BLOG: Mary Rose Bacani Valenti
This past Saturday, grade 7 students Celine Sousa and Samantha Moss from St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic School in Brampton, Ontario attended a screening of the new documentary Beloved: The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. Celine and Samantha wrote this account of their day in Toronto. The St. Josephine Bakhita students loved the “beloved” Dominican Sisters! ...read more
One Saturday morning, Sr. Catherine Marie and Sr. Mary Emily were strolling through Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market. They were new to the city and this market was a sight to see — parents with their children buying fresh bread, elderly people sitting and talking and vendors promoting their wares. And there was also so much ...read more
As you know, Salt + Light Television recently produced a documentary on the Nashville Dominicans titled Beloved: The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. I have felt very blessed to hear stories of how this documentary is touching so many lives – of those discerning, those already in religious life, and married couples! I received a ...read more
I’m a member of the Lent Support Group that Alicia refers to in a previous blog. Our group decided to have a mid-Lenten get-together, which was very timely. It was the eve of Laetare Sunday, a day when we rejoice because the hardest part of Lent is supposed to be over and we are nearing ...read more
Last week, Fr. Thomas Rosica led a three-day mission, from March 11th to 13th, at St. Clement Parish in Etobicoke, Ontario. The theme was “Jesus of Nazareth: God’s Parable for Humanity.” For each of those three nights, from 7-8:30 pm, around 150 interested participants listened to Fr. Rosica speak about Parables for the Lenten journey ...read more
If I didn’t believe in or experience the love of Christ behind the teachings of the Catholic Church, I can’t imagine how I could possibly want to follow them! The Catholic Church maintains that love is at the heart of all her teachings. But when it comes to the teaching on homosexuality, people are divided. ...read more
Last week, the Salt + Light staff had a retreat day in the office. We were instructed to stay away from our computers, and to sit around a long, long table with a Bible and notepad handy. Fr. Thomas Rosica, our CEO, was to give the retreat, and he invited the Communications Department of the ...read more
This morning, I had to leave my house at 5:45 am (not just get up at 5:45, but leave my house at 5:45), which is very, very unusual for me. I can barely get up before 8 am most days! I wanted to go to the Mass and Breakfast for Catholic Business Leaders in the ...read more
During my retreat in January at the Monastery of the Precious Blood, my spiritual guide told me an anecdote. He went with a group to Manitoulin Island where they celebrated the Eucharist. He said he will never forget this line from the homily: “The Eucharist is God’s love made edible!” I reflected on how God ...read more
Every year (for the past four years), I wait until the time is right, and then I go away to London, Ontario, for a few days and lock myself up in a monastery. No, it’s not that dramatic, really. I spend my time in the monastery in quiet contemplation, to receive spiritual direction, and to ...read more