Thursday, May 29, 2008

On the Feast of the Visitation, pray for the Sisters of Life

When my sister was a Jewish elementary-school student at Trinity Episcopal School in Galveston, Texas, one of her best friends was an extremely bright boy named Vincent Uher. I was very little back then, but remember Vincent as a delight to be around.

My sister grew up to be a rabbi, and Vincent grew up to be an Episcopal priest. A few years ago, I became interested in locating Vincent when I learned he had converted to Catholicism and was active in Houston's parish that follows the Anglican Use, Our Lady of Walsingham. He and I now correspond, and I am very thankful for how God has led each of us into the heart of the Communion of Saints. Here is a lovely prayer request I received from him this week, in advance of the May 31 Feast of the Visitation:

Dear friends in Christ,

This isn't anything official as far as I know... just something God placed in my heart: in my novena for the Visitation I felt I should ask others to especially pray for the Sisters of Life in New York when we go to Mass for the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Elizabeth.

The superior of the Sisters of Life Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V. has long been a source of great inspiration to me -- and from a distance was key to my conversion to the Gospel of Life as taught faithfully by the Catholic Church. Her sisters are always such a joy and do such an important work. I hope you will pray for them and that you will look them up on the Internet. (Who knows perhaps some day God will grant that their order will establish a convent here in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.) In some ways the Sisters of Life are the late Cardinal O'Connor's most enduring gift to the Church and to our nation, and they are evidence of what a great Cardinal can accomplish for the sake of the Kingdom and the redemption of the lost and wandering.

http://sistersoflife.org/

I have attached a small image of the Sisters from their website, and I have attached my hymn on the Visitation. God bless us one and all through Jesus Christ.

Vincent Uher

Vincent attached these lyrics to his beautiful hymn on the Visitation, "Lo, How She Brings Life with Her"—click the image below to see it full-size.