secondly from falling in love with God. Thirdly, from my family. Fourthly, from my environment. The Russian environment of older days. Right here. It’s very strong in me. But I can give it to you; it’s all yours for the asking.” (p 72)Who was Catherine de Heuck Doherty? First and foremost she was a woman of great faith. She was a Russian Baroness, a wife and mother who escaped the communist revolution and became the founder of the Madonna House Apostolate. She has been declared “servant of God” as her cause for canonization goes forward.
Her name came to mind earlier this week when I was looking for a book and found Fr. John T. Catoir’s book “Encounters With Holiness” on the shelf. In this book Fr. Catoir interviews different women and men who are example of our Catholic faith. I had read the book several years ago and what struck me most forcibly during my reading of her story was the determination and dedication to living the Gospel message even after the tragedy of loosing all she had in the Russian communist revolution. But I also think that her story gives great hope of how the search and discovery of holiness and joy can transform our lives and the lives of each person we encounter.
Each of her four marks of faith remind us of the need for relationships with God and each other. Baptism is a gift offered, usually by our parents, and
nurtured and shared in the growth of family and the greater community . The growth is what connects the first and last mark together as we are united in love of God. It is the “falling in love with God” through relationships of love that is so vital in our time and place. In founding the Madonna House Apostolate she chose to step outside the norms of her time and place and do something greater in seeking to build a place where holiness could be nurtured and sent out as seedlings on the wind to be planted and grow in communities throughout the world.And while we may believe we could never do what Catherine Doherty has done…that is not the point. The point is choosing to live a life in love with God, (that’s called holiness) and doing so in creating the environment (that’s the community) where all the sons and daughters of God thrive in the joy of love. This should be the goal of each and every Christian: to call forth holiness in our own lives and in the lives of others. I often share this with engaged and married couples that the true work of husband and wife is to bring forth holiness in seeking the very best in their beloved. This is what God does by inviting us into an intimate and passionate relationship of Divine love.
In this time of scandal when distrust in the leaders of our Catholic Church is real and often justified, we can look at the four marks of Catherine Doherty’s faith with hope and joy. She doesn’t say faith comes from a priest, a bishop or any one person but her faith comes from a lived relationship, yes within the Church, but more importantly in love with those in her life as she recognizes the presence of Jesus Christ in each person she meets. During times of stress
we often want to isolate ourselves and not talk about the hurt, the pain and the loneliness caused by the grave sin of abuse in our Church but we see the healing only in our relationship of love with God, His holy Church—which is each of us united around the one altar in sacrificial love.Perhaps, we could take one more peace of advice from this holy women as she is asked, “(W)hat can be done to alleviate the loneliness that many of us feel? Is it talking it out to someone, or listening to someone?” She responds, “That’s it” listening. Listening with love. You don’t have to be a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a consultant…Listen because you love this person.” (p 72)
Please continue to pray for the sanctification, purification and healing of our Catholic Church.
God Bless
Fr. Mark