The Dream of Joseph

Joseph, Patron Saint

of the

Universal Church

Joseph, Patron Saint

of the

Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny

     

Pray for Us

   

“… behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.

For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,

because he will save his people from their sins.’”

Luke 2: 41-51

Cluny Sisters today honor St. Joseph, their Patron and the dream and vision of their foundress, Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey that fueled her passion and zeal to go everywhere doing good.  Her love, compassion and respect for the dignity of all peoples gave birth in 1807 to the International Missionary Congregation, Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny.  Today they number 2,900 sisters in 60 countries around the world.

Dreams often leave us wondering and questioning, while at the same time confirming our call to live the Will of God in our lives.  On this feast day of St. Joseph, let us ask him to intercede for us that our dreams and visions will give birth to the Son of God in our midst.

  

Prayer For Dreamers

God of our waking and our sleeping, in every age, you have spoken to your prophets in dreams and visions and have promised that our sons and daughters shall prophesy through your Spirit.

Because of dreams, Joseph acted quickly to protect your only Son from harm. 

And through the revelation announced to Mary, you brought forth a new dream for the world.

Bless those who continue to seek you in dreams.  Open their ears to hear you in their visions, loosen their tongues to speak your word, strengthen their hands to respond swiftly in action, and embolden their hearts that what they hear in the dark they may proclaim in the light.

Make us all dreamers who tirelessly pursue the vision of your Kingdom.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  AMEN.

 - Adapted from Diana Macalintal, ‘The Work of Your Hands’

The Story of a Cluny Vocation

Sister Joan Van der Zyden, SJC

   We have all been aware of and praying for those in West Africa suffering from the Ebola crisis. The num- bers are stagger- ing and as I am writing, Sierra Leone is suffering from the highest increase of cases in a single week in any country since the crisis began. I continue to pray for them and especially for the people of the town of Moyamba who remain quarantined. I remember them in a special way because that is where I became aware that God was calling me to religious life. It was the visit of a missionary priest to our parish that sparked the idea of going overseas in the mind of my best friend, Lorrie! After talking about it, I was ready for the adventure. We wanted to go as ‘lay missionaries’ not as volunteers so we looked for an organization that was connected to the Church. We made inquiries with one religious congregation but they only took women who were interested in religious life. That certainly was not us... 

   

Read on about Sister Joan's journey to Moyamba, Sierra Leone and how her "vocational flame" was awakened:

Click here to read Sister Joan's full story

National Catholic Sisters Week

NCSW is an annual celebration that takes place from March 8–14. Created to honor women religious, it is a series of events that instruct, enlighten, and bring greater focus to the lives of these incredible women. It’s our chance to recognize all they have done for us. It’s also our hope that as more young women learn about women religious, more will choose to follow their example.

Follow this link to explore the many stories and events:

www.youtube.com/channel/UCyi9_UCWgVNkxsmxNU6-M3Q

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Be Reconciliation
  

    

“Turn away from your sins

and believe the Good News”

 

Confess

Repent

Rejoice

for

 “God so loved the world He sent His only Son”

that He sent us His Son”

Sister Mary Presents the Book of the Elect to Archbishop Gomez

Sister Mary J. Glynn, Director of the Rite of Christian Initiation at Mary Star of the Sea in San Pedro, presenting the Book of the Elect to Archbishop Jose Gomez for his signature at the Rite of Election at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral, Los Angeles on the First Sunday of Lent, February 22, 2015.

Third Sunday of Lent

   

“Stop making

my

Father’s house

a

marketplace!”

Jesus is in the Temple, the place of sacred relationship with the Father. 

What surrounds Jesus there is the business and busyness of the marketplace., sellers and buyer, money changers and the ‘noise’ of  consumers.

This week’s Lenten challenge is to recognize the sacredness of our own being, the temple of God, and take inventory of this temple of our lives.

What is at the core and center of our lives?  Is it the sacred relationship with the Father, with our neighbor, and with our self?  Is it the consumerism that surrounds us and has crept into our very core consuming us?

“Love God and Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Has the frenetic busyness of the marketplace taken over the call to follow Jesus or does our discipleship make holy the marketplace in which we live and move as a follower of Jesus?

Lenten Practice

Do one action, make one decision to stop making the core of my existence a marketplace. Pray, fast and do good to others.  Take time out of a busy week to nurture the sacred relationships of  your life.