January 2022 Newsletter

FAITH INTO ACTION JANUARY, 2022 NOTRE DAME SISTERS 3501 State Street, Omaha, NE 68112 (402) 455.2994 | NotreDameSisters.org ​

FOLLOW OUR JOURNEY.

BELOW ARE UPDATES ON OUR WORK.

Pray with us for the new year O God, thank you for this new year.

May I gratefully and graciously welcome each new day aware of your guiding, loving, faithful presence.

May I respectfully greet each person I meet, walk humbly and gently on the earth, and honor deeply the amazing blessings that come through the events of this day.

For this I pray, Amen. ~Sr. Rita Ostry, ND

Volunteer opportunities at Notre Dame Housing!

We have some exciting opportunities to serve the residents of Notre Dame Housing, the Sisters' largest ministry. As you know many Sisters live here and are also served by these volunteers.

Kitchen volunteer - 2-3 hour shifts Help prepare lunch meals for the residents. Some duties include: receive food, minor food preparation including checking temperatures, cooking vegetables, and heating up meat. Assist during meal service, ensure food portions, clean tables, visit with residents, make coffee, and more.

Celebration of Spirit March 27, 2022 at Happy Hollow Club

Front desk volunteer - 3-4 hour shifts Answer the telephone, greet members and visitors as they enter, answer questions on upcoming events and programs, manage sign-up sheets for upcoming programs, and more.

Email Life Enrichment Coordinator Cheryl Poulin at cpoulin@ndhinc.org for more information.

PRAY WITH US! For law enforcement and their families, not just on January 9th, when they are recognized, but all year long.

For our sisters and brothers throughout the world struggling with homelessness, starvation, oppression, poverty and natural disasters.

For those suffering from COVID-19 and for an end to this global pandemic.

For peace throughout the world that the light and truth of God’s presence touch those feeling most alienated.

An Unique Civil Defense Ministry Of Sister Mary Magdalen Rozmajzl The decade of the 1960s was noted for the conflicts in the world. The Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States presented a dangerous confrontation. In October 1962, what came to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, resulted in a 13-day conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had placed nuclear missiles, capable of destroying major cities in the United States, in Cuba.

The U.S. Civil Defense Program would provide protection for every American. While Americans accepted the president's order, the Notre Dame Sisters began the process of establishing a shelter in their building.

Sister Magdalen, who had completed her 50th year as a teacher and 25th year at Notre Dame Academy, added Civil Defense instruction to her activities in July of 1967. She enrolled two classes of Notre Dame Sisters who were teachers in Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Nebraska. Using her own science lab at the Academy as a training center, she taught thirty-five Sisters who completed their RAMONT (Radiological Monitor Training Course) training by August 2, 1967 when they were presented with certifications as RADEF Monitors by Wm. Dean Noyes, Omaha/Douglas County Civil Defense Coordinator.

Sr. Magdalen offered classes for parents and friends of Notre Dame Academy. The first, held in January 1968, included 17 individuals from the Florence area. Another class of 14 was taught in April of that year. These individuals, in the event of a nuclear disaster, would be able to predict and evaluate the early effects of nuclear detonations, and would, after the immediate dangers of radiation had subsided, initiate and direct extensive decontamination operations so as to return the community to normalcy. Fortunately for all concerned, there was no nuclear disaster that called for the services of the RAMONT personnel.

Compiled by Sr. Anita Rolenc, Notre Dame Sisters Archivist See photos and read the full story, including filling a fallout shelter at NDA with hotdogs and Hawaiian punch, at notredamesisters.org/news.

Join our Prayer Association ​The purpose of the Notre Dame Memorial and Prayer Associations is to provide an opportunity for you to honor, in a significant way, a loved one who has died, a friend on a happy occasion, or someone in need of special prayers. Learn more at NotreDameSisters.org

Thanks for your generous gifts from our Amazon Wish List - distributing them was a blessing!

We were all overwhelmed and amazed at the outpouring of your generosity. More than 150 items were purchased and delivered directly to the Sisters.

This year we focused on smaller items so the Sisters would not have to make so many trips to the store this winter. They were a huge hit and we were able to set out a free store for them to choose the items they needed. Even the simple gift of cleaning spray or toothpaste meant a lot. See more photos on our Facebook page!