Sun chat: 730PM June 1
Penance and mortification are good because they teach us the virtues of temperance and self-control. What are other reasons the saints practiced mortification?
Mortification can be hard to understand! What are practical examples of good and holy forms of mortification? What makes them so?
Before we enter heaven, we must be cleansed by the “fires” of Purgatory. Can sufferings on earth atone for sins in a similar way to the atonement of sins in Purgatory?
Sister Susan Marie: tonight we’re to try to put together prayer and mortification and how communities practice that
Alit: very interesting to me
I have a hard time with fasting
Jun 1 2014, 7:36 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Since the Visitation was formed for weaker women, physically, in general, sometimes their own bodies were a cause of daily mortification
K (guest): when I first came into the Church I was able to fast easily, but not now.
I pulled out my copy of “Intro. to the Devout Life” to read again Chapter XXIII.
Ali: I love that book
Sister Susan Marie: Our fasting is not only from food, say on a Friday, but also from the quick word, or not taking a dish we like
K (guest): Do you mean trying some food that you don’t particularly like?
Sister Susan Marie: Did something strike you in particular Kim?
Ali: how were you able to achieve it Sister?
Sr Susan Marie: I find grace works when one is under obedience to fast, like during Lent for ex, a good intention plus grace already gives tsome strength to the effort
The problem is that we are already somewhat “deprived” in lots of areas and so “food” can become a substitute for those denials
Jun 1 2014, 7:40 PM
K (guest): Yes Sister, a couple of things. One thing was how fasting and labor weary and exhaust the flesh. How we may be called to give ourselves physically and mentally to our work and that is a mortification.
Al: I think it is for lots of us sister
Sister Susan Marie: Deprivation of many friendshps, or seeing family, or walking down a street, etc. That is an ongoing “fast”
K(guest): How walking down a street?
Jun 1 2014, 7:41 PM
Sister Susan Marie: We don’t go anywhere
K (guest): Oh yes.
Al So food is kind of a fun and relaxing thing?
Sister Susan Marie: Work, esp if you don’t have a penchant for the particular work you have been given, is a great mortification
Ali: it is a reward at the end of a hectic day for me
Sister Susan Marie: Yes that can happen here on Sat nite when we get 2 pieces of chocolate candy and some will run for 3!
Alt: haha
K (guest): I have been so exhausted at the end of the day the past couple of years, that food is an escape for me.
I know that being alone doesn’t help either.
Al: me too K and I have alot on my mind
Sister Susan Marie: Yes and that is the area one learns eventually to cope with, the total giving of self- but it takes time
Ali: How do you accept everything Sister?
Are there some that do not?
I mean the mortifications. and is there help
Sister Susan Marie: I don’t always! But I am better than I was when I first came. Jesus grows within I guess and He does the resisting
Sister Susan Marie: Yes some are better than others because it also depends on our human development. Grace does build on nature
Jun 1 2014, 7:45 PM
Al: i am currently trying to give up between meal snacks
sometimes i can hear them calling me! LOL
Sister Susan Marie: That’s a good way.
Sister Susan Marie: We do have a 3PM break and one can go for a snack but not all do
Ali: what is the hardest mortification for most?
Sister Susan Marie: Giving up wanting what they want- their own will
Al: I see.
Sister Susan Marie: It’s a challenge for all but some really struggle with it
K(guest): SFDS in Chapter XXIII also talked about the mortification being more a matter of the heart.
Sister Susan Marie: Yes K I think it all starts there
Ali: so you need to set your heart right?
Sister Susan Marie: Our hearts need to grow pliable, flexible, yes
Alt: wow, this is what i needed to hear
Jun 1 2014, 7:50 PM
Sister Susan Marie: A yielding heart
Ali: it is what i need to do…become but how
Sister Susan Marie: Only by doing- feeling the pain of it and yielding anyway
K(guest): I think sometimes my flesh or emotions respond in a way that my mind and heart don’t want to.
Sister Susan Marie: Yes and if you are well aware of that the next step is to try to transcend it
7:52 PM
Ali: i am aware but weak
Sister Susan Marie: and working on our inner resentments
K (guest): I guess that comes with practice and praying about it? Any other suggestions Sister?
Sister Susan Marie: We will feel them, we may mutter to ourselves, but when we yield for the love of the Lord we go into a holier space
Ali: ok well its good to know that there is a struggle
Sister Susan Marie: Yes. practice and prayer and sharing with our director or novice direstress
Sister Susan Marie: Always struggling- that’s part of the mortification- and we bring that to Jesus
Ali: What could K or I do to practice?
Sister Susan Marie: Allow the incidents that happen to form you- they will come as surprises, and even if you only respond better in afterthought, that’swhere you begin
Sister Susan Marie: Here, one would take those incidents to one’s novice mistress who will be praying/fasting for you as well
Sister Susan Marie: Talking them through
Ali: thats helpful for sure
K (guest): What a gift to have someone help you in this way!
Jun 1 2014, 7:57 PM
Ali: like a loving family
Sister Susan Marie: And the other sisters who are there may also help- we used to have spiritual aids given to us. Now it depends on one’s own choice
Ki(guest): I suppose we should expect to be struggling throughout our whole life.
Jun 1 2014, 7:58 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Definitely- if you improve in one area the Lord will show you another to grow in
Ali: somehow when i look at Mother Theresa i dont picture a struggle
Sister Susan Marie: But He is holding you and covering you with His Love, esp with all the time before Him in the Blessed Sacrament
Sister Susan Marie: Read her book! What a struggle
K (guest): Growing toward the perfection (perfect love) that we must have before entering Heaven.
Ali: well thats good to know
Sister Susan Marie: http://books.google.com/books?id=XDILw3N_jGoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=come+be+my+light&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aL6LU_GzEe3gsATKlYDoDQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=come%20be%20my%20light&f=false
Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light – Mother Teresa, Mother Teresa of Calcutta – Google Books
K(guest): Yes, I think Mother Teresa had many years with no or little spiritual consolation.
Sister Susan Marie: That’s the book on Google
Alt: thank you!
When new Sisters come in, where do they start?
Sister Susan Marie: The older works of the Visitation Order can be very strong on mortification but when we read St Francis de Sales and his gentler approach- all we need do is pick ourselves up and start again
Sister Susan Marie: The Novice Mistress guides each one according to her understanding- you don’t do anything by yourself
Sister Susan Marie: It is no longer “your own life”
K (guest): What a freedom!
Jun 1 2014, 8:03 PM
Alit: kind of scary..
Sister Susan Marie: Yes that’s one response but it isn’t because it is all done with great compassion
Sister Susan Marie: and you’re living with the Lord who will inspire you in your prayer
Jun 1 2014, 8:04 PM
Ali: that is the best news yet!’
I have gone on retreats etc and totally trusted that all would be fine..
so i think i will be ok coming for a visit soon
Sister Susan Marie: and what happened
Sister Susan Marie: O so the retreats went well
Ali everything was great
went on overnight to portland diocese and in Boston opus Dei
Sister Susan Marie: What was Opus Dei like?
Ali: wonderful. Very structured and informative
: the food was great
Mary Roberta Viano: We only have a retreat directress – Sr. Mada-Anne. Our novice directress will be one of the Gallery Community, when we have a novice there.
K(guest): So does Sister Gail handle retreats for discerners and those who just want to visit?
Mary Roberta Viano: Sr. Mada-anne is for lay women who want a time-apart with the Lord – not discerners.
Mary Roberta Viano: I think any giving of self to others without thinking of yourself is mortification.
K (guest): I have heard how several popes truly did not want to be pope – it was a mortification for them. Perhaps for all of them.
Jun 1 2014, 8:15 PM
Sister Susan Marie: It must be terrifying!
Mary Roberta Viano: We just gave a whole series of awards to our seniors whose peers thought they had given of themselves in a fine way for their 4 years here.
Al: becoming pope is huge
Sister Susan Marie: In what kinds of ways
Mary Roberta Viano: – in helpfulness to their friends, however they could
Mary Roberta Viano: – in outside service to the poor and those in need in our city and environs and even abroad
Mary Roberta Viano: One girl took soccer balls to the poor in Africa.
Ali: holy cow! Those girls are really something!
Mary Roberta Viano: Yes, they are regularly recognized by the archdiocese for all they do
Ali: wonder what they will do with their lives
Mary Roberta Viano: There’s a Cardinal Hickey Award that one of our seniors wins every year – for service.
Mary Roberta Viano: This evening at the ceremony they were challenged to go out and change the world!
Al: I believe they will!
Jun 1 2014, 8:20 PM
K (guest): It is good that they are recognized and they learn from each other.
Mary Roberta Viano: I just wish they would wear their skirts a little longer for starters!
K (guest): Our young people want a challenge and what a challenge this is.
Mary Roberta Viano: Peer pressure must be one of the strongest of all influences in each of our lives.
Al: true