Annual Report 2013

Intercom

Annual Report 2013

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C h a r i t y

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“Thank God our time is now.”

- Christopher Fry

A Letter From Our President Dear Sisters, Associates, and Friends,

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hank God our time is now.” Christopher Fry penned these words in 1951 in the play, A Sleep of Prisoners. Four army

buddies are prisoners of war, held in a church. It is late at night, and in their sleep each one speaks the truth of who he is. Private Tim Meadows reflects, “Thank God our time is now.” As I reflect on fiscal year 2013, I find similarities between Private Meadows and us. It is not that we are prisoners of war, but that we find ourselves in a world that is changing rapidly, propelled largely by

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forces external to us. We are challenged to respond from a place within our own faith, integrity, and commitment as members of the Family of Charity.

Communications.............................3

Leadership........................................4

we experienced during the past year. Our story includes the steps we have taken

Spirituality Center............................6

to respond to that which has come to us, in order to shape the future. We tell our

Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation...........................................7

story in a spirit of gratitude for the year that has passed, realizing that each moment

Vocation/Formation.........................8

He reminds us that this is the moment God has given us, in which to apply our

Associates.......................................10

SC charism, mission, and individual talents in service of those people and needs

Archives.........................................11 Ministry.........................................12

In this annual report we tell you our story of the events, joys, and challenges

has been a gift from God. That is why I find Private Meadows’ words so relevant.

God gives us.

Stewardship.................................... 14

Social Justice Fund.........................15

at the Assembly of the International Union of Superiors General in Rome, Italy

Working for Social Change............16

this past spring. All of us women in Consecrated Life throughout the world are

Immigration...................................18

convinced that who we are and what we do has consequences that extend far

Gathering 2013..............................19

beyond our immediate sphere of influence. We are invited to bring into being

Corporation Board for Sponsored Ministries.......................................20

the reign of God. “Thank God our time is now.”

Seton Enablement Fund.................22

SC Ministry Foundation................24 United Nations NGO....................26

On the Cover: Cover photograph taken at Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse by S. Marty Dermody.

I experienced the same spirit of gratitude and commitment among the Sisters

Let us pray with and for one another in gratitude for our time.

Your Sister,

S. Joan Elizabeth Cook, president

Disclaimer: The information contained in Intercom is intended for general information and educational purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are the views of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.

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Embracing Change

By S. Georgia Kitt and Erin Reder

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n April 2011, at the Chapter of Affairs, the Community committed “to ongoing education and development about the use of information technology for the sake of our Mission.” Technology in every form is booming; we in the Communications Office have seen this change and embraced its use as we continue to promote the charism, mission and ministries of the Sisters of Charity.

In September 2012, the Communications Office conducted a survey to find out what forms of communication have been working, what needed improvement and where we are headed.

Sisters, Associates and employees responded; overwhelming feedback showed the Community was ready to take the next step.

As a result, we have expanded our use of technology and incorporated social media into our plan. We have increased our use of video on the website; two of our Sisters are blogging, which our website provides links to; and we assisted Leadership and Information Services as they began the process of livestreaming Congregational events and certain Masses to our Sisters and Associates via the website. The Communications team works with our Vocation team and the Corporation Board for Sponsored Ministries to publish electronic newsletters. E-Voc, a monthly publication, is directed at single women discerning their call, and Mission, sent quarterly, is for board members and those affiliated with our sponsored ministries.

In February 2013, we launched our Sisters of Charity Facebook page (facebook.com/sistersofcharityofcincinnati). The page is a collaborative effort of our Congregational offices. At the end of October, the page had more than 525 likes. This form of communication has allowed us to create a relationship with our viewers as opposed to the one dimension of a website. We continue to evaluate its success and adapt to the needs of our audience.

As our mission states, “The Communications Office places special emphasis on educating the public about the Sisters of Charity as a vibrant, active community, challenging all to strive for a deeper spirituality and for justice for the poor and the environment …” Our website continues to expand. Interactive

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maps, slideshows, embedded video and online publications have piqued visitors’ interest and enabled even more opportunities to visually tell the SC story.

Intercom, the Community quarterly magazine, features Sisters, Associates and others touched by the mission and living it today. In 2013 the Communications team launched a legacy series featuring cities where we have put down our roots in responding to God’s call to serve. Spotlights on employees and those outside the Community show how the SC charism reaches beyond the Motherhouse campus. Additional writers (both Sisters and Associates) have enabled more articles for both Intercom and the website. In addition the integration of the magazine and the website allows for broader reach and enhances the depth of the articles.

We have and will continue to offer demonstrations to Sisters and Associates wanting assistance to become more familiar with the use of our website and Facebook. Weekly reminders are sent through the Community listserve encouraging Sisters and Associates to view the website and Facebook for articles and information regarding the Community. Excitement continues to build as we learn new ways to connect with those living afar and to share our mission.

Our Time is Now. As technology continues to evolve, we too have seen the evolution of our office. Communication in 2013 not only refers to printed material but also includes Skype and Twitter, Facebook and smartphones. Although new mediums are added, the heart of our work in our Communications Office remains sharing our mission and telling our Sisters and Associates stories. We are committed to embracing these changes while keeping our mission in the forefront; all the while allowing new possibilities and connections to open doors.

In February 2013, the Communications Office launched the Sisters of Charity Facebook page, a collaborative effort of our Congregational offices.

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Deepening Relationships

By S. Mary Bookser, executive councilor

Members of the Sisters of Charity Federation gathered in Leavenworth, Kan., in June.

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hands and voice of the Gospel wherever we are, and we find ourselves drawn to do this in a multitude of ways and to a multitude of places, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.

As I reflect upon the work of the Sisters of Charity Leadership Team over the past year, I think about the various “communities” with which we have interacted. Obvious ones include the deepening connection between Sisters and Associates, work with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, nationally and regionally, our Charity Federation and our ever-expanding Vincentian Family. There are also our sponsored ministries and other groups with whom we work, our connections to Church, our country and our world, friends and loved ones, the many families who have participated in celebrations of life and death, the places we live, the land and animals in our own specific areas. We have no idea how the decisions we have made, together and individually, have impacted all of these relationships, and how we ourselves have been changed by them. What we do realize is that our ‘vocation’ as Charity Family is to be the heart and

Our Constitutions call us to look at our organizational structures and processes so that we might promote the good of all, and that these might free us to realize our “ecclesial mission.” We “participate in decision making by incorporating the principles of subsidiarity, collegiality, and accountability. …” (p. 35) We, the Sisters of Charity elected Leadership Team, have made a commitment to this, and to continue to help all of us as a Community of Charity to build ever-deepening relationships in all ways that we are able. We’ve committed to the Chapter request that we approach these years with an attitude of “the leadership of the whole” by involving those who wish to volunteer to serve on committees, to work as Liaisons with our Sisters and a multitude of other opportunities which arose throughout the past year. We have committed to ongoing communication, and to this end we have sent regular updates regarding our meetings with our national and regional LCWR

he Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) summer “Occasional Papers” publication spoke of our need to empower shifts in perception and to approach questions from “a wider sense of self ” perspective. Quoting from a Macy and Johnstone book, the editors note that if we possess a wider sense of self, it will enable us to recognize that we are persons who are in relationships – members of many communities which include “our families, our religious communities, our neighborhood, human society, and all of the natural world.” (p. 20) Commenting on this, Peggy Sullivan, CSJ, writes that, “Decisions have ramifications and impact far beyond me and those whom I encounter. To bring awareness of these into conversation shared with members is hugely important in this leadership role. … More and more our relatedness to one another is revealed even as our uniqueness is confirmed.”

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In this Intercom you will read reports by other members of our elected Leadership Team. Sister Louise Lears looks at our social justice work for the past year, in light of the story of the Good Samaritan. In there we are asked to consider how the Gospel calls us to both justice and charity in these relationships. Sister Lois Jean Goettke shares the stories of eight Sisters of Charity in ministry. She situates these in light of our SC Directives to “bring the good news of God’s love and active presence” where each ministers and S. Joan Cook reflects upon our relationships with our sponsored ministries.

These are individual stories of relationships centered in the Gospel call.

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representatives, with the Federation and with our Vincentian Family. In our bi-weekly communication in Update, along with Intercom articles, we strive to keep you current on what is happening. Our Fall Congregational Days usually include excellent presentations by our CFO Tim Moller, so that we might be aware of how our choices impact the Community’s broad-based financial picture.

choices and decisions we make on a daily basis.

Our Small Group Processes are important vehicles for deepening relationships within the Charity Community. Through these we garner and share knowledge and wisdom regarding issues and concerns of import, congregationally, nationally (From left) Sisters Mary Bookser and Teresa Kotturan, a or globally. In the past two years we Sister of Charity of Nazareth, Ky., at the LCWR annual have discussed and shared around assembly in Orlando, Fla. LCWR and our Sisters of Charity these topics: a just immigration Federation have emphasized the importance of continuing to policy; various environmental concerns such as land use/ build relationships. Relationships imply accountability and conservation easements and burial choices; how we are called responsibility, and both groups choose to work for systemic to be “ecclesial women” and the choices and challenges change and among those in various poverty conditions, from contained within this; and most recently, how we “dare to birth to death, including in care of God’s Earth. The last risk a caring response” in ministry and with our sponsored two years LCWR has needed to focus much of its energy on ministries. These are ongoing conversations and involve our relationship with the Vatican, primarily through their regular relationship choices. assigned committee of US Bishops. This was a mandate Our summer Gathering and our Fall Congregational from the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Days have invited us to learn from one another and to (CDF). During this time we, your representatives in LCWR, continue to deepen our communion with our various have continued to work for fair and just immigration laws, to communities. We began to look at those dimensions of our combat human trafficking, to seek an end to violence on all community life which need hospicing, those which can levels and other key Gospel concerns. be repaired or revitalized, and were encouraged to become Our recent LCWR speaker, S. Ilia Delio, invited us to take a careful look at our cosmology, since cosmology affects our choices and relationships on all levels, and impacts our theological beliefs. She quoted St. Bonaventure who taught us that all creatures express the Divine Word because all things, every star, leaf, tree and all creation, are created through the Word of God. We note that the Gospel of John is a source and affirmation of this belief (John 1:1-5). Ilia reminds us that on the most fundamental level of life we are connected to one another – to all peoples and to the Earth itself. All life is interconnected, and relationship is a central holding point of all creation, from the very beginning. So as elected leaders we regularly ask how conscious we are of this relatedness in the

“way finders” in terms of our future planning. A familiar mantra throughout our Gathering was written by one of our Leavenworth cousins. We sang to ask God to “Deepen the vision . . . (and to) set our hearts on fire” – for our charism and mission, for our future together as a Charity Family. As your elected leaders we pray that our shared mission and charism may continue to lead us into a future which draws us and all our relationships into a deeper communion with the Divine will. And together we pray: “Thy kin(g)dom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

LCWR “Occasional Papers,” Summer, 2-13 Macy & Johnstone, Active Hope, pp. 85-103 LCWR 2013 National Meeting

The elected Leadership Team presents to Sisters and Associates at the West Fall Congregational Days.

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Exploration into God

By S. Annette Marie Paveglio

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he Spirituality Center’s mission is about helping others deepen their faith life; surely that requires exploration into God. In an effort to reach out to the needs of the community, programs and retreats are planned with an eye toward offering varied opportunities.

Feel Like You’re Going to Pot?, All of Creation Sings a Joyful Song, and the ever popular Madeleva Lecture series. A retreat day was facilitated by Sisters Rita Hawk and Maureen Heverin for parish RCIA teams, catechumens, candidates, and sponsors.

A compassionate presence Contemplation draws us toward touched the hearts of those who fruitful action … have received wholistic massage or energy work from S. Mary S. Mary Ann Humbert led Praying Tai Chi in January 2013.

Eight-day directed retreats were Fran Davisson. Also, S. Mary offered both in June and August, Ann Humbert led Praying Tai Chi. along with a six-day conference retreat on Forgiveness by Fr. Norm Langenbrunner in August and one in June with Fr. Timothy Guthridge, C.PP.S., on God’s Saving Grace.

A Centering Prayer Weekend Retreat was facilitated by S. Carol Brenner, S. Pat Marie Bernard, and Associate Liz Maxwell. A continued practice is weekly Centering Prayer on Wednesdays. A Transformed Life was facilitated by S. Maureen Heverin. These sessions provided a context within which to understand both the challenges and the blessings of our journey of seeking God and living in a more contemplative way.

The Sundays of Reflection carried out the theme of Ecclesial Women with presenters Sisters Louise Akers, Mary Ann Donovan, and Clarann Weinert.

When wrong comes up to face us everywhere …

There were breaths of fresh air to refresh the soul such as Stitching the Spirit II, Stop Worrying: You Are in God’s Hands,

Linn Maxwell performed Hildegard of Bingen and the Living Light in October 2012.

All Campus Prayer provides time to feed the soul for employees, Associates, and Sisters alike who gather together for a 20-minute prayer session five times a year, alternating space between the Motherhouse chapel and Bayley Enrichment Center. The liturgical year dictates the theme of each prayer session. Also, communal Reconciliation services are provided in Advent and Lent.

Hildegard of Bingen and the Living Light was a one-woman play written and performed by Linn Maxwell on the life and work of this Christian mystic and visionary who has recently been declared a saint. It was an outstanding performance in October enjoyed by more than 200 guests.

If we attend to our heart our self acceptance opens us to be with the other…

Fr. Norm Langenbrunner’s Lenten Series on Nourishing Our Spiritual Lives focused on Scripture, liturgy, love, and service as four major ways of nourishing our hearts. The Lenten Sacred Concert performed by Mike Davis provided an experience of the Way of the Cross in song and prayer. Approximately 330 were in attendance at his prayerful event.

The Art of Reading the Bible was presented by S. Joan Cook; Called to be Holy: A Day of Reflection on Discipleship was facilitated by S. Karen Elliott, C.PP.S., and Living in Light and Darkness was presented by S. Therese Del Genio, SNDdeN. All these opportunities to nourish the soul hopefully remind us that there are sleeping seeds dreaming below the drifts, filled with life, waiting for the warm winds and the strong sun. … And spring shall come.

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Relationship Building and C ollaboration

By Debbie Weber, OPJIC director

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his past year has definitely been an “up-start springtime of our Now” for the Office of Peace, Justice & Integrity of Creation. The physical moving of the office to the Motherhouse has opened the door to new relationships with Sisters, Associates and staff. Administrative Assistant Sue DiTullio and I feel blessed and honored to be working with all of you.

Advocacy through relationship building and collaboration has been the focus of the office. To start, OPJIC now has three advocacy tables: one outside our office doors, one in the Motherhouse Community Room and another in the Mother Margaret Hall Community Room.

From petitions and postcards to event fliers and brochures, our tables are there for education, advocacy and action.

And during the summer months, homegrown fruits and vegetables are in a basket outside our offices for the passerby to take and enjoy!

Sue has been working with Sisters living in the Motherhouse and Mother Margaret Hall who experience various computer/Internet challenges. Her attentiveness and love for the Sisters has been a blessing for them – along with her amazing technology skills.

Environmental education, advocacy and collaboration took on many forms on the Mount campus. The films Sun Come Up and Renewal were shown at the College of Mount St. Joseph and the Motherhouse; we held a winter book discussion: Full Planet, Empty Plates; S. Paula Gonzalez gave a What is Fracking talk; and S. Joyce Brehm led two recycling workshops. More than 70 Sisters, Associates and employees participated in the Mug Shots campaign for climate change awareness. The Lenten Care for Creation calendar was designed and the Carbon Footprint Team for the Gathering helped us all see positive environmental actions being taken locally, nationally and globally.

Local community collaboration resulted in several events. The Mary of Magdala Prayer Service, Teach Congo Workshop, Immigration Billboard Prayer Service, School of Americas Prayer Vigil and Violence Against Women Symposium were wonderful results of tri-state parish members, Sisters, teachers, and activists who worked together to educate and advocate for justice issues.

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In 2013 OPJIC partnered with mothers in Mexico through the Water With Blessings initiative.

Throughout the year OPJIC enjoyed other local collaborations. We worked with a DePaul Cristo Rey High School student-employee. I became an active member of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Climate Change Task Force, joined the Sisters of Charity (SC)-Corporate Responsibility Committee and was the occasional guest speaker at the College of Mount St. Joseph.

While local relationships are very important, the office has also focused on broader collaborations. I am the facilitator for the SC Federation peace and justice representatives. We are collaborating to implement a process to speak with one voice regarding issues of social justice. We were asked to consider expanding the collaboration to include the National Vincentian Family. With an enthusiastic “Yes!” we agreed, and I assumed the role of facilitator for this lively group of representatives who are charged with identifying a social justice initiative to jointly pursue.

Another role I have taken is that of a liaison to S. Caroljean Willie, the SC Federation’s NGO representative at the United Nations (UN). As a liaison, I will be keeping Sisters and Associates updated on the work of the UN and the mission and focus of the SC Federation at the UN. I will also update S. Caroljean on pertinent news and resources regarding our Congregational initiatives that focus on global concerns.

The launching of Water With Blessings was a wonderful ending to the “up-start springtime of our Now” and a fruitful beginning of collaboration. Through prayers, donations and the provision of training sites, the SC family is partnering with mothers, empowering and equipping them to bring clean water to their families and communities.

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A New Generation of Charity

By Sisters Janet Gildea, Monica Gundler and Donna Steffen

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omen discerning the call to religious life give witness to “the upstart spring.” We who serve in the ministries of vocation promotion and formation indeed “Thank God our time is now.” This was a key theme of the update on vocation and formation ministry at the summer Congregational Gathering, which explained our directions and strategies for inviting women to vowed life and the programs of Affiliation and Novitiate.

Opportunities to serve and discern have been the venues where women have experienced the living charism of Charity.

Whether in Cincinnati, Ohio, New Orleans, La., or New Mexico, offering experiences with Sisters and Associates in ministry and community continues to be that springtime place of possibility. Personal invitation and relationship is the key, as it always has been. Fall 2012 saw some disappointments for the vocation ministry with cancellations of service and discernment weekends at the House of Charity due to Hurricane Isaac and at Holy Family in Price Hill. The New Orleans weekend was rescheduled for January 2013, coinciding with the National Day of Service before the Martin Luther King national holiday.

New efforts in vocation promotion are always springing forth. Sisters of Charity served as spiritual directors and writers for the Federation online discernment retreat in September. We had a booth at the Catholic Volunteer Network annual meeting in November to survey for interest in a post-volunteer year transition experience. S. Monica Gundler served on the interview board for the Magnificat House, a discernment community for 8

Annie Klapheke, who began the Pre-entrance process with the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati in May, visited the initial formation community in Anthony, N.M.

women sponsored by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. She also was the presenter for a vocations day for fifth graders from across the archdiocese. SC Affiliate Tracy Kemme launched her “Diary of a Sister-in-Training” blog which attained a broad readership. E-Voc, the monthly e-newsletter for discerners, also continued to be a helpful resource to women at any stage of the journey.

During the past year three women began the Pre-entrance process: Tracey Horan (St. Mary of the Woods, Ind.) and Lori Williams (Baltimore, Md.) in December and Annie Klapheke (Columbus, Ohio) in May. Pre-entrance is a mutual gettingto-know-you experience. Throughout the year the women participated in congregational meetings and events, met with their contact Sisters, and visited the initial formation community in Anthony, N.M. Deepening discernment through the Pre-entrance program leads to clarity of call and Tracey withdrew from the program to begin formal discernment with the Sisters of Providence.

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After a brief orientation at the Motherhouse in July, Andrea Koverman and Tracy Kemme returned to New Mexico for the year of Affiliation. Community life and ministry are the primary components of the Affiliate year. The intentionality of the life of the Affiliate community was expressed in a covenant in August 2012 that included some helpful structures for common life as well as ongoing discernment and growth for each member.

Andrea continued teaching fourth grade and also assumed additional responsibilities as assistant principal at Our Lady of the Assumption School. Tracy ministered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Sacred Heart parish in downtown El Paso, Texas, and at the Santo Niño Project in Anapra, Mexico. Each Affiliate developed a plan for personal growth that helped assess her progress during the year. Components included bi-weekly meetings with S. Janet Gildea, director of Affiliates, as well as spiritual direction. S. Lois Jean Goettke, Leadership Council liaison for vocation and initial formation, visited in January to share in a house midyear evaluation process.

(From left) S. Tracy Kemme, S. Janet Gildea, S. Carol Wirtz, S. Andrea Koverman, S. Peggy Deneweth and Romina Sapinoso lived together in community in Anthony, N.M., before Sisters Tracy and Andrea entered the Canonical Novitiate.

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Sisters Monica Gundler (left) and Donna Steffen (right) welcome Lori Williams into Pre-entrance.

In the second half of the Affiliate year Andrea and Tracy made a privately directed retreat at the Motherhouse as they began the application process for Novitiate. Meanwhile S. Donna Steffen made preparations for the Canonical Novitiate program and renovations were made at Bayley House for the Novitiate Community. Sisters Carol Leveque, Maureen Heverin, Terry Thorman and Nancy Bramlage moved into the house on March 23. Tracy and Andrea were accepted to the Novitiate by S. Joan Elizabeth Cook in May, moving to Cincinnati in early June. They were received as Canonical Novices during an evening vespers service in the Motherhouse chapel on June 26 during the Congregational Gathering. It was indeed an experience of springtime as we remembered the call to Charity and the commitments made and lived in the heart of our community home. The love of Christ continues to be the “upstart spring” that impels new generations of Charity.

(From left) Sisters Carol Leveque, Tracy Kemme, Nancy Bramlage, Terry Thorman, Andrea Koverman and Maureen Heverin are the Novitiate community at Bayley House.

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Called to the Mission

By Mary Jo Mersmann, director of Associates

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ransformation in a Time of Uncertainty” was the title of the workshop attended by members of the Associate Advisory Committee in March 2013. It seemed appropriate that we spend some time in quiet contemplation and prayer as change in our community, our cities and our world surrounds us. The Advisory Committee meets twice a year for an entire day to speak the truth, brainstorm theories, share creative ideas and look to the future. By spending a day in contemplative practice, listening and speaking from a contemplative heart, we recognized the value in this form of prayer for each of us personally and for our group collectively.

Throughout the past year, the Advisory Committee also discussed the input given to us concerning the option for Lifetime Commitment as Associates. We sent our proposal to the Leadership Team and on March 15, the Feast of St. Louise de Marillac, it was approved. Recently at the Congregational Days, seven women who had been Associates for more than 25 years made their lifetime commitments. As we move forward with the process, several more Associates will be discerning this option over the next year.

Sue DiTullio, our new administrative assistant, began her work with the Office of Associates in 2012. Sue is a creative and highly skilled woman who is indeed a pleasure with whom to collaborate. Her skills in technology are remarkable as shown by the interactive map she designed for the Associates and Volunteers page on the SC website. She has plenty of 10

(From left) Associate Maureen Maxfield, S. Mary Bookser, Associate Barry Mersmann and S. Joyce Brehm participate in a choral reading celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Associate program.

ideas for the future, as well. She also worked with our DePaul Cristo Rey student, Noah. Her patience, enthusiasm and gift for teaching were such assets in this situation. Welcome Sue!

We celebrated the 40th anniversary of the AssociateReligious relationship among the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati at the Gathering in June. And, as I said at the ceremony on Thursday afternoon, “Associates have lived in all parts of the United States – Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, Maryland, Alaska, Pennsylvania, Texas and on and on. People have come from all walks of life – teachers and nurses, co-workers and friends, husbands and wives, widows and widowers, priests and deacons, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Quaker, Lutheran. We have come because of what we saw and what we heard. We have come because the Charity Charism has resonated in our very being.

We have come because of a deep call from God to be a part of the Mission of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati – living and loving differently because of our commitment.

“This mutual relationship among Sisters and Associates has ebbed and flowed throughout the years but I can say with certainty that it is stronger today than ever before in our history.

It is with deep gratitude that I stand before you and recognize all of those who are in this room, many unable to be with us this week and all of those who have gone before us who have strived to build and strengthen this relationship. We are blessed and we are grateful!”

Sue DiTullio (right) joined Mary Jo Mersmann and the Office of Associates this year.

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Sharing Our Treasures

By S. Judith Metz

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ow is the time to share our historical and archival treasures with others. One way the Archives Department has done this it to participate in a variety of ways in our country’s ongoing commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Examples of this include: • Sponsoring, with the Communications Office, a Memorial Day program that included music, poetry and prayer; • Assisting in the completion of “Mine Eyes Have Seen,” a DVD depicting the participation of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati in the war; • Contributing to the Charity Afire exhibit at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Seton in Emmitsburg, Md.; • Providing programs on the Sisters of Charity role in the war for local organizations such as the Mack Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the Delhi Veterans Association; • Assisting authors doing research on the war; • And providing a display on the topic at the Sisters of Charity Gathering.

Another way the Archives shares our historical and archival treasures is our availability to help others enjoy our beautiful Motherhouse with its outstanding architectural and artistic treasures.

S. Joyce Brehm is one of the Archives staff members responsible for digitizing its treasures.

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S. Judith Metz (back row, third from left) takes docents from the Cincinnati Art Museum on a tour of the Motherhouse chapel, Art Room and Heritage Room.

Those of us who give tours of the facility are constantly led to a greater appreciation of it ourselves when we witness outsiders’ awestruck expressions and comments when they first see our chapel, Art Room, or the architecture of the building itself. Visitors range from elementary school Confirmation classes to art connoisseurs from organizations such as the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. An additional program we provided this year was “Food for the Soul” where we featured a piece from our art collection along with a write-up of its provenance in our Archives as well as the style of the artist who created it. This was available both in the Motherhouse Dining Room and on our SC website.

A third way the Archives staff is working to share our archival treasures is through our digitization project. Every person in the Archives participates in some way in our efforts to make our collections more accessible through electronic means. This includes creating searchable documents that provide data on our missions as well as on individuals.

Other aspects of this project generate more comprehensive search aids for each of the collections, transfer programs and interviews on older media to digital form, and make them available for a variety of uses. Also, we constantly receive contributions from individuals and Congregational offices that enhance our photo collection.

We in the Archives are proud and happy to serve the Congregation by preserving and being the custodians of our historical and archival treasures, and by being given the opportunity to make them available in a number of ways.

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God’s Call to Serve

By S. Lois Jean Goettke

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wo songs come to mind as I write this introduction to the annual report on Ministry. Tom Kendzia, “Take hold of us, our hearts, our minds, our whole being. Make us your own, now is the time.” Even Amy Grant sings, “But our time is now.” In Ecclesiastes we read, “Everything has its own time and its own season …” Thank God our time is now! Our time to do what?

In our SC Directives, 6.1 we say, “In our ministries we bring the good news of God’s love and active presence to others in order to alleviate suffering, to educate formally and informally, and to reconcile and bring into unity persons and social structures which contribute to poverty and oppression.”

As Sisters of Charity, we continue to “bring the good news of God’s love and active presence” by listening deeply to God’s call to serve with loving, generous hearts as we minister in education, health care, retreat and parish work, ministry of prayer, Congregational service, social work and advocacy for justice. Sisters of Charity serve in 29 US dioceses and three foreign countries, Mexico, Guatemala and Dominica, West Indies.

Our time now is to risk, to accompany those on the margin and to be the expansive heart of God to our brothers and sisters. God gives us this time, our time to walk with others on their holy ground.

S. Ramona Chisholm

S. Patricia Hayden

In my ministry as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Lindner Center of Hope (Cincinnati), I minister to people at their most fragile, at their most vulnerable time. This ministry of healing asks me to continue to bring Jesus’ compassion and healing to those besieged by mental illness, many of whom have been rejected, persecuted and feared by their community.

As I minister as a mission leader in the world of Catholic health care, our time is now, supporting people in our communities to navigate our health care system – helping them In Ephesians 2:10 we learn: “We are God’s own gain access to care and handiwork, recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do finding a primary care those good works which God predestined for us … physician in a medical (Our Time) that we should walk in them.”

S. Patricia Hayden (left) is the vice president of mission home. In today’s fast I believe God has called me to proclaim the Gospel integration at St. Anthony North Hospital in Westminster, paced world offering Colo. in this time – a time that has been predestined from our patients, their all eternity for me. A calling that I should continue families and our associates spiritual and emotional support has the spirit of compassionate healing to those challenged by never been a greater need. Going forward we will continue our mental illness. focus on the wellness and health of the communities we serve.

Often I have wondered how I shall accomplish this Right care, right time, right place. daunting task, and I recall in the Fellowship of the Ring

by J.R.R. Tolkien, Frodo says, “I wish it need not have S. Ginny Scherer happened in my time.” And Gandalf replies, “So do I, and This is my 51st year of teaching high school and I enjoy it so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them now more than ever. Teenagers are so full of life and want to to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time do everything! They never cease to amaze me with their that is given us.” creativity, their willingness to serve. I thank God that I can One must arise to the challenge offered by our time. And one is born at a particular time and in a particular place for a predestined purpose. This is my purpose ... This is my time.

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witness that “their time is now!”

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S. Anita Maroun

S. Tricia Cruise

I work with L’Arche, a French word The focus of our society often lingers meaning the “Ark,” in reference to Noah’s on the plight of the homeless only Ark – a place of safety and refuge. We on holidays, and then, only briefly. provide faith-based community homes Regardless of age, 0-100, the note is now for persons with intellectual disabilities. due to provide a better future for those “Thank God our time is now” could less able to care for themselves. Our time be the mantra for our work at L’Arche. is now to impact our brothers and sisters, Attitudes toward persons with disabilities families and our greater community in S. Anita Maroun (left) currently ministers at have changed somewhat; they are less Southern California and around the L’Arche. objects of ridicule or bullying. Those world. Our faith in each other, those we who come to “help” our core members (individuals with serve and our God is not too little, it just needs to be spread disabilities) find that their hearts are transformed as they around and now is our time … experience the face of God in those less capable. Yes, our time is now to praise God for the progress made and to be reenergized to work on behalf of the poor and those who challenge our comfort levels.

S. Anne Darlene Wojtowicz My ministry in medicine is about helping individuals heal – body and soul. The Church, I feel, is experiencing another 1965 (Vatican II), where the Spirit of God’s love is asking us to grow, to fix the wrongs, “the cold and the dark.”

Our challenge is to get on board, to lead, to follow, or to get out of the way. When I minister, in a very small way, I try to reach the soul of my patient, and that soul is just burning with desire to be recognized, acknowledged, and touched.

This connection embraces both souls (the patient’s and mine) and both become “no more winter.”

S. Barbara Hagedorn Currently I am ministering in a setting where I have never been before. At the Good Samaritan Free Health Center in Price Hill (Cincinnati) where we provide free health care to the uninsured, I encounter those who often struggle to make ends meet. We not only offer them health care but a friendly, caring S. Barbara Hagedorn (right) ministers at atmosphere where they the Good Samaritan Free Health Center know they are accepted in Price Hill (Cincinnati). for who they are. I am grateful I can be there because of a ministry grant from the Community. Because of the people – the staff, clients, and volunteers – who touch my life each day, I am able to say, “Thank God my time is now.”

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S. Tricia Cruise (front) is president and Chief Executive Officer of Father Joe’s Villages in Southern California.

S. Nancy Bramlage “The most important time is now. The most important people to be with are the ones I am with now.” The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh I am a staff member of the College of Mount St. Joseph, into my second year here as Director of Mission and Ministry.

It is a good place to be, one of the two full-time Sisters of Charity here at this point. The faculty and staff are truly dedicated to the College and love the heritage of the Sisters of Charity that is written in their mission and lived out in their daily lives. My ministry is to help them to discover the richness of that SC history and support them in finding new ways to express it in the courses they teach and the activities we have that nourish their faith life and provide new ways S. Nancy Bramlage (second from right) is the to express that SC Director of Mission and Ministry at the College of tradition.”

Mount St. Joseph.

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Financial Results Positive in Fiscal 2013

By Tim Moller, CFO

F

iscal 2013 Congregational financial results were very positive, due to favorable investment results, receipt of a higher than normal amount of bequests, and favorable actuarial adjustments related to the employee pension plan.

Heading into 2014, concerns abound about global conflicts, the tepid economic recovery, and rising interest rates due to the Federal Reserve’s anticipated “tapering.”

Most categories of Fiscal 2013 Congregational expense were below budget and less than last year’s, including Sisters’ living expenses. Expense control remains a top priority as income from Sisters’ employment is decreasing due to Congregational demographics.

Looking ahead to Fiscal 2014, Congregational finances are stable and cash reserves are sufficient to weather any shortterm downturn. The Mother Margaret Hall renovation is about halfway completed. Reserves are sufficient to fund the remainder of the project without any debt. The renovated facility will be compliant with current certifications and life safety codes, and will offer flexibility for potentially serving others in the future.

The election of Pope Francis with his message of solidarity with the poor has resonated throughout the world. His emphasis on living simply, his down-to-earth demeanor and his call to find a “new balance” echo the words and deeds of the Sisters of Charity. The Sisters continue to risk a caring response, reaching several thousand individuals each day through Congregational and sponsored ministries, and SC Ministry Foundation.

The charts below depict the categories of Congregational income and outflow for Fiscal 2013.

On the Source side, Investment Income, which includes interest, dividends and realized gains, together with Unrealized Gains, amounted to 35.6 percent of Total Income. Retirement Income provided 43.8 percent of Total Income, and includes support payments from the Sisters of Charity Charitable Trust, Social Security and Sisters’ pensions. General Congregational Income amounted to 16 percent of Total Income and is primarily comprised of Sisters’ earnings, bequests and support from benefactors. Other sources, including the positive impact of an actuarial adjustment to the lay employee pension plan, totaled 4.6 percent.

On the Use side, Retirement Related Expenses was the largest expense category at 54.4 percent, and includes costs associated with the care of our retired Sisters. Local House Expenses, which includes living expenses for Sisters living away from the Mount St. Joseph campus, amounted to 17.1 percent of Total Expenses.

The cost of maintaining Sisters of Charity facilities is reflected in Property Expense, which totaled 12.2 percent of Total Expense.

General Congregational Expenses, primarily comprised of administrative costs, legal and audit fees, insurance premiums and contributions, amounted to 8.4 percent of Total Expenses.

Service Department Expenses, net, amounted to 7.4 percent of Total Costs and includes the unallocated costs of Shared Services such as Maintenance, Grounds, Finance, Human Resources and Information Services. Bedford Campus Expenses totaled .6 percent of Total Expenses; the Congregational residence in Bedford has been closed and alternative uses or a sale are being explored.

Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, Ohio, Inc. Source and Use of Funds June 30, 2013

Source of Funds 1 2 3 4 5 6

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Retirement Income Investment Income Unrealized Gains and Investments General Congregational Income Pension Actuarial Adjustment Other Income

43.78% 19.37% 16.18% 16.05% 4.14% 0.48% 100.0%

Use of Funds 1 2 3 4 5 6

Retirement Related Expenses Local House Expenses Property Expenses General Congregational Expenses Service Department Expenses, net Bedford Campus Expenses

54.38% 17.08% 12.23% 8.36% 7.39% 0.56% 100.0%

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Charity and Justice: T he T wo F eet of C hristian S ervice

By S. Louise Lears

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n a recent post on his Twitter account, Pope Francis reminds us that the “measure of the greatness of a society is found in the way it treats those most in need, those who have nothing apart from their poverty.”

An essential element of our mission as the Family of Charity is to respond in charity and with justice to those most in need. The parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates the mandate of both charity and justice, the two feet of Christian service.

f “Charity is the Samaritan who pours oil on the wounds of the traveler who has been attacked.

It is Justice’s role to prevent the attacks.” ~ Blessed Frederic Ozanam (svdpid.org)

According to the Gospel of Luke, a traveler, who likely is a Jew, is beaten and robbed along the road to Jericho, a dangerous highway known as the “Way of Blood.” Several people pass by, intentionally avoiding the wounded man. Finally, a Samaritan stops, treats the injured traveler, and takes him to the nearest inn for ongoing care. That a Samaritan helped a wounded person, especially a Jew, would have astonished Jesus’ followers because Jews and Samaritans generally despised one another. It is no wonder that the parable of the Good Samaritan has inspired painting, sculpture, poetry, and film.

The Samaritan’s response to the immediate needs of the beaten man, while necessary, targets only the effects of injustice.

In all charitable actions, there must also be a search for justice, which addresses the root causes of injustice. Justice demands that we collaborate with others to transform unjust structures, policies and attitudes so that people will not be constantly harmed on life’s highway. In other words, justice mandates that we rebuild or redesign the road to Jericho so that it is safe for future travelers.

Social Justice Fund Expenditures Fiscal 2013 Emergency 3% Advent Matching 5%

Systemic Change 65%

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Photo of The Good Samaritan taken at Good Samaritan Hospital, Dayton.

Direct Service 27%

In the past year, 35 percent of our Social Justice funds provided direct service to those in need of shelter, food, rent, utilities, health care, transportation, and clothing. A portion of these funds also helped people affected by disasters to meet basic needs and regain some of their predisaster capacities.

The remaining 65 percent of our Social Justice funds helped to create or enhance the social structures in education, housing, health care, and advocacy that are needed for a permanent change in the lives of those who are most vulnerable.

As Sisters of Charity and Associates, we acknowledge that those we serve have gifts by which they minister to us. We are grateful for their inspiration and humbled to share our resources.

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Working for Social Change

Immigration Reform must be about the 100 percent. It must include a pathway to citizenship that protects family unity. Joining us in this plea, as seen above, are Sisters of Charity, like-minded friends and students from Seton High School.

“Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. And you cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.� - Cesar Chavez

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n this annual report we witness to ways we have provided voices of support or dissent to today’s issues that cry out for Gospel values. As educators we have taught many to read and to feel pride as we encourage them to join us in working for social change; they have found their courage. We continue to work with others to identify systemic injustices locally and globally, and to intervene when structures deny or neglect the basic rights of persons. Find examples below of places SCs and Associates have walked or intervened over this year.

Jobs Not Cuts Rally held in downtown Cincinnati this winter shows Sisters Laetitia Slusser (center) and Catherine Mary Cohara (second from left) advocating for fair wages and jobs over war.

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(From left) the late S. Helen Miriam Gunn, S. Jeanine Marie Holthouse and S. Margaret Marie Anthony prepare bars of soap for distribution in public places, especially hotels, so that victims being trafficked can find a hotline number to call for help.

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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

NETWORK’s Nuns on the Bus traveled across 15 states, covering more than 6,500 miles since May 2012. In this second round they called attention to the need for an immigration reform bill. SCs were on and off the bus at various locations throughout the country. Seen above is Sister of Social Service Simone Campbell, NETWORK director, addressing her interested audience. Identified in the background are Sisters Brenda Busch, Louise Lears and Sally Duffy.

Sisters and SC Associates joined other supporters of the Anna Louise Inn in Cincinnati, attending numerous rallies to allow women their right to remain at the current site. The Inn has remained focused on its mission to provide safe and affordable housing for women throughout two years of litigation. It will result in a beautiful new site, remaining in the downtown neighborhood.

April 2013 brought S. Joan Chittister, OSB (right), to Cincinnati for the Violence Against Women Symposium.

S. Joan’s talk told of women she has met who had been or are currently victims of violence. The event was sponsored by the Sisters of Charity and included the Clothesline Project and a concert by MUSE.

S. Jean Miller (third from left) meets with the Immigration Committee of the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center. The Committee is made up of Sister-representatives from the various religious congregations in the Greater Cincinnati area who sponsor the Center and promote its causes.

“The mystery of the poor is this: That they are Jesus, and what you do for them you do for Him. It is the only way we have of knowing and believing in our love. The mystery of poverty is that by sharing in it, making ourselves poor in giving to others, we increase our knowledge of and belief in love.”

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Native Congolese persons affiliated with the Dayton American Friends Service Committee share stories of the suffering and atrocities imposed on the Congolese people. The SC Community commemorates the thousands of lives lost in the Congo conflict and honors the human and resource potential that exists in the country during Congo Week each year at the Motherhouse.

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Hope in Waiting

By S. Jean Miller

C

an you just imagine 12 million people who have been living in the shadows within the United States for years, most of them since the 1990s? They live in fear of deportation, family separation, poverty, detention centers, illness and disrespect. Yes, this is the life of people from many countries, waiting for a path out of the shadows.

At this moment they may be breathing in deeply while saying to themselves, “Thank God, our time could be now.”

They have seen some cracks in the attitudes of discrimination and some concrete attempts at comprehensive immigration reform.

Throughout the last decade Church officials, women and men’s religious congregations and various organizations have taken public stands in favor of change in immigration policies. However, this issue has been kept on the backburner

by Congress while the unjust structures continued to cause suffering to individuals and families.

In the last two years something different happened.

Young people who have been brought here as small children, grew up here, integrated here, and became aware of their situation. With this knowledge, they found their voices, called themselves dreamers, and believed that their time is now.

They began speaking out despite the danger to themselves and their families. They held large gatherings, told their stories and converted hearts and minds of those of us who lived in fear of the other.

People gathered with them to make Welcoming Cities for Immigrants. They raised their voices to politicians and showed the power of their voice during elections. The Church began to speak more forcefully, held special Masses and took courage from Pope Francis. His actions and his words call for On April 13, 2013, Annunciation a change of hearts. “A change House, a shelter for migrants of attitude towards migrants and refugees in El Paso, Texas, and refugees is needed on the presented its 2013 “Voice of part of everyone, moving away the Voiceless” award to women religious of the US and Mexico. from attitudes of defensiveness Before the solidarity dinner, and fear, indifference and S. Janet Gildea (left) and Yessenia marginalization – all typical of Vasquez presented a “StoryCorps” a throwaway culture – towards interview at the immigration forum.

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Sisters living near the border took part in the activities surrounding NETWORK’s Nuns on the Bus tour calling for comprehensive immigration reform.

attitudes based on a culture of encounter, the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world.

The communications media are themselves called to embrace this “conversion of attitudes” and to promote this change in the way migrants and refugees are treated.” Migrants and Refugees: Toward a Better World, Pope Francis Women religious continued their social work and advocacy for the immigrants and then sent the Nuns on the Bus on tour to places of immigrants and offices of legislators. Many trips to Representative Boehner’s office have taken place this year by Sisters and Associates. Studies showed the economic value to each state when our policies are reformed with comprehensive legislation that leads to citizenship. Calls and cards have flooded the air waves insisting that now is the time for reform and to welcome our sisters and brothers.

We still wait and plead and stand with each other because we know our time is now, thank God. In 2007, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati issued a Public Statement on Immigration: We, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, support the pastoral letter of Catholic Bishops of Mexico and the United States, Strangers Together on the Journey, which acknowledges that the current immigration system cries out for change.

We recognize the rights of all our immigrant/refugee sisters and brothers. We believe the resolution of immigration/refugee issues must be viewed through the lens of economic analysis. Therefore, we call for change in unjust immigration policies and unfair trade agreements by our nation, and we will continue our direct outreach to immigrants and refugees.

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Our Time is Now G a t h e r i n g 2 013 , J u n e 2 6 -3 0

E

very four years Sisters and Associates from across the country and beyond gather at the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse for prayer, fellowship, learning and fun. The four days were filled with reunions, the forming of new relationships, and the celebration of our Sisters and Associates and the many ways the Family of Charity continues to live the Gospel.

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Carrying Forward the SC Mission

By S. Joan Elizabeth Cook

T

his has been an eventful year for our sponsored ministries.

In October, the CEOs, board chairs, and senior staff members of our sponsored ministries and SC Ministry Foundation gathered at Mount St. Joseph for our biennial All Boards Retreat. The theme of the evening was Partners in Mission.

Participants reflected together on the SC mission statement and the statements of their own particular ministries. Then they considered ways to implement the statements among their staffs and the people they serve.

An outcome of the retreat was a request by the CEOs to meet regularly to share common concerns and best practices, especially around carrying forward the SC mission.

The first of these gatherings took place in February. The CEOs formed Members of the Corporation Board for Sponsored Ministries are (front row, from left) S. Patricia Sabourin, a mission committee composed S. Joyce Richter, Diane Geiser, (back row, from left) S. Joan Elizabeth Cook, S. Brenda Busch, S. Annette Marie Paveglio, S. Maureen Heverin, S. Judith Metz and Tim Moller. of representatives of each of the sponsored ministries. S. Judith Metz agreed to chair the group. Their first project was to invite new employees to the Mount to tour the Motherhouse and learn about the history and spirit of the Sisters of Charity. Several ministries already had this kind of experience; the group opened participation to employees of all the sponsored ministries. All those in the first group appreciated the opportunity to meet colleagues in other SC sponsored ministries, to meet Sisters at the Motherhouse, and to deepen their knowledge of the Sisters of Charity. These sessions will continue to take place several times a year, to give as many new employees as possible an opportunity to participate.

The CEOs expressed their desire to work together around a particular aspect of the SC mission statement. All agreed to start with the call to Act Justly. Within each sponsored ministry, all the members of the community are reflecting on how they live that call on an everyday basis. They are identifying ways to strengthen their commitments to Act Justly, both among staff members and in relation to those they serve.

Another decision was to simplify the special annual report that each sponsored ministry sends to the SC Corporation Board for Sponsored Ministries. According to the new format, each ministry addresses five items: ways in which they are implementing their mission, steps they are taking to Act Justly, their progress in implementing strategic plans, their top three to five major challenges, and their top three to five major strengths. At the end of the fiscal year, each ministry reported on these five items, and their responses illustrate the many ways in which they serve their constituencies.

College of Mount St. Joseph: In anticipation of its centennial, the College adopted a new strategic plan,

Vision2020. Carrying forward the spirit of the Sisters of Charity, the plan focuses on three goals: to maintain its commitment to academic excellence, to continue its tradition as a small, value-driven, student-centered place of learning and growth, and to prepare students for careers upon graduation. It is hoped that these steps will encourage higher enrollment and student retention.

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DePaul Cristo Rey High School’s pioneer Class

of 2015 became sophomores, and DPCR took steps to expand accordingly. This involved adding new courses, providing additional classroom space, and recruiting more corporate work-study partners from within the business community. In the spring, looking forward to welcoming the Class of 2017, the school purchased modular units to provide more space for classrooms and support services. The school encourages the students to share their skills and time by participating in local service projects and experiences.

At Light of Hearts Villa, the Sisters of Charity relinquished our participation in the management of the home, handing over all the management responsibilities to the Sisters of Charity (of St. Augustine) Health System. These responsibilities had formerly been shared by SCHS and the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. The new arrangement simplifies the management tasks, making it easier to offer excellent, compassionate care to the residents.

St. Joseph Home continued to provide a safe and loving home for forty-eight residents. At the same time, its leaders worked with the State of Ohio and other provider agencies to assure that decreases in Medicaid would be implemented consistently and fairly. They purchased a house where they will provide adult day care services to the local community. The home received well-deserved recognition when the Cincinnati Enquirer recognized it as one of the Top Ten Workplaces among mid-sized companies in the Cincinnati area.

Two students at DePaul Cristo Rey High School participate in a daylong service project to rebuild the Camp Washington Recreation Center playground and beautify the Rec center grounds.

Seton High School initiated a new scholarship program

for incoming freshmen. Awards are granted based on applicants’ experience and participation in faith development, service, and leadership. The school is also developing programs to support and develop leadership among the students. In addition, classrooms were upgraded to promote flexibility and use of technology for learning.

SC Senior Care Corporation, also called Bayley, expanded its services to meet the needs of a changing population.

Bayley collaborates with TriHealth and The Christ Hospital to provide post-acute care. With TriHealth it sponsors “Exercise is Medicine” Health and Wellness Programs. The nutrition department implemented a new hospitality model of meal service. It includes an expanded menu and serving times as well as table service. In addition, Bayley joined the Ohio Aging Services Network in order to facilitate Medicare and Medicaid Managed Care reimbursement.

During our Gathering in June, the CEOs and board chairs of our sponsored ministries spoke to the participants about their efforts to Act Justly. They expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to (From left) Breana, Colin, and Elyse in St. Joseph Home’s partner with the Sisters of Charity, and outdoor adaptive courtyard. the Sisters and Associates were proudly grateful that our partners are carrying Seton Family Center completed forward our mission. It is clear that the its first full year in its new location in Seton High School classrooms were upgraded challenges are many: changes in state laws, this year to promote use of technology for Western Hills. With the addition of a second learning.

Photo courtesy of Erin Becker. fluctuations in the economy, and shifts practitioner the Center has expanded its in the local population affect the ways in services to a broader range of children and which the SC ministries serve their clienteles. Our sponsored adults with issues related to trauma, abuse, and substance use.

Clients come to the center on the recommendation of colleagues, ministries have taken significant steps to keep abreast of these changes, in order to Act Justly in today’s complex society. Thank medical personnel, schools, and word of mouth. SFC continues God, our time is now! to find ways to adapt to the changes and decreases in state funding.

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Expanding Horizons

By S. Martha Walsh

T

his year the Seton Enablement Fund (SEF) has seen expansion of sharing our resources into Malawi in Central Africa, and Honduras in Central America. S. Martha Walsh, administrative director of the Fund, was invited to attend the Irish Social Entrepreneurship Conference at the University of Notre Dame in the fall 2012. Social entrepreneurs seek to develop new pathways for the most vulnerable and/or disenfranchised to access markets, resources and services. There are opportunities for young entrepreneurs to work with like-minded students, and also to have access to potential funding organizations such as the Seton Enablement Fund. There are also leading business executives there from whom they can glean practical advice.

In addition to the previously mentioned, we approved 12 other loans, four of which were new to us.

(See next page.)

The end of the 2013 fiscal year found the Seton Enablement Fund with more than $7 million in loans.

This was a new high for the Fund. The good news is that Seton Enablement Fund is a revolving loan fund so that as we make new loans, existing loans are being paid, generating more funds to loan out.

Seton Enablement Fund has been a joint effort of the Congregation and SC Ministry Foundation, both of whom have provided multi-million-dollar funding. Seton Enablement Fund has In 2013, Seton Enablement Fund approved a loan to Africycle Malawi, a nonprofit organization providing basic helped the Foundation reach its goal access to mobility for rural Malawians. of having a significant portion of their investments in organizations involved in socially responsible After that fall 2012 meeting, SEF received, reviewed initiatives. Their funding has allowed us to almost double the and approved a loan application for Africycle Malawi at the size of SEF in the last five years. A win-win most assuredly.

January 2013 meeting, which was subsequently approved We continue to be faced with organizations that share by the Leadership Council. Bicycles are a primary means our mission to help peoples on the margin. Other sources of transportation for the vast majority of the population in of funds are usually not available to them. We are fortunate Malawi. Africycle is a not-for-profit organization that wished that we have resources and SEF is one more way that we are to be able to increase its inventory of reasonably priced willing and able to share our resources. bicycles more rapidly. There is a significant time lag between the time they order bicycles from outside the country and Seton Enablement Fund Committee (see box) meetings when they are delivered. This in turn creates a lag in the time are always vibrant, with much participation and exchanging they pay for the bicycles, and the revenue from selling them of views before we arrive at decisions concerning the begins to come in, thus the need for the loan. After they get applications we are reviewing. It can be said that these funds a few years ‘under their belt,’ they will be able to build up are in good hands. We are making loans to organizations with their cash reserve so that a loan will no longer be necessary. various degrees of risk; yet, our repayment on them is nearly Africycle also provides lessons on bicycle maintenance for new 100 percent. owners.

Dave Thorsen, our accountant, has said that banks would A second loan resulting from the Notre Dame conference was to Union Micro Finanza in Honduras. Also a not-forprofit, this organization is supplying expertise to coffee growers in Honduras so that they can provide premium coffee. In addition, they are seeing that the farmers are getting a fair price for their coffee.

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like to have our rate of repayment! We are true to our Sisters of Charity Mission: Urged by the love of Christ and in the spirit of our founder, Elizabeth Ann Seton, we Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati strive to live Gospel values. We choose to act justly, to build loving relationships, to share our resources with those in need, and to care for all creation.

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Seton Enablement Fund Statistics and Dollars Allocated as of June 30, 2013 Total loans/investments

Locations of loans /Investments Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Illinois Indiana Kentucky Maine Malawi, Africa Maryland Massachusettes Michigan Minnesota

Millions

Committed funds distributions Low-Income Housing Community Development, Co-Ops, Land Trusts Business Ventures Other

29 19 23 7

Total Current Loans and Deposits as of 6/30/13

78

Committee Members 2012-2013 S. Pat Marie Bernard S. Mary Ann Donovan S. Mary Catherine Faller S. Marie Patrice Joyce Jackene Laverty S. Carol Leveque S. Jean Miller Tim Moller S. Irene Mraz S. Patricia Sabourin S. Helen Therese Scasny Dave Thorsen Nicki Veldhaus S. Martha Walsh S. Marie Josetta Wethington

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1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 3 1 1 2 5 5 1

Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska New Hampshire New Mexico New York Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Texas Vermont Wisconsin Washington Washington, D.C.

1 1 1 2 2 7 6 9 1 4 2 3 1 3 4

There are loans that are domiciled in the US but serve foreign countries including: Ecuador, Haiti, Peru, Malawi, Uganda, South Africa, Armenia, Georgia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, India, Botswana and Nigeria, among others.

Since Inception of the Program (1979) Cumulative Number of Loans / Investments = 345 Cumulative Dollars Loaned / Invested = $22,924,500

Loans/Investments for FY 2013 • Africycle (Malawi) • Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance (Loan #3) • Fort Collins Housing Authority • Gesu • Global Goods Partner • Global Partnership (Loan #3) • Housewise (Loan #2)

• IFF • La Amistad, Inc. • Partners for the Common Good • Sawmill Community Land Trust • Solar and Energy Loan Fund • Union Micro Finanza • Workforce Inc. doing business as Recycle Force (Loan #2)

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Sharing Our Resources

By Amelia Riedel and S. Sally Duffy

“Our name, Sisters of Charity, devotes us to the service of others in any manner that we can truly serve them.” - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

A

s the struggling US economy takes its toll on families and communities, the need for assistance continues to grow. Unfortunately, the nonprofit organizations that provide help are also struggling – with the challenge of managing an increased demand for their services with fewer resources to support them.

skills needed to effectively apply SC Ministry Foundation’s planning model based on measurable outcomes.

Participants in the workshop share that the most valuable point they take away from the experience is the need for effective data tracking. Marissa Abernathy from Habitat for Humanity attended SC Ministry Foundation offers the workshop and shared, “I feel support to sponsored ministries comforted to know SC Ministry Attending a Planning and Development Workshop were staff and other nonprofit organizations Foundation is more than a grantfrom Journey: The Ed Colina Foundation, an organization committed to improving the lives of impoverished women and children making organization – it’s a resource that share a connection with the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, so in sub-Saharan Africa. and innovator of real systemic that the vital work they provide to change.” communities can continue, and the Charity Charism may Thank God, our time is now to nurture continue to be shared through their ministries. The financial support provided through grants for programs is only one nonprofit leaders. component.

Many leaders of nonprofit organizations are often expected In living out the mission of “sharing our resources to fill administrative and business roles beyond their education with those in need,” SC Ministry Foundation is dedicated and experience. Some organizations are so consumed with to fostering learning and providing opportunities for delivering direct service on a daily basis that the need for longorganizations to build capacity and work more efficiently with term planning becomes lost in conflicting priorities. tighter budgets and less staff.

In collaboration with Interact for Health (formerly the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati), SC Ministry Thank God, our time is now to plant seeds for Foundation offers a variety of programs designed to assist financial growth and stability. nonprofit staff with the skills needed to keep the business matters of the nonprofit organization healthy and successful.

SC Ministry Foundation is committed to coaching The Foundation invites members of nonprofits who have organizations through the grant application process, received grants and those who may be undergoing the grant helping them produce a strong case for support that may be application process to participate. utilized for multiple funding sources. Funders often request information from applicants about specific measurable Business development programs that were offered during outcomes and long-term impact. Many organizations have the 2012-2013 year included: “How to Write a Business Plan,” not fully developed a tracking system or a plan for capturing “How to Build a Sustainable Business and Financial Model,” that information. and “How to Create a Millennial Engagement Program.”

All organizations that have applied for a grant from the Foundation are invited to participate in a Planning and Development Workshop. The workshop is offered twice a year (once per grant cycle), and provides the knowledge and 24

Programs on fundraising, grant writing and social media also were offered. Attendees share that they leave the workshops with knowledge they can apply immediately to improve their work.

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Supporting equal access to quality health care

Thank God, our time is now to cultivate awareness and advocacy.

The strategic plan for SC Ministry Foundation guides the Foundation to “lead and influence where Foundation resources can have significant societal impact.” In the past year, the Foundation provided resources to support social action and build awareness for many issues, including comprehensive immigration reform, alleviating poverty, and increasing access to health care.

Understanding immigration

In an illustration of living out the Charity Charism “dare to risk a caring response,” SC Ministry Foundation gives support for advocacy efforts in collaboration with other organizations. The need for expansion of Medicaid in the state of Ohio was a concern of many religious, health “A City of Immigrants” play was performed at eight local care, and nonprofit organizations. schools to encourage acceptance of all immigrants.

Expansion of Medicaid in Ohio will lead to a 63 percent decrease in uninsured adults and to healthier communities and a stronger workforce.

SC Ministry Foundation sponsored the play “A City of Immigrants” for 50 performances at eight schools last fall.

“A City of Immigrants” introduces six fictional characters who immigrated to Cincinnati during a 180-year period.

The program for junior high and high school students encourages young people to examine their own immigrant roots and feel a greater acceptance for all immigrants.

A printed booklet, “Cincinnati: A City of Immigrants,” accompanied the program to aid in classroom discussion.

In April 2013, SC Ministry Foundation hosted a community forum to urge Ohio legislators to expand Medicaid. Forty supporters attended including representatives from Talbert House, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Health Council. In August 2013, S. Sally Duffy was invited to moderate a community forum on Medicaid Expansion hosted by HealthCare Connection in Lincoln Heights.

Addressing the increase of families living in poverty Cincinnati has been cited as the third poorest city in the US with the third highest rate of homeless children. To help educators understand the challenges many of their students and their families are facing, SC Ministry Foundation and Catholic Inner City Schools Education Fund (CISE) cosponsored a workshop, “Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities” at DePaul Cristo Rey High School. More than 150 educators from 13 Greater Cincinnati Catholic and charter schools attended the program based on the work of author/ educator Ruby Payne, Ph.D., internationally recognized for her Pictured at the Bridges Out of Poverty Workshop expertise in the are (from left) Andrew Farfsing, DePaul Cristo Rey High School principal; Cary Powell, director area of overcoming of CISE; Jodi Pfarr, presenter; Maureen Maxfield, economic class director of education and program officer for SC barriers in Ministry Foundation; and S. Jeanne Bessette, education. president of DePaul Cristo Rey High School.

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The community forum hosted by SC Ministry Foundation in April raised awareness of the need to expand Medicaid and received print and broadcast press coverage.

Thank God, our time is now to nourish hope for a better future.

The staff and board members of SC Ministry Foundation are grateful for the opportunities lived out through the past 17 years. Thank God our time is now to support the work of so many organizations that live out the Charity Charism every day. We thank God for the abundant blessing and responsibility bestowed on all of us, and we ask for the Lord’s continuing grace and guidance as we work together to bring about the reign of God.

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S. Caroljean Willie (right) meets with Tuwe Huni Kuin (left) and Kiran Bali, participants at the World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration..

We Are One Human Family, one earth community

By S. Caroljean Willie

T

he opening words of the Preamble to the Earth Charter provide an excellent introduction to our role on the global stage. It states: “We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future.

As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny…”

S. Caroljean Willie with Brother Dieudonne N’Som, ST, from Cameroon at the World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration.

throughout the world to this global stage and to connect the lived experience of our members at the grassroots with world decisionmakers.

As we look at our world today we realize that we live in very difficult times. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the violence which surrounds us. Yet, it is this world into which we are called to speak God’s word, and it is our deeply held belief that we are one human family, one Earth community with a common destiny that both necessitates and gives meaning to our presence at the United Nations (UN).

Committee membership provides the opportunity to work with other NGOs on issues that impact our members as well as to provide input into the commissions where government leaders make decisions. I currently serve on the Committee for Social Development; the Sub-Committee for the Eradication of Poverty; the Committee of Religious NGOs, an interfaith collaborative; the Education Committee; the Committee for Sustainable Development; and the Working Group on the Integrity of Earth. S. Faith Colligan, DC, represents the Federation on the Financing for Development Committee; S. Joan Dawber, SC (Halifax), connects with the Trafficking Committee; and this past year Shannon Koch, an intern from Mount St. Vincent College, represented us on the Working Group on Girls.

The UN, despite its many failings, is the one institution that seeks the common good of all humanity. Our time is now to be part of this global community and join with our brothers and sisters from every corner of the Earth to raise up a new vision of the world we want; a world where dignity and respect are accorded all members of the human family; a world where conflict is resolved through dialogue not destruction. The Sisters of Charity Federation, 3,400 members working in 27 countries, is an official non-governmental organization (NGO) at the UN with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). As the main representative of the Federation at the UN, my primary objective is not to promote the work of the Federation, but to bring the concerns of our members and all those with whom and to whom they minister

I am also a part of an informal group called Religious at the United Nations (RUN). The members of RUN (55 Catholic religious congregations of which 40 have full-time representation at the United Nations) increasingly recognize the importance of collaboration, not only among ourselves, but also among our members at the grassroots level. To this end we recently completed a survey of what countries collectively our members serve in. Of the 193 permanent and two observer nations of the UN, we serve in 159 countries. In some countries we have a very large presence and in others there are only a few people.

The next item on our agenda is to identify individuals, especially in the countries where we have a large presence, who can begin networking on the ground on major issues, especially trafficking, migration, poverty eradication and climate change.

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Intercom

The Federation is present at meetings to bring the voices of those who cannot speak for themselves, but we also enable those living in poverty to participate at UN events. This past year we co-sponsored side events at the Commission for Social Development and submitted a written intervention. We also hosted briefings by two Sisters of Charity of Nazareth during their internship in our office.

I was invited to speak at a Department of Public Information Briefing at the UN on the connection between climate change and poverty and also received an invitation to speak at the annual event sponsored by the Committee on Teaching about the UN (CTAUN) on this topic to more than 500 educators. One-half of the information in these presentations was provided by our Sisters on the ground in the Cook Islands and India who are witnessing first-hand the effects of climate change on those with whom they live and work. An interview with former Ambassador Keith St. Aimee from the island of St. Lucia, where our Sisters used to minister, also provided further insights into the effects of climate change on a small island state.

The Federation was also very involved in the annual celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week. I served on the planning committee for this event, held in the General Assembly Hall which holds 1,800 people, and invited international students from St. Elizabeth College and a young Trinitarian brother from Cameroon to carry the flags of their native countries in the World Peace Flag Ceremony. Outreach to school superintendents in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut enabled 500 Catholic school secondary students to attend along with 20 Sisters of Charity and their co-workers from the greater New York area.

Federation members attended the Civil Society Forum and Commission for Social Development as well as the Commission on the Status of Women. A number of congregational members also participated in UN orientations as did students from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Ohio.

I presented at a number of regional and national conferences in New York; New Jersey; Nazareth, Ky.; Seattle, Wash.; Denver, Colo.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Connecticut, and St. Louis, Mo. Topics included our work at the UN, systemic change, Catholic Social Teaching, global citizenship, human trafficking, environmental sustainability and cultural diversity.

A major focus at the UN in which civil society has been, and will continue to be, integrally involved is the movement from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which will emphasize the importance of all three dimensions of development: social, environmental and economic. In the words of SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon, “The United Nations, as a global beacon of solidarity, must do its part to strengthen collaboration and show that it can be effective in building the just, prosperous and sustainable world that people want and have a right to expect. …We must continue to listen to and involve the peoples of the world. We have heard their calls for peace and justice, eradicating poverty, realizing rights, eliminating inequality, enhancing accountability and preserving our planet.”

The time is now for us to be a part of this global endeavor. Our presence at the United Nations gives us a place at the table.

It also gives us both the responsibility and the privilege to contribute to the dialogue, and facilitate the actions, that will help to create a world that truly is God’s kin-dom on Earth.

S. Caroljean Willie (right) visits with NGOs (from left) Monica Willard, H.E. Dr. T. Hamid Al-Bayati, ambassador from Iraq, and Margo Lazaro during a luncheon.

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Intercom is the quarterly magazine of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.

This apostolic Catholic women’s religious community exists to carry out the Gospel of Jesus Christ through service and prayer in the world. Approximately 340 Sisters are joined in their mission by 199 Associates (lay women and men).

Sisters, using their professional talents as ministers of education, health care, social services and environmental justice, live and minister in 29 US dioceses and in Guatemala, Mexico and the West Indies. They also sponsor institutions to address education, health care and social service needs, with particular concern for direct service to the poor.

Intercom Staff Editor Erin Reder Graphic Design/Layout Michelle Bley Photographer S. Marty Dermody Director of Communications S. Georgia Kitt Executive Council Liaison S. Mary Bookser Advisory Board Members: S. Mary Bodde S. Mary Ann Flannery S. Karen Hawver Mary Jo Mersmann S. Joyce Richter S. Frances Maureen Trampiets Vicki Welsh Letters to the editor, articles and photos are welcome. The staff reserves the right to edit for space and readability. Make submissions to: Communications Office 5900 Delhi Road Mount St. Joseph, OH 45051 Phone: 513-347-5447 Fax: 513-347-5467 Email: erin.reder@srcharitycinti.org Subscriptions: $15 per year

5900 Delhi Road Mount Saint Joseph, OH 45051 www.srcharitycinti.org www.facebook.com/ sistersofcharityofcincinnati

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5900 Delhi Road Mount Saint Joseph, OH 45051 http://www.srcharitycinti.org www.facebook.com/sistersofcharityofcincinnati

“The human heart can go the length of God. Cold and dark, it may be But this is no winter now.

The frozen misery of centuries cracks, breaks, begins to move.

The thunder is the thunder of the floes.

The thaw, the flood, the up-start spring.

Thank God, our time is now when wrong comes up to face us everywhere Never to leave until we take The greatest stride of soul that people ever took Affairs are now soul-size.

The enterprise is exploration into God ...”

Christopher Fry, “A Sleep of Prisoners”