Reading from St. Catherine S Prayer on the Trinity

Trinity Sunday, June 15, 2014

Reading from St. Catherine’s Prayer on the Trinity

Reflection: S. Dorothy Fitzgibbons

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit is with us this day – Trinity Sunday. As I reflected on these past days which were built on our theme Inspiring Compassion – Fostering Engagement, I believe in my head and heart that the Holy Spirit is leading us as a Dominican Community, as members of the OP family in higher education to live ever more deeply our mission of being relational and connected at every level locally – nationally – globally. We are called to engage both heads and hearts, as Dominic did.

Dominic founded an Order in the 13th century in Fanjeaux, France, to preach Truth with an intellectual formation and to preach good news but he was also filled with mercy – tears – what will become of sinners?

We are living in a new decade of surprises in our church – Pope Benedict 16th retires – and a Jesuit from Argentina is elected and takes the name Francis!

His Apostolic Exhortation The Joy of the Gospel is very Dominican! He is a Vatican II priest! His basic message is on Mercy!

This morning we listened to our sister, Catherine of Siena, a Dominican laywoman in the 14th century, who prays to the Trinity. God the Creator sent His word as a human, one of us, through the communion of the Holy Spirit. This young woman lived in a cloistered life of prayer in her family home for three years. She did not want to leave, but was told by Christ that it was time to leave her home and go into the streets of Siena. She was a lay Dominican whose contemplation led to action. She visited the sick in homes and hospitals, visited prisoners, and then became a peacemaker between Siena and Florence, warring cities. Then she challenged two Popes, and eventually, the rightful Pope returned to Rome. Talk about transformation! This seemingly illiterate woman is called a theologian, a mystic, a Doctor of the Church, Patroness of Nurses, and Patron of Italy. Catherine dictated Letters and Prayers, which are in book form.

Sister Mary O’Driscoll, an Irish Dominican theologian, published a book on Catherine entitled, Compassion for Humanity – Contemplation and Action. A quote from Catherine is Walk on Two Feet: Contemplation – Action.

And so we leave here as companions on the journey, responding as best we can in our own corner of the world, we keep in our hearts and prayers the many Dominican women and men around the world who risk their lives daily in service to the poor and marginalized. With our technology we are a Global Village.

We are committed to further collaboration in our college communities. Let’s stay in touch as Dominican institutions in communion in our mission to serve the common good.

I offer these quotes to all of us:

St. Dominic –

“Go in confidence for the Lord will give you the gift of preaching. You will lack for nothing.”

St. Catherine of Siena –

“When we are what we are meant to be, we will set the world on fire.”

My last quote to you is from Meister Eckhart, Dominican medieval theologian. “If the only prayer you ever say is ‘Thank You,’ it is enough.”

My thanks to all of you for being here – have a safe trip home and a good summer!