Did you know?

Celery is considered to do best in cool weather, but did you know that it can survive through Chicago winter? Our celery here at the CDN is still surviving, as Sr. Cathy Arnold O.P puts it. A few stems of the celery still withstand temperatures in the low teens and several heavy touches of frost. Winter weather doesn’t kill our hardy celery; the cold is simply slowing its growth. Perhaps we have the best brand of celery.

Each time I look out through the window to the garden and see the weak celery leaves still alive

Our 'surviving' celery

after the snow clears and every other crop is dead, I can’t but think of resilience and perseverance. Maybe this is what we are invited to at these trying times in our world, resilience in the face of life’s challenges and difficulties. To access the redeeming grace, strength, and power of the risen Christ that surrounds us, to trust that God’s grace and the truth will help us navigate through it as we read in scripture; ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’

To achieve this resilience, I need to pray fervently and deeply, sharpen my contemplation skills, and dig deeper into God’s word, as I am frequently reminded through St. Dominic’s lessons.

Kendra Cherry wrote this about resilience, “It is the mental reservoir of strength that people can call on in times of need to carry them through without falling apart. Psychologists believe that resilient individuals are better able to handle such adversity and rebuild their lives after a catastrophe” ( https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-resilience-2795059). If I am open to learning from the experience, I come out stronger and wiser. This will boost my well-being, hence practice gratitude, as Job did. He exhibited resilience even after he lost everything. He refused to focus on his loss but believed that God was in control, and thus maintained resilience. Job didn’t give up! God honored and blessed him for it. Oh, What a lesson I learn from Job!

….. Stay tuned to find our whether our celery will survive the remaining part of winter…..

What would St. Dominic advise?

As a house, we are currently studying St. Dominic: The Story of a Preaching Friar by Donald J. Goergen, OP.  In the most recent chapter we read, Fr. Donald writes:

        There is naturally the question of what to do with disappointment in order to avoid the
                road to cynicism, for it is not a question of whether we will be disappointed in life, but
                rather how we address it.  This challenge will be either the beginning or the end of a
                profound spiritual journey.    

One of the reasons this quote stood out to me is because St. Dominic is known as the joyful friar.  Given this fact, I have a feeling there is a lot St. Dominic taught the people he interacted with about what it means to gracefully, and joyfully, handle disappointment.  This leads me to a question I will never be able to have a direct answer to, but is still fun to ponder: What advice would St. Dominic have for us novices who are living a canonical novitiate experience that looks very different than it is designed to be?  With ministry, the Intercommunity Novitiate (ICN), and Catholic Theological Union classes all being virtual and with itinerancy experiences being stifled by an inability to safely visit different mother houses or head to Racine for long weekends with our ICN peers, there has been a lot of letting go that has needed to happen this year. 

One of the first pieces of advice I have a feeling the joyful friar might have for us is perspective.  Perspective helps me see where my suffering fits within the context of the rest of the world.  For example, in a recent Zoom class on contemporary issues in/and religious life, we talked about the reality of the different connections someone might have during a traumatic event (the one experiencing the trauma, being a family member of the person going through the traumatic event, being their coworker, etc).  The reality is, my situation is very disconnected from the ways many others, including those who have sadly lost a loved one to COVID or who are directly caring for COVID patients, are experiencing this pandemic (putting them more at the center of the battle than me).  With this perspective, I am better equipped to pray for the needs of the world while also carrying my own disappointments.  I have a feeling St. Dominic would also remind us that gratitude helps a great deal with keeping things in perspective and staying joyful.  

This leads me to the next piece of advice St. Dominic might have for us: lean on the hope Jesus gives in the midst of suffering.  As our conversation came to an end, I have a feeling St. Dominic’s last piece of advice would be very specific to the realities carrying disappointment as a canonical novice: this year is about interior work and discernment, take advantage of the increased level of quiet that comes with less time with others to get to know God and ourselves better.  Dominicans are called to contemplate and then share the fruits of our contemplation after all, and it’s hard to share the fruits without first taking the time to contemplate.  

If you had a chance to sit down with St. Dominic and talk about a current situation in your life, what advice do you think the joyful friar would have for you?    

This picture of St. Dominic hangs at the bottom of the stairs in our house.

Christmas Letters, Love and Light

Letter-writing has connected Christian communities across geographical distances since the first and second centuries. The early church relied on circular letters to communicate, support one another during persecution, and strengthen bonds of friendship. Like first-generation Christians dispersed throughout Asia Minor, we at the CDN wrote and received many letters this past December as we celebrated the Advent and Christmas seasons in Chicago. Ordinarily, the novices and directors would return to their home congregations for the holidays; however, given the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to stay in place – an act of solidarity with our Sisters in motherhouses and on mission who were unable to travel or visit family because of the virus.

Our tree on Christmas Eve

No social-distancing could separate us from the love of our Dominican and Maryknoll family. As soon as word went out that we would remain in Chicago, cards and packages began to pour in. Some contributed decorations, like the stockings with blinking lights that could not be turned off.

CDN Community before Christmas Mass

Others wrapped gifts to put under our tree. Many sent delicious baked goods and popcorn. 

Donning festive socks by the fire

Never have I so appreciated the beauty of Christmas cards. Their artwork helps us recognize where we encounter the Christ child in our world today: among refugee and migrant families, in the face of children born into poverty, in the arms of single mothers and adoptive fathers. Their messages of hope announce to us the Good News that God dwells among us—hope we needed, this year especially, as we mourned members of our congregations lost to the ravages of COVID-19. Handwritten notes of encouragement from Sisters and Associates near and far lifted our spirits. Their words of love strengthened our hearts during those darkest of year-end days, not unlike the Catholic Epistles must have affected the earliest Christians in times of trial. We give thanks for these expressions of care and affection, knowing that we are enfolded in prayer. 

We entered into the New Year with a double birthday celebration. Both Faithmary and I were born on the first of January, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and World Day of Peace. I reflected anew on the gift of our house community, where we commit ourselves daily to following Jesus’ command, “Love one another.” Out of love, the directors baked two birthday cakes!

Faithmary blows out the candles on her birthday. 

This year, life handed us lemons, so we made lemon cake.

Faithmary dances in the Southern caramel cake as Cathy sings with enthusiasm

Yet our joy turned to lament this week after the despicable attack on the U.S. Capital. Last Wednesday, this country witnessed the ugly violence borne of lies and hatred. Amidst the shock and anger I feel, I am simultaneously grateful for my vocation. I am glad to be among women religious who do not turn away from the reality of sin and idolatry. Into this reality, we are called to bring the light of Christ and the love that overwhelms evil with good. Our mission, as Dominican and Maryknoll Sisters, is to seek Truth and make God’s love visible. Together we will discern how the Spirit is leading us to build peace in our time. As 2021 begins, we commit ourselves anew to contemplation and discernment, always seeking to be transformed by God so that we can, in turn, help transform our world.

Christ’s Light illuminates our house chapel, radiating peace