.jpg)
In February we remembered Saint Katharine’s profession of her first vows as member and foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. In March we remember Saint Katharine’s feast day, the anniversary of the end of her earthly life, March 3, 1955. We also remember the feast of Saint Joseph, March 19.
St. Joseph
was an important figure for St. Katharine. As the protector of the Holy Family
on earth, he did not say much; his actions spoke louder than words. At the word
of an angel, St. Joseph did God’s bidding, taking the Holy Family to safety. He
also oversaw Jesus’ growth in faith and in his responsibilities as a member of
the Holy Family. We can go to St. Joseph in our concerns in our family life. Do
our actions speak louder than words? What do our actions and our words say?
Do we ever
listen for a message from God or God’s messengers? A message could come from
spiritual reading or while listening to a homily. St. Katharine hoped:
“O most holy and most adorable Spirit
of Jesus let me hear Your sweet voice. O Divine Spirit, I wish to be before
Thee as a light feather, so that your Breath may carry me where You will.”
Do we stop to
consider if God has sent us a message lately? He may be reassuring us that we
are headed in the right direction or advising us to pursue a slightly different
path or practice.
St. Katharine
urged the Sisters to fast from unkind thoughts. Pope Leo XIV recently echoed
this thought when he urged us to abstain from “words that offend and hurt our
neighbor.” Pope Leo also suggested that we “cultivate kindness and respect in
our families, among our friends, at work, on social media …. In this way, words
of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace.” May our Lenten practices
help to develop peace and harmony within ourselves and our communities, to help
us to be peacemakers wherever we go.
May this Lent
be a time of uplifting prayer and meditation, to refresh us and strengthen us
to follow where the Spirit blows us.
Stephanie
Morris, Ph.D., ASBS
February 24,
2026
