Day 3, Chapter 3: The Foundations and Dynamics of Prayer

“Prayer is the food for our life with God; without it we suffer from malnourishment.” (Page 44)

I can still clearly remember the day I was confirmed in the Catholic Church. As each student approached the Bishop we were asked a question or two about our faith. I was nervous as my sponsor and I stood in front of the Bishop my heart beating hard and my mind racing, praying for an easy question. My question: “What is your favorite prayer and who taught it to you,” caught me off guard but I quickly answered The Memorare and my parent? As I walked back to my pew I kept thinking to myself how did I get such an easy question….little did I understand then the importance of a solid prayer foundation in my life. Prayers are often one of the first things we teach children. My nephew can quickly recite his dinner prayer and my sister can probably say the Guardian Angel prayer in one breath; we always prayed together as a family, from an early age it was a priority. Yet the older I get the more difficult I find it is to structure significant prayer time in my life. It’s not that I’m too busy or that I have forgotten to pray but perhaps because our foundation of prayer is only taught to a certain level. What once worked in my family home, suddenly doesn’t fit in my personal life. Feeling less than satisfied with how much time I was actually praying, I recall sitting in a graduate Theology class and reading an article much similar to this and things finally made sense. Our individual prayer lives are our unique opportunity to carve out a specific relationship with Christ. In this chapter Robin Ryan, OP, reminds us that that works for me may not work for others but it is mine. I needed to create a sacred space that enabled me to dive into deep conversation with Christ, to be honest, to listen to my heart and make prayer a priority in my daily life; this is always evolving and will continue to as I grow and change as an adult.    

Do you have a strong prayer foundation?

What is your favorite prayer or method of prayer?

The Power of One Life: "Why Sister Pat was so special"

I had the privilege of attending my local Catholic high school, Bishop Feehan, with the help of a scholarship and my father's hard work. I can say without any hyperbole that my experience as a student there changed the course of my life. I found a community of welcome and support during a difficult time in the life of my family, was introduced to the study of theology and thus was put on a trajectory towards my career in ministry, and even had the blessing of kind teachers whom I could trust with my inner struggles over discerning my vocation. One of the adults in the building who had a profound impact on me, though, was actually a teacher I never had. Sister Patricia Harrington, RSM, affectionately known as Sister Pat, was a pillar in the Feehan community. Everyone knew and loved her, and her presence in the classroom, in the halls, and at school events was a source of leaven and joy. She made God's love tangible by her kind, "Hello, love!" in the halls, her thoughtful gestures, and the witness of her life.

Sister Pat passed away last week, and her funeral was one week ago today. Attending this service with hundreds of other members of the Feehan family was an experience of profound grace, partly because Sister Pat's spirit was all over the liturgy (she had chosen the readings and music), and partly because everyone gathered there shared in common the experience of her love on their lives. If you are considering a life consecrated to God in religious community but have hesitated over concern that you would not have a huge impact, would not have children, or would not be remembered - read this editorial written after her funeral. (Or this article, or this blog post turned Huffington Post article from one of my classmates!)

A portrait of Sister Patricia Harrington painted in 2011.

SSND Presence at Mount Mary Graduation Festivities

SSND-sponsored Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, MN held their commencement exercises this past Saturday, May 16th. Among those in attendance was a group of School Sisters of Notre Dame who offered a traditional SSND blessing to the graduates. Congratulations to the nearly 230 students who received degrees!