Conference offers insight into ministerial life in the 21st century
by Karen Lueck, FSPA

Sandra Schneiders, Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, was scheduled to present a weeklong class in New York in January on ministerial religious life in the 21st century, focusing especially on the vows of poverty and obedience. I had been eagerly anticipating it for a long time. I wanted to hear what an expert had to say on the vows today.

The class was to begin Monday evening. I started out from La Crosse Monday morning and finally got into New York Wednesday afternoon. Because of ice and snow, I had endured one flight cancellation after another as I sat in O’Hare Airport.

Part way through the ordeal I realized that maybe I was being taught a lesson in poverty and obedience through my own experience. All I needed to do was to pay attention.

I noticed my feelings of helplessness in controlling my own life, as flight after flight was cancelled. I had no idea where “my possessions” were since I had checked my bag. I was missing what I had wanted for so long—this class on poverty and obedience.

But I also noticed something else. I found that I was not overly anxious. I had money to buy food at the airport. I had excellent hospitality and overnight accommodations from our sisters in Chicago. They and my housemate kept calling to see if I was OK, and to empathize with my feelings. Sisters at St. Rose prayed for me in the Adoration Chapel. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and love.

When I finally made it to the class, Sister Sandra was able to put words around my experience. She said there are three kinds of poverty: economic, sociological (injustice) and “Anawim.” The first two must be eradicated. But we sisters vow Anawim poverty. We choose to be “the little ones,” the “poor of God.” We eschew the idol of riches, and claim total dependence on God for our life. Jesus told his disciples, “Seek first the reign of God and everything will be given to you.” Do we really believe this? According to Sister Sandra, the principle of discernment in this matter is trust versus anxiety. Can we trust that God will take care of us or are we constantly anxious about many things?

Religious life is modeled on the “discipleship of equals” established by Jesus, where our equality flows from all being equally poor before God. No one has more than another; all depend on God for everything. We live a “common life.” That term does not refer to where and with whom we live, as we sometimes think. Common life is an economic term, meaning that our sustenance comes from and is shared in the community. When we make vows we become “possession-less,” choosing to depend on God and our sisters for our very life. It is our responsibility to be transparent as we communicate our needs.

How often do we reflect on the radicality of this choice? At the airport I had time for reflection. I realized that everything I needed those days was given to me by God through my community (food, shelter, emotional support and prayer). I didn’t look elsewhere for my needs because I didn’t need to. I could trust and remain relatively non-anxious.

In the practical living out of this common life sometimes questions and tensions arise:

• Whom or what do I depend upon when I am in need?
  
• Do I support the community or does the community support me?
  
• Do I personally put a little money aside every now and then, just in case?
  
• Is my life any different from the life of a single laywoman?
  

Sister Sandra gave an example of a recent interaction with a single laywoman on the above issue. This woman lives in an apartment alone, as does Sister Sandra. The woman mentioned that she thought their lives were pretty much the same. But Sister Sandra asked: “Who decides what apartment you have?” “Well, I do,” the woman answered. Sister Sandra replied, “I don’t.” “Who decides what kind of car you drive?” The woman said, “Of course, I do.” Sister Sandra replied, “I don’t.” This example is one illustration of the practical impact of our common life, both its gifts and its challenges.

Sister Sandra went on to talk more fully about poverty and obedience. Her book on this topic will be the third in her series on religious life in the 21st century and will be published sometime this year.

I need to sift through all the input I received, but I know that I am profoundly grateful for you, my sisters, and for our common life.