January 2012 Vol. XXXII, No. 1

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters

Moving Forward with Courage!

A s a province we ended 2011 with a

Ministry and Leadership Workshop

involving all our Sisters living in small

communities and those in Techny who

are in full time ministry. This leads us into 2012

with a common understanding of how we want to

live together as adult intercultural communities

promoting participative leadership and the com-

mon good for ourselves in community and for our

mission. After having listened to one another and

receiving the sharing from the small groups, a spe-

cial committee was formed to put together our

common understanding of participative leadership:

For us participative leadership is:

Sharing responsibilities in the service of others

with trust, respect and acceptance.

Giving the sense of belonging by empowering

others to use their talents for the common

good.

Listening, communication and discerning to-

gether for the common good.

Challenges there are and we named several of

them and how we can respond to them. The first

challenge is open, honest communication. This is a

special challenge because most of our Sisters liv-

ing in small communities have English as their se-

cond language. This means there is a wide cultural

diversity, an experience of different styles of initial

formation and a variety of ages.

(continued on page 2)

Let us go

forward to

2012 with

courage and

joy!

(continued from page 1)

Our responses to meet these challenges are:

Taking time to know each other with openness and patience

Being aware of our prejudices,

Accepting and valuing gifts and differences

Observing, listening, asking questions for clarification

Initiating communication

Recognizing the desire and need for community and a willingness to work at sup-

portive relationships.

Improving our communication skills

Another challenge is trust and honesty. This comes about because of different expectations of

one another and the community. We can respond to this challenge by:

Expressing our real feelings and needs

Meeting regularly together for faith sharing and for resolving issues as they arise

Agreeing not to talk about a community member when she is not present

Learning to give feedback and challenge in constructive ways

Coming back with trust and compassion when there has been a lack of participation,

hard feelings and blame

In all things we want to grow together for the common good of our communities and our mis-

sion. We move forward with courage, hope and trust in one another, all being guided by the

Lord’s Spirit of Unity. And with all the challenges before us, we know how richly blessed we

are with one another.

Sr. Carol Welp

Important Dates for 2012

2

January 15 - Opening of the Life Learning Center in Rogers Park

February 8 - Bishop Richards will be consecrated as Bishop of Antigua and St. Kitts

February 11 - Sara Juarez Guardado’s first vows

February 27 - March 2 - SVD Provincial Chapter

May 12 - Religious Jubilarians with the Cardinal

May 26 - SVD Ordinations

June 3 - SSpS Diamond Jubilee Celebrations

June 9 - Common Jubilee Celebration at the Convent

June 17 - SVD General Chapter begins

June 25 – 30 - Retreat in the Convent facilitated by Sr. Mary Schneiders, OP

August 6 - 11 Cultural Orientation Workshop

September 15 - Final profession for SVD

November 23-25 - Individual Discernment for nominees for leadership

December 27 – 30 - Assembly f or Communal Discernment for the election of Province leadership

Comings and Goings

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From December 10-16, 2011, Srs. Elwira Dzuik,

Rose Therese Nolta and Anita Marie Gutierrez

attended the VII PANAM Formation Assembly.

Forty Sisters in formation ministry from the

Continent of the Americas met in San Lorenzo,

Paraguay. The theme of the Assembly was Where

Life Claims, We Walk as Learning SSpS

Communities. The Assembly had a great start with a

walking path leading to Mary and Jesus. Models of

religious life and the various stages of formation

were addressed. Breaking open the Scripture passage

of the Syro-Phoenician woman throughout the

Assembly and lively liturgies in three languages

energized the participants and the presentations. At

the end of Assembly the walking path became a

heart that led to the altar/the Eucharist.

Sr. Anita Marie Gutierrez

Help-Portrait is a global movement of photogra-

phers using their time, gear and expertise to

give back to those in need. They take their pho-

tos, print them and deliver them. I saw joy and

new life in the children who had their pictures

taken with their parents or individually. Pre-

cious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation and the

Catholic Charities provided snacks and meals.

There were many families and children on that

day and while they waited for their pictures

they played together – Asian, black, white.

The Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation

on the South Side helped organize this event.

Sr. Angelica Oyarzo Chavol, Sr. Genobeba

da Costa Amaral, Sr. Rose Therese Nolta and

Sr. Uloma Akpa helped register and guide the

families during the process as volunteers. That

day a little more light and hope was spread to

the people who took part. Enjoy the pictures

especially of the one drawn by one of the chil-

dren.

Sr. Angelica and a mother and her son

Help-Portrait

Sr. Donna Liette, CPPC, Sr. Angelica,

Sr. Genobeba, Sr. Uloma

A mother and her two daughters with

Sr. Genobeba and Sr. Uloma

Sr. Uloma Akpa

Our deceased:

Ms. Theresa Chiang, who died peacefully

on January 2 at 7:00 am. Theresa had been

living with us since she began working at St.

Ann’s in 1949.

John Gardener, who died at 92. He man-

aged the SSpS farm for 40 years.

Toby Schweibish, who died after a very

long illness. She was a former employee of

the business office.

Our sick:

Sr. Catherine Mueller, who is having

therapy in Abington.

Sr. Martha Fass, who is now home from

Abington.

Sr. Arnolda Chang, who is recovering

from hip surgery and is at Abington for

rehabilitation.

Sr. Mary Jane Lusson, who is recovering

from a fall and heart failure.

Chuck Wolff, brother of Sr. Vincent, who

is in hospice at home and in poor condition.

Norbert Untarto, brother of Sr. Aprilia,

who is in a very difficult situation.

For Your Prayerful Remembrance

Srs. Dominika, Sisilia and Catharina

Our new missionaries from Java arrived on De-

cember 13. Sr. Dominika Rotua and Sr. Sisilia

Andri Soelistyani will be studying English in

Epworth. Sr. Catharina Liliek will be going to

Grayslake and studying English at the College

of Lake County.

Sr. Philippi Chen Jin Xiu finished her English

studies in Epworth and will be joining our

community in Memphis. There she will be

working with Catholic Charities ministering

spiritually in three of their facilities: Genesis

House, Dozier House and Sophia House.

Sr. Rosalia Service Galmin will leave for her

assignment to St. Kitts around the middle of

January.

Heather Hovasse who has been living with our

communities this past year has now received a

scholarship for Disney World. She will work

there as a lifeguard and continue her studies.

She will be taking exams for the EMT

(Emergency Medical Technician) training she

has completed. Heather begins in Florida in

February. We wish her every blessing as she

moves on with her life. 4

Appointments

5

Leadership Workshop

Sr. Carol, Mr. Jones, Mr. McCarthy

From December 27 -29, 46 Sisters from

our small communities and those in full

time ministry attended a workshop in

Techny. The Biblical icon used for media-

tion and faith sharing was the Wedding

Feast at Cana.

During this time topics such as leadership,

participative leadership, discernment, fi-

nances, the Congregational and Province

policies for the protection of children and

vulnerable adults, boundaries in ministry,

and being street-wise and Internet-wise

were presented and discussed.

Most of the workshop was facilitated by

the PLT, but outside speakers included Sr.

Donna Markham, OP, Chad Jones from

the Northfield Police Department and

Mike McCarthy, a lawyer and representa-

tive from our Sexual Review Board. It

was a very enriching time for all of us to be

together to share on topics very important

in our living together and to participate in

the beautiful liturgies prepared by several

of the communities. At the end Sr. Gladys

Smith led us in a lot of fun and recreation

wherein many shared their talents and

Gladys her humor.

(Photos on this page by Sr. Veronica Marie

Mikkelsen.)

Sr. Donna Markham

Srs. Uloma Akpa and Betty Tranel

Srs. Edel Deong and Mary Joseph Hofschulte

Srs. Marie Sheehy and Julita Bele Bau

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America is a part of the American history story.

This exhibit was visited by the Junior Sisters, Sr. Stela Maris Martins, Sr. Josephina Kudo,

Sr. Aprilia Untarto, Sr. Catharina Liliek Angganingwati, Sr. Uloma Akpa as well as Sr.

Rose Therese Nolta on December 23 in South Bend, Indiana. Women and Spirit showed the

first arriving Sisters in America nearly 300 years ago and how the Sisters established schools,

colleges, hospitals, orphanages, homeless shelters, and many other enduring social institutions

that addressed critical social needs. Their work provided blueprints for the nation’s educational

and healthcare systems that continue to serve millions of Americans from all walks of life.

When we went around the exhibit we were encouraged to find certain words, objects, persons,

etc., and check these off in a guide we received. This helped us to discover things that we

might have missed, but many of the sayings and explanations in the exhibit were significant for

us just to read. These women gave us a powerful example of everyday courage, self-

sufficiency, sacrifice, and service. These Sisters saw the needs of the people and responded

wholeheartedly in creative ways. We desire to do the same.

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America

6

Thanks to Sr. Aprilia for the photos!

JPIC

SSpS

USA

7

Walking with/for Immigrants

Las Posadas is a traditional Hispanic Advent

celebration symbolizing

the search of Mary and

Joseph for a place for

Jesus to be born. At each

house the “pilgrims” sing

the traditional song asking

for shelter. Each house

refuses them in turn. After

being rejected several

times, the “pilgrims” are

granted entry into a house

where they celebrate

together.

Las Posadas is of special significance in light

of immigration, as we recognize that the story

of the holy family is also the story of a

migrant family. We observe the ritual know-

ing full well that, like the innkeepers, we are

often more willing to reject the stranger who

January 2012

is unlike us. In our celebration of Las

Posadas together, we are affirming our

intention to be a welcoming presence to the

“stranger” in our midst.

The Fourth Las Posadas – Immigration

Journey took place on December 16,

2011. Very symbolic stops help dramatize

the procession involving hundreds of

pilgrims, including Sr. Angelica Chavol

and some of our Junior Sisters, Sr. Stela

Maris Martins, Sr. Aprilia Untarto and

Sr. Uloma Akpa.

The Posada began with a 7:00 a.m. rosary

at 101 W. Congress Parkway (Congress/

Clark), the area head-quarters for U.S.

Immigration & Naturalization Services.

The first stop along the procession was the

Metropolitan Correctional Center (Van

Buren/Clark), a federal jail detaining many

immigrants.

8

Pilgrims continued to DePaul University

(Jackson/State) to highlight DREAM students’

challenge to obtain an education even at

supportive institutions such as DePaul.

The third Posada stop was the Dirksen Federal

Building (Adams/Dearborn) to represent the

bureaucracy and red tape in the way of immi

grants’ legalization.

Finally, the pilgrims arrived at St. Peter’s in the

Loop, and were welcomed by the Franciscan

friars.

(Pictures by Sr. Angelica)

National Migration Week

January 8-14, 2012 is National Migration

Week with the theme: "Welcoming Christ in

the Migrant."

National Migration Week is celebrated annually

in the month of January as an effort of the

USCCB to educate the faithful on the issues and

needs of immigrants.

The theme for 2012 National Migration

Week is "Welcoming Christ in the Migrant".

See

http://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-

refugee-services/national-migration-week/

The following resources are helpful:

Pope Benedict XVI's 2012 Statement for

World Day of Migrants/Refugee, see

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/

benedict_xvi/messages/migration/documents/

hf_ben-xvi_mes_20110921_world-migrants-

day_en.html -- Migration and the New Evange-

lization

Welcoming Christ in the Migrant Booklet,

see http://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-

refugee-services/national-migration-week/

upload/M-7-267-NMW-Brochure.pdf

Litany for Immigrants - see

http://www.archchicago.org/immigration/pdf/

Immigration/LitanyforImmigrants2010.pdf

http://www.archchicago.org/immigration/pdf/

Immigration/PrayersIntentionsComplete_en.pdf

National Human Trafficking

Awareness Day - Jan. 11, 2012

Human Trafficking Awareness is important for

us and our ministry. January 11th begins a time

when we want to make endeavors to educate

ourselves and others as well as pray to stop hu-

man trafficking. On February 5th is the Super

Bowl so efforts are being made beforehand to

prevent Trafficking on this Sunday.

Prayer Suggestions:

http://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-

refugee-services/national-migration-week/

upload/M7-266-Josephine-Bakhita-Prayer-

Card.pdf