"Seek God and God alone"

Joan Chittister wrote, in Fire In These Ashes, that the reason for entering religious life is to "seek God and God alone" and the importance of finding God where God is, not where we expect to find God.  When I read those words in 2008 in the months before making my Solemn Profession of Vows, I thought I understood the concept of seeking God where God is - in creation, in my animal companions, in the poor and in the homeless - but after rereading those words again this week, I realize that my understanding was limited.  That I still sought God where I expected God to be.   I didn't seek God in my family, friends, coworkers or customers at the restaurant or anyone else I happened to pass by in a store or on the street.  I certainly never expected to find God or even consider looking for God in those people who tested my patience - and I failed that test so often.  I never thought of seeking God in those moments when I questioned the validity of my calling, when ego and pride got the best of me, when I questioned relationships and my own self worth and value.  Yet, I know now God was there in the midst of all of it, is here and will be here.  I just didn't understand until now.

Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us
that we may experience God as Love
in praise of all creatures,
in love of all of creation. Amen.
Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org
Peace and Blessings!
Sister Pat, FMT

Feast of the Assumption of Mary August 15

The Feast of the Assumption of Mary is one of the most joyful Feasts we celebrate!   However blessed and special Mary was, whether she was conceived without sin, whether she did or didn't have children, one thing is certain:  Mary was human, like us!  Her Assumption, body and soul, shows us what awaits us if we follow her example and say that "Yes" to God's will in our lives, and if we listen to her words: "Do whatever He [Jesus] tells you!"

Today I celebrate the 3rd anniversary of my profession of vows.

Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love
n praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen.
Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org Peace &
Blessings!
Sister Pat, FMT

Changes...

Joan Chittister, in her book Scarred By Struggle Transformed By Hope, writes that change is sometimes forced upon us.  I know this to be true.  On March 10, 2006, Karen, my partner, died, then 40 days later, on April 20, I had to put my oldest dog to sleep.  Losing Karen was almost unbearable.  I never realized how she changed every aspect of my life, even the most mundane parts, until she was gone.

On May 6, 2011, all 3 of my cats died.  One died at home.  I had to put the other two to sleep because they were dying.  All three had respiratory infections and antibiotics did not help.  The boys were brothers, born together and had celebrated their 18 birthdays in December.  They were too old to fight the infection.  For nearly twenty-two years there was always at least one animal at home.  Suddenly, there were none.  That was a change.

Four days after the cats died, on May 10, I had to call 911 for my Mom.  She was in respiratory distress and very hot.  She had pneumonia.  She seemed fine the previous day.  No coughing.  No difficulty breathing.   Each day, she didn't improve.  I knew this time she would not come back home.  The antibiotics did not help. By Tuesday, it was clear Mom would never be able to breathe without a ventilator.  When the medical staff removed the ventilator to see if Mom could breathe on her own, Mom was taking forty to fifty breaths a minute.  My sister and I made the difficult decision to keep her off the ventilator.  Mom was given enough morphine to keep her comfortable.  She died two days later on Thursday, May 19.

I had lived with my mother all my life.  I found myself completely alone.  No Mom and no animals.  I  also had to move within two weeks because I could not afford the rent alone.  I was beyond overwhelmed.  So many changes in such a short time...

Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us
that we may experience God as Love
in praise of all creatures,
in love of all of creation. Amen.
Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org
Peace and Blessing!
Sister Pat, FMT

Mary's month

Catholics honor Mary, the mother of Jesus, during the month of May.  In years gone by, students in Catholic elementary schools and Catholic high schools arched in May Processions usually from the school to the Church.  One girl was chosen to be the May Queen in the procession.  She placed a crown of flowers on the head of a statue of Mary while everyone sang “Oh Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today, queen of the angels, queen of the May…” the traditional Marion hymn “Bring Flowers of the Rarest” often referred to as the Crowning Hymn.  Listen to Bring Flowers of the Rarest

Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love in praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen. Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org

Peace and Blessing!
Sister Pat, FMT

Mary

Joan Chittister, in her book, In Search of Belief wrote the following about Mary:

"Mary is a strong woman who changes the course of human history, even reverses the nature of spirituality, as well as immerses herself in the Divine" (99) "Here is a woman whose presence is essential on every level, who shares in the divine plan of salvation, does for the Church what the Church must do for the world: be the conduit of the Divine." (99)

Isn't it time we introduce the world to THIS Mary? Isn't it time we said here is our role model? Isn't it time we embrace Mary and speak about her instead of shunning her or relegating her to a supporting role that mattered only for one moment in time and that being when she gave birth to Jesus? Isn't it time we we say "Thank you, Mary" for having the courage and faith to risk her life so that God's beautiful plan of salvation could unfold?


Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love in praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen. Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org

Peace and Blessing!
Sister Pat, FMT

Alleluia

Throughout the Season of Lent, the ALLELUIA is not said. Today, on Easter Sunday, the joyful sound of ALLELUIAS will be heard again. For this is the day when we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead and giving each of us the gift of eternal life. Today we sing ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA in praise and thanksgiving for a gift we may never be worthy of receiving but a gift God surely wants us to have. So join with me today and throughout the Easter Season in singing ALLELUIA!!


Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love in praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen.  Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org

Peace and Blessing!
Sister Pat, FMT

SrPatFMT@yahoo.com

Palm and Passion Sunday April 17, 2011

Palm and Passion Sunday commemorates both Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem and His Crucifixion and Death.  Riding on a donkey, Jesus is hailed and cheered by the townspeople.  However, the very same people would turn against Jesus.  When given the choice between freeing Barrabas and freeing Jesus, they chose Barrabas.  When asked what should be done with Jesus, they shouted “Crucify Him!”  He is crowned with thorns, scourged, ridiculed, and forced to carry the cross.  He is nailed to that cross.  The crown of thorns embedded on His head.   Blood trickling down His forehead.  His outstretched arms.  Nails tearing through His hands and feet.  His body contorting.  His voice crying out in anguish: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?".  His head bowing as He draws His last breath.  The lance puncturing His side.  Blood and water spurting from the gash.

Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love in praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen. Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org

Peace and Blessing!
Sister Pat, FMT

Was She or wasn't She?

We are all familiar with the scene in John's Gospel of Mary standing near the Cross along with Mary Magdalene and the Beloved Disciple. Speculation abounds as to whether that actually happened or if, like much of John's Gospel, the scene is meant to be symbolic rather than factual. After all, some argue, none of the other Gospels mention Mary, or anyone else for that matter, being at the foot of the Cross. I had the opportunity, on Good Friday, to discuss this particular topic with a friend who is a priest. He believes that John's Gospel account of Mary being present at Her Son's Crucifixion and Death is symbolic because everyone abandoned Jesus in those last hours. No one was with Him.


I thought about that and wondered which is easier for us to believe and why? Is it easier for us to believe that everyone did abandon Jesus? That no one had the courage to stand with Him until the end? Perhaps we find some solace in knowing that during the most difficult and challenging moments, everyone including the Apostles, lost faith and courage and ran away. So when that happens to us, we are not alone in our weakness.


But what if we believe that John's account is factual and not merely symbolic? That really is much more difficult. Believing that Mary saw all the events as they unfolded from the scourging to the Crucifixion and that She stood by Her Son is a challenge that we might not want to accept because it is just too hard.


And yet, that really is the very challenge we are called every day to accept, isn't it?

Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love in praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen. Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org


Peace and Blessing! 
Sister Pat, FMT

I am a catholic...

I am a catholic. I cannot imagine being anything but catholic. I have never even attended a service that was not catholic. I have, on occasion, been in non-catholic churches, once for a concert and the other, interestingly enough, for Mass. The first time I entered those churches, I expected them to looked exactly like the catholic churches. Perhaps that was naive of me, but then again, I had only been in catholic churches and really did not know how other churches were designed.
I am also gay and a woman. Perhaps my not only being, but wanting to remain catholic, seems a surprise given the Roman Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality and it's unwillingness to allow women a greater and more equal role in the Church. But remember, I said I am catholic. I never said I am Roman catholic. Oh I know, Roman is catholic and catholic is Roman, so it goes without saying, right? Well, not exactly, not necessarily and not always. I was raised in the roman catholic tradition. I was educated at roman catholic elementary and high schools with roman catholic Sisters.
I even struggled with the idea of being gay and roman catholic for awhile until I realized that the God who created me as I am loves me as I am. I stopped thinking I had choose between the different parts of who I am and started embracing all the parts of who I am. I attended Mass at roman churches although I often felt a bit uncomfortable because I thought "if they knew I was gay, they would not be so welcoming." Then I discovered the Independent Catholic Movement and, in particular, Holy Angels Catholic Community. They offer "love without judgment" and Mass in the Catholic tradition. They seek to include everyone, rather than excluding anyone.
Oh yes, the roman church will tell anyone and everyone who will listen that attending Mass at any independent catholic church is a sin. That our very souls are in mortal danger. But they have said that many times before every other Christian denomination. I have read the words of Jesus many times and have yet to find that passage which states that the roman church is the only true church.
When I was in high school, at the end of junior year, our homeroom teacher asked if any of us thought about becoming a Nun. That thought never left me and finally I had to find a way to say "Yes". but I knew I could not go into a roman catholic convent. I never called to the "convent". Also I am gay and would not have wanted to lie about that. Well, I finally found a way to say that "yes" through Holy Angels Catholic Community and made my solemn profession of vows on August 15, 2008. So I am an Independent Catholic Sister who happens to be gay.
There is something that puzzles me. A question I have for all catholics who no longer attend any Mass at all, and to women, especially gay women, what happened? Do you just not believe in the catholic tradition anymore? Do you just not believe in anything? Do you feel so alienated by and uncomfortable with the roman church that you have just given up attending Mass?

Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love in praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen. Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org


Peace and Blessing! 
Sister Pat, FMT

Does listening to or reading the Gospels ever make you uncomfortable?

 Are the words just that... words written about events that took place two centuries ago that just concern us only because they are reminders of God's saving grace and love? What does being a Christian, a follower of Christ, really require of us?

Joan Chittister, in her book The Fire In These Ashes states that the religious life has only one goal and that is to seek God and God alone. But she also reminds us that we must seek God where God is and not where we expect God to be. Those in religious life are not the only ones called to seek God. Everyone who believes must seek God.

Which brings me back to my original question. Do the words of the Gospels make you feel uncomfortable? They should. Those words are not merely the retelling of the history of Salvation. They are not just filled with little parables that we ponder like those who originally heard them.

The Gospels are a call to action. A call to seek God and God alone, yes, but to seek God where God is and sometimes we might not want to do that because God is not where we want to find God. Oh yes, God is there at Mass and with us as we pray our daily prayers. But God is also in those people and places and events that we just do not want to think about because it makes us too uncomfortable. It is not our responsibility. Not our problem. Nothing we can do.

But are we not called by the Jesus who stretched out His arms and died for love of us and by the God who created us to do something more than attend Mass, say our prayers and make donations? Are we not called to leave behind the comfort and safety of where we want God to be and follow Jesus to where He wants us to be? Jesus was a radical. A threat. Someone who spoke out against the injustice of His time and expected others to do the same. Hidden in those safe little parables were admonitions to us all about hearing and following and listening to the Word of God, about having faith and about loving.

Now that sounds safe enough until we realize that we are called to stand up and speak out and be the voices and question the choices and take the risks. How easy it is to look around at a world that has so much destruction and suffering within it and ask "Where is God? Why does God let this happen?" So very difficult to realize that God is asking us the same questions, "Where are you? "Why do you let this happen?" We must find the courage to follow the Gospel, to let go of what is comfortable, seek God and God alone, to find God where God is and say "Here I am, Lord."


Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love in praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen. Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org


Peace and Blessing! 
Sister Pat, FMT

Introduction

Greetings and Blessings!


Just thought I'd begin by introducing myself. There are 3 things which define who I am as a human being: 1) I am a woman. 2) I am Catholic. 3) I am gay. These 3 things are as much a part of me as every breath I take. I was raised Roman Catholic. While I can give up the Roman, I can never and will never give up being Catholic. I spent 31 years trying to figure out how to answer a call deep within me to be a Sister and live a life as a vowed member of a religious order - and finally I found that way... in a rather non-traditional way after literally creating my own Independent Catholic Religious Order.

I was born in Massachusetts and now live in Florida. I was blessed to have spent 4 1/2 years in a loving relationship with my partner until her death in March 2006. One of our greatest joys was our Holy Union Ceremony on December 8, 2002.


Holy Mary, Mother of Creation, bless us that we may experience God as Love in praise of all creatures, in love of all of creation. Amen. Father Michael Adams - www.livingrosaries.org


Peace and Blessing! 
Sister Pat, FMT