VOLUME 4 • NO. 1
Associat e Relationship The
Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS Dedication to Jesus Christ involves us intimately in the liberating and reconciling Gathering Place is published to keep
mission—to make God more deeply known and loved, and in so doing, draw all persons to fuller and freer life.
the public informed of the mission and ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the
Together with all our sisters and brothers who strive for a more just world, we undertake those activities which will promote the material and spiritual development of the human family.
Third Order of St. Francis.
The statistics blew me away. I found out that in the United States, there are 78,000 consecrated religious women, members of various religious congregations. And there are 27,000 associates, individuals who are in relationship to the various congregations.That’s a remarkable amount of commitment! Associates are people who are breaking ground in shaping the meaning of “community,” giving witness to the fact that living the gospel life is not just for vowed religious. Associates are living testimony to the vitality of the charism—the spirit—of each religious congregation. The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis have a unique way of living out the spirit of St. Francis as it took root in the hearts of the foundresses. There are 81 people who have formally associated themselves with the sisters in living out
Conversion,Contemplation, Minority & Community.
EDITOR Reneta E.Webb, Ph.D., CAE
EDITORIAL BOARD Sr. Carlene Blavat Sr. Judith David Sr. Marygrace Puchacz Sr. MaryLou Wojtusik Sharon McElmeel
PROOFING STAFF Sr. Mary Adalbert Stal Sr. Dolores Mary Koza Sr. Louise Szerpicki
PRODUCTION & LAYOUT Newcomb Print Communications/ The Printed Word
OFFICE
You will find many of them highlighted in this issue of Gathering Place. You are also invited to try out that Franciscan spotlight for yourself!
Development Office P.O. Box 388129 Chicago, IL 60638-8129 Telephone: 1-773-581-7505 Fax: 1-773-581-7545 Web site: www.ssj-tosf.org e-mail: dev@ssj-tosf.org
Reneta E. Webb
Errata In the Jubilee Issue of Gathering Place,Vol. 3, No. 3, p. 8, we incorrectly identified the Provincial who died unexpectedly in 1972. The correct name is Sister Mary Crescentia Shippritt. On p. 44 of the same issue, the year of Sr. Debra Ann Weina’s entrance into the Sisters of St. Joseph, TOSF should be 1979.
Copyright by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
DEPARTMENTS In the News
25
Sr.Albina Sadowski— Catholic School Educator Award, Archdiocese of Detroit Sr. Magdalene Kabat— 2003 Coordinating Board Award of the Association of Chicago Priests
Table OF Contents
VOLUME 4 • NO. 1
Sr. Catherine Britton—
FEATURES
2003 Distinguished Citizen of the Year
Social Justice
28
Come to the Table, Come to the Feast
1
A comprehensive description of the way individuals can share the spirit of a congregation
Sr. Dorothy Pagosa—
Sr. Joan Chittister (from the Proceedings of NACAR 2002)
Arrested for Peace
Developing Relationships with SSJ-TOSF
NOAC — Northeast Ohio
5
A description of the long-standing openness of the congregation to inspire and enable Gospel living
Anti War Coalition
Sr. Dian Majsterek
Franciscans for Peace, Washington D.C.
On Becoming an Associate Social Justice Contributions Fund Recipients
Judith Bulat, SSJ-TOSF Associate
Dr. Bundy’s Work in Honduras
Vocation/Formation
34
NACAR (North American Conference of Associates and Religious)
Two new candidates—
This organization is drawing together associates and religious in the United States and Canada.
Patricia Melchert and Pat Torrefranca
Sr. Ellen Rose O’Connell, SC
Places
35
Marymount—A Tradition of Hospitality
Perpetual Light
7
How does one go about “declaring” a commitment to the spirit of the congregation?
36
Spotlight on Associate Relationships
9
11
Getting to know some associates of the SSJ-TOSF Gertrude Karecki-Banaszak—Chicago, IL
Phyllis Cashin—Independence, OH
Lloyd and Shelley Ketchum—South Bend, IN
Mary Kropidlowski—Stevens Point,WI
Irene Skarban—Kaukauna,WI
Peru Associates
Maxine Ann Smith—Belleville, MI
The purpose of a charism,
the very purpose of the gifts
share
of the Spirit, is to
them. This is the raison d’etre
of groups that we currently
call “associates.”
Keynote address
Each of us carries within us a piece of the truth—but only a piece. One measure of the wisdom toward which
by Sister Joan Chittister,
we all strive lies in learning the language around us, in hearing the wisdom of the other. It is by absorbing the
OSB, at the
wisdom of others that we ourselves become wise. There are some spiritual truths we come to understand
NACAR Conference 2002
only by seeing them done by another. We understand these truths only by doing what others do, who have already gone before us, and who know the value of going this way. Religious and associates need one
edited by Reneta E.Webb
another because true companions make possible the growth of the other. The questions today, then, are simple ones:
Why do “associates” exist? Where did “associates” come from? Who are “associates?” What must we all do?
Why Do “Associates” Exist? This is a question of purpose. “Associate” programs have been given different names over time: “Oblates,” a Benedictine term as old as the sixth century; “Confraters” in medieval monasteries; the lay preacher “Tertiaries” of thirteenth-century France; Franciscan, Dominican and Carmelite “Third Orders” of the later Middle Ages; or groups like the Jesuit volunteers, the Mercy Corps, and Maryknoll Lay Missioners of today. Each of these is simply meant to give new life, new space, new stretch to the charisms of the Spirit and the religious congregations whose task it is to proctor their treasures for the rest of the world.
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Where Did “Associates” Come From? This is a question of legitimacy that goes back to the roots of the church and tradition itself. Paul is very clear in 1 Corinthians 12: “To each one, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good... to one is given wisdom, to another knowledge, to one faith, to another healing, to one power, to another prophecy... all these are the work of one and the same Spirit and given to each one as the Spirit determines” for the sake of the body, the whole! No doubt about it. Charisms are gifts given to each one of us for the sake of the whole Church, so they must be given away for the sake of the whole Church. The day we keep our charism to ourselves, that very day the charism dies in us and the Spirit goes seeking softer sand through which to run. Clearly, the spiritual channel of religious charisms or gifts is meant to be an unbroken one - through the keepers of the wells of those traditions, the religious congregations themselves, to the keepers of the byways of the world, the associate members who live in the vortex of it. It has clearly been forever thus. Both must raise their voices together where the Gospel is seldom heard. It was Jesus himself who said “Come and see ... take and eat,” and then sent them out together - no apostles in sight - to share the bread of their lives, to live with one heart and one mind, to be the sign of His ongoing resurrection, to be disciples of His own life. Indeed, associate programs share a proud history and a bold theology.They demonstrate that the charisms of Jesus which the church holds in trust, those personifications in us of the ongoing spirit of Jesus - the spirit of mercy, the spirit of contemplation, the spirit of love, the spirit of truth, the spirit of prophecy, the spirit of vision and courage and crucifixion for justice’ sake - all the gifts of which Paul speaks are not for keeping by the few. There are not some of us who are holy and some of us not! There are not some of us who embody the gifts of the Spirit and some of us who do not.There are not some of us who are gifts to the Church and some of us who are not.
“TO
EACH ONE, THE MANIFESTATION OF THE
TO ONE IS GIVEN
SPIRIT IS GIVEN FOR THE COMMON GOOD... wisdom, TO ANOTHER knowledge, TO ONE faith, TO ANOTHER healing, TO ONE power, TO ANOTHER prophecy...
ALL THESE ARE THE WORK OF ONE AND THE SAME SPIRIT AND GIVEN TO EACH ONE AS THE SPIRIT DETERMINES.” —1 Corinthians 12
Donna Roser Stevens Point, Wisconsin I started working for the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis in 1996 in the Finance Office. This is where I fell in love with the sisters and their mission in life. I have an intense desire for spiritual growth and for prayer, even in the midst of all the demands of family life and work responsibilities. I have become a better person because of my association with the sisters and I would like to share my love for them through the Associate Relationship, putting to use the talents that God has given me.
Who Are “Associates?” This is a question of identity. We are all
gifts
meant to be blessed and broken; meant to be taken as
food by those who are hungry for them; meant to be consumed by the spirits of those who have no spirit; meant to be messengers, models and makers of a whole new world wherever we are. We are “charism” incarnated in today’s world. Charisms are never complete. They are not frozen in time. They are not fixed and they are not static, stagnant and stock-still. What you feel in your heart today about justice and mercy and prophetic witness and union with God is the same impulse that drove Jesus 2,000 years ago. Charisms leap with life. They never die. They are the spiritual energy of every moment; they are the electricity that powers every good. They are dynamic, unfolding, and new today as they were in the souls of the founders and foundresses of religious congregations: Benedict of Nursia, Francis of Assisi, Dominic and Ignatius,Vincent De Paul and Louise De Marillac, Jean Medaille and Mother St. John Fontbonne, Sophie Barat and Philippine Duchesne, Mary Ward, Mother McCauley and Benedicta Riepp.
Margaret Kieskowski Palos Park, Illinois Spiritually strong relationships, especially during a time of crisis, are a gift of God. After my daughter and husband both passed away in the same year, my sister Gertrude invited me to join her as an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. The associate relationship provided the spiritual strength I needed in 1985 and through all the years since then.
Charisms are obviously living, growing things. They are the grace of gifts ancient and passed on to us anew. They are the grace of gifts given now and passed on to all of us, and by us to a wider world for times to come. Charisms must constantly be re-discovered and constantly re-expressed. Charism is always ripe, but always in bloom again, always finished for one age and people, but always starting over again in another. No one and nothing encapsulates the whole life of Jesus. No one embodies all the gifts of Jesus at one time. Only Jesus is Jesus. The associate programs of religious orders are becoming the critical mass of new life, new hope and new expressions of Jesus alive in us. There are associates everywhere BEING the charism of their order: they are preaching peace in a country that spends more money on human destruction than on human development. They are doing justice in a world that provides CEOs the same salary every 90 minutes as their employees make in one year. They are being mercy in the prisons that kill killers to show everybody that killing is wrong. They are demanding equality for women who are invisible even in churches who say their model is Jesus. The questions, then, are real: To what table and to what feast are we all called in common? What are the gifts given there? What are the challenges facing each of us as we share one cup and one bread together?
What Must We All Do? This question of mission and meaning requires a new answer of both religious congregations and of associates themselves. If the stirrings of the spirit shaped associate programs in our times, they have a purpose and a place in the contemporary Church that is a unique gift for us all. First, associate programs model the whole Church, a Church that is wholly ministering, wholly open and wholly renewed. When professed members of a canonical congregation merge their lives and their work, their spiritual wisdom and their public witness, their decision-making and the deepest part of their concerns with the laity who surround them, then the Church itself becomes new again. Associate programs make the integration of lay life and religious life obvious. They dispel the notion that one state is “higher” than another. They make evident the inherent holiness of each. Associate programs dispel
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the image of exclusivity that makes spirituality the purview of a private club of cognoscenti—of special people—people specifically privileged, specifically gendered, supposedly more knowledgeable, specially recognized. Finally, associate programs enable lay members and religious congregations to strengthen and learn from the gifts of the other. Associates bring to a congregation the gift of immersion in another dimension of life. Religious bring to associates the lived experience of a long-standing spiritual tradition that has withstood the test of time. It is the depth of their spiritual traditions, the courage of their spiritual histories, the commitment of their religious figures, the faith of the religious women and men, the spiritual profundity of their religious currents, that religious communities hold out in trust for the associates to seek them out. We must look to one another for the wisdom of experience each of us brings to the table from a different part of life, another facet of living, a completely distinct perspective on being Christian. There are challenges, of course. It is an adjustment period for us all. Religious are finding that what lay women need most is space - for quiet, for talking about their dreams and hopes and questions. They need connectedness, someone to talk to. Religious are finding out that lay men need sanctuary, too. They are coming to realize that lay men need a place where spiritual life is nurtured in
Violet F. Paul Garfield Heights, Ohio
them. They want to learn from the wisdom of women for whom force and power, money and profit are not the goals of life. Men need an opportunity to make a faith journey and someone to journey with them. Associate programs are not this decade’s answer to ladies aid societies, convent guilds, alumnae programs of community “auxiliaries.” They are not meant to be pious additions to a string of private devotions. We are at a common table called the Church. We share a common feast called the Last Supper of the Lord. We bear a common responsibility to bring that Bread of Life to every dying thing that we see. We owe to the world now the cup of blood that is our own. We are today’s companions on the way and the keepers of the great spiritual traditions. Now is not the time to play church, to mistake the great spiritual traditions of history for spiritual massage parlors. Now is the time to carry these traditions back into a world that needs them again so badly. Let us, in other words, “Come to the table, come to the feast.” Let us be true to the traditions we hold in common. Once upon a time, a disciple asked the Holy One, “Holy One, what is the difference between knowledge and enlightenment?” And the Holy One said, “When you have knowledge, you use the torch to show the way. When you are enlightened, you become the torch.”
“Holy One, what is the difference between
knowledge and enlightenment?”
The Holy One said, “When you have knowledge, you When you are enlightened, you
become the torch.”
use the torch to show the way.
The Holy Spirit works in wonderful ways! I felt a need to be closer to God. I needed a fresh commitment in my life to the ideals of St. Francis, to prayer and to service. With the sisters, I was able to find a renewed zeal, more focus in my spiritual life, and more fulfillment in my service to others.
Developing Relationships with SSJ-TOSF
by Sister Dian Majsterek
A
s religious life was changing in the 1960s and many religious congregations experienced a drop in membership, new life was beginning in a movement that would cast new light on religious community life. The Second Vatican Council expanded the
vision of the church in the world in the document Gaudium et Spes and gave the impetus to re-thinking the interdependence of all of God’s people. Sr. Dian Majsterek
The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis captured the beginning of that movement in the resolution made at the General Chapter of 1968, to extend ministry through the development of an Associate Program. Although the resolution was made, little action followed for want of someone to carry it forward. In 1972, the General Chapter reaffirmed this resolution. Some sisters began looking into the possibilities of actually beginning an Associate Program. Study of this idea was directed toward developing a volunteer program by which lay people might enter into and extend the ministry of the Sisters. After 1974, Sister Cecilia Zielen began to organize the ideas of associate programs; she worked with a committee of sisters to shape a framework for the associate relationship. In 1976, the 75th Jubilee Year of the congregation, under the signature of Sister Josephine Marie Peplinski, who was then President, a letter was sent to each house of the congregation, introducing the sisters to the idea of associates: “Any woman or man, eighteen or older, who wishes to share life with us for a specified and renewable period of time may become an associate. This includes the single, widowed, divorced and married person as well as married couples, clerics or former SSJs. All that is required for associate Sr. Cecilia Zielen
membership is a desire to live the values and goals of the congregation, the capability of making a commitment, and independence in financial matters.” Leaven, Winter 1980,Vol. 3 Number 2, p.10. In Sr. Josephine Marie’s letter, the sisters were invited to incorporate lay associates into their ministry. About that time, a woman, Jessie Harvey, inquired about the possibility of entering the congregation. Her age and family obligations prompted the sisters to encourage her to explore possibilities of relating with the congregation in some way outside of full membership. Sr. Dian Majsterek invited her to develop a relationship with the sisters then living on Franklin Street in South Bend, Indiana. She did, by volunteering office work with Sr. Raphael Marie Clifford, who was providing public relations services for the SSJ-TOSFs. Jessie’s inquiry prompted the sisters to recognize that the congregation would not be able to offer ministerial employment to others. It was apparent that financial obligations of those willing to undertake the associate relationship were realities that could not be met, particularly where sisters themselves were often struggling to find ministries that would pay basic bills. The congregation could, however, offer others friend-
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ship, support and challenge to grow, especially in spiritual dimensions.
With this new awareness, Sr. Dian Majsterek invited Jessie and three
Associates
others—Carol and William Dillon and Olga Villa-Parra—to become
SSJ-TOSF
associates.This began a process of developing an Associate Relationship
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA•JENNIFER DILLON
based on creating faith communities, including both sisters and lay
I L L I N O I S • GERTRUDE BANASZAK• BARBARA BLUST
people, for mission in the world. Other individuals followed suit and became associates in Wisconsin, Ohio and Illinois.
J U D I T H B U L AT • R O S E G R U M • T H O M A S & A L I C E H E N C I N S K I • M A R G A R E T K I E S K O W S K I • R O S E P L AT T
Through the years, some persons chose not to renew their relationship,
C A R O L S T I L L I N G • B O B & R E N E TA W E B B
but most who joined the sisters in “formal friendship” remained. In 1998, there were more than 50 associates relating in one way or anoth-
C H A R L E S & L A U R A W E L L S • E V E LY N W YA N T
er with the sisters. Several more made a formal commitment to
INDIANA•WILLIAM & CAROL DILLON•MARJORIE FINK
increase that number. Today, there are 81 associates of the Sisters of St.
K AT H Y H I L L • M A R Y H O U C K • L L O Y D & S H E L L E Y K E T C H U M
Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. PAT R I C I A M A L O N E • I R E N E M O R G A N • T H E R E S E R O H A N
Throughout the years, several constants emerged from the associate
M I C H I G A N • S TA R R B U R K E • M A R Y J O H U D S O N
experience:
MARY LOUISE RACHAL• MAXINE SMITH
• Individuals are invited to become associates because they have a
R O S E V I R G I N I A WA L L S - G R E G O R Y • R E N E E L A F O U N TA I N E
relationship with one or more sisters. • The relationship is primarily between associates and sisters, not
OHIO•ROSE MARIE BUTKIEWICZ-BOMMER
between associates and associates. The latter usually follows, but is
PHYLLIS CASHIN•HELEN CEJKA•ROSE CHUMA
not necessary to the relationship.
M A R G E D R U S Z • E L S I E H A R VA N • S U Z A N N E H O R VAT H
• The relationship differs for each individual. Geographic similarities exist as friends relate with friends in prayer, in learning and in social experiences. • Communication and sharing is mutual, between sisters and associates; the growth and advantage is mutual. • This relationship is based on spiritual values—community, prayer, service, justice and other gifts of the Spirit. Through the years, an Associate Relationship Board was formed and continues to be active. The Board has reviewed practices, worked to develop an orientation program for individuals who wish to become
ELIZABETH HUNDLEY•CLARA JOJCZYK•JEAN KAMINSKY R O S E M A R I E K AVA L • R U T H K I C K E L • M A X I N E L O B I N S PAT M AT U S I K • L A U R A M U R P H Y • M A R G A R E T O C H WAT V I O L E T PA U L • D O R O T H Y P U C H A C • R O S E S K O R U P S K I JENNIE STEMBLESKY• MARY STERYE• MARGARET STETZY R O B E R T T I L L I N G H A S T • C AT H E R I N E WA R G O MARY ANN ZIAK W I S C O N S I N • M A R G A R E T C E R A • S H I R L E Y G R AY MARGARET KALINA• GERTRUDE KAZMIERCZAK
associates, and developed the Associate Relationship Handbook. The Board is committed to assuring that the relationship between sisters and associates reflects the words of Jesus, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
M A R Y K R O P I D L O W S K I • D O N N A R O S E R • PAT S I M K O W S K I IRENE SKARBAN•ISABELLE STELMAHOSKE CANADA•MARISA GUTIERREZ DE LACAURSIERE PERU•HERNAN CABEZA•LIDA LUCAS DE CABEZA R U F I N A E S C A L A N T E • S O R AY D A G U T I E R R E Z A M A N D A M A L Q U E • D E B I M A I TA • F R A N Z PA Z I S A B E L R E Q U E J O D E PA Z • R I C A R D A Q U I S P E LUIS ALBERTO REQUEJO• ROSARIO ALIAGA DE REQUEJO DELIA REYES•PILAR REYES•GENARO SANTIAGO SANTOSA TUCTO DE SANTIAGO J O S E A U G U S T O S U A R E Z • L I L I A T U R I AT E D E S U A R E Z N I L A T O M A S T O D E PA I C O
Marge Drusz Garfield Heights, Ohio Very simply, my reason for becoming an associate was to share in the lives of the sisters and, in so doing, grow in my own spirituality and closeness to God. I especially love sharing the lives of the retired sisters at Marymount Congregational Home. Their warm stories of faith, love, humility and service fill my heart with so much love for them. The associate relationship is a grace-filled blessing from God—a call to holiness—and I am grateful for that gift!
On Becoming An
Associate
by Judith Bulat, SSJ-TOSF Associate
The facts are clearly explained in the Associate Relationship Handbook—the length of time, orientation topics and usual formalities. Yet, no matter how clearly enunciated, these requirements are the smallest fraction of the meaning of becoming an associate. First and foremost, this process requires an individual to expand an existing friendship so that it encompasses the entire community of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. Granted, this is no small challenge, but over 100 individuals have done just that. For some, this commitment has led to new challenges and ministries, while others, myself included, have made this commitment a priority in their lives. The Associate Relationship begins with a
relationship. There are a wide variety of relationships with
the sisters that can evolve over time—blood relationships, friendships, mentors, caregivers, partners in ministry and prayer partners. The path toward becoming an associate is a process as unique as the individual pursuing it. It originates as a friendship with an individual sister, and is set on a path by an invitation from a sister or associate. The relationship as an associate broadens
and deepens to encompass the mission and ministry of
the community. This period of enrichment takes shape around the gifts of the individual. For example, if the
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person has partnered with the sisters in ministry, perhaps a more solid look at Franciscan spirituality and the history of the congregation would take on more importance. If the person has participated in Franciscan prayer and study, perhaps a ministry experience with the sisters would bring a clearer understanding of the congregation’s charism. From a wide variety of backgrounds, then, associates share in an orientation that allows them to deepen their understanding of the spirituality, Franciscan charism, history and mission of the community. Participation in congregational events during orientation provides opportunities to pray and share faith Sr. Henrietta receiving the commitments of Donna Roser, Mary Kropidlowski and Mary Jo McDonough.
with sisters and other associates. During the orientation process, associates acknowledge
the desire to
declare a commitment to the community.
Correspondingly, the community recog-
nizes this mutual commitment as the heart of the future relationship. It is from this point that great things can, and have, happened. As with all mutual relationships, the personal growth of each individual is enhanced
Maxine H. Lobins Cleveland, Ohio
by the constant challenge of the other. Responding with their unique gifts, associates have created various ways to actuate their commitments. Ministering alongside sisters, serving on committees and boards, joining in prayer and offering support in many unspoken ways are just some of the means by which associates have made the mission of the community their own. Acknowledging the mutuality of the relationship, the community invites associates to fuller participation in its events and may ultimately include associates in all but the most fundamental of community activities. Whether viewed as a short-term commitment or a life-long promise, the Associate Relationship has proven to be a life-giving experience for both associates and sisters. In an attitude of mutual respect, each challenges the other to live the meaning of the Gospels and, as stated in the Mission Statement of the Congregation, “to draw all persons to a fuller and freer life.” I, personally, have found the Associate Relationship to be the means by which I can make a return for what I have been able to accomplish, thanks to the education I received from the sisters. But most important, through the associate relationship, I have found the way to best live out the words of St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel always. If necessary, use words.”
begin a relationship… declare a commitment… The relationship as an Associate
broadens and deepens to encompass the mission and ministry of the community.
Judith Bulat
I became an associate because of my friendship with Sister Emily Anne Lyzen and our shared interest in things religious. “Sr. Em” is a praying friend, a fortress, who helps me better understand the awesome truths of Christmas and Easter, and pass on that understanding as my little contribution to peace.
A Companion for the Journey
The North American Conference of Associates and Religious:
by Sister Ellen Rose O’Connell, SC • Executive Director, NACAR
O
ne of the phenomena we are experiencing within the Catholic Church
ed a strong need for networking among
is the number of laity who seek
associates themselves and among reli-
active involvement in direct ministry
Evelyn Wyant Freeport, Illinois
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Vol. 4 No. 1
gious who work with associates. Arising
service to others and who wish to deep-
out of this need to network and dia-
en their spirituality and relationship to
logue, the North American Conference
God. Religious congregations of women
of Associates and Religious (NACAR)
and men have been doing just that for
was formed as a not-for-profit organiza-
centuries. In our time, lay associates are I knew some other SSJ-TOSF associates who would come back from the gatherings with the sisters full of excitement and joy, telling how wonderful it was to participate in prayer, song and socializing. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to be part of something good. I am happy to say that I am now an associate and understand ever more deeply the reason for Franciscan enthusiasm.
new role emerging for associates have creat-
joining their ranks in astonishing numbers, but maintaining their independent lifestyle. These are women and men who are attracted and committed to
tion in May 1996 during a national gathering of associates and religious. This gathering has taken place since the late 1980s and continues today under the auspices of NACAR.
living the mission and charism of the religious congregation from within their own lifestyle of single or mar-
Since 1996, NACAR has published a magazine,
ried life. Ordinarily, they do not live in community
The Associate, to provide a vehicle for sharing ideas
with vowed religious members and they do not take
among associates and religious about aspects of
canonical vows. They do connect with religious for
their common life.
spiritual support, prayer and community. In the past six
associate of the Bon Secours Sisters, its three-pronged
years, the number of lay associates has almost doubled.
approach emphasizes spirituality, community and
From an estimated six thousand in 1990, a figure from
ministry and boasts a readership of nearly 1,000. It has
a 1995 survey lists 14,500 lay associates in the United
become a voice for new ideas and the shared spiritu-
States. A recent study conducted by The Center for
ality of mission and charism. An extension of The
Applied Research in the Apostolate in Georgetown
Associate is the NACAR website which publishes press
counts more than 27,400 lay associates in the United
releases of the newest studies on associates and pro-
States, an astonishing increase. This growth and the
vides a connecting network of contact persons in 18
Begun by Jean Sonnenberg, an
geographic regions of the United States, Canada and
This points up the realization that associates are
Europe. NACAR staff members offer workshops to
becoming a stable arm of the religious congregation to
help associate groups develop leadership and deepen
which they commit.
spirituality. They provide updating and a space for dialogue for associate leaders who are in the forefront of
Part II of the Study, published in October 2002, sought
supporting and forming new associates.
input directly from associates and religious about their attitudes toward this new associate life. Over 4,500
NACAR continues to host a national conference,
questionnaires from associates and religious were
biannually, each time in a different geographic area
tallied, representing a 70% return rate. It asks associ-
of North America. Local associate organizations con-
ates what and, more importantly, who attracts them to
tribute their time and resources to help with the
this way of life. It questions associates about ministry,
planning. These popular gatherings bring energy and a
their involvement in the life of the religious congrega-
sense of the growing importance of the associate
tion and the future direction of associate relationship
movement. National keynote speakers are both asso-
as they see it. Vowed religious were also asked about
ciates and religious and have included Monica Hellwig,
their attitudes toward associate programs and their
Ph.D., Anne Harvey, SC, Catherine Harmer, MMS,
involvement in the growth and development of associ-
Elizabeth Dreyer, Ph.D., Maria Reikelman, MM, and
ates. The Study revealed that strong support for the
Joan Chittister, OSB.
concept of associate relationship exists among vowed religious. Participation in associate activities and net-
Another important task that NACAR has taken on is
working by vowed religious remains relatively low,
the sponsoring and publishing of significant research
however. On the other hand, the Study also reports
about the associate movement. Realizing that such
that younger religious have grown up in religious
data was imperative for those in the movement and in
communities amidst associates, sharing prayer, faith,
the Church in general to comprehend its numbers and
life and community with them. Another interesting
the significance of its growth and development,
highlight of the Study reports that as time goes by,
NACAR set about raising the funds and contracting
associates deepen in their desire to put their spiritual-
with a well-known Catholic research organization,The
ity into action through ministry. Nine out of ten asso-
Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at
ciates report their desire to serve others in ministry
Georgetown, CARA, to conduct a definitive study of
has increased since becoming an associate.
associates in the United States. Knowing that their own experience in the associate movement was needed, NACAR leaders helped to hone the questionnaires and served on the Steering Committee, along with CARA’s research staff. Produced in two parts, Partners in Mission: The AssociateVowed Relationship in the United States, Part I, was published in 2000. By contacting 1,100 religious congregations of women and men, it recorded the structure of associate programs, counted the numbers, recorded the existence and extent of formation programs for associates and documented the beginnings of associate groups in the United States. An important finding from the Study records 92% of asso-
NACAR serves as a splendid forum for generating
ciates making a formal commitment to live the mission
new ideas for mission and ministry and for preserving
and charism of the religious congregation and 94%
the heart of each religious congregation. It is the
renewing that commitment. These percentages are
sacred ground that brings together people of one
even higher in the poll of associates reported in 2002.
heart.
Laura Murphy Cleveland, Ohio Within my heart, I really always was an associate. However, having the official privilege and title of being an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis., is an outward affirmation of my personal spiritual connectedness to all the sisters and other fellow associates, and theirs to me. Not only am I proud to be an associate, I also treasure the relationships and the participation in community events. I am grateful for the graces that this provides for me.
Marge Kalina Madison, Wisconsin I have been an associate since 1982 when I first met Sr. Jean Sonsalla in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. I was active in the parish as a lector and a minister of care. I felt called to the associate relationship, particularly in the ministry to the sick. It has been my privilege over the years to provide care for several sisters after they underwent surgery. I am currently a member of the SSJ-TOSF Associate Board and have served a term as co-director. What a blessing to be so closely involved with the associate relationship as it took shape in the congregation!
Eighty-one individuals
have chosen to
declare their oneness with
the Sisters of St. Joseph
of the Third Order of St. Francis.
They come from a variety
of walks of life,
but share in common
the Franciscan spirit
of the congregation.
Here is a sample of the
“rainbow� of associates. 11
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a ssociates
Featuring… Gertrude Karecki-Banaszak “I’ve been an ‘associate’ ever since my daughter entered the convent,” said Gertrude Karecki-Banaszak, associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. Gert is the mother of Sister Madge Karecki, who now is missioned in South Africa. The Karecki family is very well-known around the area of St. Mary of Perpetual Help Parish in Chicago, Illinois. The close relationship that Gert had with the sisters at the school spilled over into Madge’s interest in entering the congregation following her freshman year in high school. Not that it was easy to see an only child choose a celibate life, but, as
Elizabeth Hundley Medina, Ohio
Gert explained, “It is her life and we supported her choice. We didn’t know it at the time, but Madge had so many more wonderful opportunities in life—blessings that came from her choosing to be a sister.” This respect for individuality, this willing response to God’s promptings, this compassion for God’s little ones, this deep rooted vision of divine meaning were values held strongly by Gert and Frank, her first husband. They beamed with pride as Sr. Madge was invested, pronounced her vows and eventually chose to establish a Franciscan presence in South Africa. Frank died in 1984 and Sr. Madge was already in South Africa. That was not a situation for the fainthearted. Gert visited Sr. Madge in Africa three times, and kept herself busy at home, attending Mass every morning and volunteering for a variety of services. She encouraged her sister, Margaret Kieskowski, to become an SSJ-TOSF associate and continued to bond solidly with the congregation. Gert married Stanley Banaszak in 1989 and enjoyed five years of marriage before he passed away in 1994. Gert will be 80 years old this year, but still attends daily Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea in Chicago, Illinois. She works in the school library two days a week. She is living proof that sharing the charism of a congregation can take different forms over time, but the fundamental commitment remains the same.
I went through the RCIA process at our Lady of Christians Parish in Lichfield, Ohio. Sister Monica Niemiera helped teach it. She asked if I ever thought about being a sister. I began visiting Marymount Convent with her and taking Franciscan spirituality classes. Then I became an associate. I enjoy the fellowship of the sisters, since I lost my sister, my only sibling, to cancer in 1990 at the age of 32.
a ssociates
Featuring… LLoyd & Shelley Ketchum
Rose Grum Chicago, Illinois This is my 19th year as an associate. The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis appealed to me because of their sharing, camaraderie and love. The associate relationship has enhanced my commitment and dedication to the SSJ-TOSF mission. I will continue to express my devotion and love, serving where I am able.
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Follow along. Shelley and Lloyd Ketchum standing next to their children, Lloyd, Roy, Noel, Ben, Leo, Maria, John-Paul and Sheena. Yes, that’s the whole Ketchum family, a marvelous mix of interest in engineering, medicine, outdoor education, fine arts, anthropology and all-around solid Christian living. Lloyd and Shelley knew each other back in Lapeer, Michigan, when they were both students at the same high school. But it wasn’t until they were in college that they began dating. Lloyd attended Michigan State in Lansing, Michigan, studying Civil Engineering, and Shelley was at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, studying Speech Pathology. After they were married, they moved to Ohio, where Lloyd worked for a gas company and Shelley worked as a speech therapist. When Lloyd completed his master’s degree in civil engineering, his interest turned to teaching. It was about this time that Lloyd and Shelley applied for adoption. But before that process was brought to completion, Lloyd Jr. and Roy were born and the Ketchum family was on its way. When Lloyd was accepted for a teaching position at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Lloyd and Shelley received a call from the adoption agency saying that two children were looking for a home. Enter Noel and Ben. The Ketchums made for an interesting inter-racial family, everyone living harmoniously together, especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Lloyd completed his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and was hired at the University of Notre Dame in 1973.When the family moved to South Bend, Indiana, Lloyd and Shelley looked for a parish community where the children would be happy and where they would find a supportive Christian community. St.Augustine’s was just such a place, and a place where Sr. Dian Majsterek was serving as pastoral minister. Thus began the Ketchums’ relationship to the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis.
a ssociates
Featuring… After Leo was born, Lloyd and Shelley adopted Maria, adding yet another ethnic dimension to the family. All the children were loved and nurtured through all the stages of growing up, and St. Augustine’s parish community figured prominently in that. The parish was innovative and welcoming, a true community of God’s People. When John-Paul was born, the community gathered on the banks of the St. Joseph River in South Bend, where, in the midst of a great celebration, John-Paul was baptized, total emersion. Although Sheena was spared the cooling waters of the St. Joseph, she put the finishing touch on the Ketchum ensemble. In 1994, Lloyd and Shelley formalized their associate relationship with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. St. Francis had always figured prominently in Shelley’s life, having been born on October 4th, the feast of St. Francis. When Lloyd and Shelley talk about how they share the charism of the congregation,
Mary Louise Rachal Palos Park, Illinois
they beam with pride at their eight children, and affirm exactly what the mission statement of the congregation proclaims:
T
ogether with all our sisters and brothers who strive for a more just world, we undertake those activities which will promote the material and spiritual development of the human family.
I became an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis to affirm and strengthen my commitment to the Catholic Church, which is a very important factor in my life and my actions. The associate relationship supports the relationships I have with my parish members, guides my personal beliefs in the ministry, and allows me to share the day-to-day life of the sisters.
a ssociates
Featuring… IRENE SKARBAN
by Sister Suzanne Dietz
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our associate of 17 years, Irene Skarban. When I first met Irene, I was the principal in a school in Oconto, Wisconsin, where she was a teacher. We worked together and spent a lot of time attending workshops, conferences, sharing and agreeing on our philosophy of education, which is, first and foremost, to teach children as individuals.
Sister Suzanne Dietz
Shirley Gray Marshfield, Indiana What caught my interest in the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis is their support of social justice issues. This resonated deeply with me. Further, I found the sisters to be always welcoming, open and sincere. The associate relationship has enhanced my life greatly and added a dimension I could not have found anywhere else. I’m with them to stay!
As time went on, our conversations took on a deeper meaning about books we read or cassette tapes we heard. I invited Irene to the Fall and Spring Homecomings of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis in Stevens Point,Wisconsin, where she enjoyed meeting many of the sisters and listening to some good professional speakers. Whenever there was a Community event, she made it a point to attend with me. After two years, we both moved to another school where we were teachers.
develop such programs as multiaged learning, a buddy system, sing-along events, plays, talent shows, and a whole lot of fun kid-centered activities. During this time, my mom was in a nursing home and Irene’s mother took sick, so we would visit our mothers almost every weekend. After one year, we both moved to Belgium, Wisconsin, where
Irene, “Granny” and Sr. Suzanne with friends.
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In this situation, we
were able to use our talents to
I
became the principal and Irene
taught third and fourth grade. At that time, we brought Irene’s mother to live with us and our two dogs, Prince and Kimberly. The week before Easter, the parish music director quit the position. Irene was asked to continue the position as the parish music director and as a teacher, both of which she did for the next 10 years. Irene has many talents which she is not afraid to share with others. While we were at Belgium, she won the Kohler Teacher Award for the state of Wisconsin. Each year, all the children in the school performed in two plays, such as The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Pinocchio, The Old Fashion Christmas Hoedown, and The Best Gift of All (a Christmas play which Irene wrote for all the students to perform). For one of the plays, she had four of the teachers, including me, take line dancing lessons so that we could teach the children how to line dance. Irene’s mom, known to all the people and children in Belgium as “Granny,” became a great help to us in school. Granny grew up as a Seven Day Adventist, but trained her
Featuring…
a ssociates
“
IRENE SKARBAN (continued) six children in the Catholic faith. Granny used to help out the teacher who taught the four-year-old students. Granny would read to them, take them to the bathroom, wipe up tables after snack and art time, put on boots, zip up jackets, and do countless other loving acts. Granny was also in charge of teaching the little ones to pray the meal prayer before they ate their snack. She supervised morning recess so that the teachers could get a break. As an associate, Irene has been a member of a local SSJ-TOSF community since it started over 10 years ago. She attends all the meetings and celebrations with the sisters. Even after we moved from Belgium to Kaukauna,Wisconsin, the associate relationship remains strong. Irene is Coordinator of Child Ministry at St. Thomas More Parish in Appleton, Wisconsin. On weekends, she plays the organ and leads song for parish liturgies. Her creativity spills over into Advent and Lenten Fairs for the children, workshops for the adults and other prayerful activities. Granny now requires full-time care and is residing at St. Paul Home, very close to where we live. Irene is able to visit her daily, as we are only about two miles away. Irene wanted to have a ramp built so her mom could be brought home for visits, and with Irene’s determination, a ramp was built in time for Granny to make it home for Christmas. We always kid each other on why we get along so well, no matter what project is at hand. Many years ago, we figured out that I am a left-brained person while she is a right-brain thinker. I have been able to call upon her talents in my ministry and she has been able to use my gifts in her ministry. This is a friend hard to find.
Local Community: Sisters Geraldine Smurawa, Sally Dulak, Irene Skarban, Suzanne Dietz, Irmina Bula, Edmund Antoniewicz, and Elizabeth Dedo.
I
rene has been a member of a local ssj-tosf community since it started over 10 years ago…. her creativity spills over into advent and lenten fairs for the children, workshops for the adults and other prayerful activities.
Irene Skarban Kaukauna, Wisconsin A while back, I thought about vowed religious life as a vocation, but it became clear that God had other plans for me. I attended the SSJ-TOSF assemblies and gatherings, and I was thrilled because I could actually see the sisters “in action.” I loved it and enjoyed every minute of my time with them. Sr. Sue and I share a house together, and we value the same things in life. We share the ministry of teaching and helping others. I cherish my ministry within the church and I cherish the associate relationship with the SSJ-TOSF community.
Maxine Ann Smith Belleville, Michigan As a lay associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, I am blessed with the companionship of other women who seek a just world centered on the values of Jesus. In our daily lives, we work and pray together for justice, peace, and the fulfillment of God’s plan in our families, parishes and communities. These are the values I strive to pass on to my children and grandchildren, and the sisters help me to do this.
17
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a ssociates
Featuring… MAXINE ANN SMITH “What God has in store for me, he will reveal,” said Maxine Smith in her calm and peaceful voice. “God has surprises for us. Out of it always comes good.” That solid faith began on September 30, 1952, when Maxine was born in the Salvation Army Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. Her family lived in Melvindale, Michigan, where she attended St. Mary Magdalene Grade School and St. Gabriel High School. After she received her degree in Elementary Education from Wayne State, she began her teaching career as a substitute teacher at St. Mary Magdalene, but within a year, was teaching full-time at St.Alfred School where she stayed for ten years. During this time, Maxine married Gary, and their son, Jonathan, was born in 1981. In 1984, Maxine began teaching first grade at St. Anthony in Belleville, Michigan. This was her first involvement with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. Immediately, they were on the same spiritual wavelength. “Simplicity, peace, family, earth, life…” Maxine said each word as though it were a sacred vessel. Her association with the SSJ-TOSFs continued to take shape after her daughter, Angela, was born. Both children attended St. Anthony’s while Maxine was a teacher there. “The convent is like our second home,” she explained. “The sisters are family to us.” She recalled with a smile an incident when her son was “running away from home,” as children are wont to do. He “ran” to the sisters at St. Anthony.
In 1996, Maxine left teaching. “Every year was a good year,” she said,“and I wanted to leave happy.” She is now the manager of two sites of a manufactured house community of 422 homes. The change in employment did not change her relationship to the sisters, especially now that her children are grown, and Maxine and Gary have two granddaughters. With this close relationship to the congregation, it was a natural progression for Maxine to expand her relationship from the sisters at the parish to the congregation as a whole. In October 2002, Maxine formalized her relationship to the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis by becoming an associate. “I want to remember always that I am a faith-filled person, but I didn’t get there by myself!”
a ssociates
Featuring… Phyllis Cashin This is Phyllis Cashin in about 1935 when she was attending Ss. Peter & Paul School where the Sisters of St. Joseph,TOSF were teaching. For as long as she can remember, Ohio has been her home, first Garfield Heights, then Independence. She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1927, but she was only four months old when her family moved. It was in Ohio that she went to school, got married, and raised her three children. Her family has now expanded to include eight grandchildren. While Phyllis has her primary family,“The sisters are my second family,” she says. She has been at Marymount Congregational Home for 27 years, providing nursing care services in
Kathy Hill South Bend, Indiana
Clare Hall and supportive care in the congregational home. Phyllis enrolled in the LPN (Licensed Practical Nursing) program at Marymount Hospital in 1975 when it became necessary for her to be employed. While in the program, she began to work at Clare Hall, the nursing care facility for the infirm sisters in Garfield Heights, Ohio. It was work she loved. “I’m a ‘hands-on’ kind of person. I
The associate relationship is a firming and affirming experience. I relish the time spent with others who share dedication to Franciscan ideals, and I enjoy the companionship along the Gospel road home.
love the bedside care and the interaction with each sister,” Phyllis explains. Phyllis has a natural tenderness and a real insight into human beings. She understands the stress that people can experience when they are sick and she has the ability to ease both body and spirit. No task is too small; every relationship is a treasure. “It’s like taking care of my mother,” is the way she explains her relationship to each sister in her care. Phyllis is a spry 76 years old. “If you want me to serve your people,” she prays, “give me the strength.” God has done just that. Phyllis continues to provide those services for the sisters that make life happy and healthy. She accompanies them to the doctor, regulates medications for them, sees to it that they are safely bathed, and any other service that will support them in their need. She manages a staff of seven people in order to provide 24-hour coverage. Phyllis is in intimate association with the sisters, and it is no wonder that she, in turn, is loved and prayed for. “Life is good,” she says,“and
Suzanne M. Horvath Warrensville Heights, Ohio
I am so grateful!”
I
’m a hands-on kind of person… I love the bedside care and the interaction with each sister.
I have always admired the sisters, how they served others and God. The SSJ-TOSFs follow a Franciscan style of life and I have always been attracted to living out that charism. It is an honor and a privilege to be included in the lives of these holy women.
Catherine Wargo Garfield Heights, Ohio When I retired at age 62, I went to work part-time for Sister Charles Szczecinski who was administrator for a home for eight mentally handicapped women. Becoming an associate simply formalized the relationship I had with Sr. Charles in particular, and, in a larger sense, with all the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. With my house chores at the home, I participated in that ministry until I retired for a second time. When Sr. Charles retired to Clare Hall, Garfield Heights, OH, I visited her at least once a week. I continue the visits with all the sisters at the congregational home and maintain my “association” with them.
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Featuring… MARY KROPIDLOWSKI Mary Kropidlowski lives at St. Joseph Congregational Home in Stevens Point,Wisconsin. She has been there for five years now and shares much of her life with the sisters. She attends Mass with them every morning and participates in prayer and social time with the sisters and other associates. She applied her gardening skills to maintaining the flowers around the Lourdes grotto on the grounds of the congregational home. Life is good. But it wasn’t always like that. Mary survived four years inside a German work camp. Mary was born in Staczow, Poland, October 25, 1926. She is the oldest of six children and helped out with the chores on their small farm. It was from there in 1941 that she was taken, scared and alone, to a work camp in Germany. Under a regime of hard labor and brutality, she was forced to spend her teen years in starvation and filth, unsure of the fate of her family. “We had no soap to wash our clothes, no toilet paper,” she said.“There were fleas and lice everywhere—hygiene was non-existent.” She was led every morning to the factory by the guards. Food consisted of a loaf of bread, which had to last for an entire week for breakfast, and a single dip of soup for lunch and again at supper. “The bread was half sawdust and flour and whatever else they could find, but it tasted good because we were so hungry,” Mary describes. “I usually ate the whole thing right away because I didn’t know if I’d be alive through the week. So often, the bombs fell close and searchlights were always going over.” Mary remembered a particularly painful moment when she was so weak from hunger that she couldn’t hold the drill without shaking and ruining her work. The guard accused her of sabotage, slapping and kicking her. In 1945, U.S. soldiers liberated Mary and her camp mates. She met her husband, Bernie, while staying in a town for displaced persons in Germany. They visited and talked many times before he was shipped to Czechoslovakia. She and Bernie continued to exchange letters, one of which invited Mary to come to the United States. In order to leave the country, Mary had to travel from Germany to Poland and present her letter to the officials. She took trains and horse and buggy, got rides in army vehicles and walked many miles before reaching the officials. They denied her request. Bernie was also denied a visa to come to Poland to marry Mary. Two years later, Bernie’s visa came through. He came to Poland in October, 1948, and they were married in November. It wasn’t until the following January that Mary was able to come to the United States. Mary knows what it means to be the “minores,” the little ones. The fundamental values of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis were deeply woven into the threads of Mary’s life. Mary declared her oneness with that spirit by becoming an associate on October 27, 2002.
a ssociates
PERU A S S O C I AT E S
by Sister Josephine Espinos
Santosa Tucto was the inspiration of our Casa San Jose for Senior Citizens. She felt the needs of aging parents and began working together with Sister Jane Blabolil to see what could be done. Senior citizens gathered once a week in the patio inside the home where Santosa and her husband, Genaro, live. When a
Sister Josephine Espinos
senior citizen, Don Abel, was thrown out of his home by his family, they accepted him into theirs. Then, a tiny woman named Valentina,“Valicha,” also joined their home. Finally, another man, David, joined them. Out of this love was born the dream of Casa San Jose, which was built to serve the needs of the aging. Don Abel has gone with the Lord, but Valicha and David still enjoy life there. And the senior citizen group has grown to about 150. The San Jose Adulto Mayor Center provides a variety of activities for the guests such as prayer and reflection, cooking class, tai chi, knitting and crocheting.
The associates organized a simple celebration for Sister Monica Lachcik’s 30th anniversary of her arrival in Peru. They planned a Peruvian meal of Papa a la huaciana. They had a special toast with wine, and sang as Sr. Monica blew out the candle in a lantern which said “Happy Anniversary,” Feliz Aniversario. They shared memories of how Sr. Monica walked with them through the happy times, through the struggling times when terrorism threatened her life and the lives of many Peruvians. In the picture are associates Nila Tomasto, “Charo” Rosario Aliaga, Rufina Escalante, Isabel Requejo and Lili Turiate. continued on page 21
Margaret Ann Cera Plover, Wisconsin I have always felt a deep affection for the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. They were my teachers at St. Peter’s school and St. Joseph Academy in Stevens Point. Sister Julianna Stencel, in particular, was a great inspiration in my life. She was my mentor and dear friend as we shared prayer and deep conversation, and worked in the prison ministry together. I learned about complete dedication and great love of God, bringing me to this point of being an associate. I look forward to developing new friendships with the sisters and to participate in any area where there is a need. A great gift has been presented to me and I am grateful.
a ssociates
PERU A S S O C I AT E S
Rosie Platt Freeport, Illinois Prayer and ministry. These are the two things that attracted me to the Sisters of St. Joseph, TOSF. I noticed this as soon as they came to my parish in Freeport. I was very happy when the sisters extended the invitation to become an associate, and was excited about sharing prayer, social activities and study with the community. I became an associate in the early 1980s, and to this day, I continue to renew my commitment.
The associates gather once a month for prayer and liturgy. They love to sing and are very creative in planning rituals to bring everyone closer to God and to each other.
Sr. Monica (standing) joins associates Nila Tomasto, “Pepe” Agusto Suarez and Amanda Malque in song.
Associates Sorayda Gutierrez, Rufina Escalante, Ricarda Quispe, Delia Reyes and Pilar Reyes gather for prayer.
The gathering of sisters and associates also includes celebrations of their happy family events - weddings, baptisms, engagements. The gatherings also share the deep feelings when someone in the group is going through trying events - losing a job, injustices, deaths and illness.
Sister Josephine Espinos, Nila Tomasto de Paico, “Charo” Aliaga, and Rufina Escalante celebrate Nila’s first anniversary of marriage. Most of the sisters and associates were present at the wedding.
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Sr. Jane Blabolil prays with Pilar Reyes, Luis Alberto Requejo, the mother of Hernan Cabeza, Lida Lucas with baby Emanuel, and Fr. John O’Connell.
Associates Isabel Requejo de Paz and Franz Paz hold the Franciscan cord as the associates gather for prayer.
a ssociates
PERU A S S O C I AT E S
Over the years, the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis have worked closely with the Columbian Fathers in Peru. They have a project wherein they invite lay people to go into areas which are considered to be mission territory, that is, areas where there is no organized parish or church. Many new areas are forming as people seek a place to settle and live. Some of these areas are just developing systems for water, sewage and electricity. Associates “Charo” Rosario and her husband “Beto” Luis Alberto Requejo, together with Isabel Requejo de Paz, have served in the missionary project. Their purpose is threefold: To know the spiritual needs of the people of the area To discern how to bring the message of the Gospel to these people with their specific reality To meet the sacramental needs of the Catholics
Carol Stilling Freeport, Illinois It all began when I participated in the sisters’ gatherings and socials. When I watched the sisters pray, sing, and enjoy one another’s company, I, too, wanted to be part of this group. Their joy in God was apparent. I have been an associate for many years and have always been grateful for that first invitation.
Not all of the people in these areas are Catholic, but everyone is invited to participate in the activities. As of May 2002, the associates began going every Saturday during their free time to an area about an hour and a half north of Tahuantinsuyo called Zapan.
They invited
other associates and interested people to participate as they were able. So far, Nila Tomasto, Franz Paz, Pilar Reyes, Debi Maita, Delia Reyes and Sorayda Gutierrez have volunteered their time.
Rose Marie E. Butkiewicz-Bommer Avon Lake, Ohio I became an associate to learn more about St. Francis and his ways of living out the Gospel. Through community, I can enrich my faith and participate in activities which will enable me to be of greater service to others. continued on page 23
a ssociates
PERU A S S O C I AT E S
Pat Simkowski Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin I was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis for 12 years and have some wonderful relationships with them. Through my formally becoming an associate, I would like to somehow repay them for their years of dedication. I truly enjoy the time I spend with them in prayer, meetings, social gatherings and community events.
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For the Christmas season, the associates organized a special prayer time with the children and served what is traditional in Peru: hot chocolate and sweet bread. Of course, there were small gifts as well, which came from the generosity of the sisters and associates. The parish of Nuestra Sra del Rosario had been going through some very difficult times. The pastor decided to end all Parish Council meetings and gatherings of parish groups. The faith of the people with the leadership of the associates, together with the sisters, discovered ways in which they could join together as God’s people. The Christmas season offered one of these opportunities.
a ssociates
PERU A S S O C I AT E S
Associate Lili Turiate leads the parish community in Christmas prayer.
On the evening of December 14, 2002, a living representation of the Christmas story was organized by the sisters and associates. It took place in front of the main church entrance. All parish groups were invited to participate by bringing a lantern to represent their group and by writing a prayer intention which they would read as part of the celebration. Mary and Joseph, Jesus and shepherds, angels and stars were all part of the tableau. Everyone sang and prayed, entering as a parish community into the joy of Christmas. Marriage fees, even in the parish church, are out of reach for many of the people in Peru. In Peru, a couple must have a civil wedding before they can arrange for a church wedding. As a result, many cannot afford to get married. Sr. Monica worked with associates Lili Turiate and her husband, Pepe, with Chiaro Aliaga, Pilar Reyes, Sorayda Gutierrez, Debi Maita, Isabel Requejo and other dedicated people to organize a group religious marriage celebration which would be less expensive. A few weeks before, in the local municipality, a group civil wedding was scheduled. Almost every night for about two months prior to that, the committee registered people, made sure all their paperwork was in order, and did what they could to make sure there were no obstacles. On the day of the church celebration, they prepared the church and decorated the small parish hall. The wedding Mass was a life giving experience, the love of one couple strengthening the other. After the wedding Mass, everyone celebrated in the parish hall with appetizers and a champagne toast.
Isabelle Stelmahoske Stevens Point, Wisconsin I was an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph, TOSF, right after my graduation from St. Joseph Academy in 1945, long before I became an associate. I maintained unbroken association with the sisters, especially Sister Sponsa Rozga and Sister Regina Klimczak (Amofilia). More recently, in the 1980s, I became an associate formally with Sister Josephine Marie Peplinski and the community, for mutual support and personal enhancement.
Sister Albina Sadowski
Catholic School Educator 2002
G R AT I T U D E F O R SR. ALBINA’S CONTINUING C O M M I T M E N T TO Q UA L I T Y E D U C AT I O N F O R
On October 26, 2002, Sister Albina Sadowski received the Catholic School Educator Award in recognition
THE CHILDREN OF
and appreciation for her educational service to the Archdiocese of Detroit. Sr.Albina came to St. Bartholomew
D E T R O I T F O R OV E R
Parish in 1970 as a teacher. After seven years, she became principal of the school and remained there until 2002, when she retired.
25 YEARS RESIDES M A I N LY I N T H E H E A RT S O F
Sr. Albina is a sterling example of perseverance and dedication to educating God’s children. When she arrived at St. Bartholomew School, it was at its zenith. Enrollment was over 1,000 students and the parish had just completed construction of a new school building. Sr. Albina continues to describe the events:
PA R E N T S A N D STUDENTS, AND
“Entering into the 1980s, the size of the student body began dropping slowly, first to about 750 and then to 500. The number of sisters dropped to nine, and lay teachers remained at about 12. In the late 1980s, the
TO O K T H E S H A P E O F A P L AQ U E W H I C H WA S P R E S E N T E D TO H E R
students numbered 490, of which 135 were African-Americans. Eventually, the number of children of the parishioners numbered 150 and other students increased to 143. This was an ongoing situation throughout the late 1980s and into the 90s. Some classrooms were closed and enrollment dropped to just over 250 students. Today, enrollment is 100% African-American, of which seven are Catholic.”
AT A B A N Q U E T O F
Gratitude for Sr. Albina’s continuing commitment to RECOGNITION.
quality education for the children of Detroit for over 25 years resides mainly in the hearts of parents and students, and took the shape of a plaque which was presented to her at a banquet of recognition.
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Vol. 4 No. 1
Sister Magdalene Kabat
Receives the Coordinating Board Award On Sunday, March 2, 2003, Sister Magdalene Kabat was honored with the 2003 Coordinating Board Award given by the Association of Chicago Priests “in recognition and appreciation for outstanding contributions to the life of the Church of Chicago.” She received congratulations and applause from Francis Cardinal George of Chicago, her pastor Rev.Thaddeus Dzieszko, the Kabat family and Sisters Barbara and Dolores Koza, who represented the SSJ-TOSFs. All those who attended the awards banquet were filled with thanksgiving, pride and
“YOU ARE ONE OF THE
gratitude for Sr. Magdalene’s exemplary dedication to the goals of Catholic education. MAIN REASONS WHY
Sr. Magdalene has been at Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish,
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Cicero, Illinois, for 35 years, serving as teacher and principal. It is
CONTINUES TO FLOURISH
no wonder that the letter of invitation says, “We are grateful for your service and dedication. For more than 30 years, you have
IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF
provided leadership so that boys and girls might receive the best
CHICAGO… WE APPLAUD
possible education and grow in their faith. You have stayed in
YOUR OUTSTANDING
what at times must have seemed like an impossible job. You have truly lived a life of service as a principal of one of our Catholic
CONTRIBUTION TO THE
schools. You are one of the main reasons why Catholic
MINISTRY OF THE
education continues to flourish in the Archdiocese
CHURCH.”
of Chicago. We applaud your outstanding contribution to the ministry of the church.”
Although Our Lady of Czestochowa has been her place of ministry for many years, Sr. — IN A LETTER OF INVITATION TO
Magdalene began her teaching experience at St. Barbara School, Chicago, Illinois. After seven
THE 2003 COORDINATING BOARD
years, she continued her teaching experience at St. Stanislaus in East Chicago, Indiana; St. Mary
AWARD, GIVEN BY THE ASSOCIATION
of Perpetual Help in Chicago, Illinois; and Queen of the Universe in Chicago, Illinois. In 1967, she came to St. Mary of Czestochowa as principal and teacher, and has continued to serve the People of God in that area of the city.
OF CHICAGO PRIESTS.
Sister Catherine Britton
2003 Distinguished Citizen of the Year
I T WA S S R . C AT H E R I N E ’ S C O M M I T M E N T TO E X C E L L E N C E T H AT
The article in the Garfield-Maple Sun announcing that Sister Catherine Britton would receive the 2003 Distinguished Citizen of the Year award
PROMPTED THE
happened to have a quote from Vince Lombardi coupled with it: GARFIELD HEIGHTS
“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion
CHAMBER OF
to their commitment to excellence, COMMERCE,
regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” GARFIELD
It was Sr. Catherine’s commitment to excellence that prompted the Garfield Heights Chamber of Commerce, H E I G H T S , O H I O,
Garfield Heights, Ohio, to select her as the 2003 Distinguished Citizen of the Year. Sr. Catherine made her mark on the Garfield Heights area, particularly in her 27-year role as principal of Marymount/Trinity High
TO S E L E C T H E R A S THE 2003 DISTINGUISHED
School. She came to Marymount High School in 1956, teaching English and Spanish. In 1969, she became principal, and coordinated the transition from an all-girls high school to the current co-ed Trinity High School. On Saturday, January 18, 2003, at a 6:00 PM dinner ceremony, Sr. Catherine was presented with a plaque of recognition and a proclamation of her selection as Distinguished Citizen of the Year. The sisters from the
CITIZEN OF THE
Garfield Heights area attended the dinner along with other civic leaders, and joined in celebrating the extraordinary contributions of an educator, leader, creator, friend and sister.
YEAR.
Sr. Catherine continues to live in Garfield Heights. Her ministry is now Siena Prints, an art ministry that supports the retired sisters.
27
Vol. 4 No. 1
Social Justice
Sister Dorothy Pagosa
Arrested for Peace “I gave my promise that when I got back to the United States, I would try to change U.S. policy that supplied the weapons and the backing that were killing the most impoverished of their land.” Sister Dorothy Pagosa
n April 8, 2002, Sister Dorothy Pagosa
O
Marshalls who took them to Muskeegee County Jail.
surrendered to the Women’s Federal
Sr. Dorothy was released after two days, and then
Prison in Pekin, Illinois, where she will
returned to Georgia at the end of January for sen-
serve a three-month sentence for criminal trespass
tencing.
on a military base. She was arrested on November 17, 2002, when she passed through the gates of
The statement that Sr. Dorothy prepared for her trial
WHISC (Western Hemisphere Institute for Security
in Columbus, Georgia, proclaims:
Cooperation), formerly known as the School of the Americas, in Fort Benning, Georgia. This is a facility at
“Your Honor, in 1986, I went to El Salvador on an
which Latin-American soldiers are trained in civilian-
accompaniment. This was to join other Americans in
targeted warfare. SOA graduates have been respon-
accompanying refugees back to their village. It was
sible for torture, murder and other human rights
hoped death squads and military would not shoot
atrocities, including the 1980 murders of a group of
North Americans, and, as a result, the refugees would
church women in El Salvador and of Archbishop
be safe. When we got there, it was cancelled. They
Oscar Romero, also of El Salvador.
were no longer shooting. They were bombing. So the Salvadorans accompanied us on a journey into the
Sr. Dorothy, along with Sisters Sharon Dillon and
lives of the most impoverished. The injustices were
Helen Huellmantel, went to Georgia to join the vigil
heart-rending. Someone asked, and I gave them my
calling for the closure of the School of the Americas
promise that when I got back to the United States, I
(SOA). As part of the prayer service, the participants
would try to change U.S. policy that supplied the
placed crosses with the names of the victims of the
weapons and the backing that were killing the most
SOA. Over 80 people entered the open gate of the
impoverished of their land. I have tried to fulfill that
facility, where they sang the “Prayer for World Peace.”
promise. I heard about the School of the Americas
They were apprehended by military police, processed
and how the ‘graduates’ contributed to the misery in
in a military barracks and handed over to U.S.
the lives of these poor, and I was further ashamed. continued on page 29
Social Justice Sister Dorothy Pagosa
Arrested for Peace
continued from page 28
“I have written letters. I have visited congresspeople.
December 13. Although WHISC apparently passed,
I have protested. I have committed civil disobedience.
there was serious concern about the lack of informa-
Yet, our policies continue to harm the lives of the
tion regarding the source of the material for its cur-
most impoverished in Central and Latin America. I
riculum. How can one tell the context in which a
have no money of my own to influence. All I have left
class is being taught without access to sources? From
to give is me.
what I understand, the accountability of WHISC is to the Pentagon, which is certainly not an independent
“On the way to the Army barracks where we were
source.
processed on November 17th, one of my co-defendants asked the U.S. Marshall, ‘Is that the School of
“So here we are. As a Franciscan, I must judge poli-
the Americas?’ His response was, ‘Yes, it is.’ It
cies and institutions on how they affect the most
seems, your Honor, that not many people
impoverished in our world. In this respect, our poli-
are fooled by the institution’s name
cies and institutions have failed. I have heard of the
change. Amnesty International has
atrocities. I have not once heard, ‘My life is so much
called for the suspension of all
better, now that WHISC has trained our soldiers
activities at WHISC until a thor-
and police, and the U.S. has been involved.’ As a
ough investigation can be done
Franciscan, I am called to be a penitent. I take respon-
of past atrocities, and until
sibility for the part I have played as a U.S. citizen in the
accountability is established. The
sins of my country. It is your decision, your Honor,
first report to AI’s Board of
on what penance I should pay.”
Visitors was done only this past
”As a Franciscan, I must judge policies and institutions on how they affect the most impoverished in our world.” Sister Dorothy Pagosa
29
Vol. 4 No. 1
Social Justice
of Peace
NOAC
A demonstration
Sisters Sandy Lo Porto and Louise Szerpicki joined about 1,000 peace advocates in a rally in downtown Cleveland on Saturday, November 16, 2002. The group marched into the downtown area of Cleveland, Ohio to oppose President Bush’s war on Iraq and to promote the use of diplomacy, rather than military aggression, in dealing with Saddam Hussein. The rally was sponsored by the Northeast Ohio Antiwar Coalition (NOAC). The purpose of the gathering, as stated by the NOAC , called for:
“No war on Iraq! Our hope is to communicate through our number and our messages, that a war for power and oil, a war against a nation that poses no direct threat to the United States, and a war that will take away precious resources from jobs, education and health care, is a war we cannot and will not support in any way.”
The rally also coincided with the events in Fort Benning, Georgia, where there was a rally to close the School of the Americas/WHISC. Srs. Sandy and Louise joined this demonstration for peace in support of their sisters in Georgia and in visible expression of the Franciscan commitment to peacemaking.
Our hope is to communicate through our number and our messages, that a war for power and oil, a war against a nation that poses no direct threat to the United States, and a war that will take away precious resources from jobs, education and health care, is a war we cannot and will not support in any way.”
Social Justice
Washington, D.C.
©2003 The Washington Post Reprinted with permission. Photo by Luckian Perkins
Franciscans for PEACE
THE LORD GIVE YOU PEACE The Mall in Washington, D.C. was filled with tens of thousands of peace demonstrators on Saturday, January 18, 2003. Among those present was a group of “Franciscans for Peace” including Sister Sharon Dillon, Executive Director of the Franciscan Federation, and a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, along with Sisters Sandy LoPorto and Louise Szerpicki.
“As a sister to all human beings,
The situation with Iraq does not meet the conditions of a just war as articulated by the Catholic Church. “As a sister to all human beings,” says Sr. Louise,“I see the faces of all people - American and Iraqi - who are longing for peace. The demonstration itself was a testimony to the possibility of people living together in peace.
I see the faces
We were cold, tired and hungry. Yet, I never in my life experienced such an outpouring of kindness, gentleness
of all people–
and congeniality.”
American and
Sr. Sandy says,“I attended the march against the war in Iraq because I felt the need to voice my opposition to
Iraqi–who
the insanity of aggression against another country. I needed to make a visible presence of my belief, putting
are longing for peace.”
my body where my mouth is, standing in a powerful collective witness to peace.”
This march took place on the same day as demonstrations were held around the world - in Moscow, Russia; in Paris, France; in Goteborg, Sweden; in Cologne and Bonn, Germany; in Istanbul, Turkey; in several Pakistani
—Sister Louise Szerpicki
31
Vol. 4 No. 1
cities; in Cairo, Egypt; in Beirut, Lebanon; and in Tokyo, Japan. The desire for peace is, indeed, global.
Social Justice
Social Justice Contributions Fund 2001-2002
ach year, 1% of the salaries of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis is set aside
E
to be used to support the minores, as proclaimed in the mission statement of the congregation.
The recipients of these funds, concluding in November 2002, are as follows:
8th Day Center
Sojourner Truth House
Peace and Justice Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300
Shelter for victims of domestic violence . . . . . . . . $1500
CISPES
FutureChurch
Human Rights in Central America . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2000
Celebrating Women Witnesses: A project to rediscover women leaders in the Catholic Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1200
Groundwork Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $700
Homeless on the Move for Equality Homeless Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1000
Life Experience and Faith Sharing Leadership development for homeless people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1500
Pax Christi Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250
Peace Action Education Fund
Dr. Bundy Medical needs in Honduras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2000
Guest House Emergency transitional housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2500
Still Point Theater Theater performances on social justice issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1000
EPICA Gender Justice and Women’s Empowerment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2000
Justice Not War Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1500
National Catholic AIDS Network
Center for Economic Justice
HIV/AIDS Ministry Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $750
Building Power Project for poor people in the global south . . . . . . . . . . . .$1000
Religious Task Force on CA and Mexico
SIPAZ Peace building project in Chiapas, Mexico . . . . . . . $2000
Faith based solidarity work on alternatives to war . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1000
SOA Watch
UHCAN
Advocacy to close the School of the Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3000
Universal Health Care Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1000
Social Justice
Dr. Bundy’s
Work in Honduras
LOCAL SUPPORT, GLOBAL IMPACT
Not everyone can go to Honduras on a medical mission,
dren and medical care for hundreds of poor children and
but everyone has the capacity to help. One percent of the
adults who could not otherwise afford medical attention.
income of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of
The conditions are sparse, but the gratitude of the
St. Francis is designated annually to be used to support
Honduran people is immense.
those groups which work for social justice. The money is reserved in the Social Justice Contributions Fund (See
Sister Mary Helen Jaczkowski presented a check of $2,000
www.ssj-tosf.org/sj.html.)
on behalf of the SSJ-TOSFs to support this year’s medical mission.
Dr. Bundy’s work is also supported by the
One of the recipients of the Contributions Fund for 2001-
Kiwanis Club of South East Cleveland and by the staff of
2002 is Dr. Robert Bundy, to support his annual medical
UUHS St. Michael Hospital. Both organizations sponsored
mission to Honduras.
the benefit dinner at which the presentations were made.
Dr. Bundy, who specializes in internal medicine
Dr. Bundy left for his annual trip to Honduras on Friday,
at St. Michael Hospital in
February 7, 2003. He remained in the area for two weeks,
Cleveland, Ohio, has
treating the Honduran people who so anticipated his visit.
been going to Honduras every year since 1993. He travels with a team of volunteers to provide food to starving chilUnloading supplies from the transfer boat.
Typical living conditions in this part of Central America.
33
Vol. 4 No. 1
Setting up the clinic for treatment of the Honduran people.
F O R M AT I O N / VO C AT I O N
Two New Candidates
Two Patricias The name means “noble person.”
Both Patricias are just that.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis were pleased to accept
Patricia Melchert and Patricia Torrefranca Patricia Melchert
as Candidates of the congregation on November 16, 2002.
Patricia Melchert is from California and is now living in South Bend, Indiana, where she participates in the ministries of the sisters living in that area. Patricia Torrefranca, who is from Texas, is now living at the House of Discernment in Green Bay,Wisconsin, assisting other young women to discern a consecrated religious lifestyle. Both were welcomed into Candidacy at a ceremony at Immaculata Congregational Home in Bartlett, Illinois.
During the time of candidacy, each of the women has a “companion sister,” who has a special relationship with the candidate, assisting her in the journey toward full integration into the congregation. Sister Mary Jane Knitter is the companion for Patricia Melchert, and Sister Florence Domka is the companion for Patricia Torrefranca. Welcome to the journey!
Patricia Torrefranca
Places…
A Tradition of Hospitality Marymount—Philippine Nurses
C
hapter 5 of The Congregational Structure of Governance of the Sisters
of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis states:
“Our homes are to be dwelling places that promote and challenge personal, communal and ministerial growth. With a warm, generous and receptive spirit, we welcome guests as neighbor, friend and sister. In this manner, we carry forward the tradition of hospitality by which we have always been known.” The sisters at Marymount Congregational Home are making this hospitality real by opening their home to nurses from the Philippines. The nurses are working at Marymount Hospital, located on the same campus as the congregational home in Garfield Heights, Ohio. The living facilities were made available in August of 2002 when the nurses needed transitional housing while getting settled in the United States. They are able to stay at the congregational home for three to four months before moving on to their own living situations. The relationship between the sisters and the Philippine nurses has been mutually enriching. The nurses join the sisters in prayer and other activities, and the sisters in turn enjoy the company and ministry of the nurses.This program of hospitality has helped a number of nurses relocate without the added stress of acquiring transitional housing. It also provides another opportunity to “promote and challenge personal, communal and ministerial growth.”
35
Vol. 4 No. 1
Sister Virgiliana Zola Born to this life: August 24, 1908 Born to eternal life: November 5, 2002 A teacher for 45 years in Ohio, Michigan and Connecticut
Sister Mary Humilia Nawalaniec Born to this life: February 12, 1915 Born to eternal life: January 30, 2003 A grade school and high school Business teacher for 55 years
Mary Josephine McDonough, Associate Born to this life: March 25, 1920 Born to eternal life: November 30, 2002 Executive Director of several Girl Scout Councils throughout the United States
Sister Jeanette Zella Born to this life: May 10, 1919 Born to eternal life: February 20, 2003 A teacher and librarian in Wisconsin and Minnesota for over 50 years
Sister Anne Ozycz Born to this life: October 12, 1914 Born to eternal life: December 3, 2002 Devoted 68 years as a teacher in Michigan, Connecticut, Mississippi and Ohio
Sister Leonarda Zabek Born to this life: January 8, 1923 Born to eternal life: March 9, 2003 An educational leader, principal and teacher for over 50 years
Sister Corfilia Pinski Born to this life: January 1, 1916 Born to eternal life: December 29, 2002 A brilliant woman dedicated to higher education
Sister Paschal Wisniewski Born to this life: February 14, 1917 Born to eternal life: March 12, 2003 Teacher, secretary, friend, pastoral minister and sister
Sister Philomene Choromanski Born to this life: September 22, 1914 Born to eternal life: January 14, 2003 A teacher and pastoral minister for over 50 years in Ohio, Michigan and Connecticut
Gertrude Kazmierczak, Associate Born to this life: March 16, 1917 Born to eternal life: March 20, 2003 Created family, supported education, nurtured life for all God’s people
Sister Bernice Ann Stronczek Born to this life: August 30, 1909 Born to eternal life: January 29, 2003 A professional educator leading innovation in Wisconsin for almost 50 years
Rose Virginia Walls-Gregory, Associate Born to this life: August 20, 1925 Born to eternal life: March 24, 2003 Passionate about religion and involved in evangelical and ministerial networks
David J. Kilarski,
M.S., FACHE
President and Chief Executive Officer of Marymount Health Care Systems and Marymount Hospital
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID CHICAGO, IL PERMIT #5504
Sisters of St. Joseph,TOSF Development Office P.O. Box 388129 Chicago, Illinois 60638-8129 www.ssj-tosf.org