By Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director

For Lent, I am reading Thomas Merton’s New Seeds of Contemplation. Admittedly, my previous attempts to read Merton have left me feeling rather dumb. His words confused me. His sentence structures baffled me. I would read the same paragraph a few times and have no idea what he was trying to say.

It wasn’t time to read Merton, but now it is.

Only 20 pages into New Seeds of Contemplation, these words from Merton jumped off the page at me:

“For how can I receive the seeds of freedom if I am in love with slavery and how can I cherish the desire of God if I am filled with another and an opposite desire?”

Maybe the words spoke to me because my husband and I are contemplating a kitchen remodel. Though, I am guessing that home improvement projects are probably not what Merton had in mind when he wrote about “seeds of freedom” and cherishing “the desire of God.” But it is what is on my mind.

Tension is a bit high these days as my husband and I talk about remodeling. I dream of tearing out walls and expanding the kitchen. My husband is significantly more frugal and analytical in his approach. I find myself longing for the kitchen I had before I met him. In this kitchen of the past, I could slice and dice and sauté and sauce in a space constructed to fit my every move: double ovens, expansive cooktop, sprawling granite counter space. It fit and flowed like a custom-fitted ballgown.

I admit I am enslaved to the kitchen I once had in a life that is no longer mine. I am in love with the idea of that past kitchen. It has become what I cherish and desire. But Merton’s words have made me pause and realize that when I idolize what was, I close the door to the seeds of freedom God offers me.

This Lent, I am going to work on giving up my enslavement to what was so that I can be open to a new experience of what is.

As we enter Lent, what is God asking you to set aside so that you can experience the seeds of freedom?

By Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director
​
Day 1 Community, Houston, Texas was honored at the Houston Day of Prayer on January 28. This community was chartered on November 4, 1965 by our founder Msgr. Elwood Voss as the 56th Theresian community. They are among the few remaining communities from the early days of Theresians. Mary Clare Albrecht is the only remaining original member of the community.

I would like to share with you a short video that was created to honor Day 1.

As you watch the video, think about who were among the original Theresians in your region, district, or community? Do you know their stories?

If you are interested in creating a recorded history of Theresians in your area, please let the TI office know. We would be happy to work with you on simply ways to preserve our legacy.

By Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director
​
In the book The Theresian Story, our founder Msgr. Elwood Voss and our first executive director Patricia Mullen write that the education dimension of our Five Dimensions “calls for a spirit of openness so that members are willing to look at all sides of issues, avoiding the pitfalls that result from tunnel vision and closed minds” (p. 40). They go on to say that “this kind of dialog helps create great respect for the thinking and opinions of others regardless of personal viewpoints and convictions” (pp. 49-50).  

In our document “Thinking About Consensus Decision Making,” written by longtime Theresian Judy Rolke, Theresian VII Community, Houston, Texas, we learn that as Theresians we strive to “take the time to sift through and narrow down ideas in light of our mission and charism.” We don’t force decisions but rather we “listen carefully to each and every member, especially seeking out and welcoming those holding ‘differing’ ideas.”  We commit ourselves to discussions and discernment that will “draw out the quiet member” while remembering to “discuss underlying assumptions.”

And we do all of this with great love! In the words of our patroness St. Therese of Lisieux, “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

I invite each of you to pause and ponder what “a spirit of openness” means to you. Are you suffering from tunnel vision, convinced that there is only one right way to do something? Or are you listening and welcoming the thoughts of others in your community, especially when they differ from your thoughts? Are you offering kind words of love, even when you disagree with your Theresian sisters?

I also ask that you take four minutes out of your day to watch the video below: “How You Treat People Is Who You Are” (credit to Sr. Danielle Jacob, CSFN, for bringing the video to my awareness). Are you an example of Theresian kindness and integrity, compassion and understanding in the world today? Or do you have some room for growth in those areas?

Who will you be kind to today?

By Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director

​​Growing up, I was an extremely shy and introverted kid, always hiding behind my parents, more comfortable with the characters in books than the people in front of me. All of that changed in my first year of high school when Mr. West, the speech and drama teacher, saw in me something I didn’t know was there. He saw beyond my nerdy awkwardness and encouraged me to be more than I thought I could be. Soon I was in lead roles in school plays and traveled extensively to compete as a member of the speech team. I took on leadership roles. I grew as a person.  

While my high school years are many decades behind me, I know my path changed because someone took the time to encourage me to step outside myself and do something more in the world. Throughout my life, God has placed people like Mr. West in my path – people who saw in me talents or skills that I didn’t know I had.

I would like to ask each of you to do something similar for each other. At your next Theresian community gathering, please pause for a few minutes. Look around the room at each of your Theresian sisters. What talents and skills do you see in each of these beautiful women? Then, turn to the person next to you and share with her what you see: “I see in you a gift of __________.”

Those gifts that you see in each other are exactly what we need in Theresian leadership roles. You might be saying, “But, I’m not ________ enough to be in leadership.” To which I would say, “You ARE enough, exactly as you are!”

Please consider sharing your gifts, your talents, and your skills in a Theresian leadership role. And, please, encourage your Theresian sisters to share their gifts. Sometimes all it takes is one person encouraging another person!

Below you will find a message from the U.S. National Leadership Team (NLT) regarding nominations. If you are a Theresian in the U.S., please prayerfully consider who you would like to encourage to serve on the NLT.

I see in each of you a gift of leadership. You are enough!

The U.S. National Leadership Team (NLT) is seeking nominations for those interested in serving on a national level. Each person who is selected for the NLT agrees to serve a three-year term and, during that time, agrees to serve on two committees which meet periodically throughout the year. The NLT Executive Committee meets quarterly, and the entire NLT meets in person once a year around May or June. All meetings except for the annual meeting are conducted via Zoom. During the annual meeting, the NLT members provide updates on committee work done throughout the previous year and discern the goals and objectives for the coming year. (Plus, they just have a lot of fun together!) 

The NLT committees are: 

• Spirituality 
• Resources & Technology
• Communication & Education
• Evangelization & Outreach
• Nominations

There is a wide variety of skills and talents needed in the committees, so there is a place for everyone's gifts. To be considered for the U.S. NLT, please review and complete the nomination form below. Deadline is March 31.

by Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director

​Did you know that 2023 is a jubilee year for our patroness St. Thérèse of Lisieux? According to an FSSPX.NEWS report:

On the solemnity of Epiphany, January 8, 2023, the Holy Door of the St. Thérèse basilica was opened by the Bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux, marking the opening of a jubilee year to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of the one whom Pius XI canonized as “the greatest saint of modern times.”

While this year marks the 150th anniversary of Thérèse Martin’s birth, in 2025, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of St. Thérèse’s canonization. (Read more here.)

How should Theresians celebrate?

by Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director

​For 2023, our Theresian Litany of Solidarity asks us to join in prayer and action with women who speak, write, sing, and create art that addresses the dignity inherent in all women.

Our solidarity theme for this year has me thinking about the women who inspire me with their voices. Some are well-known like Anne Lamott, Sue Monk Kidd, Mary Oliver, Sister Helen Prejean, Joan Chittister, Elizabeth Johnson, Edwina Gateley, Joan Didion, and Dorothy Day.

Other women who inspire me may not be as familiar, like Jan Richardson, Sara Thomsen, Natalia Imperatori-Lee , MaryAnn McKibben Dana, Kathleen Deignan, Ella Baker, Dolores Huerta, and the countless mission-driven Catholic sisters who run organizations like Bethany House of Hospitality, Holy Family Institute, The Well Spirituality Center, Siena Retreat Center, Aquinas Literacy Center, A Nun’s Life, and Monasteries of the Heart.

Then, there are those women who quietly create their art and find their voice in basements, spare rooms, kitchens, and backyard gardens, only becoming known to me when they gift me with a small painting, a piece of poetry, a bit of photography, a kitchen-created goody, or a plant cultivated in their garden.

And, there are even more who may never be known to you or to me. These are the creators-at-heart who dream of the day when they might find time or courage to put their creative thoughts on paper or canvas, dive their fingers into clay or bread dough, or stand on the world’s stages and give voice to what is in their hearts.

Each of these women – the well-known, the known to some, and the unknown – all carry within them the dignity and voice of us all.

I invite you to make your own list of creative women who inspire you and hold them in prayer throughout the coming year. Maybe consider adding your name to the list.
Together, as women in support of women, let us unite our prayers this year to lift the voices of all the creative women in our lives whose courage and art address the dignity inherent in all women.

by Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director

​As we transition from one year to the next, I would like to share with you a few words I stumbled upon from best-selling author Donna Ashworth. In a recent Facebook post, she shared a poem that began:

Why do we start a new year, with promises to improve?
Who began this tradition of never-ending pressure?
I say, the end of a year, should be filled with congratulation, for all we survived.
And I say a new year should start with promises to be kinder to ourselves, to understand better just how much we bear, as humans on this exhausting treadmill of life.

Ashworth goes on to implore us “to strip away a layer of perfection” and “to reveal the flawed and wondrous humanity we truly are inside.”

She ends the poem by challenging us to embrace the beauty of our imperfections.
In these last hours of 2022, I invite you to consider making a list of all that you have survived this year. This is not a list of your public accomplishments and awards, though those are important. Instead, make a list of those struggles and uphill battles that may not have been as readily seen by others.

When your list is complete, acknowledge the difficulty. Embrace it. Then, make another list of all the actions that helped you survive. Maybe it was praying, calling your Theresian sisters, enlisting family support, walking in nature, journaling, petting your dog, going to therapy, seeing your doctor, or staring out the window into the wonder of the world.

Whatever is on your 2022 list, I would like to congratulate you! You did it! You survived! Read those words again slowly: You survived.

In these last days of 2022, I celebrate you for all that you have survived – all the spoken and unspoken challenges. As we begin 2023, my prayer for you is one of peace and acceptance and love.

by Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director
​
As we make our final preparations for the Nativity of the Lord, I would like to share with you a video by the artist Jenedy Paige. Jenedy created a strikingly beautiful painting called “Little Lamb.” (I invite you to go to her website to see the image).
While the painting touched my heart, the story behind its creation touched my soul.
I encourage you to watch this video from Jenedy and to open your heart and soul to new ways of encountering the birth of Jesus this Christmas.

by Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director

​As the third week of Advent comes to a close and the Nativity of the Lord quickly approaches, I would like to offer you a few joyful resources to watch, to listen to, to read, and to reflect on.  

TO WATCH

Joy – A music video from Gospel recording artist VaShawn Mitchell.

Theology of Joy – A video interview with German theologian Jürgen Moltmann.
 
TO LISTEN

Re-Awakening Advent Wonder – A podcast episode from Things Not Seen, featuring an interview with author and artist Scott Erickson.

How can I make Advent more meaningful? – A podcast episode from A Nun’s Life featuring, Sr. Candyce Rekart, IHM

TO READ

Experiencing the Joy of Advent – An article by Sr. Bernadette Reis, FSP.

The Man Who Was a Lamp – Poetry by theologian and storyteller John Shea.

TO REFLECT

Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) – Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation. If holiday busyness keeps you from diving into the entire 224 page message, consider reading and praying with this excerpt:

“Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met. To some extent this is because our ‘technological society has succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to engender joy’. I can say that the most beautiful and natural expressions of joy which I have seen in my life were in poor people who had little to hold on to. I also think of the real joy shown by others who, even amid pressing professional obligations, were able to preserve, in detachment and simplicity, a heart full of faith. In their own way, all these instances of joy flow from the infinite love of God, who has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ. I never tire of repeating those words of Benedict XVI which take us to the very heart of the Gospel: ‘Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction’”.

BONUS: TO LAUGH

Joy to the World – And lastly, I offer you this Muppet music video, because sometimes great joy comes in lighter moments of silly laughter.  

by Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director

​As we come to the end of this second week of Advent, I would like to invite you to pause and reflect on this excerpt from Pope Francis’ Prayer for Peace:

“Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: ‘Never again war!’; ‘With war everything is lost.’ Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister...” (The entire prayer is available here.)

When I read this prayer, my first thought is of the ongoing battles in Ukraine and the violence on so many of our city streets. My immediate urge is to find a place to donate or volunteer to support efforts for peace abroad and at home. But, when I sit with this prayer for a while and allow the words to penetrate my heart and mind, a different urgency emerges. I hear in this prayer a call for inner peace. Before I can help heal the division and hatred in the world, I must first, in the words of Pope Francis, banish from my heart my own division, my own hatred, and my own war.

This internal battle can take shape in different ways for different people. Maybe it is a battle with self-image or self-esteem. Maybe it is a war with addiction – your own or someone else’s. Maybe it is the division between what you dream of doing and what your body will allow you to do. Each of those inner battles can spill over into our daily interactions with others.

This Advent, are you willing to love yourself as much as God loves you, then extend that love to everyone who crosses your path? Are you willing to release your inner struggles and stresses so that you can smile at the grumpy store clerk, hold the door for a stranger, or invite someone to cut in line in front of you?

In the words of our patroness, St. Therese of Lisieux, “A word or a smile is often enough to put fresh life in a despondent soul.”

My prayer for you this Advent is that God grants you an inner light of peace that radiates throughout the world. Peace on earth begins with peace within.