Cross Currents Magazine Fall 2024 Volume 20 Issue 2
CROSS CURRENTS
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur • Ohio Province
HER ONE AND ONLY LIFE SISTER DOROTHY STANG, 20 YEARS A MARTYR
CROSS CURRENTS
FALL 2024 | Vol. 20/Issue 2
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur change lives by making known God’s goodness.
Throughout the world, we are committed to education. We take our stand with those living in poverty, especially women and children in the most abandoned places.
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Ohio Province 701 E. Columbia Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45215
513-761-7636
sndohio.org
Leadership Team:
Sister Kathleen Harmon, SNDdeN, Provincial
Sister Donna Jurick, SNDdeN
Sister Patricia Loome, SNDdeN
Cross Currents is published twice a year by the Ohio Province Development Office.
Photography: Contributions by Malinda Hartong, St. Xavier High School, Trinity School, Sisters, staff and archives.
COVER: Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, seated, embraced a life of simplicity in Brazil where she worked fearlessly to improve lives and defend the forest.
EXTRAORDINARY
As we approach February 12, 2025, the 20th anniversary of the martyrdom of Sister Dorothy Stang, there are many wheels in motion.
The anniversary committee has launched a webpage with resources and details about commemorative activities and events. There is a Remembrance Mass planned in Cincinnati. Schools in the Notre Dame de Namur community are planning special recognition. There is even a memorial that will be installed in Rome honoring Dorothy's designation as a modern day martyr.
What is it about Sister Dorothy's story that still touches our hearts today, almost 20 years after her death?
I believe Dorothy is still relevant because she lived an extraordinary life. She loved people in an extraordinary way. She died an extraordinary death.
But most of all, Sister Dorothy had an extraordinary faith. She is a timeless model of passion, commitment and unwavering belief in the goodness of God.
I hope as you learn more about Dorothy and her legacy, you will be inspired to be extraordinary in your own way. What will you do with your one and only life?
KEVIN MANLEY Director of Development
HER ONE AND ONLY LIFE
By Tami McMann
She has been written about many times over.
Her life story has been made into an opera and inspired works of art. She is the subject of documentaries and research papers. There is even a species of Xingu screech owl in the Amazon Forest named for her: Megascops stangiae.
On February 12, 2005, Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, was a 73-year-old woman walking alone on a deserted country road near Anapu in Brazil. This area in the state of Pará had been her ministry for almost 40 years, and her work to protect the land and the people from destruction had earned her some powerful enemies.
Two hired gunmen approached
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Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN
Back row: Sisters Joan Krimm, Marie Heinz and Dorothy Stang. Front row: Sisters Barbara English and Patricia MacWade.
her on the muddy path. They had weapons; Dorothy had her Bible. She opened it to the Gospel of St. Matthew and began reading the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted...”
The only witness said those were her some of her last words as she was shot six times at point blank range.
Although those who contracted her assassination sought to silence her, the good God had other plans for Sister Dorothy's legacy.
IN A WORD, DETERMINED
A new exhibit planned in the Ohio Province museum on Columbia Avenue in Cincinnati will tell the story of Dorothy, the woman, alongside a nearly 20-year-old exhibit about Dorothy, the Sister.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1931, she was one of nine children in a devoutly Catholic family with German and Irish roots. In her book, “The Greatest Gift,” author Binka Le Breton says Dorothy was both a
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caregiver to her younger siblings and the one who washed a brother's mouth with soap when he was caught swearing. She was fun loving, mischievous and athletic. She was committed to volunteering in the community. She survived the Great Depression and learned early to love nature, plants and food grown from the earth.
Dorothy received her education from Sisters at what is now Chaminade Julienne High School in Dayton. When her best friend and classmate, Sister Joan Krimm, SNDdeN, announced she intended to enter the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Dorothy told her, “If you think you’re going without me, you have another think coming,” and she entered the Congregation with Joan at age 17.
As a young Sister in the early 1950s, Dorothy first taught at Catholic schools in Chicago. She was just 22 when she was called to Arizona to teach at Most Holy Trinity, a parish elementary school. She developed a passion for the families of migrant farm workers from Mexico and spent her free time teaching religion to their children.
Dorothy served in the Phoenix area for 13 years and was the community's Superior when the opportunity came to make a difference in Brazil. Sister Mary Jeanne Hayes, SNDdeN, remembers Dorothy was "chomping at the bit" to go.
"We lost a great person [in Phoenix] when she was missioned to Brazil," says Mary Jeanne, "but it was
Dorothy, left, loved the people of Brazil and lived to show them God's goodness.
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On January
10, 2025,
Sister Dorothy will become the first American woman included in a permanent memorial at the Sanctuary of the New Martyrs in Rome.
definitely her heart's desire and she was perfect for the mission."
Traveling to South America in 1966, Dorothy joined her old friend Sister Joan and a small group of Sisters committed to improving the lives of rural workers. For decades, she dedicated herself to the people of a farming village called Anapu in Pará, Brazil.
Dorothy’s many accomplishments during those years demonstrated her love for people and for the earth. She and her Sisters established 35 Christian communities in the area and opened 39 schools to teach literacy to children and adults. They taught women about health and nutrition and helped them start small businesses to support their families. They mentored the village leaders to be spiritual leaders as well.
Drawing on her childhood spent on a farm, Dorothy taught the men in Anapu about crops that would grow best in the forest where they lived. As she became more alarmed by the rapid deforestation of the Amazon, she partnered with the Project
for Sustainable Development, a Brazilian government-sponsored program intent on improving farming practices.
“Dorothy has been called 'stubborn,' " says Sister Carol Wetli, SNDdeN, "but stubbornness is just the flip side to commitment and vision. Dorothy had a dream and the courage to follow it.’’
Her unrelenting advocacy put her in the crosshairs of wealthy landowners who misused the land and terrorized subsistence farmers. Dorothy publicly testified against these adversaries in support of the people's right to farm. She knew this was dangerous business, and there was a price on her head, but her conviction was strong:
“I do not want to flee, nor do I want to abandon the battle of these farmers who live without any protection in the forest ... It is not my safety, but that of the people which matters.’’
In the months before her martyrdom, Dorothy was granted citizenship in Brazil and received three honors for her work to protect the people and the land,
including Humanitarian of the Year from the Brazilian Bar Association.
“Dorothy lived her life for God,” says Joan. “Her love for her people, an extension of her deep love of God, conquered fear and gave her the courage she needed to do God’s work. Her concern was always the welfare of the poor and the preservation of the earth.”
ENDURING IMPACT
Dorothy's violent death sparked outcry around the world and cast a bright light on the corruption and hardships in Pará. The United States Congress passed a resolution to honor Dorothy's life and work (2005) and she was awarded the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights (2008). The Vatican named her a modern-day martyr.
“Dorothy gave her one and only life to lift up those made poor and to protect the Amazon from destruction,” says Sister Kathleen Harmon, SNDdeN, Ohio Provincial. “She stands as a model of compassion, conviction and
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Dorothy Stang Park in Belém, Brazil. On right, Sister Jo Anne Depweg, SNDdeN.
courage for all Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and for all persons who care about God's people and God's earth.”
“Dot,” as she was known by family and friends, walked miles every day, lived a simple life like the people she served, fearlessly advocated for villagers without a voice, tirelessly worked to protect the Amazon rainforest and faithfully witnessed for her good God.
The ministries Dorothy was so passionate about continue today. Sisters in Anapu report that illegal deforestation is a parasite that infects the entire municipality.
“The loggers are taking down and selling all the noble wood they can get their hands on,” says Sister Jane Dwyer, SNDdeN. “They are highly armed, as are the ranchers and their gunmen. The government has called for 'Devastation ZERO,' but Anapu is a long way from federal government.’’ Brazil's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has
pledged ZDD — zero deforestation and degradation — by 2030.
For fear of retribution, the people and the Sisters denounce illegal practices in private and with care. Their action is to replant the forest with seedlings from a nursery in São Raphael, the area where Dorothy is buried.
Dorothy's legacy is alive at the Dorothy Stang Center for Social Justice and Community Engagement at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, CA. Its voice was heard in Evan Mack’s New York opera, “Angel of the Amazon.” It walks alongside hundreds in Brazil who take a 34-mile pilgrimage each July in her honor.
Her legacy also inspires a new generation of activists who fight for social justice and the environment, like students in
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Learn more about honoring the life and impact of Sister Dorothy Stang on our website.
Dayton and Cincinnati who design meaningful service projects and present them at an annual Stang Symposium.
In another 20 years, we will still be talking about Sister Dorothy. Her story will continue to inspire faith and action toward a more just world.
She is not forgotten.
This is one story about Sister Dorothy, but there are many untold accounts of how she impacted lives from Dayton to Chicago to Phoenix to the Amazon.
Share your story: dorothystangsndden20@ohsnd.org.
CALENDAR OF REMEMBRANCE EVENTS
January 10, 2025
Ceremony at Church of San Bartolomeo all’Isola, Rome
In the Sanctuary of the New Martyrs, a relic of bloodsoaked soil from the site of Sister Dorothy’s assassination will be displayed alongside her story. The ceremony is open to the public.
February 12, 2025
Mass of Remembrance for Sister Dorothy Stang
We will celebrate Mass and host a reception at the Mount Notre Dame Convent Chapel in Reading, Ohio.
February 23, 2025
Arizona Friends’ Event
We will celebrate 75 years of the Sisters' ministry in the Phoenix area, including Sister Dorothy’s era (1953-66), with our friends in Arizona.
See more events and activities on our website, sndohio.org.
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NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR CHAMINADE JULIENNE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Ten years after developing the Stang Symposium senior capstone project, Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton has been nationally recognized for innovation in enhancing the Catholic mission.
The Dr. Karen M. Ristau Innovations Award from the National Catholic Educational Association was presented to the teacher and capstone coordinator whose vision launched the project. Mrs. Molly Bardine wanted to deepen students' service experience by connecting the concepts of faith, servant leadership, Catholic Social Teaching and work for justice. The capstone experience is inspired by the life and legacy of school alumna, Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN.
“At the time of her death, I felt called to honor Dorothy and to make her part of our curriculum,” Mrs. Bardine says. “Through the capstone experience, every class of seniors learns that we are all involved in justice work and have the ability to make an impact. It's about putting their faith into action, as Dorothy did.”
Seniors complete group projects focused on justice topics such as the sanctity of life, homelessness, mental health, immigration, fair trade, environmentalism and more. Students research these concerns and then design a service project to address the need. Finally, they present their projects at the
Stang Symposium and write an individual reflection on how the principles of servant leadership connect to their lives.
The Class of 2025 is expected to develop a bus tour of Sister Dorothy's life in Dayton as part of the Stang Symposium, and Mrs. Bardine is considering other ways to make the 20th anniversary of Dorothy's martyrdom meaningful to students.
2024 SPIRIT OF SISTER DOROTHY STANG AWARDS
Each year, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Mission Office present the Spirit of Sister Dorothy Stang Award to high school seniors, school faculty/staff and parish members who exemplify the values of Sister Dorothy. The award celebrates those who work to uplift those made poor, care for the Earth and profess the goodness of God.
Sister Carol Wetli, SNDdeN, is on the three-person team that administers the award program. “This award honors Dorothy because it's about action,” she says. “The recipients set a model for the rest of their school or parish. Like Dorothy, they have a sense of purpose.”
In May 2024, 16 awards were given. Carol hopes to award 20 Spirit of Dorothy Stang Awards in 2025 for the 20th anniversary of Dorothy's martyrdom. Nomination information is sent to 22 Catholic high schools and numerous parishes serving in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
In April 2024 at the Stang Symposium, a group of Chaminade Julienne seniors presented a capstone project on collecting shoes for the homeless. The donations were delivered to St. Vincent de Paul.
Katie Collins, left, of St. Xavier High School was presented the Spirit of Dorothy Stang Award by Sister Judith Clemens, SNDdeN, a personal friend of Sister Dorothy's.
NEWSBRIEFS
SISTERS ON THE GO
While many Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in the Ohio Province are “retired,” these exceptional women are hardly idle. Instead, they take all opportunities to visit schools, attend events and stay active in the community as they continue to live the mission.
LEFT: Sister Ann Fanella, SNDdeN, accepted a donation for the Clean Water for Life project from Adam Mintz at Holy Angels Catholic School in Dayton.
PROVINCE GATHERING IN CINCINNATI
In June, Ohio Province Sisters from across the country convened in Cincinnati for a retreat, assembly and Jubilee celebration.
To kick things off, Sisters enjoyed a retreat on "Where can Wisdom be Found?" by Sister Camilla Burns, SNDdeN, pictured right.
During the Jubillee Mass, 17 Sisters marked milestone years of religious life ranging from 25 to 75 years. Watch for our annual report in October for more about the Jubilarians.
Girl Scouts visited Mount Notre Dame to interview Sisters about their ministries. Seated is Sister Colette Didier, SNDdeN.
Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn, SNDdeN, participated in the Clean Water for Life Water Walk at The Summit Country Day School.
Sisters hosted neighborhood firefighters at their summer picnic. Pictured on the right is Sister Florence Maier, SNDdeN.
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Judy Tensing (left) and Marie Romejko were among many Sisters who attended Partners in Action Luncheon in May.
THE HALLMARKS FOR CURRENT TIMES
The Hallmarks of a Notre Dame de Namur Learning Community have been updated for the first time in 20 years. The Hallmarks are seven essential characteristics, values and actions that differentiate a Notre Dame de Namur ministry.
A significant change was to add “care for all creation” to the third Hallmark. The revision honors Laudato Si', an encyclical of Pope Francis that focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader reflections on the relationship between God, humans and the Earth. Ohio Province Director of Mission Integration Meg Sharp collaborated with Sisters and staff on the two-year-long project.
Hallmark One: We proclaim by our lives even more than by our words that God is good.
Hallmark Two: We honor the dignity and sacredness of each person.
Hallmark Three: We educate for and act on behalf of justice, peace and care for all creation.
Hallmark Four: We commit ourselves to community service.
Hallmark Five: We embrace the gift of diversity.
Hallmark Six: We create community among those with whom we work and with those we serve.
Hallmark Seven: We develop holistic learning communities which educate for life.
Commitment Prayer for Hallmarks
By Sister Louise O'Reilly, SNDdeN
May the good God, the source of all blessings, guide us in a commitment to promote and practice our Notre Dame de Namur Hallmarks.
May God's Holy Spirit inspire us to focus on what truly matters for faith, for community, for justice and peace, care of creation and education that benefits life-long learning.
May the good God give us wisdom to make decisions that ground us in the Notre Dame values and legacy.
Amen.
Students at Trinity School in Ellicott City, Maryland, participate in an earth-friendly recycling program. Trinity is a Notre Dame de Namur Learning Community.
WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER
We respectfully honor these Sisters who were faithful to God and to the mission of making God's goodness known. For complete obituaries, please visit sndohio.org.
SISTER ROSEMARY WACK, SNDdeN
February 18, 1929 to March 24, 2024
Our beloved Sister Rosemary completed her earthly pilgrimage after 76 years of faithful service as an SNDdeN. She served the Lord as an educator and nurse in Ohio, Illinois, Kenya and Zimbabwe. She also served as a member of Sister Loretta Julia's General Council (1963-69) at an exciting and challenging time for the Church and religious life following Vatican II. A gifted conversationalist, Rosemary was devoted to family, friends and the Sisters in community, and she walked compassionately with others in times of hardship and need. She was 95.
SISTER MARGARET (PEGGY)
MCCABE, SNDdeN
May 27, 1943 to April 7, 2024
Sister Peggy of Philadelphia died peacefully at the age of 80. Peggy taught in Maryland and DC. She served as a social worker in programs for those suffering with mental illness and was the administrator of Villa Julie Residence in Baltimore. After her retirement in 2017, she moved to Mt. Notre Dame Health Center where she continued in community service. She was in her 61st year of religious life and is now buried in the Mount Notre Dame cemetery in Reading, Ohio.
SISTER TERESITA WEIND, SNDdeN
July 6, 1942 to April 28, 2024
Sister Teresita served God’s people for 63 years in various ministries including pastoral minister in Chicago and later in Saginaw, MI, and in Province leadership (2005-2008). As SNDdeN’s Congregational Leader (2008-2022), Teresita was the first African-American woman to lead a global religious order. She brought to all these ministries the gifts of preaching, singing and spiritual guidance, so graciously given to her by God. Teresita completed her earthly pilgrimage at the age of 81.
Go online to read beautiful biographies prepared by Sister Kim Dalgarn, SNDdeN. sndohio.org
LIVE THE GOOD: VOLUNTEER WITH THE SISTERS
Live The Good provides opportunities for people to experience the gift of service alongside the Sisters and others who share their values.
Since 2017, Live The Good has been a place of belonging rooted in mission spirituality and the Hallmarks of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Beginning with prayer and ending in reflection and discussion, volunteers of all ages put their faith into action at sites such as Queen City Book Bank, the Healing Center, Tikkun Farm and Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank.
Please visit our website, sndohio.org, or contact Holly Schlaack, director of community engagement (hschlaack@ohsnd.org or 513-679-8111), to learn more.
COMING HOME
A quarter-century ago, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur built an 80room health center for their eldest members. The Sisters who made the plans, raised the funds, built the center — they all were in the prime of their ministries.
Now, those 25 years have passed. Sisters who made the Notre Dame Health Center a reality are living there or will soon. And just as these Sisters prepared for the care of their elders, so now do we need to care for them.
Once new and modern, the building where the Sisters live has aged. Much needs to be done to ensure both the safety and the comfort of these women in their retirement years. Heating and cooling systems need to be updated. Fire and smoke alarms should be modernized. The elevators require attention.
But in accomplishing these things, we will keep Mount Notre Dame what it is above all else — a home. Sisters now in their 80s and 90s once walked the grounds together as teenagers, some as students, some as novices. They have ministered here, returned here from overseas missions, worshiped here, rested here, taught here, grieved here, laughed
here and grown old here. They have been family to one another all their adult lives, and just as family cares for family, so, too, do they care for one another.
To anyone who walks into the Mount Notre Dame Health Center, this care is obvious. Communal life, so central to religious life, is meticulously maintained. Sisters eat together, worship in the chapel together, and participate in provincial governance. They engage in ministry, even if limited.
In their elder years, the Sisters don't have the same options as some other retirees. They don't have children or grandchildren to assist with their care. They took a vow of poverty, and they don't own private homes where they
can hire in-home medical services. Instead, they have Mount Notre Dame. And though the building has become dated and worn, it has remained one of the most respected healthcare facilities in Ohio and is rated deficiency free by the Ohio Department of Health year after year.
Coming Home is a capital project that will sustain the Mount Notre Dame Health Center into the future and will care for the Sisters who are with family, and once again — home.
To learn more about supporting upgrades to the health center, contact Kevin Manley (kmanley@ohsnd.org or 513-679-8117).
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Mary Lou Stoffel and Marie-Louise Rossi share an intimate conversation at home in the health center. There are approximately 70 Sisters in residence and several others who belong to different congregations. At Mount Notre Dame, they enjoy care and community in their retirement years.
JOIN OUR TEAM
Our health center is thriving! We know it takes a special person to work for the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, and we are committed to providing our employees with an enriching and rewarding environment. Health center staff are dedicated to providing excellent care for Sisters in a top-rated facility with 80 private rooms – 40 skilled nursing and 40 assisted living.
To inquire about employment, visit our website or contact Gwen Jones, director of human resources (gjones@ohsnd.org or 513.679.8184).
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PREPARING FOR PERPETUAL VOWS IN NAMUR, BELGIUM
Sister Nancy Wellmeier, SNDdeN, traveled to Namur, Belgium, in June to support women from around the world who were preparing to take their perpetual vows with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Nancy, pictured standing fifth from the right, addressed the group on the topic of intercultural living. Via Zoom, Sister Kim Dalgarn, SNDdeN, spoke about our charism.
Join us in praying for these 18 Sisters from Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria and the United States as they dedicate their lives to making known God's goodness and to living the vows of poverty, consecrated celibacy and obedience.
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
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