VOLUME 8 • NO. 2 • 2007
Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS Dedication to Jesus Christ involves us intimately in the liberating and reconciling Gathering Place is published to keep
mission—to make God more deeply known and loved, and in so doing, draw all persons to fuller and freer life.
the public informed of the mission and ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the
Together with all our sisters and brothers who strive for a more just world, we undertake those activities which will promote the material and spiritual development of the human family.
Third Order of St. Francis.
When I was a child, I learned the prayer, “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine.” I didn’t realize then what I was asking for.To be meek and humble — gentle — requires the discipline of a disciple, someone who is intent on becoming like the
EDITOR Reneta E.Webb, Ph.D., CAE
EDITORIAL BOARD Sr. Carolyn Bronk Theresa Kobak Dr. Arlene Lennox James Mascal Irene McGrane Sr. Jane Zoltek
teacher. It requires controlled strength.This issue of Gathering Place
PROOFING STAFF
invites you to discipleship. It invites you into a faith relationship with all of creation. It
Sr. Mary Adalbert Stal Sr. Dolores Mary Koza Sr. Louise Szerpicki Sr. Judith David
invites you to love tenderly and to hold all relationships gently. May all of us become heartshaped!
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OFFICE Public Relations Office P.O. Box 388129 Chicago, IL 60638-8129 Telephone: 1-773-581-7505 Fax: 1-773-581-7545 Web site: www.ssj-tosf.org e-mail: reneta@ssj-tosf.org
Copyright by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
Table of
Contents
VOLUME 8 • NO. 2 • 2007
FEATURES Gentleness: A Gift of the Spirit
3
“Love doesn’t mean doing extraordinary or heroic things. It means knowing how to do ordinary things with tenderness.” (Jean Vanier, Community and Growth, p.220) Gentleness is a reflection of the God of love, a gift of the Holy Spirit and a sign that “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” Mark 1:15
DEPARTMENTS
Gentleness of Being
6
Sr. Marygrace Puchacz (Dismas)
Letter from the President
1
Gentleness and Healing In the News
21
8
Judith Wood
In the Spirit of Francis and Clare— 104 Associates
Gentleness and Non-violence
2007 Jubilarians
12
Sr. Dorothy Pagosa
Development
27
Obituaries
27
Sister Evelyn Disher (Gemma) Sister Antoinette
Blessed Are the Gentle
14
Judith Wood — Bellflower Center for Prevention of Child Abuse
Sr. Suzanne Dietz (Gregory) and Associate Irene Skarban—Heart to Heart Care
Marie Urban (Bertholde) Sister Celeste Brej
Reader’s Response
Sister Blandine Jureczek
An invitation to dialogue —
Sister Michael Wierzbicki
25
Describe a person you have known in your lifetime
Sister Valerie Mushinski (Florian) Associate Antoinette Franz Sister Patricia Ann Ruppenthal (Consuella)
who embodies gentleness, a gift of the Spirit. Share your thoughts in 100-200 words.There will be a “Readers’ Response” section in the next issue of Gathering Place.
Dear Friends,
These days, as I walked with gentleness, I faced a writer’s block. So, I decided to turn to three of my sisters, Shawn Lee, Cecilia Zielen, and Carlene Blavat for their insights and wisdom. They touched my heart.
Shawn loves the word, gentleness. It is the way we should walk through the world. We respond best in life when we are approached gently. Flowers grow when the rain is gentle. A torrential downpour beats the flowers down and floods the earth. A gentle rain provides all of the needed moisture without destroying all that grows. If we approach people with torrential, raging rain, they, too, can be destroyed. Gentleness is not passivity, weakness, or fear of the truth. It can be expected from the strong. When Elijah heard God it wasn’t in the great wind, or in the earthquake, or in the fire, but in the sound of a gentle breeze. (1 Kings 19:11-13) The human spirit is at its best when it can look gently at things. As we spoke Piccolo, Shawn’s cat, jumped up and nestled on her lap—the lap of a gentle woman.
For Cel, gentleness respects the feelings of other persons and is an openness to them even in situations of disagreement. It is working for the common good, the good for all. Gentleness is mindfulness and a willingness to bend. It is how we treat and help a person, a pet, the trees, grass, flowers, and all of creation. Gentleness is how Cel arranges a bouquet of flowers, how she arranges their beauty and changes their water. It is how we use our resources. Conservation is
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a part of gentleness. Cel remembered when she was a little girl, walking through the alley with her Mother and brother. If her Mother saw a piece of bread on the ground, she would pick it up and take it home. She saw it as a gift from God. Gentleness means to be grateful for everything. We need to be gentle with ourselves; if not, we can’t be authentic in projecting gentleness to people or to creation. Cel is a gentle woman.
For Carlene, gentle people are attentive to the person with whom they are talking. They look at the person, listen to them, and let them say the whole thing that they wanted to share. Gentle people don’t always agree. When they say something disagreeable, they do it kindly. They don’t crush the bruised reed or extinguish a flickering flame. Gentle persons take their time and look at a situation from different view points. They are usually not very loud and probably wouldn’t be the outstanding voice you would hear in a crowded room. They are gentle with creation, nature, and themselves. They respect animals and birds and different kinds of weather. Gentle people are peaceful. There’s a softness in them, yet they don’t just give in. They would not deliberately harm another person, yet they would hold to their own beliefs. As Carlene was speaking with me a little bird came and perched on her window ... on the window of a gentle woman.
What does gentleness mean for you?
Your sister,
Jeanne Conzemius, ssj-tosf President
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
gentleness A Gift of the Spirit
—Galatians 5:22-23
Gentleness is a gift of the Holy Spirit. If you are holy, if you live in a holy spirit, you become gentle. When you think of the holy persons you know, there is a certain demeanor of respect and care for all of creation that abides in their very being. It’s a quality that is hard to pin down, but you know it’s there. It manifests itself by the way they make eye contact, by the way they are sensitive to things in their environment, by the way they speak in a respectful way, and by the way they touch persons and things with care. Louis Lavelle said, “The heaven-born spirit of gentleness penetrates with light the air we breathe, and spiritualizes everything it touches. Gentleness is the daughter of light.” Gentleness permeates the whole person in an intangible-tangible way, spilling over into the earth. The etymology of the word “gentleness” is illusive. It is taken from an almost untranslatable Greek word epi-ei-kei-a which could mean patience, softness, modesty, tenderness, meekness, forbearance, moderation, sweet reasonableness, courtesy, or graciousness. In a way, gentleness is the sum of the gifts of the Spirit.Where does this gentleness come from? St. Paul, who is always succinct, puts it this way:“Let your gentleness be known to all. The Lord is at hand.” Philippians 4:5 In these two sentences, he verbalizes the foundation of the Christian life which results in gentleness. Gentleness results from “the Lord” being “at hand.” For Paul, the Lord being at hand was the reality of God’s presence within him.
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“I live now, not I, but Christ lives in me.” The realization of the indwelling life of Christ shifts one’s vision to seeing all of creation, including oneself, in a Divine light. One spiritually genuflects in respect before the blessed sacrament of this encounter with God. Gentleness is strong. In fact, gentleness implies strength. It means having capabilities, but for the sake of love and respect, the capabilities are fashioned to the person or object. Gentleness is strength under control. It is like a father tossing a ball to his small son.The father has the capability of throwing the ball with great strength, but for the sake of the son, tosses it gently. Jesus speaking with Pilate at his judgment before the crucifixion said, “Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Strength under control. Jesus, too, had the capability to heal the man born blind with a bolt of divine energy, but he makes mud with his saliva and gently swabs each eye to wholeness. Gentleness is the power of yielding. Gentleness is the poise of soul that enables a person to bear injuries with patience, and not demand what is rightly due, for the sake of peace. As Mark Twain once said,“The test of good manners is to be able to put up pleasantly with bad ones.” Gentleness requires discipline.That is why those who have chosen to follow Jesus are called “disciples.” Living in the same Holy Spirit of Jesus means that we work to direct our inner energy through inner silence and “immobility.” Gentleness comes by counting to ten. It also involves the art of letting go.When people or events get us unnerved, distressed and angry, it is because we have allowed them to “hook” us.What is it, in a given set of circumstances, that has the power to so possess us? Breathe out. Let it go.Then return to the situation selfpossessed, or, rather, possessed by a holy spirit. “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:4 “The earth,” the territory to be inherited, begins with one’s personal terrain.The gentle are self-possessed.They have received, through prayer and discipline, a recognition of their own inner life and an appreciation of the Holy Spirit present in all of creation. Gentleness resides in relationship. One only knows if a person is gentle by how they relate to other people, to earth, to other living creatures and to God.“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall have the earth as inheritance,” said Jesus. Being gentle allows us to be in resonance with all the earth and its inhabitants. Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche movement, a service to the developmentally disabled, says, “Love doesn’t mean doing extraordinary or heroic
(continued from page 4)
gentleness A Gift of the Spirit things. It means knowing how to do ordinary things with tenderness.” He goes on to say,“community is made of the gentle concern that people show each other every day. It is made up of small gestures, of services and sacrifices which say ‘I love you’ and ‘I am happy to be with you.’ It is letting the other go in front of you, not trying to prove that you are in the right in a discussion. It is taking the small burdens from the other.” Community and Growth, pp. 25-26. The gentle person has a “seamless garment” approach to respect for life. From beginning to end, from the greatest to the smallest, the gentle person is in right relationship with life. Gentleness is counter cultural. We live in a world that is sometimes harsh and rude. We tend to get extremely busy, with deadlines, stress, financial concerns, and unmet expectations.Those pressures make us less than courteous, affable and tender.The very virtue of gentleness is sometimes perceived as being weak or unwilling to confront difficult circumstances and people.Yet, gentleness provides a calming effect on difficult situations. It helps to stabilize relationships and open the doors to resolution. Gentleness is healing. Pope Benedict XVI, in his canonization homily for Passionist St. Charles of Mount Argus, said, “During his many years of priestly ministry in England and Ireland, the people flocked to him to seek out his wise counsel, his compassionate care and his healing touch.” Gentle touch is one way in which the Spirit of God is shared among people. It helps to bring balance and peace to the spirit. Gentle touch has been documented by substantial research as contributing to health of mind, body and spirit, our own and that of others. When you get dressed in the morning, pray to be clothed with the spirit of gentleness. Each of us has had our Pentecost.The Spirit of God abides in each of us, so we all have the strength of gentleness.We have the capability to “do justice, love tenderly, and walk humbly with [our] God,” Micah 6:8 May the strength of God so permeate our beings that we remain gently in right relationship to creation.Today, more than ever, the world needs a gentle spirit.
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gentleness of Being by Sister Marygrace Puchacz
At Buddha Gate Monastery a stirring experience took place. The Shifu (master) guiding the sitting and walking meditation was a tall, majestic Buddhist nun. Her face radiated a purity, clarity and an almost glowing transparency. Her words and movements were poised in total serenity. Could this be what Gentleness of Being looks like? Gentleness is like a soft breeze of the soul, unflinching and totally immersed in the now. Being - what we do with our awareness, moment by moment. A sense of being is embraced and attuned to the fullness of the sacred with no gaze upon the past or future. Gentleness protects our mutuality. There is no place for power, force, titles, and levels of importance.We “sit at the table as equals.” This openness and emptiness transcends consciousness where there is no “I” and no “Me,” just the depth of Eternal Presence. Gentleness asks an unquestioned trust and bowing to the beauty and reverence of the other - the deep listening to our Source. Our God is in the silence between our thoughts. Gentleness is driven by Honor and Reverence. This is a radical contrast to all that tells of success, accomplishments, determination at all cost, pushed schedules, and harsh realities of life. Many times our “doing” is way ahead of our “being.”
In according honor, what do the meek, deliberate expressions of the Sages and Elders in our midst reveal to us? “The Wisdom that comes from Heavens is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness.”
About the Author
(Paraphrased James 3:17) True service requires a level of humility and gentleness: gentle quality of attention, gentle words, gentle movements. It claims a tender sense of “being there for,” with and along side. There is an awakening, a mindfulness of how we relate to one another. Purity of SERVING bids us to know our mind and our heart.Wholeheartedly, is my intent the “greatest good” for others, without exception — even those who are not on the list of favorites? In journey with others, we share our strengths and vulnerabilities, and together hold the blessings of the Now.
SISTER MARYGRACE PUCHACZ IS THE FOUNDER AND
Gentleness is the balm of compassion, the guard against judgment. It is the link between souls — the reach for the Infinite Loving Presence that makes us one. Gentleness of Being is the quiet light of spirit that silently evokes and reminds the companion of their true goodness.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EAST BAY SERVICES TO
“And God was not
THE DEVELOPMENTALLY
in the wind
DISABLED IN CONCORD,
in the earthquake
CALIFORNIA, WHICH
and fire
EMPLOYS A STAFF
but in the gentle whisper.”
OF APPROXIMATELY FIFTY, AND SERVES OVER 1600 CLIENTS.
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(Paraphrased 1 Kings 19:11-12)
gentleness and Healing by Judith Wood
When I think of the healing process at work in my own life or in the lives of those whom I have been privileged to know through my work as a clinical social worker, I am touched mostly by the awareness of how fragile this process is, and how easily we can “miss the boat” by either pushing too hard or by giving up hope that it will ever come to fruition. For approximately twenty years now, I have been working with men and women who have survived almost every form of violence that can be done to a human being. As children, they were held captive by parents, foster parents, or other caregivers who tortured them in unimaginable ways including various forms severe physical and sexual abuse. Some had parents who exchanged the use of their child’s body for drugs or alcohol needed to assuage their life-long addictions. Yet no matter what was done to them, most maintain a loyalty to their parental figures, because to face the truth that they were not protected or cared for as they deserve seems to be a fate worse than having no family to call one’s own. A famous analyst by the name of Leonard Shengold has given a name to the consequences of such interpersonal violence. He calls it soul murder, and I can think of no more accurate a description than this for what so many people struggle to overcome. At the heart of soul murder is the belief that one is so bad, ugly, or stupid that he or she deserves to be mistreated. Children are especially vulnerable to this experience because they have no one but the adults around them to turn to as they try to understand who they are and why they are here in the world. Violent treatment, whether physical, sexual, or emotional, always answers such questions in the negative—“you are worthless,” “you don’t matter because you are here only to fulfill my needs,” “you can-
gentleness and Healing
(continued from page 8)
not, do not, exist apart from me.” Such messages are seldom verbalized. They don’t need to be. The abuse itself delivers the message. Is it then possible for someone to recover their soul following such experiences? I believe so, but I think that if we are to enable the process of healing in others who have been so wounded, we need to think about the ways that others have responded to us that most promoted our own healing when we were in need. For myself, the notion of gentleness encompasses the type of response needed. Gentleness was the approach of Francis to all forms of violence, including Gubbio’s wolf! Gentleness was the approach employed by Clare whether facing a possible attack of the Saracens or encouraging Agnes to be true to herself and remain firm in her convictions. The gentleness of others in hearing and attending to my woundedness has taught me something of how to do the same for others.
if we can learn to be gentle, to listen tenderly to the stories of one another’s woundedness, perhaps then we will have hands “smaller than the rain” that will serve to restore the kingdom of hope, peace and love. 9
Vol. 8 No. 2
The following lines of a poem by e. e. cummings often come to my mind when I think of gentleness in relationships: Somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond any experience, your eyes have their silence in your frail gesture are things when enclose me or which I cannot touch because they are too near
your slightest look easily will unclose me though I have closed myself as fingers you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens (touching skillfully, mysteriously) her first rose
(I do not know what it is about you that closes and opens; only something in me understands the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses) nobody not even the rain has such small hands
gentleness and Healing
(continued from page 10)
So often when people are wounded, whether by severe trauma as described above, or by the lesser but just as real traumas of daily life, we want to hurry them along to recovery, and in doing so, we say all the wrong things: “It’s in the past, get over it and move on,” or “You shouldn’t feel that way; focus on the good things you have accomplished.” Such comments can create their own kind of violence since they continue to suggest that something is still wrong with the hurt individual. At the opposite end of the
About the Author
spectrum, we may try to make decisions for person we want to help thereby limiting their autonomy, or push them to get better quicker than is possible for them. These, too, are forms of unintended violence. The Jewish community has a spiritual approach that I find helpful in this regard. They refer to the notion of “tikkun olam” which literally means “repairing the world.” The understanding here is that the role of humanity is to bring about the spiritualization of the cosmos by reuniting the scattered Light, that is the divine spark in each human being, back
JUDITH WOOD IS A SUPERVISOR AT THE BELLFLOWER CENTER FOR PREVENTION
to Divinity. It means restoring the broken world to God, something sacred to us as Christians also as we strive to live the values of God’s kingdom. If we can learn to be gentle, to listen ten-
OF CHILD ABUSE IN
derly to the stories of one another’s
CLEVELAND, OHIO,
woundedness, perhaps then we
WHERE SHE HAS
will have hands “smaller than the
MINISTERED SINCE 1991.
rain” that will serve to restore
SHE IS CURRENTLY A
the kingdom of hope, peace and
RE-ENTRY CANDIDATE
love.
OF THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS.
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gentleness and Nonviolence by Sr. Dorothy Pagosa We are living in a time of fear and suspicion. Ever since 9/11, we do not know for sure who might be our enemy. It would be easy to isolate and treat others harshly, to keep them at a distance. Yet, this goes against everything I know of our Franciscan Christian heritage. Especially at this time in our world, I feel that we are called to be gentle with one another. Gentleness can calm fears. Francis discovered this in the lepers of Assisi. As a young man he was terrified of lepers. They were ugly. He might catch what they have and die. One day Francis, after beginning the conversion process that would direct the rest of his life, came upon a leper. He gave the leper a coin and kissed his hand. The leper returned the
“I was gentle and
kiss of peace. Mythology has it that the leper disappeared, inferring that he was indeed Christ himself. From that day forward, I believe that Francis found it more possible to be
peaceful, a flower.
gentle with others – the poor, homeless and lepers. But also he was able to be gentle with the wealthy and hierarchy of the Church, because they were children of God as well.
But gentleness isn’t a wall that hides misery...”
Nonviolence calls me to be gentle with others, recognizing that we are all children of God capable of the highest good and the most destructive of
Awakenings —
impulses. This does not mean that I am called to sit idly by while bad things are happening to people and to Mother Earth. I have to remember that there are
a poem written by Salvadoran lawyer
systems in place that need to be challenged. People are operating out of what they know. To me, this
Lil Milagro Ramirez
means that models of gentleness and nonviolence are needed in order to produce a new paradigm.
who was detained and tortured in
Kathy Kelly is the co-founder of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. She has been in Iraq numerous times before the invasion and after. She has placed her-
El Salvador in 1976.
gentleness and Nonviolence
(continued from page 12)
self in dangerous situations, but has not succumbed to violence or harshness. Once when U.S. soldiers were coming down a street in Baghdad, she and her friends realized that they looked tired and thirsty. They immediately brought them bottles of water and talked with them. However, they immediately went back to stay with their Iraqi friends to be witnesses to what was going on. She has spoken in numerous venues in the United States about the
About the Author
realities of the invasion on the ground in Iraq. Her gentle style, I believe, allows people to hear what she has to say and has helped influence our society about the war in Iraq. In 2004, Kathy crossed the line at Fort Benning, to call for closure of the School of the Americas. The military police began to call her profane names. At that moment she said “I am sorry, but I can no longer cooperate with you if you continue to vilify me.” They punched her several times, bruising her ribs and giving her a black eye. Not once did she try to retaliate. Kathy is an example to me of what it means to be gentle, nonviolent and yet an active resister to violence and injustice in our world. I have discovered in my work among homeless people and other marginalized folks that
SISTER DOROTHY PAGOSA IS A STAFF MEMBER
most often they need someone to speak to, someone who will not judge them harshly. They want to share their stories and then they want you to walk with them. They want something they feel has been taken from them – respect. I have learned so much about sharing and gentleness from my friends in these communities.
OF THE 8TH DAY CENTER FOR JUSTICE IN CHICAGO,
In the summer of 2006, about 75 sisters and associates joined the three who had already
ILLINOIS, WHERE SHE HAS
taken the vow of nonviolence. This vow begins “Recognizing the violence in my own heart,
SERVED SINCE 1986. SHE
yet trusting the goodness and mercy of God, I vow for one year to practice the nonvio-
ALSO CHAIRS THE SOCIAL
lence of Jesus who taught us in the Sermon of the Mount…” The vow goes on to examine
JUSTICE COMMISSION OF
the beatitudes. (www.paxchristiusa.org)
THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS.
Gentleness is a necessity for nonviolence. Harshness and violence merely leads to further alienation. It is a day to day struggle to try to be gentle. It is fed by prayer and community. Jesus taught us that it is worth the struggle. He was even able to be gentle and ask forgiveness for his executioners. With Francis, let us always pray “God make me an instrument of your peace…”
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God, make me an instrument of your peace…
I HAVE DISCOVERED IN MY WORK AMONG HOMELESS PEOPLE AND OTHER MARGINALIZED FOLKS THAT MOST OFTEN THEY NEED SOMEONE TO SPEAK TO WHO WILL NOT JUDGE THEM HARSHLY.
gentle blessed are the
love child
for the
of a
During 2005, an estimated 899,000 children in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect. Children in the age group of birth to 3 years had the highest rate of victimization at 16.5 per 1000 children of the same age group in the national population. More than one half of the victims were 7 years old or younger (54.5%). More than one half of the child victims were girls (50.7%) and 47.3 percent were boys.Approximately one half of the victims were White (49.7%); one quarter (23.1%) were African-American; and 17.4 percent were Hispanic. An estimated 1,460 children died due to child abuse or neglect. More than three-quarters of perpetrators of child maltreatment (79.4%) were parents, and another 6.8 percent were other relatives of the victim. (Taken from Child Abuse: Statistics, Research and Resources by Jim Hopper, Ph.D.) Judy Wood is keenly aware of these statistics. She has been on the staff of the Bellflower Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Cleveland, Ohio, since 1991. Her title is Supervisor, but that hardly addresses the educational and counseling services she offers to the children and parents who come to Bellflower Center. Her mission is that of the Center — prevent child
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abuse and neglect by breaking the cycle of child abuse in all its forms through clinical treatment and education. Since Judy has been on staff for sixteen of the thirty years of Bellflower Center’s existence, she was instrumental in establishing some of its many services. Her master’s degree in Theology, with a concentration in Scripture and Spirituality, from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, coupled with her second master’s degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio, found a fitting outlet in working with parents and children seeking a gentler relationship. It is a way of assisting others in the controlled strength of gentleness. There was a divine plan already at work when Judith Diane Wood was baptized at St. Paul Episcopal Church in College Point, New York. Even after her family moved to Lorain, Ohio, the school bus taking her to the Public High School would pass St. Stanislaus
Christine Spikes, clinical Social worker; Judy Wood, Supervisor; Jackie Pennington, Executive Secretary Cheryl Groner, Supervisor, 24-Hour Hot Line; Judy Wood, Supervisor; Stacey Benduhn,Therapist
Catholic School where she would see the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. Even then, Judy had this feeling that some day she would be a member of that community.At age 20, while a student at Kent State University, she joined the Catholic Church in 1966.The day before she was to return to Kent State to begin her senior year, Judy received a call from the principal at St. Stanislaus School, asking if she would consider a position on the faculty as a 4th grade teacher. The mind said “no.” The heart said “yes.” Judy returned the call and accepted the teaching position with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order
Ann Muczynski, OSB, Therapist; Judy Wood
of St. Francis. Judy was confirmed at St. John Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio, in June 1968. Three months later, she entered the SSJ-TOSF congregation at Marymount Congregational Home in Garfield Heights, Ohio. After her time as a postulant and a novice, Judy continued her ministry as a teacher in schools in Ohio. In 1976, she became a full time student at the Catholic Theological Union which prepared her for her role as Director of Adult Education at St. Angela Parish in Fairview Park, Ohio. After four years, she became Pastoral Minister at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Macedonia, Ohio. She continued there until she left the congregation in 1989. God continues to work in mysterious and unexpected ways in Judy’s life, always providing
“I FELT THE NEED FOR CONNECTION TO SOMETHING GREATER.”
a surprise twist.This time, even with the ministry at Bellflower Center, Judy said,“I felt the need for connection to something greater.” Judy is now a re-entry candidate, preparing once again to join the vowed membership of the congregation.
—Judy Wood
Sister Suzanne Dietz (left) and Associate Irene Skarban
heart to heart
care
“It’s not a business, it’s a ministry.” That is the way Sister Suzanne Dietz and Associate Irene Skarban describe Heart to Heart Care, a service for the elderly and disabled in the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin. They began this ministry in 2003.They sensed that what was happening across the United States was also happening in the northeast section of Wisconsin—we are getting older. Statistics from the Census Bureau for Census 2000 show that the median age in America reached its highest point ever at 35.3 years, up from 32.9 years in 1990. This reflects a 4-percent drop in the number of persons 18 to 34 years old combined with a 28-percent increase in the population between 35 and 64 years of age.The increase was mainly fueled by the entry into this age bracket of the first “baby boom” generation (those born from 1946 to 1964). In addition, in 2007, the average life expectancy of a person in the United States is 77.9 years. 17
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HEART TO HEART CARE PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION, RESPITE CARE, PERSONAL CARE, GROCERY SHOPPING, AN OCCASIONAL COOKED MEAL, HOUSE CLEANING, AND OTHER SERVICES AT A COST FAR LESS THAN OTHER AGENCIES CHARGE.
The needs of those experiencing physical limitations call for a gentle hand. Scripture has no record of mass healings by Jesus. He took his time with each individual, and that is the way Sr. Sue and Irene approach the services they provide for the elderly and for the handicapped. By caring observation, they recognized that finding affordable services such as transportation and non-medical home care was a major problem for many senior citizens and the disabled. Heart to Heart Care provides transportation, respite care, personal care, grocery shopping, an occasional cooked meal, house cleaning, and other services at a cost far less than other agencies charge. Transportation is the most frequently used service. Sr. Sue began with a regular van, but soon realized that it would take a handicapped accessible van to do the job.With support from the congregation, Sr. Sue added a specially equipped van to the Heart to Heart Care ministry that makes family visits, doctor’s appointments, or shopping so much easier. Sr. Sue and Irene are “connectors.” They have the gift of bringing people and services together. For example, they asked the religious education students at St. Thomas More Parish to make holiday cards and placemats which they took to the homebound and the residents of nursing homes.When the specially equipped Heart to Heart Care van needed
Sr. Sue visits with Dorothy Vollmer at St. Paul Home in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
(continued from page 18)
heart to heart
care
washing, the youth group pitched in to get it done. When the homebound got lonely, Sr. Sue and Irene brought their two dogs on a visit for a little “pet therapy.” The prayer shawl ministry is another way in which Sr. Sue and Irene get people connected.As people gather for prayer, a volunteer knits/crochets each prayer into the prayer shawl. When the prayer shawl is complete — 50-plus inch long garments — they are blessed before being taken by Heart to Heart Care to the sick, the homebound, to those who need the comfort of prayer.As one
elderly woman put it as she hugged the prayer shawl around her, “You can feel the love and the prayer in every stitch.” Sr. Sue and Irene have connected others, too, who donate yarn or make donations toward the Prayer Shawl Ministry. Sisters’ prayer circles, volunteer knitters, and other prayer shawl volunteers create an ever widening network of spiritual energy. Other prayer groups might include the girl scouts, or a parent group, or the school children. There are over a hundred prayer shawls now gently embracing those in need. Sr. Sue and Irene are a dynamic duo. It is truly a miracle when lives intersect at the perfect moment the way it did when Sr. Sue, born and raised in Menasha,Wisconsin, served on the same faculty with Irene, born and raised in
THERE ARE OVER A HUNDRED PRAYER SHAWLS NOW GENTLY EMBRACING THOSE IN NEED.
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Lena,Wisconsin.They recognized early on that their respective talents complemented each other, and their spiritual commitments were united, to the least, the lost and the last. Sr. Sue entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis on
an answer to
prayer
by Joanne Flemming
September 1, 1957. She was invested on August 10, 1958, and received the name Sister Mary Gregory. Irene became an SSJ-TOSF Associate in 1985 and maintained her dedication to the Franciscan lifestyle
Sister Suzanne Dietz and her Heart to Heart Care Ministry, Little Chute, Wisconsin, were literally an answer to my prayers.
for over twenty years. They “connected” in the mid 1980s at Holy Trinity School in Oconto,Wisconsin.To the years of teaching experience, educational degrees and pastoral ministry involvement, Sr. Sue and Irene added a certification in gerontology to their credentials as they launched their new ministry. Sr. Sue
For more than four years, an agency had provided companionship and respite for my Down Syndrome brother Tom, now 53. After it ended its services, I spent a year looking for a replacement.Then, in frustration, I asked God to send me a nun to help Tom. Two days later, I found information about Sr. Sue’s ministry.
ministers in Heart to Heart Care full time. Irene is Coordinator of Religious Education and Pastoral Musician at St. Thomas More Parish in Appleton, Wisconsin, and helps with Heart to Heart Care whenever she can. Jesus promised that the gentle would inherit the land. The gentleness of Heart to Heart Care has certainly settled on the Fox Valley.
Rev. Gerald Falk, pastor of St.Thomas More Church, blesses the prayer shawls
When I interviewed her, I learned that we grew up in the same Menasha, Wisconsin, neighborhood and attended St. John the Baptist Grade School. She graduated seven years ahead of me. Sr. Sue has been Tom’s “date” for almost two years.They have eaten out, shopped, gone to movies and concerts together. They have baked cookies and delivered them to nursing home residents. Last February, Tom suffered congestive heart failure. In May he had open heart surgery. During his hospitalizations and recoveries at home, Sr. Sue had been a close, supportive friend, She and her friend, SSJTOSF Associate Irene Skarban, phoned and visited him frequently.When Tom was troubled with nightmares, they brought him holy water and a dream catcher to hang over his bed. Sr. Sue’s compassion has also extended to me as Tom’s care giver. While he was in the hospital, she and Irene treated me to two of my favorite dinners, Chinese food and pizza. She gifted me with my favorite candy bars. She listened whenever I needed someone to talk to. She mailed me cheery notes. God has blessed Tom and me in so many ways through Sr. Sue and Heart to Heart Care. I pray that she will continue to be a blessing to us and others for many more years.
IN THE SPIRIT OF
FRANCIS AND CLARE n May 3, 2007, six women commit-
O
ted themselves to live in the spirit of St. Francis and St. Clare, sharing
the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis.The ceremony took place at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Avondale, Arizona. Mary Frances Cieszynski, Patricia DeVito, Kathryn Harmon, Jean Herring, Charlene Krushinsky and Ellie Lahey — five teachers from St. Thomas Aquinas School and one Sun City woman — dedicated themselves to the life, mission and spirituality of the SSJTOSFs through the associate relationship, a non-vowed, religious journey with the vowed congregation. The Catholic Sun, the diocesan newspaper of the Diocese of Phoenix, reported, “They faced the students from the steps of the altar as they promised to devote themselves to a year of prayer and service while modeling the Gospel values and Franciscan lifestyle. Then the new associates approached the altar to add their signature to the list of nearly 100 other members around the world.” Sister Francesca Grzeslo lit the candles of each
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of the associates and witnessed their intention
Charlene Krushinsky, Sister Francesca Grzeslo, Pat De Vito, Ellie Lahey, Mary Cieszynski, Kathy Harmon, Sister Mary Alice Jarosz, and Jean Herring
to partner in prayer and ministry with the congregation. The first graders of St. Thomas Aquinas School sang “Go Light Your World.” A few weeks later, Carol Ostrowski made her commitment as an SSJ-TOSF associate on the eve of Pentecost, May 26, 2007, at Lourdes Convent in Chicago, Illinois. As with every associate, the ceremony concluded a year long formation process in which the candidate studies Scripture, the life and writings of Sts. Francis and Clare, and the life and mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. Carol’s family — her husband Robert, her son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters — and the sisters celebrated Carol’s commitment at a Mass presided by Rev. Jim Barry, CP. The Associate Relationship was started in 1980 with four associates signing their commitment in South Bend, Indiana. Over the last twenty-seven years, there have been over two hundred women and men who have partnered in spirit, prayer and ministry with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis.Today, there are 104 associates.
Carol Ostrowski and Sister Judith David
Jubilarians 75th
~ Sr. Inviolata Pieczynski ~
~ Sr. Agatha Kretowicz ~
~ Sr. Ernestine Jastrzemski ~
~ Sr. Florence Mary Wilczewski ~
~ Sr. Marcelline Zblewski ~
~ Sr. Stephanie Ann Grzybek ~
~ Sr. Alice Marie Bryl ~
~ Sr. Dolores Fisher ~
~ Sr. Dorothy Hwopek ~
~ Sr. Juliana Sobieski ~
~ Sr. Lydia Bilecki ~
~ Sr. Monica Niemira ~
~ Sr. Regina Wachowski ~
~ Sr. Rosita Wisniewski ~
~ Sr.Veronette Pieczynski ~
60th
~ Sr. Georgianne Gorczyca ~
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50th ~ Sr. Barbara Stoltz ~
~ Sr. Barbara Theresa Emick ~
~ Sr. Delia Wagner ~
~ Sr. Edmund Antoniewicz ~
~ Sr. Helene Skrzyniarz ~
~ Sr. Jean Mack ~
~ Sr. Juanita Gwisdela ~
~ Sr. Leanne Leszczynski ~
~ Sr. Paulette Kuta ~
~ Sr. Peter Slawinski ~
~ Sr. Rachel Deering ~
25th ~ Sr. Charlene Trombley ~
~ Sr. Dorothy Pagosa ~
Jubilarians
Readers’ Response to: why would young women choose vowed religious life in today’s world? Women who entered religious life in the past were assigned professional areas which lasted a normal lifetime. Those in authority would make the choices and decisions. Earning a degree meant taking courses in the evening or on weekends, after a full day’s or week’s assignments. The women who enter religious life today have obtained a degree or two already. Many display leadership qualities and are able to make their own choices and decisions.They are capable of fulfilling several leadership positions and still be engaged in the activities of the congregation. The opportunities today are abundant and each leadership skill displayed enhances the community’s progress.The greater the progress, the more interest in the community by other women. —
Associate Rose Grum Chicago, Illinois
A reader from California sent a copy of the San Francisco Chronicle Magazine of June 17, 2007, with an article “Convent Life at Twilight” by Joan Ryan.The following are excerpts of the article: “When Sister Rebecca heard the call to religious life as a young woman, she wondered if she could still be herself in the convent, especially one in which the sisters still wore habits and veils. She was loud and exuberant by nature. She had her own ideas about just about everything. But she decided to follow the example of Jesus:‘Walk their steps first.They’ll be willing to learn some of yours.’ “A young woman in civilian clothes stands out in the procession of nuns. She wears black slacks and a white blouse. She has a wide mouth, a black ponytail, and Emporio Armani glasses. She has been living at the convent, and visiting the congregation’s satellite convents, for two weeks, shadowing sisters who are teachers and social workers and spiritual counselors. She is 22. Her name is Dulce Aguilar Rodriguez. She wants to be a nun.
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the next Readers’ Response question: There will be a “Readers’ Response” section in the next issue of Gathering Place featuring your insights.
“Seven women are working toward taking their final vows to become sisters at Mission San Jose.All are in their 40s but were in their 30s when they began the eight year process. The convent does not accept women after age 40 because adapting to the rigorous, communal lifestyle is too difficult. One woman preparing for her final vows is a former naval officer. Another was a real estate agent in the East Bay.”
Concerning “young women” who choose religious life, there are few who are 20something.Today, most women who enter vowed life are over the age of 30.The “call,” the desire to live a community life, begins at various ages. Our inquirers are in high school or college.As each discerns her vocation, there is a give and take of prayer, discussion and side-by-side example.Together the inquirer and the sister meet Jesus on the Way. Religious life is a journey and a gift from God, not to be taken lightly. I wanted to enter religious life when I was young, but God had other plans for me. Throughout my life, I felt a void that needed to be filled, and the desire to be a sister was very strong. At the appropriate time, the Way led to the SSJ-TOSF congregation. With my sisters, I choose to leave all to follow Him in a committed life — ‘Til death do us part. —
Sister Barbara Anne Gluck Stevens Point,Wisconsin
Editor’s Note: The book Young Adult Catholics: Religion in a Culture of Choice was published by the University of Notre Dame Press in 2001.The research team asked several questions of young adults, one of which was “How essential is each of these elements to your vision of what the Catholic faith is?”“Belief that God is present in the sacraments” came out on top with 65%. Interestingly, at a tie for 48%, were “necessity of having a pope” and “having religious orders of priests, sisters, brothers and monks.”
describe a person you have known in your lifetime who embodies gentleness, a gift of the Spirit. Share your thoughts in 100-200 words, and send them to: Reneta Webb, Editor Gathering Place P.O. Box 388129 Chicago, IL 60638-8129 or e-mail your response to: reneta@ssj-tosf.org
Sister Evelyn Disher (Gemma) Born to this life: November 7, 1915 Born to eternal life: April 29, 2007 Sister Evelyn shared her Franciscan joy in her teaching and in her pastoral ministry, in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.
Sister Michael Wierzbicki Born to this life: February 10, 1924 Born to eternal life: June 3, 2007
Sister Antoinette Marie Urban (Bertholde) Born to this life: January 12, 1906 Born to eternal life: May 3, 2007 Sister Antoinette Marie filled her 101 years of life with love for the students she taught in Ohio, Michigan and Connecticut, for her sisters, her family, and for her God.
Sister Celeste Brey Born to this life: September 5, 1914 Born to eternal life: May 4, 2007 Sister Celeste spent 22 years of her teaching ministry at St. John Cantius Parish in Cleveland, Ohio, the parish of her childhood upbringing. She taught in schools in Michigan, Ohio and Connecticut.
Sister Blandine Jureczek Born to this life: November 25, 1917 Born to eternal life: May 21, 2007 Sister Blandine gave her best to her teaching ministry, in elementary school and high school in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. For forty years she dedicated herself to the students at Regina High School in Michigan as a science teacher and mentor.
Sister Michael was passionate about her ministry as a nurse and teacher of nurses. She is also remembered at Marymount Hospital in Garfield Heights, Ohio, for her ministry as patient advocate.
Sister Valerie Mushinski (Florian) Born to this life: July 2, 1913 Born to eternal life: June 11, 2007 Sister Valerie dedicated almost seventy years of her religious life to caring for her sisters in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, in a variety of support services. The celebration of her 75th Jubilee of religious life changed venues from this world to the next.
Associate Antoinette Franz Born to this life: August 2, 1940 Born to eternal life: June 29, 2007 Wife, sister, mother of six children and grandmother of twelve, “Toni� was a Franciscan at heart. Her gentle nature was an aura that surrounded her wherever she went.
Sister Patricia Ann Ruppenthal (Consuella) Born to this life: October 9, 1934 Born to eternal life: July 20, 2007 Sr. Patricia Ann will be remembered by the students she taught in Ohio and Michigan, and by the students of Regina High School where she served as school treasurer, purchasing agent and bookstore manager, for her Franciscan joy.
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Dear Friends, Peace and All Good be with each of you as we enjoy God’s wonderful gift of summer! As we experience all the beauty of this season, we reflect on the warmth and blessings of God’s love and goodness to us. Sister Denise Seymour
We, the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis thank God for all of you for your kindness and goodness to us and our missions to all God’s people. Sisters of St. Joseph
As you know, we are in the public phase of our Capital Campaign in Stevens Point Wisconsin for the renovation of our 106 year old St. Joseph Motherhouse. We are off to a good start. For over a century now, we have devoted our lives to educating and caring for those in need. From small groups in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio, our numbers grew to more than 1,500. We built schools and hospitals that were recognized for their excellence. More importantly, our sisters never sought much in return. Even as we aged, we continued to live in quarters that were often too small for children. But this will change with our Capital Campaigns.
of the Third Order of St. Francis Development Office P.O. Box 388129 Chicago, IL 60638-8129 Phone: (773) 581-7505 Fax: (773) 581-7545 e-mail: dev@ssj-tosf.org
Our plans include the renovation of our Motherhouse in Stevens Point,WI, Marymount in Garfield Heights, Ohio and we are converting our Immaculata Congregational Home in Bartlett, Illinois to a Continuing Care Retirement Community. Our vision is to have safe, suitable living space for adult women. Going are the small, cell-like rooms with communal facilities at opposite ends of the hall. Now each room will be much larger and will contain a bathroom and small kitchenette. Our Congregational Homes were built with the wonderful, generous assistance of all our friends and benefactors and we are most grateful. It is with sincere prayers in our hearts that we once again ask that when you receive our appeals for St. Joseph Motherhouse, Marymount Congregational Home and Bartlett Chapel that you read the materials and consider making a commitment to help fund these needed renovations. We thank you in advance for your help and may God bless you for your generosity! Sincerely in Christ,
Sister Denise Seymour, SSJ-TOSF Director of Development
Session One
July 23-27, 2007 Session Two
February 8-12, 2008
Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID CHICAGO, IL PERMIT #5504
Sisters of St. Joseph,TOSF Public Relations Office P.O. Box 388129 Chicago, Illinois 60638-8129 www.ssj-tosf.org