Two days ago, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to a woman graduate of Academia Merici, an Ursuline School in Caracas, Venezuela.
From
our JPIC Committee
October
4th, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, marks the formal closing of the 2025
Season of Creation. St. Francis’s great love of God’s Creation, commitment to
peace, global popularity, and ecumenical and interfaith importance all combine
to make him an important inspiration for the Season of Creation, one capable of
keeping its focus and energy dynamic through the rest of the year. In the
spirit of his feast, we share here the famous Canticle of St. Francis
celebrating the wonders of God’s Creation.
Canticle
of Brother Sun and Sister Moon of St. Francis of Assisi
Most
High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor
and all blessings. To you alone, Most
High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.
Praised
be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who
is the day through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with
great splendor, Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.
Praised
be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, In the heavens you have
made them bright, precious and fair. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers
Wind and Air, And fair and stormy, all weather's moods, by which You cherish
all that You have made.
Praised
be You my Lord through Sister Water, So useful, humble, precious and pure. Praised
be You my Lord through Brother Fire, through whom You light the and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You my Lord through our Sister, Mother Earth who sustains and governs us, producing varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs. Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial. Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned.
Praised
be You, my Lord through Sister Death, from whom no-one living can escape Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing
Your will. No second death can do them harm.
|
From our JPIC Committee As this year’s Season of Creation draws to its end,
the warnings from the scriptures grow stronger and more dire. They reflect
and support again the sense of urgency about climate change that Popes Leo
XIV and Francis, climate scientists, the young, and so many around the world
have been declaring. Amos focuses
attention on those who remain indifferent to the suffering of their sisters
and brothers and promises them punishment. The psalmist again insists that
God loves and will lift up the poor. Jesus tells
the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, warning that the time can come when
it will be too late for our conversion. We need instead to listen to Moses,
the prophets of our time, and Jesus himself, the one who has indeed risen
from the dead. Paul urges Timothy and us to remain faithful, living and preaching
our faith through all that lies ahead. As we
celebrate the Feast of St. Francis let us reignite our love and care for
creation. May we always be instruments of God’s peace for all.  |
From the Ursuline JPIC Team
|
The liturgy
today focuses attention first on the dishonesty and unscrupulous attitudes
and practices of those caught up in the idolatry of wealth and consumption.
They value their unjust financial pursuits more than their religious
practices or beliefs. In the
context of the Season of Creation, these include the people today who will
subordinate the sacred mission of care for Creation to the economy” and the
advance of their personal financial interests. It includes
those who have no concern or scruples about what their economic activities
are doing to the poor and to the whole web of life. And it certainly includes
those who use their power and resources to spread false information and lies,
to hide the truth about climate change and ecological crisis from people who
will suffer most and those who could help bring about salvific change. The prophet
Amos and the psalmist warn that God will not forget their actions. God has
special care for the poor and power to raise them up and “seat them with
princes.” In the
gospel, Jesus reminds us through the parable of the unjust steward what is
most important in life and what constitutes the true “good life.” Let us pray for peace and justice on the International Day of Peace.  |
The 1st Sunday of this Season of Creation called us to humility before the vast and intricate web of Creation and laid out before us some of the costs of discipleship to Christ in this time of urgent global crisis.
The complex,
integral ecological crisis confronting us in these times bears witness to
humanity’s lack of humility in relating to the rest of Creation, our attitude
of domination toward nature and the lack of attention to the challenging
dimensions of discipleship to Christ.
The punishing
natural consequences of those failures – the more frequent and severe fires,
floods, and many other impacts of the warming of the planet – threaten the
future of life on Earth in all its dimensions.
Today’s
liturgy assures us of God’s readiness to forgive us and to welcome our
conversion while warning us of the punishing natural consequences of sinful
values and actions so visible in the sufferings of the crucified Christ. In
these times we need to see them as well in the crucifying suffering of Earth
and of the poor.
From the Ursuline JPIC Team
In recent years, under the leadership of Pope Francis, the Season of Creation has taken its place in the Catholic liturgical calendar, uniting Catholics worldwide with the more than 35-year Ecumenical/Orthodox history of its celebration. The Season of Creation extends from September 1st, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, to October 4th, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
The Season
focuses on God as Creator of the vast, cosmic Universe, God’s revelation in
Creation, and our response to our calling to care for Creation and address the
urgent need to protect its rich diversity and its capacity to sustain life as
we know it.
The
celebration of the Season of Creation, since its foundation, has come amid a
complex environmental, social, political, and cultural crisis. The impacts of
this crisis make it hard to ignore the urgency of its message and the
importance of our prayer and work to address it: record-setting heat waves
killing people by the thousands around the planet, severe and long-term
droughts, famines, massive wild fires and a never-ending fire “season,” serious
water shortages facing major cities, more violent storms and destructive flash
floods, rising sea levels, millions of people driven from their homes as
climate-change refugees, and so much more….
The theme
serving as a focus for this year’s Season of Creation is “Peace with
Creation.” This theme reminds us that many human activities amount to a
“war against Creation.” Unsustainable
lifestyles, exploitive business models, excessive consumption and throw-away
cultures, thoughtless destruction of habitats, disregard for biodiversity loss,
and the devastation of literal wars are just a few of the human dynamics
threatening the web of life around planet Earth.
The mission
before us as people of faith and members of the human community is to work for
the justice and global solidarity that are essential to establishing “Peace
with Creation.” Coming to understand and
enter into this process is one of the most important challenges of the Season
of Creation.
The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is observed annually on September 1 to encourage believers to pray for the planet and take action to protect it. Established by Pope Francis for the Catholic Church in 2015, the day marks the beginning of the Season of Creation, a month-long period of prayer and advocacy for environmental stewardship that extends to October 4. Pope Francis adopted the day for the Roman Catholic Church, coinciding with the release of his encyclical letter Laudato Si': Care for Our Common Home.
Communities
are encouraged to engage in various forms of prayer, such as meditative nature
walks, liturgical celebrations, and reading scripture.
The day
promotes practical steps, including advocating for rapid decarbonization,
supporting a just energy transition to renewable sources, and preserving
natural resources.
It serves as a
time to reflect on the connection between social justice and environmental
protection, and the disproportionate impact of environmental degradation on
vulnerable communities.
There are many
resources available for this Season focusing on care for the planet and to
advocate for it. Resources can be found online at: https://seasonofcreation.org/.
A good friend of mine wrote a musical accompaniment for today’s responsorial psalm. I have always loved this psalm, but his musical accompaniment has brought it to life in a new way for me. Whenever I hear this psalm, I always find myself singing his version in my head.
The words are relatively simple, yet the message is profound. Psalm
117 states:
Go out to all
the world and tell the good news and tell the good news.
Praise the Lord all you nations, glorify Him all you peoples.
For steadfast is His kindness to us and the fidelity of the Lod
endures forever.
These rather simple words are a true call for us during our current
times. We are called to go out and proclaim the message of Jesus. As ambassadors
for Jesus, we are called to proclaim His love for all people in our daily life
by our words and our actions. In a world full of pain and despair we are called
to be light and hope for others. We are called to bring the good news to all
people by our words and our actions. May we always share the good news of Jesus with all.
From the LCWR Website
The 2025
assembly of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) entitled Hope
Unbroken: Journeying in God’s Promise drew approximately 560 LCWR
members as well as about 300 collaborators to Atlanta, Georgia from August
12-15. Throughout the event, participants acknowledged the struggle of these
times and explored the practices that can ground them in faith so they can live
“hope unbroken” for the sake of the world, the church, and their religious
communities.
In a moving
personal reflection that stemmed from the experience of being diagnosed with
cancer shortly after assuming her role as LCWR president Sister Kathy Brazda,
CSJ of LaGrange, Illinois shared in an address the questions she carried: “How
could I lead when I had doubts about my own future, my own life, my own ability
to be competent? How could I plan for a future that I had doubts would be
available to me?” In her address, she recounted what she had learned about
leadership for these times from the stance of greater vulnerability. “In
surrendering to God’s strength, we can come to courage and grace and the
dynamism of love. With that encouragement, we can face the future through the
best and worst of times.”
Sister
Simona Brambilla, MC prefect of the Dicastery for Consecrated Life
and Societies of Apostolic Life in Rome, addressed how religious life can be a
sign of hope today. She noted, “May consecrated life truly always be a humble
prophecy of forgiveness, of reparation, of the rebuilding of bonds of
brotherhood and sisterhood, of peace, of trust, of communion. May it be a
sentinel with senses sharpened and open to perceive in the night the breath of
God, His gentle light, His whisper, His fragrance, His unmistakable taste, in
order to welcome it, point it out, proclaim it, and walk the paths of hope that
does not disappoint, because they are rooted in the Paschal Mystery, in the
Heart of God.”
Rev. James
Martin, SJ, editor-at-large at America Media, using the gospel story of
the raising of Lazarus challenged the participants to apply the insights of
this story to the realities of US religious life today. He posed the questions:
“What is keeping us from hearing God’s voice in our lives, in our
congregations, in our communities?” “What do you, what do we, need to leave
behind to hear God calling us into a surprising new life?”
A panel of
three women religious leaders, Sisters Barbara Beasley, RGS; Pat McDermott,
RSM; and Sara Postlethwaite, VDMF, spoke to what has held them in the
challenges of religious life leadership so that their hope remains unbroken.
Drawing upon their own experiences, they shared what has kept them inspired and
what have been their anchors as they face the complex questions that are before
religious institutes today.
Representatives
from the Atlanta-based Martin Luther King, Jr. Center and The Carter Center
joined the assembly in a panel presentation and shared their valuable insights
on their work and how it connects to the LCWR Call for 2023-2028 and the LCWR
assembly resolution.
A Pilgrimage
of Hope took place on
the morning of August 14, a one-mile walk through downtown Atlanta with prayer
rooted in the commitment to addressing systemic injustice in the areas of
racism, migration, and the climate crisis. (A recording of the
one-hour walk is available on the LCWR Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lcwr.org)
During the
assembly the members blessed the new leadership for the conference.
Sister Debra Sciano, SSND, a School Sister of Notre Dame from Wisconsin
was selected as the LCWR president-elect. She joins Sister Vicky Larson, BVM
who will serve as president for 2025-2026, and Sister Kathy Brazda, CSJ who
will serve as immediate past-president. Elected to the national board were
Sisters Karen Dietrich, SSJ; Sheena George, CSJP; Maribeth Larkin, SSS; and
Maria Sheila Undang, O Carm.
At the
assembly closing, Sister Mary Pat Garvin, RSM was honored with the 2025 LCWR
Outstanding Leadership Award. A Sister of Mercy of the Americas, Sister Mary
Pat has served as an educator, consultant, and facilitator for national and
international institutes and conferences of religious.
Recordings and
texts of the addresses and other materials are available at lcwr.org.
Today’s Gospel reading features Jesus' instruction to his disciples on prayer and not giving up. Jesus gives us the prayer called the "Lord's Prayer." In this prayer, which is used as a model for all prayer, Jesus directs us to give God praise and make our petitions known to him. The blessed assurance that God hears our prayer is central to our understanding of praying and never giving up. Prayer makes a difference and changes the way we look at things.
For the past week I was on retreat at Mercy Center in Madison, CT. It was a wonderful time to take time to pray, reflect and just be. During the days I had the opportunity to spend more time in prayer and in nature. The grounds of Mercy Center are beautiful, and it was nice to see bunnies, birds, and other wildlife during the day. One day a large log drifted onto the beach. It became a real center of prayer for me. I was able to sit by the water on it and reflect. Praying for our world, and many other things was a part of each day.
“And I tell
you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will
be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks,
finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:9-10 This
scripture came to life for me this week. I was a time to ask, seek and knock
and God was indeed very present. I am grateful that I had this opportunity and
look forward to living out the graces of my retreat.
Each morning, I receive a quote from Pope Leo via email and the one that came today seemed perfect for today’s Gospel. "Today, so often, we lose the ability to listen, to really listen. We listen to music, we have our ears flooded constantly with all kinds of digital input, but sometimes we forget to listen to our own hearts and it’s in our hearts that God speaks to us, that God calls us and invites us to know him better and to live in his love." Pope Leo XIV
In today’s
Gospel we hear the familiar story of Jesus visiting Martha and Mary. Martha was
busy about many things and Mary choose to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen. Two
opposite reactions to this special visit by Jesus. Martha exasperated told Jesus
to tell Mary to help her. Jesus’ response must have shocked Martha to her core.
Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the better part, and it would not be
taken from her. I can’t begin to think how Martha must have felt. Martha must
have felt rejected and dismissed by Jesus.
When I prayed
this morning, I realized that I have far more many Martha moments than Mary. I
found myself looking at each one of them and came to the realization that while
I desire to be more like Mary I do get caught up in the busyness of life and
therefore relate to Martha more easily. Deep down I know I desire to be more
like Mary, but it is very hard to change old habits.
Perhaps this
is a good Gospel to pray with as I begin my own retreat tonight. I am looking forward
to being on retreat this week and pray for the grace to be more like Mary as I enter
into it. Have a great week and know that I will be praying for all and I count
on your prayers for me. Blessings…
On Wednesday, July 9th Ursulines around the world gathered to participate in the 100 Days of Prayer, Fasting and Advocacy sponsored by the LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious.) The impact of violence and conflict in our world has risen to epic proportions. In response to this situation, the LCWR invited religious congregations in the US to pray for our country. The three US provinces committed to July 9th, the Feast of the Martyrs of Orange. During the troubles of the French Revolution, 29 Sisters, expelled from their convents, found refuge in a house at Bollène. During their eighteen months there, they shared their life of prayer and total poverty. Arrested in April 1794 because they refused to swear the oath required by the city officials, an oath their conscience condemned, they were jailed on May 2 at Orange.
They organized themselves and consecrated the
essential part of their time to prayer. Condemned to die by the Popular
Commission, then commanding in the actual Chapel of Saint-Louis, they were
transferred to the ancient Theater, where they awaited to climb the guillotine
erected in Saint Martin’s Court. They all went up to the scaffold
joyfully, singing and praying for their persecutors, who admired their courage.
These women took an unpopular stance and, in our world, today we are called to
do the same.
On July 9th, we gathered via zoom to pray
together and have small group discussion. There were a number of sisters from across
the country and even one from Australia. It was a true experience of unity and
commitment. Several of our provinces around the world gathered to pray together
in solidarity with us.
Below is the prayer we used. As we continue the
journey let us be people of hope and ambassadors of peace.
Seek to spread peace and concord wherever you are.” (Angela
Merici)
O God, Source
of all that is,
we find
ourselves with heavy hearts these days –
hearts made
heavy by the reality of violence, war, and disasters,
and the
suffering and destruction they bring.
In places far
and near, the violence and death seem endless.
We hold in our
hearts and in our prayers
our wounded
and weary world.
We pray for an
end to the injustice, violence, and war
that seem to
hold our world in their grip,
and that we
sometimes find in our own hearts.
We pray you, O
God,
disarm our
hearts and disarm our world,
that the
rights and dignity of all may be respected and protected;
remind us that
we all share life together
as sisters and
brothers to each other.
We pray for
peace and justice, O God,
and that each
of us may be an instrument
of peace and justice in our world. Amen.
Diane
Fulgenzi, OSU
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray
earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his
harvest.” Matthew 9: 37-38
A simple quote from today’s Gospel speaks volumes to
me. There is so much going on in our world right now that it is sometimes hard
to keep up with it all. Watching the news is a harsh reality right now as there
is so much pain and suffering, war and violence, natural disasters and record
temperatures. Time is marching on in a feverish pace.
One of the most tragic stories this week was that of Camp
Mystic which was washed away in a storm surge. Two dozen campers are missing
and there is a mass effort to find them. The governor of Texas is not giving up
hope for their survival. He stated that we need to move fast and find them,
until they are found the presumption is that they are still alive. I can not
fathom the pain and suffering of their families. We need to hold them and their
families in prayer and not lose hope.
Jesus told His followers to offer peace to those who welcome
them and if the were not welcomed to leave. In our current world we need to offer
deep peace to one another. We need to be willing to take the risk of rejection
and move on if necessary. Our times call for a great deal of letting go and
letting God take the lead. We can become rather dismal about our current reality,
but we need to remember that God is always by our side leading us day in and
day out. May we always be welcoming of others and may we always be welcomed.
Today we had our transition of leadership prayer service. The prayer included a blessing for the old leadership team and a blessing for the new team. one of the readings was When a Wise Woman Leads. I have read this before and today it had a greater meaning for me.
When wise women lead, they call a circle together and make a space for stories to be shared, hopes to be uttered, and revelations to unfold.
When wise womae leads, they listen to the voice and hear the spirit. They step up and out, even when the path ahead is rugged or unclear.
Today after the Angelus prayer Pope Leo XIV said,
“Dear brothers and sisters,
Alarming news continues to emerge from the Middle
East, especially from Iran. Against this tragic backdrop, which includes Israel
and Palestine, people’s daily suffering, especially in Gaza and the other
territories, where the need for adequate humanitarian aid is becoming
increasingly urgent, risks being forgotten.
Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for
peace. This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason, and it must not
be drowned out by the din of weapons or the rhetoric that incites conflict.
Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility to stop
the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm. There are no
“distant” conflicts when human dignity is at stake.
War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it
amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples, which take
generations to heal. No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers,
the fear of children, or stolen futures.
May diplomacy silence the weapons! May nations chart
their futures with works of peace, not with violence and bloodstained
conflicts!
I wish everyone a happy Sunday, and I bless those who
are actively participating in the feast of Corpus Christi today, including
those who are singing, playing music, decorating with flowers, displaying
crafts and, above all, praying and taking part in the procession. Thanks to you
all and have a good Sunday!
Let us pray for our world that there will be peace.
Prayer for Peace in our World
Lord, we pray for peace in our hearts, in our homes,
in our world. We pray for countries to find diplomatic solutions that will
bring harmony between nations. We pray for wars to end. We give thanks for your
promise that one day there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.
Until that day, we pray for your continued grace and goodness to overflow in
this world so that humans can live alongside one another respectfully, allowing
for mutual flourishing. Please give those in authority the patience, humility,
wisdom and endurance to persevere in bringing about positive solutions for
their nations. Amen.
Yesterday we celebrated the 25th anniversary of one of our sisters. The theme for her jubilee celebration was connecting circles. During her prayer service she reflected on the five circles of her life -- Family, Friends, Ursuline Community, Wider Religious Life and Ministry. For each circle she explained the connection and a symbol was brought forth to represent those in that circle. We started with her family with a beautiful crewel that her mother had made and a single rose to recall her mom's presence among us. For her friends three multi colored roses were brought forward. For the Ursuline Community our crucifix, and for her ministry the Serviam shield was brought forward. The Serviam shield is the Ursuline motto around the world. It means "I will serve."
Each of the symbols truly reflected the circle it portrayed and was brought forward by someone in that particular circle. After each was place in front of the altar we sang, "O God, you are the center of my life. I will always praise you, I will always serve you, I will always keep you in my sight." It was a most inspiring reflection for all those present. Needless to say there were tears of joy and happiness throughout the Chapel. The celebration truly was a reflection of the jubilarian. Everyone present whether in person or via Facebook Live was touched by the beauty of the prayer service. A community of circles joined together to celebrate the life they touched along the way. The image below was the focus for the celebration. It truly reflects the celebration and all its parts. May the years ahead be filled with many blessings for her and the Ursuline community.
Today we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost -- the Birthday of the Church. I always enjoy this Feast and have fond memories of it. At Mass this morning one of the songs was Send Down the Fire by Marty Haugen.
|
|
|||
|
Posts
All Comments
