The first week of the month is special in the prayer life of a Daughter of St. Paul. Why? Each day in the first week of the month is dedicated to a different Pauline devotion. These devotions are a regular part of our lives and of our prayer life, but as each month starts we remind ourselves of this by praying special prayers. I want to share some of them with you, so that maybe you can create your own devotions for the first week of the month! Monday: Monday is dedicated to St. Paul. He is...

From the many writings that Blessed James Alberione left to the Daughters of St. Paul, here are the three things that he encouraged us to think about during Lent. As you enter into your Lenten journey, may these thoughts help you to draw closer to Jesus and to receive his love—which is what Lent is all about! “Let us draw encouragement from three things. First: Jesus crucified. Let us picture the sufferings Jesus endured during his passion: the scourgings, the spits of the soldi...

February is "Mother Thecla Month" for the Daughters of St. Paul—the month when we remember the birthday (February 20) and the anniversary of death (February 5) of our co-foundress, Venerable Mother Thecla Merlo. Mother Thecla has much to teach us about drawing close to God, about listening to him and following his will for our lives, and about living in love. In her own words…. Trust: By myself I can do nothing, but with you everything is possible. You are my All. I h...

This Saturday, we will celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. This feast calls us to live like St. Paul---in utter honesty and transparency with God, in untiring gift of self toward others, and with our eyes always on Jesus who has both emptied us and filled us. St. Paul calls us to live like Jesus! Here is a meditation by Sr. Emily Beata on St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians. St. Paul the Apostle, pray for us! Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in ...

Today (January 16), the Daughters of St. Paul begin the novena in preparation for the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul (January 25). This novena prepares us to celebrate the Conversion of our spiritual father, St. Paul, with hearts that are ready to be converted just as his was. This is the hymn that we will be praying every day. It is part biography of St. Paul, part prayer that we can follow his example of proclaiming the Gospel with his life and remaining attached to Jesus in his heart. We...

Reflecting with the “O Antiphons” From www.usccb.org: The Roman Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Thei...

Our Sisters are often called upon to appear on podcasts, radio, and TV, or to be interviewed by various news outlets and social media personalities. We’re always happy about this for a few reasons. First, it gives us an opportunity to share the good news of God’s love in our life and in our community. We love getting the Good News out there!Second, it also gives us an opportunity to personally meet, interact with, and pray for those who work in the media. This is a key part of o...

Recently, I received a reminder that my spiritual life is--surprise, surprise!--NOT about me! I was talking with a Sister, and she shared this insight with me: the spiritual life is not so much about looking at ourselves as it is about looking at God. If we start by looking at Him and listening to Him, then we can be sure that we are on the right path. Likewise for discernment--we are not at the center of our discernment, God is! The Holy Spirit is! So, the discernment tip of the day is--lo...

This week, meet Sr. Mary Margaret! Currently stationed in Boston, Sr. Mary Margaret has LOTS of experience as a Daughter of St. Paul. She has traveled all over the country (and the world!) and has great advice for living a life of prayer and discernment. She is a woman of deep prayer, and among her Sisters, she is famous for her love of popcorn!What is your name? Sr Mary MargaretWhere are you from originally? Rochester, NYHow long have you been a Sister? I have been in the convent for 63 years, ...

“Arise, go on your journey, trusting in the Promise.” This is a very special month for us. From September 5 to October 5, 2019, our 11th General Chapter is taking place in Rome. The General Chapter is a congregation-wide meeting that takes place every six years. It reflects on the past six years, sets goals for the upcoming six years, and elects the new Mother General and General Government for the congregation. Needless to say, it’s pretty important!Sixty Sisters are part...

August is traditionally known as the “month of heaven,” because during August we celebrate the feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven (August 15), and the feast of the coronation of Mary as Queen of heaven and earth (August 22). Bl. James Alberione and Mother Thecla Merlo always encouraged us to look to heaven and think of paradise, especially when things are tough. Here are two prayers written by Bl. Alberione and Mother Thecla to help you do just that!Mary our Queen, Mother, a...

"Salvation" is a big word...but in reality, it is a very daily concept. Salvation takes place precisely in our day-to-day lives. Sr. Christina Miriam wrote about this for the Boston College newspaper:"As you spend these days of Lent, consider the ways you have experienced the salvation of the Lord in your life. Where do you see the providence of the Lord? Where has the mercy of God touch you? ...As we journey toward Easter, are there aspects of your life and heart that are crying ...

For Daughters of St. Paul around the world, February is affectionately known as “Mother Thecla Month.” Our co-foundress, Venerable Mother Thecla Merlo was born on February 20, 1894, and died on February 5, 1964. This year marks the 55th anniversary of her death.Born in northern Italy, the young Teresa Merlo was already an active leader in her parish, despite frail health that had prevented her from joining the Cottolengo Sisters. At the age of 21, she met a young priest, Father James...

The Daughters of St. Paul Holy Week Discernment Retreat!We invite single young women ages 18-33 who are discerning a vocation to the religious life are invited to consider our Holy Week Discernment Retreat 2019! The retreat will take place Wednesday, April 17-Monday, April 22, 2019 at our Novitiate House in Boston. It includes Mass, community prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, a silent retreat day on Good Friday, conferences, an experience of our mission, the celebrations of the Sacred Triduum and E...

It’s the third week of Advent! The cleaning continues, even though by now the big jobs are done and finally, along with the clean smell of windows and floors scrubbed until they shine, we can begin to smell something delicious in their air. And we begin to feel a desire to share and to communicate…without our even knowing it, a smile appears on our faces: our guest is near!Gospel of the Third Week of AdventLuke 3:10-18The crowds asked John the Baptist,“What should we do?&rdquo...

It’s the second week of Advent! We’ve cleaned the “windows,” that is, we’ve cleared a way for our eyes to see what is truly necessary for our life; now it’s time to clean the “floors,” which are the base, the foundation of our life, that support our whole house.Gospel of the Second Sunday of AdventIn the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,and his brother Philip ...

Advent is a privileged time for growing closer to Jesus, and for placing your discernment in his hands. Beginning today, and for each of the four weeks of Advent, we invite you to join us for a weekly “appointment” online. Each Sunday you will find a reflection on the Sunday Gospel, inviting you to consider these three points: What will you take away that you do not need? What will you prepare? And what will you say to Jesus, the awaited Guest?

Here is a lovely prayer to the Holy Spirit to help you in your daily discernment of seeking and embracing God's will, and your vocational discernment. And here is the text of both the advice and actual prayer, written by Cardinal Mercier:I am going to reveal to you the secret of sanctity and happiness. Every day for five minutes control your imagination and close your eyes to all the noises of the world in order to enter into yourself. Then, in the sanctuary of your baptized soul (...

How much praying does a sister do, and why is prayer such an important part of a sister's life?

When I started discerning with the Daughters of St. Paul, one of the first things I wanted to know was how the Daughters prayed. What were their main devotions? Postulant Allison Gliot sums up the Eucharistic, Marian, and Pauline devotions of the Daughters of Saint Paul.