A Largeness of Vision for 2020
By S. Tracy Kemme
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“Here, if you have a largeness of vision, you find the opportunity to exercise it …”
S. Blandina Segale, a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati who is being considered for official sainthood, wrote these words in December of 1872. She was just 22 years old, trying to make her way and do God’s work while on mission in Trinidad, Colorado. Amid turmoil and instability, Blandina ministered with courage, creativity, and tenacious commitment to the Gospel. It seems she trusted that the same God who called her to this unconventional path would see her through. And so, she dared to have a “largeness of vision.”
As we embark on the year 2020, maybe it’s a good time to pause for a “vision check” on our journeys of discernment, with Blandina as our guide. Sometimes, discernment might feel like trying to solve a perplexing puzzle – but it can also feel like Spirit-inspired, inventive imagining. What would it mean for you to have a largeness of vision in your present seeking?
Maybe you find yourself stuck in what is comfortable or familiar because it seems easier than venturing into the unknown. Can you heed God’s nudges to lift your eyes to fresh, promise-filled horizons? Maybe you long to move forward but feel paralyzed by doubts and fears or fixated on apparent dead-ends. Can you zoom out and allow our faithful God to help you see the expansive, pregnant possibilities that overshadow perceived perils? Maybe you’ve been so swamped with the daily grind that you haven’t had time for meaningful reflection on your life direction. Can you give yourself the gift of spacious stillness that awakens you to our loving God dreaming within your heart?
“Here, if you have a largeness of vision, you find the opportunity to exercise it …”
Notice that Blandina doesn’t say
clarity
of vision. In our lifelong journey of discernment for discipleship, we will not often have a clear, 20/20 image of where we are headed. But that need not hold us back. A
largeness
of vision allows us to dream big and simultaneously leave room for unpredictable grace. The Source of our vision also holds it and carries it surely to fruition.
As 2020 begins, our God of promise, spaciousness, and possibility is with you. How might this God be beckoning you, like Blandina, to dream and trust boldly?
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S. Annie Klapheke Renews Temporary Vows
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Members of the Visitation House hosted a small group of Sisters, including the SC Leadership Team, on Sunday, Dec. 1 for the renewal of temporary vows of S. Annie Klapheke. The group gathered in prayer and a shared meal to celebrate the occasion.
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S. Anne Darlene Wojtowicz and Associates Viola Elizondo and Mary Ann Perez celebrate life through love and friendship in Weslaco, Texas. Read more at:
https://www.srcharitycinti.org/2019
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A Good Read:
At the End of the Santa Fe Trail
by S. Blandina Segale, SC
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Take S. Blandina along with you as a discernment companion for 2020! The “largeness of vision” quote comes from this memoir, which chronicles her adventures and insights from nearly two decades of mission on the so-called Western frontier. Blandina’s spunk, courage, deep faith, and zeal for the Gospel are sure to ignite your own as you seek God’s call in your life. Available in
book
,
ebook
, and
audiobook
formats.
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January 4, 2020
Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton
January 5, 2020
Feast of Elizabeth Seton Mass,
3 p.m., Motherhouse chapel
January 5-9, 2020
Sisters of Charity Federation Young Adult Trip, House of Charity, New Orleans, Louisiana
January 17-19, 2020
Giving Voice 20s & 30s Retreat,
Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery, Phoenix, Arizona
January 17-19, 2020
Giving Voice 40s Retreat,
Seal Beach, California
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Congratulations to S. Sally Duffy (right), who was one of three inductees into the Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) Hall of Fame on Monday, Nov. 18. As co-chair of the Cincinnati Child Poverty Collaborative, S. Sally was recognized as a WIN collaborator in the elimination of child poverty. Also pictured S. Barbara Busch, executive director of WIN.
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E-Vōc
is the electronic newsletter from the Vocations Team of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati for single women wondering what new thing God is calling forth in their lives.
If you are interested in learning more about life as a Sister of Charity, visit our website at
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