Sr. Kathryn J Hermes, FSP

Surviving Depression – A Marian Devotional (The Annunciation)

Published on March 18, 2020 by Sr. Kathryn J Hermes, FSPLeave a comment

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-yafiq-d47a67

We are continuing a series of six Podcasts looking at Light and Darkness – Courage and Faith – Healing and Hope through a Marian Lens. Each episode features an event in Mary’s life and a particular image we have chosen to prayerfully reflect on together. This Podcast Series accompanies the launching of the Third Edition of my book: Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach. In today’s episode we explore how our distorted thought patterns can make us more vulnerable to depression and together do an exercise to tack our spiraling automatic thoughts. We lean into our Marian lens by reflecting on the Annunciation.

This is today’s image:

Image Credit: Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1898 Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Image is in the public domain.
Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach (Third Edition) available at www.paulinestore.org

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST? HERE ARE 4 WAYS TO GO DEEPER…

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Explore my books: Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach; Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments; Just a Minute Meditations Deeper Trust and Inner Peace.

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Guided Meditation for Peace in the Pandemic

Published on March 15, 2020 by Sr. Kathryn J Hermes, FSP1 Comment

Peace in the Pandemic

Published on March 15, 2020 by Sr. Kathryn J Hermes, FSPLeave a comment

I remember during Hurricane Katrina the story of several Vietnamese families who were trapped along with 16,000 others who had sought refuge in the Louisiana Superdome in 2015. People recall seeing them continuously praying the rosary. Peaceful. Kind. And when everyone was being evacuated they quietly held back, still praying, offering to be the last to be rescued from the refuge that had come to be described as a “hellhole.” In the midst of chaos, violence, and everyone fighting to get what they could for themselves, they have always been a testament to me of who I’d like to be if I were ever in an emergency situation.

The crisis over the worldwide spread of the coronavirus pandemic is such a crisis. As I write this I’m sitting in our Los Angeles convent. After leading one more retreat Saturday, I’ll be boarding a plane to return to Boston Sunday night. Uppermost in my mind is getting on that plane and returning home before I’m stranded here. In other words, uppermost in my mind is “me.”

As the regular pattern of my life is disturbed, I discover that I really don’t have the control over everything that could adversely affect me that I once thought I had. I also am not as selfless and giving as I once thought I was. Fear does funny things to us.

This virus peels back the self-protective layers we’ve put on to hide our inability to protect ourselves at all. To protect ourselves from each other. From the weather. From accidents. From financial fall-out. From a virus that started its devastating march through the world from within a little-known city of China.

Wild fears stoked by continuous headline news make it even more difficult to find the ground of faith and the fire of love that burns within our souls as followers of Christ baptized into his death and risen with him.

This past couple of days I’ve been seeking a place of silence in the storm. An inner heart-space that is deeper than the thoughts and feelings that are swirling in my mind these days. A place where I could immerse myself in Christ, in his way of living the pandemic, in his absolute promise to be with us. A place where I could surrender everything into the hands of the Father. I’d like to share with you a meditation I’ve been using that you may find helpful.

Below is a prayer of Pope Francis that we can say in union with the Church:

O Mary,
you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People,
know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide
so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform to the will of the Father
and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon himself our sufferings
and carried our sorrows
to lead us, through the cross,
to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.

Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

Translation done by Catholic News Service of the prayer Pope Francis recited by video March 11 for a special Mass and act of prayer asking Mary to protect Italy and the world during of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lockdown – There can always be a rebirth of love

Published on March 15, 2020March 15, 2020 by Sr. Kathryn J Hermes, FSP1 Comment

I found this on my Facebook page. It reminded me of a video I saw yesterday of a neighborhood in Italy where people were standing on the balconies of their apartments, singing together, waving, laughing, enjoying the glory of the silent streets, the relaxed neighborhood, and the happiness of creating music together.

Lockdown
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
– Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM
March 13th, 2020

Surviving Depression – A Marian Devotional (Introduction)

Published on March 4, 2020 by Sr. Kathryn J Hermes, FSPLeave a comment

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-564h7-d47a55

We are starting a series of six Podcasts looking at Light and Darkness – Courage and Faith – Healing and Hope through a Marian Lens. Each episode features an event in Mary’s life and a particular image we have chosen to prayerfully reflect on together. This Podcast Series accompanies the launching of the Third Edition of my book: Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach. Today’s episode is an introduction to depression and an introduction to our Marian Devotional gaze.

This is Today’s Image

1280px-1__Ugolino_di_Nerio__The_Deposition_1324-25__London_NG.jpg

Image Credit: Ugolino di Nerio [Public domain] 1280-1330

Image is in the public domain.
Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach (Third Edition) available at www.paulinestore.org.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST? HERE ARE 4 WAYS TO GO DEEPER…

Join my private Facebook Group and walk the road of healing with a great group of people. I offer a half-hour live spiritual conference here Tuesday evenings at 7pm EST.

Sign-up for my letter Touching the Sunrise. I write a letter a couple times a month from my heart to yours to support you along the way.

Explore my books: Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach; Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments; Just a Minute Meditations Deeper Trust and Inner Peace.

The Miracle of Recreation

Published on February 19, 2020February 19, 2020 by Sr. Kathryn J Hermes, FSPLeave a comment

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-xa8wg-d0f264

My heart melts a bit whenever I remember what God has done for me. I forget. I wander. I wonder. I’m uncertain. I decide to go elsewhere…. But in the end he always brings me back. He always recreates me…recreates us. It is his delight to do so.