The Comfort and the Challenge that Joy Brings

Blog by Sister Bea Tiboldi

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you discover the reason why.” (Mark Twain)

Have you ever wondered why you were born? I wondered a lot. However, when I was a teenager, there was one Mass during which I caught myself crying silently. I felt very embarrassed, and with my mind racing, I tried to figure out the cause. In a few seconds, I realized that they were tears of joy. For the first time, I felt God’s immense love. I was no longer embarrassed about my tears. I felt happy. I felt grateful. Even more, I felt compelled to let others know about how much God loved them, especially those who most needed to know.

I believe that this was the moment when I discovered why I was born and that God had a plan for me. This is how it all started.

However, I needed to wait until I could pursue that call.

As an adult, my enthusiasm to share the love and Word of God was still there, but I wasn’t sure which way I was to fulfill this call. There were so many vocations -being single, a mother, an associate, a vowed religious sister – to consider! I kept thinking about the call, but all it did was just make me restless.

Later, I heard the song “Take a chance on me,” and was moved to pursue discerning (prayerfully discovering and sorting out) God’s call more intentionally. As I started to discern, I started to feel less restless and more joyful – not necessarily just the joy that comes with smiles, but the joy that Pope Francis talks about in his Joy of the Gospel encyclical. It is not a temporary joy; it’s a joy that lasts. It’s the joy that takes a heart, compassion, attentiveness, and courage to act upon our faith, and to help others experience God’s grace of liberation, forgiveness, faith and love.

I discovered that living a life of prayer, study, community and ministry keeps boosting my energy to continue to spread God’s mission. After a long day, I might feel physically worn out, but my energy to continue to serve never wanes. As a Dominican Sister of Peace, joy continues to fill me with hope and peace, and at the same time, it challenges me to, as we say on the Dominican Sisters of Peace website, “strive to live a life of peace-making wherever we are and in everything we do. (…) The Gospel message of love and compassion lead us to be concerned about peace and justice issues, including comprehensive immigration reform, sensible gun control, alternatives to the death penalty, and advocacy against human trafficking among others. (…) We serve God’s people in many ways, including education, health care, spirituality, pastoral care, prison ministry, the arts, and care of creation, among others.” You can learn more about who we are and what we stand for here.

Pope Francis encourages us, “Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of missionary enthusiasm!” (The Joy of the Gospel, #80)  I invite you to reflect on the comfort and the challenge that joy brings to you.

This is becoming rather a long blog. Since you have read until this point, you might want to ask yourself, “Why am I still reading this?” I invite you to pray with what you have read and see where it takes you. If you would like to experience a glimpse of religious life, come and visit us any time, or follow us on Facebook or Instagram. Also, we invite women between ages 18-45 to our “Come and See” weekend in Kentucky, Sept. 7-9, 2018. Email vocations@oppeace.org for more information.

Posted in God Calling?, News

Readings for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sr. Theresa Fox, OP, and her niece Adele Park in Oakland, CA.

Dt 4:1-2, 6-8;  Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

On a first reading of Sunday’s Gospel a person could get caught up in details – washing hands, washing cups, jugs, etc. These were the things the Pharisees did for ritual purification. The ordinary people didn’t follow all the details of ritual cleaning. But the Pharisees thought that Jesus and his followers should.

What does that have to do with us today? After reflecting on the gospel and the other two reading for this coming Sunday, the question seemed to arise; what is at the heart of rules, of commandments? Why do we do what we do? Surely we have moved on from the days of detailed rubrics that our founding congregations once observed.

But what are the statues of our day? How can we be as James writes, “doers of the word and not hearers only”? Why do what we do.

For the most part we are probably pretty obedient to the rules of our community, the laws of our country, the commandments of God. We probably don’t stop and think why we do what we do. Periodically it’s good to take some time to reflect where our heart is. We might say we do what we do because we desire to love God and love our neighbor. But upon deeper reflection we might realize that we visit that homebound person more because we like her and enjoy being with her. But we don’t spend much time with another person because we disagree on politics. Or what about my good intention to write to my congress people about that issue OPPeace suggested. I might say I’ll do it tomorrow – and tomorrow never comes for that project.

Recently I had a conversation with a friend about her earlier civil disobedience experience. She described that what they did was in the midst of prayer and a promise of non-violence.  What struck me about her sharing was she felt that the experience was “Gospel Motivated”.

Now, I don’t feel called to things like civil disobedience. Most of what we do is not momentous. Our lives are mostly made up of daily, seemingly inconsequential, tasks and responsibilities. It might be good to stop before we head out for our daily ministry and remind ourselves why we are doing what we are doing – whether momentous or routine. The more we remind ourselves that we are called to be “Gospel motivated”, the better we will be able to serve those we meet.

Posted in News, Weekly Word

Dangerous Language and Immigrants

Blog by Sr. Barbara Kane, OP

Recently several of the sisters and I attended a workshop sponsored by Faith in Public Life called Language of Violence, Language of Peace (Preventing Violence 101). The presenter was Rachel Brown, an expert in genocide prevention.  Rachel described the problem with dangerous language which is a subtle and hidden way to incite and justify violence against another group of people.  Currently, this language is being used all the time and at the very highest levels of our government. Here are the six justifications for using this language and some examples of how it’s being used against immigrants.

De-identification or dehumanization portrays certain groups as not having feelings and experiences as we do. In fact, they are not even human.  When immigrants are said to ‘infest’ or ‘breed’ in our country, they are being compared to disgusting vermin or animals.  Don’t we often us desperate means to combat an infestation?

Threat Construction shows the other group as posing a dangerous threat, making them appropriate targets for violence. For example: Aren’t immigrants raping our women and taking our jobs? Shouldn’t we make every effort including the violence of separating children from their parents to keep them out of our country?

When violence is painted with a range of praiseworthy virtues like duty, toughness, or loyalty; and opposition to violence is depicted as ‘weakness’ or lack of such virtues, it is called virtue talk or valorization. Those legislators who support Trump’s actions at the border and the ICE raids are ‘protecting’ our country from the horrible fate of more immigrants.  “Democrat immigration policies are destroying innocent lives and spilling very innocent blood,” Trump declared last week while speaking in Ohio.

Guilt attribution shows the other group as guilty of heinous crimes and thus deserving a violent punitive response.  Every time an immigrant is accused of committing murder, the fact that they are undocumented is made the primary focus. Murder is unconscionable but many more murders are committed by native citizens than immigrants.

Assertions that violence is the only available course of action due to forces or constraints beyond the control of potential perpetrators is called the destruction of alternatives. The violent separation of children from their parents was frequently defended as the only way that immigrants could be kept from entering the U.S.

Finally, when violence is highly likely to produce extensive benefits in the future, which will outweigh any civilian suffering that results from the violence, it is referred to as future bias.  Richard Spencer, a leading white supremacist, believes that immigration and multiculturalism are threats to the white population. He dreams of a future that is a white “ethno-state.” And has  called for “peaceful ethnic cleansing” to remove nonwhite people from American soil.

Dangerous language will continue to be used as long as we tolerate and keep silent about the underlying belief that white Americans are somehow better than everyone else. St. Catherine of Siena reminds us to “speak the truth in a million voices.  It is silence that kills.”

Posted in News, Peace & Justice Blog

Got Privilege? Use John McCain’s Example of How To Use It For Good

Blog by Associate Colette Parker

The death of Sen. John McCain resulted in an outpouring of tributes expressing sympathy, respect, and honor.

As I listened to and read the testimonials of praise, I found myself fixated on his capture in Vietnam.

I couldn’t shake the fact that he could have used his privilege (the prominence of his storied military family) to be released early but chose to stand with his fellow POWs. For me, that spoke volumes about his character – that he would sacrifice his own freedom and well-being to demonstrate solidarity with his comrades.

I began to ponder: What kind of spirit drives a person to do something like that? What kind of heart do you need to do something like that? What kind of mindset must you have to do something like that?

It takes a mind set on doing the right thing. It takes a servant’s heart. And it takes a spirit of love.

Was John McCain perfect? No, he was flawed like the rest of us. But he had integrity and dignity.

John McCain, in his refusal of a preferential release in Vietnam, demonstrated for us how to use privilege the right way. He showed us how to be a good ally.

In recent months, I have had several conversations with friends and acquaintances who ask how they can use their privilege to help others.

My response has been that they not allow frustration to force them into inaction; that they resist the temptation of seeing themselves as guardian angels; and that they find ways to use their privilege to advocate for those who don’t have the same advantage.

Advocacy, of course, takes different forms – it could mean building a trusting relationship with someone; it could mean putting yourself in harm’s way for the benefit of someone else; it could mean aligning yourself with a cause, purpose, individual or group, etc.

But looking at John McCain’s sacrifice, I think I need to walk back my response and talk a little more about motivation. I’m thinking something like: privilege is something that needs to be checked repeatedly, when interacting with or advocating for those without a favored position or circumstance; and your interaction or advocacy needs to be fueled by a spirit of love, a servant’s heart and a desire to do the right thing.

Then, I will point to John McCain as an example of a person who put service to others over and above his own self interests.

Posted in Associate Blog, News

Sister Corinne Staub, OP

Sr. Corinne (June Marie) Staub, OP

Dominican Sister of Peace Corinne (June Marie) Staub (90) died at the Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, OH, on August 9, 2018. She was born in 1928 in Detroit, MI, the daughter of Edith Collins and Charles Raphael Staub. She entered Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs, now the Dominican Sisters of Peace, in 1948, and served God’s people for 68 years.

A great lover of music, Sr. Corinne earned a certificate in Liturgical Music at the Pius X School of Liturgical Music at Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart in Purchase, NY, in the summer of 1951. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from St. Mary of the Springs College, now Ohio Dominican University, in 1953 and went on to earn a Master of Science in Music Education from Notre Dame in 1961.

Sr. Corinne put her love of music to work as a music teacher and a choir and orchestra director, a ministry that took her to schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York over 25 years.  In 1993, she was the first recipient of the “Distinguished Former Teacher Award” given by the Alumni Association of St. Clare de Montefalco School, Grosse Pointe Park, MI, in recognition of the positive impact she had on her students.

In the early 1980’s, God called Sr. Corinne to a new and very different ministry. After receiving certification in Nursing Home Administration and Retirement Housing at the Ohio State University, she served as the Administrator of Mohun Health Care Center and the Administrator at the Precious Blood Sisters Motherhouse in Dayton, Ohio.

As a member and Chair of the Building Committee, Sr. Corinne was instrumental in the construction of the Columbus, OH Motherhouse. Her attention to detail and dedication are honored by the building that today offers a home to Columbus-area Dominican Sisters of Peace, to two Congregational ministries, and to our Congregation offices,

In her later years, Sr. Corinne served as a volunteer Sacristan at the Mohun Health Care Center and as a volunteer in the Congregation’s finance offices before moving to her final ministry of Prayer and Presence at the Mohun Health Care Center.

In her preaching at Sr. Corinne’s funeral, Sr. Sheila McIntyre recalled Sr. Corinne’s great love of music, comparing her ministries to the songs of her life full of service and love.  Sr. Sheila reminded us that every song from Sr. Corinne was sung to and for the God that she loved so much, and that we were all blessed by the music of her life.

Sr. Corinne Staub was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Edith Collins Staub, her brothers, Charles and Donald and her sisters, Carol Degen and Sister Dolores Staub, OP. She is survived by nieces and nephews.

A Vigil of Remembrance Service was held at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse Chapel, Columbus, OH, on Monday, August 13, 2018. The funeral liturgy was also held at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse Chapel on August 14, 2018. Sr. Corinne was interred at St. Joseph Cemetery in Columbus, OH.

Gifts in Sr. Corinne’s memory may be sent to the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Office of Mission Advancement, 2320 Airport Dr. Columbus, OH 43219 or submitted securely at oppeace.org

To download and print a PDF copy of this memorial, please click here.

Posted in Obituaries