"The gift of charism allows us to pass on our mission to the world with passion and grace. We offer it to the world as a gift and trust that as it has gifted us, so it will give to many others."

The Catholic church places a high value on parenthood as a vocation. But the entrance of previously married women into religious communities also raises another possibility: more than one sacred calling. The diversities mothers bring to religious life impact community living, prayer life, decision-making, governance structures and ministries, and the stories of how these women were drawn to religious life are as diverse as the women themselves.

Three Stats and a Map - Much of the world is still primarily reliant on fossil fuels and nuclear power to meet its energy needs, but it's encouraging to read about efforts different countries are making to transition to renewable energy.

Blessed Sacrament Sr. Donna Breslin, the president of the congregation, said in a statement that a portion of the proceeds from the sales will support the care of retired sisters. Proceeds from the sale of the properties will be used "to challenge, in new ways, all forms of racism as well as the deeply rooted injustices in the world," she said. The decision, according to the statement, will make it possible for the congregation to carry forward the vision and spirit of St. Katharine Drexel.

"There is not a 'fragment' in all nature, for every relative fragment of one thing is a full harmonious unit in itself."

Notes from the Field - Last year, I walked into an apartment in an active construction zone in Boston, where I did not know anyone and where I would spend the next two years of my life. Going into it, I was terrified.

Family, relatives and friends of Sr. Clare Crockett gathered in St. Columba's Church Long Tower May 2 to remember the 33-year-old sister killed in Ecuador during an April 17 earthquake. Crockett and five postulants of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother were among more than 500 people killed in the quake.

Reflecting upon the history of Mother's Day, that it was intended originally to celebrate life and state that mothers did not want their children killed by war, I believe the added history is significant in our time.

GSR Today - After a week of experiencing the frenetic pace of Beirut, a day spent in the Beqaa Valley offers the opportunity for a bit of respite: mountainous landscapes, green valleys, crisp air free of the humidity common to the capital city's coastal climate.

"In the container of community life, I experience the stability my free spirit needs in order to be vibrant."