2012-Fall

RESPONSEHoly Union Sisters

FALL/WINTER2012VOLUME 7 ISSUE 1

Called to be at the heart of the world revealing God’s love

In This Issue•

Continuing Our Commitment to Service•

2012 Province Assembly•

Ministers of Promise, Possibility and Creativity

Sprin

gs of Hope

Sprin

gs of Hope

of prayer – praying for each of you and for all of us that ourwork in the vineyard be fruitful for the Lord.

Make no mistake – retirement is not determined by age. An “elderly” sister, by business-worldstandards, began an ESL program inan economically depressed area ofMassachusetts. It has grown to thepoint where she needs help to servicethe large number of immigrants look-ing to improve themselves. Sheteaches adults and teenagers lan-guage and computer skills and helpsthe younger children with their home-work. A second sister is now helpingher part time. This work is supportedby the province and your generosity.

We are aging, but we are still makinga difference in people’s lives andfresh, cool air is blowing into the

province. In Kentucky for the past year a young sister fromour Argentina Province has been working with our two“could-be retired” sisters who minister full time among thewomen of Appalachia and the growing Hispanic commu-nity. Through the tireless efforts of our vocation ministrycoordinators, Holy Union is becoming better knownacross the country.

As we move forward, we ask you to join with us in prayerthat the Holy Spirit will guide us in remaining faithful to ourfounding charism and bless us with new vocations.

United with all of you in prayer,

The days are getting shorter, the leaves have turned theirbeautiful colors before dropping to the ground, and the airis fresh with the coolness of autumn.Over the past several months muchhas been said and written regardingthe Congregation for the Doctrine ofthe Faith (CDF) and its mandate to theLeadership Conference of Women Re-ligious (LCWR). We, Holy Union Sistersin the United States, as members ofLCWR are very happy with the positionit has taken to remain in dialogue withthe bishops appointed to carry out themandate. As you know, we have minis-tered here in the United States for over125 years, faithful to our calling toserve God’s people within the RomanCatholic Church. Nothing has changedfor us. We remain faithful to Christ andto His Church as we continue to implement the challengesof Vatican II to serve the people of God who are the church.

The most visible change for us is in our ministry. Twenty-fiveyears ago a large number of us were teaching in or adminis-tering in schools. Today only a few sisters are actively workingin schools. While many of the sisters you know have retiredfrom full time ministry, don’t be fooled; they have notstopped ministering. The change that has taken place is froma full-time, stipend ministry to a volunteer ministry that ismore flexible and allows physical strength and wellness tobe accommodated. Our “retired” sisters visit shut-ins, helpin soup kitchens and food pantries, give time at centers forvictims of domestic violence, serve as Eucharistic ministers,speak to groups such as young retreatants and parishwomen’s guilds, tutor and continue to help in the schools asteacher aides. Most importantly they have an active ministry

The desire to spread the Gospel is strong intoday’s world. We see sisters and specificallyHoly Union Sisters continuing their commitmentto service in volunteer capacities after they havecompleted many years of service to God’s peo-ple. Therefore, sisters in their “retirement years”continue to share their talents in many and var-ious ways. Holy Union Sisters respond to theircall to share in the unitive mission of Christ andto reveal God’s love at the heart of the world.

NEW YORK

Sr. Patricia Griffith continues the Holy UnionMission by assisting, as she puts it “ in thegrowth and development of God’s ‘Little Ones’.”She says that this extension of her full timeministry continues to be a marvel and at timesa mystery. Here is Sr. Patricia’s reflection onher life today in the context of her life-longcommitment to education.

continued on page 3

Continuing Their Commitment to Service

Sr. Patricia Griffith, SUSC

Springs of hope

We are still making a difference in people’s lives as fresh, cool air is blowing into the province.

Srs. Maryellen, Mary Catherine, and Paula accept a gift from the Cameroon Region

Dear Friends of Holy Union,

ResponseFALL / WINTER 2012

PAGE 3

From the Office of Mission Advancement

In our last issue we gave a glimpse of how the Holy UnionSisters are fashioning their work for the future. The valueof interdependence is clearly at the heart of all that theHoly Union Sisters wish to be about. Being interdependentdoes not mean we lose our individual freedom or identity.It does, however, have implications for how working withone another in a cooperative manner enables creativityand growth to happen. Through this interdependence wesee “God present and active in the world in which we livetoday.” (Holy Union Collegial Assembly Document).

In today’s world, “working with one another” has very broadimplications. Interdependence is inclusive of and goes be-yond the Holy Union family to collaboration with other religious congregations. Vocation Ministry, Education, Issues of Human Trafficking, Communications, Associate

Working cooperatively with one another empowers creativity.

Above: Sr. Lorraine Chipman, MFIC, Sr. Patricia Butler, SNDdeN, andSr. Mary Lou Simcoe, SUSC confer on the next issue of "Response".

Program, Cross-Cultural Sharing, Peace and Justice Efforts,Retirement, Health Care and Mission Advancement allhave networks of support and collaboration.

As our partners in mission, you also participate in thesecollaborative activities. You participate because of yourcontinued support in making God’s love present in ourworld today. In a very real and concrete way you are co-creators in all Holy Union efforts to participate in thecreation of a more interdependent world. Thank you foryour presence in the Holy Union Family.

MASSACHUSETTS

Sr.Claire Bergeron, SUSC, Sr. Marcelle Theriault, SUSC and Sr. PaulineMarie Dufour, SUSC comprise the Coffee Social Team at Mary ImmaculateResidence in Lawrence. They bring a new meaning to team ministry. Thesesisters, undaunted by the challenge of different languages or customs, usethe best language they have at their Saturday morning volunteer ministry.They say that everyone understands the language of smiling and so thisis what they use as they provide the needed services to make the Saturdaymorning coffee social a great event at Mary Immaculate Residence. Whoof us wants to rise at 6:30 AM and enter a world of many cultures to revealGod’s love in the simple services they provide? Each of these sisters does,and they continue to graciously share their personal gifts to nourish thebodies and spirits of their neighbors.

continued from page 2

Right: Sr. Marcelleserves a cup ofcoffee with asmile to one ofthe residents.

Above: Mary ImmaculateVolunteers: Srs. Pauline MarieDufour, MarcelleTheriault andClaire Bergeron.

Springs of hope

We are still making a difference in people’s lives as fresh, cool air is blowing into the province.

“I have taught fifty years in various schools in three states and forty-five of those yearswere spent teaching first graders. The last 21 years I have taught at Holy Angels Schoolin Patchogue, New York. Holy Angels was formerly St. Francis de Sales School opened bythe Holy Union Sisters in 1923. After full time ministry, it seemed that volunteering atHoly Angels was a way of carrying on the mission started over 88 years ago. I could notthink of a better way to serve the Church and the Holy Union Congregation than by con-tinuing the Holy Union mission here at St. Francis de Sales/ Holy Angels School. By thisI am striving to “be at the heart of the world revealing God’s love” through the children.

2012Province Assembly

Wisdom that comes from exploring the universe

The wisdom of our Christian tradition

Centuries of feminine wisdomThe wisdom of indigenous cultures Spirituality of the Cosmos

ResponsePAGE 5FALL / WINTER 2012

Sr. Miriam Therese MacGillis, OP was the main speaker at the2012 Province Assembly. Sr. Miriam, founder of Genesis Farm inBlairstown, New Jersey, spoke on the “Spirituality of the Cosmos”. Shetraced the development of the cosmos over 13 billion years. Recentscientific discoveries have enabled us to know and understand theorigins of our world. Sr. Miriam noted that women religious today aretaking this study and its implications for our world very seriously.

In her presentation she made use of the works of women poets, MaryOliver and Adrienne Rich, the writings of Passionist Father ThomasBerry and Brian Swimme. Sr. Miriam situated her reflections in thecontext of Holy Union’s origins in the divided world of 19th centuryFrance. She noted that the congregational documents written since1999 have all included references to the environment.

The wisdom of our Christian tradition As part of her presentation, Sr. Miriam showed the PBS documentary, Journey of the Universe, which enabled her audience to visualize the 13 billion year journey. In orderto reinvent Holy Union in our world today, she encouragedthe sisters and associates to make use of Thomas Berry’s4 Wisdoms:

• The wisdom of our Christian tradition

• The centuries of feminine wisdom

• The wisdom of indigenous cultures

• The wisdom that comes from exploring the universe.

In stating that women, and women religious in particular,have led the way in developing ecological centers andusing the land in ways that promote the environment, she encouraged sisters and associates to carry on thetradition.

Centuries of feminine wisdom Spirituality of the Cosmos

75 YEARSSr. Ruth Kindelan (Sr. Stephen Helen)Sr. Alice Pare (Sr. Lucilla Marie)

70 YEARSSr. Claire Carmody (Sr. Stella Marie)Sr. Pauline LaRoche (Sr. Marie Regis)Sr. Virginia Sampson (Sr. Helen Lucy)

65 YEARSSr. Ruth Beaudoin (Sr. Maria Henry) Sr. Marie Duerr (Sr. Robert Paul)Sr. Therese Landry (Sr. Marie Angeline) Sr. Fern Rioux (Sr. Daniel Joseph)

60 YEARSSr. Joan Guertin (Sr. Rose Joan)Sr. Cecile Mousseau (Sr. Blanche Albert)Sr. Mary Bridgetta McGettigan

(Sr. Brigetta Marie)Sr. Jeanne Stegmann (Sr. Catherine Gerard)

60 yearsSr. Mary Bridget McGettigan, Sr. Joan Guertin, Sr. Cecile Mousseau,Sr. Jeanne Stegmann

65 yearsSTANDING: Sr. Fern Rioux, Sr. Ruth Beaudoin SEATED: Sr. Therese Landry, Sr. Marie Duerr

70 yearsSr. Claire Carmody, Sr. Virginia Sampson INSERT: Sr. Pauline LaRoche

Holy Union Jubilarians 2012

Just last year the Holy Union Sisters celebrated 125 yearsof faithful presence in the United States. In the 125th Anniversary Booklet that you received, following the list ofschools where Holy Union Sisters have ministered, therewas a page entitled “Stepping Stones to the Present.” Onthis page was a list of ministries of Holy Union Sisterssince arriving in the United States in 1886. The commen-tary at the top of this graphic presentation stated “TheHoly Union Sisters have expanded their ministries to meetthe needs of the Church and the people of God.”

A few months ago, Sr. Sandra Schneiders, IHM, in a presen-tation on the “Future of Religious Life” described howsisters minister among the people of God today. She stated,“Increasingly Sisters have taken their expertise into min-istries that, while still in continuity with those of the pastand arising directly out of their communities’ charisms, aredifferent from those that we traditionally associate with theSisters.” Today Sisters serve in what Sr. Sandra calls “min-istry clusters”. To help our partners in mission visualize andunderstand how Holy Union Sisters are instruments ofunion in our world today, we would like to share with youthe different clusters in which you will find Holy Union Sisters ministering. Sisters may move from one cluster toanother, as ministerial needs necessitate.

Called to be Ministers of Promise, Possibility and Creativity

continued on page 7

75 yearsSr. Ruth Kindelan,

Sr. Alice Pare

springs of compassion

springs of justice and peace

springs of care

springs of union

Since the Holy Union Sisters have chosen a spring of wateras their symbol for the coming years, we will use thisimage. “The spring of water is full of promise, creativity andpossibilities.” This new time challenges each sister to bringlife to a world in need of reconciliation and healing, aworld in need of recognizing God’s love at the heart of allof creation. Thus we find Holy Union Sisters being:

Springs of compassion for the suffering Body of Christ: Chaplains,Social Workers, Hospital Program Directors, BereavementCounselors, Crisis Advocates, Health Care Workers, Special Needs Ministers.

Springs of union whose life draws all into greater union with Christ:Parish Ministers, Catholic School Teachers and Adminis-trators.

Springs of care for the poor in all the places of our world: PrayerMinistry, Peace and Justice Advocates, ESOL Teachersamong Immigrants, Prison Ministry and cross-culturalministers in “developing countries whose soil has alreadydrunk the blood of Religious who are guilty of solidaritywith the expendable oppressed.”

Springs of justice and peace that call for advocacy on many levelsPeace activism, Immigration work, Advocacy for the op-pressed and victims of human trafficking, NGO involve-ment and Political Lobbying.

When we invite you to partner with us, we are askingyour support to sustain our sisters in ministry and intheir retirement years.

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• The Holy Union Sisters who assist immigrant children ages 4-12 with supportive after-school educational services

• The Holy Union Sisters who provide Haitian children with anourishing daily meal and basicdevelopmental skills

• The Holy Union Sisters whoseministerial presence among thepoor is vital in Benin, Cameroonand Haiti

• The Holy Union Sisters in theUnited States whose volunteerministries bring joy and comfort to many of the elderly

Response PAGE 7FALL / WINTER 2012

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YOUR GIFT WILL SUPPORT:

Please partner with us by financially assisting us in sustaining our sisters inministry and in their retirement years,so that they may continue to be“springs of hope”.continued from page 6

springs of compassion

springs of justice and peace

springs of care

springs of union

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Online Donations

Please visit the Mission Advancement page onwww.holyunionsisters.org in order to:

• Learn about an Invitation to Partnership that outlines some specific Holy Union ministry needs

• Make an on-line donation

• Begin estate planning that would benefit the Holy Union Sisters

• Learn about the Memorial Program.

As you provide for loved ones in your will, you canleave an additional amount for your charitable interests. You can name a specific amount, apercentage of your estate, or any remaining assetsfor the Holy Union Sisters. If you would like morespecific information, please contact:

the Mission Advancement Office at 617-696-8765 ext 19 or

[email protected]

Remembering Holy Union in Your WillSr. Patricia Butler, SNDdeNHoly Union Sisters, U.S. Province Mission Advancement DirectorPO Box 410, Milton, MA 02186-0006(617) 696-8765 ext 19Fax: (617) [email protected]

Photo credits:Sr. Mary Lou Simcoe, SUSC Sr. Patricia Butler, SNDdeN

Sr. Mary Lou Simcoe, SUSC Communications Director550 Rock Street, Fall River, MA 02720-3436, (508) [email protected]

Designer: Anne Martens Plymouth, MA 02360(508) [email protected]

Responseis published twice a year by theMission Advancement and Communications Offices forfriends and families of the Holy Union Sisters.

Associates’ New Co-directorDorothy Parker

There is a new face in the provinceArchives Office. After serving for manyyears, Archivist Sr. Rita Beaudoin isenjoying a well-deserved retirement.Sr. Christine Lacroix is now theprovince archivist. As she begins herwork, Sr. Christine shares her visionfor her new ministry.

“It is my hope that both theArchives Office in Fall River andthe Heritage House in Groton con-tinue to be life-giving sources of

inspiration as we draw upon the richness of our HolyUnion spirit embodied within them and ourselves. . .the livingarchives!” I look forward to building upon the marvelous workSr. Rita has established.

New Archivist, Sr. Christine Lacroix

Dorothy Parker assumed therole of co-director of the

Holy Union Associates at theProvince Assembly.

Proofreader: Sr. Lorraine Chipman, MFIC

Cover photos: Province Assembly Opening RitualTOP: Sr. Kathee Corrigan, SUSCand Associate Judy CorlissLEFT: Associate Kathy JeffraRIGHT: Sr. Marilyn Bearne, SUSC

VISIT us

www.holyunionsisters.org

on the web

2012-Fall

Documents

Transcript of 2012-Fall