No doubt, God is spoiling me
God’s name for me is Grateful One. I’ve known this for many years.
I grew up in a very small town in south Louisiana, the second of five children. There was no Catholic school, but we had missionary sisters in our parish who were immersed in the community. My contact with them began when I joined the junior choir in the sixth grade and continued into high school where I was very active in the parish Youth Group.
One day in my junior year while I was at the convent, Sister Stanislaus said she wanted to talk with me privately. Though that conversation was 48 years ago, I remember her words exactly. “You know, you have everything a girl could want–a good family, you make good grades without trying too hard, you are very popular with your classmates, as well as with the teachers. Have you ever thought about showing your gratitude to God and giving it all back?”
It had NEVER occurred to me I could be a nun! I had no idea where they came from! But I let those words slowly take root in my heart–and gradually I came to know that, yes, I wanted my life to express Gratitude.
So I applied with them, the Eucharistic Missionaries of St. Dominic (known here in Tucson in the past as the “white sisters” because of our white habits). I was the last one to be accepted by our co-foundress and entered in 1961 right out of high school
Though my world was now COMPLETELY different, right from the beginning I felt that my “Yes” was not “Well, I’ll give this a try”, but “Ahh, I’ve found where I belong.” The lure of religious life wasn’t about ministry for me; it was about seeking and finding God. About being sought and found by God
In 1969, at the height of the mass exodus of priests and religious, I made final vows. I had to search my soul like never before and ask at the truest place I could touch, “Why do I stay when so many are leaving? Could I freely choose to leave? If I can’t freely choose to leave, my staying isn’t free either.” I kept coming back to the truth that this is where I belong, even if I’m the last one to turn the lights out.
I spent many years ministering as vocation director for my congregation, and in parishes as pastoral associate, religious education director and as liturgist. These last 10 years I’ve been gifted with the ministry of Spiritual Direction and Directed Retreats.
In New Orleans I had about 35 people coming for spiritual direction, and I ministered informally as a spiritual companion to many others. The diversity among them was marvelous! I walked with young and old; black, Hispanic, white, Asian; straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender; Catholic, Protestant, unchurched; sisters, brothers, priests, women and men in formation for their congregations. What a gift!
And then Katrina came and turned my life upside down. Now homeless, I and my community leaders decided I would come to Tucson since I had been missioned here from 1974 to 1976, and have been here many times over the years. Most importantly, some of my sisters in community are here.
A mantra of my heart since Katrina is that I have lost so much, and I’ve been given so much. I have resumed my ministry of spiritual companioning, and my prayer place/home here is much more lovely than I had in New Orleans! Again, a rich diversity of people is allowing me the privilege of being their guide and companion in their desire that God be at the core of their lives.
No doubt about it, God is spoiling me. And my name is Grateful One.