Julie A. Ferraro

Life should be all about love — an unconditional love as modeled by Jesus, St. Francis and St. Benedict, with all its varied expressions — and the practices we engage in during this Lent can enrich that love for all. 

The end of a year and the beginning of a new one naturally leads to self-reflection, with a concurrent desire to improve one's life. I'll admit this is true in my own life.

A new project launched by the National Religious Vocation Conference — in time for November's National Vocation Awareness Week — makes available a broad range of resources for those discerning their vocation.

On the morning of Sept. 17, I stood outside the temporary monastery of the Benedictine Sisters at Kylemore Abbey in Ireland. I felt a peace like I felt nowhere else. The previous days, in Rome, had been intense.

In April, I moved to the Center for Benedictine Life at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho. Here at the center, Benedictines are mapping out a future quite singular in nature.

As the size and dynamic of Benedictine communities changes, being flexible enough to "let go" of buildings or ministries is an undeniable form of wisdom. 

The 2022-23 members of the InterCongregational Collaborative Novitiate cohort are appreciating each other's varied cultural traditions as they continue discernment with their different religious congregations.

During decades writing fiction and journalism, I've learned the importance of telling a good story. That applies to the websites and social media accounts of women's religious communities.

Laypeople who declare their promise in whatever form to share the respective community's charism also become representatives of the community. Their choices impact the religious with whom they affiliate in a wide range of circumstances.

As the number of available volunteer programs — including those sponsored by women's religious communities — decreases, Catholic Volunteer Network has seen the need to seek other viable models in a time of transition.

It might not seem that tattoos are a subject connected with women religious, and 20 years ago I would have agreed. That was before I got my first tattoo, at age 42 — I now have 10 of them.

As religious communities find many of their rooms unoccupied, they should open their doors to the people. After all, the crow soaring on the wind must land sometime, and work together with the other birds to survive.

Women should refuse to do the lion's share of support work in the church while men accept the credit. Men in the church need to be forced to open their eyes, minds and hearts and acknowledge the equality of women on every level.

Lent is a time to let in some fresh air, blow away the spiritual cobwebs and renew the soul. As with a physical spring cleaning when we get rid of excess "stuff," the soul must be freed of ideas that weigh down faith.

One Benedictine Oblate with a camera captures images of her community members' efforts to live the balance St. Benedict outlined more than 1,500 years ago.

Some bishops and religious superiors scoff at notifications that priests treat women religious and laity like dirt. These authority figures refuse to investigate the claims and take no action against the perpetrator.

GSR Today - The silence and peace have made it possible for me to listen to the divine voice, and discern where I could support women religious — even if the chance of me formally joining a religious community is slim.

Some might view my simplistic concept as naive or outright ridiculous, but it is a feasible starting point to deal with prejudice in general and, more specifically, systemic racism.

"Surprisingly, a number of the women [in the Bible] have very important roles, even though they may not speak directly. I wanted to get into how they felt."

Mercy Sr. Donna Marie Paolini opened the Center of Solitude in 1992. She spoke to GSR about the importance of solitude on the spiritual journey, and shared the surreal origin of the center's location.