Letter from the Provincial I am writing this on the feast of the Transfiguration. All three synoptic gospels record this extraordinary event in which Jesus is atop a mountain with several of his closest disciples. They hear a voice from a cloud say, “This is my beloved Son.” That is the message that each human person longs to hear – that she or he is deeply loved. It is a message that we Sisters of Notre Dame connect to, as women called to incarnate the love of our good and provident God. We believe that each of us is an adopted son or daughter who shares in Jesus’ belovedness. We hold the hope that our many associations do in fact convey something of the love of God, but we are also so grateful that we have been recipients of that love bestowed by our friends and partners in mission. We even dare to hope that sometimes we are able to serve as the conduit through which that love reaches the poor and forgotten. All of our ministries, many of which are featured in The Pulse, engage in outreach beyond their own buildings and home territories. Those who support and enjoy our Fourth of July Festival also share in our home ministries and the young ministry in East Africa. As we move toward being a single SND province in the United States, we are already engaging in cross-province efforts such as those in New Orleans and Texas, and the National Education Summit – all described in this issue. Thank you for celebrating the jubilees of our sisters and the completed lives on Earth of our sisters and associates. May we each continue to experience, celebrate, and convey the love of our good God. Sincerely, Sr. Mary Ethel Parrott Provincial, Covington Province
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The Pulse • Fall 2015