Triduum ... Three Days of Prayer, Solidarity, and Hope

Somehow, I find it hard to believe that it is already Holy Week. Blogging has been light here of late, I know. I could list the many things I am busy about, but you can probably guess. In any case, I've not been here. Tonight, however, I thought I would just post something short about these Holy days we are entering of Triduum.

Triduum is my favorite part of our Catholic liturgical tradition. For those not in the know, Triduum refers to the three holy days of holy week: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.  We come together on these days to tell our story, to remember, to ritualize, and finally to celebrate the hope of the resurrection and welcome new members of our Christian family.

We open our hearts to the call to service on Holy Thursday, remembering Christ's love for his friends and his model of service and love.

We open our hearts to those who experience violence, oppression, and suffering on Good Friday, remembering Jesus who carried the cross on which he would die.

We open our hearts to joy and hope at the Easter Vigil and on Easter Sunday, when we stand again at the tomb and realize, along with the women, that Christ is risen!

The journey through Triduum is always a transformative one for me.  Part of my love of the Triduum might be the fact that even though I was raised Catholic and went to 12 years of Catholic school, I never really experienced it until I came back to the Church as an adult. And luckily for me, and my own faith journey, my first Triduums were experienced as part of a faith community at St. Phil's that took it seriously and journeyed together in a meaningful way.

Tonight I was invited by a young sister friend of mine to join her congregation for Holy Thursday liturgy at their mother house. It was a beautiful way to enter into these days. Tomorrow I will be joining the 8th Day Center Good Friday Walk for Justice through downtown Chicago. And on Saturday, I'm planning to attend the vigil at the University of Chicago Calvert House community.

Wherever and however you are marking these days, blessings of peace to you as we anticipate the joy of Easter!

Epiphany Thoughts & National Migration Week

Today is one of my favorite Church feasts ... the Feast of the Epiphany. As a child, this was always the day when the figurines of the three kings I had carefully been moving throughout the house during the entire Christmas season finally made it to the manger in the living room where they could offer their gifts, gaze upon the infant Jesus, and finally rest (before being promptly packed up into a box and back to the attic until next Christmas!)

Today, thankfully, I did not have to bundle up and trek through the windy snow storm outside to head to mass to celebrate the Feast.  One of my priest classmates who also lives in the CTU residence hall offered to celebrate mass for us in the residence hall chapel. We were a cozy group, praying together in a circle as we watched the snow swirl about outside the 8th story corner window and listened to the howl of the wind. I was asked to read the first reading from Isaiah:

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,the glory of the Lord shines upon you.See, darkness covers the earth,and thick clouds cover the peoples;but upon you the LORD shines,and over you appears his glory.Nations shall walk by your light,and kings by your shining radiance.

These words held a sort of literal meaning as we sought refuge from the elements ourselves and gazed out at thick clouds of snow covering the city.

These words also hold a literal meaning for the millions upon millions of migrants, refugees, and human trafficking victims who are walking through darkness, seeking the light of life, freedom, and human dignity. It is no coincidence that the U.S. Catholic Church celebrates National Migration Week this week (January 5-11). It is also no coincidence that this year's theme is "Out of the Darkness."  In the words of the U.S Bishops Conference:

It is our call as the Church to bring the light of Christ to these populations,banish the darkness, and help to bring them from the margins of society to its center. Doing so will provide vulnerable migrants with a protected space in which they can flourish as human beings. This requires prayer for those who are marginalized, alongside an active presence in the public square to demand that protections are provided to those who need them most.

As you celebrate the coming of the light of Christ into our world and pay him homage, prayerfully consider what you can do for our brothers and sisters walking in darkness.

• Visit the Bishops' Justice for Immigrants Website to send an electronic post card to your members of Congress in support of comprehensive immigration reform
• January 11th, the last day of migration week, is also human trafficking awareness day. Visit the IPJC Website to download a prayer service you can use to pray for an end to human trafficking. The IPJC website also has many resources to learn more and take action about this very important issue.
• Visit the National Migration Week website for more resources, including a downloadable prayer card.

God of all peoples and nations, you sent your son to guide us with the light of compassion, mercy, and justice. Open our hearts and inspire our actions for justice in solidarity with all immigrants, refugees, and victims of human trafficking today. May our care, commitment, and love for our neighbors across all boundaries be the gift with which we pay the Infant Jesus homage. Amen

Proof Texting the Pope

Ever since that March day when Jorge Mario Bergoglio unexpectedly became Pope Francis, selected by the College of the Cardinals under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Catholics, and it seems the larger society, have sought to get to know what makes him tick and discover hints as to where and how he might lead the Church.  That is well and good and to be expected, and certainly his gentle, gregarious, and generous manner and way of speaking point to a different kind of Pope who has been embraced by the world. I myself remember watching him emerge on the balcony that March day and being filled with hope just at his choice of name.  In his choices, such as where to live and how to spend his energy, it seems that he speaks volumes. I am struck by the synergy of his way of being with the words often attributed to his name sake, Francis of Assisi: "Preach the gospel always, and if necessary use words."

However, I've also been noticing something these eight months that gives me pause and concern.  No, it is not anything Pope Francis has done or said.  Rather, it is the consistent "proof texting" that fills my Facebook feed, peppers conversations, colors secular news stories, and pervades the Church. We hear what we want to hear in his words, while some hear what they don't want to hear or hear the silence of what is not being said that they want to hear.  I wonder if in the midst of all this proof texting, centered as it seems to be around our own preconceived agendas and notions, we aren't just missing the point.

Now, let me add a note of full disclosure before I share my observations.  I was not a huge fan of the previous Pope.  In fact, on the day he was elected I felt disenfranchised and very concerned about his conservative leanings, much of it based on what I knew of certain actions he undertook as Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.  If I reflect back honestly, I was suspicious of anything he wrote, said, or did.  Yet, I read it. And in time I came to deeply appreciate how he carried the mantle of Pope John Paul II as being a voice of reason, hope and challenge to the Church and larger society in areas concerning globalization and ecology.  His social encyclicals were profound and gave me pause and food for thought regarding economics and my own responsibility as a consumer in a globalized world to people who are poor and marginalized.  Yet I had friends who refused to read, listen to, or ponder anything Pope Benedict said.  I keenly remember one particular peace and justice commission meeting in my parish when two friends literally walked out of the meeting because I dared to offer a reflection from the Pope during our opening reflection. 

Perhaps that is why I was so impacted by an article in today's New York Times: "Conservative U.S. Catholics Feel Left out of Pope's Embrace."  The catchy title of the article obviously is a reference to this montage of photos which is all over my Facebook Feed these days:

Google "Pope Francis Embrace" and you will find many other pictures.  These gestures and moments seem to speak deeply to people who have felt alienated from the Church themselves, or have felt that real life concerns of people on the margins, those who are poor or vulnerable have been marginalized in recent years by a Church seemingly focused on specific issues of morality and one end of the spectrum of life issues.  The infamous America interview with Pope Francis, and in partiular the slew of commentary and news articles that sprung from it, give evidence to this feeling of both being embraced and embracing the larger world.

There is another photo of a Pope Francis embrace that is not in my Facebook Feed but adds some balance to the conversation:

This of course is a photo of Pope Francis embracing Pope Benedict.  There is continuity. This is the same Church, although with a different style of leader. To the best of my knowledge, nothing Pope Francis has said or done has changed Church doctrine or broken with tradition.  Respect for life and the dignity of the human person are key and core to everything he has said and done, as is a pastoral approach.  This last is key I think.  He is the Bishop of Rome.  He is our pastor, not a lawyer or judge or other legal professional. These seems to be how he approaches issues of controversy, as a pastor, not as someone laying down the law. 

Yet, when we give into the temptation of proof texting, we hear what we want to hear or lament that we don't hear what we want to hear. Whether it is amplifying out of context something he says about sexual morality or the role of women or denouncing his assumed silence on certain life issues, we miss his main pastoral message which is the message of Jesus: love and mercy.

This is summed up well, I think, by a woman quoted in the NYT article.

At the Pregnancy Aid Clinic in Hapeville, Ga., a Catholic-run nonprofit center where women who come for pregnancy tests are counseled against abortion, staff members gathered around a kitchen table last week and cautiously said they had been grappling with the pope’s message and were trying to take it to heart. 

Alexandra P. Shattuck, the clinic’s director, said she had studied the pope’s interview in her parish’s Bible study class and concluded that the news media had taken Francis’ warning not to “obsess” about abortion out of context. She said he was really trying to teach about mercy. 

“I think he was completely right,” added Katie Stacy, the development coordinator. “The focus should be not only on love and mercy, but on treating the women in these crisis situations with love and mercy.”

Here is an example of someone moving beyond proof texting. Rather than focusing on what Pope Francis is NOT saying, she is open to being transformed and challenged by what he does say.

Am I guilty of proof texting the Pope? Of course.  Regular readers of the blog might remember how pleased I was with his words and actions during the Syria crisis earlier this Fall. It is human to seek meaning in the words of leaders.  My only concern is that at least in this country, we seem to be using our proof texting of the Pope as a divisive wedge, a defense of our own positions [or if we are no longer able to find a papal defense of our positions, we might experience a new feeling of alienation].  The Church is not about right or left, winners or losers, progressive or traditional.  It is about being the people of God and the body of Christ.

As for Pope Francis, I am going to try to save my next round of proof texting for his first social encyclical! :)

Prayer for Peace on September 7, 2013 (Script to Be Used for Peace Vigils)

I have invited folks here at Catholic Theological Union to join me in the chapel in the Residence Hall for a peace prayer vigil on Saturday evening in response to the call of Pope Francis for a day of prayer and fasting for peace. 

 

I decided to share the script for the prayer vigil that I prepared, in case there are others out there who would like to gather folks to pray for peace but don't know how or don't have time to craft a prayer service.  I offer this as a gift to you. Feel free to use it, share it, and adapt it.  Like the rest of the blog, it is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 license which means just that, you are free to share and adapt provided you attribute.

 

If you are one of my CTU friends who will be joining me on Saturday, don't read any further so that you will be surprised on Saturday evening!

Pray & Act for Peace

Susan

 

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Prayer for Peace - September 7, 2013

Prepared by Susan Francois, CSJP

Opening Song: This is My Song

Welcome & Introduction

Leader: Each of us is here today because we accepted the invitation of Pope Francis to pray for peace with the global Church in solidarity with the people of Syria. Let us begin by marking ourselves with the sign of the cross.

All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Leader: We will now listen to this call from Pope Francis to pray for peace.

Reader: "I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men and women of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative. … [W]e will gather in prayer and in a spirit of penance, invoking God’s great gift of peace upon the beloved nation of Syria and upon each situation of conflict and violence around the world. Humanity needs to see these gestures of peace and to hear words of hope and peace! I ask all the local churches, in addition to fasting, that they gather to pray for this intention."
(Pope Francis, September 1, 2013, Angelus)

Opening Prayer

Leader: Almighty eternal God, source of all compassion, the promise of your mercy and saving help fills our hearts with hope. We join our hearts in prayer with the people of Syria and the entire global community as we pray our opening prayer:

Side 1: Hear the cries of the people of Syria;
bring healing to those suffering from the violence,
and comfort to those mourning the dead.

Side 2: Empower and encourage Syria’s neighbors
in their care and welcome for refugees.
Convert the hearts of those who
have taken up arms,
and strengthen the resolve of those
committed to peace.

Side 1: O God of hope and mercy,
your Holy Spirit inspires us to look beyond ourselves and our own needs.
Inspire leaders to choose peace over violence
and to seek reconciliation with enemies.

Side 2: Inspire the Church around the world with compassion for the people of Syria,
and fill us with hope for a future of peace built on justice for all.

All: We ask this through Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace and Light of the World,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

(Adapted from www.usccb.org)

Scripture Readings

Reader: A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 2:2-4)
In days to come,
The mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it.
Many peoples shall come and say:
"Come, let us go up to the LORD’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
That he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths."
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
One nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.

The Word of the Lord

Psalm 46

Side 1: God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken
and mountains quake to the depths of the sea,
Though its waters rage and foam
and mountains totter at its surging.

Side 2: Streams of the river gladden
the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken;
God will help it at break of day.

Side 1: Though nations rage and kingdoms totter,
God speaks and the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

Side 2: Come and see the works of the LORD,
who has done fearsome deeds on earth;
Who stops wars to the ends of the earth,
breaks the bow, splinters the spear,
and burns the shields with fire;

Side 1: "Be still and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
exalted on the earth."

Side 2: The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

Reader: A Reading from the Gospel According to John (John 14: 27-31)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.

And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.

I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.

Get up, let us go.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

Silent Reflection

Intercessions

Leader: Let us now join our voices and hearts in prayer to the God of peace.

For the people of Syria during this time of civil war, that God may strengthen the resolve of leaders to end the fighting and choose a future of peace. We pray … R: God of Peace, Hear our Prayer

For refugees and all those whose lives are disrupted by war, that God may be a source of comfort. We pray…

For humanitarian workers, who seek to alleviate the sufferings caused by war, that they may be granted the resources and access to provide the necessary aid. We pray …

For Pope Francis and all religious leaders speaking out for peace, in gratitude for their leadership and dedication to the work of peace. We pray ….

For what else shall we pray …

Reflection and Commitment

Leader: In his call to prayer, Pope Francis also reminded us that peace is the responsibility of each and every one of us. Let us listen now to another reading from last week’s Angelus:

Reader: "What can we do to make peace in the world? As Pope John said, it pertains to each individual to establish new relationships in human society under the mastery and guidance of justice and love … All men and women of good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace. I make a forceful and urgent call to the entire Catholic Church, and also to every Christian of other confessions, as well as to followers of every religion and to those brothers and sisters who do not believe: peace is a good which overcomes every barrier, because it belongs to all of humanity!"

(Pope Francis, September 1, 2013, Angelus)

Leader: I invite you to reflect on what you can do to make peace in your family, community, church, and world. You might want to look at the handout entitled "Pursuing Peace" that you received when you arrived today. There is also a small post-it note on the handout to write down your commitment to make peace. We will distribute pens if needed. Let’s take a few moments of quiet to pray and reflect on how you might be called to pursue peace.

Silent Reflection

Leader: We will now listen to a song about the Peace and Love of Christ. The song has a simple refrain which you are welcome to join in singing: "Pax amor Christi." As we listen to this song, you are also invited to come forward and place your commitment in one of the baskets near the altar. If you have also brought a monetary donation towards the relief efforts of Catholic Relief Services, you may place that in the other basket.

Offering

All are invited to come forward and place their commitment to peace and/or donation to CRS in baskets.

Offertory Song: Pax Amor Christi by Kathleen Deignan, CND

Refrain: Pax amor Christi (4 times)

Leader: We heard the words of Jesus in our Gospel reading: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." Let us now offer each other a sign of Christ’s Peace.

Sign of Peace

Closing Prayer

Leader: Pope Francis called us together on this eve of the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace. In his words:

"Let us ask Mary to help us to response to violence, to conflict and to war, with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love. She is our mother: may she help us to find peace; all of us are her children! Help us, Mary, to overcome this most difficult moment and to dedicate ourselves each day to building in every situation an authentic culture of encounter and peace. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us! (Pope Francis, September 1, 2013, Angelus)

And so we lift our prayers, each in our own mother tongues:

All: Hail Mary, Full of Grace ….

Leader: Our prayer service for peace is now ended. Let us go in peace to love and serve the God of Peace.

All: Thanks Be to God.

Closing Song: Let There Be Peace on Earth

This prayer service prepared by Susan Francois, CSJP under a Creative Commons 3.0 license.
(Feel free to use and adapt with attribution - www.actjustly.blogspot.com)

Pursuing Peace: Reflection & Committment

Children in Syria

“What can we do to make peace in the world? As Pope John said, it pertains to each individual to establish new relationships in human society under the mastery and guidance of justice and love … All men and women of good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace.” (Pope Francis)

What can/will you do to make peace in your family, community, church and world?  Here are some suggestions to consider:

•         Pray each day for peace in the world.
•         Refrain from speaking negatively about others.
•         Call/write your members of Congress and urge them to work on issues that bring peace (see USCCB website for action on Syria).
•         Pray for someone who makes you angry.
•         Welcome someone new into your parish, community, neighborhood, workplace, or school.
•         Ask forgiveness of those you have wronged.
•         Cultivate peace in your home through the use of conversation and dialogue rather than argument.
•         Grant forgiveness to those who have wronged you.
•         Experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation and cultivate a peaceful heart.
  

(Suggestions adapted from www.osv.com)

Feast of Mary Magdalene

The Church today celebrates Mary Magdalene, faithful friend and follower of Jesus.  Today's Gospel passage is one that has born much fruit for me over the years, ever since I "re-discovered" Mary Magdalene for the model of faith and love she truly is.

Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. ... she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he told her. (John 20)

Mary's simple response to the Risen Christ - "Rabbouni" - comes back to me often in prayer. She is the "apostle to the apostles." Not only was she the first to encounter the resurrected Jesus, she then immediately went to spread the good news. Of course, as other gospel stories tell us, her news was not necessarily believed. But that's for another post.

I noted above that I "re-discovered" Mary Magadalene. Sadly, tradition and misunderstanding have led many to continue the misconceptions about Mary as a fallen women, prostitute, etc... (even though such conclusions are not born out by Scripture and even if true would not discredit her in any case). I could hazard a guess or two as to where the smear campaign against Mary Magdalene came from, but for now let's just say that the story of this strong woman of faith might have intimated some of those in power.  But again, that is for another post.

What we do know is that she was healed by Jesus, travelled with and followed Jesus, and was faithfully there at the foot of the cross and at his rising.  I too have been healed by Jesus in my own way.  I seek to travel with and follow Jesus as best I can.  I seek to witness to the suffering of our world and to hold fast to the hope of the resurrection.  Who better to have as a spiritual companion than Mary Magdalene?

Sadly, many folks have not yet "re-discovered" the real Mary Magdalene of Scripture and instead are still clouded by the fog of misconceptions.  Today, the feast of Mary Magdalene, is a good feast day for women -- women of the cross and women of the rising. Today is a good day as women to stand at the tomb with Mary and recognize the risen Christ as our teacher and friend.

Stepping In ...

View of Seattle from the dock at St. Mary-on-the-Lake

I've been here at west coat groovy sister hq (St. Mary-on-the-Lake) for a few days now.  From the very first time I drove onto the property for a vocation retreat in 2004, this has been a place of deep peace and joy for me.  The trees.  The lake. The faith-filled, joyful, playful women.  What more could I want than to spend two gorgeous Seattle weeks here with my CSJP Sisters?

This is my second trip home since I went away to Chicago for grad school last August. It's such a gift how quickly I seem to step into the rhythm of the house.  Literally, it seems, this time.  Our two Sister Sacristans are both otherwise occupied this week,  so I volunteered to take over Sacristan duties in our Chapel while I am here these two weeks.  It's a new way to participate in the life of the community for me.  It's also a new way for me to experience liturgy, setting the table that sets the table, so to speak.  Somehow in all my churchy life so far in parishes and community this task has eluded me.  Lector yes. Sacristan no.

Chapel at St. Mary-on-the-Lake

When I was being trained on Sunday night, I frantically jotted down notes with my thumb on my smart phone and even took a picture of what the table should look like where the chalices/hosts/ purifcators/etc... are put prior to mass to make sure I'd get it right! Not that I don't have an entire house of expert women who could help me along.  Today was my first day on my own and I managed to remember everything ... although I almost forgot the large host that the presider uses during consecration! My trusty list saved the day on that one, however, and all was as it was supposed to be.

I'm enjoying the slower pace here, the good conversations, and the opportunity to pray with my Sisters each day.  I'm also making the rounds of some of our local communities, visiting Sisters who live in Seattle and the surrounding area.  Tonight in fact I'm invited to dinner at the house where I did my groovy sister reserves as a candidate!  First, however, I'm headed back to the chapel for the Holy Hour for Peace that the Sisters have each Tuesday afternoon with our Congregation Weekly Peace Prayer.

Good people.  Good times.

Vocations Prayer - Sowing the Seeds of Peace

Today is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

On this day, I pray in deep awe, wonder and gratitude to my good, gracious, and creative God who managed to break through and lead me to finding my heart and mission in the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.

On this day, I pray in love, friendship and appreciation for the amazing women (pictured below) who have entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace either with me or in the years since.  While I may not know what the future will hold for our world, Church or religious community, I know that I will be walking in the way of peace with these women.

On this day, I pray in hope and solidarity with and for young women who are considering that maybe, just maybe, God might be calling them to religious life.  As I ponder the future of religious life and my congregation, I return again and again to these words from Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religious life as Mother Francis Clare, the founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.  She said:  "We are beginning a new order.  We want brave, noble, large-minded, courageous souls." Indeed.  These words are just as true today as when she first wrote them.

I also find myself reflecting on the words of Bishop Edward Bagshawe at the first profession of Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in Nottingham England in 1884:  "You will hope, if God blesses your work, to sow the seeds of peace in modern society."

Please join me in praying for our three Novices (Sisters Juliana, Katrina, and Sheena) and our two temporary professed Sisters (Dorothy and Sukyi) as they continue to put down roots and nourish their connections to this mission of peace.  Please pray too for new vocations to help us continue to sow the seeds of peace in a post-modern society that is deeply in need of peace.

God of peace, thank you for your gift of peace and the mission entrusted to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace to promote peace in family life, in the church and in society.  We humbly pray that you nurture the seeds of this charism in the hearts of young women who might be called to vowed membership in our congregation.  May we grow together in love to embody these words from our original Constitutions.   "The very name Sisters of Peace will, it is hoped, inspire the desire of peace and a love for it." Amen.

Pacem in Terris - On Refugees

This week, in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Pacem in Terris, this Sister of Peace is going to offer some of John XXIII's words and prayers for peace here on the blog.  Please join me in praying for peace in our troubled and wounded world.

It is not irrelevant to draw the attention of the world to the fact that  refugees are persons and that all their rights as persons must be recognized.  Refugees cannot lose these rights simply because they are deprived of citizenship of their own States. (PT 105)

Pacem in Terris - Common Good of the Entire Human Family

In his landmark encyclical on peace, Pacem in Terris, Pope John XXIII gave special attention to the "characteristics of the present day" and "signs of the times." Almost 20 years after the end of World War II, Pope John witnessed the after effects of centuries of European colonialism.  Newly independent nation states in Asia and Africa were taking initial steps toward economic development and prosperity.  As he observed, "soon no nation will rule over another and none will be subjected to alien power" (PT 42).

Drawing upon the teaching of his predecessor Pope Piux XII that "smaller States have the right of assuring their own economic development," (PT 124) John exhorts wealthier states to provide assistance to poorer states while respecting their national characteristics and repudiating "any policy of domination" (PT 125).

Since relationships between States must be regulated in accordance with the principles of truth and justice, States must further these relationships by taking positive steps to pool their material and spiritual resources. In many cases this can be achieved by all kinds of mutual collaboration; and this is already happening in our own day in the economic, social, political, educational, health and athletic spheres—and with beneficial results. We must bear in mind that of its very nature civil authority exists, not to confine men within the frontiers of their own nations, but primarily to protect the common good of the State, which certainly cannot be divorced from the common good of the entire human family. (PT 98)

Pacem in Terris: Nuclear Weapons

This week marks 50 years since the publication of Pacem in Terris, the landmark encyclical by Pope John XXIII that many consider to be his "last will and testament."  He wrote this major document on peace shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis, when we came very close to mutually assured destruction.  While we do not commonly dwell on the threat of nuclear war today in the same way we did then, the threat is still very much real and we have the ability to destroy all of God's creation many times over.

This week, in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Pacem in Terris, this Sister of Peace is going to offer some of John XXIII's words and prayers for peace here on the blog.  Please join me in praying for peace in our troubled and wounded world.

Justice, right reason, and the recognition of human dignity cry out insistently for a cessation to the arms race.  The stock-piles of armaments which have been built up in various countries must be reduced all around and simultaneously by the parties concerned.  Nuclear weapons must be banned. (PT #112)

Pacem in Terris - On Refugees

This week, in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Pacem in Terris, this Sister of Peace is going to offer some of John XXIII's words and prayers for peace here on the blog.  Please join me in praying for peace in our troubled and wounded world.

It is not irrelevant to draw the attention of the world to the fact that  refugees are persons and that all their rights as persons must be recognized.  Refugees cannot lose these rights simply because they are deprived of citizenship of their own States. (PT 105)

John XXIII's Last Will & Testament - Peace on Earth

This week marks 50 years since the publication of Pacem in Terris, the landmark encyclical by Pope John XXIII that many consider to be his "last will and testament."  He wrote this major document on peace shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis, when we came very close to mutually assured destruction.  In fact, he had acted as a sort of "middle man" between Khruschev and Kennedy during the crisis so he had time to reflect on the urgent need to promote and seek peace.  Pacem in Terris is also the first papal encyclical addressed to all people of good will, rather than just to the Bishops and clergy or people of the Catholic Church.  This strikes me as very significant and again I suspect comes from his own experience.  After all, this is the man who called the Second Vatican Council and opened wide the windows of the Church on the modern world.

This week, in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Pacem in Terris, this Sister of Peace is going to offer some of John XXIII's words and prayers for peace here on the blog.  Please join me in praying for peace in our troubled and wounded world.

“The consequence is clear; people are living in the grip of constant fear.  They are afraid that at any moment the impending storm may break upon them with horrific violence. And they have good reasons for their fear, for there is certainly no lack of such weapons.”  (PT 111)

Romero on What God Demands

Today is the 33rd anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. This week, I'm sharing some of his words on the blog, courtesy of this online version of some of Oscar Romero's writings.

'God's reign is already present on our earth in mystery.
When the Lord comes, it will be brought to perfection' (Vatican Council II, The Church in the Modern World)

That is the hope that inspires Christians.
We know that every effort to better society,
especially when injustice and sin are so ingrained,
is an effort that God blesses,
that God wants,
that God demands.

These were the words spoken by Oscar Romero minutes before his death, as he concluded his homily during mass at Divine Providence Hospital where he lived. He was killed by an assasin who entered the chapel from the back door and shot him, as he stood at the altar.

The picture is from my trip to El Salvador in 2007. The letters engraved on the wall say: "At this altar Monseñor Romero offered his life to God for his people. "

Romero on Why We Must Speak

Sunday will be the 33rd anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. This week, I'm sharing some of his words on the blog, courtesy of this online version of some of Oscar Romero's writings.

To try to reveal Christ
is our great pastoral task.
If I speak of earthly matters or political questions,
it is to guide our reflection towards Christ.
I would like you to understand me well
so as not to have a wrong idea of these Masses.
Far from being political gatherings,
they mean to draw the people toward Christ,
toward God.
Thus they are understood in many testimonials I receive.
It gives me great comfort to know
that people come to church on Sunday to look for Christ.
Even in the criminal realities of our land
Christ is present,
rejecting all that crime.
This is why we must speak of it here.

The picture is from my trip to El Salvador in 2007. This is the crypt of Monsenor Romero, in the basement of the cathedral in El Salvador. In front of the tomb is an altar, where (quite fittingly) a lively and boisterous mass is celebrated each Sunday. We visited his tomb, and then participated in the Sunday liturgy. It was an amazing end to our pilgrimage.

The Power of a Name

While I am indeed a Catholic Sister, anyone who knows me well knows that I have an interesting relationship with the hierarchy of the Church.  I may quote Pope's from time to time from their social encyclicals to try to move people to action on behalf of people who are poor or marginalized or to mobilize for peace, but that's generally about it.

When folks have asked me my opinion about our new Pope Francis, I have joked that my Dad's name is Francis (Papa Francisco).  I have posted the photo of the then Cardinal Archbishop on the bus in Argentina on the blog and on Facebook as a hopeful sign that he is down to earth.  I've listened to some concerns and stories of his conservative stand on social issues and some impressive stories of solidarity with people on the margins.  For the most part, my reaction has been one of "wait and see" in a spirit of hopefulness rather than suspicion.

Then, this morning, I watched this video of the Pope explaining in his own casual and storytelling way what happened when he realized he was going to be elected by his brother Cardinals.  You can sense his trepidation and his humanness.  You can also, I believe, experience the presence of God in that moment through his story, in the support of a friend, a gentle reminder, a seed of inspiration.

True confession time .... I actually cried after watching this video.  Me, moved to tears by a Pope telling a story.  If you don't know me, you might not find that unbelievable given that I am a Catholic Sister after all.  If you do know me, you realize how weird that is.  Yet it is true.  Moved to tears by a simple man telling a a story to a few thousand reporters about how he got his name.

 

"Immediately with the thought of the poor, I thought of Francis of Assisi. I thought of wars, while the vote counting continued. Until the end of all the votes.  And Francis, the man of peace. That was how the name came into my heart, Francis of Assisi. And for me, the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and guards creation. At this time we have a relationship with creation that is not very good, right?  And the man who gives us this spirit of peace, the poor man. How would I like a church that is poor and for the poor." Pope Francis, March 16, 2013

Postcolonialism, Social Sin, and Pope Thoughts

Last night I was in class discussing postcolonialism and liberation theology in my methods course while the Cardinals in Rome were sleeping.  Today as they were apparently selecting the man we now know as Pope Francis to be the leader of our global Church, I was in a classroom discussing racism and social sin.  We watched the new Pope emerge on the balcony of St. Peter's during our break, and we all prayed with him and with the entire world who was watching.

Given my personal context and the theological and social issues I am grappling with this semester, I have some interesting thoughts, first impressions, and hopes for this new era of our Roman Catholic faith which he will usher in with his leadership.

1. I just read a quote from then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio to his brother Latin American Bishops during a 2007 conference:
   
   "We live in the most unequal part of the world, which has grown the most yet reduced misery the least. The unjust distribution of goods persists, creating a situation of social sin that cries out to Heaven and limits the possibilities of a fuller life for so many of our brothers."
   No matter what, for the first time or at least the first in a  long time, our designated human leader of our global church has lived in a reality outside of Western Europe.  He has confronted the reality of poverty and the impacts of colonialization and institutional racism and named it as social sin.  There are mixed reports on how he integrated and acted upon this experience.  One the one hand, apparently when provincial of the Jesuits during the civil war he did not allow his brothers to move to base communities but rather required them to stay in parishes.  On the other hand, he apparently lives very simply and rejects many of the trappings of clericalism and privilege.  We can debate what this means, but I find it very significant and hopeful that the man chosen to be our spiritual leader has at the very least had to grapple with these realities in his own life and in his service of God and the church.
2. The name.  Francis.  My first though of course was St. Francis of Assisi and his call to "rebuild my church."  Given that he is a Jesuit, of course, my second thought was St. Francis Xavier, the missionary and evangelizer to Asia.  My next thought was remembering how important both of those figures were to the founder of my own religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, whose religious name was Mother Francis Clare and who promised to name the first convent of her religious community after St. Francis Xavier.  Both/and.  Either/or.  Whether it is one or  both or some other Francis, there is a significance to the name.  He is the 266th man to hold that office and the first to choose this name. This is a name with resonance beyond the boundaries of our church.  I think of the interfaith prayer gatherings in Assisi.  The statues of Francis that adorn gardens.  The connection to creation.  The love of peace in the church and in society.  Names are powerful, and names connote memories, connections, hopes and dreams, as this paragraph attests.  No doubt this fact was not lost on him as he chose his name.
3. The blessing.  As I said, our class break this afternoon coincided with his appearance on the balcony, so I was able to hear his first words as Pope Francis.  I was very touched that his first words were one of relationship.  Speaking to those gathered in the square and around radios, tvs, and computer screens across the globe, his first words were not a proclamation or a pre-planned script, but rather a favor.  He asked us to bless him before he blessed us.  This strikes me as significant and hopeful.

And so, I pray for Pope Francis.  I pray for all the men and women of our church and the global community.  That together we may act justly, seek peace, and grow together in love as God intended.

Pope Francis, then Cardinal Archbishop, on his way
to work at the Chancery via public transportation.

Praying in a spirit of humility

Today is a big day in a certain Italian city and really for all the church. Men who hold a special responsibility gather in prayer and discernment to select the new leader of our global church. This morning I was struck by the Canticle from Daniel 3 in the liturgy of the hours. This is the prayer of the church, and together on this day we pray:

"Today there is no prince
  no prophet, no leader,
  no holocaust, no sacrifice.
No offering, no incense,
  no first-fruits offered to you
– no way to obtain your mercy.
But in our contrite souls,
  in a spirit of humility,
  accept us, Lord.
Like a holocaust of rams and bulls,
  like fat sheep in their thousands,
  let our sacrifice be like these before you today.
Bring to fruition the quest of those who follow you,
  for those who trust in you can never be confounded.
And now we follow you with all our heart
  and we revere you and seek your face."

We are not called to factions or power plays or preconceived notions or defeatist attitudes. Rather we are called to follow God with all our heart. Trusting in God's love we seek God's face in a spirit of humility.

JP II on Social Sin

In his 1984 Apostolic Exhortation On Reconciliation and Penance, Pope John Paul II wrote these challenging words:

"Whenever the church speaks of situations of sin or when [she] condemns as social sin certain situations or the collective behavior of certain social groups …. she know and she proclaims that such cases of social sin are the result of the accumulation and concentration of many personal sins, of those who cause or support evil or who exploit it; of those who are in a position to avoid, eliminate, or at least limit certain social evils but who fail to do so out of laziness, fear or the conspiracy of silence, through secret complicity or indifference; of those who take refuge in the supposed impossibility of changing the world and also of those who sidestep the effort and sacrifice required, producing specious reasons of higher order.  The real responsibility, then, lies with individuals."

Strong words indeed.  The emphasis is mine, because that is the section that describes the challenge for each of us, myself included.  How do we live ethical, moral lives for the common good in our everyday actions when we knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, participate through our everyday personal actions in social systems that promote violence, poverty, oppression, and the very destruction of the planet we call home.

Take the reality of human induced climate change.  The New York Times recently reported that last year was the hottest year on record in the U.S.

Assuming that prediction holds up, it will mean that the 10 warmest years on record all fell within the past 15 years, a measure of how much the planet has warmed. Nobody who is under 28 has lived through a month of global temperatures that fell below the 20th-century average, because the last such month was February 1985. 

Now, we can just throw up our hands and say it's too big of a problem to do anything about it.  We can "take refuge in the supposed impossibility of changing the world."  We can "fail [to take action in support of our planetary home] out of laziness ... or indifference."  But if we do so, we need to call it what it is ... our personal involvement through sins of commission and omission in social sin.

The purpose of this blog post is not to depress us.  The purpose of this blog post is to remind us that the opposite is true.

• We can take refuge in our actions, no matter how small, that are intended to promote life.
• We can take refuge in our belief that God is with us and calls us to be guardians of creation, caretakers of the future of the human and earth community.
• We can rise to the challenge to overcome laziness, to counteract indifference, to do everything in our power within our own spheres of influence avoid, eliminate, or at least limit the social evils that lead to human induced climate change, to poverty, to violence and war.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to no less.  And in the end, our very survival may depend upon it.

USCCB Blog Post

I was invited to tell my vocation story for a post on the US Bishop's Conference Blog for National Vocation Awareness Week.  They are having different younger religious and priests tell their story on the blog this week.  Today my story is posted.