Stories of Our Call
Our prayer transforms our whole being and shows itself in all that we do. ... Thus, in prayer our minds and hearts are changed: we learn to trust, to be simple and poor, and to serve. (CDP Constitution, # 57)
As Sisters of Divine Providence, we join the Church in praying the Liturgy of the Hours. In this prayer, we mark each morning and evening as holy, remembering the dying and rising of Christ as a part of our daily lives. As an active, apostolic order, each household of Sisters determines the best timing and setting for prayer. We know that offering the day to our God, from beginning to end, enables us to join in the mystery of Christ’s redemption for our world.
How has the Liturgy of the Hours enhanced your spirituality and your own personal prayer?
Sister
Henrietta Schroeder
Morning and Evening Praise in community has always
been and still is a very important part of my prayer life. I realize that
praying the psalms, singing the hymn, and reflecting on the scriptural reading
in community dates back to the early Church when such praying was done in
community. Our CDP community – being a part of the Church community
– prays in union with that larger community. I try to recall that fact
at the beginning of my morning and evening prayer. I pray in union with those
of the Church; I know there are others praying too. It’s then, too,
that I make my intentions.
Reflecting on my past, I have always lived in community and have found it a great blessing in praying the “Office” in community. It is so much a part of my life. New insights pop up out of psalm verses so very frequently. When I am no longer able to read the “Office,” I trust there will be other ways of praising God.
Sister
Rosalie Karstedt
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours is one of the great gifts
of peace and joy that I have received. When I learned that the Liturgy of
the Hours was one of the two public prayers of the Church (the other one being
the Eucharist) and when prayed includes everyone in God’s creation,
I was happy and at peace. I had so many people for whom I wanted to pray and
this prayer became like water for my soul. It includes all the people that
I want to pray for (and even those whom I do not yet know). Not only do I
receive comfort in praying the psalms, but I am also assured that this prayer
gives God praise, adoration, and gratitude. The mornings and evenings of my
days are wrapped in blessing.
Sister
Roberta Haby
Prayer is the time I spend each day in the awareness of God’ presence.
Sometimes – It is early in the morning, with a cup of coffee and my cat snuggled on my lap, watching the dawn of a new day and thanking God for life and this wonderful world we live in.
It is praying morning and evening prayers with my sisters and feeling that “belongingness” to each other, to God, and to our Church.
It is feeling the warm sun shining on me on a cool day, believing that God’s love is just as warm.
It is walking up to receive Christ in the Eucharist and trying to understand and be grateful as humanely possible for this wonderful gift.
It is going to God and confessing I really made a poor judgment and asking for God’s mercy and knowing I am forgiven.
Sometimes prayer sets my heart on fire and sometimes prayer is endless distractions; but either way it is the best part of my day.
Sister
Lucille Ann Fritsch:
As a woman religious, daily prayer is important for maintaining a relationship
with the Lord. Being that morning is my better time for private prayer, that
is when I choose to begin the day. And the quality of community prayer depends
on my commitment to private prayer. If and when I become careless about my
prayer time, an important ingredient of the day is missing as well as the
quality of community prayer.
Praying with community, whether that is one other person or more, is important to me. Praying with others helps me because it is then that together we witness to the value of prayer for each of us and all of us together.
As one Sister put it, “I like to pray thoughts, not words.” The psalms of the Divine Office speak clearly of God’s abiding care for the Chosen People of the Old Testament. Praying with thought helps me to recognize the many ways God supported, sometimes punished, only to call the people back to Himself and the Covenant He had with them. And it is just as true today in my life as it was in days long passed.
Community at prayer and at Eucharist is a value for me. And I am grateful that community helps me remember the need that we, and I, have for communion with God each day.
Michael Gibson,
Associate
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Being a contemplative in action, means listening for God’s word and
saying, “Here I am Lord, I’ve come to do your will.” The
contemplative part is hearing His word and the action part is doing his will
or following the light of His inspirations with trust. Light has been a constant
theme and meditation in my life. Before my faith was a priority, I was ill
and in a hospital, and I had a strange thought that didn’t seem to come
from my natural thought process- “Go to the light.” Trying to
figure out what that thought meant, I gazed up at an ordinary-looking light
in the room.
Later in my life I realized that “Going to the Light” meant more than looking at an ordinary light through my sense of sight, it had a transcendent quality associated with it. I realized that God already provided an education for me through a University whose motto is Lux et Veritas (Light and Truth). The physical and the spiritual aspects of my life began pointing more towards God. Through God’s grace and with the help of Sister Gloria Ann Fiedler, CDP and the Associate program, I later became a campus minister.
John Paul II has played a major role in my life in helping me understand the light metaphor better and how it relates to the truth in God’s word and our interaction with him in prayer. He said, "The one who prays pours out his thanks for the Law of God that he adopts as a lamp for his steps in the often dark path of Life" (General Audience, November 2001). He said that God reveals himself in history, and that He speaks to humankind, and the word he speaks has creative power.
A couple of years after my illness I joined a young adult group coordinated by Sister Gloria Ann. It was called, “Sons and Daughters of the Light.” As time passed, the group became more important to me. High quality friendships developed through God’s grace. My mission in life seemed to make more sense within the context of this community. My faith developed to the point where I wanted more.
God’s timing was again perfect because that is when Sister Gloria Ann invited me to become an Associate of Divine Providence. She met with me personally, explained what the Association was about, and asked me if I would be interested. I knew that this was the answer to my desire to grow in holiness- to be with my peers who wanted the same thing, to draw closer to Christ and serve Him
The Associates of Divine Providence recently had a Day of Reflection titled, “Contemplatives in Action”. Sister Gloria Ann facilitated the gathering where we discussed our Providence stories, the importance of God’s word, relationships, the cultivation of the four virtues of Divine Providence spirituality (simplicity, poverty, charity and abandonment), and the importance of realizing that every person and moment is sacred. Sister Gloria Ann spoke specifically about a daily practice of reading the Bible- simply meditating on one verse in the morning and repeating it throughout the day. This aspect of the meeting seemed especially important to me.
As I write this, I think of the way the Gospel of John starts, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God.” (John 1:1).
I believe being a contemplative in action is to become familiar with the Word of God in daily life. To listen to how he is speaking personally to you. Our God is an incredibly personal and loving God and He speaks to everyone differently based on their experiences and who they are. When one becomes familiar with Scriptures, one begins recognizing that God is with us (Emmanuel) and always has been- yesterday, today and forever. He also expresses Himself in the world around us in the words and expressions of others, in their interactions and all are framed within the beauty of God’s creation. This is the beginning of a deeper contemplative side and the beginning of activity. The activity comes in when one begins to freely respond to the multitude of gifts received. By recognizing Him, receiving him and communicating with him in an ongoing way within oneself (the temple of the Holy Spirit) and with others (made in the image and likeness of God), one is better able to follow and serve Him.
In conclusion, Pope Benedict encourages us to, “… love the Word of God and love the Church and this will give you access to a treasure of very great value and will teach you how to appreciate its richness. Love and follow the Church, for it has received from its Founder the mission of showing people the way to true happiness. The loving presence of God, through his word, is the lamp that dispels the darkness of fear and lights up the path even when times are most difficult.”
I’ve had difficulties in my life and likely there are many ahead, but these are such minor things compared to how God provides. I’m deeply thankful for God and His word. I’m especially thankful for Sister Gloria Ann, all my close Associate friends and all the dear Sisters who pray for us daily. Thanks be to God for his love, all people and things created, great and small.
Sister Dianne Heinrich
I
begin each day with time for personal prayer—a time of quiet with the
Lord, speaking to Him, listening and reflecting on Scripture. My time of prayer
centers me and puts me back in touch with the most basic relationship I have,
which is with Christ. Prayer enables me to sit in the presence of Christ and
deepen my experience of God’s love for me and my call to follow Christ
as a Sister of Divine Providence. It helps me come to a new awareness each
day that Christ is calling and enabling me to carry His message of love and
healing to the people and situations I meet that day. My personal prayer gives
me a sense of my God-given direction in life.
Daily Eucharist is at the heart of my relationship with God and my call as a CDP also. The Word of God feeds my identity and clarifies who I am to be in this world. The Bread of Life feeds me with the strength and love to meet the challenges of each day with the love of Christ in my heart. Without my daily personal prayer and the Eucharist, I would slowly lose touch with the source of my identity and being and my purpose in life. Christ Jesus is that Center and my personal and liturgical prayer connect me to my Center.
Sister Margeta Krchnak
“While
some ordinary people’s lives are changed in the process of their responding
to total strangers with their innate goodness, prayer opens the way to other
miracles.
God is working many miracles. There are many of us that are unable to physically volunteer; but we can pray that God will give strength and help to all to make it through this time of suffering and need. May Divine Providence give them the inner strength they need and the outer love and physical support of people to help them walk through this unprecedented suffering. Amen.”
Sister Mary Christine Morkovsky
Prayer
is an indispensable support in religious life. Communal prayer deepens bonds
not only with the ones
present, but with those absent or far away. Praying out loud is a kind of
witness that God is central in our lives. Praying alone actually deepens the
realization that I’m never alone. God is not only around but within
me. God dwells in each of us.
Sister Michael Rose Stanzel
A
contemplative in action is a meaningful way of l-i-f-e. It is listening to
inspiration – Providence – and ordering life to a caring purpose.
Humanity is attended to!
Contemplative in action orders our lives to move from a recognition of creation, redemption and Providential inspiration to a specific objective. It means enriching humanity by being a purposeful, God-centered messenger!
Sister Carolyn Pelzel
Prayer,
for me, is like water to a fish or air to a mammal. Prayer surrounds me and
is my continual environment day and night. I am in constant awareness of God’s
loving abundance. I am continually amazed at God’s creative ability
to remind me of the loving presence surrounding me and within me. The humor
of God keeps me on my toes as my God is the God of surprises. The key to my
prayer is awareness. My suggestion is to keep your eyes, your ears, and your
heart open. I find God is always ready to communicate if only I am willing
to seek, hear, feel, or intuit God’s presence in the moment.