Pledge for Peace

As we novices begin this second semester of the New Year I was asked about my hope for this New Year. Of course I hope for a successful semester. But as a novice of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, I am compelled now more than ever to pray and promote an environment of peace in our world that is so threatened with violence. 

This last Sunday the pastor of our church in his homily spoke about Martin Luther King and he urged us to make a pledge to commit ourselves the best as we can to peace and nonviolence. In the pledge I was reminded that making peace must start within me,

and that I must respect my self and others, forgive and encourage reconciliation with others, respect and care for the environment, and to challenge violence in all its forms wherever I encounter it. He reminded us that Jesus is the ultimate example of peace and love. He urged us to become nonviolent and peaceable people even in difficult times.

Inspired by this pledge, I am reminded of Jesus words in John’s Gospel, “peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”

My prayer and hope for this New Year is that we all commit ourselves as best as we can to be instruments of God’s peace with those we meet and for our world in need.

Oh The Places You Will Go!

I can hardly believe that a week ago we welcomed the New Year and celebrated the feast of Epiphany.   Just eight days ago on January 8, the three Dominican novices journeyed back to the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate after our month long visit to our home congregations and a family.  Just like the three Magi, we three novices hit the road on the way to our continued spiritual journey at the CDN.

Sr. Nancy Garson, OP 

As indicated during our last Sunday readings, the three Wise Magi traveled following light of the star of Bethlehem searching for the Savior.  To their surprise instead of a wealthy king, at their arrival they found a humble family and a vulnerable child.  I believe that when Mathew states that “they departed for their country by another way,” he is pointing out the conversion embraced by the Magi after they got to know the Savior. The Magi encountered the unexpected and were transformed!

The readings and celebration of Epiphany resonated with me deeply as I am currently in a journey seeking to deepen my relationship with God.  Last August I embarked on a literal and spiritual journey where I am discovering new paths, insights and know that I will not return the same way as I came!

 Sisters and Associates from Akron, Ohio making a delivery to the
homeless during the Christmas Season. 

The short visit to my home congregation in Akron and with my family highlighted my transformation and the transformation of those around me.  I was touched and very grateful when Sister Nancy Garson, archivist for the Dominican Sisters of Peace, took time out of her busy schedule to talk to Margaret and me of the journey embarked by the Dominican Sisters of Peace.  Sister Nancy was very purposeful in pointing out the movement of our history; while short it has deep roots.  The narrative was filled with stories of women who were invited to follow God to the uncertain.  In their call they were transformed by their journey.  At the same time, our foremothers, our wise women, became lights that illuminated the path for future generations to follow.

An unexpected surprise came to me while one of our Akron Sisters was embracing the end of her earthy journey and was preparing to greet God.  As Sister Doreen geared up to conclude her earthy journey, I was amazed by her letting go and the love of those in the Akron community who were providing companionship during the difficult process. Without knowing it, she was a light of faith to me, as well as the Akron sisters were a testimony of compassion and mercy.

I was very fortunate to visit my home congregation during the Christmas season and experience my personal journey and transformation. I was fortunate to be attentive to the wise women who traveled before me following the light of faith, and those around me who are wisdom figures, setting an example and illuminating me.

Now I and my companions are back in our journey of discovery and transformation. We will continue to search for God and continue our spiritual, personal and Dominican development.  I ask for your prayers and support as we follow the light, the way during our novitiate journey. 

Learning How to Become a Preacher

During this Christmas season, I have had the opportunity to reflect and pray with my Adrian Dominican Sisters, whether at liturgy, in prayer and in conversation. I feel richer for the insights that have come up during all these times. I have been reminded about humble shepherds being overwhelmed in night meadows by the angels’ chorus of Gloria. I have journeyed with the magi as they traveled to bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to a baby. I have also been wondering about what the Christmas season has to teach us about being Dominican Preachers.

Dominicans have a long held devotion to Mary, and I can see in her a model for letting the Word of God take flesh within her. Mary didn’t just do this in the physical sense, but she was open to all the ways the Word of God continued to act in her life. Meister Eckhart wrote about the need to become pregnant with the Word of God and then to give birth to the word. This is the movement in the Dominican motto of “contemplata aliis tradere,” that there is the return to contemplative prayer that then compels us outward to preach and to serve the People of God.

Throughout this year, us novices have been encouraged to develop our identity as preachers. How can I communicate the love of God in such a way that it set the hearts around me on fire? For myself, I feel the self-doubt that comes out of my own position as a young woman. I am surrounded by women who bring with them years of wisdom and experience, and I am keenly aware of how much more I have to learn.

Cutting through my own insecurities come these stories around Christmastime that remind us of Jesus’ youth. Jesus did not appear a fully formed adult, but as a baby, the same as every other person to walk the Earth. Yet, even as a baby, Jesus had something to teach everyone around him. When the shepherds and magi saw Jesus, they didn’t necessarily know what they had witnessed, but they were profoundly changed by the experience. We hear about this in the story of the Magi where they return home by a different way. They took a different road back home, but they approached the journey differently. The experience of meeting Jesus, even as a baby, allowed them to see through Herod’s deception. Then there is the story of Jesus in the temple. We are told that Jesus was around twelve years old, and that he was teaching the elders in the Temple, who were amazed at his wisdom. Even as a baby or a youth, Jesus was preaching to those around him.

Stained glass window in Holy Rosary Chapel
at the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse

There are not many stories about Jesus before he entered his public ministry, but I treasure those stories that we do have, because they speak to how God works in our youth. These stories remind me that the Word of God is spoken in often surprising places, and that all I need to do is to be open to that surprise, both in myself and in those around me.

Merry Christmas!

Can you feel it? Christmas is here! 

The joyful decorations are everywhere, the scents of delectable treats and meals bring a smile to many and the promise of the Incarnate Word among us is granted by the joyful season of Christmas. It is a time to Rejoice and Be Merry! 

As we celebrate Christmas,  the Dominican Novices, want to share our personal meaning of Christmas in the following section.  We also take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a joyful Christmas Season. May the peace of Christ be with you always!

 Katherine Frazier

I believe that Christmas can be summed up in the word, “Emmanuel,” that is, “God is with us.” Whenever I think about the beauty and mystery of the Incarnation, I am filled with wonder and awe that God chose to walk amongst us.  I am full of gratitude that Jesus shared life with us, his fellow humans, experiencing everything from crying and falling down and scraping his knee to  the joy of laughter an of sharing good jokes with friends.

The Incarnation reminds me that God can understand all of these human experiences—has lived through these experiences—and we can relate to one another because of what God has done.  Best of all, the Mystery of the Incarnation doesn’t end on Christmas, but is something to remember all year, that our God continues to be with us as we live our lives.

May all of you have a very merry Christmas full of many blessings!

Margaret Uche

For me Christmas means a time to prepare and celebrate the birth of Jesus. I do that through prayer and reflections, and remember our brothers and sisters all over the world in my prayers.

It is a time of doing charitable work for the poor and those in need and showing care and concerns for others. It is time of sending Christmas wishes to family, friends, and someone I have not contacted long ago.

And it is a time to spend time with family. I am happy to be spending this Christmas with our Sisters at the motherhouse and with my family and sharing that joy of Christmas.

Ana Gonzalez

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! This is my favorite season and it contributed to some of my happiest memories! Christmas has always been extraordinary; a season of rejoicing in community and acknowledging that that Christ is among us!

Growing up, I was always inspired by the generosity embraced as part of this season. I loved when my neighborhood and Sagrado Corazon Church communities came together to hosts Pastorelas and Posadas! Every one pitched in with the reenactment of the journey traveled by Mary and Joseph, the Piñata and the delicious treats. (Tamales, champurrado, calientito and chocolatito!) Later at home on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, my mother would make an elaborate dinner; a special feast which would be enjoyed with family - En Familia!

Christmas gives me abundant joy/comfort in knowing that the Incarnate Word is among us! This season during our liturgical calendar is extraordinary. I pray that the joy and the meaning of this season be with all of us beyond! May we remember and experience Christmas in our hearts and community always!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad a Todos!

The Visitation of Mary and Elizabeth

Adrian Dominican Motherhouse, Adrian, Michigan

As we approach Christmas, I have the joy of spending some time in Adrian, Michigan. The night after I arrived, a snowstorm came in, dropping around 8 inches of snow. My days since I have returned have been filled with reunions of those I haven’t seen in the last few months and meeting some of the new people around campus.

As I renew friendships and create new relationships, I have been thinking about the Visitation when Mary traveled over the hill country of Judah to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. I resonate with Mary’s decision in the days following Gabriel’s announcement to seek out the support of community. As Mary travels through the hill country, I am aware of the awe and wonder and joy of her new calling, but also of the fear and anxiety that the town of Nazareth would not believe her story or understand what she had experienced when Gabriel came to her. So, Mary set out to visit her cousin, for support and advice and also to seek reassurance that someone else she knew had been through a life-altering event in that same year.

Once Mary comes to the other end of her journey, Elizabeth is overjoyed at her arrival, and she asks, “Who am I that you should come to visit me?” Mary doesn’t respond in any expected way, but instead sings out her joyous Magnificat, “My soul cries out with the greatness of the Lord!” She sings that all that will be expected will be tossed away, and that a new order will come into being, with the lowly taking up positions of greatness, the hungry being fed, and that Israel will be shown mercy by God.

Myself and my Dominican sisters at a reception at the
Moutherhouse, Adrian, Michigan

I love that we visit people during this Christmas season, and that we reconnect with people we might not have seen for some time. I love the process of reaching out and discovering that, even if we haven’t talked in a while, we can still pick up wherever we left off. Yes, there are always uncertainties. Sometimes a Christmas card comes back and I realize I have the wrong address and no way of getting the right one. Sometimes I realize that time has changed myself and the person I am seeing again for the first time in a long time. But sometimes, something unexpected happens, something wonderful, and we can connect on a level neither have been able to do before. Sometimes, if we are very lucky, we realize that God is calling us to go out together to bring the Reign of God a little closer to fruition.

During this year of novitiate, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about transition. We transitioned on our way to the novitiate, and we’ll transition again when we leave. In between, there are many moments when we change and travel through new countryside. I find myself traveling with Mary, right now, looking forward to seeing Elizabeth and the joy of recognizing God’s work in the world in those around me. And I look forward to Christmas, and the recognition that God is with us through it all.

Relationships: the gift of the First Four Months

Blog by Margaret Uche

As this semester ends and we prepare to leave for our motherhouses for Christmas break, we have been reflecting on what we have been about since arriving at the collaborative Dominican Novitiate in mid-August.

In the past 4 months, we have undertaken several different activities where we had the opportunity to meet and experience our Dominican family life. These gatherings

have allowed us to share special moments with them such as stories, meals or just having deep conversations. In our discussions, there were always laughter, warmth and love expressed to each other.

A good part of our novitiate has been building relationships through encounters with others, through our class at Aquinas, the ICN, the Colloquium, our panel discussions, and other social gatherings.

We have also received some of our Dominican Sisters passing through St. Louis who stayed with us for short time and shared their love, wisdom and support with us.

I am very aware what a gift these 4 months have been so far and that God’s great love has been with us through it all. These experiences have helped me go deeper in my call to religious life and in building relationship with God and others.  

I am grateful to God and all who have prayed and supported us these past months.

I am looking forward to spending Christmas at our motherhouses and enjoying the warmth, welcome, hospitality, and love of our Sisters and family.

I wish everyone a blessed Advent. May we recognize the gifts that God has given us and share them with others and extend the care and concern to others that have been extended to us.

Gentle Actions: Big Imprints

Blog by Ana Gonzalez

As a hopeless idealist I can’t help it: I want Big Change RIGHT NOW!

After reading my daily news feeds, I feel saddened. My heart weights heavy in the updates about Syria, the disrespect for mother earth, undignified poverty, discrimination towards migrants, native Americans, people of color, LGBT, etc.  Some days, I wish I had a magic wand that with a tap would turn hate into compassion; create a desire for a curious understanding.  My idealist magic wand would heal pain, bring peace, end injustice, and fill all with joy.  Let’s not forget, HUGS FOR EVERYONE!  Then reality hits me. I don’t have an idealist magic wand.  I am only one of 7 billion human beings living on Earth.  Reality reminds me that BIG CHANGE is too overwhelmingly colossal for me to embrace. 

Guests to exhibit and artists Sr. Elizabeth Slenker, OP
(Bottom row, third from the right)

While the facts provided by reality create in yours truly an overwhelming anxiety, in prayer a gentle whisper gives me hope!  The peaceful insight evolves to a tender reminder that is offered during the season of advent. The time of Advent invites us to wait for the promise of light while surrounded by shorter, colder and darker days.  The season of expectancy is unassuming in the reassurance of a certain hope offered by Jesus.  During advent I am reminded to the gentle actions that created monumental changes; the acceptance by Mother Mary, the commitment by Joseph, the serene and unpretentious setting for the birth of Jesus.  Advent invites me to fight my desire to make big change, and encourages me to embrace gentle actions. The season also inspires me to find inspiration in the unexpected, and last week my world was motivated by an unforeseen gentle action. 

Last week, Sister Elizabeth Slenker, OP, invited us to a gallery opening showcasing her artwork.  The invitation was surprising to me, as I was not aware that Sister was an artist.  Through Sister’s very tranquil approach, I have to come to know a brilliant baker, a powerful woman that masterfully manages power tools, a creatively crafty preservationist and now a talented painter.

The exhibit opened at The Good Shepherd Gallery in Ferguson, Missouri.  The location of the gallery is at the heart of a community that is still scared by the unrest of 2014. In a very peaceful manner the Good Shepherd Gallery provides a space for peace and understanding.  The creative center features art that speaks to God’s Shepherd values of mercy, reconciliation, individual worth and zeal.  In a community that was torn by racism and segregation, the Good Shepherds gallery is a peaceful center that welcomes exhibits from individual artists and community-based groups as a way to counteract hate and fear. The exhibit opening by Sister Elizabeth was significant, as it help celebrate the first anniversary of the establishment.

While experiencing the artwork at the sublime center, I found a moving experience. In the middle of a community that was known for injustice and discord, Sister Elizabeth was exhibiting gentle artwork that celebrated creation. Through the use of watercolors, the artist captured the unassuming beauty of creation in a harmonious manner.  The exhibit became a prayerful experience and an invitation to seek harmony and peace! The gallery and the exhibit are examples of my personal Advent invitation to embrace gentle actions. The small gestures create a powerful invitation for harmony and peace. 

The exhibit, gallery and season of Advent remind me of the well-known quote by Mahatma Gandi, “be the change you want to see in the world.” While I am only one woman in a large world, I can be what I wish for the world.  In a gentle manner my small actions can be of inspiration and empower a positive change. I will work at embracing the small gentle actions and not be tempted to desire a magic wand that will fix the big problems.  I am reminded to trust in God and the certain hope provided by Jesus.

As I conclude, I want to wish you a peaceful and insightful Advent.  May you be surrounded by gentle actions that positively mark your life! 

* For more information about Shepherding Images Studio & Good Shepherd Gallery or Sister Elizabeth's exhibit please visit http://www.shepherdingimages.com.