I’m thrilled to be back from several weeks of retreat, meetings, and some time to rest.
Eager to get back into the groove, I accepted an invitation from Salt & Light TV to appear on their new show, “Perspectives,” speaking about the Church and communications, especially in the light of Pope Benedict’s annual Message for World Communications Day. Our host first interviews our new auxiliary Bishop Vincent Nguyen, and then I join in about halfway through.
“Perspectives” is a brand-new show for Salt & Light, but I like the idea of the daily news updates (only 5 minutes long) and then a longer show on Friday night. This is their very first broadcast.
To respond to the tremendous outpouring of desire to help the people of Haiti rebuild their lives spiritually as well as materially, our sisters have published a free, downloadable e-book entitled, A World on Its Knees. You can also read it online, too, with beautiful background music.
This is the first free e-book that we have published, and it’s enabled us to invite thousands of people to join us in praying for the people of Haiti.
“This e-prayerbook is a useful way to focus intentions and be in spirit with those who need us most… Let’s get this into the hands of millions of people around the world who can’t go to Haiti in person but can pray.
The Haitians are giving us an impressive example of faith and prayer. Let us lift up their needs now that they will be able to rebuild their lives, their church, and their nation.”
It’s at moments like this that I rejoice in the power of the media–especially the new, digital media–to face tragedy by uniting us in solidarity to do whatever we can.
The first unexpected event is a joyful one–I will be going for retreat in just a few days. Which means that, once again, my blog will be very quiet.
While I’m away, I’ll try to at least post up the new events coming up at our Toronto Pauline Book & Media Centre. And the first is one that I am sorry to miss.
All of us sisters enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It’s a special time for our community, since we’ve all been together less than two weeks! What a great joy to start “building” our Toronto community’s life together by prayer focused on the Incarnation–God’s ultimate and most perfect Act of Communication with humanity!
I also wanted to let you know that I’m back in blogging mode, but you may not see regular posts right away because I’m working on putting up additional material that readers of my newest book, See Yourself Through God’s Eyes, might enjoy and find helpful. First, I’ve put up a page actually explaining the book itself here, and then I’ve put up sample meditations here. I also want to put up a short “author talk” and some audio visuals, as well as a feedback forum where readers can comment and offer their own insights.
I hope you have a very blessed Christmas season. You are in my prayers!
So often, as Christmas approaches, we think that we must “force” ourselves to be happy, or at the very least, to seem happy–whether we feel happy or not. Especially when we are having a difficult time, “Tis the season to be jolly” can become a guilt-trip for some of us. How do we celebrate Christmas in the midst of difficulties–illness, the death of a loved one, a painful disagreement in the family, or a job loss?
True Christian joy is not superficial high spirits, but is about recognizing God’s love for us in our lives–even in the sorrowful moments. In this visual meditation on her website http://www.sacredstillnesstoday.blogspot.com/, Sr. Sharon shares with us how she finds daily joy, in all the circumstances of her life.
An authentic celebration of Christmas is not giddy glee, but a simple recognition of God’s loving presence with us–in every circumstance. Enjoy the meditation!
I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve blogged. (And I’ve barely done any writing in any form the past several weeks.) What I’ve missed about it most is the insights–formed by the collision of disparate ideas.
A few things that have happened: we hosted our annual Christmas Party for Kids on December 5th. It was a lovely event, with over 215 children passing through to put on a costume and pose as part of the manger scene (at the center is our lovely statue of Baby Jesus). I usually get to help out at the busiest and funnest place–dressing up the kids. St. Nicholas makes regular appearances throughout the day, and the cake, crafts and face painting are popular too. This year we had an amazing troop of generous volunteers–without them, we cannot pull off an event like this.
We’ve also enjoyed our last Faith and Film Evening for 2009–Gran Torino proved to be an awesome choice which led to a dialogue that lasted almost an hour (and could have gone on longer, I’m sure). And our discernment mini-course seems to be touching the hearts and experiences of those who are attending!
In addition to our busy bookcentre and all the Advent and Christmas preparations, we’ve also had two new sisters join our community. Our Toronto community is now complete with six sisters! I hope to post photos and an introduction to each sister shortly.
As I turn my focus back to writing, one of the things that preoccupies me is how I can become a better listener. Like Mary, I want to “ponder in my heart” so that I understand how God is working in my life (and perhaps how God wants to work in my writing). In her book, The Way of Mary: Following Her Footsteps Towards God, Mary Ford-Grabowsky describes what she thinks this uniquely Marian phrase means: “Ultimately, pondering in the heart means reflecting on things from a perspective of love, with the realization that God is close and involved in every experience.”
Contemplation is seeing with the eyes of love. If I can practice doing that more and more, maybe my pen (or more accurately my keyboard) can become “of love.” God is loving me in and through every experience of my life…if I have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. Wouldn’t it be awesome if my contemplation helped me to be free enough to allow God to love others fully in and through me?
Last night, I talked about my new book, Seeing Yourself Through God’s Eyes–52 Meditations to Grow in Self-Esteem, to a very attentive group of about 20 people. Several had already bought my book; most people had met me at some point at our PBM center.
I was very nervous because, no matter how I prepared, I couldn’t seem to get a structure to the talk that flowed cohesively. I find that the organization of material is key to a strong presentation. Many speakers have good things to say, but it makes much more of an impact if the presentation hangs together well and touches the heart. Finally, around noon yesterday, it started to come together. Which didn’t leave me a lot of time to practice, but at least I felt good about the way I was approaching the material.
People were very attentive and serious–perhaps that was because the topic is both personal and can go kind of deep. I got the sense from the feedback that reflecting on how our self-esteem affects our spiritual lives and our relationship with God (especially in accepting God’s love for us–and vice versa) was something that many hadn’t thought about before. This is the way my book is unique, I think–in trying to offer an integrated approach to both.
This holistic approach to holiness is not something I can take credit for. It really comes from our Founder, Blessed James Alberione, whose feastday was, appropriately, yesterday. And my take on his holistic spirituality comes from the sisters I’ve shared my vocation with for 20 years…most especially my novice and juniorate formators, and sisters I’ve worked closely with over the years, which is why I dedicated the book to my community.
Here is a lovely and profound talk on the role of artists in the world and in the Church, recently given by Pope Benedict XVI in the Sistine Chapel. It’s a bit of an update and commentary on my very favorite letter of Pope John Paul II–the one that I have read and studied the most–Letter to Artists. In one place, Pope Benedict speaks of the “close proximity” between “the journey of faith and the artist’s path.” This harmony is something that I feel very strongly in my own life, and am always fascinated to explore.
A couple of quotations that have led me to reflect more on our responsibility as artists/writers:
“This world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair.” – quoting from Paul VI in 1965
“If we acknowledge that beauty touches us intimately, that it wounds us, that it opens our eyes, then we rediscover the joy of seeing, of being able to grasp the profound meaning of our existence, the Mystery of which we are part; from this Mystery we can draw fullness, happiness, the passion to engage with it every day.”
“Beauty is a key to the mystery and a call to transcendence.” – quoting from Pope John Paul II, Letter to Artists
And finally, my favorite, from Benedict XVI himself: “The way of beauty leads us, then, to grasp the Whole in the fragment, the Infinite in the finite, God in the history of humanity.”
My newest book, See Yourself Through God’s Eyes: 52 Meditations to Grow in Self-Esteem has just been released.
It’s very exciting, and also a bit nerve-wracking, since this book is so personal. But so far, people have been picking it up off the “new shelf” in our Toronto Pauline Book & Media Centre.
What’s most exciting is that the message about God’s love is reaching more people!
Here’s the write-up from our Pauline Books & Media website:
Using meditations, Scripture passages, stories, and prayers, Sr. Marie Paul Curley offers a way to develop a personal relationship with God and to discover his unconditional love for us. Curley writes from her own experience, creating a guide to fostering healthy self-esteem and a sense of personal affirmation for even the busiest reader.
ISBN: 0819871273 (US price: $9.95 Canadian price: $14.50)
I’m giving a talk about the book, followed by a book signing on Thursday, November 26, from 7:00-8:00 pm at our Pauline Book & Media Centre. It’ll be a bit multimedia presentation, since I’ll be using power point, at least one film clip, and a video. If you’d like more information, visit the “upcoming events” page: http://windowstothesoul.wordpress.com/upcoming-events-at-pbm-toronto/
Every artistic effort, every media production, is a window to the soul of its creator. Our media culture is also a window--to the soul of humanity. As Christian communicators, we strive to let Christ's light within us glow through the windows of our souls--our media productions.
Welcome to my personal musings into the spirituality of being a Catholic media artist and a Pauline woman religious immersed in the world of communication.
Sr. Marie Paul Curley, fsp
"If the sun were shining brightly but the window pane were steamed up, the light would not pass through. The Gospel shines brightly: 'I am the light of the world,' but if it does not shine through us well because our heart or our life is not in order, then what will happen?" ~ Bl. James Alberione
Copyright 2008 Daughters of Saint Paul
All material on this site, unless otherwise noted, is copyrighted by the Daughters of St. Paul. The opinions expressed however, are solely mine.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Perspectives” is a brand-new show for Salt & Light, but I like the idea of the daily news updates (only 5 minutes long) and then a longer show on Friday night. This is their very first broadcast.
My newest book, See Yourself Through God’s Eyes: 52 Meditations to Grow in Self-Esteem has just been released.
