(Photo: “Roots of the Forest” by Jerzy from Pixabay) By Sister Michele Morek My first meeting with the California redwoods was in the John Muir Woods outside of San Francisco. Several subsequent experiences with them were no less awe-inspiring, but that first impression of being in God’s temple – in a holy place – has…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela – who is helping you to stand tall?
(Photo from The Cloisters Collection, 1965) By Sister Michele Morek Earlier this year I heard a charming story on my favorite radio program, Science Friday, celebrating a new book called “The Science of Imperfection.” I find it consoling to know that – biologically speaking – we can’t be perfect (indeed we would not want to…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela – embrace ‘consecrated diversity’
By Sister Michele Morek In church I have always liked to sit where I can see the organ pipes. (This is hard if the organ is in a choir loft, but easy in our Mount Saint Joseph chapel!) The pipes are variously tall and short, big and slender – just like the congregation. I love…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela – Sing your individual song
(“The Resurrected Christ Appearing to Mary Magdelene in the Garden,” ca. 1500-1520, The Cloisters Collection) By Sister Michele Morek I have been reflecting on the mantra some groups of activists have adopted, when they are supporting the cause of a person who met a violent death or other injustice. They chant: “Say her name! Say…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela: Saying a name brings dignity
(Photo of Sister Michele Morek blessing the Mount cemetery in 2009) By Sister Michele Morek On the Third Sunday of Lent, Father Ray – our chaplain here at Mount Saint Joseph – gave a homily on Holy Ground. He considered several things that might make a particular place “Holy Ground:” Is it something that people…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela: Defining your holy ground
By Sister Michele Morek, OSU The two words caught my eye: “Union Differentiates.” What is this, Civil War trivia? But then I focused on the second word. Because in my area of specialization in graduate school – Embryology – “differentiation” referred to one of biology’s most interesting processes: how do the cells in one part…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela: Finding your unique identity
By Sister Michele Morek If, according to times and needs, new rules should be made or any change introduced, do it prudently and with good advice. (St Angela Merici, Last Legacy of her Testament) Most Ursulines I know are proud of our founder’s foresight and practicality in giving us this wise counsel. In our own…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela — changing the way God wants
By Sister Michele Morek Don’t you love greeting the New Year with hope? We are people of hope, so it might be surprising that one of Saint Angela’s most difficult sayings for some of us can be: “Have Hope and Firm Faith in God!” It’s easy to follow her advice when things are going well,…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela – Be people of hope and faith
This Advent, we will be reflecting again on “Comings,” though lately I have been especially focused on “Coming Again,” since I just moved back to our Ursuline Motherhouse in western Kentucky. I am remembering my first coming, in a hot September of 1961, when the four of us entering from New Mexico tried getting used…
more: Reflective Moments with Angela – a time for second comings
Reflective Moments with Angela By Sister Michele Morek As I listened to the political speeches this fall, I was alert to the candidates’ use of irony (making political points in a joking manner). While I did not always agree with the points they were making, I could admire the irony. In fact, I love it.…