The lack of vocations to religious life is a chance for us to trust God and let the Holy Spirit change everything in our structures and hearts that takes life and does not give it.
I chose to call 2023 "a year of collaboration." For any progress to happen, everyone's talent and opinion counts. This requires people to value, appreciate and listen to each other.
A simple act of making a sandwich, of welcoming the stranger, of ignoring danger is required. This is what my mother taught her children. Wherever she is, I believe her expectation to this day is that we listened.
Horizons - Recently I reached out to the nurse and executive director of a senior center, to find out about experiences of food insecurity that their members might be facing. The stories they shared were profound.
We need to create a mother-friendly and child-friendly environment because the church should be a place where people come to find solace and peace for all their problems. It should be a "mother's house" for all people.
Last year, the Presentation Sisters gave use of their unoccupied flat in Bratislava, Slovakia, to Ukrainian refugees. The need for accommodation and safety is still vital for many families fleeing the war.
A dedicated social worker shocked me when she revealed she was going through burnout. I understood my friend's pain but felt that she would navigate it. I discovered three stages to resolve this issue.
Horizons - We certainly should rejoice in those whose voices and votes will be counted and included at the upcoming Synod of Bishops. The question is: How are we going to enlarge the space of our tents at other levels too?
This year, International Women's Day coincided with Holi, India's festival of colors, and we women on the periphery gathered to celebrate our joy at being positive contributors to our society.
The Nicaraguan church is living in an apocalyptic time of constant struggle and resistance to keep our faith and convictions alive and strong. Yet we continue to trust and believe that we are not alone.
Contemplate This - As I break the habit of always going in and out of one door, and risk opening different doors, I see all sorts of new things. I get a sense that I am part of a greater whole to which I am connected.
On Easter Monday, Sister Phileshin was celebrating her gift of life — a life of seeking justice for the anawim of society — when she received a heart-rending, memorable gift for her birthday.
In the murderous tragedy organized by the M23 rebels in Masisi and Ruthuru, Democratic Republic of Congo, women generally are paying heavy tolls. We religious sisters do not escape this fate.
As the size and dynamic of Benedictine communities changes, being flexible enough to "let go" of buildings or ministries is an undeniable form of wisdom.
I have made it a point of urgency to speak to people about care for the Earth by engaging them in making concerted efforts to plant more trees, reduce water wastage, and keep the environment clean.
As we mark Earth Day, we should honor these eco-cosmic saints by implementing Catholic social teachings of the common good, by safeguarding Mother Earth as our common home and prioritizing a "preferential option for the poor."