December 2023 News - Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston

December 2023 E-NEWS Pope's Prayer For persons with disabilities: We pray that people living with Intention disabilities may be at the center of attention in society and that for December institutions may offer inclusive programs that value their active participation.

Beloved, now is the acceptable time spoken of by the Holy Spirit, the day of salvation, peace, and reconciliation – the great season of Advent St. Charles Borromeo

December 2023 News & Notes

Luke 1:46-55 is Mary's song of praise to God. It spills out of her heart after her relative Elizabeth, the expectant mother of John the Baptist, acknowledged her blessedness as the mother of Jesus. Mary's song is often called the "Magnificat" which means "Praise," from the first word of the Latin translation of its first line: magnificat anima mea Dominum (literally, "My soul praises the Lord").

Mary's song focuses on God's great works, especially the tendency to turn everything upside down. He "took notice of his lowly servant girl" when choosing a mother for the Messiah, rather than selecting a woman of prominence (1:48). The Lord "scattered the proud and haughty ones," rather than honoring them (1:51). "He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands" (1:52-53). God's kingdom inverts human structures and values, as is seen so clearly in Mary's own experience.

We can read Mary's song and say, "Oh, what wonderful thoughts!" But do we really take seriously what she said? The "Magnificat" can be unsettling. Why? Because we tend to be proud and even haughty.

Mary's song can be unnerving, as, indeed, it should be. It challenges us to consider our values and goals. Are we striving for the wrong things in life? How much of our life is devoted to seeking security, reputation, and power? How often do we hold on to our material blessings rather than share them with the poor and hungry?

The purpose of the "Magnificat" is not to make us feel guilty for what we have in the way of possessions or influence. Rather, it calls us to devote our lives to being, like Mary, a willing and humble servant of God. It reminds us that, like Israel, we are called to be God's servants in the world, serving others as a reflection and extension of God's kingdom. Mary's song stirs in us a desire to live today for what really matters so that God might use us for God’s purposes and glory.

In the days before Christmas, we can easily get caught up in mass consumption as we scurry about buying presents and enjoying lavish Christmas parties. Mary’s song encourages us to step back, to think about our values and our striving. Perhaps, this season of Advent can offer a different way, a way of seeking, a way of serving, a way of sacrifice.

Source: https://www.theologyofwork.org/the-high-calling/advent-reflection-magnificat/

December 2023 News & Notes

by Sr. Veronicah Muthoni Mburu, CCVI My vocation journey has continuously taught me to be patient and to trust in Gods timing. Born in a staunch Catholic family, I was introduced to Catholicism at a tender age. I am the ninth born in a family of eleven, four girls and seven boys.

I came to learn about the presence of ‘Ukarimu Sisters’ in my home area in Molo, through my sister Mary who was working in Bishop Ndingi Primary School as the school secretary. Through her passionate sharing of her experience with the Sisters, I knew deeply within myself that I wanted to serve as the Sisters served. Having no better academic competition in the public school I was attending, my parents and my sister Mary realized the need to transfer me into a Catholic school as soon as I completed my class six for stiffer competition. I was very happy to join Bishop Ndingi Primary School, a school that was well known due to the learners’ discipline and academic excellence. It was the only school in my locality at the time where students addressed each other fluently in English not only in school but also to and from school, and it was well respected for that.

It was a dream come true for me to interact closely with the Sisters in school. I watched every step they made, and I couldn’t take my eyes off them. I secretly admired how they walked, talked, ate, taught, prayed, dressed etc. Most importantly, as learners, we looked forward to our birthdays since the school director Sr. Denise Kearney had something in store for us. She made it a special day for each one of us by sharing chocolates/candies with those celebrating their birthdays! I used to marvel at the way she remembered each student’s name, class, birthdays, and even the village the learners came from. I also admired my CRE teacher, Sr. Rose Nyambura, she was gentle and always smiling. I keenly observed that she appreciated each student’s efforts. She was tender and always showed great concern in reaching out to those who struggled to understand what she was teaching. The Sisters treated us with a lot of dignity. I remember saying to myself that I would like to serve as they did. The school closing day was something to look forward to. There were different presents given to the teachers and learners who had performed well. There were also enough sweets for all the learners before going home. This made us look forward to the school reopening and motivated us to work extra hard on our studies.

After my primary education, I joined Mercy Girls Secondary School in Kipkelion, managed by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, Asumbi. The school principal Sr. Christophea Fedha, was close to the students and she found all the ways possible to mold us holistically. She invited different speakers to address us, mostly on the weekends, which was very helpful. I was very excited when I entered the hall one weekend and the speaker of the day was Sr. Francesca Kearns, a CCVI sister. Unlike other speakers we had interacted with, Sr. Fran joyfully talked about religious life and shared about her own vocation. It was my first time in high school to hear a Sister share so passionately with the youth about her vocation.

December 2023 News & Notes

Sr. Fran continued to visit us once in a while for the four years I was in high school. I always looked forward to her visits, her sharing and to watch the videos she brought. I was also keen and noted down the qualifications she shared for anyone who wanted to join religious life. At this point, some of my closest friends and my mother had realized my interest in religious life. Thus, just like many of my classmates had qualified to join university and were eager to pursue their careers and dreams, it was not a big surprise to most of them when I declined to go to university since I wanted to join religious life. My vocation was very clear to me, I wanted to become a Sister and I thought that going to the university would delay the process.

Deep within, I realized I needed to learn more about religious life and so I was lucky since I found what I needed from my sister Mary’s collection of different literature. By this time, she had already joined the School Sisters of Notre Dame and she was out of the country. Going through the materials, I found The Seed Magazine! I learned about so many congregations from the magazine, but I was deeply inspired by the words “Our Lord Jesus Christ, suffering in the persons of a multitude of sick and infirm of every kind, seeks relief at your hands.” This was the end of my search. I deeply knew I had found a treasure, and I could do all within my reach to offer my life in relief of Jesus who was suffering in the infirm of every kind. I can’t remember how many times I reread these words until I could recite them without having to look at the magazine. Deep within I knew that I was attracted to that congregation and my mission was to find out who The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word were.

It was a great relief when I realized through my interactions with the postulants from Ukarimu who were offering pastoral services in my outstation (Monica Nga’nga’ and Sr. Edith Bulubisi) that the real name of ‘The Ukarimu Sisters’ was The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. They invited me to Ukarimu’s monthly days of prayer and connected me to the postulant directress, Sr. Mary MacHale. Sr. Mary MacHale was hospitable and always invited me to have lunch with her and the postulants whenever I attended the monthly days of prayer. Later on, I was able to meet with Sr. Fran who was the vocation directress. During our first meeting I expressed my desire to join the Sisters and she told me that I was very young and advised me to go back to school.

Since I didn’t want to choose a course that could take too long before I joined the sisters, I decided to do a two-year course in Primary Teaching (P1). After graduating, I couldn't wait to meet the vocation directress to present my certificate, by this time it was Sr. Maureen Costello. I not only brought her my academic certificate but also a request letter to join the congregation. Hoping that my request to join would be accepted, I received the same answer that I was still very young, and I needed some teaching experience. Luckily enough, I got a teaching job in a primary school close to my home. Although this was disrupted by the post-election violence that left my family displaced, at least, I had a four-month teaching experience in the same school. My family was scattered – my mother, my younger brothers and I fled to the central part of the country, my ancestral home. I was invited to work at my uncle’s primary school, and this was a great relief for my family as I could help with the basic needs for the one year we were out of home. During this displacement, I lost all my contacts and so it was very hard to communicate with Sr. Costello. At the same time, I had no interest in going to church for almost six months as I couldn’t understand why God could not have prevented the violence. I can’t vividly recall how my nephew convinced me to go back to church later on, but what I remember is that I started going with him to church every Sunday and my faith became even stronger. Fortunately, individually and as a family we received counseling, and we were able to manage the trauma and look at what we had gone through from a different lens.

December 2023 News & Notes

During this time, I received The Catholic Church Scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Education at Tangaza College. The scholarship not only paid for my bachelor’s degree but offered other certificate courses such as Spirituality, Guidance and Counseling, Peace and Justice, and Catholic Leadership and Management. I did some of these courses during my long school break. In addition, the scholarship offered a compulsory retreat per year for every lay student. This was a great blessing for me as I became more grounded in faith. I was also able to interact with so many religious men and women and my understanding of religious life broadened. Most of the religious sisters who were my classmates invited me to their congregations, I also attended a few “Come and See” seminars in different congregations but I didn’t feel at home or inspired to join them.

During my second semester in Tangaza, I started volunteering with the Daughters of St. Vincent De Paul in their center in Karen. They had started an education program, and they were looking for volunteers from universities who could teach their students. I volunteered with them for three years and towards the end of my last semester in Tangaza, they employed me as the academic coordinator and instructor of their education program since the person who was coordinating their programs moved on to greener pastures and so they needed someone who had interacted with their programs. This presented a greater opportunity for me to grow in my teaching career and coordinating skills. The Sisters also requested me to be part of their advisory committee of their ministries in Kenya which created another opportunity to learn more about them and their implementation of their charism. This made me fall in love with what they were doing as they were truly serving the poorest of the poor in different ministries.

Although I was doing very well in the ministry, there was a longing in me that was never quenched. I was feeling empty inwardly although I appeared strong from outside. I felt a strong need to discern more deeply about my vocation. At the moment, I had two options, to follow up with the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word or to join the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul where I was currently working. As I was planning on how to handle the dilemma, my phone rang. It was a new number, upon receiving it the voice on the other end was very familiar to me. It was Sr. Maureen Costello! I still remember the joy I felt when she told me that she was reviewing my file and she wanted to know if I was still interested in joining the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. My answer was “Yes!” After this call, I remember shouting out, “YES!” aloud in my office and this caught the attention of my assistant coordinator who was in his office. He rushed to check whether I was okay for this caught him by surprise. I felt an inner peace and I couldn’t wait to meet with Sr. Costello.

August 2012 remains so special for me because this was the time, I joined the De Matel Community. I thank God since Sr. Maureen Costello understood my commitment with the Daughters of St. Vincent Depaul and since I had done most of the courses required, she allowed me to complete my work contract with them. It was very hard to submit my resignation letter to my director, Sr. Deborah, at the Center but when I informed her that I was preparing to join religious life in a congregation that I had known for a long time, she requested me to help her with the interviews of which I was happy we got someone who was equally committed to their ministries. Leaving them with someone who had their ministries at heart, aided my inner peace as I exited their ministries for, I knew they were in good hands.

My initial formation journey had been a great blessing for me, although I was the only one in my group since the postulancy stage; I was never lonely. I remain grateful to God for I had great formators who are/were understanding, inspiring and challenged me to grow in different aspects.

December 2023 News & Notes

Another important day for me is the 12th of December 2015 when I made my first vows during a colorful Mass celebration at St. Catherine Chapel in Nairobi. My vows were received by Sr. Kevina Keating, the congregational leader at the time. After my first profession, I had a great opportunity to serve in different schools such as St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School, managed by the Jesuits, St. Justino Secondary School, managed by the Mercy Brothers, Huruma Girls High School, managed by the government, Brother Beausang Secondary School, managed by the Christian Brothers and currently, Bishop Ndingi Schools. It has been a great blessing for me to witness the students grow holistically. I am so happy since some of them have embraced religious life and the priesthood.

My experience and lessons learned at Mercy Centre in Colorado remains dear to me, not forgetting the graces received during my 30-day retreat in Sedalia, Colorado. As I look back, I am filled with gratitude more especially that I did not join religious life immediately after high school. This has taught me to be patient and to appreciate the fact that God can write straight in crooked lines and, therefore, I learned to trust in His timing.

On 18th November, 2023, I committed myself fully to the Incarnate Word through perpetual profession, in a vibrant Mass presided by Bishop David Kamau and co-celebrated by a few priests and two deacons. Our congregational leader, Sr. Celeste Trahan, received my vows in the presence of Sr. Betty Campos Arias, our regional councilor, the formation team, CCVI sisters, my family, parishioners, friends, etc. As Bishop Kamau pointed out in the homily, “The God who calls us always gives us the grace to be where He wants us to be.” I am still reflecting on the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness in my vocation journey which is still unfolding. As I continue to respond daily to this noble prophetic call, all I ask of is God’s love, grace and your support/prayers that I may live a life worthy of the call I have and to continue to embrace God’s will.

Once again, I remain grateful to God, the congregational leadership, formation team, CCVI family, my family, friends, those I minister to and with for their support which I have received in various ways. They have greatly contributed to the person I am today.

Praised be the Incarnate Word, forever!

Sr. Veronicah with Sr. Celeste and the Formation Team

December 2023 News & Notes

Presentation of Sr. Veronicah by her mother and brother

Sr. Veronicah signing the vows in the presence of Sr. Celeste and Sr. Edith

Sr. Veronicah’s response to the vows accompanied by Sr. Njoki

Bishop Kamau, Sr. Celeste, Sr. Veronicah and her mother and brother

The Formation Team with Sr. Celeste, Sr. Betty, Sr Veronicah, and Bishop Kamau,

December 2023 News & Notes

CCVI with Bishop Kamau

CCVIs

Sr. Celeste, Sr. Veronicah, and Sr. Betty

Celebrating with a beautiful cake

December 2023 News & Notes

Special cake for Sr. Veronicah

L.I.F.E. Houston

October 31, 2023 Luncheon By: Cristina Contreras, Grant Administrator This Halloween there were no tricks, just treats! Sr. Celeste Trahan, Sr. Kim Nguyen, Sr. Ricca Dimalibot, Miriam Alvarez and I attended the Fall luncheon benefiting L.I.F.E. Houston, where the Congregation was recognized as the Community Life-Line Award Honoree. It was L.I.F.E.’s biggest fundraising event to date. They raised approximately $150,000.

L.I.F.E. Houston is the only infant food bank in the metropolitan Houston area. By the end of the year, the organization will have 10 locations. CCVI hosts one of those locations in the St. Austin Center. L.I.F.E. is a low barrier organization, requiring only a photo ID for the parent or caregiver and proof of the infant’s name and birth date. Parents are given enough formula for 5-7 days during each visit.

Since its founding in 1988, L.I.F.E.’s main goal has been to provide emergency nourishment for hungry babies and provide education about proper infant nutrition to families in need. Its work helps ensure that all Houston-area families can give their babies a strong start in life. In addition to infant formula & baby food, the organization also shares other resources for babies and other members of the family.

Among the partner organizations located in the St. Austin Center, L.I.F.E. Houston is one of the busiest. We frequently see mothers and fathers entering the building for their services and baby food. Studies have shown that reducing stress among parents and caregivers can help facilitate strong attachment between baby and caregivers, which is crucial for healthy growth and development. It is a blessing to have L.I.F.E. Houston in the East End to promote healing and wellness in our community.

December 2023 2023 News News && Notes Notes December

Love Finds a Way

by Sister Noella Alice Kashemwa Nshobole, CCVI

When I was sent to volunteer at the CHRISTUS Health Mobile Clinic, I asked myself how am I going to serve since I do not understand Spanish nor speak the language. Little did I know that I would meet people from different parts of the world. Contemplating on what I called by then an issue, I remembered about our founder Bishop Claude Marie Dubuis, and our three founding Sisters Mary Ange, Mary Blandine, and Mary Joseph. They did not know the language nor the culture, but the love of the Incarnate Word filled them with courage to come to the USA and make the healing presence of Jesus a living testimony to all. This filled me with courage, and I told myself nothing could stop me from bringing the healing presence of Jesus to people of all nations. I embraced my ministry with all energy and openness. I met a great accommodating and welcoming team at the Mobile Unit, always ready to teach me something new every day. I am happy to share my gift with them and blessed to be part of them.

I started my ministry on the 16th of October. We went to St Christopher Catholic Church with the team where I encountered many Vietnamese people coming to get their flu vaccination. Being the one working on the forms, I had to help our patients fill them out by explaining what to fill in and which questions to answer.

The challenge was the language. Most of them told me “No English” so I had to use every possible way I could to help them. I used my phone to translate or ask them if they had their ID cards so that we could use them to fill in their personal information. In the process of doing this, a man of around 92 years old came; he needed his flu vaccine. This was a beautiful and grace-filled encounter for me. As soon as he arrived at my table, he told me “No English.” I tried to use my phone to translate but it was to no avail. Then I remembered that Sister Kim Tran told me that Vietnam was colonized by France and that many people used to speak French in Vietnam. I asked him, “Do you speak French?” and he said, “French, yes, French yes.” I said to myself, “Thanks be to God! Now I will be able to help him.” From there, I started reading the form in English and translated it into French for him. He gave me the answer in French, and I wrote it down and filled out the form. We finished filling out the form and he was able to go to the nurses and get his flu vaccine. He was full of joy and gratitude when he left that room, and my heart was full of joy and satisfaction that I was able to help him. He went out for a while and then came back with a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. He gave it to me and said in French, “This is from Jerusalem, take it as my gift for you. Thank you.” My eyes were filled with tears... The back of the picture has the Holy Sepulcher Jerusalem, the Holy Cross, and two flowers connected by thorns. {Flowers from the Holy Land}.

I felt so blessed by him and I came to a perfect understanding of what Saint Paul says in his 1st letter to the Corinthians Chapter 13:4, 8, 14 – “Love is patient, love is kind…love never fails…and now there three remain: Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of these is Love.”

Indeed, Love can change our world!

December 2023 News & Notes

Sisters Ricca, Helena, Betty, Kim-Phuong and Ethel at the RFC Congress 2023

The Religious Formation Conference 2023 Congress: Thrive Together in Formation

By Sr. Helena Adaku Ogbuji, CCVI From November 9 to 12, 2023, religious men and women in formation ministry as well as religious in leadership ministry gathered in the Archdiocese of Chicago for the biennial RFC Congress entitled: Thrive Together in Formation. Sisters Ricca Dimalibot, Betty Campos, Kim Tran, Ethel Puno, and Helena Ogbuji joined over 200 participants in person for the congress, while Sisters Ita Harnett and Joyce Susan Mbataru joined through Zoom. The Congress keynote address was given by Cardinal Robert McElroy (Bishop of San Diego) on Synodality and Religious Life: The Call to Renewal and Witness. Since he was among the participants of the synodal process and conversation in Rome in October 2023, he outlined the major areas of their discussions.

Synodality demands the willingness to change and the willingness to listen. It requires transparency in the Church and the humility to embrace her weakness. Synodality demands ongoing formation in every life of Christians and the hierarchy of the Church’s authority. The participants in Rome saw the URGENT need for an increase in the pastoral leadership of women and the involvement of women in the Church’s decision-making. Quoting Pope Francis, Cardinal McElroy explained: “The purpose of synodality is not to produce a document. But it is to plant dreams, to allow hope to flourish, to inspire trust, to bind up wounds, to weave together relationships, to awaken a dawn of hope, and to learn from one another.”

December 2023 News & Notes

Other topics covered were Ongoing Formation: A Seamless Garment of Religious Life; Keeping Your Balance: Resilience and Healthy Boundaries in Formation; Restorative Justice: A Way of Life; Thriving in Mystery: The Future of Religious Life; Walking Together with Open Hearts: Prayer as Formative and Transformative; Leaders and Formators: Finding the Right Balance; Rearticulating the Nonnegotiables of Religious Life for our Times: Wisdom for Formators from Newer Members; and finally From Welcome to Inclusion. The Post Congress, which was sponsored by our Congregation, was given by Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS, who was the recipient of the 2022 Presidential Medal of Freedom. The topic was Rooted in Community: Thriving for Mission. Using Catholic social teachings, she explained what it takes to build a community that nurtures prophetic imaginations. These include: having an active experience of hope, touching the pains of the world as real, having effective discourse across generations and cultures, having a long and available memory of the founding moments, and focusing on the mission.

During the Congress, Sr. Helena also gave a reflection, during Mass on the Gospel reading of the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. (The Parable of the Ten Virgins). She emphasized the need to have extra oil, like the wise virgins, to thrive in our faith journey. She asked and proclaimed: “Do you have extra oil, enough for your journey of faith? What is your extra oil? What extra thing could you do? How many times do you experience your lamp going out? How do you recharge your lamp? How is your relationship with the Bridegroom? She continued: Whatever it is, just do a little bit extra. That is wisdom! She is found by those who seek her! We cannot afford to fall asleep when we are waiting for the Bridegroom! We cannot afford to let our lamps burn out all because we don’t have enough oil. That is not the spirit of thriving. That is not the presence of hope and love that we illumine! The world desperately needs hope! It is this hope that the presence of religious persons brings! Hope keeps religious women and men thriving! To keep this hope alive, we must keep our light shining and have enough oil for the journey of faith.

It is not a suggestion! It is an obligation!”

Sr. Helena at the podium sharing her reflection during the 2023 RFC Congress Mass

December 2023 News & Notes

Sr. Helena sharing her reflection during the Sunday Mass

During the Congress, Sr. Teresa (Tere) Maya, CCVI San Antonio received the Mary Emil Penet award in recognition of her significant contributions to formation. It is an award that honors one who demonstrates a substantial commitment to and investment of energy and insight into the formative journey of religious men and women. Congratulations to Sister Tere!

The ministry of formation is critical to the life of every congregation and to the Church. May all who attended the Congress go forth imbued by the Spirit to continue this essential ministry.

Praised be the Incarnate Word—Forever.

CCVIs of Houston with Sr. Tere Maya, C.C.V.I., recipient of the Mary Emil Penet Award

December 2023 News & Notes

By Sr. Kim Xuan On Friday, November 3, 2023, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word opened their beautiful conventual Villa De Matel Immaculate Conception Chapel to all who came to seek God for healing and reconciliation through a Taizé prayer service. The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word along with our Taizé partners and friends in Houston participated in a contemplative, candlelit, ecumenical prayer service. Taizé prayer has a long history. The monastic community was founded in Taizé, France by Brother Roger Schutz in 1940. Prayer, silence, and ecumenism are at the heart of the Taizé experience.

People from every corner of the globe are encouraged to live out the Christian gospel in a spirit of joy, simplicity, and reconciliation. There were about 180 people gathered around the cross on Friday night. The people were united with our brothers and sisters throughout the world to pray for healing, reconciliation, and peace. Many people, old and young came to connect with God through reflective music & chants, readings, and moments of silence. After the prayer service, the people gathered in the Villa dining room for refreshment and fellowship. It was a beautiful prayerful evening.

December 2023 News & Notes

St. Mary Medical Center Helps People with HIV or AIDS to not just Survive, but Thrive An Excerpt of an Article Published in the Catholic Health World

by Julie Minda Not who we are HIV attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of an HIV-infected person, most commonly during unprotected sex, or through sharing injection drug paraphernalia.

The body can't get rid of HIV and no cure exists. So, once infected, a person has HIV for life. AIDS, a late stage of HIV infection, occurs when the body's immune system is badly damaged by the virus.

Without HIV medicine, people with AIDS typically survive about three years. Once someone has a dangerous opportunistic illness, life expectancy without treatment falls to about a year, says HIV.gov, a website of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Sister Celeste Trahan, CCVI Sr. Celeste Trahan, CCVI, leads St. Mary's founding congregation, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of Houston. She says when HIV began spreading in the 1980s, there was much public fear because no one understood why it was spreading so fast, how it was transmitted and why people were becoming so sick. Families were disowning people with the virus and even churches and medical facilities were turning them away.

Everyone dreaded infection, Sr. Trahan says.

December 2023 News & Notes

Rev. Stanley Kim Rev. Stanley Kim, St. Mary mission integration director, says amid the panic a St. Mary social worker told administrators of her concern that patients with AIDS were being turned away from the emergency department with nowhere else to go.

Rev. Kim says the social worker, St. Mary's administrators, and the Incarnate Word sisters agreed, "This is not who we are. We do not turn people away."

Comfort Care St. Mary leaders developed the CARE Program, later renamed the CARE Center, to fill the gaping void in care. They sectioned off part of the hospital to take in AIDS patients — many of whom were dying. The CARE Program offered pain management and other palliative care and end-of-life support, as well as home care.

Sr. Trahan notes that a key focus during those early days of the program was building institutional knowledge and understanding of HIV and AIDS and then educating hospital staff and the public with those learnings. The hope was to reduce people's fear and decrease the stigma around infected people.

Around 1987, researchers began introducing drug therapies to inhibit HIV infection and by 1996 researchers had developed a drug cocktail that completely suppressed the replication of the virus in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. Since then, researchers have been refining drug regimens. Today's medications are so effective that most infected people need only one pill daily to maintain HIV treatment and control.

December 2023 News & Notes

By: Sr. Kathleen Daly Thanks to Sr. Kim Xuan Nguyen’s invitation, I had the opportunity to attend the Come and See Weekend on Nov.10-12, 2023 at the Dubuis Conference Center. There were 14 ladies who came to discern their vocations. Some of our Sisters were there to share, support, and pray for them. I marvel at the many ways Jesus reaches down into each of our lives and designs opportunities (graced moments) to respond to our needs. This weekend was such a graced occasion, guided by the Holy Spirit and in union with every word that came forth from our Spirit filled “Speakers.” It seems Philippians 3:8 - More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ … - came alive in all our hearts. I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of KNOWING Christ Jesus. Let us be Glad and Rejoice all the days of our lives!

December 2023 News & Notes

December 2023 News & Notes