Waiting to See Pope Francis

Sisters Rebecca Tayag and Maria Iannuccillo, SSND were among the many faithful who waited along the parade route in Washington, DC yesterday to see Pope Francis. They are pictured here with Br. Paul Bednarczyk, CSC. All three are involved in vocation work, so we can be confident that they brought prayers for all discerners with them!

Update:

Here are some more pictures from Sr. Rebecca Tayag, SSND:

Sister Eileen Reilly, SSND - Notes from the Bus

Sister Eileen Reilly, SSND, is one of several School Sisters of Notre Dame who are directly involved in this year's Nuns on the Bus campaign. One of her reflections about this past weekend's events gives a good sense of what being a 'nun on the bus' is like - check it out here! 

SSND Response to Ongoing Crisis in Hungary

Sister Lucy Nigh, SSND (a vocation team member) was recently in touch with fellow SSNDs in Hungary to see how they are handling the current refugee crisis.

Sister Lucy writes that she "spoke with Sister Eszti-Kinga, SSND, who is on the provincial council in Hungary about their anguish... She (Eszti-Kinga) and especially Sister Fidelis have taken tents and sleeping bags to help the refugees." 

You can see the full collection of pictures taken by these loving SSNDs here. Please keep the people who are migrating in treacherous conditions and those who are trying to help them in your prayers! 

National Day of Prayer with Religious - SSND Report

Our vocation team received a joyful report from Sister Celine Flynn, SSND about how her local community celebrated the National Day of Prayer with Religious on September 13. This day was one of the events suggested by the Bishops of the United States as a way to celebrate the Year of Consecrated Life. Did you attend an event that day? We'd love to hear about it! 

Here is Sister Celine's summary of the SSND event in Connecticut:

"We, here at VND had a lovely day here at 345 Belden Hill Road, Wilton! We scheduled an OPEN HOUSE from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. inviting all of the Churches in and around our area, colleges/universities, many businesses here in Wilton, Norwalk,Westport, New Canaan, and yes, our neighbors in the non-Catholic churches!  The day consisted of:  welcoming our guests, taking them on tours of our Motherhouse, refreshments, and ending it with a Prayer Service in our Chapel!  We had about 80 plus who came and were very happy to come and spend the afternoon with the Sisters!  S. Celine explained & quoted the Holy Father Pope Francis on the Importance of Celebrating Consecrated Life just before the Prayer Service!  Our many Guests found their whole visit to be very 'Inspirational!' very 'Peaceful,' as some of them expressed before leaving our Motherhouse!

"God was good in giving us a Beautiful Day with the weather (the forecast was supposed to be a WASHOUT!), but the Sun was shining brightly! I believe that a good time was had by all!  S. Celine invited our guests to come back anytime to our Beautiful Chapel to pray, or to just sit in the Presence of the Lord! That the doors are always open!  She even suggested that maybe some of the families would ADOPT a Sister or two! The Sisters in the Motherhouse VND ENJOYED the touring, sharing, talking, refreshments as much as the Guests, did! It was truly a 'memorable' Day!"

Education as Salvation?

A concern about 'saving souls' might seem a bit strange to modern ears, especially coming from a woman who was a teacher and founder of schools for country girls. Putting Blessed Theresa and her words in context, however, we can see that there is a sentiment here that very timely or, perhaps, timeless. 

The word 'salvation' comes from the Latin word salus, which means 'wellbeing.' The root meaning of salvation is to improve one's condition, to make whole and well. An educational movement in the European Catholic Church had begun a century before Theresa which was concerned about the salvation of poor children on all levels. These new schools introduced poor and working class children to faith in Jesus, yes, but also equipped them with knowledge and skills to succeed in a society that otherwise excluded them. Learning how to read, write, do basic math, and behave well in public were game-changing tools for kids from both innercity slums and country towns. Their adult chances at wellbeing had been increased exponentially. 

If the social situation I described sounds oddly reminiscent of our time, it shouldn't surprise you that such Catholic schools (and many other schools modeled after them) still exist all over the world. This work continues, and School Sisters of Notre Dame continue to educate in the spirit of Blessed Theresa. Many other SSNDs work for the wellbeing of others in other settings, too - in ESL centers for adults, as dentists and lawyers, as social workers, and even at the UN! Their work is filled with everyday miracles of salvation. 

SSNDs On The Bus

The School Sisters of Notre Dame will again be taking part in Nuns On The Bus  - starting in St. Louis on Thursday! Information about the tour, links to the schedule of events and updates from our SSNDs during the journey will be posted on the ssnd.org website throughout the next two weeks. Stay tuned! 

Ruffling People's Feathers

Once someone has chosen to really begin discerning a call to religious life - out loud, in conversation with a spiritual director and a particular community or two - they are often asked what might have made them worried/anxious/afraid to take that step before doing so. One of the most common stumbling blocks to pursuing the possibility of a vocation to religious life is a concern about what other people will think. It can be very hard for some of us to reveal the deep desires of our heart to others, even those we care about and believe care about us. For others, the idea of being 'weird' or 'different' is difficult to bear. Still others may be concerned about disappointing family expectations of a lucrative career and/or a big family. These are all valid concerns to have. We human beings are made to be relational, and it may indeed ruffle some feathers if you decide to actively discern a call to religious life. In many, many cases, however, discerners are surprised at just how well their families and friends take their decision in stride. In fact, many are surprised to hear that their family and friends saw it coming! 

It is difficult to describe to those who have not yet experienced it the peace that comes when you choose to be most concerned about being true to what is being whispered in your heart and to what you feel God is inviting you to. Two hints while searching for what this may be for you, today:

1. These two things are probably the same thing, or at least related.

2. God always calls us into deeper joy and freedom (though the trust required to get there can sometimes be a bit scary for some of us).

To Make This Love Visible

To discover and live out one's vocation is a joyful and beautiful process, even if it isn't always easy. If you have ever met someone who is clearly being/doing what they were made to do - whether that is being a parent, fighting fires, or leading others in prayer - then you know precisely what I am talking about. It was obvious that this person was lit up from the inside by the joy that comes from living an authentic life, a life where who you are, what you value, and what you do all line up, all make sense together. I think that this is what our Foundress, Blessed Theresa, is asking for God's help to achieve in her own life in today's quote. She is certainly not alone in this desire! You may want to consider making her prayer your prayer; I know that it is one my heart whispers often.

Upcoming Event in St. Louis

For those of you who live in the Midwest, we would love to have you join us for an event that we're calling "Stories Around The Campfire" on Saturday, October 3rd. It's going to be a great night! Full details and registration can be found here.