To all of you a Happy and Healthy New Year. Did you make a New Year’s resolution?

Part of my New Year’s resolution is to take some quiet time to reflect on the past year. If we listen to the news we get bombarded by negative news and politics. Yes, politics are important. We need people who watch over the political affairs of our country and the world. It would be wonderful if we could just focus on holding hands from one end of the world and reach all across with love and understanding of one another and the One who created this beautiful world. Maybe it would then truly be beautiful.

God created us in His image, but human. Jesus died on the Cross for all of us to give us a chance to follow in His footsteps. He also gave us a free will.

We do have to ask and call on the Lord to be with us every step of the way.
New year, a new beginning. A chance to grow more deeply in love with the Lord.

It is also a time to reflect.
Did I make a difference in anybody’s life? Did I miss an opportunity to testify to the Lord? The world is changing constantly. Do I stand firm in my faith and love of the Lord?

Lord show me the way to love you more deeply and see more clearly.

John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

Hebrews 13: 20,21 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

Many of us get hurt in our life. Often we did not heed the warning signs of the Lord, small or large. We simply walk past and don’t recognize the danger.

It was at just such a time of recognition that I screamed to the Lord, “Lord, my Lord!! I am so sorry, I did not see.”

I knew He was there with me. I could feel His presence. All I could hear was “Come closer, much closer.” I bowed to the Lord, “Yes, Lord not my will but Your Will be done.” Immediately He showed me several small crosses and a casket, but then a large golden Cross. I could feel Him holding me.

He told me, “I am with you always.
Come closer, I am with you all the way. “
More and more I also recognized the Gifts of the Lord. My Art deepened and I can see the Hand of the Lord in it.

MICHAELANGELO BUONAROTI(1475-1564)
True art is made noble and religious by the mind producing it. . . the endeavor to create something perfect, for God is perfection, and whoever strives after perfection is striving for something divine.

PAUL KLEE (1879-1940)
Art does not reproduce the visible, rather, it makes visible.

EDGAR DEGAS(1834-1917)
Art is really a battle.

ROBERT HENRI (1865-1929)
A work of art is the trace of a magnificent struggle.

JEAN-BAPTIST-CAMILLE COROT 1796-1875
Be guided by feelings alone. . . Before any site and any object, abandon yourself to your first impression. If you have really been touched, you will convey to others the sincerity of your emotion.

I will close with a poem I wrote, it is also part of my book, My Walk With Christ, A Spiritual Journey

Butterfly
Where will you rest today?
The flowers all gone,
The cold will come.
Butterfly, where will you find your nectar?

You move so gently.

Come to me,
Rest in the palm of my hand
I will feed you with nectar
And keep you ’till spring.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

As we celebrate
the birth of Christ,
let us remember that
He came to teach us
to love one another
as He loved us

May you know His love now
And throughout the year

To all of you from the Commission
of Women,
Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year

There are also 33 photos from the day – click here to see.

This always brings me to John 15: 12,”This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” If we take this seriously, there is no end in finding a purpose, a purpose to love. If we can truly spread love around the world there would be no need for guns and wars. We just have to start with the ones closest to us. I have been told many times, “Oh, you are a dreamer.” But even when I experience the negativity of others, the Lord’s love can move mountains. God is able through His love to turn everything around. The Lord in His Love and Wisdom will transform us into that which He has created us to be. By our total surrender He will reveal our purpose to us. “Love one another, as I have loved you.”

I will share a little poem I wrote some time ago.

In His Hands

I gave up trying to understand the world
Every time I try it’s just to complicated
I look here, then there
Why, why Lord
Where did we go wrong?

I look again
Amazingly a whole different window opens
There are stars, the sun and the moon
There are trees, flowers and a great variety of animals
And many people happily walking along

Another window opens
I see good things and bad things
A storm came and closed them all

I just stood there empty and waited
He gently put His Hand on my shoulder
Just do all I ask of you
Be all I want you to be
Then leave the worry to me.

Exodus: 15: 1, 6, The Song of Moses
“I will sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously!
“Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.

Matthew 4: 18, 19, 20.
And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 1Corinthians 7: 23

Exodus 23: 20.
Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

Romans: 16, 17.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Read about the day below the slide show.

Women proceed upstairs to the main area.

WORCESTER, MA – On Saturday, November 5, nearly 500 women came together for the 6th Diocesan Women’s Conference, “Gather Us In 2011.”

The air was buzzing with excitement as women from all over the diocese gathered at the DCU Center in Worcester to hear keynote presentations, participate in workshops and fellowship together.

The theme of the conference was “Gratitude: Acknowledging and Affirming God’s Grace in Our Lives.”

Welcome and Opening Prayer Service

Commission member Marie Fusaro Davis, chairperson of the Gather Us In 2011 conference began the day with words of welcome to all the women.

A prayer service followed focusing on gratitude, featuring live music and prayer by afternoon keynote presenter Sr. Kathy Sherman, a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph. Commission chair Susan Bailey led the opening hymn and closing prayer while Sr. Paula Kelleher SSJ read the scripture passage. Sarah Zybert, the daughter of Susan Zybert, a Commission member, provided beautiful and prayerful liturgical dance.

Liz Walker gives a dynamic keynote presentation on Grace and how it changed her life.

Morning Keynote Presenter
Liz Walker

Marie introduced the morning keynoter, former Channel 4 anchor and reporter Liz Walker, now an ordained Episcopalian minister. Liz electrified the room with her lively, timely, humorous and always penetrating talk on how God’s grace led her down the long and winding road from successful TV celebrity reporter to minister, eventually building a school for girls in Sudan.

Workshop Presenters

Four workshops were made available for the women to chose from after the keynote presentation. They included:

• Elizabeth Dreyer, PhD, speaking on how to become a grassroots theologian
• Pat Gohn, describing how a spirit of gratitude can translate into women becoming spiritual mothers
• Christin Jezak, presenting her one woman play dealing with encountering Jesus in every person through the lens of Mother Teresa
• Talk Back – Your Turn, run by Commission members Marie Fusaro Davis and Susan Bailey, giving the women a chance to share stories and feelings in relation to what they heard at the conference

Sr. Kathy Sherman, a sister of St. Joseph, is a fine singer, composer and speaker. She shared many of her songs during her presentation.

Afternoon Keynote Presenter
Kathy Sherman

After a nice lunch where everyone got together to share, Commission member Carolyn Black introduced the afternoon keynote presenter, Sr. Kathy Sherman. Her presentation was gentle, quiet and moving, mixing talk with many beautiful songs. Oftentimes women were moved to tears.

Closing Liturgy

Workshops were made available again, and then the day ended with mass beautifully celebrated by retired Auxiliary Bishop George E. Rueger, D.D. The African Choir from St. Peter’s and the St. Andrew’s mission in Worcester provided the music, along with Commission member Susan Bailey and Kathleen Bush from St. Luke the Evangelist in Westboro.

By Mary Donovan

Four very different workshops will be offered at the upcoming women’s conference. In the words of Susan Bailey, chairwoman of the Commission for Women, “There’s something for everyone.’’

The conference, Gather Us In 2011, is the sixth biennial women’s conference of the Diocese of Worcester. It is sponsored by the Diocesan Commission of Women and the Bishop of Worcester. It will take place on Nov. 5 at the DCU Center in Worcester.

The goal of the women’s conference is to appeal to all Catholic women. Hence the name – “Gather Us In.” The Commission for Women has learned a thing or two about Catholic women in its 10 years of presenting this event. Catholic women are a feisty lot. They do not walk in lock-step. They are thoughtful, independent, creative and individual. The composition of the program reflects this awareness, according to Ms. Bailey.

The workshop presenters are: Elizabeth Dryer, Ph.D, professor of religious studies at Fairfield University; Pat Gohn, wife, mother, writer and speaker; Christin Jezak, actress, and the two moderators of the fourth workshop who are commission members.

Elizabeth Dryer, PhD

Elizabeth Dryer’s workshop is titled, “Women as Grassroots Theologians.’’ She is the author or editor of nine books and numerous articles, chapters in books and dictionary/encyclopedia entries. In addition, she is the general editor of the eight volume series, “Called to Holiness: Spirituality for Catholic Women’’ (St. Anthony Messenger Press) and the author of the first volume, “Making Sense of God: A woman’s perspective.’’

Pat Gohn

Workshop presenter Pat Gohn is a wife and mother to three young adults. Ms. Gohn holds a master’s degree in theology and has a special love for adult faith formation, she said. Ms. Gohn writes regular columns about Catholic subject matter at Catholic Exchange, Catholic Mom, and the Catholic portal at Patheos.com.
Her workshop is: “What return can I make to the Lord for all he has given to me? Exploring active responsiveness and spiritual motherhood.’’

Christin Jezak

Workshop presenter and actress Christin Jezak will present her one-woman show “Person-to-Person: A Mother Teresa Project.’’ According to Ms. Jezak this piece will demonstrate how we encounter Jesus in every person. The message is presented through the lens of Blessed Mother Teresa. It consists of monologues of different types of people in our society that Mother Teresa reached out to. “These are the people that society tends to forget,’’ she said.

Susan Bailey and Marie Fusaro Davis

The fourth workshop is called “Talk Back.’’ This is a new concept. In this workshop, attendees are invited to critique the conference, ask questions, seek information, make suggestions and otherwise discuss the event with two members of the Commission for Women. These two are Susan Bailey and Marie Fusaro Davis.

As Ms. Bailey said, “All of us on the Commission worked hard to be sensitive to needs of women who attend our conferences, and we have listened to their requests.”
“Gather Us In 2011” will present two keynote speakers, television journalist Liz Walker and singer-composer Sister Kathy Sherman. At the close of the conference, Mass will be celebrated by retired Auxiliary Bishop George E. Rueger.

Christine Farmer of  Westborough will be at Gather Us In, 2011, the Diocesan Women’s Conference on November 5, 2011 at the DCU Center. You couldn’t keep her away.

At one time she thought she couldn’t afford a Saturday for herself, she said. Her work, her small daughter, her husband and her home produced enough claims on her time to keep her committed. Then Ms. Farmer attended her first Diocesan Women’s Conference, Gather Us In, 2005.

She needed a spiritual jump start.

” I was at a point in my life when I needed enrichment and guidance,” she said.

She found that and more.

”I remember coming home feeling as though I had a jet pack. I was flying,” she said.

Since then, Ms. Farmer, homemaker, businesswoman, community involved person and now mother of two young girls aged 14 and 8 has attended every conference.

”They give me a little retreat for myself,” she said, ”a treat for Mommy.”

Ms. Farmer had a career that was ”going great guns.” She was working in marketing for big corporations. Then marriage and a baby girl convinced her she had to use her time differently. She cut back. In 1999 she opened a small business, Christine Anne Farmer, Executive Consultant, in her home.

She went small time on purpose. The scope of her career changed. Formerly,  she was one step in a large fabric of production. Now she has direct contact with people and is in a better position to help them as individuals. In addition, she said, the move freed up her time and gave her an opportunity to be involved with her church and  the community.

This busy woman is devoted to the conference. She has seen the event grow and change. She has seen changes in the audience as well. When she began attending 10 years ago, she said, the audience was mostly older women. Now she sees many contemporaries as well as college women and women with teen age daughters.

”The conference is good for any young teens from high school age and up,” she said.

According to her, there are at least two good reasons for this. Attending the conference with her mother is  an experience a girl will never forget. she said. In addition, the girl will see the kind of woman she will probably be – she will get a sense of solidarity.

”The message transcends the physical age of our beings. It’s a message that is timeless in terms of our message serving God,” she said.

What iis it she likes about the conference? Everything, she said. Being with the sheer volume of women is exhilarating. She finds it exciting to watch so many women filling the streets around the DCU Center, converging on the building, crowding the escalator to the conference floor, snaking their way around tables to find friends at lunch time.

She said she finds the day inspiring, from the words of the speakers to casual conversation at lunch. And the liturgy at the end of the day ”is the capstone.”

What would she say was the most important part of the day? She raised a hand to ward off the question.

”That’s like asking which petal of a flower is most important,” she said. ”It’s the charisma of the whole experience – the Holy Spirit covering us with grace.”

Gather Us In 2011 will present two keynote speakers, singer-composer Sr. Kathy Sherman and television journalist/humanitarian Liz Walker. In addition, four workshops will be available, two in the morning session and two after lunch. At the close of the conference, Mass will be celebrated by Most Reverend Bishop George E. Rueger, DD.

Information about the Conference may be attained at the commission website: worcestercommissionforwomen.org or click on the link to Commission for Women at the website of the Worcester Diocese, worcesterdiocese.org.  The day-long conference, Gather Us In, 2011, will take place November 5, 2011 at the DCU Center, 50 Foster Street, Worcester

In our Christian experience nothing is more important than who Jesus was and still is. When we understand who Jesus is we also understand what love is. Love is not just a fuzzy feeling. Love is what the Lord demonstrated on the cross. He died for all of us.

In Matthew 1:21 “She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

In Matthew 1: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel.” which is translated, “God with us.”

God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to show us how to love. My favorite prayer is still Our Lord’s prayer, which I still pray in the German language.

Vater unser, der Du bist im Himmel. Geheiligt werde Dein Name. Zu uns komme Dein Reich. Dein Wille geschehe wie im Himmel also auch auf Erden. Unser taeglisches Brot gib uns heute und vergib uns unsere Schuld, wie auch wir vergeben unseren Schuldigern, und fuehre uns nicht in Versuchung sondern erloese uns von dem Uebel. Amen.

Matthew 6: 9-14: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

John 13: 34, 35: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8: “Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.”

2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”

In the Bible the word love is mentioned over and over again. It sounds so easy, but it is often hard.

I often pray, “Please Lord, teach me to love as You love us.”

This is not easy. When I listen to the evening news there are many times when I have to quickly say, “Please Lord, teach me to love as You love us.”

God is Love. He can not do anything else but love us all equally. This is hard to comprehend, but He does love us equally. This is why He died on the cross for all of us. He showed us how to love without reservation: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Psalm 18: 1, 2: “I will love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress.”

The following is a poem I wrote:

“Love that never ends”

by Brunhilde Luken

As I woke up this morning
I felt so loved by You.
You were still holding me.

With many thanks, I greeted the new day.
You smiled at me.
I knew right then

That nothing could take away this wonderful love,
So freely given,
For me to take.

“Just seek and you will find,
It is already there.
Before you could ever think of Me

I put it there.
I allow you to choose
I hope it is I,
The eyes of your heart
Will tell you why.

True love can only be found within.
Just trust Me
I will take you to this never-ending flow of love,
It’s deep in your heart.

As you seek Me,
It will never part.”

By Mary Donovan

Can Sister Kathy Sherman’s music do what she hopes it will – extend healing, hope and justice to her listeners? Can it express her belief in the interconnectedness of neighbors, one to another and to God? Can she make clear her love for our planet and her concern for its protection and healing?

Attendees at the sixth biennial Diocesan Women’s Conference will find out. Sister Kathy Sherman is a keynote speaker at Gather Us In, 2011. On Nov. 5 at the DCU Center, Sister Kathy will address the conference theme: Gratitude: Acknowledging and Affirming God’s Grace in Our Lives.

Sister Kathy has made it her life’s work accomplishing just that.  The ordinary of life inspires her she said. She sees in the ordinary the power to find the simple, the sacred and the beautiful. She has a strong commitment to earth issues, to saving and healing planet Earth. She works to help others understand that the universe is an interconnected whole that is sacred and in need of our protection.

She is a singer, composer, poet, lyricist and liturgist. She has been writing her songs since 1966. She has published 18 CDs which are listened to throughout the United States and in other parts of the world. Her two most recent are “Walk with Me” – songs for peace and non-violence and “Song of the Universe” which tells the story of the unfolding universe. Sister Kathy holds a bachelor’s in  education from Western Illinois University and a master’s of pastoral studies from Loyola University. She is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph and has her studio in LaGrange Park, Ill.

The title of Sister Kathy’s keynote is: “Gratitude…A Way of Life.” Describing the content of her presentation, she wrote, ‘’The more thankful we are, the more deeply we experience the breadth and depth of living. Gratitude graces us with the capacity to dwell in the joys, sorrows and mystery of life and relationship. A thankful heart teaches us how to be a blessing of hope and goodness for others. A thankful heart is a heart filled with God. In story and song we will celebrate and give thanks for the blessing in all that is.”

Her yearning for peace is ably expressed in this quote from the Ministry of the Arts catalog describing her new album, ‘’Song of the Universe.”

“Kathy Sherman’s passionate lyrics and music resound throughout this new release with challenges, laments, and hope! She writes: ‘I believe that each of us, in our own way, is called to be a troubadour for peace… Imagine what could happen if we joined our minds and hearts…our dreams and ideas…our sweat and tears…our hopes and hard work…our creativity and passion for the sake of peace. …’”

Gather Us In 2011 will present two keynote speakers, Sister Kathy and television journalist/humanitarian Liz Walker. In addition, four workshops will be available, two in the morning session and two after lunch. At the close of the conference, Mass will be celebrated by retired auxiliary  Bishop George E. Rueger.

Click on these links to register, and to promote the conference:
DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE TO REGISTER
DOWNLOAD AND PRINT OUT THE POSTER TO DISTRIBUTE

By Mary Donovan

An African choir, a one-women theatrical performance, a local news celebrity, a musical nun and a college professor – all will join forces to bring their special insights to the women of the Worcester Diocese. The occasion is Gather Us In, 2011, the Diocesan Women’s  Conference which takes place on Nov. 5 at  the DCU Center in Worcester.

The conference which began in 2002 is co-sponsored by the Bishop of Worcester and the Diocesan Commission for Women. It is called Gather Us In because, according to commission member Carolyn Black, “’We felt a need to reach out to the women of the diocese since our commission was to represent them to the Bishop.’’

This is the sixth edition of Gather Us In. It represents nine years of a successful effort by the Women’s Commission to bring the women of the diocese  together to get to know one another, to share their experience of being a woman in the church and to hear the ideas of other women of the church.

The theme this year is Gratitude: Acknowledging and Affirming God’s Grace in Our Lives. The theme in 2007 was One in the Spirit and the 2009 conference explored the theme: The Triumph of Forgiveness  Sharing Stories of Compassion.
The program this year features Liz Walker and Sister Kathy Sherman as keynote speakers.

Ms. Walker is a well-known local television journalist. She was a news anchor for 21 years at Channel 4. Boston. After she left WBZ she embarked on a humanitarian career which is the basis for her keynote which is called “Grace Moves: What Happens When God Calls.”

Kathy Sherman is a singer, composer and poet. Through her music she hopes to extend healing, hope and justice. Her message fosters unity of all neighbors with one another and God. In addition, she is concerned with the protection and healing of planet earth. She is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph and has her studio in LaGrange Park, Ill. The title of her keynote is “Gratitude…A Way of Life.”

Four workshops will be presented. Pat Gohn, mother of three young adults, columnist, blogger and television personality will speak on “What Return Can I Make to the Lord for All  He Has Given Me: Exploring Active Responsiveness and Spiritual Motherhood.”

Elizabeth Dreyer, PhD is Professor of Religious Studies at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn. Her topic is “Women as Grassroots Theologians.” According to Professor Dreyer, until the 20th century, virtually all Christian theology was done by men, so it is imperative to include the voices of women in this important aspect of spirituality and the church’s work.

Christin Jezak is an actress who will perform a one-woman play called “Person to Person: A Mother Teresa Project.” This play was developed at Villanova University as Ms. Jezak’s graduate oral’s project for her master’s degree in theater. She has performed this play at many venues in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.   Her performances also include an appearance at the Festival of World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia.

The fourth workshop is called “Talk Back.” Commission members Susan Bailey and Marie Fusaro Davis will be moderators.  This last workshop is designed to give conference attendees an opportunity to offer feedback to the commission and to discuss how the material presented relates to their own lives.

The conference will close with a Mass celebrated by retired auxiliary Bishop George E. Rueger. The music at the Mass will be provided by the African Choir of St. Andrew’s church. This 12-member choir has been singing together for four years. The members are from different parts of Africa and their repertoire incorporates their various musical traditions as well as languages and instruments, said Lucy Muigai, choir coordinator.

– Information about the Conference may be attained at the commission website:worcestercommissionforwomen.org.. or click on the link to Commission for Women at the website of the Worcester Diocese, worcesterdiocese.org.

Click on these links to register, and to promote the conference:
DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE TO REGISTER
DOWNLOAD AND PRINT OUT THE POSTER TO DISTRIBUTE