Vision & Challenge | Spring 2013

& ision V

SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME

Spring/Summer 2013 Volume XX No. 2

C hallenge

Proclaiming God’s Goodness and Provident Care

Sr. Mary Lisa Megaffin and Sr. Mary Bernadette Pendola on Pilgrimage in Lourdes - more on page 7

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From Cleveland to California: One Family’s Journey with the SNDs great pedagogical skill, she gave them a foundation on which to build their lives in their new home.

Rosaria Contini with her high school yearbook,

Rosaria Contini was born in 1911 and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where she got to know the Sisters of Notre Dame as a high school student.

Rosaria then continued her studies with the sisters at Notre Dame College, where she studied foreign languages and social work. She parlayed VISION AND CHALLENGE is published by the Sisters of Notre Dame, California Province Office of Advancemeny.

Director of Advancement Christiana Thomas

this education into a career teaching foreign languages in high schools in Cleveland, and eventually becoming the first ESL teacher in her area. Rosaria met students who came to America from Hungary and Vietnam, often without any English comprehension at all, and with an open heart and

Editor Christiana Thomas Contributors Teri Bockstahler Sr. MaryBernadette Pendola Sr. Valerie Marie Roxburgh Christiana Thomas

Rosaria had five children, all of whom attended SND schools.

Rosaria’s daughter Mary Contini Gordon recalls Sr. Mary Lynn especially. “She was the librarian at Regina High School in the Cleveland, Ohio area. My sisters and I stayed in the library after school almost every day waiting for our father to pick us up. We were often the last ones out. Sister looked very busy most of the time, but was patient, kind, and helpful to the teenage girls who were supposed to be doing homework. Because of Sr. Mary Lynn and the Regina work ethic, most of us did just that.”

The Contini children all went on to successful careers, Mary at the Hughes Institute, Anita works for Michael Bloomberg, Rita with Bank of America,

Photographers Sr. Mary Lisa Megaffin Christiana Thomas Consultants and Research Sr. Betty Mae Bienlein Sr. Mary Sheila Fay Sr. Mary Josanne Furey Sr. Mary Francelia Klingshirn Sr. Mary Joan Schlotfeldt

Printing Gordon Bowers Printing Westlake Village, California Printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.

More News at: www.sndca.org

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The Sisters of Notre Dame didn’t just teach high school curriculum - they taught us to share our gifts with others and to notice their needs. They taught us how to move forward with love.

- Rita Contini and Rosie works in special education. Their brother Mario served as the superintendant of Conejo Unified School District. All credit the Sisters of Notre Dame with playing an important role in shaping their education as well as their faith.

Sr. Mary Lynn had the opportunity to rekindle her relationship with not only Mary Contini Gordon, but also Rosaria when several members of the Contini family relocated to Thousand Oaks in the late 1960’s. The family was also delighted to reconnect with Sr. Mary Josanne Furey, another of their teachers at Regina in Cleveland, when she served as Principal of La Reina High School here in Thousand Oaks.

Above: Rosaria Contini’s children in the early days of their Catholic education, and Below: All five children and Rosaria earlier in 2013

With the strong SND connection, Mary’s daughter Rebecca decided that she wanted to attend La Reina, and she eventually became the class Salutatorian (class of 1993).

She then went on to University of California at San Diego to study biology and eventually the Berkeley/UCSF joint program in medicine. Today Rebecca is a family doctor in Kitchener Canada, where in addition to her family practice, she volunteers part-time in a medical homeless outreach program, and also teaching religion classes for her parish.

Although Rebecca originally decided to attend La Reina for the excellent academics, she finds that the religious

education has become a critical part of her work. Taught by Sr. Margaret Mary, her 12th grade religion class featured daily spiritual reflection assignments. Today Rebecca sees that class as a course on life – a time to develop the ability to really consider what you are doing and reflect on what leads you closer to God and what leads you away. It is also a critical foundation for the work she does with her patients.

Rosaria was welcomed to the eternal banquet this past spring, at the age of 101, but the loving connection she established with the Sisters of Notre Dame lives on through the lives and work of her family.

The academics were excellent, but when I think back to La Reina, the academics aren’t why I love the school. I have a Catholic view of the world.

- Dr. Rebecca Lubitz (‘93) 3 Spring 2013.indd 3

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Ministry in a New Home Sr. Jan Marie Villalobos’s ministry has taken her from California to our Notre Dame sisters’ ministry in Covington, where she now serves as Volunteer Coordinator at the Diocesan Catholic Children’s Home, Center for Children and Families in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. DCCH is a residential treatment facility for children removed from abuse or neglect, offering compassionate comprehensive therapy and education that also aims to model appropriate social behavior in apartment group living. In addition, DCCH Center Foster and Adoption Services facilitate placement for these children as well as other referrals from the state’s children services.

Sr. Jean Marie Hoffman, the Director has ministered forty years at DCCH Center and provides support and encouragement to Sr. Jan Marie, who oversees more than 50 volunteers. Some volunteers work as fundraisers for the center, while others work directly with the youth at DCCH serving as mentors, tutors, and surrogate families. In addition to managing volunteer placements, Sr. Jan Marie may make referrals for volunteers. Many volunteers have said that they want to “give back” and be a help to others.

Sister Jan asks that you all send prayers this way for the children, staff, and volunteers.

Th

Sr. Jan Marie reports that the warm expression “My Old Kentucky Home” has new meaning for her.

Notre Dame sisters are “home” wherever they are in the congregation. She misses her sisters and friends in California, but welcomes the thrill of the Kentucky Derby in the rolling hills of the Blue Grass State.

DCCH Volunteers finish spring cleaning

One of the neatest experiences of my canonical year was the nine-month period of study and fellowship with men and women in formation from other religious communities. This program is known as ICF (Inter-Congregational Formation Program), and this year we had postulants and novices from five local communities participate.

The structure of the ICF gave us a chance to build community and to share experiences in our formation journeys. It was wonderful for me to know that these men and women are my brothers and sisters in religious life! It is an exciting journey, and we continue to learn and grow in love and service to the people of God and for our Church through our communities. God is so good!

We came from different social and cultural backgrounds, as well as from different parts of the U.S. Our classes were held at the formation house of the Lovers of the Holy Cross in Gardena, CA. Each year the formators of our religious communities decide on the topics for the classes. Our classes were taught by speakers from religious communities, including our own. For example, Sister Mary Kathleen Burns, SND taught us different forms of prayer and Sister Mary Leanne Hubbard, SND talked about the process of theological reflection for our daily lives and for ministry. The topics were diverse, ranging from the vows (chastity, poverty and obedience) to Catholic social teaching.

ICF Group with Fr. Luke Dysinger at St. John’s Seminary

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Vocation News - My Experience at ICF

by Sr. Mary Grace Leung

In fo

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The SND USA initiative!

Inspired by the call for greater collaboration, the four Sisters of Notre Dame U.S. provinces formed “SND-USA: Embracing our Shared Future� just over one year ago.

SND-USA is a planning committee composed of sisters representing each of the four provinces.

Subgroups of SND-USA are working on collaborative initiatives in various areas of our common life.

Sisters of Notre Dame from the U.S. provinces serve as teachers and administrators in education, in parishes, social service settings, health care, and spiritual development in locations listed below.

Sisters of Notre Dame Sisters of Notre Dame Sisters of Notre Dame Sisters of Notre Dame Chardon, OH

Mission: Tanzania Nicaragua Ministries in: Ohio, Virginia, D.C., Noth Carolina, Florida Rome, Italy

Toledo, OH

Covington, KY

Thousand Oaks, CA

Mission: Papua New Guinea

Mission: Uganda

Mission: Uganda

Ministries in: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, New York, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, California, Guatemala, Rome, Italy

Ministries in: Kentucky Rome, Italy

Ministries in: California Rome, Italy

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The four U.S. provinces are part of our international congregation which has nine other provinces located in 17 countries on every major continent.

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The Legacy of A Great Teacher

Sr. Florette Marie (Mary Reynette) Adams in the early days of her teaching ministry and today

On a sunny June day several decades ago, a seven-year-old in St. Joan of Arc school sat in tears desperately clinging to her desk. Although it was the last day of the school year, this little girl had no desire to run out into the delicious freedom of her first minutes of summer vacation. She sat, unbudging, in the hopes that she could be allowed to stay forever in Sr. Florette Marie (Mary Reynette) Adams’s first grade classroom.

Eventually, her parents came in to help convince her to leave, and the principal was called, and finally the little girl was compelled to move on - in this case to Sr. Mary Therese Ann’s second grade class where it is reported that she also had a wonderful year. Later still, the little girl grew up to be a teacher, and finally a teacher of teachers. And that is when she first got back in touch with us.

Today Karen Eifler is full professor at the University of Portland where she guides young students in their preparations for teaching in the classroom. In addition to her college courses, she is an author, most recently of A Month of Mondays: Spiritual Lessons from the Catholic Classroom.

Karen told us that often, just before Thanksgiving break, she will give her students the opportunity to write thank you cards, and to put down sincere notes of gratitude for the people who have touched their lives in meaningful ways over the years. Last year, Karen decided to join in this exercise. Thinking back over the teachers that had made a difference in her life, she felt compelled to reach out to Sr. Florette Marie.

Karen recalls a first grade year that was truly transformative.

Although Sr. Florette Marie taught an oversubscribed class with more students in it than we would consider ideal today, she was nonetheless able to help them all learn to read. Many of the pedagogical techniques that Karen currently teaches her students seemed to be just intuitive to Sr. Florette Marie, who used her love of music to teach the children funny made-up songs to help them retain difficult concepts.

And, of course, sister’s love for Jesus remains inspiring to Karen whose current teaching reflects that deep commitment to God. Karen has written an article about the experience of getting back in touch with Sr. Florette Marie, and it will be published in the Summer 2013 issue of Portland Magazine. In it, she credits Sr. Florette Marie with setting her on a path of life-long love of learning.

If you would like to get back in touch with an SND who has touched your life, please let us know. We will do our best to connect you with the sisters that you fondly remember. We truly love hearing from you!

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Welcome Christiana Thomas, Director of Advancement With tremendous gratitude, the Sisters of Notre Dame would like to say thank you and farewell to Carmela Burke, who served for seven years as the Director of Development for ths sisters. Carmela was a fixture at Notre Dame Center, and was instrumental in

fundraising for the Uganda Mission as well as the sisters ministries.

Stepping into the role of Director of Mission Advancement is Christiana Thomas. Christiana has served the sisters for two years as Director of

Communications, and will be spearheading the sisters’ new advancement program. If you would like to reach Christiana, she would love to hear from you at cthomas@sndca.org. There will be more about Christiana nd the rest of the team in our upcoming Fall Issue.

A Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Nightly rosary candelight procession

Each spring the Knights of Malta sponsor a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, to offer those faithful who are suffering from illness an opportunity to experience the many blessings that a stay in this holy place can offer. This spring, Sr. Mary Bernadette Pendola, diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease was given the opportunity to visit Lourdes, with Sr. Mary Lisa Megaffin as her companion.

The sisters carried their own intentions as well as those of many Sisters of Notre Dame, family, and friends.

Annointing of the sick at St. Bernadette Church in Lourdes

“I am so grateful to the sisters and to the Knights and Dames of Malta for the opportunity to make this pilgrimage,” said Sr. Mary Bernadette. “Lourdes is a place to experience the deep love of God, as well as healing of the body, spirit and mind as God wills.”

The origin of Lourdes as a holy site began in February of 1858, when a peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous first saw an apparition of the Blessed Virgin. During one of eighteen apparitions, the Blessed Virgin directed

Bernadette to a stream. The site soon became a place for healing though water and the Eucharist. Bernadette later became a Sister of Charity of Nevers, and was eventually canonized.

The grotto and pools at Lourdes are visited by more than six million people each year.

Many miraculous healings are attributed to the Blessed Virgin’s intercession and the tremendous faith and prayers of the pilgrims.

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Becoming a Sister in Uganda

The Ugandan sisters gather to greet friends and family following their professions.

On May 4, 2013, the first Sister of Notre Dame in Uganda, Sr. Mary Immaculate Namugga Amooti professed her perpetual vows, while three more sisters, Sr. Mary Annet Namakula, Sr. Maria Atyeronimungu, and Sr. Mary Harriet Odong made their first profession.

They also celebrated the Golden Jubilees of three sisters on mission in Uganda, Sr. Mary Rita Geoppinger, Sr. Maria Bernarde Derichsweiler, and Sr. Mary Judith Averbeck.

Also in attendance were the 25 women currently in initial formation in Uganda as well as over 700 family and friends.

The sisters were grateful for the excellent weather that they had on May 4th. Although there had been rain all week leading up to

Srs. Mary Colette Theobald and Mary Anncarla Costello join the jubiliarians

the celebration, the sisters enjoyed perfect weather for the liturgy and meal.

Sr. Mary Anncarla Costello attended on behalf of the California Province, and praised the courage of Sr. Immaculate who had the faith to hear the call to vocation, and the strength to be a pioneer among the Ugandans.

“Eighteen years ago, the Sisters of Notre Dame brought the Notre Dame spirit to Uganda,” said Sr. Anncarla. “But it’s that commitment of these sisters that makes Notre Dame truly Ugandan. We are so grateful to witness the flowering of the Uganda mission.”

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