Prisms
Prisms: The Apostolic Visitation of Women Religious in the United States has elicited a lot of speculation about its purpose and intended outcome and roused various emotional responses from religious and laity alike.
Prisms's entire text 
The Apostolic Visitation
The Apostolic Visitation of Institutes
Sister M. Clare Millea ASCJ explains the purpose and process of the apostolic visitation of the U.S. Institutes of women religious and its intended impetus to apostolic witness and vitality. Sister Clare is the superior general of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Mt. Sacred Heart in Hamden, Connecticut.
Excerpts: "The church has the duty of clarifying the identity, the vocation, and the particular mission of religious institutes and promoting their ecclesial communion. . . . A core team of religious who are aiding the visitator is currently evaluating the data received in preparation for the subsequent phases of the apostolic visitation."
To read this article
The Apostolic Visitation: An Invitation to Intercultural Dialogue
Kathleen Hughes RSCJ describes the intercultural dialogue that provides the best framework for the apostolic visitation of United States women religious, a useful habit of heart, and some possible hope-filled outcomes. Sister Kathleen is currently a mission consultant in the Network of Sacred Heart Schools she can be reached through her email. <khughes@rscj.org>
Excerpts: "The Visitation 'is intended to comprehensiely assess and encourage the growth of Catholic institutes of women religious in the United States who engage in apostolic works.' . . . We need to find a way to talk together, to speak with integrity and honesty about matters of substance with those who may not share our worldview. . . . Participants in an intercultural dialogue must know and accept the boundaries of the conversation; in an apostolic visitation, the boundaries are demarcated in cannon law.
To read this article
Adapting the Ignatian Exercises
Discovering What Ignatius Does Not Say
J. Thomas Hamel SJ examines the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius to point out the subtle but consistent ways in which retreatants become authors of the Exercises, putting their own experience into words. Fr. Hamel's address is College of the Holy Cross; 1 College Street; Worcester, Massachusetts 01610.
Excerpt: "How Jesus Christ is present in creation is how he is present in the Eucharist. . . . Ignatius does not expect that this offering of oneself will happen right away. . . .Is it by mere chance that 'etc.' comes immediately after 'be not afraid'? Ignatius leaves that to us.
Revisiting St. Ignatius's Kingdom Meditation
Louis M. Savary expands the reading of St. Ignatius's Call of the King meditation through the incorporation of ideas from the jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Savary has given many lectures, workshops, and classes on the spirituality of Telihard de Chardin. He can contacted through his email <lousavary@yahoo.com>
Excerpts: "Repentance in this context is much closer to a change in life purpose. . . . With the incarnation, God has doubly sanctified this cosmos."
From Young and Old
Gleanings from My First Ten Years
Ann Marie Paul SCC celebrates her profession of perpetual vows after living religious life for ten years by sharing eight pieces of wisdom she has learned. Sister Ann Marie wrote as a novice an article we published in 2001. Her address is Divine Providence Hospital Convent; 1100 Grampian Boulevard; Williamsport, Pennsylvania 17701.
Excerpts: "If your community does not meet your needs, first ask yourself if you have given enough of yourself to your community. . . . If we do not take the time to let God in through attentive prayer, we may block God from working through us."
Monasteries of Meteora
Mary Frances Coady gives her visual and spiritual impressions of ancient traditions kept by Eastern Christian monastics on a racky peninsual of Greece. Her address is 35 Cowan Avenue; Toronto, Ontarion; M6K 2N1 Canada.
Excerpts: "Here the caves and clefts of the forbidding rocks seemed the perfect home for those who sought to reteat from society and who strove to punish their boides with rigorous practices so that they might pruify their souls. . . . At the height of the Middle Ages, the monasteries grew in number to twenty-four. Only three are now still inhabited. . . .In 1961 the oldest monastery became a monastery for women."
Practical Wisdom
Kindness, the Everyday Virtue
James H. Kroger MM delves into kindness's depth of meaning and inexhaustible potential for increasing goodness anywhere. Father Kroeger discussed St. Paul's missions principles in this journal last year. His email contact is: <jkroeger@admu.edu.ph>
Excerpts: " Our actions determine us as much as we determine our actions. . . . Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
Ten Ideas on Priesthood
George Olivera OFMCap offers ways to consider our Christian priesthood that may be helpful to priests and for those who pray for them and who enjoy thier ministry.Father Olivera resides in Karnatake, India he can be contacted through his email: <olivegeorge@gmail.com>
Excerpts: "What he celebrates at the Lord's table flows into his pastoral ministry. . . .Bread for oneself is material question, but bread for my neighbor is a spiritual question."
Departments
Scripture Scope: Praying the Psalms as Songs of Praise
Eugene Hensell OSB continues his Scripture essays, a regular feature of each issue of Review for Religious. Fr. Hensell travels about giving retreats and workshops his home is at St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana. His email is: <ehensell@saintmeinrad.edu>.
Poetry
Transformation, by Mary Frances Herkender SND– 69.1.46
In Whom We Live and Have Our Being, by Patricia Schnapp RSM – 69.1.76
Concluding, by Mary Alban Bouchard CSJ– 69.1.96
Book Reviews
Book • Shelf • Life
To read the mini reviews by Philip Fischer SJ
