Mission & Ministry Fall 2014

blessings and renewal

Called to Share Abundant Blessings Dominican Days · Living Our Legacy · Fall 2014 · Vol. X

T able of C ontents : 02 From the Prioress Abundant

03 Blessings

Dominican Center

06 at Marywood

07 Where We Belong 09 Dominican Days Marywood Legacy

11 Campaign Update Remembering

13 Peter Wege

Patrick Nothaft

14 On the Horizon

Front Cover: Sisters Joan Thomas and Jarrett DeWyse offer a blessing.

Text and music: James V. Marchionda, OP Copyright Š 1989. World Library Publications, Inc. Based on a 13th century text

D ear F riends :

I hope you will recognize us in some of these ways that we describe ourselves: • The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids are vowed women religious who pray for wisdom to be generous, just and courageous in all matters, including finance, property and personnel, recognizing that all our resources are for the sake of mission.

• We joyfully embrace our vocation to seek God as the sole desire of our heart and to be the compassion and justice of Jesus in our time and place.

• We commit ourselves to the prophetic call of our Direction Statements to initiate and sustain collaborative ministries that effect systemic change.

• Inflamed with contemplative love, we die and are reborn, as we walk together preaching justice.

We believe we are called to be more and do more.

We are stewards of our gifts and talents. We are stewards of the financial resources with which we have been blessed, often through your contributions.

And, we are stewards of our Marywood campus.

In our time of celebration of blessings, we also enter a time of renewal, examining the needs of our Sisters, our community and our world. We are studying our campus, including its ecosystems, its residential life, its liturgical life, its infrastructure, its present ministries including many partnerships and collaborations ~ all for the purpose of discerning its unfolding promise for future blessing.

We have so much to celebrate! Join us as we continue to contemplate and share with you the fruits of our contemplation. Pray with us, support us and believe in us as we open ourselves to new ways of being and doing as Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids.

from the prioress

As we enter into a special time of celebration of blessings received, we pause to offer our blessing to you, our dear friends. That is, we pause to invoke God’s favor upon you, as we lift you up in our prayers. We praise and bless and preach the love that God has for you and for each and all of us.

During Dominican Days our Congregation prayed and worked together, renewing our collective spirit for our ministries in the coming year and the planning necessary to care for our home effectively.

In grateful recognition of our living legacy, Johnny “Q” Photography

With 125 years of mission in West Michigan, we Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids hope that both our doing and our being have been a blessing in this place. Our Congregation has been shaped by those with whom and to whom we have ministered and among whom we have lived; our members have been called forth from among you, in all our places of mission. We are immensely grateful!

Stacy Spitler

A

ll too often we define ourselves by what we DO to the exclusion of who we ARE. In the Dominican tradition we say “we contemplate and share with others the fruits of our contemplation.” Being in the presence of God and doing the work of mission are integrally connected. Before we move to the action of sharing, whether in word, deed or presence, we engage in a time of contemplation. We know that both “being” and “doing” can change the world. And it works best when our doing flows from our being.

Sister Maureen Geary Prioress

We pause to invoke God’s favor upon you... www.grdominicans.org

2

Stacy Spitler

125 years of blessings in west michigan

Sharing the Dominican Blessing near the Grotto at Marywood are (L-R): Sisters Rosemary O’Donnell, Donna Jean Thelen, Janet Brown, Sandra Delgado, and Carmen Rostar.

Called to Share Abundant Blessings A blessing is wishing good for another. As we are blessed, we become a blessing to others.

A blessing is our way of inviting you to see, hear, and feel God’s blessing in your life.

A blessing that has particular significance for us is the Dominican Blessing. Sisters throughout the Dominican Order offer these verses in song with their arms raised over the person, place or thing that they are blessing. The song was adapted from a 13th Century prayer by James V. Marchionda, OP, a Dominican friar.

“It is a very short verse but incredibly powerful,” says Judge Sara Smolenski, Chief Judge of the 63rd District Court, a longtime benefactor and

3

mission

ministry • Fall 2014

a member of the Dominican Sisters golf outing planning committee. “When they sing it with their arms outstretched it creates an overwhelming, wonderful feeling. You really feel God’s presence through them.”

“When we offer a blessing it is much more than a wish,” says Lucianne Siers, OP, Councilor on the Leadership Team. “When we raise our hands we ask God for something more than ourselves, connecting our lives with God and connecting one group of people with another.”

Returned Blessings Often, we experience the reciprocity of positive connections through a single blessing. “For example, we have often blessed our students. In turn, any Sister would say that we have been blessed by them,” says Mary Ann Barrett, OP, Councilor on the Leadership Team.

“I often tell people that I want them to have this blessing because they have blessed me in so many ways,” comments Jarrett DeWyse, OP, Director of Housing Development, Dwelling Place. She has taken to sharing specific blessings from the 125 Days of Blessings Journey with people who come to mind in light of that day’s theme. “People have written back and told me how the Dominicans have influenced their spiritual growth.”

“The words are powerful. It goes beyond saying we will pray for you,” explains Sr. Mary Ann. “In these moments, we hold an individual in our sight and with all our being we convey that we want God to bless you. We want you to be blessed, to be healed, to receive light. My desires of my heart are being communicated through this song of blessing.”

Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids enter a time of active gratitude for 125 years since our arrival in West Michigan. Called to this place to care for orphans and educate students, our living mission continues to take shape as we pray, study and serve today. We do this through Christ, community and you.

We invite you to walk with us on a special 125-day journey of blessing and renewal

Blessings through Ministry In some cases, blessings come through our ministries. Such is the case with Dominican Center at Marywood and the programs we offer. “Offering a blessing is helping a person make a connection with God. That is really how I see the ministry of the programs at Dominican Center,” says Diane Zerfas, OP, Director of Programs at Dominican Center at Marywood.. “Participants are usually looking for or already have a relationship with God. The blessing that they experience is a way of going deeper.”

In the case of our ministry to persons who are homeless, the blessings are extended through a personal commitment to walk with and assist. Collectively, we have created more than 300 Welcome Baskets over the past eight years, each filled with supplies needed by a new tenant. The effort is spearheaded by Kathy Przybylski, OP, Dominican Center Bookstore Manager, and Sue Tracy, OP, Staff Chaplain, Spectrum Health, and the baskets are distributed to formerly homeless new residents by Sister Jarrett through Dwelling Place.

“People receiving the baskets feel that they’ve been blessed because they see that people care for them,” says Sister Kathy.

“Creation of these baskets also is fulfilling our mission to care for all of God’s children, especially women and children,” continues Sister Kathy. “Many Sisters take something from their monthly budget to go shopping and donate items to help create these welcome baskets. Other friends and benefactors support this work, too.”

continues on page 5

through December 31, 2014.

Sign up to receive a blessing a day at grdominicans.org/125th-anniversary

Day One Blessing: May the God of Mission be

with you. May you know God’s purpose for your life, God’s overwhelming desire for your happiness. May you be “infected” with a deep passion for the Word of God and for what is right and holy in God’s sight.

And with that passion may you inspire the wanting world around you. May the God of Mission bless you.

Source: The daily blessings are reprinted through the courtesy of “Blessing Upon Blessing” by Maxine Shonk, OP. Available at SpiritualNetwork.org.

Ask God to make a deep connection with those who are beloved in your life.

Blessing of Children: May the Lord Jesus, who loved children, bless you and keep you in his love, now and forever. May you grow in God’s love so that you grow and live in the call God has given you. Amen.

Blessing of Home: We ask God to bless this home

and all who live here. May we live in God’s presence with one heart and voice in harmony as followers of Christ Jesus, now and forever. Amen.

Blessing of Bride and Groom: O God, look with kindness on this new couple today. Amid the joys and struggles of their lives increase your love in them and strengthen their bonds of peace so that they may always rejoice and live in your love. Amen. www.grdominicans.org

4

Called to Share Abundant Blessings • Continued from page 4

Supportive Blessings “When the Sisters stop and raise their hands in blessing, it reminds us to walk with God for the rest of the day,” says Sister Lucianne.

DSGR Archive

The Sisters offer the Dominican Blessing to each other each morning when they meet for prayer. According to Sister Lucianne this bolsters her spirits for the day and helps her keep all Sisters in the congregation close to her heart as she works. Simply said, the power and connectivity of the Dominican Blessing builds community.

Sisters Angelina Gonzales, Ann Thielen and Elizabeth Bishop lead the Dominican Blessing at the opening of the new Guadalupe County Hospital in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.

"In these moments, we hold an individual in our sight and with all our being we convey that we want God to bless you.

We want you to be blessed, to be healed, to receive light."

The first time that Judge Smolenski received the Dominican Blessing was several years ago when she was in attendance at a Dominican golf outing committee meeting. “The Sisters knew that I was going to have a routine medical test and they offered this prayer for me,” she remembers. “It brought me to tears. It is prayerful in every sense.” n

– Sister Mary Ann Barrett

BRING IT HOME Class Reunions at Marywood Marywood Academy classes, have a reunion on the Marywood campus!

• Reconnect with classmates from kindergarten through high school.

• Special dinner, brunch, or lunch packages available.

• We will help you locate teachers, and create a special display from the Sisters’ archives.

• Display your class Madonna.

For more information, please contact Julie Schullo at 616-514-3335 or events@dominicancenter.com

5

mission

ministry • Fall 2014

Dominican Center at Marywood Updates Our corporate ministry, Dominican Center at Marywood, fosters the growth and transformation of persons, communities, and organizations through prayer, learning, and collaboration in an inclusive, hospitable environment. Detailed program descriptions and information about retreats at our facility are available at www.dominicancenter.com.

Dominican Associate Organizes Free Monthly Film Series

DSGR Archives

Zulema Moret, a Dominican Associate, shares her passion for cinema and social justice issues through the film series that she began organizing and sponsoring three years ago at Dominican Center at Marywood. “I choose the films according to diverse criteria,” says Zulema. “I think about themes, aesthetic style, global issues, and international perspectives.”

Zulema, an Associate Professor of Spanish at Grand Valley State University, tries to include themes such as social justice, gender and women’s issues, faith and spirituality, peace and debates on war, nature, and creation in her selections each year.

She believes in the power of images, in addition to words, and credits this philosophy for her enthusiasm for organizing the film series each year.

“When selecting films for this series, I avoid stereotyping cultures and people,” says Zulema. “I try to teach and preach through the films and create an open space for discussion, expression, and opinions.”

Thanks to Zulema’s commitment to this project, the film series remains

free to all attendees. Join us at 7 pm every second Friday of the month at Dominican Center at Marywood.

Free popcorn at each movie!

More information is available at www.dominicancenter.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW!

Introducing Pope Francis There is still time to participate in the final program of the first three-session series that explores several sides of Pope Francis. If you would like to catch the entire series, it will be repeated in 2015. See dates below. To register, visit www.dominicancenter.com or call 616-514-3325.

2014

Cost: $15 per session

November 14 Salt of the Earth,

Pope Francis the Writer: The Joy of the Gospel Tuesday, November 11, 2014 6:30-8:30 pm

(France 2005)

December 12 La Strada (Italy 1954)

2015 January 9 Live and Become (France 2005)

February 13 Fill the Void (Israel 2012)

March 13 5 Broken Cameras (Palestine 2012)

April 10 Ida (Poland 2013) May 8 Welcome (France 2009) June 12 No One Less (China 1999)

Sept. 11 Where Do We Go Now?

Pope Francis: The Man and Spiritual Leader Monday, February 9, 2015 6:30-8:30 pm Pope Francis the Teacher: The People Wish to See Jesus Monday, March 9, 2015 6:30-8:30 pm Pope Francis the Writer: The Joy of the Gospel Monday, April 13, 2015 6:30-8:30 pm

(Lebanon 2011)

October 19 Departures (Japan 2008)

November 13 Frozen River (USA 2008)

Dec. 11 Stations of the Cross (Germany 2014)

www.grdominicans.org

6

Where We Belong The odd thing about a trip, a trek, a journey, a life, a plan of the long range or short range variety is that it seldom goes as designed.

O

nce, not so very long ago, but before cell phones and GPS, I set out with a friend to circumnavigate the Gaspé Peninsula - a land mass jutting into the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the eastern edge of Quebec, Canada. It was supposed to be a lovely spring vacation; but the Gaspé weather had not heeded the season. Rain, wind and bone chilling cold met us as we encountered one closed campground after another.

Discouraged, cold and wet, we turned down a lonely road where we saw two old women. We stopped to ask the strangers if they knew of a field where we might camp that night, but before we could open our mouths, the women smiled, and said: “We have been waiting for you.”

Soon we were snug on cozy cots in a honey house, having sipped hot tea and eaten great chunks of honey cake. We fell asleep that night to the peaceful, yet majestic sound of whales exhaling through their blowholes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. And in the morning the old women showed us where the eagles nested; we ate breakfast with eagles wheeling to and fro overhead.

From that moment on, we determined that it was not our fate to take a trip, but rather to allow the trip to take us.

Such has been the journey too of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids. From our first adventure across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City in 1853, then on to the little frontier town of Traverse City, Michigan in 1877, the path of the Sisters took unexpected turns. One of those turns led to the creation of what is now our Motherhouse in Grand

Rapids when we were called here to staff St. John’s Home and St. Alphonsus School in 1889. The Sisters planned and prepared, yet we were open to where the Spirit of God led us.

“When you are open to what the needs are, the opportunities come. And the discernment comes,” says Jarrett DeWyse, OP, Director of Housing Development, Dwelling Place.

“Sometimes it is hard to know what you need to do next.

But, if you are listening to the Spirit and listening to others about what you can do and offer, it becomes clear.”

Unexpected Journeys Then and Now Cloistered nuns became apostolic Sisters with a simpler prayer regime and clothing adapted to the needs of the times and places in which they lived and worked.

Teachers and homemakers became administrators, child advocates, nutritionists, and surrogate mothers at St. John’s Home. School teachers became college professors.

Housekeepers became Food Service Directors. The shy and the reticent became outspoken advocates for justice and peace. A Normal School to prepare Sisters to become teachers became the first Catholic Co-educational College, founded by an order of Sisters, in the United States.

In fact, the Dominican Sisters’ journey as teachers led to the formation of Dominican Center at Marywood in 1993. Its creation was centered in the available resources and the needs that were expressed to the Sisters. “Discernment, listening to the Spirit, is at the

Living Legacy of Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids

n Our ministries often carry the Sisters far from the Motherhouse in Grand Rapids where we’ve established a notable presence because of our work.

Founding of Dominican Nuns in Prouille, France

1206

1233 Foundation of Nuns in Regensburg, Bavaria

7

mission

ministry • Fall 2014

Arrival in New York City

1853 1877

Bay City –

Eastside of Michigan

1881

Traverse City

Beaver Island

1889 1899 Grand Rapids

Chimbote, Peru

1925

1963

New Mexico

1998 Honduras

Sister Kathi Sleziak, Administrative Assistant (R), and Kristen Perry, Medical Records Specialist (L), share office space at Marywood Health Center.

Brian Fett

DSGR Archives

Stacy Spitler

The Sisters planned and prepared, yet we were open to where the Spirit of God led us. And that has made all the difference.

Sister Janice Mankowski celebrates with her student, and new American citizen, Dolores Esqueda and her son Francesco at the naturalization ceremony in Grand Rapids.

Sister Jarrett DeWyse confers with Denny Sturtevant, CEO, Dwelling Place, regarding plans for a housing project that welcomes formerly homeless residents.

core of finding our way according to God’s plan. We were looking at ways that we could help people in their own spiritual lives,” says Diane Zerfas, OP, Director of Programs at Dominican Center at Marywood.

“We were looking at what would be supportive of their spiritual lives in their own parishes.”

that includes programs of Rehabilitation, Nursing Care, Home Health Care, and Spiritual Companioning for and with Sisters and adults in greater Grand Rapids.

Marywood Health Center makes available healing spaces and skilled care, whether a patient has a faith background or not.

In another twist, China, a possible mission outreach in the 1920s, was deferred to answer the call to come to New Mexico with consequent blessings of enormous abundance. A tuberculosis sanitarium in Albuquerque became a psychiatric hospital when vaccination eradicated TB. And when in turn, psychotropic medicines mitigated the need for inpatient mental health care, the site was sold to the city for a lovely park, enjoyed by thousands of families when they host the famous Spirit of the Winds International Balloon Fiesta every fall.

When the Grand Rapids Fire Department condemned our fourth floor infirmary in 1964, no one could have guessed that the new building known as Aquinata Hall would one day become a beautiful and caring environment for Sisters and others in need of assistance in their daily living. Here, Sisters who are residents, or on staff, continue the mission of Christ to be a healing presence to all they meet.

A catechetical mission to Chimbote, Peru soon included nurses and midwives and eventually a Maternity Hospital, an outpatient clinic, a medical laboratory, pre-natal care, and an orphanage serving the people in Chimbote for over fifty years. In May 1970, an earthquake struck the area, killing 70,000 people and destroying 75% of the city. “When are you leaving?” the people asked. “Why stay? Everything is gone.”

When the people found out that the Sisters were staying, many said, “Su presencia nos da experanza.” (“Your presence is a sign of hope for us.”)

What started out to be a health care center for the Sisters as they aged evolved into a partnership with Porter Hills

Just as I learned to let the trip take us while traveling in Gaspé, so have the Dominican Sisters come to let the mission of Christ take us. “We do not have a mission; the mission has us,” is a frequently heard mantra.

Planning? Yes! Of course, we plan and strategize with all our wisdom – as we’ve been doing recently regarding the living legacy of our Marywood campus. Then we let go to the workings of the Spirit of God to be a part of Christ’s mission of peace and justice wherever we are, with whoever wishes to be with us, for as long as we are needed.

Meanwhile, we listen for the sound of the breath of whales, look for the soaring of eagles, savor the taste of honey cakes – you never know what is in store for those who seek the will of God in their daily lives. ~ Mary Navarre, OP www.grdominicans.org

8

DOMINICAN DAYS 2014

Walking Together in Mission

N

early 250 Dominican Sisters and Associates came home to Marywood this summer for our annual Dominican Days gathering. This blessed time brings the Sisters home for connection, study, prayer and discernment. Our Dominican Associates add their commitment, life experience and joy to these days of renewal. With the mix of exuberance, wisdom, and beautiful liturgy, our Dominican life is deepened.

During these days together, we talked with each other about the values that we safeguard: how we honor the human person and stand with women and children and in solidarity with people who are materially poor.

We shared our faith in the Risen Christ who sustains us. We reviewed the state of our finances, buildings and grounds, and began a process to develop plans for sustaining these resources for new ministries that will serve the people of West Michigan and beyond.

This year’s theme was Walking Together in Mission.

With the expert guidance of Sue Haas, Williams Group, we took a look into our past, affirmed the present, and ventured into visioning about the future of our life and mission. Sisters and Associates engaged in a process that named blessings received and given, elicited delight over the “stars” of wonderful ministries that have flowed from our Marywood campus, and shared dreams about future wishes for mission at Marywood. These were sessions of intense listening, personal reflection and small and large group sharing. Hopes and fears were heard, critical realities were named, and a horizon of possibilities was graciously embraced.

We discussed Congregational attitudes and actions that allow us, communally and individually, to be the compassion and justice of Jesus in our time and place.

Dominican Days nurture our communal lives as vowed religious. “These days are a time for renewed friendships and catching up with Sisters we haven’t seen in a while, praying together in song, psalms and silence, pondering what our lives can do, as Catherine of Siena once said, to set the world ablaze,” says Marie Carla Moeggenborg, OP.

9

Matt Bergevin

~ JULY 31 TO AUGUST 3

mission

ministry • Fall 2014

And we prayed! Our contemplative and liturgical prayer when we gather in such large numbers nearly raises the roof. Profound preaching, deep silence, joyful music, the Liturgy of the Hours, and the Word and the Eucharist provide the foundation of our life as Dominicans. With God, nothing is impossible!

Every year at Dominican Days each Sister is missioned to her particular work for the coming year, whether it is in a ministry of prayer or presence, near or afar. Called and gifted, we understand our life to be a life of service.

Throughout the coming year, we will listen deeply to each of our ministries and ask how our life is delivering the blessing we desire to be. We will more fully integrate our new campus health care partnerships, and look for other ways to use our resources of property and personnel to bring about God’s reign of justice and peace.

If you are what you should be, you will set the world ablaze. ~ Catherine of Siena, Dominican Saint and Doctor of the Church









Facing Page: Sister Maureen Geary greets Sisters Angelina Abeyta (70th Jubilee) and Antonita Vigil (75th Jubilee). This Page:  Leaders of the Ending Homelessness Committee spent time planning during Dominican Days. (L-R) Sisters Jarrett DeWyse, Catherine Williams, Mary Aquinas Weber and Laurena Alflen  Sister Megan McElroy surrounded by family and friends in celebration of her 25th Jubilee.  Sisters (L-R) Dorothy Ederer, Nancy Brousseau, and Chela Gonzalez were pleased to reconnect.  Newly initiated Associates Mary Jo Asadorian, Yvonne Hebert, Marilyn Drake and Patricia “Pat” Jennings.  Sister Maureen Geary joked with the assembled Sisters prior to the business meetings.  Sister Ardeth Platte helps Sister Karen Thoreson during the Sunday Mass. Sister Karen celebrated her 75th Jubilee one week before her 94th birthday.  Sisters Mary Jo Beckett and Dorena Gonzalez share a lighthearted moment.

Our gathering days concluded with two special times of communal prayer. On Saturday morning we honored our deceased Sisters and Associates. “After days of assessing the present and planning for the future, we pause to remember the lives and works of those who shared our dreams and built the foundations on which we walk. In tender moments of memory and prayer, their spirits touch and inspire us. Our gratitude







Photo Credits: Stacy Spitler and Matt Bergevin

for them energizes our hearts,” reflects Marie Celeste Miller, OP after Dominican Days.

And our days culminated with the honoring of our Jubilarians and our founder, St. Dominic, in the celebration of Eucharist. “We move forward in Jubilee, in Hope and in Mission. This we do, walking together,” says Sister Marie Celeste. n

www.grdominicans.org

10

Following God’s Lead While Living Our Legacy

Phase I of the campaign raised more than $4.6 million through the generosity of nearly 600 donors to renovate and license both Aquinata Hall and Marywood Health Center.

The Marywood Legacy Campaign was launched to ensure the full and effective implementation of a newly expanded health care ministry right on the Marywood Campus. Phase I of the campaign raised more than $4.6 million through the generosity of nearly 600 donors to renovate and license both Aquinata Hall and Marywood Health Center.

Healing at Marywood Health Center Since opening its doors as a licensed skilled rehab facility in June 2013, Marywood Health Center has provided a place of rest and healing for more than 300 residents. Many of these individuals also have elected to engage in spiritual companioning with our Sisters – a new ministry of ours. We are pleased to announce that in October 2014, Marywood Health Center will have all 49 beds open and available for use, allowing us to serve more people and fully utilize the entire facility in this way for the first time.

Individuals who have recuperated at Marywood

11

mission

ministry • Fall 2014

Johnny “Q” Photography

marywood legacy campaign update

G

od’s loving Spirit has always guided the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, leading us to new places and inviting us to new ministries. We continually have our ears to the ground (listening for the needs of God’s people in our midst), our eyes to heaven (making sure we follow God’s plan for our work here on Earth), and our hearts and minds fully open (suspending judgment or fear of the new and unknown) so that we may be ready for where God will lead us next on our Congregation’s journey.

“After I had one hip done, my recovery at Marywood Health Center was such a great experience that when I was having my right hip done, I knew this was the place I was coming back to for rehab.” ~ Christy Dykgraaf, retired Rockford Public Schools teacher and current Grand Rapids Community College adjunct professor

Health Center have given the facility and the care they received glowing reviews. Ninety-eight percent of them gave a 4+ star rating on their satisfaction survey.

Living at Aquinata Hall A long-term assisted living facility, Aquinata Hall is home to Sisters and lay residents. Here residents are able to enjoy the benefits of communal living while having the privacy of their own room.

The facility affords wonderful opportunities for residents to engage with each other or visitors in multiple locations such as one of the community living rooms, main dining area, or the three-story atrium. Daily prayer services and planned activities foster spiritual and community life, drawing residents from Aquinata and Sisters from all over the campus, to the space. For those unable to physically attend, chapel services are broadcast to individual rooms and community spaces.

We are grateful to all of the Marywood Legacy Campaign donors whose gifts continue to provide

Joseph Richter (the first Bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids) to come and staff St. John’s Home. This was closely followed by an invitation from the Redemptorist priests to help open St. Alphonsus School. We pause to reflect on that blessing of invitation that led us here with 125 days of blessings and two holiday events. The commemoration includes celebrating the past and honoring the present, all while we continue to look to the future and new ministry opportunities.

a place of rest, healing, and rich, spiritual life on the Marywood Campus for our Sisters and our neighbors.

Living in Mission: Past, Present, and Future This fall, we commemorate 125 years of ministry to the greater Grand Rapids community, which first welcomed the Dominican Sisters in 1889 when called by Bishop­­Henry

continues on page 13







DSGR Archives

Stacy Spitler

Matt Bergevin

DSGR Archives



 For over a year, a handful of volunteers worked tirelessly to help others see the beauty, the importance and the promise that the Marywood Campus holds for the Sisters and our community by volunteering as our Marywood Legacy Campaign chairs.

As a thank you, Sister Lucianne Siers crafted a special sculpture for each of them that was inspired by their spirit of generosity and faithful commitment. Two were able to be a part of the “finishing” process where they helped, with support of two young volunteers, polish the sculptures. (L-R) Sister Lucianne, Connor Penn, Arnette Kraus, Rita Kirkwood and Reagan Nauta.  During Dominican Days, the full Congregation received updates on Phase I of the campaign and began to discuss Phase II opportunities. With a focus toward mission, Sisters engaged in conversation about the future use of the campus and the future care for the Sisters. Sue Haas of the Williams Group facilitated these conversations where information was shared, feedback was received, and recognition of blessing was pre-eminent.  In May, Sister Maureen Geary, the current Prioress, met with seven former Prioresses to recount the challenges and blessings of each administration, including the present one that continues to prepare the Congregation for the future. Pictured are (L-R) Back row: Sisters Maribeth Holst, Mary Aquinas Weber, Carmelita Murphy, Teresa Houlihan, and Nathalie Meyer. Seated: Sisters Barbara Hansen, Marjorie Vangsness, and Maureen Geary  Betsy (Beaton) Borre, Marywood Academy Class of 1956 and member of the 2014 Homecoming Committee, talks about the Alumni Legacy gift of the Aquinata Hall Atrium with another alumna at their Homecoming reception on May 16th. www.grdominicans.org

12

Remembering Peter Wege MLive Grand Rapids Press

Peter Wege embraced the Dominican spirit. He was authentic, generous, and always looking for ways to help. Throughout his life, he valued blessing others.

Throughout grade school, Peter was taught by Dominican Sisters and noted that it was here that he learned about generosity. Of his kindergarten teacher at St. Stephen’s he wrote, “Sister Mary Leonard started me the way I wish every child in the world could be started—with love, compassion, and understanding.” From fifth through eighth grades, Peter was taught by Sisters Mary Leonard and Mary Vincent de Paul. These two beloved Sisters never forgot him, nor he they.

All through his high school years in California, the Sisters wrote him letters.

When Peter left the University of Michigan in 1942 to go overseas as an Army Air Force pilot, the two Sisters gave Peter a scapular medal containing a relic of the true cross.

FEBRUARY 19, 1920 ~ JULY 7, 2014

Peter never went without the medal that he credited with bringing him safely through the war. No matter how many new billfolds Peter had, the medal from his Dominican grade school teachers was the first thing he put in a new one.

Peter carried the Dominican spirit throughout his entire life. Through his gifts of time, advice, and finances he lived by his favorite quote: “Do all the good you can, for as many as you can, for as long as you can, for all the right reasons.”

Following God’s Lead... • Continued from page 12

Planning for the future and the Sisters’ living legacy will roll into Phase II of the Marywood Legacy Campaign when we will invite donors to support the life of Marywood moving forward. This campus – a green oasis of 34 acres that embraces visitors with a spiritual peacefulness and soul-calming comfort – is abundant with endless possibilities. With your help, we will ensure that our future of service to the greater Grand Rapids community has as big an impact and is as mission-driven as the first 125 years. n 13

mission

ministry • Fall 2014

Johnny “Q” Photography

Over the past several months, and continuing into next year, Sisters, current supporters, and community leaders are meeting to look at additional opportunities for ministry on campus, particularly in the Motherhouse (main building). The planning process is thoughtful, intentional, and spiritual. It respects the Sisters’ history and always focuses on the campus as a living expression of the Dominican mission.

“The opportunity to come to a health care center where my spiritual needs are also taken care of is just wonderful. When you walk in this front door, you just feel so grateful and peaceful that Marywood Health Center is where you get to recover.” ~ Maryann Cwayna, retired from the insurance industry

•

Care of Earth

•

Economic Justice

•

Human Trafficking

•

Migration/Immigration

•

Peace and Security for All Life

•

Ending Homelessness

Campus Ministries Liturgy - Dominican Chapel/Marywood - Chapel of the Word (MHC) - St. Catherine of Siena Chapel (Aquinata)

•

Health Care & Spiritual Companioning - Aquinata Assisted Living - Marywood Health Center - Marywood Home Health

•

•

WORD ESL (English as a Second Language)

•

Partners in Parenting

Overseas Ministries •

Maternidad de Maria, Chimbote, Peru

•

Centro de Obras Sociales, Chimbote, Peru

•

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Mission & Ministry Editorial Team •

Maureen Geary, OP ~ Prioress

•

Danny Lynn ~ Art Director

•

Maureen Fitzgerald Penn ~ Editor

•

Lucianne Siers, OP ~ Advisor

•

Stacy Spitler ~ Managing Editor

The Sisters value contemplation and sharing the fruits of their contemplation with others. In recent years, contemplation often has focused on the future of Marywood, both their home and the place where community for all is espoused and practiced through Dominican Center at Marywood, the Sisters’ health care ministries, and more.

Since arriving at Marywood only a short while ago, I have learned that this is a place where simplicity of lifestyle, communal living, and shared blessings with others flourish. By their very being, the Sisters are living in mission and making a profound impact on others’ lives.

In the coming months, you’ll have the opportunity to celebrate with the Sisters their 125th anniversary of service in West Michigan.

You’ll also be invited to support the Sisters’ mission as you consider your end-of-year giving. Please know that your gifts to the Sisters honor the work of their past, present, and future and their blessing of every community in which they work and reside. Thank you for all of the ways you support the Sisters and their transformative work in this world.

I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you and answer any questions you may have about giving to the mission and ministry of the Sisters. You can always reach me at shalteman@grdominicans.org or 616-514-3110.

With Blessings,

Susan Halteman Director of Development

on the horizon

As Dominicans, We Advocate for Justice

Patrick Nothaft

D ear F riends of the D ominican S isters :

Your Legacy is Important Please remember the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids in your will or estate plan. Contact us today to talk about ways your legacy can support our Dominican legacy.

Contact development@grdominicans.org or 616-514-3110

www.grdominicans.org

14

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

PA I D Grand Rapids, MI Permit No. 451 2025 Fulton St. East Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3895

T 616-459-2910 F 616-454-6105 grdominicans.org

About Us The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids are a community of vowed women religious and associates who follow the Roman Catholic traditions of St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena. Since 1877, we have taught children and ministered to the orphaned, partnered with nonprofit agencies, and served in hospital ministries and social service agencies. We have created works of art, helped lead liturgical reform, and fostered life in parishes and communities.

Today, based on the Marywood Campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we engage in a wide variety of ministries throughout the United States and missions in Peru and Honduras.

Marywood Campus Resources Information 616-514-3325 View Chapel services and upcoming events at grdominicans.org View programs at dominicancenter.com Dominican Center at Marywood Event Bookings 616-514-3335 Dominican Associate Life 616-514-3115 Marywood Health Center 616-588-1645

IMPORTANT 2014 DATES DEC 16th • 125th Anniversary Celebration Progressive Dinner Join us for this 19th century Dickens inspired progressive dinner on the Marywood Campus, including roasted chestnuts, plum pudding, carolers and luminary-lit walkways! Space is limited. Many sponsorship levels are available.

Call 616-514-3106 for more information.

DEC 17th • 125th Anniversary Community Open House • 4 - 6:30 pm Celebrate with the Sisters the 125th Anniversary of our arrival in Grand Rapids.

Visit, enjoy treats, tour the Legacy Room, and share a memory on our history timeline. At 7:00 pm, join us for the first night of O Antiphons as we enter the last week of the Advent season. This event is free and open to the public.

To RSVP, call 616-459-2910 or email development@grdominicans.org.

DEC 17th – 23rd • O Antiphons • 7 pm Pause during the season of Advent to ponder the Holy Mystery of God’s infinite love. We invite you to pray each evening with us in Dominican Chapel / Marywood with candlelight procession, hymns, scripture, preaching and chanting of Old Testament prophecies.

DEC 24th, 25th & 31st • Eucharist During the Christmas season we invite you to join us for the celebration of Mass.

Visit www.grdominicans.org/125th-anniversary for details on times and locations.

Marywood Home Health 616-643-0403 Aquinata Assisted Living 616-259-1702

Like us on Facebook Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids Dominican Center at Marywood

Prefer A Digital Copy?

To receive Mission & Ministry digitally rather than through the mail, please email rmgoeldel@grdominicans.org your preferred email address.

We continue to print in a conscientious manner, using vegetable-based ink on paper that is FSC® Certified.