USA Province Bulletin - June/July 2016

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters called by the Spirit • embracing the world PROVINCE BULLETIN

Vol. XV No. 5—USA–JUNE-JULY 2016

Hello from Antigua!

Sr. Arnolda Kavanamur joined our community in Antigua on Sunday, July 10.

She is enjoying the beautiful weather and sends a warm hello to everyone!

A Fond Farewell!

We express our deepest gratitude to our MaZ volunteers, Ms. Fabienne Fritzsching and Ms. Riccarda Bodlak for spending some time in our communities and helping in our ministries.

Riccarda stayed in our St. Kitts community from August 20, 2015 and went back to her home in Austria on July 12, 2016.

On September 13, 2015, Fabienne joined our community in Rogers Park and volunteered at the HSLLC. She left HSLLC on July 6, 2016 and spent some days with her family sightseeing in the US. She returned to her home in Germany with her family.

Sr. Dominika Sinaga, who finished her master’s degree in Pastoral Studies at the Catholic Theological Union, returned to Jawa, Indonesia on August 3, 2016. Thank you Sr. Dominika for sharing your gifts and talents with us. We wish you many blessings ahead!

August Birthdays 03 Sr. Patricia Snider 15 Sr. Leonette 18 Sr. Monica, Zhang Yan Ling 25 Sr. Margaret Hansen - CLT 29 Sr. Anita Marie You are a blessing and gift from God to us all!

Happy Birthday!

Congratulations!

Sr. Yina Ni celebrated her sixth renewal of vows on May 28, 2016.

On June 26, Sr. Skolastika Wea renewed her fifth vows.

Both celebrations were held at the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Northfield, IL. We continue to pray for both Sisters and may God fill them with hope, joy and happiness.

Home Leaves Sr. Angelica Oyarzo Chavol left for Chile on June 19 and will come back August 26.

Sr. Alexis Tjahjani left on July 20 for Indonesia and will return to Northfield, IL on September 20. She will stay at the Holy Spirit Convent for a few days and return to Antigua on September 23.

We pray for safe and wonderful trips. May they have a blessed time with family and friends at home.

Blessings Sr. Monica Patricia Darrichon participated in the World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland, from July 25 to July 31, 2016. Fr. Tony Romo, SVD and Sr. Monica are accompanying a youth group from Memphis TN. Sr. Yuliana Meno left for Jamaica on August 1, 2016. Her main ministry will be at Our Lady of the Assumption Prep School. We wish her many blessings on her new country, community, and ministry.

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Appointments The following are PLT appointments for Local Leadership: Convent of the Holy Spirit, Northfield, IL Local Leader: Sr. Judith Vallimont Councilors: Sr. Anita Marie Gutierrez Sr. Dorota Maria Piechaczek Our Lady of the Angelus Convent, New York Local Leader: Sr. Gretta Fernandes

Sr. Agathe Bramkamp was appointed as the Tertianship Directress. She will journey with our Sisters as they prepare for their lifelong commitment to God as Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit.

Sr. Monica Zhang received a part-time appointment to the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center. Currently, she is in Waukegan and studying (part-time), at Carthage College, WI.

Junior Sisters’ Seminar: Weaving Our Lives in Mercy We, eight sisters who are in temporary vows, are blessed to have had a seminar “Weaving Our Lives in Mercy” in Northfield on June 1318, 2016. Sr. Rose Therese Nolta and Sr. Angelica Oyarzo Chavol prepared the program so that we could reflect, share and encourage each other on how God weaves our lives and how we could continue to grow during this Jubilee Year of Mercy.

A practical exercise, yet reflective, which we had in the beginning was to create a piece of handloom. A very important message that came through this activity is that God is the master weaver. We experienced how God takes time to weave our lives, but surely, God creates the good and beautiful in everything.

On the second day, we were led into a recollection by Fr. Ed Peklo, SVD. Fr. Ed wonderfully shared his personal stories of mercy and listened to our stories. As we listened to each other, we grew in a deeper sense of awe and appreciation of Jesus who reflects the merciful face of our God. On the third and fourth days, Sr. Emmie Vas, SSpS, shared the missionary spirituality of our congregation. We are very grateful for her generosity in sharing her rich wisdom and experience. As she presented the spirituality of

Backrow L-R: Srs. Uloma Akpa, Sara Guardado, Rebecca Chaan, Claudia Paola Benitez, Fr. Ed Peklo, Srs. Yina Ni, Rose Therese Nolta Front Row L-R: Srs. Clara Machimura, Skolastika Wea, and Elsa Loekito

our founder, we realized the missionaryfocused personality in St. Arnold Janssen who served God’s mission in prayerful and practical ways.

As St. Arnold inspires us to be missionaries today, Ms. Arantxa Martinez and Sr. Angelica shared the struggles women are facing due to abuse and cultural repression. In our responses to these realities, we join our hearts and hands into the tapestry of God’s mercy in our world.

May the heart of Jesus live in our hearts! Vivat!

Sr. Elsa Loekito, SSpS

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Fulfilled with Gratitude to God

Sr. Yina Ni with Sr. Mónica Balbuena

I made my first vows five years ago in China.

On the same day, May 28th this year I renewed my sixth vows in the U.S. Filled with gratitude to God, to our Congregation and to my parents, my heart experiences joy and peace. To grasp the beauty of our vowed life, I was encouraged to visit the Vatican website and click on the letter of Pope John Paul II, Vita Consecrate. It is truly a masterpiece. Consecrated life is deeply rooted in the example and teaching of Jesus. It is a gift of God the Father to the Church through the Holy Spirit. Through the profession of our religious vows, the characteristic features of Jesus, the chaste, poor, and obedient One, are made constantly visible in the world. In every age, there have been men and women who, called by God and obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, have chosen this special way of following Christ in order to devote themselves to Him with an undivided heart. Like the Apostles, they have left everything behind in order to be with Christ, at the service of God and the Church.

Since I entered religious life, the spirituality of the Trinity has become the essential practice in my daily life. John Paul II said “A spirituality of communion indicates above all the heart’s contemplation of the mystery of the Trinity dwelling within us and whose light we must also be able to see shining on the faces of the brothers and sisters around us.” I was taught that my congregation’s spirituality and mission-

ary charism are rooted in the mystery of divine communion-the Blessed Trinity. Furthermore, St. Arnold Janssen, founder of our congregation, emphasized a deep appreciation of the dignity and beauty of every person and “the value and dignity of souls,” who are made in God’s image and for whom Jesus died.

I am very impressed by the Protestant theologian Jürgen Moltmann’s arguments about the economic Trinity. He points out that if one follows Rahner’s axiom that “the economic Trinity is the immanent Trinity, and vice versa,” and “if God is a community of Father, Son and Spirit, whose unity is constituted by mutual indwelling and reciprocal interpenetration,” then “we find the earthly reflection of this divine sociality, not in the autocracy of a single

ruler but in the democratic community of free people, not in the lordship of man over woman but in their equal mutuality, not in an ecclesiastical hierarchy but in a fellowship church.” He proposes the social doctrine as the authentic Christian antidote to “monotheism” viewed as having long been used to justify domination and repression through monarchical, hierarchical, and patriarchal systems in government, church, and human relations. I personally consider that the Protestant theologian Jürgen Moltmann’s arguments about the economic Trinity are excellent. These arguments show me (Continued on page 5)

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Fulfilled with Gratitude to God (cont.) how big the gap is between knowledge of Trinity and practice. In my congregation, sisters repeat many times that Jesus reveals to us the Blessed Trinity as a model of dialogue that is based on love, solidarity and respect for diversity. However, when I read the SSpS 14th General Chapter mission secretary report, I realize that my congregation is facing a reality that there are many challenges to live out the spirituality of the Blessed Trinity. It is not very easy for us to hold love, solidarity and respect for diversity. This experience actually helps me to understand more about our Catholic Church. We may have a very nice and rational doctrine about Trinity, but there is still a long journey to follow the wonderful model of Trinity.

Sr. Mary Magdalene, Yina Ni , SSpS

Province Days Our Province Days have always been a time for me to get back in orbit with the Sisters whom I have admired and now seeing them in admiration of what we all have accomplished starting with our dear Foundress Mother Leonarda.

This year we were taken back into the time zone of billions years ago starting with God and the Creation of His "Wonderful World"! Thanks to Sr. Judy Vallimont and Sr. Mary Miller. Being from Chicago and growing up in the far South Projects of Altgeld Gardens there was the opportunity in my youth to have those truly looking forward to school outings to the Planetarium and the Museums of Science and Industry. Seeing the wonder of God's Creation in the displays recreated by human beings was as they would say now, "awesome." This was shown in the visual presentation of the slides and traced in the footsteps of a "time line," walked by Theresia Kim, one of our PreNovitiate Candidates, lighting the way with a vigil light into the next billon/million-year time zone.

The afternoon presentation was spent in small table sharing of how Creation is expressed in our own multi-diverse cultures as Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters! This truly was worth a publication as stories were passed on from

The Junior Sisters “in praise of creation”

generations to how that part of the world begun, from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean we all came to the conclusion that Water was the common denominator in all our stories.

The day for me was filled with thanksgiving to our Creator who loved us so much that He completed this beautiful world for us to enjoy and to pass it on as beautiful as it was in the beginning. I am convinced that with His Love for all of Creation we can do it.

Sr. Rose Martin Glenn, SSpS 

Province Days was held on June 25-27, 2016 at Holy Spirit Convent in Northfield IL

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Northfield Local Leadership Team On Sunday, July 31, Srs. Judith Vallimont, Anita Marie Gutierrez, and Dorota Maria Piechaczek were installed as the new Local Leadership Team of the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Northfield. We are very grateful for their willingness and readiness to put at the service of the community their gifts and talents and we wish them God’s blessings and guidance in their service.

It is with gratitude that we hold Sr. Elwira

Dziuk, Sr. Patricia Snider, and Sr. Kristina Jawa Lajar in our hearts. We are very grateful for their years of service at the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Northfield and also service to our whole Province. Thank you for your hospitality and caring for us, especially our Sisters in Maria Hall. On July 31, 2016 the whole community gathered for lunch to express their appreciation to the outgoing leadership team.

Rejoice in God’s Love During the Province Days on June 26, I renewed my fifth vows in front of almost all province members. On that day we also celebrated Mother Leonarda’s day. The Mass was presided over by Fr. Jerry Theis, SVD. I truly thank God for the gift of my vocation. I am deeply thankful to our congregation and especially the sisters in this province for loving and supporting me in my journey. The celebration was filled with joy, songs and prayer.

The decoration in front of the altar beautifully represented the beauty of our mother earth.

On that day I reflected on God’s message through the Gospel of Luke 9:51-62 which describes the calling and the invitation for the chosen people who Jesus met along His journey to proclaim the good news. One of them answered Jesus that he needed to say good bye to his family. Then Jesus said to him, “Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

It touched me because as a religious missionary, I am answering God’s call and I have learned to leave everything behind for the sake of God’s will. The willingness and openness to God in order to live freely in my vocation journey is very important as our Mother Leonarda showed

Sr. Skolastika Wea and Sr. Mónica Mabel Balbuena

in her willingness to start a new SSpS’s mission in the United States.

On that special moment during the dinner, some of my sisters sang a beautiful song. I also expressed my gratitude to God and my happiness by singing my favorite song “You Raise Me Up.” This song means a lot to me in my vocation journey since I was a postulant. It is an inspirational and powerful song. It always reminds me of God’s unconditional love and His faithfulness to me. My heart is full of joy as I continue my vocation journey in this congregation.

Sr. Skolastika Wea, SSpS

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Province Annual Retreat Our annual retreat this year began with a quiet day of reflection on Saturday, July 9th 2016. Most of the Sisters from our Community at Techny participated in the retreat as well as some Sisters who came from our small communities nearby and far away. It was a nice group of about 50 Sisters, who together with Fr. Pio Estepa, SVD reflected on The Our Father as Ecospiritual Prayer of Jesus. As an opening of the retreat Fr. Pio shared his understanding of the beatitudes of a good missionary.

Blessed are those who listen….; Blessed are those who know how to let go….’

Blessed are those who recognize their own need to receive….’

Blessed are those who give without hope of receiving…

These are just a few of the beatitudes cited.

During the retreat Father led us through the seven petitions of the Our Father explaining the context in which they were prayed in an early Church and our present understanding of them and their relationship to nature. To make the conferences more understandable, meaningful, and sometimes fun, Father used various forms of media. As a conclusion, Father explained the differences in generations and their understanding of culture, society and nature. As a concluding question worth reflecting upon he asked: With whom does Jesus want us to pray this ancient prayer of Jesus?

Sr. Elwira Dziuk, SSpS

7th National Conference of Burmese-American Catholics It was a great experience for me to attend the Annual Gathering of Burmese-American Catholics from July 1-3, 2016, in Buffalo, NY. There were hundreds of youth that participated in this gathering. The youth were so alive and vibrant.

This really gives hope for the future of our Church. The SSpS and the SVD were the only religious congregations that were invited to come and participate. The Bishop of Buffalo, Mgrs. Richard J. Malone presided in the Opening Liturgy and he especially welcomed the Burmese migrants to his diocese. With Br. DuyLinh Tran, SVD, we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves in front of the audience on the very first day. The third day, Br. Linh and I had the opportunity to talk with Fr. Philips Aung Nge, the Program Coordinator of this gathering. He asked about the possibility for us to work more with the youth in the 2017 gathering in Maryland. Of course we gladly welcomed this offer and we are hoping that this becomes the starting point for us to go even

Sr. Aprilia and Br. Linh, together with Roger Kyaw Thu and Manie Manuel of the DWC.

deeper in promoting our missions and congregations among the Burmese-American migrants.

As Pope Francis said, “Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer; and only in prayer can they persevere and bear fruit.” Let us keep our prayer unceasingly for vocations, especially the vocations to the religious and missionary life.

Sr. Aprilia Untarto, SSpS

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Serving the future of the Servants of the Holy Spirit

Novices´ Entrance Day R-L: Srs: Miryan Inés Céspedes, María Cristina Ramos, Julia Pereira; Novices: Michelle Orellana Alarcón, Melinda Gonzáles, Nancy Galeano, Andrea Villar and Srs. Edita Vera, Francisca Báez, Araceli Tovilla, and Graciela E. Castro

Dear Sisters and readers of the SSpS USA bulletin, I would like to share with you my mission in the country of Paraguay. I am a Missionary Sister Servant of the Holy Spirit from Argentina, appointed in 2007 to the Paraclete Province.

In February 2014, I joined the PANAM Novitiate formative community at San Lorenzo, Paraguay.

In that time, we were three Sisters who constituted the mentioned community. From February, 2016, we are only two, Sr. Araceli Tovilla (Mexico: Missionary in Cuba) and I. We continued the formation of four Novices belonging to SSpS Provinces and Regions of Pan-American (Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia). They started the novitiate on February 14 of this year.

I am glad I can help in the formation of future Sisters for our Congregation. They are new members who will continue in the steps of our Founders who followed the Will of God, to continue the Mission of Jesus by witnessing the Love of the Triune God to all people. My responsibility is to accompany them in their Religious formation process, which requires love, patience and mercy.

Indeed, to have it, I need a prayerful life and the Holy Spirit who makes it possible for us to have such a mission.

Finally, I want to thank you, my Sisters at the Paraclete Province, especially, the PLT, who have given me this blessed and precious time to serve this wonderful ministry in our Congregation; which gives me the opportunity to maintain an open heart and attitude of compassion, and continue learning about my Missionary Religious life as an SSpS. Sr. Graciela Ester Castro, SSpS

Representing Paraguay!

← The PANAM Novitiate celebrate Cultural Day and do a presentation of their culture and countries.

Sr. Araceli gardening with the novices.

→

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Summer Bible School Our annual Summer Bible School is held the first weeks of June in three of our former ministry areas in Mississippi and Arkansas. Three catechetical teams are formed with the generous help of Sisters, pre-novices, and lay volunteers: Greenville Team (Sr. Rosa Da Costa, Glenda Dacumos (pre-novice), Fabienne Fritzsching (MaZ), and Ms. Michele Manoski (former SSpS); Indianola Team (Sr. Arnolda Kavanamur, Sr. Dominika Rotua Senga, Marie Eunide Voltaire (pre-novice) and Ms. Samantha Eckrich (lay volunteer); Pine Bluff Team (Sr. Yina Ni, Sr. Clara Machimura, Sr. Skolastika Wea, Theresa Kim (pre-novice), and Sr. Mary Miller. We were also assisted by many parish volunteers at the three sites.

Through this year’s theme, “Climbing God’s Mountain of Love, Compassion, and Mercy,” the children were guided to share the good News of God’s love for them by opening the door of their heart and being a person of love, compassion, and mercy to others. Through prayer and Scripture, music, art, discussions, and fun activities the children grew in their understanding of God’s love and mercy and also responded through their manner of being with one another, their signs of caring for one another and for our environment.

Having participated in the Summer Bible School for the past four years, I was struck by the effectiveness of these short programs on the children. Over these years we have focused on teaching the children simple meditation prayer – taking time to quiet oneself physically and to have a simple conversation with God in one’s heart. When I invited the children to enter into prayer, they easily became quiet and still (a physical posturing that is rarely seen among children today). I also experienced the positive attitude of caring for our environment when I noticed how the children more spontaneously cleaned up their space after eating or playing outdoors. And for me, the most beautiful experience of this summer’s program was the sharing from one 8 year old girl: through their class discussion on compassion, she learned how to be compassionate to others by being a person of joy. She shared the story of another 6 year old boy from the parish who was severely burned in a house fire. She met the boy in Church the previous Sunday. Because of his burns, his entire head and arms are bandaged. Her plan for the following Sunday was to give this boy one of her art projects from the Bible School.

Those of us who have spent years in the (Continued on page 10)

Summer Bible School 2016 – Pine Bluff, Arkansas: Srs. Skolastika Wea, Clara Machimura, Mary Miller, Yina Ni, and Theresa Kim (pre-novice) with the children, teachers, and parish volunteers.

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Summer Bible School (cont.) educational field with younger children and teens, sometimes wonder if “anything really makes a difference”. These few examples, that I witnessed this summer, confirmed my belief that even the short experience of a one-week Bible program does make a difference in their lives.

I am grateful to all our volunteer Sisters, prenovices, and lay helpers who collaborated in preparing and guiding the children through the Summer Bible School Program 2016.

Sr. Mary Miller, SSpS

Summer Bible School June 6-10, 2016 Sacred Heart Parish – Greenville, MS St. Benedict the Moor Parish – Indianola, MS St. Peter / St. Raphael Parish – Pine Bluff, AR and St. Justin Parish – Star City, AR

My Cross-Cultural Entry into the Community’s Efforts to End Gun Violence in Chicago

Community Worker, Sr. Dominika Sinaga, Sr. Clara Machimura, Chicago Police Officer, Sr. Elsa Loekito, and Sr. Angelica Chavol

As a new member in our SSpS community in Rogers Park, I am only beginning to learn and grapple with the reality of gun-related violence that has been happening in our very own neighborhood. Last month (May, 2016), four Sisters from Rogers Park community and Arantxa from the Life Learning Center participated in an inter -faith gathering with the Chicago Police Department to pray for the end of such tragedies. The names of all 19 young men and women who have died from gun violence from January-May 2016 were read, followed by a minute of silence and the release of dove-shaped balloons symbolizing our hope for peace.

For me personally, it was a moment of solidarity and an introduction to the community’s efforts toward making a safer and peaceful neighborhood. Since that evening, I have done some Google searches on gun-related violence that has been taking place in Chicago. My findings are quite alarming. Within the five month period January-May 2016 alone, Chicago had as many as 1,300 shootings (Chicago Tribune, 27 May, 2016). I had never thought of coming to live between silver bullets, but meeting with this reality awakens me to recognize the abiding presence of God who cries out with the people “enough of gun violence; enough of all violence.”

To end this short reflection, I would like to express my appreciation to our SSpS Sisters who are involved in the many works of peacemaking, in collaboration with others at the grass -root levels as well as institutionally. May the merciful Spirit of Jesus invigorate our peacemaking abilities each and every day, break down our fears of “the other” and transform all of our enmities into healing relationships.

Sr. Elsa Loekito, SSpS

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HSLLC 2016 Summer Peace Camp What an exciting day was July 5, 2016, as the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center opened its doors to 52 summer campers plus three Junior Leaders (age 15)! Sr. Gertrude Ahegbebu, SSpS, and her assistant, Ms. Georgina Mora, welcomed the children and their parents/guardians at the door as they learned the routine of checking in for the day.

Twenty children aged five to seven proceeded to the colorful ambience of the Primary Group Room where Sr. Rosalia Galmin and Sr. Yina Ni, along with Ms. Consuelo Moreno, Pre-Novice Theresa Kim, and Junior Leader Andres Ledezma led them into some getting acquainted routines.

Sr. Dominika Rotua Sinaga and Sr. Clara Harumi together with Ms. Edelmira Avalos, Ms. Olga Rivera, Pre-Novice Marie Voltaire, and Junior Leader Priscilla Escobedo met the Middle Group (twenty children aged eight to ten) in their quarters on the second floor. In a short time they were singing a cheery melody.

The Senior Group of twelve children aged eleven to thirteen joined Ms. Arantxa Martinez, Sr. Skolastika Wea and Sr. Elsa Loekito, PreNovice Glenda Dacumos, and Junior Leader Luis Mondragon for activities.

This year the camp had a symbol: the KITE. Each week of the four weeks focused on a different quality suggested by the letters in the word “kite:” Kindness, Inclusion, Tolerance, and Empathy. During the third week of the camp, each child will make a kite, and of course go to the park to fly the kite! The camp will close on July 29 with a pot luck supper, a program and a display of the children’s work.

These first two weeks have seen many budding artists and athletes as the children create colorful baskets, draw interesting scenes and figures, take up the challenge of a bowling game, improve their volleyball techniques, head to the park for some free play, try their skill at drama, and more. In week two, we also featured

Some of the campers at Wagner Farm.

a guest speaker from the Chicago Police Department to enlighten the children on some good safety practices and on the reality the police want to keep people safe. For July 14 we scheduled a field trip to the Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview. This was surely an adventure for all as they visited the animals (cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, horses), toured the farmhouse, milked a cow (fabricated one), and played in the fields.

As designed, the camp goals are to help the children grow in their ability to get along with others, learning the skills of team-work and peaceful resolution of conflicts. The strategies used to impart these skills include Scripture reflection, arts and crafts projects, and indoor/ outdoor play activities. Each member of the instructional team has his/her responsibilities in planning, executing, and evaluating activities.

Doors open at 8:30 a.m. with activities beginning at 9:00. The children are kept busy until dismissal time at 3:15. Children leave as, under the careful watch of Sr. Gertrude and Georgina, their parent/guardian sign them out for the day. Doors close at 3:30. The instructional staff then put things in order and prepare for the next days activities. Usually by 4:00 all is quiet at the HSLLC, while Custodian Mr. Felix Vences does final clean-up.

Sr. Judith Vallimont , SSpS

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BOOKS ON COMMUNICATION SMALL TALK by Debra Fine

mended. You can’t go wrong.

The author, Debra Fine, through using many examples strives to assist the reader, in learning the art of “Conversations”: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going and Building Skills.

While the Author offers may constructive ways in developing the Art of Conversation, in Chapter 9 she also points out the “Crimes and Misdemeanors” that prevent good conversations.

Many of the examples the Author uses to convey a message can readily be translated into our own experiences.

NONVIOLENT COMMUNMICATION

by Marshall B. Rosenberg

HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE by Dale Carnegie

NEVER EAT ALONE by Keith Ferrazzi

Dale Carnegie is considered the most outstanding person in assisting people with developing communication skills. He started out by conducting educational courses for professional people. He realized adults needed more skills in the fine art of getting along with people in ordinary daily living.

The book is divided into four main parts, each part offering specific fundamental principles, concluding with a summary. There are nine suggestions on how to get the most out of this book. The first and most important is: “a deep, driving desire to learn, a vigorous determination to increase your ability to deal constructively with people.”

This material is real, practical and down-toearth reflection. It is highly, highly, recom-

Rosenberg offers a clear, straightforward, insightful and realistic book on communications. It is amazingly easy to read, offers great practical examples which enables anyone to enhance both communication and relationships.

It is the kind of book which requires reflection while at the same time offering specific steps in attaining your goal. This book is a breath of fresh air and highly recommended.

If having fun, showing love, building relationships or taking an intellectual, spiritual and creative journey is your destiny, then you will want to read NEVER EAT ALONE. Relationship development and feeling good about one self requires active learning. People, from high school students to celebrated CEOs have used this book in learning how to connect with other people, becoming comfortable relating to people and building trust. It is the kind of book, you may wish to pick and choose different sections which you can best identify with.

For example, you may wish to focus on “The Art of Small Talk,” “Listening Skills,” “Being Interesting,” etc. It is the kind of book where you do not need to read every page to benefit from it.

Sr. Betty Tranel, SSpS

“We are challenged to listen not only to the words which others speak, but to the unspoken communication of their experiences, their hopes and aspirations, their struggles and their deepest concerns. Such empathy must be the fruit of our spiritual insight and personal experience, which lead us to see others as brothers and sisters, and to “hear,” in and beyond their words and actions, what their hearts wish to communicate.“ - Pope Francis, August 17, 2014

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Letters from the Heart

Thank you, Riccarda for the memories and all the love you have given at St. Kitts!

Dear Sisters, As my time here in St. Kitts comes to an end, I want to thank you. Thank you for the opportunity spending this year in St. Kitts. Thank you for the warm welcome in the community.

Thank you for the hospitality. Thank you for all the experiences that I was able to have, because of your great generosity.

It was a wonderful year! A year with tears of joy and sorrow. I found family and friends, people who love and appreciate me the way I am.

Thank you so much for saying yes and allowing me to stay in St. Kitts. THANK YOU! May God bless you and hopefully we will see each other again!

With love and gratefulness, Riccarda Bodlak, MaZ Volunteer

To all my dear Sisters, How are you all ? I hope and pray that all of you are well. I do remember all of you. I am fine but at present down with chicken pox. I will be alright soon. Pray for me too.

I am in the capital city of Odisha, Bhubaneswar. We have a hospital here. Sr. Dorota Maria will remember the place. On her visit I had brought her here too. You are most welcome.

I am the community Leader of 6 members. Oldest is 92 Sr. Bernadisa, I have two provincial councilors, administrator and a Sister who is a Technician and treasurer of the community. I continue as the hospital treasurer. We have on and off some rains but still rather hot climate.

Hospital construction is also on its way to completion. I am supervising the work. We have very good laborers. So work goes fast and well. It is 10 years now I left Chicago. Thinking of the good time I had. Please convey my love to all sisters who remember me.

With much love and prayers, Email letter dated: June 23, 2016 Sr. Beena Alex, SSpS Dear Sisters, Thank you for letting me come to this Province. It was a good experience. I hope you will continue to take lay missionaries. I tried my best and I want you to know that. Now my time has come to an end and I will ask God in my prayers to bless each single SSpS Sister.

Thank you.

Fabienne Fritzsching, MaZ Volunteer

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Prayers Let us continue to pray for our Sisters’ relatives especially for Sr. Elwira Dziuk's mother and for Sr. Dorota Maria Piechaczek's mother.

Both of them are in the hospital.

Sr. Margaret Hansen requested for prayers for her father, Robert. He passed away morning of August 8. Sr. Margaret arrived on August 2, and left for Rome on August 18.

Let us continue to give our loving support for our Sisters and their relatives through our prayers.

Lorvita Ferilus, pre-novice, decided to go back to Haiti. We keep her in our prayers and may she continue to listen for God’s calling for her in her everyday living.

The Congregational Leadership Team asked for our fervent prayers for our brothers and sisters in South Sudan as violence continues to

take place in Juba and many parts of the country.

Pope Francis asks that we include in our prayers a special intention for the care of creation:

Save the dates!

PANAM Assemblies

O Lord, help us to protect the poor, both at home and around the world, who are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

 Prayer and artwork from: Prayer cards http://catholicclimatemovement.global/ liturgical-prayer-and-spiritual-resources/

September 24, 2016 A workshop on “Communication and the Way We Treat Each Other Matters” with Char Dillon, PHD at the Convent of the Holy Spirit, Northfield. It will be from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Please let Sr. Mónica Mabel Balbuena know if you would like to participate.

December 27 to 29, 2016 Meeting for Local Leaders and Assistant Local Leaders. It will begin on Dec. 27 with the Mass at 7:15am and it will finish with supper on Dec. 29.

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Vocation Promotion Assembly: September 3 to 11, 2016, São Paulo, Brazil Sr. Aprilia Untarto is representing the Vocation Promotion team of the USA Province

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Juniors Assembly: December 27 to January 2, 2017, Ponta Grossa, Brazil. Sr. Sara Juarez Guardado will attend and represent our Junior Sisters.

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Mission Animation and JPIC Assembly: May 12 to May 18, 2017, San Lorenzo, Paraguay

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters: in the United States and in the Caribbean Northfield, IL Waukegan, IL

Grayslake, IL Chicago, IL

Epworth, IA Memphis, TN New York, NY

Antigua Jamaica St. Kitts

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JPIC Corner — June/July, 2016 Enough is Enough The most important conversations can also be the toughest ones.

Unfortunately, this is a conversation that has to happen all too frequently. Every day, lives are lost to gun violence. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, teachers, students—so many lives are cut short by the pull of a trigger.

The recent Orlando shooting was the worst mass shooting in our history—49 killed and 53 wounded, mainly young Latinos. The shooter had easy access to a military style assault weapon. Such mass shootings have been escalating and increasing. The National Crime Victimization Survey indicates that between 2010 and 2014, there were an estimated 43,000 hate crimes committed in the U.S. that involved guns. It’s time we say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! The Toll of Gun Violence Having a gun in the home increases the likelihood of suicide, accidental shootings, and fatal domestic violence. There is also a deadly relationship between guns and violence against women in the United States. Between 2009 and 2013, 3,078 women were shot to death by current or former intimate partners. Firearms play a key role in suicides as well.

Picture courtesy of TruthAboutGuns.org Preventing Gun Violence Research shows that common-sense public safety laws reduce gun violence. No single law will stop all gun crime, but expanding the background check system is a proven way to help save lives.

In states that require a background check for all handgun sales, there are:  46% fewer women shot to death by intimate partners  48% fewer people killed by firearms suicide *Research and statistics courtesy of  48% less gun trafficking Everytown and The Truth About Guns  52% fewer mass shootings

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Enough is Enough (continued) Resources  Watch this short video by Brave New Films to learn about the history of gun violence in America and hear from families of mass shooting victims: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vOKmyfG0Vvk&feature=youtu.be 

Visit the site, TalkAboutGuns.org, a resource for parents and families, including helpful discussion guides, as well as the health and safety risks. The site can help both gun owners and non-gun owners strike up conversations and make informed decisions that save lives.

What Can YOU Do? Simple measures can greatly reduce mass shootings. No one law or action can stop every incident, but it will get us closer to having safer communities and, in turn, a more peaceful country and world. In the wake of all this gun violence, we must take this time to convince members of Congress that gun violence can be reduced and remind them that they must take leadership to make this issue a priority. Military style assault weapons, which make mass shootings so deadly, have no place on our streets. They are made for battlefields, not our schools and churches. 

Prayer is a powerful tool in promoting peace. Please say this Prayer to End Gun Violence: http://www.piconetwork.org/pages/prayer-to-end-gun-violence Advocacy Toolkit to urge Congress to pass gun violence prevention legislation: 

Sign this Petition to demand that Congress ban assault weapons: http:// org2.salsalabs.com/o/5610/c/1681/p/dia/ action3/common/public/? action_KEY=23176 

Join Social Media campaigns using the hashtags #ENOUGH #GunSafety #WeaponsOfWar 

Virginia Rivera Communications/JPIC Specialist Picture courtesy of fortune.com

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