UT CHRISTUS REGNET

A publication of the School Sisters of Christ the King

The tender photo by Bridget Colia

mercy

of God

Opening the Year of Mercy Dear Friends,

The great Jubilee Year of Mercy is upon us! Pope Francis’s challenge

to be an “agent of God’s mercy” has resonated throughout the whole world. Do you understand the meaning of this task enough to let it motivate you into action? Don’t let it stump you. It was recently explained as simply “relieving someone from a heart of misery.” When we allow ourselves to hear the cry of the poor in our midst we can then take one small step to bring about some relief. Let us pray for each other that, each day, we will allow the healing balm of God’s love to be poured out upon a suffering heart through our words and actions.

Let me take a moment, on behalf of all the CK Sisters, to express

our gratitude for all the generosity and love you have shown us throughout the years. We are soon to enter into our 40th year of existence (1976-2016)

To open the Year of Mercy, Monsignor Joseph Nemec opens the newly blessed “holy doors” in St. Teresa School, Lincoln. During this Holy Year students, faculty and staff will ring a bell and pray, “Jesus Christ, Son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner” when passing through the doors.

Jubilee Year of Mercy

and will be counting our blessings each day. God has certainly blessed us

From December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016,

through all of you. Thank you!

Catholics across the world will celebrate an



May the abundant graces of the Advent and Christmas seasons fill

your heart with Christ’s spirit of peace and hope as you go forth to spread His Kingdom in your little corner of the world.

Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. In his letter “Misericordiae Vultus,” which formally announced this Jubilee year, Pope Francis writes of the many “faces” of the Father’s mercy. In the articles of this



In the loving heart of Christ the King,

newsletter, we hope you will find new ways of



I am, with gratitude,

encountering God’s mercy in your life, as well as ways that you can share His mercy with the world.

Surprised by mercy



C. S. Lewis once wrote a book called, “Surprised by Joy.” On our

prepared him for First Communion and taught him grammar (even reciting a list of prepositions he memorized!). He shared how he was an artist and asked if we had time to look at some of his art. He also used to sing in a

pilgrimage to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families, I found that

couple of rock bands

I was “Surprised by Mercy.” It was Friday and we had already had such a

pulled out tattered

Most of his teeth

full week – meeting families from so many countries, hearing wonderful

wallet and proudly

were missing. But did

pointed out their names.

speakers, being warmly welcomed by the people from Philadelphia, trea-

Although we had

he ever have a smile!

to go in order to catch

suring time with our spiritual mothers, the IHM Sisters. I had no idea that

our train, we assured

the face of Jesus would then greet me in a homeless man on the street. We

asked him to pray for us. His name was Kenneth, but to me he was Jesus. He

had just visited the St. John Neumann shrine in an obviously poor section

was the face of God’s mercy and he touched my heart in a way that I can’t

of the city. While walking back to the train station, an African-American

fully describe. Some would say that we Sisters were showing him mercy by

man, riding a bicycle, rode up beside us. Several crates were strapped to the

taking time to talk with him, but I know better. His joy and the spark of

back. His hair was matted and most of his teeth were missing. But did he

God’s love shining out from him were a testament of mercy to my heart and

ever have a smile! His eyes were dancing as he greeted us and asked if we

let me know that I had indeed encountered someone very special. Through

had a minute to talk. He recounted how he had Sisters in grade school that

him, I encountered Jesus.

when he was young. He pictures from his worn

him of our prayers and

by: Sister Mary Angela, C.K.

“Just as we have received so much from God –

gifts freely given us, and not of our own making – so let us

freely give to others in return.” - Pope Francis

World Meeting of Families, Philadelphia, 2015

several chapters on the topic. The Bible has been called “God’s love letter to us” and Salvation History, “God’s story of love.” The trouble is that, in this case, reading is not necessarily believing. Reading these books can be like hearing someone else talk about their vacation. In the end we can feel like we “just had to be there.” Yet one of the most amazing mysteries of God

Experiencing Mercy



The other day I walked into the community room as several of the

(for me it is right up there with the Trinity or even the Eucharist) is that He is here. He knows that it is hard for us to really “get” anything without experiencing it, whether it be a joke or His love for us. For over a thousand years, forever really, He has been making His love known to His sons and daughters. How God shows His love is as varied as the people He created. Pope Francis recently suggested a way that I hadn’t thought of before: mercy.

Sisters were laughing hysterically. Some were bent over, others were trying



to catch their breath. Just looking at them I couldn’t help but smile. I also

that mercy is “the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to

couldn’t help asking, “What is so funny?” One Sister began to explain, but

the hope of being loved forever.” Moments of mercy are moments where we

she hadn’t said more than three words when the entire group began laughing

really experience God’s love for ourselves. When I have messed up and have

again. As one Sister would catch her breath and begin the story, the laughter

not been the woman

would begin immediately. My expectation was growing with each minute

am in need of mercy.

Mercy opens our

that passed, “What in the world could possibly be that funny?” In the end,

said to me, “I forgive

hearts to the hope of

you,” and I knew she

they all agreed that it was one of those times where you, “just had to be

really meant it, I was

being loved forever.

sure of her love for me.

there.” I admit that I was a little frustrated that I wasn’t able to share in their

I knew her mercy,

joy. In thinking about the situation later on, I began to realize that I use that

then that I knew God’s mercy. Really it’s the other way around; because of

phrase fairly often myself. When trying to describe vacations, or beautiful

God’s mercy for us, we can show mercy to one another. “God shows His

sunsets, or funny moments from the school day, or even moments of grace,

love for us in while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

I find myself ending with those very words, “You just had to be there.”

Mercy is the tangible proof that God loves me, not abstractly or collectively,

No matter how long I talk, I can never make the view as beautiful or the

but individually, at this very moment. When God opens our hearts enough

situation as funny or the sense of God’s presence as profound as it actually

to recognize His love as He is giving it to us, the experience can be powerful

was. Some things you just have to experience for yourself.

enough to change our lives. These are the type of moments that can be hard



to describe. In the end, if you hear yourself saying, “you just had to be there,”

This is especially true for the most profound truth of all, God’s love

In His letter announcing the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis writes

God created me to be I And when another has

and it was precisely

for us. We must have at least a hundred books in the Motherhouse library

know that Jesus is whispering, “I was there, and I love you.”

devoted entirely to the topic of God’s love and a hundred more that contain

by: Sister Mary Gabriel, C.K.

Receiving His Mercy



“With our eyes fixed on Jesus and His merciful gaze, we experience

the love of the Most Holy Trinity.” (Misericordiae Vultus) The chapel is the heart of our Motherhouse and of each of our local convents. It is here, through time spent with our Eucharistic King, we open ourselves to receiving God’s mercy and are transformed to be better able to give that mercy to others.

Villa Regina Motherhouse, Lincoln, NE

St. Teresa Convent, Lincoln, NE

St. James House of Studies, St. Joseph, MO

St. Peter Convent, Lincoln, NE

S howing Mercy

“Calling on the Name of Jesus for others.” Sister Mary Jacinta

Through the grace of God we are called to share the Father’s mercy with the

“I try to imagine myself having a really bad day, and how I would treat

world. How do you show mercy? Here is what some had to say.

others. I assume that the other person is having that really bad day. It

“Give them a BIG kiss.”

makes it much easier to be merciful!” Carol, Spanish Teacher “Doing secret good deeds for them, even if I don’t feel like it.” Evan, 7th grade

Samantha, 1st Grade

feeling the presence of God in their life. It is difficult at times but what a

“I try to love and accept them for who they are, where they are.”

witness to mercy when enacted.” Mary, Director of Religious Education

Sister Edith Marie

“Act as if you are the only connection that this person has to seeing and

“Not getting mad when people are mean.” Halle, 5th grade “Saying sorry.” Avrey, 3rd grade “Forgiveness to all, no matter the situation, problem, occurrence, mistake.” Kathy, 1st grade teacher

“Present to them the face of love, the eyes of compassion, and the words of caring. Reminding those in pain, they are the beloved son or daughter

“One way I show mercy to others is providing meals in times of need.

of God, our Father.” Ed, Educational Consultant

Sometimes all it takes is a hug and the willingness to listen.” Sharon, Hot Lunch Program Coordinator “Smiling.” Cecilia, 5th grade

“Play with them.” Carson, 3rd Grade “Show love to them by a smile or kind word.” Sister Marie Jacqueline

children in my classroom: “Bring money for the mission collection.” The trouble with these ideas, as good as they are, is that they are not practical. Not on the path where God has led me. I have never seen a person dying

Becoming the Face of Mercy

“I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you.” (Acts

in the streets on my short walk to school, I haven’t grown out of my clothes for years, and having taken a vow of poverty, I don’t have money to give to the needy. What is Christ, through His vicar, Pope Francis, asking of me, in Lincoln, Nebraska, today?

The answer lies in a story from the Acts of the Apostles. Peter and

John were on their way to the Temple in Jerusalem when they met a beggar

2:6) Every once in a while I have the opportunity to talk to children about

asking for money. Peter tells the beggar that he has no money, but will give

religious life. When the conversation turns to the vows, their amazement

him what he does have: the healing power of God’s love. I could easily take

really begins. “You mean you don’t have a phone?” Really, I don’t. “What

Peter’s words and make them my own. “I have neither silver nor gold to give

about your glasses?” They technically belong to the Community, but I use

you. But I am a teacher, I can give you knowledge of this world and what

them as if they were mine… This is the point where I tend to wander into

is infinitely greater.” I don’t have money to give to the poor. Yet God has

deep philosophical waters that go right over the students’ heads. So I ask

called me to give the students I see every day what I do have: the world of

for another question. “What about grocery shopping?” “Do you get paid for

literature, of science, of diagramming sentences, but most importantly of His

teaching?” “When is lunch?” That last question is a signal that the students

love. To be poor really means to be in need. The “poor” that I meet each

have learned all they wanted to know about religious life, or at least they

day, that Pope Francis encourages us to recognize, might not be homeless or

have been sitting for too long on their carpet squares. As a School Sister of

destitute. They might be a person who needs our compassion when we listen

Christ the King I am not oly called to live poverty as an individual but also,

to them, our time when they are overwhelmed, or our help navigating the

as our Constitutions state, “have a preferential love for the poor whom we

complex world of simplifying fractions.

love with the tenderness of Christ.”





are on the “front lines” helping the materially poor of our country and our

Pope Francis, by his words and the beautiful example of his

It is a good and holy thing to give money to the organizations that

actions, has been calling everybody to reach out in mercy to the poor and

world. But it can be easier to put money in an envelope than to reach out

marginalized. When I think of helping the poor I almost immediately

in mercy to the person we see at work every day. The corporal and spiritual

picture Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, gently feeding the destitute of India. The

works of mercy give us an idea of the many forms “helping the poor”

second image that comes to mind is a childhood memory of packing my

can take. (“Instructing the ignorant” is the one teachers have the joy of

“too small” clothes into garbage bags and taking them to the local Salvation

performing every day.) When we give what we have, whatever that might

Army. Thirdly, closely following the other two, is what I often tell the

be, to those in need, we can become the face of the Father’s mercy. by: Sister Mary Gabriel, C.K.

in giving Him time—pondering His love found in the pages of Scripture. Here are a few examples to get you started (notice that these are from St. John, the Beloved): “Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me…” John 17:24 “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are…” 1 John 1

Knowing His Mercy and Love

Has it ever bothered you that St. John the Evangelist calls himself

“We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.…There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear…” 1 John 4:16, 18 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And

“the one whom Jesus loved?” Well, it has bothered me. Sometimes my

if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to

response has been, “Why does he get to be the one Jesus loved? I want to

myself, so that where I am you also may be.” John 14:1-3

be loved by Him!” What upset me was that I thought that somehow if Jesus

by: Sister Mary Agnes, C.K.

loved John, then He didn’t love me, or at least not as much. Thankfully, a new insight came that seems to carry more truth: It’s not that Jesus loved John more than anyone else; it’s that John knew Jesus’ love for him. In a sense, he had a greater capacity to receive Jesus’ love.

When we know deep within God’s love for us, it creates within us

Responding to the Heart of the King

Women’s Discernment Retreat March 4-6, 2016

a desire to respond—to give ourselves generously and without reserve to Him. St. John Chrysostom writes: “Those who are loved enter freely into the heart of their lover.” This knowledge of God’s love is the foundation of discernment. Once we know we are loved, we can entrust ourselves to Him

Learn how to open your heart to what God desires for your life.

with our entire lives.

How do we come to know God’s love for us? It takes more than

simply someone saying, “God loves you.” That might be a start, but where

A retreat for single Catholic women--high school seniors through age 35.

this knowledge is truly found is through prayer—being generous with Jesus

For more information or to register contact Sister Mary Agnes at [email protected]



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Explore these opportunities from the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious at cmswr.org. • Treat yourself and others to this hope-filled video on religious life. • Apply for the GIVEN Leadership Forum by February 2, 2016.

How can we all belong more fully to Jesus?

Celebrating the Year of Consecrated Life until February 2, 2016

- Bishop Flavin

and cry with each.”

it. I laugh with each

love each member in

family; therefore, I

“This is my religious

Villa Regina Motherhouse 4100 SW 56th Street Lincoln, NE 68522-9261 www.cksisters.org

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Winter 2015 Vol. 20, No. 2