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PEOPLE OF GOD
June/July 2013
The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration Celebrate their 150th Anniversary and Announcement of the Beatification of their Foundress Venerable Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel
By Sr. Sister Stephanie McReynolds, OSF, Director of Mission and Values/Archives, Mount Saint Francis The year 2013 is a joyous and blessed year for the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, St. Joseph Province, Colorado Springs, CO. It is the year of their founding by Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel in Olpe, Germany, on July 20, 1863, where their general motherhouse is still located. Six German sisters first came to the United States in 1875 and settled in Lafayette, IN. They established schools and hospitals in several areas throughout the United States. As the order grew in the U.S., in 1932, it was divided into two provinces: The Western Province headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, and the Eastern Province headquartered in Mishawaka, IN. In the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, the sisters have a long and impressive history since they began to minister in schools and an orphanage in the fol-
lowing cities: ALBUQUERQUE: St. Anthony Home for Boys (1913-1971); St. Anthony Child Care Center (19711976); St. Francis College/ College of St. Joseph on the Rio Grande/University of Albuquerque (1921-1986); St. Francis Gardens (1974-1995); PEÑA BLANCA: Our Lady of Guadalupe School (19041956); JEMEZ PUEBLO: San Diego Mission School (1906-1999) and Parish Ministry (1999 to present). The sisters’ community was blessed with women who responded to God’s call and entered the Community of the Sisters of Saint Francis from New Mexico. The Franciscan Sisters continue to keep the people from these areas in our hearts and prayers. A special blessing was received in March when the sisters received word that Venerable Mother Maria Theresia
Join Us for a Very Special Study Day on the Catholic Catechism
Year of Faith 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of the Catholic Catechism and Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan has personally arranged for a day long study day with one of the foremost authorities on the catechism, Fr. Alfred McBride, O.Praem. This study day will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at Santa Maria de la Paz in Santa Fe and is open to all catechists, deacons, youth ministers and Catholics who want to know more about the catechism “How to Live the Catechism” Study Day for Deacons and Catechists Presented by Fr. Alfred McBride, O.Praem. Saturday, October 5, 2013 - 9:00am – 6:30pm 9:00am – 9:30am Welcome & Opening Prayer 9:30am – 10:30am Session 1: The Profession of Faith 10:30am – 11:00am Question/Reflection Session with Break (small group) 11:00am – Noon Session 2: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery Noon – 12:30pm Question/Reflection Session with Break (small group) 12:30pm – 1:30pm Lunch 1:30pm – 2:30pm Session 3: Life in Christ 2:30pm – 3:00pm Question/Reflection Session with Break (small group) 3:00pm – 4:00pm Session 4: Christian Prayer 4:00pm - 4:30pm Question/Reflection Session with Break (small group) 4:30pm – 5:15pm Sacrament of Reconciliation 5:30pm – 6:30pm Mass at Sant Maria de la Paz Cost for the day is $10. To register, contact the Office of Religious Education at the Archdiocese of Santa Fe 505.831.8129. This event is made possible through your generous contributions to the Annual Catholic Appeal.
Sr. Nadine Heimann, provincial, announces to all the sisters gathered in chapel, the news of the pending beatification of their foundress, Venerable Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel.
would be beatified on November 10, 2013, in Paderborn, Germany. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints issued a decree confirming that a miracle which had occurred in Colorado Springs, CO in 1999 occurred through the intercession of Mother Maria Theresia. Two Sisters of Saint Francis prayed a novena to Mother
Maria Theresia asking for a cure for a 4-year old boy, who had been suffering from severe gastrointestinal symptoms for weeks. Suddenly, his illness stopped and the doctors could not explain the reasons for the sudden change. The doctors explained that if his return to health had been from purely natural causes, healing would
have been more gradual. The sisters continue their mission of serving God’s people in the following states: California, Colorado, Nebraska, and New Mexico. The Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration currently have two provinces in the United States, one province in the Philippines, one province in Germany, one mission in Brazil and the generalate in Olpe, Germany. Venerable Mother Maria Theresia was born on September 17, 1830 and died on February 6, 1905. Requests for prayers may be made to: margaretmary@stfrancis.org or Sr. Margaret Mary Preister/ Mount Saint Francis/7665 Assisi Heights/Colorado Springs, CO/80919. A Eucharistic liturgy, at 3:00pm, followed by an open house in the convent, will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Parish/Mount Saint Francis in Colorado Springs, on July 14, 2013. The public is invited.
A Fond Farewell for Fr. Aloysius Abaneke By Deacon Steve Rangel, Director of Pastoral Outreach/Deacons
lege in the Philippines. He began his hospital ministry with seven On May 22, members of the Archdio- units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) cese of Santa Fe Hospital Chaplain Minis- at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washingtry gathered at Little Anita’s restaurant to ton, D.C. while in residence at Our Lady say good-bye to Fr. Aloysius Abaneke, a of Perpetual Help Parish Washington DC. certified member of National Association Fr.Aloysius arrived in Albuquerque from of Catholic Chaplains Fitzgerald We will miss Fr. Aloysius Mercy (NACC). Fr. Aloysius’ Hospital in Darby, zeal for hospital min- Abaneke… a genuine, loving PA while in resiistry, reaching out to servant of God and wish him dence at St. Frances bring Christ to our sick De Sales Parish in wounded brothers and God’s continued blessings in Philadelphia, PA. sisters, is taking him his ministry. Since August 2010, to St. Rose Dominican he has been working Hospital in Henderson, as a priest chaplain NV to continue this ministry. in the hospitals in Albuquerque while residFr. Aloysius is from Urualla Ideato North ing at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in AlbuLocal Government Area of Imo state in Ni- querque. geria. He studied philosophy and theology According to Fr. Aloysius, “I love Carl at Seat of Wisdom Major Seminary Owerry Rogers’ simple psychology: for a person to Nigeria and was ordained as a priest for the ‘grow’, they need an environment that proCatholic Diocese of Orlu Nigeria on August vides them with genuineness (openness and 15th, (the Feast of the Assumption), in 1998. self-disclosure), acceptance (being seen with He also obtained a Master’s degree in Pasto- unconditional positive regard), and empathy ral Ministry from Holy Cross of Davao Col- (being listened to and understood).”