It's been a busy day. Most of the day was spent participating in an "Integration Experience" - we've had a facilitator working with us yesterday & today to help integrate our recent ministry experience with what we're learning about ourselves, religious life and discernment. It was a wonderful process of prayer, reflection and discussion.
Then we had a birthday dinner party for one the professed Sisters that lives with us - fun and good food was had by all. I even managed to bake an angel food cake from scratch, although I actually did that last night. I also packed my bag for my upcoming weekend with other women religious under 40 in Florida.
So, I didn't know what to think when Mike Hayes (of Googling God and Busted Halo) contacted me and asked me if he could interview me on the Busted Halo show tonight on Sirius Radio's Catholic Channel as part of Vocation Awareness Week. (And I have to admit I didn't realize it was Vocation Awareness Week).
In my bureaucratic past I'd occasionally been interviewed on the radio, and I'm always interested in promoting vocations to religious life. I checked with my novice director and decided to give it a whirl. I must say live radio is a different experience, as is talking about your own life journey rather than rattling off facts and figures about bureaucratic processes. My 10 (or was it 15) minute interview certainly went by in a whirlwind!
Somehow we got on the topic of health care and health care access. I think I was describing the ministries of our community and mentioned that we have a hospital system out west. Mike then asked me about how we're helping the uninsured, and before I knew it I was sharing (from memory) some information about the Peace Health Bridge Assistance Program. Peace Health is our system of community hospitals in Oregon, Washington & Alaska. Bridge Assistance is an innovative program that provides financial assistance to uninsured people who are not eligible for government assistance. On the odd chance that you happened to be listening and are looking to learn more, you can find find more info on their website.
All in all it was good to talk with Mike and Paulist Father Jim DiLuzio (of Luke Live), who were filling in for regular host Paulist Father Dave Dwyer. I have a few good Paulist friends, and think I actually had dinner at their NYC house with Fr. Jim.
The Paulists are a great community - I certainly wouldn't be on this vocation journey if it weren't for them. I don't even know if I'd be a practicing Catholic! I think I've shared my own journey back to the church on the blog at some point, but maybe I'll revisit that some day. The two second version is that I'd been alienated and away from the church for almost 10 years when I darkened the doors of St. Philip Neri Church 9 years ago. And the rest as they say is history!
Well, I'm going to cut this rambling and incoherent post short. Hopefully I was more coherent on the radio.
I'm going to be away from the computer for a few days as I retreat and gather with other young sisters. "See" you all next week!
2 comments:
I'll look forward to listening to your interview!
Did I tell you I just taught a unit on health care for the senior religion bioethics class?
I didn't know that Peace Health was part of your group... you helped me and my (now) husband a couple of years ago when he had a very scary gall Bladder attack and we were students with no insurance. So, Thanks!
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