CSA OFFICE OF VOCATION DISCERNMENT

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Melodie Beattie

On Saturday, February 19, 2011, CSA sponsored a booth at Fond du Lac’s annual Celebrate CommUNITY day celebrating heritages and other cultures through music, dance, food, crafts, and a rich array of activities. There were approximately 40 different booths representing countries and organizations that came together to celebrate the diversity that abounds in Fond du Lac County. CSA’s booth presented artifacts from Nicaragua and Honduras along with pictures of our sisters in ministry in Latin America. Printed materials both in English and Spanish were displayed. I wish to thank all who made this opportunity possible and especially Sister Mary Rose Meis who coordinated the display and volunteers. Special thanks go to the volunteers: Sisters Amalie Milot, Donna Innes, Julaine Meyer, Jeannine Funk, Leona Armstrong, Josephine Braun, Kathleen Schmitz, Joann Sambs, and associate Renee Waters. Submitted by Sister Jean Hinderer

Hmong children representing the People of Laos booth

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Vocation Visit to St. Mary's Springs Academy

Friday, February 25, was Vocation Day for the students in Ms. Carol Huck's morality classes at St. Mary's Springs Academy. Sister Sue Seeby, Vocation Promoter for CSA, joined Sister Marion Etzel, S.D.S., along with Jerome Johnson, O.F.M., Cap., as they spent the day in conversation with the juniors. Brother Jerry guided the discussion with the young men while Sisters Marion and Sue spoke about the call to marriage, the single life, and the vowed religious life with the young women. The atmosphere was comfortable and the give and take with the students was energizing for everyone involved. It was interesting to listen to the students describe the Sisters of St. Agnes from their perspective as young residents of Fond du Lac. They were forthcoming with their gratitude and respect for Sisters Germaine, Michaela, and Michele whom they see ministering in their midst and they were very curious as to what really goes on at the “convent across the street.” They appreciated an invitation to “come and see” us in the future and find out first hand. Thank you to Ms. Carol Huck, theology teacher at St. Mary's Springs, and to VMMA in Milwaukee for making the visit possible. Submitted by Sister Susan Seeby

The Image of Women Religious in Pop Culture Dr. Bren Murphy Speaks at Marian University

On Wednesday, February 23, Dr. Bren Murphy, Associate Professor from the School of Communications at Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois, spoke to a group of faculty, staff, students, and guests at a luncheon on the topic of her research, which has resulted in her documentary, A Change of Habit. She presented numerous slides depicting the image of

nuns as portrayed in popular culture. She delved into the differences between nuns on screen and the lives of the real women who have dedicated their lives to the welfare of others. In her presentation, she not only shared the many ways that culture fails to understand the mystery and reality surrounding the lifestyle of women religious, but she also described with many stories and visuals the history, development, and impact that women religious have made in the early history of the United States. Highlights from this history included their service to the poor during the 19th century migration of peoples from Europe, and their untold story of nursing ministry to the men on both sides of the Civil War, before nursing was a profession.

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She explained how women religious dedicated their lives during the Civil War with courage and tenacity, which tends to be ignored or forgotten by histories, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike. One slide that she presented was the Civil War Nurses Memorial with the relief of Nuns of the Battlefield, which is “hidden” within the complexity of streets and buildings of Washington, DC. The upper inscription on the memorial reads:

“They comforted the dying, nursed the wounded, carried hope to the imprisoned, gave in His name a drink of water to the thirsty.”

The lower inscription reads: “To the memory and in honor of the various orders of Sisters who gave their services as nurses on battlefields and in hospitals during the Civil War.”

The main panel figures represent the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Sisters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Sisters of Saint Dominic, Sisters of Saint Ursula, Sisters of the Holy Cross, Sisters of the Poor of Saint Francis, Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Sisters of Charity, Sisters of Charity of Emmitsburg, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, and Sisters of Divine Providence. Another reference was to The Times Herald from Norristown and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, February 17, 2011. The article was entitled, “Nuns: The Silent Heroes of the Civil War.” A quote from the article is very poignant:

During the Rebellion, there were more than 600 nuns from 21 separate religious communities ministering to soldiers of both the North and the South, according to the United States Archives. These Sisters were willing helpers and looked after the welfare of their patients. They specified how the soldiers were to be treated, what food should be served, how the rooms should be cleaned and helped write letters for the wounded and dying. The Sisters received no pay. These Catholic women were one of few groups that crossed the battle lines between Union and Confederate soldiers without ever being challenged.

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Later in the same article was another inspiring insert:

In answer to the Union Army’s urgent call for aid, Mother Schervier, accompanied by a band of volunteer sister nurses, immediately went to hospitals near the battlefields to aid the wounded . . . At the Battle of Gettysburg, she had an unusual experience. She was ministering to a soldier apparently dying who lay on the battlefield, among the dead and wounded. As she washed the blood from his face, the features of her brother, a Union soldier, were revealed. She bound his wounds and had him taken to a field hospital where she nursed him back to health.

Dr. Murphy gave an evening presentation, which was open to the public as well. A participant at the evening gathering remarked:

Dr. Bren Murphy, Ph.D., offered us a goldmine of information about the remarkable history and contribution of communities of women religious in America. Her presentation was heartfelt, engaging, and thoroughly documented. Anyone interested in learning why women religious are countercultural and hence, are a threat to the prevailing culture, may want to take the opportunity to hear her presentation and view her upcoming documentary, “Veiled Threats”. (S.C.G.)

Another participant commented as well: I just wanted to take this opportunity to tell you how much I loved the presentation by Dr. Bren Murphy yesterday; the presentation and the content was wonderful. I found myself wanting to know more and am glad that I have a better idea of what the nuns went through throughout history and how they are portrayed good and bad. I ask that Dr. Murphy be asked back in the future to give her presentation of “Veiled Threats” again and maybe an opportunity to also hear and see her documentary. Thank you for bringing this to Marian University. I will remember it always. (G. R.)

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A participant who is considering religious life made the following comment:

I found the talk to be excellent and very awe inspiring. I really do believe that if Dr. Murphy succeeds in spreading her message it will be a gift from God. As I shared with her, I have consistently found these stereotypes about who sisters are to be disruptive to my own journey. Many people look at me like I'm crazy when I share with them my desire to join religious life. Yet, when I really start talking with them, I realize how uninformed they are about who sisters really are and what religious have done and continue to do for God's community. It is frustrating to feel like there are so many people who have no concept of the truth about religious life in today’s world, and subsequently cannot recognize the many gifts which sisters bring to our human community. So I think it will be beneficial, indeed essential, for all of us to better understand this life choice and to recognize why these erroneous stereotypes and exploitative images do not do justice to the true image of women religious in the world today. (A.W.)

Before the luncheon session, there were vocation displays in the Stayer Atrium from eight religious communities. Each community was represented by its vocation directors: Sisters of the Divine Savior of Milwaukee, WI; School Sisters of Notre Dame of Milwaukee, WI; Sisters of Mercy of Chicago, IL; Sacred Heart Priests of Milwaukee, WI; Priests of the Milwaukee Archdiocese; Capuchins; Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis of Stevens Point, WI; and the Sisters of St. Agnes of Fond du Lac, WI. We are grateful to Dr. Murphy for her vision, mission, passion, and compelling message to tell the story - the REAL story - of the women who have gone before us and upon whose shoulders we stand! Submitted by Jean Hinderer, CSA