Stars Powered Our Beverly Hills Event!
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n October 4, Irena Medavoy, a dear friend to the Salesian Sisters and a member of the Adopt a Sister program since 2000, hosted her very own “Meet-nGreet” for Sr. Mary Rinaldi at her home in Beverly Hills, CA. Irena, a long-time believer in the power of prayer, introduced 25 of her closest friends to the beauty of the Adopt a Sister program, a program that transcends religious boundaries and unites us all in prayer. She shared with friends the importance of the program and how all donations received support the elderly Sisters’ care. Recently, a report revealed that only 4 percent of religious orders in the U.S. are endowed. The Salesian Sisters are not one of them, and so this program is vital to sustaining the operation of the retirement home and the elderly Sisters’ care. Sr. Mary spoke to the women about the beauty of the program and how it has given a new mission to the elderly Sisters who previously were educators. Instead of worrying about aches and pains, the Sisters now share the needs of their Adopters with one another and ask for additional prayers for their special intentions. Sr. Mary closed the Meet-nGreet with a beautiful story about St. John Bosco and a blind Below, Director of Advancement Christina McAleer with Linda Thompson of Beverly Hills.
Above, Ronnie Trugman and Dr. Janis Frisch of Beverly Hills, both members of Adopt a Sister! Left, Sr. Mary Rinaldi with Julie Araskog of Beverly Hills.
girl. A mother, knowing of Don Bosco’s ability to perform miracles, asked him to restore the sight of her little girl, who was blind. Don Bosco said he did not have the power to perform miracles – only through the intercession of Mary, accompanied by prayer and faith, were miracles possible.
With that, Don Bosco took from his pocket a medal of Mary Help of Christians and threw it into the corner. He then told the little girl to go get it. Her mother screamed, “How mean you are to ask my child that when you know she is blind!” The little girl walked to the corner, picked up the medal, brought it back to Don Bosco, and said, “Is this what you were looking for?” Our Meet-n-Greet guests were touched by this true story. In the spirit of Don Bosco, a Mary Help of Christians medal was given to each. Heartfelt thanks to Irena Medavoy for opening her heart and home to spread the word about the Adopt a Sister program. You are a dear friend and we love you! f you are interested in hosting Sr. Mary Rinaldi in your home to tell new and old friends about the inspirational Adopt a Sister Program, please call us, toll-free: (877) OUR-NUNS
I Visit us online! www.salesiansisters.org
Partners in Giving • Holiday 2006 •
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