We have received many requests for a Spanish language version of the Catholic Spiritual Gifts Inventory. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of several capable friends, especially Rafael Goldsmith of All Saints Church, Manassas, Virginia, Bishop Carlos Sevilla of Yakima, Washington, and Sister Maria de Jesús Ibarrou, op, we are pleased to announce the publication of a Spanish translation, expected to be available sometime this spring. El Inventario Catolico de Dones Espirituales is a complete version and will sell for $8.95 a copy, with substantial quantity discounts available. Call the Institute toll-free at 1 (888) 878-6789 for more information, or order through our web site at www.siena.org.
We have added e-commerce capability to out web site! Now you can order Institute resources for lay formation through our Internet store, the Catherine of Siena Shop. Your ordering information takes place over a special secure Internet connection, and you receive an e-mail confirmation. We hope to expand our list of available resources, so keep checking.
We were blessed to have the exquisite icon of Saint Catherine reproduced on this page specially commissioned for us by Martha Smith. Written (painted) by Father Brendan McAnerney, op, the icon portrays our patron saint holding a church that suspiciously resembles Blessed Sacrament, the Dominican church in Seattle where the Institute is headquartered. A special mass was held at Blessed Sacrament in November to consecrate the icon. Thank you Martha and Father Brendan!
Siena Scribe editor and former Institute office manager Anthony Schefter will be leaving in March to enter the postulancy at Mount Angel, a Benedictine monastery in northern Oregon. Sherry Curp replaces Anthony as office manager, and Sharon Fox of the Western Washington Catholic Charismatic Renewal office will be succeeding him as editor.
We will miss Advisory Committee member David Whitehead, who is moving to Virginia with his family to accept a promotion from his employer, the Nature Conservancy.