped further this project.

Prayers of intercession focused on the beauty and care of the sacred land, the generosity of all our benefactors, our Library Advisory Board, architects, volunteers, the children, youth and adults who already use the library and adult education programs, and those who will make use of the facility in the future.

The blessing of the land and all those assembled, the cutting of the sod and planting of a young tree followed. Our concluding prayer reminded us to encourage each other to read, to learn and to expand our vision of a peace-filled world created in God’s image.

Keeping with tradition at such a gathering, was a plea to contribute to the construction costs.  Music and refreshments completed the program as a contagious spirit of gratitude and excitement filled the air. 

Pictures of the day are below.

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Emmanuel Danso has been enjoying books since a make-shift library was opened by BVMs in December 2006. Emmanuel shared how reading has given children something to do after school as well as helped them improve their English and writing skills. 

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Associates preparing flower Baskets for women

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BVMs and Assocates as they begin their immersion weekend in Chicago

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Last night 20 BVMs, Associates and friends came together at Wright Hall for the beginning of our first Chicago Service Experience weekend.  We began with a meal, prayer and sharing what brought each of us to participate in this weekend.  Many expressed a desire to work together, building community while stretching ourselves with new experiences. 

Sr. Francilla Kirby shared with us about the kinds of outreach that continues to be done at Holy Family parish, our first BVM mission in Chicago.  Brigid Mary Hart then prepared us for our first activity this morning: we will be going to Deborah's Place, a  housing and outreach center for women, which offers various activities for women on Saturday morning.  This morning, May 1, we will help them make "May Baskets" with real flowers that they can take with them, and share life with them over coffee and cookies.

Then we're off to Inspiration Cafe, which teaches women how to work in the restaurant business.  We will support their endeavor by having lunch there, before crossing the street to Sarah's Circle, which has a long history of BVM involvement.  Carol Cook and a current staff member will talk about the work of Sarah's Circle, which helps women to get away from a life on the street.

We'll cap off the day at Cornerstone Community Center, where we will serve the evening meal to about 175 homeless families.

Gathering back at Wright Hall tonight, we know we will have much to share and that we will have been touched by the lives of all those whom we meet today.

Please keep us in prayer...that we may be open to the ways God might be speaking to us in each person and event of the day...

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This will be short since I´m on someone else´s site and I´m not sure how this works.  I am surrounded by kindness.  I am traveling with 11 other ladies and they are kind to me.  We are staying with people of incredible kindness.  We are surrounded by the kindness of strangers.  This is a poor country.  But the people we´ve met as we travel around are - they are something. 
Being here in Quito is kind of like looking out into a snow storm and trying to understand the beauty and wonder in each snow flake.  Sometimes you just have to step out into it.  All the sights and sounds and sensations of the snow as it swirls around me is more then I can cope with.  It will almost swamp my little boat.  I´m sure we will be thinking about this for a long time.

Today we met Annie Credidio.  She is a BVM who has been here for a long time.  She started a hospital that ministers primarily to people with Hanson´s desease.  She recieves them into her place and cares for them without question or condition.  Unconditional love.  She is like all the BVMs we have met, in how she serves the poor around them. 

It is too much I´m going to check out. 

It has been a real treat getting your emails.  I see the little kids here and think of my little kids.  I watch the moms here take care of their little kids and think of you and the way you love your kids.  I watch the dads as they work and kid around with their little kids and think of my sons and the good dads they are trying to be.  Being in this place makes me glad that your are in your place and soon I will see you.  I´m sure all these wives and moms who are traveling with me fee the same way   --- Bill Hare

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Last year during the Easter season, I ran across a beautiful reflection that continues to inspire me.  Based on the resurrection story as told in Matthew 28, Irene Zimmerman describes the faith of the women who come to the tomb to anoint Jesus after the Sabbath.  I find it particularly appropriate for our times—celebrating the call of women to proclaim “the Good News.”

“The heady fragrances they carried rose above their heads like incense, exorcising the garden of death.  ‘Who will roll away the stone for us?’ the women whispered to one another.

            None of the men had offered to go, so the women had set out in haste alone to straighten twisted feet and fingers, comb black blood from matted hair, anoint the precious body with spices.

            ‘But who will roll away the stone?’ they whispered again as they neared the tomb.  ‘Jesus said prayer could move mountains.  We must stay together, continue to believe.’  They stepped firmly forward, balancing their heavy jars.

            When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.  Inside, they heard from a being a dressed in light; ‘You are looking for Jesus who was crucified.  He has been raised; he is not here.’

            Fleeing from the tomb, intent on telling no one, they tripped pell-mell over terror and amazement onto the glowing feet of Jesus. ‘Go tell the others!’ he commanded.

            After the telling, they set out in haste—together this time, a community of equals—to roll away stones, straighten crooked paths, comb the far countries, anoint the precious world with Good News. (“Easter Witnesses” in Woman Un-Bent, St. Mary’s Press, 1999)

Words to ponder this Holy Week…

How does the risen Christ empower each of us to share the freeing word of the Good News to a world so often dominated by exclusion, prejudice, hatred and violence?  How can we be sacraments of new life--of inclusion, welcome, hope and peace?

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(John 13: 1-15)

After supper, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples...even the feet of Simon Peter, who naturally protested with his usual bravado, “You will never wash my feet.”  Good Jew that he was, Peter was not about to have his Master take on the role of the lowest-of-the-low house servant for HIM.  This traditional Jewish custom of washing the dusty feet of house guests was not what Jesus should be doing.  But Jesus told Peter that he would have no part with Jesus unless Peter complied...which, of course, he did with his over-the-top response, “Then wash all of me.”

“What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.”  Familiar words of Jesus.  And so we have understood...for centuries.  Jesus was setting us the example of what it meant to be His follower.  We were to be servants.  And so we have tried to be.  Being a servant is hard work, challenging work.  We often resist the call because we think that we know the cost of servanthood.

But DO we understand what Jesus did?  REALLY understand?  Could there be more than meets the eye in the washing of the feet?  John Dear, SJ,  thinks so.  In his NCRonline blog of March 23, he presents a radically different view.  He says that Jesus was really following the example of Mary of Bethany, who washed his feet earlier.  Nothing radical about that...except that she was anointing Jesus’ feet to prepare Him for His “impending death.”  Dear believes that Jesus washed the feet of the disciples to prepare them “for the journey of nonviolence, for the Way of the Cross and resurrection, for the consequences of our resistance to injustice and empire.”

Suddenly the notion of “service” seems safe...secure...traditional.  Anointing for martyrdom?  That’s a very scary notion.  Maybe that’s just John Dear going off on his “political” bent again.  Maybe....or maybe John Dear is just playing an April Fool’s joke on us.  But then...St. Paul DID say that we are “fools for Christ.”

What will you be thinking about when YOUR feet are washed tonight? To what is Jesus REALLY calling us?  Something to ponder as the bowl approaches.

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It is my hope that we will be able to read Sandra’s essays and take the time to reflect on their content and then have a meaningful gentle discourse.

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Angels singing, sheep bleating, camels snorting…then

Carolers singing, bells ringing, children laughing…now.

It seems that there are many sounds connected with Christmas. As I sit at my harp playing carols that are triumphant, charming, or lullabies, I realize that so many carols end in with the child asleep, with heavenly peace or with the awed act of adoring the new born.   The night, a time of quiet is called “divine”. It is in this quiet silence that we receive the gift, New Life, newly born for us.

And it is in silence that we come to see for ourselves, to join with the angels, the shepherds, the wise people in deep adoration. It is only in silence that we can receive the Gift of God, the person of Jesus.  And it is in silence that the Spirit joins us to the depth of God’s giving. 

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Saturday, December 19, 2009

From  the opening prayer in today’s Mass we ask, “Give to us true faith and love to celebrate the mystery of God made human….”

Jesus came “into this world

to walk a certain path,

fulfill a certain destiny.

He consciously fulfilled what had been ‘written’ for him.

As I look back I see in wonder what was ‘written’

And has thus far been fulfilled

in my own life…

I see with joy what has been done through me

to make the world a better place….”

                               (Anthony de Mello)

With boldness, humility, simplicity, trust and joy we continue our unique journey with Jesus, with our sisters and brothers, with Mary Frances Clarke.

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