Stories. We love them! They pique our curiosity, stir our emotions, evoke joy, empathy, hope, and oh, so much more. They are part and parcel of our human experience. Little wonder that Jesus used them so often and so effectively.
When I heard that the Hilton Foundation was underwriting a project called “Flourishing Sisterhood: Nourishing Communities in the Gulf South” that focuses on communication, spirituality, and storytelling, I responded enthusiastically, “Count me in!” I was not the only one who felt this way. Sixty-four other religious sisters from 22 congregations in the Gulf Coast region of the US responded as well.
For me, a Daughter of St. Paul, telling stories, listening, and communicating, all with the hope of helping people know the Lord and grow in communion within his Church, is essential. Our patron, the Apostle Paul who wrote so much of the New Testament, certainly knew how to share the story of Jesus. He also understood the importance of listening and responding to the needs and questions of those he met. It fostered communion among them and strengthened their witness to the Risen Lord, sending them out to proclaim what they experienced.
The Flourishing Sisterhood project would do the same for us. I was placed into a small group of eight Sisters from 5 different religious congregations serving in the Gulf Coast region from Texas over to Florida. We met online for a period of two years, growing together through reading, reflection, and sharing insights on various topics designed to help us flourish as religious sisters. Topics included effective group communication, prayer experiences, journaling, theology, spirituality at different life stages, storytelling and its importance for the people of today.
Gradually, we grew closer, sharing more and more–our joys, our struggles, our laughter! We worked to understand more deeply the insights of each member. These often came from very different experiences and points of view.
All of that sharing primed us for the final course (adventure!) on storytelling. We had already experienced aspects of it as we discussed various readings and how they touched our lives. Then it rose to a whole new level as we considered God’s call and the stories he would like us to share with others, to give hope, to foster joy, to challenge, and to grow in communion with those who listened to our stories.
When “our” book of stories is published, you’ll get to meet Sisters, such as the one who had a few marriage proposals before she heard the Lord inviting her to something new, and another who claimed her own voice despite the setbacks she experienced as a child. Within each unique story you will find inspiration for your own life and hope for our future as pilgrims on a journey together.
But don’t wait for the printed book, take a moment to listen to some of these stories on podcasts here. You can listen to my own story here.
How did I come up with the title of this article? It’s my story. I am the nun who walked into the bar, the Triple Play Bar & Grill, to be exact. It was 11:30 PM. I had arrived home much later than expected after driving back from an out-of-town 25th Anniversary celebration. My cell phone was dead, and I had lost my keys. What to do? The Triple Play down the block was open 24 hours, so I walked in, surprised everyone in the establishment, and met Liz, the manager on staff, who kindly gave me water and recharged my cell phone. I could then call the Sisters and get into the convent. The gift of this encounter is that I got to know our neighbors, and they got to meet a real live Sister. Liz and I are still good friends to this day. A mishap changed into a mercy!
Stories, we love them! You will enjoy listening to the beautiful, humorous, riveting stories of women who have left all for Christ, sharing aspects of their lives which will enrich yours. Take a listen now: https://flourishingsisterhood.transistor.fm/episodes
Sr. Martha grew up in an interdenominational family, and did not attend Catholic schools in her youth. In high school, she found herself and many of her peers wanting to live the faith as young people, even within a more secular environment. When she was sixteen, a catechism teacher introduced her to the Daughters of St. Paul. The sisters wrote her letters up until her first year at Louisiana State University. Through these letters, visits to the convent, and her time helping at the Pauline bookstore, she discerned her call to join the congregation. In religious life, Sr. Martha has gone door-to-door sharing Pauline publishings during her first mission in New York, authored four books, been the Local Superior for the San Diego convent, and currently hosts the morning offering through her Facebook Live program called “Pause for Prayer.” Her favorite part of ministering has been being available to people in all of her ministry settings.
