USA
Celebrating the Lunar New Year
Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters and associates celebrating the Lunar New Year in Madison, Wisconsin.
Monthly Archives: February 2015
Photos of the Week – Season of penitence, grace, renewal
Lent began on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18 this year, and ends on Holy Thursday, April 2. Catholics around the world observe this liturgical season of prayer, fasting, and giving alms. “Lent is a time of renewal for the whole Church, for each community and every believer. Above all it is a ‘time of grace’ ”(Pope Francis). Sister Lucianne Siers, OP (Grand Rapids) shares a reflection titled “Lent is the Church’s Springtime.” The Dominican Province of St. Martin de Porres offers daily reflections on its web site. The Dominican Sisters of Peace share a video reflection by Sister Margaret Ormond, OP. The Tacoma Dominicans offer a booklet of Lenten reflections by members of the Dominican Family.
Lenten Reflection
Lent is the Church’s springtime
By Sister Lucianne Siers, OP (Grand Rapids)
“O Lord, I am longing for warm weather. I am quite tired of wearing boots, scarf, hat and my heavy coat. My car, which is usually dark grey, is nearly white with salt. Will spring ever come? It is below zero outside, and have you ever heard of 23 degrees below zero?”
As we continue these days of Lent, we do long for warmth, light, peace in our world and happiness in our hearts. We are not there yet, and our longings bring us to the days of the penitential season. The word “Lent” is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word, lenctea, meaning spring, and the word lenctented, which literally means not only springtide, but also the word March, the month in which the majority of Lent falls.
Two elements that the Church calls us to are: recalling our baptism or preparing for it, and penance. From the earliest days of the tradition, it was a 40-day period preparing for Easter. Sundays are not included in counting 40 days of fasting. Practices have evolved over the centuries, from fasting 40 days to performing spiritual and corporeal works of mercy. The focus of Lent, however, remains the same: to repent of our sins, renew our faith, and prepare to celebrate the mysteries of salvation with joy.
Lent is a six-week journey, and we hopefully will find ourselves different than where we started. What are the attitudes or burdens that we do not need to carry? What do we need to take with us that needs more attention? Who are our companions on this journey? Are we supporting and encouraging them?
All the necessary elements are provided for us—the liturgies are prepared, the days will get longer, and the weather is promised to improve.
Let us move forward toward the great mysteries of our faith with enthusiasm and hope that God’s presence is full of compassion and love as we continue into this season with the promise that spring will emerge as we walk together preaching hope, peace and justice.
Sister Laurie Brink presents biblical theology workshop
Maryknoll Mission Institute
Sister Laurie Brink, OP (Sinsinawa) will be a presenter at the Maryknoll Mission Institute June 14–19 in Ossining, New York. Her topic, “No Longer Servants: Toward a Biblical Theology of Friendship,” makes two extraordinary claims: that our life’s ultimate goal is friendship with God and that the Scriptures provide the road map. This program engages a dynamic process that integrates personal experience with biblical study in order to trace the emerging theology of friendship in the Scriptures. Sister Laurie is associate professor of New Testament Studies at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois. More info
Faith & Film: Wild
“Wild” is the new movie based on the real-life experiences of Cheryl Strayed. Cheryl lived a hard life. Her alcoholic father abused her mother, Bobbi, until she took Cheryl and her brother and left for good. Bobbi did the best she could raising her two children by herself with little money. She always tried to bring happiness into the home. Bobbi became critically ill with cancer, leaving Cheryl and her brother to fend for themselves. In her grief, Cheryl turned to drugs and a promiscuous lifestyle. Cheryl married a good man, but was unable to commit to the marriage, being unfaithful to her husband.
As “Wild” opens, Cheryl has traveled from Minnesota to Southern California to hike the 1,100 mile Pacific Coast Trail as a way to move on with her life. She’s never done anything like this, but needs to start anew. Along the way, Cheryl reads poetry, writes in her journal, loses toenails and gets blisters on her feet. She meets some good people, and some who are not so good. Cheryl is awed by the beauty of nature and wild animals. The hike also takes a toll on her: from the brutal heat to losing her way in the snow, and getting soaked by the pouring rain. Finally, after a touching meeting with a young boy and his grandmother, Cheryl finishes the trail at the aptly named Bridge of Gods in Oregon.
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Faith & Film: Into the Woods
More than 25 years ago, Stephen Sondheim’s musical about fairy tales opened on Broadway. The musical brings together the familiar tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and Rapunzel with an original story of a Baker and his Wife. The Baker’s Father has been cursed by a Witch, and they are unable to have children. The Witch comes to the couple and tells them the curse will be reversed if they bring her what she asks. So all the characters venture “Into the Woods” to do what they need to do.
Sondheim’s musical begins on a light, witty note, with the familiar stories intersecting with one another. At the end of the first act, it looks like they all got what they wanted, and will live happily ever after. But Act II lets us know that there is no “happily ever after,” at least not in the way we expect.
I loved “Into the Woods” on stage, with its wonderful score and story line that gets darker before turning around. I was unexpectedly moved by the depth of the story. Although we lose people in the woods, we are comforted by the haunting song “You Are Not Alone.” In order to get through the challenges of the woods, we are given companions with whom we form community.
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