Who do you say that I am? I dreaded this question in Novitiate, then when I went to retreat years later, I had the same question asked again. I admitted that I still did not know. The retreat director asked if I wanted to know. I replied “Yes.” So, she said, “Just ask.”
I took my Bible to the woods, and I received my answer in the book of Hosea.
"I drew them with human cords, with bands of love, I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks. Yet, though I stooped to feed my child, they did not know that I was their healer." Hosea 11:4.
We Poor Handmaids follow the example of Saint Katharina who listened attentively and acted with a courageous heart to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.
Another verse that inspires me is the following found in Luke 24:13-35.
In the Appearance on the Road to Emmaus, the unrecognized risen Jesus was urged to: "Stay with us, so he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, were not our hearts burning (within us) while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?"
The message “Stay with us” is a theme I keep in mind when sharing about mental health and the Rapid Response Team that our Interfaith Action Network is building with legislators to get needed help and to prevent suicide. The message is to call 988 to get a response of Help not Handcuffs. This service is intended to help individuals and to give families hope.
I have been privileged to live and move around the community of the poor, the oppressed, the hungry, the homeless, and the voiceless. It is with dependence on the donation of time, ideas and money by others that this ministry and others was made possible for me at the Catholic Worker House in Davenport, Iowa. Also, more recently at the intentional community at Sojourner Truth House in Gary, Indiana. During these assignments I learned the importance of round table conversations, and joined avid readers, cooks, housekeeping specialists, and workers able to do gardening, as well as being with courageous persons who challenged policies and procedures of the city, county, and government levels. I accompanied individuals and families to get their needs met concerning food, clothes, doctors, landlords, churches, and court. Due to these experiences and more, I accepted the request to serve as the PHJC Justice Coordinator.
Many times, I experience God calming the storm. I envision God making a way where seemingly there is no possible way through the storms of life. One little simple activity allowed me to witness God in Action while giving talks at local schools about Sojourner Truth. During these talks I came across a meaningful activity entitled: “WHO YOU ARE MAKES A DIFFERENCE.” It was begun by a teacher who gave an assignment to her students. The directions were simple: I am giving you a little ribbon today because of the difference you made by being a student in my class. Now, I ask you now to take two ribbons with you to give to two others. Take some time to think about who you would like to give your ribbons to. Then ask if they would accept this little ribbon as recognition from you of the difference that they made in your life. When you come back to class next week, I would like you to share “what happened” when you gave them the ribbons.
One story summarizes the result. A father asked his son if he would accept the ribbon from him. Immediately, the son broke down and sobbed and sobbed in the father’s arms. When he could speak, the son said: “Today I came home from school early to write you and mom a note that I was killing myself because I thought you did not love me…but I see “now I don’t have to” because you do.
As Sojourner case manager I appreciated that students shared their responses, of how the assignment changed their lives and how I changed their life as well because I recognized them and their worth. Simply put – whatever the problem or concern -- “now they don’t have to!” If one life can be saved by a simple ribbon, why not many, many more?
As the Justice Coordinator I am aware of the call of the teaching of Laudato Si to be responsive to the cry of the poor and the cry of the Earth. As a participant on the PHJC Sister Sustainability Team, we have shared the encyclical Laudato Si with many groups of directors, managers, coworkers, Sisters, Associates, etc., and actively continue to do so. Integral ecology is a vision of life as a whole. It is a dynamic concept of interdependence and the interrelationship of all human and non-human life. Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. If this becomes our universal mission, how much brighter our future on planet Earth could be.
I proceeded working with the LCWR - Leadership Conference of Women Religious themes: Climate Crisis, Racism, and Migration. When the intersection happens, we see the connection of the climate refugee and the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. We continue the call to live our values of: Openness to the Spirit, Community, Simplicity, and Dignity and Respect for each person. We’ve only just begun.
My tenure included serving on the Provincial Leadership Team with our faithful Secretaries assisting with our communication projects, PowerPoints, filings, and archiving. We shared time as a group traveling to Germany, both north and south India, Mexico and the Netherlands.
It was such a beautiful experience to meet our Sisters in places all over the world. Also, I had the opportunity to be present at the Canonization of Saint Katharina Kasper with the Poor Handmaids from all our countries attending. And, I had the precious opportunity of meeting Brother Leo in India. Through Saint Katharina’s intervention he experienced a miracle life cure that positioned Saint Katharina for sainthood.
Miracles can and do happen daily. While serving as a chaplain, I was on my way to see a hospital patient named Ethel. Her son was not visiting because he had a serious motorcycle accident. He died. The attending nurse asked me not to share this information with Ethel, and I agreed. As it turned out I did not have to. When I entered the room, I witnessed Ethel waking up and looking intently in the corner of the room. She was delighted, peaceful and calm and said in surprise: “Bobby! Bobby Angel! Bobby Angel!!” Then she closed her eyes calmly and went to sleep and did not wake up again. I told the nurse I witnessed her son coming to visit and telling her that he was an angel. The next day she died peacefully. I continue to be delighted when I remember Ethel being visited by her son as Angel Bobby! It is evident that God makes a way for us to know the answers to our deepest longings.
