The Two Of Us

In Catholic news reports lately, I have been reading about the Vatican's critical "doctrinal assessment" of women religious groups in the U.S.  Seems like American nuns and sisters are being under-appreciated.  You can get an update here.

This leads me to say a few words of appreciation about two women religious who have had a great influence on my life.  These are my two aunts:  Aunt Therese and Aunt Peggy.

Aunt Therese is my father's sister.  She is now Sr. Mary Joseph, O.P., a Dominican cloistered nun who lives in a contemplative community in North Guilford, CT

The charism and mission of her community is to serve the Lord in perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Aunt Peggy is my mother's sister: Sr. Margaret Sehlstedt, M.M., a Maryknoll missionary sister who spent may years working and teaching in Japan.  Her current mission is to care for my mother in Hamilton, OH.  Her community has sent her to care for the elderly in a very specific way.

Both these women have been models of faith and religious commitment for me ever since I was a boy.  I certainly owe much of my Jesuit vocation to them.  I tell people I fall right in between their theological trends:  Therese on the right, and Peg on the left.  Can there be a Jesuit firmly planted in the middle?  Hard to say.

Thank you, lord, for the example and service of these two great women.  May the seeds they planted grow deep and bring to harvest the greatest of shrubs and trees for birds and other singing voices to give God praise.
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“I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, 'How many good things have you done in your life?' rather he will ask, 'How much love did you put into what you did?”
― Mother Teresa