PARTNERS IN GIVING
Joy!
Development Office of the Salesian Sisters Daughters of Mary Help of Christians www.salesiansisters.org
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r. Theresa Lee shares a moment of joy with Mother Antonia Colombo, Superior General of the Salesian Sisters, during Mass on August 5 in North Haledon, NJ, when Sr. Theresa took her final vows. Making a solemn commitment before God, Sr. Theresa, 39, culminated a six-year journey of profession to become a full-fledged Salesian Sister. For more photos from this touching ceremony, see page 8. In this special edition of Partners in Giving, we celebrate our Sisters, who freely give their lives for the love of God and service to others, especially for the education of our young people. We also look ahead to the future as we bid a sad farewell to those who have gone “home” to God. (PHOTOS BY JOE GIGLI, COURTESY THE BEACON, DIOCESE OF PATERSON)
Partners in Giving • Fall 2006
Sr. Mary Rinaldi’s Letter Dear Friends, This issue of Partners In Giving comes as a special spotlight on we “Salesian Sisters.” You will read of young ladies joining our Order’s formation program, those who took vows, and those who persevered until the call to return “home” to God. Our spotlight reveals the beauty of individual lives which are brought together to form the local and worldwide community of Salesian Sisters at the service of the young. As you read these pages, you will learn how God has blessed our Province and each one of us. Our worldwide Order of 15,000 professed Salesian Sisters has as its leader and Mother General, Mother Antonia Colombo. We are so proud to have had her here in North Haledon, NJ, for some very special days this summer. She receives Partners in Giving in Rome. In fact, she wrote, “Thank you so much for sending me the ‘Partners in Giving’ magazine; it is always interesting because it brings images and news of the province family in the United States. I hold in my heart what I lived during my stay among you. My sincere gratitude is expressed in the Eucharist.” Fall is here, and Salesian Schools have reopened! Please keep in special prayer our Sisters in Louisiana, who have been doing double-duty over the past year to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. We also extend a warm welcome to Archbishop Blenk High School in metropolitan New Orleans, LA, which became part of our Salesian family following Hurricane Katrina. Sr. Maria Colombo will serve as their principal. Mindful of the sad fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we ask God to bless one and all, and grant us peace and healing in our world.
Save These Dates ! Annual Partners Circle Ball Friday, October 27 6:30 p.m. Hilton Woodcliff Lake, NJ Honorees: Eugene C. Tolomeo, DDS Robert & Maryann Harkins Special tribute to: Sr. Claire Perino, FMA Sr. Susan Bagli, FMA
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Thanksgiving Basket Party Friday, November 17 6:00 p.m. Salesian Youth Center/ Boys and Girls Club, Tampa, FL Honoree: Mr. Ernest “Cookie” Garcia, recipient of the Salesian Sisters’ Humanitarian Award
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Annual Christmas Party Sunday, December 10 Mass at Noon; Party at 1:00 p.m. Mary Help of Christians Academy, North Haledon, NJ Watch for details in the mail soon!
2 • Partners in Giving • Volume XVI • Issue 5
Please call us toll-free: 877-OUR-NUNS
Salesian Sisters
To Love & Serve
We Host the Hemisphere, Share Our Mission
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very six years, Salesian Sisters throughout the world gather by regional conferences to assess their spiritual and ministerial journeys and to make projections for the future. On August 7-11, our Province of Saint Phillip the Apostle had the joy of hosting one of these regional meetings in New Jersey. “I have come to bring fire to the world, and how I wish that it were already lit!” (Luke: 12:49) was the theme that accompanied the various moments of prayer and reflection throughout the week. Participating in the event were representatives from two regional conferences: NAC (North America and Canada) and CIMAC (Mexico and Central America Conference). The 36 participants, among whom were nine laypersons, represented nine Provinces and 14 countries. Our Eastern Province was represented by our Provincial, Sr. Phyllis Neves, two delegates, Sr. Helene Godin and Sr. Marisa DeRose, and a lay collaborator, Mrs. Josefa Magrogan. Making the event more special was the presence of our Superior General, Mother Antonia Colombo, and four Sisters of the General Council in Rome. Together the Sisters prayed, reflected, shared, and celebrated the life of each Province and of the Institute at large. Each Province had the opportunity to present their current reality, the work they are doing, both personally and in community, to become more effective in their response to the needs of their people, and their future direction.
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Above, participants of the North American Conference, held in Newton, NJ, represented both Salesian Sisters and lay people. At left, Sr. Phyllis Neves, provincial, offered a blessing for our Province during Mass.
of the Rock” in Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the United Nations, and Ground Zero. Their final stop was for Mass and dinner at Mary Help of Christians Parish. After the presentations and much prayer and discussion, the assembly suggested possible themes for the next General Chapter – an international meeting of representatives of every Province of the world – scheduled to take place in Rome in Fall 2008. Although the work was intense, our visitors had time to enjoy a traditional barbecue with the Sisters living in the communities near Newton, NJ, as well as to tour New York City, making stops at Ellis Island, the “Top
The presence of Mother Antonia and the Sisters of the General Council, a greater awareness of the tremendous work being done throughout our Salesian world, and the joy that’s created when Sisters meet one another, all added up to an unforgettable experience for the participants and a renewed challenge to bring the fire of God’s love to one another and to those we serve. – Sr. Marisa De Rose, FMA
Partners in Giving • Fall 2006 •
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Salesian Sisters
To Love & Serve
Sr. Irene Zaccagnino: A Teacher to Us All Editor’s note: Sr. Josephine Carini wrote this loving reflection of Sr. Irene Zaccagnino, with the same dedication, style, and commitment that she gave to her many articles for Partners in Giving. Two weeks after Sr. Irene’s passing, Sr. Josephine was also called “home” to her eternal reward.
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ur dear Sr. Irene Zaccagnino went to her eternal reward on August 1, 2006. The funeral was held in North Haledon, NJ, on August 3. As it was the annual day of retreat, many Sisters were present, as well as family and friends. Father Timothy Zak, SDB, the chaplain of the retired Sisters’ community, celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial, and Sr. Irene found her niche in our cemetery on the hill. Hers was a life filled with the love of our Lord and service to others. We turn to Sr. Irene’s own words in recalling her remarkable life:
“I was born in Port Chester, NY, the fifth of six children. My father, Canio, had come to the United States from Italy when he was sixteen. My mother, Rosemary Telesco, arrived in the U.S. with her parents when she was about six months old. After they married, my parents moved to Port Chester to be near relatives who had settled there earlier. “Neither of my parents preached great sermons to us. Their lives gave us an example of good Christian living. My mom was busy enough with six children and her mother-inlaw, who lived with us until she died. Our life centered on the family and the parish of Corpus Christi. My mother was one of the founders of the Christian Mothers Sodality. Her participation for forty years earned her the ‘Mother of the Year’ award. My father was a faithful member of the St. Joseph Sodality. On Sunday afternoons we attended the meetings,
e were saddened by the news of Sr. Irene’s passing. Though we never met, we did feel some of her warmth over the years from her cards, notes, and prayers (mostly the prayers).
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I have been in the hospital several times in recent years, and I know someone was praying for me. Sr. Irene is a leading candidate for this award! We can only hope and pray that she will continue to pray for us while she lives on in glory with the other saints. Enclosed is a small gift to the Salesian Sister in her memory. J. & S. Decker, Somerset, NJ n my first correspondence with my adopted Sister, I shared that my married sister and brother-in-law were trying very hard to start a family. I asked Sr. Irene
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and then spent time with the families. “We children frequented the public schools of the town, both elementary and high school. I spent most of my time helping in the parish: teaching younger children their catechism; singing in the choir; and keeping the church clean. When I graduated from high school, I took care of my father’s
to pray for them. Sr. Irene was always very fast in responding to letters, and within two weeks, I received her reply. She said she was praying and that God would bless them both. Three days after receiving Sr. Irene’s letter, my sister told me she had just found out she was going to have a baby! Sure enough, my niece, Hannah, was born several months later, and of course I sent Sr. Irene a bunch of pictures. Sr. Irene and I forged a strong and friendly relationship thereafter. She was truly a great “Italian mother and grandmother” to us all, with the qualities of a saint. She will be missed, but I’m confident she’s with our Lord now. Michael Guarnieri, Partners Circle President Stamford, CT
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Sr. Irene Zaccagnino, always smiling, with Sr. Lydia Carini, Tony Telesco, Sr. Trinidad Maydagan, and Sr. Mary Baroni
accounts, and some parish activities. “I began to think that there had to be something more to life than what I was doing. The Franciscan and Redemptorist priests who came to preach missions in the parish were the first to spark my interest in religious life. Then Father John Lomagno took me under his guidance. I wrote to Mother Tullia, at the time the provincial of the Salesian Sisters. In
January 1943, I went to North Haledon to begin my formation. My mother accompanied me, but she was silent and sad. “I made my first profession on August 5, 1945. When I told my mother that my assignment was in Florida, her only comment was, ‘So far?’ “My first experiences in Florida stood me in good stead when I was assigned to begin the mission in Lomita, California. I was especially proud of my work with young people in liturgical music and in the direction of the choir. I was happy to teach this music to the young and to help them bring their young voices to the Sunday liturgies. “As I think back on my years as a Salesian Sister, it is of fond memories of those persons who have inspired me and accompanied me on life’s journey. My parents are foremost in my mind and heart as I remember their faith, their generous self-giving, and their constant attention and sacrifice for their children. Above all, I think of Mother Lydia Carini who was my guiding star and my sustaining force during the first years
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of our mission in California. Thank you all for helping me become the person I am today. My love and prayer always.” We, your Sisters, join your family, Adopters, and friends in thanking you for your presence among us. We will miss you, dear Sr. Irene. We look forward to joining you in God’s time in the Salesian garden where we will sing the hymn of joy and gratitude for all eternity, together with many Sisters who have gone before us.
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Salesian Sisters
To Love & Serve
Sr. Josephine Carini: Always Ready to Help Editor’s note: Sr. Josephine Carini was called to her heavenly reward on August 11. Readers of Partners in Giving will know what a great loss her passing is, as Sr. Josephine wrote most of the articles in our magazine, each one a reflection of her erudition and love of teaching. On August 17, one of her former pupils, Father Anthony Mastroeni, delivered the eulogy at her memorial service in St. Joseph’s Chapel in North Haledon, NJ. Here is an excerpt.
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r. Josephine, like so many of her Salesian Sisters before, and, hopefully, after her, struggled to live the Beatitudes in the light of the talents and responsibilities she was given. She had her generous share of talents as well as, in her leadership roles, a lion’s share of burdens and responsibilities to go with them. Although born in Piacenza, Italy, she grew up in what is now Chinatown, just a block or two from where my
father grew up in Transfiguration Parish, which in those days was administered by the Salesians. She followed two of her older Sisters into religious life, and was professed in 1943 at the height of World War II. She was an especially gifted teacher, and her capacity for leadership – principal, superior, Education Supervisor, Provincial – was surely not the fruit of personal ambition, nor merely the effect of natural intelligence. Instead it was born from a deeply-held conviction, what sadly some today have lost sight of, that real leadership, especially in the Church, is not merely “management” or “damage control,” but rather a selfless service to God and to His people: “servire sed non serviri.” Jesus came to serve and not to be served. Leadership is not something you easily aspire to, but something which is given to you, imposed, inflicted upon you, like Peter whom
r. Josephine was surely a remarkable woman and will be missed by so many. Her prayers and words of comfort meant so much to me during my husband’s battle with cancer and then my struggle after his death. My children and I are so blessed to have had Sr. Josephine in our lives. I, too, am confident that her blessings on us will continue. V. Schoppelrei, Silver Spring, MD
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e first met Sr. Josephine when she accepted our Susan as a novice some 30 years ago. Needless to say, it was a tough day for us, but “Mother Jo” was very understanding and we have grown to love her and appreciate her intelligence, writing, and capable management abilities over the years. The worldwide
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Jesus predicted would be girded and led to a place a better part of him would not wish to go. Sr. Josephine’s service in leadership did not know how to say “no” when she was needed or something was asked of her. Always ready to listen, to help, to offer guidance and counsel to the young. In this day of answering services and machines, you could hear her on the phone directly. She was not
Salesian community has lost a great champion, and we shall miss her almost as much as the Sisters. Vincent J. Bagli, MD, Ponte Vedra, FL hen I received Partners In Giving, I would immediately search for Sr. Josephine’s article, many of which I have saved. It would be wonderful to have a complete set of her articles that she wrote throughout the years! A. Ahern, Potomac, MD
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will always remember how Sr. Josephine comforted me in my darkest hours with my son. Enclosed is $500 towards Sr. Josephine’s Memorial Fund. Beverly Hills, CA
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Above, 2002 Auxilium Award recipient Sr. Josephine Carini, surrounded by dear alumnae and family (l-r): Inez Carini, Mary Baccaro, Fran Ferraro, Judy Olander, Giovanna Vollaro, Maria D’Ippolito, Sr. Lydia Carini, and Louise Carini.
afraid to hear of problems or bad news. She wanted to know when things were not going well. When something could not be immediately resolved, it was always, “For the moment, let’s pray about this and talk again.” You see, there was a reason for calling Sisters like Sr. Josephine ‘Mother,’ not because they were higher than anyone else, but because they were to have the heart of a mother. She could be quite charming. I recall one morning driving Sister and Mother Ida to Philadelphia for the Perfectae Caritatis Symposium. As we were driving along the New Jersey Turnpike, Sr. Josephine spoke up to say, “Father, we will never get there at this rate. You need to put your foot on it.” I replied, “Say but the word.” So it was 65, then 75 and then some. It looked like clear sailing with no one in sight, until the red lights appeared in the rearview mirror and . . . well,
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Sr. Josephine and Mother Ida pleaded with the police officer, “It was our fault” and “Please, give us the ticket.” There was no ticket, only the officer’s parting words: “Don’t get to Heaven sooner than expected!” Sr. Josephine would have been terribly embarrassed, even to the point of humiliation, to hear my attempts to lavish praise upon her. I can just picture her bristling and quite uncomfortable, and wishing it were all over. It was not my intention to do
that. In so far as that is what has happened, then I beg her pardon and ask her to accept this one last act of humility to be offered to the dear Lord, for St. Francis de Sales teaches us, “There is no humility without humiliations.” And for someone like Sr. Josephine to have to hear praise heaped upon her, even when sincerely motivated, could be an act of forbearance. The Old Testament teaches us that it is “a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead,” and so we continue to pray for your soul, Sr. Josephine, offer our Masses and Holy Communions for you, that our love may still support you, and to hasten you into the paschal feast of Heaven.
Partners in Giving • Fall 2006 •
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Salesian Sisters
To Love & Serve
Sr. Theresa Lee’s profession of final vows was an occasion for joy and thanksgiving. At left, Sr. Theresa’s parents, Joseph and Edith, and sisters Cathy and Cecilia, joined her and Bishop Arthur Serratelli for the August 5 ceremony. At right, Sr. Theresa signs the official document of her profession in St. Joseph Chapel in North Haledon, NJ.
Sr. Theresa Lee kneels at the altar before Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson, NJ, as she professes her final vows, culminating a six-year journey of prayer and commitment.
8 • Partners in Giving • Volume XVI • Issue 5
Please call us toll-free: 877-OUR-NUNS
Salesian Sisters
To Love & Serve
Answer to Prayers: Six New Candidates!
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hile we share the wonderful news of the final profession of Sr. Theresa Lee (at left), we also would like to thank you all for the help in prayer for our new candidates, our “Aspirants.” As of September 2006, six new candidates have come to see if the Lord is calling them to religious life as a Salesian Sister. This is a gift to each one of us. Hopefully, all will discern God’s call and make a decision to serve the Lord in joy and peace, if this is God’s plan for their lives. Say a prayer each day for these, and for the young ladies who have yet to respond with a resounding YES to God’s plan in their lives. Rejoice in the Lord for His wondrous gift to each one of us. And thank you for your prayer, always and all ways. – Sr. Josephine Carini, written before she passed away We asked each Aspirant, “What attracted you to the Salesian Sisters?” nitially, I was attracted to the Salesian Sisters because the way they lived, full of joy and enthusiasm, shattered all the stereotypes in my mind regarding what it meant to be a Sister. As the years went on, I learned more about the Sisters’ philosophy among the young and ultimately began to understand the cause of their joy. However, it wasn’t until I had my own classroom, piecing together my own expression as a teacher, that things began to crystallize. I realized that the same philosophy of education that I was privileged to be a part of as a student had now become something I firmly believed in as an
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Sr. Phyllis Neves, Provincial Superior, joins our new Aspirants (l-r) Christine Scott, Tracey Alexander, Lisa Maurer, Josiane Phanord, Laura Rivas, and Tanya Acosta.
educator. The Salesian reality was now too big a part of my life to ignore an inevitably subsequent question: “Is God calling me to the consecrated life, where I can set apart all else in order to be united more fully to Him and in turn become more for the youth today?” Tanya Acosta, 25 Miami, FL fell in love with the Salesian style of accompaniment of St. John Bosco and St. Mary Mazzarello: “To be free to do all that charity requires” (Letter 35:3). By reaching out to the poor, the hungry, and the troubled children. In serving them, I serve Christ. Laura Karina Rivas, 29 Argentina
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he amount of joy that radiated from every Salesian Sister I encountered! I finally found an Order who truly enjoy their vocations. Christine Scott, 24 Bayonne, NJ
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hen I went to “Taste of Salesian Life,” I was attracted by their charism. The Salesian Sisters bring joy and love everywhere, especially for the young women and poor kids. They consecrate their lives to God generously. Josiane Phanord, 21 Haiti
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irst off, it was the Salesian fidelity to the Church and commitment to the young that attracted me. I have since come to appreciate and marvel at the spirit of genuine joy that the Sisters share. Lisa Maurer, 36 Sleepy Eye, MN
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he Salesian spirit of joy in ministry and, most importantly, joy in their prayer life. Salesian Gentleness, Generosity, and Sensitivity. Their deep love for Mary, our mother. Don Bosco’s love for the young. Tracey Alexander, 38 Guyana
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Salesian Sisters
To Love & Serve
Please Contact Us! We Love to Hear from You!
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onder where your Salesian Sister is? Here’s a handy reference. Please write or call us. We love to hear from you! Provincial Office 655 Belmont Ave. Haledon, NJ 07508-2398 (973) 790-7963 Sr. Phyllis Neves, Provincial Superior Sr. Catherine Altamura Sr. Suzanne Dauwalter St. Joseph Provincial Center 655 Belmont Ave. Haledon, NJ 07508-2398 (973) 790-7966 Sr. Dora Adames Sr. Mary Louise Aguirre Sr. Mary Baroni Sr. Gerard Barattino Sr. Lucy Balistrieri Sr. Amelia Callegarin Sr. Mary Ann Caspary Sr. Lydia Carini Sr. Mary Carone Sr. Rosemary Cordes Sr. Esther Cruz Sr. Antonia Cvetko Sr. Virginia D’Alessandro Sr. Rufina Delgado Sr. Virginia Dickey Sr. Helene Godin Sr. Frances Gumino Sr. Catherine Hurley Sr. Trini Maydagan Sr. Verónica Milyo Sr. Carmen Morales Sr. Mary Palladino Sr. Louise Passero Sr. Claire Perino Sr. Jeanette Puglisi Sr. Anna Ragogna
Sr. Arlene Rubino Sr. Grace Ruiz Sr. Stella Ruiz Sr. Mary Schuchert Sr. Felicia Tanzella Sr. Mary Winterscheidt Sr. Mildred Zanetti Mary Help of Christians Academy 659 Belmont Ave. North Haledon, NJ 07508-2397 (973) 790-6202 Sr. Susan Bagli Sr. Cecilia Besi Sr. Antoinette Cabrera Sr. Frances DaGrossa Sr. Rosalie DiPeri Sr. Anita Durocher Sr. Danielle Gonzalez Sr. Christine Hellen Sr. Monique Huart Sr. Emilia Kassab Sr. Theresa Kelly Sr. Betty Ann Martinez Sr. Catherine Novo Sr. Ana Palacios Sr. Mary Rinaldi Sr. Maryann Schaefer Sr. Denise Sickinger Sr. Teresita Teran Sr. Margaret Wilhelm Auxilium Center 14 Old Swartswood Rd. Newton, NJ 07860-6221 (973) 383-2621 Sr. Nivia Arias Sr. Colleen Clair Sr. LouAnn Fantauzza Sr. Marisol Guzman Sr. Joanne Holloman Sr. Mary Louise Mazzocco Sr. Rose Segarini Sr. Ruth Stecker Sr. Patricia Winterscheidt
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St. Mary Mazzarello Convent 225 Washington Ave. Hawthorne, NJ 07506 (973) 423-0012 Sr. Ramona Beltré Sr. Letizia Bocanegra Sr. Isabel Garza Sr. Inez Molano Sr. Judith Suprys St. Mary Convent 196 Wayne Ave. Paterson, NJ 07502-1942 (973) 790-6918 Sr. Gisella Bonfiglio Sr. Loretta De Dominicis Sr. Pauline Joss Sr. Liz Ryan St. Theresa Convent 112-23rd St. Kenilworth, NJ 07033-1256 (908) 276-5028 Sr. Emy DeFilippi Sr. Domenica DiPeri Sr. Balbina Lopez Sr. Theresa Samson Corpus Christi Convent 135 South Regent St. Port Chester, NY 10573 (914) 937-4405 Sr. Margaret Rose Buonaiuto Sr. Agatha Cosentino Sr. Mary Pelliccione Sr. Elizabeth Russo Sr. Mary Anne Zito St. Joseph Convent 2102 North Gomez Ave. Tampa, FL 33607-3299 (813) 876-4522 Sr. Florine Lagace Sr. Gloria Machado
Sr. Eileen Tickner Sr. Mary Bertha Paquin Villa Madonna Convent 315 W. Columbus Dr. Tampa, FL 33602-1306 (813) 223-2209, ext. 393 Sr. Mary Jackson Sr. Clare Kennelly Sr. Kim Keraitis Sr. Carmen Peña Blessed Laura Vicuña Convent 226 S.W. 20th Rd. Miami, FL 33129-1429 (305) 857-9186 Sr. Fanny Flores Sr. Michelle Geiger Sr. Teresa Gutierrez Immaculate Conception Convent 2605 Crestwood Rd. Marrero, LA 70072 (504) 347-4887 Sr. Maria Colombo Sr. Marisa De Rose Sr. Antoinette Cedrone Sr. Theresa Lee Sr. Lise Parent Sr. Patricia Roche Presently in Italy: Sr. Karen Dunn Sr. Lucy Roces Sr. Carmine Termine Sr. Mary Terzo Call us for contact information: (877) OUR-NUNS Last (but not least!) Sr. Ines Valentin 51 Henry St. Somerset, NJ 08873
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Adopt a Sister NEWS Development Office of the Salesian Sisters Daughters of Mary Help of Christians
Our Favorite Times Are With YOU!
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hether in person, over the phone, in a letter or e-mail, we Salesian Sisters LOVE to spend time with our Adopters. Here’s a recent sampling! And, if you’re uncertain where to write or phone, note the page opposite! Dear Sister Mary, It was a pleasure to meet you by phone today. Thank you for the number for Sr. Carmela Termine. I was so happy to have a telephone visit with my dear friend, and she enjoyed every minute of our conversation. Sister seemed very happy. She’s well, and that’s important. I intend to continue my phone visits every ten days or so as I did in the past, and will send my usual notes. She’s a real sweetheart and I love her – a very special lady. Little Egg Harbor, NJ We have been blessed with the opportunity to Adopt a Sister, Sr. Mary Baroni. We were welcomed into a very special community of
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Massood of Franklin Lakes, NJ, found a kindred spirit in Sr. Emilia Kassab, with whom they share their Middle Eastern roots. The Massood's are of Syrian descent, while Sr. Emilia hails from Egypt.
incredible women. We are grateful for the prayers that were offered for my husband. We believe that they were an important part of his recovery. Fair Lawn, NJ
Dear Sr. Mary, Thank you so much for giving up your time to visit with Sharon and myself. It was so nice to put a living person to a picture that I had often seen in your newsletter. I came away with one word to describe you – dynamic! Please thank your kind and thoughtful staff. They took the “extra step” to make us feel comfortable. Many thanks – God bless – and know that your name is in my daily Rosary. Nancy Poling, Westlake Village, CA
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I am truly grateful for all the prayers of support. Sometimes, I feel a strength I don’t understand, but really, it’s your wonderful thoughts and prayers. What you are doing is incredible, praying for so many strangers, so many needs, across so many miles. Overland Park, KS The Good Lord was so kind to bring Sr. Josephine Carini into my life. Her letters of hope and guidance helped fill the empty void from having no parents. She was truly a friend sent from Heaven. A GIFT! God bless her and all the Sisters in the vocation of serving the Lord. God bless the Adopt a Sister Program. Amen! Naperville, IL
Partners in Giving • Fall 2006 •
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Above, friends and families enjoyed the Jubilee celebration!
Welcome home, Alumnae! Sisters Frances Gumino, Ruth Stecker, Domenica Di Peri, and Rosalie Di Peri, visited with Mary Help grads from the 1940s.
At left, the Jubiliarians receive applause after Mass in St. Joseph’s Chapel.
Our celebration was sweet! The two provincials, Fr. Jim Heuser, SDB, and Sr. Phyllis Neves, FMA, partake in the chocolate fountain.
12 • Partners in Giving • Volume XVI • Issue 5
Please call us toll-free: 877-OUR-NUNS
Where Is Our Treasure? Sr. Phyllis Neves’ Letter Dear Friends,
and follow Me.”
In our last issue of Partners in Giving, we invited you to join us on the journey toward our 2008 Jubilee – 100 years of educating young people in the USA. We recalled together how those first four Salesian Sisters, arriving at Ellis Island in 1908, braved inadequate living accommodations, meager meals, and the absence of every human comfort while, each day, they dedicated themselves to search for young people in need of learning their Catechism or to be enrolled in the upcoming parochial school.
I remember growing up watching movies like King of Kings and The Robe. In typical Hollywood fashion, the Passion scene was always the most vivid. A huge, heavy wooden cross would be attached by ropes to the arms of Jesus. And then He would struggle – oh, so valiantly! – to carry the heavy wood to the foot of Calvary, where the rest of the Crucifixion would occur.
The first classes took place on September 28, 1908, in the basement of St. Michaels’s Church in Paterson, New Jersey. The space there had been divided, making a learning place for the first and second grades in one area of the room and another space for the third and fourth grades. At the end of the school day, the Sisters used the same basement as a center for Catechism classes as well as a work area for teaching sewing. The Sisters received a monthly salary of $12. Besides their teaching responsibilities, they were also in charge of cleaning the church, washing and ironing the altar linens, and of the elaborate weaving of palms for Holy Week, which were all considered donated services to be done at night, making for an 18-hour work day.
“Where did these Sisters find the courage to serenely face these challenges each day? The answer is simple. Jesus was the treasure they brought with them to America.”
Where did these Sisters find the courage to serenely face these challenges each day? How did they keep smiling and joyful despite such privation and sacrifice? The answer is simple. Jesus was the treasure they brought with them to America. With Jesus, it was all or nothing – a total commitment without cautious conditions. He asks those who would answer His call to share His priorities, to live by His values – all of them, without picking and choosing among them. They must be willing to walk His Way, with unconditional loyalty, to stay with Him in a steadfast companionship, whatever the difficulties. “If anyone would be my disciple, he must take up his cross
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In my imagination, that walk was always more difficult than the hanging on the cross. Jesus, heroically struggling to carry that heavy burden up the hill. It seemed like such a Herculean effort. “Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.” Jesus invites us to be like Him. The stuff of giants. It was the same material that those first Salesian missionaries in the USA were made of.
Yes, those Salesian Sisters teach us that the price of discipleship is high. And what does Jesus offer in return? Only Himself: “No longer do I call you servants – now I call you friends.” Jesus welcomes His followers, not to some sort of card-carrying membership in a religious social club, but rather to an intimate and ardent relationship with Himself, Jesus pledging His Gift of enduring love and welcoming our love in return. “I call you friends.”
Jesus lives today – and He calls today – an invitation just as urgent for us as it was for those first Salesian Sisters, a voice even now audible to the listening heart: “Come, follow Me. Come, discover the treasure. Come, be My friend.”
Partners in Giving • Fall 2006 •
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Welcome New Members in Red!
SALESIAN SISTERS’ PARTNERS CIRCLE
Partners Circle “Members”: Annual gift of ARIZONA
ILLINOIS
Ms. Tonia Kempfer
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Olivieri
CALIFORNIA
INDIANA
Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Chisholm Mr. & Mrs. Robert Obenberger Nia Vardalos & Ian Gomez A Friend
Mr. Donald Schultheis
NEW YORK
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Danehy
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Betwarda Mr. Vincent Cagnetta Mrs. Joseph Clair Mr. & Mrs. Charles Curcio Mr. & Mrs. Charles Curcio, Jr. Mr. Joseph W. Hill Mr. & Mrs. Bill Leahy Mr. John Lombardi & Family Ms. Carol Martindale Mrs. Joan Oliver Mrs. Maryann Rettino Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Roncallo Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Silveri Ms. Audrey Walker Mr. & Mrs. John Weaver A Friend
CONNECTICUT
MARYLAND Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Saladino
MASSACHUSETTS Ms. Josephine Petrillo Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Reading
FLORIDA
GEORGIA Mr. & Mrs. Charles Fantauzza
Mr. Joseph Spinelli Mr. & Mrs. William Stuart Mr. & Mrs. John Sullivan Ms. Anne Weiss Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Zisa
KENTUCKY
Mrs. Gail L. Miller Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mosey Mr. Daniel Tomaselli A Friend
Mr. Nelson Alderman Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Arenas Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Baldor, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Baldor, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Javier Baldor Mrs. Sandra K. Bardeson Bianco & Mansfield, P.A. Mr. James J. Burrowes Mrs. Yoli Buss Mrs. Trudy Carey Dr. & Mrs. Antonio Castro Colonial Bank of Florida Mr. & Mrs. Ted Couch Ms. Anne Coy Mr. & Mrs. J.C. De Lotto Mr. & Mrs. Victor DiMaio Dr. & Mrs. Emilio Echevarria Mr. & Mrs. Luis Garcia Dr. & Mrs. Reynaldo Geerken Mrs. Rose Graziano Dr. & Mrs. Jack Guggino Mrs. Elsa Gutierrez-Janulionis Mr. & Mrs. David Gutowski Mr. Ralph Lavandera, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Mark S. Reynolds Mr. & Mrs. Philip Rinaldi Dr. & Mrs. Ortelio Rodriguez Mr. Caesar Rinaldi Mr. & Mrs. Henry Schum Mrs. Peggy Theis Mr. & Mrs. Terrence Torney Mrs. Lillian Whitley Mr. & Mrs. Ron Yates Mr. & Mrs. Rene Zarate Mr. Bob Zurek
$500
NEVADA Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Murray
NEW JERSEY Mr. & Mrs. Gary Baccaro Mr. & Mrs. Richard Badenhausen Mr. & Mrs. Robert Boland Mr. & Mrs. Charles Bordonaro Mrs. Kathi Bruinooge Ms. Audrey Buckingham A.J. Celiano, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Larry Condit Ms. Elizabeth Crovella Mr. & Mrs. Ray D’Alessandro Mr. & Mrs. Frank Davies Mr. Anthony B. Della Cerra Dr. & Mrs. Frank De Maria Ms. Debi Debiak Mr. & Mrs. Robert Fox Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Giamonco Mrs. Theresa Gutto Mr. & Mrs. William Hammann Msgr. Carl Hinrichsen Hudson United Bank Mrs. Flora Iommetti Mr. John P. Iozia Mr. & Mrs. Charles Lechner Mr. Joseph P. LoBuono Mr. & Mrs. Michael Losurdo Mr. Andrew Mainardi Ms. Laura Mannarino Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Marangi Mr. & Mrs. John Peragallo Jr. Mrs. Ann Petrocelli Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Piotrowski Mr. & Mrs. Cameron Reid Mr. & Mrs. John Soldoveri
OHIO Mr. & Mrs. Albert Klaben, Sr.
PENNSYLVANIA Mrs. Dominique Faust Dr. Allyson & Kevin Hardy Mr. & Mrs. Jack Hedgecock Mr. & Mrs. Paul Liotard Mr. Paul I. Sheaffer, II
TEXAS Mr. & Mrs. Bill Locklier Elizabeth Samara & Family
WASHINGTON, DC Mr. & Mrs. Ron Dozoretz
WEST VIRGINIA Mr. Guy Bucci
NIGERIA Mrs. Lucy Okongwa
ARIZONA
ILLINOIS
A Friend
Judge & Mrs. Thomas Roti
CALIFORNIA
NEW JERSEY
Geraldine & Joanne Rizzuto
Mr. Alfonso Daloisio Mrs. Rosemarie D’Alessandro Mr. Al De Vincenzo Mrs. Joseph Festa Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Granatell Mr. Anthony Gulino Ms. Ida Gulino Ms. Nancy Gulino Mr. & Mrs. Donald Hofmann Mr. & Mrs. Edward Korn Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Laino Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Massood Mr. & Mrs. Brian McAuley Mrs. John McMahon Mr. & Mrs. Mario Monaco Mr. & Mrs. Jim Muller Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Palladino Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Pfeifer Weaver Marine Agencies Mr. Peter Zanghi
CONNECTICUT CONNECTICUT Mr. & Mrs. David McAleer
FLORIDA Mr. & Mrs. Declan Mansfield
Ms. Mary Gaine
FLORIDA Dr. Braulio Alsonso Mr. & Mrs. Ron Barreto Mrs. Pilar Caso Ms. Judith Cataldo/ The Handmaiden Foundation Dr. & Mrs. Rod Jurado Mr. & Mrs. James W. Lee Dr. & Mrs. Hernan Leon Mr. & Mrs. H. Tyson Lykes II Mr. & Mrs. James Major Mr. & Mrs. Frank Middendorf Mr. & Mrs. James Millar Mr. & Mrs. Gene Perez Judge & Mrs. A. Rodnite Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Shea Mr. & Mrs. Mark Spada Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Traina
T
he Partners Circle was founded in 1991 to provide unrestricted funds for urgent needs of the Salesian Sisters and their mission. These include support for capital needs, scholarship assistance, technology upgrades, and funds for those unforeseen situations that require immediate attention.
NEW YORK Dr. & Mrs. Michael Altamura Ms. Lea Battiato Mr. Frank Calamita Mr. & Mrs. James Dell Orto Mr. & Mrs. Patsy Pagliaro Msgr. William T. Rodgers Mr. & Mrs. Matt Sabatine
NORTH CAROLINA Ms. Marianne O’Doherty Ms. Jody Roberts
OHIO Your donation to this unrestricted fund empowers the Salesian Sisters to continue their mission – the education and evangelization of today’s children.
Mr. & Mrs. James Millar
PENNSYLVANIA Mr. & Mrs. David Fusacchia
TEXAS
There are six levels of membership, starting at $500, and listed on these three pages.
Ms. Theresa C. Rauber
Won’t you consider joining this dynamic group?
Mr. Chester Michewicz
Please call us toll-free today: (877) OUR-NUNS.
VIRGINIA
Welcome New Members in Red!
Annual gift of $750
Annual gift of $1,000
SALESIAN SISTERS’ PARTNERS CIRCLE
Partners Circle “Associates”
Partners Circle “Benefactors”
Welcome New Members in Red!
SALESIAN SISTERS’ PARTNERS CIRCLE
Joseph J. McAleer, Sr., Heritage Society Major Bequests to the Partners Circle CALIFORNIA
ILLINOIS
Richard Meissner, Meissner Manufacturing
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Peterson
INDIANA
NEW YORK
FLORIDA
Mrs. Beatrice Lightfoot
Mrs. Pearl Kalikow
Dr. & Mrs. Vincent Bagli Mr. Ray Campo Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Garcia Angel Oliva Family Mrs. Ann Murphey Dorothy Thomas Foundation
Mr. Anthony Petrocelli Ms. Celeste Tripi
NEW JERSEY Tony Amato Family The Carini Family Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Hoffman
“Stewards” Partners Circle “Partners” Annual gift of $5,000 CALIFORNIA
Annual gift of $10,000 NEW JERSEY
Ms. Doriana Sobek
Mr. & Mrs. Rodger Rohde Ms. Roberta Ruocco
CONNECTICUT
NEW YORK
A Friend
Mr. John Cassara
FLORIDA
TEXAS
Dr. & Mrs. Nelson Castellano
Mrs. Betty Turner Mr. & Mrs. Ray Wooldridge
Marcalus Family Foundation Robert R. Waitts Foundation
NEW YORK The Sabatine Foundation, in memory of Philip & Josephine Sabatine
TEXAS Mr. & Mrs. Fritz Duda, Sr.
NEW JERSEY Mr. & Mrs. Tony Chernalis Mr. & Mrs. Robert Harkins Mr. & Mrs. Bill McLaughlin Mr. Stephen Papetti
Partners Circle “Founders”: Annual gift of
$2,000
ARIZONA
NEW JERSEY
PENNSYLVANIA
A Friend
Mr. & Mrs. Marco Brizzolara Mr. & Mrs. John Connors Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Hoffman Mr. & Mrs. Michael Massood Mrs. Kathleen Medore Ms. Antonia Meola Ms. Rose Perone Mr. & Mrs. Mark Swartzberg Mr. Louis Weiss
A Friend
CALIFORNIA Mr. & Mrs. James Smith
CONNECTICUT Mr. Michael Guarnieri Dr. Joseph McAleer
FLORIDA Mr. Ernest “Cookie” Garcia Dr. Idalia Lastra Mr. & Mrs. Burl Orr
NEW YORK Ms. Jordon Carroll Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Scala, Jr.
SOUTH CAROLINA Mr. & Mrs. Tom Aldinger
Won’t You “Give Us” Your Special Day?
Y
es! It is the Salesian Sisters again, asking to share one of your days. A joy-filled day? A day of sorrow? Of celebration? A day you will never forget? Just fill out the form below and send us the date and the occasion. Every day of the month will be your special day, and on the day itself, you will certainly feel the effect of the Sisters' prayers from their chapel in the House That Love Built, the St. Joseph Provincial Center in Haledon, NJ. Think of a day that you remember vividly and never forget. A day that brought you joy? A day that brought sorrow instead? A day that you remember because of a special birthday? The day you were hired for your first job? Or a government notice, calling you to serve a special need? Whatever day you choose in any month will be a red-letter day in our corridor bulletin board and in our prayer. Our Lord and Mary Help of Christians will hear our prayer as it rises each day of the month, but especially on your special day. Prayer reaches God’s throne before anything else, so please GIVE US ONE DAY. Thank you.
2006 Jubilarians smile for the camera! Front row: Sr. Letizia Bocanegra, Sr. Ines Valentin, Sr. Mary Bertha Paquin, and Sr. Ana Palacios. Middle row: Sr. Roble Cavazos, Sr. Domenica Di Peri, and Sr. Ruth Stecker. Back row: Sr. Christine Hellen, Sr. Carmen Pena, Sr. Louise Passero.
Please Help Our Retired Sisters In Need! Please reserve this day(s) in 2006 or 2007 in honor of my special intention to support the Endowment for the St. Joseph Provincial Center for our retired Sisters:
q
q
GIVE US THIS
Day
Day 1 (Month, day):
Significance:
Day 2 (Month, day):
Significance:
Day 3 (Month, day):
Significance:
Total enclosed @ $100 per day: $ ____________ Please make your check payable to: Salesian Sisters
Name Address
Telephone
Please detach and mail this form to: Sr. Mary Rinaldi, FMA, 659 Belmont Avenue, North Haledon, NJ 07508
Visit us online! www.salesiansisters.org
Partners in Giving • Fall 2006 •
17
Welcome, Salesian Cooperators!
A Love That Lasts Forever
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You can honor a cherished relative or friend with an everlasting gift of love – a memorial. Our Partners in Giving Memorials & Tributes give you the opportunity to comfort those who have lost a loved one or to commemorate a special occasion.
e congratulate and thank the 10 members of Christ the King Parish in Tampa, FL, who were inducted in to the Association of Salesian Cooperators in August. After a year of discernment and formation, this group of individuals publicly committed and promised to live their lives as good Christians and Catholics. Salesian Cooperators are single or married lay men and women, or diocesan clergy, who dedicate themselves to the welfare of young people, and live by St. John Bosco’s Salesian Spirit. The Salesian Cooperator embraces a
This gift lives forever. It supports the works of the Salesian Sisters & joins your loved ones to the prayers & works of the Sisters. The name of your loved one will appear in our Partners in Giving magazine – a priceless gift to those you love. Give the gift that lasts forever. Enclosed is my Memorial/Tribute Gift of: q$25
q$20
q$15
q$
Memorial for
The new group of Salesian Cooperators includes Cornelia Yarnold, Chris Yarnold, Andrea Hahn, Michael Hahn, Mary Francis Mullan, Jane Forbus, Tim Kearney, Kelly Kearney, Debbie Scibilia and Charlotte (Chuck) Fogarty.
Name – DECEASED
Tribute for Name – LIVING
Occasion
Gospel way of life, sharing in the Church’s mission to bring Christ to society, especially the young. Their continued presence and work in the parish and school will nurture our youth, the future leaders of the Catholic faith.
Please send an acknowledgement to: Name Address
My Name Address Detach & mail to Sr. Mary Rinaldi 659 Belmont Ave l North Haledon, NJ 07508-2397 Please make checks payable to SALESIAN SISTERS
18 • Partners in Giving • Volume XVI • Issue 5
In Lieu of Flowers...
Y
ou may now adopt a Sister to pray for your deceased friend and family member for one year. The certificate (like the one shown here) can be sent out immediately. It is a one-time gift with a suggested donation of $160. Adoptions of Remembrance forms are available online at www.salesiansisters.org, or by calling us toll-free, (877) OUR-NUNS.
Please call us toll-free: 877-OUR-NUNS
Sr. Irene Zaccagnino, FMA Dr. & Mrs. Michael Altamura Ms. Rose Caccomo Mr. & Mrs. Jack Decker Mr. Michael S. Guarnieri Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kwon Mr. James D. Lane Mr. Frank Pandolfo Ms. Ellen Zaccagnino Sr. Josephine Carini, FMA Salesian Community Mrs. Ann Ahern Mr. & Mrs. George W. Armbruster Dr. & Mrs. Vincent J. Bagli Mr. & Mrs. Francis L. Ballabio Mrs. Virginia G. Bator Mrs. Ellen Bilinski Ms. Elizabeth Bogert Dr. Kathleen M. Bonsick Mrs. Lucille M. Bugglin Joe & Maria L. Burgio Sharon, Jason, Jen, & Alison Carini Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Caruso Mr. & Mrs. Donald Casapulla Mr. & Mrs. Peter Corrado Mr. & Mrs. Jack Danehy Ms. Gina M. D’Angelo Mr. & Mrs. John Davino Mr. Edward Dever Ms. Laura Di Censo Ms. Maria D’Ippolito Mr. & Mrs. Emmanuel Ferrito Ms. Oresta Ferrito Ms. Suellen Franz Janis M. Frisch, Ph.D. Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Giarrante Mrs. Petrina Guarisco Mr. Michael S. Guarnieri Mr. & Mrs. Albert G. Hanania Miss Mary Jean Hayek Mr. & Mrs. Jack Hedgecock Megan Leung Hip Mrs. Lillian Holloman Ms. Agnes R. Juneiman Ms. Marie R. Mazzari Dr. Joseph J. McAleer Mrs. Mary McNamara Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Mosey Mr. & Mrs. John Napora Mrs. Christie R. Nyman Judy Olander Ms. Edna Oldham Louise and Alana Plate Mr. & Mrs. John Record
Visit us online! www.salesiansisters.org
Memorials
Aldo Benejam Ms. Linda Kemp
Received between July 22 and September 14, 2006
Rita & Louise Saggese Mr. Charles Saggese
Ms. Josephine Rinaldi Ms. Roberta Ruocco Mr. & Mrs. Frank Middendorf Mrs. Sandi (Santoli) Charlesworth Josephine & Margaret Ruta Donna Baldino Scally Mrs. Vondale Schoppelrei Alexandra Soterio Mrs. Clare S. Van Loon Ms. Karla Villarin Mrs. Maggie Waitts Mrs. Katherine Zaretski Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Giarrante Ms. Corinne Kaufhold Ms. Marcia A. Kelley Mrs. Laura Mannarino Mr. Anthony J. Marsico Mr. & Mrs. James H. Muller Mrs. Emma Poggioli Mrs. Clare S. Van Loon Mrs. Victoria Tromba Mrs. Rosemarie Christopher-Mason Mrs. Trudy Koch Mrs. Anne Tamaroglio Ms. Marie Walsh Sr. Frances Mitacchione, FMA Ms. Audrey Del Vescovo Mrs. Joanne Panto Sr. Rose McShane, FMA Mrs. Sandi (Santoli) Charlesworth
Tributes Received between July 22 and September 14, 2006 Sr. Carmen Peña Mr. & Mrs. Bill Lehr III Special Intention Mr. Charles Saggese
Madeline Balasso, Inez Belli, Sylvia Mancin Mrs. Angela B. Wemyss Helen Wolfe & Mary Bisaccio Mr. & Mrs. Charles A. Lechner, Jr. Sr. Lucy St. Pierre, FMA Mrs. Sandi (Santoli) Charlesworth Kathleen Burke Mr. & Mrs. Thomas McNally Lucito Croce, Louis Croce, Mafalda Croce Stann Mr. & Mrs. James Hall Lorraine Dougherty Mr. & Mrs. Robert De Francisco Michael Fossa Mr. Angelo Palombini Anna R. Hood Mr. John M. Winschel Steven Ierubino Mr. & Mrs. Alex R. Ierubino George Jurado Mr. & Mrs. Charles Curcio Sr. Theresa Cianci, FMA Mrs. Sandi (Santoli) Charlesworth Lucianne Joss & Anthony Rettino Mr. & Mrs. Charles Curcio Rosemary Pauletti, Mark Pauletti, Jr., Rosemary Rende Phillips, Marrietta Rende, Rosemary Sessa Mr. & Mrs. Robert Rende Carmine DeRose Mrs. Phyllis Indelicato Joe Sanfilippo Mrs. Nellie Sanfilippo
Partners in Giving • Fall 2006 •
19
Salesian Youth Report
VILLA MADONNA SCHOOL, TAMPA, FL – Back to School! Villa Madonna School welcomes three-year-olds to their family this year. As shown in these photos, the kids are quite busy playing, sharing, learning to listen, and having a good time. Miss Kimmie, the EC-3 teacher, and Miss Gina, her aide, are doing a great job. The EC-3 class has a beautiful room just full of wonderful things that three-yearolds love. They are looking forward to a super year!
20 • Partners in Giving • Volume XVI • Issue 5
Please call us toll-free: 877-OUR-NUNS
Salesian Youth Report SALESIAN YOUTH CENTER/BOYS & GIRLS CLUB, TAMPA, FL – The Lightning Foundation, the charitable arm of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team and the St. Pete Times Forum, presented an award of $10,000 to the Salesian Youth Center/Boys and Girls Club to be applied towards SYC program support. Sr. Claire Kennelly and Matthew Barsema of SYC accepted the check from (l-r) John Tortorella, Tampa Bay coach; Martin St. Louis (right wing), and Brad Richards (center). IMMACULATA HIGH SCHOOL, MARRERO, LA – On August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, Immaculata High School held its induction of Student Government leaders and Eucharistic Ministers for the 2006-2007 school year. Eucharistic Ministers (at right) include Marissa Hogan, Candice Gibson, Heather Ranatza, Bridgette Faucheaux, Kristen Cahill, Joann Tran, and Joan Tran. Congratulations to all, and have a terrific school year!
Visit us online! www.salesiansisters.org
Partners in Giving • Fall 2006 •
21
MAKING HEADLINES AROUND THE PROVINCE
Promote the True Reason for Christmas!
C
hristmas is just around the corner – are you prepared to share the true meaning of the holiday? There’s help at hand. Reason for the Season, LLC, is a company dedicated to keeping Christ in Christmas. Its founders have known each other for years and have a long history of supporting Catholic organizations, including the Salesian Sisters. But just as important is their belief that they can make a difference. Here is their story. Two years ago, just a week before Christmas, Tom Kolenberg drove through the prosperous suburbs of Fairfield County, Connecticut. From the type of decorations that were displayed on the front lawns of so many affluent homes it seemed as though there was no consensus as to what we were observing on December 25. Only one property owner displayed the true meaning of Christmas on his property. It was only in front of every church that Tom would find a beautiful Nativity on display celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in full view for all to observe. All that has changed, thanks to Reason for the Season. Tom and his friend, Frank Dell (husband of Partners Circle Trustee Emerita, Teri Dell), an expert in manufacturing and distribution, set up the company to supply beautiful Nativity sets that light up at night. They donate proceeds from the sale of Nativity sets to Christian non-profit organizations. If you are interested in owning your own Nativity set, please visit www.reasonfortheseason.org.
22 • Partners in Giving • Volume XVI • Issue 5
Reason for the Season’s beautiful Nativity set lights up at night, providing a 24-hour witness to the true meaning of Christmas.
he Salesian Sisters are grateful to Fee & Jeffries, P.A., Attorneys and Counselors at Law, and their long-time support of the Salesian Sisters and their works in Tampa, FL.
T
Partner Rick Fee is the Chairman of the Salesian Youth Center/ Rick Fee (above) Boys & Girls Club Board of and Dave Jeffries Directors. Rick and his business partner, Dave Jeffries, started the Corporate Giving Program, which gives companies and organizations the opportunity to donate a monthly gift to SYC. This is truly a benefit to SYC because there’s a check each month to help run the daily programs for the children. It is a benefit to the participating corporation because it allows them to give their gift in smaller increments. For more information on the Corporate Giving Program, call Theresa Anderson: (813) 226-0836.
Please call us toll-free: 877-OUR-NUNS
Please Make a Child’s Dream Come True an there be a better Christmas gift than a quality, faith-filled, Salesian School education for a child? You can make it happen this fall by supporting one of our Endowed Scholarship Funds! Please check one (or more), fill in the details below, and mail this page with your donation in the enclosed envelope. God bless you for your generosity!
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The Joan Cullinan Scholarship Fund, est. by her husband & friends, memorializes the beauty & spirit of a September 11 victim.
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Yes! I want to help! The Sr. Wilma Sanchez Scholarship Fund, est. by her brother, Arsenio Sanchez, benefits students of St. Joseph’s School in Tampa, FL.
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Yes! I want to help!
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The Carini Scholarship Fund, est. in honor of Inez & Louise, whose estates provide funding to assist needy students.
Yes! I want to help! The Rose La Malva Scholarship Fund, est. by her children, gives financial aid to freshmen at Mary Help of Christians Academy.
Yes! I want to help! The Robert R. Waitts Scholarship, est. by his wife, Maggie, will enable girls from Paterson, NJ, to attend Mary Help of Christians Academy.
Yes! I want to help!
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The Corrado Scholarship Fund, est. by the children, to aid a freshman at Mary Help of Christians Academy.
Yes! I want to help!
The Clair/Militello Scholarship Fund, est. by the Clairs, in honor of their parents, & by Fr. Benedict Militello, for Mary Help.
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Yes! I want to help! The Frances Evelyn Grandoff Endowment, est. by her daughter, Betty, aids students with high academic potential.
Yes! I want to help! The Hope M. McAleer Scholarship Fund, est. by her family, will enable young women to attend Mary Help of Christians Academy.
Yes! I want to help! The Joseph J. McAleer Vocations Fund, named for the Partners Circle founder, est. by his family, will foster Salesian vocations.
Yes! I want to help!
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The Dolores & Victor De Lucia Scholarship, for students at Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, NJ.
Yes! I want to help! The Ana Maria Auxilium Award, est. by the Baldor family, to benefit students at Villa Madonna School and at Mary Help.
Yes! I want to help! The Mary Santa Cruz Trout Endowment, est. by her family, was the first fund to aid students at Villa Madonna School in Tampa, FL.
Yes! I want to help! The Rev. August P. Bosio Scholarship Fund, est. to honor this Salesian priest by his friend, benefits Mary Help students.
Yes! I want to help! The Dan Cedola Scholarship, honoring his character & courage, for students at Villa Madonna & the Salesian Youth Center.
Yes! I want to help!
Please accept my donation for ___________________________________________ in the amount of: $ _______________ Your Name: ___________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ Telephone: ________________ E-mail: _______________________ PLEASE DETACH & MAIL IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: SALESIAN SISTERS
PARTNERS IN GIVING is a bimonthly magazine published by the
Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco Development Office 659 Belmont Avenue North Haledon, NJ 07508-2397 Telephone: (973) 904-0102 Toll-free: (877) OUR-NUNS Fax: (973) 904-0041 E-mail: fmadevt@aol.com Website: www.salesiansisters.org Federal Tax ID # 22-6043753 Missionary Society of Salesian Sisters, Inc. PRIVACY POLICY: Your name, address, and other information are held in confidence by our ministry and will never be sold, rented, or given to any other organization.
Editorial Board Dr. Joseph McAleer Sr. Mary Rinaldi, FMA, Development Director Mrs. Christina McAleer Editorial Assistants Janet Arias • Ariane Ledrut Partners in Giving welcomes letters, articles, & photos from contributors. We reserve the right to edit for publication.
Have You Moved? Please help us update our mailing list. If the address on this magazine at right is incorrect, kindly fill in this form with the correct information & mail it to our office. Many thanks!
Celebrating 60 years of Salesian life, Sr. Felicia Tanzella leads the way to the altar for the July 23 celebration, assisted by Sr. Grace Ruiz. Fellow Jubilarian (65 years) Sr. Christine Hellen follows.
Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco Development Office 659 Belmont Avenue North Haledon, NJ 07508-2397
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Partners in Giving • Fall 2006
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