SR PAULINE QUINN'S JOURNEY OF HOPE: June 2008

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

LIFE ON THE CUTTING EDGE ~ Don't be afraid to share your story.

After years of torture and abuse then going out to help thousands, shunned and rejected by people who should have been of love but were not, I am sharing my story.

I want to encourage people to share who you are, take risks. If people reject you, there are others out there that will not. If people do not understand you, find people who will.

Life on the Cutting Edge is a story of Pain and Hope and a willing drive to help others who also suffer from trauma.

http://srpaulina.webs.com/

DISPOSABLE HEROS

'Disposable Heroes': Veterans Used To Test Suicide-Linked Drugs

ABC NEWS VIDEO CLICK HERE

VIDEO PART ONE CLICK
VIDEO PART TWO CLICK

Saturday, June 7, 2008

WHAT DID SAINTS LOOK LIKE

The SAINTS

CLICK HERE

AND
CLICK HERE AND CLICK HERE

READ MY FRIEND ANN BALLS BOOK ON SAINTS

Ann Ball has written over 25 books. She wrote about the saints and about the Catholic life.

(Ann Ball has just died, June 2008 leaving so many dear friends. Please keep her in your prayers.

Our Sunday visitor tribute to Ann, click here)

Ann wrote about my life which you can see click here...

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

St Caterina Benincasa Dominican Monastery

WELCOME

Holy Spirit Catholic Church ~ Our Lady of Peace shrine on left

Caterina Benincasa Monastery on right in back.

Painting of St Catherine by Sr Mary Grace op

St Catherine

All things are possible for those who believe

Our Lady of Peace

This statue is 33 feet high and on the site of the site of the St Caterina Benincasa Dominican Monastery

Bishop Michael Saltarelli blessing the Monastery on the feast of St Catherine of Siena

Fr Timothy Nolan pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church on the grounds of the Monastery

Visiting Dominican Bishop from the Solomon Islands Chris Cardone, OP on right at the end of table and Fr Steven op on left.

See the art, cards of Dominican artist Sr Mary Grace OP

click here

Sr Mary Grace painting

Let us pray for one another

Nicky the Dominican Dog in front of the

shrine of Our Lady of Peace

St Caterina Benincasa Dominican Monastery
6 Church Drive
New Castle, Delaware 19720
302 654-1206

Saint Catherine was born Catherine Benincasa in Siena, Italy, to Giacomo di Benincasa, a cloth-dyer, and Lapa Piagenti, a daughter of a local poet. She was the 23rd out of 25 children, and her twin sister died at birth.

Catherine received no formal education, and at the age of seven she consecrated her virginity to Christ despite her family's opposition. Her parents wanted her to live a normal life and marry, but against her parents' will, she dedicated her life to praying, meditating and living in total solitude into her late teens. At the age of sixteen, she took the habit of the Dominican Tertiaries.

Catherine dedicated her life to helping the ill and the poor, where she took care of them in hospitals or homes. She rounded up a group of followers, both women and men, and traveled with them along Northern Italy where they asked for a reform of the clergy, the launch of a new crusade and advised people that repentance and renewal could be done through "the total love for God." Catherine also dedicated her life to the study of religious texts.

Blessed Margaret of Castello a Dominican Who Was Moved to Help The Poor, Unwanted, and Marginalized

The journey to somewhere is never a smooth pathway

Many people suffer all their life because of terrible things that have happened to them. They don't want to be labeled or judged. They don't want people to think badly about them.

People who have disabilities often feel that they will not be liked because they might be different in one way or another. It is terrible what they have to go through because of the indifference of so many people in our society.

I say... stand up for yourselves even if it hurts to do so.

I say... don't let people's negative views of you, because of their own insecurities, cast you away or make you feel less than anyone else.

God is good and loves us all.

I lived in 14 different institutions as a young girl because of family dysfuntion, running away from the fights and abuse. I was sexually and physically tortured even in the institutions; later I was homeless living in abandoned buildings, losing all hope and having no friends.

Because of the extent of abuse I suffered and the lenght of time without anyone to speak to about it, I developed self abuse syndrome and life time Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Most people don't understand nor make an effort to understand but I can't control what they do, only how I respond to it.

Through a very long road I pulled myself up, giving God and His mercy the credit in saving my life. I became a Dominican, helping many people around the world as a simple servant who cares about the poor and unwanted.

No one should ever be ashamed because of the evils of others who hurt you or be afraid of what people will think of you to talk about it or feel defeated when others don't understand.

Don't be afraid to say "I belong" and if they don't like it or accept it, it is their problem ~ not yours! God came to love and help YOU. He created you as special no matter what we look like or our walk in life. Remember that. I shared my story with you to show you that all things are possible with God and no one needs to be ashamed of what might have happened to you along life's way.

Sr Paulina Quinn op

srpauline@pathwaystohope.org

Don't be afraid to share your journey

I share my life, not to boast with pride as if I am any better than anyone else, for I am not.

It is difficult for me to share... to be exposed but I do so for the sake of others who are trapped into the space of not seeing that they can be something different than they are or feel.

I was once there. I had no hope. I felt like I was the worst person in all the world. I had tortured myself for 25 years because people, by the way they treated me as a child and into my adult life, pulled from me any self worth I had.

It was through friends who believed in me, the knowledge of God's love and mercy and through those in power in Dominican Order in Rome who welcomed me as I am, not afraid or embarrassed to see me as their sister... which gave me the courage to do all the work I have for the Lord, deeply rooted in the spirit of truth and justice that is so much a part of my life. I've been a Dominican for 24 years.

Sr Pauline Quinn OP

FORGIVE

The greatest act of faith that we can do is to forgive others their faults and failings. I was traumatized for much of my life. No one will pay for what was done to me, but I don't have any hate or bitterness for them.

If people have hurt us within the church, don't give up the church because of a few. You are the church and belong there.

I have met my share of hurtful people ~priests and religious and others who have judged and treated me horrible. But there is no person on earth that will pull me away from where I belong.

Stand with your head up and move forward, praying for those who have hurt you and by doing this, you will find God.

THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE