Lou Ella Hickman

Lou Ella Hickman is a member of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament and is a former teacher and librarian. Her poems have appeared in numerous magazines such as America, First Things, Emmanuel, Third Wednesday, and new verse news, as well as in four anthologies: The Night's Magician: Poems about the Moon, edited by Philip Kolin and Sue Brannan Walker; Down to the Dark River, edited by Philip Kolin; Secrets, edited by Sue Brannan Walker; and After Shocks: The Poetry of Recovery for Life-Shattering Events, edited by Tom Lombardo. She was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2017. Her first book of poetry, titled she: robed and wordless, was published in 2015.

By this Author

Musicians (from left) Anthony McGill, Myra Huang and Elena Perroni(Courtesy of Ronald Werman) perform "Chavah's Daughters Speak," composed by James Lee III. The piece includes poetry by Sr. Lou Ella Hickman. (Courtesy of Ronald Werman)

Setting my poetry to music is nothing less than God's miracle

In 2007, Sr. Lou Ella Hickmanshe submitted a poem to an anthology. Next her poetry collection was published. Then a composer set some of her poetry to music. 

A female moose grazes for water plants in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. (Wikimedia Commons/Tony Hisgett)

Both poetry and spirituality challenge us to see God in all things

Because I am a person of faith, I seek to understand who God is. However, theology can say only so much, as it is rational — and reason has its limits. We also need the intuition of poets to express what reason cannot.

At the table (Unsplash/Ryan Riggins)

Stories around the table: 'The Help' is a celluloid parable

Despite mixed reviews, "The Help" is even more relevant today than 10 years ago. When seen with the eyes of faith, it is a parable: a story of the Eucharist hidden in the bread and wine of friendship and hospitality.

Supergirls at New York Comic Con in 2016 (Wikimedia Commons/Richie S)

Hope springs eternal with a little help from Supergirl

To see as God sees is to hope. How God sees us is the cord that binds us into a humanity that struggles to hope, to see the good in ourselves and in each other. I hope. What's your superpower?

Thank you (Unsplash/Priscilla Du Preez)

The Eucharist, gratitude and a spirituality of surprise

To make the surprise of gratitude a part of one's eucharistic spirituality, one needs only to become aware of opportunities that appear regularly in one's life. Here are some of my moments of "surprise as Eucharist."

This mid-17th century British textile (linen embroidered with silk thread) depicts David and Abigail, whose story is told in the Hebrew Bible's 1 Samuel. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Pray with these women whose stories are woven into the 'great fabric of salvation history'

Invite women of the Hebrew Scriptures to be a part of your prayer. By honoring the feminine metaphors and allegories, we can feel the presence of God and understand God's message for us.

The prophetess Anna is depicted at left, holding a scroll, in this detail from the 15th-century painting "The Presentation in the Temple" by Alvaro Pirez. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Praying with women in the Bible

Along with Mary, what other women of the Bible could inspire our prayer for so many needs in our world? Think of Rizpah, Queen Esther, Hannah, the mother of Peter and Andrew, the prophetess Anna, and more.

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus in this representation of the sixth Station of Cross at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southwestern France. (CNS/Paul Haring)

The Way of the Cross: the way of kindness

The Stations or the Way of the Cross began its historical journey as a devotion during the 400s. I hope my reflections on several of the Stations could be another way we religious sisters and nuns can encourage people during this time of great burdens.