Timeless Treasures S. Adele Clifford’s portrait

Timeless Treasures

By S. Judith Metz

S. Adele Clifford’s portrait, created by S. Augusta Zimmer, confirms the testimonies of her colleagues. One spoke of her as “a woman of keen intelligence, remarkable ability, and thorough dedication to her vocation and profession: a woman of faith, of prayer; a woman of action and courage, shrouded in apparent meekness and gentleness.”

A Sister-companion called her “a true friend, gentle, concerned for everyone she met, and gracious to all.” Another described her as “quietly, unobtrusively, meekly, courteously – as on tiptoe – she went through life.” S. Adele did live an unobtrusive life until she was thrust into the spotlight by succeeding S. Maria Corona Molloy as president of the College of Mount St. Joseph at the age of 61.

Educated by the Sisters of Charity at St. Mary’s Elementary and High School in Chillicothe, Ohio, Mary Clifford then attended a year at the College of Mount St. Joseph before entering the Community in 1925. She spent her early years teaching at schools in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Springfield in Ohio, and Royal Oak, Michigan, before teaching mathematics at Mount St. Joseph Academy. In 1942 S. Adele joined the faculty of the College of Mount St. Joseph where her students admired and sought to emulate her “highly professional teaching,” and credited her with having a great effect on their own careers. All the while she was pursuing an undergraduate degree in mathematics, and advanced degrees in biology from Fordham University in New York. She also did post-doctoral research at Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Appointed president of the college in 1967, S. Adele assumed leadership in an era of student unrest, spiraling expenses, and declining enrollment for many private liberal arts colleges and universities. Helping the college meet these challenges, she appointed the Mount’s first lay academic dean, and reorganized the admissions staff. In addition, she set new directions in financial management, formed a tri-partite council of student-faculty-administration to advise her in setting directions for the college, and established an associate board of lay trustees. On the academic side, S. Adele oversaw major curriculum changes, appointed a director of continuing education, and approved the establishment of degree programs in religious studies and early childhood education. Looking to the future, she approved the installation of a computer terminal facility that provided all students with the option of learning basic computer programming.

After five years in the president’s office, S. Adele was ready to return to her beloved biology lab. When asked what she would do on her last day as president in 1972, she replied, “I think I’ll probably get up from my desk, walk out the door, and close it very slowing behind me.” Her response exemplifies a tribute written at the time of her death, when retired professor Thomas Seibert said of her, “She always seemed independent of the positions she held and of the successes she achieved. … She was unfailingly kind, always willing to listen to other people, always genuine in her support and positive in her suggestions – and of course, always ready with a smile.” S. Adele Clifford’s portrait hangs in the Clifford Room of the Seton Center at Mount St. Joseph University.

Charity Family

S. ANNIE KLAPHEKE RENEWS TEMPORARY VOWS

Members of the Visitation House hosted a small group of Sisters, including the SC leadership Team, on Dec. 1, 2019, for the renewal of temporary vows of S. Annie Klapheke (front row, right). The group gathered in prayer and a shared meal to celebrate the occasion.

ST. JOSEPH ORPHANAGE CELEBRATES SISTERS OF CHARITY

St. Joseph Orphanage (SJO) recognized the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati on Oct. 24, 2019, during SJO’s “A Night under the Stars” Gala. The gala celebrated SJO’s 190th anniversary and also honored the Sisters of Charity, who founded the organization in 1829, and as a result of their efforts, thousands of children over many decades received the care and education they needed to thrive. During the presentation St. Joseph Orphanage CEO Eric Cummins presented a glass sculpture to S. Mary Catherine Faller, chair of the SJO Board, that is inscribed: “Thank You, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. Founding a Haven of Hope for Children in Crisis.” (From left) Sisters Cookie Crowley and Mary Catherine Faller hold the sculpture and garden tile presented to the Sisters of Charity at St. Joseph Orphanage’s October 2019 gala.

S. PAT HILL NAMED SPECIAL CAREGIVER BY ARCHDIOCESE

S. Pat Hill was honored by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati at a special caregiver recognition Mass, called the White Mass, at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral on Nov. 17, 2019. The White Mass is an annual celebration honoring those who work or volunteer as caregivers in our community. S. Pat has volunteered for many years at St. Clement Parish where she serves the homebound.

(From left) S. Barbara Busch, executive director of WIN, and S. Sally Duffy at the Working In Neighborhoods Hall of Fame dinner.

S. SALLY DUFFY HONORED

S. Sally Duffy was one of three inductees into the Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) Hall of Fame on Nov. 18. As co-chair of the Cincinnati Child Poverty Collaborative, S. Sally was recognized as a WIN collaborator in the elimination of child poverty. For 41 years WIN has empowered people to make informed choices for themselves and their neighborhoods through community building, home ownership and economic learning. In January S. Sally also received the 2020 Exemplar Award from the Notre Dame Club of Greater Cincinnati at its Family Mass and Brunch. According to its newsletter, “[B]efore discerning her vocation with the Sisters of Charity, [S. Sally] served as Notre Dame’s second women’s basketball coach while a graduate student at the university. She went on to a stellar career providing resources, strategic vision/guidance and spiritual leadership to many initiatives both locally and across the country that have improved conditions for the most vulnerable and underserved populations …”

S. JUDITH METZ RECEIVES ST. ELIZABETH SETON MEDAL

The Mount St. Joseph university community honored S. Judith Metz on Nov. 6, 2019, with the St. Elizabeth Seton Medal. The honor was established in 1996 to recognize the educational legacy of the Sisters of Charity and is presented annually to a woman who has made outstanding contributions to theology. The award presentation included a lecture by S. Judy, titled “Elizabeth Seton: My Heart Stirred for the Word of God.” S. Judy is a historian and writer; her ministries have included archival/historical research and writing, instructing, board appointments and community service.

(From left) S. Patricia Hayden, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati president, S. Judith Metz, Dr. John Trokan. Photo courtesy of Don Denney.

COLORADO GOVERNOR RECOGNIZES S. PATRICIA HAYDEN

Congratulations to Sisters of Charity President S. Patricia Hayden, who was honored by the State of Colorado for faithfully serving its people for more than 27 years as an educator, chaplain and hospital administrator. Colorado Governor Jared Polis proclaimed Nov. 20, 2019 as Sister Patricia Hayden Day, saying Sister acted as a beacon for Colorado communities and inspired lives led in service of others. S. Pat most recently ministered as the vice president of mission integration at St. Anthony Health Campus in Westminster, Colorado, before being elected to serve as president of her Community.

WELCOME NEW ASSOCIATES

The Sisters of Charity welcomed Agnes Patrick and Patricia Traver to the Community as Associates in Mission. The Colorado Springs community of Sisters and Associates celebrated the occasion with a commitment ceremony on Jan. 5, 2020 in the chapel at Penrose Hospital.

GIVING VOICE HOSTS WEEKEND RETREATS

Giving Voice 20s and 30s Retreat Sisters Tracy Kemme, Annie Klapheke and Whitney Schieltz joined Catholic peers in their 20s and 30s for a weekend of community, prayer and relaxation. This year’s Giving Voice 20s and 30s Retreat, held in Phoenix, Arizona, focused on the theme “Friendship With God: A Sending.”

Giving Voice 40s Retreat Fifteen Sisters in their 40s from 11 congregations and 12 countries came together in Seal Beach, California, for the Giving Voice 40s Retreat. Sister of Charity Romina Sapinoso joined the women for an energizing weekend fi lled with wisdom and love.

Tracing Christ’s Footsteps through Time

By AJ Keith, Communications intern

Mark Twain once said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme,” and the history of the Sisters of Charity has always been defi ned by its compassion and capacity for good to others. This history is preserved by the Sisters of Charity’s Archives, which has been praised for its organizational skills and service-oriented team of volunteers that cover a variety of topics. The SC Archives has a thorough work ethic to remember the Sisters that laid the groundwork for what the Congregation is today, which benefi ts the Community daily and remains an uplifting place to serve.

In the past, managing the Archives of the Sisters of Charity was the responsibility of the Secretary of the Congregation, but only to monitor the missions and achievements of its members. When the position of Archivist was formally created, it was succeeded by notable Sisters throughout time, including S. Judith Metz who retired in May 2016. Not only was she renowned by her peers in the offi ce, but S. Judith was even commended by many others for her work as the Archivist for the Sisters of Charity. “Dan Hurley, a journalist at WKRC in Cincinnati, Ohio, was the convener for a panel that I attended and when he was introducing me, he stated that the SC Archives was one of the best in the region,” S. Judith says. While it is atypical to have multiple people working in one Archives offi ce, the retired Sisters of Charity who serve there do so because of their desire to help. Because many of the workers in the offi ce are Sisters retired from active ministry, the “staff” is actually made up mostly of volunteers, each with their respective responsibilities. The only current employee of the offi ce is Veronica Buchanan who originally worked for the Archivists for Congregations of Women Religious, or ACWR, in 2013. After three years of seeing the Sisters twice a week, Veronica became enamored by the ministries and atmosphere of the Community. Veronica has been working for the Sisters of Charity for two years and is grateful for the volunteer staff’s work. “Everyone in the offi ce encompasses a role,” Veronica says. “They’re doing oral histories, artifact inventories and processing photos. It’s rare to have this many people on board and we’re lucky to have everyone.” in their work. Former English educator S. Victoria Marie Forde’s work researching S. Blandina Segale, whose cause for sainthood is currently open in Rome, eventually landed her a position in transcribing the oral histories of the Sisters. In addition, S. Joyce Brehm has been offering her services to the offi ce for more than a decade. Her work initially involved fi nding the ministries of deceased Sisters by looking at their fi le, but she had noticed that there were some things that needed to be done beyond that. She is currently involved with downloading video and audio into a digital form, a project that she undertook when she considered the benefi ts of doing it. Other Sisters in the offi ce, such as S. Sheila Gallagher, apply skills that were required in previous ministries. S. Sheila’s work in an alumni offi ce at Holy Name High School in Parma Heights, Ohio, taught her to organize fi les and navigate computers. This greatly aided her in transcribing a list of the missions of each Sister of Charity in each year of the Congregation’s existence. S. Sheila began this project when she was researching the names of Sisters who used to minister at Holy Name, then was asked to assemble a list for other schools. She eventually decided to make an exhaustive list for each Sister of Charity since the Congregation’s beginning. “I’m currently on the year 1932,” S. Sheila says about her progress. (Front row) S. Joyce Brehm, (Back row, from left) Veronica Buchanan, S. Pat McQuinn and S. Sheila Gallagher are a few of the valued members of the Sisters of Charity Archives.

Volunteering in this offi ce does not require any historian or archival background, but this does not deter the volunteers from achieving the utmost quality and professionalism The methods of documenting the ministries of the Sisters of Charity have evolved as rapidly as the Sisters have taken up new services. Taking note of these services has

Archivist Veronica Buchanan leads the staff of Sisters in preserving the history of the Sisters of Charity.

been documented carefully by S. Mary lucia Dudzinski, who gathers documents and sorts fi les for the Archives to make them readily available. In addition to this method, it is only natural that Archives took the next step to trace the Sisters in time: digitizing their materials. S. Pat McQuinn is at the forefront of this effort as she is in charge of scanning photos to make them digitally accessible, which has become vital to the success of other parts of the Congregation. “Before I knew it, I had boxes and boxes of photos to scan!” S. Pat says.

This group has made the Archives a pillar of the Congregation because of their constant updates to their materials and their partnerships with the other offi ces of the SC Motherhouse. Collaborating with the SC Communications Offi ce has been one of the functions of the Archives, as their materials can offer story ideas for both print and electronic media. The creation of social media has allowed the offi ces to collaborate and make weekly posts such as Memory Monday, Throwback Thursday or Flashback Friday. “I frequently collaborate on projects with Archives,” says Michelle Bley, the graphic designer of the SC Communications Offi ce. “They are always ready to help and share their knowledge with me. Our combined skills produce a more successful outcome.”

Preserving the past acts as a preferred method of ensuring a sound future, the rich history of the Sisters of Charity is one of many ways to honor the memory and spirit of the Sisters who have died. Because of this, the offi ce has found its way to pay tribute to the late Sisters. Perhaps S. Joyce’s favorite part of her service is compiling past footage of Sisters with dementia or depression. Sisters with these affl ictions tend to respond to these videos happily as seeing themselves in video and pictures of their ministries creates a feeling of nostalgia. “I’ve made six videos in a month for Sisters who have dementia,” S. Joyce says. “They can be seven or eight minutes long, but it means a lot to them. Seeing them perk up and smile is worth it.”

To the staff of the Archives, the most admirable quality of the previous Sisters was their strong faith. In fact, Veronica felt so inspired by these women that she eventually became an Associate of the Congregation. Not only has the offi ce been a source of inspiration for Veronica, but it has also been a source of great joy to them due to the energy and rapport of the entire volunteer staff. “We used to go to national meetings for Archives,” S. Victoria says. “One year the materials we received stated that the Archives of each congregation trace Christ’s footsteps through time. That really put into perspective for me the gravity of what I was doing in Archives and something that we all live by.”

The Congregation can rest assured that preserving the history of the Sisters of Charity is a responsibility placed in capable hands. History is being made each day by the Congregation and the Archives staff is careful to document it so as to inspire future Sisters of Charity the same way that they were inspired.

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 245 Sisters are joined in their mission by 204 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 18 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. Monica Gundler

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

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

5900 Delhi Road Mount Saint Joseph, OH 45051

http://www.srcharitycinti.org www.facebook.com/sistersofcharityofcincinnati

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S. Joyce Richter (left) is one of the many Sisters of Charity and SC Federation Sisters attending the November 2019 Nuns Build in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Archives volunteer S. Pat McQuinn has spent many years making the Archives photo collection more digitally accessible.

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S. Bernadette Kambeitz (center) celebrated her 100th birthday in December alongside many close friends and Charity Family.

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