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May 3, 2017

How to Practice Resurrection Every Day

monastery sunrise for web

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower.

But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way?

The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day.

Part 1: Rising Up, Again and Again

Part 2: We fall down, we get up

Part 3: Accept Your Cross

Part 4: Get down off your cross!

Part 5: Roll your stone out of the way

Part 6: Recognize the Risen One

Part 7: Practice, practice, practice

Part 8: Path to freedom

Part 9: Heaven is closer than we think

Part 10: Resurrected life is now

May 1, 2017

Eating Cookies, Drinking Coffee with “The Stranger”: 12 Years of Women’s Dialogue

receiving award for web and fbSister Catherine Cleary and her collaborators – Lisa Killinger (Muslim, above center) and Linda Golden (Jewish, above left)) – recently received a Human Rights Award sponsored by Church Women United for their work with the annual Muslim-Christian-Jewish Women’s Dialogue. Sr. Catherine’s remarks from the event follow:

I am filled with gratitude and surprise for this honor.

Our Muslim, Jewish and Christian gatherings have been such a gift and joy to me for the last 12 years that it never occurred to me that anyone would recognize them as worthy of an honor. Continue Reading

March 31, 2017

5th Sunday: Roll the stone away and untie yourself!

burial cross

By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB

John 11 tells the story of Lazarus. It offers a deeper look into the ministry, heart and prayer of Jesus.

Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, first send word that Jesus’s friend, Lazarus, is ill. This, Jesus ignores, telling his disciples, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

He waits until Lazarus dies to go.  Continue Reading

March 10, 2017

2nd Sunday of Lent: Don’t Be Afraid

sun through trees for fb

By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB

Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. …

A voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.  But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Do not be afraid.” (Mt 17:1-9)

Jesus tells us not to be afraid … but that’s the very thing we excel at.

We fear our money won’t hold out … our health will fail … a commitment will hamstring us … something we care deeply about won’t go the way we desperately need it to.

How many times in a day, a week, an hour do we have these fears?

What will it take for our faith to grow to such a deep place in our heart and in our psyche to believe – and act on that belief – that all decisions are solved by listening to Jesus?

Do not be afraid.

Lent is a special time set aside by the church to pray and to meditate on the life and teachings of Jesus.

We want to become like his apostles who listened, who followed, and who prayed with Jesus.

Today, go to the mountain with Jesus. Ask him for help with your questions … but don’t do all the talking! Be quiet, so you can listen. Let your fears dissipate … and let your heart fill with peace.

Continue Reading

March 3, 2017

1st Sunday: Jesus Holds On, So We Hold On

path-in-field

We encounter our demons, like Jesus, as we journey through our lives … alone, but for the Lord, who never lets us go.

By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

The desert is a metaphor for our own struggles with the demons that confront us as we insist on seeking our true freedom.

What an apt metaphor! Continue Reading