By Sister Diane Guerin — In Advent, we, too, wait in joyful hope. What is our expectation? Do we welcome Jesus as a Prophet of Nonviolence? How are we, who profess in our Critical Concern of nonviolence, challenged to live this commitment each day?
There are so many connections between the anniversaries of Juan’s Piadosa Madre and Catherine’s Sisters of Mercy.
By Sister Edia “Tita” Lopez Garcia — Hope becomes genuine when Mercy is in action. “Hope is not naivete, nor a childish gaze unable to see the shortcomings of reality: it is a gaze that glimpses possibilities, not a tribute to the sun.”
By Sister Sue Gallagher and Brother Ryan Roberts — Are there ways we can welcome the Christ-child more simply? In what ways are you making decisions for a more sustainable Christmas this year?
By Sister Deb Troillett — “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. As we wait and pray in joyful hope, Pope Francis tells us that hope is a gift particularly of the marginalized and the suffering, and an expectation that entails solidarity and accompaniment.
By Rowshan Nemazee, Mercy Associate — In times of need, as a mother, Mary has been my refuge. Thus, I come to this moment more clearly through Fra Lippi’s “Annunciation,” where a youthful Mary sets her face, in awe and in assent, not toward Gabriel, but rather, toward the dove. It is a moment of awakening, of softness and maturity
filled with the gentle ardor of maternal hope.
By Sister Victoria Incrivaglia — This approaching Thanksgiving holiday will be met with new meanings of gratitude. The many months of the shutdown during the pandemic brought financial, emotional and spiritual stress for all of us. The season of autumn teaches us that we are waiting. Autumn is rich with metaphors: shorter days, prevalence of darkness, trees letting go of their leaves with the promise of new life.
By Sister Benvinda Pereira — As Black Catholic History Month draws to a close this year, Advent begins; we wait in joyful hope for the Savior, and still we wait for justice.
By Catherine Walsh — Sharing the stories of Sisters Cora Marie and Benvinda during Black Catholic History Month is a fitting tribute to the women.
By Adelaida Eduvala — Catherine’s story reminds me of another woman who used her God-given gifts to serve the least among us and whose life inspires me as a teacher of children.
By Sister Sheila Carney — Catherine’s words reveal to us that, on this last day of her life on earth, the focus of her heart remained unchanged — resting in her unwavering trust in a Provident God and embracing with love and compassion her family, her sisters and her associates.
By Sister Michelle Marie Salois — I learned to listen to my desires and emotions and especially to the subtle, felt sense within my body (the temple of the Holy Spirit) that I eventually recognized as a reliable signal of the right direction.