United in Mission and Vocation

Last weekend was full of mission and vocation reflection- as a good weekend in the life of a postulant should be! Alina told you about our Friday night apostolic experience at St. Cecilia’s parish. The following night, Sr. Jerome, Sr. Caritas, Emily, and I attended a Mass of induction for the new president of the Aquinas Institute here in St. Louis. The Aquinas Institute is a school of theology started by the Dominicans in the 1920’s. The Mass was followed by a reception and we got a tour of the Institute itself which is located right next to Saint Louis University. It is a really nice facility, complete with chapel and many classrooms. It was just nice to see where and how other religious receive their formation!

Sunday we had another day of tours and religious academia- it was the Open House at the Kenrick Glennon Seminary. We have been there many times, of course, as we took Sacramental Theology there last semester. Sr. Laura, however, had never been there as she is new to the Saint Louis area. Plus, it’s always nice to see our friends at the seminary! Many priests have come to say Mass for us from the seminary and they are very good to us over there.

For me, the exciting moment of mission and vocation this week was going to the Covenant Network radio studio yesterday. Sr. Carmen and I went to record some new radio ads for our Book Center, which will air on the station. Covenant Network is our local Catholic AM radio station here. We have a dear friend who has a show on Wednesdays for the station-Zip Rzeppa- who we are honoring this year at our benefit dinner. I call in once a month to his show to talk about our events here at the Book Center. Through my calls to the station, I’ve been in contact with the owner and founder- Tony Holman. We met Tony yesterday and he shared with us about his vision for the Covenant Network, which he started eleven years ago. The story is really quite Alberione-an, as he received the call in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. We hope to do more with Tony and Covenant Network in the future for we are united in mission!

Praise the Lord for all the ways He unites us and works through one another! God bless your week. Here are some pictures of Sr. Carmen and I recording at the studio and also Sr. Caritas and Alina showing our next book of discussion for our Book Club- “How Big is Your God?” J

Peace,
Julia