July 2023 Issue of Response

Spring/Summer 2023 Volume 11, Issue 20

Companions

on the Journey

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United States Province Leadership Team Sister Carol, Sister Kathee, Sister Joan

Dear Friends, The 2019 Spring-Summer issue of Response carried our

first letter to you; this issue brings our last. In mid2019, we were strangers to you and so we introduced ourselves. Now we have been companions on a journey with you for a few years and our paths are about to diverge. We want to look back over the road we’ve travelled, tell you a bit about the road ahead, and especially, we want to thank you for the faithful companions you have been to us and to all our sisters.

You know from the last issue of Response that we gathered in January 2023 to elect our next Province Leadership Team. Sister Kathleen Corrigan was reelected to province leadership and Sister Mary Lou Sullivan will be her new companion on the next phase of our province’s journey. A smaller leadership team reflects our changing reality; we are fewer sisters in the province now than we were in 2018. Exactly what lies ahead for Sisters Joan and Carol is still unclear, but new companions and adventures surely await them.

The Arts section of the Boston Sunday Globe features a Travel page and each week a celebrity traveler is interviewed. The inevitable last question is “What is your best travel tip?” and more often than not, the response is along these lines: “Don’t over-plan; expect the unexpected; be free to explore new possibilities.”

Great advice for vacationers, but for a leadership team? Yes! By 2019, our province had been experiencing dramatic demographic change for some time and this reality impelled us to look ahead, to prepare for our emerging future, to make significant decisions. And so we began our ministry by planning. Nothing could have surprised us more than the COVID pandemic that exploded when we were little more than a year and a half into our term of office and is only now receding.

Everything, it seemed, stopped; no plans could be made. We were caught in a vise, trapped between “the fierce urgency of now,” in Martin Luther King’s

telling phrase, and an experience that often felt like paralysis. Like you, we followed the spread of the disease, worried about the health of our elders and other loved ones even as we were forced to be distant from them. We could not meet as a leadership team or in Province Assemblies for two years; staff members worked from home. In time, we began to explore new possibilities: we all learned to Zoom! Confidence and resilience grew and a sense of dislocation began to recede. We all “got on with it”, living into our emerging future. Sisters left cherished friends and ministries, moved into more age-appropriate residences, began new ministries; what appeared to be loss and diminishment often called us to “widen the space of our tents” (Is. 52:4). We’ve kept you updated about these developments on our website, our Facebook page and through our podcasts. And you? Through this long and unexpected season, you were so faithful to us, continuing to support us emotionally and financially. We know that you endured as much, and maybe more, than we did. We will be forever grateful to you, our companions on this stretch of our journey.

We hope you have felt the support of our love and our prayer for you.

In the great Christian mystery of the Communion of Saints, we will continue to walk side by side with hope in our hearts. Be blessed, dear sisters and brothers!

With our gratitude, affection, and promise of prayer,

Sincerely,

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Director’s Letter Kenneth Gustin Director of Mission Advancement and Communications

This issue of Response is based on a beautiful

song by Carey Landry titled “Companions on the Journey”. Its lyrics reflect on the reality that we are all connected and rely on one another both directly and indirectly as we travel the paths of our lives together (see our back cover).

As a lay person, one of the many things I marvel at is how the sisters do what they do. Organizations I have worked for previously fund projects based on budgeted projections of costs, with a focus on ROI (Return on Investment), then deploy a wellstaffed team fully equipped with the required supplies, technology, funding, transportation, housing, etc. The sisters, on the other hand, see a need, recognize they can help in some way, get the blessing of the leadership team and off they go.

Reminiscent of the disciples, sent out without money bag or a second pair of sandals, they often travel light and usually in small groups (two or three), with little to sustain them. They trust that God will provide, often by showing them the way and providing the means to accomplish their mission along the way. And God does, every time.

God can show up in the form of a kind stranger, an old friend, and often YOU, our donors. We are placed in each other’s path for a reason, with each offering something unique to the task at hand.

The stories abound!

You may not be aware of where your donations go, but I hope it is comforting to know that they are used in a wide variety of ways to sustain and support the sisters’ ministries. Today, these ministries are not the big splashy undertakings of major non-profits. We’re not curing cancer or ending world hunger. But we are helping individuals in ways which may seem materially small, but can have a major long-term impact on a life, a family or a community.

Teaching faith formation classes can shine a light to guide the path of those who are seeking God. Giving a ride to the doctor to an elderly neighbor helps them live independently a while longer.

Caring for elderly sisters in a nursing home helps them feel the tender love of God in their waning days. Sharing their life experiences on a podcast episode can provide new insights or ideas. Gentle words of encouragement shared with a young person struggling with a heavy burden can be life-changing. Helping a young mother create a safe and loving home for her children in a remote corner of the world can yield the most amazing fruit for generations to come which spread across the globe.

You have been our companions on this journey, and we continue to strive to be yours. We are a gift to each other, just as God intended.

Be Good!

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Our Caring Companions - Sr. Bernadette Sullivan, Pam, Heidi, Sandy, and Ruth discussing caring for our aging Sisters.

Over twenty years ago, our Province Leadership Team decided to hire several nurses to help with the care of our sisters. Creating a senior care facility solely for ourselves was briefly considered, but such an undertaking would have been extremely complex and costly. Instead, a new community of medically trained companions began to grow among us with the goal of caring for us all, young or old, and the relationships that have formed remain an enormous blessing to this day. Today our nurses are Heidi Caron-Guay, Pamela Alexander, Ruth Messer, and Sandy Morrison.

In addition, Sr. Bernadette Sullivan is the Coordinator for eight sisters living at Prosper in Fall River, a senior living facility our province has used for many years.

Hers is a ministry of caring presence, service, and availability to see to our sisters’ many needs that arise on a daily basis. She helps new sisters who arrive at Prosper to settle into their new living situations and eases their adjustment to these unfamiliar surroundings. Her efforts also include helping with appointments, and alerting our nurses when she feels a sister needs their help.

“Often the small things make a big difference”, says Sr. Bernadette. “When a new sister is coming to join our community, I always ask about her favorite color(s).

If we can get towels or linens in those colors, it is always noticed and appreciated, and helps the new surroundings feel a bit more familiar.” Sr. Bernadette also helps coordinate prayer and religious services as well as other celebrations like birthdays and activities for our sisters. She has also helped integrate several sisters from other congregations who now live at Prosper and have become welcomed members of our community there.

In addition to Prosper, we have sisters in senior living facilities in Lawrence, where Sr. Yvette Ladurantaye is Coordinator, as well as in Somerset, Dartmouth, Attleboro, The Jewish Home of Fall River, MA, and Johnston, RI.

From left to right: Sr. Sr. Kathleen Corrigan,

When asked to describe what she does for our sisters, one of our nurses, Heidi Caron-Guay, summed it up beautifully, “I do for the sisters what every good daughter would do for her mother, and that is providing care and being her advocate.” She added, “Every day is different and sometimes unexpected situations arise so flexibility is key. There is a great deal of teamwork and support between the nurses, sisters, and the Leadership Team which enable us to provide the best care to the sisters. We all work together to achieve the same goal - providing knowledge, support, compassion, grace, and dignity.”

Further, Heidi says, “The sisters have become an extension of our families. The conversations that take place when you are in their presence allow you to get to know each other as individuals and develop relationships, which is so important. Often times the sisters will thank us for what we do, but in reality, we receive so much more than what we give, and for that we’re forever grateful.”

Heidi shared, “When my sister was dying from cancer, it was obviously a very difficult time for me. I felt enveloped in love and compassion by their presence, prayers, phone calls, cards, letters, and genuine concern. They were a pillar of strength at a time when I needed it most.”

Reflecting on her role, Ruth Messer says, “I often think working with the sisters is rather like working with the twelve Apostles. Each sister is a unique individual with a strong personality and a mission. As teachers, nurses, eucharistic ministers, social workers, cooks, musicians, missionaries, historians, translators, and calligraphers, they have shared their world with me and together we have walked through change, trauma, loss, joy, and acceptance. From sharing chocolate kisses with other retired seniors to caring for each other as a way to maintain their independence and active lifestyle, I’ve had a first-row seat watching them live their Holy Union charism.”

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Louise Gabriel Bourget, Pamela Alexander, RN

Sandy Morisson, RN, Sr. Terry Theroux

Sandy Morrison shares a delightful memory while caring for Sister Ruth Beaudoin at Mary Immaculate, “We were taking a walk in the memory care unit along with Sr. Rita. Sr. Ruth heard music playing in one of the rooms at the end of the hallway. She began to dance. Then Sr. Rita joined in and so did I! And there we were, the three of us dancing in the hallway, smiling, singing, and laughing. They radiate such joyfulness.” Sandy also marvels at Sr. Terry Theroux, a diminutive woman who spent over fifty-five years in Africa as a missionary helping young women recognize the value and potential they had within themselves… this was groundbreaking work in the 1970’s. Sandy asked, “How were you able to do it?!” Sr. Terry responded simply, “God gave me the grace to stay.”

Sr. Mary Bridget McGettigan, Heidi Caron-Guay, RN

Sr. Terry Theroux, Ruth Messer, RN

Sandy laughs at the memory of Sr. Toni Oulette’s stories from Cameroon about the local chief who continually tried to convince her to become one of his wives! What at first seems a funny story was actually a rather delicate cultural situation to navigate while remaining on good terms with the community she was serving.

Pamela Alexander has found the most meaningful aspect of her work is helping a Sister recognize that it is time to leave what she has seen as a safe and secure home living independently and going to assisted living, and then later to a Hospice facility. This can require a letting go of many types of independence, like giving up a car, visiting friends and family, or cooking. She is always grateful for our leadership team’s support at these difficult moments. “My position as a nurse is both satisfying and meaningful, and we’re fortunate to be able to learn from these remarkable women.”

From left to right: Sr. Barbara Kirkman, Sr. Bernadette Sullivan, Sr. Pat Mulryan

We are grateful for these dedicated women who have helped us for so many years. Their expertise, commitment, and kind caring attitudes are inspiring and life-giving, both figuratively and literally. We are blessed to have each other, as together we continue the journey.

Our Caring Companions

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Our

Faithful Donors

September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023

A Mrs. Janice Abreu Ms. Lorraine Accardi Mrs. Margaret Admirand Mrs. Mary Affronti • Ms. Martha M. Albert Sharon Albertini Mrs. Margaret Aleixo • Marie P. Alessi • Ms Carole Aliskevicz • Ann & James Allen Darlene Allen Patricia J. Allen • Ms. Susan M Aloise • Ms. Michelle Alsup Deacon & Mrs. Felipe Alvarez Mary Eileen Ambrosini • Faith Anker • Scott Arruda • Paul and Joan Arruda Ms Donna Asher • Paul Atkins • Mrs. Margaret Attar

B Mr. & Mrs. Leo Bacon Myrna Badillo Mrs. Constance Bannister Mrs. Jane Barch • Sheila Barish Elma T. Barranda Ms. Sheila Barry Ms. Paulette Beardmore • Mr. & Mrs William Beaulieu Carol Belair George C. Bellenoit • Ronald and Pauline Benjamin Louise Bennett Ms. Bernadette Benoit • Ms. Mary K. Benoit Mrs. Paula Benoit Mrs. Ruth E. Bento

Mr. Joseph Bernard • Mrs. Yvonne Bernard Mrs. Constance Bernier Ms. Therese Berthelette Ms. Janet Berthiaume Mrs. Maureen Bertholde Dorothy & Carlo Bertolino • Ms. Joan Bertorelli • Vincent and Mary Lou Bessette Concetta Bevilacqua Colleen and James Bishop Ronald & Patricia Bishop Therese Black • Mrs. Joan Blacklaw • Lucy Boerum • Col. Albert and Anne Boll • Jennifer Bombgold Catherine Bond • Ms. Jeanne Bonneau • Lisa Booth Mrs. Lydia Bouchard Brian and Jean Boucher • Leo & Maureen Boudreau • Gladys Bournique  Mrs. Carole Boyd • Ms. Lorna Brain Francis Brillo • Gail Brodie Mrs. Betty Brooks  Ronald E. Brown Mrs. Ann Bruno Mrs. Jacolyn Burgess Kathleen Burke Larry & Marie Burke Fr. James Butler Mary Butler Mrs. Kathy Meade Butters •

C Mrs. Louise Cadieux Theresa Caldarone • Ms. Jacquie Calobrisi • Mrs. Pat Campbell • Richard & Judith Cannon • Fr. Paul Canuel • Mrs. Kathleen Capon 

Raymond & Ann Cappiello Mrs. Linda Carey Catherine Carney Daniel & Patricia Carney Mrs. Lillian Carney • Ms. Marilyn Carney • Mrs. Carol Carroll Mrs. Mary Lou Carroll • Ms. Mary Ellen Carroll Dorina Cartier Mr. & Mrs. Robert Casavant Mrs. Estelle Cayer Mr. & Mrs. Richard Cerny • Diane Chaney Ms. Karen Charette • Mrs. Janet Childs • Mrs. Susan Chory Stas and Cass Chrzanowski • Maureen Ciombor Gary and Patricia Clark John Clemency • Bill and Sonya Clements Rev. Darin V. Colarusso • Ms. Irene Cole Stan & Gretchen Cole • Ms. Mary Coleman Barbara Colicino Ernest & Susan Collamati • Rita Collar Mrs. Jolyne Collins • Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. and Muriel Collins • Mr. William Collins  Ms. Barbara Conforti Ms. Kathleen M Conlon  Cheryle Connors Dr. & Mrs. Frank Coppola • Eileen Cording Judy Corliss Antone and Sandra Correia Margaret Courcy • Dorothea Court Ms. Gloria Courtois Mr. & Mrs. John Coyle  Mrs. Judith I Crawford • Daniel and Susan Cronin  Roy Croteau Mrs. Bunny Crowell  Rev. Daniel Crowley •

Ms. Nancy M Crowley • Mr. & Mrs. David Crum • Ms. Nancy Curtis-Kenny Mrs. Cathy Cusack •

D Doris Dagesse Mrs. Sue Daigger • Mrs. Martha Deandrus Mrs. Jeannette Dechaves • Mrs. Mary Ellen DeCosta • Ms. Rosemarie DeFelice Catherine Degennaro • Ms. Frances Denesiuk Mr. & Mrs. John DeSalliers • SantaJean DeSantis • Ms Carol Desilva • Mrs. Leslie Desmarais Daniel J. Diburro Ms. Elaine Dicicco Ms. Mary Ann Dillon  Mary Donaghy Ms. Molly Donohoe Kevin Donohue • Mrs. Mary Donohue • Mr. & Mrs. William Donohue Margaret Shea Dooley • Marguerite M. Dorsey Brian L Downing Ms. Frances Dube • Ms. Ellen Duggan • Shirley Dulude Ms. Lisa Dumont Raymond Dupont • Ms. Elaine Dwyer •

E Ms. Pam Elizabeth Mr. and Mrs. Gary Enos Helen Eringis

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F

Ms. Christine Fabrizio • Ms. Susan Fagan Mary Jo Farelli • Mr. Joseph Faryniarz • Mrs. Simonne Favaloro • Mrs. Lynn Feehan • Mary Feitelberg Ms. Irene Fenton Susan Ferguson • Sharon and Tony Ferrara Diane Horton Finch Mr. Joseph Fitzgerald Mrs. Marie Fitzgerald • Claire Campana Flynn • Mr. Timothy Fohs • Mr. & Mrs. Henry W. Foley • Honour Marie Foley Colleen Ford Madeline Forsythe Donald and Barbara Foster Mrs. Theresa Foster Ray and Carol Fox • Adeline Fratantuono Barbara Frederick • Rev. Richard Friedrichs • Patricia Fultz •

G Mrs. Mary Burns Gagnon James and Carol Gallagher Linda Gallagher Raymond and Cathryn Gallant • Patricia Galvin Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Galvin • Ms. Claire Gaudette Ms. Eileen Gautreau Teresa Gavin • David Gay • Kathleen Geden • Janice Gendron Mrs. Christine Gennaro • Barbara N. Georges • Ms. Grace Giampiccolo • Mrs. Rosemary Gillet Eileen Giordano Mr. & Mrs. Ray Going Ms. Margaret Goldrick Dotty Gorman • Mrs. Linda Gorman Arlene P. Gouveia Gualter Gouveia Susan Graeper • Mrs. Ann L. Greene Paul and Sandra Greve Mrs. Lee Ann Grieme Anthony and Amy Grimaldi Mrs. Martina Grover

Catherine Guagenti • Eileen Gustin Kenneth Gustin • Ms. Jacqueline Guthrie •

H

Joan Hackett  Jo Hackl • Stephen Hagan Ms. Lydia Haley Arlene and James Hall Ms. Yvette R. Hamel Mary and Joe Hamelin Hedwige Hamilton Mr. & Mrs. William Hanlon • Ms. Eileen Harnischfeger Ms. Doris Harriman • Mr. Paul Hasenfuss • Patricia M. Healey Dolores Hebstreit Ms. Jeanine Heffernan Mr. & Mrs. Alan P. Heim • Michael Heim Valerie Heim Mr. George Heinrich Richard and Maureen Hennessy • Ms. Georgette Henrich Michael Henry M.Barbara Herron • Mrs. Jean Bishop Higgins Mr. & Mrs. Russell Hildebrand • Mrs. Pamela Hodges • Ms. Janet Hogan • Marie Hogan Thomas and Carolyn Hopkins III Mrs. Veronica Hornby  Kathy Horton • Ann Marie Houston • Brenda Howard • Jesse Howell • Ms. Anne Howes • Joan Hoy Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Hoye • Mr. Arthur Hudson Ms. Gloria Hudson • Joanne and Dan Hynek • Mrs. Eleanor Hynes Mr. Kenneth Hynes •

J

Joyce Jacobs • Karen Januskiewicz Rosalinda Jimenez Cecile Johnson • Louis and Pearl Jonasz Mr. & Mrs. Charles R. Jones

K

Mrs. Margaret Kamalian • Ms. Ianthe Kan Nancy Louise Keating • Mary Keeler • Lynda Keene Walter Kelly • Ms. Marion Kenneally Nancy Curtis Kenney • Dr. William J. Keppler • Mr. Paul Kiel • Brad & Noreen Kiff • Janet Kinnane • Ms. Marybeth Kirkman • Michael Kirkman • Mr. Robert Kirkman Mary E. Klein • Ms. Paula Kluk Rosemary Knicley Mrs. Kathleen Knightly Carol Kobelski Dr. Kimberly Kolonich • Mr. & Mrs. Dino Korva • Mr. and Mrs. John Kourtz

L

Yvonne Labonte • Ms. Rosemarie LaBrecque • Ms. Lilliane Labrie Mrs. Annette Lacroix Ms. Barbara LaLiberte Ms. Natalie Lamb • Janet Lamm • Mrs. Phyllis Lamontagne • Michael and Karen Landry Paul Landry • Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Landry • Mrs. Rita Landry Robert Landry Ms. Susan Landry • Walter and Rosemarie Landry  Kathy Lane • Mr. & Mrs. Jules Larocque Mr. Edward C Lauda Jeanne Laughlin Ms. Barbara Laukaitis Francis Leary • Patricia Leary • Rebecca LeBoeuf • Miss Denise Ledoux

James and Kathleen Lee Peggy Leger Miss Adrienne Lemieux Mr. Robert Lenkauskas • Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Leonardo Ms. Camille Letourneau • Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Levesque  Patricia Levesque April Lewis • Mrs. Joyce Limoge Mr. Stephen Linhares • Susan Linkins Joel and Kelley Liss • Mrs. Suzanne Lonergan • Mrs. Dawn Lopes Dr. Jeremiah and Virginia Lowney • Helen Lulsdorf • Lucille K. Lurz Ms. Lorraine Lussier Pauline Lustenberger Anissa Lyons • Jason and Christine Lyons •

M Wayne and Helene Mac Durmon • Robert and Suzanne MacCormack • Mrs. Carol Audet Magner Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Mahoney Mr. Stephen Mahoney • Ms Gail Malik • Ivette Manrique Mrs. Betty Marcham Mrs. Claire Heaney Margetta • Mrs. Barbara Marlatt • Anne and David Martineau • Mrs. Judith Maynard Laurette McAfee Mrs. Jeanne McAuliffe Cheryl McCaffrey  Thomas McCarthy Mrs. Marie McDermott • Michael McDonald • Betty McDonough Herbert McEvoy • Kathryn and Mark McEvoy Mr. Jack McGaffigan • Mrs. Patricia McGillen Mrs. Rosemary McGuill Mr. & Mrs. Chris McGuire Mary Ann Mcgurran continued on page 10

 • •

Debrabant Society Members - $1,000 or more Mother Helena Society Members - $300 or more Partners in Mission Members - $100 or more

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The

Interdependence

of Companions Representatives of LCWR for UNANIMA International. Front row, center:

Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’ provides the following beautiful rendering of the nature of our companionship with one another and speaks to our intentional interdependence.

… “what was wanting to one in the

representation of the divine goodness might be supplied by another”, [60] inasmuch as God’s goodness “could not be represented fittingly by any one creature”. [61]...

Creatures exist only in dependence on each other, to complete each other, in the service of each other”. (Laudato Si’)

Inspired by these truths we are sharing with you some of Holy Union’s recent efforts around Justice and Peace to assist those who are wanting in some way, and in turn we are inspired by their strength and resilience.

Water With Blessings “Fresh drinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable for human life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Sources of fresh water are necessary for health care, agriculture and industry.” (Laudato Si’) Our collaboration with Water With Blessings (WWB), a non-profit started by the Ursuline Sisters, began in 2020 based on our General Council’s call to a

corporate response to access to clean water for those parts of the world where it was scarce. Access to clean water is also a developmental goal of the U.N. Sr. Fran Cavey has led our efforts in this endeavor, raising money to purchase Sawyer Filters and train Water Women in their use. This device, a simple but extremely effective water filtration system, based on those designed for the military. Each Water Woman makes a solemn pledge to filter water for her own and three other families. Our involvement has been principally in Haiti where the impact has been enormous in combatting water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid.

WWB has enlisted partners around the world to help improve access to clean water, most recently with the Jesus and Mary Sisters after the earthquake in Syria, Ukraine and even eastern Kentucky following the devastating floods. Today Water With Blessings is active in dozens of countries around the world.

UNANIMA International UNANIMA International (UI) had its beginning at the US Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in 2000, when UI’s founder, Catherine Ferguson, SNJM, invited any interested religious congregations to form a coalition Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to advocate at the United Nations on behalf of Women and Children. Its name is derived from The United Nations (UN) and the Latin term for feminine “spirit” (ANIMA).

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Sr. Eileen Davey.

Sr. Fran Cavey

Sr. Eileen Davey is the Congregational representative along with twenty-two Sisters representing their respective Congregations. Sr. Eileen tries to keep our sisters informed with forums being presented at the UN and the contributions that Sr. Jean Quinn (Executive Director) makes to these discussions.

The topics of most interest at this time are human trafficking, homelessness, especially family homelessness and trauma. We discuss these concerns and Sr. Jean brings our work to the UN forums.

The UNANIMA International website is excellent (https://unanima-international.org) and is available in four languages: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Sr. Jean's Newsletter is shared on this website every two months and provides excellent information on the work covered during the previous months.

UI represents 23 Congregations of Women Religious, comprising 25,000 people in 85 countries.

Evolving Justice and Peace Issues The Constitutions of the Holy Union Sisters exhorts the sisters “…to become aware of the dignity of every person and of our call to solidarity with all, especially the poor and oppressed. This awareness impels us to promote a sense of justice and community in our world.”

With a one-person justice and peace office it can be a challenge to keep issues, information and actions

Sr. MaryLou Simcoe

before our sisters and associates. So, we are fortunate to have many companions in this work. Several religious congregations with large staffs regularly share their newsletters and other resources on a justice and peace listserv. An example: each year the Justice Team of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas ask their sisters and others to participate in a Mercy Prayer Partner Program, where participants agree to pray for two state legislators. When sharing this request with the province, twenty-one sisters volunteered! In updating the Justice and Peace Calendar on www. holyunionsisters.org we draw on resources received from other Justice and Peace Promoters.

Collaborative opportunities on behalf of the U.S. Province include membership in an intercongregational Anti-Trafficking Coalition in Boston whose mission includes raising awareness through education and prayer for victims and their oppressors.

Each month the Justice Promoters for women religious based in New England participate in a zoom meeting with leaders of religious congregations. These calls provide an opportunity to share news of our activities and helpful resources.

In these activities, we draw on Scripture, our Holy Union Constitutions and directional statements from congregational gatherings. We recognize our sisters’ desire to learn about the needs of our world, take actions and offer their prayerful support. We are grateful to be kept aware of these expanding needs as we continue to gather companions on this journey.

Interdependence of Companions

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continued from page 7

Mr. Robert M Mcgurran Deana McHoul • Ms. Jean McLaughlin • Jeanne McLaughlin Claire McLellan Mr. & Mrs. Brian McNally Brian and Cindy McNally Mary McNally Stephanie McNicholas Elaine McSheffrey • Ms. Jeanne Medeiros Mrs. Carolyn Meek Stephen Meloon • Zonda Mercer • Ruth Messer William Meyer III Pauline Michaud Mr. & Mrs. Michael Mihna  Mrs. Mary Miller Patti Wagner Miller Mr. Samuel R. Miller  Mr. & Mrs. James Mitchell • Ms. Lee Moloney Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Moniz Carol Monte Ms. Ann M. Morin Carlotta Morris  Dr. Stephen Morris Theodora Morris  Mrs. Irene Morss • Dr. Peter Mullen • Ms. Leona Murphy • Timothy Murphy •

N

Ms. Betty Nadeau • Mrs. Mary Nadeau Sally Nappila Mrs. Nancy Wildes Naughton Charlene Neu Mary Neumeier • Chris Newell Donald J. Nicole Beatrice Nocerino Mr. Rene Noel • Janice Noelte • Jo Ann Nolan Francis and Carol Norton •

O

Ms Claudette E. O'Brien • Mary O'Connor Helen O'Donnell George and Juanita Ogle Kevin O'Hare  Mr. & Mrs. William O'Hare  Rev. John Oliveira • Corinne Neves O'Neil Fr. Robert J. O'Neil • Mr. & Mrs. Paul O'Neill Jo-ann Ordway •

P

Mrs. Paulette Palmer • Kristen & Jamie Paolino Ms. Diane Paquin • Mrs. Rosemary Parandelis • Susan Parker William and Kathleen Pasko  Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Patenaude Mrs. Rosann Patota Mrs. Therese Pawlitschek Mrs. Mary Peach Anne-Marie Peck • Mr. and Mrs. George Pelletier Maureen T. Peloquin Mary Lou Pereira John Perry • Diane Pestana Nora L. Peters Mrs. Helen Pflaum • Marilyn Phelan Mrs. Donna Pimental-Levesque Judith A. Pinard • Ms. Diane A Pisido  Ray and Sheila Platt Barbara A. Polleck Mrs. Marion Potoczak • Donald & Patricia Potter Mrs. Irene Powell Mrs. Barbara Powers Mary Powers Nancy & Ned Pratt  Janet Providakes • Ms. Corinne Pryor •

Q Rita & Joseph Quinn

R Debbie Radelick Frank and Ann Ragonese David & Mary Ralston • Ms. Claire Ramirez • Janet Rausch Linda Ravenscroft  Edward Razler • Nancy Reed • Yvette and David Reed Joseph and Joanne Regali  Mr. & Mrs. John Regazzi • Ms. Mary E. Reilly Mr. John Rexford • Marilyn Reyna Jeannine Rheault Mrs. Therese Rheaume Mrs. Jacqueline Richardson Loretta Rieman Mrs. Marie Riley James L. Robinson Mrs. Mary Robinson Ms. Bonnie Robitaille • Theresa Rodriguez • Mr. & Mrs. James F. Rogers Ronald and Mary Rogozinski • Christine Romano • Edward and Janis Romond • Joyce Roncka Mrs. Maureen Roy Mrs. Brenda Ruggiero William Ruggiero Mrs. Ellen Ryan • Patrick T. Ryan Mrs. Suzanne Ryan

S Albert Salisz Mrs. Joan Sanders • Mrs. Barbara Sauli Mr. John Saulino • Mr. Michael Saulino • Robert and Theresa Schaffner Neal and Kathy Schiller • Robert and Connie Schnack Mrs. Janet Schofield Father Jack Schrader Mrs. Marjorie E. Schutz • Claire Seccareccia Mrs. Lillian Serio • Elissa Shapiro Dan and Jeanne Sharples  Kathleen Shatus •

Catherine Shelton Jane Shepard Jean Shine • Mrs. Ann Shoch Ms Anne E. Silva • Mrs. Pauline Silva Andy Silvestri • Ms. Tina Silvestro • Geneva Silvia Lillian Goncalo Silvia Mrs. Rita Simard • Mrs. Nancy Simbro • Mr. Dale S Sinos • Mr. Stanley F Small Elizabeth and John Smentkowski • Mrs. Catherine Smith • Judith A. Smith Karen and Kevin Smith Ms. Mary Ellen Smith • Noreen Smith Patricia Smith • Ms. Maureen Soley Rev. Robert Soucy Mr. & Mrs. Edward Spallone • Ms. Jean J Spellman • Maureen O'Connell St. Laurent Ms. Gertrude St. Pierre • Anne Stack Alexander Stalonczyk • Mr. Nicholas J Stanton Richard and Helen Stanton Mrs. Barbara Staskiewicz Jane C. Steeves • Paul Stegmann • Maureen Steinmann Ms. Margaret Stolworthy • Walter and Virginia Stowell • Mr. William Strynkowski • Mrs. Denyse Student Ms. Catherine Sullivan  Mrs. Constance Sullivan Cynthia Sullivan David & Cheryl Sullivan Dorothy Sullivan Mr. & Mrs. Edward Sullivan • Ellen Sullivan Eugene Sullivan Helen Mitchell Sullivan • Ms. Judy Sullivan • Lucette Sullivan Mark and Mary Sullivan • Mr. Michael Sullivan • Ms. Paula Sullivan • Ms. Roberta Sullivan • Thomas and Lydia Sullivan • Nancy Sun  Karen Surette

continued on page 11

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V

continued from page 10

T William and Theresa Taksar Addy Tatantuono Jeffrey Teeters Kerry Thatcher Mr. & Mrs. Daniel and Jane Thompson • Ms. Barbara Tipton • Mrs. Jeannette Torci Frederic Torphy • Rev. Msgr. Ronald Tosti • Maryanne Tracy Thom Thi Tran • Frances Tsimoyianis Monique Tully

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Vallone • Jeanne M. Vandermost Mr. Stephen Vazzana • Fr. Pierre Venedam • Rosemary Verri Ms Antoinette M. Vess • Mrs. Bea Viera Karen and Paul Viles Mrs. Madeline Viveiros Miss Terri Viveiros • Rachel Voiland • Mary P. Voss •

W

Richard H. Wagener  Ms. Carole Wagner • Mrs. Antoinette Walker • Gail Walker Rhoda Walker Ms. Jane Walsh • Jill and Dave Walsh • John and Susan Walsh • Mr. John M Walsh  Ms. Linda Walsh Mrs. Maureen Walsh Prof. Robyn Walsh Mrs. Margaret Watson • Dr. Gerard Weigel  Mrs. Ann Welch Mrs. Janet White •

Donna E Widener Mrs. Elaine Wilcox Dolores Willis Betty Ann Wood Paula Wood Mrs. Jeannette Wuerdemann

Z

Ms. Arleen Zalewski • Kathleen Zeitler

Organizations

Schools and Parishes

Bay Business Machines Beit Shalom Messianic Congregation Boston Engineering Corp.

Cambria Team Holy Union Associates Putnam Inv. Mgt. Rex Monumental Works Inc. West End Firewood

Immaculate Conception School, Astoria, NY The Lighthouse School, North Chelmsford, MA St. Anthony Parish, Shirley, MA St. Leo's Parish, Baltimore, MD St. Mary Parish, Ayer, MA St. William's Church, Tewksbury, MA

Generations of Blessings Legacy Society Members Bertha Beauchemin Doris Beaudoin Lucile Bernier Letitia M. Brennan Richard Briand Rev. John J. Casey Catherine C. Connelly Msgr. Raymond T. Considine Beatrice S. Demers Bridget Devaney Cassie Doherty Florence Donlon Grace Driesens Albert Doucette

Susan T. Ferguson, Esq Mary Furtado Charles R. Galligan Jean L. Galligan Simonne Grenier Josephine T. Hogan Marie A. Kite Elinor M. Lenaghan Gilbert and Ita Levesque Sheila Lyons Agnes Manger John I. McCarthy Msgr. John J. McClafferty Emily McClellan

Louis A. Moll Margaret V. Neenan Gertrude M. Nester Kathleen Nolan Rev. William W. Norton Mary L. O'Brien Marian F. O'Brien Margaret B. Oliveira Msgr. Patrick J. O'Neill Rev. William H. O'Reilly Joseph L. Powers Bernadette G. Proulx Joseph and Rita Quinn Margaret M. Regan

Elizabeth Joan Reilly Dorothy Ryan Michael Saulino Margaret C. Schumann Marion E. Sharrock Anne Marie Shultz Mary Ellen Smith Catherine Sullivan Mary Doris Sullivan Rev. Bernard H. Unsworth Dorothy Vaill

Thank You to our Donors

Spring/Summer 2023 t page 12

The

Fruits of

Companionship Sr. Marie Baldi – The Mother Helena funds were used to purchase a series of Chrome books (installed on carts) to be shared by the students of the 3rd and 4th grades at Our Lady of Lourdes in Taunton, MA, where Holy Union has been since 1890.

They are now able to engage in a variety of activities which would otherwise not be possible. These include:

Twenty years ago, the Holy Union Sisters in the United States created the Mother Helena Fund to help meet the ministry needs in some under-funded ministries. The Fund was named to honor Mother Helena Daumerie, who in 1886 led the first group of Holy Union Sisters from Europe to the United States. Our heritage is to continue her work of compassion and outreach to people in need in our own time through the resources of the Mother Helena Fund.

Last year we were pleased to be able to offer funding to four Sisters for four wonderful projects: two in the US and two in Africa (Cameroon and Tanzania). The funding has provided much needed help for a variety of purposes. Below is a summary of the reports on how those funds were used, and the fruit they are yielding.

• Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) tests track students’ progress and growth in basic skills.

• “Google Classroom” streamlines the process of sharing files between teachers and students used for assessment, writing, and research projects.

• “Quizziz and Kahoot” increases teacher productivity, improving test scores and reducing test-taking anxiety, while providing a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to school.

• Getepic.com inspires a lifetime of reading, anytime, anywhere with access to a digital library for any reading level.

Sr. Pat Griffith – The Mother Helena funds were used to acquire a benchmarking program called “I-ready”, so that the Holy Angels Regional School in Patchogue, NY can now provide online assessment and instruction that helps teachers provide students a path to proficiency and growth in reading and mathematics. The funds also enabled the acquisition of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) materials that help develop critical thinking skills.

Spring/Summer 2023 t page 13

Sr. Roberta Desjardins – The Mother Helena Grant money was used to fund this third and final part of a three-year Partnerships Program with Sisters of the Holy Family of Bafoussam, Cameroon, a congregation founded by the Holy Union Sisters in the 1930’s.

The political turmoil in Cameroon has continued and the village of Fossang has been growing because more families are migrating from the besieged areas making the needs still more urgent. Funds were used to support the following efforts.

The Holy Family Catholic English Nursery and Bilingual Primary School serves many orphans whose parents were killed in the war. The funds awarded were used for four main purposes.

• Teachers’ Salaries – Supporting their families and enhancing services offered to students.

• Health care – Providing basic medical supplies and access to care.

• Food donations – Addressing the food insecurity in the area.

• School Supplies and Educational Materials – Proving an education to build a stronger future.

Sr. MaryLou Simcoe – The Mother Helena funds continue to support the works started many years ago in Tanzania

by Sr. Eleanor McNally to train farmers, mainly women in rural areas in the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, in good agricultural practices and provide materials, e.g. seeds, animals, etc. to practice sustainable farming. Areas of focus include: • Training in raising chickens for egg production and food.

• Training farmers in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to increase produce yield.

• Develop two acres of Maize to teach sustainable farming practices.

• Training on the sustainable practices in raising cows for milk and beef production.

In addition to increasing household income from milk and egg production and improving the household health by consuming milk, especially by the children, the project also enabled farmers to get organic manure to their home which help them to practice sustainableagriculture and ensure food security at a lower cost and avoid the use of industrial chemicals which are expensive and not good for human health and the soil.

Your support of Holy Union makes an enormous difference for our companions around the world and in ways we will never fully know.

Be assured of our gratitude for your generosity.

Spring/Summer 2023 t page 14

In

Memoriam

Sr. Rita Beaudoin March 16, 1927 ~ January 18, 2023

Our dear Sister Rita Beaudoin went home to God this past January. Her death leaves a distinct void in the fabric of our congregation. Rita was a prominent figure in our Province, having been deeply involved in so many aspects of our community. Her full biography is available at www. holyunionsisters.org Rita possessed many talents and gifts: linguist, musician, teacher, archivist, fund raiser. She was fluent in French and served as a translator for international Holy Union meetings. She enlivened many gatherings of sisters with her piano playing. She made a lasting impression on her beloved students from Rose Hawthorne High School, who remained in touch with her for over sixty years. Rita was a devoted and faithful companion to her sister Ruth throughout their long religious lives until Ruth’s death in November 2022. Rita’s study and work with the archives of both the Congregation and Holy Union in the United States has bequeathed a legacy to all with whom she so enthusiastically shared her knowledge. In her roles at the Country Day School of the Holy Union, she offered lively and engaging presentations to the students, faculty, and board. Even at the age of ninety-five she continued to be interested in and engaged in the activities of the Congregation and her own United States Province, including being a guest on a recent podcast. Rita will be greatly missed.

In all the different areas of our congregation, Sisters are making travel plans for July and August: looking for good flights, checking passport and visa requirements, making connections with friends in other countries, wondering (already!) about what the weather might be like then and what clothes to pack. For us here in the States, July and August are vacation time; is it a long-anticipated vacation that’s causing this flurry of planning and activity? Not exactly!

As Our

Spring/Summer 2023 t page 15

Collegial Assembly Approaches Sr. Fran Cavey

Sr. MaryLou Simcoe

Sr. Alice Michael

You know from the last issue of Response that we Holy Union Sisters are holding a Collegial Assembly in Nemi, Italy, from July 24 to August 10th. The Collegial Assembly meets every six years and includes elected representatives and staff from the various areas of the congregation; their task is to review “the state of the congregation,” to determine our direction for the next six years, and to elect a leadership team, who will be our guides until 2029.

Italy is a wonderful place to vacation, but a Collegial Assembly is not a vacation! Years ago, a travel writer reflected on the difference between a vacation and a pilgrimage, noting that a vacation distracts us from the cares and obligations of our ordinary lives; while a pilgrimage draws us into our core, into the central passions and desires of our lives. Our Collegial Assemblies are a type of pilgrimage for us.

We began this pilgrimage last June, reflecting on the past six years and asking where God may be leading us now. The weeks at the Assembly in Nemi will be an intensification of the pilgrimage and we know you will be companions to us as our journey unfolds.

We will be more than 40 at the Assembly, mostly Holy Union Sisters from Argentina, Belgium, Cameroon, France, Ireland, Italy, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and the United States, but also lay professionals who will work with us in different capacities. We’ll be six from the United States Province; The US Province delegation is composed

Sr. Kathleen Corrigan

Sr. Carol Regan

Sr. MaryLou Sullivan

of elected and ex-officio members: Sisters Kathleen Corrigan, Mary Lou Sullivan, and Carol Regan. Our responsibilities will include receiving and reviewing reports from the General Council, Treasurer General, and our financial managers as well as from the different areas of the congregation, discerning our way forward, and electing the next congregation leadership team (the General Council). Sister Fran Cavey, as interim Secretary General, will be responsible for the official records of the Assembly; Sister Mary Lou Simcoe will be in charge of communications to the congregation and the general public (be sure to check the congregation website www.suscinternational.org regularly); Sister Alice Michael will work with English-Spanish translation.

Sister Paula Coelho, our current congregation leader (and a Tauntonian), will serve as president of the Assembly.

Surely all of us who assemble in Nemi will be companions on a journey, breaking bread and sharing life. You walk with us in so many ways.

While all the words of the hymn Companions on the Journey are appropriate as our Collegial Assembly approaches, the lines We are fed and we are nourished by the strength of those who care remind us of your steadfast support for us. Please remember us as our pilgrimage in Nemi this summer draws us deeper into the core of our vocation and we continue to become an ever more holy union.

Companions

on the Journey Refrain

Refrain We are companions on the journey, breaking bread and sharing life;

Verse 3

and in the love we bear is the hope we share

We will seek and we shall find;

for we believe in the love of our God,

we will knock and the door shall be opened; we will ask and it shall be given,

we believe in the love of our God.

for we believe in the love of our God, we believe in the love of our God.

Verse 1 No longer strangers to each other,

Refrain

no longer strangers in God’s house; we are fed and we are nourished

Verse 4

by the strength of those who care,

We are made for the glory of our God,

by the strength of those who care.

for service in the name of Jesus; to walk side by side with hope in our hearts,

Refrain

for we believe in the love of our God, we believe in the love of our God

Verse 2 We have been gifted with each other, and we are called by the Word of the Lord: to act with justice, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with our God,

Words and music: Carey Landry © 1985 Carey Landry and North American Liturgy Resources.

to walk humbly with our God.

Visit our newly renovated website at www.holyunionsisters.org to stay up to date on all we are doing, or to support our efforts.

The Holy Union Sisters is a 501(C)3 non-profit, tax exempt organization