no coincidences

It's no coincidence that I was raised by two devout Catholic parents who believed in Catholic education for their children. It's no coincidence that I was then educated by Benedictine Sisters from kindergarten through college. It's no coincidence that I majored in music and have had many opportunities to be active in music ministry in parishes wherever I have lived for over 35 years. It's no coincidence that I was once in a parish where one of the priests was longing to have a music ministry (that would eventually take him all over the country) and I became his informal accompanist every Friday afternoon for a couple of years so he could hone his singing talent. It's no coincidence that this same priest returned to my city to give his retreat at a parish that did not have an accompanist (a requirement for his retreat) so I asked if I could do it. It's no coincidence, then, that six months later, when the same parish was looking for a music director, the pastor remembered my playing at the retreat and the parish secretary called me to ask if I would apply for the job. It's no coincidence that I was hired and the church is next to the Franciscan Brothers of Peace friary. It's no coincidence that I have spent 6 years, accompanying for Mass at the convent of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. (I have learned so much from them.) It's no coincidence that I was hired to direct a pro-life crisis pregnancy center, where I have grown by leaps and bounds spiritually and become passionate about helping the unborn and their mothers. It's no coincidence that I grew up to be a wife and mother, where I learned about sacrifice and self-giving (AND have the most awesome children and grandchildren as a result!). It's no coincidence that my annulment did not magically bring forth a husband for me (!). It's no coincidence that I had the privilege to attend our auxiliary bishop's ordination last June. (It felt as though I was in heaven those 3 hours...the most beautiful Mass I have ever experienced.) It's no coincidence that this particular bishop is the one I have been feeling called to ask to be my spiritual director. It's no coincidence that I had an opportunity to speak with our auxiliary bishop tonight at a social function, asking him if I could meet with him--I told him why--and he said he could do it in February. It's no coincidence that I had enough time with him to tell him about our 13 year old client who was raped and is now pregnant, contemplating abortion and to ask him to pray for her. He asked for her name and he said he would pray for her.*

I believe all of these things and more have been overseen by God so that, one day, He would be able to offer me an opportunity to serve Him as a nun at a time I would be open to listening to what He had to say to me. Well, I'm not sure how my telling the bishop about the client led to this but I have a feeling it did and I will know how it did, eventually...

*I pray that, one day, I will be able to tell her child how an entire community--priests, brothers, sisters and a bishop, as well as many lay people--prayed for his or her safe delivery into this world.