Fall 2019 · Vol. XX
Communion & Connection In this Issue: • Can
we talk?
• Language
to Thrive
• Understanding
Why
• Speaking
the Same Language
Gospel Inspired
Table of Contents: 2
From the Prioress
3
Can We Talk?
5
Language to Thrive
7
Understanding Why
9
Called to Serve
12
Personal Prayer Ministries
13 Veritas Society 14
Marywood Academy Alumnae Reunion
We cannot neglect God’s and mission for the world.
hope
The Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids recognize, as a moral obligation, the need to protect children fleeing violence or oppression Front Cover: This trio of Sisters, Carmen Rostar, Janice Mankowski, and Joyce Ann Hertzig, along with Martha MacArthur, accompanied Guadalupe (Lupe) Lopez on her path to learn English, study for U.S. Citizenship, earn her GED, and complete studies to earn her Certified Nursing Assistant degree.
in their homelands. We commit ourselves to act as their advocates in local, national, and international communities. ~ Excerpt DSGR Corporate Stance on Unaccompanied Children on the Border, 2014
Sister Sandra Delgado, OP Prioress
Greetings... Jesus says, “I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good...” We all know this is easier said than done. That is where prayer can be our compass in life—it certainly helps set my direction toward the ways of God. For seven Thursdays during August and September, the Sisters processed in silence down our front hill and stood at the roadside holding signs calling for respect, dignity, peace, and a life lived as the Gospel calls us. Over the weeks, we were joined by Associates, employees, Sunday Assembly, and neighbors. It was an opportunity to witness to the passersby of the desire in our world for all people to live in harmony.
In this issue of Mission & Ministry you will read about the Dominican way to have a conversation in which parties disagree and dialogue in a respectful manner. You will read of the people we serve in our English as a Second Language program. And you will read of the ministry experiences of our Sisters working with people at the border. These articles help us see that there is another way to live in peace and love—as we have been taught, commanded by our God. It is God’s desire that humanity live in harmony with each other and all of creation. May we not be disheartened, but keep ourselves fixed on our God and remain hopeful. With Hope,
They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.
~ Isaiah 40:31
from the prioress
In the Old and New Testaments we hear more than once that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus takes it a step further.
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Can We Talk? preaching with our lives
By Megan McElroy, OP
I attended a conference last October where the speakers discussed the way we talk to one another. They used phrases like “language creates reality,” “brutalization of language,” and “crisis of conversation.” We often equate an opinion with the person and somehow question the person’s right to even exist. This is contrary to Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and who we are called to be as followers of Jesus. The first principle of CST calls us to recognize the dignity of every human as made in the image and likeness of God—no matter gender, race, faith tradition, sexual orientation, economic status, or political leaning.
What has happened to the way that we talk with one another? Have we lost the ability to dialogue? We hear and partake in conversations about various topics that are fraught with the capacity for us to talk at one another rather than with one another. Differences of opinion should be expected for the very reason that each person is wonderfully different. 3 mission
ministry • Fall 2019
Part of the nature of being made in the image and likeness of God is the desire for communion, for connection. What are we to do when conflict interrupts communion? Walking away, not engaging the other, not speaking to the other are options, but they don’t do much for the thriving of relationship. Rather, the healing of relationships requires dialogue that is courageous, honest, truthful, and vulnerable. We would do well to learn from Dominic de Guzman. One day Dominic and one of his friar companions came upon a group of people whose language they didn’t understand. The young friar said, “What if they don’t understand us?” Dominic replied, “Let us pray that we understand them.” What Dominicans have to offer is a form of dialogue, which is neither perfect nor the final answer. It is AN option for communicating. This form of dialogue is called disputatio, coming from the Latin word disputare, which means to discuss, dispute, or argue. However, there is a distinction to disputatio, which counters our typical understanding of arguing and disputing. Usually, we think of arguing and disputing as having a winner and a loser. I dispute with you
Witnessing to a desire for all people to live in harmony, Sisters, Associates, Sunday Assembly, and neighbors gathered each Thursday for seven weeks to share the Word of God from our front yard on Fulton Street.
Dear Neighbor: May you be inspired by the language of love. in order to get you to see my side of things as being the right way, the correct way, (and in my mind, the only way). Disputatio, however, is a style of dialogue that allows each party to listen—deeply—to the other’s position for what is right and true, and together the two parties come closer to the Truth. Given its focus on finding what is right in the other’s position, disputatio is a call to become more God-like, more like God, who, as we know from Jesus, embraces dialogue as a means for communion. At the very least, disputatio is an invitation to civility and an acknowledgement that I might not know everything and may not always be right— as much as I would like to be and as hard as that is to admit.
Dialogue is one of the steps we take, over and over, on our journey of life. It invites us to move beyond our comfort zone, sometimes physically, oftentimes internally, in our minds and hearts as well. This is part of Dominican itinerancy. Dialogue is not always a comfortable place to be, because it is a place of conversion, which can lead to peace and understanding.
Our invitation as preachers and as Christians is to speak with the language of Love in a way that taps into people’s experiences and helps them to know this Love in a profound way. I am convinced that if we could fine-tune our ability to engage the other in dialogue, we would witness the transformation of our world and Church. Such language would go a long way in healing the heart and soul of our own nation.
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Our WORD ESL and Citizenship ministries offer a safe place for people to catch their breath and concentrate on learning language skills: reading, writing, comprehension, and conversation. It’s the kind of radical hospitality that Dominicans are known for.
Tutors Carmen Rostar, OP, Joyce Ann Hertzig, OP, Martha MacArthur, and Janice Mankowski, OP, supported Guadalupe “Lupe” Lopez (center) on her path to employment and U.S. Citizenship. They are only a part of the supportive network of tutors helping people from other countries find their way in the United States.
peace & justice
Language to Thrive
In that moment when the body and blood of Christ is shared, we look one another in the eyes with pure acceptance. It’s a moment of understanding, when peace and love fill us completely. That pure acceptance is a gift extended to every person who walks through the doors of WORD ESL and Citizenship. Carmen Rostar, OP, director of WORD ESL grew up in a home in Muskegon where English was a second language. Her Slavik parents “came to the language very differently,” she says. “English came more easily to my mother; her English was impeccable. She spoke, read, and wrote English very well—and she demanded the same of each of us children. During his lifetime, my father never quite mastered conversational English.” 5 mission
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This type of learning isn’t a matter of intelligence; most of our students speak several languages. English just doesn’t happen to be one of them. ~ Carmen Rostar, OP, director of Word ESL
Learning, language, livelihood. For immigrants to America, these are key. None of these are simply a matter of checking off boxes. Acclimating to a new homeland requires great courage, hard work, and a support network. Since 2009, Sister Carmen, assisted by Sister Janice Mankowski, other Sisters, and friends, have been tutoring people for whom English is a new language. “This type of learning isn’t a matter of intelligence; most of our students speak several languages. English just doesn’t happen to be one of them,” says Carmen.
Janice Mankowski, OP, helps coordinate WORD ESL at Marywood.
Worthy
By Janice Mankowski, OP
Ironically, for Guadalupe “Lupe” Lopez, and many migrants to the United States, education and professional degrees factored into their approved status. Yet there are significant barriers to being able to practice their professions. “Learning to speak, read, write, and comprehend a new language is challenging; imagine also trying to expand vocabulary and comprehension of an area of professional practice or taking a licensing exam?
As a WORD ESL tutor, I intentionally slow down. In my words and my manner, I convey to each student: you are worthy of my time and attention.
Lupe enrolled in WORD ESL at Marywood in 2014, and was partnered with Tutor Martha (Marti) MacArthur. Marti has been a tutor for 5 years.
Even after more than 20 years of tutoring and 10 years of helping people on their path to citizenship, I am truly amazed at the willingness of our students to leave their own countries and search for a new and better life here. It is challenging to learn English, as well as to speak and write it, which they must do for the citizenship test.
With Sister Joyce Ann Hertzig's support, Lupe began studying for the U.S. Citizenship exam. She became a U.S. citizen on January 20, 2016. Then went on to earn her GED, and Nursing Assistant certification from Grand Rapids Community College.
CNA Lupe Lopez checks on Sister Verona Wangler who is recovering from a fall.
Today, this highly valued employee supports the care team at Marywood Health Center. Her English is strong. Yet, it’s her language of care and compassion that we notice most as she accompanies Sisters and other patients. “Most of our students, in their home countries, were engineers, doctors, orthopedic surgeons, genetic researchers, builders. Lupe was a dental hygienist. The list of professions sounds like a Who’s Who. Yet, without the skills to thoroughly speak, read, write, and comprehend English, their degrees and former careers are put on hold indefinitely,” says Sister Joyce Ann. Surviving day to day is one thing; learning to thrive is another. “Our mission is to help people thrive,” says Sister Carmen.
Part of tutoring is to get to know the students. Their hope is to know enough English to get a better job in order to provide for their families. My hope is that I help each feel accepted and appreciated for the persons they are. My goal is to help them recognize their success and progress.
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from homelands to strange lands
Our Congregation sent Sister Joan off with love and blessings for a productive mission to Honduras with an international religious delegation.
Understanding Why By Joan Williams, OP
“As we take inventory of the condition of our world, we raise our voices to say that the people among us who are the most in need, who are most vulnerable, need to have our attention and they need to have supportive resources. We pledge to hold the needs and concerns of all in a contemplative space, in the heart of a loving and ever faithful God… and we pledge to continue to work together with all people of good will to build God’s beloved community in this place we call home.”
~ DSGR Direction Statement
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In the early 1980s, Angelina Abeyta, OP (deceased) began solidarity work for Central America. She aided refugees and learned first-hand of the many hardships and dangers faced by refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Her new-found knowledge connected her even more deeply with the plight of women and children crossing the border from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to El Paso, Texas. Sister Angelina’s experiences partly informed a new Congregation direction statement. In 1984 we committed to stand with women and children. Later, in 2014, we voted on a direction statement to advocate for children in local, national and international communities. By 1984, Sister Angelina’s passion was instrumental in establishing a center to assist women and children at the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez border. With the financial help of member congregations of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Centro Mujeres de la Esperanza opened in 1990. Sister Angelina and an Adrian Dominican, Sister Donna Kustsch, were the first co-directors of Centro Mujeres de la Esperanza, pioneering an organized supportive presence at the border with underserved women and their children.
“The work of vowed religious around the world helps us understand the multitude of influences that lead to migration, historically and in current day,” says Joan Williams, OP. “Ministry experiences like Sister Angelina’s inform our contemplative study of the human condition. Humanitarian crisis, wars, political change, changes in the Roman Catholic Church have led Sisters to other parts of Central America, as well as Hungary, Mexico, Peru, and more, since the first Sisters crossed the Atlantic Ocean. The industrial city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, population of 700,000, was Sister Joan’s home for nearly 20 years. She ministered in the city, the prison, schools, and nearby villages. She led inspiring formation workshops for catechetical teachers and vowed religious. She attended to broken souls, those hit hard by crisis: the naturally occurring hurricanes, and the man-made events including the drug trade and related gang violence. Currently, mining interests by transnational companies and actions by self-interested persons with wealth and prestige are destroying the land, rivers, and other water resources. They are causing displacement of many indigenous populations. They have usurped a third of the country’s territory through contract agreements with a very corrupt government. “The people of Honduras are gentle and generous by nature, filled with the spirit of joy and faithfulness; it’s heartbreaking when despair finally takes hold,” says Sister Joan, choking with emotion. “This is why they flee for safety to strange lands.” In March of this year Sister Joan travelled back to Honduras on an interfaith mission with a coalition from the United States. “Our mission was to understand the root causes of migration in these villages at this moment in time.” “I’ve only been gone three years; the changes are extreme, and the stories people share are devastating. “The voice of the people has been silenced. By Honduran law, the people cannot legally challenge, hold vigil, or speak out against practices they perceive as harmful and unjust. And so we requested meetings with government leaders and prepared to accompany Honduran justice advocates to speak on behalf of the suffering people. Government officials cancelled, then rescheduled with the caveat that only U.S. visitors could attend. You see, the in-country
advocates, because they previously spoke out against the government’s actions, are now considered criminals. “Did we solve anything with our visit? I would say that our presence with the grassroots peoples gave them some hope that they are not in this plight alone. We are in solidarity with them and will advocate for their cause. Our visits with higher up officials, such as governors, military, mayors, and the temporary Ambassador to the USA residing in the U.S. Embassy in Honduras, alerted them that we are watching closely the action taken against an already suffering people. Systemic corruption and policies are hard to crack. With the Honduran poor, with those risking their lives for their country, along with interfaith solidarity groups within and outside of the country, we can begin to make a difference.
“I encourage all of us to consider the human cost of unmitigated global private investment interests in so many countries like Honduras” “What are people to do when their only water or food sources are destroyed? People are starving, dying of sickness and disease. Gangs preside over the people; violence and murder everywhere, every day. Police and security forces no longer serve the needs of the people but serve the will of the government and industrialists. These are the factors that feed my sense of responsibility and compassion for the people fleeing Honduras.” Catholic Social Teaching urges all Catholics to accept the challenge to examine the causes of deprivation and injustice that exist at home and around the world, to work at the systemic level to eradicate those causes; and to eliminate or lessen the suffering of our neighbors, near and far. “The study that I have done… along with my God, my faith, my Church, and my Congregation move me to offer solace and sustenance to the people at our borders desperately searching for a means of survival. How can I not speak out for the voices who have been silenced?” Sister Joan Williams’ presentation “From Homelands to Strange Lands” — based upon her experience in a reverse caravan pilgrimage to Central America — is available through Dominican Center. Your group can inquire about future programing at Dominican Center. Or coordinate your own event in your own location. This is a two-hour to half-day study and contemplative program available for church groups, Bible Study groups, contemplative circles, and high schools and colleges. Contact Dominican Center for details.
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Called to Serve By Janet Brown, OP
Being called to serve at Casa del Refugiado in El Paso, Texas this summer was a gift to us. We set off with a Dominican Blessing, and with your prayers and support. Your donations came spontaneously: “Hope this helps, I just got this from my family. I don’t need it. Take it.” And from many pockets: Sisters, Sunday Assembly members, Associates, Marywood staff, our Congregation, our families, our friends, and even from people who didn’t know us, but heard we were going.
presence at the border
We felt your prayers and your presence every day. We received your donations that just kept coming. Blessing! With busloads of people arriving each day, more supplies were needed. Sister Mary Kay Oosdyke and I went shopping for clothing almost every day, even surprising ourselves with the bargains we could find in such a short time. Father Joachim Lally ordered walkie talkies for quick delivery to make communications and coordination easier in the 125,000-square-foot warehouse that is Casa del Refugiado.
Most are only warehouses, but there are no cages. For the 36 to 48 hours that most will stay in transitional centers, they find hospitality and hope.
While the five of us: Chela Gonzalez, OP, Joyce Ann Hertzig, OP, Mary Kay Oosdyke, OP, Joachim Lally, CSP, and me, Janet Brown, OP, were present in El Paso… the fullness of the Dominican spirit back in Grand Rapids was our faithful companion— you were all there with us! Our call to serve meant doing whatever was needed— intake, handing out clothing and hygiene products, cleaning, feeding, taking care of little ones, making sure all felt welcome and had what they needed for their next stop on their way to freedom. We even learned how to communicate with Google Translate on our phones. We worked with volunteers from around the United States, of all ages and from all walks of life. Always, we experienced hope and love from these people who had suffered unbearably. We cried with them and hugged them as they left for their next destination, hoping for a better future. It was truly a blessing, this call to serve, this gift for which we are so deeply grateful.
Janet Brown, OP, Joyce Ann Hertzig, OP, Mary Kay Oosdyke, OP, Chela Gonzalez, OP, Joachim Lally, CSP. 9 mission
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Speaking the Same Language
Below are excerpts from the personal journals of our mission crew.
Connection.
“Many of the buses arriving at Casa del Refugiado carry asylum seekers from Brazil. They speak Portuguese. I came to this refuge for migrants to share my gift of language, Spanish and English. I pray that we will find ways to understand each other. “At intake, I have four cell phones used to call relatives and friends of refugees. First, I gather information: names, locations, phone numbers. Then I dial and speak briefly with the contact.
Patience.
“Belongings including wallets and cell phones are often taken. Some agents of ICE and border control tell people they have no rights to healthcare, education, or work in the U.S. That is untrue; why do they say things to cause more fear? Why do they take what few belongings they have?”
~ Chela Gonzalez, OP
Understanding.
“Is it near or far? they ask about the places they will go. And we are grateful for the poster map of the United States. We are here, now. You are going there, tomorrow. The important teaching has already begun. Vocabulary words, parts of speech, tenses—these are all lessons we teach in WORD ESL tutoring and Citizenship in Grand
I hand phones to family members—there are tears, smiles, fast talking, deep breaths. “One family really touched my heart today. They leave soon and in the midst of this hectic and hot afternoon of non-stop intake, they come to say goodbye to me. The children give me a hug. The father shakes my hand. Precious. Priceless.”
~ Chela Gonzalez, OP
“They spoke of their tough decision to try to reach the safety of our country. Father, mother, and two sons, 10 and 6, fled Honduras, considered one of the most dangerous countries on earth. They spent four months in Juarez, the Mexican border city across from El Paso. They slept under bridges and out in the elements until they convinced a court to allow them to apply for asylum.”
~ Father Joachim Lally, CSP
Rapids. Here is where you are, here is where your job interview will be. Always, our intention is to lift up, to impart knowledge to function effectively and more comfortably in this new and very foreign place.”
~ Joyce Ann Hertzig, OP
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Blessings. In Albuquerque, Ada Dominguez, OP ministers each week to the steady flow of migrants arriving in the United States. She works at a site coordinated by Albuquerque Interfaith. She notices a woman with travel-worn shoes. “We must get you new shoes for the next stage of your journey,” says Sister Ada Dominguez. “No hay zapatos” is the reply. No shoes. Supplies are running low and there are none in her size. Sister Ada does not hesitate as she transfers her own sturdy shoes to the woman. In El Paso, Texas, a set of shelves is nearly empty. Our friend and mission companion Father Joachim Lally sets off to find shoes. He returns with 135 pairs of flip-flops. Not a perfect solution; but the price was right. A few days later he purchases another 125 pairs of flip flops, replenishing the supply for more travelers, their arrival imminent. “They’ve walked far—from homelands to strange lands… they could not feel more vulnerable,” says Fr. Joachim. “And so, we give them shoes to protect their feet and kindness to heal their hearts.” In Wichita, Kansas, Dominican Sisters Brigid Clingman, OP, and Sylvia Wozniak, OP, assisted the Adorers of the Blood of Christ by teaching summer school. At the Stan Rother Hospitality Center, the Adorers created a housing and support network for 26 asylees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, including 17 children. Here, our new friends have found a temporary home, are learning a new language, finding employment, and integrating into American life and culture.
Since 2014, we have consistently communicated with our legislators in Washington and urged them to recognize the importance of family unity and use their oversight and legislative capabilities to propose more humane solutions, including alternatives to detention and to make humane immigration reform a priority and get it done. The Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids will continue to raise our voices and advocate for those who need our help and we will continue to be advocates for families caught in the web of our immigration system. The family is a foundational element of Catholic teaching, and family unity is a cornerstone of our American immigration system. Separating parents from their children will not deter families from seeking safety and security in the U.S. Such a policy will not vanquish the pervasive root causes of migration that exist in Central America and other regions.
How you can Help. Prayer.
Attend Mass at Marywood or join us for a prayer vigil or justice action. Follow us on Facebook or visit grdominicans.org/events/ to see a schedule and find out more.
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These are ways we serve God’s people in need today. Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids believe that we cannot neglect God’s hope and mission for the world. “We recognize, as a moral obligation, the need to protect children fleeing violence or oppression in their homelands. We commit ourselves to act as their advocates in local, national, and international communities,” reads our 2014 DSGR Corporate Stance on Unaccompanied Children on the Border.
ministry • Fall 2019
Presence.
Consider volunteering to help at Casa del Refugiado/Annunciation House, the Stan Rother Hospitality Center, Albuquerque Interfaith, or right here in Grand Rapids! Lend a hand to Sisters and Associates by participating in one of our service projects.
Pennies.
Gifts to Dominican Sisters~ Grand Rapids support all of our Sisters and their many ministries, including Sr. Ada’s work in Albuquerque. Use the enclosed envelope or visit grdominicans.org/give-a-gift/ to donate online.
Personal Prayer Ministries Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
~ Jeremiah 29:12-13
Petitioning for transformation and healing, Sisters open their hearts to God through their personal prayer ministries. Through our prayers, and yours, God promises the fullness of a love that knows no boundaries.
I pray for principals and teachers.
I pray for those who have no one to pray for them.
Church tradition calls Sisters, Friars, Priests, Catholics around the world, to pray and contemplate the Psalms each day. Why the Psalms? Because it takes care of every need. The Psalms form my heart, preparing me to meet the day ahead, whatever may come.
There are so many who are in nursing homes who are the last of their families, having lost parents, siblings, cousins. They are alone. I also think of the poor souls in Purgatory. With this intention, I can pray for all those who have no one to pray for them.
As a retired teacher and school administrator, I pray for principals and teachers that they may be inspired by their Faith, comforted by His message of Peace, and that they may be prepared to meet the day ahead, whatever may come.
~ Pat Kennedy, OP
I pray for national and state legislators and their concern for the common good. Catholic Social Teaching defines the Common Good as: Every person having sufficient access to the goods and resources of society so that they can live fulfilling lives. The rights of the individual to personal possessions and community resources must be balanced with the needs of the disadvantaged and dispossessed. ~ Barbara Hansen, OP
~ Peter Mary Korson, OP
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Shared Values of Peace and Justice Equals A Winning Team Karen Kania, dear and longtime friend of the Sisters, recently spoke at our Pair Up reception about how and why she made a bequest gift to Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids. Here we share a few highlights from Karen’s remarks. Getting Started When we were making our plans, we started by asking ourselves, who are the people whose passions align with the things we care most about? With the Dominican Sisters, we share the same values of peace and justice, common good, faith and study, and service to others. Thinking Ahead We want to leave the world a better place when we go. How the Sisters engage the community, challenge the status quo, and stand up for the voiceless—these are important and powerful! A bequest gift allows us
to make sure that even after our lifetime, our money will support the things that mean the most to us. Because we know the Sisters and have faith and trust in them, we’re confident they will use our gifts to further these values we share. A Winning Team It’s a lot like a sports team. Everyone works together toward the same goal because we accomplish more as a team than as individuals. We are proud to be part of this winning team! Joining with the Sisters we get to do the most good and have the biggest impact.
Want to join our winning team? Become a member of the Veritas Society!
veritas society
If, like the Sisters, you value faith and study, peace and justice, and our shared humanity, consider a bequest to Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids. Whether through a will, a trust, or another estate plan bequest, gifts help you have the biggest impact on the things that matter most to you. Membership in the Veritas Society has other benefits too! Invitations to distinctive events
Special opportunities to connect with our Sisters
We’d love to send you more information! Request an information packet today: Alyssa Morillo Scheidt, Director of Mission Advancement 616.514.3110 | amorilloscheidt@grdominicans.org
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A gift of gratitude and love, especially from the Sisters
Marywood Academy Alumnae Reunion 2019 Marywood Academy biology teacher Sister Frances Ann Tatreau encouraged in her students an appreciation for all creatures great and small. A visionary and adventurous teacher, Sister Frances Ann understood the need to care for our Earth and all its inhabitants—something she enthusiastically instilled in her students. In September, Marywood Academy alums gathered at Dominican Center for the annual reunion luncheon. Students who graduated between 1944 and 1975, and later went on to be doctors, accountants, mothers, and teachers themselves, all enjoyed sharing fond memories of their school days. Dominican educators planted seeds of faith and knowledge in the lives of many students of all ages and grades. To all our dear Marywood Academy students, no matter where you are, please know that the Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids offer up prayers and blessings in your name.
We pray that you are inspired by faith, love, knowledge, justice, and truth in your life today.
Was there a Dominican Sister who inspired you?
She may have been your kindergarten or sophomore biology teacher. Share your story of a Dominican Sister who inspired you or changed the way you see the world. Visit our website at grdominicans.org/sister-story/ or email communications@grdominicans.org
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About Us
The Dominican Sisters~ Grand Rapids are a community of vowed women religious and Associates who follow the Catholic traditions of St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena. Since 1877 we have been praising, blessing, and preaching God’s love through all we do.
Ministries • Prayer
• Dominican Chapel/Marywood
• Dominican Center at Marywood • Marywood Campus • Justice
• Health Care & Spiritual Companioning • Aquinata Assisted Living
• Marywood Health Center • Care Resources
• WORD ESL & Citizenship • Aquinas College
• Maternidad de Maria, Chimbote, Peru • Centro de Obras Sociales,
Chimbote, Peru
Mission & Ministry Editorial Team • Sandra Delgado, OP – Prioress • Danny Lynn – Art Director
• Stacy Spitler – Editor/Contributor
• Alyssa Morillo Scheidt, Contributor
All photos are from the Archives of the Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids (DSGR) unless otherwise noted.
Like us on Facebook Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids Dominican Center at Marywood
e in h S to e im T 9 6 19 Thanks to the hardworking and devoted reunion planning committee, friends from near and far gathered for the 50th reunion of the Marywood Class of ’69. Beginning with a reception Friday evening, the festivities continued at Dominican Center on Saturday with a luncheon, slide show, Marywood Campus tour, and tea with Sisters in the atrium at Aquinata Hall. A highlight was a surprise visit by former teacher Marie Haviland! Classmates travelled from as far as Marquette, Michigan, Illinois, Georgia, and Arizona to reconnect and reminisce with classmates and teachers.