Stewardship Report 2017 - Atlantic Midwest · Stewardship Report 2017 A Chapter’s End Brings...

First, the Holy Spirit rests on each

and then brings all of them

together, page 1

TRANSFORMING THE WORLD THROUGH EDUCATION

School Sisters of Notre Dame Atlantic-Midwest Province

Stewardship Report 2017

A Chapter’s End Brings About a New Chapter, page 2

2018 STEWARDSHIP REPORT 1

I n September 2017, sisters of our congregation from

around the world came together in Marriottsville,

Maryland for the 24th General Chapter. A General Chapter is a sacred meeting held every six years.

We prayerfully set the direction for our congregation, considering the signs of the times in the world around us and within us. We reviewed God’s call to offer our gifts to meet the challenges of the day. After six weeks, we emerged united in our choice of who would lead us as our new General Superior. We also created a Directional Statement for our congregation for the next six years — entitled Love Gives Everything — that serves as a guidepost for how our congregation will be and act.

You will find more about the General Chapter and our Directional Statement in the first section of this Stewardship Report. In sharing our Directional Statement

with you, we invite you to consider it a call to action. How can you act to support the SSND mission where it is needed in the world today?

You Are Sent (YAS), the Constitution of our congregation, instructs us that, “as community we are sent in the power of the Spirit to continue Christ’s mission, to proclaim him, to be transformed and to transform our world, bringing all to that oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent.” (YAS, C48)

Our congregation was founded on the belief that the world can be changed, that this oneness can be brought about, through the transformation of persons. Throughout this publication, you will see the theme of Unity. We call upon you to be in unity with us as we live out the challenges put forth by Love Gives Everything.

We count on your collaboration in our shared effort to address the troubling concerns of our earth and its people. These pages are full of stories about the good that you — our generous supporters and partners in ministry — are doing in the world each and every day. United with us in your love for others and your desire to minister to those most in need, you are helping us reach those whose lives we might not otherwise be able to impact.

Making an impact is difficult in a world that currently seems to challenge all efforts to bring people together in kindness rather than in hate. Through service, through education, and through a shared respect for our earthly home and the people in it, we are being led to the fringes of society to continue our work of becoming a unified force of strong, international, intercultural advocates for justice, peace and the integrity of creation.

The General Chapter theme was “Trust and Dare. Content with little, we joyfully direct our entire lives toward that oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent.”

Let us trust and dare beyond all our fears.

We pray for you with love and gratitude.

In Notre Dame,

Charmaine Krohe, SSND Provincial Leader, School Sisters of Notre Dame Atlantic-Midwest Province

2017 Stewardship Report“In unity is our strength; therefore,

we must hold to this anchor above all.” Blessed Mary Theresa Gerhardinger, SSND Foundress, Letter 4980

On Pentecost Sunday 2017, Pope Francis spoke about the importance of unity in the Church. “On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit came down from heaven, in the form of ‘divided tongues, as of fire… [that] rested on each

of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages’ (Acts 2:3-4). This is how the word of God describes the working of the Spirit: First, the Holy Spirit rests on each and then brings all of them together in fellowship. To each the Spirit gives a gift, and then gathers them all into unity. In other words, the same Spirit creates diversity and unity, and in this way forms a new, diverse and unified people: the universal Church.”

The prospect of being diverse and yet unified is one that seems nearly impossible in these times, when differences are jeered, not celebrated; when those with opinions other than the ones we hold are labeled as fake or dangerous; and when diversity in identity, ethnicity, race and culture is seen as something to be feared. Our challenge is to do not what is easy but what is right. As You Are Sent, the constitution of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, reminds us, “Our internationality challenges us to witness to unity in a divided world; to discover unsuspected ways of sharing what we have, especially with the poor and marginalized, and to search for new channels of service in the universal church.”(YAS, C26)

In this Stewardship Report, we look back over the past fiscal year of the School Sisters of Notre Dame Atlantic Midwest Province and celebrate the ways in which sisters have served these needs and proclaimed the message of unity, in collaboration with their associates, sponsored ministries, staff, partners in mission, donors, and all those whom they serve.

We honor the commitment of the SSND mission of oneness — with Jesus, with one another, and with the world at large. We call on God to give us the strength to avoid the temptations of diversity without unity. We ask that God lead us to put personal preferences aside and accept responsibility for unity among all.

CONTENTS

A Chapter’s End Brings About a New Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

May They Be One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Envisioning and Growing Unity Among Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Associates Share in the Spirit . . . . . . 8

Partners in Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Milestones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

United in Appreciation of Your Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

The mission of the School Sisters of Notre Dame is to proclaim the Good News, directing their entire lives toward that oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent. The sisters make Christ visible through their very being and by their sharing of love faith and hope. The sisters express their mission through ministry directed towards education.

Editor Caelie Haines

Contributors Suzy Blackburn, Arlene Flaherty, Leslie Lopez, Yvonne Debruin

Design www.scoustenis.com

Email [email protected]

Website amssnd.org

ATLANTIC-MIDWEST OFFICES

Villa Assumpta 6401 N. Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21212 410-377-7774

Villa Notre Dame 345 Belden Hill Road Wilton, Connecticut 06897 203-762-3318

Notre Dame Convent 1921 Snake Road Waterdown, Ontario L0R 2H0 905-689-6646

Our Provincial Leader, Sister Charmaine Krohe, welcoming the newly elected General Superior of the congregation, Sister Roxanne Schares, who will lead the SSNDs for the next six years.

2 SCHOOL SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME ATLANTIC-MIDWEST PROVINCE 2018 STEWARDSHIP REPORT 3

Forty-five School Sisters of Notre Dame from 30 countries came together from September 26 to October 24, 2017

for their 24th General Chapter to elect a General Council and set the future direction for the congregation for the next six years.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame hold a

General Chapter with representatives from

each administrative unit (province) in the

congregation every six years. The first 10

days of the General Chapter were devoted

to hearing and discussing a variety

of reports that would help inform the

delegates about the whole congregation —

its present reality, needs and concerns —

in order to influence and assist their

direction setting. Then they were ready to

embrace the responsibility of electing the

next General leadership.

The newly elected General Council

members began their six-year term

following an installation ceremony on

January 20, 2018 at the Generalate in

Rome, Italy.

MEET THE GENERAL COUNCIL

Sister Roxanne Schares, General Superior,

is the 12th successor to Blessed M. Theresa

of Jesus Gerhardinger, the foundress of the

School Sisters of Notre Dame. At the time

of her election, Sister Roxanne was living

in Nairobi, Kenya, and serving as director

of the temporary professed for the Province

of Africa, which includes The Gambia,

Sierra Leone, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.

Sister Roxanne entered the congregation in

Mankato, Minnesota, and was professed in

1972. She was missioned to Kenya in 1982 and

is now a member of the Province of Africa.

Sister Inês Camiran is a native of Brazil. She

is in her second term as a General Councilor

and will also now serve as Vicar. She was

professed in 1985 in São Paulo, Brazil.

Sister Carolyn Anyega was headmistress of

Notre Dame Senior Secondary School and living

in Sunyani, Ghana when elected. She is a native

of Kenya and has served in Ghana since 2005,

when she was missioned to form community

with the sisters in Sunyani and teach at the

secondary school. She was professed in 1997 in

Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa.

Sister Julianne Lattner is a member of

our Atlantic-Midwest Province. She was

serving as a facilitator working with

religious community groups and returning

missionary groups in Canada and the U.S.

when elected. As a provincial councilor

of the former Canadian province, her

leadership roles have taken her to Bolivia,

Peru, and England. She was professed in

1966 in Canada.

Sister Kathleen Storms was director of

Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat Center

in Wheatland, Iowa when elected. Her

previous ministries include being a council

member for the former Mankato province.

She was professed in 1966.

Sister M. Martina Radež is a native of

Slovenia. She was serving as local leader of

the community at Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia,

as well as working in the Mother Theresa

Retreat Center in Ilirska Bistrica when

elected. She was a novice in the Bavarian

Province and professed her first vows in

1980 in Munich, Germany.

FUTURE DIRECTION OF THE CONGREGATION

The Directional Statement was the result of

a congregation-wide consultation before the

Chapter and intense dialogue and prayerful

reflection during the Chapter.

“This Chapter and our Directional Statement

for the future have been an act of love, a love

that gives everything, gladly and gratefully,”

Sister Roxanne said. “In that spirit, in the

spirit of our Foundress Blessed Theresa

Gerhardinger, and through the power of

the Holy Spirit, we are committed with the

entire congregation to follow the direction

that God has given us, and live into the

future what this Directional Statement and

Acts of the Chapter call us to be and to do

out of a love that gives everything.”

Over the coming months, the Atlantic

Midwest Province will be discussing among

the sisters and the wider SSND network

the meaning of this new Directional

Statement to our province. These

discussions will shape and enhance our

future collaborations with associates,

sponsored and co-sponsored ministries,

staff, donors and other partners in mission.

A Chapter’s End Brings About a New Chapter

We, the School Sisters of Notre Dame,

direct our entire lives toward that

oneness for which Jesus Christ was

sent. At this critical turning point in the

sacred history of creation and humanity,

we have heard our deep desire to trust

and dare (You Are Sent, C4).

◆ We embrace gospel poverty, probe its deeper meaning, and risk opening ourselves to be transformed (YAS, C15-17; GD19).

◆ We deepen our consciousness of who we are in relationship with the Triune God, one another, and God’s amazing universe, particularly through theological reflection on the Trinity (YAS, C12).

◆ We claim our authentic community life as a prophetic witness of unity in diversity and a service to God’s people (YAS, C7-9).

◆ We expand our understanding of interculturality and commit to develop skills for intercultural living in community and society (YAS, GD36).

◆ We risk innovative responses as educators in a rapidly changing world impacted by globalization and technology (YAS, Prologue; C22-24, 26).

◆ We educate, advocate, and act in collaboration with others for the dignity of life and the care of all creation (YAS, C9, 17; GD19).

◆ We discern as a congregation which urgent and critical global concerns we are called to address and we dare to respond boldly in unsuspected ways (YAS, C17; GD 36-38).

The Triune God impels us into

the heart of the world to be women

of peace, hope, and love. In the

spirit of Blessed M. Theresa and

Mother M. Caroline, we, the living

community, continue to develop our

charism according to You Are Sent (YAS, Prologue).

writings # 1. Approved October 24, 2017

Directional Statement of the 24th General Chapter

Love GivesEverything


Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation: Building bridges of justice to heal a divided world

In the dramatic farewell narrative of the Gospel of John, we have a glimpse into the concerns and hopes that

preoccupied Jesus of Nazareth at the closure of his ministry when he prayed: “May they be one.” In many ways,

these four words gave expression to his awareness of the sinfully destructive divisions that existed in his first

century world and in our world today. “May they be one,” was not only Jesus expressing the vision of oneness

for which he gave his life but the vision to which we are all called to commit our lives today.

Oneness, as we are learning, is as much a process as it is an outcome. Building bridges across walls that divide

is at the heart of the work of our province in advancing gospel-inspired justice, peace, and integrity of creation.

Our province’s four commitments to water’s accessibility and sustainability, justice for immigrants, ending human

trafficking, and Haiti form the architecture of the SSND bridge to oneness, which is well under construction.

Water: In less than ten years, according to the United

Nations, two-thirds of the world’s population is predicted to

be living with unstable water conditions. Global warming,

demand for bottled water, and the contamination of water

through human and corporate carelessness, combined with

energy extraction technologies such as fracking, contribute

to alarming rates of water pollution and lack of access to

this essential element for life. In our efforts to bridge the

gap between the “haves and have-nots” of water, our

province has been striving to eliminate our use of bottled

water. We have been conducting workshops throughout

the province and engaging in legislative advocacy around

fracking and its detrimental impact on the planet’s water

systems. SSNDs have also exercised leadership within the

Global Catholic Climate Movement through a commitment

to invest some of our resources in renewable energy

technologies. In addition, we have been able to build

bridges of solidarity with our sisters in Kenya and their

neighbors in collaborating to drill a bore hole in Homa Bay,

Kenya, through which life-giving water is now flowing.

(Shown here is Sister Rose Ngacha touching the water at the bore hole site.)

Justice for Immigrants: Recognizing our oneness has taken

special meaning for the SSNDs in the United States as the

nation struggles to compose and pass a comprehensive

immigration reform policy that would enable more than 11

million undocumented persons to come out of the shadows

and live their lives with hope and dignity. Our province has

focused our education and advocacy work on the Dream

Act, which is a legislative solution for over one million

immigrant youth and young adults who came to the U.S. as

children but have no pathway to citizenship.

In similar ways, SSNDs in Canada continue to deepen

their commitment to the First Nation’s people, especially

in their vulnerability to exploitation, and like the sisters in

the United States, have been welcoming and supporting

refugee families from war-torn Syria (pictured, page 4, right column). Many SSNDs are working directly with immigrant

children and adults in various educational ministries,

helping to build bridges across language and culture, while

fostering the hoped-for unity through establishing personal

relationships and nurturing mutual respect.

Human Trafficking: The clandestine nature of modern

human slavery has made many of us unware of the fact

that there are more than twenty million slaves in the world

today. In Canada and the United States much of the work of

our province this past year has been educating the public

about the proximity of human slaves in our daily lives.

SSNDs in Canada sponsored a day-long workshop on the

relationship of the growing demand for porn and addiction

to porn, and the demand for human trafficking. In the

United States the focus has been on slavery in our supply

chains. In the past year SSND conducted an audit of the

fish purchased for the province’s consumption in order to

ensure that there is no slavery in the seafood chains, and

have made fair trade certified teas and coffees available in

residential centers across our province. Bridging pathways

to safety and dignity of life for those entrapped in slavery is

a formidable task, yet it is heartening to see the heightened

awareness around modern day slavery that is growing

globally. SSNDs are honored to play a small but significant

part in the process of eliminating this evil and providing

ways to help survivors to reclaim their lives.

Haiti: The province’s collaboration with Beyond Borders

on the island of Lagonav, off the western coast of Haiti, is

an expression of a desire to foster oneness with one of the

most disenfranchised nations in the world today. During

the past year, the SSND partnership with Beyond Borders

in Haiti has enabled a bridge of support that has assisted

23 impoverished families in their post-hurricane Matthew

recovery and rebuilding; the establishment of community

based brigades to protect vulnerable children from slavery;

the creation of book banks, as well as school and family

gardens to nurture minds and bodies; and teacher training

in order to build the capacity for education in a gravely

under-served sector of Haiti’s development. One of the

highlights of this past year’s partnership with Beyond

Borders in Haiti was the Haiti Speakers’ Tour, through

which SSND students, faculty, sisters, associates and

province staff were able to meet Haitian staff working in

partnership projects in Haiti. The encounter fostered by the

Speakers’ Tour will forever bind the sisters to Haiti in ways

yet to be fully comprehended.

“May they be one” was Jesus giving expression to the vision of oneness for which he gave his life and the vision to which we are all called to commit our lives today. Oneness, as we are learning, involves building bridges, one step at a time,

that lead to justice, peace, and integrity of creation for all living on this fragile planet together. May these efforts truly lead us all to become one.

May they be one


expanding understanding of SSND, a

significant purpose of participating in the

program is the deepening of unity.

St. Augustine, whose vision of community

is to be of one heart and one mind,

established with this core concept the

spiritual foundation for SSND. This is

supported by Jesus’ prayer to his Father

that the disciples ‘may be one’. The

struggle for unity is at the heart of SSND.

The definition of community is expanding

and evolving to include in a specified way

those serving with SSNDs.

Through the spiritual nature of the

Ministry Formation program, unity

with God is animated. In particular, the

Claiming the Fire Within retreat offers

opportunity for personal and communal

prayer, quiet reflection and small group

sharing on insightful presentations about

Blessed Mother Theresa and Mother

Caroline by the retreat leaders. This past

year, 21 retreat participants (pictured here) took advantage of this opportunity to

explore how the stories of Mother Theresa

and Mother Caroline might invite them into

oneness with the SSND story, with God,

and with one another.

In addition to the retreat, the curriculum

sessions and the one-on-one mentoring

components foster unity with the SSND

congregation through learning about

its history, educational vision, and the

unfolding charism. Curriculum components

of Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of

Creation and Catholic Social Teaching

invite unity with creation and solidarity

with God’s people. Notable themes and

topics that were engaged focused on

Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ and the United

Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

In 2017, the program welcomed three new

participants into the process. Networking

among peers during the program is a

significant component for building unity

among leaders and ministries. Three

people have graduated from the two-year

program so far.

To unify formation, education and outreach

efforts, Ministry Services has created

video resources that are accessible

online through the Atlantic-Midwest

webpage. These videos detail the spiritual

foundations of SSND, explain the process

and spirit of a General Chapter, and convey

a message from the provincial leader to

the boards of SSND sponsored and co-

sponsored ministries. You can watch these

videos at https://atlanticmidwest.org/

heritage-library

To be stewards of unity is no small

endeavor. It is, however, rewarding to

witness the charism of unity grow in

people partnering with SSND in mission

and ministry and seeing SSND sponsored

and co-sponsored ministries fulfilling their

prophetic role in communities that are in

need of change through the transformative

education of persons. To share in this effort

with other province departments stretches

us from a purpose beyond ourselves into

union with one another and God’s mission

as expressed in and through the mission of

SSND ministries.

H ow can the mission of the School Sisters of Notre Dame — proclaiming the good news and directing our entire lives toward that oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent — touch and transform those who are joining the sisters in

mission and those being served through their ministries? How can the ministries we sponsor and co-sponsor maintain a strong connection to SSND, when more and more lay people are assuming significant leadership roles that previously were held by sisters?

The need to find answers to these

questions is gaining momentum. To

address the growing need of lay people

being formed into the SSND culture and

values, the Atlantic-Midwest province

offers a Ministry Formation program.

Participants learn about the unfolding

SSND charism, mission and educational

vision, and explore ways to integrate

these into their ministry in SSND sponsored

ministries, province departments and

continuum of care centers.

The program currently serves board chairs,

administrators and other selected leaders

of SSND sponsored ministries; province

department directors; and administrators

of SSND continuum of care centers. Besides

Envisioning and Growing Unity

Caption here: La vel evera doluptiundae modigente nihicaturia num ut vera vel iumquid eostiis sa doles rem. Ut earumene et harum

ANNUAL LEADERSHIP MEETING

The provincial council offers an annual leadership meeting for leaders and other staff of ministries and province departments. The purpose here, too, is to deepen unity between lay staff serving in SSND sponsored and co-sponsored ministries, SSNDs on boards and in active ministry, and the Atlantic-Midwest Province, especially the 2016-2020 provincial council. During this gathering, unity is nurtured through updates from the leadership team about important happenings of interest to the leaders gathered. This past year it was the 24th General Chapter. Leaders had the featured opportunity to network with each other and exchange best practices, thus working towards unity on an organizational level. Oneness was nurtured by celebrating at the Lord’s Table during liturgy and enjoying a festive dinner.

Approaching Mission Integration through Ministry Formation and Leadership Development


I n the words of You Are Sent, the Congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame “came to life when God’s call found an answer in the hearts of people

strong in faith, foreseeing in vision, and courageous in action.” In her address to the SSND area coordinators in June 2017, Sister Patricia Flynn said that these words hold true for associates as well.

Associates are women and men who live the spirit and mission of SSND through deepening

personal and communal prayer; participating in SSND spiritual, educational, and social

activities; extending the spirit of SSND in the associate’s respective ministry and life; and

sharing one’s gifts, faith life, and lived experiences with other associates and SSNDs.

The associates of the Atlantic Midwest Province are persons of faith and action. They

have felt the call to oneness and have responded, building community in their homes and

their local areas. Sisters and associates together see the SSND charism as something that

informs their own lives, their personal and professional interactions, and then is ultimately

shared with the world beyond.

Associates have taken to heart the four province commitments, seeking education on the

issues, advocating for the voiceless, and moving forward in prayer and action in the spirit

of the founders of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

An associate enters into a formal relationship with the SSND community in the form of

a covenant: an exchange of promises between the associate and the community that is

renewable annually by mutual agreement.

Associates promise:

◆ to deepen personal and communal prayer

◆ to participate in appropriate local and regional activities (prayer days, extended faith communities, social justice actions, province and associate gatherings)

◆ to live the spirit of SSND in her/his respective lifestyle

◆ to extend the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ into service for God’s people.

The sisters promise to share SSND heritage, spirituality, mission and ministry, and lived

experience with the associate. In practice, as their time and preferences permit, associates

gather with other associates and sisters, attend appropriate province events, work with

SSNDs in various ministries, engage in social justice activities with SSNDs and other

associates, and volunteer their time at SSND care facilities or outreach ministries.

Associates Share in the Spirit

Associates in Ontario, Canada,

encountered the School Sisters of Notre

Dame in their efforts to put an end to

human trafficking. They joined the “Stop

Human Trafficking” initiative and now

work to spread the word, speaking to

local community groups and visiting

schools. (Pictured above are Ontario associates Christine Oates, Liz Whyte, Josie MacRae, and Nerina Murray.)

The associates of Southeast Florida work

closely with the sisters who founded St.

Ann Place to minister to homeless persons

of West Palm Beach. In the words of

associate Fran Maher (pictured below with associate John Pescosolido), “The sharing of

ideas, meaningful interaction, and forming

of consensus is essential to fulfilling the

mission of St. Ann’s Place.”

Forever Grateful On October 1, 2017, Sister Jane Forni, SSND, provincial councilor, joined Chicago-area associates in accepting and celebrating the

First Covenant of Hye-Sung Kim and Barbara Healy.


Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) Est. 1895 — Baltimore, Maryland

Notre Dame began out of a mission to educate those neglected by society and became the first Catholic college for women in the United States to award the four-year baccalaureate degree. Nearly 3,000 women and men are enrolled in degree and certificate programs at Notre Dame. Rooted in the Catholic tradition, with focus on the liberal arts and service to others, students are challenged to strive for excellence, build inclusive communities and promote social responsibility.

“The glory of God is the person fully alive.” That was the passage that filled Sister Linda Stilling’s heart during her service experience last spring. Sister Linda, a faculty member at

Notre Dame of Maryland University, along with students Helen Contreras and Judith Oyedele, spent a week last spring working alongside sisters who are missioned at St. Ann Place —a ministry for the homeless — and at the Kindoo Family Center — which offers assistance to immigrant families — both in southeast Florida. “Their SSND mission and spirit of caring for the poor whose needs are not being met and creating community just permeates the place,” Sister Linda said of St. Ann Place. The trip was an “alternative Spring Break” for the students, but even though they gave up the party scene, “it was indeed a celebration — a celebration of SSND hospitality, mission and ‘making one,’” according to Sister Linda.

Learning and Career Centers

Caroline Friess Center Est. 1996 — Baltimore, Maryland

Educates and prepares women to become knowledgeable, skilled, and compassionate healthcare career professionals. The 15-week program provides a holistic approach to education and individualized instruction in a supportive community where women can become their best selves as they prepare for meaningful careers with opportunities for advancement.

In 2017, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation awarded Caroline Center a generous Employee Giving Program grant. The foundation’s Employee Giving Program engages the entire staff in the process of philanthropy & grant-making. Foundation employees — not including the trustees or the president — handle every step of grant evaluation. This includes grantee selection, a site visit, review of financials, and final grant recommendation. Program Director for Workforce Development Marci Hunn said that she recommended the grant “to recognize the great work of Caroline Center, as well as Sister

Pat McLaughlin’s service as executive director and to honor the memory of Jackie Buedel, the center’s first Academic & Career Advancement Program director.” The Caroline Center was devastated by the sudden death of Ms. Buedel in July. To honor her memory, the staff ceremonially named Somerset Street, where they are located, as “Jackie Buedel Way.” The honorary street sign was unveiled on Foundation Day, October 24, 2017.

Caroline House Est. 1995 — Bridgeport, Connecticut

This resource center provides instruction in English, computer use and social skills to help low-income, mostly Latino women improve their lives and those of their children. They have provided education and support services to more than 1,150 women and 500 children, to date.

When Sister Eileen Denny, province water committee member, began her latest ESL class at Caroline House, she noticed many had plastic water bottles. At her next class, Sister Eileen discussed the problems and solutions of plastic water bottle usage. The new awareness stuck. The next day, one student came to class with a reusable water bottle for each class member.

Corazón a Corazón Est. 2002 — Chicago, Illinois

Individualized instruction in English is offered to Hispanic adults and after-school tutoring is available to children.

Corazón a Corazón moved this year, to a shared office space with Catholic Charities that allows them to serve more people in a location that is easier to reach by public transportation. Their Summer Achievement Camp had another successful year, with 40 children from kindergarten through ninth grade getting assistance with reading, writing, and math, in order to assure they remained prepared for the coming school year. The campers were also taken on field trips to expose them to more diverse cultural experiences.

Notre Dame Learning Center Est. 2004 — Rochester, New York

Individualized after-school and summertime tutoring in math, reading, and language arts is offered to elementary-age children. A program to help prepare adults for the high school equivalency examination is also offered.

The support from the tutors at Notre Dame Learning Center is badly needed in Rochester; it is one of the lowest-performing and poorest districts in New York State. Director Sister Evelyn Breslin said there are 2,000 homeless children in Rochester, and that many of the students who come through the centers doors each day have difficult home situations. “To see the light dawn in their eyes, to see their smiles, to hear ‘I did better in school, I passed my math.’ Just to hear these little children say that is incredible,” Sister Evelyn admitted.

Partners in Ministry “We are educators in all that we are and do. We continually choose ways of living and serving that call to growth.Responding to a variety of

needs, we engage in a diversity of ministries, specific services through which we work for the enablement of persons.” (You Are Sent, C23)

Atlantic-Midwest Province SSND sponsored and co-sponsored ministries across the province are diverse in their services, locations, and peoples served, but unified in their commitment to the SSND mission to transform lives and help people to fulfill their potential. Here are just a few examples of those efforts.


SSND Educational Center Est. 2004 — Woodhaven, New York

GED preparation and life skills are offered to women in southeast Queens in a safe and welcoming environment meant to educate and nurture the whole person.

Eighty-two women received certificates of completion this past June, and the Center has helped hundreds of women since its inception, empowering underserved women of all races and faiths to reach the fullness of their potential. The Educational Center and its director, Sister Catherine Feeney, were featured in September on Currents, the Catholic-news program on Net TV. You can find the video on You Tube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=430yoIKrAu4.

College Preparatory Schools for Young Women

Academy of the Holy Angels (AHA) Est. 1879 — Demarest, New Jersey

The college prep school for girls in grades 9–12 attracts students from far and wide with its global curriculum and focus on empowerment.

Among the goals which direct AHA’s mission is to help form the students’ identity within a global community, calling them to work toward social justice and peace for all peoples, especially those who are poor and marginalized, and to assist students in making a lifelong commitment to sustainability and the integrity of creation. AHA has been intentional about integrating the four province commitments to the availability and sustainability of water, justice for immigrants, ending human trafficking, and

development for Haiti, into the schools’ curriculum and student activities. AHA students raised more than $5,000 for families in Haiti displaced by Hurricane Matthew; banned bottled water in the school and put in a water-bottle filling station; and visited the SSND Mission Awareness Program site at Comunidad Enlaces de Esperanza in Douglas, AZ, for an up-close look at immigration issues and the realities of life at the border. (Pictured here are students and chaperones at the border wall.)

Institute of Notre Dame (IND) Est. 1847 — Baltimore, Maryland

The college prep school for girls in grades 9–12, the oldest SSND-founded institution in North America, educates students to be active leaders and responsible world citizens.

The first school for girls in North America founded by the SSNDs, the Institute of Notre Dame celebrated 170 years of excellence in 2017. On October 27, students, faculty and staff celebrated Foundation Day and the founding of the school on October 28, 1847 with mass and a presentation about our Foundress Blessed Mother Theresa, followed by breakfast and tours of the school for sisters who had taught there over the years.

Also, in March, IND welcomed a group of students from Japan whose school was also founded by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The students from Notre Dame Girls Junior and Senior High School in Kyoto, Japan gave a presentation about their culture and traditions to the IND students, who then shared their classes with the visitors. Although from different parts of the world, all of these young ladies share a respect for the SSND spirit and the importance of education in their lives.

Notre Dame Preparatory School (NDP) Est. 1873 — Towson, Maryland

The college prep school serves girls in grades 6-12. Its reputation for academic excellence and innovation, spiritual growth and the practice of justice is widespread.

Mrs. Mary Agnes Sheridan, NDP’s Middle Level STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) coordinator and mathematics teacher, was selected in January as a recipient of a prestigious, national honor — the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA)’s “Lead. Learn. Proclaim.” Award. Sheridan was one of only 42 teachers selected from more than 150,000 Catholic elementary and secondary school educators nationwide for this award. She received her award at the NCEA 2017 Convention in St. Louis in April. The “Lead. Learn. Proclaim.” Award honors educators who demonstrate a strong Catholic educational

philosophy, as well as exceptional ability, skills, and results. As one of her colleagues expressed, “Mary Agnes embraces and proclaims the school mission to ‘educate and empower girls to become women who transform the world.’ She strives to answer God’s call ‘…to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with God’ in all that she does.

Middle Schools for Low-Income Students

Mother Seton Academy* Est. 1993 — Baltimore, Maryland

The all-scholarship middle school for low-income girls and boys in grades 6-8 has strict academic standards and an extended-day program. The school has the capacity for 84 students — 14 boys and 14 girls each in grades six, seven and eight.

During the past two years, Mother Seton Academy has been working with the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS) to achieve full accreditation. The process included a year of self-study, a visit by a team of experienced educators, and an action plan developed in response to the report from the visiting team. All of this material was reviewed by AIMS, who has granted Mother Seton Academy full accreditation for the next ten years. Parent involvement and community service is a requirement.

Mother Seton Academy families recognize that students are most likely to succeed when they have support at home and at school.

Sisters Academy of Baltimore* Est. 2004 — Baltimore, Maryland

The middle school for girls in grades 5-8 from low-income families in southwest Baltimore empowers students to become agents for change in their families and community. Sisters Academy of Baltimore seeks to enroll 20 girls per grade. The values and skills students develop during their four years at Sisters Academy guide their choices far into the future.

Since their first year in 2005, students have participated in a vast array of summer camps designed specifically to offer new challenges and fun beyond the classroom. One camp, regarded

as a rite of passage, is a week at Notre Dame Preparatory School (NDP). This past summer, the camp featured swimming, field hockey, basketball, volleyball, badminton, dance, art, and origami. Each student was paired with a NDP girl who served as her camp counselor for the week. The counselors encouraged each student to try new sports, learn to swim, and express herself artistically.

* supported by SSND and other religious organizations

PARTNERS IN MINISTRY


Temporary Homes for Women in Recovery

Marian House* Est. 1982 — Baltimore, Maryland

A healing community for women in transition, it offers housing and support services to women who are finding their way out of poverty, addiction, abuse, mental illness and incarceration.

For more than thirty years, our co-sponsored ministry Marian House has served homeless women and their children in Baltimore. The organization provides transitional and permanent housing, and support services to those in need. Staff at Marian House have seen the demand for their services increase, and with the opening of Independence Place on December 13 they are now able to help even more women, who might have previously slipped through the cracks. Independence Place is home

to 22 newly renovated apartments for homeless women and their children. Marian House was awarded 21 vouchers from the Maryland Housing Authority to provide affordable housing to these women and their families. Donna Colston is one of them. “I just can’t really find the words to express how grateful and excited I am to be a part of the first group of Marian House women to be blessed with the opportunity to have affordable housing in this beautiful building,” Colston said of Independence Place, which was once Blessed Sacrament School, where SSNDs taught for years.

SisterHouse Est. 1982 — Chicago, Illinois

Temporary home for women seeking recovery from substance abuse; teaches accountability and responsibility and empowers women to contribute constructively to society.

The SisterHouse Alumnae Club serves from a place of passion and enthusiasm. Some of the participants have been working their program for more than 20 years, so they are a source of great support and inspiration to women just starting the recovery process. The Big Sister/Little Sister program helps foster relationships with the incoming residents by connecting each resident with an alumnae member. This has proven to be very successful in giving the new residents a glimpse of hope and aspiration for their journey ahead. The Alumnae Club also presents an annual Gospel Explosion event to raise money for SisterHouse and give back to those who have helped them get their lives back.

Milestones90th Anniversary of Notre Dame Convent

On February 14, 2017, the sisters in Ontario, Canada celebrated the 90th anniversary of Notre Dame Convent by staging a surprise re-enactment of the arrival of candidates from Kitchener to the new motherhouse in Waterdown, Ontario. Sister Joan Helm, archivist, writes, “A starlit sky above the new Canadian Motherhouse brightened the arrival of three sisters, ten candidates and twenty-two aspirants and boarders. It was 5 p.m. on February 14, 1927 when the train from Kitchener, Ontario stopped at the Waterdown station... The statue of Our Lady of Grace, aglow with light high above the front balcony, was there with arms extended in welcome.” (Pictured here is Sister

Katharine Reiter leading the candidates, with Sister Joan Helm dressed as Mother Baptist. Mother Baptist was first provincial of the Canadian Province.)

SSNDs and Fossil Fuel Investing

In response to Pope Francis’ call to action on climate, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, like many religious congregations, have begun to remove fossil fuel investments from their retirement funds and have begun investing in renewal energy companies.

The SSNDs continue to retain a small investment in fossil fuel companies for the purpose of educating, engaging and urging these energy companies to adapt policies and practices that do not degrade the planet but support the planet’s sustainability.

Sister Genevieve Kelleher Honored

On February 16, the Academy of the Holy Angels celebrated the launch of extensive renovations that will transform the school’s former convent into a center for the STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) curriculum. Sister Genevieve Kelleher, the longest serving sister at AHA, received the honor of having the building named after her. Sister Genevieve served on both Holy Angel campuses. Her tenure as a teacher began in 1948 at the school’s original campus in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After the school moved to Demarest in 1965, she continued as a

librarian and taught English, French, religion, biology and history until her retirement in 2011. The Sister Genevieve Kelleher Center was dedicated in October 2017, with Sister Genevieve (being greeted here by Bishop John Flesey) in attendance.

Sister Rita Celebrates 106 Years

A joyous celebration took place at Notre Dame Convent on Sunday, October 1, for Sister Rita Kittel, who celebrated her 106 birthday. The most senior School Sister of Notre Dame, Sister Rita entered the candidature in Waterdown, Ontario, in September 1927, the same year the Canadian motherhouse opened. During her 63 years of active ministry, 41 years were in education as teacher, principal and librarian in schools in the Hamilton Diocese. (Pictured here are Sisters Leona Dentinger and Rita Kittel.)

Nifty Nineties Celebration at Villa Assumpta

On April 26, Villa Assumpta celebrated 24 sisters who are 90 years plus. The nonagenarians were joined by the provincial council, Villa Assumpta and Maria Health Care administrators, local leaders, and the director of nursing. In addition to a delicious dinner, they shared prayer, some holy humor, a toast, and congratulatory words from Provincial Leader Sister Charmaine Krohe. (Pictured here are Sisters Doris Kresslein, Eileen Eppig, Kathleen Marie Engers, and Grace Sciamanna.)

* supported by SSND and other religious organizations

PARTNERS IN MINISTRY


Printed on recycled paper to reflect the School Sisters of Notre Dame’s commitment “to live more simply, responsibly and sustainably with one another and with all of creation.” Love Cannot Wait, directional statement of the 23rd General Chapter, 2012

Respecting and Remembering

During the holidays, Martha, a woman who had been taught by SSNDs at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission Grammar School and Mission High School, sent us a Christmas card. In it, she listed the names of all 12 SSND Sisters who had

taught her from first grade through senior year: Sister Virginia, Sister Edmund, Sister Ozman, Sister Milita, Sister Philippa, Sister Cornelia, Sister Isabelle, Sister Pacis, Sister Quido, Sister Margaret, Sister Magdeline Pazzi and Sister Magdeline. “Just wanted to let you know I do remember some things,” she said. “Thank you for your good work.”

Were you taught by SSNDs? If so, we would love to hear your stories about our Sisters. Your memories could appear as part of a storytelling project we are working on for the 185th anniversary of the School Sisters of Notre Dame next year. To share your stories with us, please email Communications Director Caelie Haines at [email protected].

United in Appreciation of Your SupportWith Hearts Filled with Gratitude,

the School Sisters of Notre Dame Thank You!

from the Development DirectorDear Friends,

Our School Sisters of Notre Dame are joyfully celebrating their 185th anniversary. The congregation traces its beginning to October 24, 1833, in Barvaria, Germany, when our foundress, Mary Theresa Gerhardinger, began teaching poor school children. Now, in the year 2018, our School Sisters see themselves as part of an interdependent, global human family, recognizing their call to educate, advocate, and act in collaboration with others for the dignity of life and the care of creation.

Many of you who have been touched by our School Sisters’ good work — whether in school, parish ministry or spiritual direction, a family member, or a co-worker — embrace the needs of our society. Your good work in turn affirms and supports our sisters’ desire to respond to urgent needs today.

Thank you for partnering with the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Your prayers, financial contributions and volunteerism are essential to the future of SSND mission and ministries. Our School Sisters cannot do it alone.

I hope you enjoy this issue of our Stewardship Report as we highlight the leadership of SSND and many of our partners in ministry.

With sincere gratitude,

Leslie A. Lopez, JD, CFRE Director of Development

Sources of Income

Individuals $692,406

Bequests $246,511

Special Events $175,984

Grants $81,830

TOTAL INCOME $1,196,731

How Gifts Were Used

Retired Sisters/Facilities $571,724

Mission & Ministries $470,453

Administration $124,371

Development $30,183

The Atlantic-Midwest Province of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Inc. is a self-funded, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. A financial audit is conducted annually by an independent auditor, Handwerger, Cardegna, Funkhauser & Lurman, P.A.

Your SSND Support Helps Transform the World

The IRA rollover offers Americans 70-½ years or older the opportunity to give back to nonprofit causes they support, like SSND! Taxpayers who meet the criteria for making direct charitable distributions from IRAs

may realize a tax benefit by making a contribution before year’s end.

◆ You must be 70-½ years or older at the time the distribution is made.

◆ Your total IRA gifts to charity can be up to $100,000 per individual taxpayer.

◆ You must make the donation directly from your IRA custodian to a qualified charity, like SSND!

◆ The provision applies only to IRAs.

Please contact your IRA administrator to make a qualifying transfer. Transfers must be made by December 31, 2018 to be counted for 2018.

INDIVIDUALS

BEQUESTS

SPECIAL EVENTS

GRANTS

MISSION & MINISTRIES

ADMINISTRATION

DEVELOPMENT

RETIRED SISTERS/FACILITIES

Your IRA rollovercan grow peace,love, and mercy.

Development Office

345 Belden Hill Road

Wilton, Connecticut 06897

Time for a Reunion!Were you educated by the School Sisters of Notre Dame? We are planning a gathering in Baltimore this fall for those

who were taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

Learn About SSND Today See Former Classmates and Teachers

Reminisce and Share Photos

FOR MORE INFORMATION contact Sister Pat Glinka at 410.377.7774 ext. 1297

or [email protected]

Stewardship Report 2017 - Atlantic Midwest · Stewardship Report 2017 A Chapter’s End Brings...

Documents

Transcript of Stewardship Report 2017 - Atlantic Midwest · Stewardship Report 2017 A Chapter’s End Brings...