Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Ill., blog with inquirers discerning their religious calling to monastic life.
Posted in spirituality, using scripture in discernment on Apr 13th, 2013
By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB lst Reading Acts 6:8-15; 2nd Reading Rev 5:11-14; Gospel John 21:1-19 The Gospel for the 3rd Sunday of Easter is wonderful, all of it. But let’s focus on one line in particular. The disciples had spent the whole night fishing, to no avail. At dawn they saw a man standing [...]
Posted in Benedictine Sisters, discernment, religious life, vocation story on Feb 1st, 2012
By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB Left to my own devices I would never have entered religious life. I thought it was dull, stilted, without fun, zest, relationships or community. I was interested in my friends, stylish clothes, a social life, my education. So how did it come about?
Posted in Pentecost, discernment, ordinary time on Jun 15th, 2011
Now that Pentecost is over, we have returned to Ordinary Time in the cycle of the Church. Nothing is ordinary about it, however. We travel with Jesus as he begins his public ministry of healing, forgiving and preaching the Kingdom of God. On Pentecost he blesses his disciples with the Spirit that will continue to [...]
Posted in discernment on Jun 3rd, 2011
The other morning I awakened to see a dense fog. Then I realized we were completely surrounded by it. Sometimes I have wondered how it would feel to be in the clouds, now I could have the experience.
Posted in St. Scholastica, discernment on Feb 9th, 2011
By Sr. Phyllis McMurray, OSB On the eve of the Feast Day of St. Scholastica, St. Benedict’s sister and our founder, let’s turn to the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians. We hear: “’Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.’ For it is not the one who recommends the self who is approved, but [...]
Posted in discernment, religious life on Feb 3rd, 2011
Jesus tells us, Blessed are the poor in spirit, they who mourn, the meek, those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, the merciful, clean of heart, peacemakers. What does Jesus have to say about the money maker, the clothes horse, the bar hopper, the party girl, the vacation dreamer? Is there any chance that she [...]