What is a typical day in the life of a sister?

I am often asked the question, what is a “typical day” like for a Daughter of St. Paul?

My Community in Toronto

About my day…hmmm…no day is exactly the same, although I usually start my day with prayer. And every sister is involved in different aspects of our mission, so our schedules can vary quite a bit. Why don’t I share what I’ve done this week?

 

4:45 am — I rise early. Some of the sisters here in Toronto rise between 5:30 and 6 AM, but I like to get up a wee bit earlier to…well, you’ll see.

 

5:00-6:30 Meditation and Hour of Eucharistic Adoration (both of these are part of every day for a Daughter of St. Paul); I like the early morning quiet of the chapel.

 

6:30 Morning prayer together; we use Christian Prayer (also known as the Liturgy of the Hours, or prayers from our community prayer book, Prayers of the Pauline Family.) 

7:00 Mass (twice a week in our chapel; the other days at the chapel of another community of sisters, the Disciples of the Divine Master.) This is the keystone of my day!

 

8:00 Breakfast together. Sr. Irene likes to cook up some eggs, which Sr. Maureen enjoys with her. Sr. Mary Peter, Sr. Helen and I run around the kitchen, each fixing our own pick-up breakfasts. We try not to bump into each other, as the kitchen is kind of narrow.

 

8:45-1:00 Our mission. We often call our work “the apostolate,” which reminds us that our work is truly a mission. The mission of the Daughters of Saint Paul is to communicate Jesus Christ through our lives and the media. Our worldwide Pauline Book & Media Centres are places where people can visit to find materials to nurture them spiritually. Here in Toronto, our centre is open from 10 am-6 pm Mon-Saturday. Sr. Maureen, Sr. Mary Peter and Sr. Irene spend a lot of time assisting people in the centre.

 

Other sisters–like Sr. Helen–work in outreach. They visit parishes, schools, and bookstores with the resources that we publish. Sometimes they are out all day visiting schools and parishes–they literally bring the Gospel “door to door” to wherever people are.

 

However, my apostolate in the morning is often writing, which is what I did this week. I usually take a coffee break around 10:00. If it’s Thursday, it’s my turn to cook. Then I usually go to the kitchen around 12:00 and cook a hot meal for the sisters–last time it was spaghetti and meatballs with a side salad.

 

1:00-2:00 Lunch together for those who are home. Our meals together are family-like. We talk about our mission, what we’ve done today, the news, the latest book that we read, what’s new in our families, a little bit of everything. We laugh a lot.

 

2:00-6:15 Our mission. For me, the afternoons have a lot of variety. Sometimes I contact young women in discernment, sometimes I fix the computers or phones–I’m a bit of a techie around here. Whoever I am in touch with I bring to Jesus in prayer.

 

4:00-4:30 Personal Prayer Break! Daily, we make a half hour of personal prayer before Jesus in the Eucharist. I try to pick the best time of the day to pray–when I will be alert (I can’t pray right after lunch or I fall asleep!) I can make this half hour of personal prayer any time…in the morning, just before night prayers, but often I’ll squeeze it into the middle of the afternoon. Usually, I follow my time of prayer with a quick snack.

 

6:15 Evening prayer together. We usually pray with the Liturgy of the Hours or from our Pauline Prayerbook.

 

Unless we have an event scheduled (like our monthly film nights), the evenings are often free. Sometimes I go back to my office and try to finish what I was working on. If it’s summer, I like to  go out for a walk. I eat dinner around 7:00, sometimes with another sister, sometimes reading a book. Because we work with the media, and my specialty is film and TV, I try to catch at least a couple of TV shows a week, and watch one new film each week. The other evenings, I exercise, study, talk to my family on the phone, update my blog, go to a writer’s meeting, etc.

 

I try to get to bed by 10:00 pm, but I’m not very consistent….

 

That’s been my week this week. But often, my days are different and varied. Tuesdays are “community days” where we take the time to pray our Eucharistic hour of adoration together, plan our mission here in Toronto, clean the convent, or get out for a walk in the park. Saturdays are typically spent serving in our Pauline Book & Media Centre all day. Sundays are a day of prayer and rest, but also a day to build our community, because we need the support of one another to go forward in our mission.

THE STONING OF SORAYA M.–A Close-up of Tragedy

The Stoning of Soraya M. is a raw drama which emotionally pummels the viewer with the injustice it so directly and unapologetically portrays. It is based on the true, tragic story of a young wife and mother in Iran 22 years ago, which was reported by a French-Iranian journalist, Freidoune Sahebjam (played by Jim Cavaziel in the film).

 

Like The Passion of the Christ, also produced by Steve McEveety, this is an extreme close-up of a horrifically violent and unjust death. All the considerable power of cinema is leveraged to draw us into the story, both visually and emotionally. Making the valid choice to tell this story of grave injustice through an “extreme close-up” enables us as viewers to uniquely experience in some small way the emotional and physical beating and stoning of Soraya.  But as powerful as the film’s approach is, it will most likely limit the audience of the film. Which is too bad, because this is a story that needs to be heard now, perhaps even more urgently than in the past.

 

Mozhan Marnò as Soraya M.

Director Cyrus Nowrasteh gives the film an immense commitment to the details of the world of a tiny Iranian village. The writer, director, and all the actors except Jim Cavaziel are Iranian, Iranians in exile, or Iranian-Americans. Powerfully written, acted and directed, all the elements of the film conspire together to make the story seem an entirely credible, eyewitness account. Despite the victimization of Soraya (in a marvelous understated performance by Mozhan Marnò), the strength of her character in facing death is inspiring, as is the strength of her aunt Zahra, in a moving all-out performance by Oscar® nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo.

 

Shohreh Aghdashloo as Zahra

Jim Cavaziel as the journalist

Actor Jim Cavaziel was present at the screening, and he made a point I could not agree with more. He pointed out that while some people might be upset by the violence in the film, in reality, they should be upset–outraged!–that this violence really happened to a young woman named Soraya, and still happens to women today. This is a film that should disturb, anger, and hopefully, provoke to action. The horrible injustice against this one woman reverberates in and against every woman, in every society.

 

Producer Steve McEveety also talked about the film as a way of “bearing witness” to these kinds of tragic, senseless deaths. He feels the film is for anyone who’s been a victim, and I agree. The Stoning of Soraya M. gives a voice to Soraya herself who, during her lifetime, could not be heard.

 

The Stoning of Soraya M. is a movie with a profound message: it compellingly and artistically tells a story of injustice solely from the victim’s perspective (or more accurately, from the perspective of the victim’s nearest relative). In being faithful to this eyewitness account, the pain is heart-rending. But the film’s single perspective can be a two-edged sword–limiting the complexity of the film and making the actions of everyone but Soraya and Zahra not only inexcusable, but incomprehensible. On the one hand, this kind of close-up, single-minded account could lead to an immense outrage against this kind of injustice, a prod to prevent similar injustice in the future. But on the other hand, the lack of complexity in this film could lead to a loss of something precious–a sense of compassion–that we are not so very different from the people of this village.

 

Who of us has not given in to some of the familiar social behavior in the film–granted, without such consequences? Haven’t we all traded favors? Haven’t we all fallen into the trap of thinking like the people surrounding us? How many of us have perverted religious ideals by using them to look down on someone else? Who of us hasn’t tried to protect someone we love at someone else’s expense? Manipulation, pressure, taking sides, fear tactics, and abuse of power are the engines that drive one man’s desire to be free of his wife into a communal murder.

 

The Stoning of Soraya M. is not comfortable to watch because, at the end, we have to decide what we will do with the immense sadness and anger roiling around in us. We are left with burning questions: What happened to the villagers afterwards? They must have been (and most likely still are) haunted by the atrocious murder they committed together. What could make a difference so that those who seek to draw closer to God through living Shariah law do not use it to oppress women? And what is our response to the oppressors–not just the villagers, but especially the conspiring murderers at the center of the plot–whom we have seen involved in nothing else but murder? We cannot lose sight of the respect each person deserves, even when it seems they have forfeited the rights of being human. When one woman is condemned simply because she is a woman, we are all condemned along with her–even the oppressors. How can we respond to this injustice?

 

The question is particularly compelling to me, living in Toronto. In 2004, allowing a form of Shariah law to be practiced as part of faith-based tribunals was seriously discussed in Ontario. Shariah law is a code of life that many Muslims adhere to, but its place in Canada continues to be an ongoing concern because there is no consensus in its interpretation. Of much greater concern is the injustice against many women around the world, with the excuse of Shariah law.

 

This film is not suitable for children because of its horrific violence. But it is an important film–especially for people interested in religion, anthropology, and human rights. Becoming aware is the first step to ending injustice. There is not yet a theatrical release date for Canada, but I’ll post a link when there is.

If you can’t see the film but still want to make a difference, why not take the time to find out more about the rights of women and children in countries where human rights violations are common? For those of us who can see the film, perhaps researching how Shariah law is practiced in various countries can nuance the film’s presentation of Muslim customs.

Away We Go…A Journey Through Family Life in North America

Director Sam Mendes’ Away We Go, released today May 22^nd, is an unlikely “road” movie–the companions on the road are an unmarried, pregnant couple–Burt (John Drasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph)–who are looking for a place to settle down and raise their child together.

 

When I saw the film trailer last week, what struck me was what a sad picture of family life it offers: this young 30-something couple have no one in their lives ready to truly support them in forming their new family. And the film fulfills the trailer’s expectations: when we have no values in which to root our lives, it’s not just our geography that gets nomadic.

 

Refreshingly, the film is not about a couple breaking up or getting back together again. Burt and Verona’s seeming immaturity and lack of being settled down is initially quite irritating. But unexpectedly, we witness how very much in love they are–not in a ground-shaking kind of way, but in quiet togetherness and loving support that offers real potential for a lifelong intimacy. Yet, if they have that kind of relationship and truly want to build a family, why do Burt and Verona need to go in search for others’ answers to what does it take to build a family? It is on this excuse that the film’s plot is based.

 

For all of the contrived extremes that the film sets up as representing family life in North America today (presumably for comedy, but I did very little chuckling and didn’t burst out laughing once), only one family rang true–friends from college Tom and Munch (with understated performances by Chris Messina and Melanie Lynskey) who, despite the heart wrenching tragedy of suffering several miscarriages, have adopted several children. Sharing dinner at a pancake house, they speak most eloquently of the love and patience that really “makes” family.

 

Despite the film’s contrived tone and characters, there are some warm moments that offer hope. And it is charming that the character central to the drama is invisible–Burt and Verona’s soon-to­-arrive daughter. Every stop on the expectant couple’s journey has something to offer to their search. Away We Go is a journey that could be a springboard for a vital discussion about what it takes to build a family.

I’m back…

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve posted. My Lenten resolution to post more frequently was not a success…but that’s about to change…although it will be an Easter resolution. First things first. I was able to see Angels & Demons and wanted to get my thoughts out about it.

For those who enjoy the treasure hunt for conspiracy theories, Angels & Demons doesn’t reward with a treasure, but does offer a few golden coins of enjoyment and insight.

 

With the Vatican newspaper’s comment that Angels & Demons is “harmless entertainment,” the controversy surrounding the film has been deflated. Yet, for the thoughtful viewer, there is still much to think about.

 

The film begins just after the Pope has died and the papal conclave to elect the new pope has been called. Four cardinals–all of whom are considered possible successors to the previous pope–are missing. In addition, the Vatican receives the threat of a bomb made of an up-till-now impossible material, anti-matter, that will destroy Vatican City. When a secret society called the Illuminati claims responsibility for the threats, the Vatican calls in the known expert on the Illuminati, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks). And the chase begins….

 

In many ways more cohesive and enjoyable than the first film, The Da Vinci Code, the plot of Angels & Demons doesn’t entirely make sense, but at least we are spared unending, repetitive diatribes that inaccurately try to reduce history into ridiculous conspiracy theories about the Catholic Church.

 

In addition, Angels & Demons has some well-crafted elements: the re-creation of some beautiful sites in the Vatican; some intriguing, and occasionally unexpected, plot twists from the novel. Tom Hanks gives a much more appealing performance in this film as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, perhaps in part because of the humor and humility added to his character. And Ewan MacGregor gives a strong performance as Father Carlo Ventrasca, the camerlengo (or personal assistant to the previous pope, who oversees the daily affairs of the Vatican until a new pope is elected) who is caught between his convictions, the terrorist crisis, and his lack of power in the face of the conclave of cardinals. Even the ending, while true to the novel’s spirit, is somewhat changed–and for the better.

 

I am not a fan of the conspiracy/treasure hunting/thriller genre that the films based on Dan Brown’s novels seem to define. They strut onscreen with self-importance. (Even in the opening music of Angels & Demons, there is no subtlety. Rather than feeling invited into a fictional world, I felt batted into it.) In addition, the genre also seems to have to “dumb everything down” or require long-winded explanations to support the plot (how credibly depends on your background in history). In particular, Brown’s research is often sloppy or deliberately twisted/changed to fit “history” to his fictional plots. And the obsession with plot leaves no room at all for character development. 

 

Angels & Demons shares in all these weaknesses–full of inaccuracies or plain fiction that at first glance might seem historically based. For example, the plot is driven by the threat of the Illuminati as a secret, scientific society which seeks to take revenge on the Church for being persecuted 150 years ago. According to the story, the Illuminati had such famous members as Galileo and Bernini. Historically, the actual group called the Illuminati existed in Germany for only 20 years or so, about a century after Galileo and Bernini died. And there is no indication that a group called the Illuminati had a scientific focus.  

 

But all in all, compared to the first film The Da Vinci Code and the original novel, Angels & Demons is much more balanced in its approach to the Church. One of the central questions the novel raises is the tension between faith and science–and it tries to bring that tension to a height that rings quite false to knowledgeable Catholics today. In the film, however, despite some of Langdon’s rhetoric, at a certain moment it becomes clear that this film was not only not going to promote anti-Catholic sentiment, but instead, take a surprisingly conciliatory approach. I realize this at the moment when Langdon walks into the Vatican, criticizing an action of one of the Popes. His companion, who works at the Vatican, asks him upfront: “Are you anti-Catholic?” and Langdon stops, surprised. He dismisses the question with a “no,” followed by a joke that earned my smile. From that moment on, the tension in the film between faith and science dissipates, even offering the possibility that science and faith are two complementary ways of approaching truth, rather than mutually exclusive, antagonistic paths.

 

There were three things about the film that I particularly disliked–the first by far being the most serious. First, it’s troublesome that the deaths of members of the clergy are so violent and gruesome, but the film earned only a PG-13 rating. Though the film doesn’t show a great deal of blood, it’s very clear what’s happening, and it’s truly horrific.

 

Secondly, the film is very much a male-dominated film. Vittoria Vetra–acted competently enough by Ayelet Zurer–is the only woman in the film, and her role is basically a throw-away. She doesn’t actually do much of anything to affect the narrative.

 

Thirdly, the film is weighed down by a repetitive middle where my attention wandered–with our hero arriving always with five minutes or less to save the next cardinal.

 

Despite its weaknesses, the aptly named film is an often-entertaining conspiracy thriller that will keep the audience guessing and on its toes: who are the real angels and who are the real demons?

For some thoughtful reviews, check out:
Sr. Rose Pacatte’s Review and Commentary in the National Catholic Reporter

The Signis Statement and Review by Father Peter Malone

Title chosen for my new book

Pauline Books & Media will release my newest book in November 2009. It’s a small, personal book of meditations that affirms God’s unconditional love for us in the midst of life’s daily challenges. I’ve designed it to serve a dual purpose:

 

1) As an encouraging introduction to trust in God’s love for believers who have never really allowed God’s unconditional love to permeate their lives

2) As a daily or thematic support for those struggling with difficult situations or a healing journey and who want to build positive self-esteem

 

Each meditation starts with an ordinary life situation that challenges our image of God and healthy self-esteem, followed by a Scripture passage that speaks directly to this challenge. In the light of the Word of God, the reflection highlights the unhealthy assumptions we tend to make and shows how God continues to love us even in this situation. Every meditation affirms the truth that God’s love for us can become the foundation of our spiritual lives and a positive and healthy self-esteem.

 

That’s the book in a nutshell. The process of taking the book from its initial draft to (almost-) publication has been surprisingly easy up till now, compared with some of my other books.

 

Except the title.

 

I’ve never been good at titles. Early on, I close my eyes and wish a perfect title will “magically” pop into my head. It never does.

 

It’s not that I don’t have ideas. I come up with dozens (in this case, scores) of “almost” titles.  According to PBM’s editorial and marketing departments, I seem to choose titles that are inviting but not clear enough. I’ve been going back and forth about a title with the editor for about six months now, both of us hoping for the perfect solution.

 

I’ve taken three surveys on the title–some of you probably participated in one. I’ve agonized over it, spending hours of precious writing time trying to come up with the “perfect title.” Choosing titles epitomizes for me the challenge we face as writers daily. We are constantly taking big concepts or insights–the intangible or the impossible to pin down–and “incarnating” them into a few words. In my little book’s case, trying to distill 30,000 words into 5 or 10. This challenge is what I most love and hate about the writing life–it drives me crazy and thrills me…alternately or sometimes even simultaneously.

 

Two weeks ago, the publisher made a decision and contacted me. After a week-long e-dialogue, I decided to trust their final suggestion. It’s not perfect, but it is a title I can stand behind because it is clear what the book is about, and reflects well what I wrote. And that’s the first principle of communication, right? So now, I can not only share with you the lesson I learned (which is from now on, come up with a clear, appealing title before I even start writing!), but the long-awaited title itself:

 

See Yourself Through God’s Eyes:
52 Meditations To Grow in Self-Esteem

An Astonishing Moment of Communication

Today is the feast of the Annunciation– celebrating one of the most astonishing moments of communication between God and humanity: the eternal, all-powerful God asks a young Jewish maiden if she will be his mother. Can he “break into” her life as her Son?

 

As recorded in the Gospel of Luke, this is a model for communication. God’s messenger surprises this young teenager with a message that is impossible to fully understand. (Words will always fail us when we try to explain the Incarnation!) And yet, this young woman listens so profoundly that she only needs to ask one question–regarding her own part–and then replies with an answer that is almost as amazing as God’s in its trust: “May it be done to me according to your word.” No conditions, no fears–just a wholehearted “yes” to God’s unexpected invitation.

 

As I journey through Lent, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I handle the “unexpected.” I tend to plan and organize most of the aspects of my life, which enables me to juggle many different responsibilities. But, when I stick rigidly to my plans, I find interruptions and emergencies hard to cope with. Perhaps it’s not so much the interruptions themselves as my attitude towards them. I can see the unexpected not just as an interruption to what I’m doing, but to my life, to my mission. And yet, God can invite me just as readily through interruptions as through the plans that I prayerfully make. 

 

I took this photo several weeks ago. A willow tree in a park nearby shed dozens of branches in a recent storm. When I picked one up, I was struck how this most tender and flexible of branches is ready–in the midst of deep winter (the previous week it went down to -20 degrees Celsius)–to burst into growth. These tiny buds appear to be in complete readiness to respond to nature’s invitation.

 

Could this snapshot be a symbol of Mary’s interior state of readiness? A careful reading of the Gospels reveals that Mary didn’t respond to God in this open availability just once. She must have nurtured this amazing trust and openness to God throughout her life. This Lent, I would be grateful if my spiritual stance could open out to become just a tiny bit more like Mary’s. Like the willow branch, I want to be ready to burst out generously at God’s invitation.

The call to communicate the Gospel

I am thrilled to hear that the Vatican is considering publishing a new document on communications. Aetatis Novae (At the Dawn of the New Era) has some wonderful points, but is already outdated. CNS (Catholic News Service) published some highlights from a current seminar that bishops from around the world are attending in Rome. Here is the link to the story.

I also had a chance today to read Pope Benedict’s Letter clarifying the reasons for the lifting of the excommunication from the Lefebvre bishops. His pastoral concern is admirable, but what struck me is how, in one brief sentence, he characterizes our times:

“The real problem at this moment of our history is that God is disappearing from the human horizon, and, with the dimming of the light which comes from God, humanity is losing its bearings, with increasingly evident destructive effects.”

Actually, the whole paragraph is very insightful. I find his words resound particularly in the world of the media. What a call to us as artists and writers to communicate the truth and hope of the Gospel!

Shut out of my own writing

I did it again. Sigh. After being “on a roll” and really connecting to my writing steadily (and productively) for almost two solid weeks, I let three days go by where I didn’t really  write. And this morning, I got up early to spend a couple of hours on my script and instead, find myself shut out of my own writing. I’m stuck in that uncomfortable place of trying to find my way back “in,” but all the entrances have been locked. I feel like I’ve been left standing outside the door of my own house, running from window to door, begging to be let in. 

 

I don’t know why my “connection” to writing is so fragile. But these are the moments when I’m glad I’ve read other writers’ experiences. Otherwise, I’d be so hard on myself that I’d probably not try to write again for several years.

 

Maybe it’s not my connection that’s so fragile, but the newness of the ideas, or the reshaping of timeless ideas into new patterns, that’s fragile. All I know is that the more I learn about my own “writing process,” the more I

• marvel that I get any writing done at all
• take more care to nurture it (and myself)
• am grateful to God for this incredible, precious gift

 

One of the reasons I’ve been “away” from my writing is because I helped another sister at a parish exhibit all day on Sunday. (At parish exhibit, we visit a parish with a display of books, DVDs, and CDs that can help people to grow on their spiritual journey.) At the end of each Mass, I was invited to speak briefly to the people about our mission. To explain our mission of communicating Christ with the media, I mentioned that I was a writer.

 

It was the first time that I’ve publicly acknowledged to a crowd of strangers that I’m a writer. Unintentionally, I made a very powerful acknowledgment and affirmation that part of who I am, and part of my “mission” in life as a Daughter of St. Paul is to write. Saying it so publicly makes it reverberate inside of me.

 

Even as I’m typing these words, I feel a surge of joy and gratitude that God has blessed me with this gift. It’s such a treasure to deepen my calling in the world.

 

And, in writing this, my connection to my own writing seems to have solidified just a smidgen. The pain of being shut out of my own “house” is abundantly repaid when the door (or window) cracks open and I’m able to push it open and step inside.

For those of us who doubt our call to write

I was feeling a bit doubtful about settling down to write yesterday and today. I’ve been feeling my “littleness” lately and wondering if I really have anything to offer as a writer.

Then I read this article about an amazing young man. It quickly banished my latest temptation not to take my call to write seriously. Do check it out here.

Favorite Books on Creativity and the Life and Craft of a Writer

These are my top 5 books on creativity and writing craft that I go back to when I need insight or change in perspective, a way to “loosen up” creative muscles stiffened by tension or deadlines, or when I’m just starting out on a new project. The first three and the last one are by prolific authors, which to me is proof that their ideas and methods are helpful in living a creative life.

1. Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – a relaxed and positive approach that nurtures creativity in life and art. I also enjoy her Walking in This World and The Right to Write. In places, Cameron heavily advocates a kind of “new age” philosophy and practice, which I don’t find helpful and sometimes find irritating. But her attitude towards creativity as a lifelong process, and the exercises she suggests help me focus on the creative process rather than the “product.” Paradoxically, this has helped me to become much more productive as a writer.

2. Making a Good Writer Great by Linda Seger – a wonderful companion to discovering a writer’s gifts, strengths and weaknesses, and using that knowledge to grow. Seger specializes in screenwriting, and I find all of her books helpful, but this is my favorite. (More later about best screenwriting books!) I also had the joy of hearing her speak about her own creative process about seven years ago, and she autographed a copy of this book for me.

3. Fearless Creating by Eric Maisel – an encouraging guide to delving deep into my writing projects when I need to focus or when the voices of doubt or discouragement become overwhelming. Maisel’s books were the first to help me understand the “idiosyncracies” about the writing process as I experience it, especially once I started to write with specific goals. I’m currently (and slowly) working my way through another of his books, Creativity for Life.

4. Word Painting by Rebecca McClanahan – the best guide I’ve found to writing description. It’s so well-written and has so many good ideas and writing prompts, that this book is invaluable for whatever kind of writing I’m doing. Although description in screenplays must be spare, McClanahan encourages observation of the telling detail that one could include in a script. Word Painting has motivated me to become much more observant–an invaluable skill in a writer.

5. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. A delightful introduction to writing practice for the sake of writing practice. Her lists of writing exercises scattered throughout the text are my favorite part of the book.

I also find books on writing and appreciating poetry very stimulating when I need a “push” in a different direction. What are your favorites?