GATHERING OF VOCATION DIRECTORS

Last week I attended the National Religious Vocation Conference in Cleveland. There were over 300 Vocation Directors present. The theme was "Casting the Net" Vocation Ministry in a Global Church and World. The keynote speakers included Br. David Andrews, CSC, who voiced the need for a spirituality of globalization; Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski, MHSH, a native of Erie, who spoke on new technologies and the digital culture they created, which she described as mission territory for the Church; and Fr. Bryan Massingale, STD, who explored the theology of globalization. Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, the NRVC’s episcopal liaison to the USCCB, presided at the Friday evening liturgy.

The Vatican Nuncio, Pietro Sambi was also present. He commended religious brothers and sisters for all that they do for the church and told us of the Vatican’s support of religious vocations and the important Christian witness provided by men and women in consecrated life: “The Church wants you to be successful in your catch.”

There were twenty C/SSJ Vocation Directors at the convocation. We had the opportunity to go to the Cleveland Motherhouse in Rocky River for dinner and to have a meeting. It was wonderful for us to be there. It was also good to connect with other brothers and sisters that I have met while taking workshops at CTU in Chicago.

Please continue to pray for Vocation Directors as well as for vocations.

ANOTHER TAX COLLECTOR

Zacchaeus, the tax collector in today's reading, wanted to see Jesus. His obstacle was his size. He was short in stature. However, Zacchaeus thought of a way to overcome this obstacle. He climbed a tree! What are the obstacles that you or I have that may prevent us from seeing or getting closer to Jesus? What can you or I do to overcome these obstacles?

There are many instances in scripture in which we read that Jesus called, chose, or defended the outcast. He knew there was goodness in Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus must have been so surprised and excited, and perhaps even a little humbled, when Jesus asked him to come down. In choosing to call Zacchaeus and allowing him to change his ways, Jesus brought about a unity between Zacchaeus and the other people, and between Zacchaeus and God. How do we call others to unity with each other and with God? Do we create dissension between one group of people and another group?

The refrain of one of my favorite hymns at mass goes like this, "Take O take me as I am. Summon up what I shall be..." Jesus accepted everyone including tax collectors and sinners. He took them as they were. Then, Jesus summoned or called forth from them to be what he knew they could be. Jesus continues today to take each of us as we are. I know that at various times in my life, through prayer or other people, Jesus has called me to be more of what he sees in me in spite of what I may think are my obstacles. I cannot climb a tree as Zacchaeus did, however, I can continue reaching toward Christ who summons me to the more.

This week I will be attending the National Religious Vocation Conference. I am looking forward to listening to the keynote speakers and connecting with other vocation directors. The SSJ directors will gather together on Friday evening for supper and to have a meeting. Please pray for all of us and especially pray for vocations.

HUMILITY

The Gospel reading for today was about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The Pharisee was thanking God that he was not like others, especially like the tax collector. He was also letting God know about the wonderful things he did. The tax collector, however, simply said, "Have mercy on me, O' Lord, a sinner."

When we accomplish good deeds, when we achieve a certain status in life, we have been gifted by God who accomplishes these things in us. I think humility and gratitude go hand in hand. Expressing our praise and thankfulness to God for all that we have and all that we are able to do is one form of humility because we know that we cannot do these things alone. It seems the Pharisee had a big head about who he was and what he did rather than acknowledging that God was the source and giver of his gifts. He did not ask forgiveness for any of his failings. He only wanted to show God his perfection.

The tax collector knew who and what he truly was. He did not even try to express anything good about himself. He humbled himself before God, faced his failings, and asked forgiveness. God knows what is in the human heart. It is a good thing to pat ourselves on the back once in a while when we know we have done a good job. However, it is equally important to remember to give thanks to God who has graced us and blessed us abundantly.

GUARDIAN ANGELS

Yesterday, October 2nd was the Feast of the Guardian Angels. Do you remember the prayer you said to your guardian angel when you were a child? Do you still pray that prayer today? I was telling my students how God truly loves us to assign a guardian angel to each of us. I have the children say the guardian angel prayer at the end of each school day.
Kathy Sherman, CSJ wrote a song entitled, "Have You Ever Thanked the Angels in your Life." The song is about all those who have touched our lives by praying for us, loving us, protecting us, etc. It tells us to be grateful for and remember them in our hearts.

God does send angels to us in many different ways and circumstances. Think of someone who just happened to be there to help you at a particular moment in your life. Remember the person or persons who shared your joys and sorrows. Recall those who have mentored or guided you. I am confident that you can come up with more angels than you ever thought of before.

I still pray to my guardian angel and I thank God for all the angels in my life.

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

One of the gifts in my life is having a spiritual director. A spiritual director is someone with whom you can share about your relationship with God. You can talk about how your prayer life is going, what blocks or distracts you from prayer, what touches you, and where you think God is calling you. A spiritual director can help you through a discernment process in whatever you need to discern about. You can be challenged to grow in your prayer life and relationship with God.
This afternoon I met with my spiritual director. She is a Sister of Saint Joseph from Baden, Pennsylvania. I was delighted to share the graces of my retreat with her, how God touched me, and what I learned. It was a graced time as I recalled those special moments of retreat. She has known me for a long time, so it is easy for me to share with her as she knows what my spiritual journey has been and has witnessed the growth in my prayer, relationship with God, and who I am as a Sister of Saint Joseph. We meet about every four to six weeks depending on our schedules. I look forward to the two hour drive to quiet down and then meet with her. On the drive back, I recall what our conversation was and in what way she challenges me to grow. Today, she challenged me to find ways to keep the graces of retreat alive in me during the busyness of my days.
This is a part of my life that I cannot do without. Sometimes we have to reschedule when the roads are bad in winter; however, I am so grateful when I can get there to share with her. I hope your experience with your spiritual director is as enriching as mine.

LABOR DAY AND THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL

I hope everyone had a good weekend. I was thinking about workers, and all the different occupations. I am grateful for those who work at night, in snowy weather, in the heat, or in places where I can't imagine. I also thought about and prayed for those who are unemployed and those making wages that still can't support their families.

I went to visit my family for the weekend. I have not been home since July 4th weekend. It was a good weekend to spend time with my mother. We did some shopping, played cards, and watched a movie. On Monday we were at one of my sisters' home where everyone gathered for a cook out. It was fun to talk to my neice and nephew, and great-neice and nephew about their first days of school. I got to share my experience of the first week of school. I have a wonderful story to tell you.

There is a new student in my class, who is also new to the school. She is African-American and is unfamiliar with anything Catholic. During the week all students were taken to church for the sacrament of Reconciliation. We invite those who are not Catholic to go into the Reconciliation Room and tell Father their name and ask for a blessing. I explained this to my new student by saying, "Tell Father your name and tell Father that you are new to our school. Then ask Father to give you a blessing." Her reply was, "You mean GOD is in there!" Needless to say I had to stifle my laugh and explain that God is everywhere, however, there is a priest inside the room. Well, she went in and a few minutes later she came out. I asked her how it went and she replied,

"Good, he said I had a nice smile." So, she was happy. I would have loved to have heard her explain this to her family when she got home.

The next day was our first school mass. Watching my new student was a delight. She was on the edge of the pew looking everywhere. She did not want to miss a thing. The rest of my class was slumped in their pews not paying attention to anything.

The first week of school I have to continually remind myself that they are still Third Graders when they can't follow simple directions. Pray for me! Pray for them!

BACK TO SCHOOL

Wow! It is hard to believe that I have been home only nine days. Retreat already seems like a long time ago. Thank God I have my journal to remind me of the many graces and how truly blessed I am.

This past week I have been to two inservices, one faculty retreat, and spent two days and half of Saturday getting my classroom ready. Yes, it is time to go back to school. I don't understand why we just don't wait until after Labor Day. Winter is sooooo long in Erie that it would be nice to have that extra time to be outdoors.

For my last free day (well most of it was free) I spent a couple of hours on the beach at Presque Isle. I was happy to be in the sunshine and watch children playing in the sand or in the water. It was very relaxing to listen to the gentle lapping of the water against the shore in comparison to the roaring waves of the ocean. It was always high tide in the afternoon while I was on retreat. I watched, read, and slept.

School begins tomorrow and I look forward to meeting my new students. At the Parent Information Night I told the parents not to worry if their child comes home looking wild-eyed as fourth grade is a huge transition. They really are not fourth graders until after Christmas. So, summer fun ends and its back to lesson plans and correcting papers.