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AS100 Ask Sister – Highlights of fav shows in honor of 100th Ask Sister episode, World Day for Consecrated Life, GPS rosary for finding religious life, vow of obedience vs. doormat

Sister Maxine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:10:14 +0000

AS100 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 2, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Highlights in honor of 100th episode, World Day for Consecrated Life, GPS rosary for religious life, vow of obedience vs. doormat, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

In honor of the 100th episode of Ask Sister, audio clips of some of our favorite shows: tin-can podcast #1, Chloe the Convent Cat, putting the “man” in “mantilla,” and the sisters’ best jokes.
World Day for Consecrated Life–an opportunity to celebrate God’s calling in our lives.
The Rosary as a GPS for finding one’s way to religious life.
The Rosary as a Marian devotion, and the role of Mary in our lives and in the tradition of religious life.
Fond memories of the glow-in-the-dark Rosary.
How does one live out the vow of obedience, without falling into the unhealthy habit of being a doormat? The ups and downs of obedience not just for sisters but for all Christians!

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS099 Ask Sister – Mass fracas over word changes in liturgy, unruly use of church rules, where to find a spiritual mentor, does God have plans for the world

Sister Maxine — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:08:55 +0000

AS099 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 19, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Mass fracas over word changes in liturgy, unruly use of church rules, finding a spiritual mentor, does God have plans for the world, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Why are some people vehemently upset about the changes to the Mass? Jesus is still Jesus in the Eucharist — isn’t that why we go to Mass anyway?
Can I be a sister if I am not a conservative Catholic (or in other words, have a problem with strict applying of rules in the church)?
Where to find a spiritual mentor when it seems there’s not one anywhere nearby.
What are God’s plans for today’s world?

In Good Faith with Coach Cathy Rush

Sister Julie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:41:55 +0000

Join us today for a live broadcast of In Good Faith, a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie.

On Air: Today from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central Time (your time zone)

Where: www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE

Guest: Coach Cathy Rush

Cathy Rush was the head women’s basketball coach at Immaculata College (now University) from 1970-1977. She led Immaculata to three consecutive AIAW national titles from 1972-1974. Coach Rush also led the 1975 U.S. Women’s basketball team at the Pan American games to a gold medal finish. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 7, 2008. She was inducted into the women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. She is the founder and president of Future Stars Camps.

Be sure to check out The Mighty Macs movie featuring Cathy and the Immaculata IHM Sisters!

Details: The broadcast is free and open to the public. You can tune in from any place you have internet access. We also have a chat room for you to use during the broadcast in order to connect with one another and with us. You can also submit your questions ahead of time by using the comment box below.

If new to A Nun’s Life podcasts, the podcasts are basically like tuning into a radio program, but instead of broadcasting it on the airwaves, we broadcast it on our website. All you have to do is visit our website and make sure the volume on your computer is up.

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

What questions or topics would you like Coach Rush and the nuns to discuss?

AS098 Ask Sister – the difference between penance and sacrifice, speechless God, is grief a rejection of faith

The Nuns — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:44:24 +0000

AS098 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 12, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: the difference between penance and sacrifice, speechless God, is grief a rejection of faith, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is the difference between penance and sacrifice?
Austerities and asceticism
I don’t feel like God is telling me much. Am I going to hear a voice one day before graduation telling me to go to a convent? Or is saying “I want to go to college and study anthropology” sufficient?
Measuring up to the holiness of friends and other people.
My mother died recently and I’m very sad. But some of my bible study friends say, “She’s in heaven with God now and you should be happy about that.” Is my sadness somehow a rejection of my faith?

In Good Faith with Sister Pat Daly, OP

The Nuns — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:26:19 +0000

Join us today for a live broadcast of In Good Faith, a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie.

On Air: Today from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central Time (your time zone)

Where: www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE

Guest: Sister Pat Daly, OP

Sister Patricia Daly, O.P. is a Dominican Sister of Caldwell , NJ and has worked in Corporate Responsibility and Socially Responsible Investing for over 25 years. She serves as the Executive Director of the Tri-State Coaltion for Responsible Investment, an organization of 40 Roman Catholic Dioceses and Congregations of Women and Men in the NY metropolitan area. Pat represents these institutional investors to the national Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility: 275 Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish organizations holding more than $110 billion in investments. Pat is also the Corporate Responsibility Representative for the Sisters of St. Dominic of Caldwell , NJ and consults for the American Baptist Churches in their Socially Responsible Investment Program. See Sister Patricia onCBS News!

Show Notes:

Sister Pat’s community, the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell, New Jersey, and her attraction to their commitment to social justice
what it means to do socially responsible investing
personal investors and institutional investors (including dioceses and other Catholic organizations)
asking the question about where people who are poor, hungry, homeless, etc. fit in with our choice of investments
“the power of one is not to be underestimated”
helping companies do good in the community and also have just practices within their corporate structure and policies and how they are impacting society as a whole
sometimes (especially in the early days) it’s a struggle for companies to engage with their shareholders about social responsibility
how Jesus informs Sister Pat’s ministry — Jesus as a change agent who understood the abuses in the economic governance and faith systems and challenged them
a critical vocation to speak up for people who have no role or power in society
successes that Sister Pat has seen through the years, e.g., working with General Electric (responsible for much of the contamination), other companies, religious orders, and the community to clean up PCB contamination along the Hudson River
the effects of global warming being addressed more and more compared to 20 years ago when they filed the first shareholder resolution on climate change
criteria to evaluate companies in which one wishes to invest can be found at iccr.org, tricri.org, greenamerica.org
disappointments that Sister Pat has encountered, e.g., addressed the irradiation of food but didn’t at the time have the resources to address concerns around genetically-modified foods
is better to only invest in companies that have their social-responibility acts together or to stick it out in less socially responsible companies and demand change?
it’s all about dialogue — understanding a companies culture and bringing in one’s concerns so that both can walk away and say “I did a good thing”
the Catholic Church’s role in promoting socially responsible investing
a quandary when a company that has questionable practices invests generously in church and community work
the Occupy Wall Street movement
abuses around compensation for senior executives
what it’s like to be a Catholic sister in the board room and in the media spotlight
Ford on the “best of” list of the really good guys in terms of social responsibility — also Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster) with food sustainability, Walt Disney Company with concerns in supply chain — not only make changes with their companies but instigate change within their industry
a company that could do better is Exxon Mobil, especially around greenhouse gas emissions
the so-called “sin stocks” — gambling, liquor, and tobacco stocks
myth busted — the truth is that you can do well investing in socially responsible investing

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

NUNDAY – Sister Hiltrudis Powers, CPPS

Sister Julie — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:13:38 +0000

Sister Hiltrudis Powers of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, was an amazing nun and artist. She died on December 31 and left a legacy of beauty.

Sister Hiltrudis Powers was well-known for her work painting colorful murals, designing stained-glass windows, and making sculptures, silk-screened banners and other items that decorate churches here and abroad. (source)

She was born in Quincy, Illinois, and belonged to the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of O’Fallon, Missouri. The sisters are known for their beautiful artwork.

In 1945, when Sister Powers was 25, the director of the embroidery department died. Sister Powers was named director of what came to be the Ecclesiastical Art Department, and this became her life’s ministry.

She specialized in stained glass, metal and wood. When newly appointed Archbishop Justin Rigali needed a coat of arms, the St. Louis Archdiocese commissioned Sister Powers to design and craft the work in copper and enamel on wood.

Before Vatican II, in 1962, her order’s art department made articles only for Catholic churches. After that, the department began making artworks for other denominations….

Sister Powers designed the miter and stole worn by Pope John Paul II during his visit to St. Louis in 1999, according to the order.

Here is an awesome sampling of Sister Hiltrudis’ work.

Stole for Pope John Paul II

Iron works in St. Joseph Chapel in O'Fallon, MO at the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood

Stained-glass window in St. Joseph's Chapel that Sister Hiltrudis Powers designed and help make.

AS097 Ask Sister – Travel troubles for road nun, Christian feminists-do they really exist, building the kingdom of God locally

The Nuns — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:06:40 +0000

AS097 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 5, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: travel troubles for road nun, Christian feminists – do they really exist?, building the kingdom of God locally and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What happens when a nun is traveling and runs into really bad weather? Is prayer her only option?
What does it mean to be a Christian feminist?
What does it mean to build the kingdom of God? How can we do that locally?

Feast Day Letter to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Adventure Nun

Sister Maxine — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:07:23 +0000

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 1774-1821

Dear Sister Elizabeth Ann,

Just a short note to say that I’m a big fan of yours! It’s not just because your feast day is on my birthday, which it is. Or that my momma’s name is also Elizabeth Ann (BTW she’s a huge fan too).

I really admire your sense of adventure, or whatever spirit it was that allowed you to say “yes” to God in so many different ways. Raised an Anglican in New York, you married and went to Italy with your hub and one of your five kids. (My mom and dad also raised five kids).

It must have been very difficult when your husband died in Italy. Yet even then, you did not lose faith. Even then, you turned to God. Maybe the challenge of being a single parent led you to such a deep desire to help others. Back in New York, you became a Catholic and raised your kids.

And then you began a religious order! Way to say “yes” to that one – the Sisters of Charity, Emmitsburg, Maryland, was the first order of women religious that originated in the United States! (My congregation was also founded in the U.S.!) Not only did you and your sisters help many poor young women by providing free Catholic education, but you left a legacy that’s still vibrant nearly 200 years later!

Throughout the day today, I’m going to pray in these words you wrote to a good friend in a letter in 1810:

“Faith lifts the staggering soul on one side, hope supports it on the other, experience says it must be and love says let it be.”

Thanks for the many ways you said “yes” to God, Sister Elizabeth Ann!

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Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer (Mon.-Wed and Friday) at 6 p.m. Central Time at aNunsLife.org/live. Join us there on Thursdays at 6 p.m. for the Ask Sister broadcast.

The Most Interesting Nun in the World

Sister Julie — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:38:59 +0000

I was out with friends on New Year’s Eve and they joked saying, you are like the most interesting nun in the world”, a shout-out of course to the clever Dos Equis commercials featuring Jonathan Goldsmith as the Most Interesting Man in the World. I had to laugh because there is some truth in that! Not that I’m particularly interesting (after all, I was in bed by 11 p.m. that night), but there is something about NUN-NESS that is infinitely intriguing and captivating.

It has nothing to do with what we wear, although I did once wear an Easter hat that caused quite a stir. And it has nothing to do with what we do (I have ministered in bicycle stores and bars). I think it has much to do with seeing things and making choices that our society deems crazy and turning them into a blessing.

making lifelong vows of obedience, poverty, and celibacy
making everyday and life decisions in common
upholding the dignity of the “least” (e.g., the poor, the outcast, the enemy, the oppressed)
holding secular and sacred not as opposites but as one
believing that through the cross comes the resurrection

Even as a nun of 10+ years now, I am still wholly compelled by all that is NUN. It is truly an adventure that engages all aspects of my being — mind, body, spirit, memory, hopes, dreams — and is crazy goodness! What is cool is that I find that so many nuns are like this. Just listen to their stories of how they have lived. Read the histories and foundation stories of congregations. What’s not to love?!

As we head into the new year, I encourage you to tap into your inner nun and allow this new year to take on all sorts of awesome adventures that thoroughly engage you.

And in this spirit, “Stay thirsty, my friends!”

P.S. Some advice for the new year …

AS096 Ask Sister – run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary, hanging on to pre-Vatican II stuff, adopt-a-nun, and more

The Nuns — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:31:46 +0000

S096 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 29, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary, hanging on to pre-Vatican II stuff, adopt-a-nun, how to know and respond when God is calling, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I’m not Catholic but have had a few run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary. What could this possibly mean?
Is it wrong to hang onto pre-Vatican II understandings and expressions of the faith? Of religious life?
I’d love to spiritually adopt a nun. How to I go about doing so?
How do you know if God is calling you to something, and what can you do about it?

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from which you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

In history and sistory, Prof. Margaret Susan Thompson rocks!

Sister Maxine — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:51:43 +0000

Icame across this article yesterday about Prof. Thompson, one of my fav historians! Through her work, she tells the stories of U.S. women religious and how they have shaped U.S. culture and society. Plus she’s a lively writer–she makes history come alive! I am grateful to her and all historians who help to share accurate, authentic stories about sisters!

Sister Julie and I were delighted to have Prof. Thompson join us on a live podcast last year. To hear a recording of the conversation, go to the In Good Faith webpage.

Are there sisters you know whose stories should be told? Please share your stories here and on the A Nun’s Life Discussion Forum

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Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer tonight and every weekday at 6 p.m. Central Time at aNunsLife.org/live.

Mary Christmas!

Sister Maxine — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:53:41 +0000

During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.

Day 15 :: Mary written by Sister Maxine

Artwork by He Qi

With Christmas just around the corner, ‘tis the season for Nativity sets. They seem to be everywhere – at churches, the grocery store, schools, my neighbors’ front lawns. Inside each of them is the familiar figure of Mary, about to give birth to Jesus.

In some of the Nativity sets, Mary wears a blue and white flowing gown and is surrounded by dramatic lighting. In others, she looks like a travel-weary young woman in threadbare clothing. In one very unusual Nativity set Mary is wearing a 1960s style peasant blouse and a long brown skirt probably made of organic material (Joseph was wearing sunglasses).

The various images of Mary make me think about the various Marys in my life, and the ways they symbolically give birth to something new. There are the two Marys who received me into the IHM congregation, certainly a life-changing moment for me. There is the good friend Mary whose death at an early age awakened in me a profound sense of the beauty of life. There is the Mary who was my first encounter with Vatican II theology and, to my astonishment, talked about an imminent, loving, caring God and a Church known as the People of God.

So as I go by the Nativity sets this year, I say a prayer for all the Marys in my life, the Marys who are the source of new life not only for me but in all the relationships around them. Thank you, Marys!

Who are the Marys that you know who bring forth new life? How have they affected you?

Mary, be with us as we seek to be a source of new life and hope in the world, to be the bearer of Christ to all we encounter in our life

* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *

Join the nuns and community for prayer tonight at 6 p.m. CT at aNunsLife.org/live.

AS095 Ask Sister – the nature of grace, renouncing things one never had, nunly vows, my church NO my church!

The Nuns — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:37:45 +0000

AS095 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 8, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: nature and theology of grace, renouncing things one never had, nun vows, the Trinity as two men and a hen?, my church NO my church!, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What exactly is grace? Is it like The Force or getting a shot of Red Bull?
How does grace lead to freedom?
Two men and a hen — A new image for the Trinity?
Can a person renounce something if they’ve never had it? e.g., can I give up sex if I’ve never even had a romantic relationship?
Aren’t the vows about renouncing things?
Whose church is it, anyway? Is the Church my church, your church, God’s church, or our church?
A Sister is interviewed on CBS News regarding the Apostolic Visitation and sisters’ responses

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/ and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

In Good Faith with Father Anthony Gittins

Sister Julie — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:52:23 +0000

IGF011 In Good Faith with Father Anthony Gittins, recorded live on December 1, 2011. Produced by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include mission, evangelization, discipleship, and liberation; magisterium and ministerium of the Church; discernment and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Father Anthony Gittins, CSSp

Father Anthony Gittins is a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) and a professor of mission and culture at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois. For the past twenty-five years he has with and among homeless women on the streets of Chicago and in a shelter. For seven of those years he was part of Genesis House – a community where women struggle to escape from prostitution (from CTU website).

Show Notes:

How Fr. Tony’s faith journey informs his sense of mission
Edwina Gately and working at Genesis House

“Just love them, she said. And I thought how simple it sounds, and how complicated it is to love people.”

“Our job is to love them, not to judge them. And once they begin to love themselves then they have the responsibility to love their neighbor as themselves. But meanwhile it is their neighbor’s job to love them.”

Ministering as a pastor in Sierra Leone to learn the “grammar of the language and the grammar of the culture”
Teaching theology at Catholic Theological Union through the lens of culture, e.g. the cultural implications of reading Scripture
The relationship between mission, evangelization, discipleship, and liberation
Mission is about God is intrinsically a God of movement, of engagement, of relationship — reaching out into the world … it is like God’s dynamic breathing out God’s spirit (God’s cosmic, creative breath that is sending forth) — and God’s breathing in (God calling people, reconciling people, embracing people, forgiving people)
Evangelization is the way we talk about Jesus, the incarnation of God’s mission … Jesus’ mission brought down to earth … describes everything that Jesus does because Jesus is utterly and totally committed to God’s mission
Discipleship is a one-word job description for us, a faithful living out of what Jesus was doing — not doing our own t hing but learning how to do Jesus’ thing by watching and learning from Jesus
Liberation – Jesus says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and has SENT ME to liberate people, to set people free from anything that binds them in any way.”
God’s mission has a church! The church’s job is to do God’s mission
Discernment is required to know where we fit in God’s mission
Discerning and making decisions “in good faith”
The difference between feeling comfortable or content and feeling peaceful
The Church and the relationship of tension between “power” and “piety”
How to deal with “catechism flame-throwers”
The relationship between Magisterium and Ministerium

More information including upcoming shows and recordings of past episodes can be found at the In Good Faith program web page.

AS094 Ask Sister – nun hairstyles, a question of morals, debunking nun myths for your friends, nuns for 4-year-old, weird detours

The Nuns — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:18:40 +0000

AS094 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 30, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: nun hairstyles, a question of morals, debunking nun myths for your friends, explaining nuns to a 4-year-old child, weird detours, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

A novelist wants to know what’s under the veil for sisters circa 1960: hair or no hair?
A listener asks if there are moral qualifications to be a nun. We’ll expand the convo to talk about moral qualifications for vocations of all types.
What to tell friends about nuns and virginity, nuns and trust funds, and nuns who are parents.
Can sisters and nuns keep assets and inheritances when they enter religious life?
Do nuns get an allowance or stipend?
A mom wonders how to explain what nuns are to her four-year-old.
Are weird detours part of God’s plan?

How Icons Are Made

Sister Julie — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:40:57 +0000

I have always been fascinated with icons and iconography. I love the colors, the gold leaf, the aliveness, and the mystery of icons! It is a great blessing to have one of my own IHM Sisters as an iconographer because I get to hang around her studio, learn from her, and be in the presence of sacred art!

During our Fall Fundraiser, Sister Nancy Lee graciously allowed the A Nun’s Life film crew into her studio where she explained how icons are made and what they mean.
We did an 8-part series of videos which are available for free here and on the A Nun’s Life Youtube Channel. Part I is below and the others you can find at anunslife.org/iconography.

Part I: Becoming and Iconographer

Visit at anunslife.org/iconography for all 8 videos!

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Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer tonight and every weekday at 6 p.m. Central Time at aNunsLife.org/live.

AS093 Ask Sister – Special Edition on Saints, holiness, and joy with guests Sister Sandra Schneiders and Father James Martin

The Nuns — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 07:00:55 +0000

AS093 Ask Sister podcast published on November 24, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. This is a Special Edition on Saints, holiness, and joy. The nuns are joined by Catholic superstars Sister Sandra Schneiders, IHM, and Father James Martin, SJ.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.
Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Sister Sandra Schneiders

What is the Scriptural basis for the saints?
In iconography and in various visual renderings, the saints are often pictured with some kind of symbol that speaks to something about their life — Teresa of Avila is pictured with a dove and quill, Saint Joseph with carpentry tools. Centuries from now, what symbol would you hope would be associated with you?
What does holiness mean in general as well as in the ups and downs of our daily life?
What was it like first getting to know the author of the Fourth Gospel?
Check out Sister Sandra’s new book Prophets in Their Own Country: Women Religious Bearing Witness to the Gospel in a Troubled Church

Father James Martin

What role do saints play in our prayers?
Is it considered a miracle that some saints do not decompose after dying?
Isn’t holiness a pretty serious thing? What role do joy, humor, and laughter play in the spiritual life?
What’s the deal with relics?
What advice would you give to people who want to live a saintly life?
Check out Father Jim’s new book Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life

AS092 Ask Sister – call and dread in discernment, novelist seeks info on real-life nuns, a sister’s ministry to kids with AIDS, cookin’ and cleanin’ nuns

The Nuns — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:46:02 +0000

AS092 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 17, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: call and dread in discernment, a novelist seeks info on real-life nuns, ministry to and with children, cooking and cleaning nuns, and more!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

The work of discernment: call and dread. Really?
Novelist asks about nuns in childcare ministries, and Sister Camille Brouillard responds by describing what it was like to minister to children with AIDS.
I found a description of sisters and nuns on a diocesan website that describes their lives in terms of cooking and housekeeping and wanting to be loved and, oh yeah, some prayer too. What’s up with that?

The work of discernment –”call and dread”

Sister Maxine — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:00:16 +0000

Ilove this reflection on discernment! For me, it pretty much describes in a nutshell my experience of discerning God’s call, especially at times when I find an intersection where I thought only one road existed.

Photo by Alesa Dam

The reflection was written by Sister Mary Fran Gilleran, IHM, and was published in Midwiving a Vibrant Future, by the Leadership Council of Women Religious.

The work of discernment sets a challenge before us. We enter a process of choice and decision-making with many aspects to it. The deepest calls of our lives, the times when we know we have to choose, are profound moments.

These moments always seem to have two sides: call and dread. A call that challenges us, that we know is right, confronts us with dread at the same time. We know this call will require new demands of us. It will require taking on and letting go of familiar patterns and ways of being comfortable. It elicits dread even though we know it is time, it is needed, it is even good for us and for the whole.

Midwives of the new must know when to push for the next stage and when to simply breathe in and through both call and dread. They are two sides of the same invitation. There is a time to throw away. And it is all part of one process.

How does this reflection resonate with your experience of discernment?

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Join A Nun’s Life community tonight for prayer at aNunsLife.org/live at 6 p.m. CT (your time zone) Come a bit early or stay a bit late and chat with us in the chat room!

AS091 Ask Sister – novelist needs info for nunfiction, hanging up on a call from God, how nuns pray, submissiveness, unholy spirits, gay saints

The Nuns — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:35:06 +0000

AS091 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 9, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: novelist needs info for nunfiction, hanging up on a call from God, how nuns pray, submissiveness, unholy spirits, gay saints

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

A novelist is looking for info for a new work of nunfiction
Hanging up on a call from God? What happens when a nun leaves religious life?
A rosary a day? How nuns pray.
What is submissiveness?
Unholy spirits and what to do about them
Are there any gay saints?

Do you have a question for us? Using your computer, record your question on voice mail. It’s easy to do! Just click this Record link to get started! Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS090 Ask Sister – Special Saintly Edition, with saints in a cave, saintly symbols-coffee and ice cream, decommissioned saints, saintliness in scripture

The Nuns — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:12:52 +0000

AS090 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 3, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Special Saintly Edition. Topics include: saints in a cave, saintly symbols-coffee and ice cream, decommissioned saints, saintliness in scripture

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How St. Syncletica ditched her entourage and headed for a cave
Coffee, bicycles, trees, open vessels, ice cream and other symbols of sainthood
When saints go marching off the General Roman Calendar–where do they go?
Sister Sandra Schneiders on holiness from the perspectives of St. Paul and the Fourth Gospel

Two saints walked into a bar…. LOL for a healthy spiritual life

Sister Maxine — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:25:22 +0000

Idon’t know if saints ever did stand-up comedy, or if the Scripture writers ever LOL’d at what they wrote. But they do show us that there’s a connection between faith, humor, happiness and transformation. It’s what Father James Martin writes about in his new book Between Heaven and Mirth.

Sister Julie and I are delighted that Father Martin will join us for a live podcast on All Saints Day! It’s part of our very first A Nun’s Life Fun!raiser. We’ll talk with him about saints and the role of humor in the spiritual life. Join us in the live chat room during the podcast, which begins at 2 pm Central, to ask questions and share your best spiritual humor! Check out the sidebar to the right for more info about events during the Fun!raiser!

In the meantime, if you need a spiritual boost, check out this video clip of Father Martin sharing a joke with journalist Sally Quinn.

We hope you can join us for the podcast with Father Martin and for other fun and one-of-a-kind events during our nine-day Fun!raiser. A Nun’s Life Ministry relies on gifts from readers and listeners like you, who make these podcasts and this ministry possible. We encourage you to support this ministry that strives to promote religious life and to encourage people in living their calling. Please consider a one-time gift or a monthly gift to support the ministry. Thank you!

AS089 Ask Sister – do family duties trump religious life, schnauzer in the convent, Mrs. Sister, so many choices–how to decide which religious order to enter

The Nuns — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:37:39 +0000

Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 27, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: do family duties trump religious life, schnauzer in the convent, Mrs. Sister, so many choices–how to decide which religious order to enter

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Family duties vs. the call to religious life — which takes priority?
Can pets come too when a person enters religious life? Dilemma of the mini-schnauzer.
Have you heard of any movement that advocates sisters being allowed to marry?
I would like to become a sister. Now the problem is, which congregation? The more I search, the more I get confused.

Reflecting on Religious Life in Challenging Times

Sister Julie — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:11:11 +0000

For many U.S. Catholic sisters and indeed for many Catholics across the U.S. and abroad, the Apostolic Visitation of American Women Religious that began in 2009 turned out to be a graced opportunity to reflect on apostolic, or ministerial, religious life. At the public helm of this reflection has been Sister Sandra Schneiders, IHM, professor emerita of New Testament Studies and Christian Spirituality at the Jesuit School of Theology/Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She has served as president of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality and on te board of directors of the Catholic Theological Society of America. Perhaps her greatest claim to fame, however, is that she is a person deeply grounded in prayer who has given her life to serving God, the Church, and the world. She is a person whom I am proud to call my sister.

At the time of the Apostolic Visitation, Sister Sandra stepped up, offering her reflections on religious life into the public forum. These were certainly not random thoughts and opinions but ones steeped in faith and “in decades of biblical scholarship, religious life scholarship, and lived experience in a congregation.” (Sister Maria Cimperman, OSU, writing about Sister Sandra). These reflections, originally published by National Catholic Reporter, are now collected in the book Prophets in Their Own Country: Women Religious Bearing Witness to the Gospel in a Troubled Church, published by Orbis Books.

A note about the title … We can be a bit sceptical about prophets, especially when one self-appoints oneself as a prophet! The job description for a prophet has never been public acclaim or celebration or even a pat on the back. It is perhaps one of the most arduous of callings that exists. Yet the Church recognizes that some callings are prophetic by nature. One such calling is religious life.

“Religious Life has, from its inception, been recognized not simply as a ‘work force’ in the church but as a prophetic vocation…. For a hundred years before the [Second Vatican] Council a process of institutionalization, standardization, and even domestication muted to the point of virtual silence the specifically prophetic character of the life. Religious began to rediscover that important dimension of their identity as they emerged into public life by their increasing participation in social justice issues in the 1960s and their enthusiastic espousal in the Church of the agenda of Vatican II. Intrinsic to the prophetic vocation within the Judaeo-Christian biblical tradition is the tension between prophecy and institution.” (Prophets in Their Own Country, 22-23)

Though the Apostolic Visitation has faded from the news, the important articulations of who we are as women religious remain as well as the deep connection that women religious have across congregations and with the wider lay Catholic community (women religious are lay people after all). Sister Sandra’s book is a great springboard into deeper reflection on religious life as a gift to the Church and to the world.

Sister Sandra has joined us before at A Nun’s Life Ministry for our In Good Faith program, and she will join us again for a live broadcast on Tuesday next week, November 1, at 9 a.m. CST. We’ll talk with Sister Sandra about the saints as we honor All Saints Day. Join us! The event is one among many others to help kickoff the A Nun’s Life Ministry 1st Annual Fundraiser, and we encourage you to support this ministry that strives to promote religious life and to encourage people in living their calling. Please consider a one-time gift or a monthly gift to support the ministry.

“Rebel Nun” and other accounts of the late, great Anita Caspary

Sister Maxine — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:39:01 +0000

What’s up with the news coverage of Anita Caspary?

Caspary, a luminary in religious life died at age 95 on October 5. She was a great woman, scholar, and leader. Her faithfulness to the call of the Second Vatican Council and her love of the gospel are impressive. Anita Caspary had integrity. Too bad that some of the recent news articles about her don’t.

The headlines give the first clue. Here’s the headline from a recent New York Times article: “Anita Caspary, Nun Who Led Breakaway From Church, Dies at 95.” A similar headline appears in the Washington Post: “‘Rebel nun’ Anita Caspary, leader of breakaway Los Angeles order, dies at 95.”

Breakaway? From the church? Really? In the 1960s, Caspary served in leadership for the Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters in Los Angeles. The congregation took seriously the Vatican II call for the renewal of religious life. They began to make changes accordingly – in daily prayer times, in religious dress, in their types and locations of ministry, etc. (And they weren’t the only ones. Sisters across the U.S. were moving in similar directions.) But the archbishop of Los Angeles objected to the changes. And when the sisters didn’t stop, he retaliated.

Ultimately, Caspary and about 300 other sisters chose to leave the congregation and begin a new, non-canonical community. To my way of thinking, they didn’t “breakaway.” There wasn’t a “schism,” as the NYT article characterized it. The sisters left an oppressive, unfair situation. They did so after much deliberation and prayer. And their departure wasn’t from “the church” but from an abuse of power by some in formal roles of authority in the church.

Compare those headlines with this one, from the National Catholic Reporter: “Anita Caspary, religious visionary, dies in Los Angeles: ‘Integrity’ moved her community to sever canonical ties to church.” A great headline and a good article.

As I read the articles, I gave thanks for Caspary. I celebrate her life and her legacy to religious, the church and the world.

May you rest in peace, Anita Caspary.

Anita Caspary published a book in 2003, Witness to Integrity, that describes the events that took place during her time in leadership in the 1960s. It’s an interesting and informative account!

AS088 Ask Sister – Sister Godmother, faithful – or not – to the magisterium, tithing, embracing a vocation

Sister Maxine — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:50:30 +0000

AS088 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 13, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Sister Godmother, faithful-or not-to the magisterium, tithing when the collection plate passes you by, what it means to embrace a vocation.

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can a nun be a godmother, and vice versa?
I’ve heard the phrase “faithful to the magisterium.” What does it mean to be faithful–or not–to the magisterium? If not, is that a fast-track to excommunication?
Is it okay to give my weekly church donation to other charitable organizations? Is it still considered tithing to the church?
How does a person embrace a vocation?

AS087 Ask Sister – the meaning of the word virgin, the prequel to a nun’s life, what’s up with Martha and Mary (Lk 10), finding God, speed-dialing for the Divine

Sister Maxine — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:13:53 +0000

AS087 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 6, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: the meaning of the word virgin, the prequel to a nun’s life, what’s up with Martha and Mary (Luke 10), finding God, speed-dialing for the Divine

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What does the word “virgin” mean in religious life?
Are nuns supposed to act like nothing in their “non-nun” life existed? Are you allowed to talk about funny stories from your childhood?
Scripture Soundings: What’s the scoop on Martha and Mary? Jesus serves up some surprising words. (Luke 10: 38-42)
Developing a relationship with God
Speed-dialing for God

AS086 Ask Sister – nun and reverend? balancing Facebook and life, battling demons and giants, prayers for discernment

The Nuns — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:40:04 +0000

AS086 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 29, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Sister and Reverend Lynne Smith talks about her vocation, balancing Facebook and life, battling demons and giants, prayers for discernment

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

A NUN AND AN ORDAINED MINISTER AT THE SAME TIME: The Sisters chat with Sister Lynne about her vocation.
SEEKING BALANCE: I often feel like technology takes over my life. I don’t know what a good balance is to use Facebook and stay in touch with old friends and also maybe become a witness to them but at the same time. So if you can help me figure out a balance as to how long to keep facebook – should you keep it up to the point that you’re going to leave for your community? Or should you cut yourself off completely right before? I’m not sure. Your help would be appreciated!
TANGLE WITH OR RUN FROM DEMONS?: Is it helpful for us to make a “one-time”, “fix-all” decision (e.g., never to open a refrigerator door again because we are afraid we’ll indulge too much) because it then saves us from having to repeatedly battle the same giant? Or do we do ourselves a disservice by not tangling with the giant head-to-head (e.g., like learning to be better disciplined or finding different strategies for coping)?
PRAYER FOR DISCERNMENT: I am still discerning to become a hermit or sister. Do you know a prayer to enlighten me regarding my vocation?

Do you have a question for us? Visit http://anunslife.org/contact/and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Sandra Schneiders, religious life “rock star”

Sister Maxine — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:58:29 +0000

Rock star! That’s how National Catholic Reporter described the response of Catholic sisters to Sr. Sandra after her talk last Saturday in Notre Dame, Indiana. Rock on, Sandra!

Sandra’s insights into religious life are music to the ears! Her rendition of religious life past, present and future is one of the clearest and most articulate that I’ve ever heard. The NCR article does a good job of highlighting her key points.

I especially like Sandra’s explanation of why the works of Catholic sisters have changed over time. She describes how the changes in ministry affect the way that Catholic sisters live, what they wear, how they pray, etc. She also offers a compelling vision of religious life for the future – and there will be a future! (She opened her talk with, “Reports of the demise of religious life, to paraphrase Mark Twain, are greatly exaggerated.”)

I appreciate how Sandra links the past to the present, then suggests directions for the future that are already emerging. Here’s an excerpt about that from the NCR article:

Increasingly, religious women have taken their expertise into ministries that, while still in continuity with those of the past and arising directly out of their communities’ charisms, are not ones most Catholics tend to associate with “the Sisters.” Schneiders grouped them into four “clusters”:

• Social justice ministers focused on systemic or structural change, whose “theological glue” tends to be Catholic social teaching. These include social scientists, activists, lawyers, political and community organizers, economists and sociologists, urban farmers and legislators.

• Ministers who work directly with the victims of social injustice or natural disasters, whose theological glue is deep compassion for the suffering Body of Christ. These include chaplains, social workers, counselors, literacy tutors, providers of child care or elder care, managers of low-income housing, those who work in homeless shelters or with victims of torture or sex trafficking.

• Intellectuals, scholars and artists, whose theological glue is faith seeking understanding in our time. These include composers, performers, journalists, writers, teachers and researchers in theology, philosophy and the sciences.

• Ministers who address the thirst for meaning and transcendence, with the theological glue of spiritual nourishment and growth. They work in spirituality centers, campus ministry, spiritual direction, retreats, holistic healing, or as popular writers or speakers on the lecture and workshop circuit.

I encourage you to read the article and to share your responses to it!

* * *
Join A Nun’s Life Community and the nuns for prayer today at 6 p.m. CST (your time zone).

What are nuns like? Watch this!

Sister Julie — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:59:28 +0000

Question for you … If you had to summarize — or perhaps symbolize — what Catholic sisters and nuns are really like, what mainstream movie would you use to do that? What aspects of the movie would you point to as being particularly nun-esque? Note: The movie does NOT have to have a sister or nun in it!

Pray about it. Think about it. Then tell us about it using the comment section below or send us an email, Facebook, or Tweet and we’ll post it here!

For starters, here is Dead Man Walking (1995) with Susan Sarandon playing real-life nun Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ. One of the best portrayals of Catholic sisters today.

The aspects I particularly like are how the movie well portrays Sister Helen as a woman of prayer, justice, and community. Her story is definitely unique (as are all of ours) but it points to some universal characteristics about being a Catholic sister or nun. The care for all of human life, even life that we’ve deemed “unredeemable” is one of the most remarkable aspects of this film. Sister Helen lives out and is portrayed as living out what Cardinal Bernadin called “a consistent ethic of life“. This consistent ethic of life is one that you’ll find reflected in many religious communities.

Okay, now your turn! What’s a movie you’d use to symbolize what nuns are really like?

These “Jesus shoes” are made for walking…and praying and discerning

Guest Blogger — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:37:32 +0000

We have a special guest blog post from A Nun’s Life community member Joyce Elaine, who reflects on the heart and sole of discernment.

There are sandals that I wear that my closest friends affectionately call my “Jesus sandals.”

They are white and strappy with gold accents, and they do make me think of the sandals that Jesus is often depicted in. They are a special pair in my collection of “Jesus shoes.” I wear them to Mass, and almost always get asked about my discernment there. I wear them to family gatherings and again, I get asked about religious life: “What things can you do as a nun?” ” Do you go to school to become a nun?” I wear them where I pray with my church and sometimes with the nuns I know.

I also have a pair of black shoes that I wear on cold, wet, muddy, or rainy days. When I walk around with friends, the questions still pour out. “Can a nun be an electrical engineer?” “Is a nun allowed to keep her birth/baptismal name?” I also tend to wear these shoes when I am feeling sick or worried. They remind me that I’m carried by God.

My running shoes are also Jesus shoes. I wear them when I run, when I take walks, when I take bike rides, and when I work out. They are what I wear when I feel closest to God–when I am just myself.

What do your “Jesus shoes” look like? Please share your Jesus shoe stories in the comment box below!

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Join A Nun’s Life Community and the nuns for prayer today at 6 p.m. CST (your time zone).

AS085 Ask Sister – telling college buddies you might join the nuns, cosmetology in the convent, saints for extreme sports, bible snakes, can you be a nun if…

The Nuns — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:28:23 +0000

AS085 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 22, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: telling college buddies you might join the nuns, cosmetology in the convent, saints for extreme sports, bible snakes, can you be a nun if…

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How to tell your college buddies that you’re thinking of joining the nuns
Does God call professional hair stylists to religious life?
I’m into extreme sports. Do you know of any saints that could relate to being in high risk situations for something they love?
Scripture Soundings: Moses and the bronze serpent (oh, we got snakes)
Can you be a nun if….? Questions about what it takes to be a nun.

Do you have a question for us? Visit our new portress Sister Mary Evoca http://anunslife.org/contact/and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS084 Ask Sister – The Nun’s Story movie vs. real nuns stories, can you become a nun if you have health issues, can techies be nuns too, and more

The Nuns — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:31:51 +0000

AS084 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 14, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: The Nun’s Story movie versus real life nun stories, can you become a nun if you have health issues, can techies be nuns too, and more!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How accurate is “The Nun’s Story” movie with Audrey Hepburn when compared to actual nun life? Sr. Helena Burns, movie critic, joins the nuns to weigh in on the question.
Can you become a nun if you’ve got a few medical issues?
What if you’re a techie, not a teacher or nurse or writer — can you still become a nun?

AS083 Ask Sister – God a tempter?!, seeking God, The Mighty Macs movie, name-calling nuns, and more

The Nuns — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:17:22 +0000

AS083 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 8, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: God a tempter?!, seeking God, The Mighty Macs movie, name-calling nuns, and more!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Isaiah writes, “Seek God, while God may be found. Call to God, while God is near” (55:6). Does that mean that sometimes God can’t be found or isn’t present to us?
Would God really lead us into temptation as Jesus’ prayer seems to suggest: “Lead us not into temptation”?
Nuns and basketball, really?? The Sisters talk about the new movie The Mighty Macs coming to theaters in October (the movie features our IHM cousins the Immaculata IHM Sisters)
What do sisters call each other when they’re not in public? (No need to turn down the volume if young children are in the room…)

The Mighty Macs – movie review

Sister Maxine — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:52:17 +0000

She dared to dream. They dared to believe.” The words are from the promo poster for The Mighty Macs. The movie is inspired by the true story of the coach, players, and sisters of Immaculata College. Against great odds, the small college won the U.S. national women’s basketball championship in 1972.

Yesterday, Sister Julie and I dared to drive through Chicago at rush hour to see an advance showing of The Mighty Macs. It was well worth it! We heard about the movie several months ago from our IHM “cousins” in Immaculata, Penn., home of the Mighty Macs. The movie will be in theaters beginning October 21.

During the movie, I was especially interested in the portrayals of the sisters. So I’m offering a few thoughts on the topic in this post. I’ll start by describing the story line.

The Story
The film is set in 1972, at Immaculata College (now University), at the time a small all-women’s college. The school then and now is run by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), of Immaculata, Penn., not far from Philadelphia.

The story begins as 23-year-old Cathy Rush takes on the job of coaching the Mighty Macs. She is newly married to a successful NBA referee. She also is searching for more meaning in her life, which puzzles many people. At that time, most women work in the home, not outside of it, and the roles of wife, homemaker, and mother are closely tied to a woman’s identity and value.

Rush takes the job, despite having no gym and no experience as a head coach. Meanwhile, the college itself is having severe financial problems and is at risk of being sold. Rush dreams of the Mighty Macs being #1 in the country. But the season starts badly as the Macs are thrashed by other teams. Rush, the players, and the nuns have good reason to simply give up, but they don’t. Instead, they draw on the strength and encouragement of each another and together go on to make history.

Some things I like about the movie
The movie reflects the reality that “a vocation” isn’t just for sisters, it’s for all people. Cathy Rush and Sister Sunday, who became the assistant coach, both found their “vocations” as coaches. Being a coach was more than just a job. It was a way for them to find deeper meaning in their own lives and to help others do the same.

One of the scenes I especially like in the movie is when Sister Sunday is in church, praying to God for direction. She doesn’t understand why God brought her to religious life simply to work in the Admissions Office of the college. She prays, “Send me a sign, any sign, as I will be listening for your voice.” Just then, to her annoyance, her prayer is interrupted by the sound of a basketball bouncing against a floor in the nearby makeshift gym. God has a sense of humor.

I also like the way that the sisters supported Rush and the players. The movie conveys a strong message about the power of community. In the movie, when no one else is cheering for the Macs after they’ve been crushed by the opposing team, the nuns are there, in solidarity with the players and coach. That’s what it means to be community – being with one another even when the chips are down. And as the coach and players learn, that’s also what it means to be a team.

The movie also carries a strong feminist message—that society benefits when all people have the opportunity to pursue their hopes and dreams. In some circles historically, there have been questions as to whether a sister or any woman for that matter, can be Catholic and a feminist at the same time. To that question in the discourse, the movie would say “absolutely YES!” It’s true that in the early 1970s, sisters might not have called themselves feminists. But thousands of sisters in the US and elsewhere have worked for decades on behalf of women—in education, in society, and yes, even in basketball!

Some things I don’t like about the movie
Ok, I understand the whole thing about artistic license for the sake of storytelling. But here’s a few things that raised issues for me.

The depiction of the priest as the one who would determine the fate of Immaculata is just plain wrong. The priest didn’t own Immaculata, nor did he dictate to the nuns how the place should be run. The nuns built Immaculata with their own hard work and wise decision making, and the college endured because of their efforts with others committed to an excellent Catholic education for young adults.

The depiction of the coach is also one I’m still mulling over. In some senses, her role is so powerful that it overshadows the roles of the sisters. The coach’s arrival at a critical do-or-die moment in the college’s history could suggest that she was largely responsible for the transformation of the college. I agree that she was a part of that transformation and a powerful symbol of it– no question! But I’d bet all of Mother Superior’s poker winnings in the movie that the college’s transformation wouldn’t have happened if the nuns weren’t already moving in that direction.

For more info about The Mighty Macs

Although the movie doesn’t come out until Oct. 21, you can read the book it’s based on: O God of Players, by Julie Byrne. There’s also lots of links to movie previews and photos of the Mighty Macs. Here are some for starters!

I’d love to hear your comments and questions about the images of Catholic sisters that you see in the promotional materials for The Mighty Macs. Please share them by writing in the comment box below.

AS082 Ask Sister – is it true that “many are called but few are chosen,” what’s a “charism,” young adults reflect on vocations, tweeting for vocations, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:23:09 +0000

AS082 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 1, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: unpacking scripture on called v. chosen, understanding charism, young adults on vocation, vocation seminar learnings and surprises, and more!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What’s with the passage “many are called, but few are chosen”? Would God call you, then not choose you?
Religious congregations talk a lot about their “charism.” What does that mean?
Reflections on “calling” and “vocation” from young adults at World Youth Day, Madrid, Spain.
Tweeting for vocations?! The nuns talk about the J.S. Paluch Vocations Seminar they attended earlier this week in Chicago, on the topic of social media.

AS081 Ask Sister – online ordination, life of prayer, ups and downs of entering religious life, married and called to religious life,The Sound of Music

The Nuns — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:12:26 +0000

AS081 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on August 25,2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: online ordination, life of prayer, ups and downs of entering religious life, married and called to religious life,and The Sound of Music.

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

Are online ordination certificates legit in the eyes of the Catholic Church?
I’ve heard it said that “our lives are a prayer” — what does this mean and is it different from “a life of prayer”?
What happens when an individual and a religious community part ways before final profession of vows? Is it a mutual agreement, or a unilateral decision?
Happily married but feeling called to religious life — how can that be and what to do about it?
A listener asks the nuns to give their take on the classic nun movie, The Sound of Music.

An Open Letter to Sinéad O’Connor about a nun’s life

Sister Julie — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:48:56 +0000

Sinéad O'Connor, Irish singer and songwriter

Dear Sinéad O’Connor,

First, let me say that I have a great appreciation for you as a musician and as an advocate for women. I love the song “This is Mother to You” that you did with Mary J. Blige in support of Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS).

As a Catholic nun, I too share your passion for advocating for girls and women. My religious congregation, the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Sisters of Monroe, Michigan, works tirelessly on behalf of girls and women through education, advocacy, social justice and systemic change, mentoring, and more.

Now I’m wondering about a curious statement that you made recently in a column for the Irish Independent (August 22, 2011): ”I am in the peak of my sexual prime and way too lovely to be living like a nun, and it’s VERY depressing.” While I am sure much support is pouring in to assist you in your search for a companion, I wish only to offer a bit of advice on your mischaracterization of nuns. To reduce the entire life of a nun to the state of not having sex is at best wrong, and at worst a gross offense to the countless women religious who have served and continue to serve people throughout the world, including yourself, I might add.

The life of a nun is the most wild and unforgettable adventure that a person will ever have. Whether a woman chooses to be a contemplative, cloistered nun or an active religious sister — she is continually ministering on behalf of the needs of the world, celebrating the joys and the beauty of life, and bringing a compassionate presence in the midst of sorrow and suffering. A nun’s life is one of savoring this good life that God has given all of us, and working tirelessly to change systems that degrade life, to mend broken hearts, and to call ourselves and all of us to our best selves.

I feel bad that this essence of a nun’s life has eluded you and that the joy and meaning that you seek seems to have been reduced to sex and a stubbily companion. While both of these things can truly be awesome, they are not what makes you who you are as a person. That starts from within.

My prayers are with you, Sinéad, and should you ever feel up for the adventure of being a nun, you know where to find us.

Sincerely,

Sister Julie

AS080 Ask Sister – Internet Mass, veil or no veil for church women, oblates and associates and how they’re different, the kindom of God

The Nuns — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:51:01 +0000

AS080 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on August 4, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Internet Mass, veil or no veil for church women, the difference between oblates and associates, the kindom of God, and more!

Does watching the Mass on the Internet meet my obligation as a Catholic of attending Mass every week?
What you think of the veil/no veil issue for women in church?
What is the difference between an oblate and an associate?
Do you hope for the perfection of the Kindom of God, whereby we will receive celestial bodies without defect and the removal of sin, disease and famine for God’s children?

Do you have a question for us? Visit our new portress Sister Mary Evoca http://anunslife.org/contact/ and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS063 Ask Sister – Live from the Motherhouse! The nuns talk about the daily Examen prayer, God and free will, different notions of vocation, feeling unconnected to God and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:50:13 +0000

Welcome to a special ENCORE PRESENTATION of Ask Sister podcast. The nuns are in nunly meetings all week but wanted to be sure you still had an opportunity to listen to an Ask Sister podcast. This is one of our favorite ones with special guest Sister Kathie Budesky, IHM, the director of Visitation North Spirituality Center.

As you listen to this podcast, jot down your questions and insights and then head on over to the A Nun’s Life Community Forum and start a conversation! Go for it!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

In this podcast episode, we chatted about the “Examen Prayer”, God and free will, the difference between vowed religious vocations and ‘non-vowed religious vocations’, and what to do when you don’t feel connected with God.

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

AS079 Ask Sister – bible books aplenty, dropping “sisters” from liturgical language, control freaks and God

The Nuns — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:32:35 +0000

AS079 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 21, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: bible books aplenty, dropping “sisters” from liturgical language, control freaks and God, and more!

I came across an older bible recently. It has more books than one I recently bought, e.g. the book of Enoch. Why are these bibles different?
Do you find yourself allowing God to direct your ministry and life or do you need complete control over such matters?
Why do some churches omit “and sisters” from parts of the Mass such as the penitential rite which says, “and you, my brothers and sisters”?

The quest for the living God — not an easy path

Sister Maxine — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:11:11 +0000

Cheers for the U.S. federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph for their public show of support for their sister Elizabeth Johnson!

Elizabeth Johnson is an internationally known theologian and a professor at Fordham University. She has done a great deal of work in the area of feminst theology. Recently, her 2007 book Quest for the Living God came under fire by the Doctrine Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The nine-member group of bishops said, among other things, that the book failed to reflect the teaching of the magisterium. Johnson responded, saying in part that the bishops had seriously misinterpreted the book. Maybe that could have been avoided had the committee initially contacted Johnson to talk things over, a measure that’s included in committee’s own guidelines.

When the 900-member U.S. federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph gathered last week, it issued a corporate statement of support for Johnson. Around the same time, the Catholic Theological Society of America also publicly supported Johnson!

There are lots of issues involved in this matter – too many to address in detail here. And the situation continues to unfold.

To the Sisters of St. Joseph – way to go!! Standing together in regard to a justice issue is an important part of what it means to be sisters and what it means to be the church. For now, I’m going to re-read my copy of Quest for the Living God and savor it once more.

AS078 Ask Sister – engineering nuns, total consecration, when the saints go marching off the General Roman Calendar, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:13:06 +0000

AS078 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 14, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: engineering nuns, total consecration, when the saints go marching off the General Roman Calendar, and more!

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can I use my engineering skills as a sister? What kinds of ministries could I be involved in?
What does “total consecration” mean theologically and how does it fit into a person’s daily faith life?
Who in the Catholic Church decides if a saint like Christopher or a “place” like limbo no longer exists? How do they decide?

AS077 Ask Sister-Special Edition. The sisters’ fav Catholic jokes; discerning religious life; origins of A Nun’s Life Ministry; why stay Catholic; and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:17:26 +0000

AS077 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 1, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: The sisters fav Catholic jokes; discerning religious life; origins of A Nuns Life Ministry; why stay Catholic; and more!

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

Guest host Regina Heater interviews the sisters about their experience of discernment
The sisters’ favorite Catholic jokes
What was the sisters’ “pre-nun” life like?
How did A Nun’s Life Ministry begin, and what’s ahead
Adventures of A Nun’s Life
Why Catholic, why now?

Do you have a question for us? Visit our new portress Sister Mary Evoca http://anunslife.org/contact/and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from which you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Landmarks of an IHM Sister

Sister Julie — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:11:44 +0000

Had a fantastic podcast last night with my partner-in-nunhood, Sister Maxine. The questions that folks asked us on Ask Sister (recording will be up this weekend) were fabulous and we got into some very good conversations. What I love most is the feeling of tapping in to what I love about being a Catholic sister. Conversations like the one last night ignite all these ideas and memories and hopes and feelings of goodness — and i am in awe over how God has taken me in and helped me to find a way of life that fits me — and totally delights me!

There are stories and memories in our IHM tradition that become like landmarks in our life. I was reminded of a couple of them during the podcast that were and continue to be formative in my life. I think we each have landmarks — in our IHM life, we hold many of them in common, just like a family might have landmarks in their collective life. What I’m amazed at is that when I stumble upon those landmarks, they still have the power to make present, as it were, the reality signified — kind of sacramental in a way. These IHM landmarks help me tap into my own self, and into our life of simplicity, humility, and zeal.

* * *

Join the A Nun’s Life community today for prayer at 6 p.m. Central Time.
(your time zone)

AS076 Ask Sister – going on retreat, detachment from (YIKES) gadgets, nun-fiction writer seeks authentic religious life, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:39:47 +0000

AS076 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 23, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: going on retreat, detachment from (YIKES) gadgets, nun-fiction writer seeks authentic religious life, and more!

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

I want to go on retreat. Where would I go and what should I expect?
Could you talk about what detachment from material things means? I’m thinking about religious life, and I’m scared about giving up my things especially my gadgets!
Another novelist contacts the nuns! The author wants to authentically portray a modern-day nun for her sitcom-esque story. Help the nuns in their advice for the story.

AS075 Ask Sister – college grad talks about volunteering for a year; recognizing God at work in daily life; called to be a nun or doctor (or both?) and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:41:05 +0000

AS075 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 16, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: college grad talks about volunteering for a year, recognizing God at work in daily life, called to be a nun or doctor (or both?), and more!

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

How to recognize God at work our daily lives — putting on our God goggles
Should I become a doctor or a nun or can I do both?
SPECIAL ON-AIR GUEST: Eilis talks about volunteering for a year and living the three pillars of service, community, and spirituality. We talk with her about the Franciscan Community Volunteers, helping refugees resettle in the U.S., how it has affected her faith, and more!

AS074 Ask Sister – testing God, praying for safety in risky situations, religious medallions, psalm selections, does prayer really work

Sister Julie — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:13:33 +0000

AS074 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 9, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: testing God, praying for safety in risky situations, religious medallions, psalm selections, does prayer really work.

Does participating in something inherently risky, like bike racing, equate to “testing” God?
A lot of bike racers have religious medallions. My Mom also puts guardian angel pins in my car. Do medallions actually do anything?
Does prayer really work? How can you tell?
How does the church pick which verses of a psalm to use?
What does it mean to test your “readiness” for a vocation?

The Reality of Death

Sister Julie — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:22:08 +0000

Sister Theresa Coulter, IHM

One of my nuns died on Sunday. Theresa was 62. The news came as a shock, though I suppose death is always shocking at some level, even when it is expected or welcome.

Nothing can ever really take the edge off of the reality of death. Life is, and then it is not. Theresa is with us, and then one Sunday night, she is no longer here the way we have always known and loved her.

There is a song in our IHM tradition that speaks of our sisters who have died as “dwelling now in light, yet ever near.” In times like this, I have to trust the wisdom of my community and of my faith tradition because my plain old human emotions are not all that jubilant. I rather liked Theresa dwelling here and now. I loved her gentle spirit, determination, and courage to speak the truth. I like the Communion of Saints that are here with me, that I can rub shoulders with, revel in God’s mystery with, and share the bond of sisterhood with.

At the same time, I am a woman fiercely of the resurrection. I believe, as we read in yesterday’s Gospel, that God indeed desires peace for us, courage in times of challenge, and trust that God has already conquered the world! (John 16:33) For me, that conquering business does not mean overpowering the world, crushing it; rather it means that in all things — even persecution, suffering, and death — God is with us and has the final word. What is that word? Well, I think about Theresa, and I think of one word. Love.

* * *

Join the A Nun’s Life community today for prayer at 6 p.m. Central Time.
(your time zone)

In Good Faith with Sister Barbara Reid, OP

The Nuns — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:12:23 +0000

IGF010 In Good Faith with Sister Barbara Reid, OP, PhD, recorded live on June 2, 2011. Produced by aNunsLife.org ministry. The nuns talk with Sister Barbara about finding God in everyday life, Sacred Scripture, prayer, biblical spirituality, and more!
Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Sister Barbara Reid, OP

Sister Barbara Reid, OP, is a Dominican Sister of Grand Rapids, Michigan. She holds a PhD in Biblical Studies from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and is professor of New Testament and vice president and academic dean at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Her most recent books are Taking Up the Cross: New Testament Interpretations Through Latina and Feminist Eyes , The Gospel According to Matthew: New Collegeville Bible Commentary Series , the three-volume work Parables for Preachers, and Choosing the Better Part? Women in the Gospel of Luke.

Topic: The sisters talk with Sister Barbara about her experience of living faith in everyday life, drawing on her work as a scripture scholar and as VP/academic dean of CTU, the first woman to hold that role.

Show Notes:

The Bible as a way to understand our present experience of God in light of the experience of our ancestors in the faith
New to the Bible? Suggestions for how to get started
Conflicting images of God in the scriptures – who is the “real” God?
Jesus, the incarnation of the loving God
Biblical spirituality
Ways to pray with the Bible
Saint Dominic’s Nine Ways of Prayer
Women in the scriptures and their messages for us today
”Feminism” – a commitment to dignity and equality for all people
How the feminist perspective challenges interpretations of scripture that justify violence and abuse
How to keep the scriptures “fresh”

In Good Faith is a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie. Our monthly program features guests who are nationally known for their ministry in spirituality, religious life, and discernment. We’ll look at how our guests understand their own life as a calling and discuss a variety of perspectives on living faith and call in everyday life. The program is broadcast live from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. Tune in at www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE.

AS073 Ask Sister –God and suffering, does the bible prohibit women from teaching the faith, romance-mystery novelist returns, lessons from the rapture

The Nuns — Thu, 26 May 2011 10:12:43 +0000

AS073 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 26, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: does the bible prohibit women from teaching the faith, God and suffering, romance-mystery novelist returns, lessons from the rapture.

What is your take on why God allows suffering?
Our romance-mystery-suspense novelist returns with more questions about her nun character (and assures us that the nun won’t get bumped off … yet)
Does the bible say that women shouldn’t teach the faith? Which verses do that, and how should we interpret them?
Rapture update: what have we learned?

AS072 Ask Sister – surfing Madonna, purgatory discovery, why Jesus was baptized, dealing with mockers and naysayers, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:04:02 +0000

AS072 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 19, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: the surfing Madonna, purgatory discovery, why Jesus was baptized, dealing with mockers and naysayers, and more!

How to deal with people who mock your life and the choices you’ve made
Is it a myth or legend or truth that Saint Patrick discovered Purgatory?
Why Jesus was baptized
An apparition of Mary that’s causing waves in one California town
Up for discussion: “The more someone is present on the internet, the less they are present in real life.”

Police deliver message to nun: “Don’t worry, be happy.”

Sister Maxine — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:11:23 +0000

At 2:30 a.m., I awoke to police lights blinking at my window. Two police cars with their red emergency lights flashing were parked across the street. There were no sirens, and no cars pulled over.

I watched as two officers with flashlights returned to the cars, typed something on their computers, and waved goodbye to each other. Then I heard over the loudspeaker from one of the cars, “Don’t worry, be happy!” and the cars disappeared into the darkness.

It was like a Bobby McFerrin song flashback to the 1980s. I admit that I was never a big fan of the song. Its simplicity sort of annoyed me. But given that the message was delivered in the middle of the night by an emergency vehicle, I pondered its cosmic significance.

Maybe the two police officers routinely made that announcement after responding to calls in the middle of the night. Maybe it was a way to keep the fear of the unknown from having the final word in their lives. Or maybe they saw me, watching from beside the window, and figured they’d offer reassurance.

The incident made me think about the power of affirmations. Don’t worry. Be happy. They’re simple but compelling words. Happiness doesn’t mean ignoring the future and making decisions based only on the present moment. But too much worry and fear impinges on the capacity for happiness. So today, I’m going to make the best decisions that I can, and consciously leave the rest up to the Spirit. Don’t worry. Be happy.

Is there an affirmation that will help guide you today? If so, please share it in the comment box below!

* * *

Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone).

Anamnesis – remembering who we truly are

Sister Julie — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:19:25 +0000

Last night at Sister Maxine’s graduation from Catholic Theological Union, Sister Mary Collins, OSB, received an honorary doctorate in theology.

Sister Mary Collins, a Benedictine sister of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas, is one of the premiere liturgical theologians of North American. As a “lecturer, writer, and editor, Mary Collins has been a pioneer figure in the liturgical renewal in the United States since Vatican II. She has attended to critical questions in liturgical theology, language, practice, and spirituality.” (source: CTU honoris causa announcement)

It was a true blessing to see and listen to Sister Mary. It reminded me of a piece she had written a while back on anamnesis, “corporate memory” … on remembering who we truly are.

Anamnesis is biblical language which was long ago taken up by the church and recently recovered as liturgical language…. Anamnesis speaks about a distinctive kind of human remembering. In common speech we are more likely to talk about its opposite, amnesia.

We are familiar with the disorder of clinical amnesia, a diagnosis given to name a memory lapse of a crucial kind. The amnesiac is not the person who has misplaced her glasses one time too many. She is the person who has forgotten who she is. She has lost her conscious awareness of the basic relationships that give her her identity. The amnesiac cannot answer when asked whoa re you? where have you come from? where are you headed? who are your parents? have you any family? where is your home? what kind of work do you do?

“Anamnesis” and “amnesia” come from a common Greek root. The biblical and liturgical use of the word is “anamnesis” rises from a perception that there is a disorder analogous to clinical amnesia that plagues the human community. To be human is to be threatened with spiritual amnesia. At the level of our spiritual identity we do not remember for long who we really are. Those ultimate relationships that give us our spiritual identity slip from consciousness all too easily, and we lapse into noncomprehension about our deepest identity.

(Mary Collins, OSB, Contemplative Participation: Sacrosanctum Concilium, twenty-five years later published by The Liturgical Press, 1990, p. 55)

In celebration and honor of our graduate, Sister Maxine, and all the women and men of Catholic Theological Union who have given their lives to “faith seeking understanding … consider this: What are some of the things that help you remember your deepest identity? What are the relationships in your life that are woven into that identity? How do you return from periods of amnesia?

* * *

Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone). We’ll be praying for all graduates so please let us know who the graduates are in your life so we can keep them in prayer.

Graduation Day — hurray (and pray)!

Sister Maxine — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:39:52 +0000

Today I graduate from Catholic Theological Union. I’m looking forward to the ceremony, which will be held in a beautiful historical synagogue that’s across the street from President Obama’s house in Hyde Park, close to downtown Chicago.

The students from CTU (ctu.edu) come from all over the world. In the opening procession, each country is represented by a flag. It reminds me of the conversations I had with people from China, Korea, Thailand, South Africa, Ireland, India, and many other places around the globe. The conversations broadened my understanding of God and of the church and deeply enriched my faith.

Blessings and prayers to the graduates of CTU and to all other students who will graduate from high schools and colleges this month!

If there are special graduates in your life, please write their first names in the comment box below. We’ll bring all the names into prayer as a litany on Friday’s “Praying with the Sisters” podcast.

* * *

Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer TOMORROW at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone).

AS071 Ask Sister – Lady Gaga and Judas, blessed and cursed, dieting and Eucharist, and more!

The Nuns — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:13:39 +0000

AS071 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 11, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Lady Gaga and Judas, blessed and cursed, dieting and Eucharist, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What’s your take on Lady Gaga’s music video “Judas”?
Biblical imagery in Lady Gaga’s “Judas”
If we are blessed by God when things go well, does that mean we’re cursed by God if things aren’t going well?
Rohald Rolheiser’s and “blessed consciousness”
Update on Lenten fasting by a province of Felician sisters
Dieting and the Eucharist

Best. Forum. EVER! A Nun’s Life Community Forum

The Nuns — Fri, 06 May 2011 15:10:10 +0000

We are delighted to announce that YOUR forum is here! The A Nun’s Life Community Forum is up and running and ready for you to use!

Carry on conversations inspired by the blog, podcasts, or chat room or strike up a new conversation about something of interest to you! We invite you to check it out, register (it’s free and easy!), and start exploring!

You’ll have lots of folks around to hang out with and to help navigate the new forum. We’d like to introduce you to two of the NL Community Forum moderators: Marsha West and Marguerite Krupp. Both have been members of the NL community for a while and both have professional expertise in facilitating the online community experience. We are truly blessed. Our thanks go out to them and to all the folks who have helped along the way including KCMayrie, Dominic our forum designer, the folks at vBulletin.org, and the Holy Spirit!

To access the forum, simply go to anunslife.org/forum or click on the menu item FORUM at the top of every page or on the home page of this website. For those of you who were members of the A Nun’s Life Vocation Forum in the past, we have integrated the forum within this one — to join the Vocation Forum, you must be discerning and request access from Sister Julie or Sister Maxine. Details are on the forum.

Let us know what you think, and any ideas, questions, inspirations you have about the forum itself or the A Nun’s Life Community! And be sure to spread the word far and wide inviting people to check out the new forum. Use the handy social media links below or send an email or shout from a rooftop!

IGF009 In Good Faith with Father James Bacik

The Nuns — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:03:11 +0000

IGF009 In Good Faith with Father James Bacik, PhD, recorded live on May 5, 2011. Produced by aNunsLife.org ministry. The nuns talk with Father Jim about finding God in everyday life, prayer, Christian spirituality, theologian Karl Rahner, and more!
Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Father James Bacik

Father James Bacik, a priest of the Diocese of Toledo, is the pastor of Corpus Christi University Parish in Toledo, Ohio and serves as a campus minister and adjunct professor of humanities at the University of Toledo. His doctorate in theology is from the University of Oxford in England. His many articles, chapters and books include Apologetics and the Eclipse of Mystery; Contemporary Theologians; Catholic Spirituality, Its History and Challenge and most recently A Light Unto My Path, a book on preaching he wrote with psychologist Kevin Anderson. He has lectured throughout the United States as well as in China, Latin America, Japan and Russia. Father Bacik combines the academic study of theology with the pastoral work he has been doing for many years.

Show Notes:

Father Jim’s intersecting roles — pastor, theologian, academician
Father Jim’s intersecting roles — pastor, theologian, academician
Encounters with theologian Karl Rahner
The Method of Correlation — bringing the scriptures and Christian tradition to bear on people’s everyday concerns
The human orientation to Holy Mystery, Gracious Mystery
“Jesus, the ‘P.S.’ at the end of a long letter of service”
Contemporary Catholic apologists and the long tradition of Christian apologetics
Mystagogy
Even sin can be revelatory of God’s mercy and love
Prayer as “truth-telling”
The increasing diversity within the Catholic Church
Father Jim’s current work on the issue of Catholic identity

AS070 Ask Sister – feeling okay about filioque, Anglican Ninja Nuns, living community, following in a religious brother’s footsteps

Sister Maxine — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:39:13 +0000

AS070 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 4, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: feeling okay about the filioque, Ninja Nuns, living community, following in a religious brother’s footsteps. A surprise guest joins the nuns!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What’s up with the two Anglican Nuns at the Royal Wedding? Is the taller one really a ninja?
Please explain the filioque and how the trinitarian relationship has implications for our daily life.
How do ideas about the filioque relate to generosity and kindness?
What has been your biggest struggle and/or benefit from living in community?
Living in community, and living community
Is God really calling me to be a religious sister or could it just be because my brother is a religious brother and I want to follow in his footsteps?

Nuns, Beastie Boys, Pope John Paul II, and the Three Stooges

Sister Julie — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:55:12 +0000

Lots of interesting things in the news about Catholic sisters and nuns! For your weekend enjoyment, check out the following nun stories:

Second time was the charm for Cebuano lass turned nun by Inday Espina Varona at ABS-CBNnews.com (April 27, 2011)

People do not need to be members of religious orders to live Pope John Paul 2′s message of hope. “You can be a lay minister, you can be in any kind of profession and still fulfill your Christian potential.”

Sister Maria said one lesson from Pope John Paul 2 is, that words are nothing if not backed by action.
“Witnessing is not just preaching,” she stressed.

Shareholder proposals companies don’t want you to see by Julianne Pepitone at CNNMoney.com (April 25, 2011)

The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica filed a shareholder proposal in November asking AT&T to “publicly commit to operate its wireless broadband network consistent with Internet network neutrality principles.” It turns out that the St. Scholastica Monastery in Kansas owns more than $7,400 worth of AT&T stock. Other Catholic monasteries around the country joined the cause, filing their own requests. A few individuals also petitioned AT&T, including “Mike D” of Beastie Boys fame. AT&T did not respond to a request for comment.

So why do nuns care about such a geeky issue?

“Net neutrality can greatly affect underserved communities that have limited access to the Internet. We need to alleviate those social inequalities,” Kron [the contact person for the proposal] said, noting that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has published an open letter supporting Net neutrality. Unfortunately for the nuns and Mike D, the SEC granted a no-action letter on the basis that net neutrality is not “a significant policy issue.” Kron called the decision “shocking” and said the group “vigorously disagrees.”

Jane Lynch to play Nun in “Three Stooges” by Bill Belew at Examiner.com (April 29, 2011)

The actress will be playing the role of Mother Superior in the comedy flick. As usual Mother Superior has an orphanage, where Larry Moe and Curly live. Sean Hayes will be playing the role of Larry, Will Sasso will be playing Curly, while Chris Diamantopoulos will be playing the role of Moe.

AS069 Ask Sister – what good are nuns? Dial 666 for Devil, younger nuns v. older nuns, a romance-suspense novelists consults the nuns, the Great Schism of the East and West

The Nuns — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:23:30 +0000

AS069 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 28, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: what are nuns good for? Dial 666 for Devil, nun generations, romance-thriller novelist consults the nuns, Great Schism of East and West and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is there a generation gap in orders of women religious? Do the older nuns ‘think’ different from the younger ones? or does ‘community’ transcend that type of thing?”
We wanted to know what religions nuns are for. [Nun Note: So many ways to take this question but we'll do our best tackling it from all sides!]
What’s the deal with 666? Is it really a sign of the devil? Should we be concerned when it pops up? [For more on hell-related items, descend to the depths of our blog and read Free Trip to Hell]
Could you talk about what the Great Schism of the East and West is?
A romance-thriller-suspense novelist asks for help with the character development of a young woman who may be thinking about joining a religious community.

Monday Quiz: Find the derisive stereotypes of nuns in this article

Sister Julie — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:22:06 +0000

Just when I think stereotypes and negative portrayals of Catholic sisters and nuns can’t get any worse, I read something like this review of Sister Act the Musical. No, no it’s not the musical that is problematic. It’s the review.

Like Mormons, nuns are ideal subjects for musical theater. They seem likeable and wholesome, exotic yet familiar, and inherently optimistic. They sing in harmony as part of their daily routine. And there are endless chances for variations on a long-proven gag that was around way before “The Sound of Music”: tickle or test a nun in some way and you’ll find a far savvier, racier and worldlier creature than that drab habit would lead you to believe. Musicals need a repressive exterior and something deep that’s aching to pop out. Nuns make ideal sense.

(Source: Theater Loop by Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune, April 25, 2011)

NOTE: When this review was originally posted (it might be removed by now), it had this headline: “‘Sister Act’ on Broadway: Fun lurks beneath the habit”. Shame on whomever put that headline there but kudos to the Trib for taking it down.

Because I can’t bear to read it again, I thought I’d share my pain with you via a quiz.

What stereotypes are used in this review?
Are there more accurate images used by the author that could have been developed?
Is there another more compelling but less revolting way to put some pizazz in a story rather than relying on cheap, stereotypical images?

I await your wisdom. In the meantime, I must return to my singing and repressed exoticness.

* * *

Join the A Nun’s Life community for prayer at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone).

AS068 Ask Sister – making your own scapular, opposing human trafficking, becoming a nun, the Stations of the Cross

Sister Maxine — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:34:24 +0000

AS068 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 15, 2011, at the Motherhouse of the Racine Dominicans. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: making your own scapular, opposing human trafficking, becoming a nun, the Stations of the Cross.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can you make your own scapular?
How can scapulars be blessed, and what does the blessing do?
Do the Racine Dominican sisters have associates, and if so, what is associate life like?
The call to social justice–how the Racine Dominicans and other sisters are working against human trafficking?
Ways to pray the Stations of the Cross, including an app for your smart phone!

IGF008 In Good Faith with Dr. Bren Ortega Murphy

The Nuns — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:28:52 +0000

IGF008 In Good Faith with Bren Ortega Murphy, PhD, recorded live on April 12, 2011. Produced by aNunsLife.org ministry. The nuns talk with Prof. Murphy about nun images in popular culture, such as Nunzilla, Boxing Nuns, movie nuns and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

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Guest: Bren Ortega Murphy, PhD

Bren Ortega Murphy holds a joint appointment in Communication Studies and Women’s Studies/Gender Studies at Loyola University Chicago. She is the co-author of two books, Cultural Hegemony in the Unites States with Lee Artz and Voices of Strong Democracy with David Droge. Dr. Murphy has also written, directed and produced one radio documentary and two video documentaries, the latest of which is “A Question of Habit: The Image of Women Religious in U.S. Popular Culture.”

Visit the film’s website and check out the trailer below.

Show Notes:

the fascination with Nunzilla, the Boxing Nuns, Late Night Catechism, and other images of nuns in popular culture
what’s the big deal about nun images – they’re just funny, right?
A Question of Habit, The Image of Women Religious in U.S. Popular Culture—Bren Murphy’s latest documentary
why habits almost always are used in nun images in popular culture
why so much nun kitsch but not so much priest kitsch in comparison?
portrayals of sisters and nuns in popular culture “that got it right”
buying nun image products – does it perpetuate stereotypes?
the intersection of images of nuns and of women in popular culture
the glass-ceiling phenomena in business
what nun images reflect about popular culture

In Good Faith is a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie. Our monthly program features guests who are nationally known for their ministry in spirituality, religious life, and discernment. We’ll look at how our guests understand their own life as a calling and discuss a variety of perspectives on living faith and call in everyday life. The program is broadcast live every first Thursday of the month from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. Tune in at www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE.

AS067 Ask Sister – leveraging nunly shareholder power, obedience and authority, associate commitments, marriage, and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:18:23 +0000

AS067 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 8, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: leveraging nunly shareholder powers for good, obedience and authority, associate commitments, marriage, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can spouses release one another from marriage vows in order to enter religious life?
What does it mean to make a commitment or covenant as an Associate of a religious community? What would such a commitment look like?
The vow of obedience as it relates to authority and how the vow affects a Catholic sister or nun in daily life (for context, see our last episode AS066 Ask Sister)
Plus the Sisters talk about nuns in the boardroom and how congregations are leveraging their shareholder powers for good

Vow of Poverty means challenging Goldman Sachs

Sister Julie — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:41:27 +0000

Here at A Nun’s Life Ministry, we’re often asked about what the vow of poverty is and how it is lived both personally and as a congregation. While a significant aspect of the vow is that we hold all things in common and don’t personally own anything, there are other dimensions too. The recent news story about nuns challenging Goldman Sachs over pay, for example, highlights in bold relief the justice nature of the vow of poverty.

According to The Guardian, four orders of Catholic sisters, investors in Goldman Sachs, have requested a review of the bank’s remuneration policies. The orders are the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia (who also recently questioned McDonald’s about its responsibility for child nutrition), and the Benedictine Sisters of Mount Angel.

As shareholders, the nuns requested a report that would include:

“1. An evaluation of whether our senior executive compensation packages (including, but not limited to, options, benefits, perks, loans and retirement agreements) are ‘excessive’ and should be modified.

2. An exploration of how sizeable layoffs and the level of pay of our lowest paid workers impact senior executive pay.

3. An analysis of the way in which fluctuations in revenues impact: a) the company’s compensation pool; b) the compensation of the company’s top 25 senior executives; and c) the company’s shareholders.”

So what does this all have to do with vowing lifelong poverty in a religious community? In this case, the vow of poverty compels us to call into call into question — responsibly, as the sisters have done — business practices that are unjust. We, like others who choose to live the Gospel, are committed to the just distribution of goods, to caring for those who are economically disadvantaged, and to changing structures that perpetuate the disparity of rich v. poor. (This of course takes us into yet another dimension of the vow of poverty and that is living simply and care of God’s earth … but that’s for another blog post).

I am encouraged and challenged by the sisters for taking a stand and calling the company to accountability — not with unkindness or rashness — but with a genuine sense of care and respect both for the company and for those who work for the company. This civil discourse is notable, especially when various reporters sensationalize the story by using uncivil language such as “a pack of angry nuns” … trash-talking indeed. The sisters call us to expand how we understand stewardship to not just how we handle our own shekels but how we as a human community care for one another.

What are your thoughts on this story? What questions and thoughts does it raise in you?

* * *

Join the sisters and A Nun’s Life community at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone) at http://aNunsLife.org/LIVE for Praying with the Sisters live podcast and chat.

AS066 Ask Sister – trash-talkin nuns, felonies, divorce and annulment, obedience, and bathtub Marys

The Nuns — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:46:15 +0000

AS066 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 1, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: trash-talkin nuns, questions about becoming a religious after having been in prison or divorced, the vow of obedience, bathtub Marys, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is the converse of the vow of obedience? Is that a struggle for you in everyday life?
Is a divorced person whose ex-husband dies free to become a nun?
The sisters consider a new podcast series … Trash-Talkin’ Nuns
Is it possible to enter a religious community after been a felon?
What’s the deal with bathtub Marys?

AS065 Ask Sister – psychics and nuns, meditating on Scripture, sisters in the parish, “Celibacy in the City” tv show (not…), meet Sister Mary Evoca

Sister Maxine — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:31:45 +0000

AS065 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 25, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: psychics and nuns, meditating on Scripture, sisters in the parish, Celibacy in the City TV show?, meet Sister Mary Evoca, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I visited a psychic who told me to go to nuns for direction. Help!
What does it mean to meditate over (or on) scripture?
What is the role of Catholic sisters and nuns in parish life?
What’s up with that new recording gizmo on aNunsLife.org/contact (aka our new portress Sr. Mary Evoca)
Celibacy is CRAZY! Can anyone really live that way?

AS064 Ask Sister – confession and reconciliation, chapel veils, Lent, a real nun on the set of Sister Act II, and more!

Sister Maxine — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:42:25 +0000

AS064 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 18, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Julianna Vagnozzi, CSSF. Topics include: confession and reconciliation, chapel veils, Lent, a real nun on the set of Sister Act II, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

New Protestant religious order seeks advice on habits.
What’s up with chapel veils and mantillas in church — too old-school, sign of respect, gender stereotyping?
Confession and reconcilation
Do habits “cause” vocations?
Lenten solidarity with people who are poor
A real sister gets into the act in the movie Sister Act II

Do you have a question for us? Visit “Sister Mary Evoca” at http://anunslife.org/contact and record your question or comments for us and the A Nun’s Life Community. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Travelling Sisters Roadshow revs up this week: fund raising for disaster recovery in Australia

Sister Maxine — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:30:10 +0000

Iam often impressed by how creativity and compassion go hand in hand. The Sisters of St. Joseph in Australia provide a good example of this.

On Friday, the nuns begin a nationwide road trip to raise funds for disaster recovery in Australia. The nation has had severe floods and other natural disasters in recent months, and many people continue to suffer from the effects of these events.

Sister Julianne Murphy is in the driver’s seat for the seven-month project. She’ll lead the effort with stops across the nation for fundraising dinners, visits with young people at schools, and visits to areas affected by natural disasters.

All the funds will go to grants for local projects for disaster recovery, through the Mary MacKillop Foundation. Mary MacKillop founded the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1867 and is the first Australian saint (canonized October 2010) in the Roman Catholic Church. For more information about the Sisters Travelling Roadshow, visit their website ( http://bit.ly/ifC77w).

As the sisters get ready for the road, I pray that they will have a safe trip and that their Travelling Roadshow will raise lots of funds for people in need.

Please join me in prayer by writing a blessing for the sisters in the comment box below.

Join the sisters and A Nun’s Life community at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone) at http://aNunsLife.org/LIVE for Praying with the Sisters live podcast and chat.

Nuns take on McDonald’s and the health of our children

Sister Julie — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:06:36 +0000

The Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia are spearheading a proposal for McDonald’s Corporation that they respond to the public health concerns and data about the effects of fast food on the health of children. The Sisters are joined by a number of other religious communities including Benedictines, Dominicans, and BVMs as well as other health, financial, and educational organizations.

The Franciscan Sisters are shareholders in McDonald’s, owning more than $2,000 worth of McDonald’s stock, which gives them the right to make such a proposal.

PROPOSAL NO. 11: Advisory Vote on Shareholder Proposal Relating to a Report on Children’s Nutrition

WHEREAS, the contribution of the fast food industry to the global epidemic of childhood obesity and to diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, have become a major public issue …

RESOLVED: Shareholders ask the Board of Directors to issue a report, at reasonable expense and excluding proprietary information, within six months of the 2011 annual meeting, assessing the company’s policy responses to public concerns regarding linkages of fast food to childhood obesity, diet-related diseases and other impacts on children’s health. Such report should include an assessment of the potential impacts of public concerns and evolving public policy on the company’s finances and operations.

For more information, read the full text of the Sisters’ proposal to McDonald’s as well as a story National Public Radio ran about the Sisters’ proposal.

I’ve read a number of comments on blog posts about this proposal and was struck by a few who thought it was odd that the nuns were shareholders at a corporation, especially at McDonalds. The nuns, some commenters implied, should stick to the classroom and out of the world of business and politics. Well, I got news for these folks. Caring for people and God’s creation and educating people around Gospel values must happen at all levels of society — on the immediate, front lines and at the systemic level. We need to tend to the wounds of the sick and influence health care police. We need to teach children in the class room and have a voice in the public sphere to be sure children are protected and cared for.

The Franciscan Sisters of Philadelphia, for example, are not only working on behalf of children and health as shareholders at McDonald’s, but they help run and teach at Mother Seton Academy which offers tuition-free alternative middle school education to the underserved population; they provide housing and support services for women and children; they run a family counseling center to help individuals, couples, and families; and so much more.

So charge on, my Sisters, and know that our prayers are with you as you walk into that board room.

* * *

Join the sisters and A Nun’s Life community at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone) at http://aNunsLife.org/LIVE for Praying with the Sisters live podcast and chat.

AS063 Ask Sister – Live from the Motherhouse! The nuns talk about the daily Examen prayer, God and free will, different notions of vocation, feeling unconnected to God and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:31:36 +0000

AS063 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 11, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Kathie Budesky. Topics include: the daily Examen prayer, God and free will, different notions of vocation, feeling unconnected to God, and more!

This episode was broadcast live from the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan, with an in-house audience! Sister Kathie Budesky, IHM, the director of Visitation North Spirituality Center, joined Sister Maxine and Sister Julie on air.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can you talk more about the “Examen Prayer”? What is it? How do you use it/apply it?
How do we make sense of God and free will?
What is the difference between vowed religious vocations and ‘non-vowed religious vocations’?
What do you do when you don’t feel connected with God as usual?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

In Good Faith with guest Mike Hayes of BustedHalo.com

Sister Maxine — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:22:50 +0000

IGF007 In Good Faith with Mike Hayes, co-founder of BustedHalo.com, recorded live on March 8, 2011. Produced by aNunsLife.org ministry. Our hosts talk with Mike about parish ministry with young adults, technology, young adults and the church, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Busted Halo’s Mike Hayes

Mike Hayes, co-founder and senior editor at BustedHalo.com. Mike is also author of Googling God. He is currently in campus ministry at Saint Joseph University Parish in Buffalo, NY. His website is http://GooglingGod.com/.

Show Notes:

being called to minister with young adults
some of the spiritual challenges faced by young adults today
parish ministry on a university campus
the inspiration for creating BustedHalo.com
Googling God — the Internet and the search for the Divine
difference between on-line and face-to-face communication
“Brief Relief” — a creative social justice approach
campus ministry at the intersection of pre-professional coursework
keeping it real — talking with young adults about controversial social issues
how to make a place in the church for young adults
advice on starting an online outreach to young adults

In Good Faith is a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie. Our monthly program features guests who are nationally known for their ministry in spirituality, religious life, and discernment. We’ll look at how our guests understand their own life as a calling and discuss a variety of perspectives on living faith and call in everyday life. The program is broadcast live every first Thursday of the month from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. Tune in at www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE.

AS062 Ask Sister – live from the University of Notre Dame, with questions about common v. personal prayer, spiritual poverty, preparing for Lent, ways to pray, and prayer and healing

The Nuns — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:36:41 +0000

AS062 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 4, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: common v. personal prayer, spiritual poverty, preparing for Lent, ways to pray, and prayer and healing.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is there a dynamic in community prayer that you cannot get from praying on your own?
What is spiritual poverty? Should I run from it or embrace it?
With Lent approaching, how do you plan to honor the season?
The nuns’ favorite ways to pray
Does prayer promote healing?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS061 Ask Sister – cathedral v. basilica, dealing with depression, the basics on Catholic prayers and practices, encountering less-than-nice vocation/formation personnel

The Nuns — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:34:07 +0000

AS061 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 25, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: cathedral v. basilica, dealing with depression, the basics on Catholic prayers, encountering less-than-nice vocation/formation personnel.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is the difference between a cathedral and a basilica?
Do nuns and sisters get depressed? Can prayer help?
Unpleasant encounters with vocation/formation personnel — should this be a determining factor in whether or not to enter religious life?
How to listen to Ask Sister in Spain…and other places around the world!
Is there a comprehensive resource for basic Catholic prayers and practices?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS060 Ask Sister – nuns in India, praying to Mary, missing God’s call, Saint Scholastica, and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:49:20 +0000

AS060 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 11, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: praying to Mary, missing God’s call, nuns in India, Saint Scholastica, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Do Catholics pray to Mary? What is the Church’s teaching, especially in
light of 1 Timothy 2:5?
Finding Catholic sisters in India — be sure to check out our interview with Sister Sabitha
Can you become a nun if you have a child? (see also episode AS059 where Sister Hildegard talks about being a contemplative nun with grandchildren!)
Is it possible to miss God’s call? What do I do if I did?
Thoughts on Thursday’s feast of Saint Scholastica

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS059 Ask Sister – following God’s call to parenthood or nunhood or acting, asking “why me?” and being worthy of God’s call, choosing apostolic life or contemplative life

The Nuns — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:03:28 +0000

AS059 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 4, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Hildegard Pleva. Topics include: becoming a parent, nun, or actress, am I worthy of God’s calling?, apostolic or contemplative life, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How did you decide between being an apostolic sister or a contemplative nun?
I’m 23 and feel like something is missing, the sense of fulfillment and happiness. I feel God is calling me, but I wonder, “Why me? Am I worthy enough of God’s call?”
I am attracted to both being a religious and being a parent. This tug-of-war makes it difficult to listen to God’s voice, and I wonder if you have any advice for me.
My dream is to be an actress – acting makes me happy. But when I’m at church I feel at peace and hear a call to be a nun. Help!

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

IGF006 In Good Faith with Sister Laurel O’Neal, diocesan hermit

Sister Maxine — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:35:32 +0000

IGF006 In Good Faith with Sister Laurel O’Neal, a diocesan hermit, recorded live on February 3, 2011. Produced by aNunsLife.org ministry. Our hosts talk with Sister Laurel about about the life of a hermit, eremitical solitude, chronic illness, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Sister Laurel O’Neal, diocesan hermit.

Sister Laurel O’Neal is a diocesan hermit, theologian, spiritual director and author of the blog notesfromstillsong.blogspot.com.

Show Notes:

what a hermit is
historical origins of the eremitical life
eremitical life in the Camaldolese Benedictine tradition
discerning a call to eremitical life
relationship of diocesan hermit to the diocese and bishop
difference between eremitical life and other forms of consecrated life
the daily pattern of life for a hermit — the horarium
lay hermits
the digital hermitage — a blog as a window to the world
common misperceptions about the life of a hermit
chronic illness and vocation
the unusual vividness of chronic illness
solitude in the life of a hermit
deepening the relationship with God through solitude

In Good Faith is a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie. Our monthly program features guests who are nationally known for their ministry in spirituality, religious life, and discernment. We’ll look at how our guests understand their own life as a calling and discuss a variety of perspectives on living faith and call in everyday life. The program is broadcast live every first Thursday of the month from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. Tune in at www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE.

For more information, including upcoming guests on In Good Faith, please visit the program page of In Good Faith.

Celebrating a snowy World Day for Consecrated Life!

Sister Maxine — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:44:29 +0000

Here in the Chicago area, we’re getting snow, snow, and more snow! Plus the winds are whipping around, so that when I look out the window, it’s like looking at a snow-globe that’s just been shaken. I’m not real fond of snow, but I love to engage with nature. So this morning, which BTW is World Day for Consecrated Life, I put on a ton of warm clothes and went outside with Sister Julie.

World Day for Consecrated Life was established in 1997. One of its purposes is to celebrate the ways that God works in and through the lives of consecrated women and men. Today, with the snow and wind swirling around us, Sister Julie and I celebrate our lives as religious and rejoice in the ministry of A Nun’s Life that the Spirit has breathed into being.

If there are religious sisters, brothers, priests or other consecrated persons who have been an important part of your life, we’d love to hear about them! Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.

Join the sisters and A Nun’s Life community at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone) at http://aNunsLife.org/LIVE for Praying with the Sisters live podcast and chat.

AS058 Ask Sister – pooh-poohing a vocation, a matter of conscience, original sin and sex, sudden conversion, female Doctors of the Church

The Nuns — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:10:53 +0000

AS058 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 28, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: pooh-poohing a vocation, a matter of conscience, original sin and sex, sudden conversion, female Doctors of the Church, and more!

Special Guest: Sister Sarah Foster, RSM

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How do you talk to people who do not understand your calling (e.g., to religious life) or who react in negative ways?
Conscience. What is it? Is it formed by nature or nurture?
Is original sin all about sex? Is sex really sinful?
Why are there so few female Doctors of the Church?
Is it possible to have a sudden conversion and have it “stick”?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS057 Ask Sister – legit baptisms, stuff and the vow of poverty, novitiate reception ceremonies, online faith – is it enough?

The Nuns — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:09:32 +0000

AS057 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 21, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: legit baptisms, stuff and the vow of poverty, novitiate reception ceremonies, looking for faith on the Internet, commitment to God, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is baptism in other Christian traditions recognized by the Roman Catholic church?
When a person enters the religious life, what becomes of the person’s stuff?
What was your novitiate reception ceremony like? How did you plan it?
What are you thoughts on Christian websites with lots of inspirational articles, podcasts, etc. Is this a trend for future generations? Should people also incorporate an outreach such as attending a church service?
How do I as a layperson consistently dedicate my life to God?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling, and an email address in case we need to contact you. We’ll play your message and respond on the next Ask Sister podcast — your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Pink Land and other celebrations of the ordinary stuff of life

Sister Maxine — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:35:24 +0000

Another Wednesday morning – one that’s totally out of the ordinary! Ok, so it didn’t look like that at first glance. After all, how can something as mundane as taking out the garbage at 7 a.m. be extraordinary? But in its own way, it was.

I trudged down the stairs and stepped outside, into air so cold it made my eyes water. The rain that had fallen yesterday was now a sheet of ice underfoot, and it reflected the rosy glow of the dawn. I walked into Pink Land gingerly, so as not to wipe out. When I returned indoors, the sudden warmth fogged up my glasses. I unfogged, and thought about the many transitions that a single day brings. We are always on the threshold of something new, even in ordinary moments. I’m not always able to see the extraordinary in ordinary life, but when it happens, I go into the day with more creativity, energy, and gratitude.

How have you experienced the extraordinary in ordinary life? Please share your story in the comment box below.

* * *

Join the sisters and A Nun’s Life community at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone) at http://aNunsLife.org/LIVE for Praying with the Sisters live podcast and chat.

Don’t let movies and TV taint your view of Catholic sisters and nuns!

Sister Julie — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:19:59 +0000

Bobbling, giddy nuns? Stern, ruler-wielding nuns? Holier-than-thou and out-of-touch? Not so, my friends. The Philadelphia Daily News recently published an article about the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) and did a great job at tapping into the real spirit and life of Catholic sisters and nuns.

Here’s a great quote from the article “Don’t let movies and TV taint view of women religious” (January 15, 2011) which speaks to not only the SHCJ Sisters but to the vast majority of Catholic sisters and nuns in the U.S.:

The public often knows little about the realities of women in religious orders, other than what they see portrayed in movies or television. Singing nuns, flying nuns and dancing nuns are popular depictions. Although SHCJ Sisters are quick to acknowledge the joy they experience from their commitment, their joy evolves from rigorous intellectual study, productive contemplation and a studious pursuit of understanding the wants of the age. The ability to remain adaptable and respond to challenges enhances the experience.

Let me just repeat that sentence because it is powerful: “Their joy evolves from rigorous intellectual study, productive contemplation and a studious pursuit of understanding the wants of the age. The ability to remain adaptable and respond to challenges enhances the experience.” That to me is a life WAY worth living. Although I am a bit biased, I can say for certain that if I did not encounter this in religious life or in my IHM congregation, I would never have been attracted to this way of life. There is a depth, a passion, an all-out embrace of God that this way of life calls for.

And a little history helps shed light on how religious life began to shift with a nudge from the Holy Spirit:

Entering the Society before the Second Vatican Council (held from 1962-65), they anticipated a life of teaching, obedience and prayer. During the early years, this was the path they followed. Following Vatican II, they experienced less structure, broader choices and increased freedom. While the Society’s teaching mission guided their decisions, the Sisters explored strategies that allowed them to consider less-traditional ways of serving their communities and continuing the Society’s mission…. Doing God’s work enables the Sisters of the SHCJ to carry out their mission and help the needy in a variety of settings.

Compare and contrast this real-life example of religious life with a TV or movie version. What gives?

* * *

Join the sisters and A Nun’s Life community at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone) at http://aNunsLife.org/LIVE for Praying with the Sisters live podcast and chat.

AS056 Ask Sister – worldly Benedictine monastics, godly anger, dilemma for a Catholic-Protestant couple, not feeling called

Sister Julie — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:57:37 +0000

AS056 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 14, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Benedictine monastics outside the monastery, godly anger, church-going dilemma for a Catholic-Protestant couple, not feeling called, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I feel I have a vocation but recently I’ve felt “not called” anymore. Should I be worried?
How can Benedictines be considered monastics when so many of them work in the world? … Sister Christine Ereiser, OSB, responds
What would cause God to be angry with us? (from a discussion about Meribah)
Is it okay to be angry with God?
What are some healthy ways for a couple to attend church when one is Catholic and one is Protestant?
Plus, an update from the “nun-ordering-pizza” debate!

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Discerning a vocation? What to do when our vocation finds us first.

Sister Maxine — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:46:03 +0000

Ever have the experience of looking for something, like car keys or a cell phone, just to find that it’s right before your eyes? Sometimes vocations are like that.

Case in point—my friend, Nancy Lee Smith, IHM. Sister Nancy began working full-time as an iconographer several years ago (saintjosephstudio.com). Even as she began creating wonderful icons, when people asked about her ministry, she tended to reply, “I do artwork.”

She vividly recalls the day that changed. It was at a local gallery showing,and her works were among those displayed. “I looked around and suddenly realized that I don’t just do artwork, I am an artist.” It was a moment when “doing” and “being” came together. She clearly understood that she was already living her vocation as an artist.

Sister Nancy’s story reminds me that a vocation isn’t just “what we do,” it’s also who we are. Her story reminds me that God is always at work in our lives, and sometimes it just takes awhile for us to see it clearly.

Have you had an “ah-ha” vocational moment, and how did you respond? I’d love to hear your story! Please share it by writing in the comment box below.

* * *

This week is National Vocation Awareness Week. The Sisters will be praying daily for those who are discerning a vocation as well as taking your prayer requests. Join us at 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone) at http://aNunsLife.org/LIVE for Praying with the Sisters live podcast and chat.

AS055 Ask Sister – nun eating habits, ordering pizza, cultivating mindfulness, making and breaking vows, four-week psalter

The Nuns — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:44:08 +0000

AS055 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 7, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include:nun eating habits, ordering pizza, cultivating mindfulness in daily life, making and breaking religious vows, the four-week psalter, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What vows do a nun take? What would happen to a nun if she broke one of her vows?
How can we live mindfulness, especially when we are always multitasking?
What are samples of your typical meals? are you allowed coffee?
Do nuns order pizza?
Why the variety in styles of dress across religious congregations?
What’s up with the four-week psalter and how do I know what week we’re in?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

IGF005 In Good Faith with the Catholic Foodie, Jeff Young

Sister Julie — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:26:32 +0000

IGF005 In Good Faith with the Catholic Foodie, Jeff Young, recorded live on January 6, 2011. Produced by aNunsLife.org ministry. Our hosts talk with Jeff about recipes, essential items in the kitchen, the connection between food and the Sacred, and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Jeff Young, the Catholic Foodie

Jeff Young is the creator of Catholic Foodie, a podcast “where food meets faith”. The Catholic Foodie show brings to the table recipes and reviews, and it highlights how food can be a sign to us of God’s love and care for each of us and our families

Show Notes:

the nature of a “Catholic foodie”
ministry through food and a podcast
favorite recipes and foods
food and equipment necessities in the kitchen (behold, the mortar and pestle)
meaning and symbols in sharing a meal
connection between food and the Sacred
the Eucharist as meal and symbol
Scripture passages and food
the Mary and Martha story
being more mindful/intentional about preparing and eating food
eating healthy
eating whole foods and close to the earth
things to look for when reviewing a restaurant
a seafood gumbo recipe for listeners
King Cakes and Epiphany
the Cheese Nun
dinner and decor for a visit from none other than Jesus

In Good Faith is a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie. Our monthly program features guests who are nationally known for their ministry in spirituality, religious life, and discernment. We’ll look at how our guests understand their own life as a calling and discuss a variety of perspectives on living faith and call in everyday life. The program is broadcast live every first Thursday of the month from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. Tune in at www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE.

For more information, including upcoming guests on In Good Faith, please visit the program page of In Good Faith.

The Catholic Foodie’s Seafood Gumbo Recipe (discussed during the episode)

Ingredients

2 lbs shrimp (with heads attached), peeled, retain the heads & shells
4 yellow onions, 2 chopped, 2 quartered
4 ribs celery, 2 chopped, 2 quartered
2 green bell pepper, chopped
6-9 cloves garlic, minced
3 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 pound okra, sliced (1/2-inch slices)
1 stick butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Cayenne pepper, to taste
3 bay leaves
Sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 pound lump crabmeat
4-6 gumbo crabs, optional
1-2 dozen oysters (with their liquor)
Filé powder, to taste
1 bunch parsley (flat-leaf), chopped
rice
Crystal Hot Sauce or Tabasco, to taste

Method

FOR THE STOCK:
Peel and devein the shrimp, removing the heads. Refrigerate shrimp until ready to use. Place heads and shells in a stock pot. Quarter 2 onions lengthwise. Quarter 2 or 3 cloves of garlic. Cut the celery into 3 to 4 inch pieces. Add 8 to 10 cups of water to the stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Strain through fine-meshed sieve. Discard shells and veggies. Return stock to pot and set aside.

FOR THE GUMBO:

Chop the yellow onions and the celery. Seed, trim, and chop the bell pepper. Set aside. Peel and seed the tomatoes, chop and set aside. (Alternatively, you can use the equivalent in canned tomatoes). Trim and slice the okra into 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.|
Make your roux. Roux is made with equal parts flour and oil. In this recipe, we use butter to make the roux. Heat a deep skillet (stainless steel or cast-iron) on medium heat (#6). Cut up the butter and add to the skillet. When the butter melts and begins to bubble, start adding the flour slowly, stirring constantly with a spatula (preferably wooden). Remember to stir constantly to prevent burning or scorching. The roux will quickly change colors. For the gumbo, you want a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
Once the roux has reached the right color, quickly add the onions, celery, and bell pepper, continuing to stir until all is mixed well. Sauté the veggies until they soften, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté, stirring another minute or two.
Bring reserved stock to a boil. Add the veggie-roux mixture to the stock using a large spoon. Stir in the spoonful of mixture until fully integrated before adding another spoonful. Add the tomatoes, okra, bay leaves and thyme. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Add the gumbo crabs. Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about an hour. Occasionally skim and discard any excess oil that pools on the surface.
Add the reserved shrimp. Allow to simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the crab meat and the oysters. Simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes, until the edges of the oysters start to curl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add some of the green onions and the parsley (save some so that each guest can add to their bowl according to taste).
Remove bay leaves and discard. Serve in bowls over rice. Sprinkle bowls with green onions and parsley. Have Crystal Hot Sauce or Tabasco on hand, and gumbo filé, in case anyone wants to thicken up their bowl with a dash or two.

Bon appetit!
Servings: 10
Source: Jeff Young, the Catholic Foodie

AS054 Ask Sister – New Years Eve 2010 Edition

The Nuns — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:51:49 +0000

AS054 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 31, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: angels, nuns exchanging gifts, finding meaning in life, letting go of expectations and control, centering prayer ideas and tips, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

During this special edition broadcast, we discussed 3 of our favorite segments of 2010:

the spouse of Christ and other images to view our relationship with God (episode AS039)
Chloe the Convent Cat responds to a question about Mickey Mouse (episode AS032)
angels and choirs thereof (episode AS053)

We also addressed some of the questions in the book Nuns Having Fun such as:

What do you wear to bed?
Do you get to choose where you live?
What do you carry in your pockets?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS053 Ask Sister – angels, exchanging gifts, finding meaning in life, letting go of expectations and control, centering prayer

Sister Julie — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:27:51 +0000

AS053 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 17, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: angels, nuns exchanging gifts, finding meaning in life, letting go of expectations and control, centering prayer ideas and tips, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What are some of the Catholic views on angels and their role in God’s service?
I feel like there’s a distant meaning in life, but I don’t know if it’s religious or not. Could you shed some light?
Do nuns exchange gifts for family and friends at Christmas?
How can I let go of expectations and control when I am on the precipice of change?
Could you talk more about centering prayer, what it is different ways to do centering prayer, and any tips?
… and much, much more!

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Stressing the holidays? Three nun-tested steps for stress reduction

Sister Maxine — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:11:45 +0000

Here at the convent, we love the energy of the holiday season – Christmas lights, gatherings with friends and co-workers, Christmas carols, lending a hand to others, and lots of other things that make the season festive. But even good things can be stressful sometimes. So today, we’re collecting ideas for how to keep stress in check and have a holy, wholesome, wholistic Christmas season. Here are three ideas that Sister Julie and I have personally nun-tested.

Stay focused during prayer. Concentrating on one thing, like a scripture passage or an image from nature, is a good start to a day that’s going to be filled with lots of activity.
Have a sense of humor. There’s a great saying that goes, “Life doesn’t disappoint us; our expectations do.” So when things don’t go as planned, we try to take it in stride and appreciate the adventure.
Don’t worry about the little stuff. Attend to the big stuff, like relationships, and the rest will be okay too.

How do you keep stress in check over the holidays? We’d love to hear from you!

* * *

Join A Nun’s Life Community for prayer today via our live podcast “Praying with the Sisters” and chat room. Just before 6 p.m. Central Time (your time zone) join us at http://aNunsLife.org/LIVE … more info on that page.

Nun Photo – Sister John Catherine, OP

Sister Julie — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:01:02 +0000

It is Monday and today we celebrate another NUNDAY! It’s been a while but Nunday is still alive and kicking! I invite you to send in your photos and stories about the nun featured in the photo. For more info check out the details on submitting your photo for consideration.

Today’s Nunday photo is of Sister John Catherine, OP, and Sarah Wooten at All Saints after the Baccalaureate Mass.

Sarah writes …

Sister John Catherine of the Nashville Dominicans taught me senior year of High School. She always taught with great passion and love. Class was always entertaining and special. She helped me regain my faith and God used her to convert me to Catholicism. She would do anything, she could to help a student who was having struggles in their lives. I enjoyed learning about religious vocations from her. She opened my eyes to think of what God wants me to do. Now I have religious life on my mind constantly. She was one of the many Angels God has sent me throughout my life. She has amazing zeal and love for Christ. Anyone who gets to experience her presence are truly blessed. She has many talents but one is playing sports in her habit.

Thanks, Sarah! And blessings to you.

AS052 Ask Sister – military sister, what’s a convent?, knotted cords, down and unmotivated, why be Catholic?

The Nuns — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:07:37 +0000

AS052 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 10, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Donna Hart, IHM. Topics include: military sisters, convents defined, Franciscan knotted cord, down and unmotivated, why be Catholic?, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can Catholic sisters be in the military or national guard?
What makes a particular abode a “convent”?
How does one find the knotted cord that Franciscans wear?
I’m feeling down and have no motivation unless I become a nun. What do I do?
Why be Catholic if there other ways to get to heaven?
Do you find your lives particularly stressful? When you are stressed, what do you do? How do you cope with the unknown?

Today we’ll be joined by special guest Sister Donna Hart, IHM. We’ll ask Sister Donna about her life as a Catholic sister, and in particular what it was like to experience life as a sister before the Second Vatican Council, during the Council and now 40+ years later.

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Sinless, but life is still not perfect…

Sister Maxine — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:50:26 +0000

This morning, I tried to imagine a life free from sin. It was a lot harder than I expected.

My ponderings were inspired by today’s feast day, the Immaculate Conception of Mary. According to Catholic doctrine, from the first moment of Mary’s existence, God preserved her from original sin and filled her with grace. Doctrine tells us that Mary remained sinless throughout her life.

What caused my difficulty was that I equated a sinless life with a perfect life. After all, if I never sinned, wouldn’t my life be perfect? Even if the people around me weren’t perfect, shouldn’t sinlessness protect me, so that stuff like anger or violence or greed wouldn’t impinge upon my perfect life?

Then I thought about Mary. She was sinless, yet her life was far from perfect. At one point, Mary faced the prospect of being single mom in a culture that looked down on unmarried mothers. When she was ready to give birth, she and Joseph were on the road, not with family who could help with the birth and the new baby. Her son Jesus was a great guy, but the ups and downs of his life greatly affected Mary, and she stayed with him through it all. Despite her sinlessness, Mary was one of us – a person who experienced joy and sorry, who cared for her family and neighbors, and who loved deeply.

So, maybe a sinless life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Not that I have to worry about it. Sorta like water under the bridge on that one. But Mary shows me that what matters is not a sinless or a perfect life. What matters is the fullness of life—the ability to embrace my own humanity and that of others, with all its eccentricities, joys, weaknesses, and challenges.

What message does Mary have for you today? Happy Feast Day!

* * *

AS051 Ask Sister – awesome cool stuff v. vow of poverty, Roman Missal, tattoos, converts, prayer, transfer nuns

Sister Julie — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:32:50 +0000

AS051 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 3, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: cool stuff v. vow of poverty, understanding changes to Roman Missal, tattoos, converting and becoming a nun, prayer, transfer nuns, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What makes a particular abode a convent?
Can you bring your awesome cool stuff to the convent when you enter? What about the vow of poverty?
Why are there changes to the Roman Missal?
How long do you have to wait after you’ve converted to Catholicism to enter a religious community?
How do each of you pray?
Can nuns have tattoos?
Can sisters transfer from one order to another?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

In Good Faith with Father James Martin, SJ

Sister Julie — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 13:53:40 +0000

IGF004 In Good Faith with Father James Martin, SJ, recorded live on December 2, 2010. Produced by aNunsLife.org ministry. Our hosts talk with Father Jim about his vocation and life of prayer, faith in real life, Ignatian spirituality, the Examen and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Guest: Father James Martin, SJ

Father James Martin, SJ, is author and culture editor of America magazine and author of the new book The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything. He writes for a number of publications and is a regular commentator on religion and spirituality for major media networks.

Topic: The sisters talk with Father Jim about faith in real life, Ignatian Spirituality, what it means to be a contemplative in action, incorporating prayer into the hecticness of daily life, and more!

Show Notes:

Father Jim’s calling to become a Jesuit priest
a vocation to be a writer
signs we know we are where God wants us to be
what is spirituality?
Ignatian spirituality as distinct from other spiritualities
finding God in all things
being a contemplative in action
freedom and detachment
using the imagination to pray
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything
Father Jim’s “spiritual tool chest”
the saints and their role in our lives
living simply
incorporating prayer and faith in a life already packed with activity and commitments

In Good Faith is a conversation exploring God’s call in everyday life hosted by A Nun’s Life Sisters Maxine and Julie. Our monthly program features guests who are nationally known for their ministry in spirituality, religious life, and discernment. We’ll look at how our guests understand their own life as a calling and discuss a variety of perspectives on living faith and call in everyday life. The program is broadcast live every first Thursday of the month from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. Tune in at www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE.

For more information, including upcoming guests on In Good Faith, please visit the program page of In Good Faith.

AS050 Ask Sister – Special Edition: Thanksgiving

The Nuns — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:20:58 +0000

AS050 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 26, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Special Thanksgiving Edition. Topics include: festive meals, turkey sound effects, recipes, prayers, our favorite Thanksgiving stories, gratitude, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the recipes and stories mentioned in this special edition Ask Sister podcast:

Pumpkin Cheesecake from Suze

9″ or 10″ spring-form pan

Crust:
1 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 27 or so cookies crushed fine)
5-6 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup cool water
1 cup heavy cream
2 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 – 16 oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

For crust combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs with melted butter and press into the bottom of the spring-form pan. Refrigerate for 15 or so minutes to set the crust.

For filling, in a one cup glass measuring cup, combine the unflavored gelatin with the cool water, let sit for 5 minutes to soften. Place the measuring cup into a small saucepan with an inch of boiling water, cook over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved (about a minute or so, don’t overcook). Remove the cup from pan and let cool.

Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl beat the softened cream cheese and the sugar for about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree and spices to the cream cheese, beating just until combined (I use a wooden spoon for this step). With the wooden spoon, stir in the softened gelatin until combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream just until incorporated, mixture will look a bit streaky that is ok. Refrigerate at least 4-6 hours or overnight. Sometimes I make pie crust shapes (cut outs of numbers for birthdays, leaves in the fall, a turkey at Thanksgiving and a snowman for Christmas, etc) to decorate the top. If you do this, bake the crust pieces then put onto the cheesecake just before serving.

Sweet Potato Pie from Suze

Single layer pie crust, uncooked. Cover the edges with foil for the first 20 minutes of baking so edges don’t get too brown then remove foil for remainder of baking time

1 cup boiled sweet potatoes, smashed with a potato masher to smoothness or riced if you are a purist (like my mom was)
1 cup sugar (I use only 1/2 cup)
2 beaten eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or you can use 1/2 teaspoon, I like lots of cinnamon)
1/2 cup brown sugar (the dark brown sugar gives a nice color to the finished pie)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup broken pecan pieces

Mix the smashed sweet potatoes, sugar and eggs together. Add milk, flour and spices and blend all together. In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, melted butter and pecan pieces together and set aside. Pour sweet potato mixture into unbaked the pie shell. Bake at 325 about 20-25 minutes (TOTAL baking time is 45 minutes or so, until the custard is set). When you remove the foil from the crust edge, sprinkle the top of the pie with the brown sugar, butter and pecan mixture then continue baking.

Let cool completely before cutting into the pie as this recipe is based on a chess pie so the pie will be a bit puffy when first out of the oven but settles into a simply delicious consistency.

Colcannon from Julia

Here’s a recipe that I like, called Colcannon (don’t ask me how to pronounce it). It’s an old Celtic way to make mashed potatoes, traditionally made by the Irish on All Saints day to predict the future of the children. For the divination: after the dish is ready, stir in a thimble (spinster), a ring (marriage), a button (bachelor), coin (wealth), and a cross (priest or nun). I’ve never done that game, but if you do, I recommend you sterilize the game pieces, and warn everyone to eat carefully.

4 cups mashed potato’s
2 1/2 cups cabbage, cooked and chopped fine
1/2 cup butter (avoid corn oil margarine as they will not add the needed body and flavor)
1/2 cup cream or evaporated milk
3/4 cup onion, chopped very fine and sauteed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Saute onions (traditionalist’s saute in lard or grease, but butter is acceptable). Boil the potato’s and mash them (don’t use artificial potato flakes). Boil (or steam) the chopped cabbage

In a large pan place all the ingredients, except the cabbage, and cook over low heat while blending them together.

Turn the heat to medium and add the cabbage. The mixture will take on a pale green cast. Heat and serve.
(Serves eight.)

AS049 Ask Sister – no desire for a vocation, saints and symbols, two Saint Theresas, exercise habits, putting the holy in holiday

The Nuns — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:43:03 +0000

AS049 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 19, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: no desire for a vocation, saints and symbols, Therese of Lisieux and Teresa of Avila, exercise habits, putting the holy in holiday, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can you be called by God to a vocation that you don’t really want? NOTE: The article mentioned in the conversation is 4 Steps for Discernment and Decision-Making
In art and on holy cards, why are saints pictured with symbols?
Two Saint Theresa’s? How are they different?
Can nuns go swimming with their habit on? Horseback riding?
How do you put the “holy” in “holiday”?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS048 Ask Sister – images of God, dreaming about Jesus, discerning priesthood and/or romance, Blessed Mary v. Mary Magdalen, serving God in blue jeans

The Nuns — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 07:46:40 +0000

AS048 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 12, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: images of God, dreaming about Jesus, priesthood and/or romance, Blessed Mary v. Mary Magdalen, becoming Catholic, serving God in blue jeans!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

This is a special Ask Sister IHM Edition which was broadcast from the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan, before a live studio audience of IHM Sisters. In addition hosts Sisters Maxine and Julie were joined by their IHM Sisters Theresa Koernke and Angela Hibbard, both trained in theology and in liturgy.

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is it okay to be more of a “Mary Magdalen” than a “Blessed Mary,” that is, to be not quite so perfect, to serve God and still wear our blue jeans?
What is your image of God? Can we have more than one image of God? Do our images of God ever change?
Can you discern a calling to become a priest and have a romantic relationship simultaneously?
What does it mean if you have dreams about Jesus? And what do nuns dream about?
I’m on the fence about becoming Catholic. What should I do? What questions would be helpful for me to ask to help me figure out what to do?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Band of Sisters documentary film screening

Sister Julie — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:44:48 +0000

Sister Maxine and I attended a screening yesterday for the film “Band of Sisters,” a documentary by independent filmmaker Mary Fishman. Mary’s project took her to our IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan, a few times and since she’s based here in Chicago, we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her.

Filmmaker Mary Fishman (l) with friend Prof. Avis Clendenen (r)

The screening was attended by a great crowd of people, including many Catholic sisters. We saw Benedictines, Sisters of Mercy, Dominicans, Presentation Sisters, and of course, Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters! Among the folks were “stars” of the film, Mercy Sisters JoAnn Persch and Pat Murphy, and Sister Nancy Sylvester, IHM. Also there was cinematographer Ines Sommers who filmed many parts in the documentary (including a certain convent studio that we all know and love).

Band of Sisters, a work-in-progress due to be finished within a year, is a stunning portrait of Catholic nuns in the United States tracing their journey through the renewal period of the Second Vatican Council up to the present including the current investigation by the Vatican into the lives of these same sisters. The film’s tag line says it all: “Called by Vatican II to renewal and a return to their roots, they shed the outdated rules separating them from the world, put their lives on the line to stand with the poor, and are now in a pivotal conflict with the church hierarchy over who they have become.”

As a woman religious, I am profoundly grateful to Mary for her work and her great care for this project. It is a very real and personal story that allows sisters to speak in their own voice about their lives, their history, and their lived vision now and into the future. Mary herself was educated by nuns in Catholic grammar and high schools. She is also an architect and urban planner with a passion for social justice and filmmaking.

I believe that this is an important time for this film to come out because there has been so much interest and speculation about Catholic sisters in the United States. Underlying some of that speculation has been a confusion about how exactly sisters went from exclusively habited and cloistered and in teaching or nursing apostolates to being a diverse group representing many was to live faithfully the call to religious life. Mary’s film gives viewers a unique lens through which to see how these changes unfolded. Read more about the film.

What can you do? Check out Mary’s website Band of Sisters, sign up for her eNewsletter, donate to help Mary finish the film, and stay tuned for movie clips coming to an Internet near you!

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AS047 Ask Sister – Trent and the Second Vatican Council, growing in understanding God, a devil for loving?, joining a religious community in another country

Sister Julie — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:16:35 +0000

AS047 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 5, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Trent and Second Vatican Council, growing in understanding God, a devil for loving, joining a religious community in another country and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I’m a guy in love and want to go out with girl who wants to be a nun, does that mean like I’m the devil or something?
Is it possible for someone discerning to be a nun to join a religious community in another country? How would this work?
Could you describe the Council of Trent in a nutshell and how it affected the church?
What do you think was the greatest positive impact that the Second Vatican Council had on the church?
What do you know now about God that you wish you’d known in the beginning?
What are somethings to consider before making a big life decision?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.