Philippine dreamed big and listened wide for the voice, the call, of God. Whether working with those in need closer to home in Grenoble, or giving herself to a pull that would take her away from that which was physically familiar and ever deeper into the diverse terrain of the Heart where she made her true home, Philippine responded with disponibilite, creativity, and a broad, inclusive desire to make God's love known.
With fervor, she talked and wrote openly of her desires, her thoughts, her discernment with God. My contemporary imagination easily hears her saying year after year "and, oh, by the way ... if you need someone to cross an ocean and start something new ... I'm still open because that is where I believe God is calling me to go."
It is one thing to have the dream. It is another still to voice it. But it is something else altogether to drop everything and go forward once approval comes ... to go when the cost is dear and the unknowns looming; to go prayerfully and with courage; to say Yes and walk on knowing that doubt, fear, and challenge will be probable companions and might sometimes even gain the upper hand temporarily; to say Yes above all else to sharing the Love to which I too have given my life.
That level of freedom, that intensity of commitment to dreaming and discerning, to the Society, to God, and to God's people, is one of the qualities I admire most about Philippine.
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A Prayer of Dedication to Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
When we are asked to be bold and courageous,
You are our inspiration
When our imaginations dream and see beyond the limits of our sight,
You are our hope
When we fail to meet a challenge and need to accept our limitations,
You are our model
When we pray with the desire for deep union with God,
You are our Saint
And with your blessing, to the greater glory of God, we seek to be loving people who live and serve others with your same purpose, vision, and quiet humility.
Amen.
Kimberly M. King, rscj
