April 2011, Vol. XXXI, No. 4

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters

Sr. Agathe Bramkamp reflects

on our Chapter Icon

Mary Magdalene, Companion and Guide

WWWW e chose Mary Magdalene

as a companion throughout

our preparation for the

chapter of the Paraclete

Province as well as a guide during the chapter. We

are familiar with her discipleship, closely follow-

ing the Lord, with her steadfast love and her

mission of being the announcer of good news to

the apostles: “I have seen the Lord.” She was our

guide in the General Chapter that finally gave us

the directions of the congregation for the next six

years.

We chose this particular icon of Mary Magdalene

in response to many suggestions from the Sisters

who proposed flowers, quite a variety of flowers,

for a symbol of openness, joyful expectation and

humble service, of being centered in God, and

being connected with each other like the petals

around the eye of a daisy.

Mary Magdalene shows us her rich bouquet of

flowers seemingly growing from her heart, offer-

ing it in all its beauty and richness of colors and

forms. The heart of that lover and friend of Jesus

grows faithfulness, steadfastness, joy and humble

obedience to his word, joyful willingness to serve

and great determination to fulfill his mission: “Go

and tell my brothers and sisters!” (continued on page 2)

Theme: With open hearts

we turn to the challenges

that face us today.

Assembly /Chapter Icon: Mary Magdalene

Assembly/Chapter: April 26-29, 2011

(continued from page 1)

Mary Magdalene’s steady gaze knows of suffering and tears. Her rich flowers of love are

symbolically woven together with a fine wreath of thorns, reminding us of the demanding love

of our Lord. Her invitation is one to a dynamic life in the Spirit who works wonders of newness

and fresh beauty.

Let us invoke Mary Magdalene as our guide as we seek to know the direction for our

province, how to best serve the Lord and His great mission that is entrusted to us.

On Sunday, March 13, 2011, we had a one-day

workshop with the theme ‘Living Our Vows in

Today’s World’. The workshop was given by Fr.

Ed Peklo, SVD. There were 18 participants: 11

SSpS, five SVDs and two Sisters of the Holy

Family of Nazareth.

The first idea regarding this workshop came from

Sr. Stela Maris Martins and me as being a part of

our program as junior sisters. Why this topic? As

religious, we tend to associate vows with a life of

special commitment and dedication to God. This

perspective no longer prevails if by vowed life we

mean to separate ourselves from the world in or-

der to be more fully committed to follow Christ

and to live the spiritual life in a unique way. In

today’s world, the life commitment of the vowed

life is challenged by pluralism, postmodernism

and growing secularization. The challenge is,

how can we maintain and nurture our commit-

ment and responsibility to live the vows as wit-

nesses of God's love in today's world?

The morning session was divided into three sec-

tions: opening prayer and introductions, first pres-

entation on “Identifying Today’s Culture and How

This Impacts Our Living the Vows” and a quiet

time before lunch. The afternoon session was

mainly for group discussion and our Eucharistic

celebration. Fr. Ed brought the participants into

Living Our Vows in Today’s World

by Sr. Aprilia Untarto, SSpS small group discussions to reflect on each

vow with material from three different theo-

logians and then connected their views to our

own experiences as religious living in this

culture. Each of us was enriched by the

group sharing. The workshop closed with

our Eucharistic celebration.

It was a very fruitful day. We thanked Fr. Ed

who graciously said “Yes” to our request and

were grateful to all the participants who

came and shared their experiences that con-

tributed much to the workshop.

The New Jim Crow

Michelle Alexander, the author of “The New

Jim Crow – Mass Incarceration in the Age of

Color Blindness”, gave a talk at Roosevelt

University on March 17, 2011 regarding the

New Jim Crow.

Sr. Rose Therese Nolta attended. It offered

an unflinching look at the US addiction to

imprisonment, and came up with a startling

diagnosis: American corporate greed, politi-

cal opportunism and the exploitation of age-

old hatred and fears have congealed to create

a monstrous explosion in the world's largest

prison industrial complex.

More Peace and Justice News

2

Sr. Maria Burke, who was hospitalized and received a blood transfusion, but is not feel-

ing well.

Sr. Jeanne Blie, who fell and fractured her pelvis bone and is recovering in Maria Hall.

She is receiving physical and occupational

therapy.

Sr. Terisse Zosso, who is suffering from a bile obstruction and is presently in the

hospital.

Chuck Wolff, brother of Sr. Vincent, who underwent surgery for his seventh stent and

will begin treatment for bone cancer on

April 7.

Hubert Bramkamp, brother of Sr. Agathe, who is hospitalized with severe asthma and

has a host of other complications.

Mary Welp, sister of Sr. Carol, who is undergoing radiation treatment for breast

cancer.

Salvador Juarez Palafoz, father of our

novice Sara Guardado, who has heart blockage and is in serious condition.

Natural Disasters:

We also continue to keep in prayer

our Sisters and the people of Japan who

suffered a three-fold disaster with the earth-

quake, tsunami and radiation leaks from the

nuclear plant. Also, our Sisters and the

people of Bolivia who suffered from losing

their homes in the mudslides.

Indult:

On March 23, Sr. Dinah Marie Aguirre signed an indult to leave the Congregation

and be released from her seventh vows,

which she made for one year on July 4, 2010.

May God give her the grace to live her

Baptismal call in the state of life that she,

with the Holy Spirit, choses for her future.

Further, the author, a law professor at Ohio

State University's Moritz College of Law, dug

deep into US history, and deeper still into US

criminal law and practice to conclude that the

barbarous system of repression and control

known commonly as Jim Crow, has had a

rebirth in this era. That's why she calls it: The

New Jim Crow.

On March 13, Sr. Rose Therese Nolta participated in a rally and vigil in Evanston to

show support and solidarity with workers in

Wisconsin and elsewhere.

Please pray for our deceased:

Sr. Rene Walsh, sister of Sr. AnnIta Walsh, who died on March 13.

Ann Sokolski, former member, who died on March 3 in San Antonio, Texas.

Richard Harding, father of Josh Harding, who died March 14.

Gerry Morante, nephew of Lisa Aragon, (nurse in Maria Hall) who died in the

Philippines.

Please pray for our sick:

Sr. Adelmara Eisenmenger, who was hospi-talized for heart failure, but is now doing well

again in Maria Hall.

Rally in Evanston

For Your Prayerful Remembrance

3

Over the next few months, the bulletin will highlight the mission of

individual houses in the U.S. Province.

This month, we feature the community in New York.

The Sisters share their stories:

This is the second time I’ve come to New York and joined the community here. One of my

ministries in New York is to work with special needs people. My other ministry is to go back to school

and gain more knowledge in social work. I feel I need the basic knowledge and understanding of social

issues, social programs and current regulations to do my job well. I love working with special needs

people. I work two days a week at a center for disabled people. It is a joy for me to aid them in everyday

tasks which most of us take for granted. Simple tasks such as walking, eating and everyday communica-

tion can be a challenge for them. I feel blessed that I can lend a hand. This ministry helps me to appreciate

what God has given me and not to take anything for granted. It's a fulfilling experience. Have a good day.

Sr. Maria Joseph Nguyen

Our Lady of the Angelus Church

When some friends heard that my mission is in Rego Park, they

said to me, “You are in the heart of the world,” because this part

of New York has more diverse cultures than any other area.

Really I feel that I am in the heart of the mission: Cuba, Puerto

Rico, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Honduras, Peru, Chile, Bolivia,

Indonesia, Barbuda, India, Filipinas, Ireland, England, Italian, Spain, Sudan,… Our Pastor is from India,

the other priests are from Colombia, the Philippines and America. My challenge is to coordinate different

ministries in the parish as well as the CCD program.

I feel a lot of responsibility, but I receive help from the people who have been working there for many

years. Always they are open to guiding me. Please, I would like to invite you to enter the website: www.

ola63.org, so that you can appreciate all the different activities. I am so thankful to God and Mother Leo-

narda for making this possible. God bless our mission.

Sr. Gladys Smith

4

My ministry in Ridgewood, New York, involves participating

in all church activities and serving as Minister of Communion

when assigned. Every Friday evening, I participate in a Bible

sharing group. Every Tuesday morning, I serve in a soup

kitchen. We serve from a fully equipped bus which was do-

nated to “St. John’s Bread of Life” for this purpose. Our cli-

ents are only men, most of them Mexicans.

I am about to bring my ministry and presence in the New

York community to an end. I thank God that I am still able to

be of service to God’s people although 86 years young.

Sr. Maria Elisabeth Klodt

New York Community Members and

visitor—Sr. Petra Bigge, Intern;

Sr. Zelia Cordeiro dos Santos, VIVAT;

Sr. Maria Joseph Nguyen; Sr. Maria

Theresia Hornemann, Congregational

Leader from Rome;

Sr. Maria Elisabeth Klodt

If you are coming to help me, you are wasting your time.

But if you are coming because your liberation is bound up with mine,

then let us work together.

-Australian Aboriginal Woman

Our world is moving, advancing, developing and transforming at such an incredible speed. I

have experienced this in the seven weeks of being here in the United States and at the United Nations

Headquarters: the UN resolution about Syria, earthquake and tsunami, nuclear disaster in Japan,

nanotechnology, geo-engineering, food and finance crisis and so on… Humanity is encountering deep

crises and human institutions are undergoing structural changes. All these situations require new mis-

sionary responses. I am deeply convinced that justice and peace work is an integral part of our Mission

and that this dimension gives focus to our responses today.

I was touched and inspired by the testimony of a life

lived in poverty and simplicity by Sr. Anna in the “Recycling Centre” in New York. She is living in a container, collecting

empty bottles and tins, sorting them out and then selling them

back to the companies. She is working and sharing life with

people whom society often has forgotten.

I am very glad and thankful for the insights I gained

through Sr. Zelia Cordeiro, SSpS, and Fr. Felix Jones,

SVD, at the VIVAT-NY - UN about the importance of work-ing at the structural level. Together with other (religious)

NGOs, they advocate with and for the people who are voice-

less and excluded. They are all constantly knocking the rock to

change society.

During these weeks, I gained training and insights through the different events and the side

events at the UN. While studying policies and forming my own opinions, I got involved in a European

Union consultation process on the internet in preparation for Rio 2012.

During my stay in New York, the Preparatory Commission for the Earth summit in Rio 2012

took place. The text of the Bolivian Mission to the UN was/is inspiring. In this text, they talk about

sustainable development in the 21st century which requires a Social and Ecological Contract among

human beings and our Mother Earth. In their Ambassador, Mr. Pablo Solón, I found a prophetic voice at the UN. For me, he spoke in a political and yet in a deeply spiritual way, with a clear option for the

poor and disadvantaged.

I am grateful for all the Sisters in Techny and in New York! You made my stay here in the

Province possible! Thank you for your openness and readiness to take me to your work and ministry

places. Thank you for allowing me to share life and mission with you!

Sr. Petra Bigge, SSpS

5

Sr. Petra’s Visit to New York

Sr. Petra, center, and Fr. Felix, second

from right, with members of other

NGOs.

6

We are very appreciative of Sr. Maria Theresia's visit to all our communities.

She sparked a lot of life, enthusiasm and trust in us!

The Sisters gather for a farewell to

Sr. Maria Theresia.

A party and something to

remember us by.

JPIC

SSpS

USA

7

Ecumenical Advocacy Days

By Sr. Angelica Oyarzo

From March 25th to the 28th , I

attended the Ecumenical Advocacy Days

in Washington DC. About 700 people

were present for this event. They came

from all over the United States, as a large

Christian family from different denomina-

tions and organizations to worship God,

but mainly focused on the issues involving

women.

With the theme, “Development,

Security and Economic Justice: What's

Gender Got to Do with It?” the workshops

were instances of dialogue and encourage-

ment to be the voice of those who are in

need and are seeking for opportunities to

improve their life. As people of faith, we

have to work together on making a better

world where the most vulnerable, espe-

cially women, girls and families can live

safely. We know that people in govern-

ment have the responsibility to care for the

poor and protect the vulnerable, and also

to distribute the resources to support this kind

of project.

So, to achieve our goal we went to talk

with our Congressmen to confirm for them

the reality of these people and to ask them to

vote to fully fund, at or above FY2010 levels,

programs that serve families - especially those

struggling to overcome poverty - domestically

and around the world. We also urged them to

re-authorize and fully-fund the Violence

Against Women Act (VAWA), and co-

sponsor the International Violence Against

Women Act (IVAWA) when it is re-

introduced.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

was the first federal legislation acknowledg-

ing domestic violence and sexual assault a

crime. It also provides federal resources for

community-coordinated responses to violence

against women. The International Violence

Against Women Act (IVAWA) is a needed

legislation that would address rape during

armed conflict; reform the judicial

response to violence against women and en-

hance efforts to bring perpetrators to justice;

help survivors escape and recover from vio-

lence; prevent transmission and deaths from

HIV and AIDS; expand economic opportuni-

ties for women; and educate boys and men to

be leaders and allies of ending violence

against women and girls. It will make foreign

assistance more effective and efficient,

April 2011

8

increase transparency and accountability,

and prioritize stopping violence against

women and girls.

Through attending different work-

shops those days, I was enriched and

touched by diverse realities. I felt deeply

shaken by the experiences of many women

who had suffered all kinds of humiliations

and tricks by being victims of human traf-

ficking, (a form of modern slavery), forced

labor, forced prostitution, or by domestic

violence. All these women had a common

pattern: poverty. Migrant women, for ex-

ample, seeking to improve their life and

the life of their families, leave their loved

ones and migrate to this country with the

hope of finding a job. However, what chal-

lenges and dangers stalked these women

along their journey? Women and girls who

decided to make this journey are particu-

larly vulnerable to abuse. Generally, they

are mistreated by those who helped them

to dream of a better well-being, by those

who encouraged them to take risks in or-

der to improve their life. These women be-

lieved in them. Many of these women

were not only separated from their fami-

lies; they also were deprived of their basic

rights; even more, they were deprived of

their dignity.

As well as every one of us knows,

when women work and get money, they

return it into their families. They support

their children’s education and health. They

try to enhance their environment by

improving their own houses. Therefore, by

helping women to move out of poverty, the

communities are more likely to prosper

economically, and our society shall be

affected positively by better standards of

living. That was what we had in our minds

and hearts at the lobby that day. Hence,

when we met the representatives of our

State at Congress, we asked them to vote in

favor of those legislations which will

support women and families. We went there

trying to explain to them the struggles of

these people, and also the advantages to

society by giving them the right tools and

resources. Freed from violence, women and

girls can succeed and contribute to eco-

nomic growth of their countries, and they

can develop abilities to participate more ac-

tively in decisions that affect them.

In conclusion, the Ecumenical

Advocacy Days gave me a great opportunity

to meet many people and organizations that

work passionately in building a better

world. Their knowledge, their commitment

to the evangelical principles and their sense

of responsibility to care for the poor encour-

ages me to work for peace and justice.

Interfaith Vigil on the Budget