In T e RCOM

COnTenTS

Features

Following Her Heart ......................... 6-8 S.Andrea Koverman professes final vows. Golden Opportunities...........................9 S. Teresa Dutcher reflects on 50 years as a Sister of Charity. Loving Relationships ..................... 14-15 S.Mary Ann Donovan celebrates her 70th anniversary. Justice Through Action.................. 20-21 S.Louise Lears’ ministry of action and advocacy. If You Build It, They Will Come ... 26-27 Sisters of Charity enjoy Motherhouse community garden. A Century Blessed......................... 28-29 S.Mary Loyola Mathia celebrates 100th birthday.

Departments

Timeless Treasures ............................. 4-5 S.Blandina Segale bust gifted to Sisters of Charity. earthConnection.................................24 Caring for Our Common Home OPJCC ...............................................25 The Pursuit of Justice and Peace

on the Cover: Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Andrea Koverman professed perpetual vows with the Community during a prayer service on Aug. 14, 2021 in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. Read more on pages 6-8. 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. Dear Sisters, Associates and Friends,

Our winter months have arrived and the sun sets earlier each day. In this edition of Intercom we will reflect back on the sunny days of late summer, the beautiful colors of fall and our congregation coming together to celebrate.

Looking back to the year 2020-’21, we have lived through many experiences as a result of our global pandemic. Celebrations were few and far between, but with the vaccine we attempted to get back to more normal activities. On occasion, though, we donned our beautiful masks to be safe, but overall our lives are beginning to look more hopeful. The vaccine brought us more security against the COVID-19 virus and a whole new look at life. The vaccine is truly a game changer.

We had more opportunities to come together and celebrate in 2021 – and celebrate we did! S. Andrea Koverman professed her final vows at a beautiful ceremony in our Motherhouse chapel in August. You will find stories of some of our Sisters celebrating their significant Jubilees. S. Teresa Dutcher headed up our cast of stars celebrating her 50th Jubilee, followed by celebrations for Sisters reaching their 60th, 65th, 70th, 75th milestones, and at the top of the all-star cast was S. Rita Schmutte, celebrating her 80th Jubilee. In total, these 42 Sisters marked 2,815 years of service, dedication and commitment as Sisters of Charity. To bring the weekend celebrations together, we topped it off with a boat ride down the Ohio River. That weekend put a new spin on the year we had just lived through. One Sister in Mother Margaret Hall said to me, “We really are alive.”

Celebrations and gratitude to lives of service are featured in additional articles included in the magazine: religious communities of both women and men coordinated a special service day, “Let Your Service Shine,” to commemorate the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s 200th anniversary; S. Mary Loyola Mathia celebrated her 100th birthday; and Sisters and Associates came together in Trinidad, Colorado to take part in the dedication of the Sister Blandina Wellness Gardens.

I invite you to enjoy the many pictures, words and celebrations included in this issue of Intercom. They are truly life-giving.

S.Patricia Hayden, SC, Sisters of Charity president

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.Jeannette Cochran

November 8, 2021

S.Barbara Jean Maniaci

November 7, 2021

S.Mary Frances Boyle

November 5, 2021

S.Kathleen Stang

October 16, 2021

S.Rose Cheng

October 1, 2021

S.Maria Dolorata Felix

September 5, 2021

S.Frances Maureen Trampiets

August 11, 2021

People of Hope

By S. Monica Gundler

“The future enters into us, in order to transform itself in us, long before it happens.” Rainer Marie Rilke

This quote was part of a talk given by Sister of Charity Maryanna Coyle more than 20 years ago. She also reminded the gathered assembly that we were “not too old, too tired or too few” as even then we were aware of the shifting realities confronting religious life.

In those days the talk of diminishment was part of the lexicon like “paradigm shift.” We knew it at a head level, but it had not yet entered our vision up close and personal. Today as so many congregations are living through completion and fulfillment, we too are much more attuned to our vulnerability as well as our ever-changing landscape.

Our shifts over the past two years have included the demolition of Seton Hall, the relocation of offices, the closing of our campus due to the global pandemic, the death of many of our members when we were unable to gather, as well as the global realities of climate change, migration, and economic upheaval all over the world. Our own country has also endured the unimaginable assault on the Capitol, racism that has been as much of a plague as the pandemic, and the overwhelming needs of our people and the planet for deep change in how we live on earth.

Yet, with all of this, we move on, for we are people of hope even in these days. We continue our commitment to mission and ministry with a new physical structure, the La Casa del Sol Ministry Center, and our work with immigrants in collaboration with WIn. Our Spirituality Center has endured even the time of separation to continue to companion others. Our Sisters and Associates have found creative ways to minister and gather even in these challenging months. Those on mission in Texas, Colorado, new Mexico, Montana, Michigan, Louisiana, Ohio and Guatemala have continued to serve the people of God with dedication and “love inventive unto infinity” as St. Vincent de Paul reminds us.

We have also been involved in our own participation in the LCWR emerging Future process. The initiative was created to “support institutes of women religious as we explore together how collectively to organize for mission at a time of dramatic change. The initiative provides a path into the future marked by collaboration and creativity, as well as support and solidarity.”

We have participated in conversations in person and via Zoom and have also made a significant contribution to help resource the process. Themes of our conversations expressed great hope as well as the desire to address our own racism, embrace and learn more about interculturality, and letting the new emerge.

The Sisters of Charity Federation is engaging in collaboration through the formation of a new Vocation team and co-directors of a Formation team. Sisters Tracy Kemme and Lois Goettke are our members of each team as well as “home” formators. In addition, there is a new Collaborative Intercongregational novitiate launching this fall in Chicago, Illinois, in collaboration with the Religious Formation Conference. S. nancy Gerth, SCn, is one of the directors. This is a new step in emerging collaboration across the SC Federation and in religious life.

In the latest edition of the LCWR’s Occasional Papers, S.Joan Chittister says, “Women today feel a very serious call to the spiritual life and are seeking to become their best self, live a happy community life and do productive ministry. We have to be able to let go of the reins and open our arms and love those coming to us, form them, talk seriously to them, and then let go and ask them what they want to do and how they will do it in a way that serves the lives of others.”

We have had two Sisters, Tracy Kemme and Andrea Koverman, profess their final vows and one, Annie Klapheke, who will soon join them. We have another, Romina Sapinoso, preparing for final vows and still another, Whitney Schieltz, in temporary vows and two more, Karina Montes and Cassady Allen, who are in the pre-entrance process. We are truly blest with these wonderful women of Charity.

They are joining religious life in a time of great change, much as those who came after Vatican II over 50 years ago entered at a time when the future was uncertain, exciting and challenging. God continues to call and generous hearts continue to respond. The journey to the future begins in the present moment. “Hazard yet Forward!”

Sisters of Charity and SC pre-entrants were among those attending the Vincentian Family Gathering in October to deepen relationships and explore racial equity.