- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
“Oh, the possibilities” sounds like a good title for a Dr. Seuss book. It could also be another title for the New Testament, for Jesus came to show us what is possible for humanity. He preached the reign of God as a dynamic process of relatedness by which the world
- By Sr. Mary Teresita Richards
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38 IN LATIN, this response of Mary was “FIAT!” That tiny word holds lots of meaning. Literally it means “Let it be.” Perhaps we could also translate it as
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
Every day in December I practice for Christmas. If it’s not the school children’s play, it’s a group’s pre-Mass program for one of the Advent or Christmas liturgies. During the 11:30 p.m. program before the Christmas midnight Mass the narrators says, “People of God, steep yourselves in mystery and stay
- By Sr. Mary Teresita Richards
“Thus says the Lord, your redeemer….I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good.” Isaiah 48:17 HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT a new gadget or piece of technology and then struggled to learn how to use it? Perhaps you worked some time at it before giving in and
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
Somewhere I read that God teaches us to be thrillionaires. Thrillionaires believe that everyone has gifts to give—talent, time, ideas, money, and more. More importantly, thrillionaires know that the thrill is in the giving, not the gift. When we look at the abundance of creation, our God of fullness must
- By Sr. Mary Teresita Richards
“Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low.” Isaiah 40:3-4 MY PARENTS HAVE LIVED for many years in North Carolina. It is a constant source of consternation to my father how easily a red
- By Sr. Susan Maria Kusz
Whose feast is it tomorrow, December 6? Hint: his name is in an old and familiar Christmas carol! As children, my sister and I used to put out our shoes on this night, with hopeful anticipation that Jolly Old St. Nick would stop by and leave a toy or treat.
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
What is your name for God? In Advent the readings from Mass and the Hours address God with many names: O Key of David, O Root of Jesse, O Adonai. Throughout Advent I’ll share a few titles that I like, and you can think of your own name for God
- By Sr. Mary Teresita Richards
Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday, but a way of life. There are so many reasons to pause everyday and give thanks for the everyday blessings in our lives. Have you seen the website Posters for Good? Here is one from the site to get your litany of gratitude going today.
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
Contemplation means, among other things, seeing the real. Our founding sister, Sister Maria Aloysia Wolbring, saw the real in the elderly at a time when there were no nursing homes. Some elderly persons who had no family came to live in the convent in Delphos, Ohio, where our foundress lived