Christmas 2022 Partners In Giving

P artners in G ivin G

Sr. Mary Rinaldi’s letter

Dear Friends,

Plastic plates and flowers, you may ask?

Our intriguing cover photo is from Corpus Christi Holy Rosary School in Port Chester, NY. It’s a novel way to teach students how to pray the Rosary: one plate for each bead, and once the Our Father, Hail Mary, or Glory Be is recited, a flower is placed, as fourth-grader Kevin is about to do. I’d like to think that St. John Bosco and St. Mary Mazzarello would be impressed by our inventiveness!

‘Tis the season for giving, as they say. For the Salesian Sisters, it is also the season for giving thanks, to each and every one of you, our Partners. Please know that we keep you in our prayers every day of the year.

And what an extraordinary year this was in our Province! We emerged from the pandemic with a renewed commitment to the education of young people, in our schools and summer camps. St. Joseph Chapel, finally completed after four long years, is a daily reminder of your generosity and a source of countless grace and blessings. Thank you.

Our wish to you and your loved ones is a very happy, holy, safe, and enriching Christmas and New Year!

Peace,

Our elderly Sisters have once again partnered with ladies from St. James of the Marches Parish in Totowa, NJ, to make prayer shawls, given to those going through a challenging time. The ladies invited those who know how to crochet or knit, or want to learn how, to make shawls with them. Above, Anita Sesya assists Sr. Livia Setti.

Donations of yarn are welcome! Please call the St. Joseph Provincial Center: (973) 790-7966. If you would like to join us in person, call Anita Sesya or Ronnie Kopec: (201) 873-8921 or Ann Ricardo: (973) 790-0288. Thank you and God bless you!

Editorial Board

Dr. Joe McAleer, Editor

Sr. Mary Rinaldi, FMA, Director of Development Sr. Brittany Harrison, FMA, Editorial Manager Sr. Suzanne Dauwalter, Theresa Anderson & Anna Anderson, Copy Editors Federal Tax ID # 22-6043753 © 2022 Missionary Society of Salesian Sisters, Inc.

Please call us toll-free: (877) OUR-NUNS

Last year, in our Christmas Appeal, we asked you to help update our retired Sisters’ bedrooms, providing the comfort needed in old age. I’m happy to report that the renewal work is in motion and the Sisters (many of whom gathered for a community photo on page 23) continually offer prayers of gratitude.

This year’s Appeal focuses on higher education. Did you know that most of our Sisters have Master’s degrees? It’s part of our commitment to self-improvement, ensuring that we are equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide the very best education to the children entrusted to our care, with confidence and clarity. Our goal is the same as that of our founder, St. John Bosco: to prepare students to take their place as productive and positive members of society, becoming good Christians and honest citizens.

We’ve been blessed with a veritable army of young Sisters! Though some had previous studies, the need for higher education is palpable. From the youngest Sister

preparing First Communicants to our most seasoned classroom Sisters, they all tell me that they need more preparation to meet the needs of young people today. They need to go deeper, climb higher, and stretch more in order to give the best to our young people. As God’s missionaries to the young, we always feel compelled to prepare ourselves well.

This Christmas, it is in great confi dence and faith that I appeal to your generosity once more.

Our goal is to raise $50,000, which will fund the tuition for our Sisters for Masters’ degrees in Theology, Administration, and Catechesis.

As I lay my pen down, I pick up my Rosary and pray for you. God is never outdone in generosity, and your gift will live on in the good works of the Sisters, whom you have helped educate, for decades to come! Thank you, God bless you, and Merry Christmas!

FMA

2022 Christmas Appeal

– Sr. Mary Rinaldi,

Our annual Christmas Appeal Please aid the advancement of our Sisters!

“The need for higher education is palpable. Our Sisters tell me they need more training to climb even higher.”

The 10th successor of St. John Bosco Salesian Rector Major pays a special visit!

Sr. Rosalie Di Peri (seated) is so happy to meet Fr. Ángel, joined by Sr. Rufina Delgado, Sr. Domenica Di Peri, and Sr. Teresita Teran.

Excitement, expectation, and joy only begin to express the emotions that filled the hearts of the Sisters of St. Joseph Provincial Community in Haledon, NJ, upon the visit of St. John Bosco’s 10th successor, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB, the Salesian Rector Major! This was an extra special event to be grateful for on Thanksgiving Day. It seemed to the Sisters another sign of Mary’s Motherly Presence, since it was also our special day, the 24th of the month.

Fr. Ángel, who oversees the Salesian priests and brothers around the world, was visiting the United States to mark the 125th anniversary of the arrival of Salesian priests and brothers in this country. He spent quality time with us, first speaking familiarly to the Sisters, Aspirants, and Novices from Newton, who filled our lovely chapel in the St. Joseph Provincial Center. After a rousing singing of “You Are All Beautiful, O Mary,” Fr. Ángel shared Sale sian Family news with us and urged us to keep alive the flame of love in our hearts by “refueling” each day.

Fr. Ángel then greeted personally each of our elder Sis ters over the age of 85, speaking graciously with each one

and blessing her. He also greeted those not yet 85, but close to it. After, in our community room, there were re freshments, sharing, spontaneous photo ops, and group photos, with those present thus filling a very happy hour.

This was followed by Mass and an encouraging homily right from the heart of Fr. Ángel, stressing love for young people and living as authentic witnesses to the Gospel. As Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, he said the litmus test of being a true daughter is having a deep devotion to Mary. Without that, we cannot call ourselves Salesians.

After Mass, Fr. Ángel went up the hill to see our new St. Joseph Chapel. He gave us another blessing and also blessed the edifice, the very heart of our Province and school campus. He encouraged us to allow the young, especially young adults, to come and pray with us.

What a wonderful, unforgettable Thanksgiving Day to be grateful for, and a wonderful surprise from Our Mother Mary! Thank you and God bless, Fr. Ángel!

– Sr. Mary Terzo, FMA

At left, Fr. Ángel blesses and greets Sr. Anna Ragogna during his visit to the Provincial House. Sr. Carmela Termine looks on, smiling.

At right, Sr. Marisol Guzman is all smiles as Fr. Ángel, as he blesses the new St. Joseph Chapel.

At left, Sr. Patricia Winterscheidt receives a blessing from Fr. Ángel.

At right, Sr. Joanne Holloman and Fr. Ángel pose beside our co-foundress, St. Mary Mazzarello.

Partners in Giving

Supporting Villa Madonna School and the Salesian Youth Center

The Thanksgiving Basket returns in style

The 19th Annual Thanksgiving Basket returned in person on November 12! More than 350 people filled the Salesian Youth Center gymnasium on Villa Madonna Campus in Tampa, FL, to honor the Campo Family: Ray & Josie Campo, posthumously, and Diana Campo Ekonomou for their outstanding service to our young people. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner donated by Columbia Restaurant, and supported the SYC and Villa Madonna School by taking a chance on themed baskets and 46 silent auction items.

Thank you to our generous donors and sponsors who helped make this evening possible. More than $120,000 was raised for Villa Madonna Campus! And congratula tions to the winners of our gift cards: $500 Amazon gift card, Kelly Nunez of Tampa; and $500 Publix gift card, Patty Camunas of Land O’Lakes, FL. Merry Christmas, and see you next year!

– Theresa Anderson

The Sisters at Villa Madonna are happy to greet their friends in-person at the Thanksgiving Basket! All smiles are Sr. Amy Nguyen, Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, Sr. Janet Keller, Sr. Marie Fe Tansioco, and Sr. Margaret Rose Buonaiuto.

Thanksgiving Basket honoree Diana Campo Ekonomou and her husband Tony enjoy the evening with their family.

At left, Villa alumna Mari Loli Leal and her family enjoy the evening.

At right, Nelson Russo did a great job as emcee for the evening!

Photos by Robyn Walk Photography

Above, high schoolers from Jesuit, Academy of Holy Names, and Tampa Catholic worked hard volunteering for the evening!

At right, Sr. Mary Rinaldi calls out basket winners, assisted by Leslie Garcia and Villa alumnus Noah Choe.

At left, Avery Barse is thrilled to win a basket full of Christmas crafts! All of our basket items were generously donated!

Thankfully, Tampa, FL, was spared a direct hit from Hurricane Ian, and dam age was minimal. At Villa Madonna School, students volunteered to help the Sisters clean up debris on campus. Happy to help are eighth-graders Chloe Salgado, Aubree Treece, and Jack Armstrong.

We continue to pray for all of our Salesian family members and friends impacted by recent hurricanes, in Puerto Rico, Florida and the Southeast.

In Naples, FL, St. John Neumann High School survived the wind, rain, and floods, but many families and friends were not so fortunate. Students were quick to help with the clean up. “Our Catholic faith calls each of us to reach out in time of need and to shine God’s light in the darkness,” says Sr. Pat Roche, principal. “These photos show our students in action out in the community, shining their light!”

The Salesian Sisters 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 (such as during the COVID-19 pandemic). Your annual contribution to this fund empowers the Sisters to continue their mission: To Provide Financial Assistance and Volunteer Services to the Salesian Sisters and to the Young People in their Care for the Advancement of Education, Vocations, and Community Life.

The fire which destroyed St. Joseph Chapel in North Haledon, NJ, in 2018 underscored the vital importance of the Partners Circle Fund, enabling the Sisters to respond quickly in an emergency and begin the rebuilding process – now complete!

There are 8 levels of membership, starting at $250, which are listed on these three pages. PC denotes a member of the Partners Circle National Board of Trustees, a group of talented lay people who advise the Sisters on distribution of the fund. Won’t you consider joining this dynamic group as we anticipate our 32nd anniversary? Please call us today: (877) OUR-NUNS. Thank you and God bless you!

The Joseph J. McAleer, Sr. Heritage Society Major Bequests

FLORIDA

Dorothy & Dr. Vincent Bagli

Josie & Ray Campo

Anne & Joseph Garcia

Ann Lowry Murphey

Angel Oliva Family The Dorothy Thomas Foundation

Tony Amato Family

The Carini Family

Mr. Anthony Petrocelli Ms. Roberta Ruocco Ms. Celeste Tripi

Mr. Vincent Waraske

Partners Circle “Partners”

Annual gift of $5,500

FLORIDA

Mr. & Mrs. Javier Baldor

Ms. Caroline Barnhill

Lydia & John Oliva Susan & Jeff Turner

NEW JERSEY

Joseph Batelli

Al Daloisio, Jr. Anthony & Geraldine Dell’Orto

Maria L. Lopez

Mr. Bill McLaughlin

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Pfeifer Joseph & Rita Weiner

INDIANA

Mr. & Mrs. Judson Church NEW YORK

Mr. John Cassara Beruta & James Dell’Orto

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Mueller

Visit us online! www.salesiansisters.org

Chris & Gemma Chong Frank & Rosemary Lupo

YORK Mr. & Mrs. Paul Cangro PENNSYLVANIA Mr. & Mrs. Vincent DeBow

CONNECTICUT Christina & David McAleer PC

DELAWARE Maria Sturchio

FLORIDA

Anne & John Bedlek Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Clark John & Pat Connors Anthony & Diana Ekonomou Mrs. Kathleen Medore

NEW JERSEY

Mr. Robert Eliseo Mr. & Mrs. Donald Hofmann Mr. & Mrs. Anthony M. Laino Marilyn & Dale Livi

Mr. Joseph Massood The O’Halloran Family Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Papetti Andrelisa Michel & Michael Russo NEW YORK Jordon Carroll Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Scala

PENNSYLVANIA

In Loving Memory of Sr. Adeline Salvetti, FMA

SOUTH CAROLINA Tom & Laurie Aldinger

Welcome new or upgraded members in Red! PC denotes a member of the Partners Circle National Board of Trustees.

Partners Circle “Benefactors” Annual gift of $1,100

ARIZONA

Mrs. Ann Marie Forster

CALIFORNIA

Mary & Robert Obenberger Diane Onken Mr. & Mrs. Donald Onken

COLORADO Jamie & Paul Condit

CONNECTICUT

Linda & Peter Christiansen PC Mr. Michael Guarnieri PC Fabrizio & Barbara Zichichi

FLORIDA

Joseph & Claudine Caballero PC Rick & Patti Caldevilla PC Mrs. Patricia Driscoll

Maria Restrepo Forte

Dr. Giacomo & Judy Guggino

Aida Yglesias Jurado

Greg & Lori Korte

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Middendorf

Robert Nocek

Mr. & Mrs. Rob Obbink

Ms. Marianne O’Doherty

Mr. Fredy Padovan Gene & Linda Perez

John & Diann Pinkowski Rudy Rodriguez

MASSACHUSETTS

Mr. & Mrs. Neil Holmes Deirdre Kelleher Mr. & Mrs. Ted Reading

NEW JERSEY

Mrs. Theresa Cannarozzi

Ms. Debi F. Debiak, Esq. Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Della Cerra Mr. & Mrs. Martin Flemming

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Furey

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Granatell Miss Mary Jean Hayek

James Construction Co., Inc.

Michael & Mary Losurdo Mrs. Faith Menard

Mary Ann Munson

Dr. & Mrs. Wayne Obetz Robert & Constance Sumas Mrs. Carolyn Young

NEW YORK

Mr. Silvio Alfeo Ms. Lea Battiato

Jo Ann & Joseph Caracappa PC Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Silveri

PENNSYLVANIA

Msgr. Robert Carroll Dr. Allyson & Mr. Kevin Hardy

Mrs. Eileen Seeburger

TENNESSEE

Mr. Leonard V. Ingrando

CONNECTICUT Dr. Joe McAleer PC

FLORIDA

Declan & Shelly Mansfield Anne & Fred Michaels Rene & Phyllis Rodriguez Mr. & Mrs. Terry Wood

NEW JERSEY Joseph W. & Kathleen Buckley Mr. & Mrs. Greg Scott

INDIANA Sandra M. Freeman

VIRGINIA Dr. Evelyn Garcia & Michael Maurer

Partners Circle

CALIFORNIA

Joanne & Geraldine Rizzuto

CONNECTICUT

Mr. & Mrs. Edward F. Goin

Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Mosey

FLORIDA

Dr. Kenneth Alonso

Theresa & Mark Anderson Mrs. Bernadine Ayer

Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Baldor, Jr. PC

Mrs. Liana Baldor, in memory of Ana Maria & Carlos Sr. Dr. Stephanie A. Canada

Mrs. Trudy Carey

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Corces, in memory of Charles J. Corces Dr. & Mrs. Emilio Echevarria

Manny & Aggie Fernandez Mrs. Leslie Garcia PC

Joseph Phillip, Jr. & Julia Jones Mr. James D. Leone Kelly Barcia Nunez PC Mark & Heidi Oliva PC

Mr. & Mrs. Mark S. Reynolds Alina M. Roces

Rudy Rodriguez

Hon. & Mrs. E.J. Salcines

Mrs. Joan M. Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Tomaino Ron Yates

GEORGIA

Mr. Charles Fantauzza Mrs. Brooke McDonald

ILLINOIS

The Mills Family

The Rangel Family

INDIANA

Andrea Dealynn

LOUISIANA

Mr. & Mrs. George LeBlanc

MARYLAND Adrienne & Albert Marra

MASSACHUSETTS Ms. Josephine Petrillo

NEW JERSEY

Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Amatuzzi Tiziana Anello, M.D.

“Members”

Mrs. Rose Bielicki

Mrs. Regina Calcagno Mr. & Mrs. James Cavaluzzi Mary Joan Collison

Larry & Mary Anne Condit

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew J. Dunn Mr. & Mrs. Michael Ferrito Dr. & Mrs. Lou Gambetta PC Joann Giamonco

Teresa Gutto

Vivian Isenberg Mr. James Lane Laura Cosentino Mannarino George & Jeannie Pavlik Mrs. Christine Peragallo Twinkie & Michael Polizzi PC

NEW YORK

Michael & Jeanette Altamura Mr. & Mrs. Jack Betwarda Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Clair

Annual gift of $550

Mrs. Rose Mary Clair

Ms. Claire Dell

The Esposito Family Mr. & Mrs. Paul R. Gerardi Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Greene Ms. Lena Huang Mr. Walter Lazarcheck Mr. Joseph V. Miressi Mrs. Margaret Reilly-Antalec

NORTH CAROLINA Mr. & Mrs. Paul Liotard

OHIO

Dale & Lynda Kovach In memory of Mr. Fred Mastrogiovanni Ginnie Stidham

Mr. & Mrs. Brian Clair

Ms. Kate Clair Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Piotrowski

SOUTH CAROLINA Mackenzie Clair

TENNESSEE Mr. Terence P. Clair

TEXAS

Dr. Elizabeth Sledden Dybell

VIRGINIA Mrs. Dominique Faust Mr. Michael L. Mannoia Karl Zauner

WASHINGTON Mr. Keiran C. Clair Partners

CALIFORNIA

Jeanann Davis Patrick & Kasia Gorman Rev. Paula T. Webb

CONNECTICUT

Anonymous Mrs. Eileen G. Hahnenkratt Mrs. Concetta Luppino Mr. Patrick J. Waide, Jr.

DELAWARE

Mr. & Mrs. Stevan Csanady

FLORIDA

Kurt & Laura Badertscher Jon & Michelle Barry

Amanda Clair

Marilyn Collins Brig. Gen. & Mrs. Thomas V. Draude, USMC-Ret. Mr. & Mrs. Patrick C. Duffy Mr. & Mrs. Edward Gomez, Jr. Amy & Kevin Jarman Mr. & Mrs. Richard Lebron Mr. & Mrs. John Mangin

Joan Palmer John & Pauline Pedrero Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schmid

PENNSYLVANIA Joseph & Joyce Boyle

Mrs. Raymetta Stowers Jim & Rita (Zoppo) Vietmeier

MARYLAND Arina O. Grossu PC

NEW HAMPSHIRE Mr. & Mrs. Thomas DiMicelli

NEW JERSEY John Capeci PC Julie Caucino Collins & Hogan Families

Mr. & Mrs. Donald Cronrath Mr. & Mrs. David Hess Msgr. Raymond Kupke Theodore & Lynda Leo Mr. & Mrs. Lindsay Logue Catherine Miller

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Nowak Mrs. Mary Ann Ryan

Gene & Lorraine Signoretti

Anna & Richard Spalckhaver Maura & T.J. Sullivan Maura & Michael Testa Mr. Eugene Veltri Mr. Edward M. Zambrano

NEW YORK

Mr. Patrick Clair Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Collison Mr. & Mrs. Charles Curcio Maria DaGrossa-Hanna PC Megan & J.T. Hunt Ms. Peggeann Larywon Mrs. Carolyn Mesler Madeleine & Rene Perrin PC

NORTH CAROLINA Chester & Monica Michewicz

OHIO Anonymous

PENNSYLVANIA

Bernadette & Fred Cairoli Mr. & Mrs. William Hayes

SOUTH CAROLINA

Elizabeth Craig & Michael Reeves, Jr. Ed & Luciann Slomkowski

VIRGINIA

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Deighan Wanda & Michael Pomatto Mrs. Shannon Whitmore

Give Us This Day

Please detach and mail this form in the enclosed envelope. Thank you!

Please “Give Us This Day”!

An exchange of love

Do you have a happy occasion you would like to share? The Salesian Sisters will celebrate with you for an entire month. Is it a time to mark a less-than-happy occasion? Our prayer for 30 days will commemorate this event in your life. Have you someone to thank? All of us will help multiply this gratitude to that special person. Is there a special person or event to bring to the attention of your friends? Then please “Give Us This Day”!

Any event, person, or situation that merits special attention will be publicized on a bulletin board outside our chapel. The Sisters will pray for that intention and for the person who requests prayers for the day, and whose sacrificial gift supports the endowment for our retired Sisters.

Let this exchange of time be an example of our concern and love for one another. Enjoy the Christmas Season knowing that you are special to us. Our prayers rise daily for you and your dear ones. Thank you, and God bless you!

Please give us this day/these days in 2023 in honor of my special request(s):

Many happy returns, Sr. Angela De Capua!

Dear Friends: A message from Sister Joanne

What do you want for Christmas?

Iam sure most of us have a childhood memory of sitting on Santa’s lap waiting for him to ask us, “What do you want for Christmas?” I have such a memory.

When my parents took my brother George and I to the local department store, we waited eagerly in line to get our chance to have some quality time with Santa. I looked at Santa and, with complete trust, asked for – a Barbie Dream House! With that child-like trust I just knew in my heart of hearts that I would get what I asked for.

Unfortunately, this story has a twist. Like any child, I would sneak around the house trying to find where the “elves” hid my gift. It just so happened that I managed to find a big box concealed in my parents’ closet. Of course I peeked in it and behold, there was a Barbie Dream House! I was so excited that I told my surprised brother the news.

I returned a second time to see the Barbie Dream House hidden in my parents’ closet and, much to my chagrin, there was a note: “Joanne, We had to return the gift since you found our secret hiding place. Signed, Santa’s Elves.”

Truth be told, my parents knew I was not really the “doll type”. That Christmas I got a chemistry set instead, and I have to admit I had a lot more fun with that than I would have had with Barbie, who would have quickly bored me. Years later, I found out that my brother told my parents about my discovery, and that the Dream House was actually a gift for my cousin that my parents were hiding for my aunt.

As an adult, asking what you want for Christmas has a different meaning. Personally, I don’t need anything, Visit us online! www.salesiansisters.org

and what I want I really can’t buy on Amazon. The gifts of health, happiness, holiness, family, vocations, and peace in the world are top on my list.

However, this year I am considering what legacy can I leave to future generations. Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Si, asked us the question: What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to the children who are now growing up? (#160) That question certainly gives us some food for thought.

Recently, on YouTube Originals, a movie came out entitled “The Letter.” This movie comes from the Vatican and the Laudato Si Movement. It could almost be considered an updated version of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It doesn’t show how the world would be if George Bailey never existed, but how the world will not exist if we are not agents of positive change.

I invite you to watch this movie and join in by making small, intentional, positive changes, so that together we can have a big impact on future generations. The film is available online at theletterfilm.org.

With that in mind, I ask: What do you want for Christmas?

As always, be sure of my prayers and those of the Sisters, especially on Christmas morning when we go to Mass. Please pray for us, as we meet you at the Christmas crib.

Merry Christmas!

– Sr. Joanne Holloman, FMA, is the Superior of the Province of St. Joseph

in Giving

“Joanne, we had to return the gift since you found our secret hiding place. Signed, Santa’s Elves.”

A Love That Lasts Forever

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.

This gift lives forever, joining our loved ones to the prayers of the Salesian Sisters while supporting their good works.

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:

Memorials

Received between October 1 and November 30, 2022

Sr. Frances Gumino, FMA Ann Marie Hessenius

Sr. Lucy Balistrieri, FMA Mrs. Rose Ricci

Candida Carusa Hall Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Purcia

Patricia Ricci Ms. Maureen Brown Ms. Grace De Boer Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Balcof Ms. Allison Denver

Dorothy DeGraff Barbara Bogler

Linda Hammann

Mr. & Mrs. Jefferey Quinn

James Dell’Orto Mr. & Mrs. John Cooke Mr. & Mrs. Gino Romitelli Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Mattone, Sr.

James De Luna Ms. Carol Kasper

Louis Ricci, Sr. Mrs. Rose Ricci

Sally Thomas Mrs. Rose Ricci

Luigi Marciante, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Luigi Marciante

Carmela Seminerio Ann Marie Hessenius

Sam Seminerio Ann Marie Hessenius

James Toner

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Quinn

Tributes

Received between October 1 & November 30, 2022

Sr. Rosalie Di Peri, FMA, on her 99th birthday Dr. Joe McAleer

Sr. Domenica Di Peri, FMA, on her 98th birthday Ms. Josephine Savage

ACADEMY OF OUR LADY, Marrero, LA – We were blessed by a visit from Rome by Sr. Runita Borja, FMA, Salesian General Counselor for Youth Ministry. She visited classes and prayed with us, and we present ed her with an Academy jacket! Thank you, Sr. Runita!

ifty years ago in Marrero, LA, “Santa Claus” paid a visit to the convent, much to the delight of Sr. Ann Cassidy, Sr. Martina Ponce, Sr. Nivia Campuzano, Fr. Sam Isgro, SDB, Sr. Domenica Di Peri, and Sr. Victoria Graziani.

SALESIAN SCHOOLS !

ST. THERESA SCHOOL, Kenilworth, NJ – Congratulations to the 2022 Catholic Youth Organization Champs! Our very own Junior Varsity Volleyball team and their hard-working coaches bought home the trophy this year!

IMMACULATA – LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL, Miami, FL – Our school’s Association of Devotees of Mary Help of Chris tians (ADMA) Youth Club visited Notre Dame d’Haiti church in Little Haiti in Miami and led a fun morning of activ ities for the Religious Education students. The kids enjoyed a time filled with laughter, music, and faith-based activi ties. ADMA members gave the kids a taste of the four components of a true Salesian Oratory: home, school, church, and playground.

SALESIAN SCHOOLS !

VILLA MADONNA SCHOOL, Tampa, FL –

On Veterans Day, fourth-graders wait for their “own” veterans to arrive – their parents and grandparents! The day is always a special one as students learn the importance of military service and celebrate their loved ones.

MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS ACADEMY, North Haledon, NJ – Congratulations to senior Litzy Sanchez who has won the National Hispanic Recognition Award, which colleges use to identify aca demically compet itive students and underrepresented students. Eligible students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 test, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP exams, and are Hispanic American or Latinx. Well done, Litzy!

VILLA MADONNA CAMPUS, Tampa, FL – Students are patiently awaiting the completion of the Pavilion Project! At left, the Pavilion basketball court floor has been painted. Above, much progress has been made on the running track and the playground.

Please help us reach the finish line! Naming opportunities are still available. For more information, please contact Theresa Anderson: (813) 205-3195 or visit our website: www.villapavilion.com. Thank you!

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES HIGH SCHOOL, Columbus, OH – Under the direction of Sr. Guerline Joseph, prior to the school’s All Saints Day Mass, students presented highlights from the lives of the saints, sharing how the holy men and women teach us how to love God, serve others, and become the unique people God made us to be.

ST. ANTHONY SCHOOL, Hawthorne, NJ – When Sr. Joanne Holloman, the Provincial Superior, visited St. Anthony’s, the theme of the day was “Rise and Shine to Your Best Self.” Students assured her they always try to do so, and not only when they get to wear pajamas to school! They added that the school community has embraced Pope Francis’ invitation to “hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” As a school gift, they presented her with an Ecology Day, when students will go to the grounds of the Provincial House to clean up nature. A member of each grade also presented Sr. Joanne (at right) with a signed class pledge to pray and do little acts of love to protect our common home, and so make the light of Christ shine.

SALESIAN SCHOOLS !

On October. 22, members of the Class of 1992 of Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Hale don, NJ, had their 30th reunion. About 21 classmates attended, and everyone enjoyed fellowship and shared lots of memories. The girls – who are now ladies – brought with them pictures of the four members of the class who have died, so that they would be remembered.

Sr. Maryann Schaefer (above right), the class’ Senior Moderator at the time, presented each alumna with a statue of Mary Help of Christians as a token of appreciation for their faithfulness to the Sisters, to their high school, and to moral values. Wonderful seeing you, ladies!

Please call us toll-free: (877) OUR-NUNS

Salesian School Alumni Spotlight

“I really felt part of a family at Mary Help”

In the five years since she graduated from Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, NJ, Nicole Pinuela, class of 2017, has been very busy! The native of Elmwood Park, NJ, graduated with a Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies from Wagner College. In October, she passed her board exam, and is now a Physician Assistant in the Orthopedic Surgery Department of New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Partners in Giving caught up with Nicole to discuss her journey from school to the workplace.

What are your memories of Mary Help of Christians Academy?

I really loved my time at Mary Help. I loved the teachers, the Sisters, my friends, and everyone in between. I felt like I was really a part of a family, and that everyone knew and cared about each other on such a personal level. It was a place where we could laugh with one another.

One of the perks was the smaller student body, so we really got to know each other. When I went away to college, I didn’t realize how much I would miss laughing in the cafeteria at those round tables with my friends as I ate the same tuna sandwich and chocolate chip cookie every day.

How did Mary Help empower you as a woman and assist you on your career path?

The unique thing about Mary Help are all the talented and successful women out there who come from the school or will come from the school as it continues its educational mission.

I was really involved on campus with different groups and extracurriculars, including Health Occupation Students of America, the choir, student council, the yearbook, and school musicals. With the support of my teachers and peers, I was always incorporating my singing, public speaking, theatrical, and medical skills into doing what I loved every day.

As I began studying medicine, I learned that being successful was not knowing everything and

achieving the highest scores on exams, but maintaining compassion, humility, and perseverance through it all, while still doing what you love. I always strive to do my best, but I also was taught to have the proper perspective on success at Mary Help.

What inspired you

to

choose the path of a Physician Assistant?

My Mom and Dad are both in the health care field, and I’ve always known that I wanted to do the same, but I just wasn’t sure exactly what, until one day when I was introduced to the PA profession. These are medical professionals who could diagnose, treat, and manage patients, all the while not being restricted to one specialty and place.

My goals as PA are simple: I want to be a support person for those who need someone, and also to speak and meet new people with new stories every day.

I am beginning my career in orthopedic surgery at New YorkPresbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, but I would also love to branch out and do emergency medicine and psychiatry. I think focusing on mental health, especially within today’s youth and the surrounding stigma, is extremely important and often overlooked.

How do you stay connected with God in your busy life?

My Mom and I stay connected to God through the little things we do every day, even when life gets hard or busy. We continue to pray silent prayers throughout the day, and we still talk to Him and ask for guidance when life often feels hopeless. We remind ourselves that He may have another plan for us and we trust in it.

“You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by” (Job 11:16). I heard this in Theology class at Mary Help. I carry it with me dearly to this day because, through every conflict, every failure, every step of the way, time will pass, and we will move on. It gives me strength.

“I always strive to do my best, but Mary Help also taught me about perspective.”

SALESIAN SCHOOLS !

ACADEMY OF OUR LADY, Marrero, LA – “A grand parent is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.” On November 1, the Academy shared a wonderful afternoon welcoming grandparents remem bering and honoring those who have passed away at our annual Grandparent’s Mass. Fr. Colm Cahill, Vocations Director for the Archdiocese, celebrated the Mass. He reminded grandparents to always be there for their grandchildren. Likewise, his message to the girls was to not be influenced or persuaded to be something or someone they are not, and to lean on their grandpar ents for guidance and support. Sound advice!

CORPUS CHRISTI HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL, Port Chester, NY – Congratulations to eighthgrader Valerie Irlanda, who won third place among 100 participants in the 2022 Young Writers’ Competition, “Breaking Barriers,” at the Lock wood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk, CT.

The competition was open to grades 6-8 in the tristate area. Students wrote an essay about a person, group of people, or an invention that is considered groundbreaking, pioneering, or innovative, espe cially one that broke barriers. For her essay, “Break ing Social Barriers,” Valerie wrote about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old African-American who was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat for a white person, thereby inspiring a chain of protests against social injustice towards African-Americans, nine months prior to Rosa Parks’ famous refusal to do the same. Valerie beat 97 other applicants to take third place!

Valerie is pictured above with CCHRS teachers Yuri Vilasboas, Sr. Boram Lee, and Sam Dang. Well done, Valerie!

On the Journey with Sister B

‘Tis the season for being a little too busy

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – for most of us! For those of us tasked with prepping the parties and the eventual clean-up, it may seem like a seasonal chore, but during the actual celebrations that crown all the prep and cleaning, I always find a moment of pleasure in seeing the joy and happiness of those gathered. This time of year always seems to follow a cycle of preparation, anticipation, gathering, gratitude, clean-up, and then eventual return to daily life, each stage being a journey:

• Preparation. Shopping, wish-lists, menu-planning, booking venues, Christmas cards, and inviting guests begins the process.

• Anticipation. Tweaking the plans to be just right, deciding on décor, and picking the music, counting down to the date; butterflies in our stomachs as the thought of seeing loved ones after a long absence builds our excitement.

• Gathering. The event has arrived. Pouring drinks, sharing food, laughter, stories, warmth, and smiles. All the hard work was worth it!

• Gratitude. We feel a glow in our hearts at the opportunity to be together, for what we share, for what we have, and what we can receive. Despite all the struggles of the past year, we realize we are still blessed in so many ways.

• Clean-up. A kind of processing and closure of all that happened, a letting go and releasing of expectations and hopes, treasuring the good and letting go of disappointments. Giving ourselves permission to move-on towards the next celebration.

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• Return to Daily Life. Every party must end for the next to begin, just as every suffering eventually is replaced by joy. We bring to our daily lives the happiness of the celebration, the memories and words exchanged. It buoys us as we go forward.

This cycle is really the Advent cycle that we find ourselves in during December – Mary and Joseph have to prepare for the coming of Jesus. The anticipation of His arrival is paired with a command to gather in Bethlehem. Despite their sufferings in travel and not finding a place at the inn, their hearts are still full of gratitude for the blessing of Jesus and the wonder of God-among-us. Visitors like the shepherds, wisemen and angels round out the first birthday party of the God-King. Eventual cleanup finds them leaving in haste to Egypt to begin a new life as refugees from King Herod’s jealousy. They begin again to live a simple life, transformed by the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

This Christmas, we are invited to reflect on how Jesus’ birth will transform the simple every-ness of our lives. How will the warmth, joy, and happiness of parties spill over into the rest of the year? How will the good wishes exchanged make us more generous and celebratory of the little gifts we find along our way, even when they are not wrapped in shiny paper and bows?

My wish for all of us is that the busyness of this season may not overshadow the beauty of its meaning, and that the invitation it offers leads us to not only welcome Jesus’ birth, but help bring Jesus to others as Christians transformed by His love. Merry Christmas!

– Sr. Brittany Harrison, FMA

Don’t let the busyness of the season overshadow the beauty of its meaning.

Now more than ever

Please Adopt a Sister!

Please consider joining our friends of all faiths who have experienced the transforming power of prayer and loving friendship with a Salesian Sister, every day of the year, through our Adopt a Sister Program.

Whether the Adopted Sister is for yourself, a family member, or a friend in need of spiritual strength, you will find comfort knowing that your intentions will be remembered each day by your spiritual prayer partner, and your sacrificial gift will support our elderly Sisters. It makes the PERFECT gift, especially for a wedding, birthday, anniversary, Christmas – any occasion! Please complete the form below, visit us at www.salesiansisters.org, or call us tollfree: (877) OUR-NUNS. Thank you, and God bless you!

On a recent trip to Virginia, Sr. Elfie Del Rosario was surprised and excited to run into her Adopter, Melanie Perello, at an event!

Sr. Fanny Florez

Sr. Mary Bertha Paquin

Sr. Mary Ann Caspary

Sr. Mary Arciga

Sr. Clare Kennelly

. Sr. Mary Louise Mazzocco

. Sr. Carmela Termine

Sr. Pauline Joss

Sr. Bui Thi Bich Huyen

. Sr. Emilia Kassab

. Sr. Virginia Dickey

. Sr. Rosalie Di Peri

. Sr. Mary Anne Zito

. Sr. Catherine Novo

Sisters of St. John Bosco Province of St. Joseph of the Eastern U.S. & Canada Development Office 659 Belmont Avenue, North Haledon, NJ 07508-2397

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Salesian Sisters and Novices from our Newton, NJ, community enjoyed a visit to Liberty Farm in Sandyston, NJ, home to the largest sunflower maze on the East Coast, hosted by owner Raj Sinha and his family. The Sinhas chose to give back to the environment, planting more than one million seeds, producing flowers that attract bees, birds and other helpful pollinators, as well as agri-tourists like us! It was great a Pope Francis-Laudato Si moment of learning about how interconnected people, plants, and insects are in the environment.

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