JUNE NEWS - SISTERS OF CHARITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD, HOUSTON

JUNE 2022

Gian Lorenzo Bernini - Dove of the Holy Spirit (ca. 1660, alabaster, Throne of St. Peter, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican)

JUNE NEWS Pope's Prayer Families: We pray for Christian families around the world; Intention may they embody and experience unconditional love and for June

advance in holiness in their daily lives

Corporate social responsibility ministry pays dividends in justice for the poor, the earth

BY MONICA HATCHER, SOCIAL CONCERNS DIRECTOR Every spring, Sr. Lillian Anne Healy takes up the enormous responsibility of voting thousands of shareholder proxies on behalf of the Congregation, holding corporations to account and urging change on justice issues ranging from climate change to fair wages. While the issues are vital, it’s onerous work, demanding hours of close reading on evenings and weekends. Results take years, even decades, to achieve. It’s a long game. Job’s patience is required.

The power of this persistent and hidden work, when performed collectively with other Congregations and faith-based investors especially, has resulted in huge social changes that so many of us take for granted. In April, I had the opportunity to marvel at these successes in San Antonio at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Socially Responsible Investment Coalition. SRIC, pronounced “srick”, is a group of faith and values-based investors “who view the management of their investments as a powerful catalyst for social change.”

The celebration event, titled “(Still) Looking for the Promised Land” sketched the arc of the group’s history and its wins through the decades for the vulnerable and the environment in a wide range of corporate sectors from healthcare to banking and retail. It also honored the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston and the eight other Congregations that founded the coalition in 1982 as a regional spinoff of the national Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility. SRIC has 40 members representing more than $32 billion in assets under management (not all members disclose their holdings).

Various presentations from coalition members highlighted SRIC’s triumphs and challenges.

Someone wryly or wearily remarked “you don’t lose the fight unless you quit.” The early pioneers and heroes of the work, including Sr. John Marie Crowley, CCVI, and Sr. Loyola Hegarty, CCVI, were also acknowledged on a revolving slide of names.

Photo: Representatives (not in order) from SRIC's founding congregations, Congregation of Divine Providence, Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence, School Sisters of Notre Dame, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Oblates of Immaculate Mary, Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Benedictine Sisters - Boerne, TX, The Society of St. Theresa of Jesus, Congregation of the Holy Spirit

Corporate Social Responsibility Ministry, Con't.

In an email about those Sisters’ involvement with SRIC, Sr. Susan Mika, OSB of Boerne, who has worked in corporate social responsibility for many years, described Sr. Loyola and Sr. John Marie as “giants” of the early days and years. They were very knowledgeable and very respected, she said. She shared the following story: "Sr. John Marie invited me to be part of the General Electric meeting where we flew to General Electric's headquarters and met with Jack Welch and had lunch with him in his executive dining room. He wanted to tell us many stories about his youth and Sisters. We were there to ask him about their management of the nuclear facility ... (see story in 30th anniversary booklet.) The [Sisters’] health system was thinking of boycotting GE over this management. Of course, that Sr. Loyola Hegarty, CCVI and Sr. John Marie Crowley, CCVI, would mean that they would not buy MRI and CT scanners from GE, a huge loss of money for GE. At the beginning of the meeting, Jack announced they were giving up management of the facility. We thanked him and went right on to many other questions, especially about GE's maquiladoras. I think Jack thought the group would be so happy with his announcement that that would end the meeting. It did not. After the meeting, he engaged a plane to fly us back to Houston. Clearly, he did not want nuns to boycott these new machines that would make GE much profit.”

The extent of the Congregation’s past Corporate Social Responsibility work is wonderfully captured in Sr. Mika’s story. But Sr. Lillian Anne made clear to me that voting the proxies, drafting and filing shareholder resolutions, taking meetings, traveling and the like demand a full-time commitment.

Corporate Social Responsibility is true ministry, making sure the Gospel is present and proclaimed in the business realm that is often neglected because of its apparent worldliness. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church convinces me of the importance of staying involved. It says “…the Church's social doctrine is not a privilege for her [the Church], nor a digression, a convenience or interference: it is her right to proclaim the Gospel in the context of society, to make the liberating word of the Gospel resound in the complex worlds of production, labour, business, finance, trade, politics, law, culture, social communications, where men and women live.” (CSDC 70) I am so grateful and inspired by Sr. Lillian Anne and the amazing work of SRIC, founded and guided by Sisters, to fight for justice and the common good in shareholder meetings and boardrooms across the nation.

Pentecost & The birth of the church June 5th

The Feast of Pentecost celebrates our full insertion into the life, death, resurrection and mission of Jesus Christ. The risen Christ breathed on his disciples and they received his Holy Spirit. Pentecost ushers in a new creation; His risen life dwells within us. Pentecost is our birth into new life. We now share in the mission of the Son through the Spirit. May the Holy Spirit’s new life course through us and give us renewed courage and strength of purpose and vocation. May we preach boldly and witness heroically to the world the saving love of God, and our mission to “renew the face of the earth”.

star jasmine in fragrant bloom at villa de matel PHOTOS BY SR. RICCA DIMALIBOT, CCVI

a Time of transformation, happiness and fulfillment My Fall Sabbatical Experience at Mercy Center

BY SR. CATARINA OSORIO IXCOTEYAC, CCVI On September 11th, 2021, I traveled to the Mercy Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where I joined the sisters and brothers’ group for the Fall Sabbatical Program. My group was composed of three sisters from different congregations, one Carmelita brother and a Philippine priest.

Being a small group helped us to get to know each other and connect more quickly. At the end of the week, I observed that we already were familiarized with each other, and I liked that a lot.

They told their vocational and life stories and that helped me to connect with myself better by listening to them carefully.

At one point, I experienced the challenge to speak in English, but God with his infinite grace helped me and by being open to the experience, God gave me the opportunity and his grace to understand the subjects that were of great insight. I also met two “angels” who helped me understand the subjects better and for that I am very grateful to God. It was like the butterfly transformation because butterflies perform a complete metamorphosis. For a long period of time a butterfly goes through several physical and structural changes, totally transforming and evolving, that is how my own change in life has been, a full transformation internally, physically, structurally, and as a human being: happening each day. God’s love gave me privileges of internal healing.

I recognize that everything is possible, that there is a merciful loving God who helped me forgive, heal my heart and remain an empowered, renewed, happy, humane, honest, free, harmonious woman and to clarify my wish to become a Sister of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Also, to acknowledge God in every person from their humanity and internal being.

There were 13 subjects in the program that helped me go deeper in my relationship with God and with myself. The subjects that mostly caught my attention were: Internal Healing, Genogram, my life history, Dreams, Conscious Celibacy, Mystic Prayers, Loss, Grief, Life Transition, Creative Expressions, and the Myers Briggs indicator (MBTI). By learning and exploring these subjects I immersed myself in a deep understanding of my personality and learned to love people more. I also learned not to try to change anybody, that the change needed is with me; I only can pray for others and not blame anybody for my emotions and things that happen.

By spending this time together with the sisters and brothers, visiting different places in Colorado, I was finding the Divine Grace, encountering God through the deep experience of prayer. My encounters with others guided me to transformation and change in my way of feeling, thinking, and loving. I feel very fortunate, joyous, loved and grateful for the gift of life and the encounter with myself and my Loved One in this experience.

I have created beautiful memories during the time spent at the Mercy Center, one of them being my internal healing, which will remain in my heart. Now I can say: “Here I am Lord to accomplish your will, ready to continue being a free presence of the healing of Jesus and sharing the gift and grace that I have received with all people.”

I am deeply grateful to God, the leaders of the Congregation, the International Training Team, and the Mercy Center for the opportunity and unconditional support given to me during this life transforming time. The most relevant experience in the Center was the encounter with myself, my connection with God, my internal healing, forgiveness, my vocational clarification, and the happiness of acknowledging God in every person which I got from God’s mercy and the support of the Spiritual leaders.

I am also grateful to my dear Sisters of the Casa de la Paz Community, for their prayers, and to Sister Mary McHale, who each month sent me the little lectures booklet in English that filled me with a lot of joy, and I carry it in my heart. God bless you all greatly.

Also, to all the Sisters in Central America and all the Sisters at the Villa campus, I thank you for your prayers and support. Your text messages, phone calls, e-mails and prayers meant a lot to me and made me feel the presence of God. Thank you very much. I will carry everything in my heart and prayer for you always. Praise be the Incarnate Word Forever!

SR. CATARINA OSORIO IXCOTEYAC DURING HER TIME IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. PHOTOS TAKEN ON FEBRUARY 22, 2022 BY SR. MARY PATRICIA DRISCOLL

DÍa de Los NiÑos A Celebration of Art, Culture and Wellness!

BY SR. RICCA DIMALIBOT, CCVI The congregation is one of the founding members of the East End Communities Collaborative (EECC) since 2019. On April 30th, 2022, the Collaborative, now called East End Communities (EEC), organized an educational and fun event, Dia de los Niños! A Celebration of Art, Culture and Wellness! for the families in our neighborhood of Magnolia Park and East End. According to Patricia Cabrera, the Director of EEC, "the purpose of the event is to create awareness for the various neighborhood factors that impact the mental health of families and children and suggest Photo: Sr. Ricca Dimalibot, CCVI, Sr. Annastasia positive activities and community resources available Mutiso, CCVI, and staff and volunteers of East End Communities to them."

EEC hopes to address the educational inequalities driven by the pandemic that negatively and disproportionately impact low-income communities. Academic research has recently proven that remote learning is detrimental for young learners; it is believed to be the most significant contributor to educational inequality, which widens the economic and racial disparities and causes considerable mental health decline in youth.

The event took place at the JP McGovern Sports and Recreation Center provided by the Community Family Centers. After a brief welcome and introductions by Patricia Cabrera, families came through a hallway of mosaics created by children from the neighborhood. Once inside the building, families walked through a gallery of informative and helpful messaging to create awareness of the THRIVE framework. EEC also showcased valuable ideas collected from community assessments with crucial information about their neighborhood.

The families participated in several healthy, family-friendly and interactive activities that foster positive mental health and well-being and draw conversations about the same topics. The volunteers led the children through art activities at five individual stations. More than 100 tote bags with ageappropriate toys, books, and other educational Photo: (L-R) Dr. Nancy Kwan, Sr. Rosanne Popp, materials were distributed. There were many Sr. Ricca Dimalibot, Sr. Annastasia Mutiso giveaways, raffles, and prizes awarded throughout the morning. Sisters Annastacia and Ricca volunteered to set up and distribute T-shirts. Sr. Rosanne and Dr. Nancy Kwan from St. Mary's Clinic came to distribute informational materials.

The Buffalo Bayou Partnership scheduled its inaugural Wellness Walk to coincide with the event's opening. Several organizations shared their resources and brought information about how they could assist the communities, including SER Jobs, Houston Area Women's Center (HAWC), El Centro de Corazon, CHRISTUS Foundation for Healthcare, Barrio Dogs, and many more. EEC hopes to make this an annual offering.

BY SR. ROSANNE POPP, CCVI

Two Little Stories CONTINUING THE MINISTRY

In 2021, Sister Kathleen Daly retired from her ministry as patient visitor at St. Bernadine hospital in San Bernadino, CA, but she did not retire from ministry. She continues to serve the poor by making baby blankets which she donates to St. Mary’s clinic. These blankets are shared with new moms at the clinic and at Casa San Jose. The moms are thrilled to have something beautiful in which to keep their babies warm and comfortable.

ACCOMPANIMENT

During a recent visit to St. Mary’s clinic, a patient proudly announced to Dr. Popp that she had recently become a US Citizen. And the person she credited with helping her achieve this accomplishment was Cinthya Sanchez from the literacy program. She related that not only did Cinthya teach her what she needed to know to pass her tests, she helped her complete her paperwork and walked with her as she completed each step in the process. She was so grateful that Cinthya went the extra mile to accompany her on her journey to citizenship.

“Imagine yourself always to be the servant of all, and look upon all as if they were Christ our Lord in person. And thus shall you do Him honor and reverence.” St. Teresa of Avila

CHRIST OF THE BREADLINES BY FRITZ EICHENBERG

Total Lunar Eclipse seen from the villa de matel may 16, 2022 PHOTOS BY SR. RICCA DIMALIBOT, CCVI

UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS GALA ON MAY 7TH, 2022, AN EVENT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY IN HOUSTON

Photo: Left to right: Sisters Rachel O’ Keeffe, CCVI, Sharon Apiyo Anam, CCVI , Kevina Keating, CCVI, and Christina Deajon, Vice Chancellor & Associate General Counsel for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

FAREWELL BLESSINGS FROM CHRISTUS HEALTH At the last Board and Member meeting at the CHRISTUS Health headquarters in Irving on May 18th, 2022, the CHRISTUS Health Administration, Board of Directors, and Corporate Members expressed their deep gratitude for the outstanding contributions of Sr. Kevina Keating and Sr. Tere Maya, Congregational Leaders of CCVI Houston and San Antonio, respectively. A Board Resolution was made that summarizes their impact as Members on the exponential growth and success of the ministry for the past eight years. As a farewell gift, they each received a statue depicting women of faith and courage from the Bible. With much love and appreciation, they received blessings and well-wishes as they prepare for their sabbaticals.

Left to right: Gabriela Saenz, Senior VP, Corporate Services; Sr. Kevina Keating; Maricela Breedlove, J.D., Chair of the Board of Directors; Marty Margetts, Executive VP and Chief Administrative Officer; and Sr. Tere Maya.

Bottom photos: Blessings from the CHRISTUS board.