FSPA - Related Content

Why mission matters: annual sponsorship conference

Wednesday, December 20th 2017 11:37 am
Why mission matters: annual sponsorship conference shines light on service today
Pat Kerrigan and Emilio Alvarez
Photo by Debra Kappmeyer
For the FSPA sisters, affiliates, prayer partners, sponsored organization staff members, Assisi pilgrims and guests present for the 28th annual sponsorship conference, there was a call to...

Sister Ronalda: I need to live and love

Thursday, November 30th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Ronalda Hophan, FSPA

 

forest

Image courtesy freeimages.com

Some of my best moments in prayer come when I am walking. Once, I was on a road in the woods.  A grouping of tall pines with branches only at the top brought to my mind those who believe their presence lies “above” others. Another tree, covered in lichen, reminded me that I carry inner baggage that I need to get rid of. And I saw another tree that had been through a storm and the top was torn off.

My heart in the middle of my being is very important.

I need to live and love.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Sister Cormarie's Six Word Mission Story

Thursday, July 27th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Cormarie Wernimont, FSPA


garden-workers

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Antona's Six Word Mission Story

Wednesday, July 26th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Antona Schedlo, FSPA


plane-mountains

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

What did you say?

Thursday, November 2nd 2017 3:15 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


drinking-fountain-by-morguefile.com

Image courtesy morguefile.com

Amidst the world news articles online I recently came across the lighter read “50 Unique Words and Phrases From Each State That Only Locals Understand.” As an avid traveler, I was curious to see if I had encountered any of the words and phrases. I clicked through the first few slides, finding some familiar, but most were words I’d never heard before.

The article triggered a memory of experience I had while visiting La Crosse, Wisconsin, when I was first discerning religious life with FSPA. A few sisters took me down to Riverside Park, along the Mississippi River, just a few miles from St. Rose Convent. They pointed out the various attractions including the friendship garden, fountains and statues; where to buy tickets to ride on the big paddle boat. One sister pointed across the park and said “Over there is the bubbler.” All I saw was a drinking fountain. We both had a good laugh and “bubbler” was formally introduced to me as Wisconsin-ease for “drinking fountain.”

Evangelical councils: “These are the vows and practice of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They are evangelical because they were taught and practiced by Jesus Christ in the gospels.” At the end of the novitiate period and formal acceptance, women in the incorporation process first make temporary vows of poverty, consecrated chastity and obedience. 

Charism: “Each religious community has a charism which is a purpose, mission, and spirit inspired by the community’s founder.” The charism of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration comes from distinct eucharistic reference and devotion, inherited from St. Francis and our founders.

Novice: “A novice is a person who is formally admitted to a religious institute to prepare for eventual religious profession.” For FSPA, the novitiate period is two years in length and incorporates learning about religious life, vows, theology, church documents, Franciscan studies and many more pertinent topics for this time of vow preparation. 

Perpetual vows: “… the final vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience a person takes in a religious institute.” Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration who make perpetual vows do so during Mass — a public witness of consecration to God through their commitment of poverty, consecrated celibacy and obedience for life lived out in the context of FSPA community. 

Further traversing into a specific religious dialect — like that of the Franciscan family — vocabulary expands with terms like

-- Transitus: an annual Franciscan celebration marking the passage of St. Francis of Assisi from life on Earth to a life with God;

-- Pax et Bonum: Peace and All Good; and

-- common good: choosing action based not only on your own preferences but also taking into account the whole group or groups that will be affected by the decision.

Religious life is full of its own unique words and phrases, its own social dynamics that you’ll encounter because, as I did, you are journeying into a new culture. Also present are the plethora of cultures that many members of the community may have been raised in or ministered in.

Diversity is a gift, especially when we are willing to be curious and try to refrain from quick judgements.

This week, ponder how discernment is leading you to the edges of new cultures.

What are some of your cultural influences?

How does understanding some common definitions in religious life help you in your discernment?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Sister Nancy's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, April 4th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Nancy Lafferty, FSPA


fourty-three-years-college-teaching-sister-Nancy-Lafferty

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Bridges of peace built with prayer

Thursday, September 1st 2016 1:00 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

gap-in-bridge

Image courtesy of freeimages.com

Diversity is one of the greatest gifts we have been given on Earth, but also one of the most challenging. In the beauty of distinction it is often perplexing when we feel misunderstood by another. From the deepest conversations to the everyday moments, relating to one another is where we spend the majority of our life energy.

Reflect for a moment on your morning routine. In configuration there were a series of steps taken to accomplish each task at hand and, over time, your own version of automatic pilot emerged. When living with others, our routines and world views are often questioned and some of the behavior buried in unconscious thought is brought once again to consciousness.

Life in community is a treasury full of relationships. As humans we are naturally drawn to some people. Personalities, viewpoints and generational differences are but a few of the ways in which we are stretched to broaden perspectives and our rough edges are leveled over time. As respect for the other grows so does the ability to let small things go and, when necessary, seek forgiveness when disagreement turns into an argument.  

One path to spanning our differences is committing to a life of prayer. Wrapped in the Divine embrace of prayer, we discover ways to build bridges to common ground that see us through the times of trial. I have witnessed individuals at odds with one another continue to pray together and push through their own feelings to see the situation from the other side.

It is not easy to be open to God and surrender to a time of bridge construction. Bridge building is not an instant process: foundations need to be laid brick-by-brick, and surfaces must be leveled before the decking is ready to span two sides. Sometimes a bridge between two people cannot be constructed. Insight gained through prayer will help one know if it’s time for laying the foundations for a future bridge. Prayer grants vision beyond one’s perception and offers a glimpse of the bigger realities of life.

In your discernment, are you finding any gaps that may need bridging?

Are there different viewpoints you’ve resisted because the leap is too large? No bridge yet exists?

How are you called to be a bridge builder in your life?

Happy 4th of July

Tuesday, July 4th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

Finding God at the wheel with Sister Laurice

Thursday, May 31st 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

When I am inspired to learn something new, I look around to find someone who shares my interest. Many years ago, I desired to work with clay on a potter’s wheel. Several people suggested I talk to Sister Laurice, a retired art teacher and potter. Her creations were on display in our spirituality center, so I knew she had talent. She happily offered to become my teacher.  

S-Laurice-Heybl-pottery

Sister Laurice at work in the studio

Walking into the studio, it was clear to me that Sister Laurice was at home in such a creative environment. She nimbly picked up some clay and invited me to do the same. In minutes we were wedging it; clearing it of air bubbles and preparing it for the wheel. Foundation is important. Every potter needs to find their own rhythm and method that works best for them. If you want transformation, you have to put effort into it. With a twinkle in her eye she also suggested that wedging is a way to channel frustration; each thud of the clay against the table to pop the bubbles a great method to letting off a little steam. A small air bubble may seem like no big deal, but if left inside it can later fester into a bigger problem on the wheel. Like life, if something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it. Unresolved aggravation will surface sooner or later.  

As she explained each step, Sister Laurice’s practiced hands moved with ease on the wheel. In moments, her loaf of clay became a beautiful bowl. Next, it was my turn to try and follow the steps as she talked me through each one. I prayed that the lump of clay I worked with would miraculously look in the smallest way like one of her delicate, symmetrical creations. She patiently invited me to breathe and relax and to guide the clay, not chase it around the wheel. (I did a lot of chasing the first few weeks.) She encouraged me to be strong without force; to lean in but not so far as to fall off balance. When a piece dried and was ready for trimming she filled my head with the importance of clearing away the excess and making a strong foot. “A great shape is hiding. You just need to get a bit of the extra off so you can see it better. The glaze we will apply will highlight your attention to this detail.” As each snippet of advice filled my ears, my mind and heart moved beyond the practicality into the spiritual realm of the wisdom Sister Laurice offered. 

hands-pottery-wheel

Image courtesy pixabay.com

I came to see in Sister Laurice a kindred spirit, someone who also found God in creating. And for me, each new shape of clay mirrored my own transformation as a religious sister.  

Now, years later, working on the potter’s wheel has become part of my spiritual practice. The quiet hum is like a bell calling me to prayer. With each rotation, I concentrate on beauty even in the midst of challenges. Clay is a wonderful reflector. When I am pushing too hard it collapses; when I am not concentrating it becomes uneven and loses symmetry. Yet when I remember to breathe and stay present in the moment, I am amazed at the results. As the clay transforms before my eyes, it becomes an experience of oneness. Each piece holds a memory of my prayer that day — a call for newness, wholeness. 

Sister Laurice returned to the hands of her Creator on November 6, 2017. It has been a difficult loss. I choose to remember her when I sit at the wheel. 

S-Laurice-Heybl

Sister Laurice Heybl, FSPA

I am reminded of the experience of Sister Laurice’s mentorship, friendship and accompaniment today as we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation (LK 1:39-56). In the Gospel, Luke shares with us the story the encounter of Mary and Elizabeth, two pillars of faith. Elizabeth is a seasoned woman of devotion who has seen and experienced many things in her life. Bright-eyed Mary is enthusiastic for the adventures that lie ahead. Both women answer God’s call in their lives and find support and encouragement in one another as they discover the joys and challenges of fulfilling their yes to God. Each of these women share something in common and, at the same time, develop their own artistic way of living into the commitment they had each made to God. 

Mentors and friends can be helpful in discernment. They can offer wisdom from their experience and be a great listening ear when needed. 

Who have been the mentors and friends in your life, perhaps modeling a sense of being in discernment?

How has your discernment mirrored others, and how has your discernment been unique?

 

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Turn your back or open your arms to discernment?

Thursday, February 1st 2018 1:00 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


thinking-of-you-blanket

A fleece blanket, crafted and wrapped  with care for someone in need

Lori True composed and sings a wonderful song called “What Have We Done for the Poor Ones.” This past Saturday, FSPA sisters, Viterbo University students, staff and alumni took this question to heart as they spent the morning together making blankets, scarves, hats, cards, hygiene bags and affirmation jars to be given with care for those in need. For these volunteers, each project provided a personal pathway of understanding; a way to reach out to the forgotten and the vulnerable who Scripture reminds us to look out for. We are called to provide for the child removed from violent households, for the men and women who wander our streets with no place to call home, and the elderly who wait for a sign that they have not been forgotten. How would it feel to ceaselessly long for loving memories in a strange environment (instead of the horror of being pulled away from your family)? How would it feel to get frostbite because your coat can't fend off the bitter cold? How would it feel to endlessly sit, stranded in front of a window in a nursing home, praying for a sign that someone still cares you’re alive?

How do we see these neighbors as our brothers and sisters in Christ?

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Sister Fran and students cut fabric for scarves

hygiene-bags

Hand-made hygiene bags filled by students for homeless teens

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Sister Carrie Kirsch and a Viterbo student weave hats

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Sisters Margaret Schmolke (left), students and Sister Margaret Wagner worked as a team to create a soft, warm blanket

The day called for all to weave together a sense of community support for those who are readily seen as suffering as well as for the hidden poor; to remember that the statistics we see on TV, newspapers and social media feeds are individuals — not nameless numbers from a census taken of a faceless population. Every digit is a flesh-and blood-person who has hopes and dreams for their futures too. When we put ourselves in the experience of others, compassion and care arise along with a desire to help. And we have a choice whether to see the suffering of humanity right in front of us ... or not. Will we live with eyes wide open or avert our glance, ignoring our brothers and sisters in need? 

Discernment also comes with this choice. Will you turn your back or open your arms to your call in life?

What will you do?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Sister Mary's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, March 28th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Mary Bates, FSPA

 

mary-bates-listening-wonder-taking-plunge

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Pauline's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, February 21st 2017 10:00 am
Sister Pauline Wittry, FSPA

 

food-service-chaplaincy-training-travel-world-Pauliine-Wittry-Show-Me-a-Sign

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Pray as you pray

Thursday, January 18th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Clarone Brill, FSPA

 

hands-rosary-pixabay.com

Image courtesy pixabay.com

I first learned to pray at home and was taught that prayer is important. Then, prayer was often spoken aloud. After entering FSPA, I experienced many prayers said collectively; sometimes spoken aloud together and others among gatherings of us yet prayed, in silence, individually. Early on in a retreat our director advised “Pray as you can pray and don’t pray as you cannot.” At that time, I relied on our meditation book for guidance. I also used prayer books. 

Now, in my ninth decade of life, prayer for me is much simpler. Often, I just relax mindfully in God’s presence and enjoy God with me and loving me. 

Of course, it is reciprocal.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Sister Luanne's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, July 18th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Luanne Durst, FSPA


great, possibilities, rich, rewards, never-ending, sister luanne durst

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Sue: nature is prayer

Thursday, November 9th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Sue Ernster, FSPA

 

rabbit

Image courtesy freeimages.com

I pray outside when I can. Being in nature is prayer for me. Whatever brings me closer to God — feeling God’s presence and love — is prayer for me. I prefer to take time in the morning to help ground and center me for the day; remembering all is gift from God. Being in nature (creation) is a reminder of God’s omnipotence, grandeur and beauty. The many flowers remind me of God’s love, beauty and fragility. Watching rabbits is always prayer. I am mesmerized by their actions, doing what comes naturally, yet showing energy, joy and beauty. Their twitching noses take me close to God. Instantly, creation is a small footprint of God’s capacity.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Discerning, igniting a revolution of peace

Thursday, October 5th 2017 12:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

The first thing I do each morning is check the news app on my phone. Before my feet even touch the floor I become conscious of the violence that has occurred while I slept — horror has erupted in our neighborhoods, wars continue to rage throughout many nations. I say yet another impassioned prayer for peace as I get up to begin my day.  

Yesterday, I rose with the anticipation of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Francis, known to many as a peacekeeper and the patron saint of animals, woke to his own journey of life almost 800 years ago that was not filled with roses and rainbows. He lived in the middle of warring papal and city states where the feudal system was breaking down. Chaos ruled and many found themselves destitute, starving, and unprotected from the violence around them. I imagine that if there had been 24-hour world news coverage or instant, streaming internet video in his time, his world would in many ways mirror our own.   

St-Francis-statue

But Francis did not stand idle, watch the problems from a distance or hide from the world around him. God called him to go right into the heart of the system that was crumbling, urged him to move quickly to action. The invitation to “rebuild my church” was not some trite, easy task. It was an epic journey that would take Francis the course of his lifetime to navigate. For good or ill, he learned from success and I imagine much more from his failures. Perhaps in his early days, when he physically rebuilt churches stone by stone (as that is how he first interpreted God’s invitation), his isolation from social pressures and experience of quiet moments allowed him to discern how to be all of who he was before God. Eventually, as the story goes, Francis discovered that he needed to help people around him and started with the group he perhaps feared; the lepers.

Sister Eileen McKenzie reads a reflection of St. Francis by Brother Ruffino during an FSPA Transitus celebration in Mary of the Angels Chapel: "I remember how knowing Jesus and following in the footprints of Jesus was the one passion of his life."

Francis is a model and a light for our world today. He reminds us to reach out to help everyone in need, even those who make us feel uneasy, who we don’t understand and who we’ve previously chosen to ignore. He challenges us not to wait around hoping someone else will respond to the chaos around us. Light is even more contagious than darkness. What else could explain the thousands of silly, tug-at-your-heart animal videos on social media that so many of us tune out the troubled world to see? We are all looking for laughter and joy.

What would happen if, around the globe, we woke up to news stories filled with such love and happiness? A world in which individuals cultivate peace and positivity rather than fostering greed, hate and possessiveness?

Perhaps we could all begin our own revolution of peace.

Our collective wakeup call is here. How is your discernment beckoning you to be a light in our world today? How will you ignite a revolution of peace and joy in your corner of the world?

Where will your journey take you?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Happy New Year!

Monday, January 1st 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Happy New Year to you from the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Happy-New-Year-2018

Image courtesy pixabay.com

May the coming year be filled with inspiration as you discern your vocation.

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Mary, Clare, a novice and an associate: discerning pathways to God

Thursday, August 16th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

This time in August marks the celebration of two wonderful and inspirational women of faith: Mary of Nazareth and St. Clare of Assisi. From this point in history, we can trace the pathways from each woman’s initial yes to the culmination of their lives, mapping what is possible with God. 

I wonder what their first days were like, after saying yes to God. When the angel left Mary and the Holy Spirit’s visit concluded, the reality of pregnancy (and not by her betrothed, Joseph) came to be. It was a yes that, at the time, was messy at best. 

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Mary of Nazareth gazes down over all from the domed ceiling in Mary of the Angels Chapel. (Photo by Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA)

What were Clare’s thoughts after escaping her family home in the dark of night, only to learn that traveling the road she envisioned to religious life would take some time? Did she hold her breath as she waited for the convent at San Damiano to be prepared? Since cloister was required for all women religious at that time, barring her from serving alongside her inspiration, St. Francis, did she even for a moment lose faith? 

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St. Clare of Assisi (Image from the Basilica of St. Clare, Assisi, Italy)

Discernment calls for a yes followed by action. The journey requires stepping forward, bravely beginning new experiences without the security of GPS or traveler’s insurance. Homelands, friends, jobs and routines of life are turned upside down as a new adventure — perhaps one with uncertainty — beckons. 

Mary of Nazareth and St. Clare of Assisi are mentors and companions for two women who in the last few weeks have put their yes to God in motion. One as an associate and the other as a novice, they are both beginning the journey of incorporation with FSPA. As individuals, their paths are uncharted territory — where God will lead them is yet to be revealed. They, like Mary and Clare, will be invited to trust God and community and to share their gifts and talents as the way forward is co-created.  

As you consider Mary and St. Clare and two women who today are entering the next passageway of discernment, ask yourself:

-    Where do these pioneers, blazing their own paths to religious life, inspire me to go?
 

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Sister Sarah's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, May 23rd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Sarah Hennessey, FSPA

 

staying, with, you, people, God, Sister, Sarah, Hennessey

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Honoring service, goodness

Monday, September 3rd 2018 8:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

franciscan-sisters-fruit-bowl

Image courtesy of Pixabay

 

May this be a day of relaxation, renewal and honor of our gifts of service to the world as we celebrate Labor Day.

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

 

A promise to build a new life upon

Thursday, April 6th 2017 11:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

I am fascinated by “Who Do You Think You Are?”, a cable television show on the TLC network. Each episode features a media icon who, through the assistance of genealogy experts, professors, librarians, historians, Ancestry.com and others, delves into their family history. No stone is left unturned as a camera crew follows the individual searching for their roots throughout the United States and, in some cases, around the world. Narratives of long-forgotten relatives leap from pages of documentation, becoming next clues in the ongoing quest for information; identity.

Story-by-story, the truth is revealed. While not all chronicles are happy or full of pride, knowledge of where they came from—documented on paper—gives a sense of connectedness far beyond a code of DNA.

Today’s first reading recalls one of our familial stories of faith; a touchstone of generations that came before us. Through other stories of Abram (who is renamed Abraham) we know he is advanced in age, at what seems to be the end, when he is promised generations and land. From this, a new life emerges for him. This is not a one-way contract: Abraham is asked, on behalf of himself and his descendants, to uphold the covenant—placing God as the center of his life and for all those to come.

It is in the quiet moments of prayer that Abraham receives the news that shapes not only his living years, but those spanning far beyond his death as well. And God keeps his promise: we see the fruits more than 2,000 years later each time we hear the genealogy of Jesus proclaimed from Matthew 1:1-17.

Deep moments of prayer are crucibles in which we enter into conversation with God about our life’s direction. Discernment calls each of us to make God the priority in our lives and to listen. Our covenant with God requires focus and determination to set aside anything that will distract or become a stumbling block to our full attentive presence. By choosing to distract ourselves from listening—particularly when we are called to rise to the potential already within us—we can hide from God.

As we prepare for Palm Sunday and the liturgies of Holy Week, may we remember our commitment to prayer and presence. Placed before us in the next few days are the stories that form who we are and what we believe.

In your prayer this week ponder …

What is the everlasting promise God is offering as you discern?

What will your “Yes” mean for you and generations to come?

Temptation and transformation in the desert

Thursday, February 22nd 2018 10:30 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


The Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent makes me imagine a movie trailer for a film directed by Mark. He sets a pithy scene in the desert, features a cast of characters that include Jesus, beasts, angels and Satan. Jesus is on the cusp of an encounter with temptation as the teaser abruptly ends. The scene that fades to black is literally and figuratively bleak, leaving viewers to anticipate a film with a gut-wrenching ending.

But of course we are met with a plot twist when the rest of Mark’s story comes out: the desert doesn’t really lead to nothingness, it’s actually lined with steppingstones to discovery. His time in what seems like a wasteland strengthens him and, in a surprising turn of events, leads to emergent momentum of his ministry.

desert-trail-by-sister-amy-taylor

Image by Sister Amy Taylor

Discernment of religious life invites each of us into our own metaphorical and perhaps even physical desert experiences. It’s a place of quiet austerity and simultaneous beauty, calling for revelation, commitment and creativity in a setting assumed to be isolated and daunting. Desolation can allow too much space in which temptation and deprivation can be found, but also make room for grace and gift.

As I prepared for my final vows, I found the desert was the perfect place to go on retreat. Walking in the dry climate, I was invited to be present in each step; cognizant of where my feet fell; watchful of snakes, scorpions and other desert wildlife that I don’t encounter in Wisconsin. Slowly, as I pondered the spectrum of colors that at first I only perceived as beige, the desert revealed some of its bright secrets. My fear of such “beasts” was transformed as I learned how these creatures help sustain the environment. Beauty of life, like the tiny flowers I discovered, flourished in what appeared to be a hostile climate.

desert-rocks-flowers-by-Sister-Amy Taylor

Image by Sister Amy Taylor

Jesus demonstrates that God guides us to explore the depths of a vocational discernment even in the most dreaded circumstances; is with us as we confront the temptations that threaten our fidelity to live in communion with God.

How is your fear or preconceived notion getting in the way of intentional discernment?

How has God surprised you and provided in your own “desert times?”

 

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Praying through the storms of the heart

Thursday, August 25th 2016 10:16 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

rain-car-red-lights

Image courtesy of www.freeimages.com

The weather has been saturated with dark skies, torrential rain and in many places, flooding. Traffic bogs down and short tempers flare. Under bright sun or dark clouds, honking horns and disgruntled drivers slowly creep at a snail’s pace down roadways as they make the daily work-to-home dash. Irritability follows us inside to days packed with ringing phones and endless meetings. Out in the elements again we are further exacerbated by fueling stops and dry cleaning pick up, all while mentally wondering what to cook for dinner.

Some days, just getting into a hot, steamy car can feel as if nothing is going the way we plan. But, although we can’t control the weather, we can choose the climate in our hearts. Driving through big puddles should be an invitation to slow down; can be a reminder to look again at what we let ourselves pass by in the now normal speed of life.

Rain, in moderation, has the ability to refresh the air, the earth. Perhaps we too can find revitalization if we look up from a different perspective; see through the drops for the gifts it may hold.

Becoming aware of how we let external sources determine our interior dispositions is a great lesson for our spiritual journeys.  

How do the elements—both nurturing and damaging—reflect upon your discernment?

Sister Donna's Six Word Story

Tuesday, October 18th 2016 12:00 pm
Sister Donna Weber, FSPA

 

young-heart-burning-God-listening-come-donna-weber

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Antona's Six Word Story

Thursday, October 6th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Antona Schedlo, FSPA

 

antona-schedlo-joyful-sisters-attention-attracted-boldl-entered

 

What's your six word discernment story?

 

Sister Sharon: Letters to God

Tuesday, September 12th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Sharon Bongiorno, FSPA

 

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My Lord and my God, I sit down to write this letter, very tired
and stiff. I may have over done it today. Thank you to Father
Sean who gave me the penance today to write a letter to You.
 

That is how it started. A letter to God turned out not to be penance at all. In fact it became a prayer in a way I never expected. So each night now, I sit down and write my thoughts, my hurts, my joys of the day. Sometimes the page gets polka-dotted with tears. Then -- as I sit and listen to God's response -- come more surprises.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring original prayer by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Obituaries and celebrating St. Clare

Thursday, August 17th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

St.-Clare-statue-flowers

St. Clare of Assisi

Reading an obituary can fill us with tension and sadness; loss as well as insight and inspiration. I have read a lot of obituaries. As a former parish pastoral associate I have been present with family members as they carefully chose the stories and words for the final public statement about their loved one. I have shared in laughter and tears for life stories shared in the sacred experience of death. How do you explain a lifetime of love and care through good times and bad? How can words convey what the heart feels and recalls, from ordinary routines to extraordinary experiences? Death can be a revelation and a time of reflection of the contribution that every life makes in our world. 

Our loved ones live on in us when stories of their lives are passed from one generation to the next. Last Thursday evening, as we marked the anniversary of her death, our community gathered in Mary of the Angels Chapel to hear witness accounts of the Acts of Canonization of St. Clare of Assisi and stories from the "Legend of St. Clare." Over 800 years later, the witness of her life continues to transform our world and shape the Franciscan family.  

Sister Mary Kathryn Fogarty reads the reflection by Lady Benedetta from "The Legend of St. Clare"

St. Clare followed the light of Christ through the darkness of greed, corruption and abuse of power that left many people of her time discarded and unprotected. She refused to be a part of a system that would perpetuate division between rich and poor. Striving to live like her beloved, poor Christ she fought for the privilege of poverty for her monastery, refusing the bishop’s persuasion to allow it to be endowed. Endowment would bring power and influence, two agents she desired to avoid. St. Clare listened to the voice of her conscious until her dying day. Just prior to her death, she received approval for her community’s rule of life. St. Clare’s entire existence on earth was aligned with her love of Christ and serving the needs of all those around her. 

What are you willing to stake your life on? Is there a cause or group that needs your help? Is there a system that perpetuates violence or oppression in which change is possible? Are there others who have the same cares and concerns as you? 

How would being part of a religious community allow you to have support and encouragement as you stand with and work alongside your brothers and sisters in need?    

Discernment is a time to take stock, to ask yourself what you believe. Where is your conscious leading you? How will you be an agent of change in our world today? 

In the far off future, what will your obituary say about you? Will it share the ways you sought to serve others, courageously using your voice, your gifts, your talents?

Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 25th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Merry Christmas to you from the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

nativity-scene-on-road

Image courtesy pixabay.com

May the joy of Christ's birth be in your heart today and throughout the year.

A transformative moment

Thursday, November 16th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Next week marks the beginning of travel for many as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. Millions of people will board planes and trains and drive cars to gather with loved ones. Traffic, in one way or another, will most likely frustrate excited travelers dreaming of warmth and comfort once they arrive at their destinations. All of the stress melts away as joyful greetings and mouth-watering aromas greet each weary, nerves-worn-thin traveler finally crossing the threshold. This is the moment many dream of all year.


dinner-table

Image courtesy freeimages.com

Hours of love and care for guests start long before the time of celebration. Ingredients for favorite dishes along with a mix of new recipes are carefully considered as each cook desires to both satisfy and expand the horizons of guests gathered. The festive table beckons each person to linger amidst glowing candlelight as rich fall colors of gold, orange and brown compliment the trays of colorful foods nestled between gleaming, stark-white plates. Beauty intensifies as each person adds the gift of their presence around the table.  

Months of exile from one another fade as thankfulness for the moment grows. New memories are created and traditions of assembling grow deeper roots. Holiness pervades as the blessing initiates not only the beginning of the meal but also conversation laden with rich moments of the year’s harvest of blessings and challenges since last the group congregated. This is a eucharistic moment; bread is broken and life is shared. As we move beyond the static moment to see the mystery, we glimpse the transcendence of life.

Through the eyes of faith, holidays can become an experience of holy days and Thanksgiving highlights, in extraordinary ways, many of the markers of thoughtful discernment.

Gathering: moving outside of your own daily routine to join trusted friends and family and recognizing in new ways God’s activity in your life.
Contemplation: reflecting on blessings and challenges in your life.
Preparation: recognizing what you need in the moment, and also what the road ahead may require.
Beauty: being present to the moment at hand.
Abundance: recognizing that God provides more than we could ever consume.
Awareness: eyes wide open to the needs of others.

Food for thought this week as you prepare for your own pilgrimage to the banquet table …

How is discernment leading you to see beyond the surface meaning of an experience?

What are you thankful for in life and along your discernment journey?

Who will you invite to the table of your life?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Sister Karolyne: God's sacred creation in morning and evening prayer

Tuesday, October 3rd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Karolyne Rohlik, FSPA

 

My greeting with the earth each morning is one of gratitude and love for the gift of a new day, and the prayer of Blessing and Goodness in the evening is with the earth’s presence. 


stars

Gazing and listening in the presence of God’s sacred creation — communion and Eucharist beauty, simple and natural and wonderful — create my deepest prayer. 

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

A new career in religious life?

Thursday, September 27th 2018 1:45 pm
Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Amy Taylor

 

A common question that surfaces in vocation is this: can I change careers while serving as a Catholic sister? 

Yes ... it is acceptable to discern a change of ministry in religious life! The spirit is always at work within you and often leads you to new experiences -- perhaps the opportunity to care for the underserved of society -- that respond to the needs of the times.

catholic leads young adults across a street

Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Katie Mitchell has traveled a ministerial path from teaching to faith formation.

Discernment of changing careers in religious life takes place within community. Together with others, you will examine the necessity of transition and consider the next steps to new ministry. This is part of the co-creation that is possible when you say “yes” to God’s invitation to serve his people. It is in the everyday experiences of walking with others that your eyes may be opened to see unmet needs.

Sometimes, additional education or training is necessary to change careers in religious life. In other circumstances, an open heart and willingness to learn from wisdom figures around you will provide all that you need to transition to a new way of serving. Many Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have made ministerial moves as they've recognized their own unique gifts and talents to serve others.

It is impossible to predict what will unfold over the course of your life. Every day is an adventure and God is always full of surprises and invitations to grow and co-create with you. If you ask any sister, she will most likely say that her “yes” to religious life opened more doors than she ever imagined. 

*Like our new look? Stay tuned to Show me a sign for more surprises -- fresh reflections of the good news of vocations -- soon to come!

**Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

FSPA at RE Congress 2018 ... Rise Up!

Thursday, March 22nd 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Sisters-Amy-Taylor-and-Kathy-Roberg-at-Los-Angeles-Religious-Ed-Congress

Sisters Amy and Kathy greeted hundreds of people -- youth and adults -- at the annual congress for religious education in Los Angeles, California. (Photographer Victor Aleman)

Sister Kathy and I would like to send a shout out to all those we met at RE Congress 2018: Rise Up! while we represented the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and vocations there. It was inspiring to see the diversity of ministries represented as we all came to learn and pray together. If you were unable to stop by for a visit and find out more about our community, please send any questions you may have through the comment section (below).

discernment-of-signs-along-the-way-book-cover

We look forward to hearing from you!

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Sister Joyce's Six Word Story

Tuesday, July 12th 2016 10:11 am
Sister Joyce Blum, FSPA


well-maybe-what-me-let's-go

What's your six word discernment story?

This day of thanks and giving

Thursday, November 23rd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

multi-colored-corn-kernals

Image courtesy freeimages.com

May this day be a time of contemplation as you gather with family and friends and recall the many gifts God has blessed you with throughout the year.

Sister Georgia: A morning offering

Tuesday, September 5th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Georgia Christensen, FSPA

 

cup-of-coffee

O my God, I offer you this morning cup of coffee.
As the steam rises upward,
So let all my thoughts, words and actions
Rise in praise of you today.
May the warmth of the cup, 
Transferred to my hands, be a reminder
Of the warmth and love I am to extend to all who I
meet today.
As I drink from the cup,
Let it be a sign of my willingness to share in the
“cup of salvation”
And offer my life to the Father as you did.
When I partake of the coffee
And feel it going through my body,
May it remind me of your constant love,
Ever filling me and giving me life.
Please bless me, my God, and make me good today.
Amen.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring original prayer by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Editor's note: as published in the "Viterbo University Book of Prayers"

Resolutions and reflection in discernment

Thursday, January 5th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


“Optimism!” I declare to myself as I take in the sparkly white squares on my crisp, new desk calendar, making it officially 2017. As you turn away from 2016, perhaps scrolling to the new year on the screen of your phone, are you proclaiming your own resolutions?


calendar-pencil-freeimges.com

Image courtesy of freeimages.com

Sometimes the desire to successfully create change can be so rigid (and possibly borderline unrealistic) that even just the thought of failure leads to waning commitment or the decision to drop the idea all together. We can also cause ourselves to stumble over blocks of fast change and instant results. The successful goals I’ve reached in my own life happened because of perseverance. It has meant holding myself accountable for my behavior, but doing so in a realistic way. Some days on the calendar are better than others, but when I sit back and review them altogether I see progress. Or even a path to it. 

I remember a time, when I was teaching, that I met with the school’s principal in my classroom for my yearly evaluation. She gave me positive comments but also posed a peculiar question: was there a word I continually leaned on to move the class into the next activity? The word, I knew very quickly, was “okay” (although I was previously unaware of how it had become my prompt for each direction). That afternoon I asked my students to be visual aids during one of my class periods; to raise their hands anytime they heard me say “okay.” They willingly did, providing me with real-time proof that “okay” was firmly, subconsciously, engrained in my vocabulary.

That experience provided me with an essential tool for dedication to successful change: awareness. It’s an elemental devotion in discernment too. What consciousness are you bringing into discernment of religious vocation? What purpose will such tools help you achieve? Community can provide inspiration in commitment if you are willing to share with others personal attributions that may inhibit your discernment resolve. That said, have faith in the support of God and your circle of friends and family when you try something new. Trust—on the days you feel like you aren’t measuring up to your discernment aspirations—in the power of prayer; in visual cues from those around you.

So this week, I challenge you to write a letter to yourself full of your hopes, dreams, ideas and goals for the year ahead in your discernment. Save the letter in a safe place and set a reminder in your phone to read it after the next 365 days. If a year seems to long, try a month or two. It’s a simple but powerful tool to remind you not only of resolutions, but also the inspiration and desire and resolve you felt when putting pen to that paper—your aspirations for discernment in 2017.

~ Each year, FSPA invites the community to gather on New Year's Eve at our Mary of the Angels Chapel for a Blessing of Time Prayer Serviceall are welcome! A table graced with time-keeping devices represents the year ahead. Clocks, watches and calendars are blessed as icons that remind us where and when we are to be as God calls us to minister. New Year's Eve is the perfect time to review what has been and lean into what may come in the year ahead. In this way, our mission of heralding the Gospel is always at the forefront of our hearts and minds.

It is what we are called every day, throughout each year, to do.

Blessing-of-Time-Mary-of-the-Angels-Chapel

FSPA celebrates Blessing of Time in Mary of the Angels Chapel on New Year's Eve (photo courtesy of Sister Nina Shephard).

Trailblazers and touchstones along the path

Thursday, June 2nd 2016 2:16 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

lake-shore-rocks-stacked
Photo credit: Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

This is the time of year when many of us will journey to new places. Via air travel we can wake up in one country and be in another by lunchtime. GPS is another tool to tell us exactly where we are going, the approximate time we will arrive, and any wrong turns we take along the way. I was reflecting on this as we recently celebrated Founder’s Day. One hundred and sixty-seven years ago FSPA’s foundresses traveled over the sea and eventually by wagon from Ettenbeuren, Bavaria, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and finally to La Crosse, Wisconsin. They left the familiar roads of their lives to blaze new trails. I imagine the first few miles were filled with memories of the places they were leaving behind as well as excitement of what they would encounter in the miles ahead. Their courage and willingness to create their own track has led more than a thousand women to join FSPA. Their determination to be women devoted to prayer and to serve those in need stands steadfast through time as touchstones for every woman who crosses the threshold of religious life. They are women who continually live on, move forward, in our memories and in our stories. Their pioneering spirit guides our congregation as we continue to make pathways for generations of followers in the years to come.

Who are the trailblazers in your life?  Can you find touchstones to guide you? Are you willing to go where God leads, even if you don’t know exactly how long or how far the journey will be?

Sister Dorothy's Six Word Story

Tuesday, August 9th 2016 10:15 am
Sister Dorothy Dunbar, FSPA


sunflowers-seized-God-sent-service-dorothy-dunbar

 

What's your six word discernment story?

FSPA reflects upon World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Thursday, April 19th 2018 1:45 pm
Sister AmyTaylor, FSPA

 

The Catholic church will celebrate the annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Sunday, April 22, 2018.

Sisters Hennessey-Julia-Walsh-Eileen-McKenzie-FSPA-adoration-chapel

Sisters Sarah Hennessey, Julia Walsh and Eileen McKenzie pray in the FSPA Adoration Chapel at St. Rose Convent.

As we remember in prayer all who are discerning personal vocations, let us also encourage others to consider religious life as a sister, brother or priest and reflect upon discernment inspiration from Pope Francis' Message for World Day of Vocations, “...to be attentive to the details of our own daily lives, in order to learn how to view things with the eyes of faith, and to keep ourselves open to the surprises of the Spirit.”

Who are you praying for?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Sister Juanita's Six Word Story

Tuesday, September 13th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Juanita Hytry

 

faithful-servant-Gospel-living-loving-adoration

 

What's your six word discernment story?

Imagination inspires vision in discernment

Thursday, September 7th 2017 3:05 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

I appreciate and enjoy the opportunity to plan new experiences in my life. Preparation, for me, sparks imagination to envision what each new season as a religious sister — like the shift from summer to fall that we are living in right now — may bring. I trust that God will be with me each day (as we know from Jeremiah 29: 11-13), whether my plans come to fruition or unexpected events put me on a completely different route. 


winter-train-freeimages

Image courtesy freeimages.com

Such imagination, in fact, reflected light upon a particularly uncertain time in my life — during my discernment. I was in graduate school at the time and had spent my spring break visiting FSPA in La Crosse, Wisconsin. While spring was in full bloom at home it was definitely still winter 500 miles north at St. Rose Convent. The windows of the train I was riding frosted up and, wishing for a warm blanket, I tightened my jacket closer around my shoulders. How do people survive with so much cold and snow and ice?

blowing-snow-chapel

St. Rose Convent in La Crosse, Wisconsin

Later, while sharing my positive experiences with FSPA with my spiritual director, I also launched into my seemingly ordinary yet significant concern (to me) about the weather. She challenged me to engage my imagination. In addition to her ministry as a spiritual director she was also an artist and knew that imagination can be an essential tool. “What would it be like to live in a colder climate, where winters are longer and more severe? What would you need to live there?” She then asked me to reflect on my visit: was there heat in the building? Would I be warm and comfortable should I choose to discern there? Well … of course. 

Her questions helped me envision navigating a big change which surfaced as weather but, in reality, was also about experiencing a cultural change. That transition (which I wasn’t sure I really wanted) became a gift of God’s grace.

I’ve now survived several Wisconsin winters. I’m still not a huge fan of the cold and the snow but weather conditions have faded into the background of life (not at the forefront). And I now also know, in addition to visiting and learning about each community you consider, how important imagination can be in discerning religious life. It allows us to ponder life choices in a variety of contexts and consider exploring the invitation from God. Imagination is a tool that can help move us from fear to freedom.  

Who do you imagine you will be tomorrow, next week, next year? Who will you live and work with? What would it be like to move across the country, or internationally, to pursue your vision? What is the adventure stirring right now in your heart?

How is your imagination a tool in your discernment?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link and join the conversation at www.fspa.org/showmeasign.

Discovery in discernment: breakthroughs of mind and heart

Thursday, January 11th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

colorful-lab-beakers-freeimages.com

Image courtesy freeimages.com

I am fascinated with the brains of scientist and inventors. What keeps them in the lab testing and retesting and searching for the answers they long for? How do they resist boredom? How do they deal with feelings of failure? How does their determination lead them to take risks that most others would not even consider, all in the name of research? Do they draw a line in the sand? 

What I am certain about science, however, is that such curiosity can spark new ideas, leads to life-changing discovery. Revelation begins with a single question that evolves along the way by:

-    Experimenting, testing new theories.
-    Recording findings.
-    Looking for patterns.
-    Observing discrepancies in the data.
-    Consulting experts.
-    Making adjustments along the way.
-    Pondering.
-    Persevering.
-    Celebrating both achievements and failures as pathways to learning.

Discovery requires participation. Every observation calls for attention. Deep reflection is vital. Evolution of the question contains markers of change and integration of learning. Each reflection has the potential to reveal a new hypothesis to be explored.

I also know, from personal, life-changing curiosity, that such questions and methods and principles can guide you through discernment of religious life.

What may seem to be a naive question must really be the first: “What is religious life?” It is, as I’ve written about before, a culture all its own.     

With learning and reflection, do you feel a calling? 

In time, you may find yourself wondering “What could religious life be like with a specific community?” Living into that question will change as you go deeper into the discernment process. If accepted into a community the question could become “What is religious life for us as communally?” Throughout the years of incorporation the ultimate ask may surface: “Am I willing to make a life commitment to God as a vowed religious sister and in the context of this congregation?”

Try to take in your wonderings one at a time. Choose carefully how often to sit with them: daily, weekly or monthly time periods of reflection may continually stoke your excitement. How will your record your learnings along the way: a journal, a log, maybe even a spread sheet? It’s important not to lose insight you find along your quest.  

Each new year, just like each scientific hypothesis, begins with the potential to evolve into a lifetime of implications.

In 2018, what are the questions that could lead you on a year of discovery?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Diamonds in our midst

Thursday, May 18th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Twenty-six remarkable members of FSPA are celebrating their Diamond Jubilees, “commemorations that mark 60, 70, 75 and 80 years as a vowed Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. The milestone’s namesake has me reflecting on the gem itself. Before I joined community I went on a cruise to the Caribbean. Because many tourists purchase gemstones while traveling there, the cruise company offers information about them (including reputable places to shop) to passengers prior to docking at each port. Though I wasn’t in the market to buy diamonds I was interested in learning about what determines their value: clarity, cut, carat and color—the 4 Cs.

diamonds

I realized that I didn’t know what it takes to get to the end product, the examination of the 4 Cs. I began by turning to the internet and submitted the question “How is a diamond formed?” While much of what I read was quite technical and far beyond my simple curiosity, I closed the search engine with a bit more knowledge. Diamonds need pressure, heat and time to form naturally. It takes work to make them attractive. They do not emerge from the ground gleaming and ready for sale.


Villa-jubilarians-Bishop-Callahan

Diamond jubilarians celebrated May 10 at Villa St. Joseph with Bishop Callahan

Each jubilarian has, in her own lifetime, experienced pressure, heat and time. There is resolve in ministry to do a lot with very little. Creativity and commitment to mission have guided each sister as she found ways to defuse heated situations that can occur, especially when working to promote Gospel tenants in which all those in need--not just a few--deserve care. Time is a gift each diamond jubilarian has had and not a minute has been wasted. Their lives of ministries have been in service to the whole spectrum of life from birth to death, serving generations of God’s people in schools, hospitals, parishes and spirituality centers (among others). Each encounter hones these women religious into sparkling gems.


St-Rose-Diamond-Jubilee-Mass

Fifteen diamond jubilarians were celebrated with Mass in Mary of the Angels Chapel on May 5

As I witnessed one of the recent FSPA diamond jubilee celebrations, watching the jubilarians process down the aisle of Mary of the Angels Chapel, the sun streamed through the stained glass windows and enlightened us to the gleaming examples they are as they live every day into their call to religious life. To conjure the image close your eyes and think of dazzling color and light dispelling all darkness, shining through a diamond. The commitment to prayer and service perpetually polishes their priceless lives. These are the diamonds we all can strive to imitate while retaining our own uniqueness. 

How is discernment glowing through you?

To shine like the diamond that you are, what rough edges do you need polished?

Sister Fran's Six Word Mission Story

Thursday, July 20th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Fran Browing, FSPA


teacher, certified, chaplain, present, grieving, Sister Fran Browning

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Esther's Six Word Story

Tuesday, June 21st 2016 10:09 am
Sister Esther Leis, FSPA


Sister-Esther-Leis-FSPA-invited-blessings-abounded-God-graced

 

What's your six word discernment story?

Journey of Advent

Thursday, December 7th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

suitcase-scarf-camera-pixabay.com

Image courtesy pixabay.com

Do you like to travel? Have you ever been on a pilgrimage? A pilgrimage is a journey on which the participant commits to growing in faith, discovering lessons along the way and depending on God and the kindness of others to provide. This Advent season, I invite you to consider making your own spiritual pilgrimage, exploring the inner landscape of your heart in preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It will require making time in your life to explore the questions that are most important to you; those that can serve as a map through your heart. What do you most need in your life of faith this Advent season? How is your journey of discernment part of the pilgrimage experience? The journey inward has the power to shape how you encounter the world around you. The Scriptures of Advent are rich sources of inspiration and food for the journey. Are you willing to enter the passage?

Two experienced guides of navigating inner terrain are Mary and Joseph. Faced with a decree from Caesar Augustus to fulfill the mandatory census in Bethlehem, they began a physical journey. From the vantage point of over 2,000 years later we can also imagine that the trip would spiritually transform their lives. I imagine many miles punctuated with conversation about their dreams for the future and periods of quiet reflection to gather the vastness of what may lie ahead. Many prayers formed the ground on which they walked. They were dealing with big changes — a new marital relationship, preparation for a baby like no other, and the danger of travel. I wonder how vividly they recalled each of their experiences leading to the road: Mary and her encounter with the angel and Joseph’s dream that changed his mind.

Mary-and-Joseph-traveling-freeimages.com

Image courtesy freeimages.com

They chose to rely on God in all the uncertainty and challenge of not only this new spiritual pilgrimage, but also the realization of their unfolding pilgrimage of life. And watching Mary and Joseph each day, Jesus would grow into his own awareness of his humanity as they traveled.

In the first Gospel reading of Advent we see Jesus, on his own pilgrimage, taking a moment to pass on to his disciples the wisdom of cultivating watchfulness in their lives. He uses a story to try to get his point across. While they do not fully understand the journey that lies ahead, he advises them to be on guard; to know what you are about and what others around you are up to.

For us in our time, His wisdom continues to ring true. It is dangerous to be lulled into acedia; to think we have all the time in the world to be watchful … until we don’t. Pick up any newspaper or skim articles online to see stories of lives suddenly shortened. Time waits for no one. During the holiday season there is additional pressure and expectation and it's easy to see how the lure of inattentiveness beckons as an easier route; to let things go, put off until another time. Well, there may not be another time. What happens then? How can you take time now to be watchful, not only for the bad but for all the joy around you as well? Will you miss an experience simply because you were distracted?

What do you need to do in order to begin a four-week pilgrimage of faith this Advent season?

How will you be ready to begin the journey?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Sister Arlene's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, June 27th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Arlene Melder, FSPA

 


all-things-possible-God-arlene-melder

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Donna's Six Word Mission Story

Monday, April 24th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Donna Weber, FSPA

It's where I pray

Thursday, January 25th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Maris Kerwin, FSPA

 

window-pigeons-St.RoseChapel

Image by Sister Amy Taylor

One of my favorite places to pray is in my recliner in my room at St. Rose Convent. It sits in front of a window from which I can see the Adoration Chapel behind a variety of trees. The chapel mirrors stability in my life, and the trees as well as the shifting seasons remind me of change. All are important, and God helps to remind me that I need both. The occasional bird flying from one place to the other helps me to see that connection.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Sister Georgia's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, April 11th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Georgia Christensen, FSPA


joyfully-serving-God-where-called-today-Georgia-Christensen-FSPA

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Anita: the soul searching question

Tuesday, October 17th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Anita Beskar, FSPA

 

A lake as calm as glass;

A circle of pine trees enjoying a near-perfect reflection in the fragile lake mirror;

And I am privileged to contemplate both from my aqua cycle perspective on the lake.

In this deeply contemplative moment, startling questions emerge within me:

- How could I know the mystery of "treeness" if all I ever experienced was its reflection?

- How could I feel, smell, throw my arms around a tree if all I knew was its reflection?

And I notice how the subtle and/or turbulent movements of the water affect this reflected image.


Trout-Lake-by-S-Anita-Beskar

Photo by Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

Then the soul-searching question:

Is this not the way that I know God and God Presence -- through God's reflected images? And how does my inner quiet or lack thereof affect the mirror of my life to reflect God Presence?

This, for me, is prayer: to invite my inner spirit into the quiet of God's Spirit so that in my inner quiet I may listen to find the courage and RESPOND.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. 

Kindness: we are all called to be Esther

Thursday, March 9th 2017 12:45 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

In a spirit of collaboration, we enter into the celebration of National Catholic Sisters Week (March 8 through 14). There are over 45,000 women religious in the United States, and FSPA is a member of one of the organization’s partnering groups—the Catholic Sisters of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. They have come together in a campaign called “Kindness: Get in the Habit.” Billboards and advertisements as well as a school curriculum for the week are all aimed at encouraging individuals to find ways to be kind to one another.

Kindness-handshake

Kindness is a basic human value that’s often lost amid a world filled with competition and sometimes questionable motivation. As we walk through the second week of Lent we recall that the tenets of the Lenten season include prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Kindness easily supports each tenets. We are invited to open our eyes to our own actions and reflect on the ways in which we are attentive to the invitation of the season.

The readings placed before us today are like a glowing neon sign along the Lenten road of spiritual growth. The words flowing from the lips of Queen Esther are those of intercession on behalf of her people. Choosing to give voice to the concerns of her heart, she pleads for wisdom and courage to have eloquence of speech to persuade those who can protect and champion her cause.

How many times—in the defining moments of your life where everything is on the line and God is your advocate—have you prayed like Esther?

 

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Eileen McKenzie, FSPA, deep in the tenet of prayer (image courtesy of Vendi Advertising).

There are many Esthers in our world today as prayers of refugees, immigrants and others displaced pray on behalf of their communities for safety, food, water and asylum from the horrors they have fled; to be heard in their suffering and feel the presence of caring from God and all of us who walk in humanity by their sides. What does the season (and not just during Lent) call us to but the obligations of being Catholic Christians?

Esther bows in prayer and supplication to God. She aligns her interior and exterior reality of life situation as queen, advocate, subject and co-creator. She has not walled herself into the security of the palace. She knows the struggles her people face as it was once her own experience. Her actions have a direct impact on others. She is accountable for what she chooses and she holds God accountable to guide her.

Esther is a model for all who discern. She exemplifies the courage, strength and perseverance that is indispensable to remain rooted in Gospel values as you make a choice for your own vocation. Challenges are a part of life, and how you choose to move through them speaks volumes of who you are.

How can the choices you make in your life alleviate the pain and sorrow of a hurting world?

How does your vocational discernment bring relevance to humanity at this time in our history? 

Sister Rita Mae: painting as prayer

Tuesday, October 10th 2017 2:30 pm
Sister Rita Mae Fischer, FSPA

 


watercolor-crocuses-by-S-Rita-Mae-Fischer

"Crocuses" by Sister Rita Mae Fischer

At times, my prayer is in humming, groaning, rocking or walking. But the day I received word that my friend had died, my prayer was in painting crocuses. Just as for Christopher Pramuk, music for me is a metaphor for the spiritual life. And that day I found my refuge, my center, a certain kinship and hope, in water coloring. It was powerful. It was transformative. I could live in the liminal space among what was, what is, and what will be. Truly, life reverberates beyond death.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Sister Maris' Six Word Story

Tuesday, September 20th 2016 12:00 pm
Sister Maris Kerwin, FSPA


open-mind-listen-heart-Maris-Kerwin

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Joanne's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, June 6th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Joanne Moeller, FSPA

 

Francis-provides-example-hospitality-all-Joanne-Moeller

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Esther's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, January 31st 2017 10:00 am
Sister Esther Leis, FSPA

 


FSPA-Esther Leis-listening-presence-compassionate-caring-responding-attentively

 

Have you enjoyed FSPA's Six Word Stories about vocation? Check out our new series, Six Word Mission Stories.

We invite you to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story!

Commitment doesn't emerge overnight

Thursday, March 30th 2017 12:00 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

This is the fourth week of Lent; a time to re-examine the intentions you held at the beginning of the season. Have you followed through with your objectives? Have you formed a new habit that has drawn you closer to God, or has the challenge of your desired practice made it permissible in your mind to let the goal go rather than work through the obstacles to achieve it?

Today’s first reading, from the Book of Exodus, serves as an illustration through which to reflect the depths of our own individual behaviors; mannerisms that may lead to the construction of your own molten calf, drawing you away from God and back into comfortable patterns of living. Discovering an idol in your life can be disturbing, but also an opportunity to courageously face the truth of what lies at the core of the issue.

Idols don’t emerge overnight, nor does commitment to continually behold them. Examining the first moments of a dream in which you summoned up your own molten calf may offer insight into how to dispel such symbols. You don’t have to become imprisoned in behaviors that are not life affirming. It is possible to turn your life in all its complexity towards God. God celebrates each time we turn around and begin again, whether it is the first or the 309th time. Transformation is not just a Lenten devotion—it’s a life practice.

mountain-desert-courtesy-Amy-Taylor

In the desert of Scottsdale, Arizona, by Sister Amy Taylor

Discernment is a time of testing and choosing. It is a time to determine the values that will guide you not only in your decision, but also throughout your life. Are you ready to make good on your commitments allowing God--not a stagnant statue of your own creation--to be the form you follow? In times of difficulty will you call to mind God’s unfailing faithfulness and provision, especially when you walk in your own desert moments?

This week, look for the beauty that transformation offers.

Shake off statuesque habits that bind you.

Stretch into the new life that God calls you forth to this Lenten season.

Sister Mary Ann's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, June 20th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Mary Ann Wiesman, FSPA

 

teaching-little-ones-comforting-elderly-Sister-Mary-Ann-Wiesman

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Rita's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, April 18th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Rita Mae Fischer, FSPA


standing-tall-serving-God's-people-Sister-Rita-Mae-Fischer

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Ronalda's Six Word Mission Story

Thursday, June 29th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Ronalda Hophan, FSPA

 

flower-opening-unknown-talents-yours-mine-ours

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Clarone's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, May 2nd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Clarone Brill, FSPA


Ministering-God's-love-all-people-chapel-FSPA

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

 

Sounding the bell for 140 years of 24/7 prayer [video]

Wednesday, August 1st 2018 1:00 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

woman-in-blue-ringing-bell

Sister Marguerite Bruening is one of several sisters and prayer partners at St. Rose Convent, ringing this bell in commemoration of 140 years of perpetual adoration.

Today we celebrate the beginning of our 141st year of perpetual adoration, ringing this bell 140 times for those full of unending prayer since Aug. 1, 1878, and once to commence a new year of round-the-clock adoration. May God continue to be the resounding bell in our hearts, guiding us in prayer and action in our world.

 

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

 

New horizons ahead

Tuesday, August 22nd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 


packed-car

Image courtesy of outloud.com

This time of year brings a parade of moving trucks, SUVs and vans, packed to the hilt, making the trek to college dorms and apartments. Dreams of graduation dates and soul-fulfilling careers are loaded amongst the gear for each aspiring, college-bound student making the big move. But first, each person must begin their own pilgrimage of learning. Not yet an expert or familiar with the route ahead, these pilgrims must lean into the experience with eyes wide open. New professors, friends, and routines are opportunities to widen one’s world view. College is the time to delve into the questions of life!

St. Rose Convent shares a campus with Viterbo University. One of my favorite things to do during move-in weekend is simply watch students and families haul in carts full of supplies and, a few hours later, drag out about a third of what they moved in. And as a former campus minister, I recall routinely observing students once classes had started, stumbling along and mumbling to themselves “What? My professors are not going to remind me every day that I have an assignment due?” “Where am I, anyway?”

Whether or not you are a college student, I imagine you can recall a time in your life when that last question entered your mind. Perhaps you’re carrying it with you right now, on this new road of discernment — painstakingly aware that you do not know what in the world you are doing, where you are going.

I remember feeling that way the first time I visited a religious community and joined in Liturgy of the Hours — evening prayer.  I can almost hear the beautiful opening song, one I’d never heard before, sung in four-part harmony. But then all I could hear was lots of flipping pages, communal responses, more flipping pages, and my brain pleading with me to find the right response, to not speak out at the wrong time. “What in the world is happening?” Completely disoriented I begged God to guide me through this new experience. It didn't take long to find my voice.

Everyone has new beginnings and as summer slowly turns to fall, know that you are on your way to finding your feet in whatever stage — like discernment — is developing in your life. Don’t be afraid to jump in, to try it out, to see where you land. What would happen if you contacted the community whose website is open in your browser? What would it be like to go and visit and see first-hand what until now you only imagined in your mind about religious life? If the worst thing is getting lost during evening prayer, just look at the sister or brother near you and follow the best you can. Afterwards, share a laugh and ask what they remember about the first time they visited a community. A good sense of humor will carry you far as you continue to discern.

This week I invite you to ponder …

What lessons are you learning in your discernment that, until now, you didn’t have a clue were important to know? 

What would happen if you saw discernment as a pilgrimage? 

What are the questions you wish you had the courage to ask? 

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Doorways to celebration

Thursday, August 4th 2016 12:12 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Like an ice cream cone in the sunshine the days of summer continue to melt, one after the other. It’s already the beginning of August and time teeters in the remaining liminal space of the season before we enter into the coolness of autumn.  

This week the FSPA community is celebrating two historical threshold crossings: 138 years of perpetual adoration and the 800th anniversary of the Feast of Pardon. Both events are guideposts and require faithfulness, perseverance, humility, conversion and the willingness to take the next step through the doorways of life. 


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Sister Gertrude Daugherty rings in 138 years of FSPA perpetual adoration

Rejoicing in the 138th anniversary of FSPA perpetual adoration we are reminded of the very breath that sustains our congregation. Adoration is a holy exchange of the breathing of prayer and movement outward in ministry. Each year we renew the promise of perpetual adoration as we follow the legacy begun by Mother Antonia Herb. 

Eight hundred years ago in Assisi, Italy, long before our congregation came into existence, St. Francis procured from the pope pardon of sins for all who passed over the threshold of the church of Portiuncula. As pilgrimages were difficult and very expensive at that time such absolution extended to all Franciscan churches throughout the world, inviting focus of one’s heart not limited to those who could afford to take a journey. As a Franciscan congregation we invite that forgiveness through the doors of Mary of the Angels Chapel on August 2, the Feast of Portiuncula, every year. 

Portiuncula-procession

A Portiuncula procession into Mary of the Angels Chapel

And so this past Sunday, reflecting in the silence of our hearts, we processed to the chapel doorway in St. Rose Convent. The heavy, gilded doors swung open and with joy and song we stepped through them. We reveled in the deepening of our relationship with God and our commitment to this Franciscan way of life.  

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Celebrating the Feast of the Pardon, FSPA process into Mary of the Angels Chapel 

Are you aware of thresholds—those symbolic of love and acceptance and forgiveness—in your life? Are you ready, in discernment, to cross them? How will you celebrate the deepening of your relationship with God in these moments?

 

Transforming the power of snow

Thursday, January 12th 2017 10:10 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Close your eyes and take a moment to walk around in your childhood memories of snow. Can you hear the crunching of the frozen earth beneath your feet? A deep breath brings a twinge of pain that quickly turns to relief as nights of prayers are finally answered for lovers of snow—it’s the first snowy day of the winter.

Mornings have never been easy or cheerful for me, except when anticipating a snow day off of school as a child. On these rare occasions in the southern part of the Midwest, such an event was a treasured experience. I recall racing past the breakfast table to turn on the TV, hoping against all that I held important in my childhood days to see the name of my school district scroll across the bottom of the screen as the newscaster seemed to drone on and on about news that was unimportant to my elementary mind. The leading story for me was school closings. And when it finally appeared, my brother and I would shriek with joy!

Now I live in Wisconsin where snow is a part of most days. Pushing ahead through snowy roads, walking like penguins in icy parking lots, the allure of snow can lose its luster. There are some days, like today, when the snowflakes are almost cartoon-like and I’m transported back in time to feelings of nostalgia; of the excitement that snow used to bring. Staring out the window I can get lost in my own philosophical and theological ponderings of the gift of snow. I find myself reflecting on what snow offers in my spiritual life. Time slows down and the familiar landscape transforms before my eyes. Choosing to walk through the snow mystery enters into my consciousness as I am invited to alertness of each step; moving through space with new awareness. My sure footedness is altered as slick surfaces send a signal of caution.

Snow falling outside Mary of the Angels Chapel at St. Rose Convent in La Crosse, Wisconsin

Yet I am amazed at the beauty that appears as I walk across a sparkling carpet of opaque gems glistening in the filtered light. The holy stillness of a snow-filled world is overwhelming when I make the decision to embrace the experience and not fight against it. Sometimes I think as a culture we have lost the ability to let ourselves sink deeply into the moments of our lives. Tied to phones, appointment books and over-scheduled calendars the gift of snow—sweeping it off our cars, shoveling it down our driveways—can merely be one more thing on our list of accomplishments for the day. The snow becomes something to be conquered and managed rather than experienced. What would happen if on one day you let snow be your focus and teacher? Would greater lessons appear than the ones you planned?


snow-sunshine-glisten

Image courtesy of freeimages.com

Sometimes discernment can be similar to snow. There are times of magic and inspiration: fragments when secrets of the universe open and understanding dawns in your heart and mind. And there are times when you feel like you need to push through; shovel and manage your own discernment as desire to see progress outweighs your ability to sit with the mystery that surrounds you.

Both reflections have their place in discernment—times during which inspiration will lead you to action and others in which shear willpower is required to motivate you forward. Every action—even making the choice not to make a decision—is a decision. Living in a snowy climate is not for the timid of heart nor is the journey of discernment.

This week: If you live in an area of the country in which it’s snowing, take time to watch it fall and then write about your experience. Are there clues for your discernment? If you are living in an area without snow think of a situation where something beyond your control slowed you down or changed your regular routine. How were you present to the situation?

Viewing relationships in a discernment eclipse

Thursday, August 31st 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

There are some common experiences that every generation shares and become markers of life. For my parent’s generation it’s the recollection of “Where were you when you heard the news that President Kennedy was assassinated?” Before 9/11, the world event question that I related to was “Where were you when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded?” It was during my science class as we watched the TV, set up with excitement for the landmark launch. That delight turned instantly to horror and grief after the shuttle exploded moments after take-off. My teacher rushed to turn off the TV and hurried us out of the classroom, taking us to the bathroom to distract from what we had just witnessed. Tears and shock were on our faces; teachers huddled in the hallway, whispering and wondering what to do. 


solar-eclipse

Image courtesy of freeimages.com

Another defining moment was upon us last week as a total solar eclipse caught the attention of many (as captured by “National Catholic Reporter” in this post-eclipse reflection). I was in the St. Rose Convent Adoration Chapel as slowly the stained glass windows darkened and the warm tones of color disappeared. The eclipse altered vision for those outside the walls of the chapel but inside, prayer continued and the Blessed Sacrament remained the same.


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FSPA prays 24/7 before the monstrance in the adoration chapel.

The eclipse has prompted an excellent question for discernment: where does your true light come from? What happens when obscurity of trial transcends as parents and friends try to dissuade you from pursuing religious life? Parents often dream of grandchildren; friends anticipate weekend fun, going out and dancing the night away. To them, religious life can feel like a dark choice — darkness of grief for what they will have to let go of. It's their own experience of a discernment eclipse.  

But just like a real eclipse, darkness only lasts a short time and light always returns. Most parents genuinely want their child’s happiness and letting go of fictitious grandchildren is all a part of the discernment journey as they too learn to envision it as their own future. Encourage them to go out and have new life experiences of their own.

Good friends allow room for the friendship to grow and change. Dancing slowly shifts to different activities, just as it usually does for everyone with changes in interests.   

God is always with you — even when it feels like you’re discerning in the dark. Learning to rely on God, on bright days as well as those filled with shadows, is life changing. The light is always there: you might just have to look through the lens of your heart instead of your eyes to see it. And perhaps your experience of an eclipse in discernment will be life-defining; a “Where was I …” moment. 

This week I invite you to ponder…

What kind of moments are defining your discernment?

What type of special glasses — lenses for envisioning religious life — do you need to see clearly a discernment eclipse?  

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Sister Jean: Praying

Tuesday, September 26th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Jean Kasparbauer, FSPA

 

Sit, walk
Listen, speak
Mind, spirit
Body, heart


sunrise-lake-dock

Three-second focus
Come to peace
Three-second wander
Home to self

Loving Source of Life
Tender font of love
Turn to light eternal
Live in loving presence

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Tuning in to God, discernment

Thursday, September 21st 2017 2:30 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Often when I am looking for inspiration in my writing, I go to places that feed my soul. Recently, I was sitting in the back row of our adoration chapel, pondering what to share in my next blog, while the piano in the main chapel was being tuned. My thoughts were punctuated with the same note sounding over and over again. I could hear slight adjustments with each stroke of the key. Occasionally, a scale would plunk out. 

piano-tuning

The piano in Mary of the Angels Chapel undergoes the tuning process.

Curious, I went to investigate and had a short conversation with the man tuning the piano. I asked him a few questions about the process and was fascinated to learn that he begins by striking a tuning fork. He then plays one note on the piano, listening as he adjusts the tension on the piano wire to match the pitch, then tunes the entire piano by ear. He listens not only to the single pitch but also how it sounds in relationship all the other pitches too. He shared how the environment around the piano, like climate and season, also effects the process. There is never a perfect time to tune. 

This resounding experience inspired me to ponder how discernment has similar elements. We are all influenced not only by our own gifts and talents but also where we find resonance with others. Often in discerning religious life, questions arise like “How will I know which congregation is best for me?” or “What if the congregations I’m interested in minister in similar ways?” 

These are great questions. Even when connecting to congregations with like-minded missions, there are steps to take to learn more. Ask any of your friends or family members how they chose significant others.  A list of characteristics does not tell the whole story. Two people could have the same job, live in the same city, look similar physically and enjoy the same hobbies, but there are thousands of idiosyncrasies that define differences when you get to know them more deeply. Sometimes there is more mystery than explanation but, at some level, these couples have found compatibility with one another.   

It was the same way for me when I was exploring discernment. Each community carried individual tones and music of life. From all the possibilities, it took time to learn about the differences between apostolic, evangelical, monastic, cloistered and missionary congregations for women, not to mention the different rules of life each follows (like Franciscan, Dominican, Benedictine). Then throw in ministries similar, if not the same. 

And so I visited different congregations, finding similarities and also distinctions. Some congregations I liked and others I was ready to leave almost as soon as I arrived; not because the congregation was unpleasant but because my gut instinct let me know immediately that our views of the world were too polar opposite. 

There was a combination of factors as to why I chose to be a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. The more time I spent with FSPA I found that my goals, philosophies and beliefs coincided with many of theirs, and the viewpoints that didn’t exactly align invited more exploration as to why or why not. FSPA engaged both my mind and heart.  Although it was a mystery as to why a congregation several states away resonated more with me than those near to where I lived, I had to undertake my own pilgrimage of discernment. 

It reminds me of Abraham, having to make a journey to find his own home as he does in Genesis 12. God called him to leave the land that he knew and as he traveled he learned more about who he was. St. Francis of Assisi, our congregation’s founding inspiration, had to learn about his own journey of faith by first pursuing glory and honor through seeking knighthood but, along the way, learning his true call was to rebuild the church and be a champion for peace. It took both Abraham and St. Francis their lifetimes to live into the depth of their call from God. But they also had to take a step towards their calling and learn as they went. 

I can say that what first attracted me to my congregation is still present but what means more to me is the relationships I’ve been blessed with; the deepening of my own spiritual life, the ministry experiences that I never would have planned and the excitement that each new day brings. It was both exhilarating and daunting to take initiative that first visit but had I not my life would not be what it is — a completely, always surprising gift — today. 

This week a few question for you to ponder …

In what ways are you discovering that your discernment is not a simple, quick decision but a pilgrimage? 

How do you know when you resonate with someone or something?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

1,080 years of religious life

Thursday, February 8th 2018 4:20 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Today commences a new year of jubilation for our Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration celebrating 75, 70, 60 and 50 years of vowed religious life. These annual celebrations are known as jubilee. This afternoon, the festivities began with a party in honor of those residing at St. Rose Convent

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration joined by Sister Sarah Nakyesa celebrate jubilee
Celebrating religious life are, left to right, Sisters Nancy Lafferty (60 years), Loretta Penchi (70 years),
Sarah Nakyesa (25 years and a guest of St. Rose Convent while attending Viterbo University),
Margaret Schmolke (70 years), Cormarie Wernimont (60 years) and Jean Kasparbauer (60 years)

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration celebrate jubilee

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration celebrate jubilee

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration celebrate jubilee

 

We invite you to offer a prayer of gratitude for their many ministries, and to watch for future Show Me a Sign blog posts featuring jubilation reflections of personal calling to FSPA!

 

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

"Yes" to God's invitation

Thursday, June 22nd 2017 3:05 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Over the course of the last several weeks our congregation has celebrated the commitment of “yes” to God with the vow renewal of Sister Laurie Sullivan, profession of perpetual vows by Sister Kristin Peters, and Golden Jubilee celebration for Sisters Romana Klaubauf and Esther Leis. We all experienced religious life unfolding before our very eyes; witnessed what it means to walk on the Gospel-centered journey of life as a religious sister—all on different stepping stones marking the way.  

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Sister Karen Lueck (left) calls forth Laurie Sister Sullivan (right) to renew her vows. 

Sister Laurie opened our season of celebration by renewing her vows for three years at Villa St. Joseph surrounded by FSPA community members, many of whom she ministered among during her early formation days volunteering in spiritual care. For her prayer service she chose a Gospel reading about love. Sister Laurie has shown love to others guided by the spiritual and corporal works of mercy by accompanying patients in hospital rooms, feeding the hungry at food pantries, visiting the elderly in their homes, and nurturing spirituality as the coordinator of youth in a parish—each new place and ministry a reflection of her deepening commitment to religious life and her “yes” to God. Sister Laurie is following in the footprints of Jesus and St. Francis, moving to serve where she is needed. For her the Franciscan Gospel life has been eyes and ears open for the call to where God invites; feet ready to move. 

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Sister Laurie, pictured here serving those in need at a food pantry.

 

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From left to right, Sisters Laura Nettles, Eileen McKenzie, Katie Mitchell, Kristin Peters and Julia Walsh stand together on their Camino pilgrimage (photo courtesy of Sister Katie Mitchell). 

The open road has also been a call to Sister Kristin Peters who just returned from a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. As on some legs of her journey she was accompanied by her FSPA companions and on others she hiked alone, she discovered that her Camino experience mirrored religious life: you may walk with others but you also have to walk your own journey. Each step reveals insight. No one can walk for you, live for you. Sister Kristin's “yes” to religious life over the past 10 years has taken her to discover diverse paths to serve those with substance addiction and mental illness; to deliver, in ministry, help and compassion. She has ministered to many who others step over, walk past. It is no surprise that the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd inspires her and is what she chose to guide her final vow liturgy. Sister Kristin listens and reflects the knowledge each person gains as they find their own way back into the sheepfold of our civic communities.

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Sister Kristin receives her FSPA ring from Sister Blanche Klein. 

 

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Sister Romana Klaubauf receives her 50th Jubilee celebration corsage from Sister Karen Kappell.

A bit further down the road of religious life, Sisters Romana Klaubauf and Ester Leis shared their travel stories—their individual ministries—at a pre-jubilee pizza party. We watched a slide presentation of the sights they saw along their professions of 50 years, glimpsing decades of serving God's people and meeting new challenges in the changing landscapes of religious life. Mary of the Angels was filled to capacity as community members, family and friends gathered to witness their ongoing commitment. The readings they chose (Isaiah 43:1-10Micah 6:8 and John 10) tell their stories of faithfulness to God.

Esther-Leis-flower-procession

Sister Esther Leis processes into Mass held in honor of her Golden Jubilee.

These three celebrations were each unique in time and experience yet all pointed to the goodness revealed through the faithfulness of “yes.” The song “I Say ‘Yes’ Lord/Digo ‘Sí’ Señor” by Donna Peña and Marty Haugen has been moving in my heart and mind as I ponder the blessing each of these celebrations have been. They are witnesses to our world of faithfulness and commitment in good times and challenges. We all walk terrain smooth and bumpy; mountainous and flat. God is with us in each step, and every breath of life. 

This week as you consider your own location in discernment ask yourself ...

What are the celebrations marking my journey?

Is there a theme to my experience so far?

How am I relying on God?

Discernment: clothed in your own uniqueness

Thursday, October 19th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Before I entered elementary school my favorite color was orange. It is a fact of my life story that I haven't recalled in years until I noticed my lunch today — cheddar peanut butter crackers, Cheetos and orange Crush  soda — consisted of mainly orange-colored food. I smiled as I happily ate my lunch and remembered the stories I’ve been told about a time in my life that was filled with joy and creativity: the preschool era in which my sense of fashion included mixing plaids, stripes and interesting colors (with orange ever present). In those days I ventured out into the world to preschool, the grocery store, the park or wherever else the daily routine led, clothed in my own uniqueness. And my parents have photographic evidence in our family albums to prove this early display of my personality.  

multicolord-socks

Photo courtesy of freeimages.com

Over 35 years later, this early lesson of creativity and boldness my parents fostered in me are two of my continual guideposts. There is always more than one way to look at a situation and often, boldness is required to be a prophetic witness in our world today. I am continually inspired when I read stories of challenges resolved by creatively thinking outside of the box: everything from clean water projects, new objects made of recycled materials (read about FSPA's Lady Jacoba Greenhouse, built from top to bottom of reused materials, on page 8) and innovative nonprofits meeting more needs with less revenue. 

Discernment, like religious life, is not always comfortable. It will require that you answer honestly with yourself about how far you are willing to go following in the prophetic footsteps of Jesus. Like Jesus you will most likely face judgement and ridicule for your beliefs or for those you choose to stand with. It will require the inner reserve that you have been nurturing since childhood to be your own person. Once again, remember your own holy stubbornness to make a stand when you see injustice. Call to mind the boldness of wearing orange when the world encourages blending in. 

This week I invite you to ponder ...

How do you creatively respond to the ever-changing world around you?

What life lessons from your own childhood guide you in discernment?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Sister Helen's Six Word Mission Story

Thursday, July 6th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Helen Deppe, FSPA


sharing, Eucharist, God's, creation, Sister Helen Deppe

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Malinda's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, May 16th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Malinda Gerke, FSPA

 

Master-beckons-harvest-shown-take-me-Malinda-Gerke

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sharing courage to walk in darkness and light

Thursday, February 9th 2017 2:40 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

My time with television news at home or listening to the radio on my way to work has been full of sorrow and worry. There's been very little positive news woven into each broadcast. Sometimes I just need to turn it all off and pray for peace.

Yet I know, no matter what the issue is or where you may personally stand with it, it's important to be informed about what's going on in the world. There’s also intrinsic value in holding on to your heart in times that can feel overwhelming. God is always present: the way forward will be created as we all rally as a human family. When we watch for one side or the other to succumb to defeat we also lose sight of the Gospel call to love one another. Does love want others to lose in order for someone to win? Is being right more essential than being compassionate?

Is any of this uncertainty affecting your discernment?

I've yet to meet anyone who can say their time of discernment was filled with only light because, inherently, fear and discouragement are all around us; part of being human. But when we encounter situations that stop our progress even for a moment we can, and not just as an afterthought, invite God to come closer: to center us and walk with us and help clarify the call for us. Learning to rely on God's guidance is essential. And whether it be uncertainty of the world or religious life, sharing your disillusionment with close family or friends is also essential to finding light in oblivion. Faith, hope and love are the antidotes of fear.

And strength of character in the depth of your commitment is often revealed when you find ways to befriend your moments of challenge.

we-are-family-sign-karen-lueck

Karen Lueck, FSPA, joined a recent solidarity rally in La Crosse, Wisconsin

Our world is a wonderful example right now, because despite the gloomy surface-level appearance, joy continues. Couples fall in love, students achieve their dreams, and elderly see another generation added to their families. The human spirit cannot be contained. Love and joy will find ways to shine even brighter against the dark horizon.

How has joy triumphed over disillusionment in your discernment this week?

How will you bring hope to others?

Will you share your courage to keep walking, in a world of darkness, on the journey of discernment?


 

 

Sister Malinda's Six Word Story

Tuesday, July 5th 2016 10:11 am
Sister Malinda Gerke, FSPA

 

Malinda-Gerke-Six-Word-Story

What's your six word discernment story?

Beacons of hope

Thursday, December 21st 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Whether on a trip to visit a friend with a detour along the way or forging my continual pilgrimage through religious life, I rely on mile markers and signs to point me in the direction of my destination. The lighting of the third candle of Advent this week is a beacon as I traverse the remaining days of my Advent journey. Closer to my destination, I am filled with joyful revelation of all I’ve experienced so far as well as hope and anticipation for what lies ahead. Even the dark moments of pilgrimage are illuminated with the joy of the lessons learned and the deepening of relationship with God. Spiritual blisters are a symbol for me of the road walked, and the joy I discovered in risking the journey. I am forever changed by walking the pilgrim road.

lighthouse-beacon

Image courtesy pixabay.com

The prophet Isiah proclaims encouraging words to nations who have been waiting for a sign. The long awaited time is now — life is about to change. What have you been looking for on your road of discernment? Are you waiting for assurance, courage, perfect timing to ask questions? Healing, freedom, and vindication are at hand and it’s time to celebrate! Are you ready to seize the moment and be bold? God provides, not only for you and me but for all nations. This is no small promise. This is life altering, earth shattering news — joy beyond measure. We are headed for the celebration of the incarnation, Emmanuel, God with us as one of us! Darkness is vanished all creation revels in great joy!

In the Gospel, John the Baptist continues to point the way. He is the humble messenger who will not be dissuaded from his task; even as they try to twist his words in attempt to bind his ego and catch him in the trap they are laying, top officials will not stop his progress. John knows who he is and who has sent him on this journey. His pilgrimage of faith has led him through the byways of his heart and to the road of public witness, sharing the good news of Christ’s coming. God is John the Baptist’s signpost; he will follow wherever the journey takes him, through the joy and trials along the road of his own pilgrimage. In many ways this question of identity echoes in the heart of all discerners. So who are you? What do you stand for? What is your message? How does your life point to God?

As you continue your Advent pilgrimage this week I invite you to ponder the following:

-- What have been some of the joys and trials along your Advent pilgrimage?

-- How do you depend on God to be a signpost for you on your journey?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Discerning wisdom in words

Thursday, July 19th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

gate-woman-ocean

Image courtesy pixabay.com

There is a phrase my parents share with me every single time I go out the door: “Be safe, have fun, you know the rules … love you.” Whether I was a young girl heading to a friend’s house, a teenager dangling the car keys in my hand, a college student leaving for campus or an adult moving across the country to enter my religious congregation, I’ve consistently carried these sentiments out into the world with me. It has also inspired me to incorporate my own addendum — “make good decisions” — when bidding goodbye to family members and friends.  

Biblical scholars spend their lives parsing out the significance of each phrase and individual word of Scripture; reflecting on history, linguistics, cultural layers, intention of the text and for whom it was written. This intrigues me: since grad school I have enjoyed reading scholarly research as I find it opens new doors to my own understanding (and I challenge you to consult commentaries and make your own discoveries).

In Matthew 7:6, 12-14, I find that Jesus also offers his disciples rules for the road in diverse denotations of his words; perhaps lessons offered at different times yet gathered neatly in the Gospel into verses (passed down initially in the oral tradition before written and organized) for our reflection over 2,000 years later. You’ve probably all heard homilies on each of the individual verses but when we think of them together, they offer wisdom too. I’ve pondered in prayer what it all means to me in this moment of my life journey, and invite you to your own prayerful discernment.

In verse 6, “Pearls Before Swine,” what insight do I have to share with others who do not have my best interest at heart? Am I giving fuel for arguments rather than striving to find common ground?  

How am I abiding by “The Golden Rule,” not only because I want others to treat me nicely but to understand that we all walk on the earth together?

Looking through the famous “Narrow Gate” ask yourself, “how am I discerning the decisions I make rather than just blindly following others down the path?    

Discernment is about listening to God and also making a series of what you believe to be the best choices in light of what you are learning and value, asking questions as you go.

This week I offer a few more questions for you to ponder:

What phrases have become important on your discernment journey?

What rules you have learned or created on this path?

How does Scripture guide you as you discern?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Where are we going?

Thursday, June 8th 2017 1:55 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Where are we going? When are we going to get there?

These are questions I recall asking incessantly, as a child, every time my family would get in the car and head out of our driveway for a road trip. Sometimes we had a plan and direction; others, we went out for an adventure and looked for signs touting interesting destinations and attractions along the road.

Life, I‘ve discovered, offers both of these experiences: sometimes I know exactly where I’m going but, more often than not, it reveals itself in the right place, at the right time. Yet I know that God is in everything—the things I plan and the surprises around each twist and turn.

Religious life is also a transformative road trip; each generation guided by its unique calling in the world. Some ministerial routes are planned according to congregational tradition while others are detoured to guide us to new destinations of need.

It reminds me of the story of the Good Samaritan, taking his own road trip. He had a plan when he started his journey yet when he came upon someone in need not only did his itinerary change but, I imagine, his heart was transformed too.

Creating-Our-Future

FSPA gather together to envision, plan for and celebrate the future of religious life.

This weekend, our congregation will come together for community days: a convergence of all FSPA ministries and experiences and ideas. Our hearts and minds are pointing to the future of religious life with the intention of our conversations and prayer to help us live into our now and what is to come. For, as Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Eileen McKenzie writes in her poem “Rebirth” (published in a “Global Sisters Report” article on June 6), women religious are uniting on the road to the way:

 

Midwife

Midlife

Midway

Middlespace

Where are we?

Who knows?

We’re here.

Now.

That’s enough.

 

What’re we doin’?

We’re sharin’ and carin’

And rarin’ to go.

Go where?

Don’t know.

Haven’t been there before.

But we know the Way.

Caring and sharing

Questioning and praying

Laughing and dancing

Accompanying and crying

Witnessing and proclaiming

Healing and teaching

Trying and failing

Trying again and failing again

Learning

Finally

That there’s no “right way”

There’s only

The Way

And that Way is

Living and

Loving and

Dying and

Rising again to

New Life.

Where are we going again?

Don’t know.

Haven’t been there before.

But we DO know the Way.
 

As you walk your own road of discernment this week, reflect upon how you may be coming upon a turn towards religious life. Your gifts and talents may be precious fuel for propelling us into the future.

What scenery is catching your eye?

What needs are you discovering along the way?

How is your discerning heart transforming on your journey?


From wherever you are in the world, join us in a moment of prayer as FSPA meets to discern the future of religious life.

 

Watch Sister Eileen’s discernment reflection--her own journey to religious life--in the FSPA vocation series "Called."

Empowering peace this Fourth of July

Wednesday, July 4th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

fireworks

Image courtesy freeimages.com

 

Happy Fourth of July!

Today and everyday let us light up the sky -- with bold goodness of prayer -- for peace and unity in our world.

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

 

Prepare

Thursday, December 14th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

As we continue into second week of our Advent pilgrimage, two words have come into my consciousness —discipline and commitment. I am a bit surprised: I typically associate these nouns with Lent yet here they are, popping up in a different season altogether.

It is normally this time of the year when my calendar overwhelms me with the extras of the season like holiday parties, special meal planning, choir practices, decorating and gatherings with friends and family. Suddenly, the extra intentional prayer time I had started at the beginning of Advent vanishes and, racing out the door to another event, I glance longingly at my stack of Advent books. I am grateful for the experiences, yet also I realize there is an invitation to once again reflect on my priorities. Not all the events I attend are ones I want to or perhaps really need to: some are obligations; sometimes it’s hard to say no. Where is the discipline and commitment I started with on day one?

Sunday’s readings call me back to awareness. It’s not too late to prepare my heart. Maybe it’s time to recalculate my pilgrimage and choose another route. Perhaps there is a course less chaotic, immersed in more solitude. I envision a back road beckoning me to slow down and enjoy the Advent scenery.

Christmas-table-envelope-package-pine-cones-pixabay.com

Image courtesy pixabay.com

Part of making straight the path in my life means making time. It’s time to move some of the boulders in the roadway of my calendar that don’t provide joy and light. It’s time to look at all the possibilities of the next few weeks, set priorities and leave some room for the Spirit and surprises along the way.

In your discernment journey this week, what are the boulders in your path that need to be cleared to make a way for your relationship with Jesus? How are you preparing your heart for this Advent pilgrimage?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

What will you bring to the feast today [and every day]?

Thursday, October 4th 2018 10:00 am
Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Amy Taylor

 

Do the good -- globally -- today and everyday 

S-karen-passes-bread-basket

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration celebrate Transitus -- the passage of St. Francis of Assisi from death to life on the eve of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi -- in Mary of the Angels Chapel

In celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, may we each choose to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need around the world. As St. Francis said, "I have done what its mine to do. May Christ teach you what is yours." (LM 14:3)

s-karen-s-eileen-s-helen-s-ladonna-serve-food

At The Salvation Army, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Karen Lueck, Eileen Lang, Helen Elsbernd and Ladonna Kassmeyer serve food to those in need.

row-of-women-sister-marlene-center

At the White House in Washington, D.C., Sister Marlene Weisenbeck (back row, center) takes action against human trafficking during a Human Rights Day prayer service (photo courtesy U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking).

s-eileen

Sister Eileen McKenzie brings her mobile library ministry to many in Cameroon, West Africa (photo by Sister Eileen McKenzie).

sister-kathy-gives-homeless-man-sleeping-mat

A homeless neighbor in Spokane, Washington, thanks Sister Kathy Roberg for the gift of a sleeping mat she wove out of recycled plastic bags (photo by Sister Sharon Bongiorno).

sister-julia-reading-girl-smiling

Sister Julia Walsh leads a Camp Manito-Wish YMCA retreat (facilitated by Marywood Spirituality Center) for Our Lady of Lake Middle School girls in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin (photo by Dean Acheson).

sister-karen-we-are-family-sign

Inclusivity is proclaimed by Sister Karen Lueck at a Postville, Iowa, immigration raid commemoration service in 2018. 

sister-joan-holds-two-child-school-backpacks

Hundreds of children in need received back-to-school backpacks, like the many filled with supplies by Sister Joan Weisbenbeck in La Crosse, Wisconsin. 

**Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Sister Betty's Six Word Mission Story

Thursday, July 13th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Betty Bradley, FSPA


call, blessing, community, education, mission, Christ-centered, Sister Betty Bradley

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

What inspires Sister Janet about about religious life today?

Friday, March 9th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Janet Fischer, FSPA

 

In honor of National Catholic Sisters Week, Show me a sign posed the question "What inspires you about religious life today?" to women religious in our community. Here's what Sister Janet Fischer, a retired-yet-volunteering-everywhere-in-Claxton-Georgia Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, has to say.

 

Sister Janet Fischer purple hat

Sister Janet engaged in "Lenten Gospel Reflections" (image courtesy Kadee Dasher)

 

As I recall I spent at least five or more years fighting God about going to the convent, about becoming a religious sister. Looking back as a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration I now realize God could not have given me a greater Gift. There are so many things that continue to inspire me:

 

S-Janet-Fischer-third-from-left

Sister Janet joins St. Christopher Catholic Church's chili cook-off team for a cancer fundraiser (image courtesy Sarah Gove, "Claxton Enterprise").

 

~ The justice and peace issues that women religious are a part of: we stand with the folks on the margins of society.

~ The young sisters with their willingness to share their God-given gifts.

~ The simplicity of the life style and the concern for Earth and all creation.

~ The trust lay people put in me with their personal lives ... this really inspires me.

 

S-Janet-Fischer-group

Gleaning "inspiration," Sister Janet continues to serve the community of Claxton in retirement (image courtesy Connie Mitchell).

 

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Sister Juanita's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, May 9th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Juanita Hytry, FSPA


restless-call-inner-struggle-loving-surrender

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

 

Sister Eileen's Six Word Story

Tuesday, August 30th 2016 9:41 am
Sister Eileen Neumann, FSPA


What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Therese's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, March 21st 2017 10:00 am
Sister Therese Wolf, FSPA

 

signing-hands-proclaiming-God's-holy-word-Therese-Wolf

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Celesta: Prayer

Tuesday, August 15th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Celesta Day, FSPA

 

“Yipes! What’s happening?”  

Startling, surprising and scary … that’s when I pray fastest. I make a fervent request to get me out of this. I’m counting on a presence that I know is there, but I don’t always pay attention. When the helping hand comes, that’s my answer.

 hand-sky

Image courtesy of freeimages.com

It is the reality in which I am surrounded. It’s the community I am a part of. Scripture says that when Jesus was touched, power went out from him. It doesn’t make things perfect but it sure helps and I am a part of it.  

That’s how I pray.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring original prayer by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

 

What inspires Sister Sue about religious life today?

Tuesday, March 13th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Sue Ernster, FSPA

 

In honor of National Catholic Sisters Week, Show me a sign posed the question "What inspires you about religious life today?" to women religious in our community. Here's what Sister Sue Ernster, whose vocation is to serve the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration as congregational treasurer, has to say.

I am thrilled to be in religious life during such an exciting time. With all of the changes occurring in our world the opportunities to shine in the realm of sharing our charism are limitless. Women religious everywhere are allowing the world to see the difference we are and can be. 

We are not constrained as before by institutions or society. In this ever-changing and what some may call crumbling world, we offer the gifts of hope, love and goodness. We strive to exude the blessings of sharing and relationship. 

Game-On

Sister Sue (standing next to the host) defers to her FSPA teammates during the community fundraising event "Game On!"

 

Sharing who we are and what we have, I believe, is key in this world of chaos. We offer contemplative and alternative, nonviolent ways of being in relationship with others. 

In the midst of the changing society, we have the opportunity to share our values with others in partnership and collaboration in ways not known before. Through these collaborative or partnering ways, we invite others to see and think differently. Growing in engagement inspires our world as it continues to evolve. 

S-Sue-Ernster-St-Nicks-Boot-Riverfront

Riverfront residents and Sister Sue gather around St. Nick's Boot, a Christmas giving program.

 

I am excited about collaboration, invitation, engagement, inspiration and evolution in religious life. We are branching out further than ever before, working with businesses and others to eradicate human slavery, mental health stigma and homelessness. As we engage others and gain partners in ministry, we also allow others to be part of and carry on our charism and mission. 

This time is blooming with opportunity, and craving what we have to offer.

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

These are our own Meribah moments

Thursday, March 8th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

It’s common for many people to run away, hardening their hearts to a possible call to religious life. Fear, anxiety and worry are sometimes overwhelming and leave little room for joy, wonder, curiosity and trust. The invitation to discern may come as a surprise — perhaps in a comment from a friend or coworker — leaving you reeling at the possibility. This happened to me. Or, maybe you are sensing an emerging awareness in the stillness of prayer. It can be a confusing time. More questions than answers may swirl in your head like...what does this all mean? Why me? What will others think about me? Will my friends still hang out with me?

rocks-heart-pixabay.com

Image courtesy pixabay.com

Each of these questions has implications not just for those who choose religious life, but for all life. At some point everyone finds themselves asking
“Who am I and what do I want to do with my life?”

Today’s psalm is a great reminder about the attitude we carry when we enter into a time of discernment and how each of us choose to respond when the way forward is confusing or challenging. This passage recalls a time of discouragement for our ancestors in faith, a time when they put God to their own test. Sometimes in discernment we also test God in attempt to know exactly what life would be like if we made one choice rather than another. An attitude that says in its own way “Prove it to me God!” 

These are our own Meribah moments.

What better time of year than Lent to turn once again towards God, asking for guidance and courage to prayerfully consider all of the vocational choices that are possible. Considering, researching and exploring are not in and of themselves acts of commitment. There are many steps in discernment and there will be time to say yes or no along the way.

How can the invitation to discern help you develop your own heart of flesh?

What do you hear in the words of today’s psalm?

In honor of National Catholic Sisters Week (which begins today), Show me a sign will feature a series of reflections by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration surrounding the question "What inspires you about religious life today?" throughout the week. 
 

Intuition: an essential tool for home improvement and discernment

Thursday, September 28th 2017 2:00 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

To me, do-it-yourself home improvement projects always sound simple and I typically imagine completing whatever the task in a short amount of time; achieving the perfect final product. My calculations are definitely hit and miss. This past weekend’s to-do was hanging new curtains, both homey and specific the needs of preserving warmth and saving energy. With all of the necessary supplies on hand we began by reading the instructions for installing the decorative curtain rod. Just four “easy steps” were listed in tiny text with an accompanying diagram. 

After marking the wall and pre-drilling holes for the brackets we were excited to see quick progress, yet it soon came to a grinding halt with simultaneous mutterings of “What do you mean it doesn’t fit?” and “The directions don’t say anything about what to do if only one side of the extension rod fits.” Ha … so much for four simple steps and the promise that all required was included. Maybe we should have called in a professional! 

Finally, we took a moment to pause and breathe (and laugh a little); tossed aside the directions and shared ideas. Within five minutes, by drawing from intuition where the directions failed, the new curtains were hung (perfectly straight!) with care. It was truly a do-it-ourselves project.

curtain-floor-light-pixabay.com

Image courtesy of pixabay.com

The experience was a great reminder that there might not be specific instructions to complete the perfect household project or for building the future, discernment included. When the details of discerning religious life don’t fit exactly into your life as you think they should, simple tools like breathing and pausing and allowing time to find your own direction are essential. The article “Do-it-yourself discernment retreat” published in “VISION Vocation Network” offers a Sunday-through-Saturday guide (like “Don’t leave it to the experts”) with simple steps to help you learn invaluable cross-over skills, to blaze your own trails and build experiences to religious life.

This week, I invite you to think of the ways you’ve used the skills of discernment in your everyday context of life.

What happened when you relaxed and thought outside the box?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Sister Margaret's Six Word Story

Tuesday, September 6th 2016 12:00 pm
Sister Margaret Wenzel, FSPA


What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Katie: ordinary day, invitation to pray

Tuesday, August 29th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Katie Mitchell, FSPA

 

One of my most cherished ways of praying is eucharistic prayer, but lately I’ve been challenging myself to turn the seemingly ordinary routines of daily life into moments of deep prayer. 

invitation

Recognizing and encountering God in my daily life helps me see that intimacy with God is not separate from day-to-day life. Moments of deep contemplative prayer are accessible each moment of the day! The warmth of sunshine, going about my daily ministry, accepting disappointments, listening attentively to another, forgiving someone, experiencing joy and accepting what ought not to be, (as well as experiences of community, family life and friendship) are some of what I’m seeing as places of grace where God communicates in the deepest center of my being. For me it has also meant rereading my past with wonder and new eyes and seeing how God has been there in even the difficult moments. The most difficult of situations, the most humble of tasks, and the most ordinary of days are an invitation to prayer and to knowing the mystery of God at work in my life.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring original prayer by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Sister Mary Ellen's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, June 13th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Mary Ellen Huebsch, FSPA

 

perpetual-adoration-embelishes-community-enhances-ministry

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Clarone Brill's Six Word Story

Tuesday, June 14th 2016 11:04 am
Sister Clarone Brill, FSPA


What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Antona: comfort, joy and security in prayer

Tuesday, October 24th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Antona Schedlo, FSPA

 

hands-lit-candle-courtesy-freeimages.com

Image courtesy of freeimages.com
 

Prayer is very personal — it depends upon individual relationships with God. My prayer life changes as I get older. I don’t need so many prayer leaflets. Prayer has become a part of my daily life. Jesus is my constant companion. I speak to Him, question Him, thank Him, ask Him for pardon all day long no matter where I am or what I am doing. It is a tremendous feeling of comfort, joy and security. My life would be dull and lifeless without Him. I thank God daily for His companionship and love.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Sister Margaret's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, May 30th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Margaret Wenzel, FSPA

 

family-support-call-FSPA-response-yes-margaret-wenzel

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Amy: grateful for the ways I'm inspired to pray

Tuesday, August 8th 2017 3:15 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

open hands

Hands open, ready to receive what God places in them

It is in the spirit of gratitude that I have invited my sisters to collaborate with me in this new series featuring original prayer by FSPA — Franciscan Way — as we celebrate our 140th year of round-the-clock prayer, perpetual adoration. The tradition of perpetual adoration has taught us many things; most of all that prayer has the power to transform our hearts. We become more like Jesus in what may appear to be silence but, just below the surface, is a world of intimate conversation and reverent listening.

We all pray in different ways. Sometimes prayer is communal and has a rhythm and flow to it; praying as an assembly at Mass, the liturgy of the hours or the rosary, and in other ways is spontaneous; a creative pouring forth of adoration like an overflowing faucet from the depths of one’s soul, finding expression in clay, paint, poetry, song or journaling. Prayer is not a one-size-fits-all experience: different pathways to prayer have the capacity to draw us closer to God in our own unique way. 

New ways to pray can be exciting for me, yet sometimes resting in the familiar words of the psalms or a prayer learned by heart refreshes my soul. I also engage in prayer while shaping clay on my potter’s wheel or expressing myself in some other artistic endeavor. I am grateful for all the ways I am inspired to pray.  

The image of prayer that comes to me is one of Pentecost (Acts 2: 1-13), each person hearing God in their own language. Their reactions are surprise and pure joy as they realize comprehension is happening in that moment. 

Have you experienced breakthroughs like this — feeling heard, listened to? Are you simultaneously trying to recall the conditions that helped you attain comprehension? 

A turning point came for me years ago when I was just beginning to discern religious life and desperately seeking a sign: proof that one way to pray or the other was right for my life. A wise, elder sister I knew challenged me, questioning "How are you listening?" Her words consumed my heart. She told me to go home, sit in my favorite prayer space, close my eyes and posture myself in a position of receiving by opening the palms of my hands—ready for what God would place in them. “It may take time, but wait for what you hear.” Doubtful, I went home and did just that. The answer I was seeking took months but the practice has become my pearl of great price ... my own treasure buried in a field (Matthew 13: 44-48).

Since then, I’ve discovered that even in conversation with others, I need to listen more than I speak. This is not my natural inclination as an extrovert who loves to talk; characteristically sharing my opinion without hesitation. I used to approach prayer the same way ... talk, talk, talk… thanks God for the chat … goodbye. Then I'd move on with my to-do list. Now I know that extreme chattiness can signal my stubbornness and resistance to listen. 

I have also learned in prayer to listen for council which, for me, means refraining from formulating an imagined response to a thought God has not yet spoken. Council also means that we make decisions together. I routinely sought council from family and friends, considering their thoughts in my decisions. But not always from God. I kept showing up to prayer and metaphorically sticking my fingers in my ears and complaining to others how God wasn't talking. But as I took in the advice I’d received those years ago I realized that the Holy Spirit is really good at getting my attention and inviting me to contemplation. It is powerful to sit in attentive silence — a practice I have incorporated into my life.

And so I ask you the same question I once received: how do you listen? How do you pray? What avenues to communication have you discovered in your journey? What would you like to share with your peers traveling the road of discernment?


Franciscan Way is a series featuring original prayer by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Grumbling through the desert of discernment

Thursday, March 16th 2017 11:20 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Memories of science class came to mind as I prayed with Sunday’s first reading from Exodus. I remember using a balance scale and learning to weigh different objects; placing a rock on one side and carefully adding small weights to the other in order to find the balance point and calculate the item’s weight correctly. Odds were that I’d add too much and find, instead, a tipping point; causing the scale to clank and me to recalculate my strategy.

In Exodus 17: 3-7 the Israelites, having fled slavery and captivity in Egypt, are in the desert. They complain to Moses about thirst and longing for water. The Israelites have encountered their tipping point. They feel out of balance. Their complaints clanked across the dry earth.


desert-by-Amy-Taylor

In the desert of Scottsdale, Arizona, by Sister Amy Taylor

The people are safe from their captors yet, desperate for water, ache to go back. Forgotten are the heavy hardships of their lives in captivity. I imagine their minds clamored for the mundane and whatever small amount of comfort and control routine afforded in their lives. Constantly facing the unknown has made them weary.

It is difficult to have nothing to show for your efforts. Thrust is grueling in the desert. With every rocky, sandy step forward your foot feels like it will never come to rest.

This Scripture passage highlights the transitional energy of discerning religious life. It leads each person down a new path, leaving behind their own Egypt experiences. Grace shines light and awareness of the new freedoms gained by exiting Egypt. Often, as from the Israelites, complaints arise. I remember a few that escaped me in my initial discernment: “I feel like I don’t fit in with my friends like I used to … If my family is asking me questions that I don’t know how to answer for myself, how can I respond?” I felt too, at the same time, like I didn’t yet fully belong with the religious community I was discerning with. The relationship was just too new to calculate the gravity that was building.

Another great question that surfaced for me was “God, why have You called me to discern? … My life before this invitation was so much easier.” But if I was really honest I knew in my heart that I was carrying the internal tension of the almost, but not yet. The transformation of my life and relationships was already in process. It just took a few more months to see the results. I needed the time in the desert to learn the lesson of depending on God. Even to complain. It is only years later that I’m thankful for each of my desert experiences. As in most cases, time helps with perspective.

In discernment, we thirst for God to provide the cool waters of continual reassurance and direction. God hears our grumblings and often provides consolation. We are given the waters of friendship, understanding and companionship with others on the journey. Whether or not we understand these gifts as points of oasis is another story.

What is the "water" you thirst for in discernment?

How do your complaints shine light on the longings in your heart?

Sister Kathy: The cup and the tube

Tuesday, August 22nd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Kathy Roberg, FSPA

 

Morning breaks and the routine begins. Sip your cup of coffee and tune into “Good Morning America.”  Both stimulate the body and mind in their own way and can become habit forming – a must before one can function.

I personally have not adopted this habit but, really, I could say I have … a cup and a connection.  My cup of coffee is symbolic, as I sit with Jesus and taste and absorb his goodness and wonders. I routinely but purposely sit in my sacred space, away from the tube world of distractions, tuning in to an unseen world of “Good Morning Jesus” – my soul’s connection with the presence of God. The living Word stimulates my day, inspiring me to heart listen, carrying me into whatever may be. This routine is a must before I can begin to function.

window and rocking chair

Photo by Sister Amy Taylor

Yes, this prayer routine has become a habit but I know when I skip it, it feels empty. So each morning I take up this cup and carry it – knowing it will never be empty – and tune into “Good Morning Jesus.”

And I am energized.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring original prayer by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Sister Amy's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, January 24th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


transforming-moments-new-adventure-mission-calls-amy-taylor

 

Have you enjoyed FSPA's Six Word Stories about vocation? Check out our new series, Six Word Mission Stories, beginning with the view from Sister Amy's continuing journey through FSPA ministry.

We invite you to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story!

 

Walk with compassion

Thursday, April 13th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

Sister Marian's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, July 11th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Marian Massman


smiles, exchanged, hearts, connected, life, blessed, Sister Marian Massman

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Open eyes can change world views

Thursday, January 19th 2017 11:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

This week we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a charismatic civil rights leader who offered a new vision for the United States; who gave to the world “I Have a Dream.” He dared to imagine a different way of living his life to promote change on behalf of millions of others—most of whom he would never know. Those who accept his public declaration of an attentive worldview can harness that power; declare and realize their own dreams.

earth-freeimages-com

Image courtesy of freeimages.com

Throughout my graduate school classes, conferences and formation studies I have continually been reminded that where we stand has a direct correlation to what we see. If you choose to perch from a place of power in order to maintain power you will not see the horizon from the vantage point of those with little control over their struggling existence. It’s a paradox starkly reflected in the refugee crisis in our world. Each time I see a photo my heart is twisted by the pain and anguish I see on the faces of those unnamed and suffering and unsafe before my eyes.

It’s these images that remind me of one of my professors in graduate school, Carla Mae Streeter, O.P. She gave us an assignment to search magazines and newspapers for an image of a person whose vulnerability spoke to our hearts. She challenged us to keep the image in a place of remembrance throughout our studies to remind us of why we were students of theology, and what the Gospel calls each of us to do. This assignment was more than just a class requirement: it continues to be a lasting life lesson. Each time I enter discernment--from ministry to volunteer opportunity--I reflect on why I am discerning and choosing action. Will the choice before me reflect Gospel tenants?

Questioning motives and desires is an important part of discerning religious life. If the dream is driven by power and recognition it may dissipate quickly in the face of challenge; crumble under the weight of commitment. Following the call of the Gospel requires not only response to the needs of others before your own, but laying down your life for the world around you.

What do you see in your discernment dream? What heart-held image inspires you? Are you responding to a need in your community, or do you envision crossing borders and oceans to give your life and service in missionary fields? I am perpetually motivated by the founders of my own religious community who heard there were people in need in the United States. They left their family, friends and comforts of their Bavarian homeland in 1849 to follow the call God placed in their hearts. Their lives were transformed in the moment they said “Yes” and their work of collaboration and co-creation with God began. Proclaiming your own “Yes,” waking up and making your own dream a reality, has the potential to not only change your life but also the lives of those you serve. Experience in the encounters will teach lessons far beyond any you could have ever imagined if you're open to mutual transformation.

What if your dream is the one the world needs now?

Are you willing to take the next steps in your discernment to make it a reality?

Sister Mary Ann's Six Word Story

Tuesday, October 11th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Mary Ann Wiesman, FSPA


early-calling-blessed-life-eighty-four-Mary-Ann-Wiesman

What's your six word discernment story?

Documenting discernment

Thursday, September 29th 2016 12:02 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

journal-writing-freeimages.com

It is rare that I receive a handwritten note or card in the mail anymore. Such artistry has morphed into emails and text messages in which descriptive stories of elation or frustration are relayed in a series of emojis. “Fast and just the facts” has become the mantra of modern communication.

Social media, it seems, has also replaced the tradition of record keeping. Do proud parents still document baby’s first steps on paper? Do people still write down family stories, tucking them securely in Bibles and memory books? Or do we, more often, widely publicize every trivial moment (and favorite YouTube video) for instant consumption on Facebook? Post tweets that are here one second, gone the next? 

And what about journaling? I’m not talking about a 7th grade “Dear Diary” entry in which you scribbled “Today I ate a peanut butter sandwich for lunch.” Instead, intentional journaling can be an opportunity to pray through pen and paper; provide a canvas on which to capture and reflect significant events and ponder the various ways God is present in your day, your life, your discernment.

Some people choose to journal via computer; those more artistically inclined may draw to depict life events, enlightenment. For me, contemplation becomes part of the process when I slow my thoughts and allow the rhythm of my handwriting to set the pace of reflection. The more attention I give to details like the legibility of my handwriting, the further I’m drawn into the depths of reflection. And in the quiet moments of a journaling retreat, communication on paper between myself and God has come out quite clear. But no matter the method documenting discernment—taking the time to record and reflect on life through journaling—reveals to me connections I may ordinarily miss as I live in our fast-paced world of emoticon efficiency.

What is revealed when you slow down, stop texting, and record the words in your thoughts? 

Are you courageous enough to put them in writing? 

Does your discernment become more honest—real—when you see yourself on paper?

Author's note: Watch for journal retreat offerings (among many others) at these FSPA-sponsored spirituality centers: the Franciscan Spirituality Center (La Crosse, Wisconsin), Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center (Hiawatha, Iowa) and Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center (Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin).

Above image courtesy of freeimages.com

As we prepare for Memorial Day

Thursday, May 24th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

memorial-wall-poppies

Image courtesy pixabay.com

As we begin to contemplate Memorial Day, let us give pray for and praise to all who have died in service for their country.

And, today and every day, let us pray for world peace.

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Stepping into bright futures

Thursday, May 17th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

graduate-bridge

Image courtesy pixabay.com

As we enter into the season of graduation, may you take a moment of quiet to recall all the ways God has brought you to this milestone in your life. Every ounce of hard work and determination has yielded the results you now celebrate. Congratulations as you move forward into a bright future!

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Hearts and ashes

Wednesday, February 14th 2018 8:25 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

There are special occasions we all look forward to in life; days that we want to mark by dressing up and celebrating with a nice meal. As this Valentine’s Day coincides with Ash Wednesday (the beginning of the Lenten season), the upscale steak house dining reservation will be canceled for many. And in our Catholic tradition, we don't just choose to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday but every Friday during Lent too. Such discipline is a call to remembrance, not a punishment; not a means to spoil one’s heart-filled holiday plans.

 

ashes-ash-wednesday-pixabay.com

Image courtesy pixabay.com

 

This break from romanticized tradition holds within it an opportunity and invitation to reflection as we gaze upon the image of Jesus on the cross. Can you see beyond the destruction of a life to forethought of unconditional love? Franciscans believe it is out of love that Jesus came to Earth in human form. Love is the motivating force from all eternity. What better time than on Valentine’s Day, when secular culture focuses on the idea of happily-ever-after love, to look into the depth of what love calls us to in its truest form. Can we see the ashes we choose to receive on our foreheads this Ash Wednesday to be a commitment to love like Jesus? As we hear the words spoken, as we receive the ashes, what does it mean to “turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel”? Does it mean to do more than avoid evil? Does it also call us to love and act justly? What does it mean to truly love another or a world full of others?

 

san-damiano-cross

San Damiano Cross

Jesus leads the way, showing us how to love. The Gospels are full of examples of reaching out, going further, and giving one’s all. They are lessons that show us love is not trite greeting cards but courageous, transformative action. Choosing to love another is more than an idea or an ideal situation.

I am reminded of Peter’s journey to learn to love like Jesus. Remember what you know of Peter — his call to discipleship, his accompaniment on the road with Jesus, his promise of faithfulness that he soon denies — to his post resurrection conversation with Jesus. Love was present in each experience, even in the most trying of circumstances. Peter is transformed in the action of learning and loving like Jesus and being loved by Jesus. It took courage, honesty, humility and grace to continue walking his own journey. Peter did not give up. His perseverance is an example for all of us.

As we begin Lent, let us call to mind moments in our own lives in which love for another or others stretched our hearts and offered wisdom for life. Recall the times, perhaps in your own discernment, that you became aware of the many ways our world is in need of generous people ready to love like Christ, discovering along the way that imperfections can be transformed when desire to be of service is present.

How do you choose to love like Jesus?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Action vs. contemplation in discernment?

Thursday, October 12th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Every year, a cycle of radical busyness invades my life. I brace for it and always persevere. Strategy is embedded in the pages of my calendar and I make defensive moves to try to protect time for silence, creativity, fun and rest in addition to ever-present action. It is easy to be consumed by all of the good things ministry and life offer. 

Perhaps it is divine providence that, just as I am experiencing this annual tug of war with my calendar, Martha and Mary arise in the Gospel reading (Luke 10:38-42). Recall for a moment the familiar story: Martha is busy and Mary appears idle. Mary is praised while Martha is chided. I don’t know about you, but this story has played itself out dozens of times in my life. The script for me goes something like this: I am running around from place to place accomplishing what I see are priorities while so-and-so puts up her feet and relaxes, appearing not to have a care in the world. Jealousy wins, I lose, and the scenario frequently repeats itself. Yet there are times when I’m like Mary and choose to slow down, spend time in contemplation, while someone else is running around looking at me as Martha surely did. 

Jesus-Mary-Martha-stained-glass-window

Image courtesy freeimages.com

The challenge is integration of both active life and of contemplative life. This happens for me when I’m working on something and I realize I need a break to refocus, or when I’m praying in Mary of the Angels Chapel and a new idea will suddenly occur to me. 

Discernment of religious life takes balance too. Discernment in action — gathering information, visiting communities and meeting with sisters — takes (and should take) a considerable amount of time and can feel like the most important part of the journey. But discernment in contemplation — praying for wisdom and direction, asking yourself what you are most searching for — is equally essential. It takes (and should take) ample time to sit in contemplation and consider what is in front of you.

This week I invite you to ponder… are both action and contemplation present as you think about your decision? 

Are you balancing these essential components for the discernment of religious life in your calendar?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Let's celebrate 139 years of perpetual adoration!

Tuesday, August 1st 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


bell-ringing

Today, FSPA celebrates 139 years of perpetual adoration. As we rejoice and ring in another year of continuous prayer, we invite you to pause, reflect and pray with us.

Sister Lucy Ann: expression of my time with Jesus

Tuesday, September 19th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Lucy Ann Meyer, FSPA

 

Prayer is the personal expression of my time with Jesus. I have found through the years that I move in and out of various expressions/activities that nurture my relationship with God. Scripture, music and movement remain my steady and usual practices. 

dancers-shadows

In recent years, poetry has taken on greater significance and challenged me at a more basic level. I have experienced deep and profound insights about “who” I am and “how” to live more fully into the mysteries of life. This poem by Hafiz, “Know the True Nature," reminds me of being surrounded in God’s love and the importance of forgiveness: 

Know the True Nature of your Beloved.

In 

His loving eyes

your every thought, word, and movement

is always, always, 

beautiful.

 

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

 

Sister Mary Myron's Six Word Mission Story

Thursday, March 2nd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Mary Myron Stork, FSPA

 

proclaiming-Christ's-message-Kentucky-Hollers-Mary-Myron-Stork

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Life as a nun today: FSPA can relate

Thursday, August 10th 2017 3:10 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Sharing your desire to be a sister with family and friends can be challenging, especially if they only envision their teacher — wearing a habit — standing at the head of the class before the late 1960s after Vatican II when many religious communities chose to wear everyday clothing more reflective of modern times? “Refinery 29” recently published the article “What Convent Life Is Really Like In 2017,” and Show me a sign invites you to share the conversation with those around you who don’t necessarily understand what it means to live religious life — in life style and ministry — today.

 Sister-Winifred-teaching

Sister Winifred teaching at Aquinas High School in her habit

 Sister-Laura-teaching

Sister Laura teaching at Viterbo University today

"As is often the case with mainstream religions," begins the article in which Sisters of St. Joseph Karen Burke speaks to "faith, service and living as a nun," "misconceptions about sisters and their congregations abound."

First introductions often spark confusion as she says she hears, "'Oh, sisters don’t wear habits anymore?' or some other remark on her everyday outfit of jeans and a sweatshirt. While women in other orders may choose to wear a full habit, many congregations no long require it, the Sisters of St. Joseph included."

As Sister Sarah shares, we can relate

"Sister Karen tells us that the Sisters of St. Joseph has always worked in the fields of education and health care, but in the past few years they've concerned themselves with, of all things, environmentalism ..."

As Sister Lucy ministers, we can relate.

"Sister Karen describes her decision to leave her career as an educator as a "leap of faith," adding that it surely won't be her last. "Through my own faith and through my own prayer and spirituality, my life will continue to change."

As Show me a sign recently explored career changes as a Catholic sister, we can relate.

Amidst changes in religious life and the growing needs in our world one constant is sisters' commitments to follow the Gospel and serve those in need. Whether their service takes them to classrooms, parishes, spirituality centers, organic farms or liminal spaces of our borders, sisters will find a way to meet today's needs.

What do articles like these do to spark your imagination about discerning life as a religious sister? We invite you to share it and www.fspa.org with your family and friends and show them a sign of what it looks like to live religious life today.

Called to the right now of the journey

Thursday, May 10th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

I spend a lot of time in the car. I am usually in a hurry to complete my commute so that I can get to the tasks on my agenda for the day. I recently chose to walk to a meeting rather than drive. I figured the choice would take me about 15 minutes longer (give or take with parking). 

Moving through downtown on foot was really enjoyable. It was a sunny day, and pleasant to walk with just a light jacket. I greeted fellow pedestrians and noticed the surprise on their faces as they were momentarily startled from their own thoughts, muttering quick hellos in return. Somehow, whether driving our cars or walking down the street, many of us have been lured into fast-paced, silent, siloed commutes where our focus becomes the destination and not the experience along the way. 

driving-car-blurry

Image courtesy freeimages.com

This experience of encountering nature, people and the city unfolding before me has led me to reflect on Jesus and the stories we have from the Gospel of his travel with his disciples from place to place. He used the time on the road with his disciples to talk with them, to challenge them and to prepare them for the things that were to come. Their time on the road was not lost in the distraction of merely getting to the destination; the commute was filled with discussion, learning and perhaps time for comfortable, communal silence as they pondered the depths of their hearts amid the long, dusty miles of road. The road is also a place for questions and discovering new insights. 

woman-walking-nature

Image courtesy pixabay.com

It is rare that we take time to not just walk but to slow our pace and allow ourselves to become aware of the Spirit at work in our lives — when a walk becomes a gateway to prayer that soothes our souls and refocuses our vision. To choose to slow down rather than speed by we encounter nature, we look people in the eye rather than see a blur of humanity at 25 miles an hour. Walking is a contemplative practice. 

Discernment requires reducing your mental speed and paying attention. It is a time when we are called into a disruption of routine. God calls us to focus on the right now of the journey. We are invited to slow down, to connect and examine the experiences on the road and discover the wisdom on the way. 

What could happen if you choose to slow down this week?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Sister Marla celebrates, contemplates religious life in jubilee

Thursday, April 5th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Called to religious life and FSPA 50, 60 and even 70 years ago, our 2018 jubilarians are celebrating and contemplating. Show Me a Sign asked Sister Marla Lang — who embodies 60 years of ministry in education, community leadership and spirituality — to reflect on her discernment journey.

SMAS: How old were you when you first knew that you wanted to be a sister? How did God get your attention?

Sister Marla: I was 13 years old and my 8th grade teacher Sister Mary Louis, an FSPA, invited me to consider becoming a sister.

 

SMAS: How did your family and friends react when you told them about it?

Sister Marla: My parents made it clear to us as children that they wanted us to become whatever we desired as long as it was about being “good” to ourselves. They were very affirming.

 

Sister-Marla-Lang-wearing-habit-1958

Sister Marla Lang, 1958

 

SMAS: Did you explore or visit different communities before choosing FSPA?

Sister Marla: Another community invited me to visit but just didn’t entice me. They were too formal, I sensed. After much pondering, I knew making final vows as a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration was a true calling for me. It remains so today.

 

SMAS: As you celebrate your jubilee, what do you recall as your most memorable moments as an FSPA?

Sister Marla: I truly enjoyed each ministry and each ministry prepared me for the next one I was led to:

  • I taught grades 3 through 8 full time for 11 years and then was asked to serve as a school principal and director of religious education, K-adult, for 10 years.
  • Those 21 years invited me to say “yes” to serving as a parish director in the absence of a resident pastor for 12 years.
  • All of these experiences led my FSPA sisters to ask that I serve eight years as community president.
  • Now, all of these ministries have enriched me to be with others at a spirituality center as a soul partner to many (serving in spiritual direction).

S-Marla-Lang

Today, Sister Marla ministers as the outreach coordinator at Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center in Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin.

 

SMAS: What has been the most unexpected part of your life as an FSPA? 

Sister Marla: I never dreamed I would be called to serve as the FSPA president. I grew up as a mid-Wisconsin farm girl. It almost took my breath away to be a part of three other leadership teams (with 10 sisters) — the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis and the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis. Together we were engaged in reconciliation FSE, OSF, FSPA process and companioning of an African Province of Sisters. The sharing of all this took place in Assisi, Italy before 365-ish Franciscan community leaders. It was a challenge and a blessing beyond my imagining.

 

S-Marla-Lang-sisters-circle-fire-pit

"It almost took my breath away," shares Sister Marla (pictured here, center) of her role with Franciscan communities gathered from across the globe to celebrate the Cameroon Common Venture -- Franciscan women of Africa.

 

SMAS: What advice would you give to a woman discerning religious life today?

Sister Marla: It is a gift of challenge and blessing beyond imagining when you put your whole self into your calling. Tending to discernment of the call requires prayer, guidance and openness, plus risking the goodness when found.

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Sister Cormarie celebrates, contemplates religious life in jubilee

Thursday, April 26th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

Called to religious life and FSPA 50, 60 and even 70 years ago, our 2018 jubilarians are celebrating and contemplating. Show Me a Sign asked Sister Cormarie Wernimont — who embodies 60 years of ministry in dietetics, pastoral care and finance — to reflect on her discernment journey.

sister-cormarie-right-sister-esther-left

During a gathering at St. Rose Convent, Sister Cormarie (right) is congratulated for her jubilee by Sister Esther Leis.
 

SMAS: How old were you when you first thought about becoming a sister?

Sister Cormarie: I was in the second grade. My teacher, Sister Charity, FSPA, asked if I was going to become a sister. I had not thought of it, but this idea remained in the back of my mind all through elementary and high school. I prayed about it for a long time, and gradually became aware that this was my calling.
 

SMAS: What attracted you to religious life?

Sister Cormarie: It was the belief that this is my calling.

sister-cormarie-in-habit

Sister Cormarie Wernimont, 1958
 

SMAS: What do you recall about making your final vows and realizing that you were making a life commitment?

Sister Cormarie: I most remember my acceptance into the novitiate program, receiving a new name and the religious habit, and also my first vows. In my heart, my vows were final the first time I spoke them.
 

SMAS: What has been the most unexpected part of your life as an FSPA?

Sister Cormarie: My first mission was at Sacred Heart Hospital (now known as Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center) in Idaho Falls, Idaho. This was an area where, as a Catholic, I learned what it felt like to be a minority. There were many challenges. There were also blessings: we experienced the beauty of the mountains, rivers and Meadow Lake. Nothing ever tasted as good as pancakes cooked over an open fire up in the mountains.
 

SMAS: What wisdom do you share with a woman discerning religious life today?

Sister Cormarie: Pray. Try to be open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Trust in God’s love and care.
 

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

What if it's you?

Thursday, May 4th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Every now and then the concept of which came first—the chicken or the egg—pops into my mind, particularly when I am pondering something mysterious. I often allow myself a few moments to think about the possibilities but, as of now, I have yet to come up with an answer. As both are important, does it really matter which one was first? I choose to acknowledge that, in a world of fact finding literally at our fingertips, living with a little bit of the unknown is nice.

As I consider the mystery of how each person in the world discovers their unique vocation, I am intrigued. Almost overnight the world grows in complexity and innovation with new career options to explore, intriguing paths to follow. And within the infinite array of possibilities it’s remarkable each time someone says “yes” to their calling in life. It’s incredible when someone says “yes” to discernment.

One of the indispensable tools to use while discerning religious life is prayer. Praying to God for guidance and inspiration is essential. Friends and family also pray for discerners. The circle gets even wider when you consider that the whole Catholic church is praying for you too.


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Mary of the Angels Chapel (image courtesy of Viterbo University)

It’s challenging to absorb the fact that people you don’t know, who you may never meet, are supporting your discernment through prayer. Each time a petition is read at church, prayer circles meet and parents pray for their children, vocational journeys are in motion. You may be unaware of the prayer surrounding you, but it’s there. 

Formally, across the world, parishes will join together on May 7 and pray for all discerners as we celebrate World Day of Prayer for Vocations. As communities access the needs in their cities they may pray that you are the one to come and serve; that your specific gifts and talents are the answer to their search for help.

What if it’s you they’re praying for? Are you prepared to say “yes” and choose life as a sister, brother, priest, deacon or lay minister to serve the people of God? Are you willing to also pray for others to join you?

This week, pray for openness to attune to the needs of the world. As you join your faith community in praying for vocations, ask yourself if the petition is spoken for you.

If so, how are you going to respond?

Photo of the Week - Week 31

Sunday, August 7th 2022 3:41 pm

Today I celebrate my one-year anniversary of the profession of my first vows. I revisited that special day in my memory and was transported back to Wisconsin and the convent in La Crosse. There were sisters, family and friends, joy and love that was overflowing all that day. There was nature inside - and a spectacular summer storm outside. I have so many happy memories of that day, but in the center of it all, my vows, those were my greatest joy.

As I considered how I might honor this special day, I decided spending time with my sisters in community with the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration would be just the perfect way to celebrate! There was great conversation, laughter and questions about my time here in Bolivia. Stories of eating (including armadillo!), cooking, traditions, and the real and sometimes hard work that is part of life here, capture some of the things we talked about. Most importantly, seeing the religious sisters that I am blessed to share life with was, indeed, the best possible celebration! Thanks sisters for being a part of my life!

Someone asked me to share wisdom from the first year of my vowed religious life. Although I didn't have a quick answer, I found some wisdom after a bit of reflection. I think I would say that my greatest learning this year has been how much less religious life is about what you are doing and more about who you are being. As I have transitioned to new places and experienced life in ways I have not expected, I have the gift of focusing my energy on being my "God-self" or the person God has created me to be. Before religious life, this came second to career, family, friends and other things that were higher on my priority list than they should have been. It seems a luxury to be able to bring "me" to this world, but such a joy as well! Muchas gracias, FSPA, por la alegra y honor de esta vida! Bediciones!

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Crisis reveals goodness

Thursday, September 14th 2017 3:00 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

I have been captivated by the power of wind and water as Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have battered the southern coastline of the U.S. The destructive combination forces of wind and water hammered homes and businesses; cars were smashed into deadly chunks of metal and inches of water swelled to several, dangerous feet. Entire communities were engulfed. People were swept away by the current. 

It is difficult — in the wake of such devastation — to find light underneath the rubble.

But God has created resiliency in the human spirit. It seems for every crushing story I’m also finding one overflowing with compassion and care, ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances reaching out to help each other. Communities are rallying around one another for survival and living what it means to lose everything not as individuals, but as neighbors.

These stories don't end in loss: resurrection follows, new communities take shape through sharing values; people put aside self-interest and commit to the common good.


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In December, 1923, the community gathered at the scene of the St. Rose Convent fire

Walking together — and sticking together — takes courage and conviction but also generates power to shape the future. I am reminded of the stories I‘ve heard, images I’ve seen, of a fire that burned a section of FSPA’s St. Rose Convent to the ground in 1923. Many people flocked to the scene and helped not only rescue sisters but also to provide comfort, food and shelter. The goodness of people prevailed and the convent was rebuilt by 1925. (And there is so much more to know about FSPA history!)


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Photo courtesy of "La Crosse Tribune"

And as a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, I know that my sisters will be here for me and I too will support them, not only in the significant life trials like death and ill health and transition of ministry but also in the day-to-day ups and downs.

This week, ponder how you have or might react when life changes in an instant. Do you reach out to help others or do you pull away and retreat?

How has your discernment revealed who is firmly by your side, committed to helping you create new beginnings during hurricane moments?

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation. 

Sister Helen's Six Word Story

Tuesday, July 26th 2016 8:41 am
Sister Helen Elsbernd, FSPA


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What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Mary's Six Word Story

Tuesday, August 23rd 2016 10:34 am
Sister Mary Bates

 

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What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Sandra celebrates, contemplates religious life in jubilee

Thursday, May 3rd 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Called to religious life and FSPA 50, 60 and even 70 years ago, our 2018 jubilarians are celebrating and contemplating. Show Me a Sign asked Sister Sandra DeMann — who embodies 50 years of ministry in health care, parish ministry and social justice — to reflect on her discernment journey.

 

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Sister Sandra DeMann celebrates her Golden Jubilee at St. Rose Convent's Mary of the Angels Chapel in April, 2018.

 

SMAS: What inspires you about religious life?

Sister Sandi: For me, living religious life is a journey. You don’t always know what is going to happen. I am a person who enjoys living with mystery. I know that God is with me and will help me through all that I encounter. I don’t need to have all of the answers. I enjoy searching for them. I spent part of my life ministering in Africa — it was there I learned that miracles happen.

 

SMAS: What has been your favorite time in ministry?

Sister Sandi: I enjoyed my time in Africa, but also enjoyed working in rural Mississippi. I was the Catholic presence to a parish community that was established in the 1800s. Because of their location, they did not always have a priest assigned to their parish. It was inspiring to see how the people worked together to maintain their parish. It was an area that chose to do something about isolation. Different denominations worked together rather than separately, to provide for the needs of the civic community.

 

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Pictured far right, Sister Sandra joins a group of women religious in Nogales, Arizona, for the SOAW Convergence at the Border in 2016.

 

SMAS: What wisdom would you share with someone who is considering religious life?

Sister Sandi:  Prayer and trust is important. If you have a dream, follow it. It may not take you where you thought it would but trust the process. Spend time in discernment. Remember that it is a walk of faith, and you will be guided along the way.

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Praying for a blessed Holy Week

Thursday, March 29th 2018 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

May God guide our hearts as we begin the celebration of Holy Week.

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Image by Sister Amy Taylor

*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Jesus under wraps

Thursday, July 14th 2016 10:11 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

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Sacred Heart of Jesus statue "under wraps"

St. Rose Convent is undergoing minor renovations: new carpet installation is underway and some of the walls are soaking up fresh coats of paint. Walking down the hall to my office one day I noticed our large statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was covered in protective plastic wrap as painters prepped the surrounding stairwell.

To see the statue sheathed, covered up, prompted me to discern the question “When do I freely share about my relationship with Jesus and when do I protect it—keep it under wraps?  

It’s easy to share about my relationship with Jesus and my faith when I am with others who have similar views; when I feel engaging in that conversation is safe. Yet the call of the Gospel is challenging as it beckons us to the next-step of discussion; requires each of us to live boldly our faith. 

Is your relationship with Jesus and your discernment journey under wraps?

What would happen if your belief in Jesus was unbound?  

Would your life be different? 

How will you uncover it? 

Impart it to others?

 

Distraction

Thursday, May 11th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

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Some days are filled with fragmented energy: my attention is pulled in many directions and lacks the clear focus and interior motivation necessary to complete the tasks at hand. Perhaps it’s the fickleness of the weather or the simple fact that I’m daydreaming of the near future when I will take a break from my office and go on retreat. It is a challenge for me to keep both feet planted in the now and not run towards a time that is not yet here. The irony is that once I arrive at the retreat center, part of my time will be spent settling into the quiet and letting go of the work I left behind. The quiet is often disrupted as I laugh at myself and recall that no matter the location, I am who I am. Time passes in the same way; the difference is the means at which I move through it.

I believe what I’m describing is a universal experience. Most of us feel anticipation as we get closer to vacations and get-togethers without realizing it can overshadow the present day and appreciation of the gifts it offers.

There are lessons in distraction. Sometimes distractions can serve as light to the deeper questions in my life easily overlooked in everyday busyness—why am I distracted? What does distraction teach? We are taught from an early age to be productive, but what if the pathway to greater understanding is to accept and immerse ourselves in the times of interference; to welcome discovery of the creativity that can surface when we ask a different question of ourselves. There are times in discernment where distraction will be part of the journey; when the idea of exploring a back road to see what is out there rather than continuing on the well-worn highway may lead to insight. Perspective is gained when we allow room for newness of the experience to unfold and evolve over time.

And perhaps it is the influence of the Holy Spirit that gifts us with days of distraction so that ultimately we settle into the present.

Where did you experience diversion in your discernment?

What did you find within it?

Carrying the wounds of the cross

Thursday, September 15th 2016 12:00 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

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San Damiano Cross by Craig Nilsson

On Saturday, Sept. 17, Franciscans around the world will celebrate the Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis.

You may be wondering what stigmata signifies.

When Jesus was crucified he received markings on his hands and his feet from the nails that held him to the cross, and a wound in his side from a lance thrust into his body after his death. It is a mystery why some are chosen to bear these same, sacred wounds from the Lord’s own body—stigmata—as did St. Francis of Assisi. He prayed for the privilege of stigmata in effort to understand both the intense love and suffering Jesus experienced. St. Francis concealed these signs from others, though, as he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Jesus—not become a spectacle. His desire was to remain humble.

Francis surrendered his body and soul to God. While most of us will not be chosen to carry the physical wounds of Christ on our bodies, Francis offers us a deep lesson as once again he calls us to give all we are to God.

Discernment is about openness in choosing a path that expands one’s life on behalf of others. The world needs religious women and men; healthy marriages and vibrant single individuals. Each vocation, when in harmony with who you are, radiates the light of Christ.

How is your life marked—celebrated—as a follower of Jesus?

Is there room for both love and suffering in your discernment?

 

Efforts raise awareness of local and global human trafficking issues

Tuesday, April 17th 2018 11:57 am
Efforts raise awareness of local and global human trafficking issues
By Pat Ruda, FSPA justice and peace coordinator
Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery. Victims are children, teenagers, men and women. They are subjected to force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced...

A jubilant life

Thursday, June 16th 2016 10:08 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

What does it mean to live as a sign of God’s love? I find myself pondering this question as three of my FSPA sisters celebrate golden jubilee (50 years of vowed religious life), and two others, silver (25 years of fulfilling those same vows). Days, months and years all string together and suddenly such milestones appear. 


Golden jubilarians: Sisters Jean Michael Treba, Lisa Zmuda, Rose Elsbernd

Silver jubilarians Sisters Eileen Shaw and Marcia Baumert celebrate at a jubilee pizza party (photo by Sister Charlene Smith)

I saw joy and tenderness in their eyes as they took in the monumental experience and wondered if they remember the moments that led them to it: entrance into novitiate, first and final vows, years of abundant ministry. And like many women, they may also have recollected times of hesitance to answer the call to religious life they heard all those years ago.  


Sister Jean Michael Treba bears the cross into the celebration of Jubilee Mass at Mary of the Angels Chapel in La Crosse, Wisconsin

Life is full of ups and downs, but it can ultimately be jubilee everyday if we are open to living as a sign of God’s love. 


Sisters Marcia and Lisa "embrace" jubilee!

How are you embracing the jubilee of your life? Is discernment leading you to enjoy it rather than endure it?

To see all 2016 jubilarians, click here and scroll to page 5 of FSPA's Perspectives magazine.

Earthquakes: when ground is no longer solid

Thursday, September 8th 2016 12:00 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

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Photo courtesy of www.dreamstime.com

Earthquakes have shaken the lives of people from Italy, near New Zealand and here in the U.S. News stories full of destruction quickly circulated our world. I searched coverage for any small sign of hope in the rubble that littered the streets; glimpsed the good hearts of people like beacons of light, shining brightly in the darkness of pain and loss as everyone searched feverishly for those who were trapped. Sitting a world away in front of my computer, I cheered for the rescues and the fight of the human spirit even in the most horrendous of circumstances. I took stock of my own environment and wondered what elements of normal routine—working, playing, cooking and sleeping—erupted. When suddenly the solid ground beneath them trembled, forever altering their lives.

Long after the media lights go out let us continue to pray for those who will do the back-breaking work of clearing debris, who will make the heart-breaking decision to grow beyond grief and rebuild their lives. I can’t imagine the reassessment that must occur; the reevaluation that has to take place. Is the unsatisfying clutter that existed “before the earthquake” closely examined to see if its value “after the earthquake” is worth restoring?

Bigger questions often emerge out of the ruins with survivors: Why am I still here?

While many people will never experience seismic surges in the physical sense, most of us find ourselves in symbolic situations when the earth no longer feels solid or safe, when life shakes us to the core. The shock waves you’re feeling may come from within, might surface as a spiritual earthquake. And discernment can actually echo tangible reverberations. The landscape of your beliefs may quake, your deep-seated values exposed to the elements.

You may find cracks in what you thought were concrete foundations, and must make choices that align with your conscious and unceasing call of the Gospel. Walls once separating you from the needs of your neighbors may crumble to dust. A new mindfulness of global needs may emerge as discernment reveals new places of solid ground. There may also be aftershocks—discernment is not a onetime event. It calls for continual responsiveness and readiness for what becomes unearthed.

Could it be that shakings of your spirituality awaken you to what is perhaps buried in unconscious activity?

How has your life changed in the “after” time of a spiritual earthquake?

Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 22nd 2016 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

I have no magic words

Thursday, November 3rd 2016 3:16 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Traveling across the country, meeting a variety of people in and around the world of discernment, I encounter two questions—open ended, probably pervasive in all aspects of life—time and time again:

“How long will this take?”

“How will I know?” 

clock-morguefile.com

Photo credit: moguefile.com

And I've actually been faced (more than once) with the plea, “Can’t you just tell me what to do?” 

Of course, I have no direct answer to provide to a discerner of religious life, no magic words to give. Discernment carries mystery within it. It’s not a step-by-step process that if followed will yield a nice shiny product of a vocation. It’s the industrial model that one has to let go of. Each step is different and what worked for someone else may not work for you. There is no assembly line cranking out one-size-fits-all discernment t-shirts.  

Timing is another open-ended aspect that varies from person to person. Comparison is not helpful. You may have started a discernment process at the same time as someone else and their movement may appear to be faster or slower. But it’s not a competition. Running or dragging your feet to keep the same pace as someone else is not an authentic experience. Trees, each having within itself a sense of when it’s ready to let go of its leaves, are an excellent example of this statement. Two trees of the same variety planted side by side sometimes have totally different timings; one drops its leaves early and the other may hold on for a few weeks longer. In the end they will both move on in the season, just not dependent upon each other. It is humans who place judgment on the difference.

Questions to ponder this week…

Are you more concerned about the getting there and the need to know the answer than participating in the unfolding of your discernment experience?

How are you comparing or competing in your discernment? 

Are you finding more questions? Click here to view resources for discerning religious life.

Awake and ready in discernment?

Thursday, December 1st 2016 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Why is it that when we are excited about tomorrow it’s impossible to fall asleep? I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve watched the clock move slow as molasses towards morning and birthdays and holidays; community celebrations and time with family and friends. This past Sunday, as a church, we entered not only a new year but a season of waiting. The old adage circles in my mind: the more you wait the better it will be. While I am sure this is true sometimes, I can also be impatient and yearn to know now. My favorite Advent song is Patience, People by John Foley, SJ. It reminds me that how I wait is just as important as the waiting. 


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Photo by Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

Advent has a dual focus of anticipation and action. It takes a lot of hard work to prepare your heart for Christmas; more than fragrant words of holy intention. Making space takes effort. Under the softened warm glow of preparation is the commitment to make things happen. 

On the first Sunday of Advent we hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah and the Gospel of Matthew, each offering insight into this time of eagerness. Isaiah is the prophetic alarm clock awakening sleepy believers. With strong words he clamors above the din of lukewarm following. His message streams across divisions calling for unity and inviting us to walk in the ways of the Lord. Reverberations ring as the call for change clashes against the comforts of routine and acceptance. 

Where do you find yourself as you reflect on the sword and the plow? Are you willing to pound your sword into a plow to cultivate ground for your discernment and co-create with God?  

In the Gospel Matthew also shares sage advice: don’t be distracted and caught unprepared; be ready. When waiting, it’s easy to get distracted and lose focus. There may be less time than you think. 

For all the wisdom and guidance Isaiah and Matthew provide, what is your attitude, in discernment, as you wait on God? When was the last time you pleaded with God to show you the way … "Now!"? Did you shout in anger? Threaten with an ultimatum? Storm away; frustrated because your discernment seems perpetually unresolved? 

And so, this Advent, I invite you to take the opportunity to prepare your heart, to welcome the wakeful nights of uncertain discernment you’re experiencing right now. 

Are you willing, in this moment, to wait?

 

Following Francis: the margins may be closer than you think

Tuesday, October 4th 2016 3:19 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


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Statue "Dancing Francis"

Each year on October 4 we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis: a day when many revel in the perpetual presence of a man said to be peaceful; a patron of ecology and advocate of animals (inspiring annual pet blessings around the world).

 

 

 

 





FSPA-supported free wellness screening for the underserved. 

But this year I invite you to venture away from the customary events—to go to the margins of his spirituality. Francis was not a perfect man with 20/20 vision. He had no intention of becoming a saint. Stepping out of his comfort zone through conversion he learned to embrace ministry to the lepers. The place of his greatest fear became the sweetness of service.

 

 

 

 

 





Sister Donna Stevens (center) serves White Mountain Apache substance abuse treatment center.

Among the lepers Francis saw the pain of ostracization by family, friends and faith communities. Yet he stretched out a mantle of care and compassion, casting aside the label “unclean” as he and his followers tended to the wounds of the afflicted, soothed to restore dignity to each person.


FSPA collaborates with U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking (and other national/local groups) to eradicate modern day slavery.

Jesus does not promise a life of ease when following the call to discipleship. Gospel ministry requires long hours and challenging service. Encountering your brothers and sisters on the liminal edge—a space you may feel uncomfortable in—can challenge your values and compel you beyond your conscious. Each encounter with a life reality different than your own leads to greater understanding of humanity. On the Feast of St. Francis let us applaud the inspiration of the peace-keeper and ecologist; the patron of animals and founder of a religious order (here are the Gospel texts that guided the Franciscan Order formation: Mark 10:21Matthew 16:24 and Luke 9:3). But let us also accept his call today and everyday to search out those on the periphery. The margins may be closer than you think.

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Sisters serving meals to the homeless.

Who do you see outside the boundaries?
How will you reach out to these brothers and sisters in need?

How is St. Francis guiding you? Post a comment and inspire us!

St. Clare of Assisi: model, mentor, friend

Thursday, August 18th 2016 10:17 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


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FSPA celebrate St. Clare in Mary of the Angels Chapel (photo by Sister Nina Shephard)

Recently FSPA, along with the global Catholic church, celebrated the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi who, after more than 800 years, continues to be a model for all. St. Clare's gentle, loving spirit and care still flow from her deep, contemplative life of prayer. She was a woman of integrity and courage who did not give up when obstacles appeared in her path. She listened in discernment for the voice of God in her heart to provide direction for action in her life. She conversed with royalty, dialogued with bishops and the pope, and protected her sisters when invaders threatened San Damiano. She relied on God in every moment.

Any one of these events would be remarkable for most people to experience and yet St. Clare moved always with grace and humility. Her greatest desire was to gaze on the face of her beloved whether in prayer before the San Damiano Cross or in the faces of the men, women and children who came to her doors for healing of their bodies and spirits. St. Clare of Assisi is a phenomenal model, mentor and friend--a woman who said “yes” to God without contingency. She lived an incredible life and encourages those of us living today to do the same.


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The presence of St. Clare illuminated the vigil (photo by Sister Nina Shephard)

How are the lessons St. Clare teaches present in your discernment?

What could happen if, like Clare, you lived your life steeped in prayer?  

Sustaining ecological abundance

Tuesday, May 23rd 2017 1:53 pm
Fresh ecospirituality for thought at Prairiewoods
“Prairiewoods was founded with the belief,” begins Nancy Hoffman, FSPA, “that integral ecology and connection with the earth are spiritual necessities.”

My Perspective: Sister Lucy invites us into Jacoba's Greenhouse

Tuesday, May 23rd 2017 2:05 pm
With nutrient rich, composted soil under her fingernails and dirt on her knees Lucy Slinger, FSPA ecological advocate, has tended to the bounties of the community’s farmland on St. Joseph Ridge...

Sister Karen Neuser's Six Word Story

Tuesday, May 17th 2016 12:07 pm
Sister Karen Neuser, FSPA


Dancing-Francis-lead-follow

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Eileen's Six Word Story

Tuesday, July 19th 2016 10:11 am
Sister Eileen McKenzie, FSPA


Your-life-is-bigger

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Gertrude's Six Word Story

Tuesday, June 28th 2016 10:09 am
Sister Gertrude Daugherty


Came-saw-stayed-Gertrude-Daugherty

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Rochelle's Six Word Story

Tuesday, December 20th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Rochelle Potaracke, FSPA


called-name-hooked-FSPA-Rochelle-Potaracke

What's your six word discernment story?

Franciscan family reunions

Thursday, June 30th 2016 10:24 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

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Statue of St. Francis overlooking San Damiano in Assisi, Italy

St. Francis of Assisi knew it was important for his brothers to routinely come together. He called these gatherings Chapter of Mats, because the brothers would literally bring mats to sleep on while they camped at San Damiano. San Damiano, a church in Assisi, Italy, was the first home of the Franciscan Order. It’s where Francis heard the call from God to “rebuild my church.”

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San Damiano courtyard

Today, summer is a time when many people pack suitcases and travel to family reunions. Some unite immediate families—those we know well—and others are big extended-family events where nametags are necessary to identify aunts, uncles and cousins as members of the family. In the past 10 days I have had the opportunity to attend gatherings that identify as both.

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Sisters by birth and vows of FSPA, Sisters Carolyn and Roselyn Heil, rejoice together during Community Days.

Inspired by the wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi, FSPAs from across the globe gathered at St. Rose Convent, our motherhouse in La Crosse, Wisconsin, for what we call Community Days. It was a time of inspiration as we shared stories of the people and places we serve, prayed before the Blessed Sacrament, discussed the ongoing call of ministry and celebrated each individual’s gifts as we were sent forth into mission. Spending time with one another strengthens our commitment to religious life and reminds us of the call we have each received from God to continue in the Franciscan tradition to rebuild the church today.

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FSPA gathered for Community Days in St. Rose Convent's Mary of the Angels Chapel (photo by Sister Nina Shephard)

Sent forth in my own mission of vocations, of sharing the invitation to religious life with FSPA, I then attended a gathering of the Franciscan Federation. The Franciscan Federation is a larger group of the Franciscan family—religious brothers and sisters who follow the Third Order Rule of St. Francis. Members of the organization that promotes “the exploration and study of Franciscan Evangelical Life and its implications for these ties and for the world” come from different Franciscan religious congregations, span the United States, serve diverse ministries, and unite in a celebration much like an extended family reunion.

We all share the same tradition and the name Franciscan but each community looks a bit different. The nametags we wear and the stories we tell of our founders help us know what part of the family we come from. Gathered around tables were sisters and brothers, each bringing a depth of lived experience to the conversations. The Federation is celebrating 50 years of existence, born from a dream of collaboration. Today the organization continues to grapple with the challenges and gifts of collaborating across congregations, ideologies and busy calendars in a world that continues to grow in diversity. The work of the Gospel always calls for innovation to meet the needs of the times we live in and the coming together of family to achieve it.

As you explore your own discernment, consider the distinctive family traits of each community: Franciscans are known as peacemakers, Dominicans as preachers, Benedictines as hospitality givers. Is it in your nature to exude peace? Are you called to join a family of Franciscans working in service of the Gospel with joyful hearts, gathering regularly to work together on important needs and seeing all of creation as brothers and sisters?

Service Saturday: mutuality at its core

Thursday, January 26th 2017 2:15 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Most Saturdays, especially those overshadowed by rain and cold, are prime sleep-in opportunities for college students. Yet at 8:30 a.m. last weekend more than 60 from Viterbo University came through doors of St. Rose Convent with light and joy to join FSPA in a day of service projects. The energy and excitement was contagious as participants eagerly grabbed fabric to make blankets and dry ingredients to package instant soup in jars, ready to share their joy of life with others.

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Service Saturday students from Viterbo University at St. Rose Convent

Collaboration between the Viterbo community and the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration on behalf of serving others was the theme dubbed Service Saturday. As FSPA director of membership I co-coordinated the event with Kirsten Gabriel (director of Viterbo's service learning program) who reminded everyone of the mutual transformation that is possible when we enter into service with open minds and hearts.

student-Sister-Esther-making-valentines

A Viterbo student makes valentines for veterans with Sister Esther Leis

Sister Antona Schedlo reiterated the importance of service as it contributes to mission. Sharing her vocation story and commitment to the mission of FSPA, she challenged everyone to follow their dreams and take time to ponder how far they are willing to go to reach them. Her goal as a young sister was to serve as a missionary and, although it took more than 17 years, she did make it to the mission fields of her dreams in El Salvador. She invited participants to look beyond the projects of the day into the deeper reality of serving others throughout their lives. The activities are more than tasks to complete: sewing mittens to donate to The Salvation Army is a way to stitch together the stories of those in need and letting their lived realities change your outlook.


students-with-mittens-made

Two of the many pairs of mittens knitted that day

Heads nodded as the wisdom of Sister Antona’s thought-provoking statements took root. More than hands were busy later that morning as students pondered the deeper meaning of packing hygiene bags for homeless, frosting Valentine cookies for a local shelter, writing letters of care and encouragement to people they don't know nor will see face-to-face.

You could almost hear them wondering what it's like to walk in the shoes of someone in need. What lessons do they teach? How are both parties changed in their awareness? The Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus accompanying others in good times and challenging ones, inspiring the disciples not to impose power but to walk with the people. St. Francis of Assisi learned this lesson by taking time to accompany the lepers; observing and then taking action.

Discernment has such mutuality at its core.

It takes the willingness to learn and grow along the journey of life. Sometimes it means relinquishing control and letting God provide the lesson—vulnerability offered for those willing to let the experiences of service sink in.

How can the idea of collaboration shed light on your discernment journey?

Are you open to the idea that God co-creates with you the future?

Want more inspiration for service and discernment? Check out the recent Global Sisters Report article "Oh, the places you'll go if you collaborate."

FSPA celebrates six new spiritual collaborators

Wednesday, December 20th 2017 1:01 pm
Please help FSPA welcome six new affiliates in the community who are committed to becoming spiritual collaborators joined in sacred relationship, supporting one another to live the Gospel and...

Photo of the Week - Week 2

Thursday, January 20th 2022 3:55 pm

I have to say, I had not intended to ever post a photo of myself as the photo of the week, but as luck would have it, being in isolation really limits the opportunity to take photos. So here we are on week 2 - and here I am! I was considering taking a photo of Anita's Silpancho. It's a traditional large, flat piece of beef, lightly breaded and fried with an egg on top, rice and salsa. It was delicious. 

Since this was the scene for the last week, I thought this more appropriate. I have been working hard at my studies all week with the wonderful instructors at CLIMAL who have really taken great care of me and adapted their schedules to allow me to continue learning. I am so grateful for Anita, who takes care of me, leaves breakfast, lunch and dinner at my door and has given me an incredibly comfortable place to stay. 

I have been overwhelmed by the amount of prayer and support I have received since learning I had COVID. Thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers! I am doing very well and have the tiniest symptoms left at this point. On Monday, I hope to be retested and receive a negative result so I can begin experiencing what it is to be in Cochabamba again. 

Paz Y Bien!

Photo of the Week - Week 2

Thursday, January 20th 2022 3:55 pm

I have to say, I had not intended to ever post a photo of myself as the photo of the week, but as luck would have it, being in isolation really limits my opportunity to take photos. So here we are on week 2 - and here I am!

I was considering taking a photo of Anita's Silpancho. It's a traditional Cochabamba plato with a large, flat piece of beef, lightly breaded and fried with an egg on top, rice and salsa. It was delicious.

Since this was the scene for the last week, I thought this more appropriate. I have been working hard at my studies all week with the wonderful instructors at CLIMAL who have adapted their schedules to allow me to continue learning. It is such a gift to me, and they do it with kindness, smiles and (I may have mentioned this before) loads of patience. I am so grateful for Anita, who takes care of me, leaves breakfast, lunch and dinner at my door and has given me an incredibly comfortable place to stay.

I have been overwhelmed by the amount of prayer and support I have received since learning I had COVID. Thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers! I am doing very well and have the tiniest symptoms left at this point. On Monday, I hope to be retested and receive a negative result so I can begin experiencing what it is to be in Cochabamba again.

Paz Y Bien!

Sister Helen's Six Word Story

Tuesday, August 16th 2016 10:13 am
Sister Helen Castner, FSPA


express-my-true-joy-to everyone-Helen-Castner

 

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Karolyne's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, February 14th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Karolyne Rohlik, FSPA

 

Angels-in-apron-Glacier-Park-Sister-Karolyne-Rohlik

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Rosalia's Six Word Story

Tuesday, January 3rd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Rosalia Bauer, FSPA


surprise-I-am-inviting-you-now-Sister-Rosalia-Bauer

What's your six word discernment story?

Compassionate Care

Sunday, January 16th 2022 3:29 pm

Compassionate Care

I arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia a little more than a week ago. The words I would use to sum up the time here so far are compassionate care. Compassionate care of me, what an incredible gift!

When I landed here, I was greeted by three friends and my host mother, Anita. It was a surprise and very much appreciated after the long flight. It was a great start to this adventure! We arrived at my home here, which is a lovely single room house with a bathroom. It is just a perfect place to stay! Pictured here (starting on the left) are Anita, Domo (Franciscan Mission Service), Paul (Maryknoll), myself and Victor (Maryknoll).

Anita is an amazing host. I receive the most incredible and healthy homemade meals, here. We have had great conversations as we eat as well. Our phones are always next to us, so we can find the right words to talk about our homes, growing up and our families. I was surprised from the beginning how much I can already understand. At one point, when some of Anita’s family was visiting, we were talking about COVID, and how some people don’t want to get vaccinated, and they expressed how frustrated they were about it. I thought it was interesting how the conversation was so similar to those I've had in the states the weeks before I came.
Roadside Hawk
I also started school on Monday. Anita was kind enough to drive me the first day, and I arrived at the Maryknoll Center here, full of gardens and (wahoo!) birds singing. Inside, we met our instructors who are all very kind, full of joy and super patient, which I really appreciate! This week I learned how to greet people, ask some general questions and describe people. I had fun using all the best descriptors for my family and friends! Pictured here is a Roadside Hawk that I found one day at the Center.

Cochabamba Street DogWalking to and from class was a nice way to get to know the area and practice my Spanish: Buenos Dias! Buenas Tardes! I also greet the dogs I see along the way, most of which are street dogs: Hola mi perro! Pictured here is a local street dog I pass each day. They are not mean, but also uninterested in being friends.

Breakfast During IsolationLate in the week I woke up with a bit of an itchy throat. I was hopeful that it would be allergies, but unfortunately, it was COVID. Somewhere in my travels, I picked it up. I will be isolating in my little home for 10 days. I have been overwhelmed at everyone’s kind response to getting sick. The school had to be closed, disinfected and everyone there tested. They have been so gracious about it and even held online class with me for a short time the next day. Anita has been leaving me breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea, and whatever else I need, outside my door. She always waits so she can see me and make sure I look ok – but from a distance of course! Pictured here is breakfast: some carrot bread, a blood sugar regulating smoothy (Anita found the recipe which contains mango, almond milk and cinnamon, num!) and Mate de Coca tea.

So far, COVID has not been too rough, just like a bad cold. It’s early, but the symptoms are mild and should begin dissipating in a few days, which I am grateful for. I worry most about the people I came in contact with, especially Anita, my friends, as well as the instructors and the students at the school. It is quite a burden being the one to bring COVID to a place. I continue to pray for their health and wellbeing.

When I was learning about Bolivia I heard about how full of hospitality the Bolivian people are, and this first week has proven it to be true! I am so blessed to be in this place at this time, and blessed by everyone around me.

Photo of the Week - Week 1

Wednesday, January 12th 2022 10:24 pm

Mountain View on Main Road in CochabambaMountain Views in Cochabamba

They are possibly the most breathtaking part of Cochabamba, Bolivia. 

Cochabamba is a beautiful place. It is a large city, but even so it is full of lush, green grass, shrubs, trees and flowers. There isn't much space - or many times any - space between the buildings, so the people of Cochabamba have utilized their boulevards to create places of great beauty. 

It's easy to focus on the city itself. I think I did that for the first two days I was here. It wasn't until I was walking to Mass at a little local chapel down the road when I looked up and saw the amazing mountains. They are immense and beautiful, ringing the city in a natural embrace. 

I hope to get an opportunity to travel into the mountains a little before I leave, but in the meantime, I will appreciate and be grateful for such an immense work of art. 

Bendiciones!

Photo of the Week - Week 5

Thursday, February 10th 2022 2:51 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Normally, on my walk to class, I take a road that is between the walls of the Maryknoll Center (where we have class) and a bike path that winds through the city. Just beyond the bike path on the side fathest from me I have seen clothes hanging all day, every day. I always assumed it was someone who had a laundering service of some kind. 

Lately, the road in front of the school has been under construction, so I have had to walk another way. It takes me beyond, to the other side of it all. As I've taken this way for quite a few days now, I have become curious about the area. 

There are signs on my current route and I've learned that this is a public lavanderia, or clothes washing area. People come here to hand wash their clothes and then hang them on the lines to dry. This one is called "Lavanderias Traditionales de Cala Cala" and has been here since 1860. Cala Cala is the bario, or neighborhood, I live in. 

Since I have come to Cochabamba, I have have felt challenged to reconsider my assumptions and standards. This lavanderia has given me pause for thought. I see women throwing day old pan (bread) to the pigeons, talking and getting started with their day in the morning. I see people there all the time in conversation. I see an older gentleman on crutches there everyday, acting as caretaker. This place creates community by giving people the opportunity to get work done, and get to know their neighbors at the same time. The caretaker recognizes me now and greets me as I pass by. It is this small gesture that invites me to the neighborhood. 

Photo of the Week - Week 6

Thursday, February 17th 2022 12:16 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a strange creature! At the end of our time in Incachaca we stopped for Trucha (trout) at a restaurant and fishery. The sun finally snuck out from behind the clouds and suddenly, the place was filled with all sorts of different butterflies. They were all sorts of bright colors and all different sizes. They seemed to be too fast for me though, and I only was able to snap a photo of a small white butterfly. I didn't think anything of it and forgot I had taken it until I was reviewing the photos. Looking closer, the small white butterfly becomes an incredible wonder with striped antennae, bright green eyes and a soft yellow outline. Can you see the tongue drinking water? What a gift! I wonder if there are other things in my world right now that I need to take a closer look at in order to see the wonder. I think I'll start looking!

I'm not sure what it will be like in Santa Cruz, so if you don't see posts for a little while, don't worry! I will post as often as I can. 

If you would like to be notified when I have new posts, be sure to scroll to the bottom, provide your email address, check the box confirming you are not a robot, click on a few photos to prove it and click Subscribe! You will then receive an email after each new post.

Renewal, Transition and Beautiful Reflection

Monday, December 5th 2022 4:39 pm

In my last reflection, I didn't realize I would send another, but then Sister Michelle L'Allier, a Little Falls Franciscan Sister invited me to talk about religious life and my time in Bolivia on her podcast, Engaging Franciscan Wisdom. Together, we had a meaningful conversation about life, Franciscan values, assumptions and lots more. If you have enjoyed my reflections, you might enjoy the podcast, which is available via YouTube.

Engaging Franciscan Wisdom, Episode 48: Hospitality & Presence: teachers of beauty & living in unity

I am filled with gratitude to all who have shared my life with me over the last year. I have had time for renewal and am now transitioning into new paths as I return to school and seek a part-time ministry to share my gifts. Great blessings to you this Advent, throughout the Christmas season and all through 2023!

Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 29th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

Sister Karen's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, March 14th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Karen Kappell, FSPA

 

commited-Gospel-living-Sisters-Karen-Kappell

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Jean's Six Word Story

Wednesday, December 7th 2016 7:50 am
Sister Jean Kasparbauer, FSPA

 

love-question-allure-beauty-joy-jean-kasparbauer

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Mildred's Six Word Story

Tuesday, May 10th 2016 8:46 am
Sister Mildred Tigges, FSPA


Sister-Mildred's-six-word-story

What's your six word discernment story?

Photo of the Week - Week 6

Thursday, February 17th 2022 12:16 pm

What a strange creature! At the end of our time in Incachaca we stopped for Trucha (trout) at a restaurant and fishery. The sun finally snuck out from behind the clouds and suddenly, the place was filled with all sorts of different butterflies. They were all sorts of bright colors and all different sizes. They seemed to be too fast for me though, and I only was able to snap a photo of a small white butterfly. I didn't think anything of it and forgot I had taken it until I was reviewing the photos. Looking closer, the small white butterfly becomes an incredible wonder with striped antennae, bright green eyes and a soft yellow outline. Can you see the tongue drinking water? What a gift! I wonder if there are other things in my world right now that I need to take a closer look at in order to see the wonder. I think I'll start looking!

I'm not sure what it will be like in Santa Cruz, so if you don't see posts for a little while, don't worry! I will post as often as I can.

If you would like to be notified when I have new posts, be sure to scroll to the bottom, provide your email address, check the box confirming you are not a robot, click on a few photos to prove it and click Subscribe! You will then receive an email after each new post.

Sister Betty's Six Word Story

Tuesday, January 17th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Betty Bradley, FSPA

 

call--love-companionship-creative-evolution-FSPA-betty-bradley

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Nancy Lafferty's Six Word Story

Tuesday, May 24th 2016 10:08 am
Sister Nancy Lafferty, FSPA


Viterbo-Student-University-Professor-57-years!-Sister-Nancy-Lafferty

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Eileen's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, February 7th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Eileen Neumann, FSPA

 

needs-are-seen-ways-are-open-Sister-Eileen-Neumann

 

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Margaret's Six Word Story

Tuesday, December 27th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Margaret Schmolke, FSPA


I-searched-argued-hesitated-prayed-answered-Margaret-Schmolke

What's your six word discernment story?

Photo of the Week - Week 5

Thursday, February 10th 2022 2:51 pm

Normally, on my walk to class, I take a road that is between the walls of the Maryknoll Center (where we have class) and a bike path that winds through the city. Just beyond the bike path on the side farthest from me, I have seen clothes hanging all day, every day. I always assumed it was someone who had a laundering service of some kind.

Lately, the road in front of the school has been under construction, so I have had to walk another way. It takes me beyond, to the other side of it all. As I've taken this way for quite a few days now, I have become curious about the area.

There are signs on my current route and I've learned that this is a public lavanderia, or clothes washing area. People come here to hand wash their clothes and then hang them on the lines to dry. This one is called "Lavanderias Traditionales de Cala Cala" and has been here since 1860. Cala Cala is the bario, or neighborhood, I live in.

Since I have come to Cochabamba, I have have felt challenged to reconsider my assumptions and standards. This lavanderia has given me pause for thought. I see women throwing day-old pan (bread) to the pigeons, talking and getting started with their day in the morning. I see people there all the time in conversation. I see an older gentleman on crutches there every day, acting as caretaker. This place creates community by giving people the opportunity to get work done and get to know their neighbors at the same time. The caretaker recognizes me now and greets me as I pass by. It is this small gesture that invites me to the neighborhood.

Photo of the Week - Week 1

Wednesday, January 12th 2022 10:24 pm

Mountain View on Main Road in CochabambaMountain Views in Cochabamba

They are possibly the most breathtaking part of Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Cochabamba is a beautiful place. It is a large city, but even so it is full of lush, green grass, shrubs, trees and flowers. There isn't much - or many times any - space between the buildings, so the people of Cochabamba have utilized their boulevards to create places of great beauty.

It's easy to focus on the city itself. I think I did that for the first two days I was here. It wasn't until I was walking to Mass at a little local chapel down the road on Sunday when I looked up and saw the amazing mountains. They are immense and beautiful, ringing the city in a natural embrace.

I hope to get an opportunity to travel into the mountains a little before I leave, but in the meantime, I will appreciate and be grateful for such an immense work of art.

Bendiciones!

Photo of the Week - Week 3

Thursday, January 27th 2022 7:25 pm

I had some great ideas about which photo to give you this week but then God made such a pretty rainbow, I jumped to my camera and snapped a bunch of photos. Aren't rainbows so beaufiful and whisper of promises and hope. My heart skips when I see a rainbow - it has ever since I was a young girl. I know it's shared with everyone, but I guess a part of me thinks, somehow, it's also just for me. I realize that's how God's love feels for me. It's for everyone, but somehow also something special, just for me. Thank you God! 

Note: This photo was taken over the neighbors roof. You might notice a tank there. The tank is how water is delivered in Cochabamba. Throughout the week, a truck drops off water to the houses in the city. 

Me gusta comida! Togetherness with Traditional Bolivian Foods

Sunday, February 6th 2022 3:48 pm

Me gusta comida! I love food! We were learning the names of different foods in my Spanish classes and when in conversation if I liked this or that food, my response was usually, "Si! Me gusta comida!"

For me, food is more than just the actual dish. It is conversation, relationship, friendship. It is an expression of love from the person who prepares the food and an expression of togetherness for all who partake. It is a social connection that is formed around the table in which all participants are included and invited to share in life-giving sustenance.

While in Cochabamba, I have had the opportunity to enjoy many meals with my host mother, Anita. She is an excellent cook and always makes healthy and delicious meals. From time to time, Anita brings in a traditional food or we go out for something special. I've been out to a couple meals with others too. And with each meal, there is a growing sense of comfort as well as the bond of getting to know each other. 

Here are a few of the things I have had while I was here. 

Mate con Coca

Api con Pasteles

Sillplancha

Tranca Pecho

 

 

 

 

 

Rellenos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pique Macho

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pique Gordito

 

 

 

 

 

Torte and Chocolate Caliente

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sister Jolyce's Six Word Story

Tuesday, November 1st 2016 10:00 am
Sister Jolyce Greteman, FSPA


God-called-I-responded-life-blessed

 

What's your six word discernment story?

Photo of the Week - Week 18

Thursday, May 12th 2022 2:24 pm

The skies were clear and bright as I snapped this photo. Admittedly, it's not very attractive. I still find it fascinating though. This is a photo of the solar water heater in Yaguarú. There are some in Ascención too, but I couldn't get a good angle on them. I love that they are using the sun's energy to heat the water for their rooms. As a matter of fact, this specific one heated the water in my room's shower! What a practical and ingenious way to take advantage of the sunny weather that is present most days here.

May is the anniversary of Laudato Si, a letter written to all people of goodwill concerning the environment and the need for us to care for creation. As a Laudato Si Animator, this encyclical is especially close to me. You can read the full letter here: vatican.va.

If you are interested in ideas on how you can care for creation around you, you can check out the Laudato Si Action Platform and create an account here: laudatosiactionplatform.org.

Sister Rosalia's Six Word Mission Story

Tuesday, March 7th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Rosalia Bauer, FSPA

 

hot-air-balloons-celebrate-life-Rosalia-Bauer

Are you willing to share (post a comment below) your own Six Word Mission Story?

Sister Ronalda's Six Word Story

Tuesday, November 15th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Ronalda Hophan


painful-beginning-interesting-ministries-early-retirement-Sister-Ronalda-Hophan

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Romana's Six Word Story

Tuesday, January 10th 2017 10:00 am
Sister Romana Klaubauf, FSPA


family-love-beckoning-God-church-woman

What's your six word discernment story?

Use words when necessary

Thursday, June 9th 2016 3:59 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


Sister-Kristin-vow-renwal-ceremony

Photo courtesy of FSPA

There is power in our words and when our actions match, our lives are witness to others. “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words,” reads a quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. Recently, Sister Kristin renewed her FSPA vows of poverty, consecrated celibacy and obedience. The words she spoke in her vow formula are worth much more than surface value; they personify public commitment to the way she lives her life in the context of community and the world each day.

Making religious vows is a statement of belief of the providence of God. Psalm 16:11 is a wonderful resource for meditation. The words placed on the lips of the psalmist are familiar. We are reminded in all the moments of our life God is there. God is with us on the celebratory days such as profession of vows and also the challenging days when we struggle with the circumstances of life. With the grace God provides, each person is enabled to remain faithful to their life commitments.  

What commitments does your life call you to? How do you live them out? How does your life preach the Gospel today?

Sister Therese's Six Word Story

Tuesday, September 27th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Therese Wolf, FSPA

 

God-called-journey-began-still-journeying-Therese-Wolf-FSPA

 

What's your six word discernment story?

 

Grilling, chilling and discernment

Thursday, July 28th 2016 12:30 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


smoking-grill-trees-lake

Image by Sister Amy Taylor

When I think of summer I revel in the possibilities of beautiful weather and time to slow down, relax and reconnect in person (not through Facebook) with family and friends. And with record high temperatures across the upper Midwest the media advises moving at a snail’s pace to save energy and stay coolanother change in our tempo.

Letting go of the urge to hurry in every moment—when the time comes to stop working and get to a gathering, when we can't rush around in the heat doing what we think we have to do quickly—can be difficult. After all, American culture demands instant results. I came face-to-face with this reality while vacationing for a week with my FSPA sisters. One day we decided to grill hamburgers for our evening meal. Typically, after a full day of ministry, we run home to quickly cook and put dinner on the table. Charcoal grills, however, can have cooking minds of their own: run hot and cold in the wind and placement of the coals; temperamental to the skill level of the one flipping the food. Grilling is not an instantaneous process but when you're on vacation, why rush? Why not enjoy the experience?

If you dig deeper into the coals, grilling can offer wisdom for the discernment process. Controlling an open flame takes a careful eye. Too much oxygen and the flames might jump wildly, too little and the coals can suffocate. Smoke can obscure vision and make breathing difficult. Multitasking or walking away can result in a seriously overdone dinner. In a matter of a few moments burgers can go from perfection to charred hockey pucks.

Just like grilling, rushing discernment can spark out-of-control flames, become all consuming, or stifle it out completely. Smoke in discernment can cloud vision; can surface in the form of anything that encourages distraction from the very personal and mindful process. The same holds true of too much trepidation thatlike putting the lid on the grillcan snuff out gifts and talents, slowly suffocate bright flames. 

Yet if we take the time to be attentive to the process we will discover our unique discernment temperature. Letting the coals of discernment provide the necessary inspiration can lead to sweet success, just like the enjoyment of roasting marshmallows in the dusk of a summertime barbeque.

Are you taking time this summer to nurture the coals and fan the flames in your life?

Sister Fran's Six Word Story

Tuesday, August 2nd 2016 11:14 am
Sister Fran Browning, FSPA


God-called-finally-yes-God-smiled-Fran-Browning

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Mildred's 6 Word Story of Hope

Thursday, August 20th 2020 10:20 am
Mildred Tigges, FSPA


woman-arms-open-words-kind-act-loving-smile-lifted-spirit-rose-graphic-mildred-tigges-fspa

Are Show me a sign's 6 Word Stories of hope inspiring you? More coming soon ...

Are you discerning religious life? Walking with someone who is? We invite you to share this link, fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

Sister Marian's Six Word Story

Tuesday, December 13th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Marian Massman, FSPA


heart-strings-gentle-nudge-deep-peace-marian-massman

 

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Mary's Six Word Story

Tuesday, October 25th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Mary Morrissey, FSPA


whisper-what-when-now-yes-go

What's your six word discernment story?

Photo of the Week - Week 24

Wednesday, June 22nd 2022 5:34 am

This incredible work of art is painted on the wall of the church in Ascención. It's on the parish side, which is opposite the convent. In other words, I have to walk through the church and outside to see it. At first, it seems like a nice mural depicting three times in Francis' life. When he received the stigmata (the wounds of Christ), preaching to creation, and the blessing of St. Francis.

As I looked closer though, I realized that the three scenes are set in Ascención! The trees and flowers are those found here. The animals in the center that are depicted include a macaw, stork, pigeons, swallows and I'm pretty sure that little creature in the center is a Jochie!  (I still don't know how to spell that!) Even the dog that is sitting so regally reminds me of the German Shepherd, Rex, who guards the parish in the evenings. Finally, the last painting depicts the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis next to St. Francis, stepping in for the Poor Clares as Francis blesses the church and pueblo.

Artistry that tells a story is probably my favorite kind of art, but this goes even further, bringing the pueblo into the story.

If you want to see a full-size version of this art, you can get to it by clicking here.

Me gusta comida! Togetherness with Traditional Bolivian Foods

Sunday, February 6th 2022 3:48 pm

Me gusta comida! I love food! We were learning the names of different foods in my Spanish classes and when in conversation if I liked this or that food, my response was usually, "Si! Me gusta comida!"

For me, food is more than just the actual dish, although the flavor is very important. It is conversation, relationship and friendship. It is an expression of love from the person who prepares the food and an expression of togetherness for all who partake. It is a social connection that is formed around the table in which all participants are included and invited to share in life-giving sustenance.

While in Cochabamba, I have had the opportunity to enjoy many meals with my host mother, Anita. She is an excellent cook and always makes healthy and delicious meals. From time to time, Anita brings in traditional food or we go out for something special. I've been out to a couple of meals with others too. And with each meal, there is a growing sense of comfort as well as the bond of getting to know each other.

Here are a few of the unique foods and drinks I have enjoyed in my time here. I've included some links you can click on to learn more and even see videos about the food and Cochabamba.

Mate Coca

I know I've talked about this before but wanted to give this wonderful tea the spotlight. This is the first traditional item I had when I came here. It is said to help adjust to the altitude. Close your eyes and imagine the smell of freshly cut grass. I've always loved the smell, and now I know I love the flavor too! Mate Coca tastes just like the smell of freshly mowed grass. It is fresh and herbal. Now, each morning and evening, Anita includes this with my meal. It is warming and delicious.

Api con Pastel

I do wish I had remembered to take a photo of this! One evening, not too long after my isolation ended, Anita asked if I wanted to enjoy this traditional treat. The pastel (pastry) is delicious. It's a dough that is deep-fried and poofs up like a big pillow that takes up the whole plate. Inside is a small amount of simple cheese and the top is covered in powdered sugar. You have to deflate the pastry before eating it and puffs of steam escape as it collapses.

You would think that that was the best part of the treat, but no! The Api is a traditional hot drink that is sweet and comes in a glass mug so you can see layers of purple and white. The most amazing part of this drink is that it's made of corn! No fruit added (although I am guessing a fair amount of sugar). The different colors in the glass are actually different kinds of corn. It was thick, creamy and so delicious!

Silpancho

Silpancho is a main dish that consists of a large flat piece of meat, pounded thin and fried with rice, potato, finely diced veggies (tomato and onion) and a fried egg on top. This was the first traditional meal I had and Anita was kind enough to leave it outside my door while I was isolating.

Trancapecho

Imagine taking everything that is in a Silpancho, sticking it in a bun and you've got Trancapecho! Inside the bun are some potato, rice, beef, egg and a tomato-onion mixture. I added a bit of the Picante peppers too. This was such a fun treat. On a chilly, rainy night we drove to La Isla, a drive-up grouping of restaurants that offer sandwiches and other food prepared quickly and served on plastic tables - or to go of course. We decided to eat there and I had the BEST time trying to eat this sandwich. It was so good! I am not an experienced Trancapecho eater though, so I made such a mess. I also had a traditional juice that is popular in Cochabamba that is flavored with cinnamon and has a peach pit on the bottom of each glass.

Rellenos

One afternoon for lunch, Anita surprised me with Rellenos! When I first saw them they looked like large fried potatoes but after I cut into mine, wow! It was a work of art. Inside the delicious ball of mashed potato, there was a hard-boiled egg surrounded by meat (beef and chicken) and veggies. The whole thing is fried. They were really great. These were originally made as a handheld lunch that was quick to eat (and delicious!)

 

 

 

Pique Macho

This may be the most fun out of all the traditional foods I have tried. We ordered it for dinner before going to the Parque de la Familia on Wednesday evening. This dish is made to share. On a large platter, the first layer is a mound of fried potatoes, a lot like potato wedges. On top of that, there is a delicious, marinated beef. On top of that is a healthy number of sliced hot dogs (I really appreciate the respect they give to hot dogs here). There are a few tomatoes, a few green peppers and it's all topped with onion. It's not in the photo, but there's also a hard-boiled egg. Served on the side is a thin beef sauce as well as mayo, ketchup and mustard. Eight of us split two platters and it was difficult to finish!

You may notice a pitcher next to the pique macho. At the restaurants I have been to, they offer freshly made juice. This one was passion fruit. I had a little, and it was delicious. I had to save my carbs for the potatoes though. I admit, it has proven difficult to be low-carb here!

 

Pique Gordo

Later in the week, my friend Victor and I went out to lunch after CLIMAL, our language school, took us on a fun tour of Cochabamba. Victor hadn't been with us for the last pique so we decided to get it at La Casa de Gordo for lunch. It was SO BIG! On top of the traditional toppings, the dish also included a piece of chicken, an extra egg, a plantain, a chorizo and meat that we weren't sure about. (Later Victor figured it out - cow udder!) We both ate some of everything and didn't come close to finishing it. Lesson learned for next time - bring a couple more friends for pique!

Torte and Chocolate Caliente

I considered not including what I enjoyed at the Chocolateria because it's not traditional but in the end, I decided to anyway. Sister Tere, a Dominican sister living in Cochabamba, and I went here to have coffee. Well, she ended up having fruit tea and I decided to have a hot chocolate as a treat. I also had a piece of torte as a treat too! The cake was delicious with layer after layer of cake and filling. I am only sad I couldn't try them all. As you can see though, they were huge! This is not the best photo, but you can see half of a mug next to it. That was my hot chocolate. It came out and had three jumbo marshmallows on top, torched just a little bit so they were golden brown. What was amazing was how the chocolate was more like melted chocolate and so rich and wonderful - like they didn't put water or milk was added. Sister Tere knows the owner and told me she has traveled the world to find the best way to make all of her creations. I can't imagine having anything better.


There are a few things I would still like to try including Sopa de Mani (peanut soup) and Chicharrón (grilled pork). I only have two weeks left here so I am not sure if I will get the chance but I am hopeful!

Once I arrive in Santa Cruz, there are all different traditional dishes so I will have to start over. That sounded like I wasn't looking forward to it. Really, I can't wait! I hear rumors that they are known for their cheeses, so I am looking forward to that! Also, fruit is popular in Santa Cruz's tropical climate, so it will be fun to try some new types of fruits.

(I just had to include this photo of Coca-Cola sin azucar (without sugar). I have been here for over a month and only had soda twice. It's a special treat for me and went great with the Pique Gordo!)

May you all find some togetherness around a dinner table sometime soon - God bless!

Photo of the Week - Week 9

Wednesday, March 9th 2022 6:58 pm

Me gustan las motos! Sister Yanira snapped this photo of me on our way back from a neighborhood yesterday. The most popular mode of transportation in this area is the motorcycle (moto in espanol) and so when I first arrived and Sister Yanira mentioned that she normally takes a motorcycle taxi to and from the clinic to visit patients, I decided I should embrace this part of the culture here. It is a gift to get to ride on a motorcycle (side-saddle of course because I am wearing a skirt!) after a hot day of walking around a neighborhood in the sun. The breeze is cooling and I even get to see a bird or two on the way back. Is it dangerous? Probably a little, but traffic in this area runs smoothly and everyone is used to the flow so we weave around a car or a truck, bounce over rocky roads, snake around big puddles on skinny tracks and make it back to the center in time for lunch. It's the best deal in town - only 3 bolivianos! (That's the equivalent of about $.45 in US dollars.) Today, when I asked Sister Yanira which photo I should share, she quickly told me this was the one!

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Photo of the Week - Week 3

Thursday, January 27th 2022 7:25 pm

I had some great ideas about which photo to present this week, but then God made such a pretty rainbow, I jumped up, grabbed my camera and snapped a bunch of photos. Rainbows are so beautiful and they whisper to me of promises and hope. My heart smiles when I see rainbows - they have ever since I was young. It's obvious that rainbows are visible to everyone, but I guess a part of me thinks, somehow, they're also just for me. I realize that's how I feel about God's love. It's for everyone, but somehow, it's also something special, just for me. I feel such gratitude for this gift.

Note: This photo was taken over the neighbors roof. You might notice a tank there. The tank is how water is delivered to homes in Cochabamba. Throughout the week, a truck drops off water to the houses in the city. It is very interesting to know of this alternate way of getting a vital resource like water. I hadn't ever considered there were different ways to get water. I wonder what other interesting innovations I will discover!

Sister Kathy's Six Word Story

Tuesday, May 3rd 2016 1:39 pm
Sister Kathy Roberg, FSPA


pink-flower-seed-planted-darkness-light-life-grew

What's your six word discernment story?

Celebrating a Culture: Happy Dià del Estado Plurinacional! (Day of the Pluri-national State)

Sunday, January 23rd 2022 3:05 pm

Yesterday, January 22nd, was a very special day for the people of Bolivia. It marks the anniversary of their constitution. Over ten years old, it's a young constitution. To my understanding, this new constitution was written and ratified in the hopes of creating a nation that cherishes diversity and respects the needs of all of its people. With the new constitution came the addition of another flag full of colors to symbolize the people of the country. 

Normally, there would be a great celebration throughout Bolivia, including parades and fireworks. As you may guess, these were canceled this year due to the pandemic. I considered how, in my isolation, I could honor the day. Yesterday I enjoyed some wonderful Bolivian music filled with guitars and flutes. For me, the music is full of emotion, hope and energy. I really like it.

Today, I felt called to delve more deeply into the constitution. I wondered how a constitution could possibly address all that might entail such big ideas like equity, interculturality and the environment. The best way to find out, I decided, was to read it! I found an copy of the constitution in English. I was a bit intimidated when I saw it was 131 pages. After starting to read however, I realized that there is a lot of instructional detail in the Bolivian Constitution. It’s kind of a one-stop shop for all the ideals and expectations of the Bolivian people. 

The document started with: In ancient times mountains arose, rivers moved, and lakes were formed. Our Amazonia, our swamps, our highlands, and our plains and valleys were covered with greenery and flowers. As you can imagine, I was hooked and wanted to keep reading. I am on page 36 now, and am impressed by how it handles so many things. The term “Communitarian Democracy” was used to express both the diversity and the community form the country strives to include in their democratic nation. Sentiments regarding decolonization and environmental sustainability and protection were contained throughout. 

Below, I highlighted a few of the areas and language I found particularly interesting that relate to some of the social issues I have worked with. 

In Article 24
Anyone who has been granted asylum or refuge in Bolivia shall not be expelled or deported to a country where his life, bodily integrity, security or liberty is endangered. The State shall attend in a positive, humanitarian and efficient manner to requests for family reunification presented by parents or children who are given asylum or refuge.


In Article 33
Everyone has the right to a healthy, protected, and balanced environment. The exercise of this right must be granted to individuals and collectives of present and future generations, as well as to other living things, so they may develop in a normal and permanent way.

In article 48
The State shall promote the incorporation of women into the workforce and shall guarantee them the same remuneration as men for work of equal value, both in the public and private arena.

In Article 98
Cultural diversity constitutes the essential basis of the Pluri-National Communitarian State (Estado Unitario Social de Derecho Plurinacional Comunitario). The inter-cultural character is the means for cohesion and for harmonic and balanced existence among all the peoples and nations. The intercultural character shall exist with respect for differences and in conditions of equality.

If you are interested, I invite you to read the constitution to get a better idea of the ideals expressed. It is really easy in this polarized world to immediately begin to compare one nation/culture with another, or even to be cynical because of our differences. In the spirit of this very special Bolivian day, I invite you to put away that desire and enjoy!

What's New here? Well, everything!

Monday, February 28th 2022 1:55 pm

I am sitting outside my room. There is an adorable dachshund/golden retriever mix lying next to me. I am facing an inner courtyard that is full of gardens and an octagonal chapel that is both simple and exquisite. It gets hot here – in the 90’s and super humid, but I am comfortable in the shade this morning. 

 

I have been in Ascención, Bolivia for a week. It took a while to get connected to the WIFI here, and I know I am a bit late with this reflection. You might be wondering what’s new? Well, everything! 

I am living with the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis. They live in different places, but I am here in Ascención where the sisters are nurses, teachers and catechists. There is a routine here of prayer, work, communal meals and Mass. The days starts at 5:30 in the morning and finishes around 9:00 in the evening. There is time for work and time for rest. I admit to enjoying a siesta each day, it’s wonderfully refreshing.

In this climate, there are all sorts of new things to see. The birds are amazing. Each morning and evening hundreds of parrots fly over and a few macaws too! I haven’t done much birding yet, but am seeing new birds each day. I will have time to watch the birds more intentionally soon I am sure. There are also all sorts of butterflies. I even saw a grasshopper who flashed blue as he flew away. Large snails, lizards, frogs, and even a monkey, were some fun discoveries. 

I began my ministry on Monday of last week. Each morning, I accompany Sister Yanira, who works for a Nutrition Clinic here. The clinic specializes in helping some of the poorest families find nourishment for their children. A few of the days we walked through a large neighborhood filled with houses made of repurposed wood with openings for doors and windows and dirt floors. Most had corrugated metal roofs. A few were made from layers of palm fronds. At first, I assumed they didn’t have electricity, but realized that the houses do. Coming from a place with winter, it seems impossible, but it works here. 

This week I met the faces of malnutrition. Some were children who smiled and laughed, but their little tummies were distended with parasites. Even more distressing was to meet children who were fading. Children with no energy and no hope. It was heartbreaking, and equally heartbreaking to see their parents and grandparents, loving them so much, but unable to give them what they need. 

Sister Yanira brings them hope. She talks to them about the importance of nutrition and records each child’s information. As she does, she tells their families about the nutrition clinic, where they can get some staples like milk, and a nutritional superpower, Soya. Sister Yanira promises me that someday soon the children will have their energy back and the bright spark I have taken for granted. 

Most times, it is only Spanish here. I listen and watch Sister Yanira’s work. When the children wonder why I am not talking I explain that I don’t understand a lot of Spanish. It seems kids have natural empathy and many times, they begin to show me kindness by coming closer, showing me their things, and sometimes even giving me big hugs. It’s a blessing that I appreciate. 

My biggest challenge here is not understanding most of what is said. I participate in Mass and in prayer, but most times don’t pick up the meaning. At mealtime, I have to stay really focused because if my attention strays, I don’t understand the conversation. The sisters say in a month I will be able to understand most things, and in three months I will be participating. I am hopeful they are right! I have noticed after a week, I am picking up more. Poco a poco. It will come, I know it will! In the meantime, I continue to practice gentle patience with myself. 

 

With the new life I am experiencing, I find myself in “figuring it out” mode. I spend my time watching to see how things work, learning quickly and asking questions. I tend to be more in the details and less in the big picture. Yesterday, however, in Father’s homily, I picked out the word “Bolivia” and had a moment of wonder as I realized I was actually here, in this place, at this time, following God’s lead. Woah, I’m in Bolivia – how incredible is that?!


Picture of the Week - Week 7

I know I missed posting a photo of the week recently, so here is one! This is a panel on the door of the chapel. The doors say "praised be my Lord" on them and depicts the Canticle of Creatures by St. Francis. It's really cool and of course this is my favorite which has birds from this area. You can see a parrot, toucan, rhea and (I think) a flamingo. I can't quite figure out the other one but will let you know once I see it! 

The convent is part of a Mission, opened by Jesuits when missionary work and colonization first started here. The mission grounds include the convent, chapel and large church. From my understanding (and forgive any inaccuracies because I learn in Spanish!) they were started in area where people lived a more nomadic lifestyle and the church became the center of small pueblos, where people settled. Ascención has approximately 18,000 residents. 

Blessings can be seen in abundance here, from wood panels to smiling faces. 

New Ministry in Yaguaru

Monday, September 5th 2022 2:03 pm

I have started a new ministry in the small town of Yaguarú over the last month or so. You might remember me talking about being invited to dance at the end of Carnaval -- that was in Yaguarú. I am spending Thursday afternoon until early Monday morning there in addition to my time at the nutrition center.

It's a beautiful place next to some extensive wetlands. Like many mission pueblos here, there is a central plaza that is popular for sitting and talking, or walking and talking -- especially after services at the church. The "Mary -- Undoer of Knots" that I had a reflection on is also here in Yaguarú.

My new ministry is simple. With another sister and the help of a friend in Yaguarú, we are spending time meeting the different families in town. Our purpose is to really listen to the people there, about their families, joys and struggles. What we are doing isn't quick -- getting to know people never is (even if speed dating was a popular thing -- is it still popular?) and it isn't always easy to hear of the hard times, especially when someone is still in them. Of course, as you might guess, language is a challenge as well, but as is the experience I've had here in Bolivia, people are patient and kind. Interestingly, with some of the abuelas and abuelos, we have needed additional help with language because they speak Guarayu, the indigenous language of the area. It seems to all work out in the end, and we have new friends in the town.

There are a few things that are missing from Yaguarú. There is no wifi at the convent. I hadn't really anticipated the impact that would have on my ability to respond to emails, but, as anyone who has emailed me in the last few weeks can account for, I have fallen behind on my correspondence as of late. My apologies to anyone who is waiting to hear from me.

The other is that they don't have a priest who is ministering here full-time. Unlike Ascension, where there is daily Mass every day and three Masses on Sunday, Mass is celebrated only on Saturday night here. It's when one of the priests from Ascencion can make the hour drive to come. The community still gathers daily with Celebrations of the Word and Eucharist full of music and prayers.

Next week, the town's grand fiesta will be happening. It is centered around the namesake of the church, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It begins on Saturday with a three-day novena at the church. On Tuesday, the Fiesta begins for the whole town and I hear that there will be wonderful Masses, processions, dancing and music. It concludes on Thursday. A priest who had spent some time in Yaguarú will be visiting, and I believe a bishop will be coming as well. As far as other fun, I guess I will have to wait to see!

Blessings to you all! I am still hoping to send an update every week, but there's a good chance I will be delayed at times. Es la vida! :)

Newness Abounds - and a Photo of the Week

Monday, February 28th 2022 1:55 pm

I am sitting outside my room. There is an adorable dachshund/golden retriever mix lying next to me. I am facing an inner courtyard that is full of gardens and an octagonal chapel that is both simple and exquisite. It gets hot here – in the 90’s and super humid, but I am comfortable in the shade this morning.

I have been in Ascención, Bolivia for a week. It took a while to get connected to the WIFI here, and I know I am a bit late with this reflection. You might be wondering what’s new? Well, everything!


I am living with the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis. They live in different places, but I am here in Ascención where the sisters are nurses, teachers and catechists. There is a routine here of prayer, work, communal meals and Mass. The days starts at 5:30 in the morning and finishes around 9:00 in the evening. There is time for work and time for rest. I admit to enjoying a siesta each day, it’s wonderfully refreshing.

In this climate, there are all sorts of new things to see. The birds are amazing. Each morning and evening hundreds of parrots fly over and a few macaws too! I haven’t done much birding yet, but am seeing new birds each day. I will have time to watch the birds more intentionally soon I am sure. There are also all sorts of butterflies. I even saw a grasshopper who flashed blue as he flew away. Large snails, lizards, frogs, and even a monkey, were some fun discoveries.

I began my ministry on Monday of last week. Each morning, I accompany Sister Yanira, who works for a Nutrition Clinic here. The clinic specializes in helping some of the poorest families find nourishment for their children. A few of the days we walked through a large neighborhood filled with houses made of repurposed wood with openings for doors and windows and dirt floors. Most had corrugated metal roofs. A few were made from layers of palm fronds. At first, I assumed they didn’t have electricity, but realized that the houses do. Coming from a place with winter, it seems impossible, but it works here.

This week I met the faces of malnutrition. Some were children who smiled and laughed, but their little tummies were distended. Even more distressing was to meet children who were fading. Children with no energy and no hope. It was heartbreaking and equally heartbreaking to see their parents and grandparents, loving them so much, but unable to give them what they need.

Sister Yanira brings them hope. She talks to them about the importance of nutrition and records each child’s information. As she does, she tells their families about the nutrition clinic, where they can get some staples like milk, and a nutritional superpower, Soya. Sister Yanira promises me that someday soon the children will have their energy back along with the bright spark of childhood that I have taken for granted until now.

Most times, it is only Spanish here. I listen and watch Sister Yanira’s work. When the children wonder why I am not talking I explain that I don’t understand a lot of Spanish. It seems kids have natural empathy and many times, they begin to show me kindness by coming closer, showing me their things, and sometimes even giving me big hugs. It’s a blessing that I appreciate.

My biggest challenge here is not understanding most of what is said. I participate in Mass and in prayer, but most times don’t pick up the meaning. At mealtime, I have to stay really focused because if my attention strays, I don’t understand the conversation. The sisters say in a month I will be able to understand most things, and in three months I will be participating. I am hopeful they are right! I have noticed after a week, I am picking up more. Poco a poco. It will come, I know it will! In the meantime, I continue to practice gentle patience with myself.

With the new life I am experiencing, I find myself in “figuring it out” mode. I spend my time watching to see how things work, learning quickly and asking questions. I tend to be more in the details and less in the big picture. Yesterday, however, in Father’s homily, I picked out the word “Bolivia” and had a moment of wonder as I realized I was actually here, in this place, at this time, following God’s lead. Woah, I’m in Bolivia – how incredible is that?!


Picture of the Week - Week 7

I know I missed posting a photo of the week recently, so here is one! This is a panel on the door of the chapel. The doors say "Praised be my Lord" on them and depict the Canticle of Creatures by St. Francis. It's really cool and of course, this is my favorite featuring birds from this area. You can see a parrot, toucan, rhea and (I think) a flamingo. I can't quite figure out the other one but will let you know once I see it in nature!

The convent is part of a Mission, opened by Jesuits when missionary work and colonization first started here. The mission grounds include the convent, chapel and large church. From my understanding (and forgive any inaccuracies because I learn in Spanish here!) they were started in areas where people lived a more nomadic lifestyle and the church became the center of small pueblos, where people settled. Ascención has approximately 18,000 residents.

Blessings can be seen in abundance here, from wood panels to smiling faces.

Poco a Poco - Learning and Growing Little by Little

Monday, February 14th 2022 3:01 pm

On Saturday, CLIMAL hosted a trip to Incachaca, a beautiful natural area a few hours outside Cochabamba. I had such a great time. It was drizzling while we were there, which was appreciated because the hike was challenging! Thanks to the instructors at CLIMAL who served as guides, we learned all about the area, enjoying the mountain view, a roaring river and breath-taking waterfalls. I found myself sighing contentedly. To be embraced by God’s creation brings me such peace.

“Poco a poco!” Karla, one of my Spanish instructors, said encouragingly as we slowly made our way back up the mountain, wrapping up the beautiful hike in Incachaca. 

I remember the week before when Osvaldo, another instructor, said to me “poco a poco” as I tripped over words trying to form questions on the things we were talking about.

I have had poco a poco, or little by little, bouncing around in my head lately. As with many things that are difficult for me, I tend to get frustrated with my progress in learning Spanish. It takes contemplation, discernment and prayer to realize that I’m trying to measure my progress, something that isn’t meant to be measured. How far along should I be in my learning? There is no marker, no invisible bar I have yet to cross. Holding onto an internal messaging with suggestions that there is can only lead me to an ugly spiral of self-criticisms.

It’s not healthy and it doesn’t honor the nurturing love I have for myself. I take the opportunity for a deep breath. Ahhhhhh. It’s at this moment that I invite my inner encourager to start rooting for me and she begins the simple mantra – poco a poco. Things get brighter and, interesting enough, easier.

On Saturday, I leave for Santa Cruz where I will be ministering with the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis. These six weeks have gone so fast, I realize I have so much left to learn. Still, poco a poco, I will continue to move forward, continue to learn and continue to grow.

Muchas gracias, Dios, por poco a poco!

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Photo of the Week - Week 10

Wednesday, March 16th 2022 11:02 am

For all of you who have been praying for Carlita, thank you!

Carlita is a young woman of 15 who lives in a poor part of town with her family. Her grandmother lives with the family, is disabled and can't walk, being confined to a bed most of the time. We visited the family the first day that I worked with Sister Yanira and she was at school. She has recently been battling leukemia, but her family was happy with her progress. It was only a few days later that we heard Carlita wasn't feeling well and went to visit her in the hospital.

When we got there, she was in a bed and couldn't stop crying and moaning. It was probably the most difficult thing I have seen here. They were very concerned that she had COVID, especially because she is battling leukemia and it would be a terrible blow. She was in urgent need to get to a larger hospital in Santa Cruz where they could treat her, but there was difficulty getting the approval.

That is when I asked the sisters at St. Rose to pray for her and then after, all of the people who read these reflections.

Praise God she is much better and back at home. She didn't end up having COVID, another thing to be very grateful for!

A great big thank you to everyone who spent a moment or more saying a prayer for her. She is precious with a bright spark of life about her. The miracle that is Carlita is an example and a joy to me. I hope her spirit shows in this photo!

If you would like to be notified when I have new posts, be sure to scroll to the bottom, provide your email address, check the box confirming you are not a robot, click on a few photos to prove it and click Subscribe! You will then receive an email after each new post.

Sister Rita Mae's Six Word Story

Tuesday, November 29th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Rita Mae Fischer, FSPA


touched-by-love-my-strings-sound-Sister-Rita-Mae-Fischer-FSPA

What's your six word discernment story?

Sister Mary Myron's Six Word Story

Thursday, April 21st 2016 12:03 pm
Sister Mary Myron Stork, FSPA

Sister Marguerite's Six Word Story

Tuesday, November 8th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Marguerite Bruening, FSPA


What's your six word discernment story?

Photo of the Week - Week 12

Wednesday, March 30th 2022 3:55 pm


After having a chat with God on Sunday, I am taking the week off. I am letting go of my obligations, deep thoughts, and learnings.

I'm spending my time this week with God, the sisters and the people I encounter.

In the meantime, enjoy this photo of the 200-year-old Crucifix that hangs in the church connected to the convent.

Blessings to all of you this week and weekend. May you see God's light in your life!

A Lesson From My Week Off - And Gifts

Monday, April 4th 2022 2:46 pm

I am back from my week off, thanks for your patience. An amazing thing happened on my week off from deep thinking and reflections - I ended up reflecting and learning anyway! Sometimes I think I make things into jobs that don't need to be and that's what I had been doing. I had been thinking that I needed to make sure I had great lessons all the time while I was here. I think the mindset I had was actually distracting me from the presence that I want to have. I am glad to walk away with that lesson!

Gifts from the last week:

A hug from the most adorable abuela (grandmother) you have ever seen. She couldn't talk, but that didn't keep her from saying lots! She even harvested a couple of mani (peanuts) for us.

Time spent reflecting on synodality with sisters around the department (state) of Santa Cruz. I had lunch with a Polish priest, and sisters from Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia and Austria.

I got to the point where I can say all the prayers of the rosary in Spanish without looking. I'm not counting the creed as a prayer. It's pretty long and I don't have it down yet.

Sister Yanira lent me a Mass book in Spanish so I can follow along. It is great! I couldn't understand even the simple prayers due to face masks and now I feel like I am really participating. I am even able to sing a few things!

I have been really enjoying the ingenuity of the people here. They make stoves out of motorcycle gears or create mud ovens, make brooms from weeds, re-purpose wood in every way and reuse plastic bottles for just about everything.

A Little Bit of Sadness - Patience and Love

Monday, August 29th 2022 2:23 pm

I've had some sadness lately. There's really no reason why, it just has quietly and persistently been inviting me into myself. It's a hard thing for me to admit, possibly even more to myself than to others. And yet, here I am.

This is a time for quiet, for patience as I reflect on this reality and a time to spend a little bit more time loving myself. A little more time being a person of support, acceptance and peace that I try to be to others -- only this time to be that person for myself.

After some time with myself, and with the help of others in my life, I am hopeful that things will brighten. Like this rose I snapped a photo of on a cool, rainy, gray day here at the convent, things are already starting to open to a brighter day.

Blessings to you all - and gentle prayers for me are appreciated!

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Sister Lisa's Six Word Story

Tuesday, June 7th 2016 11:39 am
Sister Lisa Zmuda, FSPA


train-tracks-50th-jubilee-Lisa-Zmuda

What's your six word discernment story?

What About the Food?

Sunday, May 1st 2022 10:44 am

Moving on to the topic that got the most questions - food! Here are the questions, and here are the answers! My apologies for the lack of food photos like last time. I don't bring my phone to the dining room. I think that would be impolite.

Do you like pudding?

Well, yes, yes I do like pudding! We haven’t had any here yet though. But we have had gelatina (jello) and arroz con leche (rice with milk), which are delicious. Normally the gelatina has fresh fruit in it and the arroz con leche is sweetened with sugar, probably a little vanilla and cinnamon. Num!

So you are up and at it for two hours without any breakfast??? I would have such a headache. How do you do it?

Honestly, I hadn’t given it much thought. I wonder if it’s because it’s so early, my stomach isn’t awake enough to be ready for sustenance! I’m not sure, but I did start having a cup of coffee with breakfast in the morning. With these early mornings, a kick-start is needed!

I'm interested in the food with the TSSF sisters.

I would describe the food here as a bit on the more simple side, but very delicious. You don’t have to get too fancy when the food is good!

Here’s what typical meals are like:

Breakfast

For breakfast, we always have pan (bread). The most popular kind includes these small rolls that are either plain, have cheese baked on top, or have a flour and sugar mixture on top. I tend to like the last option the best. Butter and marmalade are made from fruits here to add to the rolls. Then, we always have a cup of coffee. I have found a lovely stevia powder I use as a sweetener. Here, they put a lot of leche (milk) in their coffee, which I appreciate!

Sometimes we have eggs: scrambled over-easy, hard-boiled or soft-boiled. I hadn’t ever had a soft-boiled egg until I came here, and I like them a lot!

Every once in a while, we have something called Locro with breakfast. It’s a slow-cooked stew with hominy and pork. All the Bolivian sisters dig in when it’s made. They say it’s a traditional breakfast here and very special to them.

Finally, there are times we have a variety of different breads in addition to the rolls. There are Cuñapes (rolls with cheese in them), empanadas (for breakfast, normally baked with cheese in them) and a personal favorite – pan de arroz con queso (it’s like rice meal turned into a dough, stuffed with cheese and then fried). I think you might have noticed a trend here. In the tropical zone of Bolivia, where I live, queso is very popular. As a cheese-head, that makes me very happy.

Lunch

Lunch is the big meal of the day, and always starts with sopa (soup). There is great variety in the soups, which are usually flavored with differing kinds of meat and bones. When it’s served, they leave pieces of meat in. When you serve it to yourself, you have the option of taking the meat and eating it as well.

After we finish the soup, the rest of the food is served. Rice is included with almost every meal. Many times, it's mixed with meat and something to make it a little creamy. Eggs are also often served with it. I realize that I'm not describing it very well, but it is very delicious! Other main dishes might include roasted meats, chicharon (which is like fried meat that gets really crispy), or hamburguesa (which are hamburgers, but not on buns like in the US and normally mixed with some bread crumbs and herbs). They really have a large variety of things, and all of them are delightful! I also noticed that the way they cut their meat is different here, and they don’t normally remove the bones.

Besides rice, sides might include potatoes or yucca. Potatoes are the most common in the mountains, and yucca is the most common here because of growing conditions.

We also normally have a vegetable of some sort. Salads are popular, made with lettuce, tomatoes and sprinkled with chives and then doused with lemon juice. We’ve had beets quite often, and they’ve made them mixed with potatoes and mayonnaise in a salad. It was pretty good!

Sometimes we have postre (dessert). The most common includes fresh fruit. Fruit is grown everywhere and so there are lots of different fruits we harvest or purchase at the Mercado (market). We might have papaya, banana, oranges, apples, grapes... We have had gelatina and arroz con leche for dessert in the past too. Sister Scholastica from Cameroon has been making banana cake lately which reminds me of home.

Also served with lunch is refresco. It’s normally a freshly squeezed lemon, grapefruit or sometimes even mandarin juice added to water. It is really refreshing! I appreciate that they don't pre-sweeten it because I'm able to add my stevia if I’m in the mood or just have it without.

Dinner

Dinner is normally the leftover food from lunch. Normally, something extra is fixed so there is enough for everyone. Sometimes they make some chorizo (sausage) from the local butcher which is one of my favorite dinner treats. And other times they make a pasta dish or arroz con queso (rice with cheese).

OK, now I’m hungry. I better go find a snack!

Celebrating a Culture: Happy Diá del Estado Plurinacional! (Day of the Pluri-national State)

Sunday, January 23rd 2022 3:05 pm


Yesterday, January 22nd, was a very special day for the people of Bolivia. It marks the anniversary of their constitution. Over ten years old, it's a young constitution. To my understanding, this new constitution was written and ratified in the hopes of expressing a nation that cherishes diversity and respects the needs of all of its people. With the new constitution came the addition of another flag full of colors to symbolize the people of the country. Photo credit: Pixabay


Normally, there would be a great celebration throughout Bolivia, including parades and fireworks. As you may guess, these were canceled this year due to the pandemic. I considered how, in my isolation, I could honor the day. Yesterday I enjoyed some wonderful Bolivian music filled with guitars and flutes. For me, the music is full of emotion, hope and energy. I really like it. Photo Credit: Pixabay


Today, I felt called to delve more deeply into the constitution. I wondered how a constitution could possibly address all that might entail such big ideas like equity, interculturality and the environment. The best way to find out, I decided, was to read it! I found a copy of the constitution in English. I was a bit intimidated when I saw it was 131 pages. After starting to read however, I realized that there is a lot of instructional detail in the Bolivian Constitution. It’s kind of a one-stop shop for all the ideals and expectations of the Bolivian people. Photo Credit: Pixabay

The document started with: In ancient times mountains arose, rivers moved, and lakes were formed. Our Amazonia, our swamps, our highlands, and our plains and valleys were covered with greenery and flowers. As you can imagine, I was hooked and wanted to keep reading. I am on page 36 now, and am impressed by how it handles so many things. The term “Communitarian Democracy” was used to express both the diversity and the community form the country strives to include in their democratic nation. Sentiments regarding decolonization and environmental sustainability and protection were contained throughout. Photo Credit: Pixabay

Below, I highlighted a few of the areas and language I found particularly interesting that relate to some of the social issues I have worked with.

In Article 24
Anyone who has been granted asylum or refuge in Bolivia shall not be expelled or deported to a country where his life, bodily integrity, security or liberty is endangered. The State shall attend in a positive, humanitarian and efficient manner to requests for family reunification presented by parents or children who are given asylum or refuge. Photo credit: Pixabay

In Article 33
Everyone has the right to a healthy, protected, and balanced environment. The exercise of this right must be granted to individuals and collectives of present and future generations, as well as to other living things, so they may develop in a normal and permanent way. Photo Credit: Pixabay

In Article 48
The State shall promote the incorporation of women into the workforce and shall guarantee them the same remuneration as men for work of equal value, both in the public and private arena. Photo Credit: Pixabay


In Article 98

Cultural diversity constitutes the essential basis of the Pluri-National Communitarian State (Estado Unitario Social de Derecho Plurinacional Comunitario). The inter-cultural character is the means for cohesion and for harmonic and balanced existence among all the peoples and nations. The intercultural character shall exist with respect for differences and in conditions of equality. Photo Credit: Pixabay


If you are interested, I invite you to read the constitution to get a better idea of the ideals expressed. It is really easy in this polarized world to immediately begin to compare one nation/culture with another, or even to be cynical because of our differences. In the spirit of this very special Bolivian day, I invite you to put away that desire and enjoy!

I am looking forward to experiencing more of this diverse country!

Photo of the Week - Week 23

Wednesday, June 15th 2022 5:22 am

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friends and adventures! Before I left for the United States, Hermana (Sister) Yanira and I traveled to Santa Cruz together. There was a roadblock that had been causing disruptions in many ways for a couple of weeks so Hermana Yanira proclaimed we were going on an "aventura"! Bouncing over rutted dirt roads in the transport van we were riding in, being extorted by different people to pass their properties (including a young group of children who were asking for 3 bolivianos - admittedly they were adorable), getting junk food snacks when we finally stopped and at last arriving in Santa Cruz - it was fun because I was with a great friend, and we were on an adventure!

As we traveled, it got me thinking about all the other incredible people I have had adventures with. They're all great friends and even if we've lost touch over time, I still remember our adventures with affection and joy. So thank you to Kris, Kri, Amy, Lars, Barb, Erin, Margret, Jessi, John, Ashley, Pam, Therese, Gerry, Diana, Sister Michele, Sister Helen, Sister Georgia, Sister Marla, Dad and Hermana Yanira for bringing adventure into my life and for being the beautiful loving explorers you are! My apologies if I have missed anyone! Special blessings to all of you for the blessing you have been in my life.

The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!
(Numbers 6)

I miss you Hermana Yanira! I hope you have had fun adventures with others in my absence. Thank you for your loving presence and faithful heart. God's blessings to you - hasta pronto!

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Photo of the Week - Week 4

Thursday, February 3rd 2022 1:43 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week's photo comes from the Parque de la Familia (The Family Park) where I was invited by CLIMAL, my language school, to go to last night. A total of eight of us went. We enjoyed traditional Bolivian food at a restaurant (more on that another time) and then walked over to this spectacular show. For just 8 bolivianos, we were treated to bright lights bouncing off of water from different fountains, choreographed to music. There were lights like this, images and even video of flowers blooming in the fountain, all bright and colorful.  It was great fun. It started raining right before it started so we ended up standing pretty far away under a building. A few of the people with me said that since I was Franciscan I should pray for the rain to stop for an hour, hoping to watch the show and stay dry. I did better, I prayed for the rain to stop for TWO hours with a por favor and a gracias. The rain did stop, just as the light show was ending, DOH! I am pretty sure it started back up two hours later when everyone was home and tucked in for the night. I would say that still counts as an answered prayer! 

Photo of the Week - Week 4

Thursday, February 3rd 2022 1:43 pm

This week's photo comes from the Parque de la Familia (The Family Park) where I was invited by CLIMAL, my language school, to go to last night. A total of eight of us went. We enjoyed traditional Bolivian food at a restaurant (more on that another time) and then walked over to this spectacular show. For just 8 bolivianos, we were treated to bright lights bouncing off of water from different fountains, choreographed to music. There were lights like this, images and even video of flowers blooming in the fountain, all bright and colorful.  It was great fun. It started raining right before it started so we ended up standing pretty far away under a building. A few of the people with me said that since I was Franciscan I should pray for the rain to stop for an hour, hoping to watch the show and stay dry. I did better, I prayed for the rain to stop for TWO hours with a por favor and a gracias. The rain did stop, just as the light show was ending, DOH! I am pretty sure it started back up two hours later when everyone was home and tucked in for the night. I would say that still counts as an answered prayer!

Photo of the Week - Week 8

Thursday, March 3rd 2022 6:44 pm

When these beautiful women come to call at the end of Carnaval - it's time to dance!

The last day of Carnaval was Sunday and we all went to Yaguarú (pronounced ya-wa-roo) to enjoy the day with a big picnic at the small pueblo about an hour from here. After the picnic, Sister Yanira and I went for a long walk and came back to relax. It was really hot that day but a group of mujeres (women) from the village came to the convent accompanied by drums and flute music. It is a tradition, that when the women (called "originales" I think!) come, they are dancing to mark the end of Carnaval. The joy of these women was incredible and they invited the sisters to join them (which they did of course!) When they invited me, I considered saying no, but then I decided to do it anyway. Dancing is not my thing, but I decided it was an honor to be invited and join in the fun. It was an incredible feeling to be surrounded by joyful, strong, wise women and to join in their dance. It was the thrill of a lifetime. I didn't realize it, but someone was recording our dance. You can see it by clicking here. God bless these women. What a way to end a great day!

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A New Invitation: Walking with Intention

Sunday, March 13th 2022 1:31 pm

I am a dreamer. I always have been. In the 1st grade, the teacher I had commented on a report card that I was intelligent, if only I would pay attention! Imagining is a joy for me. I love stories with dragons and unicorns. I enjoy looking at buildings for sale and imagining what business would be good in them. My imagination is great for creatively troubleshooting problems, planning a trip or a party and brainstorming ideas. It has been my friend and companion for all of my life.

I find that here, at this moment in my life, my dreaming is a distraction. While I am learning Spanish, it only takes a moment to lose the thread of conversation. I have found myself slipping into my dream world when listening is difficult or I become tired. Tuning out in this way isolates me from the people around me. I become alone in my little bubble and no amount of imagination can restore the disconnection.

I find myself receiving a call for this moment. I realize that what is really needed for me right now is to put my dreaming aside and truly be present to what God is showing me right now. I need to be present with all of my senses, all of my mind and all of my heart.

My challenge and my invitation is to walk in this experience with complete intentionality.

I will keep my dreaming and imagination for another time. I will place it in a treasured place and take it out when it is needed again but for now, I will give this time and space my complete attention.

God affirmed my new commitment as I left lunch today. I looked out into the courtyard and a Tropical Kingbird knocked a Guira Cuckoo into the yard about 20 feet away from me. (Don’t worry, he wasn’t hurt!) What a strange and magnificent bird! The cuckoo waited for me to get my camera before posing for some great shots and finally flying away. A group of us were able to enjoy the experience together. Afterward, Therese and I talked about the bird digitally and Therese identified him!

Thank you, creative, kind and encouraging God, for guiding me on my journey.

 

 


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Discovering a Growing Edge While Walking in Cochabamba

Sunday, January 30th 2022 4:30 pm

When I first joined religious life, I remember hearing the term growing edges, referring to where in my life there were opportunities for growth. I couldn’t help but think of a climbing plant continuing to fill in on the edges to grow bigger and more expansive. 

I sometimes have a hard time noticing my growth and change. Once growth happens, it becomes a part of me. It might be a better to say that my growth becomes integrated. So maybe for me it’s more like a forest. Given the opportunity, it spreads out with more and more trees on its edges in slow, less perceptible ways. 

Photo credit: Pixabay

Since I have been able to go back to language school, post COVID isolation, I have enjoyed walking to school. It is a joy to be outside in the open air. I get to look at all the activity going on in the city, see people walking, talking, eating and working. I get to enjoy the beautiful gardens and, of course, check out the different birds in the area. There’s actually a part of my walk that goes along a channel and is just FILLED with birds. Most times, I just hear them but sometimes one pops up for me to see. I don’t have my camera along as I walk to school so you’ll just have to take my word for it! But I digress…

 

 

 


 

Photo: This garden on my walk to school was being weeded by a woman (by hand) the first time I walked by and is now beautiful.

A growing edge I have become aware of this week has become apparent on my walks. First, it’s important to understand that outside of the people I interact with at school, I rarely see someone that shares my skin tone. To give you an idea, I have been here for 3 weeks and I have seen 3 people outside of the school that share my complexion. 

In my mind, I know that it doesn’t matter. Everyone I have had personal contact with has been so full of kindness and hospitality and even with the language barrier, they go out of their way to make me feel welcome. And yet…

Photo: Rain gathering in the mountains.

And yet, as I am walking down the street and pass someone by, many times they don’t make eye contact. For a moment, I wonder if maybe they don’t want to interact with me. Is it because I am different? Sometimes someone does make eye contact and I say Buenos Dias, but they say nothing back. I wonder then if I am doing something wrong because I am not from around here. At a bus stop, as I walk by a couple people sitting and waiting for the bus I say, Buenos Dias, and I can’t be sure, but it seems like an older woman looks me up and down before looking away. I wonder if it’s because of my skin tone, maybe she doesn’t like people that look like me. Maybe I shouldn’t have said hello. I am the outsider in this place. Who am I to think that people should be nice to me?

I live in this mind space for a short time wondering about my place in this country that is not my own, in this place where I am different. This place where I don’t fit in. This place where I am an outsider. 

In time, I consider my thinking more deeply. I remember that in the United States, where I am the majority and my skin tone affords me unwarranted privilege, that people don’t make eye contact with me, people don’t say hi back and that sometimes people give me looks I don’t understand. I remember that no matter where I am, there are people who have bad days, who are tired. There are even more in their own thoughts and not noticing the people they meet. In big cities I’ve lived in, it’s rare that people make eye contact or say hello.

Then I decide to stop and look around. I resolve to try to see the similarities I have with the people around me, and not make assumptions about them. I resolve to stop projecting my thoughts on other people. I continue walking.

Yesterday, I was heading back home and it was raining, so I hailed a crowded bus (that’s how it works here – pretty cool!) and jumped on, paying my 1,50 bolivianos, the equivalent of about 50 cents US. As I hopped up the stairs, a young woman left her seat and moved to the back so I would have a place to sit. I was grateful for the kindness. As we drove through some water that was tumbling down the road, the splashes were pretty spectacular. The older woman I was sitting with and I both said “wow!” in unison as we went through a particularly large puddle. The doors of the bus are always left open and we were in a really good spot to see it. We laughed and although she said something I couldn’t understand, I knew we shared a moment of connection.

Photo: The buses in Bolivia are brightly colored, they look happy to me!

That’s my growing edge to work on. I will no doubt have more experiences of otherness in my time here. And yet, I know that I am called to find connection and relationship, not difference. And so, I will continue to do just that because that’s one of the ways I know how to share my love.

Buenas tardes mis amigos!

Photo: Even the insides of the buses here have colorful decorations. I really like them!

Photo of the Week - Week 20

Friday, May 27th 2022 6:45 pm

Meet Mia Mandarina! You might remember me mentioning a cute little baby Brown Agouti that stopped by the convent for a visit. Well, she decided to stick around! It might have something to do with the easily attainable food that's always available here for the ducks, chickens, geese and tortoises. In the photo, she's enjoying some delicious papaya.

For the past two weeks or so, I have been stopping near where she lives and calling to her. To my surprise, she comes running almost every time! There is a Mandarin Orange tree nearby, so I pick a deliciously sweet fruit and share it with Mia. We sit down, I peel the mandarin and give her a piece, and enjoy a piece myself. She enjoys the seeds so I give her all of those, too. After we've finished, I give her some scratches and pets and she gives me little baby agouti kisses. It's a special friendship. I never try to pick her up and respect that she's a wild animal who is choosing to spend time with me. It's a gift to be the recipient of such trust from one of God's precious creations. I hold these times of sharing with Mia as sacred.

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength. - St. Melangell

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Photo of the Week - Week 16

Thursday, April 28th 2022 8:58 am

Look who came to the convent for a visit! Can you believe it? It was late in the afternoon on Monday and all of a sudden, everyone was talking excitedly and someone told me to get my camera. I couldn't believe it when out of the church came this totally adorable, young, three-toed sloth! I snapped photos and took a quick video (which you can see here if you are interested) and the sloth continued on the adventure of a lifetime (I am sure) being relocated to a more suitable spot. My first thought was the sloth was actually IN the church but after a few questions, I learned that "Iglesia" refers to the whole parish property. It's still too busy of a place here in the pueblo for this little one so I am glad people pitched in to help.

I also saw a friendly Brown Agouti who I was planning on including in the photo of the week but there's something about the adorableness of a sloth that wins out every time! The Agouti is a subspecies specific to this area. If you are interested, I have a short video here!

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Community, prayer, gift

Thursday, June 15th 2017 12:15 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

With grateful hearts for your prayers, we share a few photos of our recent gathering. Community life is a gift!

 

commissioning-candles-chapel

One by one sisters light candles during a celebration in Mary of the Angels Chapel, radiating vision for the future of FSPA.

 

Sisters-Eileen-Laura-Katie-Kristin

Sisters Eileen McKenzie, Laura Nettles, Katie Mitchell and Kristin Peters revel together in the gift of community.

 

dining-room-group

FSPA gather from as far away as Guam to create ministerial inspiration.

Photo of the Week - Week 30

Thursday, August 4th 2022 7:25 pm

Little feet in the doorway. That's all you could see of this little boy. After fleeting short introductions when we stopped for a visit, this shy young boy of 5 or 6 ran into his room and stayed there as we visited with the rest of the family. This serves as a reminder to me, that we can't take for granted a person's willingness to be close to us, especially a young person.

Although his older sister was all smiles and brought out chairs as hospitality for us, this youngster was shy and perhaps a little annoyed that we had interrupted his play session next door. After we began to leave, and as soon as he could see a way to get back to his friends, he scooted from his hiding place and through the opening in the fence. I bet he thought we didn't notice, but I was in time to see the back of his head as he left. Friendship is an honor and a privilege. I am hoping that when we go back for a workshop to teach his mom how to make soymilk, he will make the choice to be our friend. Whether or not he does, he is still a blessing to me because he helps me remember these important lessons.

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The Gift of Memories

Sunday, May 15th 2022 6:20 am

Blessings to you from Ascención! Today, I pray for everyone who reads this reflection. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers, and I appreciate all of your support and encouragement.

In my reflections this week, I realized that I have been blessed by the return of memories. I didn't realize I wasn't having them, but once I began to again, it became evident. I wonder why there weren't memories until recently? Was it because everything has been so new? I think that would make sense since things are very different here. I have also been feeling more settled here. Perhaps that has something to do with it. For whatever reason, my memories are bringing me joy as they connect my earlier life with life here.

Last weekend, when I was in Yaguarú, there was a confirmation of over 60 young men and women. It was filled with the Spirit and joy and incredible music. The young people sang so loud it was almost more of a cheer than singing, but their enthusiasm pulled you into the song. The energy in that church was just incredible. It brought me back to the different choirs, groups and churches I have been in where I felt that same energy and Spirit. It reminded me of what faith, love and joy in community feel like, and what a blessing it is. I was also reminded of my own Confirmation when I felt the Holy Spirit ignited in my heart at the moment of my confirmation. It's a beloved spiritual memory in my life. I am very grateful for it.

The second memory of mine is a little bit embarrassing! It was "Completas" (end of the day prayer) here at the convent and there were only four of us praying that night. A little like Mass, there is kneeling, standing and sitting during the prayer. Normally I have it down pretty well, especially because there are people sitting around me to cue me, but not this night. The leader of the prayer stood up to read scripture. I hopped up because she was standing, but I wasn't supposed to. I was totally oblivious until I looked over at the aspirant and saw her motioning for me to sit down. I slowly sat down. All was good until I tried to say a response with the others. Out of my mouth came a loud guffaw! Pretty soon I was trying to hide my face as uncontrollable laughter rippled through me. You know the kind, right? Tears streaming down my face, I kept thinking I had it back under control, only to fall apart as soon as I tried to join in the prayer. What was even worse, is the effect I had on the novice and aspirant. Soon, they were laughing uncontrollably too! Luckily we only had about 5 minutes left, which I spent laughing, and exited as soon as the prayer ended.

The experience brought back a vivid, happy memory of my mom. We used to have experiences like that often. It was a great time, one of us would set the other off and we would laugh so hard we couldn't breathe. I remember standing in the kitchen trying to stay upright as we laughed. What a wonderful time to remember. Considering that Mother's Day in the United States had been just a few days before, I wonder if she might have had something to do with my episode of hilarity in prayer. I wouldn't be surprised. Thanks, Mom!

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Photo of the Week - Week 26

Monday, July 11th 2022 9:06 am

I realize that my photo of the week is a few days late. The best I can say is that time moves differently here. Just imagine I did this a few days ago!

I was so happy to be back ministering with the Santa Clara Nutrition Clinic! We spent a few days walking through a new neighborhood and found many new families who could use the help of the center. We also distributed essentials to some families on a different day. On Thursday, we spent the morning with a single mom, preparing "Fideos con Pollo y Verduras" (Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables).

There was a while that I thought Sister Yanira was saying "Videos" instead of "Fideos" and busied myself taking videos of vegetables but I realized about half way through that there was a food word that was close to the word video. Great laughter and hilatrity ensued, especially when I recounted my error in broken Spanish at lunch with the sisters. Poco a poco!

In addition to the mom, a few other moms in the neighborhood came over and we all worked together cutting vegetables and chicken, cooking the pasta and then bringing it all together. Sister Yanira took the lead and everyone pitched in.

This little girl sat patiently on a bench, watching intently as everything was prepared. As other children got bored and wandered away, she stayed close.

When it was time to eat, I gave her the first bowl, a gift for her patience. Besides, it could have just been my imagination, or perhaps a motherly intuition, that caused me to think that she looked really hungry.

Everyone gobbled up the delicious dish (including myself, it was really delicious!) and as we left, the young girl left too, returning to her home. The whole time, I had assumed that she was with one of the women, but it turns out she was on her own. The generous women who were preparing the food didn't give two thoughts to including her in the day. I spent a few minutes marveling at that silent inclusion.

On our way home, we stopped by a well where boys were pulling water out, filling 5-gallon buckets and carrying them back to their homes. We were fortunate to meet this girl's abuela (grandmother) who is caring for her. Sister Yanira let her know all about the clinic and how we can help their family.

The gifts I receive here are so rich and full of blessings. Being a part of the clinic and the community - who is so accepting and welcoming to me, a lot like the little girl in this photo - is such a bountiful gift to me spiritually. Gracias a Dios!

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Delighting in Routine...and Your Questions?

Sunday, March 20th 2022 10:41 am

The strange thing about writing updates is that I don't get to have conversations with everyone who reads them. I am curious - do you have any questions or anything you have been wondering about? Let me know! You can leave them in the comments (below) or email me at sistermeg@fspa.org. I will try to answer what I can in future updates. Looking forward to hearing from you!

When I am in transition, I long for routine. It brings a sense of normalcy to a way of being that is all-new, unknown and a bit awkward. The structure of my days with the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis provides me with a foundation that is constant. It is both prayerful and productive, a peaceful mix of life that I have appreciated since I came here - a month ago now.  As I am starting to feel settled in here, I continue to enjoy the routine.

This is a typical day for me in Ascención, Bolivia:4:50am Levantarme (Get Up)
5:30am Oraciónes de Laudes y Adoración (Morning Prayer and Adoration)
7:00am Desayuno (Breakfast)
8:00am Trabajo a la Clínica de Nutrición (Work at the Nutrition Clinic)
12:00pm Almuerzo (Lunch)
12:30pm Oraciónes de Nona (Mid-Day Prayers)
1:00pm Siesta (Nap)
1:30pm Tiempo de Libre (Free time for practicing Spanish, practicing harp, reflections, emails, Zooms, etc.)
3:00pm Té o Café (Tea or Coffee)
5:30pm Oraciónes de Vesperas y Rosario (Evening Prayer and Rosary)
6:30pm Cena (Dinner)
7:30pm La Misa (Mass)
8:30pm Oraciónes de Completas (Ending Prayers)
9:00pm Duermo (Sleep)

Over the last few days, I went to visit another one of the missions where the sisters minister, called San Miguel. It was about 8 hours away, and we spent the afternoon and evening on Thursday traveling, arriving finally at 1 am. It was a bright and open mission, with a large yard full of plants and trees. The convent had rooms that opened into small, open-places filled with green, lush plants that remind me of Hawaii. The sisters here are generous and full of kindness. It is a beautiful place with beautiful people.

As I sat in a quiet spot overlooking fruit trees on the shady veranda, I realized how accustomed I was to the flow of things back in Ascención. The time at San Miguel was important and sacred, but it was also a delight to return to Ascención. Embracing the new and enjoying the known. This is a beautiful, living harmony for me. I am glad it remains with me here in Bolivia.

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Photo of the Week - Week 21

Saturday, June 4th 2022 10:08 am

WARNING! BIRD NERD ALERT! It was a big moment on Wednesday, but I didn't realize it until today! We were returning from taking some food to a mother and her two kids who live far out in the country, and both Sister Yanira and Don Gary (our driver) were patient and kind enough to stop along the way so I could take photos of birds I spotted. They both knew I was getting close to a milestone in my life list, so they were indulging me very kindly.

For those of you who aren't fanatic birders like I am, a life list is a count of the total amount of different species of birds you have seen. For instance, there are over 900 species of birds in the United States and over 900 species of birds in Bolivia. Some birds here are the same but many are different. It's been fun to see new birds here, especially ones we don't see in Wisconsin like macaws, parrots and Oropendolas.

On Wednesday, I was at a count of 598 species of birds on my life list, and I was really hoping to get to 600 before I left Bolivia for my visit home. I was able to take many photos, but as I reviewed them later that day, there was only one new species. I was ok with it and thought that maybe I would find another before I left.

I uploaded my photos to iNaturalist (it's an app and a website) to confirm my identifications and didn't think anything more of it. There are people all over the world that look at the identifications and either confirm them or suggest alternates. I was doing some traveling and other things so I hadn't checked back. You might be interested to know that as I traveled to Santa Cruz (where I will fly out of) I did see a new bird, a Maguari Stork. I was excited for that one too, but it wasn't meant to be number 600.

Once I was settled here in Santa Cruz and looked at iNaturalist, I realized that I had misidentified a macaw species as one I already knew. Three reviewers updated the observation to something else, so I knew it was the correct one. So I went back and added the Red-shouldered Macaw and with that change suddenly, I had a new 600th bird species! It's a Rufescent Tiger-heron, and what a beauty!

As I look at this beautiful bird, I can't but marvel at the creativity of the Creator who could make such different and remarkable types of birds - and such different and remarkable herons! What a gift I have been given to get to see so many wondrous birds. And with all gifts from God, giving them away is a joy. I hope you enjoy this photo that I am sharing!

Click here for a list of all the birds I've seen, if you're interested!

When we look at the order of creation, we form in our mind an image, not of the essence, but of the wisdom of [God] who has made all things wisely. - St. Gregory of Nyssa

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Photo of the Week - Week 22

Wednesday, June 8th 2022 8:27 am

I am actually in the United States right now for some time with community, family and friends but thought it would be a good time to show you something that I found interesting.

When we go to cook with families in the barrios of Ascención de Guarayos, there aren't stoves with ranges to cook on. Instead everything is done via cooking fire.

In this photo, it's a typical setup of piled bricks and on the top there is normally long, thick metal rods, a metal grill or, like in this one, a collection of soldered motorcycle parts. Another way they reuse things here which I think is just brilliant!

God bless the family who made this and God bless you!

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Encuentro in Cooking - Lessons in Life

Sunday, March 6th 2022 1:17 pm

This week, I have noticed the dance that difficulties and love play here. In the struggle of living in really difficult situations, mothers and grandmothers still make jokes and laugh while they work. A young mother who feeds her baby before herself smiles broadly when she is told how beautiful her baby is. I realize I have a choice, too. It’s possible for me to focus only on the struggle or only on the love. I am deciding to honor them both and see the harmony in the totality of the reality here. 

Now that carnaval has ended, Sister Yanira and I are back to our ministry at the nutrition clinic. On Thursday, we made plans to return to a large family we had previously visited to demonstrate how to use soybeans. Called soya here, soybeans are included in what people receive from the clinic. Sister Yanira packed up some educational materials about hygiene in addition to two cups of soybeans that had been soaked overnight, bread crumbs, some oil, vanilla, cinnamon and a blender. We also stopped at the market, an open-air area that has booths filled with all different types of food. We picked up carrots, onions, garlic, a pepper, a couple tomatoes, flour and some eggs.

When we arrived at the house, a bunch of the kids greeted us with big smiles and lots of laughter. The first time we came, they were shy and unsure, but they must have decided that we were safe because they were so happy to see us. A table was moved, a bench placed in front and the youngest children quickly sat down, ready to learn. We were joined by older siblings, some to greet us and do other things, others stay and help with the children, preparations and cooking. The grandmother and the two mothers got things ready for our time together, cleaning everything we planned to use.

Sister Yanira gave the beans to one of the women to cook for some time on the stove in their kitchen. As Sister Yanira worked, she would show the process and then pass it on to one of the women. I appreciated that. It wasn’t a demonstration. It was a social time, where we talked, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company while we worked together. A couple more moms and children appeared, interested in learning what was happening and joining in the work. 

At some point, the kids lost interest and left to play in the yard as we worked. Dogs and chickens lingered nearby ready to pick up whatever we might drop. All the work was done in the center of the yard. There were multiple buildings surrounding us, all made with the repurposed wood, metal roofs and dirt floors. There was a small building for a living area, another for a kitchen and an outhouse toward the back of the yard. The yard contained some trees for shade and/or fruit. There was no grass, only packed dirt. 

We were working with two cups of soybeans. It was incredible what we were able to produce with those two cups. The process took about 2 hours, but was well worth it! We ended up with 4 liters of soy milk and 30 or so small soy burgers. We all washed up when it was time to eat. The prepared food was shared with everyone. I sat with the younger children and loved watching them enjoy the food. both the burgers and the soy milk were delicious - Mi gusta!!!

If you are interested in the recipes to try yourself, click on the little image to the right to view them. Warning! They're in Spanish, but you can use Google to figure out the words you don't know. That's what I did!

Click on the images below to see videos from the day. I had a great time and I think it's clear, the food was a hit!

On Friday, a young mother came in with Elsa, a beautiful baby girl. The mom was so skinny, we worried for her. Elsa was a happy little baby though, and her mom let me take a photo with her. I thanked her for the photo, and felt gratitude for her good care – as well as gratitude that the clinic will help make sure Elsa has what she needs each month.

P.S. For the sisters at St. Rose who have been praying for Carlita and her family, thank you! She is doing better, and is in the hospital in Santa Cruz where she needs to be. For those who have time for an extra prayer, she is a 15 year old girl who has Leukemia. Her family has many struggles including extreme poverty and a bed-ridden grandma. Your prayers are just what they need right now. Muchas gracias!

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Photo of the Week - Week 15

Wednesday, April 20th 2022 8:09 am

I took this photo last week. We were headed out of a barrio to get a moto-taxi after spending the day visiting families. I admit that I had taken my "big" camera that I use for birding along because this barrio was far out in the country and we had seen some birds while we were there on previous days. Normally, I don't bring my camera along because it just doesn't feel right to be walking around places where people don't have enough to eat with an expensive camera. In my mind, there's a certain injustice in that. I had justified it last week, promising that I wouldn't take it out when we were visiting with families, only when we were coming and going. Justifications only work so well though, because in this case, there were two extra families we ended up visiting that we hadn't seen walking in, but needed help.

This was the second family. There wasn't time to put the camera away, so instead, I just kept it hanging loose and continued to use Yanira's phone camera. (That's what I usually use.) Well, this young boy had been playing motorcycle on my arm (you can see it in his hand) and saw the "big" camera. He pointed to it after I had taken other photos with Yanira's camera, and I knew exactly what he was saying. He wanted me to take a photo with my big camera! We were on our way out but I snapped a photo. He was thrilled (even if he doesn't look it). It was especially funny because his brother was a perfect model for photos, holding a small soccer ball in various action poses, but this fellow seemed totally uninterested until that moment. I feel so much love toward these children. They are beautiful and courageous in their trust. If you would lift up a prayer for this youngster, and the others that we work with, I would sure appreciate it!

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Photo of the Week - Week 27

Saturday, July 16th 2022 4:03 pm

Today is the Feast of Virgen del Carmen, the patroness of the country of Bolivia. I wondered about the impressive statue in the front of the church and Sister Yanira told me about this special representation of the Virgin Mary.

Our prayers today are filled with special attention to Mary, containing imagery of purity, motherly care and intercessions on our behalf. I am sure the Mass will have even more customs and traditions to mark the day.

I have been appreciating the faith of the people here in Ascención. Little gestures and big processions are outward representations of a deep faith that runs through the church here.

I witnessed this deep faith this week as the area had an "Encuentro" for five days with the children and teens. It was filled with excitement, relationships, learning and even some evangelization in the community. Bishops, priests, deacons and women religious all added their own energy to the encuentro. I wasn't a part of the days, but I heard from the sisters helping and a student I know about how inspiring and energizing it was.

I was able to attend most of the Masses, which were filled with enthusiasm, energy and lots of loud music. Although it probably was louder than some rock concerts in the US, it was so full of energy and singing youth that I couldn't help but be swept away by it. In the midst of it all, Mary stood, holding the colors of Bolivia in her hands.

I enjoyed imagining Mary in heaven laughing, clapping along with the songs during Mass and singing her heart out. I think she had a really good time.

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Rediscovering the Beauty of Hospitality

Tuesday, August 23rd 2022 7:01 am

I have been doing some intentional discernment lately about who I want to be in the world. Within me, there is a mix of personality, experience and skills, and central to all of that is my spirit. Although these parts of me are permanent, how I bring them to the world is my choice. Maybe a good way to say it would be my choice of presence.

In my discernment, the phrase that most calls to me is “Radiating Christ’s Love”. This beautiful sentiment speaks to not only my personal acceptance of Christ’s love and how it lives in my heart but suggests that this same love goes out from me into the world.

As I ponder this peaceful sentiment, I can’t help to wonder what that radiance might look like. I’ve noticed that, like Francis, I am drawn to simplicity, and while working with the people of Bolivia and Sister Yanira, I have rediscovered a simple and powerful expression of this radiance in hospitality.

There are countless examples of hospitality I have received, especially the simple kindness of offering chairs and conversation to two sisters walking through a neighborhood. As I have mentioned previously, I find this simple act of hospitality to be a great gift of love and acceptance.

There are five stories that quickly come to mind regarding hospitality that have both surprised me and helped me to grow in my appreciation of this gift.

Chicha: Last week, we were walking through a barrio (neighborhood) and stopped at a house to ask if there were any young children living there. If there were, Sister Yanira would have talked to them about nutrition and offered the help of Santa Clara Nutrition Clinic if the kids needed it. In this case though, there were no kids, just an older gentleman. Like most other families, he brought out two chairs so we could sit down and take a little rest from our walk. Next, he found a couple of cups and filled them with Chicha, a traditional drink in Bolivia made from different starches like corn, yuka, soy and even peanuts. It was both cold and refreshing – and extremely appreciated. Soon, his wife joined us and we visited for about 15 minutes, during which we learned that they had been married for almost 50 years. As we left, I got the impression that both we and they had made a couple of new friends.

Pina: I am fortunate to be here now when pineapples are in season. They grow sweet and juicy here. I even eat the core it’s so good! Sister Yanira showed me how to make pineapple refresco by boiling the outer parts of the pineapple. With a little sweetener, it’s really delicious! As we finished up one of our workshops and were preparing to leave, a mom brought out a pineapple, freshly harvested, as a gift for us to take with us. It probably would seem to some like a small gesture, but for me, I understood the value of the pineapple to that family. Their generosity was gigantic that day.

Musaca de Platenos (Plantains): A couple of weeks ago, we visited a home to teach them how to make things with soy, specifically soy milk and Canapé de Soya, a bread made with soy meal, butter, eggs, a bit of flour and plenty of cheese. When we got there at about 8:30, they were in the process of making breakfast. The family all worked together to make the traditional dish popular in the area. It consists of frying plantains in oil -- green plantains specifically. Because they aren’t yellow yet, they are more firm and not as sweet. After they finish frying, they put them into a large mortar and pestle, pounding them and grinding them until they are in small pieces. I will admit at that part of the process I got busy with our parts so didn’t see the end of the process. Almost two hours after the breakfast was started it was finally time to eat. I expected to wait for them to finish and continue with the workshop. I should have known better though. Here in Bolivia, I have found the hospitality to continue to surprise me. This day was no exception. A few of the kids sat down at the table where we were working and then two plates along with some cinnamon tea were brought for Sister Yanira and I! After all that work, I really appreciated being offered some. I was even more appreciative when Sister Yanira explained that it is a popular dish for breakfast because it is something that is nutritious and filling, especially when families can’t afford simple extravagances like bread, the most popular breakfast here. I realized how much I had assumed it was a choice to prepare a traditional dish, not realizing its popularity stemmed from poverty. We ate it with our fingers by compressing the little bits together. We laughed and talked as we enjoyed this generous hospitality.

Armadillo: “We haven’t gone to the store today, I don’t know what I can offer you.” A kind mother said as she, her husband and her little girl welcomed us to sit with them on a walk through a barrio one day. Although both Sister Yanira and I assured her it was fine and that we didn’t need anything but conversation, she disappeared as we chatted with her husband. Soon, she returned beaming with a big smile. She had found a great bit of food to share and presented to us a roasted armadillo, complete with outer shell, claws and head, to enjoy as a gift of hospitality from her. Especially because I knew that this was likely, literally, all they had to offer us, I enthusiastically accepted it telling them how I had never eaten armadillo before. I think I heard Sister Yanira whisper “Aventura!” right before she instructed me how to dig in under the shell to extract some rib meat, sprinkle it with salt and eat it with my hands. This was a stretching experience for certain, and I felt honored to be a part of it. For those who are wondering, it tasted a lot like pork.

Dried Meat: One thing I noticed somewhat regularly on our walks, were slices of meat either hanging on a clothesline or barbed wire around properties at the homes of people here. I am sure the barbed wire is for security, but it’s not ominous like it is in the United States. Sometimes people dry clothes on barbed wire. One day, as we were finishing up a workshop and preparing to leave, Sister Yanira began laughing because it just so happened that I was standing behind some drying meat and as she looked at me, it looked a bit like a bonnet of meat! As we laughed, we talked a bit with the family about it. I soon realized that it was a lot like beef jerky when it was done drying. It lasts a long time and has lots of flavor. When they heard that I had never tried it there, they quickly tore off a generous portion of the dried meat and threw it directly into the glowing embers of the fire we had used to make the food in the workshop. They then pulled it out and handed it to us. Through my American culture lens, I would never have considered meat dried in barbed wire and then thrown into ashes. Luckily for me, I have been here long enough to gently place my culture’s sensibilities on the side. As I chewed on the warm meat, I was surprised by the delicious flavor. It was better than any beef jerky I had ever tasted. I was so grateful that another family who needed our help was so willing to be generous with the little they had.

As I think more about these stories of incredible hospitality, I wonder how these experiences have changed me. I wonder how it will be when I return to the United States. Before this experience, I wouldn’t have thought twice about ignoring a doorbell when I hadn’t made plans for friends to visit. I would have assumed it was a salesperson or possibly someone wanting something from me. I have reserved my hospitality for those who are close to me or who I want to get to know better.

As I consider my core desire to radiate Christ’s love, these ideas no longer apply. I begin to imagine a broadened sense of hospitality that doesn’t exclude or have limitations. For now, I will leave it to my imaginings and know that this new perspective will be a gift that I will bring with me upon my return.

Birds and Nature - Enjoying Bolivian Creation

Sunday, March 27th 2022 2:41 pm

Happy Sunday!

Thank you to everyone who asked questions! I got so many great ones - I look forward to answering them all. Since I got to pick, I chose a question relating to a favorite topic - NATURE! - first. I hope you enjoy the pics!

Question: I thought you would be exploring nature, taking pictures of birds and butterflies. We were expecting you to post nature photos. Can you explore nature on your own? Or would you have to arrange to have a buddy take you away from the convent?

Answer: Thanks for the questions! I have been quite remiss in not posting my nature photos. I haven't been out on my own yet, my Spanish is too sketchy and I don't often understand what people are saying to me, so I think it's best to have a buddy for now. Luckily, the sisters here like nature too - and have quite a bit of it here in the convent, too!

Here, there are so many big wonderings, I have been prioritizing them over pictures of birds and butterflies, but your question reminds me that there is a lot to learn from creation as well - and those learnings bring me closer to my Creator. I think the simplest and biggest lesson that creation here in Bolivia teaches me is that even though so much is different than what I am used to, it is still filled with the love and creative expression of God. It's easy to see that as I am witness to God's creative joy in the diversity of the creatures around here. To see a Capped Heron catch a frog, and three bright Macaws fly over the convent, it is clear that God is not only loving and intelligent, God is also amazingly creative. Each new bit of creation I find reminds me that God is full of surprises!

Above: Little-Banded Swift

Above: Orcas Checkered Skipper

Above: Florida White

Above: Dorante Longtail

Above: Polydamas Swallowtail

Above: Julia Heliconian

Above: Red Peacock

Above: Green-banded Urania

Above: Thoas Swallowtail

Above: Greater Ani, photo taken in Yaguarú wetlands

Above: Cocoi Heron, photo taken in Yaguarú wetlands

Above: Neotropic Cormorant, photo taken in Yaguarú wetlands

Above: Snail Kite, photo taken in Yaguarú wetlands

Above: Black Vulture, photo taken in Yaguarú wetlands

Above: Female Saffron Finch, photo taken on the convent grounds

Above: White-Banded Mockingbird -- trying to look threatening to a Rufous Hornero, photo taken on the convent grounds

Above: Rufous-Throated Sapphire, photo taken on the convent grounds
This is the best photo I could get of a hummingbird. You'd think with 75ish species of hummingbirds, one would sit still for me.

Above: Tropical Kingbird, photo taken on the convent grounds
When you are frustrated with hummingbirds, you can always count on this fellow to strike a pose.

Above: Whistling Heron, photo taken at a resort/family water park that was closed, but they let us in to look at birds anyway

Above: Blue-and-yellow Macaw, photo taken at the same resort
This bird was a pet of theirs, but such a beauty, and a good representative of the many that fly over the convent.

Above: Guira Cuckoos, photo taken at Hermana's farm out in the country.
They were kind enough to let me come along while they worked so I could take photos of birds and then even stopped the car each time so I could snap some shots!

Above: Limpkin, photo taken on the road back from the farm

Above: Capped Heron, photo taken on the road back from the farm

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Photo of the Week - Week 13

Wednesday, April 6th 2022 3:32 pm

It isn't the best photo. It's too dark, too close and a bit blurry -- but it's a favorite because it reminds me of a special time.

I continue to be surprised that anyone here might think that I am something special. I sometimes forget that I look different, or that by being from the United States, people find that interesting. I mean, I am from the United States so to me, that's old news! I don't often feel very useful, only helping a little bit with the important work Sister Yanira does. I have gotten a lot of compliments on my photos, but still, that pales in comparison to the life-saving work going on here. Of course, there are the continuing challenges of speaking Spanish, too. Today a large family that we cooked soy with made me feel special. The mothers taught me a few words in Gwarayu, the traditional language of this area (admittedly, I forgot them but that's not the point), one of the teenage girls took a selfie with me while we made Cuñapes together and the younger kids couldn't get enough of me and the camera I was taking photos with. I felt love and acceptance from this friendly -- kind and inviting family. It was a great day!

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What About the Animals?

Saturday, June 18th 2022 5:06 am

Hello! I am still in the United States, but wanted to show you some of the animals that are at the convent and farm. I thought it would be a good opportunity to practice my Spanish too - so here goes!

Caballos (Horses)

The sisters have a farm and every once in a while I get to go with them! It's always fun to say hi to the animals there.

 

 

 

Ovejas (Sheep)

At the farm

 

 

 


Cerdo (Pig)

At the farm.

 

 

 


Vacas (cows)

At the farm.

 

 

 


 

Vaca (Cow)

At the farm.

 

 


 

Vaca (Cow)

At the farm. I know there are extras, but the cows are very different from each other!

 

 


 

Joachie (Brown Agouti)

At the convent.

I am not sure if I'm spelling it right, but wanted an excuse to share another photo of Mia. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanado (Deer)

At the convent. Technically, like the joachie, the vanado is wild but likes to hang out in the backyard with the chickens, ducks, geese and tortoises.

 

 

 

Gato (Cat)

At the convent.

 

 


 

Gatitio (Kitten)

At the convent.

 

 


 

Patito (Duckling)

At the convent.

 

 

 


Pollito (Chick)

At the convent.

 

 


 

Tortuga (Tortoise)

At the convent.

 

 

 


Pero (Dog)

At the convent.

 

 


 

Thanks for helping me practice my Spanish!

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World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

Thursday, February 2nd 2017 2:56 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

katie-mitchell-laurie-sullivan-called

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Katie Mitchell and Laurie Sullivan share their "Called" experiences.

Around the world today the Catholic church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It’s also the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. In the time of Jesus, infants were presented in the temple and a traditional sacrifice was made on their behalf. This action marked their consecration to God and welcomed them as members of the faith community. Today's Gospel recounts the story of Jesus presented by Mary and Joseph. In our times it is through the sacrament of baptism that we become members of the Catholic church.

As a pastoral associate working in two rural Wisconsin parishes one of my favorite ministries was preparing parents for the baptism of their child. The goal of the meetings was to discuss the commitment they were making on behalf of their child. I would also ask what dreams they had for the child, and how they planned to share the Catholic faith with their son or daughter as they grew. These were inspiring conversations as the love they had for their child was so strong, even if the baby was just a few weeks old. They were already dreaming of school concerts, dance recitals and far-away wedding days for their infant. It was amazing to see the hope and pride the parents had, holding their baby as the priest poured the blessed baptismal water over the child's head in the name of the Trinity. Some enjoyed the water and others cried. I always thought that was symbolic as experiencing the call of the Gospel contains moments of joy and moments of startling revelation, just like the cold water trickling over their heads. At the end of each baptism the priest would hold the baby up high, proclaiming an introduction to the gathered faith community. Applause would erupt from the congregation and the proud parents, godparents and family members beamed with joy. In that moment many dreams came to fruition and many more—as to who the little child would be—began to take shape in their hearts.

If we listen to the ritual language of baptism we hear that we are all called to a life of service. Discerning religious life comes from the very root of the first sacrament you received—baptism. Choosing to make religious profession is an intensification of baptismal commitment. It is to dedicate all of your life to the service of others and to share the good news of the Gospel in service of the church and the world. It’s choosing to fully consecrate your life to God. It’s making God your primary relationship and commitment. It’s a joy-filled choice.

How does your baptism shape how you live your life?

Will you be a part of the next generation of consecrated life?

Live into this World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life with FSPA's "Called: the future of religious life" and National Religious Vocation Conference's "Why We Love Our Vocation."

What It Sounds Like Here

Monday, August 1st 2022 2:30 pm

Someone sent me a message with a request. It's interesting how a person can get used to things and stop noticing them, and I realized that was happening a little bit here now that I have been in Bolivia for about 7 months.

Request: I am curious in your new environment what sounds you have heard when falling asleep and when waking up.

I haven't thought about the sounds here in a while. When I first arrived I was astounded by the flocks of parrots flying over and the birdsong during our prayers. Time has passed here and I realize that just like in the United States, the different seasons mark changes in bird behavior too. I was curious if I had stopped noticing the sounds, or if they are indeed different.

We are in the middle of winter here right now. It's very different here in a tropical environment than it is back in the northern part of the United States! Highs are in the mid to upper 90's here in winter, with a rare exception of a cold day in the 50s or 60s. Lows overnight are normally in the 60s. What marks the season change here is the lack of rain. It is quite dry and it only rains once every two or three weeks. The sun can feel especially hot on these days as clouds are about as rare as the rain. Dirt and dust blow through the streets with no moisture to weigh it down.

Back to the request!

In the evenings, most times there is not much to hear except motorcycles and dogs barking. Although it can be a little loud because we are right next to the center of the city, the plaza, I have gotten used to it and it doesn't keep me awake. It is helpful that most evenings I am very tired! I rarely have trouble falling asleep.

Many weekends and during festivals, music can be heard. I am not sure where it comes from, and I suspect it travels to my ears from different places. What is interesting is how the music goes all night long, normally finishing (but not always!) as I get up for prayer. The sisters tell me that there is lots of dancing and festivities at these times.

In the mornings, it is very different. Although there is traffic and dogs, there is a cacophony of the world waking up. Even in the winter, there is still much to hear. The flocks of parrots aren't chattering overhead, but the morning is still alive with sound.

I spent a Sunday morning listening to the sounds before prayer. It was a joy to be able to take the time to notice these things. It felt like a blessing!

Sounds from home...
pigeons, sparrows, crickets and a lovely little house wren.

Sounds of civilization...
motorcycles and traffic, dogs barking and legions of roosters crowing.

Sounds specifically here...
crested caracaras (photo), purplish jays, one lone macaw, a few guira cuckoos and a lovely melodious blackbird.

I realize all the "here" sounds are birds. I was happy to realize I have come to know the sounds of the birds in Ascencion like the ones in the midwest. What a gift! And what a gift to be asked about sounds. Thank you!

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The Making of a Saint - and Nerviness

Sunday, May 22nd 2022 3:55 pm

Today is the feast day of Madre Maria Hueber, the founder of the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis, the sisters I am living with here in Bolivia. They have provinces in Austria, Bolivia and Cameroon. Madre Maria seemed to be a simple woman who accomplished miraculous things devoted to free education for children as she had the gift of prophecy.

The sisters here created special displays for the venerated sister, one in the dining room and one in the chapel. I appreciate so much that they used cuttings from the plants in the garden. It's such a simple but beautiful expression of Franciscan simple living. There are candles and lovely fabrics that grace the places. Last night for the solemnity we had some time in Adoration and today we had a feast of "Chancha" (roasted pork) at lunch and read a special prayer for her day after, which I was lucky enough to get to read.

It is my turn to lead prayers this week. I tried to talk them out of it, but they wouldn't budge. I guess that means if I make mistakes, they only have themselves to blame! Just kidding, I have been practicing and preparing, but considering it's entirely in Spanish, that complicates things for me and my language capacity. It's a good challenge though, and I am confident that the sisters will help me with everything as I need it. As a matter of fact, I started last night, and I mixed up the order of things for Adoration, which at times they ignored and when needed, started a prayer when I began doing something else. I appreciate they're guiding help and willingness to be patient as I lean into this good - but nerve-wracking - time.

Since it was the Solemnity of the Feast of Venerable Madre Maria Hueber, I decided to ask her to put in a good word for me, and interestingly, the readings and prayers I had to say solo went very well. She is being considered for canonization (becoming a saint) and I think that my saying the prayers and readings well should count as a miracle and cause toward furthering her in the process!

Knowing that each day I have four prayer times in the chapel, two meals at which to say grace (at the beginning and end none-the-less!), a rosary, Adoration and one reading after lunch, I probably could use a lot more intercessions for help with this important task with the sisters. Did I mention it's entirely in Spanish? In other words, please pray for me! Muchas Gracias!

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Photo of the Week - Week 11

Thursday, March 24th 2022 1:44 pm

This week's photo is from the convent in San Miguel where I spent some time last week. I have seen different art like this here in Bolivia, but the imagery in this one struck me more than the others. This type of art serves as a reminder of the history of the place. In here you see Jesus front and center surrounded by indigenous people, priests, workers, poor children and freed slaves. Behind it you can see some of the historical events that happened like the arrival of the Spanish, military oppression and protests. I don't know the specific historical stories depicted in this painting, but it moves me. It reminds me of the history we are exploring anew in the United States connected to historical trauma and systemic racism (and other "isms") and I wonder what art is being created back in the states that will tell the story of our history. It will be good to see the images the future brings.

I realized that it is difficult to see all the detail in this photo so I have made the original available here for anyone interested. 

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Photo of the Week - Week 17

Thursday, May 5th 2022 7:21 am

Welcome to May!

In the culture here (and many other places too!) May is devoted to Mary. Here in Ascención, there is a large blue and yellow display with a beautiful statue depicting Mary.

I will be spending the next four days in Yaguarú, a special small town where the sisters minister Thursday - Sunday. I thought it fitting that I use the Mary I saw in the church there back when we went there for the end of Carnaval.

This is Mary, Undoer of Knots. I was excited to see it when I was there. The devotions to Mary, Undoer of Knots focus on asking for her intercession to help undo the knots in our lives. St. Irenaeus is quoted as saying that Mary undid the knot of original sin, and so a special devotion was born from that.

There is a novena connected to Mary, Undoer of Knots, but I tend to ask for help with things that have me tied up inside.

If you're interested, the start of the novena begins...
Dearest Holy Mother, Most Holy Mary, you undo the knots that suffocate your children, extend your merciful hands to me. I entrust to You today this knot and all the negative consequences that it provokes in my life.

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A Walk with the Holy Spirit

Sunday, April 24th 2022 1:52 pm

Today, the Holy Spirit invited me on a walk. I grabbed my camera and we had a wonderful time. There were so many wonderful creations to appreciate. I decided not to do more than enjoy the time and snap some photos for you. Enjoy!

There's also a little video here if you want to see something wondrous: https://youtu.be/DlqKc1sj85o.



Following the light

Thursday, November 10th 2016 3:10 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


sunrise

Photo credit: freeimages.com

This week has brought opportunity for morning risers to awaken to a new pattern of light. The sun has begun (on its best days) to ascend earlier and rouse reluctant sleepers with sunbeams pushing through our bedroom curtains.

Many of us, though, won’t count such a blessing until it’s overshadowed by the dark of early winter mornings. Submerged into grayness our hearts will pine for what we feel we have lost. We may already hear complaints of the dark to come even when the sun is still shining.

Being in the present moment—those we appreciate and those we don’t—is a valuable tool in discernment. Such presence of thought can help you identify enjoyment and displeasure; allow you to tap into your natural inclinations; enlighten you and challenge you and help guide you as you gradually move through the light and the dark to tomorrow.

Very simply, it opens you up to examination of conscience: a method many Catholics are first taught when preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (a prayerful practice of looking at the life choices you make in regards to sin). St. Ignatius of Loyola created an in-depth tool for such discernment—the Examen—which revolves around daily reflection.

For me the Examen works best in written form, when it’s tactile. Identifying what’s in your head and putting it to paper can allow for deeper contemplation of the themes you notice reoccurring daily, weekly or monthly. In discernment, entering into the method and routine of the Examen can bring clarity to questions that have been circling in your mind. Writing can make uncertainty real, but can also tell what is true for you. Give yourself time to sit in prayer with your thoughts; allowing curiosity, temporarily suspending judgment. Look where you're leaning—it will help you gravitate toward decision.  

Are you willing to explore a new way of assessing your experience?

What will such a daily practice as the Examen require of you?

To learn more about the Examen, including a five-step version for daily practice, visit www.IgnatianSpirituality.com.

Photo of the Week - Week 14

Wednesday, April 13th 2022 9:51 am

The sun was hastening to the horizon as the courtyard filled with the prayers of the rosary.

Dios te salve María, llena eres de gracia, el Señor es contigo...

Outside, a cool breeze played with skirts, habits and veils and cooled the sisters as their gazes returned to the tabernacle inside the chapel, their lawn chairs facing toward the recipient of their prayers.

Bendita Tú eres entre todas las mujeres…

A pair of pigeons sang their praises with quiet cooing. A hornero announced its joining with a noisy and enthusiastic call. A butterfly gently glided among the brightly colored flowers, dancing to the rhythm of the prayer. A kingbird performed acrobatic pirouettes from the rooftop, catching insects along the way.

y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre Jesús…

As the Rosary continued, the skies filled with sound. The gentle peet of neighbor songbirds and the raucous cries of hundreds of parrots flying overhead. Martins and swallows in large numbers left their perches and danced in the skies above.

Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores…

Outside the walls of the mission and convent, the plaza was filled with the sounds of talking and laughing. Traffic punctuated things with its crescendo and decrescendo as the residents of the pueblo returned from a day of work or school. Music announced the start of dancing outside the convent, and for a few moments overrode everything else.

ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte…

As I prayed and reflected on the sorrowful mysteries, I felt a oneness with all the different sights and sounds. I felt the deep, foundational connection I have with all and everyone as one tiny, but greatly loved, part of God’s creation. And in that, I understood God a little bit more.

Amén

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Photo of the Week - Week 19

Wednesday, May 18th 2022 7:18 am

I have a few official responsibilities here at the convent. I remember when I got my list, I was so excited to have some jobs like the other sisters. Doing these tasks really helps me to feel like I am contributing in community.

I help clean a few places, I help decorate for birthdays and on Sundays, I make the refresco for lunch. Essentially, refresco is juiced fruit with a lot of water added. The fruit here is inexpensive anyway, but the sisters also have a lot of fruit trees, and that's where the refresco gets its start. For as long as I've been here, there has been an abundance of grapefruit which is what is used to make refresco most days.

First, I grab a bucket and head out to the trees. There are at least seven of them. Most of the fruit in arm's reach is gone, so I take a pole with a special small basket on the end specifically for picking fruit. I pick enough fruit to fill the bucket and add them to any grapefruits that are already waiting. Then, using a large knife, I give the fruit a light peel. This makes it easier to juice. Once that's done, I cut them in half and get to work juicing. No electric juicers here, I bet they wouldn't even want one. As they are juiced, I strain out the pulp and seeds. Today, I did about 12 grapefruits. They were big, so I probably didn't need that many but that's ok, because now we're set for dinner too. After completing the juicing, I divide up the concentrate into large pitchers and fill two for lunch with water. The rest goes in the fridge to make for dinner.

It was my first time making it solo on Sunday, and I am happy to say everyone thought it was just right! The scraps from the fruit go in a bin to be fed, along with the other food scraps, to the ducks, chickens, geese and a friendly young wild brown agouti, all who live back by the grapefruit trees. In the end, it took me about an hour and a half to make the refresco. I am sure I will get much faster but it was a lovely way to spend my Sunday morning.

Felices Pascuas! Leaning into Different Pascual Traditions

Sunday, April 17th 2022 10:30 am

Felices Pascuas! This is short because I am still in the midst of celebrating this Holy time with the sisters here. I have had a range of wonderings this week, enjoying new traditions, spending time with Sister Katie who was visiting from FSPA and admittedly missing the traditions I've enjoyed in the states. I was just thinking, I wonder if I would have realized how important those traditions were if I hadn't been here? God's blessings to you today and every day!

On Good Friday, the morning was spent re-enacting the end of Jesus' life, beginning with the last supper.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

We walked with Jesus as he carried the cross. The morning was about 3.5 miles and went from about 8:30 to 11:30. Many people joined.

 

 




The jovenes (youth) from the parish performed the reenactment, but I heard from Sister Yanira that the young man who was Jesus has been doing it for many years.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

We circled the pueblo and returned to the church where the crucifixion was re-enacted.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


After Jesus' death, he is lowered and held by Mary. It was very moving, and a little bit nerve-racking for the young man who climbed a ladder supported totally by other people holding it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


In the evening, we traversed the same route, just about 12 hours later, but in reverse. It was a time to carry Jesus' body to the tomb.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

The coffin for Jesus is lit, so people can see and follow. I think there were more people at this procession than at the first. There were also women who carried the Pieta, shouldering the sorrow of Mary at the loss of her son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holy Saturday is "the Day of the Tomb" here. We needed to travel to Santa Cruz on Saturday because Sister Katie will be leaving tomorrow. I attended the Easter Vigil, which is more subdued than what we have in the states, but there were still extra readings, the blessing of the Easter candle and the blessing of the water. I got a good helping of blessed water on me during the sprinkling, which made me smile!

When we returned to the house, we had a lovely little meal with colored eggs (sorry I ate them so couldn't include them in the photo!) and candies.

 

 

 

 


May God's blessings shower you with the love of Jesus today and every day!

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Mary and our "Yes" to mystery

Thursday, March 23rd 2017 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

This Saturday is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. As I prepare for the celebration I’ve contemplated the Gospel we'll receive that day and thought about all the announcements made over the intercom I hear at St. Rose Convent in the course of a day. From the speaker just outside of my office I hear receptionists paging employees and sisters; reminders about Mass, committee meetings (even exercise class) and other activities beginning soon. I’m able to block out most of this background noise as it’s rare such announcements are personally meant for me. On the sporadic instance it is, I have a community filled with helpful sisters who diligently make me aware of what I may have inadvertently tuned out.


microphone-freeimages.com

Image courtesy of freeimages.com

In the Gospel, Mary encounters and responds to a life changing annunciation. This is not a vague message. It is specific. She is called by name, reassured of her goodness, provided with initial details of what is to come and given an opportunity to respond. Finally she makes a choice. She says ”Yes” to be the mother of Jesus. No instruction book is given, no promise of happiness, yet she says ”Yes.” When we say "Yes" to vocation we—like Mary—must walk the road, learning as we go, trusting God is always there.

This is one of several call and response stories we have in our Scriptures but Mary, in particular, is a model for discerners. Mary’s experience is a snap shot of what most of us experience in discerning religious life—movement towards making a choice. Gabriel may not be the one delivering the invitation but in many ways—when our worlds are changed in an instant—we can feel like Mary. The potential of the trajectory of our lives is laid before us and God waits for our "Yes."

God knows our hearts and understands how to communicate with us. The magnitude of our circumstance may draw messengers—delivering personal, divine requests—directly to us. The longer I live the more I doubt there are mere coincidences.  

Through the season of Lent we have been following the journey of Jesus to the cross. The annunciation story reminds us where and how it all began. Each decision about and response to God’s invitations has bearing on the future. Both stories convey the love God has for us. Love in action; in different moments of the unfolding narrative beginning with the very first moments of being through the maturation and insight into life choices made. Mary and Jesus choose love no matter the consequence for their lives.

This reading in the middle of Lent invites me to ponder loving more and worrying less. How can I let go of the need to know what to expect when love has a different answer? Always provides a way?

Is your discernment journey leading you to a “Yes” to love like Mary?

How does your life announce to the world your commitment to God?

A Day of Ministry with the Santa Clara Nutrition Center

Sunday, April 10th 2022 4:23 am

Question:
What do you do at the nutrition center? Do you go there just once a day according to your "daily routine"? 

Response:
I really enjoy my ministry at the Santa Clara Nutrition Center and appreciate greatly the work that they do. We all work from 8 am to Noon.

Normally, we spend 2 or 3 days a week walking different neighborhoods and talking to parents about nutrition for their kids. I normally take photos, and Sister Yanira does all the talking. She is a nurse and uses that knowledge to help in different ways.

We try to cook with a family once a week, which gives Sister Yanira the opportunity to bring educational material for parents and kids to learn about things like nutrition and hygiene. I think cooking might be my favorite activity because it's a time for everyone to work together to make amazing food with soy that is high in nutrients and protein for families who might not have access to a lot of healthy food, especially meat.

Finally, a day is spent in the clinic. Sister Yanira works with families and I spend my time transcribing things on the computer or looking for photos on the internet for her to use in her educational talks.

We have participated in fairs in the neighborhoods as well, impressing people with delicious food made from soy. It's really all delicious! We also have information and conversations about nutrition and hygiene.

This is a description of a typical day walking the neighborhood:

It's 8:30 and the van arrives to take us to a neighborhood. As we drive, the van bounces over potholes and puddles, going slowly where water has washed away parts of the road.

When we arrive at the Eva Morales barrio (neighborhood), we hop out of the van with our backpacks and the van leaves us, on its way to help run other errands for the sisters and act as transportation for the Tao school down the block from the center, which provides education to special needs and undocumented children.

We begin to walk. This neighborhood happens to be in a more hilly area, so it's a bit more work. The sun is hot, and temperatures at the beginning of the day are normally in the low to mid-80s. It will get into the 90s before our walk is done. They are all dirt roads here, sometimes only passable on motorcycles or by walking. We hop over gullies and holes, sometimes slipping a bit on the loose rocks. Our sandals are covered with dust and dirt quickly.

As we walk, we talk about life, our faith and ourselves. We might stop for a minute or two to enjoy a flower, tree, insect or bird. Not too much time though, because we are on a mission!

As we near different homes, we scan the clotheslines for children's clothes. I think it's such a smart way to see if we should stop. People hand wash clothes here, and as you can guess, there are always kid's clothes being cleaned! If we see them or see kids playing in the yard, we stop.

Normally, there is a gate made of re-purposed wood and barbed wire. Interestingly, a lot of people use their barbed wire fences as drying lines as well. One of the many examples of how things are well used here - I am often surprised and inspired by things like this. Sometimes a dog or two will come to challenge our entry. In many places, dogs are more protectors than family friends.

Sister Yanira shouts a bit of a greeting and we are welcomed into the yard. Most times, the general living area is outside. There may be one building or multiple smaller buildings of re-purposed wood and dirt floors for bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens.

We are welcomed to an area that, if it was in a house, would likely be called the dining room. It's more like a porch here, with a covering to keep out the sun, and a table similar to a picnic table, where the family eats. First thing, chairs are produced for each of us. It is an incredibly welcoming gesture to me that is repeated for us in almost every place we visit.

This family includes a mom, a grandma and three kids. It is often the case, not always, that fathers are not present. I don't have specifics on the reasons, but it proves to be a challenge for the mothers who many times team up with their moms and possibly their sisters and their sister's children who are in the same situation.

The kids are normally a bit shy the first time we see them. Reserved and not sure what to make of us. They are curious about Sister Yanira in her habit and listen when their mom tells them to come over to us, but they are not ready to trust us yet.
 

Sister Yanira will check the kids, talk about nutrition, give medical advice, discuss education options for undocumented* kids and help if there is an urgent situation. 

We might schedule a cooking demonstration with a family, but we always provide information about the clinic and directions on how to get there.

As we leave, we thank the parents and say 'chao' to the kids. Now that we're leaving, smiles appear and return 'chaos' ring out from the kids. When we return in the future, most kids are transformed into interested, engaged, trusting children. It is a blessing to receive the gift of their trust.

We will repeat this process five or more times before we run out of time at about 11:30. Sometimes we are revisiting people who have received help before. Sometimes we are checking in on abuelas and abuelos (grandmothers and grandfathers) with health issues. Other times, we meet a child with special needs along with their brothers and sisters, presenting a different kind of challenge for a family here.

Sometimes when we visit a family, we find a chunky baby and kids that are a good weight. These times are not the norm however -- maybe one family of every five or six. Sister Yanira always celebrates these mothers, lifting them up with great praise and affirmation of the great job they are doing.

Finally, it's time to return. We hop on separate motorcycles and arrive back at the center with enough time for Sister Yanira to follow up on the takeaways she leaves the neighborhood with, put away our things and talk with the other staff there about each other's days.

*I wondered about what it means to be undocumented here. I wasn't sure if it was the same thing as in the United States. Here, undocumented kids are kids whose parents have not registered them. Both parents' signatures are required, and many times the fathers don't want to take responsibility for the child so they don't sign. Unregistered kids don't have access to healthcare or education. This puts moms in a very tough place. The Tao school provides education to these children.

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The hope and conversion in Christmas

Thursday, December 8th 2016 10:00 am
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA


Advent-wreath-week-2

Photo by Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

I am a fan of holiday movies. In a span of two hours plots develop with a challenge in the life of the main characters that invites reflection, followed by a new choice. Usually the story has a happy ending but not before they face the reality of the situation before them. It’s the lesson of conversion dressed up in holiday clothing; a Gospel value renewed for the season. 

I also enjoy Advent, the second week of which is now upon us. The dual message of Scripture is hope and conversion—hope, even when we are asked to examine the truth of who we are. In light of this wonderment I’m choosing to make time to continue unpacking the richness of Sunday’s readings—that which invites all of us to be in the present moment, not race ahead to Christmas as the commercial world advises. The messages we receive during Mass should not dissipate with the recessional. Our tradition calls us to allow the verses to stir in our hearts and move us to action throughout the week. 

Isaiah declares the transformation that will unfold with the coming of the Lord: an end to of domination and competition. I recently read an inspiring story about an athlete who competed with integrity; putting the unfortunate fall of a competitor before her own drive to victory. She personifies the time to come right now, today, as she made a choice countercultural in not only the world of sports but also in life.  This one act of kindness shines the light of Advent hope for all the world to see.

 wolf-lamb

The Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12) summons us to take Isaiah’s message a step further. Herald of the Good News, John the Baptist cuts through facades and invites each person to the depth of Christian discipleship; to make way for the Gospel message in our hearts and in the world. The reading sounds harsh when we are also living in moments of happy Christmas anticipation; from driving around to see the lights adorning homes to watching holiday specials on television (I could curl up in front of the TV and watch Hallmark Channel Christmas movies 24/7). We long to wrap ourselves in festive yuletide experiences; to leave anything that conjures negative feelings or remembrance of bad choices hidden away on the top shelf. After all, who wants to think about sin while eating cookies and listening to holiday music? It feels like a contradiction. But by listening to the wise advice of John the Baptist, one is reminded that such effort brings deeper reward.

This Advent season the invitation is clear—amidst the work we must also make way for hope in our hearts. Discernment is full of hope: hope of what God is calling you to; hope of what the church will receive in the gift of your life offered to others; hope of a new day when all will reach out to those in need. Each time you take time to examine who you are, what your motives are, you become a stronger herald of the Gospel no matter where discernment leads. John’s message of conversion is present in the experience. 

What will you do this week to take the messages of Isaiah and John the Baptist to heart in your discernment?  

What is your greatest hope—as gift to both yourself and to the world—for the outcome of your discernment?

 

 

Trying on your metaphorical lenses

Thursday, October 20th 2016 3:23 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 


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Image courtesy of freeimages.com

A few days ago I went to my optometrist for my annual eye exam. I knew what to expect: cover one eye; read the chart; cover the other eye; repeat the process. 

Next the optometrist put me behind a machine that precisely defines vision: a series of lenses (beginning with blanks) through which letters are revealed in quick clicks back and forth in front of my eyes while the optometrist fires off rapid questions. Repeat the process.

It’s at this point in the procedure I hit sensory overload and could not tell the difference between one lens and the next. But I had to remind myself some experiences require quick decisions. I pushed myself to squint harder; to narrow the lenses down to two that seemed to work and appeared to be similar; both potentially the right fit. 

Religious discernment also calls for scrutinization and elimination and resolution—finding the right fit. If you get stuck, perhaps between two communities that invite your interest, unable to find your way forward, perhaps a simple list of pros and cons could be a helpful tool. You will have to decide what weight each item carries as these conclusions do not work themselves out as simple math equations. Prioritize your list. Evaluate your thoughts and look for patterns. For example: are you focusing too hard on where you will live on mission instead of how you will live in ministry? Are you willing to give in to indecisiveness and shut down the process completely?  

What happens when you are called to a conclusion; that there are perhaps two communities that speak to your sensibilities? It's time for a visit. Try on your metaphorical lenses. Look up close and personal into the community’s mission, governance and many more details to see what excites you.

And once you get there remember that stepping over the threshold to a Come and See doesn’t have to be a lifelong commitment. It’s simply an opportunity for mutual discernment to begin; time for you to learn more about the community and the community—with its specific vision for mission— to learn more about you. Both parties have the right to decide if membership is a good fit or not. And other opportunities may appear: a vocation minister may suggest another community for you to explore after learning what you are looking for. It’s not a bad thing but a good opportunity for refining your discernment.

It takes courage to visit and even more to discern which way of religious life, if any, is right for you. Invite God into all the experience. Pray for wisdom and the Holy Spirit will guide you.

Are you brave enough to take the next step?

Is it time for you to send an email or pick up the phone?

 

Sister Amy Taylor is the FSPA director of membership. She invites you to call or write (1-888-683-3722 or membership@fspa.org) anytime!

 

Thankfulness, flaming rolls and the illusion of perfection

Thursday, November 17th 2016 2:30 pm
Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

 

Americans are hungry to dine on the tradition of Thanksgiving next week. It’s a race to the table as young and old vie for the seats closest to the food of their dreams. The stuffing. The cranberries. I especially look forward to the fluffy mounds of mashed potatoes and homemade rolls—carbohydrate bliss! While visions of these perfect dishes dance in the heads of guests who’ve arrived, the cook may be fretting over the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes and battling against lumpy gravy. What happens if the turkey is inedibly dry? Should we all go home? In focusing mostly on the beautiful, bountiful food, is the purpose of the gathering lost on idealism and expectation?

roast-turkey

Image courtesy freeimages.com

This question conjures one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories: the year my aunt nearly burned the kitchen down. Somewhere in the hurried process of transferring rolls from the oven to a paper grocery bag (in which she put them to keep them warm—do not try this at home!) part of it touched a burner on the stove and a fire broke out. The flames that shot through the kitchen were matched in height only by the screams of those in harm’s way. Logic was lost as my aunt created more oxygen by waving the bag to put out the flames. The fire was eventually extinguished and a gush of relief and laughter took its place. While the rolls were burned—resembling nothing like the golden brown expectation we all had come clamoring for—they were still good. And the heroic effort to put them on the table made them taste even better.

Sometimes in discernment, when visiting different congregations, we carry with us notions of ethereal utopia. (Perhaps sisters in the convent that float through the air rather than walk with their feet on the ground?) Yet observing the real, making those moments matter the most, requires leaving your illusions at the door. Letting go of the idea of perfection can also be freeing as you evaluate your own feelings about who you are and why God calls you to discern religious life. Open your Bible and read the stories of Moses, Jeremiah, Elizabeth, Sarah, Peter and others. God called on the most unlikely people to accomplish great tasks. And each person had to let go of their own perceived weakness to let God lead them to the next steps in their lives.  

When you visit a community, ask the members about their vocation stories and the ups and downs they’ve experienced. Look past the image of a sister you hold in your mind and take in the reality of the person who’s sharing the gift of who they truly are with you. (Click here to "Meet Our FSPA Sisters.") Ask how it is that they seem to remain joyful on the natural roller coaster ride that is life while living as a woman religious. You might find (as they most certainly do) that the deepest spiritual lessons we learn come from the realities that don’t resemble the superlative.  

What expectations do you have about the vocation you’re discerning?  

What illusions do you carry that are holding you back from knowing the truth?


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