The Blogging Nun November, 2006 November 29, 2006 A World of Hope I finished Sen. Barack Obama’s latest book, The Audacity of Hope. I love how he transcends our primitive perspective of binary politics and illuminates a heightened awareness to problem solving that in its purest form is hope. Throughout The Audacity of Hope, Obama takes the ordinary needs of daily life and challenges us to stop thinking “either/or.” “Politicians,’ he says, “must be open to new ideas and ways of thinking otherwise we will never be able to change enough hearts and minds to unite Americans on what we have in common…” like the desire for health and home and hope and happiness. Every one has to help! If nothing else, help us help others. Here is what religious women are doing. Every day all across the world our Sisters cast out nets of hope to catch those who fall through the cracks of society and pull back in resources and needs all mixed together to redistribute to people who are poor or disenfranchised. Sometimes resources reaped are financial and the need is hunger. Other times the resource is compassion and the need is simply to be heard. Years ago when I awoke to the understanding that everyone has needs and something to give, a new truth emerged — bounty was everywhere. Stories exchange, families extend, neighborhoods come to life. Ask any doctor who volunteers in our clinics, “At the end of the day, who received more, you or the patient?” The answer does not fit into a partisan mind, but actually reflects a world of hope. ---------------------------------------------------------------- November 27, 2006 An Ordinary Person Who Did Extraordinary Things It’s one thing to wish things to be different and it is another to be part of the solution. Last Friday night we buried one of our Sisters who lived her life as part of the solution. Sister Rita Steinhagen, CSJ was an ordinary person who did extraordinary things. Hundreds packed our chapel. Music and stories filled the sacred space. Rita’s energy pumped through our veins. People stayed late. It was hard to leave. We promised each other we’d carry on Sister Rita’s work. Now, a few days later the world seems pretty big and needs overwhelming. Ordinary tasks keep getting in the way. How does one stay hooked to the vow made that night to do as Rita did — to do something that matters? I recommend as one step: reading Rita Steinhagen’s autobiography, Hooked by the Spirit. Rita takes us by the hand page after page and walks us into her world. She opens windows into the reader’s world as well if we dare follow our Spirit’s own glance. Of the Spirit, Rita writes: “I believe that everyone is begotten of the Spirit. But we are blown in many different directions. In trying to capture the reason for my wanderings I can only surmise that the Spirit assigned to me had an extra wandering gene, which at times caused Her to push, lead or entice me to places I never dreamed of going. She has been a faithful companion and I am so grateful She was assigned to me. Please don’t try to figure this out theologically. Relax. Go with it. Enjoy.” So, one may still say, how do I really know what the Spirit wants of me? Karen, one of the Sisters with whom I live says, “The answer to how is yes!” Neither of us remembers the origin of the quote, but it has served us well over the years. It turns out a path is already under our own feet. Take one step at a time but keep moving. Let the Spirit within be your guide. “Relax. Go with it. Enjoy.” Information and articles about Sister Rita --------------------------------------------------------------- November 21, 2006 "Thinks" giving A few years ago a wise Ministries Foundation Board Chair advised me to periodically take off my reading glasses, place them in the middle of my desk so that people would know I would return, and go out for a walk just to think.  My job, he said, was to think.  His advice has served me well over the years.    A few days before Thanksgiving is an especially good time to follow this advice.  This holiday used to come and go so quickly that it was at risk of becoming something I checked off a to-do list.     I’ve been taking time to think about all the people for whom I am grateful:  our faithful and faith-filled benefactors, our volunteers who serve in our programs and in our board rooms offering expert, compassionate advice.  I am remembering as well all those for whom our Sisters pray and those who pray for us.  I am grateful for the honor and privilege the people for whom we serve give our Sisters for allowing us to work with them at this time in their lives.  Then, of course, there are our Josephs.  Sisters of St. Joseph have a tradition of referring to people who come to our door in need as “Josephs.”  An extra place at the table will be set in readiness.        Thanksgiving Day is a few days off, there is still time for you to remove your reading glasses, place them in the middle of your desk, and go out for a walk to think about all for which you are grateful.  Come to your holiday already stuffed—with deep gratitude.    Happy Thanksgiving! --------------------------------- November 14, 2006 We are Connected I sit in my rocking chair in a corner of my small room, computer on my lap, and think about why is it that I know that even from this tiny corner of the world I can make an impact on helping to save our planet? I am but one Sister of St. Joseph among thousands around the world—in countries I may never visit and serving among millions of people I may never meet. However, I know I can make an impact because we Sisters of St. Joseph say that where one Sister of St. Joseph is, so are we all. Suddenly I am a member of a global organization that is networked to over 14,000 strong. I have a good friend, Monica, who is a member of the Rotary. She is only one Rotarian member among 1.2 million others around the world. That means that Monica and I together are immediately connected to 1,214,000 people around the world. Suddenly it means something when I hear that each of us can and must do our part to heal the world. For example, recently I was introduced to someone who discovered a moss that purifies water. I will introduce him to this global network. Stay tuned! You may be saying to yourself, “But I am only one.” But you are connected to other “ones”. Were you to see Monica and me sitting at a table in the small coffee shop where we meet you would think that there were only two people there and clueless to the 1,213,998 people there behind us. The world signed on to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals to eradicate poverty by 2015. We will reach this goal only through networking. Let’s get it done! Possumus — We Can! --------------------------------- November 7, 2006 Election Day Polls open in one hour. Citizens are on edge and ready to vote. I’m weary of the campaign ads and righteous rhetoric, perhaps everyone else is as well. Each year as I queue up to cast my ballot, I look around at my neighbors and think that right here in this room stand answers to our community problems. What if we each decided to help until all of our neighbors were safe, sheltered and healed? What if each neighborhood community did that as well? What if we put our time and energy into defining unity, not sides? The Sisters of St. Joseph did that back in 1851. They came to the fledgling settlement of St. Paul which did not have a school so they started one! Two years later, in 1853 droves of citizens were dying from a deadly cholera outbreak and there was no hospital, so the Sisters’ started one! Local citizens stepped up and donated land, bricks and mortar and so on-- no sides, no partican politics, no religious distinctions, just people helping people in need. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet look to the real need, not the rhetoric, roll up our sleeves, invite others to help and just get it done. Let’s all adopt a Possumus (We Can) attitude. Irene O’Neill, CSJ ----------------------------------- November 1, 2006 The Business of Service Someone recently asked me, how I, a CEO with an eye on the bottom line, combinea business sense with service to God. Great question. Several thoughts come right to mind. First, Sisters of St. Joseph exist to serve people who are in need of help. As I see it, the more efficient our programs are, the more people our Sisters can help. Ultimately our goal is to eradicate poverty. It’s a privilege to spend my entire life serving toward that goal. If you were to compare the business principles that the Sisters of St. Joseph (CSJs) follow with other corporations, some stand out more than others. For example, the CSJs have stuck to our 350-year-old vision statement, which, in a sound bite is to respond to the needs of the time. We go to where the needs are in our communities and provide healthcare, education, a home for women who have been abused or tortured, and spirituality programs and leadership development. The best practices we utilize are hardly unique. You would find them in any excellent organization as well. For example, we incorporate a system of checks and balances, activate an independent board, and seek outside professional expertise whenever we need it. We differ, however, in one significant way: we try to work ourselves out of business. We hope that there will no longer be a need for a home for women who have been tortured or health clinics for people who are without insurance. Unfortunately, needs are growing! We intend to be here and be strong until all is well. Irene O’Neill, CSJ

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