A Mass for my Mother

Today the mass I had scheduled to be said for my mom's soul finally came up almost a year after requesting it (we have a large parish), and I was able to get my husband and youngest son to go with me, which was a delight.  We had a wonderful homily from our diocesan vocations director, Fr. Brian McMaster.

Father McMaster

What a gifted speaker he is! Made me wish I could rush off to sign up for the priesthood myself, lol! I certainly hope he gets through to our many young people. I pray that God will increase vocations to the priesthood and religious life, especially in our young people. There is nothing more beautiful that a committed young sister or priest or deacon or monk, etc, glowing with God's love.

Life is a hard thing a lot of the time and we have received a crushing blow a few days ago as I mentioned in my last post, but somehow we must carry on.  I just need to remember to stay wrapped in Mary's mantle, to lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus, and to call upon my guardian angel for his help as well. 

Nuns--where have you been all my life?

I must admit that one of the main things that aroused my long-latent interest in the Catholic church several years ago was watching Audrey Hepburn in the old movie "The Nun's Story". Now technically, as I have since learned, Audrey was portraying a religious sister, with an active nursing apostolate, rather than a nun, who would be committed to a contemplative life of prayer and enclosure.  But, be that as it may, most people use the terms interchangeably, even many Catholics. 

At any rate, I recall thinking that the life of being dedicated to God's service, a peaceful life of prayer, structure, and spiritual growth, sounded right up my alley.  Had I only become a Catholic oh, say, thirty years earlier, I might have very well trod that path, though whether or not it would have worked for me in the long run, we shall never know.  

Now, please understand--I love my children and my husband very much, and am not looking to trade them in for a nice Dominican habit even if I could--though I do love the look of those habits! But I do at times wish for the peace and the Christ-centered existence of contemplative orders.  I wish we had more young ones with vocations--it seems that the orders that have retained some of the pre Vatican II ways--full habits, living in community, etc--are attracting more young people than those that have modernized.  What do you guys think?

Nashville Dominicans' class of postulants--a thriving, traditional order.

Audrey Hepburn in The Nun's Story