UMaine women’s basketball director of operations leaving program to pursue religious vocation

ORONO, Maine — Basketball has always been an important part of Tracy Guerrette’s life.
The St. Agatha native has demonstrated her passion for the game as a player, coach and support staff member.
Yet for Guerrette, basketball takes a backseat to the most important aspect of her life — her Catholic faith.
“I’m 32, so when the Lord keeps tugging at your heart, nothing else will suffice but to give him my whole life,” Guerrette said. “He’s poured out his love into my heart so much so that I can’t help but, in turn, give him everything.” Read more....

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This is the seed of a vocation - that sense that God has poured so much love into our hearts that we can't help but give everything in love - to God, to community, in service. This is the moment when me and I and mine step out of the center and love focuses me on someone else, whether on God or on service or on another person in my life. Stepping out of the center expands my heart and my horizons and allows me to be the most loving person that God made me to be. It is always inspiring to hear this same story told, even when the names and places and details are different. It is like the same song in an infinite number of variations. Blessings on you Tracy and on everyone who takes the time to listen and respond to the call of God in their lives.

And here is a video of Sr. Sarah Heger's final vow ceremony.

In a sense the vocation story comes full circle with the profession of final vows. In another sense, final vows is the beginning of an amazing journey that is religious life. Sarah takes her place as a full member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and as a religious. She joins us on the journey of radical gospel fidelity, along with men and women from around the globe and across every century of the Christian story, right back to the time when Jesus began walking this journey with his disciples. Every profession renews the vitality of this way of life.

Peace,
Amy

A Contemplative Space: Pondering God’s mystery across faiths

The Trinity is indeed the Christian account of God. But that is not to close down the possibilities for other persons of faith sharing in God’s inner life. Indeed very much the opposite, for if God is the God who enters deep into creation and is forever shaping that creation for God’s own providential purposes, then there can be nothing and no one beyond the scope of God’s love. Read more...

Deep in the heart of the religious vocation is a spirituality that roots and grounds it. This the ever deepening source of life, community, vows and ministry. This article explores the deep contemplative space that can reach out to the God space in other religions and culture, and across the differences in community and church. It weaves together deep moments of the Catholic tradition, showing their openness to others.

Here is a sister in action - testimony of her students....

Catholic Sisters: Love in Action

This week I would like to share two touching tributes to the golden age of religious life in the US. The first is a video created by USF students highlighting their conversations with Women Religious.

What a witness to the life and work of generations of women who have lived the gospel, who have served the poor, have walked with the people of God, who have tried to go out and meet the needs of the weak and lonely.

The second is a powerful piece called: We Were Called Sister....

As we move forward imagining the emerging future of this life, we gratefully receive the blessing of these women who have gone before us. It is their witness of courage and faith that encourages us to go forward.

And finally, we have this post from a sister-blogger friend:

God Calling on Line One.... Great reflection on the call to religious life today.

Peace,
Amy

New House Forming

For some time now, I have sensed the urgency to commit to the future of religious life as it is emerging today. I have been longing for a community where we share our radical commitment to living the Gospel personally, communally and in ministry. I have been involved in many conversation circles that explore the new energy stirring among us, circles where we expressed a desire to continue the contemplative process and conversation, moving into action.
In this spirit, I am joining with others in starting an intentional community of younger women religious where we can explore this emerging future in a practical manner. Two of us are currently looking for housing, in St. Louis, probably a rental house with 4-5 bedrooms where we can begin community together. Others are interested in the project, and as the group grows, we hope to find nearby houses. Following a village model will provide some flexibility as we grow into our new reality.
This community will be the chance to move forward concretely with plans for vibrant community, simple gospel living, and commitment to spirituality and to sustainability. If this sounds like what you are looking for, let me know.
One of the keys to the project is providing a community where younger women religious can support one another in prayer, community and mission. As each of our communities ages, it becomes more and more difficult to find 
Over the past several months, in addition to networking with sisters from various congregations, I've been networking with intentional communities in the area. We have various foci: sustainability, community, spirituality, peace and justice. We also know that by sharing our journeys and networking with one another, we can all bring our dreams closer to a reality.
Links:
Giving Voice - St. Louis
St. Louis Ecovillage Network

Seeding the Future - II

Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet from the youngest two generations of the congregations are meeting in Peru. Follow the conversation on the blog. Here's a sample:

Sister Mary Luz shares this around some of her reflections of our time:  Somos mujeres embarazadas de Dios, de nuestra cultura y todo lo que brota de esa experiencia es nuestra Identidad como mujeres, como religiosas, como iglesia.  Que somos diferentes y desde esa diferencia puesta en comun es una riqueza que brota para vivir en comunion respetandonos unas a otras.  Una de los desafios que encuentro es conocernos mas escribirnos mantener comunicacion con cada una para crecer en vinculos.

My translation:  We are women pregnant with God, with our cultures, and everything that flows from our experience is our identity as women, as religious, as church.  We are different, and from this difference is a commonality that is welling up to live in communion and respect with each other.  One of the challenges that I find is to write and maintain communication with each other and grow the bonds between us..... Read more

Deb Timmis:
 

A Glimpse into the Future?

 

These days here in Peru as the “newer” members of the community have been days of living our future. I am wondering if these days are not what we have been spurred on by the Core Group to pray and contemplate. If these days are a sign of what we will or can become when we are united together it fill me with joy and hope. Our differences have been many but respected. We have listened and been challenged by one another. We have grown in our capacity to say on the conversation when we have been tempted to walk away. Ever present in our minds, hearts and in reality has been our dear neighbor, especially those most in need. For me, visiting and speaking with the people of Canto Chico has been a highlight of this trip. We asked ourselves what can we do to create a more balanced, just world.

 

In all of this: our conversation, journeying, prayer and sharing, I wonder if we are not birthing the future. I ask myself,” How will I, how will each member create the life conditions among us that will be transformative for the future?”

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