April 2010, Vol. XXX, No. 4
Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters Convent of the Holy Spirit – Techny, Illinois 60082-6026
Signs of Spring at Holy Spirit Convent
Thoughts on Aging Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts. Martin Buxbaum
The Gift of Our Elderly Sisters
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ecently at a leadership conference we were told that, “Today in active religious orders in the USA there are more Sisters over 90 years than under 60 years of age.” As SSpS we have 13 Sisters over 90 years and 24 Sisters under 60 years in our province; so our median age is quite a bit lower than most active religious orders here. As I was reflecting on the Paschal Mystery while sharing friendship and the gifts of life with so many of our retired Sisters here in Techny, I realized what a great gift our elderly Sisters are to me, to us and to the Province. “Precious is the life given for mission”! Our Sisters have been on their missionary journeys a very long time and have passed through many hurdles and mountains of challenge in their lives of service. They have put forth great efforts and cooperated with grace to “make the saving love of the Triune God known and to promote true human progress.” (Cons. 102) However, as age creeps up on them, they lose their hearing, their sight; some are ravaged with cancer, diabetes, arthritis, cholesterol and many other diseases. No matter how hard they struggle, there is nothing they can do about their diminishment. They come to a place where effort no longer works, where they can’t do it anymore. When our sisters come to this place, they have to let go and let God; they need to trust and allow God to carry on in and through them. In their inner wisdom, they give permission to being absorbed by a love greater than themselves and know that this love will carry them, transform them until they are their true selves immersed in God. (continued on page 2)
(continued 1) Of coursefrom theypage experience frustration
and fear in this process and find it very hard at times. Gradually though, their total surrender fills them with peace and gratitude. They know with Of course they experience“they frustration andtheir fear life in this and find it very at times. a real “aha” experience: are good; hasprocess been good; God’s love hard for them is Gradually though, their total surrender fills them with peace and gratitude. They know with real; God’s promises are true.” a real “aha” experience: They are good; their life has been good; God’s love for them is real; God’s promises areour true. The gift I receive from elderly sisters is the realization: “At the center of my being, I am not what I achieve, but more what is freely given to me. God has loved me long before I The I receive elderly is in themy realization: At theofcenter my being,love I am couldgift love anyonefrom else.our The love Isisters express life is a stream a greatofexpansive not what I achieve, but more what is freely given to me. God has loved me long before I flowing from God. I have come from God and am returning to God. My efforts are a small could love anyone The love I express in strength my life isisanot stream ofown a great expansive and temporary partelse. of a great mission and my in my efforts but lieslove in the flowing from God. I have come from God and am returning to God. My efforts Holy Spirit who brings our personal and communal salvation to completion.” are a small and temporary part of a great mission and my strength is not in my own efforts but lies in the Holy who Sisters! brings our personal salvation ThankSpirit you dear Your life is and trulycommunal precious and given to forcompletion. mission. You are witnesses to us until the last moment when you are carried over into the heavenly embrace. Thank you dear Sisters! Your life is truly precious and given for mission. You are witnesses to us until the last moment when you are carried over into the heavenly embrace. Sr. Carol Welp, SSpS
Appointments The Congregational Leadership Team has appointed Sr. Agathe Bramkamp as Novice Directress for our province for the years 2010-2013. The Provincial Leadership Team has re-appointed Sr. Rose Therese Nolta as the province JPIC Coordinator for the next three years. The Province Leadership Team after discernment with ballots cast by the Sisters has appointed the following Sisters as Local Leaders: To take affect on or before May 1, 2010 Waukegan: Sr. Xaveriana Ngene Antigua: Sr. Margaret Anne Norris New York: Sr. Gladys Smith Chicago: Sr. Agathe Bramkamp To take effect on or before September 1, 2010 Memphis: Participatory Leadership with Sr. Leonette Kaluzny as the named leader Techny: Sr. Margaret Hansen St. Kitts: Sr. Graciela Castro Epworth: Sr. Kristina Java Lajar The PLT also made the following transfers: To Techny: Sr. Elwira Dziuk To St. Kitts: Sr. Julita Bele Bau after finishing studies in December 2010. To Antigua: Sr. AnnIta Walsh 2
Temporary Mission Appointments We have received the following mission appointments of three Sisters for three years each in our Province. They will be studying English and having pastoral experience. 1. Sr. Rosalia Service Galmin from Indonesia, Flores West 2. Sr. Philippa, Chen Jin Xiu from the Far East 3. Sr. Monica, Zhang Yan Ling from the Far East Welcome, dear Sisters, and thank you for coming to us!
Sr. Judy – SSpS World Mission
Irish Night
On Monday, April 5, Sr. Judy Vallimont gave the Sisters in the Chicagoland communities a presentation on SSpS Mission Worldwide. She gave us a tour around the countries she and the CLT have been visiting recently. Sr. Priscilla Burke videoed the talk and has it on DVD for the communities who couldn’t be present.
On March 26, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Mark Kelly, gathered together some of his friends who are musicians. They brought fiddles, harp and accordion and gave the Techny Community a lovely Irish music festival.
VIVAT North America
Srs. Rose Therese Nolta, Xaveriana Ngene, Maria Joseph Nguyen, AnnIta Walsh and Carol Welp attended the first VIVAT North America meeting held in Washington, DC, April 15-17. It was well attended by all SSpS and SVD members of VIVAT. The objectives of the meeting were: • to clarify the mission of VIVAT and what members can do to help each other • to learn more about member congregations and their JPIC issues and LCWR Region 8, Spring 2010 responses, best practices and struggles • to begin networking with members of other congregations I attended the LCWR meeting in Springfield, • to discuss the spirituality of JPIC Ill., April 13-15, 2010. On Wednesday, the work and advocacy whole group went to the Capitol to meet with Those present felt it was very energizing to our senators and representatives. We were experience so many religious together, all also able to attend the beginning of the very passionate about human dignity and Senate Session. In the afternoon we had a presentation about the Jubilee Farm, a project related JPIC issues. Attendees concentrated their attention in groups on four issues: of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield. Sr. Elwira Dziuk immigration, trafficking, environment and integral human development. Members of Photos on pages 1 and 3 by the four groups will continue networking with Sr. Veronica Marie Mikkelsen, SSpS one another and with VIVAT on these issues. 3
Ministry I served with the School Sisters of St. Francis from April 11-26 as German/English translator in their General Chapter. It was held at their motherhouse in Milwaukee. The School Sisters have five provinces, one large American province, one German, two Indian, and one Latin American province. The latter is spread over six countries! The Sisters work hard to understand themselves as one international, multicultural congregation. Something about their early history is of interest. The community has existed since 1856. In the Kulturkampf, the Sisters were forced to choose either to disband or to continue their work in an orphanage, but not as Sisters. Three Sisters chose to emigrate to the USA and established the order there, serving the immigrant German population, but soon branching out into many directions. The three pioneers/mothers/foundresses are very revered by the Sisters and admired for their courage and farsightedness. One of the foundresses stressed the arts a great deal. Consequently, many of the Sisters developed their artistic talent. The whole house here is like one big gallery of beautiful original works of art: paintings, sculptures, and colorful wall hangings. Sr. Agathe Bramkamp
News from St. Kitts On Saturday, April 10, Sr. Graciela Castro organized a Walk-a-thon for the catechists and children of Holy Family Parish. This walk-a-thon was not to raise money, but to raise the spirits of the catechists, students and especially the spirits of the elderly at a nearby nursing home. Before making the two-mile journey the group prepared Easter cards for the elderly. Then they set out toward the Grange Nursing Home. The children and catechists sang for the assembled group of residents and then the children acted out the story of Thomas meeting the risen Lord. The
children then distributed the cards and continued to sing. The grand finale was a circle dance through and around the elderly to the song "Walk In The Light." After the walk home all enjoyed cake and juice...and a good night's rest.
News from Memphis Sr. Rose Martin Glenn was honored to be with the students of Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Jubilee School as they joined with many others including Fr. Tony Clark, S.V.D., at the March 30 graveside memorial Mass celebrated by Fr. Maurise Nutt, C.Ss. R., marking the 20th anniversery celebration for Sr. Thea Bowman, the first Black American Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. Sr. Thea was nationally known for her work to advance the life of her fellow Black Catholics in the Church. She was 52 when she died of bone cancer on March 30, 1990 and is buried alongside her parents in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis. On the evening of April 15, after a very busy day in ministry for Sr. Monica Darrichon and Sr. Rose Martin, the Sisters attended a most inspiring and uplifting lecture by the renowned and gifted Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB. She spoke to hundreds of lay, religious and clergy in all walks of life at the University Theater of Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn. The audience was captivated as she spoke on "Women, War and Peacemaking". The standing ovation was a testament as to how well the message was received. In short she said, "Love one another."
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News from Antigua Since I‘ve been back from my home visit to Indonesia last October, I have a new ministry. I teach art and crafts for all classes at the Preschool. The school has about 105 children now. This is not new to me because I used to work with children in catechism class. This involves not just teaching, but understanding the children and training myself to be patient. School starts at 8 am and finishes at 1 pm. It is hard to get the children to obey or keep silent, but I always try to understand them and to be patient. I do everything with love. And I often call on the Holy Spirit for help. This helps me to feel less tired. Basically, we teach them how to become independent and respectful to each other. We help them to be proud of themselves, to know letters, numbers, and science. I remember one verse in the song, ‘The Greatest Love:’ I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.
That song gives me a lot of spirit to work with children and to love them. For Easter celebration, I was in the K1 class where there were 17 children 3-4 years old. One activity was ‘hunting the eggs’. The teacher and I helped them to make rabbit ears, color paper eggs and put them on the ground. They were looking for eggs like rabbits hunting eggs. Then we counted how many they found and gave them some candies and one egg candy. The activities that we had made us feel alive and gave us a new spirit. Sr. Alexis Tjahjani
...and outdoors with her “bunnies.”
A Day without a Mexican
Sr. Alexis with her students...
The SVD-SSpS Joint JPIC Project on Immigration had a movie on “A Day without a Mexican” at the Convent of the Holy Spirit, Techny, on March 29. In the modern fable, California wakes up one morning to find that one third of the population has disappeared. As the day goes by it is discovered that the characteristic that links the 14 million who disappeared was a Hispanic background. The movie led us into a good discussion. To close the event there was a prayer service on “Remembering the Immigrants.”
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Visit to Rep. Mark Kirk’s Office Sr. Dinah Marie Aguirre, Sr. Rose Therese Nolta and Marilu Gonzalez, the Immigrant Education Coordinator of the Office of Immigrant Affairs & Immigration Education from the Archdiocese of Chicago, visited Congressman Mark Kirk’s office in Skokie and met with Aaron Winters, the District Director on April 14. During this visit we expressed our concern for immigration reform and delivered 2,000 postcards from District 10 requesting comprehensive immigration reform. These postcards were from the Justice for Immigrants by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
The Anatomy of Hate. The film explores both the mechanisms that divide and unite us as well as fosters a meaningful dialogue on human rights issues.
Days of Prayer and Action for Columbia During the first weeks of April the Sisters from Techny, Rogers Park and Waukegan made 40 posters of the Displaced Persons in Columbia. Nearly five million Colombians have been forced from their homes by a debilitating war in Columbia. During this time every community took time to pray for the Displaced Persons of Columbia. After the posters were completed and displayed in Techny, they were sent to be displayed at the Federal Plaza in Chicago before being sent to Washington, DC. Across the country, people had made posters, displayed them and then sent them to Washington, DC, to be given to President Obama.
For your prayerful remembrance
Casa del Migrante Cuidad Juárez, México On Sunday, April 11 at Loyola University’s Lake Shore campus, a benefit was held for Casa del Migrante, Juárez in México. After suffering separation from their families and U.S. communities, Mexican immigrants deported from the US have been entering Mexico through Juarez. Casa Migrante, run entirely on donations and the labor of a Dominican priest, several nuns and volunteers, meets deportees at the border and gives them refuge. This care and protection often means the difference between life and death. Ten SSpS were present for the reception, silent auction, a 50/50 raffle and then the film,
Please remember the following Sisters in prayer who had surgery recently: Sr. Pat Snider for her foot on April 8 Sr. Sienna Ressel for cancer on April 15 Sr. Therese Mary Martinez for cataracts on April 15 Ramon Céspedes, brother of Sr. Miryan Inés Céspedes Cañete, who died on March 30 in Paraguay of diabetes and other complications from the diabetes. Br. Thomas Joseph, SVD, who died April 15 in his room at Techny. Funeral arrangements are as follows: Friday, April 23 - 7:00 p.m. - Wake; Saturday, April 24 - 12:00 p.m. - Funeral 6
JPIC SSpS USA
Workshops were held to help those visiting their Senators and Representatives for the first time.
April 2010
Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington D.C. Last March 19-22, 2010 I had the privilege to attend with Sr. Rose Therese Nolta the Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington D.C. The EAD was a very full weekend of seminars and workshops about immigration issues in the United States (main focus this year), refugees, and displaced persons in the global scene. It culminated with an immigration rally at the
National Mall and office visits with our Representative in the Longworth Building in Washington D.C. Most of the speakers were excellent – there was no doubt that they knew what they were talking about. They gave us plenty of material to share with our Congressmen to encourage them to take action on this very serious issue of fixing the broken U.S. immigration laws.
The Illinois Group on Capital Hill One of my favorite sessions was given by Speaker Magda Lanuza, Program Coordinator for Latin America with the Kenoli Foundation on “Global Connections: Understanding the Push and Pull Factors of Migration.” Another one was the seminar on “Economic Justice and Migration: Biblical Roots and Present-Day Realities” by Reverend Stan Duncan and Bobby Gilmore, SSC. These workshops were great eye-opener experiences for me to face squarely the reality of an unjust immigration system not just in this country but worldwide. I learned from Speaker Magda Lanuza that most people if given the choice prefer to stay close to their homes and families. Yet every day thousands of people worldwide are faced with the heartwrenching decision to leave their loved ones and migrate. They are forced to migrate to the United States and other countries where jobs may be found due to lack of economic opportunities in their own countries to provide for their families. Meanwhile, conflict, violence, persecution, 7
and environmental degradation have resulted in the forced migration of millions who become refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). He urged us to address the root causes of displacement around the globe, as well as treat economic and forced migrants in the U.S. and abroad with humanity and dignity and to support them with a “place to call home.” Using the scripture text “to love our neighbor and welcome the stranger,” he called on Congress to act on the following legislative initiatives on three points, namely: immigration reform, root causes of migrationJubilee Act, and to assist forcibly displaced persons. Speakers Reverend Stan Duncan and Bobby Gilmore, SSC offered countless stories of migration and movement of people in the Bible as well as offered us a prophetic vision of a just world and right relationships between peoples in the workshop “Economic Justice and Migration: Biblical Roots and Present-Day Reality.” They challenged various faith-based advocacy groups to remain firm in their commitment to the immigration reform because the current broken immigration system has human consequences. To name some of the human consequences of a broken immigration system: family separation, worker exploitation, poor conditions of detention centers for undocumented migrants, wasted resources, and increasing numbers of deaths of those trying to cross the borders. By changing the U.S. immigration policies, the U. S. government can help millions of
immigrant families to live with dignity, reunite separated loved ones, and strengthen the U.S. economy. Because undocumented workers are a highly vulnerable population, they are frequently victims of wage theft and other abusive practices. Bobby Gilmore, SSC gave a faith-based presentation response to this ongoing exploitation of workers and a detailed call-to-action on what participants like myself can do both in Washington DC and at home. The immigration rally got some attention on Sunday afternoon when simultaneously the health care bill was passed. I believe that a message was sent – faith-based communities and most Americans need immigration reform. They want it to be the next thing on the agenda.
While my first congressional office visit with Sr. Rose Therese was with Legislative Assistant Randy Hirsh rather than actually with Congressman Mark Kirk, I felt that Randy Hirsh was well-versed in the issues we presented to him. It was a serious and productive conversation. If there’s one thing these advocacy visits have taught me, it is the fact that our elected officials want to hear from us. My EAD time in Washington D.C. was a time well spent. Sr. Dinah Marie Aguirre, SSpS
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