Unlocking the 54 Day Novena

There is an event on Facebook called 54 Day Rosary Novena beginning January 1, 2015 and ending February 23, 2015.

A novena is traditionally 9 days. It comes from the Latin word novum, which means nine.

You need to mark the dates on your calendar (or keep checking the event page on Facebook). 9 traditional novenas times 6 equals 54. If you divide 54 in half, it equals 27 (9 traditional novenas x 3).

So it looks like this:

First half = 27 days (the length of 3 traditional novenas)
Second half = 27 days (the length of 3 traditional novenas)

Each day, you pray the rosary. There are no additional prayers. However, while you are praying it, you are focused on a particular intention.

The first half of the 54 Days is a prayer of petition. Focus on expressing this need or desire to God and asking for Mary's intercession.

The second half of the 54 Days is a prayer of thanksgiving. Whether things are turning out how you wished or not, you thank God for all He has done and for all He continues to do, as well as Mary for her faithful intercession. This can be where the rubber meets the road, because things may appear to be getting worse. It's a prayer of surrender.

Novenas are not magical and I believe that the 54 Day Novena illustrates that in a beautiful way. We come before the Throne of God, turning over all that we need and desire to Him.

I will put my spirit in you that you may come to life, and I will settle you in your land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. I have spoken; I will do it. -Ezekiel 37:14, NAB

In the description on the event page, there are specific prayers provided, so if your prayer style is such that you prefer praying from what has been already written, you can find those prayers there. If your prayer style is more free-flowing, or if you struggle with scrupulosity, then simply follow what is written above.

Preaching in the Parade (No Words Necessary)

This past Saturday, our school participated in the 20th Annual Waimea Lighted Christmas Parade. In previous years, I was a spectator. It was fun to march in it this time. My arm got really tired from all the waving but I loved seeing many people I knew as we walked through the streets. Most critically, the children were very excited about being in the parade!

Our Float

We had four boats that represented the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) as well as the four weeks of Advent and their themes (hope, peace, joy, and love). In the middle, you can see our lighthouse sculpture and banner. To find out how we became a Renaissance Lighthouse School (an academic award) click here. As a Lighthouse school, we are guiding others to their own achievement. Our ultimate goal, however, is something that cannot be measured. We want to become saints in heaven. We are on our way and hope to bring many others along for the ride!

The littlest ones got to ride in the boats while others pulled them through the streets!

Father Arnel, Santa Claus, teachers and lots of parents were there to help! One of our preschool teachers, Kacie Pratico, is on the far right.

We had such a wonderful time and I am especially grateful for all that the parents did to make everything go so well. I continue to be edified by people. Sure there is evil in the world but there so much more that is good in it! So much aloha. I am frequently humbled and inspired.

Mele Kalikimaka!

Review of the Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns, Episodes 5 & 6

Left to Right: Francesca, Claire, Eseni, Christie; Stacey

The fifth episode began with people at a bar commenting to the women, "You're too hot to be nuns." I was so grateful that the young women replied back that a calling has nothing to do with how someone looks. When someone says that to me, I don't know what to think or feel. I'm flattered that they find me pretty, but even more so, I feel like a mama bear for Sisters everywhere. Obviously, they haven't seen many Sisters.

Again, how someone looks on the outside has nothing to do with one's vocation. I don't even know how those two things relate to each other. It's not like married women are still available, so it can't be "a waste" to give your life to God.

"For the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7b, NRSV

The remainder of that episode as well as the finale had a central question of "What is authentic discernment?" The answer is not so simple that a person just needs to follow a checklist. Every person's journey is different. Some people have been in romantic relationships before entering religious life. Some have not. Some have visited a variety of Communities before deciding on one. Some only needed to visit one or two. Regardless, when you know, you know.

As I watched the final two episodes, I was so excited for Christie and Claire! I saw so many parallels to finding my own Community and I could not be happier that they discovered where to begin formation. Not everyone can say they found their Congregation on a reality TV show, which is another wonderful example of God calling people in different ways! For those who could not watch the show, Christie discerned to enter the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence in Chicago, Illinois, and Claire discerned to enter the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker in Walton, Kentucky.

Eseni discerned that God is calling her to be a wife and mother. She also decided to go back to school to become a pediatric nurse. She was glowing in the last episode! I was just as happy for her as I was for Claire and Christie.

As for Francesca, their discernment will continue into the future, but she seemed to get a lot out of the process and was able to inspire others. She had a warm connection with the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm in Germantown, NY and said that she would continue to keep in touch with them.

Stacey had probably the biggest turn of events, because on the show she had said she might join Christie in Chicago, but she just tweeted the following:

This even came as a surprise to Francesca who had been discerning alongside her on the show:

Only God knows how things will turn out for these five women. Even Christie and Claire are free to end the process if they feel God calling them elsewhere. A person who enters a convent does not sign her life away and she most certainly is not brainwashed into doing so. All God asks of us is that we are faithful to Him and to love with the fullest sense of the word agape.

In my final analysis of The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns, I believe that it was a worthwhile program and a good introduction to the Year of Consecrated Life! I have enjoyed covering the episodes, and I am looking forward to continuing the discussion of living religious life through future blog entries.

Review of The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns, Episodes 3 & 4

These back-to-back episodes felt rather "heavy" to me, as it brought back memories of people either leaving the convent or thinking about leaving. In these episodes, Eseni gets a surprise visit from her boyfriend, Darnell, who wants to take her home. Eseni wrestles with the decision, but ultimately decides to stay and complete the six week discernment program. This struggle sends a ripple effect toward the other women. 

There is something to be said about the bond that forms when one is going through a radical growth process with other people: they become a part of oneself. Even if it wasn't their calling to stay, when they leave, a hole always remains. One may begin to ask, "Why am I still here?" More questions may come to the surface, but ultimately, after bringing these concerns before the Blessed Sacrament, one's resolve is strengthened.

Lastly, even as I have enjoyed watching this show, I am very concerned. These five women so generously sacrificed their privacy in order that others could be inspired to become Sisters. They became vulnerable before an industry that profits on their openness. Their words and actions have been edited for our entertainment. As viewers, we are not privy to the workings of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of these women. It is not up to us to decide whether they make the right or wrong decision. Besides, initial formation lasts several years. Trust the process! 

Sister Susan Francois, CSJP, said it best: 

Review of The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns, Epsiode 2: "We're All Broken"

In this episode, the "honeymood period" for the young women is over and conflicts begin to arise. This is the kind of thing I feared as I mentally prepared myself for this series on Lifetime. Initial Formation can be tough with many eyes watching you. Now add in millions of viewers who sometimes forget that you are not a TV character but a living breathing human being with feelings? The word scrutiny does not even begin to describe it.

I have already seen numerous cases of cyber bullying, and I never buy the excuse that "they are adults. No one forced them to do this." Because nothing prepares a person for public humiliation; it does not matter how thick one's skin was ahead of time. Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, did a courageous vlog about this issue:



That said, I enjoyed watching this episode. It was refreshingly real. The conflicts in the episode are not atypical. People enter religious life from a variety of backgrounds, and it can be hard to know what is going to trigger a strong emotion in someone else. As Sister Cyril pointed out, after sharing a story about a Sister getting upset over laundry, "It's not about the laundry." Even when a conflict seems futile, there is always something deeper going on underneath the surface. Additionally, culture shock creates heightened emotions, and everyone who moves into a convent experiences this at varying degrees.

It can be a blessing and a curse to have these kind of conflicts on TV. The blessing part of it is that the young women can watch themselves, see what they sound like to others, and use it as a catalyst for personal growth. After all, the purpose of formation is to be continually improving oneself, as I described in an older blog entry. The curse part of it is that television has a way of immortalizing moments in time. It is critical that we allow each other to change and grow! As humans, we have a tendency to lock people into boxes. This helps no one.

I also liked watching this episode because Christie gave a wonderful glimpse into her spiritual journey. She was beginning to feel spiritually dry, which is an agonizing position to be in, but in reality, there are so many graces that come from being faithful to prayer during it! Christie, if you are reading this, I have two book recommendations for you. The first is Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of Calcutta. Make sure to read the footnotes! The other is When the Well Runs Dry: Prayer Beyond the Beginnings by Thomas Green, S.J. Both books are wonderful resources for when God is silently working in one's life. Remember that Satan wants you to feel discouraged. Don't let him win.

I also want to give Eseni a hug. I'm proud of you for reaching out and breaking the silence. You are so courageous and strong! Be assured of my prayers for you. Sister Maria Therese was absolutely right: "All of us are broken." As someone once told me, God cannot work with us and through us unless we are willing to acknowledge our own brokenness. He told me that in his job, he works with vessels. After some time of being used, the vessels start to break down and water flows through. We are called to be broken vessels. The Holy Spirit is the water. If we are broken, He can flow through us and out to serve others more effectively.

Lastly, I loved the part at the end of the episode when the Sisters took the young women to the Holy Cow for ice cream! It was so clever to say they were taking them to a shrine! As Sister Maria Therese said, "We work hard, we pray hard, but we play hard, too."

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Shameless plug: You can download an awesome Advent/Christmas song for free on my Community's blog, Franciscanized World. Every month, a new song is featured on our blog. "Awake the Voice" by Krista Detour centers around the theme of finding the meaning of Christmas in the midst of commercialism.