Feast of St. Catherine of Siena

Thanks, thanks be to you, Eternal Father! I am imperfect and full of darkness, but you, perfection and light, have shown me to perfection and the way of your Son. I was dead, and you brought me to life.
(St. Catherine of Siena)

In doing a little Internet research I found a few more quotes from St. Catherine worth passing along to you! Enjoy.

St. Catherine of Siena:
QUOTATIONS

"O Eternal God, receive the sacrifice of my life in this Mystical Body of Holy Church. I have naught to give save what Thou hast given me."

-----Prayer of St. Catherine

"It is not the hour to seek one's self for one's self, nor to flee pains in order to possess consolations; nay, it is the hour to lose one's self."

-----Letters of St. Catherine

"I turn me and lean against the most Holy Cross of Christ Crucified, and there I will fasten me."

-----Letters of St. Catherine

"What hast Thou taught me, O Love Uncreated? Thou hast taught me that I should bear patiently like a lamb, not only harsh words, but even blows harsh and hard, and injury and loss."

-----Letters of St. Catherine

"To the servant of God ... every place is the right place, and every time is the right time.

-----Letters of St. Catherine

"I shall give thee such speech and wisdom that no one shall be able to resist. I shall bring thee before Pontiffs and the rulers of the Church."

-----Words of Our Lord to St. Catherine

"I have no other desire in this life save to see the honor of God, your peace, and the reformation of Holy Church, and to see the life of grace in every creature that hath reason in itself."

-----Letters of St. Catherine of Siena

A Vocation Essay by Samantha A., 8th Grade

As Jesus once said “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which one person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” -Matthew 13:44. This passage is telling us to go and seek the buried treasure that God has hidden for us. But we can’t do this on our own. We must have the help of priests, deacons and religious brothers and sisters. They show us the way by lives and their ministry they lead. They invite others to come and see Christ and discover their own vocations.

When do you know that you have discovered your vocation in life? This is not an easy question. Many people have asked themselves this question more than once. You may think you have heard the calling when you’re a small child or you may not hear the calling until you’re an adult. Just remember that God will not abandon you. You most stay patient and he will call you when he believes that you are ready.

To make the right decision on your vocations primarily starts with your faith in Jesus. Your faith grows in silences like a flower in a garden. This is where priests, deacons and religious brothers and sisters come and help us find our vocation. They act as the back bone to our faith. Their life and ministry is what leads us on the right path. They don’t only help you discover your vocation in your life. Their life and ministry also help you become closer with God and stronger in your faith.

Our life here on earth is not to just become famous, rich, or even popular. It is to live out our life as God would want. To go and discover the truth is what God is calling us to do. Thanks to the priests, deacons and religious brothers and sisters, by their life and ministry, they invite us to come and see Christ and discover our own vocation in life.

Fr. Matthias Neuman's Homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter

Readings: Acts 13:43-52; Rev. 7:9-17; Jn 10:27-30

Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes one of the momentous turning points in the history of Christianity: the decision of some followers of Jesus to invite those people who were not of Jewish ancestry into full membership in their group. In the words of Paul and Barnabas: "We now turn to the Gentiles." Of course, at the time this passage from Acts was being written, the Gentile mission had been underway for almost fifty years. The Letters of Paul show that clearly. Those letters also show that by this decision Paul and the other Christian missionaries did not mean to neglect Jews. As Paul tried to show clearly in his letter to the Romans, Jews are justified through their observance of the Law of Moses, while Gentiles are justified through faith in Jesus Christ. God in His infinite mercy has given the grace of justification to both Jew and Gentile. That conviction was ultimately to make Christianity into a world-wide faith.

I would like to pause for a moment and reflect on the dynamics of that decision, which was made by many others besides Paul and Barnabas (See Romans 16). It was an incredible act of religious outreach that shaped (and is still shaping) the course of human history. It also constituted something decisively new in human religious history. That required confidence, boldness and generosity. That Christian outreach was based on their conviction of the boundless mercy of God.

Right now we are living in the midst of another such possible momentous turning point in human religious history. I’m referring to the international meeting of Christianity and Islam. Now I realize that most of you know practically nothing about any of this, and I myself know very little. But it is a topic of massive import for the future of world history and for the future shaping of both faiths. The two faiths are in imminent collision in many areas around the world. The choices are: 1) to move closer in some type of mutual cooperation, or 2) to distance and alienate themselves from each other. In the latter case, open conflict is only a step away—as we can see happening right now in Nigeria, where Christians and Muslims are massacring each other in large numbers. The situation is dire in many areas of our world. Let me read you just a little section: "On both (Christian and Islamic) sides are vast centrifugal forces unleashed by fundamentalist and extremist movements... These far outweigh the centripetal forces set in motion by hundreds of interfaith and intercultural centers all over the world. The fundamentalists are better organized, more experienced, better ordinated and more motivated." (A Common Word: Muslims and Christians on Loving God and Neighbor, p. 6)

At the same time the door is open for an unprecedented step in communication between these two great religions. It all began three years ago with an address that Pope Benedict XVI gave; in that address he made an unfortunate reference to Islam as "evil and inhuman." In response to that address a group of 138 Islamic religious leaders issued a document which may become one of the great religious documents of world history. It is an open invitation to Christian leaders to understand, mutually appreciate and cooperate with Islam as two great religious faiths of the world. It is called "A Common Word" and testifies to the fact that both Christianity and Islam are based on the two commandments: love of God and love of neighbor. If we both can recognize and acknowledge that, then there is so much more that we can cooperate on. Most of all, we can stop vilifying and fighting each other.

Most of us here today are not going to have the opportunity to interact with or dialogue with people of the Muslim faith. But we do have the chance to deal with views of Muslims and opinions about Islam held by our Christian friends and relatives. And that’s where we can make a difference. When we hear people make disparaging remarks about Islam, we can say "Wait a minute. Let’s be a little more careful in our judgments." Then we can truly carry out the task of being peacemakers.

A Vocation Essay by Nick K., 8th Grade

How do Priest, Deacons and other Religious Brothers and Sisters listen to the call of God? By knowing, loving and serving God and God’s people. They also pray to God. They don’t pray that they’ll be able to get a new car or a new house, they pray for everyone else but themselves. Religious leaders sacrifice for everyone else. Someone who is a good example of that is my Religion teacher, Sister Nicolette. She is very selfless as she serves God and all of us here at Holy Name. She does all of these things and teaches us to be more Christ-like and teaches us about faith. She sees God in everyone and teaches us how to see that as well. Sister Nicolette, without knowing it, teaches us how to be like her. By listening to the call of God we are also loving and serving God’s people.

What is God calling you to? A lot of people are called to different things. Some people could be called to be a Priest or a Sister. But some people could be called to do a lot of different things. Some are called to be nurses, like my sister Breana. Some are called to be football or baseball players. Others answer their calling to God just by going to Mass every week or just by being a great mom or dad.

As I get older, I’ll figure out what my calling is. But right now, I don’t know. Some people don’t know until they get older. I don’t think God wants you to know what your calling is until you’re older, because He wants you to experience life and the different callings there are. But I know God has a plan for me.

Those who avoid God’s calling don’t always make good decisions. They don’t listen to God when He’s telling them how to love and serve God’s people. Since they ignore God, negative thoughts and images take over and they end up ignoring God. That leads to bad decisions and can impact everyone around them. Some people never hear God’s calling, but sometimes it just takes a long time for people to turn to God and let God help turn their lives around. I know God has a plan for everyone and even if it takes a long time. God will forgive us and help us serve His people because He is forgiving and loves all of His children.

Even though everyone has a calling to God, it’s not always obvious so we have to search within ourselves and listen to our religious leaders for guidance. They can help us find our way to God. Our religious leaders help guide us by setting good examples and making good decisions. They show us compassion and how to care about others and their needs. They also show us how to help ourselves and others find our own calling. Sometimes people find their calling without even realizing it.

I’m a very lucky person to have such great religious leaders around me everyday. I believe this was part of God’s calling for me. When I’m older and I look back on my own religious experiences, I will always remember my religious leaders and how they impacted me and led me to be a better person, son, brother and Catholic. I’m a better person who is learning how to love and serve God’s people.

Fr. Matthias Neuman's Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter

Readings: Acts 5:27-41; Rev. 5:11-14; Jn 21:1-14

I’ve always been struck by a couple of the sentences in today’s gospel passage. The first is: "I’m going fishing." And the second is: "Come, have some breakfast." They have always seemed to me to be too ordinary, not dignified enough for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But the more you look at it, the more examples of ordinariness show through the scriptures. That contradicts the assumption a lot of people have that whatever is religious has to be special and exceptional! If something is religious, you put lighted candles around it, burn incense, bow a lot and speak only in hushed tones. "I’m going fishing" and "Come, have some breakfast" just doesn’t fit in that model.

The longer you consider the dynamics in this gospel passage, the more an important conviction emerges: that it is precisely from within the ordinary that the extra-ordinary appears. While fishing, the disciples come to recognize Jesus, and in sharing breakfast they come to recognize the Lord. The extra-ordinary appears in the ordinary. That happens only if you truly appreciate the ordinary. It is in appreciating the ordinary and the everyday that you allow the Mysterious, the extraordinary, to break through.

Jewish mystical spirituality has always recognized this principle in a profound way. A central theme of that spirituality is that "gateways" or entrances to the Holy exist everywhere in this ordinary world. To be truly "spiritual" means to be finely attuned to them. One book that expresses that beautifully is Lawrence Kushner’s Honey from the Rock, one of my all-time favorite spirituality books. Let me read you a few sections: "Entrances to holiness are everywhere. The possibility of ascent is all the time. Even at unlikely times and through unlikely places. There is no place on earth without the Presence. Jacob, our father, was on the run. With only a rock for a pillow. In what he thought was some God-forsaken wilderness. Until he had the dream. He said: ‘Surely the Holy One himself must have been in this place and I didn’t even know it!’ And then he was afraid. He said: ‘How awesome is this place. This is none other than God’s house and here I am at the very gateway to heaven.’ In another place we read of how the Holy One chose a common insignificant thorn bush. As if to teach us that nothing is beneath being a gateway to the Most High. He could have summoned mountains or oceans or the heavens themselves. But instead he opened a thorn bush. ‘Moses looked and behold the bush was on fire but the bush was not consumed.’ In a wilderness. Through a bush. Nothing is beneath the dignity of being selected as an entrance. ‘Remove your shoes from your feet for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’" (pp. 48-49) Indeed, entrances to holiness are everywhere.

The Second Vatican Council expressed similar views in many of its documents. In its Constitution on the Church it mentions the many gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed on all believers in the Church. "Some of these charisms are very remarkable; others are more simple and ordinary. But they are all fitting and useful for building up the Church." (#12) In the section on the Universal Call to Holiness the Constitution notes that this call to holiness stretches all the way to those who are weighed down by poverty, infirmity and sickness. (#41) Even there God’s Spirit is working in these most weighted of human conditions. "Entrances to holiness are everywhere." An essential part of a good Christian spirituality is appreciating the ordinary, so that we allow the extra-ordinary, the Mysterious, the Presence of God to emerge from within.

In this Sunday Eucharist let’s pray that this very day we might be able to perceive the extraordinary in the ordinary, to see holiness in the midst of ordinary life. It happens today.

A Vocation Essay by Kaitlin O., 8th Grade

How do priest, deacons and religious brothers and sisters by their life and ministry invite others to come and see Christ and discover their own vocations?

Anyone can help us hear God’s call…But, people who have totally devoted their lives to God encourage me to live my life more holy. They show that they only need God in their life, and that they know that he is always watching over them. They are the ones who inspire me to love God and devote my life to Him.

Everyone is important to the church, but without priest we wouldn’t be able to receive our daily body of Christ. Priests give everything they have to God, they teach people that you don’t need anything else in life but to know, love and serve God and his people.

It is also good to follow in the footsteps of religious women. Nuns aren’t allowed to lead the liturgy but they teach us that God has given us everything we have like family and friends, and most of all how His son, Jesus, died for us so we could live our life following His footsteps.
I think many people spend their entire life trying to find that one special gift that God has given them. We just have to pray every day hoping that we find it. He is calling everyone in a different way, but we also have to work to find what God is calling us to do.

Priest, deacons and religious brothers and sisters have helped me realize that God is the most important person in my life. They have inspired me to fully devote my life to God and to hear His call to me. But the truth is anyone can help us hear God’s call. But we have to do a little searching ourselves.

Spring at the Monastery