Despite Me…Miracles

The wind could have blown the seed
in a million places more nurturing.
Yet, it knows not the difference.
It is a seed.
Life lives inside it.
The roots push forth.
Tiny leaves emerge
and find the sun.
Somehow—
in a crack—
a tree grows.
--Sarah Heger, csj

Seeding the Future

Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet under the age of 57 are gathering in Perú January 3-5 to build relationships among ourselves and to have something to say to our Congregational chapter next summer. Sisters are already beginning to gather, I will travel on December 31 in order to join the group. You can read the ongoing posts from the meeting at this website: Little Design.
It is always a tremendously energizing experience for us to gather and to share experience, hopes and dreams. Say a prayer for the gathering and follow the ongoing conversations.
Peace,
Amy

Melted Wax, New Wicks, Blazing Fire

From Sr. Sara P. Marks OSF:
A thought recently happened upon me as I was considering my call to religious life.  The 1950’s are far behind us and who knows if there will ever come a time when religious communities will see those numbers again.  I am well aware of the statistics of my aging community, how significantly different--and specifically smaller--we will be ten to fifteen years from now.  This is not just our reality, this is the reality of religious life today. +Read more....
Thanks Sara 

Forever Sisters....

An open letter to Sister Sarah Heger, CSJ who made final profession as a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet in the St. Louis Province today:

Dear Sarah,

Today, you will become in a formal way my "forever sister." I know that you have been walking this path for years and years and have been growing in this relationship. But today bears witness to how far you have come.

There is something beautiful and mysterious about your lifetime commitment. This is also true for other serious life commitments, such as marriage. You are saying a yes that holds nothing back, that is committed and ever growing, ever evolving.

When you talked about songs for your ceremony, you talked about "No Turning Back". That is a scary and amazing thing to say. It always has been, and always will be. That's why its the subject of songs and art and poetry. It's bigger than the word and than the moment of commitment. It's even bigger than the life you are committing. It touches into the bigness of God who is Love. You bring us all to the edge of that cliff and invite us to jump, to throw caution to the wind. You invite us to be the best of ourselves, you invite us into a Godly Love.

I pray that the joy and sacredness of this moment can be always with you and with us as we journey together. I look forward to it, and with you I renew my commitment to this path with all of its unknowns.

Peace,
--Amy

Lift Up the Banner of your Heart Boldly

Lift up the banner of your heart boldly
and commit your very next step
to what you love most dearly.
--John Fox

Top 10 Things I Learned on Hermitage 

Blogging from a hermitage?!  What next?!  Well, it is Sabbath, and I decided that I wanted to share.  So, yes, I'm blogging from my hermitage.  It is desert, both literally and figuratively.  Read more...

Young Religious Creating History for Consecrated Life in India

The capital city will be the venue of the first Young Religious National Convention from a number of Religious Congregations across India. It was held from 9 – 12 July 2012 at Don Bosco Campus, Okhla. Over 200 educated and media literate delegates attended this well planned Convention under the theme “Leadership for Consecrated Life 2020”. Read more....

Younger Women Religious Gather in US next Summer

Early registration is open for the 2013 Giving Voice National Gathering. July 5-8, 2013 at Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, California. This national gathering will be for members of the Giving Voice Generation (women religious under 50).  Carol Zinn, SSJ has accepted our invitation to join us as we ponder mission and ministry as younger women religious in the 21st Century. Stay tuned for details....