By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
Peter is my favorite apostle. Talk about someone who could put his foot in his mouth! He makes me feel like my own mistakes are not such a big deal.
Peter made many of his own. Jesus even had to talk to him about them at times. Very human. But what I love even more than Peter’s mistakes is his willingness to ask for forgiveness and to try to do his best.
As Holy Week unfolds, I’ve been thinking about Peter’s foibles. Continue Reading
By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB
Holy Week begins with the jubilant procession honoring Jesus as he rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. People honor him, waving palms and singing:
Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. Continue Reading
Sister Stefanie’s preschoolers enjoy their own Palm Sunday procession.
By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB
As a child, Palm Sunday was different and special, and not only because Easter was only a week away and our fasts from candy would end soon!
In our family, after church, we always spent some of the afternoon braiding palms and putting them in our rooms. Continue Reading
Diana Nyad challenges us to act on our dreams in another of our Lenten TED Talk series.
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
“You go ahead and sit back in your comfortable chair and you be the critic, you be the observer, while the brave one gets in the ring and engages and gets bloody and gets dirty and fails over and over and over again, but yet isn’t afraid and isn’t timid and lives life in a bold way.” Diana Nyad paraphrasing Theodore Roosevelt during her TED Talk Continue Reading
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
Today as I was sitting in the dinning room, in front of the window by the bird feeder, I saw my first chipmunk of the season.
The birds are singing, the ice is melting on the lake, the temperatures are warming up. Continue Reading
Lizzie Velasquez talks about her struggle with bullying – and how she has overcome it – in this powerful TED Talk!
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
Lizzie Velasquez was born with an extremely rare syndrome that left her unable to gain weigh and blind in one eye.
When she went to kindergarten, she was shunned by the other kids for looking like a “monster.”
She was crushed. Continue Reading
Don’t miss the many stories and thank yous sent to the Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery during National Catholic Sisters Week 2015.
Thank you for your care for us. ❤
Blessings,
Your Benedictine Sisters
Did I have a Catholic nun affect my life? Oh golly yes! I had an entire order, and I haven’t forgotten about it once since I graduated in 1980. So, how do you thank people who made you who you are today? I don’t really know. Continue Reading
Sister Ronan, O.P. taught third grade at St. Bernard School in Peoria, IL.
She was very young, as I look back now, and was so caring of each person in her class.
We still keep in touch with a card and letter at Christmas. She still makes a difference to me!
In gratitude to Sr. Audrey who went beyond understanding to prayerfully and patiently put the broken parts together, holding each piece gently in God’s love until the Spark ignited and became able to drink in the warmth and the nourishment of Benedictine way of healing, living and loving. You will always have a special place in my heart of hearts! I owe you my new life! As a spiritual director, I teach what you taught me, guide as you led me, and above all listen as you showed me. May God bless my small ministry and may God bless and keep you, dear one. – Sharon Flanagan Mungo Continue Reading
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