Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio
Sylvania
Franciscan
So Many Ministries
Sister Julie’s practical and diverse background made her an ideal candidate for touching the lives of elders. Page 3.
Bethany House
Now in its 40th year, Bethany House is the Sylvania Franciscans’ longest existing ministry. Page 4.
A Tree, Transformed
A once-living tree that was planted with love by our Foundress is an ongoing testament of God’s love working in our lives. Page 7.
Leadership
The Sylvania Franciscan newsletter is a publication of the Foundation Office of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio
Sister Nancy Linenkugel, OSF Congregational Minister
Sister Shannon Schrein, OSF Assistant Congregational Minister
Sister Rebecca Rutkowski, OSF Councilor/Congregational Treasurer
Sister Valerie Grondin, OSF Councilor/Congregational Secretary
Elizabeth Reiter Editor Director of Communications and Connections
419-824-3667
ereiter@sistersosf.org
God Is Everywhere
It was in the second grade that my rambunctious class often heard the words, “God is everywhere and He’s watching you right now. Do the proper thing at the proper time and God will always bless you.” This was reinforced by a bulletin board admonition on the classroom wall that we saw constantly. The thought of God seeing everything and not being blessed because you did something wrong was almost too much for us seven year-olds. We shaped up readily.
Perhaps a less worrisome way to say that would be, “God is everywhere, even in the most ordinary thing you can think of.” Now that’s a comforting thought. God is right here. How can I make that more real? This edition shares inspiring thoughts about doing so as we look into the current ministries of our Sisters. We meet Sister Julie Myers, who touches the lives of seniors in her ministry as apartment manager, and Sister Rose Therese Lange, who 40 years ago provided victims of domestic violence something that most of us take as the most ordinary thing of all: a safe place to sleep.
Thank you for reading. Thank you also for the many ways that you find God in the ordinary of your own life. Blessings always.
Sister Nancy Linenkugel, OSF Congregational Minister
Hello, I’m Nate.
On May 20, 2024, I stepped into the newly created role of Foundation Executive Director of the Sisters of St. Francis to further their mission of working toward kindness, peace, and justice. I am eager to strengthen the Foundation and help determine its strategic direction for the coming years. I am truly honored that the Sisters would entrust me to steward their legacy. I come to them, and to you, ready to serve.
Mission
On the Cover
Sister Julie, Bonnie Hughes and Ginny Hines take time to visit outside Convent Park Apartment building.
A little about me: I have always been drawn to peacemakers. Since I was young, I have admired people like Mister Rogers, Bob Ross, and LeVar Burton. Upon first hearing the Peace Prayer of St. Francis at my sister’s wedding ceremony, I thought, “This is how I want to be!” Over the better part of the last decade, these words have inspired me to become a greater instrument of peace in my own life and in the world around me.
My wife Dana and I were married in 2007, and we are the proud parents of two boys, with another boy on the way this September. We also have two beloved dogs, Lucky and Nori. My life has been built on faith. In previous roles, I directed youth and music ministries, and I still volunteer in my current church. Most recently, I served at a Greater Toledo area Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I loved playing a part in “building homes, community, and hope” and seeing “God’s love in action,” as they say.
The best part about my journey has always been the people. I have had the privilege of working with so many fascinating people who serve God by serving people. I hope to meet you soon and hear about your heart for partnering with the Sisters of St. Francis in promoting peace and justice in our world!
Peace and blessings, Nate Reid
An envelope is attached for your convenience. Thank you in advance for your prayerful support.
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.
Finding God in the Ordinary Surprises of Life
It is a typical Tuesday. Sister Julie starts her day as the sacristan, preparing Queen of Peace Chapel for morning Mass. But today her routine is interrupted by a call from apartment 213 —the lights in the bathroom aren’t working. She puts in a work order and promises to come over as soon as Mass is over.
During the liturgy, Sister Julie’s voice fills the chapel, clear and reverent, as she cantors. “When Sister Julie sings, she really prays,” says music director, Sister Jeannette Zielinski. Once prayers are over, she tucks everything away for the next day and heads to work, stopping at her Convent Park Apartment office to check her messages and to grab a lightbulb (just in case) before going to apartment 213. The resident has just brewed a fresh pot of coffee and Sister Julie accepts a mug gratefully. The new lightbulb does the trick. After hearing the latest news of the great-grandchildren and updates on a few aches and pains, Sister Julie sets off, cancelling the work order before preparing to tackle her day.
As the youngest member of the Sylvania Franciscans, Sister Julie Myers is well on her way to living in the ministerial tradition of most of her Sisters, which always begins with, “Yes, I can do that (But, dear God, please show me how!).” For Sister Julie, her skills are being put to the test in her current ministry as Convent Park Apartments Manager.
Dean of then-Lourdes College, as well as general clerical support for faculty and staff at the college. As a novice, Sister Julie returned to healthcare, serving at Holy Cross Hospital and training to be a Physical Therapy Assistant. She loved teaching people how to mobilize, strengthen, and walk after injury or illness. After 24 years, she was ready for a change and said “yes” to serving as Vocation Minister for the congregation. During her efforts to connect with all things vocation, Sister Julie met the team of A Nun’s Life Ministry –an online ministry whose mission is the help people discover and grow in their own vocation by sharing their wisdom through blogs, podcasts, videos and more.
In 2022, the six-year-old production was well established and Sister Julie was again ready for something new. She now had her eye on the 98-unit apartment complex that borders the Sylvania Franciscan campus in Sylvania, OH.
Sister Julie finds God in the everyday challenges of managing a 98-unit apartment complex for seniors.
Convent Park Apartments is home to roughly 21 Sisters and 75 lay people. Purchased in 1991, this Sister-owned building has provided safe, comfortable and affordable housing for those aged 55 and older. After many years of outsourcing the property management, Sylvania Franciscan Leadership became interested in finding a way to more fully reflect their Franciscan values in this ministry. Sister Julie’s practical and diverse background made her an ideal candidate.
Sister Julie has served in a variety of ways, none of which were obvious stepping stones to the other. She began her discernment by participating in the Year of Service program sponsored by the Toledo Diocese. Sister Julie chose the field of health care and spent her year at Providence Hospital while living with the Sisters at Sts. Peter and Paul Convent. As she began transitioning from lay life to religious life, she spent two years as a secretary for Sister Cabrini Warpeha,
Apartment management, it turns out, requires all of Sister Julie’s “bag of tricks” learned through her many other ministries. She arranges maintenance, hands out flyers to mailboxes, deals with 80-foot trees falling on apartments, advocates for residents, pitches in to clean vacated apartments, and coordinates contractors for apartment renovations.
(cont. on page 6)
When Sister Rose Therese learned that Northwest Ohio had no long-term shelters, she went to her Sylvania Franciscan Sisters and asked for their support in opening Bethany House.
Bethany CelebratesHouse40th
Bethany House, now in its 40th year, is the Sylvania Franciscans longest existing ministry and unquestionably the most difficult.
Sister Rose Therese Lange, OSF, founded Bethany House in 1984, the same year the Federal Violence Against Women Act passed. Many of the myths surrounding domestic violence had yet to be debunked. Ideas like: what happens in the home is private; women and children are inferior to men; and that, in some way, the victim probably deserves it. And, whatever the case, if they don’t like it, they should just leave.
Sister Rose Therese wasn’t buying any of that. She knew that abusers hurt their partners physically, verbally, sexually, emotionally and financially. Their control over the victim is typically complete, which makes leaving – or even the idea of leaving – seem nearly impossible.
Finding a safe place to go is the first step. When Sister Rose Therese learned that Northwest Ohio had no long-term shelters, she went to her Sylvania Franciscan Sisters and asked for their support in opening Bethany House. They quickly agreed. Sister Rose Therese began to build a refuge for victims of intimate terrorism to gain the time and skills needed to become a survivor.
Now, celebrating its 40th year, Bethany House is proud to have provided safe shelter for more than 1,400 survivors of domestic violence and their children and provided over 300,000 nights of safe harbor.
“Our staff offers a holistic home for individuals and families,” says Deidra Lashley, Executive Director of Bethany House since 2013.
“Finding a safe place for the parent and children is the first step, but after the dust settles, we find out what other challenges are there.”
This, Lashley explains, looks different from person to person. “Everyone is starting over, and we are there to help them rebuild. Our survivors come from a wide demographic, each with specific needs. We help residents get counseling, youth services, school placement, transportation, employment, continuing education support, physical care – whatever they need. Figuring out solutions to all these problems at once is overwhelming, particularly when you’ve been living in terror for a long time. Bethany House can get people where they need to go to start a new life. Sometimes just getting someone to the dentist for the first time in years is a great first step in self-care.”
Deidra Lashley and Ashley Reichlin, Board Chair, and received a commendation for Bethany House’s 40th Anniversary from District 43 State Representative, Michele Grim. Foundress Sr. Rose Therese Lang is pictured behind them.
Once they are in the Bethany House program, individuals and their families are welcome to remain in their apartments for over a year, which, 40 years ago, made it the only organization in the state to offer this genuine ‘start-over’ opportunity. Today, there are still only three in the state.
Last year Bethany House received a $30,000 grant from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, Ohio’s statewide coalition of which Bethany House is a member.
The grant, which is part of an initiative to expand capacity at domestic violence shelters across the state, was funded by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services as a means to reduce housing barriers for human trafficking survivors.
“We’ve been concentrating on modernizing the apartment units and installing what is needed to make the apartments accessible to those with disabilities,” Lashley says.
Bethany House is also gearing up a campaign to renovate and expand the community space the residents share.
People with disabilities are three times more likely to be victims of intimate violence, Lashley says.
“Our community spaces need updating badly,” Lashley says. “We would like to concentrate on making those spaces more useful and uplifting for everyone, but that might have to be down the road.”
Fundraising for Bethany House is a constant process. Although the aforementioned myths are not universally held 40 years later, conditions that perpetuate intimate partner violence haven’t changed and the violence
“Our staff offers a holistic home for individuals and families,” says Deidra Lashley, Executive Director of Bethany House since 2013. “Finding a safe place for the parent and children is the first step, but after the dust settles, we find out what other challenges are there.”
continues. There are not enough places for people to go to move from being victim to survivor.
“Human trafficking and intimate violence overlaps,” Lashley says, explaining that once control over the victim is complete, sexual trafficking often follows.
When announcing this initiative in October 2023, Governor DeWine noted that a lack of emergency shelters for survivors is “one of the biggest gaps in Ohio’s human trafficking response” and that while “domestic violence shelters often try to meet this need, most don’t have room to help everyone.”
“Sister Rose Therese would be proud of what she began, but also very sad,” says Sister Faith Cosky, OSF, who has ministered at Bethany House since its founding, both as a volunteer and as a former Bethany House Executive Director. “She had such a heart for this ministry and for these survivors,” Sister Faith continues. “I don’t think she could have imagined that 40 years later, the need is even greater, and the terrifying violence continues.”
Finding God
(cont. from page 3)
Above and beyond the practical, Sister Julie works to create a sense of community for residents. When the weather is warm enough, people gather in the center of the complex to sit under the carport to talk or quietly enjoy the company of others. Sister Julie hosts holiday parties and summer cookouts. The community room features a small library, games, and a piano for singalongs or prayer services.
“We have residents who look out for each other by calling or visiting with each other. It is a very relational, Franciscan way to live,” says Sister Julie. “[But] not everyone who lives here wants to be engaged,” she explains. “Some residents are very quiet and stay in their apartments and I almost never see them. And that’s okay, too.”
Sister Julie believes God brought her to this ministry now to touch the lives of the elders, even if it’s as straightforward as making a comfortable home setting for them. She has no idea where God will lead her next, but she’s looking forward to continuing in this ministry for many years to come. “I like the residents so much. And I love the flexibility of this role. There are so many pieces to what goes on here; it’s impossible to get bored,” Sister Julie says. “I feel that in everything I do, that’s where I’m encountering God.”
“It is a very relational, Franciscan way to live.”
– Sister Julie
In Memoriam
Sister Jane Mary Sorosiak, OSF
Sister Jane Mary Sorosiak died peacefully on March 17, 2024. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis in Sylvania, Ohio from St. Hedwig Parish in Toledo, Ohio. Impressed with the joyful spirit of the Sisters, she decided to join the community in 1955 and made her First Profession of Vows in August of 1958.
Sister Jane Mary received a B.A. degree from Mary Manse College in Toledo, Ohio and taught elementary school for a few years before she entered the convent in Sylvania. During her almost 66 years as a religious Sister, she taught elementary school, high school and college students. She earned a M.A. in English from Xavier University in Cincinnati and a M.A. in Art from Bowling Green State University. After fourteen years at Cardinal Stritch High School in Oregon, Ohio, which she considered one of her most memorable and enjoyable ministries, Sister Jane Mary went to what was then Lourdes Junior College to build the Associate Degree in Art program, which became a B.A. degree under her direction. She taught a variety of art courses at Lourdes College for 32 years and saw it grow from a junior college to a four-year baccalaureate college to eventually achieving university status.
Sister later became the Director of Alverno Studio at the Motherhouse. Here, Sister worked with her team of Sisters and volunteers to create over 350 ceramic murals and many other pieces of art that are installed on the Motherhouse grounds/campus in Sylvania and across nine states.
Sister M. Samuel Lubeck, OSF
Sister M. Samuel Lubeck died peacefully on April 10, 2024. Sister joined the Sisters of St. Francis in Sylvania, Ohio from SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Detroit, Michigan in 1954 and made First Profession in 1960. She came to the convent to “become a Saint” and was inspired to enter the Sylvania Franciscans because of the example of her grade school teachers, who impressed her with their kindness, humanness, joyfulness, and loyalty.
For almost 64 years in religious life, Sister Samuel was involved in education. With degrees from Lourdes Junior College, Mary Manse College, and from the University of Detroit, Sister taught science and other subjects as needed. She taught in elementary schools in Minnesota and Ohio for 52 years and spent her last 30 years of teaching at St. Joseph School in Galion, Ohio where she felt part of the parish family. Her love of science and the earth led her to develop an aluminum can recycling science project in 1981. The money received from the project enabled her to send her sixth graders to camp.
“Books are important, but when you can take (students) out to discover something, that’s really neat,” Sister Samuel often said. Sister’s work was acknowledged in 2005 with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Youth Science Opportunities by the Ohio Academy of Science.
In 2011, Sister returned to the Motherhouse in Sylvania where she served as a tutor at the Sylvania Franciscan Academy, helped provide transportation for the Sisters at Rosary Care Center, worked as a soap maker for Holy Aromas for the Sister’s Gift Shop, and was an enthusiastic cheerleader for Lourdes University Gray Wolves sports teams.
Art spotlight Franciscan Focus
Highlighting the natural beauty, art, architecture and programs that adorn the Sylvania Franciscan campus.
Black Locust Crucifix
From any angle and at any time of day, the Black Locust Crucifix stands out as one of the most unusual and moving pieces of the Sisters’ collection.
The Crucifix stands 17’ high on a hillside dotted with pine trees. A bench has been placed near the feet of Jesus. Every evening, the silhouette darkens against the crimson sunset and every morning, the crucifix rises anew from a bed of tall willowy ferns that softly nod in the breeze.
Layers of wood form the bone, muscle and flesh of the body of Christ, a medium which seems to allow the rawness of great suffering to be made tangible.
The sculpture is the labor of love of Sister M. Jeremias Stinson, Sister Grace Ellen Urban, forester Joe Eby, and Marcia Malys. It began in 1982 with Sister Jeremias and Joe choosing a 50foot tall mature Black Locust tree that had been planted by Foundress Mother Adelaide behind Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto. After cutting a 22’ vertical piece and a 10’ horizontal beam, the quartet of naturalists often met weekends and during vacations over the next two years to make their vision come to life.
Finished, the corpus and cross weigh over 1500 pounds.
Forming the body of Christ presented the greatest challenge. “We needed to form a leg that would bend. A head that bowed. Wind blowing the cord on his shroud,” Sister Jeremias explains. “We looked for straight wood that would bend.”
The artists discovered that tree roots provided the flexibility of motion as well as the durability they needed. By turning the root upside down, the flare could be molded to become shoulders that folded into the chest cavity and twined to form the sinewy muscles that make up legs and arms.
Finished, the corpus and cross weigh over 1500 pounds and rises 17 feet above ground.
It is a massive work of art, although Sister Jeremias never intended it to be considered an ‘art piece.’ “We wanted to create a physical representation of God’s love,” Sister says. “The intention is to provide visitors an encounter with a once-living tree that was planted with love by our Foundress that has now been transformed into an ongoing testament of God’s love working in our lives.”
Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio
6832 Convent Blvd.
Sylvania, Ohio 43560
sistersosf.org
facebook.com/sylvaniafranciscans
The Christmas Creche
The origin of the Christmas creche rests with St. Francis of Assisi. In order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio, Italy to commemorate the Nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, St. Francis created a live Nativity. The Sylvania Franciscans create ceramic tiles and Christmas ornaments in Alverno Studio – all visible reminders of that night when our Savior was born.
