An Evening with Sister Joan Chittister

Associates gathered the evening of February 10, 2021 to share on “The Spirituality of Struggle,” a presentation by Sr. Joan Chittister. The magic of Zoom enabled associates from afar to join – Norma Steven (Nanaimo), Linda Gervais (Edmonton), Ernie and Lucille Bart (all the way from Carman) and Sally McEachen (California).

Sr. Joan spoke of struggle and hope, claiming the spirituality of struggle is the struggle of hope. It is in this struggle, in the darkness, that we can find God. God stands on the dark road with us. Whereas despair cements us in the present, hope sends us dancing around the corner, to the dawn of a new wisdom. This wisdom can shock us into new beginnings and force us down unknown paths, in full stature and full of grace. God is with us and challenges us to audacity – to a strength we did not know we had. This stretches the elastic of ourselves in struggle, and because of this, we are able to journey with others. Sr. Joan challenged us to feed the hope that comes out of despair.

In small groups, we reacted to Sr. Joan’s insights. We looked at our own struggles from the past and how we found God in them. We shared how our experiences of struggle strengthened our personal faith journey.

To share meaningfully with others during the time of ‘lock down’ was a real blessing.

Submitted by Sr. Marylyn Gibney