RELIGIOUS SIGHTINGS CARLOS M. VAZQUEZ II, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WIKIPEDIA
JOSEPHITE PRIEST AND PARISH DELIGHT IN INAUGURATION POEM
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JOHN HOWARD GRIFFIN. USED WITH PERMISSION OF THE MERTON LEGACY TRUST AND THE THOMAS MERTON CENTER AT BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY.
FATHER KENNETH KEKE, S.S.J. shared the joy of his parish when Amanda Gorman, one of their own, won accolades for the reading of her poem, “The Hill We Climb” at the inauguration of President Joseph Biden.
HEN Amanda Gorman became an instant sensation after her acclaimed poetry reading at the Biden inauguration, Josephite priest Father Kenneth Keke, S.S.J. was among many who cheered her on. For good reason: He and his religious community helped set the tone at St. Brigid’s, the Los Angeles parish where Gorman grew up, and the themes in Gorman’s poem ring true to the socially conscious parish. Since their founding in 1871, the
Josephites have focused on ministry to African Americans, which has put social justice issues front and center for them, including at St. Brigid’s, a black and Latino parish. Speaking to Religion News Service, Keke remarked that Gorman’s inauguration poem, “The Hill We Climb,” treated themes of “democracy and unity” and “living in the country as one people, recognizing one another and respecting one another…. That is the spirit of St. Brigid.” Keke and his parishioners told media outlets they relished seeing Gorman, the national youth poet laureate, bring her hope-filled poem to an audience of millions. On the day Gorman recited her now muchquoted poem, the parish Facebook page carried a photo of her at the podium with the words: “Our very own Amanda Gorman.”
Virtual vocation contact ramps up
T FATHER THOMAS Merton, O.C.S.O. was a mid-20th century monk, spiritual writer, social critic, and poet.
“Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already possess. Vocation does not come from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to be something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God.” —Father Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O. 8 | VISION 2022 | VocationNetwork.org
HROUGHOUT the many months of COVID-19 restrictions, virtual contact has grown between religious communities and people considering life as a sister, brother, or religious priest. Some religious communities have even reported that without the limits of geography, increased numbers of people have taken part in the online versions of events that used to happen in person, such as retreats, convent and monastery visits, and discernment discussions. “Being a vocation director in the middle of a pandemic is challenging,” Sister Judith Timmerman, O.S.B. told The Arkansas Catholic in early 2021. “But I’m so grateful that we have the technology for me to accompany these women on a sacred journey that I was on not long ago.” Timmerman has hosted an online discernment retreat, meets virtually with women in discernment, and is active on several platforms of social media. Her COURTESY OF THE CONFERENCE OF MAJOR SUPERIORS OF MEN experience has become the norm for hundreds of men and women who serve in vocation ministry. While most communities hope to return to face-to-face contact with those considering religious life, many expect to keep virtual offerings in the mix. Both live and virtual vocation retreats, discussions, prayer services, and more may be found at VISION’s BROTHER CHRIS Patiño, F.S.C. speaks in a YouTube video series about the lives of Catholic brothers. vocationnetwork.org/events.
