NCYC--We are the Church!

Imagine being in  football stadium with about 28,000 teens fired for Christ! I don't need to imagine--I was at NCYC (National Catholic Youth Conference) in Indianapolis.  Check out the NFCYM channel to get a sense of the power of the experience for our young Church http://www.youtube.com/user/nfcym.

Have you ever experienced Jesse Manibusan? http://jessemanibusan.com/home/

He is prayerful, inspiring and full of fun--seen here in one of his many smiley face shirts.  Throughout the event, he led the crowd in the following chant/cheer:

Who's the church? WE ARE!

Where's the church? RIGHT HERE!

And? EVERYWHERE!

How do we live our Catholic faith? ALL ARE WELCOME!

How do we live our Catholic faith? ALL ARE WELCOME?

And that's how the world knows that we've been, SIGNED. SEALED. DELIVERED.

Bob McCarty, executive director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, reminded the participants that our faith is vertical (God and me) and horizontal (my neighbor and me) as he moves his hand in a large sign of the cross. This was made concrete through the many service projects available at the event--packaging food for CRS, Locks-of-Love, capes for hospitalized children and more!

Pope Francis, NFCYM and the Daughters of Charity are of one mind and heart in the need to deepen our relationship with Christ in prayer and then reach out to our neighbors near and far.  As we read in Matthew 25--"Whatever you do for the least of these you do for me."  It is in giving that we receive, if only we take the time to reflect on our experiences and to hear God's message to me through this experience.

So what is God saying to me through my experience at NCYC (and NCCC)?

First, there are many amazing young people out there!  Second, they look to adults to be willing to share their time, talent and faith and they respond with enthusiasm.  Faith sharing is often not easy because it is something close to our heart.  We must pray for courage that we may speak boldly of our faith to the young Church and to our neighbor.  Third, this can all be done in the midst of a lot of fun!

Catherine and Sr. Denise

 Post contributed by Sister Denise LaRock, DC

Happy Thanksgiving and 'Feast Week'!

This week is a big week of celebrations for Daughters of Charity. Aside from Thanksgiving, we also remember and commemorate some important feast days and anniversaries in addition to prepping for Advent!

How are you celebrating? Tell us in the comments or connect with us on social media to share your photos and reflections.

Nov. 27: Apparition of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

A Miraculous Medal

This year marks 183 years since the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Laboure, D.C., in Paris, France. Nov. 27 was the date of the second of three apparitions, during which the Blessed Virgin gave St. Catherine the vision of the Miraculous Medal. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal establishes the locations of the apparitions and can be seen in this photo tour from the Catholic Company. Read more on the Daughters of Charity international site.

Nov. 28: Feast of St. Catherine Laboure

St. Catherine Laboure and the Blessed Mother;
statue at St. Louise Provincial Office

St. Catherine  Laboure humbly kept her apparitions of the Blessed Mother mostly to herself until much later in her life, only initially confiding in her spiritual director to ensure the production of the medal. St. Catherine Laboure was canonized in 1947, 71 years after her death in 1876.

Nov. 29: Anniversary of the Foundation of the Daughters of Charity

After 380 years, Daughters of Charity are still active in ministry throughout the world. Founded by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac in Paris in 1633, the Company stays true to its founding charism: "Given to God, in community, for the service of those who are poor."

St. Louise de Marillac;
statue at St. Louise Provincial Office

St. Vincent de Paul;
statue at St. Louise Provincial Office 

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and these days for the Company, reflect on your blessings with us. Share a glimpse of what God has blessed you with and what these celebrations mean to you.

Remembering JFK

Today marks 50 years since a tragic sunny day in Dallas, where President John F. Kennedy

was shot and killed in Dealey Plaza in the middle of a motorcade.

While much controversy spewed surrounding the events of Nov. 22, 1963, and is still being gnawed on today, we remember JFK and his legacy as the first Catholic president of the United States.

Several Daughters of Charity were in attendance as the motorcade drove by; one, Sister Angela Fitzgibbon, caught a smiling snapshot of the President and Jackie shortly before he was killed, as the Des Moines Register shares. We see in this D Magazine post a glimpse of more Daughters kneeling in prayer near a makeshift memorial on Thanksgiving of that year.

For more about the Daughters of Charity service in Dallas and their recollection from that day, read this Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives post.

Are Ministries Directly Established by St. Vincent and St. Louise Still in Existence Today?

An interesting question was posed prior to our last Holy Hangout on YouTube: "Are there any services that were started by St. Louise and/or St. Vincent from the 17th century in Paris that are still in existence today?  If there are still places that St. Vincent or St. Louise started, what are they called and is there a place to learn about their history?"

We dug around for an answer, and thanks to some help from the Archives, here it is:

In general, Daughters of Charity are still present in some of the cities to which they were sent by the Founders. Those cities would be Paris, Angers, Metz, and Warsaw. The actual ministries, however, have changed as the needs changed. For example, in Metz the Sisters manage a home for the elderly. When they went there in the 1600s, they took care of the sick and elderly, yes, but also any other need the people had. 

"The Daughters of Charity Sent to Metz Performing the Corporal Works of Mercy" in a chapel in Metz

Another reflection concurs that Daughters of Charity are still in many of the areas where ministries first started, but the Sisters may only be living there but serving more directly nearby.

From Sister Judith, who joined us on the Holy Hangout:

"I think the lack of precise examples of works or institutions that have continued is a reflection of our charism.  Especially for the Daughters of Charity, we have been sent where there is a need, often worked without an institution and often in collaboration (think of the Sisters' collaboration, even dependence on, the Ladies of Charity in the beginning), passed works on to lay collaborators and moved on to more pressing needs.  Some of the hospitals where the first Sisters worked continue, but without us."

Check out some other questions and answers from the last Holy Hangout on our Facebook page.

Have another question about the Daughters of Charity or discernment? Chime in and we'll help find an answer!

Help with Recovery Efforts in the Philippines

Our hearts and prayers are with those devastated by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and surrounding areas. This tragedy is a humbling time to reflect on our blessings and to devote time to prayer with renewed spirits of hope. Thankfully, Daughters of Charity in the Philippines are all safe.


Photo by Richard Whitcombe / Shutterstock.com

We also have the opportunity to contribute to their active efforts for recovery. The Daughters are fervently working to help their neighbors. If you would like to donate, we are accepting designated checks at our provincial office. Please write in the memo line that you are donating toward help in the Philippines.

Checks payable to Daughters of Charity

Mail to: Daughters of Charity Province of St. Louise
4330 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63108

How else are you helping the Philippines? Share your efforts and reflections here.

Online Advent Retreat Coming Soon!

Not close enough to any of our discernment retreat locations? Now you can ask questions and hear stories online!

We're hosting a special Online Advent Discernment Retreat Dec. 1-5. It's a chance to share your thoughts as you're discerning your calling. This private retreat matches your schedule and meets you where you are through phone, email or Skype.

To schedule a time and find out more about the online retreat, email dcvocations2@doc.org or call Sister Virginia Ann Brooks, D.C., at 812-963-7559.

Other upcoming retreat opportunities:

• Nov. 15-17: Come and See Discernment Retreat in Emmitsburg, Md.
• Nov. 16: Come and Serve Discernment Retreat in Chicago

Visit our Retreats page for more information and other opportunities.

Praying in the "Thin Places"

The Daughters of Charity have an international publication that is internal for the reading of Daughters of Charity around the world. The majority of the publication are spiritual articles and those related to the heritage of our founders.

 

http://filles-de-la-charite.org/ our international website

 

The quotes below are from a presentation done by Fr. Patrick Griffin, CM.  He is the Director General of the Daughters of Charity--think of him as the spiritual director for the worldwide community.

 

In the presentation he spoke of how the "Scottish and Irish mystics sometimes describe a holy place as a “thin place”, “a transparent place where God comes very close.”  The excerpts below touch on prayer in those "thin places."  May you take time to ponder them in a prayerful quiet...

 

Photo from http://kimrosen.net/2012/08/30/where-poet-and-mystic-are-one/

“We often draw closer to God through someone else, perhaps it is a child or a genuinely good person or someone who is caught up in a critical situation or someone who is poor.  In these thin places, we can sense our undivided heart…” p.171

“Prayer is important in our lives; it is part of our vocations as consecrated persons and we have to be constantly deepening it.  Our undivided hearts call us to this way of expressing our closeness to our God.” P.172

“Each place where we encounter God is made holy by God’s presence.” P.173

“Places where we find God present in the midst of His people are holy and elicit from us a response of reverence and respect-removing our shoes, speaking with humility, allowing ourselves to be taught.  Holy ground is the place where we open ourselves to God’s presence, and allow God to touch our lives, and hear the call to more faithful discipleship.” P.173

“Our prayer should also begin by asking ourselves whom we are looking for.” P.175

“The Lord calls us by name and shows us the obligations that follow on from that call.  If we respond with undivided hearts which allow the Lord to be Lord we will engage in genuine conversation which is prayer.” P.175

“We are asked to recognize the One to whom we are speaking, and to recognize that we are known by God personally.  This realization should give intimacy and ease to our prayer as we are invited into a place where God comes close and invites us to intimacy with Him.  It gives consolation and resolution to our undivided heart.” P.179

“Genuine prayer flows from an interior disposition which makes God the center of our lives and the one thing necessary for us.” P. 180

Fr. Patrick Griffin, CM

A graduate of Niagara University, where he earned a B.S. in physics, Father Griffin received the M.Div. in Theology and a Th.M. in Theology from Mary Immaculate Seminary in Northampton, PA and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from The Catholic University of America.
In addition to serving on the faculty at St. John’s University , he has taught at Niagara University, Mary Immaculate Seminary, and the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, NY(from www.famvin.org).

Despite the serious looking photo, Fr. Pat has a great sense of humor and a joy-filled spirit.  To find out more about our brother community, the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) go to http://cmglobal.org/en/ (international)or http://www.vincentian.org/ (Western US) or http://www.cmeast.org/ (Eastern US).

Quotes were used with permission.