“Everyone is called to sanctity.”
“Signs and wonders are what make people pay attention to the work of the Lord.”
“Love is the greatest gift, love conquers all!”
These are a few among the many inspiring things said by Fr. Dennis Gang, TOR, and Hana Simcikova (LCI ’03-04) in conversation with LCI alumni, staff, and supporters at the first in the Kartause Connection series, the weekly online meeting begun this month on October 1.
The conversation included comments and questions from the 30 participants from 12 countries around the globe, spanning 16 time zones from California to Beijing. The group was so diverse not only in nationality, but also walks of life: Roman and Byzantine Catholic priests, religious sisters, married and lay; teachers, politicians, moms and dads, missionaries, businessmen, and a physicist.
Everyone at the virtual meeting shared a connection to the Kartause, and thus to each other through shared experience of the life of the Church as it is lived out here.
In answer to the question about why it seems, even often, that God does not hear or answer our prayers, Hana reminded everyone of the passage of Scripture from the Letter of St. James, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly…” (James 4:3) and encouraged everyone to draw nearer to the Father, “Go to the heart of the Father, and then you will know how to ask! Maybe you need to forgive someone, maybe you need to give up sinful behavior. Just go to the Father, and you will receive so much!”
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants shared prayer intentions, which everyone offered to intercede for. It was very touching to be entrusted with praying for personal intentions from friends from around the world: for healing, for conversion, and for encouragement.
Hana again reminded us to entrust everything to God who loves us beyond measure and who takes care of everything in the whole world.
Amen!
If you would like to join a Kartause Connection conversation and haven’t received an invitation, just email: office (at) lciaustria (dot) org