Sibling Vocations, Ctd.

OK, I wrote a blog entry last week about twin brothers who were priests. Now, Our Sunday Visitor has an article about siblings who are priests and/or religious. It seems to be the tip of the iceberg of interesting family vocation stories.

Father Bill Wack and Father Neil Wack, Congregation of Holy Cross. Their great-uncle was a Holy Cross priest at the University of Notre Dame.

Sister Mary Catherine Titus, Sister Martha Ann Titus,  and Sister Mary Rita Titus are all members of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. Their mother thought that their older brother Mark would be a priest, but he married and has 11 children.

Father Terrence Coonan and Father Matthew Coonan, from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. A priest once told them that a family of 4 brothers should have one vocation. Each brother said, ” My brother will do it.”

In the Hopkins family, there is one religious sister and three priests. Father John said, “Our parents taught us at a very young age that the only important thing was to do God’s will. “They didn’t talk a lot about vocations, but they did talk about how we had to use our gifts not selfishly, but for others.”

For the complete story, visit the OSV website.


You Shall Run and Not Grow Weary

On March 10, 2012, the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Tonopah, Arizona, an IRL Affiliate Community, held their 3rd Annual Nun Run to raise funds to continue the building Our Lady of Solitude Monastery. Previous runs allowed them to complete for the most part their chapel. Current funds will be used for the monastery enclosure walls.

The run attracted 1,135 runners and walkers and “shadow” participants from around the world, including Rome and Zambia. Runners wore shirts with this year’s motto from Isaiah 40:31: “You Shall Run and Not Grow Weary.”

The nuns, the first contemplative order in the Phoenix diocese, arrived in 2005. Eucharistic Adoration is their apostolate, for as their Foundress, Mother Marie of St. Claire, once said: “We are adorers of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the purpose of our adoration is thanksgiving.”  Essentially, they begin to do on earth what every blessed soul will do for all eternity:  praise, adore, and offer thanksgiving to our God.

For the complete article, visit the National Catholic Register website.