Let's Journey Together - Campus Ministry Newsletter: March 1 ,2025

In Times Such As These

These days, there is a lot occupying our thoughts – the current presidential administration is issuing more executive orders than we can count; fires and floods are destroying communities across the country; and our Church continues to face many challenges.

This is why I think it is important to remember this National Catholic Sisters Week that it is times such as these for which vowed religious life was created.

I think of our founders, Mother Adele and Fr. Chaminade, and how they were trying to rebuild the Church in the aftermath of a revolution. It gives me hope and comfort that they also lived in times of political and religious uncertainty. 

Specifically, I think of Mother Adele. Her hundreds of letters often exude a sense of joy and courage, but I suspect there were many moments, whether she told her sisters or not, where she felt mired in anxiety, or even hopelessness.

But she never let her fears stop her. She worked tirelessly until her death, and Fr. Chaminade kept the flame burning long after she was gone. Today, the Marianist Sisters continue to keep that same flame alive.

As sisters and a Christian people, we are being challenged, yet again, to stay focused on what matters without becoming ignorant of what’s going on in the world, but also without letting our anger and feelings of helplessness sidetrack us. 

This is a challenge, indeed, but if our founders could persevere over 200 years ago, then so can we.