My vocation is Love

I want to tell you a story. This is a true story. I want you to sit and think about the words I wrote. Let the voices of these children be heard.  In January, at a visit with family in Louisiana, my brother told us all about a new virus, one similar to SARS, creating an issue in China known as SARS-CoV-2 (which we, of course, now know as COVID19). I, like many of you, did not think much of this. Viruses and infections are likely to spread quickly through a densely populated city and we are literally on the other side of the world. Also, SARS didn't create a problem in the US. I just took it to be an interesting science article that I was going to give my students to read when we returned to school-which they did read.  January ended and as February started, I was starting to get a little concerned. Teachers I worked with would come to me with questions about viral spread. Students in 5th and 6th grade began to play a game they made up (similar to freeze tag) called COVID-19. I thou

I have sat and thought (and prayed) over the last several days, hell years, about what to say and how I could help without appearing to be a white savior. My story begins when I was in high school. The people I grew up with came from all different races and backgrounds. Klein Forest was 33% Hispanic, 33% Black, 21% White, 12% Asian, <1 % American Indian. Out of necessity, we were taught to get along and to embrace each other for who we are, and yes that included what we looked like. I am thankful every day that my parents chose to leave me at KF and not transfer me out to another school. I learned how to love someone for who they are and to embrace their culture as valid. College was a cultural shock for me. Not because I left home, and that was also a shock, but because TAMUG was not diverse. Let’s face it. The effort was there but nothing really came of it. Galveston is a diverse city with wonderful people who make the Island unique, but TAMUG is majority white. However, I did

Nine Months can make a huge difference in someone's life. It is the gestation time for a human baby, it is the length of an academic year. It is the time I have spent as a postulant. As I sit at my desk in St. Louis, my room all packed-donation bag filled, I am in awe of my experiences. I am 1 year into a Masters in Theology, I am 48 pounds lighter, and I am closer to God than I have ever been. Decorating for Christmas Father Dick's Birthday Thanksgiving and Christmas with CCVI San Antonio   These experiences have been a blessing I will never forget. The little international community where I lived welcomed me and embraced me into the home. I am forever thankful. Since deciding to leave I have cried more than I think I ever have before in my life. I fell in love with the sisters here and the congregation as a whole. God, however, has other plans for me and has asked me to leave and return to Houston. During Lent this year, I asked God to help me to Love m

As I sit and prepare for my 5 day retreat, I am bombarded with emotion. My final retreat prior to becoming a postulant starts tomorrow. I have sat and reread my journal entries for over an hour. They cover everything since I have embarked on this journey in January 2016. I cried when I read the sweet note my sister wrote at the beginning of each of the journals and laughed at the short and sweet one my little brother wrote. What I realize is I am truly blessed. My family and friends have touched and impacted my life greatly. I relived the loss of a dear cousin's son, the fear of starting a job teaching, and the joy of each convent visit. I read with deep sorrow, again, of the loss felt by family, friends, students, and my self after Hurricane Harvey, experienced the overwhelming gratitude I felt for friends and family after I entered the affiliate last year, and I relived each and every "normal" day recorded. Today I said goodbye to my 2 goofy pups. I cried and Alex

Today's readings have some pretty strong words and Father talked about our prejudices can hinder us. This struck me quite strongly so here is a bit of what he said along with some of my words of continued reflection.  The first reading today was from the 1st letter of John and had this killer line... "Those who hate his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining." (1 Jn 15). This was followed by the Gospel from St. John with another tough one to hear, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" (Jn 1:46). It may be good to back up and explain what is going on around that 2nd one. If you are unfamiliar with this line- as I was till reflecting on the Gospel reading this morning, Jesus had just called Philip. Philip then turned and tried to recruit Nathanael. Well Nathanael, along with many other people felt that Nazareth was too small and too insignificant (backwoods or boondocks if you will) for the savior of the world to come

Does your mind ever wander after communion? You know you should be meditating and praying in thanksgiving for what you have just received, but you end up people watching instead? If you say no- I am willing to bet that was a lie. It is human nature- our curiosity gets the best of us. And sometimes- the beauty you can observe during communion is a gift all on its own.  It was one of these mind wanderings and people watching that brought me a little gift to be thankful for during Mass tonight. Do you remember the story of the poor widow's contribution in Mark's Gospel? If not here it is as a quick refresher:  He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in Large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contri