From Sister Val...
Dear Friends,
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In my early 20s a mentor introduced me to the parish that supported the school where we taught. In the poverty-stricken Germantown section of Philadelphia, the parish welcomed diverse worshippers and celebrated spirit-filled liturgies. It was a formative time for my faith, and having a mentor with whom I could share my evolving thoughts and feelings about God was a gift beyond measure.
Before I even knew of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, she gave me a quote from our Sister Joan Chittister—perhaps part of the Holy Spirit’s work leading me to become a member of the community a decade later. In her book about the Apostles’ Creed, In Search of Belief, Sister Joan writes:
Sister Valerie Luckey, Director of Emmaus,
with Emmaus Board Member, Sister Joan Chittister (left)
The Holy Spirit, God’s energizing presence among us, the life force that drives us beyond ourselves, that whispers us into the great quest within, that makes life alive with a purpose not seen but deeply, consciously, stubbornly felt even in the midst of chaos, even at the edge of despair, sounds the truth in us that we are more than we seem to be.
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Reading those words became another formative part of my faith; they helped me grapple with my beliefs about the Spirit, allowed them to grow, and encouraged me to ask deeper questions about why I believed the things I did and how the Spirit of God brings us together as one.
This year we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost on June 8, when the Holy Spirit comes to us 50 days after Easter. With unifying and energizing power in our lives, the Holy Spirit allows us to see the world as interconnected and full of the divine. In this issue of The Companion, you will read about the ways the Holy Spirit is at work at Emmaus Ministries, how it provides hope in despair, and how it animates us to live together in love, in relationship with all creation.
May the blessings of the Spirit be with each of you, today and always.
In peace,
Sister Val
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*To read the latest issue of The Companion, head over to the Newsletter section.