June/July 2007

Creating Unity in Our Community?

Fr. Richard Rohr shares some thoughts on building community. “When people get together and start dealing with each other, they start learning who they are. They start getting feelings and resentments, and sometimes get hurt. My question is: What is hurting you? What need isn’t being met? What are you afraid of? Let’s deal with that now. Don’t run from it.” Fr. Rohr goes on to say that is why we need vows, loyalties and  a promise to keep commitments. We need to lay down our lives to work for unity. What else will redeem the broken world? We have God’s promise to walk with us all the way.

(From the spiritual family and natural family.)

Sr. Clarice Sevegney, OP, shares her thoughts on the value of community. When she began her work in San Francisco, she lived with the San Jose Sisters. “This group has worked on common life and communication with each other and it shows. Our common life involves praying together, breaking open the Word for the day. It calls us to work together, prepare and share meals together, keep the place clean warm and hospitable. We welcome time to be, to listen and to care for each other. We have regular meetings to talk about our lives together. We also take time to study together, topics such as evangelical poverty and white power and privilege.

I have found a deep inner peace in living with these women. Their willingness to articulate their words and to speak clearly has enabled me to hear them in conversation.  As I journey deeper into the mystery, I sense a rootedness and a presence of God coming through the very pores of my skin. As a Racine Dominican, my passion for justice is finding a deep inner spring in the gift of common life?”

Where and how do you experience community?

What can we do to strengthen the community?

February 2008

Called to Be the Shalom of God, the Footprints of God, Wherever We Go

(This is a summary of a reflection given by Pastor Brad Van Fossen, First United Methodist Church in Racine at a gathering at Siena Center. Used with permission)

The Song of Zechariah in Chapter 1 of Luke’s Gospel, offers this promise.
“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Ministers of the Word, People of the Word, are among those who have their feet guided into the way of peace, who are called to be the Shalom of God, the footprints of God, wherever we go.

I want to mention four things I need to be the Shalom of God.  
1. I need to have my thinking about Shalom grounded in Christology. The two cannot be separated. Because Shalom is at the very heart of how God cares for the world through the person and work of Christ. It’s not like I believe in Jesus, and then I make up my mind about being nonviolent or not. No. Nonviolence is the way God has redeemed the world through cross and resurrection. Mennonite theologian John Howard Yoder put it this way: “In any kind of conflict, from the fistfight to the labor dispute, from the family quarrel to the threat of international communism, the Christian sees the world and its wars from the viewpoint of the cross.” The Christian has no choice. If this was God’s pattern, if God’s strategy for dealing with enemies was to love them and give his very own life for them, it must be ours as well. In other words, this is how God has chosen to redeem the world – nonviolently through Christ. And this same strategy God uses is the pattern we’re given for our own way of life as well. It is a Godlike thing we’re asked to do , this “being the footprints of  God, wherever we go.”

2. A second thing I need is to be faithful to my identity as a follower of Christ.
Christians have become so identified with the “we” of America that we don’t know how to think as Christians. The problem is that most Christians in our society are so
American, that they do not know how to respond with patience, perspective and faithfulness to their Christian calling. We can find ourselves so implicated in the world that we fail to differentiate our response as God’s people from the American response.
Another way to say it is faithfulness is essential. We need to help the church recover a sense that its first task is to be “the Church of Jesus Christ,” not the church of the nation.

3. A third thing I need to be the Shalom of God is to cultivate the Virtue of
Truth-Telling. I’m pretty certain that being the Shalom of God does not mean shaving the truth. I sometimes have great difficulty being fully truthful with my congregation. That’s how I know I have a way to go in cultivating the virtue of truth-telling. I suspect that courage figures in here somewhere. But sometimes it doesn’t take any more than being faithful to the church’s liturgy and the lectionary Scripture readings.

I remember during the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, one of the South African leaders of the anti-apartheid movement visited the seminary where I was studying and said: “All you have to do is pay attention to the hymns you’re singing in the church. That is dangerous stuff in our hymnals. If the folks in South Africa realized what they were saying, they would stop singing.”

In the readings, we often hear about “learning war no more” or “beating our swords into ploughshares and our spears into pruning hooks” and “nation shall not rise against nation.”  You couldn’t pick the content. So sometimes being faithful is just a matter of being faithful to the liturgy and readings of the church. I also have to work at cultivating the virtue of truth-telling. Being God’s Shalom doesn’t mean short-changing the truth.

4. Finally, in order to be the Shalom of God I need some silence. Thomas Merton once said that busyness can be a form of violence. I confess I find myself especially prone to that form at certain times of the year, such as the days leading up to Christmas. I heard on the radio the other day that listening to noise you cannot control, creates anxiety in us. So the need for silence becomes very important in order to nurture Shalom.

***

A few lines from Pablo Neruda in “Keeping Quiet” support this idea. (from Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon)

“Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still.
This one time upon the earth, let’s not speak any language,
Let’s stop for one second and not move our arms so much.
It would be a delicious moment, without hurry, without locomotives,
All of us would be together in sudden uneasiness.

Those who prepare green wars, wars of gas, wars of fire,
victories without survivors, would put on clean  clothing
and would walk alongside their brothers in the shade
without doing a thing.

Now I will count to twelve and you keep quiet and I’ll go.”
Where have I, where have we been the Shalom of God, the Footprints of God lately?

January 2008

Justice and Peace Spirituality

(The article by Fr. Prakash Lohale first appeared in Spirituality, 42 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, Ireland. in the Sept.-October issue. Fr. Tom Jordan,OP, gave permission to use some quotes from the article. Visit www.dominicanpublications.com.)

In recent times, Dominicans have been searching for a way to clearly link justice and spirituality. Fr. Prakash Lohale who is  the Promoter of Justice and Peace for the worldwide Dominican Order shares some insightful thoughts on the subject. He reminds us that spirituality is not a separate compartment of life. It is not separate from our physical, economic or work life. It is an integral part of all of life.

Being involved in Justice and Peace as are most Dominican communities, means falling in love with all of creation and all human beings that are part of the human family. It means doing social analysis and working on projects to create a better world but that is not the whole of it. It must be a true love affair, according to Fr. Prakash. It is the love of God working through us on behalf of creation and the human family, especially those who are most neglected and abandoned. It means building a more welcoming world for all and taking a stance with the poor and marginalized.

True spirituality is a gift of the Spirit. Justice and  Peace must be rooted in the Word of God. and
then we can take a prophetic stance like Jesus did with the poor and marginalized of his day. Through prayer, we learn the unlimited love of God that is required of us, in order to break all kinds of chains.

Finally, Fr. Prakash reminds us that "we don't act for justice and peace for rewards, to be heroes or to receive thanks from the marginalized. We don't work for gratitude, or to be congratulated by the Superior for the good work, the success we had, for the job well done. We do it because this is the way nearest to the Gospel. As Simon of Cyrene was just beside Christ who suffered - smelling his sweat, feeling his pain and acompanying him on the road to Calvary - so we are called to do actions that are efficient and effective in order to relieve his sufferings, to be Just witnesses to that great love. Love will have the last word, and death will be the second last word, for love will continue forever even after death."( Spirituality, pp. 301-304. Sept. Oct. Issue. Dominican Publications, Ireland.)

December 2007 A Life Poured Out In late October, Fr. Jean-Jacques Perennes, OP, author of A Life Poured Out spent a day with us at Siena Center. Fr. Jean-Jacques is Secretary General of Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies in Cairo and he lived and worked for ten years with Dominican Bishop Pierre Claverie in Algeria. Bishop Claverie was assassinated in August 1996 along with his Muslim friend and co-worker, Mohamed Bouchikhi in his native, land Algeria. Fr. Jean-Jacques shared some of his memories of his friend, Bishop Claverie and some thoughts from the book he has authored. A Life Poured Out and is now available through a local Barnes and Noble or at Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York 10545. It is an inspiring story well worth reading. Fr. Jean Jacques gave us permission to share his thoughts. Bishop Claverie lived his Dominican life to the full.  He gave his life as a bridge between Christians and Muslims. He was well aware that his life was on the line during his time in Algeria and he made a conscious choice not to go into hiding or let fear rule his life while living out his Dominican Charism. "Veritas"- the truth of his calling inspired him to live life fully. . He had a firm belief in dialog and said "the touchstone of my faith is dialog. It is an integral part of the relationship between God and human beings and of human relationship with one another" (p. 139, A Life Poured Out). He also believed that suffering endured with love can be a source of hope and healing in a broken world. Fr. Jean-Jacques recalled some memories of his dear friend, Bishop Claverie: - He had a great interest in the social concerns and issues of his day - peace, development, reconciliation and more.      -  Bonhoeffer's belief inspired him: "Grace is costly and often it can only be acquired at the price of one's own life." (Timothy Radcliffe, Foreword -x-in A Life Poured Out.") - He believed violence does not have the last word and we are called to live with hope even in the midst of violence.  - He spoke out boldly against violence in its many forms and  frequently wrote articles about such issues and guided the faith community and members of his own Dominican family.  - He lived with hope in life and in death. At his funeral his Muslim friends outnumbered his Christian friends in attendance. He gave his life to live out his belief that we are called to share respect and love with those we often refer to as stranger. The reading of the book about the life and death of Bishop Claverie leaves us with several questions:  - What are we willing to pay to live fully our Dominican calling? - Can we claim to live with hope even in the midst of pain, conflict and daily bad news in the media? - Can we live and face the truth about ourselves and those we call strangers or enemies? - Can we listen to others through their ears without judgment? Bishop Claverie is now among the great martyrs of our day. His life is a "testament of hope and forgiveness and deserves an interfaith affirmation."(Lamin Sanneh, Professor at Yale.University.) May his life and his death inspire us to live our calling: "Committed to Truth, Compelled to Justice."

November 2007

Beyond the Walls of my Confinement

(Alice Hansche Mortenson wrote this poem while she was in a nursing home, where she lived until the time of her death. She believed in the power of presence and prayer. She was a Racine native who inspired all of us who knew her.)

Beyond the walls of my confinement
I can reach through realms above.
Millions, needy in far places,
Who have never known God's love.
I can help the Missionaries,
Even though I am not there,
Sharing with them every crisis,
I can lift them up in prayer.

Beyond the walls of my confinement
I can walk the city street,
Pray for guidance and protection
for Policemen on their beats.

I can enter every College,
Prison, Camp, and Nursing Home,
Comfort widows in their sorrow,
pray for those who walk alone.
I can pray for needy children,
broken homes and troubled  teens,
And for those who face disaster,
disappointments, broken dreams.

And for my beloved country
and for leaders, I can pray
That they'll look to God for guidance
in decisions every day!

So in faith, I reach out boldly,
even from this little space,
for there are no limitations
When I seek God's loving face.

October 2007 Hope Several decades ago, Fr. James Keller, M.M., Founder of the Christophers, wrote this and wanted it circulated widely. It is still good advice today.  Hope looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst. Hope opens doors where despair closes them. Hope discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot. Hope draws its power from a deep trust in God and the basic goodness of human nature. Hope lights a candle instead of cursing the darkness. Hope regards problems, small or large as opportunities. Hope cherishes no illusions, nor does it yield to cynicism. Hope sets big goals and is not frustrated by repeated difficulties or setbacks. Hope pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit. Hope puts up with modest gains, realizing that the longest journey starts with one step. Hope accepts misunderstandings as the price for serving the greater good of others. Hope is a good loser because it has the divine assurance of final victory. Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic said this about hope: Hope is a state of the mind, not of the world...Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously headed for...success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.

September 2007

May God Give You Peace
Fr. Paul Daniels, Priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee
(Printed with permission)

These day, our memories are crowded with death, sorrow, tears and loss as well as rows and rows of military markers as we hear story after story of war casualties and violence. Catherine de Huech Doherty tells a story about a hill in Europe where people still dig today to find arms and shields heaped one on top of the other, after hearing St. Francis speak about peace and love. He would speak boldly if he were here today and remind us to turn our swords in plough shares and use our atomic energy, not for destruction, but for life and hope and peace. Francis was willing to give his life for his belief. His favorite greeting to people was "GOD GIVE YOUR PEACE."

He lived that prayer when he embraced a leper and  served the destitute of his day. Most of all, he lived that prayer in his own heart. He often reminded people that if they are proclaiming peace with their lips, they must first have peace more fully in their hearts. We often sing the song: "Lord make me an instrument of Your peace." That means speaking out against the evil and futility of war that only increases violence and never achieves peace. What if we used all the money spent on wars and armaments to feed and heal the hungry and sick of our world, what a contribution to peace that would be!

Other great leaders also remind us of the futility of war. Dwight D. Eisenhower, and later emphasized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., remind us that "every rocket that is fired, every warship that is launched in the final sense is a theft from those who are hungry." We all know from experience that peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be brought about by understanding. "May the peace of Christ fill our hearts, our homes, our neighborhoods, our nation and our world."

September is a month dedicated to peace in our hearts, our homes, our communties, our nation and our world. What will you do to create peace?

August 2007

(Feast of St. Dominic is August 8)

Celebrating the life and mission of our founder, Dominic

During this year, we are celebrating 800 years of Dominican life and mission.

Dominic was very disillusioned by the way the Word of God was proclaimed in his time and place and he wanted to respond to the needs of a spiritually starved people. He felt that authentic preaching of the Word of God combined with a simple lifestyle of prayer, contemplation and community would bring new life to the church. He was invited by the Pope to be an itinerant preacher. He called his work "the Holy Preaching."

He preached in the highways and byways and reminded his followers that we preach first of all by the witness of our lives. He died on August 6, 1221 leaving us a legacy of love, simple living and a passion for preaching the Word of God.

In Honor of St. Dominic
S. Brenda Walsh, O.P.

DOMINIC
Dreamed a world
winnowed of falsehood, touched by Truth,
preached in Spirit Power,
transformed by a long line of God-filled Preachers,
men and women walking the Way,
daring the Dream.

CATHERINE
dreamed a world
caressed by compassion,
flowered by full humanity, Her ear bent
to cries of oppression
as woman in Dominic's line
reaching out to new frontiers
in tangible tenderness, sharing the Dream.

BENEDICTA
dreamed a world
where doors of opportunity would open wide,
to those who left her shores.
Itinerant Preacher, captured God's moment
with creative courage, sinking deep roots
in foreign soil,
with faith and foresight
handing on the Dream.

WE
dream a world,
whole and hope-filled,
free from weaponry and war,
healed by symphony of sisterhood,
touching jangling discord where new life is birthing,
standing steadily at centers of ferment and new frontiers,
Pentecost People, our lives a sign that preaches,
brothers, sisters, prophets of hope and wisdom,
pointing to possibility of God's reign,
Shaping the dream.

I DREAM
 YOU DREAM
  WE DREAM
with faith as starting point,
the Word releases torrents of Truth.
We stand tall,
living, walking, sharing the dream.
(written in 1989)

July 2007

 A Reflection
From the Divine Word Missionaries in Ireland
(Reprinted with permission)

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each one of us is special.
Don't set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.
Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would life, for without them life is
meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.
It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don't shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is by giving love;
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly;
and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don't dismiss your dreams
To be without dreams is to be without hope.
To be without hope is to be without purpose.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget not
only where you have been but also where you are going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored
each step of the way. Live God?s dream for our world.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Thought from Marion LaMartina
(Used at her funeral)
"The most beautiful awareness I've had over the years is that we can blossom all of our lives if we work at it. Do you believe this? We don't just reach a certain age and glide along without growing. Every tiny act of kindness and love we show our neighbor, whether accepted by them or not, God will use in a healing somewhere when needed. If there are people who actually distort what we try to do, I can only ask our Loving God who understands all people to please love them for me, since I no longer have the energy  or courage to reconcile with people who seem to abhor what I stand for." April 2003

June 2007

Doing God's Work
S. Alice Pittz, O.P.

Reading the Easter story in the Acts of the Apostles is a good reminder of what can happen when we are really "doing God's Work." Ordinary people like Peter and John are totally incredible in the public stances they take, proclaiming their belief in the Risen Jesus among their own people at the very gates of the institutional religious establishment.  When they were confronted and threatened by authority figures, Peter and John proclaim that what they are about is "doing God's Work."

These uneducated men, driven by the Spirit of God understand that there is more to this Jesus than what the senses reveal. Their faith urges them to make sure that the hearers and observers understand that Jesus is God; that Jesus' name is to be proclaimed, .that this Jesus has an undeniable ancestry of fidelity. The in-Spirited courage of Peter and John seem fearless, almost to the point of insanity. Resurrection faith is like that! While it is a companion to reason, it also leaves reason in its shadow.

We strongly believe God needs each of us in our uniqueness to do "God's Work." Whose work are we doing anyway? When was the last time we reminded God of our conviction in this regard? When was the last time we surrendered our reason to faith, admitting that our  actions, our letter-writing, public protesting, report synthesization, completed surveys, each good in itself, still do not have the power of daring to risk, in deep trust in the "name of Jesus, the Nazarene?"

We often lose ourselves in the frenzy of Op-Eds, newscasts about newscasts, stimulating essays, the demands of our ministries. Each is a viable means of revelation and call to gospel living, but we need to ask what is happening in our inner sanctum, where "still waters run deep?" To explore the mystery that is God, demands of us a great confidence and a deep yearning. Prayer for its own sake creates a kind of urgency within us to discover, to uncover God's presence. God comes to us where we are, as we are. Do we really know and believe this? Are we really doing "God's Work?"