Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Newsletter Update: December 2017


26 December 2017
Dear Family and Friends!

With the dome of St. Peter's in the background


I write to you on the day after Christmas from Rome with a heart so very full of all the best kind of things: joy, love, wonder, laughter, life! God has been faithful to His promise and has come into the world to save us from our broken nature and give us life everlasting…everlasting!!! That’s a lot of life! As usual I have for you some important events, a quick story, a sharing from the heart, and a list of prayer intentions. Let’s get to it!


Important Events
Jan 6 – arrival of Catherine (the newest member of the House of Formation in Rome
Feb 10 – My 25th birthday!
    Mar 2-4 – Young Adult Retreat here in Rome
    Mar 25 – the 1st wedding anniversary of my brother Brandon and Jen
    April 9 (Solemnity of the Annunciation) – Briana enters the phase of preparation for vows
    End of April – Big Annual Retreat in Rome

Story Time
             It’s always so hard to choose just one story to share so I’ll go with the first that comes to mind… This year we did a week long mission of evangelization in a university town about 1.5 hours north of Rome called L’Aquila. Two of our sisters (Sr. Janel and Sr. Francesca) go there once a month for a couple of days to have one-on-one talks with the students and lead moments of prayer. This was the first time for all of us to be there together.
             In our mission we desired to simply go out on the various campuses (the university is spread out throughout the town in different neighborhoods) to encounter the students, start conversations, share with them about Jesus, and let them know about the catholic student center and all it had to offer them. Practically speaking, it was a very simple mission material wise. All we needed was a smile, some flyers, and good walking shoes and we were ready.
We were also joined by some of the students already involved at the catholic student center as well as two Franciscan friars and the priest who normally works with the students. In order to be better prepared for the moments of evangelization, Sr. Clara guided us in short formation meetings each morning and afternoon. The topics of these meetings were various: our first encounter with God’s love, friendships, how to start conversations, taking an interest in others with questions…and always ended with a moment of prayer together.
With the students before going out to evangelize
This experience of all day evangelization was, I must admit, VERY exhausting. It was an experience of constantly “getting over myself” as I had to battle shyness, fears of rejection, humiliation, not knowing what to say…etc…over and over again before approaching each person. There was also the tiredness of staying attentive to the other person listening well to them and maintaining eye contact. Thankfully we went out in pairs so we were never alone in this mission. During the lessons, when there were less students out and about, we were able to share with each other and in some ways evangelize one another with our testimonies.
At the end of each day I was always worn out: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But I had something else in my heart at the end of the day: joy. It felt good to do something “uncomfortable” for Jesus. It also was a chance to remember the encounter that I’ve had and continue to have with the love of God. My life is forever changed and forever more full because of my relationship with Him, and I do want to share that with others. I can’t keep this great treasure that I have found to myself! And sometimes the only way to share it with others is literally walking up to them and using words. We had a variety of reactions from the students but an overall welcoming atmosphere. Many were even happy to remain and chat with us for a while.
As I left L’Aquila at the end of the week, I felt in my heart a bitter sweetness. I wanted to remain and continue to cultivate friendships with the students I had met. Even today many of their faces remain fresh in my memory. Praying about this, I felt the Lord sharing with me an experience of His own heart. In the heart of Christ there is always room for someone new, and the Creator is constantly falling in love with His creature desiring to remain with him or her and establish a relationship. However, the creatures remain free and don’t always exchange the love offered them by their Creator. And as a human, I am limited by space and time and can only develop real relationships with the people who God has placed in my day-to-day life at this time. In returning to Rome the Lord was asking me to accept this paradox of a Christ-like heart and the human “limitation” of space and time. Sometimes I will remain wounded by the inability to continue a friendship or by the rejection of the friendship I offer but if I continue offering this friendship, this love, then my heart will slowly be molded more and more into the heart of Christ…and I’d say this ultimate sweetness is worth the occasional side effect of bitterness.

Where’s my heart?
Well…as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, my heart is in a very good place which is probably due to the fact that it is in very capable hands: those of the Father. I find myself repeating something very often in Italian: Il Signore รจ troppo buono con me (the Lord is too good to me). I say this half-jokingly but yet not really. It is evident in so many ways. He makes Himself present; He lets me feel Him accompanying me, and He, at least thus far, has guided me to much growth through minimal suffering. He whispers Scripture into my heart in the most opportune moment. He puts a stranger on my path looking for directions just in time to save me from a useless day dream. He blesses me daily through the presence of the sisters I have the great privilege to live with as well as the classmates who not only fill the breaks between classes with much laughter but inspire me by their “yes” to give their life to the Lord. And His gaze…no matter the state I come to Him (in sin, in grace, in exhaustion, in desire, with joy, with heaviness…) He looks upon me with the gaze that speaks peace, mercy, and love. Like He must have done with the apostles hidden in the upper room after His passion and death, He breaks through the closed door and His first word is: peace.
Lately He’s been inviting me into a hopeful silence which has been very appropriate for Advent. His invitation is to take refuge in Him. Perhaps the storm is still raging and no immediate solution is found but in this inhabited silence He gives me rest and reminds me of the glory already won. He encourages me: hope in me, hope in me. Hope has become for me a very sweet word.
On Retreat at a Marian Shrine in Southern Italy
Prayer Intentions
                          My exams!
                              Jan 18 – Ancient Greek written exam
                              Jan 22 – Ancient Greek oral exam
                              Jan 24 – Philosophy of Language oral exam
                              Jan 29 – Metaphysics oral exam
                              Feb 5 – Special Ethics oral exam
                              Feb 8 – Logic II written exam
                              Feb 9 – Modern Philosophy oral exam
A prayer please also for Briana who, as I mentioned under important events, will enter into the phase of preparation for vows on the Solemnity of the Annunciation which is on April 9 this year (It is usually on March 25). That she may be guided by the Holy Spirit in this transition and that she may find her model in Mary’s “yes” which we celebrate on this great solemnity in our church.
For the House of Formation which, on January 6, will grow to five as Catherine moves from Lawrence, Kansas to the Eternal City! That we may be welcoming and that she may have all the graces necessary for this transition.
For Sr. Kalin, just recently consecrated (December 9): that she may be overwhelmed by the graces of a newlywed bride of Christ in the beginning of this new chapter in her life.
I ask for continued prayers for my family who continue to give their “yes” as well to have a daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin far from home and absent for major holidays. That the Lord may give them the grace to accept this as His will and as the best, not just for me or for them, but for all of us together.
Please pray also for our whole community in all of its branches (Father Salvatore, the sisters, the brothers, the lay people). That we may continue to follow God’s plan for this new reality in the Church. 
The community in Rome with Fr. Salvatore


                                                                                                                             United under His gaze,

                                                                                                                                             Cherise








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