Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM, Author at The Catholic Miscellany

A too-familiar story needs to inspire change in our hearts

June 22, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

In this column I will be telling, in brief, the tale of two men — and more. One of the masterpieces painted by Henry Ossawa Tanner is my all-time favorite depiction of the Blessed Virgin Mary. […]

Making some sense of the Trinity

June 5, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

When Sister Philomena tried to wrap the minds of second-graders around the concept of the Blessed Trinity, she used an egg. There’s the white, the yolk, and the shell, she explained, but it’s all one […]

Piecing together ecumenical and interfaith understanding

May 21, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

Sometimes imagining how the hundreds of groups which call themselves Christian might ever come together is as challenging as spilling out 1,000 pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and asking a family which has never done […]

What good can come from this?

May 7, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

We’ve been hearing some dire warnings about a possible resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall and winter. We have also heard about the likely slowness of economic recovery, which can mean continued unemployment, closing of […]

In the absence of the usual props, we must focus on God

April 23, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

It’s been hard not to feel as though we’ve all been transported to an edgy fantasyland or a slightly earth-like but yet unearthly planet. When we do our calculated forays to the grocery store, everyone there […]

We’ve had a strange fasting this Lent

April 9, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

Those of us who have attended Holy Thursday’s liturgy for decades could never have imagined this year’s. We have always assumed that we would be eyewitnesses to the washing of feet, receive Communion, play a […]

Survivor’s guilt is real

March 26, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

Even Pope Francis seems to be affected by it. The first time I encountered the phenomenon termed survivors’ guilt was when a young Girl Scout drowned at our regional camp. Her grandparents wondered aloud why […]

Christ’s most radical teaching hits home

March 12, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

Shortly before this Lent started, I intercepted an unexpected phone call. One of the long-time volunteers at the St. Francis Center on St. Helena Island was immersed in one of her projects — grant-writing, creating […]

Why we must continually confront racism

February 28, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

This June marks five years since the shootings at Mother Emanuel in Charleston. Around the state, a number of observances of this tragic anniversary are planned. In preparation, there have been ongoing gatherings focused on […]

Having a feel-good 40 days

February 14, 2020 Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM

February’s liturgical calendar has us turning attention to illness and pain. On Feb. 3, the memorial of St. Blaise, we have our throats blessed, and the familiar prayer includes a request that we will be […]