Last week I was in Cleveland for the National Religious Vocation Conference meeting.  There were several really good presentations around the theme of  “Vocations in a Global World.’  What stood out for me was the presentation on ‘Vocations in a Digital Age’ or what I call connecting in cyberspace! Actually, it was more like what is this cyberspace and how in the world will I connect with women living there?

It is really about a whole new world of communication, relationships and connection.  It can be hard to imagine being a young adult who has only known the cyberworld and all its tools of FB, mobile phones, MySpace, texting etc.  I think it is great when I actually get my message into 142 characters!  I am just a foreigner learning the culture.

Actually, some things are timeless.  Both the message of Jesus Christ and the Seeking Him through a vowed life as women religious are eternal.  Over our community’s 136 years of life, our Benedictine ancestors faced many new worlds ranging from leaving Germany to landing in America to moving to Chicago and then to Nauvoo.  They faced new worlds of industrialization, agriculture, as well as a changing culture in the Church with Vatican II.  Nine years ago we uprooted from our small rural life to the Quad Cities city life.  We moved from our corporate world of education into spirituality ministry.  Our Benedictine Sisters faced each world, conquered it and still are thriving in this new world of technology.

One final note – if you are interested in participating in an online retreat ‘Listening with the Ear of Your Heart‘ please contact me at rbussan@smmsisters.org or with a blog comment.  I have much of the retreat completed and am formatting it..but it would be helpful to hear from anyone who would like to participate.