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At the end of this academic semester the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity spotlight musician Alice Peacock. Born in White Bear Lake, MN, Alice is now a longtime Chicago resident and gifted multi-genre singer/songwriter. A musician who dapples in jazz, blues, country and pop, she has the buoyancy to write music for all ages as well as to create tunes that sound both familiar and refreshingly unique. Family background and values feed her natural desire to perform and reach out to others. Maternal grandmother was a German cabaret composer and performer. Her maternal grandfather was an actor, a member of Bertolt Brecht’s Berliner Ensemble. Starting a not-for-profit organization Rock for Reading in 2003, Alice Peacock’s world is not just about music, but she believes strongly in giving back to society. Her desire to support literacy comes from a personal passion for reading.

Alice Peacock: “I wrote “Into the Light” as a reminder to myself that as long as I continually turn to and search out the Light/Love/God, I would be on the right path to become the person that I was born to be. This song was originally written and performed on guitar but I like the sacred aspect that playing it on the piano brings.” To find out more about Alice Peacock (http://youtube.com/watch?v=nX9hXA7nxdc) or to purchase cds go to www.alicepeacock.com

Song Lyrics:I think it is great that you’re searching -seek and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened to the windows of your mind. Try not to be too impatient. Go easy on yourself ’cause you got me in your corner if you need a little help.

Come into the light, yeah, be the one you’re born to be into the light. Wake up from your lonely sleep. The shadows can conceal what the heart wants to heal. Come into the light…

Resurrection Catholic Church is located in Allouez situated on the east side of the Fox River between Green Bay and De Pere. Established in 1963, Bishop Robert F. Morneau currently serves as pastor of 1350 families/units with the assistance of other dedicated staff and the many committed people of God who reach out to each other and to others in need. http://www.gbres.org/

Sister Ruth Ann Myers, OSF, reflects on the topic of spirituality from her broad background in theology, psychology and spiritual direction.

What is happening in the 21st Century Spirituality? Significant, perhaps, is the enormous interest in spirituality that is emerging today. Some writers are calling it “The Spiritual Revolution”. New, too, is that the interest is coming from a broad spectrum of people, not just religious groups. Also, the “revolution” is rising from below, not from above.

William Johnson, the Jesuit theologian, says that within the last thirty years, spirituality has become democratized. Holiness is no longer viewed as an ideal state attainable for only the elite; instead, it is within the reach of the ordinary person.

This interest may not be surprising in the light of the rapid changes taking place in the 20th and 21st centuries, changes far exceeding preceding centuries. These changes are making demands on everyone, demands that stretch us beyond the human and push us into the spiritual.

We understand ourselves through the world around us, so as the world changes, we, too, change. We know ourselves through the culture and the scientific developments in our particular time in history. This understanding of ourselves influences how we perceive Christ. Christ is not out there someplace, detached from place and time. Instead, he is within our personal and communal experiences in the era in which we are living. http://www.fscc-calledtobe.org/backend/PDF_uploads/publication_file2_4.pdf

The Sisters’ experiences always included more than teaching at St. Peter Indian School. It was not unusual to find the first Sisters gardening, tending bee hives, raising turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, pigeons and goats. In 1945 a grape arbor eventually yielded about forty bushels of seedless grapes each summer. Sharing their life and talents in many ways, today’s Sisters continue to be enriched by the children and their families. Learn more about this desert place through the eyes of the seven Sisters who are blessed to be at St. Peter Mission at this time in its tender history.

http://www.fscc-calledtobe.org/what.htm

What is needed above all, at this time in the history of the Church in America is a renewal of that apostolic zeal which inspires her shepherds  actively to seek out the lost, to bind up those who have been wounded, and to bring strength to those who are languishing (cf. Ez 34:16). And this, as I have said, calls for new ways of thinking based on a sound diagnosis of today’s challenges and a commitment to unity in the service of the Church’s mission to the present generation.

Let us be quite frank: the ability to cultivate vocations to the priesthood and the religious life is a sure sign of the health of the Church. There is no room for complacency in this regard. God continues to call young people; it is up to all of us to encourage a generous and free response to that call. On the other hand, none of us can take grace for granted.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send workers. He even admits that the workers are few in comparison with the abundance of the harvest (cf. Mt 9:37-38). Strange to say, I often think that prayer - the unum necessarium - is the one aspect of vocations work which we tend to forget or to undervalue!

Nor am I speaking only of prayer for vocations.Prayer itself, born in Catholic families, nurtured by programs of Christian formation, strengthened by the grace of the sacraments, is the first means by which we come to know the Lord’s will for our lives. To the extent that we teach young people to pray, and to pray well, we will be cooperating with God’s call. Programs, plans and projects have their place; but the discernment of a vocation is above all the fruit of an intimate dialogue between the Lord and his disciples. Young people, if they know how to pray, can be trusted to know what to do with God’s call.

It has been noted that there is a growing thirst for holiness in many young people today, and that, although fewer in number, those who come forward show great idealism and much promise. It is important to listen to them, to understand their experiences, and to encourage them to help their peers to see the need for committed priests and religious, as well as the beauty of a life of sacrificial service to the Lord and his Church. To my mind, much is demanded of vocation directors and formators: candidates today, as much as ever, need to be given a sound intellectual and human formation which will enable them not only to respond to the real questions and needs of their contemporaries, but also to mature in their own conversion and to persevere in life-long commitment to their vocation.

Do these words of the Holy Father speak to your heart? The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity invite you to consider our May 30-June 1, 2008 young adult single women discernment retreat.

http://www.fscc-calledtobe.org/living/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/retreats-pub-2007-2008.pdf

Earlier in April, UW Whitewater students began their Busy Student Retreat with a Sunday evening liturgy and then were faithful for personal prayer and group reflection sessions, evening meals and night prayer for three days during their other regularly scheduled school days. The Sacrament of Reconciliation was an important part of the Tuesday evening planning.

Sharing from the Franciscan tradition, Sister Mary Ann Spanjers, OSF and Sister Julie Ann Sheahan, OSF facilitated the retreats at both campuses presenting information on these topics: “My Image of God”; Being Human: The Desire of My Heart; Relationship with Others through Jesus (San Damanino Crucifix); Relationship with Others: Intimacy; Relationship with God-The example of St. Francis of Assisi. Campus Ministers Paul Birch and Brian Zanin were instrumental in planning this time of spiritual renewal with the students.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis has created extensive educational resources to help Catholics of all ages learn more about the papacy, the mission of the pope and why Pope Benedict’s U.S. visit is important. Visit these sites: http://www.uspapalvisit.org/holy_father.htm; www.adw.org/papalvisit (The pictures included in this posting were taken at St. Patrick Cathedral on April 19, 2008 by Sister Mariadele Jacobs, OSF.)

Needless to say, Pope Benedict XVI is a peripatetic teacher traveling to seven significant places outside of Italy in less than three years. He is quoted: “Only from the saints, only from God, does true revolution come, the definitive way to change the world.” Called to be followers of Jesus at this time in history, comment on what this papal visit means to you.

Other significant individuals that were part of the two-day agenda  included Mary Pineda , a psychotherapist and educator on women’s issues in life transition/change who led sessions entitled  “Chicken Soup for the Franciscan Soul”. Sister Anne Marie Lom, OSF, a spiritual director at St. Raphael’s Parish, Oshkosh, WI,  as well as serving her own Franciscan Sisters,  guided Sunday’s prayerful reflection and group process on the topic ” A Franciscan Approach to Change”. Fr. Richard Klingeisen, former chaplain at Holy Family Memorial Medical Center in transition to serving at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Manitowoc, WI, also presided at the Saturday late morning Eucharistic Liturgy. Sister Patricia Linssen, OSF and Sister Martin Flavin, OSF assisted with organizational and creative needs.

What Franciscan attitude do you think will help you as you deal with change in the coming weeks e.g. carry little, an attitude of openness, being surprised?

The college’s proud history was born out of an ever-growing need for the education of Sisters and for professionally prepared teachers in Catholic institutions.  http://www.sl.edu/history.htm 

Mother Edna wrote in a November 1, 1954 letter: As religious, our first task is to make ourselves fit for his (God’s) service. As a Community we have the obligation of training our young members properly for the work that will be assigned to them, and in order to do that we must build a college. Now, we must act. With every passing day the need becomes more imperative. When we sit down like the man in the gospel story to count up our assets, we find none except you-and our Blessed Mother…it will be her project, launched in her year (1954-a Marian year), and dedicated to the formation of other Mary’s, who will double for her.”

Since its beginnings as Holy Family College in a wing in the Motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, numerous curriculum studies and accreditations have strengthened the mission of this liberal arts institution of higher education. During this month of April, North Central Accreditation is once again scheduled for its formal on-site visitation.

Download audio file (Lanois-The-Maker.mp3)

This 2008 Easter Season the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity recognize Daniel Lanois, native of Canada, who is known for his ability to immerse himself in the moment and create tunes that resonate with many people about facing life’s challenges. He is the recipient of ten Grammy awards and five Juno awards. In his own artistic way, he has catapulted the careers of other favored musicians including U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel,Neville Brothers, Brian Eno, Luscious Jackson, Willie Nelson,Scott Weiland and Robbie Robertson.

Lyrics:

I’m not a stranger in the hands of the maker…I have seen the flaming swords there over east of eden burning in the eyes of the maker…oh river rise from your sleep…. Find Daniel Lanois’ latest album and film here: www.redfloorrecords.com Watch The Maker performed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxAJHyyatUk