New Blog Site

Please visit our new blogsite: http://blog.marylhurst.edu/university-ministry/

Many thanks!

Carol

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Mother Marie Rose



Presence, the Heart of Our Mission
By Carol Higgins, snjm

Mother Marie Rose was, and is, a woman of God’s presence. She walked with her sisters and students and stayed engaged with those with whom she disagreed. She suffered illness, misunderstandings, and persecution yet she remained convinced of God’s love. Her very person manifested the presence of God to her companions. My studies of our history have convinced me that Mother Rose’s great gift was that she educated by intentionally living in God’s presence, a presence that was rooted in her deep faith. “I invite you to meet me in the Heart of Jesus…” Those who met her were immediately attracted to her, because she transparently radiated the loving presence of God. She impacted people because she was truly on fire with God’s love and exemplified God’s mission. We too are called to bring the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary forth, in this time and place, in the day-to-day reality of living a life consecrated to God.
Our Constitutions speak of our “Desire to proclaim by our lives the primacy of the love of God” (3). “The apostolic service of our Congregation involves a threefold
dimension: sharing in the Good News of salvation, revealing Christ by our words, and by
our manner of life, and serving those to whom we are sent” (10). These quotes speak to me of our call to live our lives intentionally. Whether teaching, praying with a patient, or sitting in traffic, we are called to live the Good News of salvation, we are called to be aware of God’s presence and to be God’s presence.
Is it possible that our calls to work for justice, to care for creation, and to care for one another could be a call to be more intentional about God’s presence and love as we go about the ordinary work of living and being? The question I’m asking us to ponder is, “What is at the heart of our shared mission?” Could it be that our mission is to live in such a way that we, by sharing God’s presence, continue Christ’s transformative work? Are we called to cast the fire of Jesus and Mary in the simple interactions of life? Do we have enough faith to believe that it really could be that simple?

“I invite you to meet me in the Heart of Jesus, for it is there that I wish to make my dwelling and where, if you so choose, we shall never be parted.”
Mother Marie Rose Durocher
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Times for Prayer and Reflection

We offer a variety of prayer opportunities on our campus --

The Meditation Room, Marian 204, is open for use by faculty, staff, and students. You may find it a great place to go for some quiet time, or you may wish to schedule a prayer group. The space is yours, let me know how I can be of assistance.

If you would like to make a prayer request you may do so through a direct e-mail to me chiggins@marylhurst.edu, by putting a note under my door -- Marian 202, by placing a request in one of the envelops located throughout the campus, or by posting a response to my blog.

Weekly Mass at noon on Mondays is at the heart of all we do at Marylhurst. We invite you to join us if you are able. Mass is also available at 11:00 Tuesday - Friday in the chapel at Mary's Woods. Mary's Woods has Sunday Mass at 11:00 -- for students involved in weekend classes here on campus.

How else can we meet your needs? Let me know and I'll see what I can do to be of service.

If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is "thank you," that would suffice. Meister Eckhart.

Bilblical Exegetical Society Workshop

Dan has graciously offered to take on the leadership for the Biblical Exegetical Society. This year the meetings will take place from 4:30-5:30 on the Fridays of cohort weekends. The first meeting will be on Friday, November 2nd. Hope to see you there!