Mission & Ministry Summer 2020

Summer 2020 · Vol. XXI

With Every Breath, Love In this Issue: • “Is

this all there is?” asked Sister Verona Wangler

• Dominican • The

Pillars

Holy Preaching

• Because

of Dominicans, I Am... Esther Yff-Prins

Holy Moments Discovering the Holy in All You Are and All You Do

Table of Contents: 2 | From the Prioress 3 | A Vocation Story:

Is this all there is?

5 | Dominican Pillars 8 | The Holy Preaching:

Jubilarian Inspiration

Because of

11 Dominicans, I am‌

|

Esther Yff-Prins

Veritas Society:

13 Leave a Lasting

|

Legacy

14 | Thank You to our Golf Sponsors!

Breathe This is a time for breathing — Breathing in and breathing out.

Gracious and kind God, You call us to breathe in your spirit of love.

May we breathe out Respect for differences.

You call us to breathe in your spirit of oneness May we breathe out Inclusion of all gifts.

You call us to breathe in your spirit of courage May we breathe out Reparation for injustice.

You call us to breathe in your spirit of listening.

May we breathe out Reconciliation in our relationships.

You call us to breathe in your spirit of wisdom.

May we breathe out Recognition of the dignity of all people.

Cover: Dominican Promoter of Justice Brigid Clingman, OP (right), coordinates our Congregation Justice Ministry.

In July, Sisters and employees gathered for a Prayer Service.

Carletta Bocheim, OP (left), rang the bell in the Pear Garden to remember all we have lost in this pandemic.

You call us to breathe in your spirit of understanding.

May we breathe out Welcome to sisters and brothers.

Breathe life into our commitment to be the Body of Christ today. Amen. ~ Mary Ann Barrett, OP

Greetings­ Even in this time of isolation, social distancing, pandemic resulting in deaths of many throughout the world, including some of our relatives, friends and colleagues, the social unrest which continues to challenge systemic racism that is manifested in our society, we can find those moments of holiness.

God’s presence in us shows itself through every act of kindness, through every effort we make to connect with someone who lives alone, and through our actions to bring about justice in our world.

Because of this pandemic, we are not able to come together in person. Yet, knowing that we are community, we are able to move forward as a people of hope supporting each other through phone calls, virtual gatherings and outdoor visits. Our lives continue to move on in new ways, graced by the small joys that perhaps we had forgotten.

Just as many younger people are reaching out to shop for and assist older neighbors and relatives, our Sisters are finding new ways to remain in ministry by making masks to share, writing encouraging notes to first responders, and making phone calls to people who need an encouraging word and prayer.

We are reaching out to those in need even as we remain in isolation.

This issue of Mission and Ministry offers a view of the many ways that our Sisters, Associates and colleagues live the Dominican Pillars of Prayer, Study, Community and Service on their journey to

holiness. Sr. Verona Wangler shares her vocation story, a life of service that is an example for all of us. And we share with you the joy of celebrating our 11 Sister jubilarians­from 50 years to 85 years of Holy Preaching.

We are so blessed by the Sister and lay employees who offer their gifts in stewardship of the mission of Dominican Center.

Holiness is recognized in the spiritual directors, presenters, and facilitators who enrich the lives of so many at Dominican Center. In this issue of Mission and Ministry we highlight Spiritual Director Esther Yff-Prins who walks with persons on their holy journey.

Finally, we are grateful for the many kind and encouraging notes we received when we announced the sale of the Motherhouse. This is a bittersweet time for the Congregation. There is sadness in leaving one’s home of so many years and yet we all know that there comes a time to move into a home that is more adequate for the family’s needs. That time has arrived for our family as well. There is also joy in knowing that this building that has been our home will soon provide a home for many persons who have a need for affordable housing. Our mission will continue in this building, just as when it was first built—for mission. We are indeed blessed to be able to share this space.

With Hope,

from the prioress

In every age, God sends us moments—those little opportunities—to recognize holiness.

Sister Sandra Delgado, OP Prioress

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"With a grateful heart and joyful voice, I sing God's love. I ask God’s blessing on my family, friends, and my beloved community for the love and support given to me over all these years. I am deeply thankful for the gift of my vocation and for God’s faithfulness leading me along the way," reflects Sister Verona Wangler.

a vocation story

A Vocation Story:

Is this all there is?

Sr. Verona Wangler is nearing her 96th birthday as she shares this thought.

I can still see myself, 18 years old, working in the office at the car dealership and wondering, ‘Is this all there is?’ ~ Verona Wangler, OP,

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At 19, she says she was “drafted” into vowed religious life by Dominican Sister Cecile Byrne. Sr. Cecile had observed the young girl since she had transferred to St. Joseph School, West Branch, for seventh grade, having begged her parents to go to Catholic school instead of public school.

“In those days we went to Mass every day. I would leave early to avoid the Sisters,” Sr. Verona recalls with a giggle.

“Then one day Sr. Cecile caught up to me: `Do you want me to pack your trunk?’ she asked. “And right then, I said yes. I was to leave for Marywood three weeks later.”

“Instead, I wrote a letter that I wouldn’t be coming, that I had to stay and help my mother with my younger siblings. But Sr. Cecile either didn’t know or ignored it.

I knew I had to face her and tell her. It was during this same time that my two older brothers were drafted.

Sr. Cecile chose her words to me wisely: “Your brothers answered a call to the draft for war; now, I am issuing you a draft call to religious life.”

Perhaps Sister Cecile was responding to her concerns for a young woman whose closest companions—her two older brothers—were being called away?

Sr. Verona’s life is a lesson about being grateful for all things, the sorrowful and the joyous. Her lightness of being is a testament to her faith in God’s presence in her life and to her appreciation for beauty in all things.

Upon her 2001 retirement from her ministry at St. Pius X Parish in Grandville, Michigan, Sister Verona said: “It's time to get on with those ‘some days’ we all promise ourselves. ‘Some day I will go to Ireland.’ ‘Some day I'll pick up that guitar again,’ ‘Some day I'll read all the unread stuff on my shelves.’ Some day has arrived!”

May Sister Verona’s message touch your heart today.

What will you do?

It may be difficult for many from younger generations to relate to that time in history, not having lived during a world war. Terms like “draft” strike a different note today, not necessarily comfortable.

How intriguing that the young woman who first questioned where she was needed most: home helping her mother with the remaining five younger siblings or to the Dominican mission at Marywood… and then again forced to question where she belonged following the death of both parents in a single year—was given the name Sister Verona of Our Lady of Confidence in 1944.

But Sister Verona prayed for guidance and confidence, and she has brought both to ministries past and present. This openness to question, this comfort with the unknown, and delight in surprises were gifts she brought to all her ministries: as student, teacher, principal, school administrator, director of religious education, and more.

It is Sr. Verona’s confidence in people that is so inspiring. About her ministries in religious education she once said, “The freshness and zeal of new members embracing our precious Catholic faith inspires me to look again at the familiar and appreciate anew its beauty and depth.”

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Dominican Pillars

dominican pillars

The Dominican Pillar of Prayer… gives us hope and strength and courage. Each day we pray for each other, for you, your loved ones, our community, and our world.

Prayer and the other pillars: Service, Community, and Study blend to enrich lives.

Prayer Lamenting Lives Lost  Lament is passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

How often in the months of Spring 2020 did you find yourself in a deep state of lament? Our lamentations at Marywood took form in community on June 1, 2020.

Dominican Sisters and essential employees gathered at a safe distance to mourn lives lost.

Sister Carletta Bockheim OP tolled the bell in the Pear Garden 10 times, once for each 10,000 persons who have died from COVID-19. That number continues to increase.  Sr. Brigid Clingman, OP read from a statement shared in cities around the United States.

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“Together, interfaith leaders and mayors across the nation… call us to mourn, lament, and honor the dead, acknowledge the unequal nature of our suffering, pray together for the healing of the nation, and recommit to the difficult work ahead … as we call upon Mayors leading the COVID-19 response effort and continue to model critical local leadership amid this difficult time.”  In silence, we processed to the Peace Pole, mourning the death of George Floyd—his murder—a symbol of the inequities and injustice that take away breath, liberty, and livelihood of our brothers and sisters. And we remember Jesus, breathlessly carrying the burden of an unwieldy cross to His own crucifixion.

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Service & Community The new normal doesn’t mean we can’t hold each other up. Blessings and gifts of hand and heart are being given and received. Every day.

The irony is that in mourning the loss of normalcy of the every day, one can, somehow, discover the gifts—the holiness—in the every day. ~ Sandra Delgado, OP  Making and wearing masks are some of the ways we protect one another.  Sisters write thank you notes to those on the frontlines in healthcare and service industries—and to our own employees, working on campus and remotely.  Since March, Sisters remain separated by floors and living clusters in the Motherhouse. In Aquinata Hall Sisters maintain strict boundaries.

Employees, too, are diligent with protective protocols.

Study & Prayer in Community

 On Monday, May 11, Diane Zerfas OP and Cindy Warner welcomed a virtual village to the first of the Dominican Center “Stay in the Light” gatherings. This virtual village welcomes 60-80 participants each Monday.

Centering Prayer meets Tuesdays at noon. Carmelita Switzer, OP and Sister Diane are also transitioning the spiritual formation programs to virtual settings.

I pray for the unemployed.

Many people are unemployed. They need jobs not only for financial support but also to have a sense of dignity and self-worth. At the heart of my prayer are all young adults who are graduating from college or skill centers, refugees who come to our country, and people who have lost their jobs. My prayer for the unemployed is this: Lord, help all people seeking work to find suitable jobs—jobs that will enrich their lives and give them an opportunity to serve others. ~ Jean Williams, OP

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With Gratitude for Our Remarkable Employees It takes patience and grace and faith to live in a state of uncertainty, and our employees have all of this—and more.

There’s a saying that you can’t truly know what you have until you see how people respond in a crisis. During these past few months, we’ve seen over and over how remarkable our employees truly are.

Sisters aren’t the only ones on campus who are called to serve. Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids is a mission-based organization. As our employees support our mission, we ask them to live into our core values of Dignity, Service, Stewardship, Collaboration, Hospitality, Inclusion, and Learning.

It would be impossible to note all the ways our employees have exemplified these values as they face the challenge of a pandemic: rapid response to enacting remote work, establishing protective protocols to care for and protect our vulnerable population, and the day-to-day support of life in our Motherhouse and Aquinata Hall, for Sister residents.

We are deeply grateful to the employees and Sisters who cared for patients and their families over the years at Marywood Health Center and who shared our sadness at letting go of this ministry with healing at its heart.

Pillars of Service Thurlene Medendorp

James Brooks

What is your vocation?

My vocation is first is to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Being an Associate, an accountant, a volunteer, these fit under that.

To live out my vocation is to be a servant, to care for people.

What is your vocation?

I believe I have a responsibility for those who count on me: my wife, children, grandchildren, extended family, and neighbors.

Thurlene Medendorp has accompanied the Sisters for more than 34 years.

Most define vocation as what they do. I think it has to be more than that. Living out your vocation means living a life of integrity. It has to do with the fulfillment and meaning I have drawn from my life and what I have done.

Part of living out my vocation is how I respond to asking myself, “Am I using the gifts God has given to me, wherever I am, whatever I’m doing?”

What led you to become an Associate?

God called me to Associate Life. I chose to be a Dominican Associate even though I’m not Catholic. After I retired, I knew it was important to me to keep the relationships I have with the Sisters. That’s also why I volunteer in Archives each week.

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For the past 24 years, James has welcomed Sisters to mealtimes at Marywood. Host and food service coordinator, James extends a thoughtful, enthusiastic daily presence to all.

My service with the Sisters is my purpose. And the times I can sit and pray with them, these are the times that bring me great joy. They call me their brother and treat me like family. And I treat them and see them like a sister from God. How has being with the Sisters helped form your worldview?

Seeing the love the Sisters have for those who are poor or in need, the love they have for employees—they have given me direction. Not just the love they have for others, but the gratitude they feel in giving to and loving others.

When cancer hit, my faith grew like never before. The love the Sisters showed me was something I'd never experienced from anyone but family. The more love they showed me, the more I wanted to turn to God and church, and the more I prayed.

My daily prayer is for our/my faithfulness to this vision. “May the Word of God, rich as it is, dwell in me, as in all wisdom I teach and remind others, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in my heart.

~ Diane Zerfas, OP

The Holy Preaching ~Diane Zerfas, OP

The unfolding of the mystery of God’s presence in our lives is awesome. We recognize this unfolding mystery of dying and being reborn as we walk together throughout life.

We celebrate commitment to vowed religious life. On the next pages, join us in honoring Sisters celebrating Jubilee. We are blessed by all they are and all they do.

The Holy Preaching is:

 The bonds of community which soften our

sharp edges and support us in our ministry.

 Our shared prayer in community, in worship

with the larger Church, and in contemplative moments alone.

 The power of our study undergirding our preaching through Scripture, the natural world, the thoughts and writing of our ancestors, and the dailiness of life.

 Preaching as the ministry and charism of our Order, in the pulpit, in the classroom, in word and writing, in the way we live.

 Living out the great commission of Jesus to the disciples: Go out to all the nations, preaching and baptizing, spreading the Good News of salvation.

WE ARE PREACHERS. It is not what we do. It is who we are.

Mission is not what we do. It is who we are. And if that is clear, everything will just follow. ~ Gerard Timoner, III, OP, Master of the Order of Preachers

the holy preaching

From the beginning of the Order, Saint Dominic and the early contemplative nuns referred to The Holy Preaching, encompassing all they were and did.

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ROSE SERAPHINE SAGORSKI 85 YEARS

JOAN WILLIAMS 60 YEARS

SYLVIA WOZNIAK 60 YEARS

JULIA MAE GROULX 70 YEARS

TERESKA WOZNIAK 60 YEARS

As we look to the Sisters celebrating Jubilee this year, the Holy Preaching encompasses all they are and all they do.

Our Jubilarians each share a special message with you.

ROSE SERAPHINE SAGORSKI, OP “In death, life is changed, not ended.”

JULIA MAE GROULX, OP “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard what God has ready for those who love... Rejoice!”

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SYLVIA WOZNIAK, OP

JOAN WILLIAMS, OP

“Relocating about 17 times over the past sixty years of mission experiences, I’ve learned that the assigned or mutually discerned ministry wasn’t always the real reason I landed where I did. I’ve come to understand it was God’s way of inviting me to live a much deeper life than I envisioned I ever could.”

“May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.” ~ Ephesians 3:17

TERESKA WOZNIAK, OP “Shout with joy to our God, all the Earth! Serve the Lord with gladness.” ~ Psalm 100

JOYCE WILLIAMS 60 YEARS

MARGARET HILLARY 60 YEARS

JEAN WILLIAMS 60 YEARS

MARGUERITE COOL 60 YEARS

REGINA GOELDEL 60 YEARS

CHRIS WOOD 50 YEARS

JEAN WILLIAMS, OP

REGINA GOELDEL, OP

MARGARET HILLARY OP

“All will be well, and you yourself shall see that every manner of thing will be well.” ~ Julian of Norwich

“Yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

“All has been well and will continue to be well as my spirit is quieted through the practice of centering prayer.”

“So much for which to be grateful, so many opportunities and privileges, so much to pray for, so much yet to be done. I know that God who has begun this `work’ will be with me until it’s completed.

What more could I desire?”

“Teach me, O God, your way that I may walk in your truth. I give thanks to you, my God. Great has been your kindness toward me.”

JOYCE WILLIAMS OP

MARGUERITE COOL OP

CHRIS WOOD, OP

“The Beauty of nature—God’s gift —is a gift to quiet the soul.”

“The purpose of parenting is to protect and teach our children to survive and thrive in the kind of society in which they live.”

“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

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Because of Dominicans, I am…

because of dominicans, I am...

Esther Yff-Prins

On the evening of March 9, Dominican Center celebrated the ministry of Spiritual Direction.

Spiritual directors gathered to reconnect and to reflect on the impact the ministry has on their lives and on the lives of those with whom they walk. Spiritual Director Esther Yff-Prins shared this reflection; may her powerful message enrich your own spiritual journey.

It's an honor to be a part of the ministry of Spiritual Direction, work I never imagined during most of my professional career. I often wake up and wonder anew how I arrived at this wonderful place in my life.

For me, it all began about 20 years ago, as I was reading the Religion section of the Grand Rapids Press. Tucked in between the weekly columns of Rabbi Lewis and Charles Honey was a three-inch square ad inviting me to join a class in Foundations of Spirituality at Dominican Center. Hmm, I thought.

I called my dear friend Mary and convinced her to join me, little knowing that I was turning a huge corner in my life. I’d been raised in a parsonage, had some severe reservations about Catholicism, and had some very tribal notions about how salvation worked—and for whom. I thought my inclination to join the class arose from an intellectual and academic place.

Only later did I realize that accepting this invitation was more heart-driven than head-driven, that an unspoken longing in me was emerging.

Two things happened during the months of the Foundations in Spirituality class. First, the mystics really began to mess with my mind—and then with my heart. Second, one of the requirements of the

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class was to enter Spiritual Direction, which I had never heard of in my life. I was a little dubious, but being a rule-follower, I signed up, utterly clueless about where that practice would lead. I was assigned to Sister Jude Bloch OP, whom I came to love fervently and gratefully. She was about half my size, but her generosity and directness soon enveloped me.

We spent several sessions talking about beliefs, creeds, doctrines—head stuff— until one afternoon she sat up straight in her chair and said, “OK, Esther, cut the bullsh!t—we’re here to talk about your heart, not your head. What is your heart Jude Bloch, OP telling you?” Everything changed in that moment. My heart simultaneously sank in fear and rose in relief. And slowly, slowly, the layers of armor that surrounded my deepest self began to soften. Sister Jude “listened” my soul into a place of disclosure and discovery. That was her greatest gift to me, and one I try to give to my own directees to this day.

Spiritual Direction Insights from Esther Yff-Prins Insight #1 ~ Because we can only accompany others as far as we ourselves have gone.

About a year into spiritual direction, as I gradually allowed the tuning fork of the Spirit to change me, Sister Jude suggested I think about becoming a spiritual director myself. I thought she was nuts and told her so, but her faith in me remained steadfast. I discovered that I could go to the edges of myself and make different choices, to grow, to integrate, to understand— and that I was richer for those kinds of choices.

Sister Jude was a mirror for me, allowing me to see myself through her non-judgmental eyes, and finding the sparks of light and beauty that were deep inside. She listened me into a place of grace and goodness, and faith in what the Spirit might do with me. She helped me befriend my uncertainty, to let my questions breathe, to let the answers find ME.

Insight #2 ~ Find the Sparks of Holy Light Realize the wonder and truth in listening to another’s story. Be that mirror and find the sparks of holy light and beauty in the person who has entrusted his or her story to you. Let your eyes be soft, let your heart be hopeful, let your faith in the other’s original goodness be steadfast. Focus on the desire of the heart and notice where resistance attempts to overcome that desire. And remember, others’ stories offer a portal into your own story.

In everything that happens to us, God is offering new possibilities of life and healing. We can read books, we can attend workshops and conferences, we can talk, talk, talk, but until we begin to see the gift in our own life experiences, until we journey to the edges of our lives and take a long, loving look at our realities, our shadows, we will not transform into wholeness or holiness.

Insight #3 ~ This is the Work of the Soul Cultivate attentiveness to yourself, to nature and to the other. Continue your inner work, noticing where the Spirit may be taking you.

Find the sparks of holy light and beauty in your story and allow transformation to occur.

Do this through your own spiritual direction, through your peer group, through journaling, through developing habits of the heart that sustain and deepen you.

I bring the gifts of my experience to this work—loves requited and unrequited, losses mourned and honored, devastating sadness and exuberant joy, a heart that has overflowed in gratitude and turned to stone in anger and fear. My desire is to allow the wisdom and grace of those experiences to arise and transform me as I listen to another’s sacred story with the ears of my heart. This is the work of the soul. This is service.

Regardless of your or my faith history, the path to truth in each of us is a deep, revealing and redeeming movement of grace… the Spirit can make us radical agents of transformative love.

Insight #4 ~ Our Stories are Never Finished Nurture your spirit daily with contemplative practices that are lifegiving and nurturing, that root you firmly in your particular reality, that speak to your soul.

Listen to your life, divine its meaning, and open your heart to the other.

Spend time in solitude and stillness. Our stories are never finished; there is always more meaning, more revelation, more grace to discover. May the Spirit bless your work.

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Leave a Lasting Legacy If you’ve ever wondered how to leave a lasting legacy that supports what matters most to you, meet Mary Morris and

- Mary Morris & Bob Sadowski

Bob Sadowski.

Together, we can build a legacy of faith

As they describe, with the Grand Rapids Dominicans, everyone feels welcome at the table. Justice, service, preaching that challenges and offers opportunity for spiritual growth; at Marywood, there’s always something to feed you.

When you make a bequest to the Sisters, whether from your will, trust, or other estate plans, you become a part of the Veritas Society and of Sisters’ mission for years to come.

Bob and Mary became members of the Veritas Society when they included the Sisters in their trust, making a plan that will further the values they share, even beyond their lifetimes.

veritas society

“Marywood is home to us and home is where you leave your legacy.”

“The Sisters inspire and challenge us to live our faith more deeply. They are prayerful truth-seekers committed to ministry—and we want that to continue.”

and justice, truth and peace.

Members of the Veritas Society receive: Special opportunities to connect with the Sisters  Invitations to distinctive events  A gift of gratitude for supporting the Sisters’ work.  Take the first step by talking with your advisor about how to align your plans with what is most important to you.

Learn More Alyssa Morillo Scheidt Director of Mission Advancement 616.514.3110 | amorilloscheidt@grdominicans.org www.grdominicans.org/support-us 13 mission

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THANK YOU

A HOLE IN ONE… WITHOUT EVER GET T ING O N TH E C OU R S E! Thank you to all our Dollars FORE Dominicans sponsors for your generous support even as we had to cancel this year’s outing.

ADAC Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Applied Imaging Aquinas College Bazen Electric Company Beacon Hill at Eastgate John & Micki Benz Berner Company Blythefield Country Club Dan & Sherry Bowen Scott & Mary Brady Brandywine Brigade Fire Protection Joyce Buckley Buist Electric Jane Calkins Canteen CareLinc Medical Mike Cary CBRE Culver’s Cummins Sales & Service Dermatology Associates of West Michigan Digital Tool & Die Inc. Dixon Environment DJ's Landscape Management Ellis Parking Company Elston-Richards, Inc.

Larry & Nancy Erhardt Erhardt Construction John Estabrook Charlie Ferro Fire Fighter Sales & Service Kevin & Cynthia Fitzgerald Mary Beth Fitzgerald Flier's Sprinkling Systems Inc Fox Ford John Gill & Rita Williams Gordon Food Service Roberta Gross Susan Guevara Carolyn Haley Bob & Barb Herr Rick & Kim Heuvelman Holland Litho Printing Service Hospice of Michigan Integra Realty Resources – Grand Rapids Jandernoa Foundation Mary Pat Jaracz & Jeffery Stuckey JW Marriott – Grand Rapids Kellogg’s Ken Ferris Construction Jim Kenyon

Jack & Rita Kirkwood KML Specialty Chemicals Kool Chevrolet & Kool Toyota Ron & Maureen Korte L&R Management Inc Lacks Enterprises Sarah LaVoie Bill & Karen Lawrence Mike & Kiki Lown Cindy Mader & Pam Olsen The Mayan Family Susan McCarthy Meijer Mercy Health Saint Mary’s National Restoration Scott & Deb Cleland Nowakowski Mary Pitchford PNC Presto Print Progressive AE Property Resources Inc Father Mark Przybysz Quality Air Mary Jane Rademacher River City Mechanical Riverside Integrated Systems Inc Rockford Construction

Servants of Jesus Sara Smolenski & Linda Burpee Susie & Tom Smolenski Paul J. Sommerdyke Plumbing Spirit Dreams Sugar Momma’s Bakery & Cafe Summit Laboratory, LLC Superior Pest Control Tazzia Lawn Care The Breton Group The Christman Company Jean Tingley Jaye Van Lenten Varnum Dan & Eileen Vaughan Jack & Mary Serra Veneklase West Michigan Whitecaps John & Mary Agnes Wisentaner James Wittenbach WMPM Wolfgang’s Wolverine Building Group Ann Zoellner

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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 • Care Resources

• WORD ESL, Citizenship, Education • 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

Staying in the Light with Dominican Center Dominican Center's mission is to foster transformation and growth of persons, communities, and organizations through prayer, learning, and collaboration in an inclusive, hospitable environment. Well, what happens when that hospitable environment is suddenly "off limits"?

We return to what we know: each person, each space, is sacred in its own right. We get back in touch with that value—and we nurture it. ~ Margarita Solis-Deal, Dominican Center at Marywood Director

Please consider a gift to support Dominican Center. grdominicans.org