Intercom Vol I 2018 by Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

Intercom

Volume I, 2018

S I S T E R S

Share the

Journey

O F

C H A R I T Y

O F

C I N C I N N AT I

A LETTER FROM OUR SISTER

LEADERSHIP

Dear Sisters, Associates and Friends,

O CONTENTS FEATURES Inspired ............................................. 6-7 Meet the 2018 Elizabeth Seton Award winners. Culture of Encounter .................... 11-13 Sharing the Journey at Holy Family Parish in Cincinnati. An Unexpected Ministry ............... 16-17 S. Helen Therese Scasny and her beekeeping efforts. Waving in the Winds of Hope .............19 Associate Siba Escobedo and her prayer flag ministry. Ripples .......................................... 20-21 MSJU’s Mrs. Carole Williams gets to know the SCs and their mission. Where the Heart Feels at Home .... 24-25 S. Anita Maroun’s life-giving ministry at L’Arche.

DEPARTMENTS Moments in Ministry ............................3 Holy Trinity School/Bishop Fenwick HS Vocation/Formation .......................... 4-5 Mentoring for Communities of Service and Spirituality Traveling the Path ...............................23 S. Mary Ellen Murphy

n Sept. 27, 2017, Pope Francis announced a two-year, worldwide campaign called “Share the Journey,” inviting us to walk beside millions of migrants and refugees fleeing war and poverty, listening to their stories, helping bear their loads and celebrating the gifts of culture and faith they bring to us. The Share the Journey movement reminds us that our neighbors live across the street and country, across the ocean and hemisphere. Our stories are different. Our paths are not the same. But we are one family. In this first volume of Intercom 2018, we share journeys of the Family of Charity, stories of promise and challenge, hope and new life. One story celebrates the ways in which Holy Family Parish in Cincinnati’s East Price Hill is embracing Pope Francis’ call to Share the Journey. The Sisters of Charity have a long history at Holy Family Parish, whose Latino and Anglo members are experiencing the power of encounter, hearing and witnessing first-hand the impact of immigration policies that separate parish families. As I continue to reflect on Pope Francis’ call to Share the Journey, I read in this issue about mentoring for young adults who do a year of volunteer service; prayer flags that support families in Mexico who are living in poverty; beekeeping and gardening endeavors that improve the health of humans, animals and the earth; efforts to repair homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina and the recent tornado in New Orleans; “Clicks of Hope” for those who are searching for signs of God’s reign; ministry with those who are migrants and refugees; and building communities with people who have developmental disabilities. May these stories inspire us to continue sharing the journey because that means welcoming God into our lives. As Pope Francis said in his 2016 World Day of Migrants address, “Do not let yourselves be robbed of the hope and joy of life born of your experience of God’s mercy, as manifested in the people you meet on your journey!”

S. Louise Lears

Timeless Treasures ...............................26 Sister Vincent O’Keefe OPJCC ...............................................27 Clicks of Hope

IN MEMORIAM Please visit “In Memoriam” at www.srcharitycinti.org for biographical information and reflections on the Sisters of Charity and Associates who have died.

On the Cover: S. Tracy Kemme (back) ministers at Holy Family Parish in East Price Hill (Cincinnati, Ohio), a parish with a vibrant participation of Latino membership. Read more on Pages 11-13. 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.

May our Sisters and Associates enjoy the fruits of their labor as well as peace with their God. Associate Virginia Johnson December 16, 2017

Associate Mary Ann Vennemeyer January 21, 2018

Associate Theresa Benavidez December 27, 2017

S. Louise Akers February 7, 2018

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Moments in Ministry Holy Trinity School/Fenwick High School, Middletown, Ohio By S. Judith Metz

The new Holy Trinity School built in 1891.

1867

Three Sisters of Charity arrived to take charge of Holy Trinity School in Middletown, Ohio, in two old homes purchased by the parish. The Sisters left between 1873 and 1884, and then four Sisters returned to resume charge of the school.

1891

A new brick school building with a basement and auditorium was built. It was the “first building in town to be illuminated by electricity.”

1901

A commercial school, highly praised by the business community, was opened on the second floor of the building. S. Mary Gertrude McAtee, who served at the school from 1899-1903 and 1907-1945, was praised as “one of the most respected commercial teachers in the city’s history.”

1917

A new gym/recreational center that included a pool, elevated track and central heating was added to the school complex.

1950

Holy Trinity School added grades nine and ten to its offerings.

1952

Holy Trinity High School and St. John High School merged to become Fenwick High School, originally located in an old public school building. The faculty included three Sisters of Charity.

1962

Fenwick, with an enrollment of 339, moved into a new facility.

1971

The last Sisters of Charity withdrew from Middletown. This same year Associate Patrice Harty began working there and remained until her retirement in 2017.

S. Mary Gertrude McAtee

Holy Trinity High School merged with St. John High School to become Fenwick High School in 1952.

Associate Patrice Harty began working at Fenwick High School in 1971. VOLUME I, 2018

Mentoring for Communities of

Service and Spirituality By S. Janet Gildea

lthough currently we have no Affiliates at the house of initial formation in Anthony, New Mexico, we still have opportunities to connect with young adults and to be a supportive mentoring presence in their lives. The U.S.Mexico border is a good place to encounter young people giving a year (or more) of volunteer service. The Catholic Volunteer Network has several member organizations in the area. Volunteers are placed in challenging ministry settings such as homeless shelters, food banks, and immigrant advocacy organizations. They form intentional communities for the year which can be a daunting prospect for men and women from very different backgrounds, religious affiliation/practice, and expectations.

The Border Servant Corps, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, accepts up to 12 volunteers for a one-year service commitment under the motto: “Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly.”

The Border Servant Corps, a ministry of Peace Lutheran Church in Las Cruces, New Mexico, accepts up to 12 volunteers for a one-year service commitment. They live in two households, one in Las Cruces and the other in El Paso, and this year there are 10 women and one man. The BSC motto is “Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly.” Sounds very familiar to our Charity ears! To build community and encourage personal growth, the volunteers have monthly gatherings for community engagement around various topics, education about social justice issues, and to visit each other’s service sites. The past two years our Sister of Charity local community has been invited to share our experience on the topic of “Sustenance and Wholeness,” the BSC topic for November. We scratched our heads, wondering what exactly the theme was trying to express. An email or two brought a bit of clarity: How do you sustain your commitment when serving in such difficult ministry settings? What habits help you to stay balanced and healthy? We bounced around some ideas and made a little plan for our presentation. The composition of our local community varies from year-to-year and monthto-month. In 2016 in addition to Sisters Peggy Deneweth, Carol Wirtz and myself, we had Whitney Schieltz who was an Affiliate at the time as well as SC Associate Siba Escobedo and AVE (After Volunteer Experience) participant Megan Schneider. In 2017 Holy Spirit Sister Rita Nealon joined us as 4

well as our Thanksgiving holiday guests, S. Romina Sapinoso, Apostolic Novice, and former AVE participant Julia Brice. The dynamic composition of our local community gives us credibility for discussing the adjustments, challenges and joys that are part of building intentional community. The BSC volunteers are always a little skeptical about having “The Nuns” as presenters. Many have had little or no contact with women religious. Current volunteer Nora Bosslet reflected in the monthly BSC e-newsletter: “In my head I imagined a ‘sister’ as a nun from The Sound of Music, covered from head to foot, stuck in a church, living under the intense patriarchy of the Catholic Church. Turns out … [these] Sisters look like everyday ladies!” Nora is fairly typical of the young adults who seek a post-graduate year of volunteer service. Originally from Palatine, Illinois, and a graduate of Augustana College, Nora studied psychology and Spanish. She had a course on the U.S.-Mexico border and an opportunity to spend a semester studying in Ecuador. The desire to know more about the border and to discover “how I might contribute most fully to society” as well as being able to “practice living out the tenets of BSC” led Nora to the year of service. She is a full-time volunteer at Opportunity Center for people experiencing homelessness. In the course of the potluck supper, and as we shared our reflections based on ministry, community life, spirituality and personal growth, the tone of the conversation shifted I N T E RC O M

Charity Family S. ROMINA CELEBRATES U.S. NATURALIZATION

from skepticism to curiosity to respect. Questions came from all perspectives and we took turns fielding them. The presence of former volunteers and those who are actively discerning their lives’ directions added value and increased interest among the participants. The program director mentioned that at that particular point in the service year many of the themes we developed were especially pertinent to the volunteers’ experiences in forming intentional community. Nora summed up the evening in her reflection for the BSC December newsletter: “The Sisters spoke to the power of unconditional love and support as a basis for their community and how it allows them to take risks and know that they are supported in their everyday lives. They provided a variety of recommendations for wellness within intense fields of work. They spoke on the importance of community support, time for intentional quiet with others, knowing your emotional boundaries, and of course, time for fiesta. They shared many personal, relatable anecdotes which helped us all to understand the challenges and rewards of living in community while dedicating your life to service as well as the many ways that God provides. Thank you, Sisters!” Nora’s gratitude to us was matched by our own for the opportunity to share with young adults who are serving in so many capacities while finding their way forward in faith and community living. Situated as we are midway between the two Border Servant Corps houses in Las Cruces and El Paso, we hope to continue to build the mentoring relationship by having them to Casa Caridad for supper and evening prayer later this year.

VOLUME I, 2018

Congratulations to S. Romina Sapinoso! On Dec. 21, 2017, S. Romina took her oath as a citizen of the United States. As an Apostolic Novice, S. Romina continues her days of ministry at the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center and teaches English as a Second Language at Catholic Charities. CULTIVATING COURAGEOUS HOPE Sisters of Charity participated in the Giving Voice 20s & 30s Retreat in January in Phoenix, Arizona. The annual peer-led, spirit-filled retreat offered participants time to pray and reflect together on the theme “Cultivating Courageous Hope.” WELCOME NEW ASSOCIATES The Sisters of Charity Community welcomed Renee Carlotta (left) and Claudia Brazeau as Associates in Mission on Sunday, Jan. 7 in Florida.

SCS PARTICIPATE IN 2018 WOMEN’S MARCH Sisters of Charity throughout the country participated in women’s rallies in January to advocate for women’s rights. The 2018 Women’s March attracted hundreds of thousands of participants, and in addition to protesting the administration’s policies on immigration, health care and racial divides, new themes emerged including “Power to the Polls,” a message focused on increasing voter participation. 5

Inspired: The 2018

Elizabeth Ann Seton Award Winners By Megan Simmermeyer, Communications co-op

n Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati awarded the Elizabeth Ann Seton Award, the Congregation’s highest honor, to seven deserving women. The award recognizes individuals outside the Congregation who have aided in furthering the Sisters’ mission. The “Garden Ladies” of EarthConnection and the women at Proyecto Santo Niño were honored at a special ceremony in the Immaculate Conception Chapel at the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse.

Digging Deeper with the Garden Ladies of EarthConnection Receiving the Elizabeth Seton Award came as a surprise to June Greensmith, Diane Massa, Robin Boesken, Marietta Bucalo, and Barb Huber—a group affectionately known as the “Garden Ladies” of EarthConnection. When asked about receiving the award, Marietta joked, “We get an award for having fun?” Still, she said it was a “sweet surprise,” and the other women agreed, saying they were humbled by the honor. The EarthConnection garden was established in the late 1990s, but the five Garden Ladies did not arrive until nearly (From left) Barbara Huber, Diane Massa, Robin Boesken, June Greensmith and Marietta Bucalo have raised 10,423 pounds of vegetables over 11 seasons for the garden at EarthConnection, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity for a decade later. In 2006, June, learning and reflection about living lightly on Earth. Diane, and Robin were seeking a volunteer site where they during the gardening season. Doing everything from planting could finish their hours for the Master Gardener program, to repairing the garden beds and more, the women share the and EarthConnection offered the only site on the West Side responsibility for the garden, and since 2006, the group has of Cincinnati. They knew little about the Sisters prior to expanded to include Marietta and Barb. They have found working in the gardens, and their interview with Associate working at EarthConnection to be enjoyable and something Kay Clifton and S. Winnie Brubach, two of the founding they look forward to each year. Marietta notes that everything members of the garden, was their first interaction with the is so organized and S. Winnie has everything they could Sisters of Charity. June said it was a different, but enjoyable, need, which “makes it really easy to work.” And Diane agrees, experience than what they had expected. saying, “We do have good support.” And even after fulfilling their Master Gardener hours, June, Diane, and Robin continued to volunteer regularly 6

Spending time working alongside Sisters Winnie and Caroljean Willie have allowed the ‘Ladies’ to get to know the I N T E RC O M

Community better and understand the Sisters’ mission more fully. According to June, the Sisters “inspire them to grow vegetables and take them places they’re needed,” and as Robin adds, places the vegetables are appreciated. After each harvest, June weighs, records, and delivers the vegetables, and to date, the garden has yielded over 10,000 pounds of produce, which have been donated to food banks and health centers in the Cincinnati area. Currently, the women donate the vegetables to the Good Samaritan Free Health Center in Price Hill. Being part of the Garden Ladies has been an amazing experience for each woman involved. According to Robin, they don’t do it for the awards—they merely enjoy gardening and helping those in need. Over the years, the women have cultivated a real sense of camaraderie and community within their small group, one that extends beyond their time in the gardens. In mid-January, they gathered together in June’s home to share homemade snacks and desserts. Though their garden planning meeting would not take place until March, they enjoyed sharing in each other’s company.

The Women of Proyecto Santo Niño Much like the Garden Ladies, Sofia Alemán and Cristina Coronado did not expect to be honored with the Elizabeth Seton Award. The two women are part of Proyecto Santo Niño, a ministry the Sisters began in Anapra, Mexico, to serve children with special needs as well as their families. “[T]his is just my way of life,” Sofia says. “I was not thinking I was working for this recognition. … I’m very honored and very grateful.” Cristina agrees, and adds, “It is not just our award, it is for all of the people of Santo Niño.” Sofia first encountered the Sisters when she sought massage therapy for her back pain. The Sisters were offering free prenatal care to pregnant women in the area, as well as massages for anyone in need. In addition, Sofia drove a van for Las Hormigas, which sold lunches at worksites. The Sisters asked if she would deliver meals to one of the special needs children of Santo Niño and her dying mother. Sofia agreed, and began working more closely with the Sisters at Santo Niño.

Once the women became integrated within the ministry, they took on roles of leadership that positively impacted the children and families served. Sofia has worked with Santo Niño for 11 years and assists with the catechism classes, which are for the children with special needs as well as their families. “It makes such a difference for them to receive their sacraments, too, like their First Communion,” she says. Cristina coordinates the education aspect of Santo Niño where she has volunteered for five years. The children attend regular schools on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, leaving Tuesdays and Thursdays for specialized schooling with Santo Niño. In addition, she started a youth group called “Pecosas” (“Freckles” in English) for teens in the area. According to Cristina, they work on self-confidence and providing emotional support for the children. Working with the Sisters in Anapra has familiarized these two women with the SC Community and the spirit driving the Sisters of Charity. Sofia views them as a godsend, especially after she became a widow and a single mother of five young children, for the Sisters acted as a much larger, supportive family. She says she is inspired by their desire to share their love with all they come in contact with, and she is so honored to be a part of that legacy. Cristina agrees, saying the Sisters’ strength inspires her every day to continue her work in the community. While she does not know too much about Elizabeth Seton, she feels inspired to learn more about the woman who founded such a powerful, compassionate Community. (From left) Elizabeth Seton Award recipients Cristina Coronado and Sofia Alemán were honored on Sunday, Jan. 7 at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse.

Cristina was introduced to Santo Niño through Fr. Bill Morton, who recommended she visit the Sisters after her diagnosis with breast cancer. She visited with her husband, Juan Carlos, and met Sofia and S. Carol Wirtz who were waiting to give her a massage. Once she was there, she “simply fell in love with those little children who received everyone with their faces mixed with curiosity and welcome!” She asked Fr. Bill later what she could do to become involved with Santo Niño, and he told her, “Talk to S. Janet Gildea.”

VOLUME I, 2018

Justice in Action By S. Georgia Kitt

he opportunity for DePaul Cristo Rey High School (DPCR) students, inmate Tyra Patterson, Sister of Charity Ruth Kuhn and the Cincinnati Ohio Justice and Policy Center (OJPC) to interact this fall may have included some divine intervention. You be the judge. OJPC began investigating Tyra Patterson’s case in 2012, one year after the Ohio Parole Board refused to release her for another seven S. Ruth Kuhn years. Patterson had been serving a life sentence since 1994, when she was 19 years old. As an active Board member of OPJC, S. Ruth first met Tyra at the Dayton Correctional Institute in 2013 and was deeply touched by the meeting. She visited her frequently, formed a personal relationship, and helped to plan an interfaith pray-in to raise awareness of Tyra’s case. At the same time, DPCR religion teacher Katie Sellers was seeking an opportunity to help the Gospel come to life in practice for her junior students. She learned of OJPC’s work and saw it as a possibility. After a first semester of studying community-building, non-violent behavior and the sacraments, students engaged in second semester ‘how can we make a difference?’ It soon reached beyond the classroom to afterschool ‘club’ time, a forum for applying Gospel teachings to contemporary issues. The students learned the particulars of Tyra’s case, became familiar with the facts, and were inspired with the ways she had made positive use of her time while incarcerated. “She wasn’t bitter or angry. She was a ROTC leader, earned her GED and still had dreams,” DPCR student Kiare remarked. Students wrote letters, and created a video which they sent to Ohio Governor John Kasich asking him to pardon Tyra. They hosted Skype sessions with Tyra through OJPC, developing an ongoing relationship. Teacher Sellers saw the class move from memorizing morality to living it in the world. “It was transformative for all of us,” Sellers said. “Students took the initiative. It took courage and vision on the part of our school leadership; they gave their blessing and support 8

to the students to follow where their conscience called them as they worked for justice. All necessary parts were aligned.” Before the Oct. 24, 2017, parole hearing – on Sept. 14 – S. Ruth died unexpectedly. She had new powers and new connections. One month later, Tyra Patterson was granted parole and freed on Christmas morning 2017. In a recent sit-down session DPCR senior Janasia said, “[Tyra] is one of the most positive people I have ever met. Ever since I was in the fourth grade I have wanted to be a criminal defense attorney. After learning of Tyra, our teacher giving us this real-life classroom opportunity, and working as a summer intern at OJPC, I am more convinced than ever that this is what I want to do with my life. We love Tyra.” Senior Kiare believes everything happens for a reason. “Learning of Tyra’s parole and her desire to give back to those who fought for her release is empowering me to be a better person. She is teaching me to never give up.” Currently Tyra is working at OJPC, putting into practice her paralegal certification. The DPCR students look forward to meeting her in person. OJPC honored S. Ruth in their recent newsletter, thanking her for her faithful service. Ms. Sellers met S. Ruth in August where she was able to express her gratitude for her outreach to Tyra. All involved with this experience of ‘justice in action’ are trusting in Governor Kasich’s pardon of Tyra before he leaves office; yes, this still includes S. Ruth. Her spirit is ever present.

DePaul Cristo Rey High School teacher Katie Sellers (center) and her students Janasia (right) and Kiare championed for Tyra Patterson’s pardon. I N T E RC O M

Meet S. Franette Hyc, Director of Sisters Services By Megan Simmermeyer, Communications co-op

Director of Sisters Services S. Franette Hyc (standing) and Companion Sister Janice Ernst (right) help Sisters Victoria Marie Forde (left) and Ruth Bockenstette become acclimated to their new living spaces in the Motherhouse.

uring her first year as Director of Sisters Services, S. Franette Hyc is continuously learning more about her role, as well as the Sisters she serves. “I bring my passion and love for working with seniors,” she says. “I have come to this ministry with a very open mind in my relationship with each Sister as I only know them for who they are now.”

housekeeping, preparing meals, grocery shopping, etc. And once a Sister moves into the Motherhouse becoming adjusted to her new living situation often takes time. In a recently initiated orientation program, the new Sister spends time with S. Franette and a Companion Sister to become acquainted with her new environment. “Our goal is to help her feel ‘welcomed and at home’ at the Motherhouse,” she says.

Her role as director encompasses three areas of responsibility. The first is to ensure that Sisters have and can access “the services needed as residents of the Motherhouse so that they can remain as independent as possible.” These services can be as simple as obtaining a walker or cane, using an alert system, or participating in exercise. When Sisters transition to the Motherhouse, S. Franette seeks to help them maintain their independence by meeting their individual needs.

Prior to coming to the Motherhouse, S. Franette worked with persons living with HIV/AIDS, and it was a “ministry that [she] greatly loved and thought [she] would be in until [she] retired. But she says after a period of discernment, she felt called to this new ministry working with senior Sisters. “I often get asked if I like my current ministry as much as I did my past ministry,” she says. “I can only say that I love them both equally because I believe that I was then and am now where I’ve been called to be.” She has nursing experience in geriatrics, physical rehabilitation, hospice, and home health, as well as administrative experience in long-term care and rehabilitation. But most importantly, she feels her open heart and mind are what connect her to the Sisters she serves, and she has enjoyed getting to know the Sisters with their rich history and individual talents.

The second aspect of her role is recognizing when the services and assistance available at the Motherhouse no longer “safely and adequately” meet the needs of the senior Sisters. A Sister may realize this on her own, or S. Franette or the coordinator of the Motherhouse Clinic may need to initiate the discussion that a move to Assisted Living or Nursing in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility may be necessary. “This is a major transition for a Sister,” she says, “and the goal is to provide whatever assistance is needed to make this a smooth transition.” In the third area of her responsibility, S. Franette works with Sisters who are considering coming to live at the Motherhouse. Some Sisters initiate the transition years in advance, while others do so when they require an environment that can better meet their needs, whether those needs are as simple as no longer having to deal with VOLUME I, 2018

S. Franette says she will continue to use her first year to acquaint herself with the role and become familiar with the activities, events, and programs that already take place at the Motherhouse, as well as learning what different or additional things the Sisters need or would like to have available. “Needs and desires will change over time,” she says, “and my hope is that there will be an openness on the part of all to meet our changing times.” 9

Share the Journey

n September 2017, Pope Francis called all Catholics to Share the Journey with our neighbors – all our neighbors. The initiative, in collaboration with Caritas Internationalis, urges us to understand and get to know refugees and migrants who have fled poverty, hunger, violence, persecution and the effects of climate change in their homeland. Share the Journey, as Pope Francis says, is meant, “Not just to see but to look. Not just to hear but to listen. Not just to meet and pass by but to stop. And don’t just say, ‘What a shame, poor people,’ but to allow ourselves to be moved by pity.” Welcoming immigrants is part of our Catholic Social Teaching and reflects the Biblical tradition to welcome the stranger. The Catholic Church has been welcoming our brothers and sisters to the U.S. since the nation’s founding. In 2003, in a pastoral letter, “Strangers Together on the Journey,” Catholic bishops of Mexico and the United States wrote, “Our common faith in Jesus Christ moves us to search for ways that favor a spirit of solidarity. It is a faith that transcends borders and bids us to overcome all forms of discrimination and violence so that we may build relationships that are just and loving.” The Sisters of Charity, in 2007, issued their own statement saying, “We recognize the rights of all our

immigrant/refugee sisters and brothers. … and we will continue our direct outreach to immigrants and refugees.” This year, the Sisters of Charity Communications Office will be incorporating the Share the Journey theme into its communications efforts, providing articles, information and photographs to help others “get in touch with the real migrant.” It is our hope that through this initiative we are able to help others better understand why migrants have left their homes, as well as their journeys and struggles. With respect to migrants, the USCCB states, too often in our contemporary culture we fail to encounter them as persons, and instead look at them as others. We do not take the time to engage migrants in a meaningful way, as fellow children of God, but remain aloof to their presence and suspicious of their intentions. Share the Journey is meant to change those thoughts and perceptions. “The Holy Father wants us to feel this personally,” says S. Donna Markham, OP, PhD, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA. “Each of us must work to encounter the migrants and refugees who are all around us. All too often, they seem invisible to us. We need to hear their stories, literally share their journeys, and see them as our brothers and sisters.” Join us this year as we Share the Journey.

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A Culture of Encounter

ncounter. What can be learned from an opportunity to listen to a person’s struggles or drive to leave their loved ones behind to seek a better life elsewhere? What can be learned from building relationships beyond your circle, or meeting the most poor and vulnerable? The Share the Journey campaign encourages “a culture of encounter.” By telling migrants’ stories, we lay the foundation for greater empathy. S. Tracy Kemme elaborates, “Even a lot of people I love and that are good and loving people, who haven’t had a chance to get to know immigrants, easily swallow rhetoric that is thrown around about who they are and what they are doing to our country. When those people actually hear a story from me, or meet someone that I am walking with, it helps them to see the truth of the situation instead of suppositions that people have. If Catholics really embrace [the Share the Journey campaign] and put themselves in places where they are uncomfortable in order to share the journey with someone else, I think all of our lives will be enriched.” VOLUME I, 2018

For the past two and a half years S. Tracy has served as the bilingual pastoral minister at Holy Family parish in Price Hill (Cincinnati), a parish the Sisters of Charity have been ministering to for more than a century. Through the years the parish has been blessed with an increasing Latino presence; today nearly half the parish consists of aging Anglo families, and the other half is a young, growing Guatemalan population. That is what drew S. Tracy Kemme to the parish. “I was looking for a place in Cincinnati where I could use my pastoral and language skills to work with the Latino population,” S. Tracy said. “… It was very natural. This is where the Sisters of Charity started in Cincinnati; with the population in this area, I was drawn to Price Hill.” Relationships and encountering our brothers and sisters are at the heart of the Holy Family community, but it hasn’t always been the case. When the Latino community first approached Holy Family they weren’t welcome. It was at the encouragement of Sister of Charity Brenda Busch, principal 11

of the school at the time, that the gym was opened to them. And since, Latino parishioners find it a place to call home. “Faith is incredibly important to most Latino immigrants,” said S. Tracy. “They come from very Catholic countries, and are deeply devoted people. When you have almost nothing, God is everything to you. They have been really patient and persistent. And, when the little door opened, they came in. It’s a testament to the fact that the parish is the center of their life.” In her role, S. Tracy continues to work on building that relationship and sense of community. “We have these two very different populations. People who had been here for a long time were resistant to change, but, as in anything, once they started encountering each other, they realized we are all human beings. “Something I’m proud of is during the first year I was here, I started hosting bilingual story sharing meals. It was a potluck meal at Fr. Len’s house. We would have some traditional American foods and some Guatemalan. There were questions at the table, with translators, and they were able to say a prayer and share a meal together. It formed relationships between them.” “Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves.” Pope Francis, Sept. 24, 2015 S. Tracy offers a few of her own personal experiences from her ministry at Holy Family, inspiring us to share the journey and to act for justice.

and her brother to the U.S. They paid a coyote and went into debt to reunite with their two children four years ago. Maria now goes to a Catholic grade school and is preparing to enter high school. She applied to several local Catholic high schools, but found out that she didn’t do well enough on her PSAT to get into a Catholic high school. She is a very religious person, and works hard in school. Because of starting in U.S. schools much later, she simply does not have the English skills or the background to get into a Catholic high school right now. She is trying to find her way as a young woman in U.S. culture. I think about the challenges she is up against right away, so early in her life. She’s gotten counseling for the trauma she has suffered, but that doesn’t just go away.

Manuel and Laurita Manuel’s undocumented son, Pablo, was in jail. An officer pulled him over when he accidentally turned the wrong way on a one-way street. Because he was deported once several years ago, the traffic infraction led to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arresting him in front of his wife and 1-year-old daughter. Saturday morning was jail-visiting time. Third in line, we registered for the visit, and Manuel put a $20 bill into an “Inmate Deposits” machine for his son. The waiting area grew more saturated by the minute until a voice over the PA system announced that group one could begin. Manuel and Laurita beckoned me to follow them through the white door. Along the left, men in green jumpsuits filed out to take their seats in

Maria Maria is 14. Her parents came to the United States together when Maria was 3 years old. Her parents are both teachers, which is rare in Guatemala for both of them to have graduated. They were unable to find work besides farming even with their degrees and left Maria and her infant brother in the care of her grandparents to come to the U.S. Her parents went on to have five more children that she would not meet until later on. In Guatemala, Maria’s uncle sexually abused her. Her parents found out about it and decided it was time to bring Maria 12

Holy Family staff members join Laurita and family at the 2016 Guatemalan Independence Day celebration.

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narrow booths, and family members rushed to the glass when they found their loved one. Manuel moved emotionally to sit down in front of a small Guatemalan man who couldn’t be more than 20. Pablo’s sad eyes met his father’s as they both lifted the phones that would allow them to communicate. The visits are supposed to be 30 minutes, but after just 15, a supervisor bellowed, “That’s it! Say your goodbyes!” Manuel and Laurita huddled close to the phone, offering their last few words of love and encouragement. Pablo cried as he shuffled back to his cell. Two months later, Pablo was deported to Guatemala.

While on a mission trip to Guatemala in 2016, Holy Family staff met parishioner Eli’s family.

“Despite the problems, risks and difficulties to be faced, great numbers of migrants and refugees continue to be inspired by confidence and hope; in their hearts they long for a better future, not only for themselves but for their families and those closest to them.” Pope Francis, July 8, 2013 The Share the Journey campaign comes at a particularly poignant time in our country. In February the Senate once again opened floor debate on the topic of immigration; the Church’s stance on the issue is quite clear in its support of immigration reform and humane treatment of migrants – families should remain together; DACA recipients should be protected; and mercy and compassion should be shown to those seeking refuge. “We need to continually urge our elected officials to come to a bipartisan agreement on comprehensive reform,” says S. Tracy. “The system is just not working as is. … One of the biggest misconceptions I find concerns what it takes to become a U.S. citizen. For many of the individuals I work with there’s no way for them to enter the process. You have to have a family member that is a citizen, you have to have an employer that is willing to sponsor you, or you have to win the visa lottery. For them there’s literally no way. When people say it’s fine for them to be here, but just come legally, it’s not such an easy thing. Even for those eligible, it can take 10-20 years and thousands of dollars in lawyer fees.” S. Tracy has experienced first-hand the heartbreak of family separation. She explains that a majority of the Holy Family population has been touched by such. Recently a young couple in the church became the first Latino couple to get married at Holy Family. The bride had no family members VOLUME I, 2018

in Cincinnati, and celebrated this most special of days with her new in-laws and parishioners. “They are so strong and resilient because they are used to it,” she said. “Things I think are unfathomable for us, it’s just what they are willing to do for the well-being of their family.” She has experienced separation from the other side, as well. S. Tracy and a group of members from the community called Solidarity in Christ visited a Guatemalan parish last summer and plan to return in 2018. Last summer S. Tracy unexpectedly had the opportunity to meet family members of her Holy Family parishioners. “Walking into this ancient church in this small village in the mountains of Guatemala, this woman with a wrinkled, brown face came up to me and asked if I knew ‘Lorena,’” she recounts. “I said, ‘yes, she goes to our church.’ This woman’s eyes filled with tears and she told me that Lorena is her daughter and she hasn’t seen her in 11 years. Then this tall boy comes and stands behind her and says, ‘You know Lorena, that’s my mom.’ He was her oldest son that she had left behind. We took pictures with the two of them and that night I was able to get WiFi and send the pictures back to Lorena and tell her we had met her family. Lorena sent back a sad face and said she was happy we met them but it also broke her heart that she couldn’t be there.” Those are the stories and moments of encounter that remind us of the humanness of our brothers and sisters. Their strength, resilience, unwavering faith and the heart-wrenching decisions they are faced with are a reminder that by listening to their stories and opening our hearts, our lives are fuller. Share the journey.

Holy Family: A Place of Communion By S. Tracy Kemme

t’s Friday afternoon. I walk the two blocks from Holy Family to the apartment complex where Octavio and Victorina live, along with many other Guatemalan parishioners. Octavio yells out the third floor window to me, smiling, so I know which unit is theirs. The parking lot is a mess with potholes and cracks, and the buildings are falling apart. I jog up the stairs, and he opens the door with a warm smile. I sit on the couch, and they sit on chairs as their 18-month-old daughter toddles around between us, showing off her new teeth when she giggles. The apartment is small and sparse, but it is filled with love. We start talking about Holy Family. So, how long have you two been parishioners at Holy Family? And how long have you been in the United States? O: I arrived to Holy Family in 2009. I came to the United States in 2008 when I was about 23 years old. There are six kids in my family, and my parents didn’t make enough money to take care of all of us. I finished elementary school, and then I went to Mexico to work from time to time, but it still wasn’t enough. So I decided to come to the United States. I knew some people in Cincinnati, and after I had been here for a while, I heard about a Catholic Guatemalan community that was gathering in Price Hill. I’ve been here ever since. V: I joined the parish in 2012. I also got to the U.S. in 2008, and I left Guatemala for similar reasons to my husband. There are four girls and one boy in my family. My dad grew corn, and sometimes he went to work on coffee farms, but it was barely enough for our food and clothes. I saw other people in my village migrate north, and they could send money back. So I decided to leave. My parents didn’t want me to go. They heard about women getting raped and kidnapped on the journey. My dad said, “My daughter, yes, we’re poor, but I’d rather us be together.” But I had the dream of helping them. The first time I tried to cross, I got caught and sent back to Mexico, where I spent eight days in jail. The second time, I made it. It’s amazing how far you came to arrive to us. Tell me about your experience at Holy Family. How have things changed? What do you like most about our parish? V: At first, things were divided. Even though we are Catholics, we had to worship separately, in the school auditorium. Then, the current pastor came, and the parish started opening its doors. He was compassionate and open. They held the first bilingual Mass in 2013 or 2014. 14

O: Now, it’s a multicultural parish. There’s no distinction of color or race; all are welcome. Anyone who is searching for an encounter with Jesus can come and be part of it. V: Yes, the parish is making space and giving ownership to everyone. At first, we felt like we were nobodies here in the United States. Now we’re part of this church family. O: It’s exciting that we have so many opportunities. Our children were baptized at Holy Family, and people make their First Communion and get confirmed there. The catechism class you are teaching has been a real boost for our community. And the weddings, right? (I smile. Octavio and Victorina were the second Latino couple to get married in the Holy Family church.) V: (Laughs sweetly with a twinkle in her eye) Yes, the weddings have been great, too! O: When we used to worship in the auditorium, I would look over at the church and wonder if one day I might be able to get married there. And my dream came true! V: Our kids go to school at Holy Family, too. It’s amazing – growing up the way I did, I never dreamed my children would have the chance to study like this. Your family is beautiful. And talking about your family makes me think of the current immigration climate in the United States. How are you all feeling about it? V: We didn’t want Trump to win the presidency, because we heard how bad it would be for immigrants. Since then, we’ve definitely been worried sometimes. I mostly get worried for the kids. Octavio and I are from Guatemala, so if they send us back, it would be okay. We know the people and the culture. But my kids – it would be so hard. I wouldn’t want to leave them here! I wouldn’t want that pain. But on the other hand, they have grown up here, and they have opportunities here. So it’s hard. Sometimes, the kids see the news, and they ask us if the president is going to take us away. The kids talk at school, too, telling each other, “Our parents are going to get deported.” So how do you deal with this? Is the church a place of strength and safety for you? O: Our faith is the center of our lives. And Holy Family is a home for us. We feel safe there; we don’t have to be as scared. It’s the place where we know our communion with God. In fact, that’s what I love about being Catholic. No matter where we are, which country we may be in, we know we are in communion with one another. I N T E RC O M

M A RG A R E T G E O RG E :

Model of Courage By S. Judith Metz

n Nov. 12, 2018, the Cincinnati SC Community will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of Margaret Cecilia George, the founding mother of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. It was Margaret that led a small group of Sisters to remain true to the vision of Elizabeth Seton and establish the Cincinnati community in 1852. In our 2018 publications, we will offer reflections and articles related to Mother Margaret and her courage, conviction and leadership. Act 1: I was just 6 years old when our family left Ireland – young, but old enough to know it was oppressive, even dangerous for Catholics living under British rule. I was afraid and sad when the ship in Sligo harbor sailed out into the wild north Atlantic Ocean. Arriving in a strange land, our new home was Norfolk, Virginia, also a seaside town. Soon Yellow Fever struck and only my mother and I were left. Baltimore, Maryland, was our next home – in the bustling seaport of Fells Point. Here my mother, Bridget Farrell – a strong women – earned our living and sent me off to St. Patrick’s to be educated. We learn at our parents’ knees!

Sketch of Mother Margaret George by the late S. Marita Ganley

Act 2: Ten years later, happily married, then tragically a young bride turned widow; young mother turned bereaved parent. “And though t’wer worse than death to part, I yield you up to heaven.” A new friend, Elizabeth Seton, comforted and consoled me as I sought a new beginning, a new purpose for my life. Stay in Baltimore? Join Elizabeth in Emmitsburg, Maryland? Torn. Another life choice so soon? Time and prayer opened the way and off I went to become a Sister of Charity. Called forth by a friend’s love!

Act 4: Cincinnati, Ohio, 1849: Word arrives from Emmitsburg – we are to be joined to France – an event suspected but never confirmed until now. “Agitation in the minds of our Sisters,” “Anxiety” – several Sisters refused to make their vows. What to do? Hearts torn apart: “The Sister’s Separation. The sweetest and soothing balm of separation’s pain is cherishing the hope of meeting soon again. Farewell dearest Sisters.” What would Elizabeth do? Hazard Yet Forward! Spirit lead the way!

Act 3: Frederick, Maryland, 1824: “Never before last night did I feel so like a Sister of Charity who had made a vow of poverty.” Richmond, Virginia, 1836: “First retreat in this I might say almost in this anti-Catholic city…. Never have I felt more isolated and a stranger.” Boston, Massachusetts, 1842: Responsible for “nearly four hundred orphan children” – it took nine years to build an orphan asylum large enough to accommodate that number of children. “I was never more fully convinced of the necessity of looking to God alone for consolation, as for human comfort, we know not where to find it.” God provides!

Act 5: Cincinnati, Ohio, 1862: November 4, “Sr. Sophia replaced Sr. Margaret at Orphan Asylum, Cumminsville. Sister Margaret … came home to Cedar Grove.” After 50 years a Sister of Charity, immobilized by a stroke, confined to an invalid chair. Frustration, disappointment – the suffering of inactivity and surrender! Yet time for reflection – and sharing wisdom. “During her years of suffering … her gifts of heart and intellect were not permitted to lie dormant, but were used for the instruction of the young.” “Faithfully has her noble heart labored in God’s holy service.” Thy will be done.

VOLUME I, 2018

An Unexpected Ministry By S. Mary Ann Flannery

ne spring morning, five years ago, S. Helen Therese Scasny made an announcement at breakfast.

“I’m going to become a beekeeper.”

We were incredulous. “That’s a lot of work, Helen.” “I know but I met a man at Light of Hearts Villa [senior residential living services in Bedford, Ohio] who was telling me how wonderful it is to raise bees. And, I have read that bees are on the decline and this is catastrophic for the environment. I can do my part to help.” And so she started. Ross Oriti, the Mr. Beekeeper she had met, began teaching S. Helen the rudiments of beekeeping. Ross was a certified beekeeper and so knowledgeable on beekeeping that The Ohio State University regularly consulted him and even sent students to learn what they could of his vast experience. Ross was retiring from the business of beekeeping since his advanced age and challenging health issues presented problems in keeping up with the project. Ross donated his supplies and equipment to S. Helen and spent the summer training her on the skills required to set up and execute the industry of beekeeping. A fellow beekeeper in town, Jim Hensley, learned of S. Helen’s initiative and the two have joined efforts in helping with each other’s hives and honey S. Helen Therese Scasny harvests the honey extracted from the hives. Photo courtesy of production. Every warm spring and summer day, LouAnn Rossi. S. Helen and Jim don their protective suits and work on her four hives checking for production, providing the guards at the gate, the drone and workers, all networked water, taking note of any concerns they might have to resolve. to create a profitable, peaceful community. Sometimes her “Bees are industrious and clever,” says S. Helen, “they narrative sounds like a true medieval tale. usually solve their own problems.” In bee literature a story S. Helen and Jim usually harvest honey in early summer is told that a lumber business caught fire and raged toward a and late fall, at the beginning of floral blooms and the end nearby bee farm overtaking the bee hives’ wooden exteriors. when they begin to fade. Neighbors have reported that they But the bees survived. They had insulated themselves with love the easy access the bees have to their flower gardens honey and fanned the interior with their wings preserving the increasing the beauty and health of the flowers. S. Helen has infrastructure of the hives and the bees themselves. She will urged neighbors not to use pesticides and it has worked. The recount for you many of the stories of the bee hierarchy that hives are surrounded outside the walls of our barn and garage governs each community, the sovereign rule of the queen, making it less possible for the cruel Northeast Ohio winters 16

I N T E RC O M

Jim Hensley and S. Helen Therese Scasny prepare to get dressed to work with the bees. Photo courtesy of LouAnn Rossi.

to cause damage. Our location is helpful as well; we are only 1,000 feet from Tinker’s Creek, a tributary to the Cuyahoga River. We are adjacent to the Metro Park System with its bountiful fruit and wildflower plants. Harvesting the honey is a major project. Once it is removed from the combs of the hives, it is placed in a large extractor to sift debris and impurities such as wax, pollen, propolis and even bee wings and legs! This process takes place in the barn where jars are arranged to capture the honey for eventual selling. In addition to the honey, S. Helen has created wax items for sale and small gifts. People like small wax bars to rub on drawers for easy opening and small wax candles which burn slower than commercial ones. “I used to notice when I was a sacristan, that 100 percent beeswax candles, required by liturgical regulations at that time, burned slower and their holders were easier to clean than what is used now,” she adds. Sales from the honey take place at Light of Hearts Villa or at various venues where S. Helen is asked to speak on

VOLUME I, 2018

S. Helen Therese Scasny opens her bee hives to begin harvesting the honey. Photo courtesy of LouAnn Rossi.

beekeeping. Proceeds go to the Villa for the Benevolent Fund which assists residents who have run out of money to continue their care. “I like the idea that no one is turned away for lack of funds,” says S. Helen. A modest amount is kept for replenishment of supplies. From June 2017 to January 2018, the sale of honey brought in around $2,000, selling out completely at the end of the year. The lives of bees are constant sources of intrigue for writers like Sue Monk Kidd and Laline Pull, to name only two. Dissertations have been written on the bee imagery so prolific in the poetry of Emily Dickinson. But for S. Helen, at age 85, the message is simple: “I respect what my bees can teach me. They are among the guardians of the environment and I love learning from them every day. They are remarkable creatures of God and I love telling people that.” As a visitor timidly approaches the hives to observe the work in progress, a line from Dickinson’s poem, “The Bumble of a Bee,” seems appropriate: “If anybody sneer, Take care— for God is here—”.

Changing Disaster

Recovery in America By S. Georgia Kitt

hen co-founders of the St. Bernard Project, Liz and Zach, began responding to the extreme needs of Hurricane Katrina victims in 2005 in New Orleans, Louisiana, little did they realize what they were beginning. And when Sisters Anne Byre, RSCJ, Ursuline Regina Marie Fronmuller, Mary Keefe, OP, and Monica Gundler, who moved to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, initiated Nuns Build 10 years ago, they, too, were unaware of the responses they would receive from women religious hoping to make a difference for the struggling families in the area.

Sisters Georgia Kitt (front) and Theresa Kramer, SC Halifax, work together on a home during Nuns Build 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

at a time when fewer alternatives such as convents/motherhouses close. They provide transportation to the work site and they are wonderfully hospitable. S. Monica’s knowledge of the area, including tours of the lower ninth ward, add much to the experience.”

S. Juliette Sabo was moved by the faith and trust of the people in allowing volunteers to help them rebuild. She remarked, “Our project supervisor and the AmeriCorps (From left) Sisters Jackie Leech, Sally Duffy and Maureen volunteers with whom we worked Heverin work under the supervision of their SBP Americorps volunteer Tanner Heath to rebuild a home in New Orleans, were so patient and kind. Know that Louisiana. whatever your skills are, they can be put to good use and are very much appreciated.” Along the way the St. Bernard Project (SBP), their co-

founders and the Sisters had the good fortune of teaming with Toyota and AmeriCorps volunteers, learning from one another. They learned to work smarter and reduced construction time from 116 to 61 days, thus allowing families to get back to normal living in a restored home. Sisters of Charity Federation participants in November 2017 took away a number of gleanings from their experience. S. Jackie Kowalski was happy to learn that SBP has moved beyond the New Orleans area and has recently responded to hurricane disasters in Houston, Texas, and Puerto Rico. She shared, “They have experience that needs to be shared and applied to similar situations.” S. Jackie Leech would surely encourage other Federation members to volunteer. “It is so life-giving to come together with Sisters and AmeriCorps volunteers to serve others in need. We laughed, prayed and socialized in the midst of laminate flooring, painting, sawing and hanging doors. It was an awesome experience.” S. Pat Wittberg expressed her gratitude to the House of Charity for the success of Nuns Build. “They provide lodging 18

S. Maureen Heverin spoke about the ‘specialness’ of the experience. “We know each other on one level, but had not had the opportunity to work together on the same project. We worked as a well-oiled team, as though we had been doing it for years. The House of Charity team and the St. Bernard Project made it possible and I’m most grateful.” A highlight of the experience for S. Sally Duffy was a deep sense of community, both at the work site and at the House of Charity. She stated, “All 12 Charities created community by always being positive, affirmative, attentive and generous. The prayer time reflected an experience of the love of Christ urging us. The SBP staff and SBP AmeriCorps volunteers made sure you learned and they instilled a confidence to learn. There was a real joy present.” Yes, the pace of the work was steady, but doing it with others for a purpose made it rewarding. We remain grateful to the Federation members who have volunteered over these 10 years of Nuns Build and for all the Welcome Home events that have occurred as a result. New Orleans says ‘Thank You!’ I N T E RC O M

Winds of Hope Waving in the

By Vicki Welsh, Associate

oday is another winter day! By the time you read this, spring should have come to the Ohio Valley with evidence everywhere you look. But, today, it’s snowy and cold and the grandkids are here because they have the day off from school. I am telling them what I know about Siba Escobedo. She’s an Associate, like me. She works with children, like I did. She lives in New Mexico and goes to Mexico sometimes. She makes very cool prayer flags that you can even buy on Amazon; so you know she’s made it big! But I tell Hayden and Riley, selling on Amazon only helps her and her friends help more people. These ‘grands’ of mine are full of questions. Questions that only children would ask because many adults would think them too simple. But Siba spends her life working with and for children, so what could be more perfect than to get to know our sister Siba through the eyes of a child’s curiosity? So I gathered their questions and sent them to her. 1. It’s snowing in Cincinnati today. Does it snow in Anthony, New Mexico? What about across the border in Mexico? The Sisters of Charity have a Formation House (where I stay for several days each week) in La Union, New Mexico. This is right across the border from Anapra, Mexico, where they run a community center [Proyecto Santo Niño] for families with children that have special needs. We live in a desert here and in the summer most days are around 100 degrees. In the winter it is not as cold as Cincinnati, but we do have some days that are freezing. Most people in Mexico don’t have a heater in their home so when it is that cold it can be very difficult. 2. How old are the children you teach and care for and what does Proyecto Santo Niño mean? The families that work on our prayer flags have many children, ranging from 6 months to adult. Proyecto Santo Niño means ‘Holy Child Project.’ VOLUME I, 2018

Associate Siba Escobedo (right), with helpers Lupe (left) and Sofia, coordinates the Guerilla Prayer Flags project based in Juarez, Mexico. The project offers employment and independence to families of the Santo Niño Project, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity.

3. How do you get to Mexico from your town? Is there a wall, a fence, or men with guns? Is it dangerous? When I drive into Mexico we pass by American soldiers and then Mexican soldiers, but it is not dangerous for us. However, for the people who live in Mexico it can be quite dangerous because there is much crime and very poor protection from the police. 4. Why do you do such dangerous work? The Guerilla Prayer Flags are really cool! How did you pick the colors? My work is not dangerous, but the Sisters and I have a strong commitment to maintain close ties to the families we work with in Mexico to support them in their struggle to provide food, shelter, and education for their children. Our project, Guerilla Prayer Flags, provides work for half a dozen families and they are experts at cutting, sewing, and dying the rolls of fabric we make into colorful prayer flags. Our workshop is part of Sofia Aleman’s [one of the 2018 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award winners] house. The colors we have chosen are the brightest rainbow colors that we are able to dye. They are not toxic and we buy the dye and fabric from California. Many of the designs came from costumers’ suggestions. Our most popular designs are “the Beatitudes,” “Love is a Four Legged Word” (for people who love pets), and a science theme. 5. Is Spanish a hard language to learn? Spanish can be hard for adults, but children learn a second language very quickly, so if you want to learn another language now is the time! 19

Ripples By Megan Simmermeyer, Communications co-op

ith such a rich, long history, the Sisters of Charity require more than one afternoon to get to know. And Mrs. Carole Williams— wife of Mount St. Joseph University’s President, Dr. H. James Williams—has been getting to know them one afternoon at a time through service projects, Christmas teas, and more.

During their years of marriage and time in higher education, Dr. and Mrs. Williams have always held Christmas parties, so she said it felt right to continue the tradition with the Sisters. First she asked Sisters of Charity President Joan Cook for her opinion of a Christmas tea, and when S. Joan said yes to the idea, Mrs. Williams began planning, working with Sisters Pat and Cookie to smooth out details, like numbers of Sisters who would attend and how they would arrive.

Prior to coming to the Mount, Mrs. Williams had no knowledge of the University’s founders, and even with some research, she still only knew about them in connection with the Mount. Determined to learn more, she began Based on her home’s size, she to attend as many Sisters of Charity would be able to host 50 guests, Dr. and Mrs. Williams attend dozens of events functions as she could—like the annual which worked well, as she could host at the University, including Jubilee, which mission trip to New Orleans, Louisiana. the Motherhouse residents one day, supports scholarships for Mount students. Photo provided courtesy of Mount St. Joseph When she applied to join the trip, Mrs. Mother Margaret Hall residents a University Communications. Williams said she had to write a paragraph second day, and the remaining Sisters stating why she wanted to attend, and her on a third day. She served the Sisters answer was simple—to get to know the Sisters better. using her own holiday dishes, just as she would serve her own friends, and AVI Food Services provided catering for a special Later, in October, she and her husband attended the holiday luncheon. Mrs. Williams said they “gave a little extra” Emmitsburg Pilgrimage with Sisters and Associates. For a to make the meal special. week, the group visited and learned more about the places where Sisters of Charity founder Elizabeth Seton lived and worked in Emmitsburg and Baltimore, Maryland. Though the Williamses traveled separately from the group, the experience for Mrs. Williams was just as profound. Following the windy roads to Elizabeth Seton’s former home, Mrs. Williams said it felt as though she was “going back in time” and that she “could feel [Elizabeth Seton’s] spirit” along the way. Attending the New Orleans Mission Trip and traveling to Emmitsburg allowed Mrs. Williams to see the Sisters in action and learn more about them. On these trips, she said she got to see the “nuances that make them special” and got to “[work] with the Sisters, to engage in activities and learn where they are now.” But Mrs. Williams does not only venture outside the Cincinnati area to learn more about the Sisters and their mission. Working with Sisters Pat Saul, Cookie Crowley, and Franette Hyc, she has been able to learn ways to enrich the lives of the Sisters living in the area. Perhaps one of Mrs. Williams’ best-known efforts for engaging the Sisters has been her annual Christmas tea. 20

Each year that she hosts the Sisters provides greater insight into the University’s founders. She says that S. Pat is very precise and has a very big heart—she is very concerned with making the tea happen and for it to be accessible to all Sisters who wish to attend. And learning along the way, Mrs. Williams says the tea becomes better each year. This year, Mrs. Williams invited Mount St. Joseph University alumna and faculty who had known and/or worked with the Sisters. She realized the Sisters needed sophisticated engagement, and the conversations among the Sisters, alumna, and faculty were great. During the first year, Mrs. Williams asked the Sisters to share their favorite memories of the Motherhouse or their time as a student. Many spoke about their time as Postulants or Novices. Really listening to their stories helped Mrs. Williams better understand the spirit of the Sisters, and many enjoyed being invited to her home. They have told her they often get to go places outside the Motherhouse, but “rarely get to go to a home,” which has made the Christmas tea all the more special. I N T E RC O M

When asked to capture the Sisters’ spirit in a few words, Mrs. Williams readily replied, “Ever present.” “When going around [the University], walking past the [Mater Dei] Chapel,” she says, “you know they’re there.” The spirit of the Mount’s founders is alive in the buildings and campus, and Mrs. Williams says it is evident how they support the University. Their legacy continues to live in their service work, and she continuously checks her calendar for service events to participate in. She recalls how evident the Sisters’ service-oriented spirit was during the Inauguration service event and beyond. Another aspect of the Sisters that impressed Mrs. Williams is their Dr. and Mrs. Williams engaged with Mount St. Joseph University students during the Inauguration commitment to the whole life. At the Day of Service at the Habitat for Humanity build in East Price Hill. Photo provided courtesy of Mount University, the Charlotte Schmidlapp St. Joseph University Communications. Children’s Center, which has been given a five-star rating by the Step Up to Quality responsibility to take care of seniors and the Sisters,” Mrs. program, provides affordable and quality childcare for Mount Williams says, and her calendar is one small way to bring students. Mrs. Williams has experienced collegiate education the University’s founders and the students, faculty, and staff for 30 years, but has never experienced the level of childcare together. and support that the Mount offers, not even at some of the Mrs. Williams believes bringing the University and Sisters wealthier universities she and Dr. Williams have been a part communities together will benefit both parties. “[The Sisters] of. Not only does the Center offer support for the child, but have a mission with heart,” she says. The things they do, the the parent as well. “The [student parents] are never shunned,” places they go—they do it all, and Mrs. Williams asks, “If Mrs. Williams says. “They’re supported.” they can do it, what excuse do we have?” These tough women Mrs. Williams seeks to keep the Sisters engaged at the Mount as much as she can. Her most recent endeavor has been to create a calendar with events at the University that the Sisters can attend. The calendar will let them know what’s going on and ways they can support the Mount. “It is our

Mrs. Williams is an engaging presence on the University campus, and she attends many events, such as the Alumni Reunion, to learn more about the Mount community. Photo provided courtesy of Mount St. Joseph University Communications. VOLUME I, 2018

embody tenacity and a “can-do” spirit that propels them forward and continues to inspire the Mount’s own mission. In looking to the future, Mrs. Williams sees the spirit of the Sisters carried on in the Mount’s mission. “Students, faculty, and staff all have to remember who [the Sisters] are,” Mrs. Williams says. “Not who they were, but who they are.” Maintaining the connection between the University’s founders and the Mount community is a necessary commitment, and one Mrs. Williams seeks to strengthen. Other colleges and universities might only see numbers and figures, but she says that is not what it’s like at the Mount. During Exam Jam, the Mount’s exam week celebration, Mrs. Williams said she and her husband attended the event for a short while and met many of the students who participated. Seeing them and watching older students engage with newer ones, Mrs. Williams realized how perfect and safe the Mount is for them. Here, they could find their place. “Students may not know the [University’s] mission in the beginning,” she says, “but they know it when they leave.” And for Mrs. Williams, the legacy of the Sisters will continue through that knowledge.

Opening Your Heart

n this year of action and awareness-raising for Pope Francis’ Share the Journey campaign, Sister of Charity Juana Mendez stands as an example of an open mind and heart to the migrant. A native of Puerto Rico, S. Juana says she “knows what it’s like to move to this unknown world where you don’t know what’s going to happen.” As a child growing up in Puerto Rico, S. Juana recalls her family lived in poverty. “I felt when we moved to the U.S. that we were rich because we moved into an apartment with electricity; we didn’t have electricity or running water in Puerto Rico,” she said. “My mother was a very brave woman; she was always very positive. She never gave up. We struggled a lot, there were many times that we didn’t have food; yet, she managed to have a little piece of bread for each of us to eat. She was always looking for different avenues to feed us, or to put a roof over our heads.” S. Juana entered the Sisters of Charity Community more than 20 years ago. As a young girl she said she felt a call to religious life, but instead married and had three children (two daughters and a son). It was after her children had grown and she was no longer married that she once again felt religious life calling. S. Juana says she was drawn to the Sisters of Charity Community through her friendships with Sisters Ann Dorenbusch and Florence Cremering, and before long she found herself entering the Community in August 1995. For the last 18 years, S. Juana has ministered for the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky. She is currently the Hispanic diocesan minister. While she says she wears many hats, she mainly concentrates on immigration work, helping people adjust their status in the U.S. As a Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) representative for the Department

of Justice she is given accreditation through the diocese to practice immigration law. In addition, Sister is the parish administrator at Cristo Rey parish in Erlanger, Kentucky, where she has created many new programs and classes, including English as a Second Language and GED courses. “The people I work with are mainly from Mexico and a majority don’t have documentation,” S. Juana explains. “It is so meaningful to see people go from feeling as though they are no one to having a status, if you will, here in the U.S.” She provides a listening ear and compassion to many who feel alone, and scared, and don’t know what the next day will bring. “In my opinion, when you neglect someone, they feel as though they are no one,” S. Juana says. “I remember many years ago knocking on the door of a parish in Cleveland wanting help, my need was financial. The person I spoke with was a Sister, who said to me, ‘We’re not able to help you, you will have to go somewhere else.’ Boom, she closed the door. I wasn’t even invited into the convent to see why I needed money, or to look at options – other than financial – to help me. “I think when we neglect to sit and to listen to others, there is the potential for them to turn away and to go someplace else for help. And, oftentimes, they will go to the wrong place. It’s sad because it does happen. That’s why every person who walks through my door, I make sure I listen to them. They want someone who will listen to them, embrace them, and will look at ways to help them out.” And while the ministry has its many ups and downs, the joy she experiences at times is incredibly rewarding. “It feels like I won the lottery!” she smiles. “I’m so happy when I see people happy. A lot of people are out there trying to find ways to find joy, but they don’t realize that we already have it, especially in each other. Ever since I was young I was looking for ways to help others and to make them happy. I don’t worry about me, I worry about the other person. Even today, I could have a doctor’s appointment, and a person walks in and tells me they need help, I would cancel my appointment to help them. It’s what they need, and what makes them happy makes me happy.” S. Juana Mendez (back, second from right) has been ministering to the Hispanic community in the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, for the last 18 years.

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Traveling the Path: Getting to Know

Our SC Spiritual Directors By Carolyn Kesterman, Communications intern

How would you define spiritual direction?

a verbatim, and then we each had a mentor who would give us advice on how we had handled each situation, with the directee’s permission. Going to spiritual direction was a natural transition. It’s what has given me more energy than anything at this point in my life.

I would define spiritual direction as the opportunity to walk with somebody on their spiritual journey. It’s a trusting relationship because what they say stays there. Mostly it’s people who want to grow in their own How do you help a person feel relationship with God, and it’s sharing what their relationship is. It’s listening, comfortable to start sharing and not just listening to words, but their thoughts? listening below the words with the I usually tap into the common, “how ears of my heart. It’s not about giving are you doing,” or “what brings you advice, but you can sometimes share here today?” And then I transition your wisdom. It’s an accompaniment into, “Well, we’re here to talk about on the spiritual journey, because the God. Just tell me a little about who agenda is always the directee’s. I have your God is. How do you relate to S. Mary Ellen Murphy says that the most rewarding to be very aware of not bringing in aspect of her spiritual direction ministry is witnessing that God? What is prayer for you?” my agenda. For example, if someone ‘the awesome work of God.’ Little by little, I move into these kinds tells me a story about a difficulty they’re of topics. A lot of times, they might having with a certain person in the office, I can’t go telling be having a difficult time at home or their work setting, my own experience with that. It’s pretty clear that that doesn’t and all those are very connected to our spiritual life. It’s not belong because it should be the directee’s agenda. like we have one life here and another life over here. Even How did you begin this ministry? questions like, “Where do you find God? Have you even I did spiritual direction long before I ever had any training for looked for Him?” it. It was kind of natural with the jobs that I was in. I worked in a parish, in religious education, and on the Leadership Team for the Sisters of Charity. You do a lot of listening in all of those. So, after I got out of leadership, I thought that I might as well get trained for it. I went to the Kordes Center in Ferdinand, Indiana, once a month for two years.

What is most rewarding for you in this ministry?

What is included in the training for spiritual direction?

I think what’s most rewarding for me is witnessing what I would call the awesome work of God. You just see it happening. And you’re engaged in that awesome working of God as well because God is working in you. I always say there are three people in the room when you meet in spiritual direction: there’s you, me, and God. Everything else just gets set aside.

The training includes some Scripture background, methods of listening and the importance of listening, and there’s usually some kind of psychological aspect. You learn how to listen and what you listen for. You learn how to ask questions. We had different speakers come in probably every month. There was quite a bit on Scripture, which is excellent background. There were classes on the sacraments. It also includes an internship. We had to actually meet with somebody, write up

Just to witness the movement of people in their spiritual life, their “aha” moments, is very rewarding. Readiness is a real key, because I might think, “oh, if they just did this,” but the person has to be ready for it, and it will be an awakening moment when they are ready. There’s a quote by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, “trust the slow work of God,” and I think that’s what spiritual direction is about. Trust the slow work of God because God works on God’s time, not ours.

VOLUME I, 2018

S. Anita Maroun celebrates the opening of L’Arche Long Island in New York in 2016.

Where the Heart Feels at Home By S. Regina Kusnir

L’

Arche means “The Ark.” God seemingly has a sense of humor when he directs Noah to gather two of every known animal for the unknown journey that Noah will have to navigate. Today, society places great emphasis on power, advantage, authority and a “better than” attitude that is the opposite of navigating with great diversity. L’Arche has a ministry to persons with developmental disabilities and counters the prevailing norm.

L’Arche was founded by Vanier in 1964 in a little village, Trosly-Breuil, north of Paris, with a mission to:

S. Anita Maroun has been connected with L’Arche since 1972 when she met Jean Vanier in Cleveland, Ohio. The next year she went to Birmingham, Alabama, for a retreat directed by Vanier and it was at that time that she was invited by him to visit L’Arche in France. In 1974 she traveled to France, while a Vincentian Sister of Charity, Pat Wehner, went to a L’Arche community in Victoria, British Columbia. A short time later Pat founded the L’Arche community in Cleveland and approached S. Anita to be the board president. It was in that role as president that she discovered the Vincentian Community through her vice president, S. Mary Ann Flannery – eventually entering the Community herself in August 1977!

• Engage in diverse cultures, working together toward a more human society.

• Make known the gifts of people with disabilities, revealed through mutually transforming relationships; • Foster an environment in the community that responds to the changing needs of its members, while being faithful to the core values of the founding story;

In these ways L’Arche celebrates the unique value of every person and recognizes the human need of one for another. Today L’Arche has 151 communities in 37 different countries and has 14 projects-groups in the founding process. S. Anita is enthusiastic as she describes the mission. “L’Arche communities are made up of people with and without developmental disabilities, sharing life in communities that belong to an international federation. We share community life through a wide network of mutual I N T E RC O M

relationships, united in the same mission and spirit. Our large international family is located throughout the world and it calls us to solidarity with our world’s brothers and sisters and to welcome diversity.” Mutual relationships and friendships with people with developmental disabilities, call us to an inversion of the usual relationships of care and power. In looking for a way to worship together, L’Arche chose the Washing of the Feet, a ritual that cuts across the diversity of the many faiths represented in L’Arche and the ultimate sign of the ‘master’ becoming ‘the servant.’ We are called to ‘grow together’ as persons, as sisters and brothers in communities and as ‘partners’ in the same mission.” S. Anita finds L’Arche a life-giving ministry. Presently, she is the U.S. Eastern Regional Leader. She travels many a mile by car and plane as the region includes cities in New York, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland. Her responsibilities include: • Supporting communities by coaching, accompanying, consulting on the four dimensions of a L’Arche community: competence, compassion, communion and outreach fruitfulness;

S. Anita Maroun (left) with Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche, an international organization that enables people with and without disabilities to share their lives in communities of faith and friendship.

• Increasing knowledge and learning by helping to build learning opportunities and knowledge management by proactively collecting, reflecting on, sharing and integrating knowledge and insights in order to improve a nonprofit’s practices and programs; • Insuring quality assurance by devising and implementing procedures to evaluate, report and monitor quality assurance and competence in both the faith community development and service providing agency of a L’Arche community; • Developing cross-cutting themes by providing expertise and leadership on at least one of the themes of the strategic plan of L’Arche USA’s programs and projects. These responsibilities are based on trust in God which is at the heart of the journey and commitment of L’Arche. Though L’Arche is founded in a faith tradition, those who do not have one find that an attitude of trust in the ‘other’ and in life is at the heart of the commitment and journey for them. S. Anita is inspired in her ministry by the words of St. Louise de Marillac: “You must show the poor affection, serving them from the heart, inquiring of them what they need, speaking to them gently and compassionately, procuring necessary help for them without being too bothersome or too eager.” VOLUME I, 2018

A primary difference from other homes serving the same population is that “relationships between the ‘caregivers’ and the ‘residents’ are what L’Arche is about,” she says. “It is our belief that it is in these relationships that we are transformed – that we become more human and enable others to become more human.” S. Anita sees in L’Arche a model for Gospel living that offers a unique perspective, one tied to the SC mission. The primary values of L’Arche are the same: • Living out of the Gospel values; • Choosing to act justly by promoting the well-being and welfare of a continuously discriminated against group of individuals; • Building loving relationships is the pedagogy of L’Arche; • Sharing our resources is L’Arche’s commitment to solidarity – financial as well as other resources including people – a sharing of our resources with our brothers and sisters who have less than we do in Haiti, India, Africa, and other impoverished places. “L’Arche is the place where my heart feels most at home,” S. Anita says.

Timeless Treasures By S. Judith Metz

sterling silver spoon, engraved “St. John’s Hospital” – tucked away in a collection of silverware in the Archives. Who saved it as a precious relic? What did it mean to her? No one would have better reason than S. Vincent O’Keefe, one of the five Sisters who opened the hospital just nine months after the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati began on March 25, 1852, and who labored there during the entire 14 years the hospital bore that name.

failed her; she conquered obstacles without number; she worked like a galley slave” – “all who knew her loved her.” Starting in a crowded little adobe building – the only hospital in the territory – the Sisters were doctors, nurses, pharmacists, mothers, social workers and housekeepers. When she returned to Cincinnati in 1872, S. Vincent was welcomed back to the hospital, now relocated and known as The Good Samaritan Hospital. Here she took a motherly interest in the resident physicians whose quarters were adjacent to her pharmacy and was a special friend to patients, many of whom stayed for weeks or even months at a time. She was also charged with instructing young Sisters who studied under her.

Joanna O’Keefe entered the community just eight days after its formation. There at the birth – Mother Margaret her formation director – Sisters Sophia Gilmeyer, Josephine Harvey, Regina Mattingly, Anthony O’Connell– S. Vincent O’Keefe entered the Sisters of Charity community with these mentors and friends, in 1852, just eight days after its formation. S. Vincent’s ministry came to an she was quick to imbibe the spirit abrupt end in 1899 when she fell of Elizabeth Seton. Three months on a slippery floor at the hospital later Joanna became S. Vincent, and by Nov. 15, was at the after which she was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of homey, three-story 21-bed building named St. John’s Hotel her life. Possessing a wealth of years, wisdom and experience, for Invalids. Soon pressed for space, they moved to a larger S. Vincent was the living memory of the early community, facility close to the Ohio River three years later. Here seeing it grow from a handful of members into the hundreds S. Vincent became a familiar and welcoming face who “was as their ministries spread. She spent the greater part of her a friend of every doctor and patient in the institution.” This life at the hospital – it was her home. No wonder we might small, gentle woman worked as a nurse and pharmacist. suspect she was the one who safeguarded that spoon. Trained under doctors from the Miami Medical College, they S. Vincent died Feb. 2, 1912, two months shy of her proclaimed her “the finest pharmacist in the country.” 60th anniversary as a Sister of Charity. S. Vincent remained at St. John’s during the Civil War, and also ministered to the wounded and dying soldiers on battlefields and improvised hospitals. Then she was named superior of the four Sisters missioned to open St. Vincent’s Hospital in Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory in 1865. One who knew her there described her as “soft-voiced” – a women “whose courage never

This sterling silver spoon, engraved “St. John’s Hospital,” was found in a collection of silverware in the Sisters of Charity Archives.

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Clicks of Hope By Debbie Weber, OPJCC director

“Politics, according to the Social Doctrine of the Church, is one of the highest forms of charity, because it serves the common good.” - Pope Francis

n January 2017, the Office of Peace, Justice and Care for Creation (OPJCC) introduced weekly actions for various national and international justice issues: Click to Act: Putting our faith into action. Sent via the Sisters of Charity (SC) listserv, Click to Act offers suggestions for readers to participate in “responsible citizenship,” one of our Catholic Social Teachings. With a click of the mouse or a touch on a screen, one can sign a petition, write a letter, register for a webinar or event, watch a short video, read a short article, or download a prayer. While educating ourselves and taking action to advance the work of social and Earth justice is essential to our Catholic faith, there are times when some of us could use a dose of hopefulness and inspiration. Out of this yearning has come Clicks of Hope. Since January 2018 OPJCC has been occasionally sending, via the SC listserv, Clicks of Hope online links to articles, websites, events or videos reflecting hope and inspiration nationally and internationally. Clicks of Hope offers glimpses of people and organizations working toward peace, the common good, care of creation, and/or nonviolence. Through Clicks of Hope, OPJCC shares stories of dedication, compassion and resilience.

“Christian faith is expressed with three things: words, the heart, and the hands.” - Pope Francis Our SC Communications Office creatively and consistently highlights the incredible work our sponsored ministries achieve as well as individual Sisters and Associates who reflect the SC mission and charism in their ministries. For Clicks of Hope, OPJCC will look for people and entities outside the SC Family that also reflect the values of the SCs as well as Catholic Social Teachings. As with Click to Act, OPJCC and the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati do not necessarily endorse the Clicks of Hope online links to people and organizations. We know that the Internet, websites, social media, people and organizations are not perfect and therefore what we publish are mere suggestions for our SC Family.

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 281 Sisters are joined in their mission by 198 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 21 U.S. dioceses and in two foreign countries. 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 Director of Communications S. Georgia Kitt Executive Council Liaison S. Mary Bookser Advisory Board Members: Veronica Buchanon S. Mary Ann Flannery S. Tracy Kemme Mary Jo Mersmann S. Joyce Richter Debbie Weber 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

OPJCC invites Sisters and Associates to click on the links offered and explore the many ways people help Earth and each other, globally and locally. If you wish to submit individuals or entities currently engaging in hopeful and inspirational acts for the Clicks of Hope initiative, we welcome your suggestions. Email OPJCC at opjcc@srcharitycinti.org.

VOLUME I, 2018

5900 Delhi Road Mount Saint Joseph, OH 45051 www.srcharitycinti.org www.facebook.com/ sistersofcharityofcincinnati 27

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

18 Sisters of Charity came together in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the 10th annual Nuns Build. On Feb. 22, 2018, Mr. Casimere Glenn (fourth from right) was able to return to his home of 30 years.

19 The Guerilla Prayer Flags project, coordinated by SC Associate Siba Escobedo, offers employment and independence to families of the Santo NiĂąo Project, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity in Juarez, Mexico.

S. Juana Mendez has been ministering to the Hispanic community in the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, for the last 18 years.