Wednesday, January 27, 2010

New picture of Angela



Sr. Anne Therese Dillen has graciously shared with us a new painting of St. Angela that she painted this year as we celebrate the Feast of St. Angela today. Happy Feast Day!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Happy Feast of St. Angela!! (a little early)

We would like to share with you some words of Sr. Maryellen Keefe, OSU, PhD on Angela.

Empowered by such light, Angela expects that like her, we, her followers, will intercede for others before God and speak such words as lead to concord, charity, and the speaking of peace wherever we are; that we will act out of love and with patience, thereby crushing the head of the devil (Writings 83). She prescribed no one activity - no one service or apostolate-but directed her followers to decide on their particular ministries according to time, place, circumstances-and each one's particular gifts and talents.

Her form of consecrated life is ainstitutional: without convent, solemn vows, or habit; without common life, or perfect execution of precepts; with a government not based on power but organized on an "alternative logic"- Mazzonis' phase (p. 125)- of caring, serving, guiding, and protecting. From the Holy Spirit, she learned and enacted respect for each individual, no matter how diverse. Insisting on the importance of love and convinced that women could be responsible leaders, she knew that following her Rule-her way of life-would lead to experiencing Christ's presence in their midst. What greater joy!!

Querciolo Mazzonis, Spirituality, Gender, and the Self in Renaissance Italy. Angela Merici and the Company of St. Ursula (1474-1540), The Catholic University of America Press, Washington D.C., 2007

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Gather from time to time...

Yesterday, January 23rd, 100 or so Ursuline Sisters, Associates and friends gathered to celebrate and reflect upon being followers of St. Angela. The occasion was the upcoming Feast Day of St. Angela Merici (January 27th) in our 475th year from our foundation. In her sharing one of our sisters, spoke about the call of Angela to live in the light as a means of dispelling the darkness around us and in that light to reconcile the divisions in our church and world as Angela did in her time.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Celebrate

This month we celebrate ten of our Sisters who are having jubilees. We have two 75 years, two 70 years, four 60 years, one 50 years and one 25 years. It is amazing to think 605 years of professed Ursuline life! These sisters have served in both the United States and abroad. They have had careers in education, parish ministry, social work, prison ministry, health care, spiritual direction, retreat ministry and province leadership. Each one has made her unique contribution to the Province and we wish them ad multos annos -- many more years! Congratulations!

Sr. Pat

Monday, January 18, 2010

Welcome!!!!

Welcome to Windows on Ursuline Life!!!

It's our first attempt at a blog and we're starting it as a way to let our friends and others learn more about our community, our ministries, how we live and what's important to us.

We've decided to start it today-the legal holiday of Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a man who worked for peace and justice and that is what we Ursulines try to do daily whether it be in our community living, ministry sites, corporate stances, investments or daily actions.

Our foundress St. Angela Merici started us in November 1535. We're almost 475 years old. How amazing!!! Angela was a peacemaker and among the people of her time, she was seen as a reconciler.

We hope that through this blog, you will come to know Angela and us as we continue to try to live in her path. Please feel free to ask us questions and provide feedback.

Sr. Jeannie