Posts by Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider

Pope Francis wrote a Prayer for Peace in 2014. As the nation looks to Inauguration Day, let us pray for a peaceful transition with the Pope’s prayer: Lord God of Peace, hear our prayer! We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by…

The week for Church Unity begins today and ends on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul on January 25. This special week of prayer for unity among all denominations began in 1908. This year’s theme is “Abide in My Love” (John 15). Can there be any greater source of unity than to remember…

The events of the past weeks prove that “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools” (Martin Luther King, Jr). We Sisters of Notre Dame throughout the nation divided the hours on Friday, January 15 so that a community of Sisters would be praying continuously during the day. This event…

Today’s First Reading to the Hebrews tells of the Son of God who is able to “sympathize with our weaknesses.” Such empathy is often found with saints who have worked with children, such as Saint John Bosco. Similarly, the foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame had a great love for poor and neglected children.…

The lectionary this month gives us passages from the Letter to the Hebrews. Its authorship, audience, and even its inclusion in the New Testament canon are uncertain. What is certain is that the author teaches that Jesus is the One who can take us to God. He writes, “Let us draw near…in full assurance of…

When I petition God for a favor, I sometimes pray, “If you wish, you can _____.” Then I hear or imagine God saying, “I do will it.” And I feel confident that my petition will be answered. Maybe it will happen exactly as requested; if not, I am still confident of an answer. Unlike the…

“Silence grows me and frees me,” writes Joan Chittister in Radical Spirit. “It enables me to become the ear of God on earth. . .” (p. 162). So often we remind ourselves that we are the hands and feet of Christ, but it is a bit surprising to talk about becoming the ear of God…

Vinita Hampton Wright is the author of The Soul Tells a Story. In her book Wright says, “Faith figures into creative work at every step. You say yes to the work, trusting that you are in some way called to it.” She goes on to say that the creative person has faith that there is…

Are you assessing your New Year’s resolutions after a couple weeks of resolve? Did you make a spiritual resolution? Because a spiritual life has goals and practices that engage us in our formation, it is open to a New Year’s resolution. This spiritual resolution doesn’t need to be taxing or arduous. No, our spiritual life…

We’re starting Ordinary Time today. After the Christmas Season, these weeks before Lent may seem uneventful, even dull. But let’s take the “ordinary” out of Ordinary Time. These weeks until Ash Wednesday on February 17 are not some leftovers on the Church Year menu. Over half the Church Year is Ordinary Time, its name coming…