Only two weeks into my summer vacation, I've hit a snag. The past few weeks, at the college where I minister, have been full of activity. Like a blur, finals, commencements, dinners, evaluations, graduations, service trips, goodbyes, and planning sessions for the year ahead have come and gone. And after months of going at breakneck speed, I paused to rest . . . and found I couldn't.

The Vatican's congregation for religious life has summoned to Rome the superior of one of the major orders of U.S. Catholic sisters, asking her to "report on some areas of concern" following the controversial six-year investigation of the country's communities of women religious.

It is June and every year around this time my thoughts turn to my Dad, who died nine years ago on June 16, (Father's Day weekend) at age 87. What nudges my memory is the Feast of the Sacred Heart, held this year on June 3, but in 2007 it was celebrated on June 15, the eve of Dad's passing. (The feast follows the liturgical year and is always celebrated 19 days after Pentecost.)

"Though your thoughts and will resist gratitude, they will follow you if you convince them that it is easy and useful to be thankful."

Sister of Divine Providence Margaret Mertens is the site coordinator at La Posada Providencia, a migrant shelter in San Benito. The 8,000 migrants who have passed through have come from 75 different countries.

The recovery efforts after the severe April 16 earthquake in Ecuador are far from over, but the church there, with the help and leadership of its resident and missionary nuns, is dedicated to offering as much relief as possible to those affected. While many around the world may have already forgotten about this catastrophe, the leadership of Ecuador's Catholic women religious has played an integral role in the country's recovery.

"The ocean is the heart of our planet: Everyone’s health depends on a clean, productive ocean."

Religious life is appealing to young people because "it fills a spiritual need," offers "a relationship with God" and "gives people a sense of importance," said the superior general of a Midwest-based order of women religious.

Notes from the Field - Thus far in this volunteer program, I have been given the motivation and the ability to really re-evaluate why I want to live a "weird" life by the standards of general society. With the focus on simplicity, spirituality, social justice and community, I have already explored and learned so much, and I am coming to a better understanding of what I want my life to look like.