The Journey 2017 Vol. III

The JOURNEY

VOL. III 2017

INSPIRED FOR A LIFE OF SERVICE PAGE 4

Letter from Leadership Where did the summer go?

On Aug. 25, we marked the first anniversary of the deaths of our Sister, Paula Merrill, SCN, and her best friend and companion in ministry, Sister Margaret Held, SSSF, in Mississippi. As we approached the anniversary, we came across an All Saints Day reflection that Sister Paula had given in 2010. Sister Paula wrote about our Sisters who gave their lives doing what was needed in their time, “ordinary things.” Paula shared, “May we carry on their spirit, their love for the people, the willingness to do whatever the moment asks, and to give all.” Who could have imagined that six years later, and after more than 30 years of working and ministering in Mississippi, Sisters Paula and Margaret would give their all, meeting an untimely and brutal death. As women of faith, both in their lives and in their deaths, they follow in the steps of their ancestors.

Right now especially, we find ourselves called upon to continually pray for peace as violence erupts throughout our country and around the world. We remember the people of the Darjeeling area of India in their struggle, and our Sisters who are ministering among them. How do we give our all today?

We, too, find ourselves praying for the victims of natural disasters. These last months really have called us to be mindful of our brothers and sisters in the U.S., India, Nepal, the Caribbean, and Mexico who have suffered great loss from earthquakes, fires, flooding, and hurricanes that keep coming with full force. Even Botswana got plenty of rain this year to fill their reservoirs, yet other parts of Africa are in the midst of a severe drought. With this past September designated as a month of prayer for all Creation by Pope Francis, how might we change our lifestyle to help Mother Earth heal?

The Vincentian Charism is 400 years old this year, and as we celebrated the feast of St. Vincent de Paul on Sept. 27, we invited into our midst the God of imagination, inventiveness to infinity. We asked this God to gift us with hearts capable of dreaming new dreams, giving us renewed strength capable of birthing new life. Will you join us in this dreaming?

Autumn is a season of Thanksgiving. We have so much for which to be thankful, especially each of YOU, our friends and benefactors. Together may we be the light, hope and aid for all who need our gifts at this time.

In gratitude,

Brenda Gonzales, SCN Vice President

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Inside this Issue 4

Inspired for a Life of Service

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Confident in God’s Call

11 A Gift of Hope

Left to right, Charity Alive members Andreiona Williams and TaNaá Davis share a smile with Nancy Gerth, SCN, as the three visit with one another at Sister Nancy’s home in Louisville, Kentucky. The program is designed to build and maintain relationships with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth through retreats, mission trips, and volunteering.

12 Helping Victims in Darjeeling Hills 16 The Suffering Find a Place of Love and Care 20 “... And to Care for the Earth” 23 Partner with Us 24 Highlights 26 Journeying On

On the Cover Left to right, Nancy Gerth, SCN, TaNaá Davis, Andreiona Williams, and Luke Boiarski, SCN, are pictured attending a Charity Alive retreat on the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Motherhouse campus, Nazareth, Kentucky. Sisters Luke and Nancy are two of many SCNs who are friends and mentors to the two young women.

The Journey is produced by the Office of Mission Advancement for the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Contributors include: Diane Curtis, Dana Hinton, Spalding Hurst, Dianne Smith, Janice White, and Leslie Wilson; SCNA Patsy O’Toole; SCNs Susan Gatz, Sangeeta Ayithamattam, Brenda Gonzales, Malini Manjoly and Mary Margaret Nirmala.

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Best friends since sixth grade, TaNaá Davis and Andreiona Williams, are members of the young adult SCN program, Charity Alive. They are pictured enjoying a conversation with Miss Dora Ross who does outreach in Eastern Kentucky.

INSPIRED FOR A LIFE OF SERVICE Friends Embrace SCN Charism TaNaá Davis and Andreiona Williams have known each other since the sixth grade. They were instant friends and have remained close since then. So much so, that they complete each other’s sentences and burst out with laughter when a simple look between them communicates a message. Those who know them will tell you that the bond these two share has a commitment to service at its core.

Both women work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Louisville, Kentucky. TaNaá is a receptionist at Lee Specialty Clinic and Andreiona works at Centerstone with Exceptional Teens and Adults. Andreiona also serves as a substitute teacher. They are involved in service projects with their church, and they have volunteered through the SCN Lay Mission Volunteer Program in Florida, Pennsylvania, Belize, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Both TaNaá and Andreiona light up when they talk about mission trips and their close relationships with Sisters Luke Boiarski and Nancy Gerth. The four have become dear friends sharing stories of family and faith with one another.

Surely their loving families laid the foundation for compassion. Both TaNaá and Andreiona also say that their connection with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth has further fostered their dedication to helping those in need.

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Left, Charity Alive members TaNaá Davis and Andreiona Williams enjoy visiting Nancy Gerth, SCN. Right, members of the Charity Alive group seek out each other’s company, here they pose for a photo while gathered for a special occasion.

During the graduation ceremony from Spalding University, TaNaá received the Mother Catherine Spalding Service Learning Award. This award is given to a graduating senior who embodies the spiritual values of faith, hope and charity. “I felt so humbled,” says TaNaá.

“After receiving that award, I am committed to a life of service, modeling Mother Catherine’s life the best way I can.”

Margaret Rodericks, SCN, nominated TaNaá for this award. TaNaá credits Sister Margaret as the person who

gave her advice and guidance that led her to be an honor student and a college graduate. “She inspired me to put God and studies first. She was the first person other than my mother who saw the best in me and helped me to see the best in myself.”

TaNaá and Andreiona are members of Charity Alive, a program for young adults designed to build and maintain relationships with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. The four components of this program are service, spirituality, support, and finding direction in life.

Charity Alive members came together for a retreat in October on the Motherhouse campus, Nazareth, Kentucky. The young men and women entered into a time of reflection, visited with Sisters, and discussed upcoming volunteer opportunities.

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As a member of Charity Alive, Andreiona was invited to participate in the 2017 Vincentian Family Gathering in San Antonio, Texas. She joined other young adults, Sisters, and members of organizations founded by St. Vincent de Paul or inspired by his mission. The theme of this multi-day conference was “Welcoming the Stranger” with the purpose to build community, conversation, and systemic change around the realities of migration in North America. A bit nervous about where she fit in with this group, Andreiona cites this conference as a turning point in her relationship with the SCN community.

Ironically, Andreiona found herself feeling like a stranger, and experienced a whole-hearted welcome by the SCNs who were there. “The Sisters adopted me into their family fresh out of college,” says Andreiona. “They have smothered me with love and have inspired me to LIVE ON PURPOSE.” “My prayer is to be a woman of God who loves without limits just like the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth,” TaNaá says as she reflects on her relationship with the SCN community.

Andreiona chimes in with a resounding “YES.”

TaNaá Davis has become close to many Sisters, like Maria Vincent Brocato, SCN, during her years as a Charity Alive member.

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CONFIDENT IN GOD’S CALL Vincentian Academy Principal Comes Full Circle “Our Town,” “To Kill A Mockingbird,” and “The Glass Menagerie” appear with others on the list of summer reading required of students of Vincentian Academy.

The reading assignments help to grow and challenge young minds during the school break. And as always is the case, in the blink of the eye summer comes to a jolting halt with the first day of school. As that day arrived in late August, there were few surprises from this high achieving student body, most had finished their summer reading, with many reading more than one of the assigned books. In the bustling hallways, talk could be heard about what the new school year might hold. After all, this year is a special year, as the co-ed high school celebrates its 85th year.

Nestled in a park-like setting in the North Hills of Pittsburgh since its founding, Vincentian Academy provides a college preparatory experience for students which includes International Baccalaureate (IB) as the core curriculum in an individualized learning 8

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environment. With a high pass-rate on the IB examinations of 82 percent, seniors are accepted into top universities and colleges around the country.

Students often speak of their well-rounded experience at Vincentian Academy, as they are encouraged to develop and pursue interests in academics, arts, athletics, and other extracurriculars to ensure a balanced and fulfilling four years of high school.

Throughout their time at the Academy, students are rooted in the values of Catholic faith, and they can be found volunteering in school, churches, hospitals, long-term nursing care facilities and food banks, often taking on leadership positions in outreach projects.

During its 85 year history, Vincentian Academy has educated some of the most well-respected women and men in Pittsburgh. Alumni have distinguished themselves as CEOs, doctors, lawyers, religious, business and civic leaders. Many of these men and women have returned to the Academy over the years to S C N FA M I LY.O R G

share success stories and to be recognized. This year, students and alumni gathered to honor and celebrate the Sisters with an 85th anniversary celebration in September. The SCNs were also honored at the Vincentian Academy Awards Gala with the Women of Courage award.

It is this strong legacy and unique learning environment, that attracted Rita Canton to a ministry at Vincentian Academy last year as the principal.

With one year under her belt, she is every bit the SCN Family member. Her connections to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, however, go much further back.

When Rita was a student studying for her Masters in Theology at Xavier University, there were many Sisters, Brothers and Priests on the faculty at the Catholic university. Rita formed a bond with her instructors, but one woman in particular, Pat Haley, a Sister of Charity of Nazareth, inspired her. The two stayed connected once Rita graduated. They did so on and off over the years, but because there were so many Priests and Sisters at Xavier, Rita never knew to which Community Sister Pat belonged. That is, until she came across Sister Pat’s photo while attending a retreat in 2016 hosted by the Congregation of which Vincentian Academy is a ministry. The photo was part of an invitation

Top, Vincentian Academy Principal Rita Canton smiles as she visits the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth campus in Nazareth, Kentucky.

Bottom, Rita reconnected by happenstance with her former instructor, Pat Haley, SCN, who is now in ministry at Nazareth.

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announcing that Sister Pat was celebrating 50 years as a Sister of Charity of Nazareth.

The invitation brought back a flood of memories, and led Rita to recall a pivotal moment as she pursued a desire to be an educator. “I met Sister Pat at Xavier University when I entered the Institute for Black Catholic Studies to study for my Master of Theology degree. Sister Pat was in charge of our daily praise and worship and also a sort of ‘spiritual cheerleader’ for all of the students as the work was daunting and intense at times,” recalls Rita. “One of Sister Pat’s hallmark worship songs was ‘Something Down on the Inside.’

The refrain was ‘Something down on the inside, is telling me to go on…’ One day, she overheard me saying, ‘Something down on the inside, is telling me to go home.’

She asked me why I said that. I told her that I was just kidding. She sat me down and told me not to say that, kidding or otherwise, because God called me to this task and God would see me through...She told me to be confident in God's call. I never forgot that.”

Rita has felt that call throughout her career as an educator, and she is grateful to Sister Pat for recognizing that call so many years ago. And she adds, God works in mysterious ways; take for example, how she was led back to Sister Pat. She says she marvels at just how small the world often can be. Shortly after joining Vincentian Academy as principal, Rita attended an orientation at the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Motherhouse in Nazareth, Kentucky. While inside one of the buildings on campus, something caught Rita’s eyes “Imagine my surprise when I was at Nazareth that summer and saw her picture on a bulletin board announcing Sister Pat's 50th jubilee. I was so excited!” The two did not get to visit at that time 10

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but Rita returned to Kentucky for Sister Pat’s jubilee.

“It was a wonderful celebration. I finally was able to talk to her. I asked her if she remembered me. She gave me that Sister Pat look and said, I remember you and your little boys (my twin sons were about eight when I started the program). However, she did not know that I was principal of Vincentian. She was happy to hear that.”

Sister Pat, meanwhile, fondly recalls how she spent 28 summers at Xavier University in Louisiana where she planned and lead liturgy and prayers, and assisted with spiritual life. Sister Pat describes Rita as hard-working, someone who had a bright future.

“She didn’t spend a lot of time wasting time,” says Sister Pat. “I knew she was going to be a success.”

Both Sister Pat and Rita are thrilled that Rita is now part of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth as she helps to create a vibrant learning environment at Vincentian Academy. With strong academic and athletic programs, Vincentian Academy develops students to be shining examples of Christian leaders, whether in the classroom, on the fields of athletic competition, or in the boardrooms where they will someday make decisions. This last year alone, 66 students earned $9,024,734 in scholarship dollars and attended over 39 different colleges and universities.

In much the same way Sister Pat inspired Rita, Rita and the faculty and staff of the Academy are inspiring students each day in the classrooms...inspiring the students to be confident in God’s call.

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A Gift of Hope Gerry and Susan Hope met on a blind date. Susan was the co-captain of the basketball team at Presentation Academy in Louisville, Kentucky at the time and Gerry was a student at Saint X High School. Looking back now on their 50 years of marriage, they recall their blessings…family, friends, and so many life experiences. Woven through it all, are relationships with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

That’s why they decided to ask guests attending a party for their 50th wedding anniversary to make a donation to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, or another favorite charity, Hosparus of Louisville, in lieu of personal gifts.

“You know our last name is ‘Hope,’” explains Susan. “If you look around our house, you’ll see how many ‘hope’ things we have… if we didn’t do something special for gifts, we realized that we would probably have another 100 ‘hope’ things being given to us because that’s a favorite gift of everybody’s.”

Instead, to celebrate this special anniversary, they decided to give the gift of hope in a way that would support two charities that have had an impact in their lives, knowing that their support would help others in similar ways.

“SCNs were the forefront in our elementary education,” explains Gerry. He attended grade school at St. Patrick and St. Gabriel in Louisville.

Susan attended St. Gabriel

and Presentation Academy. After graduating from college, the two stayed in Louisville. Gerry worked at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital with the Sisters of Charity for 37 years as a pharmacist and part-time at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Susan worked at Nazareth Home.

The family is filled with SCN connections too. One of Susan's aunts was Martha Joseph Lenahan, SCN, and her oldest sister was Mary Lee Knopf, SCN. “We were very close to Sister Mary Lee, and we had so much respect and admiration for what she was able to accomplish in her relatively short time on this earth.”

“To say that our lives have been intertwined with the Sisters of Charity is more than obvious,” says Gerry.

“What they gave us over the years in relation to education and job opportunities is undeniable. More importantly, they helped give us a strong foundation in our Catholic faith, as well as our moral and spiritual standards. Our faith, and life journeys, would not be the same without the instruction and direction of the many wonderful SCN women who have accompanied us.”

Friends and family donated nearly $700 to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in honor of Gerry and Susan’s wedding anniversary. “We have been blessed all of our lives,” explains Gerry. “As they (the Sisters) have given to so many people, maybe we can give to a few too.”

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HELPING VICTIMS IN DARJEELING HILLS Amongst heightened unrest, Sisters are called to live out their mission Ministering in proximity to Kangchenjunga, one of the world’s highest peaks, Sisters find themselves among the heightened troubles and agitations of a political movement in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region.

The region has witnessed racism and fights over language and culture as the eastern Indian state is dominated by Bengali-speaking people. The majority of people in Darjeeling, many of them Gorkhas, speak Nepali. Indigenous people, who hold a strong Nepalese identity, have been demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland.

This unrest has disrupted the lives of nearly everyone in the area, including the lives of Sisters as they carry out ministries in the Darjeeling foothills. SCNs live in Sangsay and Tendrabong.

People are in distress as food supply lines have been blocked. In August, the headmistress of St. Dominic School, Tarcisia Hembrom, SCN, shared, “Now 51 days have passed with this strike and there is no hope for the unrest to stop. People are starving.”

Sisters quickly moved into action using the resources available to them to procure large amounts of rice to distribute among 12 villages with hopes of serving 600 families. When the market

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Left, separatists protest and demand for a new state in Darjeeling. Right, Sisters in the Darjeeling hills organize distribution of goods after a strike leads to a shortage of supplies and food.

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opened for the first time after 11 days of protest, Sisters rushed to Kalimpong to stock up on medical and food supplies, only to abruptly rush back when they heard an announcement over a public address system to leave town immediately.

At the Nazareth Lee medical clinic in Sangsay, many patients with hypoglycemia are coming to see Deena Vazhaparampil, SCN, the only nurse for the region.

“Our people were suffering with no food and medicine and I could not stand the pain and agony they were going through, especially the elderly,” says Sister Deena. “Many have not eaten anything for more than three weeks. With God's help, we are able to help them some.”

Life has not been easy for the Sisters or the people, who live each day in anxiety and uncertainty.

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The closing of schools and other institutions during the strike is another concern. The future of children’s educations is precarious as schools in the hills are closed indefinitely. No classes can be held openly. The schools have also decided to promote some to the next grade without having them take the required exams at the end of the school session.

The vice principal of St. Dominic, Francisca Kindo, SCN, shares her concerns, “Many boys have gone for work, leaving school behind. I am afraid of what will happen to these children. What will become of them?”

The strike, however, has also brought people together.

Sisters describe their neighbor’s generosity and love, noting how they gathered a bundle of vegetables to give to those in need. The villagers and Sisters pool their resources and share whatever they can.

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JOIN US IN PRAYER Please remember the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and all of those we serve in your prayers.

Helen Tirkey, SCN, a social worker in the Darjeeling hills, has been visiting families during this trying period. Efforts are focused on distributing all available food and finding whatever work is allowed under the strike. “Everything in the hills is at a stand still. People are worried about their future and their children’s future,” she says. “Please continue to pray for us.”

Sister Deena, also the president of the Catholic Health Association of India, says she has contacted her sources at the national level to mobilize resources, and to date, two tons of rice and funds for medicine have come in.

Committed to work for justice in solidarity with oppressed peoples, especially the economically poor and

women, and to do so in schools, training programs, and medical clinics, Sisters are determined to carry out the SCN mission.

They make a difference daily in the Himalayan foothills despite extreme and difficult conditions.

Since the Darjeeling unrest began, many have joined in prayer with the those who minister in Sangsay and Tendrabong.

Until peace can be restored to West Bengal, Sisters are doing all they can to stand with the people, as one, to help them through this crisis.

SCNs have been reaching out to the families in the shadow of one of the world’s highest peaks, Kangchenjunga, in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. Sisters have been offering healthcare, donating food, and providing a pastoral presence.

At the time of publishing this article, news has come from Darjeeling that after 104 days the strike has ended. “Normalcy and the life of people has finally came back,” says Sister Deena.

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THE SUFFERING FIND A PLACE OF LOVE AND CARE

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Left, SCNs Vinaya Chalil and Sunila Erumangalathu, pictured front and center, stand with the staff of Pabalelong Hospice in Botswana, Africa. Right, Sister Vinaya meets with an elderly woman receiving outpatient care at her home.

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n Metsimotlhabe, a village north of the capital of Gaborone, Botswana, Sisters Sunila Erumangalathu and Vinaya Chalil administer a one-of-kind hospice for the sick called Pabalelong. It means a place of love and care.

Counseling, physical, spiritual, respite, and terminal care are what the hospice provides.

A short walk from the Sisters’ home, leads down a dirt road where a few street vendors sell snacks to passing school children. A man makes beautiful furniture from discarded wood pallets. This path brings you to the doorsteps of Pabalelong.

Inside the hospice, SCNs make sure patients receive the love and care they need to regain their strength. The Sisters are present everyday at 7 a.m. to the staff and hospice patients. They never miss a day. They hold hands with patients, share laughs, and exchange smiles as they walk the floor. Spirits are high among the patients and staff.

Outside of the room for prayer and meditation, the daughter of a former patient recalls the care her mother received. “As her health got worse, there was a time

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Below right, a daughter of a former patient talks with Sunila Erumangalathu, SCN, about the loving care her mother received. Below left, Setshego, a patient of Pabalelong, stands with her son and daughter at her home.

that I could barely stand seeing my mother in pain,” she reflects. “With the Sisters and the staff here, I was relieved. She died a dignified death because of the support here.”

Sister Vinaya drives down a dirt road to check on one of her patients that is recovering. The patient, Setshego, is working in her garden amongst the roaming chickens, her return to health a miracle of sorts. Setshego smiles when she sees Sister Vinaya.

When she first became ill, Setshego didn’t know what was wrong and she had a hard time getting answers, doctors finally diagnosed her with TB meningitis of the spine. Completely paralyzed, she developed a large pressure sore on her sacral region. Doctors referred her to Pabalelong for terminal care.

The situation was dire. Setshego was weak, and needed intensive care. “Everything was painful, I didn’t know where it was coming from. I was just lost,” says Setshego.

At first she didn't want to see the Sisters. In a state of pain and out of her mind, she didn't recognize the help and support they were giving her. “I thought they wanted to kill me or something,” she recalls.

The medication would make her nauseous. The Sisters were very patient with her, they crushed her tablets to make it easier for her to swallow. They checked in on her family to make sure everyone at home was doing well.

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Setshego’s son, Kabombosoa, took care of the family. He spoke of how he would hold his mother in his arms to try to comfort her. “I was doing everything I could for her, cooking for her, and washing her clothes,” he says.

During her six-month stay at the hospice, Setshego began to heal.

She opened herself up to Sisters Vinaya and Sunila. “I realized all these Sisters want for me is to get better. All they wanted is life for me, the love they have given – I am so appreciative of it,” she shares.

“Right now I am able to be at home because of the Sisters, and because of the hospice.”

“Right now I am able to be at home because of the Sisters, and because of the hospice.”

Gradually there was improvement, and when she was finally discharged, she was able to walk with a cane. “Right now I am very happy she is healed. She can even walk again. You can see her strength is increasing bit by bit. The hospice was taking care of us. They were even calling me, to make sure she was taken care of, and we had what she needed,” notes Kabombosoa.

As Setshego continues to grow stronger, Sister Vinaya checks on her, “Now she is back on her feet, gardening, working in the field, and she is getting back to a normal life.”

Walking down the halls of the hospice you can see the profound love and support the Sisters and staff are providing to those in need in Botswana. “It has been a great ministry, by the blessing of God,” says Sister Sunila.

Back at Setshego’s home, Sister Vinaya readies herself for her next home visit and says goodbye to the family. Sethshego holds Sister Vinaya’s hand and tells her in Setswana, “sala sentle.” Fitting words from a woman, who through God’s compassionate grace, has come far in her recovery. The saying, an endearing one, means “stay well.”

Above, Setshego and Vinaya Chalil, SCN, talk about the progress she has made in her recovery. Below Setshego’s son speaks about his mother during her time of suffering, and how the family managed through the toughest times.

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Top, members of the Global Ministries Committee discuss and collaborate on ways in which the Congregation can move Sustainable Development Goals forward. Middle, right, heavy rainfall has caused flooding in Botswana, Africa. Bottom, solar panels on the SCN Motherhouse, Nazareth, Kentucky, are one of several steps being taken to reduce global warming.

“... AND TO CARE FOR THE EARTH” Bringing the SCN Mission Statement to Life The United Nations spent years working to seek grassroots input into what has become part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The process came to fruition in 17 Sustainable Development Goals with targets and indicators on a wide range of issues including poverty, hunger, education, gender equality, climate change and others.

the Congregation’s ministries around climate change, as do the Congregation’s actions around the world.

Internationally, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth have been working in a myriad of ways toward these goals.

The Global Ministries Committee, a group of Sisters from around the world, often gather to discuss and collaborate on ways in which the Congregation can move these goals forward. Among the goals, goal #13, “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.” The Congregation has taken comprehensive and focused action with regard to addressing this Sustainable Development Goal on climate change.

In February 2017, in Botswana, Africa, where Sisters are in ministry, heavy rainfall caused flooding from the tropical storm ‘Deneo’ (meaning gift).

Prior to the heavy rainfall, for five years the people of Botswana were suffering a drought and severe water shortage. With this storm, there is now water security for the next 4 to 5 years. While the water was seen as a “gift” and celebrated by the people of Botswana as a blessing from God, the reality of climate change was brought to their awareness. Studies over the past half a century in South Africa show that there has been a southward shift in the tropical cyclones in the region, in particular the location of where the cyclones hit.

The SCN Mission Statement invites action -“to care for the Earth.”

The hiring of a director of ecological sustainability this year highlights the importance and intent of

The shift southwards is felt to be because of increasing sea surface temperatures associated with global warming. This has led to storms forming where it was previously too cold to happen. With this awareness, Sisters living in Botswana have been educating and preparing the people to adjust to changes due to climate change.

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In India, where Sisters first began ministry in the 1940s, climate change is being experienced in rivers, ponds, water sources and dried-up wells. Additionally, the seasons have changed. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, known as the rice bowl of India, the water table for wells has gone from 150 feet in 2009 to 450 feet today.

It is thought that a severe drought will occur by 2030. People are affected with new types of illnesses and the old ones are becoming resistant to many drugs.

In response to changing climate conditions, there is work being done to educate people through awareness programs, rallies, and public meetings about saving water, harvesting rainwater, and keeping the environment clean in order to control pollution and waterborne diseases. These programs make a great impact on people. Health classes are shared on prevention of communicable diseases with the help of herbal medicines.

Sisters, along with Prersanalya Social Development Center staff and the government, have collaborated in a campaign for saving water by digging soak pits. These pits collect rainwater that goes back into earth thus increasing the water tables. Rallies and public meetings have been organized to educate and motivate people to participate.

In Dharan, Nepal, the Sisters of Charity, through the Navjoyti Centre, have been working with migrant settlers for over 20 years. These migrants come down from the hills where they experience problems associated with lack of electricity, toilet facilities, and drinking water. Working through the self-help women’s groups, a couple of problems presented themselves in the form of using the bathroom out in the open, as well as children having difficulty doing homework in the evening due to lack of light. With motivation and negotiation, the women’s group organized an effort to offer partial loans for the building of toilets and installation of solar lighting. Several women came forward to avail these loans and within a year, 75 percent of the loan was returned.

Left, Sisters help to organize rallies and public meetings in India to educate and motivate people to be aware of and take steps in their daily lives to care for the earth. Right, many families in Dharan, Nepal, are in need of access to electricity, bathroom facilities that allow for dignity, and drinking water. Sisters organize self-help groups among the families to address these needs.

Families who benefitted were asked to gather and share the difficulties they faced before and after these improvements. They were proud of the fact that they installed the toilets and solar lights themselves. “Our children and I am so very happy to have the toilet built,” shares Mankumari Biswakarma who participated in the self-help group.

Through these initiatives and discussions, the people of Dharan now better understand sustainable development and systemic change.

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“We had to go sit by the stream for our nature calls. When guests came we used to ask the neighbors’ for the use of their toilets. Now we are living with dignity.” Mamta Rai spoke of now having access to light when it becomes dark, “In my snack shop I don’t have to struggle anymore under kerosene lamp, my small business has improved. My children are happy as they can study in better light.

When there is load shedding, my neighborhood is in darkness but we feel great joy as our house is lit up with solar lights.”

Families in Dharan, Nepal, are working together in selfhelp groups to seek out funding for and assistance with installing toilets and solar panels to improve living conditions and take steps to care for the earth.

In the United States, as with Sisters around the world, the call to live simply, less consumeristic, and greener is heard from our sisters and brothers in the developing world. Efforts are being made to reduce global warming through a new HVAC system at Nazareth, Kentucky, that is more efficient, and refrigerant that is earth friendly. The Nazareth campus has converted fluorescent lighting to LED lighting. Replacement windows are energy efficient with roofing systems having additional insulation and white tops to reduce the cooling load of the buildings.

Scientists report that climate change is affecting every country in the world, most especially those with the fewest resources to adapt to and mitigate changes. This is indicated in altered weather patterns, sea levels and extreme weather events.

LED lighting has been installed in several buildings on the Motherhouse Campus, Nazareth, Kentucky, as a way to make the campus as efficient and earth friendly as possible.

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The sustainable development goal on climate change urges all to action to halt climate change and its impacts. Education and raising awareness that empowers action are clearly part of this call. Pope Francis urges us to decide, together, how to address and implement deep and wide changes related to our care of Earth.

“As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to make the earth a beautiful garden for the human family. When we destroy our forests, ravage our soil and pollute our seas, we betray that noble calling.”

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S C N FA M I LY.O R G

Partner With Us PRAY WITH US

An integral part of the life of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth is prayer. You are welcome to join the Sisters for daily Mass at St. Vincent Church on the Nazareth Campus if you are nearby. Check scnfamily.org/ mass for the Mass schedule.

If you are at a distance, please join the Sisters through your daily prayer for the needs of our world. If you have a special prayer intention, you can send it to the Sisters at scnfamily.org/prayers.

Your intentions are remembered by the SCN Office of Mission Advancement during their daily prayer, and placed in a book for the Sisters to remember in personal prayer.

DISCERN A RELIGIOUS VOCATION

Catholic Sisters are dynamic and passionate, dedicated to diverse ministries and their charism, lived out in community. Their devotion is carried out in prayer, action, leadership, or service. Do you feel called to discern a call to religious life as a Sister of Charity of Nazareth? Visit scnfamily.org/sisters to learn more about the Sisters entering the Congregation today and how you can be in touch with a Sister to discuss your vocation further.

BECOME AN ASSOCIATE

SCN Associates are lay women and men who commit to living out the SCN Mission in their own lives, to deepen their spirituality, to build community with other Associates and Sisters, and to reach out in compassionate service to others in the tradition of St. Vincent de Paul, Louise de Marillac, and Catherine Spalding. Visit scnfamily.org/associates to learn more.

LEAVE A LEGACY

Do you want to support the ministries of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth even beyond your lifetime? Contact Leslie Wilson, director of development, at (502) 3481551 or lwilson@scnky.org to learn more about how you can remember the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in your estate plans. Have you already done so? Let us know so we can say thank you.

STAY IN TOUCH

Sign up for a regular e-newsletter with updates on congregational happenings.

Visit scnfamily.org to subscribe.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and help spread the news to your family and friends. If you have a story to share about how the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth have been a part of your life, share it with Diane Curtis, director of communications, (502) 348-1564 or diane@scnfamily.org.

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Highlights

h g i H On Oct. 1, 2017, Michelle Grgurich, SCN, celebrated her 25th Jubilee at St.Vincent de Paul Church, Nazareth, Kentucky.

She gave a moving reflection about gifts that form and shape the lives of Sisters – prayer, community, and ministry.

St. Vincent de Paul Church, Nazareth, Kentucky, was packed for the first profession of vows of Judy Donohue, SCN, Aug. 26, 2017. Sister Judy, pictured middle, worked in Lexington, Kentucky, at St. Joseph Hospital as a chaplain for 13 years. It was there she met Angela Wethington, SCN, who later invited her to become an SCN Associate. After nine years as an Associate, Sister Judy felt a calling to enter the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

SCN Lay Mission Volunteers from St. Mary’s Basilica in Marietta, Ohio, and St. Francis Xavier Church in Raywick, Kentucky, assisted Miss Dora Ross at Kentucky Cornerstone Ministries in Beattyville, Kentucky, for a week in August. The volunteers completed home repairs for a family in need.

Jane Karakunnel, SCN, prepared 31 Catholic women of Bakhtiarpur, India, for the St. Monica feast on Aug. 27, 2017.

Sister Jane led prayer and conducted Bible class.

A SCN Lay Mission Volunteer trip to Botswana, Africa, took place Aug. 21-Sept. 1, 2017. Four volunteers were part of a two-week mission trip. While in Botswana, volunteers helped paint a church in the village of Ntlhantlhe.

Rosemarie Merrill, sister of Paula Merrill, SCN, drew the winning tickets for the Super Raffle which took place Aug. 25, 2017, at Nazareth, Kentucky. The winners are: 1st Prize: $20,000 Janice Amy Johns, Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, sold by Ann Margaret Boone, SCN; 2nd Prize: $5,000: Robert Palasz, Memphis, Tennessee, sold

by Jeanine Jaster, SCN; 3rd Prize: $1,000: Linda Shekhdar, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, sold by Lorraine Marie Ferlin, SCN. 24

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Dozens gathered at the Motherhouse campus, Nazareth, Kentucky, on Aug. 21, 2017, to witness a total solar eclipse which had not happened in the continental U.S. since 1918.

Bridget Kappalumakal, SCN, raised funds for the National Prison Ministry of the Catholic Church on Aug. 13, 2017, at St. John’s Medical College Hospital Chapel, Bangalore, India.

S C N FA M I LY.O R G

h g i l h Friends and family came together for a celebration of the 50th Jubilee of Dorothy Jackson, SCN, hosted by the parish community of Saint Martin de Porres Church, Louisville, Kentucky, on Aug. 12, 2017. The facility was packed for the Mass, reception, and dinner.

In a first of its kind, a medical team from Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital conducted a free check up for breast cancer and oral cancer for parents, staff, and Sisters in Nazareth School, Chandapura, India, on July 29, 2017.

Nazareth Campus employees and Sisters participated in a food drive June 15-29, 2017. All donations were delivered to the St. Vincent de Paul Bread for Life Community Food Pantry in Bardstown, Kentucky.

A jubilee celebration took place at Nazareth Home, Louisville, Kentucky, on July 19, 2017.

The following Sisters celebrated their jubilee: front row, left to right, SCNs Mary Ellen Doyle and Katherine Hanrahan. Back row, left to right, David Clare Reasbeck, Edna Fabre, Rose Ann Howard, Gwen McMahon, Ruth Ann Humphrey, Dorothy Jackson, and Margaret Rodericks.

A Golden Jubilee Mass also took place at St. Vincent dePaul Church, Nazareth, Kentucky, July 16, 2017: front row, left to right, SCNs Margaret Willis and Mary Ann Kropilak. Back row, left to right, SCNs Carolyn Wilson and Dorothy Jackson. Shirley Kocinsky, who was unable to attend, also celebrated a jubilee.

Associates and SCNs recently gathered for an SCNA retreat. The guest speaker was Jeanne Connolly, Ed.D., with a presentation on “Open to God’s Action as We Journey Toward the Future.” The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Associate program continues to grow, as several new Associates were recognized during a celebratory Mass.

SCNs Luke Boiarski and Amina Bejos organized a Belize immersion experience for students, teachers, and alum from Presentation Academy from June 3-13, 2017. The group painted the interior of the Yasha Home outside of the Belmopan area. The Yasha Home is a home for those aging out of government care, it provides a safe place for young women to be empowered with practical life skills and additional education.

Congratulations to Marie Celine Osbourn, SCN, who retired from CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, June 30, 2017. She had been in ministry there since 1993.

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JOURNEYING ON

Marylee King, SCN, formerly Sister George Cecilia King, 87, a native of Topeka, Kansas, died at Nazareth Home, Louisville, Kentucky, June 11, 2017. She was in her 65th year of religious life.

Sister Marylee served as a teacher in elementary education at St. Thomas More School in Louisville, from 1952-1959; in secondary education at Owensboro Catholic High in Owensboro, Kentucky, from 1959-1961; and at Our Lady of Nazareth Academy in Wakefield, Massachusetts from 1961-1965.

After receiving her doctorate in Theology from Catholic University in 1970, she taught at Spalding College, later Spalding University, in Louisville from 1970 - 85. Sister Marylee then carried out research at the Jewish-Christian Dialogue Center in Rome from January till April 1985, followed by three months as a College Instructor in Theology at Ecce Homo in Jerusalem. Sister Marylee returned to Spalding University where she served until May 1988. She again served for three months at Ecce Homo in Jerusalem. From August 1988 until May 1996, Sister Marylee taught at Spalding University as a Professor of Theology. From 1996 until 2009, Sister Marylee was a part-time Instructor in Religion and Spirituality at Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville.

Survivors include a sister, Patricia King Nevins of Estero, Florida; and her religious community.

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Emily Pugh, SCN, 91, a native of Bardstown, Kentucky, died at Nazareth Home, Louisville, Kentucky, June 28, 2017. She was in her 72nd year of religious life.

From 1945 -1963, Sister Emily served as a teacher in elementary education in Memphis, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; Bridgeport, Ohio; Bellevue, Kentucky; and Hyde Park, Massachusetts. From 1963 -1972, she served as a teacher of English, French, and history in secondary education at schools in Brockton, Massachusetts; Birmingham, Alabama; Louisville and Owensboro, Kentucky. Sister Emily also served as the director of religious education in Brockton and Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Survivors include nieces and nephews; and her religious community.

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Mary Pauletta Kane, SCN, 92, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, died at the Motherhouse, Nazareth, Kentucky, July 8, 2017. She was in her 67th year of religious life.

Sister Mary Pauletta served as a teacher in secondary education in Massachusetts at St. Patrick High School in Brockton and at Nazareth High School in Boston. She also served in secondary education in Kentucky at Owensboro Catholic in Owensboro, and at Good Shepherd High School in Frankfort. In 1966, she received a master’s degree in Theology from Marquette University.

From 1966 -1971, she served as the director of novices.

Sister also served the SCN Community as the Regional in Quincy, Massachusetts, from 1991-1996, and later as a Motherhouse coordinator.

Sister Mary Pauletta served in parish ministries in Richmond, Virginia, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, and in Henderson, Kentucky, at Holy Name.

Survivors include nieces and nephews; and her religious community.

Anne Rita Mauck, SCN, 90, a native of Bridgeport, Ohio, died at Nazareth Home, Louisville, Kentucky, Aug. 28, 2017. She was in her 69th year of religious life.

Sister Anne Rita served in the ministry of education at St. Joseph School in Morganza, Maryland, and at Sacred Heart Academy in Helena, Arkansas.

In Louisville, she served in education ministries at St. Patrick School and was principal at St. Gabriel School. In 1970, Sister Anne Rita founded The de Paul School in Louisville, one of the nation’s first schools to serve students with dyslexia and learning differences. The school went on to spur the creation of a dozen other schools across the country. Sister Rita served as executive director at The de Paul School until 1994, and continued to serve the school as a board member and volunteer until her death. Sister also served her SCN Community as the director of the Associate Program, and was later elected to SCN leadership as head of the Southern Region.

Survivors include nieces and nephews; her de Paul School and religious communities.

S C N FA M I LY.O R G

JOURNEYING ON We prayerfully remember the following former students of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and their families.

Wilhelmina “Wass” Brady, SCNA, Mary DePaul Zluky, SCN, 96, a native of Braddock, Pennsylvania, died at St. Louise Convent, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sept. 12, 2017.

She was in her 82nd year of religious life.

Sister M. DePaul served the Church as a teacher in the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Greensburg, and AltoonaJohnstown, Pennsylvania; and Youngstown, Ohio. Her greatest desire, however, was to work as a missionary. Knowing of this desire, Sister’s religious superior sent her to Mother Mary Mission in Phenix, Alabama, where she ministered for 33 years. When asked about her years working in Alabama, Sister said, “I received the greatest fulfillment distributing food and clothing to the needy, visiting the sick, and taking care of their needs.”

Sister’s sense of humor and storytelling always evoked a good laugh and cheered everyone. Her last years were spent in ministry at St. Louise Convent where she served in the ministry of prayer, and in reaching out to the homeless by crocheting mats out of plastic grocery bags, and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for distribution.

Survivors include nieces and nephews; and her religious community.

St. Joseph Infirmary Reverend Theodore A. Keller, St. Catherine Academy Frances Lopiccolo Agostenelli, Sacred Heart School Dorothy McDonnell Burke, Nazareth Academy

Carolyn Hodgson, Little Flower Lillian Kidwell, Nazareth College Judith (Judy) E. Vowels, St. Vincent Academy Annie Laurie Parrott Dillard, St. Joseph Infirmary Bobbie S. Aust, Sacred Heart Academy

Honorary and Memorial

Donations

With gratitude, we acknowledge gifts to support ministries of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in memory or in honor of others.

To view a listing visit:

scnfamily.org/hons

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Nonprofit U.S. Postage

PAID

Office of Mission Advancement P.O. Box 9 Nazareth, Kentucky 40048-0009

Louisville, KY Permit No. 715

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Are you looking for a place to refresh your spirit? Nazareth Retreat Center, housed on the Nazareth Campus near Bardstown, Kentucky, offers opportunities for spiritual reflection in a holistic approach which reverences the human spirit and all of creation.

The campus, with over 300 acres of walking paths and lakes, a labyrinth, gazebo, and comfortable benches, is a perfect environment for prayer, and a time apart from the hustle and bustle of daily life. nazarethretreatcenterky.org