Sylvania Franciscan magazine, Spring 2019

Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio

The

Sylvania

Franciscan 2019 • Vol. 20, Issue 1

Sister Stories Sister M. Jeremias and Sister M. Rosine impart care and respect for all creation in their ministries. Page 4 & 6.

News&Notes Franciscan Focus

A Hall of Fame induction, plus the New Sylvania Franciscan Bus arrives on campus! Page 3.

A special ray of light on what is considered the largest outdoor ceramic mural in the Midwest. Page 15.

Letter from the Congregational Minister

Respect the Gift of All Creation

Leadership

The Sylvania Franciscan newsletter is a publication of the Congregational Advancement Office of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio Sister Mary Jon Wagner, OSF Congregational Minister Sister Theresa Darga, OSF Assistant Congregational Minister Sister Sharon Derivan, OSF Councilor/Congregational Secretary Sister Rachel Marie Nijakowski, OSF Councilor/Congregational Treasurer Sister Shannon Schrein, OSF Councilor Eileen Kerner Director of Congregational Advancement 419-824-3625 ekerner@sistersosf.org Teri Bockstahler, Editor Director of Communications and Marketing 419-824-3627 tbockstahler@sistersosf.org Elizabeth Reiter, Contributing writer

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Dear Friends, May God’s gifts continue to enrich you.

We are invited in this issue of The Sylvania Franciscan to reflect on the topic, “Respect the Gift of all Creation.” What does this really mean – where did this call come from?

Reflecting on this very active theme, especially in our time, I looked out our front window at the latest blanket of fresh snow, the blue sky and bright sunshine. I became lost in nature’s beauty and flashed back to the original question.

Looking out, I saw beauty, stillness, birds, squirrels, neighbors clearing their driveways and chatting with each other and “all is good.”

These thoughts bring into focus, God, the Giver of this gift of nature. “In the beginning...” and spoken in the book of Genesis, God created each element of creation in respectful order from the first, to us. God said each is good and God calls us to take care of all creation. What God creates is “good,” and we are put in charge to continue this goodness. Is this not our directive from our God to respect all the gifts of creation?

God later created a man called Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis captured the spirit of God through his listening heart and brought the respect for the gifts of creation alive through his prayer and actions of his life. Saint Francis, through his relationship with all creation, reflects his gentle spirit and unique expressions of both animate and inanimate creative gifts. Saint Francis wrote, prayed and shared prayer in which he named all elements of creation giving praise to our Creator: The Canticle of Creation.

Our Mission Statement calls each of us to respect all creation as a commitment to our Franciscan life. Each of you who partner in mission with the Sylvania Franciscans are connected to, and are challenged by this same call. It is not easy today to stand with this call in our society, our world.

We need to leave the “forest” and challenge the destruction of creation through acts of violence across the land, in the oceans and waterways, the atmosphere, space and ourselves. We, Sisters, Associates and all who believe that creation is a gift, need to come together.

Each of us can’t do it all, but together we can do a little more, speaking up to the truth of our world conditions. Giving support to the word respect is necessary. To answer our earlier question, with the Genesis reflection, “God said it is Good,” Saint Francis taught us how to praise God through creation. To join God and St. Francis puts each of us in “good company” to support the call and the challenge to respect the gift of all creation!

In the prayer of Saint Francis and Saint Clare,

Sister Mary Jon Wagner, OSF Congregational Minister

SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF SYLVANIA, OHIO

Mission Called like Francis of Assisi to live the Gospel in joyful servanthood among all people, the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, as messengers of peace, commit themselves to works that reverence human dignity, embrace the poor and marginalized, and respect the gift of all creation.

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News Notes Sister Ann Francis Klimkowski Inducted into Northwest Ohio Polish Hall of Fame Sister Ann Francis was inducted into the newly created Polish Hall of Fame as a faith leader this past November. Sister Ann Francis was honored for her significant leadership at Lourdes University, for her countless areas of influence within the Polish community in the Toledo area, as well as being a leader within our Franciscan community.

The Sylvania Franciscan congregation was recognized for its impact on educating the

children of the Polish immigrants in the Toledo area, responding to the request of Bishop Joseph Schrembs.

The NWO Polish Hall of Fame Event was held at the Brandywine Country Club and honored those who have made an impact on Toledo in the areas of faith, family, labor, and culture. Of 50 nominations in this inaugural event, only eight honorees were selected to be inducted.

New Bus Arrives!

Sister Ann Francis (on left) invited a few Sisters who have had a significant role in her life to share the evening with her. including: Sister Carolyn Giera, Sister Joan Jurski (at right), Sister Jeanette Zielinski, Sister Sharon Havelak, Sister Rosine Sobczak, Sister Mary Thill, and Sister Theresa Darga.

Congregational Leadership members Sisters Mary Jon Wagner, Shannon Schrein, Theresa Darga and Rachel Marie Nijakowski were overjoyed to receive a brand new bus for the elderly Sylvania Franciscans and Rosary Care Center (RCC) residents to use for outings around town (see photo).

In December of 2015, Eileen Kerner, Director of Advancement came across a grant opportunity that would assist the congregation in purchasing a bus, which had been needed for a long time.

“The retail value of the bus was higher than the Federal Transportation Agency grant and fortunately a generous private donor stepped forward to bridge the gap,” explained Kerner. “We thank TARTA and everyone involved for their hard work to make this happen,” she added.

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F E AT U R I N G M I N I S T R I E S

A Contemplative Stance on

Caring for Creation

As the Superintendent of Environmental Stewardship, Gardens, Shrines and Woodland Management for the Sylvania Franciscan campus, Sister M. Jeremias Stinson has built a lot of bridges – both literally and figuratively.

Seeking shelter from a sudden thunderstorm in the neglected Portiuncula in 1974, Sister M. Jeremias proposed a plan for its repair. And she didn't stop there.

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She’s been recognized with honors bestowed at local, state and national levels. In 2018, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur entered Sister Jeremias into the Congressional Record for her conservation work in protecting 250 native species in her care.

Her response plan to the Emerald Ash Borer that destroyed 1,841 trees on the 89-acre Motherhouse campus garnered the interest of Washington, D.C., became the model for the US and Canada, and turned the Sylvania Franciscan campus into a key research site.

SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF SYLVANIA, OHIO

And while she is grateful that she has created a ‘petri dish’ for experimental studies, nothing delights her more than when she sees someone simply stop to ‘smell the roses.’

“What people see is green lawns, cared for trees, inspiring shrines and beautiful flowers,” Sister Jeremias says. “They may think that they are simply looking at a rose, but, wrapped in the silence of contemplation, they find themselves in the presence of God.” The Sylvania Franciscan community, she explains, values contemplation and prayer. “We express our prayer with the work of our hands, which we do in our individual ways such as teaching, nursing, art and helping the poor,” she says.

For Sister Jeremias, her ministry is to “witness to God by being a steward of all he has created.”

“Sister Jeremias is one of the top ten inspirational people that I’ve worked with,” says USDA Natural Resource Conservationist Steve Davis, who has worked with her for over 25 years.

This former math teacher found her ministry in 1974, a year that turned out to be what she calls the “apex of her life.”

It was her habit to spend any spare minute out in the woods communicating with God. That summer she had just completed studies in Franciscan Theology, which she’d taken between her other ministries. She was passionate about wanting to live a contemplative rhythm of life, but the Congregational Council had just asked her to take on a role she felt was out of sync with what she believed she was called to do.

later, Council agreed to let her have one year, with Congregational Minister Sister Miriam adding with a smile, “You can’t do too much harm.”

Sister Jeremias’ spirit soared all through the next year.

She used the bridge next to the Portiuncula as shelter for her first workshop. She carted off spare materials from the Rosary Care building project. She begged for physical help, knowledge and materials.

“I met the best people that year, people who were poor like me, in the junkyard, scrap yard and around the city,” Sister Jeremias remembers happily. “The most generous folks in the world are the poor and we have worked together ever since,” she says.

At the end of the year, the Portiuncula was approximately 60% complete and it was already drawing people. Using her father’s sickle and an ax, she single-handedly cleared

From left: Environmentalist Cathy Schrein, Sister M. Jeremias Stinson, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Artist Janet Davies and Sister M. Grace Ellen Urban pause in front of the Polyhouse/Garden for the Poor during a visit to the Motherhouse campus, August, 2018.

Praying over the matter as she walked one day, a sudden thunderstorm drove her to find emergency shelter in the Portiuncula Chapel, which had fallen into disrepair. Once inside, she realized that since Mother M. Adelaide’s death a decade earlier, nobody had stepped forward to continue Mother Adelaide’s vision for the grounds. Not only was the Chapel in need of repair, but many trees had fallen, shrines needed tending and invasive plants needed control.

Sister Jeremias approached the Congregational Council and proposed that she would like to repair the Portiuncula and develop the Ten Mile Creek area into a Franciscan prayer garden, as the physical expression of her call to contemplation.

Council was skeptical. For one thing, she had been a teacher, not a builder. There was no money for the project and no one to help. However, several sessions

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the thick vines and brambles from what would eventually relationships originally forged by Mother Adelaide become the Canticle of Praise Prayer Garden. with county, city, state and federal agencies. She worked all day and spent her evenings studying, eventually Unfortunately, Council was short on math teachers and it looked like she was headed back to the classroom until, collecting a wide range of diplomas and certificates, including one from Cornell University and a landscape three days before class, Sister Miriam found another school in Los Angeles, CA. teacher. Sister Jeremias joyfully returned to work.

Eventually she was asked to assume responsibility for all 89 acres, which is when she began working with arborist Joe Eby and asked Sister M. Grace Ellen Urban to be her assistant.

Sister Grace Ellen loved teaching, but was delighted to accept the position. “I’ve always been an outside person,” explains Sister Grace Ellen, who grew up helping her parents in the garden and is happiest when hard at work, even in winter.

Over the years, Sister Jeremias re-established

With over 5,000 mature trees, the Sylvania Franciscan campus has the most diverse number of trees in the region.

“She is a good conservationist and I’ve personally learned a wealth of knowledge about trees, woodland and reforestation from her,” says Mr. Davis, US-NRC. Among other achievements, she and her team installed sophisticated ‘loop-system’ wells, created shrines, restored bridges, and built two hermitages as a retreat for both religious and lay guests. They felled trees and planted thousands more. With over 5,000 mature trees, the Sylvania Franciscan campus has the most diverse number of trees in the region.

She and Sister Grace Ellen care for the Year-Round Garden for the Poor, sending the food weekly/ monthly to the St. Louis Soup Kitchen in Toledo. They’ve worked with the Cherry St. Mission, Eagle and Boy Scouts, Sylvania Area Family Services, the Sophia Quintero Center and Southview H. S. Horticultural programs.

“Our team witnesses to the dignity of hard work,” Sister Jeremias says. “However, the primary and most important part of what we are here to do is not with our hands, it is with our hearts,” Sister Jeremias says.

She and her team meet hundreds of people each year who have come for the quiet of the Portiuncula Chapel, the hermitages, the beauty, “and they bump into one of us,” Sister Jeremias adds.

“I always say hello and love it when someone wants to stop to talk or just ask me some gardening questions,” says Sister Grace Ellen.

Often, visitors have come to find a peaceful place for a heavy heart. “In this contemplative space, we talk and they share with us their worries and troubles, their hopes and prayers,” says Sister Jeremias.

Sister Jeremias, who has faced significant health challenges throughout her life, is able to understand. She puts aside her shovel, brushes the soil off her hands and they talk.

“It just so happened that I became an arborist and a log jammer,” Sister Jeremias says. “It’s really about people.

That’s my real calling.”

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SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF SYLVANIA, OHIO

Care for Creation

“Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life than this.” – Henry David Thoreau Every day ... you and I have the opportunity to make a change. Nothing is more concerning than our care for creation today and in the future, but it encompasses so much more than I personally realized.

We, who work for the common good strive for care for creation, which leads all of us to do more to save the environment. This is easier for some than others. We work to bring about a consciousness, an ability to be present when we know the earth, our home, is not being treated with respect.

Nevertheless, the care of creation goes beyond environmental consciousness. We are called to care for all of life including human life. We live in a world community that does not recognize the implications of caring for the earth. Presently a majority of society live on the edge financially.

I remember living in the south, long after the passage of the 1968 Civil Rights Act. I approached it as an adventure. As I reflect today on that time, it was a time of struggle for me. I witnessed the KKK marching in a community parade, I saw cross burnings in the next community. It was frightening, but upon reflection, it brought me to think, “What can I do to change this? Are we really caring for others by treating them this way?”

Today more than ever, it appears there are members in our community who do not care for the earth and who do not care for the people that live on the earth who should be able to share in its bounty.

We have been called to heal the wounded, bind up the broken and reclaim the erring.

– St. Francis of Assisi

A commitment to care for the earth and to care for the full circle of individuals who live on the earth is part of the same issue. It is a continuous complex crisis that is both societal and environmental, human and ecological.

In Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si, he continuously links the concern for the poor with the environment. He states emphatically that it is our obligation to care for both the environment and the poor, who are often the first affected by diminishing resources. The Sylvania Franciscans have mirrored the importance of care for all creation by always working proactively to help the underserved.

Their daily re-commitment “to embrace the poor and marginalized" is exemplified by each Sister working or praying for the growth of each individual.

Please consider joining in the Sylvania Franciscan partnership of care and compassion, and, if possible, contribute a gift. It will make a difference in the lives of others and help spread peace in today’s world.

An envelope is attached In the Spirit of St. Francis, for your convenience.

Thank you in advance for your prayerful support.

Eileen M. Kerner Director of Congregational Advancement ekerner@sistersosf.org

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In Memoriam Sister M. Gwendolin Koniar

Sister M. Gwendolin Koniar died on October 14, 2018.

Sister Gwendolin, came to the convent from St. Hedwig Parish in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1945.

She made her first profession of religious vows in 1950 and her final vows in 1953.

Sister Gwendolin went into the ministry of education, teaching for 24 years in elementary schools in Ohio and Minnesota before spending an additional 30 years as a principal in both states. Before retiring to the Motherhouse, she brightened the lives of many elders as receptionist and later as a volunteer at River Village East Eldercare in Minneapolis.

To know Sister Gwendolin was to know a dedicated, loving, compassionate and joyful woman full of energy and enthusiasm for the young and the old, for the Church, for her religious community, for her family and her many friends. She lived life with gusto and shared her philosophy of JOY (Jesus, Others, You) with everyone she met. Her dear friend in community, Sister Myra, described her as the Queen of Hospitality, a woman for others, a generous, prayerful person. Sister Gwendolin spent 68 years living her life as a follower of Jesus and St. Francis.

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Sister M. Verona Kurtzman

Sister M. Verona Kurtzman died on November 12, 2018.

She came from Crestline, Ohio to Sylvania in 1961 to begin preparing to enter the community by attending St. Clare Academy and Lourdes Junior College. She made her first profession of vows in 1966 and professed her final vows in 1971.

In her 52 years of ministry as a Sister of St. Francis, Sister Verona served in many different capacities. She had a knack for taking on new and challenging jobs with a generous amount of common sense and with enthusiasm, class and joy. She began her food service ministry as a dietary aide and moved into the role of manager of the Motherhouse cafeteria.

She served as housekeeper and chef for two Toledo Bishops. Her years at Rosary Hall were spent in the dietary department, as a physical therapy aide, a nurse aide, enrichment assistant and caregiver for individual Sisters. Sister Verona also served in pastoral care and was a patient escort at St. John Medical Center in Steubenville, Ohio.

When able, she was seen walking the campus and enjoying the beauty of nature, praying at the religious shrines and conversing with people she met.

To know Sister Verona was to know someone who welcomed you into her life with gracious hospitality. She loved big cities and spent many happy years of ministry in Detroit, Minneapolis and Washington, DC. She loved to travel and visited several places in the USA with her Sister friends and family members.

Sister Ruth Marie Kachelek

Sister Ruth Marie Kachelek, (AKA Sister Alcuin), the seventh Leader of the Sisters of St. Francis, died on November 20, 2018. She entered the convent in 1946, and made her first vows in 1949 and professed her final vows in 1952.

Sister Ruth Marie spent her 69 years in religious life as a valiant woman whose sympathy and care, laughter and sense of humor made an impact on all she met.

She began her ministry as an elementary school teacher in Michigan and Minnesota.

She taught biology and chemistry at Central Catholic and Cardinal Stritch High Schools in Ohio, was principal at St. Ann’s in Cincinnati and Regina Coeli in Toledo. She was Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the Toledo Diocese. Sister taught science at Lourdes Junior College and served as Academic Dean at the college. Sister Ruth Marie was Assistant Congregational Leader of the Sylvania Franciscans for four years and became the seventh General Superior of the Sisters where she served for eight years. After leaving office, she served the poor in Kentucky before becoming the Art Curator for the Motherhouse campus.

She will be remembered for her many talents, especially her instinctive ability for artwork. She painted the six-foot San Damiano Crucifix, using the ancient process of egg tempera on gessoed wood, which hangs in Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel. She and other Sister artists also produced the copper enamel Signs of the Zodiac, displayed in the Lourdes University Planetarium Lobby and the copper enamel Canticle of Praise that adorns the outer wall on the Madonna Hall cloister walk

SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF SYLVANIA, OHIO

Read more about these Sisters by visiting sistersosf.org

Sister Mary Joan Mike

Sister Mary Joan (AKA Sister Mary Jo) Mike died on January 2, 2019. She came to the convent from St. Paul, Minnesota in 1965, made her first profession of religious vows in 1972 and her final vows in 1975.

She taught in schools in Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan and Louisiana and served as principal at schools in Ohio and Mississippi. She was a beloved principal at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary elementary in Biloxi, MS for 27 years, until her death. Sister Mary Jo loved her ministry in education and brought new ideas and ways to educate students in the 21st century.

Sister Mary Jo was the Victims Assistance Coordinator for the Diocese of Biloxi. She came to the aid of the city of Biloxi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when she opened her school to the city’s first responders, who operated out of the school immediately following the catastrophe.

In 2010, Sister Mary Jo received the Franciscan Federation award for Passionately Embracing Gospel Living.

In 2015, she received the National Catholic Education Association’s Distinguished Principal Award and served as a liaison to the Holy See in a symposium held for Catholic Education throughout the world.

In addition to her work in education, Sister Mary Jo served as the chair of Sylvania Franciscan Health Board of Trustees and served on the Board of Catholic Health Initiatives, St. Joseph Health System, Bryan, TX. She was also known for being an avid Minnesota Vikings fan.

Sister M. Eucharista Ward

Sister M. Eucharista Ward died on January 5, 2019. She came to the convent from Columbia Heights, Minnesota in 1958. She made her first profession of religious vows in 1961 and her final vows in 1966.

Sister Eucharista spent more than 57 years in ministry as an educator, a home health aide and a writer. For a few years, Sister taught in elementary schools in Ohio and Michigan and for 23 years taught in secondary schools in Minnesota, Ohio and Michigan. She also taught at the Lourdes College during summer sessions and evening classes.

While at Cardinal Stritch High School in Oregon, Ohio, Sister taught junior and senior English, chaired the English Department, chaired the school’s first North Central self-study and directed the chess club. Sister was always ready with a helping hand and pitched in on every activity of her local Stritch community. In later years, she wrote fiction including several short novels and her sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was published and well received by her readers.

After teaching, she began assisting the elderly as a home health aide at Catholic Eldercare in Minneapolis, Minnesota and later served in that capacity for her Sisters at the Motherhouse in Sylvania. Those who knew her best found her to be easy to live with, and someone who preferred to walk everywhere.

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Sister M. Aloise Paluszak

Sister M. Aloise Paluszak died on February 11, 2019. She came to the convent from Toledo, Ohio in 1941. She made her first profession of vows in 1947 and her final vows in 1950.

Sister Aloise spent more than 71 years in religious life serving the People of God in a variety of ministries. For 34 years she taught math in elementary and secondary schools in Michigan, Ohio and Minnesota. Sister spent 21 years ministering as a Pastoral Assistant at two parishes in Michigan. After these very active ministries, Sister Aloise returned to the Motherhouse in Sylvania where she provided transportation to the elder Sisters at Rosary Care Center (RCC) for 12 years. She also provided loving and dedicated care to Sister Eucharista, her friend, who preceded her in death in January.

Anyone who knew and worked with Sister Aloise knew that she loved her work wherever and whatever it was. Her sister, Sister Geraldine, who is also a Sylvania Franciscan, remembers her as someone who loved religious life and loved her community of Sisters. She attended many campus activities and sporting events at Lourdes University. As Sister Aloise became more frail, she managed to stay active. She died helping one of the RCC residents play Bingo!

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MINISTRIES

Respecting the gift of

Creation How do we meet our needs today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs?

Sister M. Rosine Sobczak has been thinking about that question for many, many years.

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SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF SYLVANIA, OHIO

Equipped with a Master’s degree in Biology, a gift for teaching and a desire to broaden her ministry, Sister Rosine attended a program by Earth Scholar, Father Thomas Berry in Port Burwell Ontario in the late 1980’s.

“My spiritual director at the time urged me to attend his workshop and she went with me. After that program I began to realize that God was calling me to work for the environment,” Sister Rosine explained. As her spirituality evolved, she realized that her call was to educate others about God at work in the universe, and to educate about planet earth and the environment.

This led to the founding of the Science Alliance for Valuing the Environment, Inc., now known as SAVE and the former Life Lab at Lourdes University. The Life Lab operated for 23 years and brought about 6,000 students through the program each year from 1990-2012. The program was nature oriented and taught about animals, plants, and insects, as all parts of our ecosystem. “We also provided teacher education workshops and worked with the University of Toledo so students could earn credits for their Masters in Education and Environment Sciences degrees. U. S. Representative Marcy Kaptur brought foreign visitors to campus to see our program because she thought the work we were doing was very important.

The program received numerous federal and State of Ohio grants,” Sister Rosine said.

Sister Rosine wonders, “How will we sustain life on this planet?” Through SAVE, she and others address local, national and worldwide environmental issues.

“Fortunately the right people came and joined me in

1990 and that is how SAVE got started. Like-thinking people surrounded me! We started with just a few of us presenting programs on water, developing wetlands, etc. and we have really evolved as an organization,” she said.

Many people in this area who are interested in the environment have been involved with SAVE for a long time, one of whom is Nancy Simon, a local woman who has known Sister Rosine for more than 20 years. She, too, has had an appreciation for the natural world since the 1970s. “Sister is so passionate about the earth, the

FYE 101 College Connections students learn about Franciscan values and other necessary skills in their first year with Sister M. Rosine.

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cosmos, animals, water, and air - all of it!” exclaims Nancy. “She has touched so many people and inspired many students and others.

“Before caring about the Earth was ‘in vogue’ she saw the need even without support from others back then. I cannot say enough about her. She got me involved in SAVE in 1997. It was my first big association with teaching children to take care of the environment. Even if there are kids without financial abilities, Sister Rosine finds a way to get them to Science Camp (sponsored by SAVE) in the summer.

She is an exceptional woman in so many ways and spends hours each week reaching out to educators and others. She is involved with all age groups,” Nancy adds.

Ecology

SAVE board member, John Krochmalny credits Sister Rosine with bringing non-Catholics to the board and making the group more diverse. “We are people of faith making a difference,” he said.

Sister Rosine believes her calling came by the grace of God, and the universe continues to call her.

She occasionally gives talks for other programs as time permits, and serves on two committees: the Environmental Awareness Committee for the Sylvania Franciscan Village, and the Justice, Peace and Care for Creation Committee. She also continues to teach at Lourdes University and engage students.

Spirituality Sustainability

“Looking back, I guess I always was a teacher. When I was a fifth grader at St. Hyacinth’s, the Sisters had me help with three first grade reading groups. Later at Central Catholic High School, I was asked to teach English to two Venezuelan students,” Sister Rosine says.

She began her studies in medical technology at Mary Manse College from 1960-1962. When she came to the Sylvania Franciscan Convent, Mother Justinian asked her to try out teaching. If she did not like teaching, she could return to hospital work. She began teaching at St. Joe’s Sylvania, taught in Detroit for a year, spent five years at Regina Coeli School . . . and it became apparent the pattern was set.

She has been teaching at Lourdes University (formerly Lourdes College) for 43 years and has been a Sylvania Franciscan Sister for 54 years. Although it was a difficult decision back then to choose teaching, she feels that teaching has been the right place for her. “Sister Geraldine Paluszak (AKA Sister Mark) assured me that biology was a broad field and I could pursue many areas. Sister Geraldine was right!” she concludes.

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Science Alliance SAVE

SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF SYLVANIA, OHIO

Planned Giving

Bequests and planned giving present donors the opportunity to establish a legacy that will inspire and be remembered for generations to come.

Remembering the Sisters of St. Francis Sylvania, Ohio, in a bequest or through another form of planned giving will provide future support for the Sisters of St. Francis. You can be assured of responsible stewardship that will put your money to work for a cause in which you believe and supported during your life—the mission of the Sisters of St. Francis Sylvania, Ohio….

> Supporting the Franciscan Ministries > Supporting the retired Franciscan Sisters

Gift Details

If you would like to include the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, in your plans, please use our legal name and federal tax ID. Legal Name: Sisters of St. Francis of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes

Create a lasting legacy that reflects your present life by remembering the Sisters of St. Francis Sylvania, Ohio, through planned giving in a will, estate plan, charitable trust or another type of a deferred charitable gift. Your consideration and generosity will provide a strong financial foundation to a sustainable future and assist our Franciscan mission in many ways.

Planned giving is not reserved for only those with great wealth. It is as simple as adding a bequest to the Sisters of St. Francis in your will. A planned gift or bequest can be 1% or 20% of your total assets, and it will ensure the resources needed to continue the Franciscan mission for generations to come.

Address: 6832 Convent Blvd.

Sylvania, Ohio 43560

When you choose to make a future gift, please notify us so we can recognize you now for your future commitment, with membership in the Assisi Society, a group of dedicated donors who have chosen to honor the Sisters in their wills.

The name Assisi Society is aligned with the historical legacy of St. Francis of Assisi who serves as the foundation of the Sisters of St. Francis.

Federal Tax ID Number: 34-4450609

For more information about making a gift,

contact the Congregational Advancement Office at 419.824.3625, or fill in the form below an send to: Congregational Advancement Office, Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania, Ohio 43560

Planned Giving Information Request First Name:

Last Name:

Email or Contact (phone): Subject/Question:

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Jubilarians:

Thank You

Celebrating

Our Sisters!

Congratulations to the following Sisters on celebrating their special anniversaries this year.

Platinum 75th

Sister M. Ricarda Witt

Diamond 60th

Sister M. Francis Sister Gretchen Jerome Serewa Faerber

Golden 50th

We would like to thank all those who generously supported the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, in 2018*. To see the complete list of donors, go to our website, sistersosf.org, and go to Ways to Give/Donate Online/Donor Recognition.

Donation Income 2018* Through the generous support of friends, family and benefactors, the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, raised the following money in 2018 to support their mission and ministries.

Annual Fund .................... $417,857.00 Retirement .........................$ 31,925.00 Gala.................................... $115,346.00 Grants.................................$ 72,534.00 Gifts in Kind..................... $ 35,887.00 Misc. Income .....................$ 20,206.00 Total.................................. $ 708,498.15

Gala Mark your Calendars. . .

Sister M. Helen Frances Spears

Sister M. Lois Anne Palkert

Sister Sharon White

Sister M. Lorena Sister Maria Dulas Pacelli Spino

Read more about our Jubilarians online at sistersosf.org

2019 Franciscan

Saturday, September 21, 2019 5 p.m. Mass

6 p.m. Dinner, Auction & Awards Presentation Join us for dinner, a silent auction and entertainment. This is a ticketed event.

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SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF SYLVANIA, OHIO

Franciscan Focus

Art spotlight Highlighting the natural beauty, art and architecture that adorns the Sylvania Franciscan campus.

Canticle of the Sun Ceramic Mural

Praising God, St. Francis reaches into the sky, his arms thrown wide to embrace the light of the sun.

This 24-foot high ceramic scene is but one of three that wrap around the Franciscan Center in Sylvania, Ohio and is considered the largest outdoor ceramic mural in the Midwest measuring 154 feet around.

the outside of the newly dedicated Franciscan Center walls.

It was a mammoth undertaking that appeared to be headed for an underwhelming finale as camera crews joined the Sylvania Franciscans to witness the final tile being installed.

On the South wall, the mural depicts a 40’ Jesus, which is what the artist, muralist Sister Jane Mary Sorosiak, says is her tallest piece to date.

The sky, a flat lifeless gray, contrasted grimly with the brightly glazed tiles and eager faces below. Sister Jane Mary strapped on her hard hat and a lift carried her to the peak of the mural to install the last ceremonial piece.

Beginning in 1980, she designed each mural beginning in one-inch scale, increasing to a one-foot scale, and eventually producing 8,000 full-scale pieces with the help of fellow artists, Sister Helen Churma and Sister M. Agneta Ganzel. They assembled the finished glazed pieces on the tennis courts and installed them a full two years, and 14 tons of clay later, on

Awed, the crowd burst into joyous applause, praising the blessing of sharing this special Franciscan moment.

2019 • VOL. 20, ISSUE 1

As she reached the top and pressed the final tile – the center of the sun – into the mortar, the clouds parted and sunlight danced across the vibrant blues, green, yellows and browns of the mural, perfectly illuminating St. Francis’ “Canticle of the Sun.”

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Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio 6832 Convent Blvd.

Sylvania, Ohio 43560

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The Regina Spirituality and Conference Center

Learn more about Franciscan spirituality experiences for individuals and groups.

Regina Spirituality is an ideal space for reflection and personal development.

Nestled in a tranquil, 89-acre setting among pine trees, shrines and prayer gardens, Regina Spirituality is an ideal space for spiritual experiences.

• Come for a day or a week of Reflection • Personal or Group Retreats (21 Private Rooms) • Daily Liturgy in Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel • Two Hermitages (space fills quickly) To learn more contact Sister Joan Jurski, jjurski@sistersosf.org, or 419.824.3528

SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF SYLVANIA, OHIO