F.L.O.W.cast

Birdbanding at Jubilee Farm

Today our guests are Tony Rothering, who teaches biology at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield and Angelea Cook, a biology student, who works with Tony managing the bird banding site at Jubilee Farm.  

Next week marks the tenth anniversary of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis ground-breaking encyclical about the urgent need to care for Earth, our common home. In addition, this year, we celebrate a quarter-century of care for creation at Jubilee Farm.

Hospice Care: Uniting body, mind, and spirit at the end of life

The hospice nurse carries a pocketful of medical tools; the chaplain, a pocketful of the Word of God. This is how hospice nurse Cyndi Lawson describes nurse-chaplain collaboration in hospice care. We will learn more from Cyndi and Sister Kelly as they share insights into their ministry during this edition of FLOWcast, a podcast “For the Life of the World” from the Dominican Sisters of Springfield. After their conversation, I talk with Springfield Dominican Associate Marianne Chevalier about her experience with hospice in the final weeks of her husband Dan’s life. Dan died at home in December 2023. 

Twenty years of SDART

What difference has it made that for two decades the Dominican Sisters of Springfield have been working to dismantle systems that perpetuate racism? In this episode, we talk with two founders of SDART—that's the Springfield Dominican Antiracism Team—about why they persist in their efforts, what difference it's made and why their work is still necessary today. 

Dominican Dreams and Visions: Travels with Sister Mila Diaz Solano

What does the future hold for the Order of Preachers?  

After completing a term in elected leadership for the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Sister Mila Diaz Solano was freer to travel and engage in the scholarship and global dialogue that is her passion. In this conversation she unpacks her experience to share her “dreams and visions” for the future of Dominican life worldwide. 

Coffee Ecumenism: A hope for the future of Christianity

Is coffee the key to Christian unity? During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Dr. Jon Nilson, professor emeritus of Theology, Loyola University Chicago joins Sister Beth Murphy for a conversation about ecumenism in light of the most recent synod’s “conversations in the Spirit” about the ways Christian unity can enrich Catholicism, lead to a more synodal church, and bring about deep healing in the Body of Christ. Coffee and other seemingly mundane things may be the key.

Christmas Lights: Real-life Christmas Tales from the Dominican Sisters

This time of year, Christmas memories flash on like the lights on our Christmas trees. Here are some joyful, exuberant, touching true tales from four of our Dominican Sisters. 

Together we will: Leadership Team Roundtable

Three months into their term of service as leaders for the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, the new team discusses their approach to implementing the decisions of the 2024 General Chapter, their thoughts on leadership, and the changing realities for consecrated women religious.

Changing lives for English-language learners

Challenges related to language-learning for immigrant women often mean they are among the last in their families to learn English. The Springfield Dominican Sisters have opened a new literacy center to meet the language-learning needs of women and we need volunteer tutors to join us.

Sister Katherine O'Connor and tutor-volunteer Tammy McCormick talk about the new center and the rewards of being in relationship with women passionate about learning English.

Good News: Listening to Gods Word Together

Our focus is the Sunday liturgy. The Catholic Church, and other Christian traditions, too, use a lectionary, a kind of schedule of readings from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, so worshipers can know what biblical texts will be used on any given Sunday. Here our guests share their experience preparing for Sunday liturgy using lectio divina—“holy reading.” Sister Phyllis has led a lectio divina group for several years, and Sister Jude has been a faithful participant. Here they share the fruits of what they’ve learned from this fruitful way of preparing for preparation in the Sunday assembly at Mass.

The Web of Life: Gardening with a purpose

Gardening is good for the soil—and good for the soul. Springfield Dominican Sister Kristin Crawford shares lessons from the permaculture garden at Jubilee Farm with our Dominican Associate John Malanchak, who talks about the impact of gardening with persons with disabilities.