Dominican Sisters of Caldwell
“What has been the biggest surprise?” In response to this question, I sat in quiet to contemplate a verse from scripture: “See I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:19
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that I can remember the 18,258 days! I find it awesome that my memory holds vivid photos of people, places, and events of the past 50 years. As I reflected on these experiences - as I reminisced, I enlarged photos of community life and family events - photos of former students and photos which describe parishes where I’ve ministered and the people with whom I’ve ministered. I see now what I couldn’t see as the years unfolded - that planted within each fading experience was the seed of a new ministry. I need not be surprised by the connections - but I am!
Truthfully, in what was springing forth in my first teaching assignments - in my transition from classroom to parish ministry - I didn’t quite have the ‘eyes’ to perceive the unfolding. Today I stand in awe as I see with inner vision that my life as a Dominican Sister has challenged me and continues to challenge me to contemplate the ever-expanding Mystery - and to give to others the fruit of my contemplation. Praise God!
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Dominican Sisters of Amityville
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September 2008
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Dominican Sisters of Caldwell
Dominican Sisters of Amityville
Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt
Dominican Sisters of Sparkill
Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt
Dominican Sisters of Sparkill
Something ignited in my soul,
And I went my own way,
Deciphering that burning fire. Pablo Neruda
That’s how the Divine Fire Starter always seems to work in my life.A call comes, not with hearing voices or seeing visions but with a heartfelt desire, a pull to something much deeper, an invitation to a new life, an inner summons. So it was with my call to religious life.
While working in the corporate world what ignited in my soul was “the” question, “ Is that all there is?” The fast crowd, the frenetic life I was living became like sticks rubbing together igniting a burning fire. Fanning the flame was witnessing Dominican Women who were joyous, hospitable, celebrative, dedicated , reaching out to the world and deeply related to their God. I deciphered the burning fire, answered that call and became a Sister of St. Dominic of Amityville.
In a moment, sixty years have gone by. What has the experience been for me? I WALK WITH GIANTS. What a privilege to spend a lifetime with women who have come together, lives centered on Jesus. Women who go on striving to live in truth and who respond to the constant challenge of new YESSES. The YESSES become possible because we depend on one another to live boldly , find increasing joy in a faithful life, and urge one another to keep on deciphering that burning fire. These sisters of mine give me no rest. But that’s what you get from bonding with torch-bearers of truth,these daughters of Dominic!
My relationship with the Dominicans of Blauvelt began almost 20 years ago when Sr. Theresa Lardner came to serve as pastoral minister in my parish. Sister invited me to attend a weekend retreat with the sisters and there I sensed that these sisters lived what they preached. I wanted to get to know them in a deeper way and so made a commitment as an associate in 1993. My participation in the Associate Program led me to seek more and to ask if I was being called to take a bigger risk as a vowed religious.
Through spiritual direction, I struggled to discern if this was in fact what God was asking of me. Finally I couldn’t resist anymore and entered in September 1997. On August 8, 1998, I became a novice and a week later I moved to the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate in St. Louis along with ten other novices and two novice directors from various Dominican congregations throughout the United States.
The novitiate experience was one of gift and grace as I was gradually immersed into living the four pillars of Dominican Life—study, prayer, ministry and community. During this year I had the opportunity to study at Aquinas Institute of Theology, to engage in a totally new ministry, that of criminal justice, and to experience different prayer styles.
I returned home to my congregation with a deeper love for God and an appreciation for the diversity of our world. It was with great joy that I professed first vows in 2000 and final vows in 2003.
Since profession, I have served as a teacher of English as a Second Language, a staff trainer for my congregation’s founding ministry, St. Dominic’s Home, and now minister as an associate editor at RENEW International. I currently live with eight other sisters from three Dominican congregations in Jersey City, New Jersey. As I complete my eleventh year in religious life, I am filled with gratitude for all God’s blessings as I continue my yes to God.
Years ago when I was in college, the call to religious life seemed so direct and simple. It was something I needed to do and that was that. Choosing a community was a more difficult task. After all, it was 1967 and the call to open the windows from Vatican II was so exciting and promising. As I met with Sisters from different communities, I found most of them were still wrapped up from head to toe. I was forced to look beyond the exterior. In a delightful Sparkill Dominican, I discovered joy, dedication, and openness to a new and different future that was just beginning to unfold.
In the early years of my professed life, I saw many Sisters leave religious life and the educational field. Yet I felt compelled to share my talents and skills as an elementary school principal since I was 29. It’s what I love to do. Teachers, children and parents thrive in an environment that works together to build a Christ-centered community where children feel safe and are challenged academically and more importantly, are encouraged to instill in their souls and hearts an obligation to share their gifts and treasures with those less fortunate.
Over the years I found the journey to be exhilarating and demanding dotted with frustrating and disappointing moments. The evolution of today’s Dominican women has required each of us to develop a deep, trusting relationship with God. Given this grounding, how fortunate we’ve been to soar as we bring God with us in our varied ministries.
I thank God daily for this great opportunity.
www.catholicdominicansisters.org
+ Amityville + Blauvelt + Caldwell + Sparkill
