Sister Susan Marie: The Church calendar is filled with saints! These three saints with December feasts are just three examples out of many for living a Christ-like life.
Sister Susan Marie: Who is your favorite saint and why?
l: St.Jane De Chantal
SrSusan (guest): A Salesian Visitandine saint!
l: I love her humanity!
SrSusan (guest): Very vibrant and human yes!
G: She is an inspiration to all.
Dec 22 2013, 7:35 PM
SrSusan (guest): She had her growth areas
l: I can identify with her as a mother and her growth areas!
Dec 22 2013, 7:36 PM
SrSusan (guest): It took her a long time to forgive the man who shot her husband accidentally
l: Yes, exactly that sort of humanness!
St. Theresa of Avila is like that too!
SrSusan (guest): She suffered loads of losses and grieved very much though later in life she got ahold of herself more quickly
SrSusan (guest): What is the similarity?
G: Forgiveness is a process. As we grow spiritually it becomes easier to forgive. Personal experence…
l: I think the down to earth aspect of both their lives. St. Theresa had her own struggles too with impatience with others
SrSusan (guest): I did not know that!
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l: Yes, I learned that in my Carmelite studies!
SrSusan (guest): Her sisters in religion or others?
SrSusan (guest): Did you also have a favorite, G?
l: She struggled with both
SrSusan (guest): I am interested in so many but of course my 3 are our 2 Founders and St Margaret Mary
G: I have a favorate. St. John of the Cross.
l: Oh that’s great G! We are studying him this next year!
SrSusan (guest): He’s a friend of St Theresa of Avila
42 PM
l: Yes, a great friend!
SrSusan (guest): How do they organize the study- reading or lectures?
G: He suffered with the dark night of the soul, the same name of his book.
Dec 22 2013, 7:42 PM
SrSusan (guest): He suffered alot- thrown into a prison by his own brothers in religion
G: He taught me some much about faith during a dry period.
Dec 22 2013, 7:43 PM
SrSusan (guest): But that’s where he wrote his poetry I think
l Yes in prison in the monastery
Our spiritual adviser gives us a lecture talk at our community meetings
Dry periods are so so difficult
G: Yes, in reading ,one can go back to that time and be there spiritually.
Yes, I find myself angry because my faith is being tested. The anger is at myself for faultering… PM
SrSusan (guest): Is it being tested now?
Dec 22 2013, 7:46 PM
SrSusan (guest): I find God provides amazing helps when we suffer spiritually if we are alert to see them
SrSusan (guest): Blessed Theresa of Calcutta suffered alot – she is a favorite of mine too
Dec 22 2013, 7:48 PM
SrSusan (guest): She also can help intercede for you in a dry period. She lived in darkness for over 40 years as did St Jane de Chantal!
Dec 22 2013, 7:48 PM
G: In her writings she said she was dry for 50 years.
SrSusan (guest): Yes very long.
A: That takes an amazing amount of faith
SrSusan (guest): And grace!
SrSusan (guest): A any favorite saints?
A: Well, I love St. Benedict, his rules because they are cut and dry, and I need that
And of course, Margaret Mary
SrSusan (guest): Ah! That’s an interesting statement
SrSusan (guest): Simplicity is a virtue!
SrSusan (guest): So many of us put saints on a pedastal but they were very human and struggled. We need to hear that sometimes
SrSusan (guest): One of the ex given was St Juan Diego avoiding the Blessed Mother when his uncle was sick!
G: St Francis De Sales because of his compassion in starting the Visitation Order and allowing widows and older woman the opportunity to join.
A: I agree with you, to realize their humanity, they weren’t just fairy tales
SrSusan (guest): Yes and it takes work and perseverence- none of the saints got off lightly in their spiritual journey and we don’t either
A: Didn’t Teresa of Avila have constant stomach problems?
Dec 22 2013, 7:54 PM
SrSusan (guest): It’s good to find a saint to match your own inner journey
SrSusan (guest): I don’t know
l: Yes she had tremendous pain in her abdomen
SrSusan (guest): We can all relate to physical illness. I always admire St Frances Cabrini who was very sickly but accomplished srtupendous works
SrSusan (guest): I thougt you’d know! Thanks!
G: A lot of the Saints suffered phycally
l: Why do you think they had such physical problems?
Dec 22 2013, 7:57 PM
G: It can be a blessing to suffer for the Lord.
SrSusan (guest): Yes but I don;t know the nature of it. Except on ships she never got see sick and all her Sisters did!
Ali: maybe that helped them draw closer to our Lord
l: Maybe that is so
SrSusan (guest): Yes I think so . In fact Jesus asks for that suffering- He needs it somehow
l: I wonder why
013, 7:58 PM
Ali: I don’t get sick much but had severe morning sickness and boy did I pray! 2013, 7:58 PM
G: Our suffering becomes an act of love and sacrafice. 3, 7:58 PM
l: May they then have to really trust in God
SrSusan (guest): Sometimes it also shows the power of God- when the healing occurs. That was the case with St Margaret Mary- it proved her visions were from God,
A: Even St. Paul had something wrong with him, as he asked the Lord to take it away from him, and was told “My grace is enough for you”
G: We are the Lords vessels here on the earth to do his work.
Ali: yes good one A
Ali: Gail is it kind of like He is suffering through us?
A: How about the mental suffering ie St. Joseph Benedict Labree? They thought he was crazy
Ali: oh i feel mental anguish is harder than physical
l: I don’t know about him
Dec 22 2013, 8:01 PM
SrSusan (guest): FR Benedict Groeschel was named after him and he said St B did suffer from a mental illness but yet reached sanctity
l: I agree Alice
A: I didn’t know FR. Groeschel was named after him. Interesting
G: I don’t know the anscer but I think when we empty ourselves of all distractions and allow him to work thru us we accept all that happens to us and are able to do his work.
SrSusan (guest): That is one of our paths to sanctity!
A: It always comes back to abandonment and surrender
SrSusan (guest): We are all each one of us called to be holy
Dec 22 2013, 8:05 PM
l: Yes!
G: I agree.
SrSusan (guest): I like to ask the saint who struggled with my particular struggle to intercede for me
l: That is a wonderful idea!
Dec 22 2013, 8:06 PM
SrSusan (guest): But A is right- no matter the struggle it comes down to surrender
SrSusan (guest): There is a wonderful prayer that helped me that a retreatant left behind, by a Fr Dolindo, on surrender
A: Saints become fools for Christ
G: Acceptence as a gift not a struggle. We learn from those experencess..
l: I would like that prayer Sister!
Ali: surrender is a hard thing.
SrSusan (guest): I am looking for that prayer
G: Just focus on the Lord, his Blessed Mother and the Saints. There is so much help.
Ali: i always want to try one more thing before I give in or surrender!
Dec 22 2013, 8:09 PM
SrSusan (guest): Here it is: http://surrenderprayer.weebly.com/
Ali: thank you Sister
G: For me nothing matters just serving the Lord.
Dec 22 2013, 8:10 PM
SrSusan (guest): MAKE THIS NOVENA OFTENFather Don Dolindo Ruotolo was a Neapolitan priest (1882-1970), stigmatized miracle worker and “mouthpiece of the Holy Spirit”.Father Ruotolo had extraordinary communication with Jesus throughout his heroic life, a life that was totally devoted to God and the Holy Mother Mary. He referred to himself as “the Madonna’s little old man” and the Rosary was his constant companion.As you can see from this novena much of what our Lord wants flies in the face of normal human inclination and rea
Ali: Lois, it looks like we have our work cut out for us!
SrSusan (guest): As you can see from this novena much of what our Lord wants flies in the face of normal human inclination and reason. We can only rise to this level of thinking through the grace of God and the help of the Holy Spirit.We must let go of our problems, stop worrying and trying to resolve them ourselves. We must believe, trust and allow our Lord to rescue us from ourselves and supply our wants, needs and resolve our problems as only He can.Jesus, You take care of it, should be the first words that come to mind
l: I agree Alice!
l: Thank you for that Sister
Ali: Jesus you take care of it will be my new mantra for 2014
G: I totally agree.
SrSusan (guest): You’re welcome! It helped me!. Great mantra.
l: Mine too!
SrSusan (guest): He knew or lived with Padre Pio, I forget
Ali: He knows everything about me, funny how i don’t ask for help as much as I should
Dec 22 2013, 8:13 PM
SrSusan (guest): Another favorite saint here in Brooklyn
SrSusan (guest): We have a man in the area who comes to our chapel with padre Pio’s glove and we are blessed with it
Dec 22 2013, 8:13 PM
Ali: Padre Pio- so interesting to me
SrSusan (guest): Very unique saint
l: He really is interesting to me!
Ali: my mom was devoted to him and I have a canceled check stamped in Italy from his prayer cards
SrSusan (guest): Another struggle is when people are against you- Padre Pio can help with that- he had alot of that kind of trouble
A: He did! He was a great confessor, but he knew your sins before you confessed them!
Dec 22 2013, 8:16 PM
G: I believe he suffered from illnesses.
l: He did didn’t he?
A: He had the stigmata, and that was painful
Dec 22 2013, 8:17 PM
Ali: Having the stigmata was painful and people doubted him
SrSusan (guest): And people were always seeking him out which needs patience
l: He just wanted to be left alone with his Lord but he obeyed! 8:18 PM
SrSusan (guest): He had alot of spiritual direction- most saints did I think,
A: St. Maximillian Kolbe, and St. Edith Stein!
Dec 22 2013, 8:19 PM
SrSusan (guest): Let’s see- Blessed John Pail 11, Blessed John 23, Bl Theresa of Calcutta, St Pio…
Ali: What makes a saint?
SrSusan (guest): Paul not Pial
SrSusan (guest): Doing God’s Will
SrSusan (guest): Love
,
G: Committment.
Dec 22 2013, 8:21 PM
Ali: helping others
Ali: suffering!
Alice Lewis-Eckardt: helping others
G: Compassion for all people and the ability to forgive as Jesus did.
SrSusan (guest): Tell me what you think about this re suffering
Dec 22 2013, 8:22 PM
SrSusan (guest): I was just going to say suffering with the right dispositions but then I caught myself because
l: Understanding the struggle of people and the heart wish to help God
SrSusan (guest): this week I had the thought that all suffering unites us to Christ, suffering of everybody, believers and non believers alike
Ali: they were all willing to suffer, poverty and pain and humiliation
A: One needs to unite your suffering with Christ, and not just suffer for the sake of suffering
l: I agree
SrSusan (guest): But cannot Christ unite His suffering with ours thereby sanctifying it? That is the question
G Accepting one own physical issues as a gift and willingly offering for reparation of sins and penence for others
SrSusan (guest): I am no theologian but that’s the thought You can knoc it down!
l: That is a good thought for contemplation Sister
Dec 22 2013, 8:24 PM
Ali: yes but if you are not accepting is it still a sacrifice?
l: But Christs sufferings was so great. Why would He unite that with my small struggles?
Dec 22 2013, 8:27 PM
SrSusan (guest): To save you if you are not baptized?
G: I think that we honor him by offering our suffering to him.
SrSusan (guest): Anyway we are all Christians and know how to unite with Christ, hopefully
A: Christ’s suffering was a perfect act, ours is imperfect by our human nature. By uniting our suffering to Christ, our imperfect act becomes sanctified…… (I’m no theologian either lol_
SrSusan (guest): That sounds solid
loisw13: Thank you !
Ali: I think we are doing pretty good for non theologians! LOL