Prepare the way of the Lord. – Mark 1:1-8

Our Advent journey continues this Sunday, as we are reminded to “prepare the way of the Lord.” In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist is presented to us as a model during Advent. Like him, we are messengers in service to one who is greater than we are. That’s what discipleship is all about. Today, we’d like to introduce our faith community to the new chair of CMMB’s board of directors, Rosemary Moynihan, SC, Phd.  Sister Rosemary is general superior of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, located in Convent Station, New Jersey. She shares:

Sister Rosemary Moynihan is CMMB's first female board chair.“The Kingdom of God is peace and justice, right relationships, the lion and the lamb. People use the lion and the lamb and they don’t get it. That is the gospel. Everyone has the right to dignity. Everyone has the right to an education. Everyone has the right to a home, to meaningful work, to participation, to a just environment where they’re of value. It’s who we are. It’s what it is. I want to help people make the connection between the Gospel and what we see every day, whether it’s here in the states, or in Haiti, or Peru, or South Sudan. It’s all the same. Man, woman, or child, born and unborn, are created in the image of God. Life is God and deserving of dignity.”

I’m really honored to do this. I pray that I can bring my little piece to this work. I’m a little in awe, because being a religious, I’m standing on the shoulders of all these lay people for over 100 years, who have really kept working at evolving the work of CMMB. And here I come, from a little different lifestyle, but bringing 400 years of the traditions of St. Vincent De Paul.

I’m a Daughter of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, who brought the rule of St. Vincent De Paul to the United States. The founder of CMMB, Dr. Flagg, was a physician from St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. So I thought, isn’t it wonderful that I’m able to make that connection. Dr. Flagg was at the beginning, and I’m here now, 100 years later, to maybe restate the mission of St. Vincent De Paul again, to bring that dimension to the mission of CMMB—that is, asking those with resources to share with those without, so that we can make society a better place for everybody.”

St. Vincent De Paul said, “Charity is the cement which binds communities to God, and persons to one another.” His words are an important reminder that by working together, we can do so much more. Advent is a journey that brings us closer as a community, and closer to Jesus, one day at a time. On the Second Sunday of Advent, we’re blessed by Sister Rosemary, and by faithful friends like you.