Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Bringing Christ's love to the world

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A Reflection for the Third Sunday in Lent

The Third Sunday in Lent

Joan Chittister, a Benedictine Sister, author and a woman of inspiration shares this Lenten reflection:

Lent is a call to weep for what we could have been and are not. Lent is the grace to grieve for what we should have done and have not. Lent is an opportunity to change what we ought to change, but have not.

Lent is not about penance. Lent is about becoming, doing and changing whatever it is that is blocking the fullness of life in us right now.

Reflection: What are those things that keep us from living a fully Christian life?

Let us pray for guidance. Let us pray for the courage to make those life changes that will bring us more fully into the life of our Christian community.  ~ by Marianne McGowan, CLM

Getting to Know You!

What a beautiful meeting we had on February 20th. The current Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs) and Sr. Catherine Garry, MSC met several of the people who are interested in becoming CLMs.

Thanks to the gift of Zoom, we were able to connect from different areas. We had people from California, Colorado, Guatemala, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington State! We introduced ourselves to one another so that we can learn more about each other and the wonderful works that are being done in the name of St. Cabrini.

The meeting was in English and Spanish. Thank you to Adela Jarquin and Digna Merchan for helping with the translating. As we listened to each other and heard the beautiful works that everyone is involved in, you couldn’t help but see Mother Cabrini smiling down on all of us. Everyone is involved in a ‘helping ministry.’ In addition, many are enrolled in different scripture classes, etc. as well as reading and learning about being a CLM. We look forward to many more meetings where we can share our love of Jesus, the Sacred Heart and Mother Cabrini.
~ submitted by Lorraine Campanelli, Director of the CLMs

A Reflection for the Third Sunday in Lent

Sometimes I hear people say, “I don’t know how you could miss it, it’s so obvious.” Well, I think very often, we can miss the obvious. For example, in the readings for Mass on the First Sunday of Lent, three times we are told how we can attain Heaven and be with God. But, do we always get it?

In Genesis 9:8-9, God said to Noah and his sons, “See I am now establishing my covenant with you and yourdescendants after you. We ARE those descendants!! We are the people to whom God was referring. The covenant with Noah, which is often depicted as the rainbow, was not only meant for him, his family and friends, but for generations to come. The same God has made a covenant with you and me.

In 1 Peter 3:18, we are again reminded that God is there for us and gives us a pathway to follow. All we have to do is respond. In 1 Peter, we are called ‘Beloved’, a term of endearment, a term of relationship. We are told that Christ suffered for sins once so that we might be led to God.

In the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 1 verse 15, we are told how to reach the Kingdom of God: “The Kingdom of God is at hand, REPENT and BELIEVE in the Gospel”. The Kingdom is here and now, not after I die and go to Heaven.
As we begin our Lenten journey, we know straight from God that God wants us, we have a covenant with God, we are God’s beloved and if we repent and believe in the Word of God, we will be with God not only in this life but in the life to come.

Reflection: – What touched my heart in this reflection?
 -Do I really believe that I am God’s beloved?
 -What can I do this Lent do repent and believe even more deeply on the Word of God?

~by: Lorraine Campanelli, CLM Director

United in Spirit and Prayer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the saying goes, “Prayer can move mountains!” Even COVID-19 could not stop several of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs) sharing an Advent prayer service with the Sisters at Sacred Heart Convent in New York City.

Once again, we were thankful for technology as we met via Zoom. It was wonderful to see each other as we have been quarantined and not able to visit in person. After some ‘catching-up,’ we shared in song and prayer. Thank you to Sr. Isalia Carvalho, MSC, for being so supportive of our coming together and making sure all the technology was in place. We look forward to being together again, hopefully in person, but until then, we are blessed to see each other via Zoom.

A Reflection for Christmas Day

We continue our series of reflections by the Cabrini Lay Missionaries. The reflection for Christmas Day is presented by CLM Melanie Paccillo.

Unto us a child is born…

Christmas Day
December 25, 2020

“It’s a Boy!”

How amazing is it to welcome a child into the world? It’s exciting, a bit scary, and fills a family with an overwhelming feeling of love. Who will this person be? What will he or she be like? Will he or she give their mother premature grey hair? A baby changes everything. We instinctively gather to greet this new life and celebrate the growth of our extended human family.

When Jesus came into the world as a tiny baby, we welcomed not only a new life, but the incarnation of God. For born unto us was our savior, and for this reason we doubly celebrate the coming of this baby. A very special boy was born, indeed. It was a moment that changed everything.

The mystery of the Nativity isn’t only that He was born. It is that Jesus is continually born into our world every day. We can see it all around us. Every time we share a smile, offer help, pray urgently, Jesus is there. He who is love itself is brought forth into the world and we can sing “Emmanuel” – God is with us.

Happy Christmas, Sisters and friends. May you notice today
and every day of the coming year that our Lord is with you.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Each week during the season of Advent, one of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries offers a reflection.  The reflection for the Fourth Sunday in Advent is presented by CLM Patricia Stancato-Purkey.

Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 20, 2020


The first reading is taken from 2 Samuel 7:1-5; 8-11;16 and refers to when David was anointed king in Hebron by all the tribes of Israel and Judah and his first step was to capture Jerusalem from the Jebusites and make it the political capital of his kingdom.

The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 26:25-27 where he introduces himself to the Christians in Rome and he gives an incomplete synthesis of his theology. His words remind us to give glory to God this Christmas and always, for the marvelous things he has done for us.

The Gospel is from Luke 1:26-38. At the moment our Lady said: “be it done to me according to thy word” the most stupendous event that ever happened, or ever could happen on earth, took place on this planet of ours. The Son of God took on human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin. We are familiar with this story from childhood. We often say the Angelus in which this tremendous act of God’s love is described. Although familiarity, in this case, does not breed contempt, it does help to blunt the real impact on our minds of such an extraordinary occurrence. If God had created a very special child, and made him into an outstanding saint, so that he could intercede with God for us, this would be a great act of love for us on God’s part. Or, if he had sent an angel from heaven in human form, to teach us all about God and to help us to lead holy lives, this would deserve our deepest gratitude. But neither a saintly man nor a holy angel could do for us all that God wanted. No man or angel could make us adopted sons of God and heirs of heaven. It was necessary, in God’s plan for us, that his divine Son should become man, should share our humanity so that we could share his divinity.

Could infinite love have gone any further? Our creation, the fact that we exist as human beings on earth, is a great gift to us on the part of God. Of what value could eighty, a hundred, even seven hundred years of a continuously happy life on this earth be for us if we learned that we had to depart life forever one day? In a world tormented by sin and its evil effects our normal span of life would be less satisfying. However, when God created us, he so planned that our stay here would be but a stage, a steppingstone in fact, toward our everlasting home. We are well aware indeed of the lengths to which God’s love has gone in order to make us his children and heirs to his kingdom. Are we, however, grateful to him for the love he has shown us? Are we honestly and sincerely trying to make ourselves worthy of the great future he has in store for us?

Today is a suitable occasion to look right into our hearts, to see how we stand with God. During the week we shall be keeping the feast of Christmas. The Baby in the manger will remind us of what God has done and is still doing for us. What are we doing in return? Have we shown our gratitude by living as true followers of Christ? If most of us must answer: “no,” this is the time to change our course and return to the right road once more. God is asking this of us today. Shall our answer be: “behold here I am Lord, your humble and grateful servant, let it be done to me according to your word”?
~excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O’Sullivan, O.F.M.

The Third Sunday in Advent

Each week during the season of Advent, one of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries will be offering a reflection.

Third Sunday of Advent
December 13, 2020

This reflection by author and poet, Madeleine L’Engle is shared by CLM Marianne McGowan.

First Coming

He did not wait till the world was ready.
Till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
And prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
Turned water into wine.

He did not wait till hearts were pure.
In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
He came, his Light would not go out.

He came to the world that did not mesh,
To heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
The Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane to raise our songs with joyful voice,
For to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

Discerning their CLM Call


When someone feels called to be a Cabrini Lay Missionary (CLM), he or she begins a time of discernment. This time of initial formation helps a person to deepen their knowledge and love of the scriptures, teachings of the church, their own spirituality, the Sacred Heart Spirituality, etc. In addition, they learn more about the life of Mother Cabrini and about the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart (Cabrini Sisters) and their ministries.

We are blessed to have five people who are discerning their call to be a CLM. This past Saturday, via Zoom, Sr. Catherine Garry, MSC, gave a beautiful presentation about the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to those in formation. Some of the topics presented were:
 the Global Presence of the Sisters
 the different Provinces of the Institute
 the Guadalupe Province Corporate Stances – on immigration and anti-human trafficking
 the various missions and ministries of the Province and Institute
 the governance of the Province and Institute
 the direction where the Spirit has led and continues to lead the religious community.

Thank you to Sr. Catherine for your presentation. Another important piece of formation is getting to know the Cabrini Sisters.

Thank you to Sr. Christine Marie Baltas, MSC and Sr. Grace Waters, MSC for joining us. What a wonderful way to become better acquainted with the Sisters. Thank you also to Adela Jarquin, one of the founding CLMs, for joining us!

I am so grateful for the gift of technology. Zoom has truly been a blessing.
~ submitted by: Lorraine Campanelli, Director of the CLMs (Guadalupe Province)

The Second Sunday in Advent

Each week, during the season of Advent, one of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries will be offering a reflection.

 

 

The Second Sunday of Advent

December 6, 2020

 

COVID-19 DURING ADVENT
In light of this once in a lifetime pandemic the humankind is sadly experiencing,
We ponder and wonder what message it wants to bring.
Would it be an absolute sting? Would it be an extreme suffering? Would it be completely devastating?
Or
Would it be a future full of hope?
Would it be our longing to responsibly cope?
Would it be a unified response at this gigantic scope?
Your answer is as good as mine
As seen from all the front-liners who put themselves
fearlessly on the line.
Let this Advent Season be our journey full of hope and healing.

~ by Vicky Lucio, CLM

The First Sunday in Advent

First Week of Advent
Opening Song: Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord – Godspell

Reflection: The song, ‘Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord,’ was sung by John the Baptist in the play, Godspell. He was telling the people to prepare the way for one greater than he who was to come. How appropriate those words are to also announce the coming of the one who is greater than us. It is a call to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ Child.
The year 2020 has certainly been a hard year. COVID-19, the elections in the US, wildfires, landslides, mudslides, earthquakes, etc. etc. have all made this such a difficult time for everyone. It has been so hard to silence our minds and hearts. And yet, despite all of this, we are assured of the coming of Jesus. Despite all the despair and the chaos, we are assured that the Christ child will be born on Christmas Day.
In the Gospel for the first Sunday of Advent (Mark 13:33-37), we are told three times to be watchful. We have been listening for hours and hours to reports and updates about COVID-19, the elections, the different storms, etc. I find myself sometimes becoming numb to all that I am being bombarded with.
How can I silence my heart, my soul and my mind to prepare the way of the Lord this Advent?
What can I do to assure myself that despite all that is happening in this world, I will have Jesus born in my heart? What do I need to be watchful of to obtain the peace and love in my heart?
I know that it can be very frustrating when the words of some songs stay in my head. Perhaps, this Advent, it would be good to keep the words of ‘Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord’ in your head. Let it be a reminder that we are starting a very sacred and powerful journey to Bethlehem.
Lorraine Campanelli, CLM

1260 Upper Gulph Road, Wayne, PA 19087
Phone: 484-581-7163   Fax: 484-581-7164
info@mothercabrini.org