January 2010 - SSpS Bulletin

January 2011, Vol. XXXI, No. 1

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters Convent of the Holy Spirit – Techny, Illinois

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appy New Year! It’s NEW! It is a chance to start over: leave any baggage of hurts, prejudices, guilts from the past behind, learn from the adventures of yesteryears, and enjoy the journey ahead into the New.

Designed by Sr. Monica Mabel Balbuena

Behold, I make all things new! ( Rev.21:5)

When I was very young, I believed in Santa Claus with all the naiveté and wonder of a child. Life was magical. It was a gift. One day I realized there was no Santa Claus. And gradually my magical world was broken: I must earn what I get; nothing is free.

Life is doing a job and coping to make ends meet.

Now as I get older, I realize how important it is for both the wonder of the child and the critical and goal-oriented mentality of the adult to be combined to make life new, real and meaningful. We cannot get stuck in the unreflective naiveté of the child or in the humdrum, critical and practical concerns of the adult. We need to integrate both and move beyond the empirical and into the depths of ordinary reality and into the depths of who we are as persons.

When reality is met contemplatively it takes on a flavor of newness and wonder. It’s much bigger than my concerns, my obligations, my studies, my contribution, my headaches, my schedules.

Let’s make this New Year really new and take the invitation of Ronald Rolheiser in his book, The Shattered Lantern. He encourages us not to become so self-centered and work-oriented that we miss the Wedding Banquet. Rolheiser, speaking of the invited but absent guests, says, “Their failure to show up was due solely to busyness. The feast was going (continued on page 2)

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on but they were too occupied with measuring land, testing oxen and going on honeymoons to take much notice.” Let’s widen our horizons this New Year and not get so preoccupied with our own concerns, responsibilities, headaches, so as to miss the miraculous, the beautiful, the meaningful in our own surroundings. If with open hands and hearts, we receive each new day of the New Year as a gift, count our blessings, and continue our journey with joy, our missionary presence will spread more hope and peace. We will be part of God’s making all things NEW!!

Sr. Carol Welp, SSpS

Visitors from Germany Four nieces of Sr. Mariella Plenter came from Germany to visit and to help her celebrate her 90th birthday on January 5.

Pictured standing behind Sr. Mariella are Gertrude, Hilda, Ann and Toni.

News Notes—Memphis On December 21 we were happily surprised to have another Illinois car pull up in our drive way. Bearing smiles, hugs and even gifts, Sr. Carol Welp, our Provincial, Sr. Elwira Dziuk, our Councilor and Sr. Angelica

Oyarzo Chavol were warmly greeted as they entered our convent home here in Memphis. The Sisters were in time to be present as guests at our annual SVD and SSpS Christmas party. You can imagine the joy of seeing everyone together as family members of Arnold Janssen with our Bishop Terry Steib, SVD, present. As always, we began with a prayer reminding us in gratitude the reason for the beautiful season and our common mission. It was a fun-filled and happy celebration. We thank our Sisters for their presence with us after the ten-hour drive from Techny. After a few days of just being with us, Srs. Carol and Elwira returned to Techny, leaving Sr. Angelica to be in our community until January 14. Now, we are the Three Wise Women!

The Diocese of Memphis’ 40th anniversary celebration was held January 6 beginning with a video presentation of the history of the Diocese at our Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception followed by Mass celebrated by Bishop J. Terry Steib, SVD. Our Sr. Monica Darrichon read one of the prayers of petition in Spanish.

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For Your Prayerful Remembrance Please pray for our deceased: Raymond Kalisz, SVD, (Techny), 83, retired bishop of Wewak, Papua New Guinea, who died unexpectedly while in Evanston Hospital on December 12. Many of our Sisters worked with him in New Guinea.

News Notes from Techny On December 12, we celebrated the annual Christmas Party with our employees. It was also award-giving time.

John Bukovsky, SVD, (Techny), 86, retired archbishop and papal delegate to Romania and Russia, died on December 18 after a ninemonth battle with cancer. For many years he was chaplain for our Sisters at the Generalate.

Peg Koch, sister of Sr. Mary Pardy, who died on December 10. This is the second sibling of Sr. Mary who went to heaven this year.

Please pray for our sick: Zan, and her husband, Glenn, niece of Sr. Judy Vallimont, who are having grave difficulties.

Mary McManaman, sister of Sr. Agnes Marie Crabb, who has been placed in hospice care in Hawaii.

The father of Sr. Maria Joseph Nguyen was taken to ICU and then into surgery. We have word that he came through the surgery well, but is still in great pain in the hospital.

From left to right: Belen Bello, Renita Gabriel, Josephine Kieler – all 20 years in Maria Hall; Sahlee Solomon – 25 years in Maria Hall and 20 years part time at the entrance;Ana Hernandez – 15 years in Maria Hall; Irene Gonzalez – 20 years in Housekeeping (and helps in dietary).

During the holidays, Srs. Gretta Fernandes, Mariola Stawasz and our Sisters from Epworth all came to celebrate the Christmas Season with us and brought us much joy.

Transfers

Sr. Angelinda Stoetzel was hospitalized for pneumonia and embolisms in her lung. She responded quickly to medicine and is home again.

Sr. Socorro Rodriguez is transferred from Epworth to Waukegan. She will continue to study English part time at the College of Lake County and do part time ministry with Sr. Stela Maris Martins at Holy Trinity parish.

Also: Please keep in your prayers Srs. Dinah Marie Aguirre and Maria Lourdes Hoquis as they make their 30-day retreat in January.

Sr. Julita Bele Bau has also completed her studies at Epworth and will leave for St. Kitts on January 24.

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Over the next few months, the bulletin will highlight the mission of individual houses in the U.S. Province.

This month, we feature the community in Memphis.

In the spirit of Jesus and in following the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., I am here in Memphis, Tennessee. My parents, wanting to shield me from the pain of the Southern experience, left the South when I was three years old. Who would have thought that I would be here again, now in the mid-South after having ministered for three years in the deep South.

As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, my love for children is in believing that they still behold the face of God. That love has brought me here in mission to them in a school setting as an Advocate and Lover.

For the past three years I have been in the Jubilee Catholic Schools as Director of Health Services. The Jubilee Catholic Schools, presently eight in number, were reopened in the inner city of Memphis by Bishop Terry Steib, SVD, to serve those with the greatest need.

As a Holy Spirit Missionary Sister this has always been our mission in the South. Our previous seventy years in education, bearing fruit beyond telling, and our love for the marginalized, has been a rewarding experience. The goal of the Jubilee Schools has been to create an educational environment where children and their families could learn, grow and be loved. The schools were named in honor of the Jubilee Year 2000, a year of mercy for the poor.

The U.S. Census Bureau 2009 American Community Survey states that the current Memphis population by ethnicity, with margin of error is: Asian: 11,483 (+/-22.2%) Black: 412,656 (+/-1.3%) Latino: 35,487 (+/-10.1%) White: 225,605 (+/-2.8%) My mission is to assure the health of the children by prevention, through education of the children and their parents. This is done by emphasizing to every child that he or she is a Child of God, deserving of respect as

well as giving it. They need to know the proper way to wash hands, to cover coughs and sneezes, to eat nutritious food, to make sure immunizations are up to date and to play fair. They need to be energetic, to take care of the body with good hygiene, to keep dental and eye appointments and to report anything that does not “feel good” or “look good.” In the Commercial Appeal, our daily newspaper of October 15, 2010, it was written that Forbes has Memphis listed as the No. 1 most dangerous city in the U.S. I would say this presents the challenge to me as a Missionary to be ever so much more loving to everyone I meet. My daily prayer is that, “Those who see me, see You, Jesus, and I see You in them.”

From my experience the hospitality of the South is truly, “Y’all come back real soon.”

With love beyond telling, Sr. Rose Martin Glenn, S.Sp.S. Sr. Monica Darrichon writes: I am dedicated to full-time Hispanic Ministry in Saint Joseph, an SVD Parish. Among other things, my job is to prepare children for First Holy Communion. I am also involved in the formation of catechists and provide support in the preparation of plans and catechetical methodology in general. I give support to women and families and train ministers (chorus, readers and ministers of communion) in two SVD parishes, St. Joseph and Sacred Heart.

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3. Jubilees: We will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Srs. Rose Martin Glenn and Agnes Marie Crabb on June 24.

I started a children’s choir for bilingual Masses and I will soon begin a course that will teach those over 12 to play the guitar.

My job is not lonely. P. Carlos Paniagua Monroy accompanies me on most of the activities and I have also involved a group of lay people to work with me.

When I have been asked to give some talks at other parishes, I have agreed. There are always needs and I try to be available. In addition, once a week I go to the Office of Hispanic Ministry of the Diocese and help the secretary with translations into Spanish and other small tasks. I work with Bible Studies at Sacred Heart Church once a week. I'm happy with what I can do here in Memphis and I thank God for this experience. I also thank the Sisters for being so welcoming and for their mission in this country that has opened its doors to me.

Future Events

1. Arrivals: We have received the following mission appointments of two Sisters for three years each in our Province. They will be studying English and having pastoral experience: Sr. Philippa, Chen Jin Xiu from the Far East; Sr. Monica, Zhang Yan Ling from the Far East.

2. Our Province Assembly-Chapter will be held from April 26 through April 29, 2011.

Diamond Jubilees will be celebrated on Trinity Sunday, June 19 for: Sr. Elizabeth Juditz 70 years Sr. Dominic Bartsch 65 years Sr. Francetta Kunkel 65 years Sr. Lucille Hackenmueller 65 years Sr. Terisse Zosso 65 years Sr. Trinette Palzer 65 years Sr. Marie Angela Risi 60 years Sr. Mathilde Stephens 60 years

4. Rogers Park and Grayslake: In 2010 our Sisters, novices and postulants moved from Rogers Park to Grayslake so that their home could be renovated. In June, they will be able to return to their home made new.

5. Retreat: Dominican Father Donald Goergen will conduct two retreats this summer for Divine Word Missionaries and Holy Spirit Sisters. The first retreat will be July 18-22 at Holy Spirit Convent in Northfield. The second will be July 24-28 at Techny Towers. Registration is through Sr. Anita Marie Gutierrez.

6. Graduations: In May, Sr. Julita Bele Bau will graduate from Divine Word College with a B.A in Cross-Cultural Studies; Sr. Mariola Stawasz will graduate from CTU with a Doctor of Ministries degree; Sr. Aprilia Untarto will graduate from Loyola with a M.A in Pastoral Counseling.

7. Visits: We look forward to the visits of our Congregational Leader, Sr. Maria Theresia Hornemann in March. Exact dates are still in the making, but she will be visiting each of our communities. Our Mission Secretary, Sr. Petra Bigge, will visit from February 14-20 in Techny. She will then proceed to New York for an internship at VIVAT. 5

January 2011

JPIC SSpS USA

Poverty Awareness Month

POVERTY, THEORIES, TANF AND SCIENTIC MANAGEMENT THEORY

By Sr. Gretta Fernandes This paper is an attempt to discuss poverty, its recent trends, and its impact on African American women and children in the United States. It identifies how two theories, namely; the social cognitive theory and the social capital theory can benefit people living in poverty. This paper looks at Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a social welfare program aimed to reduce poverty and to create self-sufficiency among low income families.

The scientific management theory is used here to explore how TANF has been implemented and how it has impeded the recipients’ capacity towards self-sufficiency. Finally, in utilizing the human resource theory, suggestions are made to improve TANF or similar welfare programs for people living in poverty.

Poverty is a universal problem and it is more often associated with women than men across all nations of the world, hence the phrase “Feminization of Poverty.” As indicated by the Current Population Survey (2009) in the United States, women are more likely than men to be living in poverty, overall 17.8 versus 13.8 percent, respectively.

Among women, those aged 18–34 years were 22.5 percent more likely to have household incomes below the poverty line, followed by women aged 55–64 years in 17.5 percent.

Historically speaking, poverty has always been very closely associated with African Americans in the United States. Slavery, disenfranchisement, and segregation of blacks in public places and lack of access to education are only some examples of racebased oppression of the seventeenth century. Even after the abolition of slavery, new forms of oppression continue to exist. Wilson (1996) attributed racism to economic exploitation. The African American slaves were exploited and suppressed by whites to maintain their superior position. As long as inequality and the accumulation of wealth are tolerated by society, racial discrimination and poverty will persist.

Gunn and Duncan (1997) defined poverty as not having sufficient income to meet the basic needs for food, shelter and clothing. Poverty poses not only a developmental risk to children, but it also affects their later adult life. Compared to non-poor children, more poor children tend to experience emotional and behavioral problems and live in

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unsafe neighborhoods. Barusch (2009) stated that children experienced the highest risk of poverty in 2006, because 21 percent of those under the age of five lived in households having incomes below the poverty line and were headed by single mothers.

Parker, Greer, and Zuckerman (1988) have stated that children living in poverty face risks such as illness, stress, parental problems and lack of social network.

Grossman (2000) stated that for a child to thrive in an atmosphere there should be a healthy well-being of parents and children. Poverty and its related social problems like illness, unemployment, and social isolation can diminish the parents’ capacity to develop unconditional love towards themselves and their children.

Leventhal and Gunn (2004) have pointed out that poverty effects children’s physical, emotional and developmental growth. Gramezy (1993) argued that chronic poverty leads to poor maternal healthcare and inadequate nutrition for the pregnant woman. These in turn, lead to malnutrition, illness and inadequate medical care for the newborn infant. These children, later on in life, tend to drop out of school and lack employment.

As regards to effects of poverty on mothers, McLanahan and Booth (1989) have pointed out that single, poor mothers struggle to balance their family role and work demands. These women also experienced a high rate of poverty as they faced low-wage jobs and lacked adequate child care facilities. Primm, Osher, and Gomez (2005) have described that some of the stressors that cause depression among African American women were unemployment, lack of financial resources, and ownership of housing.

Looking at the literature reviewed, one can say that poverty affects both economic and social activities of children and their parents. Growing up in a low income family, especially in an unhealthy environment, is a developmental risk to infants and young children. Children born in poverty, especially to single mothers, tend to grow poor and also suffer from other problems such as mental illness, crime, substance abuse etc. Poverty and its impacts are experienced differently by single mothers who are African Americans compared to those single mothers who are Caucasians.

Note: In the next part of her paper, Sr. Gretta identifies how the social cognitive theory and the social capital theory can benefit people living in poverty. Then she looks at (TANF), a social welfare program aimed to reduce poverty and how scientific management theory is used to see how TANF has been implemented and how it has impeded the recipients’ capacity towards self-sufficiency. For the entire paper, please contact jpicssps@yahoo.com.

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