Intercom Vol. II 2018 by Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

Intercom

Volume II, 2018

S I S T E R S

O F

C H A R I T Y

O F

C I N C I N N AT I

Share the

Journey

A LETTER FROM OUR SISTER

LEADERSHIP

Dear Sisters, Associates and Friends,

ne of our Federation cousins, S. Gloria Solomon, SCl, has written music based on the lovely St. Teresa of Avila prayer “Christ has no body now but yours.” In the refrain she reminds us that “Christ has no body now but yours. No hand, but yours, here on this earth. Yours is the work to serve with the joy of compassion.” Her verses start with “No hands but yours to heal the wounded world … No eyes but yours to see as Christ would see, to find the lost … No feet but yours to journey with the poor, to walk this world with mercy and justice …”

CONTENTS FEATURES Standing in Solidarity ........................ 6-7 Community participates in Catholic Day of Action in Washington, D.C. loving Our Neighbors .................. 10-12 Sharing the Journey at Working In Neighborhoods. An Associate Snapshot .........................16 Associate Sue Miele – a woman with a mother’s soul. Ripples .......................................... 18-19 The loving community of St. Joseph Home. A School in Kwapia .............................20 Envisioning a future through education.

DEPARTMENTS Moments in Ministry ............................3 St. Gabriel, Glendale, Ohio Vocation/Formation ............................14 In Service to Others OPJCC ...............................................15 A Lenten Collection For Our Migrant Neighbors Traveling the Path: Getting to Know Our SC Spiritual Directors .........................25 S. Montiel Rosenthal Timeless Treasures ...............................26 Native American Friendships On the Cover: (From left) Working In Neighborhoods’ Andrew Feltner and S. Barbara Busch visit with Barbara Baynes, a homeowner selected for WIN’s Near Net Zero retrofits. 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.

In this Intercom we continue our theme of “Share the Journey.” We look back to past moments in our ministry history, and to our work today with food collections for our migrant brothers and sisters, as well as special efforts through our ministries with Healthy Moms and Babes and Working in Neighborhoods. We continue to see the good work EarthConnection does to remind us of our need to care for and protect God’s Earth. We learn about SC President S. Joan Cook’s trip to the Sisters of Charity Federation Board meeting in South Korea, while exploring updates about our Associates as well as our Sisters working as spiritual directors. As we continue to explore “Timeless Treasures” in not only special objects but also in special Sisters and Associates, let’s reflect upon the many ways the Family of Charity “shares the journey” with all in need. As our beautiful Charism statement reminds us, “As pilgrims we pray for the wisdom to know the needs of our sisters and brothers and we dare to risk a caring response.” May the articles in this Intercom inspire us to live our daily lives ever remembering that “Christ has no body now but yours.” No hands or eyes or feet but ours. And let’s together continue to risk a caring response.

S. Mary Bookser

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. May our Sisters and Associates enjoy the fruits of their labor as well as peace with their God. S. Edith Louise Merhar March 19, 2018

S. Linda Chavez April 19, 2018

S. Janice Ernst June 11, 2018

S. Joan Crocker March 19, 2018

Associate Jacquie Jones April 24, 2018

S. Loretto Burke July 2, 2018

S. Jane Vogt April 6, 2018

S. Jeanine Marie Holthouse May 2, 2018

S. Annina Morgan July 8, 2018

I N T E RC O M

Moments in Ministry St. Gabriel, Glendale, Ohio By S. Judith Metz

1867

Three Sisters of Charity arrived to take charge of St. Gabriel School in Glendale, Ohio, located in a twostory frame building attached to the church. The top floor was the Sisters’ convent; classrooms on the first floor were located in the Sisters’ chapel, dining room, and front parlor. The seventh and eighth grades, along with a twoyear commercial program, begun in 1881, were in an annex, added in 1869. Utilities included a pot-belly stove and outhouses.

1907

When a new church was dedicated, the original church was remodeled for the school. English teacher, S. Francis Gonzaga Dugan, was remembered as ‘the keeper of very large ferns in her classroom’ and because she knew her students could do better work than they were offering, “She made you work, but was always willing to help anyone.”

1927

A new school was opened, and starting with the ninth grade, an additional class was added each year, with the first graduation in 1931. St. Gabriel High School closed in 1958 when Princeton High School opened, but the elementary school continued to grow as the northern suburbs of Cincinnati expanded.

1966

S. Martina Marie Poirier began 16 years as principal of St. Gabriel School. She is remembered for her “boundless faith in God and His Blessed Mother. She had the spiritual equivalent of a ‘watts line’ to the Blessed Mother.” She managed to guide the school calmly through years of drastic changes in parochial education.

1988

St. Gabriel School closed, but S. Vincent Marie Willman, who had been a teacher in the school since 1977, continued to serve in parish ministry until 1995. Her departure ended nearly 130 years of Sisters of Charity service to the people of Glendale.

Sisters of Charity began ministering at St. Gabriel in 1867.

S. Francis Gonzaga Dugan

A new St. Gabriel School was opened in 1927.

S. Martina Marie Poirier ministered 16 years as principal of St. Gabriel School.

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Deepening Awareness By S. Joan Elizabeth Cook

uring the month of April the and an adult daycare center. We were Sisters of Charity Federation delighted to experience the joy of the experienced a First: the students; the dedication of teachers, Federation board members traveled to physical therapists, bakers, and other staff South Korea for our spring meeting. This members; and the high quality of the care was an opportunity for us to implement that is possible because of government a goal in our Futuring Document: funding and generous donations. Our to foster solidarity by deepening and visit to the school coincided with the widening our relationships among the meeting of the presidents of North and Federation congregations, by attending South Korea; it was heartwarming to see to our intercultural, international and so many students and teachers tuned in multi-generational realities. Our hosts to the events on television, eager that were the Sisters in the Korean province this first step will lead to peace between of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. North and South. We Cincinnati SCs have a special bond During conversations with the with the Seton Hill Sisters: in 1870 the Korean Sisters and Daughters of Charity During a Sisters of Charity Federation Board bishop of Altoona, Pennsylvania asked we shared our common sensitivity meeting in South Korea, board members enjoyed a us to send Sisters to establish a new SC to the current trends in Church and program of traditional Korean dancing and music. Congregation to serve in that diocese. Musician, Kim Me Ru, played the Haegeum. One society. These realities challenge us to Several of our Sisters responded to this of the pieces she played was Amazing Grace, a live our charism and mission in ways song with universal appeal. call, and Sister Aloysia lowe became that address the emerging needs of the their first superior. For this reason the people. We deepened our awareness of Seton Hill Sisters affectionately call the possibilities for us to collaborate in ministry, community us their grandmothers, and we are proud to call them our life, and initial and ongoing formation in today’s intercultural granddaughters. Of the fourteen Federation Congregation world. All of us came away with renewed gratitude to the God presidents or their delegates, ten of us participated in person Who calls us, for our Charity way of life, the friendships we and the other four joined in the business meeting by Skype. share, and the opportunities to serve. We look forward to our The Sisters welcomed us warmly and graciously, greeting us at the airport in Seoul with wide smiles and bouquets of flowers. They introduced us to their culture, their way of living the Charity charism, and their Country during the week of our visit. Among the cultural opportunities were a performance of Korean dance and music. The dancer, Im Ju Hee, is the grandniece of one of the Sisters. She explained that traditional Korean dance expresses the beauty of moderation typical of the South Korean people. We visited Donghaksa Buddhist Temple and Seminary for Buddhist Nuns where we shared tea and conversation. At the National Museum of Seoul we had an overview of the history of South Korea. We visited the Martyrs’ Shrines of Saenamteo and Jeldusan by the Han River in Seoul; the strong faith of the people who suffered horrific torture was an inspiration to us.

June meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, when we will continue to reflect and strategize on how to live our Charity way of life and service in today’s world.

The Sisters welcomed us to several of their ministries. For example, we visited a campus dedicated to serving people with disabilities: Eunhae School for Children with Physical Disabilities, the Seton Bakery sheltered workshop,

Federation board members visited Seton Bakery in South Korea. The bakery achieves two purposes: it empowers the workers to engage in meaningful work, and also provides a source of income through the sale of baked goods throughout the region.

I N T E RC O M

Charity Family RUNNING WITH A PURPOSE Congratulations to S. Joyce Richter, who completed the half-marathon of the Cincinnati Flying Pig in May 2018. It was S. Joyceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seventh year participating in the Flying Pig; she finished first in her division (Female, ages 80-84) with a time of three hours and 18 minutes. She joined other Sisters and Associates in the Friday through Sunday activities, raising money for the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center.

COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES EMPLOYEES The Sisters of Charity Community came together on June 7, 2018, to celebrate employees reaching milestones in their years of service. Employees serving the Congregation for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 35 years of service were recognized. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retirees were also recognized, which included Sisters Pat Saul (pictured, left), Ann Elizabeth Von Hagel and Timothy Ann Schroeder.

S. SALLY DUFFY HONORED Congratulations to S. Sally Duffy, who received the Doctor of Humanities Honoris Causa from Xavier University on May 12, 2018, for her commitment to others, her contributions to the Greater Cincinnati community and for exemplifying the values and mission of Xavier University. S. Sally was also a speaker at the commencement ceremony, addressing those receiving graduate degrees.

JUSTICE CENTER DEDICATES POD TO SC On March 20, 2018, the Hamilton County Justice Center dedicated their all-veterans pod to S. Kateri Maureen Koverman, who died in 2016 after giving her life to justice, peace and healing around the world. A social worker, S. Kateri counseled vets in Cincinnati and visited them in jail. The vet pod was her idea and is the result of her persistence and commitment to veterans.

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OHIO NUNS ON THE BUS 2018 TOUR Sisters of Charity participated in March in rallies for the Ohio Nuns on the Bus 2018 Immigrant Detention Centers Bus Tour. The Sisters brought awareness to the unjust systems in local jails and detention centers and sought humane treatment of our migrant neighbors.

Standing in Solidarity

n February Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Jean Miller, Tracy Kemme, Andrea Koverman and SC Associate Deb Rose-Milavec joined more than 200 others from Catholic social advocacy groups to persuade lawmakers to protect undocumented immigrants, Dreamers, who were brought to this country as children. The Catholic Day of Action saw a total of 40 take part in civil disobedience in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda calling on Congress to show leadership in finding a just and humane solution for Dreamers. They sang hymns, prayed the rosary and held signs with imprints of Our Lady of Guadalupe and ‘Catholics Stand with Dreamers.’ Sisters Jean Miller and Andrea Koverman reflect.

S. Jean Miller Journeys can have interesting surprises that you don’t want to miss. Recently, I, as a Cincinnati Nun on the Bus, received a call from Faith in Public Life. They were inviting Sisters to participate in an event in Washington, D.C. to call our legislators to pass the Dream Act for the immigrants waiting for passage. This legislation has been stalled for so long and the religious groups felt that an event where religious were willing to stand up and get arrested for our sisters and brothers might send a message to Congress. My experience with immigrants is long and deeply important to me. I lived in their countries, learned their culture, was awakened by their wisdom, grieved with them over their poverty and imposed violence. I have worked with them in our country and found it hard to understand how difficult it is for the U.S. to open our arms and hearts to the beauty of other cultures and all they offer us.

(From left) S. Jean Miller, S. Tracy Kemme, Associate Deb Rose-Milavec and S. Andrea Koverman participate in the Catholic Day of Action on the Hill in February to stand in solidarity with immigrant sisters and brothers.

Arrest has been something that I had participated in for immigration before, so discerning whether to say ‘yes’ would have been simple, but at this age, and the fact that no other Nun On the Bus told me they were going, allowed me to put aside any discernment about going. That changed when two of our youngest and newest Sisters of Charity asked me to go with them. The discernment was not so much around would I do it for all the men, women and children suffering; that was definitely a ‘yes’ answer, but now would I excuse myself because of age, effort, energy, time? How could I say I follow Jesus in the Gospel or our early Sisters of Charity whose journeys took them to the Civil War zone to minister to soldiers, to the Wild West in the 1800s? That gave the discernment a different cause. I knew that those two young Sisters are not fearful; they didn’t need this ‘old’ Sister with them. However, it became clear to me that two new Sisters, one ‘old’ Sister and an Associate would symbolize the commitment and need for 6

journeys in the future that would put our bodies on the line for an important issue just like our former Sisters did. I am deeply grateful that I went to stand for immigrants with my Sisters and Associate to give them hope for the future and to witness to our values. Sisters of Charity have always and will continue to share the journey with those in need.

S. Andrea Koverman When Faith in Public Life put a call out for women and men religious to participate in the Catholic Day of Action on the Hill, my immediate response was ‘yes.’ I took that response to prayer and discerned with members of the Community and affirmed that I wasn’t just acting on impulse, but being attentive to what God was calling me to. As the short period of time we were given to discern and prepare progressed, more and more women religious affirmed their commitment to taking part in such a strong public witness of solidarity with those who migrate to our country. Sharing the journey with those most in need of companionship, support and advocacy is nothing new for women religious. It’s pretty much the job I ntercom

description. And though there is a long and honorable history of it in our Community and beyond, civil disobedience and arrest are not to be taken lightly. As a Christian and a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, I take very seriously the Gospel mandate to love one another as God loves us. It is not a choice to make but our responsibility to take care of one another, to stand up for one another not only in words and prayers but in action. We don’t need to know someone affected by our broken immigration system to be called to act on this responsibility, but I have been blessed to know many. Before beginning formation, I was introduced to the plight of immigrant families while teaching in the summer migrant school program in Beaufort, South Carolina. In the years I spent living on the border near El Paso, Texas, and crossing regularly into the area of Mexico around Juarez, this issue became very personal as I witnessed the poverty and violence that push people to risk crossing the border. Our Sisters there share that journey with the women and children they minister to at Proyecto Santo Niño in Anapra. I heard nightmarish stories that broke my heart wide open and any prior judgments I had about the legality of their actions dissolved into compassion and anger at the injustice of it all. They have every right to seek refuge from mortal violence and poverty. National policies that put our interests ahead of the well-being of the people of other nations contribute to the instability that give rise to the very conditions people must flee from. Rather than turning them away at the border, detaining and prosecuting them as criminals, and deporting them back to places that could easily cost them their lives we have a responsibility to help improve the conditions in their countries and welcome those that come seeking safety for their families. My time at the border taught me to see all people through God’s eyes and recognize them as my beloved sisters and brothers. When I moved to Cincinnati and began working at the Intercommunity Justice & Peace Center, I was further blessed to have a young colleague, Jose Cabrera, who is a “Dreamer.” He manages the YES program (Youth Educating Society), which is made up of young DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients and their allies. They help society understand the realities of the immigration issue by sharing their personal stories. Through them people come V o l ume I I , 2 0 1 8

to learn what it is like to have been brought here at an age too young to remember, to be raised as an American full of promise and potential, then to be denied what they’ve worked for and threatened with deportation to countries that would often be as foreign to them as they would be to you or me. Our concern and apprehension had been growing with each day that passed without a moral resolution to the expiration of DACA. We had signed petitions, made phone calls, written letters, met with elected officials, and stood in local demonstrations all to no avail. We felt the sting of injustice and pangs of guilt as we helplessly witnessed the escalation in arrests and threats of deportation of young immigrant community members that we promised to protect through DACA. For me, taking part in civil disobedience in the name of demanding justice for immigrants was a way of escalating the message of our determination and sense of urgency. My refusal to stop our prayerful protest and vacate the Rotunda were symbolic of our refusal to accept the inhumane and unjust immigration system that is causing untold suffering and misery. We will continue making sure our legislators know that the status quo is unacceptable and that we are not going to give up until we have a just immigration system in our country. It was a deeply rewarding and prayerful experience. Being there with senior-Sister Jean Miller, my only band-mate S. Tracy Kemme, and Associate Deb Rose-Milavec made it even more so. It spoke to me of bridging our Community’s past with its present and future, and of the ways Sisters and Associates will share in living out our common mission to meet the needs of our sisters and brothers, and in the spirit of St. Elizabeth Seton to meet our grace as we seek to know the will of God and to do it. 7

Healthy Moms and Babes: Bringing Care and Education to Pregnant Women in Need By Megan Simmermeyer, Communications co-op

or 31 years, Healthy Moms and Babes has worked toward a future “where all babies born in Greater Cincinnati are born healthy to healthy moms [and] embraced by a loving family and community who help them thrive.” The organization’s vision is driven by the spirit of their founders—the Sisters of Charity, Dominican Sisters, Sisters of Mercy, and Franciscan Sisters. Sister of Charity Tricia Cruise spearheads the organization as the current CEO and president, and she says her role is supporting her staff, as well as their clients, in whatever way she can. When Healthy Moms and Babes first began, the small staff worked solely from their mobile van, and only offered pregnancy testing for women in the area. Once a woman learned she was pregnant, she would be directed to a hospital, doctor, or health clinic for the remainder of her pregnancy. Since, the organization has expanded their services to include more testing as well as education. Their van continues to operate in the Greater Cincinnati area, and visits 17 different neighborhoods to provide prenatal care and education to their clients who are typically women 16-25 years old and live in underserved, predominantly African-American communities. In addition to pregnancy screenings, individuals who access the van can receive assistance scheduling doctor visits and applying for insurance, and can procure information or referrals for medical and social service issues. According to S. Tricia, one of the organization’s primary concerns is health education. Visitors to their vans can participate in education sessions that include topics such as what to expect during pregnancy, prenatal care, care of the child during the first year of life, parenting, and general health. In addition to their van, Healthy Moms and Babes has four cars to provide in-home services for pregnant women and new mothers. like the van, the cars provide support and education for their clients throughout the pregnancy and the child’s first year of life, as well as assistance in obtaining medical care and insurance, and access to social services, mental health services, mentoring, and support. However, the cars provide another level of assistance the van cannot—transportation. Whether a woman needs a ride to a doctor or social service appointment, one of the 8

S. Tricia Cruise is the current CEO and president of Healthy Moms and Babes, serving the Greater Cincinnati area.

organization’s cars can provide transportation for her to reach her destination. This past year, about 2,500 women benefited from the van’s services, and another 350 were supported via the cars. S. Tricia estimates that 100 new babies were born to the women who continued to utilize services of Healthy Moms and Babes throughout their pregnancy. And of the 18 staff members, two of which are registered nurses, the majority are former clients who went to school and returned to work with the organization. While Healthy Moms and Babes is primarily a mobile unit, they launched a three-year pilot housing program at the Sisters of Charity Segale House. The house serves as an apartment building for pregnant women with no place to stay. Each apartment has two bedrooms—one for the mother and another for one or two children—and the women can stay for as long as 18 months. In addition to having a secure place to live, the women at the Segale House learn to live in community and how to rent. They do not pay for anything while living there, but they learn how to build credit, gain income, etc. Working with the organization’s staff, the goal is for each woman to obtain selfsufficient and secure housing, as well as receive an education. I N T E RC O M

National Catholic Sisters Week MARCH 8-14, 2018

n March we celebrate Women’s History Month, recognizing the great contributions that women have made to our nation. It is also the month of celebration for National Catholic Sisters Week (NCSW). Now in its fifth year, NCSW is an annual celebration honoring women religious while also encouraging young women to consider a vocation for themselves. Since its inception, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati and their employees have celebrated NCSW. This year’s celebration included daily video clips asking individual Sisters to answer questions about their faith stories, a friendly guessing game picturing Sisters in their habits from years ago, pictures taken with Pope Francis, root beer floats and tokens of appreciation during lunch. S. JoAnne Termini poses with a cardboard cutout of Pope Francis.

(From left) Medical Records Manager Michelle Farwick, S. Rose Izzo and Clinical Nurse Supervisor Karen Tisi take a break to attend the root beer float social.

Human Resources Assistant Samantha Blades presents S. Mary Kormanec with a flower.

VOlUME II, 2018

(From left) Sisters Ruth Bockenstette, Ann David Wojtowicz, Marie Irene Schneider, Michael Clare Mauntel, Katie Hoelscher and Mary Kay Bush enjoy the activities during National Catholic Sisters Week.

S. Patrice Vales stands with her entrance photo – part of the “Make it a Habit” guessing game circulating throughout National Catholic Sisters Week.

(From left) Sisters Carol Brenner and Esther Marie Humbert enjoy root beer floats provided by the SC Human Resources Department.

Working In Neighborhoods team members Andrew Feltner and S. Barbara Busch (right) visit with homeowner Viola, WIN’s first senior homeowner selected for its Near Net Zero retrofits.

Loving Our Neighbors “We are called to walk with our neighbor in need.”

his year we embrace the call of Pope Francis to Share the Journey with our neighbors. In sharing their journey we bring communities together and strengthen bonds. Sharing resources and empowering communities undoubtedly strengthens bonds, and that is the impetus behind Working in Neighborhoods (WIN), a nonprofit organization established to empower individuals to make choices for themselves and their neighborhoods through community building, home ownership and economic learning. Sister of Charity Barbara Busch has been sharing the journey with community members in Cincinnati’s low to moderate neighborhoods since 1978. It was 40 years ago that she along with the late S. Judith Martinez and Dave Scharfenberger started Working in Neighborhoods (WIN), an organization dedicated to empowering neighborhood leaders to speak for themselves by organizing and negotiating for positive change at the local, state and national levels. Providing home ownership opportunities for working and minority families has been a major strategy for implementing WIN’s vision. 10

S. Barbara explains, “We started as a group of volunteers out of a neighborhood effort.” At the time she was working for Catholic Social Services in Northside (Cincinnati) and was approached by multiple neighbors interested in forming a neighborhood-based organization that would expand beyond their community. Working side-by-side with local residents, Sisters Barbara and Judy trained them to become leaders in issues related to utility reform, quality and affordable housing, quality of life issues and decreasing crime. Working in Neighborhoods became a comprehensive Community Development Corporation. Residents wanted to live in decent homes and physically improve their neighborhoods, and so, WIN began developing homes in 1981 as well as offering home ownership classes and counseling. The organization developed partnerships with local banks which has now yielded over $300 million in investments for WIN’s neighborhoods. WIN and its staff of 18 continues to strengthen bonds and empower others as it strives to meet the ever-changing needs of its neighbors and community members. Its hub is located in South Cumminsville, where a five-building property sits on the site of the former St. Pius Church. WIN’s Economic Learning Center welcomes neighborhood groups, community gatherings and public hearings, as well as I ntercom

offers a community computer lab, financial literacy seminars and counseling programs, youth enrichment programs and after-school tutoring. There is also 18 units of housing for senior citizens. In its 40 years WIN has prepared over 2,500 families for first-time home ownership and rehabbed or built 165 homes in Cincinnati’s low to moderate neighborhoods. During the banking/foreclosure crisis in 2002 WIN worked with over 9,500 families to prevent foreclosure. This work has always required advocacy for low-income communities with national financial institutions. “We are trying to give longterm wealth,” says S. Barbara. “We don’t just want you to buy a house, we want you to continue to grow. We want you to have a mortgage through a conventional institution. That’s important because if you are going to have long-term financial stability and build wealth for your family, the only way to do that is to get into the regular financial system. Home ownership for most communities of color is the single way to bridge the gap for wealth.”

Homeowner Viola enjoys a conversation with Andrew Feltner, one of 18 WIN staff members working to empower community members to make choices for themselves and their neighborhoods through community building, home ownership and economic learning.

What S. Barbara finds most inspiring is community members’ hard work and drive to improve life for themselves and for their children and grandchildren. Programs created by WIN are a result of the requests of their neighbors. “Our youth programs came from people saying we have to do something for our kids, we can’t leave them on the corner,” she said.

S. Barbara said the request came from community members after a study in the neighborhood concluded residents will die 17 years earlier than people living on the other side of town. “They needed our help to live longer and to get themselves out of poverty so that their children and grandchildren could have the opportunity to make this change,” she said.

Director of Operations Hope Wilson, an 18-year WIN staff member, comments on the community’s resiliency. “Even when life is challenging, their willingness to stick to it and find a solution, is admirable. They don’t give up even though there have been lots of challenges where folks may have thought this isn’t worth it. They love this community, they want to see it thrive.”

“My experience is that we all have the same hopes and dreams,” continued S. Barbara. “We all want our kids to do well, we want them to get a good education, we all want our families to get along, and we all want to have good opportunities for jobs and for our grandkids to have great lives. What I know about these communities is that they work hard for it.”

With the heart of the Sisters of Charity mission at its core, Working in Neighborhoods is meeting needs as they are presented. Through its donors, the Sisters of Charity, staff members and approximately 200-300 volunteers, WIN continues to listen to its neighbors and work to end poverty. “We don’t have a service that didn’t come out of a request from our neighbors,” S. Barbara said. “We are firm believers that our neighbors know best what will help them to grow.”

S. Barbara and Hope relay story upon story of sharing the journey with their neighbors. One particular woman sticks out in Hope’s mind. “One young woman came to us through housing development; she saw one of our houses and wanted to buy it but wasn’t ready at all. She went away for a few years and worked on things, came back and asked how she was doing. I thought she had given up. By that time we had started a homebuyers club and she got involved. One of the components of that is to get people to save and work on a budget. This young woman works in Cincinnati Public Schools and had been saving a little, showing up and doing what she needed to do to improve her credit score, and pay off all her collections and car.

Two years ago WIN launched its South Cumminsville Out of Poverty initiative – a comprehensive approach to community development, engaging residents and partners to address issues affecting quality of life in the South Cumminsville neighborhood. Its goal is to move 40 percent of residents out of poverty in a generation using a six-fold approach around: housing, walkability and transportation, youth education and engagement, health and fresh food access, job training and access, and beautification and safety. The hope is to create a model that can be replicated in other low-income communities in the region and nationally. VOlUME II, 2018

“It was a year and a half ago, her kids were going back to school, and her car broke down. She had to use some of her savings to fix the car. She came in and appeared upset. I asked if she had to miss work. ‘No.’ Did the kids not get to school? ‘No, they got to school on time.’ Did you miss paying bills? ‘No.’ I told her that’s what that fund is for. Before she didn’t 11

was a house across the street from the houses we were building that we wanted to do something with but it didn’t have a back wall by the kitchen. Judy took her in and said if you want this, we can make it work but it’s going to take us a few years and we are going to have to use a lot of volunteers to get it so you can afford it. She said yes, and so we got the house done; it was a five-bedroom, beautiful home. I talked to her about a year ago and she told me all her kids had either gone on to college or were working. She’s happy and still living in her home. Her dad lives close by, and she can help him. She said it made such a difference in all their lives.” Creating hope and dignity for families living in poverty is one of S. Barbara’s biggest inspirations for founding WIN. She once said, “Every day we stand with families who In collaboration with the South Cumminsville Community Council, Working In Neighborhoods have little hope and lack the knowledge to provides summer enrichment programs for local children grades K-12. respond to the situation around them. It is our role to be with them, to provide them have it and would not have paid something else. This setback with the knowledge they need, and to teach them to speak for didn’t affect her long term. Her mindset changed. Seeing that themselves so they can teach their children to do the same. excitement and the progress she had made was awesome for Every day I have the opportunity to stand up with the poor me; it’s why we do this.” and I know that we are on God’s side in the fight for justice S. Barbara adds her own story, “We had a woman who and hope.” kept coming to our homebuyer classes, and wanted to buy She and the staff at Working In Neighborhoods are a house but couldn’t buy any of the new homes we were sharing the journey, loving their neighbors every step of the building at the time. S. Judy and I were trying to figure out way. “Presence is key,” she says, “being there for them, and how we could help her. She was raising five children in a encouraging them to speak their own truth.” two-bedroom subsidized apartment and she wanted them out of there before they were teens. We decided that there Walk with your neighbor; share the journey.

The mission of Working In Neighborhoods is to empower people to make informed choices for themselves and their neighborhoods through Community Building, Home Ownership, and Economic Learning.

Community Building: WIN trains neighborhood leaders to improve the entire community. Through WIN’s leadership development, local leaders are working to create healthy and sustainable communities. WIN harnesses the power of neighborhood leadership to build strong communities across Greater Cincinnati. In collaboration with the South Cumminsville Community Council, WIN provides After School and Tutoring programs as well as Summer Enrichment programs for local children grades K-12. Home Ownership: WIN helps families grasp the dream of owning a home by developing homes and eliminating barriers to homeownership. WIN rehabs and builds homes

for first-time homebuyers while revitalizing communities. WIN has built or renovated over 160 homes and sold them to first-time homebuyers. WIN utilizes the most effective energy-conservation techniques available when building or renovating homes. Economic Learning: WIN prepares families to purchase their first home by offering homebuyer training classes and individual counseling. Annually, WIN teaches over 300 families how to purchase their first home. WIN offers financial literacy training to 200 families annually including Ohio Benefit Bank Services. In addition WIN effectively saves homes from foreclosures, protecting families’ investments and maintaining neighborhood stability. WIN has partnerships with national and local lenders with the goal of providing quality financial opportunities.

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Around the Neighborhood By S. Barbara Busch

James and Barbara Baynes The story of James and Barbara Baynes is repeated all over South Cumminsville. It’s a story of family commitment, hard work, finding opportunity and seizing it. In 1982 James and Barbara decided to buy their comfortable family home in this urban neighborhood near good schools and work opportunities. They liked the two-car garage and private backyard where children could play and adults could relax.

With reduced utility and maintenance costs, Barbara now has the opportunity for a healthier lifestyle in her own home, to age in place, with neighbors and friends she knows well and can call on when she needs help. “I appreciate everyone involved,” she said, “especially the people at WIN.”

Effie Napier

Effie Napier came to Cincinnati in 1969 when she was just 8 years old. They raised their two children Her family was part of the migration there. Dorothy graduated from Western Barbara Baynes was one of 10 senior homeowners from the South in the 1960s, seeking Hills High School and now works selected for WIN’s Near Net Zero retrofits, which better opportunities in Cincinnati. included a high-efficiency furnace, wall-to-wall insulation, in Human Resources at Cincinnati Her Aunt louise had settled in South central air conditioning and triple-pane windows. Children’s Hospital. Edward attended Cumminsville, and became one of the St. Pius School in the neighborhood growing number of African-American and earned a scholarship to Seven Hills High School. He homeowners in the neighborhood. graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and, Effie was one of 15 children and describes her family as after receiving an MBA, now holds a senior management “close knit.” She fondly remembers holidays and warm family position with Verizon Wireless in New Jersey. gatherings as a child. Through jobs at Procter & Gamble, James Baynes supported his family as a baker at Dolly Goodyear and Klosterman Bakery, her family was able to Madison and later as a custodian for Cincinnati Public become part of the South Cumminsville neighborhood and Schools. Barbara worked for Blue Cross and Blue Shield and find opportunities for home ownership. later as a cashier technician for Hamilton County Job and After her Aunt louise died in 1999, Effie’s mother, Viola, Family Services. Together they provided a stable home and inherited the house, and the tradition of home ownership was education for their children in a welcoming community. passed on to the next generation. When Effie’s mother died in Today they have two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 2003, the family decided that Effie should inherit the house, Barbara clearly remembers the day in 2012, 30 years and carry on the tradition of hosting gatherings for the whole after they first moved into South Cumminsville, when she family. Effie now has 26 grandchildren of her own and a host suddenly discovered that her husband James had a heart of other relatives who regularly gather in her home. attack, and had fallen in the driveway of the home he loved. “I never dreamed I would own the home with so many Her neighbors surrounded her then, sat with her, brought childhood memories and now share it with grandchildren of food, listened to her stories, mowed her lawn, and helped her my own to make new memories,” she said. take care of her home. “Being a good neighbor is important. Effie knew that the home full of memories needed a lot of We need to look out for each other,” she said. work, but her fixed income limited her options. When WIN’s Now the Baynes home is being transformed once again, as Near Net Zero Program was introduced, the Napier home Barbara was one of 10 senior homeowners selected for WIN’s was selected. Effie’s home was completely rewired, central Near Net Zero retrofits. She now enjoys a high-efficiency air conditioning was installed, and top-to-bottom insulation furnace, wall-to-wall insulation, central air conditioning and reduced energy costs and noise from the streets. Effie now triple-pane windows. “It felt like a dream come true! The has the capacity to maintain this family home, and to live wind no longer blows through the windows, and I can hardly comfortably in it. hear the noise from the traffic and trucks!” VOlUME II, 2018

In Service to Others By S. Donna Steffen

he Novitiate of the Sisters of Charity, as an Apostolic Congregation, has a regular component of weekly ministry. During the Canonical Novitiate, the Novice volunteers one day a week at a ministry of her interest where Sisters of Charity are or have been connected, or is in alignment with our charism. During the second year of Novitiate, the Apostolic Novice ministers three days a week. Novices Whitney Schieltz and Romina Sapinoso reflect on their recent experiences.

Apostolic Novice S. Romina Sapinoso (left) met Hayat and her children teaching English as a Second Language at Catholic Charities.

Canonical Novice Whitney shares: “I have felt increasingly called to the ministry of housing and community development. I knew coming into the Novitiate that I wanted to explore that call in my volunteer experiences. I chose to begin my year at Working in Neighborhoods (WIN), with Sisters Barbara and Brenda Busch, because of the multitude of services they offer as an all-encompassing community development corporation. I helped with a variety of tasks ranging from updating and organizing records to researching sustainable construction methods for upcoming housing projects. I was excited to help with their annual fundraiser and learn more about the development of a nonprofit organization. After my semester there, I have continued to volunteer for occasional events at WIN such as building raised beds in the South Cumminsville community garden. “For my second semester I decided to continue exploring housing and community development at Price Hill Will (PHW). I have made good use of my education in architecture

and historic preservation, as my main project has been writing a national Register of Historic Places nomination for the old firehouse on Warsaw Avenue. I have enjoyed visiting the different sites that PHW is renovating, including several houses and a grocery store, which had been closed in the lower Price Hill area. Hopefully, as these projects move forward, I will be able to continue to utilize my knowledge of buildings while learning more about community engagement and economic development.

Apostolic Novice Romina writes: “Gandhi is quoted as saying, ‘the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’ During my Apostolic Novitiate, I spent half of my ministry days teaching English as a Second language to refugee clients and the other half at the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center (IJPC) helping with the nonviolent Cincinnati initiative. “I met Hayat and her children Kulud and Khalid when she first came to Catholic Charities for English classes. She and her children arrived from Eritrea by way of Ethiopia last fall. They fled by walking to the border to cross towards Ethiopia while hiding under bushes and trees from armed guards ready to arrest or shoot Eritreans who are trying to escape the country. When Hayat decided to flee, her son Khalid was only 2 years old, and Kulud was a baby she carried on her back. She said she was lucky that her hometown was only a day’s walk by foot to the border. She is among the many clients whose stories have brought the world’s refugee crisis and need for peace closer to home. “At IJPC, S. Andrea Koverman’s initiative of forming a coalition for peace gave rise to The NonViolence Alliance of Greater Cincinnati. One of the core values of the coalition is promoting education on nonviolence. Using the program ‘Engage: Exploring Nonviolent living,’ two groups of eight to 12 people each, spent 12 weeks together in dialogue, exploration and action on nonviolence. S. Andrea and I led the groups and we culminated our program by joining the March for Our lives in Cincinnati on March 24, 2018, to demand common sense gun control legislation from the government.

During her Canonical Novitiate S. Whitney Schieltz (left) spent time ministering at Working in Neighborhoods (WIN), strengthening her call to the ministry of housing and community development. 14

“Both experiences have been a blessing and an affirmation of my passion for education in cross-cultural settings and justice work.” I N T E RC O M

Share the Journey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A Lenten Collection for our Migrant Neighbors By Debbie Weber, OPJCC director

aritas International, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, Pope Francis, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have invited us all to Share the Journey by walking with our migrant sisters and brothers in prayer and support. The Sisters of Charity family and friends acted on this invitation by supporting our migrant neighbors in the Greater Cincinnati area. During lent, the Office of Peace, Justice and Care for Creation (OPJCC) partnered with Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio (CCSWO) by collecting donations of specific food items that our migrant sisters and brothers might need. In addition to food, OPJCC also collected personal care items such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste/ toothbrushes and toilet paper. Mount Saint Joseph University Service learning Student Shanyce Matthews had a substantial role in our lenten collection. She was OPJCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student for the spring semester and part of her service learning experience was to organize and implement a lenten collection for the university. Shanyce did an exceptional job designing posters and

Donated food and personal care supplies during the Sisters of Charity Lenten Collection For Our Migrant Neighbors were delivered to Catholic Charities in April 2018.

Thank You From Catholic Charities Once again, the Sisters of Charity and those who support your mission knocked it out of the park! Our mutual goal was to collect food for those struggling to provide for themselves and to provide them with foods with which they would be more familiar. You definitely achieved this goal. We held a produce pantry and gave out food to several different groups of people in need. There was great joy in seeing food options that were more like home for many of the families. Thank you and everyone who supported this effort. Please keep our clients in your prayers. Scott Stevens Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio Director of Parish Outreach

VOlUME II, 2018

collection bins as well as educating students, faculty and staff about culturally appropriate foods our migrant neighbors may need. Her efforts paid off by providing one-fourth of the total collection that was donated to CCSWO! Our new neighbors enrich our culture and join the long line of German, Irish, Jewish, Polish, Asian and Eastern European migrants who came to Greater Cincinnati looking for a fresh start and a better life. They often have limited access to employment and social services. With our help, CCSWO made sure that if our neighbors came to them for food assistance, they would receive food that fit their dietary customs. Thank you for the outpouring of love and compassion during the lenten Collection For Our Migrant Neighbors. The donations of food and personal care items filled the office of OPJCC and the Resource Room next door! 15

An Associate Snapshot: Sue Miele –

a woman with a mother’s soul By Associate Vicki Welsh

s I write this article, it is the week after Mother’s Day. It wasn’t long ago that I met Sue Miele to get to know her and get some information for this issue of Intercom. I remember the first thing I did was to show her the photograph that accompanies this article and asked her permission to publish it. With a big smile on her face she said, “That’s my favorite picture!” As we looked at it together, her story began to unfold as she pointed out each of her children. Over the next two hours, I was to see that big wide smile many times as well as teary eyes, happy eyes, hopeful eyes … eyes that were reflective of past struggles, eyes that were proud of accomplishments. But always the eyes of a mother’s fierce love for children, someone’s children, soon to be her children. I think we will start with Sue’s eyes. I think the eyes and her smile resemble her dad’s. That’s her dad, Norbert, sitting front and center in the photo. Experts often point to the parent as a predictor of how the progeny will survive through life. My guess is, at 95, Norbert has passed on some strong genetic material! Sue has proven that throughout her life. And yet, Sue and her husband, Tom (standing behind her in the photo), have proven that the nature/nurture debate is as relevant as ever. Sue became a teacher, but volunteered in the NICU of Cincinnati Good Samaritan Hospital. Holding and rocking those sweet babies was love in action for Sue. Sadly, though, like many women, she and Tom could not have children of their own. Then infant No. 1 came along needing a family. Matthew (the gentleman on the left next to his wife, Martha) is the oldest child at 38. He and Martha have two children, Malachi and Celeste, standing in front next to great-grandpa Norbert. Baby No. 2 came to the Mieles as a foster child. Andrew is with his wife, Katie. They are next to Martha. Joshua, brother No. 3, and his wife, Allie (blonde), have one child, Chloe, down in front in the lovely aqua dress. Next in the sibling count, No. 4 is Monica – a girl, finally! You see her head peeking up between the bride and groom! The fifth position goes to Zachary, who is standing behind Malachi. Finally we come to the groom (No. 6) Ethan and his lovely bride, laura. They are right where you expect to find them, 16

in the center of the photo, looking newlywed happy. You can now come up for air – or re-read to make sure you didn’t miss anyone. At this point, Sue and Tom thought six children made for a perfect little family. Each member was contributing their own special amount of good times and bad times, just like any other family. God, however, had the last laugh. Sue had been volunteering at Shriners Hospitals for Children, which specializes in treatment of children with burns. Here they were to meet No. 7, John (age 15) from Bolivia, and No. 8, Joy (age 16) from China. Well, that’s all 20. Whoops, wait, there is one more! Marcus is Sue’s nephew and best man to Ethan. Marcus is standing behind Sue. Phew … now that’s everybody! last, the couple to the right of Tom are Chau and Yong Song. One day at Mass, Sue’s son, John, turned around and spied Chau, a pretty girl! After Mass conversation revealed the young student had walked to church on this cold winter’s day. Sue offered her a ride home. The Miele family began picking Chau up each week and soon she was included in family meals and events. Chau had adopted this family! With joy they all watched Chau meet Yong, fall in love and later marry! Sue Priestle Miele, Seton High School grad, teacher, cancer survivor, is my new superhero! She is truly a woman with a mother’s soul. life has problems and people have pain. But Sue and her husband, Tom, have proven that providing a safe, loving, family-centered environment can help to alleviate many problems and a lot of pain. I N T E RC O M

Spirituality and Sustainability By S. Caroljean Willie, program director

ware of the interconnectedness of all of creation and faithful to its mission to be a center for learning and reflection about living lightly on Earth, EarthConnection has continued to initiate new programs to reach a variety of audiences. The connection between spirituality and sustainability was and continues to be the focus of a series of programs on how different religious traditions are engaging in care for creation. Speakers from the Baha’i, Buddhist and Hindu traditions have shared the wealth of their faith’s sustainability efforts. This is an ongoing program so other faith traditions will be invited to speak throughout the coming months. EarthConnection, the Siste

EarthConnection offers a new program for Girl Scouts inviting troops of all ages to earn the new EC patch.

rs of Charity

onions, and more. Workers at the A new program for Girl Scouts Ofﬁce of Peace, Justice and Care for Creat ion and the SC clinic wash and bag the veggies and Spiri tuality Center invites troops of all ages to come co-sponsored an all-day event at the S. Annie Klapheke, the dietician, to EarthConnection (EC) to earn Motherhouse in April to celebrate Earth provides recipes to the clients. For Day. the new EC patch. Programs are the staff the gardeners include a tailored to meet the needs of the bouquet of fresh fl owers. This past year the volunteer gardeners different age groups. Younger scouts participate in a variety received the Elizabeth Seton Award for their many years of of activities such as an outdoor scavenger hunt, a tour of EC, dedicated service. storytelling, collage-making, and environmental bingo among others. Older scouts learn more about sustainability, alternative In April an all-day event co-sponsored by EC, the Office energies, such as wind, solar and geothermal, and personal of Peace, Justice and Care for Creation and the Spirituality responsibility for environmental sustainability. Programs are Center was held at the Motherhouse to celebrate Earth Day. also offered to troops to earn a variety of Girl Scout badges in Movies, raffles, games, discussions and a prayer service occurred the areas of environmental art, sustainability and gardening. at different times throughout the day. Other programs and Senior troops participate in journeying programs on a variety of movies are offered periodically at the Motherhouse and Mother topics. One troop currently working with EC is concentrating Margaret Hall for those who are interested. on gardening and sustainable agriculture. S. Cj Willie and Sue S. Cj serves on both the Climate Action Committee for DiTullio, administrative assistant, have been invited to attend the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Environmental Action a regional Girl Scout gathering to meet with leaders and share Committee (soon to become the Sustainability Committee) what EC has to offer. for Mount St. Joseph University. One of the initiatives of the Once a month EC offers a movie to stimulate thinking and Archdiocesan Committee is a laudato Si’ recognition program. discussion about current environmental issues. Some of the Award winners this year include both the Sisters of Charity of offerings this year have included: “From the Ashes,” “Plastic Cincinnati and Mount St. Joseph University. Both received a Paradise,” “Age of Consequences,” “An Inconvenient Truth banner acknowledging them as a “laudato Si’ Community” Sequel: Truth to Power,” “Racing Extinction,” and “Seeds: The at a prayer service hosted by Archbishop Dennis Schnurr. Untold Story” among others. The Archdiocese is also producing a video on the work of the committee in which EC is featured. The EC gardeners, under the direction of S. Winnie Brubach, are busy raking, tilling, weeding and planting seeds. For more information about ongoing activities This is a yearly undertaking and all of the produce goes to the at EarthConnection and up-to-date information on clients of the Good Samaritan Free Health Center in lower environmental sustainability visit our website at Price Hill. Produce includes lettuce, kale, spinach, eggplant, www.scearthconnection.org. You can also find us on many types of peppers and squash, tomatoes, okra, garlic, Facebook and Pinterest. VOlUME II, 2018

Ripples â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Joseph Home By Carrie Shoemaker, St. Joseph Home communications and grant manager

acing and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable for 145 years, St. Joseph Home is a nonprofit organization located in Sharonville, Ohio, that serves the support needs of individuals living with developmental disabilities, complex medical needs and whom depend on a wheelchair for mobility. Their services include an Intermediate Care facility that provides a loving home and support for medically complex infants, children and adults in addition to a Respite Service, an Adult Day Program and a Community Home.

Katie and Tom Moosavian found a loving community for their son Tommy to call home in St. Joseph Home, a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.

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Katie, the mother of a St. Joseph Home resident, shares the story of their family’s difficult decision to make St. Joseph Home a permanent residence for their son. My husband, Tom, and I first learned about St. Joseph Home in 2001 after our son, Tommy, spent a number of months in the hospital. Tommy was 5 years old at the time. At that point, we knew that we needed some time away to reconnect with our other children, Matthew, then 7 years of age, and Annie, then 3 years of age. Although we received state-funded nursing care to support Tommy’s medical needs, finding nurses to cover three or four days in a row proved exceptionally challenging and very frustrating. Because of this, our extended family also became very involved in providing care for Tommy at home. While my mother was busy with the day-to-day hands-on care of Tommy, my father began researching various respite centers and residential homes. The search ultimately led us to the Harold C. Schott Respite Center at St. Joseph Home where individuals are eligible to stay for two to 14 days and receive 24/7 state-of-the-art medical care. Guests feel safe and secure while their families rejuvenate and take care of themselves. More than 80 families consistently utilize their services every year.

the St. Joseph Home Adult Day program located in Blue Ash. The Day Program focuses on communication, skill development, discovery/learning and community belonging so that participants are engaged in the community in which they live. This program will continue to provide the social and mental stimulation that Tommy loves as well as actively explore opportunities to make choices on how he can lead a fulfilled life. The care Tommy receives at St. Joseph Home is unsurpassed. Tom and I know that he is deeply loved and valued, not just “managed.” We attribute this deep respect and level of care to the mission of the Sisters of Charity. Their deep history and dedication to love, as Christ did, served unwed mothers and their infants when the Sisters founded St. Joseph Infant and Maternity Home in 1873 and continues, today, to serve medically fragile children and adults. It is so amazing to us that what started as a home for unwed mothers has evolved into the loving community that Tommy, and the rest of us, call home. We are deeply indebted to the foresight, vision and mission of the Sisters of Charity. The face of their mission has changed over the years, and we are confident that it will continue to evolve in order to serve the needs of many others for years to come.

After visiting the Respite Center and meeting with the Respite manager, our family’s hesitation and anxiety about “dropping off ” Tommy were assuaged. Not only were we met with enthusiastic and caring staff, but we were also given the gift of peace and a sense of calm. We knew that St. Joseph Home was different; it felt different the moment we walked in. Using the Respite Center gave us a glimpse into the beautiful and loving community of St. Joseph Home and aided our family in making the decision for the Intermediate Care Facility to become Tommy’s new home in 2007. Because Tommy is so medically fragile, it was decided that he should utilize the school program on campus called the St. Joseph Academy, which is provided curriculum through the Princeton Public School System. Using adaptive head and hand switches, Tommy was able to participate in classroom activities. Mixing cookie dough, sewing and art projects were just a few of the fun and educational activities that Tommy was able to experience. In addition to his schooling, Tommy works with Direct Support Professionals, nurses as well as physical, occupational and respiratory therapists on his personal goals every day. Through much patience and persistence, Tommy was eventually able to turn his head in both directions, one of his biggest achievements yet!

Are you looking for a publication that enables you to remain connected to the Sisters of Charity? Do you want to know where SCs are currently ministering and how their mission continues to thrive? The Sisters of Charity Communications Office is excited to announce we will be launching a new electronic newsletter this summer. Charity Voices will include current feature articles, photos, news and notes and video clips - all related to our Sisters, Associates and the SC mission! Any individual wishing to receive the newsletter directly to your email is asked to contact Erin Reder at erin.reder@srcharitycinti.org. Thank you!

Today, as a 21-year-old, Tommy has officially graduated from St. Joseph Academy and will gradually transition to

VOlUME II, 2018

A School in Kwapia: Envisioning a Future through Education By Megan Simmermeyer, Communications co-op

n March 2018, S. Caroljean (Cj) Willie and Sister of Charity Associate Father John Amankwah traveled to Ghana in anticipation of building a school in Kwapia, a part of Ghana’s Ashanti Region. The idea for the project began during Fr. John’s time as associate chaplain for a Cincinnati council of the Knights of Columbus (K of C). After attending several meetings and hearing about their local activities, he challenged them to expand their sights and look beyond their community. From his interactions with the K of C, Fr. John began to envision developing a library rather than a school in Ghana. But one of the K of C members asked, “What good is a library if people cannot read?” Since 2012/2013, Fr. John began talking to others about building a school in his home country, and in 2014, he created a project board, with himself as president and several Cincinnati west siders, including S. Cj, as board members. Working diligently, they secured recognition from the IRS for their organization as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The next step in developing the school meant traveling to Ghana to secure land for building. Following an initial trip, S. Cj and Fr. John flew back to Ghana this past March for a week to meet again with the chief of Kwapia and church leaders of the area. Their main goal was to secure documents for the 10 acres of land, to ensure it belonged to them. Once all the paperwork for the land is finalized, construction can commence, but the school will have to be completed in phases. Phase one is two-fold, and encompasses both raising funds, as well as actually building the school. According to S. Cj, their goal is to raise about $2 million, which will enable them to build a school with bathrooms, staff quarters, a rec room, and nine classrooms. This phase will cover the basics, and as funds become available, additions to the school can be constructed. First and foremost, however, the land will need to be cleared and fenced. left unfenced, the space is vulnerable to squatters, which S. Cj said was the case when they first visited the site. 20

S. Caroljean Willie and SC Associate Fr. John Amankwah visited with school children at an existing Ghanaian school during their trip in March 2018.

Staffing and building the school is less of a concern for S. Cj and Fr. John. The Sisters of the Holy Spirit, a local religious community, have agreed to staff the school, and the local bishop is on board with the project. To be successful, however, S. Cj said the local lay people need to be a part of the process. “This is to be a cooperative effort involving the chief and the people of the region,” she says. Taking part in the production of this project will also allow the locals to embrace the school within their community, and as S. Cj hopes, it will make it “their school.” Once built, the school will be for kindergarten through senior year of high school, and will serve children within a 10-mile radius. Prior to visiting Ghana, S. Cj had bought school supplies, such as simple maps, flashcards, alphabet charts, and other basics, to share with the local teachers. While visiting a school, she put up a map and asked the children to find the United States, which they pointed out immediately. However, when they were asked to find Ghana, not a single student could. Nor could they point out Africa. S. Cj said the experience made her realize how needed school supplies are, as well as a better school. The teachers’ quarters were under the trees outside, and they had no bathrooms. Though she has worked throughout eastern Africa many years, she said visiting Ghana was very different, albeit enlightening. For Fr. John, the school serves as a source of hope for the country. As a native of Kwapia, he says, “My heart is still there,” and his hopes for the school are “very big.” When he sees the children in the village, he realizes they have no future without education. He himself is thankful for the opportunities he had to receive education through religious Sisters and other charitable organizations, and he wants to ensure these children receive similar opportunities. He says, “If you want to destroy a people, take away their education.” His hope is to build up the children through the school so that they can help themselves and their country. I N T E RC O M

Continuing to Serve: S. Paula Mary Russell brings joy and comfort through music therapy By Katie Drinkuth, Communications summer intern

“P

art of our heritage and mission as Sisters of Charity is to help. Elderly Sisters have been giving all their lives and anything we can do for them is part of Jesus’ ministry,” says S. Paula Mary Russell. She uses her Godgiven gifts of music and baking to bring joy and comfort to her fellow Sisters. Music has always played a role in S. Paula Mary’s life. She began her years of ministry as a music teacher at schools in Ohio and Michigan before attending Michigan State University (East lansing, Michigan) to become a music therapist. Before retiring 10 years ago, the time going by very fast according to S. Paula Mary, she spent 20 years as a music therapist in various nursing homes in the Cincinnati area. Nowadays, S. Paula Mary utilizes her music therapy skills to connect with Sisters S. Paula Mary Russell (right) uses her music therapy skills and the harp to connect with S. Rose Izzo. in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility One experience particularly stands out for S. Paula Mary. (Mount St. Joseph) who have dementia. Sitting together one-on-one, Sister plays old songs and hymns She was playing the harp for a Sister who was dying, and she could tell that the Sister was content to listen. That night, she that many Sisters with memory loss can connect memories passed away and S. Paula Mary treasures the lovely musical of their childhood to. She often uses ear phones and a small connection they had in her final hours. microphone to bring the sound closer to the Sisters so that they can really concentrate on the music. Though it is trial Baking is also a hobby and volunteer opportunity S. Paula and error with what they will or won’t remember, S. Paula Mary adores. When she was 12 years old, her mother taught Mary has fun with them and loves to see their faces light her how to make pies, and she has been baking ever since. up with smiles as they remember the music and begin to Sister and a group of helpers from Assisted living in Mother sing along, mouth the words, or hum. S. Paula Mary recalls Margaret Hall make six pies three times a year: cherry pie one Sister who can no longer talk but she can keep rhythm in February, blueberry pie in the summer, and apple pie in beautifully with the tapping of her hands. October. Although it is a lot of work, S. Paula Mary loves to bake for her fellow Sisters, who go through the pies quickly Recently, S. Paula Mary has been learning to play the and take pieces to their friends. She even bakes special glutenharp, and brings her small Celtic harp with her to play for free desserts. the Sisters. She finds that music often reaches them better than any other form of communication and seeing the signs On specific mornings, S. Paula Mary is “on call” to sit and of serenity and contentment on their faces brings her joy. pray with transitioning Sisters and visits the Sisters living in Sister believes that her relationship with God has also been Mother Margaret Hall whenever she can. For fun, she is in the strengthened through this call to provide company and chimes choir and enjoys living in the Santa Maria house (Mount comfort to her aging Sisters. St. Joseph) with four other Sisters and three fun-loving pets. VOlUME II, 2018

A Journey of the Heart By S. Janet Gildea

“When did you and Ann first share the journey of life and ministry?” S. Florence Cremering has many years of memory to sift through as she considers the question. She and S. Ann Dorenbusch were 10 years apart in age and the first opportunity to meet in ministry to Hispanic Catholics came in the summer of 1976 in Center, Colorado. S. Flo was on mission there, serving alone in an area she describes as a place of “spiritual warfare.” S. Ann arrived to work for some weeks with other religious women as a translator for migrant workers while on summer break from her ministry as a professor of Spanish at the College of Mount St. Joseph (Cincinnati, Ohio). For those who always envision the two SCs together on the journey it is surprising to discover that although their paths were intermittently entwined, they didn’t actually co-labor until 1990. (From left) Sisters Ann Dorenbusch and Florence Cremering’s first opportunity to meet in ministry to S. Ann left academia for the Hispanic Catholics came in the summer of 1976 in Center, Colorado. missions of the altiplano in Peru in 1978. It was long a dream of S. Ann’s to use her fluent Spanish in a pastoral S. Mary Fran. S. Ann invited S. Flo to join her for the new setting. She eventually landed in Ichuña, a remote village high project. Finally the time was right! in the Andes, with S. Mary Frances Boyle. Meanwhile S. Flo “We had complementary gifts. Ann was the linguist and had responded to a call to serve in parish ministry in Vidalia, I was the ‘go-fer,’” S. Florence reflects. “I could organize Georgia. Unbeknownst to each other, Sisters Ann and Mary the cupboards and decorate the liturgical space. She could Fran both wrote to S. Flo inviting her to join them in Ichuña animate the people and lead the programs.” in 1983 but by then S. Flo was settling into a new ministry There were times, however, at San Juan Bautista parish in Hazard, Kentucky. “It just wasn’t the right time,” reflects (later Sagrada Familia) when Fr. David Fallon referred sticky S. Flo, remembering her discernment journey. pastoral situations to S. Flo whose long experience enabled When the time was right for S. Flo, S. Ann was leaving her to untangle them with grace. The two SCs inspired, Peru for sabbatical. In 1988 S. Flo arrived in Ichuña but encouraged, accompanied and welcomed a young woman S. Ann went to Duran, Ecuador, to join S. Ruth Jonas. of the parish to respond to God’s call to vowed life. S. Juana The Spirit blows where it will! When S. Ann was back in the Mendez shared the journey of discernment with Sisters Ann states again she discovered an opportunity for ministry in a and Flo as an Affiliate. After nine years in Cleveland, S. Flo predominantly Puerto Rican parish in Cleveland, Ohio. wrote in her Advent letter to family and friends, “Now, lay S. Flo was on a freighter heading home from Peru with leaders are continuing our ministry. We had many wonderful 22

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despedidas (farewell parties)! We still miss the people that were so much a part of our lives!” She and S. Ann returned to Cincinnati, imagining that the last leg of their journey was in sight. But the Spirit blew again. “We need more Spanish-speaking SCs in El Paso,” I wrote to Sisters Ann and Flo individually in the summer of 1999. Our parish was a complicated mix of Anglo and Hispanic families, wealthy and poor, documented and undocumented. Our clinic in the colonias served them all. We also were beginning to realize a call to serve across the border in Anapra, Mexico, on the outskirts of Juarez. Help! After an initial gracious, “No thank you,” S. Ann Sisters Florence Cremering (center) and Ann Dorenbusch (right) ministered together at San Juan Bautista decided to come and see. With the parish in Cleveland, Ohio. turning of the millennium S. Ann moved to El Paso. S. Flo agreed to come to help her get organized in the house and at Holy Spirit parish. S. Flo returned to the Motherhouse in 2003 but That part of the journey lasted three years! The dynamic responded to our frequent requests to visit and help with duo contributed mightily to the development of the border special projects like packing for the move into our new home project. They helped create a community of welcome called in 2006. She accompanied S. Ann who led a catechetical Casa Caridad, sharing life with women in discernment, program for a mission of the parish in Anapra. “I don’t think teenage refugees from Central America, Associates and many I ever had great missionary gifts but I guess I’m good at other short- and long-term volunteers. community,” S. Flo smiles. Amen to that! When it was time for S. Ann to return to the Motherhouse in 2008 who else but S. Flo would come to help her pack and share the journey home. This time there would be a succession of settlings-in. From Seton Hall to Marian to Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility, Sisters Flo and Ann shared the journey. Eventually cancer and memory loss complicated that journey for S. Ann and so for S. Flo. With grace and leaning mightily on the lord, each evening S. Flo visited S. Ann on the second floor. They would walk to see the finches or watch episodes of television programs again and again. S. Ann, who had suffered much with anxiety during her active years, found some relief with the loss of memory. “I used to worry about everything but now I can’t remember what to worry about!” she quipped. S. Flo smiles as I recall that comment. S. Ann went home to God on Aug. 11, 2014. Now her prayer card is next to the Blessed Mother in S. Flo’s room. In the Spirit, they continue to share a journey of the heart and anticipate with Mother Seton, “Eternity!” (From left) Sisters Florence Cremering and Ann Dorenbusch shared the journey together in life and ministry for nearly 40 years.

VOlUME II, 2018

Sharing Memories with a Dear Friend:

Charles Hinton By Megan Simmermeyer, Communications co-cop

orking with the Sisters of Charity, it is impossible not to be amazed by these powerful, compassionate women. For 40 years, one month, and 13 days, Charles Hinton worked side-by-side with the Sisters at the Motherhouse in Cincinnati, Ohio, and over the years, he got to know and share memories with many of them. When Charles was originally hired by S. Mary Assunta Stang, the Motherhouse was still a farm, and he remembers working alongside his brother to maintain it. Eventually, he joined the Air Force for four years, married, and worked in the Illinois oil fields. When he returned to Cincinnati for his daughter’s health, S. Agnes Rita McDonough offered him a position at the power plant on the Motherhouse campus. He accepted and was once more integrated into the Sisters’ extended family.

On a recent visit to the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse, Charles Hinton and (front row, from left) Sisters Elizabeth Cashman, Dolores Maureen McDonald, (back row, from left) Katie Hoelscher, Roslyn Hafertepe, Barbara Counts, and Cookie Crowley reminisce over lunch.

Over the years, Charles became vital to the maintenance and management of the Motherhouse and its grounds. When he visited in the fall of 2017, many Sisters were eager to see him and reminisce about his years with them. Names of Sisters with whom he had worked came quickly—Sisters Gabrielle Maher, Elise Halloran, Gertrude Ann Deye, Maria Fidelis Ritter, Marge Hahn, Nora Thomas Murphy, Barbara Counts, and others. And he recalled S. Agnes Celestia Schaumleffel, who was the first Sister to drive. During his time as an employee, he had become such a staple to the Community that he had become more than just an employee—he had become family, sharing in the history of the Sisters in an important way.

offer direction; the Sisters knew they could count on him. Charles took charge of smaller projects, too, such as laying the tile in the first floor of the Motherhouse. He had retrieved them from a hotel in downtown Cincinnati, and they remain in the Motherhouse still.

For one, the Sisters trusted his judgement immensely. He often made purchases for them, such as cars and coal. S. Assunta thought nothing of asking Charles to purchase 15-18 cars at a time, and he would travel to West Virginia to find the best prices for coal, as the Motherhouse would use 40 tons each day in the winter.

In fact, many of Charles’ family members had worked for the Sisters. His three brothers—Herman, Bill, and Monty— worked alongside him at the Motherhouse, and his sister, Alice, was head nurse for a time in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility. Mount St. Joseph was affectionately referred to as Hinton Hill due to all the Hintons working with the Sisters. And on Sundays, the family would join the Sisters at Mass in the special section in the chapel reserved for employees.

Not only did Charles make purchases for the Sisters, but they trusted him to oversee multiple construction projects. For instance, in the early 1960s, he acted as overseer for the building of Fatima Hall for the large number of younger Sisters joining the Community. Later, when they encountered issues with the building of the St. Elizabeth Residence in Colorado Springs, Charles was asked to fly to Colorado to 24

Over the years, Charles acted as more than just an overseer. When a Sister broke her hip in South Bend, Indiana, they called Charles to pick her up, which he did in a borrowed hearse from Gilligan’s Funeral Home. Another time, Charles was called to remove a cow from the lobby of Bayley. It seemed there was nothing Charles wouldn’t do for the Sisters, and he said, “When we were working for the Sisters, it was like family.”

Throughout his time with the Sisters, Charles felt as though he were part of a much larger family, and whenever he visits since retiring, the Sisters greet him effusively and gather in the dining rooms to reminisce over their shared memories and rich history. I ntercom

Traveling the Path: Getting to Know Our SC Spiritual Directors

S. Montiel Rosenthal By Carolyn Kesterman, Communications intern

How would you define spiritual direction? I define spiritual direction as walking with a person in terms of their journey with God. It’s not so much directing – that’s an older term – but more reflecting back to them their own experience in light of a focused attempt at their getting to know God more deeply in their lives.

How did you begin this ministry? I was interested in spiritual direction for a number of years, and have gone for spiritual direction since entering the Community. More focused training and attention on spiritual direction came out of a need from my experience as a missionary in Armenia and working with Armenians and other missionaries who were working there. There was a perceived need for spiritual direction, and it largely didn’t exist. I then went through the Vincentian training program for spirituality in the workplace, which was based in Princeton, New Jersey. Most of our training in spiritual direction happened longitudinally, but we came together for more focused sessions during that training period.

Your bio mentions that you have interests in Near Eastern Spirituality and Spirituality in Medicine. Can you describe these and explain how you might use them in spiritual direction? I have an interest in Near Eastern Spirituality coming out of my experience in Armenia. It’s not terribly different from what we consider Western or Christian spirituality; they have very common roots, but they also have a unique expression of that. That uniqueness is certainly connected with the Armenian liturgy, whether it’s in its apostolic form or its

VOlUME II, 2018

Catholic form, but also there’s a different perspective based on culture, history, and people’s lived experience. I’m also a family physician, and the way that people’s sense of who they are and how they’re called to be is also an integral part of their health and wellbeing. Aspects of spiritual direction definitely come into play many times in a day at varying levels with different folks who I administer to as their physician.

What do you like to know about a person when they begin meeting with you? Usually what I do when I meet with someone for the first time is talk about their hopes and expectations in terms of spiritual direction, a little bit of my experience, and what I bring into our time together. I’d like to know a little bit about their past that informs their decisions. There are very different styles of spiritual direction, and some that folks have never heard of but may be open to. There are also folks who have a clear agenda or a set of goals that they bring to that, and it may be prayerful intention in terms of dealing with a particular issue in their life.

What is most rewarding for you in this ministry? It’s humbling in that I’m not the person doing this. Certainly I hope that I serve as an agent of God in the sense of being a conduit or a reflector, but I’m not in charge. I hope that for my directees, I’m a conduit for helping God break open in their life. To come to see a growth in a person over time is very rewarding. It’s a big part of who I am.

Timeless Treasures By S. Judith Metz

rom the time of their arrival in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1865 the Sisters who were missioned to the West both trembled with fear of Indian attacks and railed against the injustices being committed against them. In their ministries they had encounters with both the Plains Indians and the Pueblo Indians. In Trinidad, Colorado, the Ute Tribe was often “on the warpath” because they were being pushed off and cheated out of their lands. The Sisters strove to maintain good relations with them, and some attended Holy Trinity School. In a time of crisis S. Blandina Segale turned to a former “level-headed” student for assistance, remarking that “In my estimation a good Indian is the best ally in an emergency.” Because there was a government Indian School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Sisters were invited to teach Christian Doctrine there. Instead they arranged for the students to come to San Felipe on Sunday to attend Mass and receive their instructions. The Apache tribal leaders invited S. Blandina to come to them and teach the women and children of the tribe, but she was not given permission because there was too much to do at the Sisters’ already established missions. Disappointed, she noted, “To go to the Apaches would be the height of my earthly happiness.”

he waited for her. When they shook hands, he held on to hers, waiting for Sister to go with him to his pueblo. When she explained that she could not go, he replied, “But why was she so good to me and cured me? Does that not mean she would live with me and my people?’” From these early days onward the Sisters of Charity continued their ministry with Native Americans in New Mexico and Colorado. For more details and additional stories, see S. Blandina Segale’s At the End of the Santa Fe Trail.

learning of deceit and dishonesty by Indian agents sometimes propelled the Sisters to action. In one case Sisters Pauline leo and Blandina set off on a trip to investigate charges of fraud being perpetrated against Hopi Indians living in the Mojave Desert. When they arrived at a railroad construction camp they came upon an impending attack by the Apaches precipitated by behavior of some of the Americans. S. Blandina determined that she would try to talk to Indians. “With her teeth chattering and her knees knocking,” she raised her crucifix from her rosary and walked out to meet the warriors. Affirming that she was the Sister their chief had invited to teach their women and children, S. Blandina assured them that justice would be done. Gaining their trust, she was able to avert the attack. Sisters of Charity taught Indian students at San Felipe and St. Mary’s School and Saint Vincent Academy in Albuquerque, and sometimes doctors “would send very sick Indians from the nearby pueblos” to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Santa Fe “hoping that science and good nursing might help cure them.” One patient from Santo Domingo Pueblo was nursed by S. Mary de Sales leheney who was tender and attentive in caring for him. When he was discharged 26

For her friendship, S. Blandina Segale was given this handcarved crucifix from a Native American woman.

While the origin of this painting in the SC Archives is unknown, Archivist S. Judith Metz believes it came to Mount St. Joseph by way of a Sister who ministered in the Southwest. I N T E RC O M

Margaret George:

The White Rose By S. Judith Metz

eginning in September 1849, when the Sisters of Charity received word that their community was to be joined to the French Daughters of Charity in Paris, there was anxiety and unrest on the Cincinnati mission. Poems appear in S. Margaret George’s diary with opening lines such as, “There’s nothing bright above, below” and “There’s midnight gloom about my path.” In one of the most poignant verses that appear, dated July 12, 1851, Margaret uses the white rose as a symbol of the community as it was bequeathed by Elizabeth Seton. At a 1993 gathering of Sisters of Charity, the late S. Carita Kemble responded to Margaret.

A Response

But wait, gentle Margaret, The gardener is here. He sees the rose drooping And gently draws near. He tenderly plucks her But plants her once more To bloom in bright splendor On Ohio’s fair shore.

Intercom is the official 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 275 Sisters are joined in their mission by 203 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 20 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 Buchanan S. Mary Ann Flannery S. Tracy Kemme 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

And there she will flourish. Your prayer has been heard. Your sorrow’s now banished; No death she’s incurred. The dark night you suffered Has given her strength She’s braced by the storm’s might You’ve triumphed at length. Alleluia. VOlUME II, 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

6 A small group of Sisters of Charity and one SC Associate were part of a Catholic-led effort to persuade lawmakers to protect undocumented immigrants, Dreamers, who were brought to this country as children.

15 Donated food and personal care supplies are collected for the Sisters of Charity Lenten Collection For Our Migrant Neighbors, coordinated by the Office of Peace, Justice and Care for Creation.

S. Caroljean Willie and SC Associate Father John Amankwah travel to Ghana in anticipation of building a school in Kwapia.