Whether as consecrated religious, or as laypeople working in the world, we share in the universal call to holiness. Although the end goal is the same, how do we differ in living out our own sanctity?
St. Joseph is our model as “husband, father, and carpenter” Why does the Church hold him in such high esteem?
For our Sunday chat, we invite all workers, employed, unemployed or underemployed, to consider your status in the light of your spiritual life and share how you practice your spirituality amidst your daily responsibilities. –
May 11 2014, 7:45 PM
Ca: Btw, the articles for tonight were great
Sister Susan Marie: Thanks- I think this week and next dovetails
More and more we need to show people the greatness they are called to- in all vocations
Ca: I really believe in the Univ call to holiness
Sister Susan Marie: No actually on heroism and Catholics would be next weeks topics
Sister Susan Marie: But that universal call as you say to holiness is essential and more and more right now
Sister Susan Marie: before everything gets watered down even more
Ca: Am trying to live it in the world – ha a far cry from heroic in my case
Cultural watering down ?
Sister Susan Marie: religious
I think thorough chats on part of the Introduction to the Devout Life mite help- what do you think?
Ca: Sounds good to me
Sister Susan Marie: It ties in of course to the idea that holiness is for all
Ca: I have served as a catechist so I have an idea of the current climate
Sister Susan Marie: I have met many very devout retreatants here for ex, not discerners, just private retreatants
Does the current climate affect catechesis negatively?
I hear things like even in a Catholic school some teachers resent the Catholic clauses in the contract
Ca: Gotta refute the prevailing secularity
And lack of regard 4 morals
I would be honored to take the mandatum though!
Sister Susan Marie: Is thsy your experience too Am? How can we demonstrate the beauty of aiming for holiness?
Sister Susan Marie: Or at least integrity with our faith?
Ca: Witness to charity
Sister Susan Marie: Living more and more for others, yes
Ca: Challenging catechism students to reach higher levels
In life & in academics
Ascesis (?)
May 11 2014, 7:57 PM
Am: I’m still catching up on the topic, but aiming for holiness for me is multi-faceted. Prayer, adoration, doing good deeds. Up here rural poverty is getting more and more pervasive, so I’m finding there is a real need
Ca: Am sorry to hear that Am
Am: It’s ok, the poor are always with you, and like st. Mother Teresa said, “Calcutta is everywhere”.
Sister Susan Marie: As you both say, charity, good deeds touch the hearts.
Am: But good deeds without prayer doesn’t do it
Ca: Agreed Am
Am: I liked teaching, but lately the draw for me is the “real lowly”, the Mexican migrants, the elderly, and the poor
May 11 2014, 8:01 PM
Sister Susan Marie: The light of Christ does shine through. Is that how then the fire of love catches on.. we need people on fire
Sister Susan Marie: That sounds like a developing call Am
Ca: A great call I would think
Spiritually impoverished kids have been my call
Am: funny, I felt left out sometimes in my parish because I wasn’t asked to do things, pride issues I think, and then God gave me something else. No one else up here speaks Spanish, and I met two women who they asked me to take to the dentist….they were named guadelupe and lupita….and they didn’t know how they could get to mass
Am: That is a real call, Ca. It takes a lot of patience and love
I bet you do great lesson plans, fun and challenging
Ca: I do try..
Am: what ages do you like the best?
Ca: But I have to defer to the Spirit
Middle & high school
Sister Susan Marie: One of our novices here teaches religion to 7th and 8th graders and she had a wonderful exchange with a Buddhist student in class
Ca: Wow excellent; interreligious dialogue!
May 11 2014, 8:07 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Thru the Rosary, meditation on the Mysteries, in class, the child said, my family knows nothing about the life of Jesus. But I can tell them it thru the Rosary
Am: Kids are truly interested in religion. it’s not talked about in public schools,and they need some basis for morality
Ca: Very interesting- shared meditative tradition
Am: That’s beautiful, sisterM
Ca: Yes, I think there is a real desire for knowledge/relationship w/God
May 11 2014, 8:09 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Each one of us, placed in different circumstances, touch hearts when we are committed to our faith. It is beautiful how the Lord leads. And youth need that example
Am: Our hearts are restless, until they rest in You
Ca: Yes right !
Youth definitely need Good Shepherd
Sister Susan Marie: So just among the 3 of us we have such opportunities to reach souls- migrants, the poor, spiritually undernourished kids
Am: We are done with catechism up here, but they were intrigued, especially now when it can seem very dark
Sister Susan Marie: Dark spiritually?
Am: yes, one of my students told me that in the school, a common phrase was YOLO, you only live once……we had a long discussion on that
Sister Susan Marie: See we need a phrase to say we live forever, eternally
Ca: Augustine
Am: Yes, we do, YOLO, what a life without hope
Sister Susan Marie: They so need the stories of deeply spiritual people and saints and of our own lives and struggles and how we are moving from darkness to light
Ca: Wow; saintly Isaac jogues
Sister Susan Marie: http://www.evangelist.org/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=28&ArticleID=24493
Auriesville shrine tries to save itself – The Evangelist – Albany, NY
Ca Is the Catholic presence totally gone?
Sister Susan Marie: also this:http://www.spiritdaily.com/feedbackmay14.htm
Sister Susan Marie: Not totally gone but…
Ca: True parishes are consolidating
Ca: A real shame re: Auriesville though
Am: That’s so unsettling There are so many people up here becoming “Buddhist” as it’s “Cool”. And many the churches here are “missionary” churches where the priest comes once a week
Sister Susan Marie: Yes I was in that area for retreat in 2005 and on a Sat I could find no parish with a Sat morn Mass BUT Auriesville, which was 30 miles from where I was retreating
Am: I have to search for a Sat morning mass too. There is a monastery over the mountain that I can count on, but most catholic churches here don’t have one
Ca: Hard to do
Ca: My parish still
Am: Especially first Saturday masses.
May 11 2014, 8:21 PM
Sister Susan Marie: That’s right- that’s the case. The Sat eve Mass for Sun took over and now the morn Mass is given up
Ca: We r blessed w/ First Sat
Am: My parish has one most Saturdays, but there are daily mass goers sometimes have to travel an hour for a mass
Guest361 (guest): Midway I logged in . Tomorrow is May 13 – so I was just thinking about the 1st Saturday devotions when I saw that you mentioned about the decreases in Saturday am Mass. I thought I was the only one who felt that way!
May 11 2014, 8:25 PM
Ca: Fatima Day (?)
:
Guest361 (guest): Yes. and I will try forward the link about the shrine in NY so that maybe some will donate.
Am: It’s Tuesday I believe.
Sister Susan Marie: Actually tomorrw is the 12th but yes Blessed Mother asked for those First Sat
Guest361 (guest): Oh your right! It is Tuesday. Thank you.
Sister Susan Marie: Thank you- it seems desperate for them I was there only once but it was quite a place
Guest361 (guest): It would be a loss for us as Catholics
Ca: Will take a look
: Huge loss
Sister Susan Marie: Reading about Our Lady of Fatima always inspires me. The children was so penitential
Ca: Up 4 canonization I think
Am: St. Jacinta was only 7 right?
May 11 2014, 8:27 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes 7. They are blessed but canonization would be the next step
Guest361 (guest): Reading about Jancinta and Francisco is inspiring. she suffered her last illness so bravely -as do so many saints
Sister Susan Marie: The 100 year anniversary is coming up
Ca: Yes amazing
Guest361 (guest): Franciso was very dedicated to the Eucharist
Ca: Huge year 2017
Guest361 (guest): They are very inspiring for young people
May 11 2014, 8:28 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes we need to inspire them with these saintly heroes
Guest361 (guest): There are may young saints that can really inspire kids
Am: 100 years! wow
Guest361 (guest): There are may young saints that can really inspire kids
Sister Susan Marie: Maria Goretti for one
Ca: Dominic savio
May 11 2014, 8:29 PM
Guest361 (guest): They show us how to hope and love in the face of all kinds of situations
Guest361 (guest): Often kids and adults going through hardships can find a friend in theses saints
May 11 2014, 8:30 PM
Sister Susan Marie: A steady diet is needed to counteract the secular culture
May 11 2014, 8:30 PM
Guest361 (guest): Yes!
Ca: You bet
Guest361 (guest): Movies and books about the saints – written for young people are very important
Sister Susan Marie: Anything that stirs the heart deeply, saints, deep prayer, miracles, even processions and pilgrimages to holy places
Ca: Yes all forms of encounter
Guest361 (guest): Yes, it is stirring the heart, falling in love – the awareness of God that we need
Guest361 (guest): Young people – all people need to know that each one is “loved, willed, and necessary” Pope Benedict16. This realization is transformative
May 11 2014, 8:33 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Exactly- and to see others who have reached that point- that’s why our growth in holiness is so important too, not just for ourselves but so that others experience Christ in us
Ca: I can’t add to that!
May 11 2014, 8:34 PM
Guest361 (guest): It is good when people can see that God is real – seeing that your relationship with God is real- That is why prayer is so important
Sister Susan Marie: Next week- the challenge will be counteracting this latest statement from someone high up in the Church who said: Heroism is not for the average Christian.
May 11 2014, 8:35 PM
Guest361 (guest): We give ourselves to God – and He gives Himself to the world – A mystery