Perhaps you’ve already heard this news, as the grapevine these days seems to work even faster than Twitter, but the Holy See has appointed our Sister Catherine Marie as superior pro tempore of the community of Passionist Nuns in Lucca, Italy, at the international shrine of St. Gemma Galgani.  On Friday, June 8, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sister flew to Italy in the company of Sr. Joan Mary Topor, CP, an active Passionist Sister who will be serving as a translator for Sr. Catherine Marie until she is able to learn Italian.  On Sunday, June 17th, they will make their way to Lucca where Sister Catherine Marie will become Mother Catherine Marie!

Naturally, it is a sorrow for us to give up one of our Sisters for this period of time, but we are also filled with joy at the opportunity to contribute so concretely to the building up and revitalization of the Passionist Congregation.  We are praying that this experience brings great fruit for the community of Lucca, our whole Congregation, and for the Church as a whole.  Mother Catherine Marie has approached this new call of God in her life with an inspiring spirit of faith, and we’ll leave you with one of her beautiful reflections:

Before now, when I have thought about the communion of saints (which is part of the Nicene Creed recited every Sunday), I only thought about those who have departed this life and now sleep in the peace of Christ . Going through this experience, however, and receiving the promise of prayers of so many dear family members and friends, I am vividly experiencing truly the communion of saints in the believers here on earth (people close to God who are praying for me and for the Passionist Nuns)! Indeed, the Church is one: those in heaven, those who still walk the Way of the Cross here on earth, and those being enriched and perfected in Purgatory. We should all be “pulling for one another” to reach our destiny in the endless joy of the Most Holy Trinity.

Please keep Mother Catherine Marie, Sr. Joan Mary, and the nuns in Lucca in your prayers, and know that we are praying for you, too!