Reflections – Contemplatio
The Assumption of the Blessed Mother
We who live in the Western world are not very comfortable with the word “mystery.” Our Eastern brothers and sisters, on the other hand, are much more inclined to be at ease with a state of unknowing. Why is that? We can trace this attitude to our ancestors the Greeks who were convinced that ultimately […]
A Friar Took to Walking
He knew all about horses and fancy trappings bells that jingled to announce their coming grooms who kept their mounts in healthy splendor and servants who ministered to riders on the journey. Off to the land of France he went right hand of the good Diego Bishop setting forth from Spain to undo damage caused […]
Feast of the Transfiguration
Sister Margaret Carey delivered this reflection for the Sisters, Associates, and gathered faith community at Dominican Convent for the Feast of the Transfiguration. The Entrance Antiphon for today is: “In a resplendent cloud, the Holy Spirit appeared. The Father’s voice was heard: ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to […]
Feast of St James the Apostle
We celebrate James in mid-summer, so I do feel like a haze has to lift for me to get started. Maybe, it was a hazy, early summer morning when Jesus called his first disciples and found James and his brother John with their father, Zebedee, fixing their fishing nets. (Mark 1:18) Many had probably heard something about him, but they were not expecting, after a long evening of fishing, to be called right then. But yes, he calls them to just leave their nets and follow him. And they did!
I Have Seen the Lord
Saint Mary Magdalene, first to share the good news of Christ’s resurrection with the apostles, is held as the Patroness of the Dominican Order, the Order of Preachers. Sister Catherine Patrice brings us this same good news today as she reflects on Saint Mary Magdalene. Sister Catherine Patrice ministers in retreat work and spiritual direction. […]
Feast of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, 2023
Saint Kateri in front of Santa Fe Cathedral Sisters Helen Regina, Durso, Christine (Chris) Ferrar and Nora McCarthy served the Indigenous Peoples of the Nakoda and Aaniiih Nations at the St. Paul’s Mission Grade School in Hays, MT for 40 years. We invite you to listen to them reflect on St. Kateri Tekakwitha.
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Sister Helen Robert Boyd shared the following reflection with the Sisters and Associates at liturgy on June 29th. Today we celebrate two giants of early Christianity, Peter and Paul. Both are held in the highest esteem by the Church as can be seen by the prominent positions that their statues hold in St. Peter’s Square […]
Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Some liturgical feast days are very familiar to us, and most certainly our feast today is one of them. How significant do you think it is for today’s Catholic people? Our first response might be that it has little or no significance to them. But we need to explore more deeply.
Feast of the Visitation
The Visitation by Jacopo Pontormo Sister Mary Dunning shared this reflection at liturgy for today’s feast based on Luke 1:39-56. Today’s gospel is filled with impossibilities. Two obscure women meet in a remote village of a conquered, humiliated land. Mary and Elizabeth are Palestinian Jews, citizens of a land crushed under decades of the imperial […]
Laudato Si’ Week
The first chapter of Genesis ends with these words: “God looked at everything God had made and found it to be very good. Evening came and morning followed the sixth day.” Billions of years thereafter the first astronauts experienced the same vision when they looked upon this beautiful swirling blue marble from their small cockpit […]