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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Evening Reflection

What was the most uplifting, life-giving thing that happened to you today? What was the most challenging moment of your day? Can you find God's presence in both of those moments?

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Day 7: Final Thoughts

"That's what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too."

"The Alchemist is a beautiful and heartwarming story with an 
exotic flavor....You may or may not agree with Paulo Coelho's philosophy, but it's nonetheless a tale that comforts our hearts as much as our souls."
Bergensavisen (Norway)

What do you consider to be Coelho's philosophy (in your own words)? Are there particular facets of it, particular lessons or truths, that resonnated with you while you read The Alchemist? On the other hand, are there particular aspects of it that you disagree with? 

What new thoughts has reading The Alchemist and taking part in this Book Club left you with about the idea of vocation (or Personal Legend, as Coelho would put it)? Are you beginning to have a new sense of your own vocation or, alternatively, a new sense of how to discern your vocation? 

Friday, July 24, 2015

Day 6: Secondary Characters

"The Englishman shook the boy: "Come on, ask her!" 
The boy stepped closer to the girl, and when she smiled, he did the same."

One of the things that I find most fascinating about The Alchemist is the enormous role in shaping the story that Coelho gives to his rich cast of secondary characters. Each of these people comes into Santiago's life, some for brief interactions and some in permanent ways, all with their own unique perspective and personal philosophy. It is in conversation with these other people about their world view that Santiago begins to understand more clearly how he sees the world and how he feels called to be in the world. Without the other characters, Santiago may have never found the most valuable part of his treasure: his vocation and identity. 

Which one of the secondary characters do you most identify with? Which of them do you think has the greatest impact on Santiago and his evolving sense of self?

Who are the most important secondary characters in your journey thus far? In what ways have they helped to shape your experience and your sense of yourself? Whose life do you play an important supporting role in? 


Thursday, July 23, 2015

Day 5: Personal Growth

"He was proud of himself. He had learned some things, like how to deal in crystal, and about the language without words...and about omens."

We are all changing every day, whether we stop to think about this fact or not, whether we take the time to examine on a regular basis how we are changing, or not. The people and events which shape our days also contribute to shaping us, as does the way that we chose to respond to our environment. This is certainly clear in the story of Santiago, the shepherd boy from Andalusia who journeys far from home in search of treasure and his Personal Legend. Santiago's penchant for self-examination as he encounters each new situation and group of people (his habit, that is, of discernment) is clearly what allows him to reach the end of his journey with a deeply realized sense of who he is and where he is called to be in this world. 

How has Santiago changed from the beginning of the story to the end, and what factors contributed to that change? Think of something specific. 

In what ways have you changed over the course of the last year, or two years, or five years? Do you think that these changes are steps towards becoming the best and fullest version of yourself, or are they steps away from that? How do you know?

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Day 4: Style

"People continue to ask me if I knew The Alchemist would be such a huge success. 
The answer is no. How could I? When I sat down to write The Alchemist
all I knew was that I wanted to write about my soul."
- Paulo Coelho, Foreward to the 25th Anniversary Edition

Some have compared The Alchemist to the classic fairytales, others to biblical parables, and still others to the work of writers like Antoine de Saint-Exupery and Khalil Gibran. This may be due to the fact that what Coelho has created in this book is a story that seems to connect with people across time, culture, and belief system. The Alchemist has been praised by everyone from high school students who normally don't like to read, to the editors of the world's major newspapers, and has been translated into more languages than any other book by a living author. However you look at it, something in this story seems to connect with people. Is it connecting with you?

Discuss Coelho's writing style. What works, in terms of drawing you into the story? Does it remind you of another author? If so, who, and in what way?

Is there a particular type of book or other written work that usually speaks to you? How have the important things in your reading life shaped your worldview? What works do you return to when you need inspiration, consolation, or motivation?

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Day 3: Foreshadowing

"The boy stood up shakily, and looked once more at the Pyramids. They seemed to laugh at him, and he laughed back, his heart bursting with joy."

There is a particular joy when, towards the end of a good story, something happens that makes you say "Aha!" and look back through everything that led to that moment, connecting the dots that the author subtly marked out as you went along. (If you are still reading, don't worry - no spoilers here!) You may wish that you could have such a moment of clarity in your life, or you may have already had one (or more) as you bring your life into your conversation with God in prayer. If you have never tried doing that - asking God to help you see the movements of your life and the presence of God in those movements - it is a great tool both for trying to discern about a particular life choice and for everyday living. 

What are some examples of foreshadowing that are evident in The Alchemist? How does the use of this literary device contribute to the sense of destiny and mysticism in the world that Coelho creates?

Have you ever had the sense that an event in your life, a conversation, or a new idea was the opening up of a new possibility or new path? Do you sense that God may be inviting you to something new at this point in your journey?

Monday, July 20, 2015

Day 2: Settings

"The boy's name was Santiago. Dusk was falling as the boy arrived 
with his herd at an abandoned church. The roof had fallen in long ago, and 
an enormous sycamore had grown on the spot where the sacristy had once stood."

Santiago travels from the hills of Andalusia, through the markets of Tangier, across the Sahara desert, and to the Pyramids of Giza in search of treasure and his Personal Legend. Along the way, Coelho brings each of these settings vividly to life in the mind of the reader, helping them to understand not only what Santiago is physically seeing and experiencing but also what impressions these places are leaving on him. Who we are and how we are in this world is often a product, in part, of where we have lived. Have you ever stopped to consider this about yourself?

Discuss one (or more) of the settings of The Alchemist and why it is important to the story being told by Coelho. 

Which settings have played a role in shaping your story? How might you describe them to someone else in order to convey the ways in which they have impacted you?

Sunday, July 19, 2015

The Alchemist - Day 1

"To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation."


Welcome to our discussion of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the second book of our Summer Book Club! We are so excited to have you here and we hope that you will engage in reading, reflecting, and discussing this book with us this week. 

A short prompt will be posted each day, consisting of a quote, a reflection, and a question or two. Take each of these prompts as a starting point for whatever your reading of the text brings forth! Feel free to answer a question, add one of your own, or respond to what someone else has to say. Some of the prompts will be about general themes or aspects of the book, while others will focus on specific characters and scenes. Feel free to read at your own pace! 

There is so much in The Alchemist to prompt or feed an exploration of vocation and discernment. We hope that taking part in this Book Club might touch your heart in some way, wherever you happen to be on your own journey. 


Saturday, July 18, 2015

The Benifits of Volunteer Opportunities





The National Religious Vocation Conference shared an article yesterday about the positive benefits of service opportunities in a young adult’s life. One benefit in particular being the gift of discernment. As a young adult myself and a member of the JP2 generation, a generation who seeks out service opportunities, I can fully support the positive benefits of any service opportunity. I myself spent a week in rural Guatemala where I was able to see first-hand where God was calling me. The individuals I met in Guatemala showed me kindness, simplicity, love and faith in ways I had never before experienced. I remember lying awake at night, my mind racing with questions but my heart content because I knew my next step in life was to choose a career in ministry. I never looked back and my heart has been content since then.


Have you considered volunteering? Have you been part of a volunteer opportunity that changed how you approached life?

Book Club Discussion Starts Tomorrow!

Our Summer Book Club starts up again tomorrow with The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, our second of three books for this year. We hope that you will join us in reading and discussing this touching and evocative novel! Check back here each day next week for a quote, reflection, and discussion prompts! We can't wait to see what your perspective is on this book.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Summer Book Club - The Alchemist

Our Summer Book Club here on the School Sisters of Notre Dame Vocations Blog continues next week with The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho! This is one of my favorite books. Each time that I read it I am touched by both the style of Coelho's writing and the themes that he explores. I hope that you will join us in both reading and discussing it!



The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

July 19-25th







Still to come this summer:



Catholics on Call: Discerning a Life of Service in the Church edited by Robin Ryan, CP

August 16-22nd

Friday, July 10, 2015

Knitting as a Way of Praying

Knitting is an important tradition among the women of my family. I was taught to knit by my mother, who, along with her sisters, learned from their mother. This craft has been passed on through many generations. Knitting is part of who I am.

During my undergraduate studies, I came across information about the Prayer Shawl ministry: an international, well-known effort to make God's presence tangibly felt through the work of knitting. This happens for the knitter, who is transported into a deeply prayerful state by the rhythm of the needles and yarn; for the communities that often gather to knit and pray together, who discover God present "where two or three are gathered;" and for the recipient of the knitted work, who experiences a tangible sign of the love of God and others through the comforting reality of something they can hold. A great deal more can be found about this particular iteration of knitting as a form of prayer here, on the official international website.

Knitting as a way of entering into prayer can be done in as many ways as there are knitters. I have often found myself meditating my way through a scarf, for instance, or a hat made for a niece or nephew! What matters is that as I sit down with my simple tools - knitting needles and a skein of yarn - I allow myself to be quieted and centered by the experience of mindfully creating stitch after stitch after stitch. It is often much easier, in those moments, to keep my mind quiet while my hands are busy. Creating something which benefits others often becomes an opportunity to pray specifically for that person. Alternatively, I sometimes find myself having prolonged conversations with God, or simply sitting together with God like an old friend. 

Do you have an everyday, 'secular' pastime that helps you to feel the presence of God in your life? Are you a knitter who might like to try praying in this way?

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Education in Many Forms

We shared some months ago a brief description of what has been called "The Nun Study" - an in-depth, ongoing project involving Alzheimer's research and the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The Global Sisters Report has published a fantastic article about how this study came to be, what the experiences of the sisters and the scientists have been like, and what has been learned! Well worth a read. 

http://globalsistersreport.org/news/educating-many-forms-school-sisters-notre-dame-committed-long-term-alzheimers-disease-study

Friday, July 3, 2015

Coloring as a Way of Praying...



Coloring has always been one of my favorite past-times! I have numerous coloring books or pads of white paper for doodling and when I pack for a long trip my colored pencils are often one of the first items that get added to my carry-one bag. In the last few years significant research has been conducted on the effects of coloring, especially its use in relieving stress and most recently as a way of praying. 

Carl Jung, a Psychology expert noted the benefits of coloring as a way of relaxing and created mandalas as a tool for channeling a person’s stress onto paper. Mandalas are large circular designs with intricate details that often resemble stained glass windows. Often when I find that I can’t find the words to pray or my mind is wondering I pull out a mandala and my colored pencils (crayons or markers work too) and sit in prayer letting my thoughts flow through the details in the mandala and the various colors that I chose. 

Another way using coloring to pray is through a program called Praying in Color by Sybil MacBeth. This program offers several techniques to help a person pray through their doodling. The website, www.prayingincolor.com is a great resource. I have used the simple techniques individually and with large groups and I continue to be amazed at how reflecting on a simple prayer or person while doodling can have such a positive impact on me. Not only am I more relaxed but I feel a strong connection to my faith. This is by far one of my favorite ways to pray. 

Here are a few examples of my praying through mandalas, it is my hope that this simple and creative way of praying works for you. 

 
 


 *These mandalas are from the book, Coloring Mandalas 2 for Balance Harmony and Spiritual Well-Being, by Susanne F. Fincher, 2004