Poetry for the Soul
We invite you to see through the creative eyes of our poets!
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Reflections
Grateful and Sent
We come together to celebrate this Mass of Thanksgiving, grateful for the blessings that we have received during the mystery of our time together. We have shared more deeply in our time together than we ever do, as we have spoken about that which is most dear to us, our mission and life together. In
Making a Difference: Changed by Encounter, Sent in Hope
James Tissot (Nantes, France, 1836–1902, Chenecey–Buillon, France). The Pilgrims of Emmaus on the Road (Les pèlerins d’Emmaüs en chemin), 1886–1894. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum) As I look at these two readings, I think about “making a difference.” In the first reading, we have the story of the crippled man who asked Peter and John for alms.
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Called by Name: From Moment to Mission
Good morning, and a blessed Easter Tuesday. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” Amen. Easter and Chapter are not simply events we mark on a calendar—they are moments. Living, grace-filled moments that invite us to pause, to listen, and to respond. In today’s Gospel (John 20:11–18), Mary
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Awakening to Resurrection All Around Us
There are times when we allow ourselves to become almost numb to the continual miracles of life, death, and resurrection that constantly surround us in our day-to-day living. The multitudes of distractions in our fast-paced world can rob us of what nature also can teach us. We are just leaving the barren season of winter
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With Mary in Sorrow
Station of the cross, Saint Symphorian church of Pfettisheim, Bas-Rhin, France. XIXth century. In today’s liturgy, there is a recommended second collect prayer referring to the sufferings of Mary during this time before holy week. We heard the priest say, “Give your Church the grace to imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary devoutly in contemplating the
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New Life is Possible
I’d like to begin with the responsorial psalm that preceded Claire’s reading: “With the Lord there is mercy.” I hold on to that, because when I look at the world—at the news, at daily life—mercy can feel in short supply. And yet the psalm assures us: with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of
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Where is Your Mountain?
In today’s readings, we hear God tell Abram to go forth, leave his home, family, and all he knows. In the second reading, Saint Paul admits that there will be hardship, but we will receive strength from God. The account of the Transfiguration in Matthew’s Gospel (Ch.17) may seem so extraordinary that it is difficult
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Led Into the Desert: From Ego-Drama to Theo-Drama
Kieran Keenan, STAC ’24, MS in Ed, ’26 It’s great to be with all of you. I recognize some familiar faces from STAC’s feast day Mission Moment program a couple of weeks ago. I had the privilege of sharing my experience walking in the footsteps of St. Dominic during my trip to Fanjeaux, France. And
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Ash Wednesday 2026
From the earliest days of Christianity, the Church has commemorated the forty days preceding Our Lord’s public life as a season of transformation for His faithful followers, during which we are encouraged to follow His example of prayer and fasting. During His desert experience, Jesus was presented with temptations that were both physical and psychological,
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Humble Love
Tonight, we celebrate the most improbable mystery of all time. The Scriptures remind us of the human genealogy of the birth of a special child, promised through many generations. What was not expected was the manner in which this long-anticipated event would take place. For in ages past, humankind was—and still is—impressed with might, power,
Hope, One Day at a Time
First, I would like to thank Sister Diane and the Dominican Sisters for inviting me to give a reflection today. I admire all the work that you do for our community and the world, and I am honored to be speaking today Two weeks ago, we began the season of Advent by lighting the first
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Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Mother for All Peoples
The original image of Our Lady of Guadalupe impressed on the cloak of St. Juan Diego is seen in the basilica in Mexico City February 13, 2016. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) Today, the Church celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and one of the most tender expressions of God’s closeness to all people.
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Advent: Returning to Our Roots
The first verse from the Isaiah reading (Isaiah 11:1-10) we heard this evening said: “Then a shoot will sprout from the stump of Jesse; from Jesse’s roots, a branch will blossom.” According to Google, the stump of Jesse is a biblical prophecy that symbolizes hope for a future ruler from the line of Jesse, the
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Answering Advent’s Call
Today, we enter the season of Advent, a time of longing, watchfulness, and hope. The readings place us right at the threshold: God is coming. We are invited to prepare, not by fear or anxiety, but by opening our eyes, our hearts, and our world to the transforming presence of Christ. Isaiah stands before us
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Through Mary’s Eyes
We are all quite familiar with the saying, “the eyes are the windows of the soul.” Upon meeting a familiar face or a complete stranger, we can learn a great deal about a person’s state of mind simply by observing their eyes. When we live closely with someone over time, we come to understand their
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Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel: An Anniversary of Faith
Tomorrow is September 11. Where were you 24 years ago, on 9/11? I suspect that all of us recall exactly where we were on September 11, 2001. That day of horror and tragedy is seared into our hearts and into our memory. Now… where were you on September 10, 2001? Do you remember that day?
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Feast of Saint Augustine
A portrait of St. Augustine of Hippo. Photo Credit: Saint-augustine.org St. Augustine, whom we honor this day, spoke these memorable words back in the fourth century: Late had I loved you, O Beauty so ancient yet ever new, late have I loved you! Behold, you were within and I was abroad, searching there for you.
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Reflection for the 3rd Sunday of Lent
Preacher: Michael Keegan, St. Thomas Aquinas College – Class of 2026 A reading from today’s Gospel as written by Luke: Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. He told the vineyard worker, ‘Listen, for three years
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Re-Creation of a New World
For the second week of Advent Vespers, Sister Valorie preached about the connection between the Immaculate Conception and Peace in Haiti. Like Mary, we are called to share our sacred power to re-create the world. Sister Valorie Lordi, OP, is the school nurse at St. John Chrysostom School, Bronx, NY.
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Our Lady of the Rosary Reflection
When I began to prepare these reflections for today’s Feast of the Holy Rosary, a memory popped up before me, one that many here may share – the memory of saying the family rosary – kneeling in front of our couch with the framed Sacred Heart picture on the wall above us. I don’t remember
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When All Was in Quiet Stillness
When we hear the sentence from the eighteenth chapter of the Book of Wisdom, “When all was in quiet stillness and the night was during its course,” just the sound of these words takes us beyond ourselves. Where do we go? We travel into a deep and safe silence that belongs to Christmas Eve. There
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God is With Us
Since ancient times, humanity has held various versions of belief in the existence of a god or gods. The oldest civilizations in Mesopotamia, the land between the two rivers of the Euphrates and Tigris, built exotic temples to placate the gods by offering them gifts of food, and in some cases, human sacrifice. The purpose
What Are You Waiting For
The following is Lillian’s Advent Vesper reflection for the Sisters in Dominican Convent. My beloved Sisters, It is an honor to celebrate Advent and share my personal reflection with you today on the reading from James 5:7-10. I am overwhelmed with feelings of warmth and love as I read through each verse of this reading.
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Feast of the Immaculate Conception
During these past few weeks, I’ve spent more time than usual with our Blessed Mother as I worked to prepare these reflections. I must admit, it has been an unexpectedly good way to enter more deeply into this beautiful Advent season!In exploring a bit of history of this feast, I discovered that there are differences
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Footprints
The leaves are finally beginning to show their fall colors on the Motherhouse grounds here in Sparkill and they dazzle! Many of us are blessed to be able to walk this property for exercise and reflection each day. Last week, I attended the wedding in Sacred Heart Chapel of a young woman whose mother was
Saint Francis Assisi and Laudato Sí
More than eight hundred years ago a man by the name of Francis fell in love with the God of creation through experiencing the gift of the natural world. He saw the face of his creator in every wildflower he touched and in the blades of grass his feet trod through the countryside of Assisi.
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Who We Are and Whose We Are
Once there was a lioness who gave birth to a tiny cub and then died. The little cub was lost, but he finally found a herd of goats who were bleating and eating grass. The cub stayed with the goats and learned to make bleating sounds and even learned to eat grass. One day another
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Box Elder on Rocky Boy’s Reservation
I lived on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation with the Chippewa Cree people for 36 years. It has been such a blessing for me to learn their sacred ceremonies and share their spirituality, their deep spiritual relationship with the Great Spirit, our Creator. At the Mission School, we spent many hours together sharing our relationship with
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St. Paul’s Mission Grade School in Hays
Faithful to our Dominican charism, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of truth in order to address more effectively the needs of our suffering world…. Our peaceful presence brings hope to a world torn by violence. – Chapter 2016 Direction Statement An unplanned moment occurred in our lives nearly 40 years ago when we decided
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