Sister Cathy

Concert over and SU interview pending

Sun is shining and I have time to take a breath - has been a push lately with Benefit Concert for Lesotho  snjm sisters - went extremely well - raised nearly $10,000 and had an incredible mix of volunteers involved.

Sr Sylvia Jone  is visiting from Lesotho, Africa this week and we will have an appreciation dinner for all the performers and volunteers who worked on the Concert. 

Co-Workers last night was fantastic - about 15 young adults sharing how their faith has been strengthened as a result of international travel opportunities.  Next month we will have a presentation and sharing on the role of Mary in our lives.

Met a new inquirer - woman just beginning to discern her possible call to Religious Life - so wonderful to know God is touching hearts and minds to serve the needs of suffering humanity.  Jayne is now moving into our St. Anne's convent as a Candidate.  Another sister just moved to our retirement convent in Spokane - Crystal and I visited her this week and she is adjust very well.

I am going for a quick trip to Spokane to attend a friend's 70th birthday party and am so looking forward to seeing the Sisters and cheering on the Bloomsday crowd.

This week I have an interview for Campus Ministry at SU - we will see what God seems to want for my ministry these days - will let you know soon.  Prayers for this discernment are very welcome - you are all in my heart and prayers as well.

New Computer woes

Sitting here with a new laptop but still without email access - soon very soon this will be fixed and I will be able to again connect with my friends, colleagues, and family.

Halleluia!!  Very appropriate for this wonderful Easter Season - everything is blooming or attempting to bloom - I am busy with preparations for our upcoming Benefit Concert - trying to sell tickets to this Heavy Metal and Dance performance is not easy with my age group - even my sister Sue is apprehensive - I tell them they can be open to a new experience - plus for a wonderful cause - our snjm sisters in Lesotho. 

Am also going to look for some new glasses - a new look - and on my way over to see my friend, Sister Peggy who is now living and working in Sunnyside, WA - at Nuestra Casa - a small non profit working with immigrant women - doing amazing work with them.  Starting up Lightworks again tonight after a 2 week break for Holy week and Easter Thursday - am looking forward to connecting with my small faith group - always so rewarding to see what the Holy Spirit is up to.

Know you are loved exquisitely - at all times and in all situations - Just As You Are - Alleluia Alleluia!!!!

Jayne's Candidacy Ceremony

          Jayne Schauer is a New Candidate for the Sisters of the Holy Names - we are having a ceremony today at Holy Names Academy to fully welcome her into our lives.  Hurray - it is so gratifying to have wonderful women joining us in this magnificent sisterhood.  Jayne is a Counselor and Occupational Therapist - a contemplative woman with so many gifts to share with all.  She has been involved here at St. Anne's parish and many of her friends and co-workers are joining us today to congratulate her.  We also have SNJM sisters and inquirers visiting from Portland area to help celebrate also.

      Tonight I host our Co-Worker monthly gathering for Young Adults interested in spirituality and service.  I will give a presentation on Daily Prayer practice and also on The Presence Process by Michael Brown - this has been a transformative process for me and many others.  It involves a twice daily continuous breathing technique for 15 minutes - plus saying some incredible activating sentences - very gentle but powerful way to come more fully into the Present Moment - escaping the prison of our time fixated consciousness. 

-  Happy Easter season to each of you - much love, Cathy

Computer Woes

Last week or so having problems with me laptop - a wonderful IBM Thinkpad which I have loved.  Think it is time for a new one - looking at Dell's laptop - M1330  - wondering if they are coming out with new one soon - Best Buy had the last one on clearance.  Anyway the pits to not be able to use my email for a while.

Easter was wonderful - reflective and alive - Hope is in the air - blossoms and wanting to plant some new roses and azaleas a friend brought us as an Easter gift.

Too bad the ZAGS lost in first round of NCAA - now following Washington State Cougars - they are playing Thursday at 4:30 pm - am rooting for them now and also DAvidson who beat GU - they also beat Georgetown - so are in the Sweet 16 also - such good TV watching - March Madness.

Facebook

Am now on FACEBOOK - would love it if some of you readers would add me to your friend list - or if your haven't tried it yet - sign on and check it all out - an amazing way to stay connected to what others are up to - very supportive and engaging.  Just my style - Praise God for new findings.

This is a picture of me on a swing - sowing wheat seeds - up in Gaspe Penisula , Quebec, Canada a couple summers ago.

Easter tidings and NCAA Basketball

Dear Friends - have been away from the blog for awhile - spent a most restful and renewing week at our Beach House in Oregon - Central coast - was so wonderful.  I needed the time to reflect - to sleep - to read - and just be quiet.  Don't we all need that contemplative time every once in a while - my soul and spirit cry out for God - for Stillness - for the beat of my heart among all the other beating hearts in our world.

Hard to believe it is Holy Thursday - a friend of mine - Hilda is getting confirmed this Easter Vigil - so will go and celebrate with her.  Inviting some family and a friend over to the convent for Easter brunch - will be low key.  Sun is shining and I am waiting for this afternoon's NCAA game - Washington State is playing in the first round - tomorrow my favorite team, Gonzaga bulldogs are playing against Davidson -  guess this team has the most wins in the nation - hopefully tomorrow their winning run will be stopped.

I with other Co-Workers have been planning a Benefit concert for our SNJM sisters in Lesotho, Africa.  It is called Metal Makes Change.   It features a wonderful group of musician and dancers performing the music of Mastadoon - their album Leviathon - about Moby Dick.  The tickets cost $15 and the event will be at Seattle University - Pigott Auditorium at 7:30 pm - prefunction at 6:30 pm.  visit our site at: www.seattleu.edu/magis/lesotho.asp   to make donations or buy tickets - www.sistersoftheholynames.org/oregon/concert/index.htm    

 

Valentine's Day

Sure been a long time since I have posted.  So many activities - blessings - and travels. 

Right now I am involved in a program here in Seattle called Lightworks - a mini version of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius   Ignatian Spirituality.  We are running a 12 week series with ritual, presentation, and small group faith sharing.  Tomorrow I am doing a short talk on Intimacy with God. 

We also sponsored a discernment retreat in Los Gatos, CA last month for women interested in religious life - especially as a Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.  We had 10 women with quite a bit of cultural diversity. 

Sophia Park, snjm became a novice that weekend at a wonderful ceremonical mass.

I attended an interesting Dream workshop at the Ignatian Spirituality Center a couple weeks ago.  The presenter, Judy Knight, MA  was an old friend from early Spokane days.  I was working as a therapist at St. Josephs Family Center and she worked at the Personal Growth Center - a residential center for women religious.  Great input and my dreams have been flowing since then.

Another event I have been spending time on is a Benefit Concert for our snjm sisters in Lesotho, Africa.  We are co-sponsoring Metal Makes Change heavy metal rock concert at Seattle University - on April 18th at 7:30 pm.  Seattle University Magis Program is also co-sponsoring this event.  We have a website up to buy tickets and also make donations to the Lesotho Young Sisters project of visiting families in villages to see what medical, food, and other support they need.  You can visit us at:  www.http://www.seattleu.edu/magis

I will update the specifics and pictures for the Lesotho concert soon    Download project_marketing.pdf - so happy to be on the blog and interfacing with all of you.  Just got myself on Facebook too - so look me up - Cathy Beckley

October Beauty

Such a beautiful month with reminders to let go - viewing the changing colors of the trees and watching them fall gracefully let us continue to choose what God wants us to let go - release - choose in our busy and full lives. "Your will not mine O God."

Lots is happening: We snjms celebrated our foundress Blessed Mother Marie Rose yesterday at St. Joseph's parish with a mass and a reception.  The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary were blessed during this Centenary Year of St. Joseph's as we founded and staffed the parish school. 

We then processed over tp Holy Names Academy where we received 5 new Associate members into our congregation.  Quite an inspiring ritual with so many heart felt commitments to be about the Reign of God today.

On Friday Oct 12th we have a fundraiser for our Vietnam summer ministry project of teaching English to young sisters. If you are interested in the ministry or would like to come to the dinner click on www.calltovietnam.org  and join us in the dinner and auction - quite a fun time is had by all.

Then on Saturday Oct 13th we are encouraging many to help with another fundraiser.  This on is a concert put on by the Music Ministry of Univ of Washington Newman Center.  One of their former members is now teaching children in the Guatamala City dump.  If they can learn English they will be able to have jobs that will change the lives of their family's and themselves.  So many worthwhile efforts being made on the behalf of the poor and disadvantaged - giving them the help - the words they need.  Visit www.givethemthewords.org  to see what is happening and how you might help.  I am wearing a T-shirt with the spanish words Compasion, Esperanza, Alegria - Campassion, Hope, Joy  .  May God's Holy Spirit direct all our efforts to serve and minister to those most in need of a hand UP.

September

Wow - has been a while since I have posted.  Went to a wonderful conference in Palm Springs, CA last month.  It was sponsored by IONS - Institute of Noetic Sciences. The name of the conference was Consciousness in Action - the Science and Practice of Transformation.  www.noetic.org

There were about 1000 people attending. The first day one of the vendors came up to me and called me by name.  I had taught her at Sacred Heart Academy, Salem, OR in the 70's.  We had some good memories of my coaching her basketball, etc.

I was inspired by all the work of transformation happening all over our globe. Clearly people are using science and consciousness to heal our planet.  You can check out the website to be a part of ongoing experiments of Intention and other interesting topics.

I had genetic testing done to determine if I carry the Breast Cancer genes.  I came up negative and this was a relief for my sisters and neice.  I then read a fascinating book called Biology of Belief which is written by a Bruce Lipton, a cell biologist.  We are not just the products of our genes.  Our spirituality and beliefs are big contributors to our health and well being.  I recommend this book.

Just finished building a fabulous fence in our convent backyard.  We needed a contemplative space while sharing our backyard with the school children.  Posting a picture of us proud builders - Myself, Sr. Crystal, and Wendy.

We began to enjoy it right away - had some friends and family over on Labor Day.

Gathering of Younger Sisters

Just returned from a wonderful 5 days with 22 of our younger sisters at our retreat center - Villa del Mar in beautiful Santa Cruz. 

Our theme was Pray, Play, and Ponder.  We were able to pray over our recent Chapter Acts on Environment, HIV/Aids, Leadership, Church, and Forms of Commitment.

I returned with renewed commitment and energy to invite others to consider a calling to religious life - to join with us as Sisters and Associates.

Our future is full of HOPE and Love - the Holy Spirit is continually enlivening us for the work of the Gospel - Let us all go forth to tell the Good News that God is in our midst.