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Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters SSpS Mission
Called by the Spirit ~ Embracing the World
Article on page 2
2012
The Life Learning Center
Students and teachers enjoy the final exam in cooking class—the taste test!
ALSO IN
THIS
ISSUE:
Our
Mission in
Russia
Holy Spirit
Missionary
Associa-
tion
News
Notes
SSpS Mission Magazine Page 2
TTT hehehe Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters in the USA-West Indies Province have taken a
corporate stance on immigration. In part it reads:
“We, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, strive in collaboration with dedicated laity
and clergy, to live and proclaim the Gospel of God’s love, justice and peace by reverencing the
dignity of each person and creating a spirit of hospitality. With the strength of the Holy Spirit, we
stand in solidarity with immigrants, refugees and displaced persons of diverse cultures and
traditions and minister as well as journey together with them.”
During this time when anti-immigrant sentiments, misinformation and hatred are finding a way in-
to laws, policies and ways of dealings with immigrants, we Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters believe
it is especially urgent that we stand with immigrants and with those who share our passion for
justice. Therefore, we commit ourselves to pray for immigrants, to become aware of immigrants’
situations, educate ourselves and others on immigration issues, develop relationships that are built
on respect, advocate, act and serve with and for immigrants.
To this end, we have taken concrete action
in our Rogers Park community by opening
the Life Learning Center to help immigrant
women and children in the area to learn
sustainable living skills. The Center
officially opened in January, and since
then, we have received several gifts.
First of all, we were happy to receive a
grant from the Hilton Foundation allowing
us to purchase much needed furniture and
supplies. The second good gift was the
arrival of Katrin Weiss, a volunteer from
Germany, who lives and works with us
through the MaZ program. Consequently,
with such good resources, we were able to
buy four new computers and to implement
a ten-day computer class in August to help students develop basic computer skills. For most of our
students, it was the first opportunity to become familiar with this kind of technology. They made
good progress, and were very enthusiastic. It was like opening a window through which they could
see a different world. The attendance averaged 15 students per day. Some would like to keep
practicing and learning; therefore, we will continue offering a computer class once a week this fall.
Katrin with a child learning through play
SSpS Mission Magazine Page 3
We also restarted the English classes
which will last for ten weeks. Forty
students are attending this program.
In addition, there are some students
on a waiting list. We are grateful to
have very good volunteers who have
committed to lend a hand in our
ministry, including Sr. Mary
Melady, OSB, Kathy Meyer, Marie
Drozdzick, Sr. Lauren Lapinsky
(Felician Sister) and Elizabeth
Tapia. Very soon, Sr. Pat Snider
will join us once a week. Sr. Monica
Mabel Balbuena will continue to
offer sewing and bible classes.
Our Life Learning Center continues to
grow, and we are happy to have such a good
outreach in the neighborhood. We know that our ministry can just cover a very small percentage
of the needs in the area; however, we keep searching for new ways to make it a real support
center for the women and children. Thus, we have started a plan to set up a program against
Domestic Violence.
We are still in the very beginning, which means we are doing the appropriate research, visiting
the agencies that exist in Rogers Park in order to discover our own way to do it here, and reach-
ing out to the program of the diocese. Once we have collected all the necessary data, we will be
able to move into a new phase, and so, progress toward our goals.
Sr. Angelica Oyarzo Chavol
Sr. Angelica with students at the computer
Sr. Monica with a student learning to sew
Sr. Mary with ESL (English as a second language) students
SSpS Mission Magazine Page 4
O ur SSpS outreach to Russia began in 1991. The first mission was in Moscow and was part
of our Province of Slovakia. At present we have four missions and ten Sisters (four from
Indonesia, three from Poland, two from Slovakia and one from India) in Russia. The
eleventh Sister will arrive soon. The missions stretch from Tambov, south of Moscow and
near the border of Russia with Ukraine, to Irkutsk in eastern Siberia (near Lake Baikal north of the
border with Mongolia). Kemerovo and Abakan are in south central Russia/Siberia, closer to Irkutsk
than to Tambov.
Our Sisters’ mission in Russia/Siberia is first and foremost to be a living witness of Christian faith and
community. We work primarily with children who are often poorly parented since their parents are
either not present or are working full time. Catechetical ministry is part of each Sister’s daily life:
children, youth, adults, catechist formation and sacramental preparation.
Although based in the cities named, they travel to six to ten outstations. In some places, because of
distances, they stay overnight in the homes of the people. In the villages their ministry includes
visiting families, comforting the sick and lonely, and celebrating the Eucharist service. Truly their
work is manifold and demanding. In addition to their work with known Catholics, the Sisters also
build community among those of any faith. They seek to develop good relationships with leaders in
the Russian Orthodox Church as, for many years, the relationship between the Roman Catholic and
Russian Orthodox Churches has been strained.
During the 50 or so years of communist domination, the country moved from a religious Christian
atmosphere to an atmosphere of atheism with no public expression of religion. Church buildings were
destroyed or remodeled into museums and/or theaters. The result of this is experienced today as the
faith of the people is deeply buried in their hearts and gathering for worship is not a common practice.
Seemingly, the Russian Orthodox Church is favored by the current government over Catholic Latin or
Greek rites that are in union with Rome. (Today Russia is a little over 15% Christian; the remainder
are Muslim, Buddhist, other, and atheist.)
There are also many effects felt today from Russia’s history in connection with Europe, Japan, China,
and the indigenous peoples. This history includes wars of conquest and defeat, deportations of mass
numbers of peoples, death camps and more, that have left scars in the hearts of the people. Yet the
people hold to a deep belief in Something, shone in their hardworking spirit and their friendliness.
As I traveled from one mission to the other, I experienced the people as warm and helpful. They are
strong and independent, a natural as they live in an area of the world where winters are harsh. I had
the good fortune of being there at the end of their summer. The days were warm and inviting, usually
with much sunshine. Nights were pleasantly cool. As I was sharing these thoughts with a young man
in Kemerovo, his response was: “Oh, come in winter and see what Russia is REALLY like.”
By Sr. Judith Vallimont
SSpS Mission Magazine Page 5
Sr. Pat and happy couple!
Inside the Russian Orthodox Church, Kemerovo
Our Sisters in Russia with Bishop Cyryl Klimowicz of the Diocese of Irkutsk
Srs. Marcela, Mariani, Agata, Bohdana, Danuta, Judith (General Councilor), Natalia, Tressa, Jose, Eusebia, and Juliana
At the Children’s TB Convalescent Center in Irkutsk where our
Sisters do pastoral ministry.
SSpS Mission Magazine Page 6
Sr. Sara
The school today.
Global economy!
Global warming! Global travel!
In this time of everything global, we could look at the
needs of global missionaries. That would include all of
us. Today we need everybody’s help in our outreach to
the needs of the world.
In your own lives, I know that you encounter this also.
We are being challenged to relate with people of all
creeds, nationalities, languages, etc. Even in our church
communities, and maybe especially in these communi-
ties, we are asked to go beyond our own boundaries to
see with new eyes the wonders that God is bringing
about at this time in our history.
That is why you as Associates are so important to us.
Your Sister Missionaries rely very much on your pray-
ers for support and probably you need ours.
For those of you who are not a part of our Association,
please contact me at the Convent of the Holy Spirit if
you are interested.
This association is made up of Christians who:
A. Grow into a closer relationship with the
Holy Spirit.
B. Experience community in the Trinity in
today’s world.
C. Live the life and mission of the church
where they are by bonding with the Holy
Spirit Missionary Sisters.
WE WILL HAVE A PRAYER DAY AT THE
CONVENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON NOVEMBER
17, 2012 FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M. PLEASE
SAVE THE DATE.
Sr. Pat Snider, SSpS
Sr. Rosalia Service Galmin, Sr. Barbara
Miensopust, and Sr. Theresa Tawiah left
to begin our new mission in Jamaica on
Friday, August 3. All three Sisters will be
involved in parish ministry and the school
at Our Lady of Assumption. The parish
has the geographical size of the island of
Antigua and is one parish with two quasi-
parishes. Sr. Barbara will also begin
working for the organization Food for the
Poor. Please continue to support our pio-
neers with your prayers. (In the photo
below, left to right: Srs. Barbara, Rosalia
and Theresa)
SSpS Mission Magazine Page 7
News Notes
On June 24, Sr. Aprilia Untarto and Sr. Catharina Liliek renewed their temporary vows as Holy
Spirit Missionary Sisters. Sr. Aprilia left in July to spend two years in Chile for a cross-cultural
experience and to learn Spanish. Sr. Catharina moved to Epworth, Iowa, to continue her studies in
English before getting involved in ministry in the United States.
Katrin Weiss, featured in our Life Learning Center story, is a volunteer from Germany with the MaZ
organization. The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters have a long history of collaboration with MaZ which
sends young people abroad to gain experience as lay missioners. The Holy Spirit Sisters welcome
Katrin and hope that her time here enriches her Christian life as we know her presence will enrich the
lives of those with whom she works as well as the lives of the Sisters.
PLEASE NOTE: We will not be sending out a winter 2012 edition of SSpS Mission Magazine.
Instead you will be receiving a copy of our 2013 calendar. We hope you enjoy it!
SSpS Mission Magazine is published quarterly by the
Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters Our web site: www.ssps-usa.org Our phone: (847) 441-0126
Editor: Judy Cates
Please let us know if you wish to continue receiving our publication.
Name: ___________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________
SSpS Mission Magazine - Subscription offering: $10.00 per year □
Holy Spirit Missionary Association membership: Yes □ No thank you □
Donation to support our Missionaries: _________□
Prayer request
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Cut this portion and mail it to: SSpS Mission Magazine
P.O. Box 6026
Techny, IL 60082-6026
Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters PO Box 6026, Techny, IL 60082-6026
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The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters are an international community of Catholic religious women serving in 47
countries. Missionary activities include pastoral work and catechesis, education, nursing and health care, social
work, adult education, and many other services designated to promote human dignity.
SSpS Mission Magazine Page 8