Community News

ForMission 2.0 is an opportunity for those who’ve participated in the Religious Formation Conference’s Orientation to Formation and/or the ForMission programs to dive deeper into a specific topic, refresh and reinvigorate skills and learnings along the way, connect with other formators, and engage in peer supervision.

Due to popular interest, the 2022 exhibit at the Haehn Museum, Art and Heritage Place, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, was selected to stay on display through 2023. Titled “By the Work of Her Hands,” this exhibit celebrates the vast array of art forms mastered by the hands of Sister Dennis Frandrup. Respected by colleagues, admired by her students at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, and recognized by other artists, S. Dennis has been producing art for over 50 years. In this exciting exhibit, the teacher and artist come together to offer beauty to a weary world.

The Franciscan Peace Center is proud to announce its new podcast, The “Center.” Published on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, the podcast is focused on the mission of the Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa to promote peace and active nonviolence within local, national, and global communities.

Host Marsha Thrall is joined by special guests in each episode to explore how active nonviolence and peacemaking are necessary and transformative practices within everyday life.

By Katie Mahon, Communications Manager

For over 40 years, Sr. Maggie McDermott, OP, a Sister of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, has been the face, heart, and soul of the Tolentine Zeiser Community Life Center.

From building up ministries such as the Sammon Build Center, Paradise Transitional Housing, Susan’s Place, Siena House, and the Tolentine Early Learn Program, Sr. Maggie has genuinely dedicated her ministry to following her congregation’s mission of caring for those in need.

“Whether there are 158 members or 12,” shares Anna Taylor, who the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration welcome as a candidate for the congregation, “that common purpose of sharing life in the quest for God remains.”

World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life
Sacred is the Call: Taizé Prayer
Sacred Heart Convent
In-Person or on Facebook and Livestreamed
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2023 @ 7 PM – 8 PM

Coming Soon: Come & See Weekend
@springfieldop
https://springfieldop.org/join-us/become-a-sister/

The Life Satisfaction Scale for Apostolic Women Religious
(LSSAWR) is a well-established instrument with demonstrated
psychometrics properties. This study examined the individual
item-level ratings averaged across generational cohorts within
an international sample of Roman Catholic Sisters. The purpose
was to identify areas of potential differences in overall life
satisfaction and/or in specific areas. In general, the results indicated a
tendency of lower levels of satisfaction as the generational cohort

The Little Sisters of the Poor invite single Catholic young adult women to a Virtual "Come and See" event on Saturday March 4, 2023 at 2:00pm Eastern/11:00am Pacific time. Participants will see where and how the Little Sisters of the Poor live out their daily prayer, community, and apostolic lives as they serve God in the person of the poor. This Zoom gathering will last approximately 1 1/4 hour, and will include discussion with our panel of Little Sisters and also an opportunity for Q&A. Our time together will conclude with a brief period of live Eucharistic adoration.

January 24, 2023, Adrian, Michigan – The General Council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters expressed grief at the brutality of the two recent episodes of mass shootings in California and stand in solidarity and prayer with the victims and their families. Below is their statement.

Amityville Dominican Sisters Anne-Marie Kirmse and Alice Byrnes wrote an article entitled “The Legacy of Bartolomé de las Casas – Then and Now” which was published in the December 2022 issue of "Dominican Ashram". The article is based on the presentations Sisters Alice and Anne-Marie made at the Second International de Las Casas in 2019 and the Dominican Symposium in Higher Education last June.

Saint Benedict’s Monastery will hold an ecumenical prayer service at 7 p.m. Thursday, January 19, in Sacred Heart Chapel to celebrate this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The focus of the service is “Do Good; Seek Justice.” The public is invited to participate in the prayer which will be led by members of Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph Parish, and Resurrection Lutheran Church.

It’s the day after Christmas 2022 at the Visitation Community in Copiague, NY, the home of Sister of St. Dominic of Amityville, Flor Buruca, OP. Although the tree came down already, the Nativity scene is still displayed prominently in the living room. It should be noted, that around the room, there are more than a dozen wooden angel figurines on the windowsill, on a wooden cabinet and on the mantle above the fireplace that almost seems almost as an extension of the manger scene. This is a good metaphor for Visitation Community.

As part of an Advent project, the Associates of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville collected more than $2,800 in gift cards and cash for important non-profits. These charities include: the OPening Word program which helps immigrant women learn English and job skills; Visitation Community which helps immigrant families with rental assistance and food insecurity as well as temporary housing; and the Shinnecock people, a native tribe on Long Island.

Sister Chris Kunze, SCN; Director of Social and Environmental Justice Joetta Venneman, and Director of Ecological Sustainability Carolyn Cromer represented the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth at a protest Jan. 6 to oppose the LG&E pipeline that is proposed to go through Bernheim Forest and neighboring small farms. LG&E has taken Bernheim to court with a court date set for 9 a.m. Tuesday in Bullitt County, Kentucky. The court will determine whether or not to condemn protected land for a natural gas pipeline.

Franciscan Sisters Offer Virtual Discernment of Spirits Retreat

As Carlette Gentle, SCN, enters a room with her youthful smile and extroverted presence, many are surprised to learn she is a “nun.” In high school classrooms, as she talks about vocation, she is often asked by the students if she watches television, or about her wardrobe and other inquiries about her that differ from their ideas of religious life. Sister Carlette happily answers each query, ready to educate and inspire.

The North American Vocation Team (NAVT) of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) invites young adults ages 18 and older to a monthly online evening prayer on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST) via Zoom. Dates for evening prayer in the first quarter of 2023 are January 24, February 28 and March 28. More information and registration for the Zoom links is available at ssnd.org/events/.

The North American Vocation Team (NAVT) of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) is hosting an online “Joyful & Alive Conversation” Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST, 6 p.m. MST, 5 p.m. PST) via Zoom. Single women ages 18-45 interested in how to discover God’s invitation for their life and/or who are curious about religious life are invited to attend and bring questions. More information and registration for the Zoom link is available at ssnd.org/events/1-19-23/.

Franciscan Sisters Offer Virtual Retreat: Praying in Eternity - Past, Present and Future
Single Catholic Women 20-35 are invited to join Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity’s Zoom Retreat on December 30th. Focus on Gratitude for 2022 and Discerning Your Calling in 2023.

By Katie Mahon, Communications Manager

If you are a Dominican University New York student or alumni, chances are you know Sr. Barbara McEneany, OP.

Sr. Barbara, a Sister of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, has ministered at DUNY for over 30 years in the school’s Campus Ministry and has been a regular presence in all aspects of University Life.

About this story
The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Communications Team visited Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center and Food Pantry in Chicago with Kristin Peters, FSPA, pictured above. She volunteers offering supportive presence at both the center and pantry and introduced FSPA to the organization. “I’m trying to be in relationship with the people in the neighborhood; I like being part of that. It is in building relationships that we build trust.”

By Katie Mahon, Communications Manager

The Sacrament of Confirmation is a pivotal moment in one’s life.

Reaching this milestone often signifies maturity and marks the ability to take responsibility for one’s faith journey. To achieve this milestone, one often must complete a service project and a substantial amount of studying.

Join ACRATH (Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans) and the international community for 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. The United Nations 16 days of activism begins on 25th November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the anniversary of the brutal assassination of Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa Mirabal, three activists in the Dominican Republic in 1960.

Sr. Terry Rickard, OP, a Sister of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, joined the Hearts Afire Podcast to discuss her recent trip to the Holy Land. Watch and listen here.

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