As Dominicans in religious formation, we take on ministries throughout the year. The opportunities open to us are as varied as there are people. Some have opted for teaching ministries, others have been apostolic. For our spring and summer session Br. Joseph and I opted to help out at St. Anne’s Home, a retirement home for the elderly poor, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. To tell you the truth, I had never even heard of the Little Sisters, and perhaps in their humility they tend to keep it that way. But in a way I would love to shout from mountaintops as to how truly important their work is.

 

 

 

Aging is not always graceful. Aches, pains, loss of control, and sometimes just bad days can affect people’s demeanor and disposition. Yet, the sisters take everything in stride. They view everyone as a child of God—sometimes they need more attention than others. The effect is infectious. You can see it as smiles on the faces of the residents. They know that they have not been abandoned.

 

You might say that these religious Sisters are vowed to help people. That’s their calling. The cynical view still holds since the bulk of the population is lay not religious. Yet this view is still not necessarily true. Twice I have had the privilege to accompany the Sisters on begging trips. Every day two Sisters hop in their van and visit various merchants, wholesalers, and small business owners to literally beg for in-kind donations for the some 85 residents (yeah, I did the math as well). The trips were a delight. The Sisters have managed to turn what might seem to be a tedious, no, tortuous task into a gift from God. The various merchants around the Bay area do not feel pressured into donating their goods and services. They are glad to do it, often going well above what is asked, and they know the direct effect that it has on the residents. This is another way that the Sisters have proved that the cynical view of “love” is not only incorrect, but also somewhat shallow.

 

I am so delighted that we have glimpses into Christ’s mystical body in action through these ministries. After all, it is these formative years that will influence who and what will ultimately become.