No matter what the season, God helps me to find the beauty in the neighborhood in which I live. Perhaps one of my biggest struggles as I develop my spiritual practices and prayer life is staying in the present moment. I find my attention wandering not only during prayer, but during meals and conversations with…
Here we are! The Lenten journey is ending and it is time to emerge from the desert and enter into the Paschal mystery. Holy Week has arrived! Here’s a quick background on these sacred days in the Church year: For your prayer and mediation this week, I’d like to share with you a…
Happy Feast of St. Clare! The following prose-poetry is dedicated to her. This past Monday I drove north, from Kansas City to La Crosse, through lush fields of green growing up towards the sky. As I moved, my eyes focused on the constant road. It was an all-day drive after a two-month pilgrimage of study,…
Now we are in ordinary time. Alleluia for the sunset each day. Alleluia for sniffing wilted lilac blossoms. Alleluia for pauses in the rushed, packed scheduled life. Christ comes to us is the cracks of our life, in the common mystery: Slicing orange cheddar for a quick snack, the sweetness of a fresh mandarin, the…
Have you ever felt like someone was ignoring you? As if, although you have a history of friendly relationship with someone, they no longer recognize you as different from any other stranger in a crowd? That, even despite your efforts to greet them with love and reconcile the relationship, they chose to snub you and…
Worldwide Franciscans like me are celebrating the founder of our order today. On the eve of this day, in 1226 St. Francis of Assisi died and went to heaven. Last night we celebrated the Transits to memorialize this sacred story. Today we remember and honor St. Francis’ story and contributions to the Church. Through his witness 800 years ago,…
Today is the World Day of Prayer for Creation! This is an ecumenical and global day of prayer. World-wide, Christians are united in prayer for the healing of this sacred home and our Sister, Mother Earth. Out of love for her, we pray in hope and thanksgiving. Here in La Crosse, Wisconsin we are keeping…
Earlier this summer I was fortunate to be able to make a pilgrimage-of-sorts to The Simple Way, a Christian community in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia described as “a web of subversive friends conspiring to spread the vision of ‘Loving God, Loving People, and Following Jesus’ in our neighborhoods and in our world.” Like many thousands of…
Recently I had a conversation with another sister. During the chat, we realized we had a common experience on our different retreats earlier this summer. We had each gone to opposite corners of the country and were looking forward to some sacred one-on-one time with God. He found a way to sneak in–to surprise and enlighten…
“rowing on Trout Lake” photo by Julia Walsh FSPA Like loon encounters Communion with the Creator can come like loon encounters, when you are simply rowing through life and enjoying the ride, then-ah-behold: the sight of loon dancing, diving, singing, playing. The surprise of beauty, of scenery, of simplicity. Many ecstasies come in these off-shore…
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