Giving Voice Monthly E-Newsletter – April 2012

These Easter days I am finding myself caught up with all the signs of hope and resurrection I see around me.  In the past couple weeks I have had a number of experiences which illustrate new life bursting forth and a Spirit that will not be quenched while:

  • Leading a retreat weekend for college and graduate age young women on Franciscan values.  I couldn't help but notice the strong, rushing wind that we experienced most of the day on Saturday as we moved in and out of contemplative prayer and faith sharing.  The Spirit was indeed blowing in something new.
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  • Experiencing the wonder and awe of faith through the eyes of those who recently received sacraments at the Easter Vigil in a part of the country where Catholics are a minority and where many of them choose this path on their journeys of faith in spite of family and friends who are not supportive or understanding.
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  • Playing with my delightful baby niece and rejoicing with peer-age family and friends who are expectant parents and celebrating the births of children.
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  • Sharing the excitement of young women hoping to enter religious life in the near future and my joy for them and for religious life.
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  • Soaking in the reflective conversations that seem to be happening in religious life right now as we seem to be growing in awareness that we are in "the first day of the week" that is mentioned in resurrection stories of all four gospels. This time we are in now feels like a "first day" for the "something new" that is happening in religious life.
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This is indeed a resurrection time filled with new life!