Sister Colleen Gibson SSJ – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

Homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time with Sr. Colleen Gibson SSJ

On this 33rd Sunday in ordinary time, the liturgical year is nearly over. And so our readings this week direct our attention to the end times as we prepare for the peace of Christ the King next weekend and then the beginning of Advent and the new liturgical year the weekend after that… Even in the darkest of times, because of our faith, we have a light to shine. And it is at this time in our world, especially when end times seem much more prevalent than light and resolutions, that I think there’s an even greater invitation to harness the fiery hope that guides our way in fear and trial…

Watch Sr. Colleen Gibson’s Homily for All Souls Day

Who wants to think about death – their own or that of others? The temptation is to pass over talk of death in favor of new life. Yet if our faith teaches us anything, it is that the negative space of death has the ability, like negative space in art, to reveal the beauty of the bigger picture.

All Souls’ Day, coupled with All Saints’ Day, invites us right into that space. It invites us to bridge the gap between life and death. It asks us to put our faith on full display. Faith in the resurrection. Faith that in the dying and the rising of the everyday we grow closer to Christ. Faith that no matter who we lose in this life to death, they are never lost to God.

Click play to watch video…

Bridging the Gap Between Life and Death – A Reflection by Sr. Colleen Gibson, SSJ

<i>Bridging the Gap Between Life and Death</i> – A Reflection by Sr. Colleen Gibson, SSJ

The Assumption reminds us our bodies are blessings

This column by Sr. Colleen Gibson, SSJ appeared in Global Sister Report on August 15, 2025

A few weeks ago, my beloved grandmother passed away. At 93 years old, she had lived a full life. Passing the news of her death along to friends, sisters, and colleagues came with a mix of emotions.

I was sad, for sure, and yet the fact that I had her in my life for nearly four decades was a blessing not lost on me.

As a woman I work with passed on her family’s condolences, she also conveyed her teenaged daughter’s amazement. “Sister still had her grandma?!” the girl remarked with shock and awe. The same was true of condolences from my sisters in community, many of whom underscored the blessing of my grandmother’s long presence in my life…

Prayer in Honor of the Queenship of Mary

A Reflection by Sr. Colleen Gibson, Coordinator of Pastoral Care, from the August issue of Give Us This Day

Soon after graduating from college, I found myself immersed as a yearlong volunteer in a trilingual parish. Dedicated to the Visitation, the parish brought together new immigrants and well-established neighbors to worship side by side. While each language group had their own Sunday liturgies, our shared celebrations were an amalgamation of Vietnamese, Spanish, and English. At daily Mass, a simple prompt to recite the Hail Mary would bring forth a symphony of praise as tongues as varied as the faces in the pews filled the packed basement chapel…

Attention Young Adults! Come Celebrate Summer & Get to Know the Priests In-Residence at St. Paul Rectory!

All Young Adults (age 21-40) are invited to this evening of fun and friendship over good food & lawn games on Saturday, July 26th following the 4PM Mass at St. Paul. Bring a side dish/chips/drinks or a friend and SJSP Young Adult Ministry will provide burgers and hot dogs! We’ll spread out on the lawn behind the rectory and look forward to a great time together.

Registration is appreciated but not required- so we have enough for everyone! Click HERE to let us know if you plan on joining us!

Sr. Colleen’s Interview on CNN’s Live Coverage of Pope Francis’ Funeral

Sister Colleen Gibson, SSJ and her co-host on the “Beyond the Habit” podcast, Sr. Erin McDonald, CSJ, were interviewed on CNN this morning during their pre-funeral coverage.

Sister Colleen and Sister Erin reflected on Pope Francis’ lasting impact, especially on women and young people – click the video below to watch!

In Case You Missed It: Watch “Hope in the Age of Isolation”
A Discussion with Sr. Colleen Gibson, SSJ and Br. Matt Wooters, SJ from Ignatian Young Adult Ministries

<i>In Case You Missed It</i>: Watch “Hope in the Age of Isolation”<br>A Discussion with Sr. Colleen Gibson, SSJ and Br. Matt Wooters, SJ from Ignatian Young Adult Ministries

Using the Ignatian concept of cura personalis (care of the whole person) as a starting point, Sr. Colleen Gibson, SSJ, and Br. Matt Wooters, SJ, explore more deeply what it means to put hope, joy and community at the heart of all we do.

In a world where we are often isolated, is it possible to put community at the center of our lives? How can we form communities of hope and joy?

Watch the video from Ignatian Young Adult Ministries below…

Catholic Schools Week: Fr. Gabriel and Sr. Colleen Share Vocation Stories with SJS Students

As part of this year’s Catholic Schools Week celebrations, Sr. Colleen and Fr. Gabriel visited with the 5th and 6th grade students at Saint John School to share about their own vocation stories and the call to priesthood and religious life. The group had a great discussion about how each of us is called by God and how Sister and Father live out their vocations each day.

The girls and boys at SJS had wonderful questions for their guests, including how old you have to be to be a priest/sister, what languages they speak, and what kind of jobs sisters and priests do. What a joy to share this time together celebrating vocations!

Watch the Recording: “Catholic Women DO Preach: Making Our Voices Heard” Panel Discussion

On Thursday, January 30, Sr. Colleen Gibson, our Coordinator of Pastoral Care, participated in a panel discussion at a book celebration sponsored by Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry and FutureChurch for Catholic Women Preach: Raising Voices, Renewing the Church, a collection of homilies offered by Catholic women from Cycle C in the Catholic lectionary (including Sr. Colleen!)

A panel discussion with Sr. Colleen, Kayla August, Margaret Eletta Guider, O.S.F., and Chanelle Robinson followed and was streamed live (recording available below.) The panelists offered historical, theological, and pastoral perspectives on the value of women’s voices in the Church and answered question posed by the audience.

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