SISTER PAULA SCHMIDT, OSsR July 2, 1930-july 10, 2026

 

Our Sister Paula Schmidt, OSsR, entered heaven on July 10, 2026 at the age of 96. She was born in Grand Rapids and was the fourth of six brothers and sisters.  

Here are some stories Sister Paula told about when she was little:

Paula was three years old when her brother Tom was born.  Her father told her that her mother received a note from God and that she was to go downtown to get the baby.  Paula was a bright child – she wanted to see God’s handwriting!  She was sorely disappointed when it was not saved.

When Paula was learning her prayers, she thought that as boys said “Amen!”
and girls should say, “A-women!”     An early feminist in the making! 

At one of Paula’s early visits to the confessional, Paula told the priest she
had committed adultery.  He said “Excuse me?  When did you do that,”
‘Oh,’ she replied, ‘When I was trying to act and think like an adult.’

In 1950, she left college on Easter Saturday to enter the Redemptoristine Nuns in Toronto, Canada. The nuns striking red, white and blue habit symbolizes God’s abundant mercy and pure love. This set them apart, not only visually, but the contemplative monastic charism spoke to this young woman’s heart who took the name Sister Mary Peter
of Jesus at her first profession on May 3, 1952. Five years later, she, with five other sisters, went the first foundation of Redemptoristines in the US on the property of Mount St. Alphonsus, Esopus, NY. 

Sister Paula was an avid reader of spiritual books and the Commonweal magazine, as well as novels.  She enjoyed studying the writing of our Foundress, Bl. M. Celeste Crostarosa and St. Alphonsus Liguori and sharing the charism.  She also had a strong competitive side, whether playing table tennis or Scrabble.  

A great letter writer, Sister Paula corresponded for many years with a man imprisoned and, with a circle of friends, helped gain his release in 2018 after 30 years of incarceration.       

Sister Paula’s quiet, steady presence at meetings was a source of wisdom at many a Redemptoristine General Assembly in Italy.  But most important to her was her life 

of prayer to which she dedicated many long hours. She was especially devoted to the Holy Redeemer and Our Mother of Perpetual Help in remembering her family, friends and the world in prayer.  Sister Paula died as she lived: a woman of great faith.

When we got the news that she had passed,
we opened Paula’s tote bag that still contained her birthday helium balloon and it escaped, taking flight up to the ceiling.  What a wonderful sign that our Sister made to heaven.

Eternal light shine upon her. 
May she rest in peace.
Amen.

 On this third Sunday of July, we Redemptoristines, along with our Redemptorist priests, brothers and associates around the world, celebrate
the Solemnity of the Most Holy Redeemer.  The official name of the Redemptoristines is actually the Order
of the Most Holy Redeemer.

This feast celebrates the mystery of our salvation:  God the Father gives the Son, born of the Virgin Mary, to become the living image of God’s own Love and by the Love of the Son who, in giving Himself for us, restores us to our original dignity.   This abundant outpouring of love is revealed today in our Redemptorist family by our witnessing, through prayer and mission, to Christ’s life of love for the salvation of the world.

Twice this past weekend, I had the opportunity to witness reflections of God’s Love. The first was my nephew’s  wedding to his beautiful bride.  They looked at each other with such love as they were united together in a life of love:  ‘…to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, all the days of my life.’ 

The second was when I visited my friend in the nursing home.  At one point her husband passed by the window where we were sitting and she looked with such love at the door then: expectant, waiting.  He appeared at the threshold with the same look of love. A redemptive love that said, ‘I am here for you, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish you all the days of my life.’ 

By loving as God does, Jesus, the visible image of God, restores us to our original dignity.  These two couples reveal to each other, and to us, the Life of Love that restores us, unites us, redeems us.  

                                                                                                 First published 7/2019

       One hundred sixty years ago, Pope Pius IX put into the hands of the Redemptorists the ancient icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help to make her known throughout the world. Since then, this icon of great veneration and fame for its miracles has been treasured in every corner of the world in countless churches, shrines and homes.

    As we gaze into the gentle, welcoming eyes of Mary, we find encouragement to ask her to intercede for us in all our needs.  As the late Pope Frances said, “She is the Mama who takes us by the hand toward Jesus.”     Let us take her hand.

We join you in praying the novena June 18-26 in honor of our Mother of Perpetual Help for all your special intentions.  May she hold you close to her heart and present all your special petitions and thanksgivings to her Beloved Son.  And may our Generous God grant you abundant blessings of health in mind, body and spirit.

          NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Mary, help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console
the sorrowful, be the advocate of all the clergy and religious, strengthen family life, bring peace to our world, intercede for all God’s holy people;
let all feel your aid who implore your Perpetual Help.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.   That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us your Mother Mary, whose miraculous image we venerate, to be our Mother ever ready to help us, grant we pray, that we who earnestly implore her aid may deserve to enjoy perpetually the fruit of your redemption. You who live and reign for ever and ever.  Amen.

We will celebrate Mass in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Mass on Friday, June 26, 2026 at 11:30 am with Redemptorist Fr. Kevin MacDonald in the chapel of the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, NY.

All are welcome.

ALLELUIA! 

We are half way through the Easter Season and awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

Many people associate their receiving the Holy Spirit at Confirmation as some sort of graduation.  In reality, it is the beginning of a life-long adventurous journey to unity with the Trinity. By the way we live our Spirit-filled lives, open to the changing signs of our times, we daily draw closer to our loving God in our words and actions.  Our Foundress, Blessed Celeste Crostarosa, put it this way: “God unites you to the Blessed Trinity in a way that God lives in a human person and a human person lives in God  with the life of Godself.” 

We are invited at Pentecost, and Confirmation, to join in the dance of the Trinity.  It is an eternal dance of union with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Here we join hands and move in a circular motion with the Trinity: giving, receiving, indwelling.  Weaving together the gifts, graces and fruits we have received from God with the guiding inner spirit of love, we offer to others respect, goodness and mercy for the salvation of all humanity.  Then we shall dance with Triune God and one another. 

                                                                                    ALLELUIA!

 Holy Saturday ~ Rhubarb

Excerpt from Sr. Moira Quinn’s presentation: The Flowers and Saints of Lent.

After Joseph of Arimathea had taken Jesus’ body down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in which no one had yet been buried. It was the day of preparation, and the sabbath was about to begin.  The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed behind, and saw the tomb and the way in which his body was laid. They returned to town and pre-pared spices and perfumed oils. And then they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  ^{Luke 23:53-56}

What was Jesus’ experience in the tomb?  The Apostles’ Creed declares that Christ ‘... descended into hell; (and) on the third day rose again from the dead.’

Look, the Victor over death, Jesus, clasps the first hand he sees, Joseph, his earthly

father.  And right behind Joseph is John the Baptist, his cousin and faithful forerunner and proclaimer of the Lamb of God. Between them, I believe is Mary’s aunt Elizabeth, John’s mother, the first one to recognize Mary as ‘Mother of my Lord.’ Following them are a multitude of holy souls redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice. And with them, all those ready to hear the Word of God and begin new life in Christ.  ‘For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. He was put to death physically, but made alive spiritually, and in his spiritual existence he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits.’ ^{1 Peter 3:18-20a}

I paired this solemn day with Rhubarb.   Rhubarb was known by the ancient Greeks for its medicinal powers.  It is at once a symbol of warding off of evil AND reawakening and new beginnings.  After a barren winter, to see the quickly growing blood-red rhubarb stalks with its new yellow leaves emerge from the cold ground reminds one of the Passion of Christ and the Easter candle that banish the darkness.  Rhubarb could be thought of as an allegory of the time between Jesus’ death and resurrection.  A symbol of hope and healing while silence covers the earth on this solemn day.

MARCH BEAUTY

 It seems our world has become sullied - divided by harsh rhetoric. To what or whom can we turn?

“Beauty is a gift of the Spirit that nourishes and heals our souls, for ultimately, Beauty is but another name for God.”   Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND 

 “The soul craves beauty.”    Thomas Moore, The Care of the Soul

Beauty is all around.  We need only to open our eyes, ears and heart to see, hear and experience that “Each day in our world Beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history.”  Pope Francis

Because God loves us and God created beauty, “Beauty is nothing other than love, and love is life.” St. Augustine

How can we be beautiful and show that love is our life?  What can we do to “Be creative in order to achieve peace.”  Pope Francis

We must simply all do our part because “Beauty will save the world.”  Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot

Jesus is BEAUTY, and said to our foundress Bl. Celeste: “Enter into my Heart and admire the beauty of these images which I created in my own likeness, and be no longer surprised that I should have come down from Heaven and died for them on the Cross: my own Love did all this.”

And Bl. Celeste, who set her heart on higher realms, responded: “Nothing, neither the beauty of all the created things in this world, nor the immensity of the sea, nor all the ornaments of the heavens; nor the wealth of the rich, or the kings or lords of the earth, nor the honors of the great, can ever satisfy a heart capable of possessing Your Infinite Good.”

In God’s eyes our images are beautiful. Therefore, in loving God in return, we are capable of being beautiful to one another. Let it be so.

WORRIED? WHO ME?

 Have you ever been worried?   Just keeping up with the news is cause enough.    We all have our share of worries:  illness and aging, family dramas, the threat to democracy, monster storms of fire, rain, snow, and . . . .     

Take heart! There are things we can do to shift our minds and hearts from worries – like celebrating:  February 1^st is St. Bridgit’s Day and the first day of Spring in Ireland. February 2^nd is the Presentation of the Lord – ‘the Light of Christ has come into the world,’ and Consecrated Life Sunday celebrating vowed persons who reflect Christ’s light.  (And we take down our Christmas decorations.)    For those who are interested, there is the Super Bowl.  Valentines Day.  Mardi Gras. President's Day. Lunar New Year of the Horse, Feb 17-March 5.  

There is also Ash Wednesday and Lent. Technically, not a time of celebration but, we do sing at the Exsultet at the Easter Vigil: "O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam and Eve, which gained for us so great and glorious a Redeemer!"   This reminds us to laugh.  Julian of Norwich laughed at the powerlessness of the devil and rejoiced at Jesus’ victory over death.  “Joy is resistance.” says Dr. Maria J. Stephen, a Catholic consultant on non-violent protest. 

They say rubbing a worry stone calms the soul.  This, along with prayer, slows our heartbeat and releases the oxytocin hormone leaving you with a feeling of peace and connection.  

If we look to the foundress of the Redemptoristines, we see that Blessed Celeste had worries also, such as being labeled delusional, expelled from the monastery and investigated by the Inquisition.  While praying on the God/Man Jesus’ humiliating death on the cross, Jesus invited her to “Give your attention to the treasure which I revealed to you on the cross in which my eternal glory is enclosed.”

In faith and prayer, she responded, “The sweetnesses of your infinite glory are hidden in your humiliations!  How can I ever thank you as you invite me to keep you company on the cross as you gaze on me with your divine light.”

Could our worries be treasures, too?  By our own faith and prayer, we can grow and experience transformation as we are being rubbed smooth when we unite ourselves to Jesus on the cross and discover the graces and gifts in the sweet acceptance of those hidden graces of the crosses we bear.

Let us look on the cross, polish our worry stones and then bask calmly in the merciful gaze of Christ’s divine light and love, and laugh as we begin this Lenten season.