Religious Life...A New Style

A quote from Dorothy Campion about Catherine...


Catherine's "dream did find fulfillment within the boundaries of religious life...but of a new style..."

During these weeks of summer I am using a reflection book that has a theme of dreams for the future of religious life. Each day there is an author who has reflected upon the theme and has written a page.

As we walk into a new concept of religious life going from an independent region within the Institute of Sisters of Mercy to a Community of 6 regions becoming one, we have the chance to invent a new way of looking at ourselves and of serving the world. It is a challenge as well as an adventure. There is hope and there are fears. We have new governance in place, some new practices in place and some policies which are new to us. Even the way we relate to our leadership is new and different.

Catherine had a dream, too. She did not set out to be a religious community, but when the spirit led her to do so,she undertook it despite some difficulties ans apprehensions. She also molded and crafted it so that it would be a new style of life.

Next week is my last week of being a vocation minister. I have served in this capacity for six years ans now embark on a year long sabbatical. It is is time to renew and remold my life. It's a time to sit back and listen quietly to the spirit's prompting in my life as I prepare for the next phase of my ministry journey and the next phase of my life. I have some dreams that I hope will be fulfilled. I have some time to do them and I hope that I don't let the days whittle away so fast that I do not get them accomplished.

And how are you crafting your dreams today? Do you need to take some time and just list the dreams you have, the goals you can accomplish in a day, a week, a year, three years? Take some time this weekend and write them down, then post them so you are reminded to not let the regular work of the day impede you from attaining your dreams.

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