God yearns for his people to be fully alive - How do we get to that state? 

​1. At Peace with Oneself

There are Christians who have been led to believe that you should love your neighbor and hate yourself. The challenge of Jesus' spirituality is to "love your neighbor as yourself," which clearly presupposes that you already love yourself. This may appear to be natural and spontaneous but the fact is that many people do not love themselves -  hate themselves -  who they are, what they are, and where they are – some would prefer to be somebody else, doing something else, living somewhere else, perhaps with a body that is different from the one they have. 

Self-love is not the same as selfishness or self-centeredness. We all too frequently are divided against ourselves. We need to become whole. We all have issues to deal with and yet we know that we are lovable. God loves each of us unconditionally.

The challenge is to learn to love ourselves, unconditionally - accepting ourselves as we are, no matter what we have done, even  in our perhaps, shady past. We have to learn to forgive ourselves. We have to learn to accept our weaknesses, our limitations, and our shame. And  humbly embrace the truth about oneself. 

2. Loving One's Body

Truly, a considerable number of people have difficulty with the aspect of “ loving their bodies”. There are several possible reasons for this - an aging body, a body that is tired, sickly, and wracked with pain, or an “ ugly” body, that is to say, a body that does not conform to the latest standards of beauty and attractiveness. So, one comes to perceive their body as a burden they have to carry. There are those who were brought up to treat their bodies as a handicap that they will be released from when they die.

You can begin to actually hate your body maybe because it is not what you want it to be, you can get angry and impatient with it. You can also become afraid of your body because of its seemingly uncontrollable appetites and desires - including our sexual desires. We all have to find a way of happily owning our gender, our sexual orientation, and our desires. For some that can be a long and painful struggle.

Pleasure and pain are an inevitable part of bodily life - both are a gift from God. Pleasure in itself is a gift from God to be savored and treasured. It becomes a problem only when the ego co-opts it for selfish purposes, when it becomes self-indulgent. Pain is also inevitable and a gift from God - e.g. chest pains - what does it signify and what to do about it;  nevertheless, we will want to avoid it however we should not make the mistake of thinking that happiness means all pleasure and no pain. Happiness is the ability to handle my pain, whatever it may turn out to be and to postpone or give up pleasure whenever necessary.
​
Loneliness is a psychic pain -  a disconnect somewhere: transcendental, cultural, social, personal. This is “a flashing red light” . Figure out where the disconnect is and take action or something worse may happen. I need to become aware of myself as one whole organic being and not an amalgam of separate parts. Nor is it just a matter of accepting my body as it is. If my love of myself includes my body, then I need to embrace my body, care for it, and treat it well. That will mean looking after my health, eating properly, getting enough exercise and rest. 

3. Loving Our True Self and Embracing Uniqueness

Ever wonder about the popularity of the Prayer of St. Francis? Why is that? Because it's so deep and profound. 

• The two sections of the prayer both begin with powerful words, “Lord” and “Divine Master”. We are servants who are called to empty ourselves, surrender and serve God, God’s will and whomever God sends into our lives. The first section is dedicated to peace, the Easter gift of the Risen Christ. We pray to be instruments of this peace. Yet,  Easter peace goes far beyond clenched fists, angry words and the absence of war. It’s fullness can only blossom when we have confronted the very roots of conflict and dissension: hatred, injury, doubt, despair, darkness and sadness - all experience that suggest a life centred upon “me”. And so, following in the footprints of the Lord, we pray to sow the six seeds of Easter peace: love, pardon, faith, hope, light and joy.
• The second half of the prayer reminds us that the ego needs to be overcome. “Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.” Easter peace is a product of priorities and preferences arranged in consideration of “thee”, not “me”. Indeed, it is about giving, not receiving; it is about pardoning, not being pardoned.
• The prayer comes full circle and concludes the way it begins, with a reference to the resurrection “For it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” the resurrection and its Easter peace are the beginning of Christian spirituality as well as the finish line. 

Remember that each of us is unique. There has never been, and there never will be, an individual person like me — or like you. We are not superior or inferior to others, neither better nor worse. But we are different — and unique. What matters is not whether my role is small or large or how much time it will require or whether I will play it as a prominent leader or as a starving child. My role and my contribution whatever they may turn out to be, are unique. Don't try to play another role or someone else's role. Each of us has a unique role to play in the mysterious unfolding of the universe. 

~From: Bishop Emeritus Frederick Henry at the Diocesan Seniors Luncheon, June 18, 2018 - at St. Joseph's Church, Calgary, AB. 

​Sr. Mary Clare Bednarik, SCSL | Sisters of Charity of St. Louis
​Mary Clare was born in Czechoslovakia in 1928. Her family immigrated to Medicine Hat, Alberta where she grew up with one sister and one brother. It was here, while completing her education, that she met the “Louies”. Mary Clare went to Levis, Quebec to join the Sisters, soon becoming bilingual. She professed her vows in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Following the completion of a B.A. and B. Ed, Mary Clare became an efficient and well loved educator in Saskatchewan and Burnaby, British Columbia. She was later led to use her skills as treasurer in the community’s Provincial Administration. In her own words, Mary Clare stated that “there was much to do in the Kingdom” so she embraced a variety of volunteer activities, sharing with many the gifts God had graciously bestowed on her over the years. This included 12 years in Oliver, BC with the Indigenous community and parish ministry, gardening and fruit gleaning with the Okanagan Gleaners ministry before retiring to Calgary in 2014. Mary Clare recognized and acknowledge the hand of God in every phase of her life. “The Lord called me from birth,  from my mother’s womb he gave me my name”, (Isaiah 49:1)… “…even to your old age I, the Lord, am the same, even when your hair is gray I will bear you” (Isaiah 46: 4).

Sr. Dolores Blanchette | Sisters of Providence
​Sister Dolores says, ‘I was born in Girouxville, in a small town north of Peace River, where I was the second of five children. As far as I could remember, I always wanted to be a Sister Missionary. I became acquainted with the Sisters of Providence while working in the McLennan Hospital and I entered the novitiate in Montreal, in 1947. In 1949, I came back West and worked in different Missions. In 1977, I was sent to Egypt to open a mission along with two other Sisters from Quebec. In 1992 I came back to McLennan, Alberta and worked with the elderly there until my transfer here to Father Lacombe Centre in 2016.

+ Sr. Anna Stauber, SCSL | Sisters of Charity of St. Louis
​Sister Anna was born in 1927 and raised on a farm near Success, Saskatchewan where she loved the farm life and all its activities. At St. Joan of Arc Academy in Swift Current she first encountered the “Louies”. By the next summer she was off to Quebec to join the community so beginning her religious life. Three years later, back in Saskatchewan, she started teaching, which she loved, and continued when she moved to Calgary. Later Anna began a missionary life in Ilo, Peru. It was there that she came to love simplicity of life and the poor.  On returning to Canada, she updated her theological and scripture studies at Newman College in Edmonton before undertaking parish ministry in Regina and Edmonton. She loved sharing faith and had a heart to share the Good News. In 1989 she joined the Native Ministry Team in the Oliver, BC  region where she spent 24 years with the Indigenous people and the parish in Oliver. To round off her experiences and her desire to “be evangelized by the poor” she spent 6 months in Haiti teaching English. Anna is now retired in Calgary. Anna is grateful for all the blessings God’s has given her over these 70 years.  “I was taught that God always has special blessings when we follow his lead – and I’ve found this to always come true for me”

Sr. Marilyn Matz, FCJ | Faithful Companion of Jesus
​Sr. Marilyn Matz FCJ is celebrating 65 years of religious life in the Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus. Marilyn was born and grew up in Empress, Alberta. She went to school to the FCJ sisters and entered the novitiate in Calgary. Marilyn taught Chemistry and Math in her earlier years. Subsequently she served the FCJ Society as Local, Regional and Provincial leader. Marilyn’s time in Igloolik, NWT/Nunavut was one of the happiest for her. Marilyn always liked scrabble and still plays some Saturday mornings.

Sr. Bernadette Gaetz, SCSL | Sisters of Charity of St. Louis
Sister Bernadette Gaetz was born in Medicine Hat in 1939, one of four girls in a family of eleven. She entered the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis in 1956, became a teacher, and later a Home Economics teacher during which time she had the privilege of designing the Home Economics Room at McCoy High School in Medicine Hat. She became a member of her Congregation’s Western Formation Team, and then a General Councillor from 1994 to 2006, serving first in Rome and then in Montreal. At the end of this mandate she returned to Lethbridge, where she settled into retirement. Among the blessings of her life she counts her teaching years and her twelve years as General Councillor, because they gave her the gift of visiting and meeting our Sisters throughout the world. Sister Bernadette now lives in retirement in South East Calgary, filled with gratitude for the rich life which has been hers for over sixty years.

Sr. Ria Gerritsen, SCSL | Sisters of Charity of St. Louis
“Ria” was born in Deventer, the Netherlands, immigrated to Canada with her family, and settled in Calgary. She completed her schooling there in Calgary, religious life formation in Medicine Hat, and her teaching training in Moose Jaw and Alberta. She taught for several years in Medicine Hat and Saskatchewan before launching forth for theological studies at Newman College in Edmonton. She was Directress of Novices for several years, then worked in parish ministry before undertaking further studies in Rome and sitting as a Councillor on the Generalate Leadership Team in Rome. While there she wrote the first biography of the Foundress written in English, entitled Led By Love: a Biography of Mother St. Louis. Upon her return to Canada, Ria has used her many gifts in parish ministry, translation work, archives management (both Diocesan and Community), retreat ministry and as a member of our Provincial Leadership Team. Now enjoying retirement in Calgary, Ria continues translating from French to English,  she follows  her passion for writing and has more time for quiet, contemplative life.  “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30-31)

Sr. Margaret Nadeau | Sisters of the Precious Blood
I was born in Medicine Hat and was baptized in St. Patrick’s Parish there. After attending school in the ‘Hat, graduating from St. Theresa’s Academy and then working for a  a few years,  I entered the Precious Blood Monastery in Calgary, near St. Ann’s Church, on October 3rd,  l955.  Part of my formation in religious life was given at the Calgary Monastery before I was transferred to the Central Novitiate of our Congregation in London, ON. I pronounced First Vows in London on April 30th, 1958, Feast of St. Catherine of Siena. In the 60 years of my religious life, I have enjoyed assignments to many Monasteries across Canada including London, Regina, Nelson, and Hamilton. I have also appreciated being  part of my home Precious Blood Community in Calgary where I presently live. It is a blessing and a privilege to  pray with and for  the Church of Calgary, the universal Church and the needs of all people.​ 

Sr. Pauline Michaniuk | Sisters of the Precious Blood
I was born in Mission, BC in 1946. When the Fraser River started flooding my parents moved to Calgary in 1948. I was raised in St. Anne’s parish and attended St. Anne’s School. There I was involved in the school field days, which I enjoyed very much. Then I went on to St. Mary’s Girls High School. By this time I was working on the weekends and was involved with the Sodality of Mary. At the parish I joined the Catholic Youth Organization and the Legion of Mary.  Our family lived a block away from the Sisters of the Precious Blood Monastery. They asked if I would pick up their mail after school and take it to the mailbox. That was my introduction to the Sisters. I entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood on October 15, 1965, and made my First Vows on October 15, 1968 in London, ON.  I am happy to be back in Calgary after being away for 25 years. I have had many transfer throughout those years, which was for my growth and understanding of life and my life in Christ. The Lord Jesus has been my Shepherd, Guardian and friend all these years, and for the years to come.

Sr. Ely Orolfo Nasol, DM | Daughters of Mary Mother of the Church Institute
Sr. Ely was born in the province of Albay in the Philippines in 1962 where she is the third of four children. For her secondary education she studied in a Catholic School run by the Benedictine Sisters where her vocation to the religious life was awakened. She wanted to be a missionary sister from an early age but the sisters told her to finish her university degree. After finishing her BS in Biology she started her teaching career but the call to the religious life became irresistible and she entered the convent in 1990. She believes that joining the Daughters of Mary was God’s will for her because she did not even know the name of the Institute when she entered in 1990. She pronounced her first vows in 1993. After finishing her years of formation she was given the opportunity to have further studies in the consecrated life in preparation for her assignment as Vocation Directress and later on as Directress of Novices. She was also given the opportunity to finish her Master’s Degree in Theology after her election as Secretary General of the Institute. In 2016, after finishing her second term as Secretary General and Councilor she received with joy her assignment to Canada. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary she wants to spend her life doing God’s will. In her own words she says, “If I have to waste my life, I will waste it by doing God’s will for me.”