Transformation
Would you believe that this old, undated photo of a small house at Loretto is directly connected to our vision of building a new, accessible cabin? “How so?” you might ask.
Susan has been a Loretto Co-member since 1996. She is the director of Cedars of Peace, a retreat center on the grounds of the Loretto Motherhouse. A passion for transformation is the common thread that weaves its way through her varied interests which include gardening, woodworking, retreat leading and involvement in Loretto’s Farm and Land Management Committee. Previously, she lived and worked in Latin America.
Launching a Dream
Steps. For many years, my concern about the steps leading into the cabins was primarily about their safety after a winter storm or their ongoing need for repair due to squirrel damage.
Reflection on the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Beatitudes offer words of comfort. It’s reassuring to know that God is with us in our grief and that suffering won’t have the last word. But what if Jesus wasn’t only providing personal comfort but also articulating a vision…
One Drum, One Prayer, One Circle
It’s Friday, Feb. 21, and I find myself in the Arizona desert standing in a circle of about 100 people listening to Apache leader Wendsler Nosie Sr. “We’re doing this for those who hate us…. We’re doing it for those…
A Fallow Time Reflection
By Susan Classen CoL and JoAnn Gates CoL Fallow time. Wintering. Call it what you will, only one out of every 10 living in the U.S. call the winter months their favorite. Certainly there are many who truly suffer —…
Reflection on the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our readings this morning both challenge and reassure us. We’re challenged to cooperate with change and reassured that God is with us calling forth life. The Gospel of Matthew was written specifically for Jews who were trying to find their…
View through a window
Headlines about a 1984 seminal study linking human health to nature declared, “View through a window may influence recovery from surgery.” That early study found that hospital patients with a view of green space outside their windows recovered from surgery…
Teamwork shows the future is bright
Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” If the days of the week of Feb. 10-17 are any indication, then the future arriving at the Motherhouse one day…
Reflection on the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord
These words from Wendell Berry call to me this Epiphany Sunday: “And we pray, notfor new earth or heaven, but to bequiet in heart, and in eye,clear. What we need is here.” What we need is here… It sounds so…
Renewed Life at Cedars of Peace
On May 4 around 8:15 p.m., a narrow band of straight-line wind tore through Cedars of Peace with tornado-like force. Heeding the last-minute tornado warning, JoAnn Gates and I were huddled in the crawl space of our cabin. As soon…
Reflection on the Easter Vigil, April 3
“And.” A…N…D… That’s the most important word to remember from my reflections this evening. With God, what looks like an ending is always followed by “and.” We see that truth in the broad strokes of God’s presence throughout history as…
Reflection on the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
As I reflected on Jesus’ use of parables, I was reminded of an experience soon after I arrived to live and work in El Salvador. Felipa, a Poor Claire novice, was teaching a literacy class while a soldier watched through…