URSULINE
Continuing the Legacy of Spirituality and Service
A PUBLICATION OF THE URSULINE SISTERS OF LOUISVILLE • SPRING 2021
in this issue:
Loving Our Neighbor
CELEBRATING OUR JUBILARIANS
On the cover Clockwise from top left: Sister Anne Mary Lochner with a Project Women participant; Sister Yuli Oncihuay with her class at Santa Angela Merici school in Callao, Peru; Sister Cabrini Hatley as librarian; Sister Mary Brendan Conlon at a protest in Louisville, 1983; and Sisters Maria Goretti Lovett and Theresa Kruml in the Motherhouse Chapel.
About this issue For this Spring 2021 issue of the DOME, our editorial board came up with several ideas for a theme. Ultimately, we landed on “Loving Our Neighbor.” During these times of uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic and social, political and economic division in the world, this commandment of Jesus, “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself,” is a message worth repeating. In researching and writing the stories of the Jubilarians (see our cover collage and their stories on pages 8–13), I could see the love of neighbor woven throughout their ministries. From teaching hundreds of schoolchildren during sixty years in the classroom, as Sister Maria Goretti Lovetti did; to serving in Louisville’s west end as Sister Mary Cabrini Hatley did; to being in solidarity with her fellow Peruvians who are struggling, as Sister Yuli Oncihuay is; to being present with families during sickness as a hospital chaplain as Sister Theresa Kruml has done, Ursulines have shown love of their neighbor since their founding as the Company of Saint Ursula by Saint Angela Merici in 1535. Two of our Jubilarians are also featured in part two of our series on social justice and outreach (pages 4-7). Sister Mary Brendan Conlon served as director of Christian Help in both Morgantown and in Mingo County, West Virginia, for over 25 years, and found creative ways to love her neighbors, including a van service to get them to much-needed medical appointments. Sister Anne Mary Lochner founded Project Women with six other religious communities and served as its executive director. They saw a way for homeless women with children in Louisville to rise up out of poverty, and did so by helping them obtain college degrees and employment. Our letter from leadership and our other stories continue the theme of “Love Our Neighbor,” as well as Easter, which celebrates Jesus’ love for us all in His sacrifice on the cross and His Resurrection. May we all strive to love our neighbor and serve them in Jesus’ name. —Kathy Williams, editor
A PUBLICATION OF THE URSULINE SISTERS OF LOUISVILLE
SPRING 2021 CONTENTS 2
A Message of Hope
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From the Leadership Circle
4–7
Called to Be Prophetic Women of Hope, Part Two: Loving Our Neighbor
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Jubilarian Sister Mary Brendan Conlon
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Jubilarian Sister Theresa Kruml
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Jubilarian Sister Maria Goretti Lovett
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Jubilarian Sister Mary Cabrini Hatley
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Jubilarian Sister Anne Mary Lochner
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Jubilarian Sister Yuli Oncihuay
14-15 Planned Giving: Ursuline Related and Educated—A winning Combo For This Planned Gift Associates Reflect on Meeting in Small 16-17 Groups via Zoom, Associate Jubilarians 18-19 AMC Spirituality: From Annus Horribilis to Easter 20-21 Social Concerns: The Dignity of Work and Catholic Social Teaching Peruvian Journal: So Much In Common 22-23 24 Chapel Fund Update MISSION ADVANCEMENT OFFICE
ELLEN McKNIGHT
Director of Development and Planned Giving
KIM BRADLEY
Coordinator, Database Management/ Donation Processing COMMUNICATIONS/PR OFFICE
KATHY WILLIAMS
Director, Communications/Public Relations DOME Editor, Art Direction and Design DOME CONTRIBUTORS
SISTER ANNE MARY LOCHNER GINNY SCHAEFFER ELLEN MCKNIGHT LISA STEINER KATHY WILLIAMS SISTER SUE SCHARFENBERGER SISTER MARTHA JACOB Congregational Historian
KAREN HEILERS Proofreader
Baptism is Messy
FROM THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE statement out in every way possible. It is so woven into the fabric of our lives that we wear a cross inscribed with “Soli Deo Gloria.” Whatever we are able to do, and to be, we are giving God glory. We stand in the footsteps of Jesus as he gave glory to the Creator. With all Christians we try to achieve in diverse ways perfect harmony in creation and among all persons in Christ.
I would love to hear how your family celebrated this second Easter in a pandemic. The Easter season is such a beautiful time of the year with the lush, gentle-colored foliage, the warmth of the sun, and longer days. I have a deep love of the sacred triduum—Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday—the latter being my favorite. How can one forget the beauty and drama of the ritual of Holy Saturday: coming into a darkened church, the golden glow of hundreds of candles spreading light, readings of our salvation history that inspire and challenge and encourage, the blessing of the water and baptism followed by confirmation and Eucharist? My heart beats with intensity at the mere thought of this celebration. Remembering past Holy Saturdays, I recall a proud dad carrying his son to the baptismal water with a baby bottle in his suit pocket, an image of real life. Another family of parents held twins with three older sisters in tow. When the name of one of the twins was called, the mom looked down, and following a prolonged pause, admitted, “I’m not sure which is which.” About five years ago my family gathered to celebrate the baptism
of my great niece. Her big brother was then three. Someone asked if pictures could be taken. The response was a resounding “Yes!” Father said this moment needed to be remembered, and pictures were the best way to share the memories. Our family was called, the waters of baptism were poured, and my nephew commented…“no, not Amen. But yucky.” Father picked up on his comment and said, “Yes, baptism is sometimes yucky and we get messy. That will happen in life, just as it did with Jesus.” At baptism we were immersed into the life of Jesus and challenged to go and do as Jesus did. Remembering these stories, I often wonder about the footsteps of these children. The first two sets of children are adults. By now they have experienced the messiness of life as they follow in Jesus’ footsteps. My eight-year-old nephew will continue growing into the beauty and challenge of baptism. He, too, has a supportive community to help him move through the yuck. In our Ursuline constitutions, there is a beautiful introduction, “All creation receives the call to holiness, ‘Be Glory to the only God.’” The Ursuline Sisters believe and live this
Guides for this journey are all around: the proclamation of scripture each week; working at a food pantry; standing in solidarity with the disadvantaged at the borders, checking on elderly neighbors. Jesus’ teaching is always consistent, no matter the audience. His message is always focused: “Love God, love your neighbor.” With Jesus there was no division between his words and his actions. Messy? Absolutely. Doable? Totally. We can live into our baptismal call, no matter how messy or yucky it may seem. Jesus showed us the way. There will be slips and slides, lack of agreement on how to feed the hungry, warm the poor, love the stranger, welcome the refugee. As baptized women and men we have no choice but to get up and move. Let your words and actions stand strong, and stand together for support. And when life gets messy or yucky because you stood up for something or someone, just know this is part of God’s plan. It’s the way Jesus walked the earth.
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Called to Be Prophetic Women of Hope, Part Two: Loving Our Neighbor BY SISTER MARTHA JACOB AND KATHY WILLIAMS
This is the second in a series on the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville’s history of being pioneers on issues of social justice and outreach. They are women who follow Catholic social teaching in both words and action. This stems from their charism, which is “a contemplative love of God and a resulting openness and eagerness to serve the needs of others.” clientele did not mix. [I] gave the principalship into the competent hands of Sister Dolores Hudson. I did continue to teach full-time.” According to The UnionPost, Morgantown’s newspaper, Christian Help “evolved from an adult discussion group which was addressing the subject of social doctrine in the church. ‘We were considering what Christians
1975: Christian Help, Inc. is founded in Morgantown, West Virginia
In 1972, Sister Thecla Shiel arrived in Morgantown to serve as principal of Saint Francis de Sales Elementary School. Another need appeared at her door. One by one, people from this area in Appalachia’s coal country knocked, seeking help with emergencies—food for their children, help to pay rent, to get the electricity turned back on, for a coat, for shoes so their children could go to school, etc. Soon, Sister’s duties as principal were interrupted by these visitors asking for help, and the school’s office space was filling up with donations from generous benefactors. Something had to give. Sister Thecla wrote, “Christian Help clientele and the school office
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At first, the center struggled because it did not have financing, but generous donors soon responded. Volunteers arrived to help, and clients continued to increase. Many needs were served. Now, Sister Thecla was teaching “what Christians are called to do,” both in the classroom and in action at Christian Help. After several busy years, Sister Thecla retired in 1982 due to health reasons. Sister Thecla stated, “I loved the opportunity to teach Christian principles in the school and to put them into practice at Christian Help.” 1982: Change in Leadership at Christian Help in Morgantown
should be doing.’” When the group discovered there were needs that were not being met, they established a board of directors, and Christian Help, “a storefront emergency charity service,” opened on March 25, 1975, on University Avenue. Responding to the call to put her social responsibility into action, Sister Thecla became the volunteer director of Christian Help.
In 1982, Sister Mary Brendan Conlon followed Sister Thecla as volunteer director of Christian Help. Under her direction, the ministry continued to grow. Clients were treated as friends. Information concerning citizenship, financial obligations and health care were offered, as well as meeting emergency needs. When Sister Brendan resigned as director of the Morgantown location in 1994, Christian Help was well established. Today, Christian Help of Morgantown’s mission is the same as in 1975. The present executive director, Coleen Lankford, assures us that the mission continues,
CALLED TO BE PROPHETIC WOMEN OF HOPE was spreading, and more people were answering. ABLE families, a partner, founded in 1995
Sister Brendan Conlon in the food pantry at Christian Help, Kermit
“respecting all persons, trying to remove barriers, and meeting all individuals where they are.” Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was serving an average of 110 clients per day. Year-round it works with social workers, and partners with other agencies. 1994: Christian Help expands into Mingo County, West Virginia
In 1994, Christian Help of Morgantown opened a satellite center in Mingo County, West Virginia, with Sister Brendan as the first director. Sister Brendan felt called to begin anew in some area where there was much need and fewer resources than in the Morgantown area. Christian Help gave $5,000 to the Mingo County center as startup money and the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville allowed Sister Brendan to serve, without a stipend at first, in order to help the agency get established. Christian Help II was incorporated on April 17, 1996 and a board of ten people, representing six area churches, took charge of its mission. The call to serve others
Christian Help II soon had a partner. Ursuline Sister Janet Marie Peterworth was named the first director of ABLE Families (Affirming, Believing, Learning and Empowering), a project sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Its mission: “to confront the causes of poverty and consequently, strengthen poor families by helping them to make concrete changes in their lives.” It opened its center on the second floor, above Christian Help. Sister Janet Marie retired from the directorship in 2010, after 15 years of service. Some of her achievements included launching adult literacy programs, computer training and afterschool programs. In 2010, ABLE’s board
ABLE Families (Affirming, Believing, Learning and Empowering), a project sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Its mission: “to confront the causes of poverty and consequently, strengthen poor families by helping them to make concrete changes in their lives.” announced the creation of the Sister Janet M. Peterworth Scholarship Fund, which provides funds to help a local resident afford a college education. In December 1997, Christian Help and ABLE Families were informed that the small frame building they were occupying on Highway 52 was to be razed as part of the Mingo County flood control project. Finding a place to rent failed, and the boards of the two agencies decided to build a joint
L to R: Mary Perrot, Sister Brendan Conlon, Sister Janet Marie Peterworth and Terry Atwater DOME | SPRING 2021
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CALLED TO BE PROPHETIC WOMEN OF HOPE
Called to Be Prophetic Women of Hope, Part Two: Loving Our Neighbor, continued Mingo County in 2009. Since then, Franciscan Sister Therese Carew has served as its director. Project Women: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Louisville, 1994
headquarters in the town of Kermit, just north of their original location. Christian Help in Kermit grew rapidly, serving some 700 families in its first two years. In addition to providing emergency food and assistance for utilities, medicines, home repair, rent, gasoline, diapers, etc., clients shopped for clothing, toys and other items in a pleasant, well-arranged facility. In 2007, Sister Brendan responded to a vital need of the low-income, rural population by beginning a “demand-response” transit service. Through grants and the donation of two vans, 291 individuals who had no means of transportation were able to visit doctors, dentists and meet other needs. The vans made 5,154 trips that first year. Christian Help continues to seek grants and donations for this costly, on-going and much-needed service. Sister Mary Brendan retired as executive director of Christian Help,
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A meeting was called by the Leadership Conference for Women Religious (LCWR) Sub-region 6, at the Executive West Hotel in November 1994. The task was to respond to a study of ministry of women religious in the United States conducted by the national office of LCWR, called, “Deep Roots, Wide Hope.” Approximately 300 women religious in the Archdiocese of Louisville attended this day, which was sponsored by Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P. In March 1995, Sister Anne Mary Lochner, with the support of Ursuline president Sister Sarah Stauble, called together a group of Catholic Sisters who had indicated an interest in support of the plight of disadvantaged women. This group of sixteen women represented six different religious congregations: Dominican Sisters of St. Catharine of Siena (now Dominican Sisters of Peace), Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Sisters of Loretto (now Loretto Community) and the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville. Many meetings and much networking ensued, along with an in-depth study of services currently offered within the archdiocese.
By December, these Sisters had called together a board of directors, applied for their 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, and filed their articles of incorporation. They had the beginnings of a program to support single, homeless mothers obtain a college degree. Sister Anne Mary, who served as the first executive director, stated, “Our six orders had such a tradition in education and had worked on social justice issues in Louisville and central Kentucky since the 1800s. Our gift has always been to go where there is a need.” Each community donated seed money and lent their expertise and community connections to open the first group of apartments in the fall of 1996 at 1935 West Chestnut Street, which they named Sophia Center. Sophia means “wisdom,” which was quite appropriate as Project Women was dedicated to furthering the education of disadvantaged women. Project Women assisted women in crisis and their children by offering educational programs,
CALLED TO BE PROPHETIC WOMEN OF HOPE
counseling and housing which allowed them to take possession of their lives as they grew spiritually, psychologically and intellectually. In addition to being enrolled in job training, a GED program or college, the women were required to be involved in programs such as child development, parenting skills and money management. A social worker met with the women and children on a regular basis. A few years later, Project Women moved to the former Ursuline Motherhouse and Ursuline Academy (renamed The Cloister Apartments) at 806 East Chestnut. Project Women’s offices and a computer lab for participants were housed there as well. Participants were enrolled in Jefferson Community College, Spalding University and the University of Louisville. Tuition was paid by Project Women until the mothers
could qualify for Pell Grants. The participants were required to work 20 hours a week, and government assistance covered food and necessities. Clothing came from donations. The participants were able to live at the apartments until they graduated. Felecia, a former participant, came to Project Women’s attention when she was homeless with four
children and trying to escape domestic abuse and poverty. In a 1996 interview with Leslie Scanlon of the Courier-Journal, she said “I couldn’t find any openings
anywhere…. I think this was just God-sent.” Sister Clarellen McGinley, O.P., a social worker, who worked with Felecia, said, “I have been very interested as a woman in helping other women. Especially battered women and children have been a pressing issue with me…I’ve been given the gifts I’ve been given to be voice to the voiceless.” The caring and nurturing at Project Women paid off with many successes, including graduates with master’s, Juris Doctor, and medical degrees. One woman worked at night to earn her degree. In 2000, Jennifer, a mother of two, spoke of her many challenges at a Project Women fundraiser—leaving an abusive spouse, overcoming her parents’ rejection, having no job skills, and then becoming a dean’s list student in college. Sister Anne Mary reflects, “I always admired the women and their children who were part of Project Women. They had drive and dedication and were able to balance what seemed to me six lives. It was strong determination that stirred deep within their spirit and motivated them toward their goal, and I loved them for their resolve.” In 2008, Project Women became Family Scholar House, and that organization is continuing the work that was started by these six communities of Sisters in 1994 who saw a need and strived to meet that need, lifting so many women and children out of poverty.
Special thanks to Laurel Wilson, our archivist, with research for this article. Next in the series: Part Three (Summer 2021 DOME)
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OUR JUBILARIANS
Jubilarians Having been inspired by the Ursuline Sisters who were her teachers at Ursuline Academy in Cumberland, Maryland, where she grew up, Sister Mary Brendan Conlon entered the community right after high school graduation. Her decades as an Ursuline have taken her from 30 years of teaching in the classroom to serving the poor in West Virginia and becoming a Witness for Peace delegate in Nicaragua, to name just a few areas where she served. Sister Brendan spent some time in jail cells, too, as a result of her social activism. She was arrested four times during the 1980s for attending peaceful protests against the U.S. arms buildup, social programs cuts, and President Reagan’s support of the contras in Nicaragua. Sister Brendan states, “I protested because there was a lot of injustice going on, and still is, so when I had the opportunity, I did protest.” Sister Brendan adds, “I did get arrested a few times, but in great company! The first time I got arrested there was a group of Sisters in one cell with other women, and a group of priests and Brothers in the cell next to them with other men. We sang all of the songs that we knew together—we sang in harmony, it was wonderful. It was almost like Heaven hearing those voices raised to God.” Sister Brendan says, “I loved all of the things I did—I taught for a number of years and I loved the kids I taught.” She taught at Sacred Heart Academy from 1956-1967. Two of her senior students there were very bright and mischievous and liked to pull pranks. The girls saw a photo of a Paola, Kansas, Ursuline Sister who had changed to a modified habit and you could (gasp!) see her hair! These two girls decided they were going to have fun with that information. They made Sister Brendan a cake for her birthday, and
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she took the cake to the faculty lounge to share with the other teachers. When she cut into it, she found it was full of hair curlers! The girls thought they would encourage the Louisville Ursulines to change from the habit and begin curling their hair! On reaching this jubilee, Sister Brendan says, “I never thought I would reach this milestone! If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self, ‘Hang in, hang in, it’s great all the way.’ I am glad my younger self did stay in, because I had wonderful friends and many great blessings that came my way, that would not have come my way otherwise.” One of those blessings is her long friendship with Sister Janet M. Peterworth, with whom she served in Kermit, West Virginia, for over twenty years (see story on pages 4-7). Sister Brendan started an emergency assistance program for that region of Appalachia and in 1995 started a Christmas toy drive there. In 2020, Sacred Heart Schools, a long-time partner in the toy drive, renamed it the Sister Brendan Appalachian Gift Drive in her honor. Of her years in Kermit, Sister Brendan says, “I always had a pull towards working with the poor. It meant so much to me to work with underprivileged people. I will always be grateful for it.” Sister Brendan also gives thanks for the many fourlegged friends—cats and dogs—that God sent her to be her friends and companions. She also has had mice as pets and as a young Sister, had a pet baby chick that followed her around campus! She reflects, “Being an Ursuline has meant everything to me. I don’t regret any of it because so much good and so much happiness came out of all those years. I had a few sorrows along the way, but many of those sorrows turned into joy. I am grateful for all of it.”
OUR JUBILARIANS BY KATHY WILLIAMS
Sister Theresa Kruml says, “A listening heart, joyful spirit and trust in God’s divine mercy have helped me to accept life’s daily crosses as I have attempted to grow in God’s love. All my life it has been my goal to serve God with a more loving heart.” The second of five children, she knew in third grade that she wanted to become a religious sister. The question was: which order? A native of Ord, Nebraska, she was attending St. Patrick’s Academy in Sidney, Nebraska, as a boarder where she met the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville. She entered the community at age 16, finishing up her schooling at Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville. Her sister, Georgia Jean, is also a Louisville Ursuline Sister. Sister Theresa taught for 33 years in schools in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Nebraska. After retiring from teaching, she studied clinical pastoral education and earned certification as a Catholic hospital chaplain. Sister was in ministry at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, for nearly seven years, then moved to Iowa City, Iowa, in 1994 to serve as chaplain at Mercy Iowa City Hospital. Sister Theresa says, “I loved teaching, and that gave me skills that prepared me for the next big change, which was hospital chaplaincy, hospice ministry, and now, my volunteer work at Saint Wenceslaus Parish.” Sister Theresa tells a humorous story from her teaching days—an eighth grade boy was misbehaving one day. Sister recalls that,“I told him, ‘I am so upset with you. I am not going to punish you right now, but you come back tomorrow and tell me what punishment you think you deserve.’ I then went home and forgot all about it. The next day he came in and
was a little angel. And the next. Finally, on the third day he said, ‘Sister, when are you going to punish me? I can’t stand all this waiting!’” Sister said the hospital always liked to have her in the emergency room as she had a calming presence. She sat with a woman one day at the hospital whose heart was out of rhythm. Sister spoke with her, prayed with her, and her heart went back to beating normally! Sister Theresa reflects, “That’s God’s grace working. What I have learned in my spiritual life is to always smile. Always receive people and be as kind as you can. That makes them free to open up, and they don’t have to be afraid.” COVID-19 has, of course, created many obstacles in Sister’s current ministries, one of which is visiting the homebound elderly and those in nursing homes. She had been visiting a 108-year-old woman at a local nursing home, but is unable to do so right now, so the woman and Sister Theresa call each other to check in. Sister Theresa also sews baptism blankets for all the babies in the parish and sews dresses and shorts for needy children overseas. Sister says, “When you sew, you offer up every stitch for the person for whom you are sewing, asking for God’s love. That has been the process through my life—thinking of souls and asking God to bless them.” In reflecting on her decades of being an Ursuline, the thing that is so important to her is living her four vows and being part of a family, with all the individual personalities and members on the same journey. Sister says, “I have always felt we belong together—like Saint Angela says, ‘Be of one will.’ We have a common end goal.” DOME | SPRING 2021
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OUR JUBILARIANS BY KATHY WILLIAMS
Sister Maria Goretti Lovett, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, is celebrating her 70th jubilee. She taught for 60 years at Catholic grade schools in Louisville, Morgantown, West Virginia, and in Columbia. Sister Maria recalls, “I was the seventh child in a family with eight children, and my dad was the seventh child also, as was his father. We called ourselves the ‘Lucky Seven.’ Perhaps being a ‘Lucky Seven’ was the reason I was privileged to attend Saint Peter’s in Columbia.” Sister says, “I guess that really was the beginning of my vocation, because from the very first day of school, I fell in love with the Sisters. I made up every excuse to stay after school to help them in any way I could. After many late arrivals home, my mother would say, ‘Maybe you should take your bed and stay there with the Sisters!’” Sister Maria kept the secret of wanting to become an Ursuline for many years and says no one would have believed her anyway as she was truly the toughest “tomboy” in school—playing football, basketball, climbing trees and fishing. When Sister Maria finally told her parents two weeks before graduating from Ursuline High School, they gave her their blessing. Her father was quick to add, “Hon, I’ll give you a week there and they will ship you back when they see how boisterous you are!” Sister Maria’s last teaching assignment was at St. Joseph Catholic School in Columbia, where she taught for 41 years and was known as the kickball queen. She pitched kickball every school day at recess, except for when it rained—then she would invent a game or pull out musical instruments. Sister loves singing and says, “I had three words painted on my classroom walls: SING, SMILE, and LOVE. I believe that singing hymns is like praying twice. I think it makes a room brighter if you enter smiling. And love is the greatest of all gifts of the Holy Spirit. Without love, there is nothing. I taught my first graders all three words. I wanted them to know that they are loved, and God put them here to love others.”
Another talent Sister Maria had was the ability to pull a child’s tooth. Students would come from every grade to have Sister pull their teeth because, as one student put it, “It doesn’t hurt when Sister does it!” Sister Maria’s philosophy of teaching was that one must teach the WHOLE child. She said, “All children are unique individuals. I try to nurture the student’s growth in spirit, as well as knowledge.” She says the
most rewarding part of her career has been teaching generations, including grandchildren of her former classmates. “It is a blessing to have a positive effect on a student who will grow up and teach his own children something that you taught him,” Sister says. Indeed, Sister Maria has literally taught thousands of students and touched even more lives throughout her ministry. Sister Maria was NOT shipped back home after her first week of entering the Ursulines, as her beloved father had predicted, and says that she can truthfully say that she loved every minute of teaching as an Ursuline Sister. She says, “I thank God for the many gifts he has given me, the greatest being my vocation.”
OUR JUBILARIANS
Sister Mary Cabrini Hatley, a Louisville native, entered the Ursulines two years after her high school graduation from Holy Rosary Academy. Sister Cabrini received her bachelor’s in education from Ursuline College and her master’s in library science from Spalding College. Sister Cabrini has taught and served as a librarian at multiple Catholic schools, including Angela Merici High and the Ursuline Montessori Child Development Center. She also taught in Bardstown, Kentucky, Indiana and Nebraska, and served as assistant archivist for the Ursuline Sisters from 2006-2018. Sister Cabrini says that, “In every ministry I have found people and circumstances that have influenced the person I am, and I am eternally grateful that they were a part of my journey. Three things that have been formative in my ministry were my teaching at All Saints Preparatory Academy where I was introduced to the African-American community; my membership at Saint William Church that has made me aware and involved in social justice issues; and my work in the Ursulines’ archives which gave me an opportunity to delve into the history of our community. As an Ursuline, I have been privileged to know, in a personal way, Saint Angela and a host of her daughters who have lived in her spirit over the centuries.” Recalling a moment that she will never forget, Sister Cabrini said that when she was teaching out west, “I had a little boy who had difficulty staying in one place, and one day he had stepped on my last nerve. He looked right at me and said, ‘What would you do if I wasn’t here?’ It made such an impression on me, that even now when I am having difficulty with someone, I ask myself, ‘What would I do if they weren’t here?’” Of her years as a novice in the 1960s, Sister Cabrini says, “I had no idea of how far we would have traveled from the 1960s; from where we were to where we are now. We have moved from a monastic emphasis to a more apostolic community. We are trying to live according to Angela’s charism and the way Vatican II has revealed to us. I never could have imagined all the
changes we went through as a community.” Sister Cabrini looks back with fondness at her time spent at All Saints Preparatory Academy, which was housed at Christ the King parish in Louisville’s west end. All Saints was formed in 1989 from the parishes of St. Peter Claver, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Christ the King, St. Columba, St. Martin De Porres and St. Augustine. Sister Cabrini was at the school from its opening until it closed in 1996. She was hired as librarian, served as assistant principal, as first grade teacher and taught religion. Sister Cabrini is very active at her home parish of Saint William, where she has served as worship ministry representative on the community ministries circle, which is the leadership group of the parish. She has also been on the liturgy planning team, where her knowledge of scripture was very valuable, according to Nancy Fox, chair of the worship ministry. Dawn Dones, pastoral associate at Saint William, says that, “Sister Cabrini is kind. She is thoughtful. She generously offers her time and energy to make connections, deepen spirituality, and strengthen commitments to peace and justice. She does not hesitate to ask for help and, in doing so, she empowers others to share their gifts. She is a conscientious thinker and a woman of deep faith. Guided by her community’s charism, Sister Cabrini inspires all of us fortunate enough to know her to live our lives with purpose and hope.”
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In reflecting on her many ministries over the years, Sister Anne Mary Lochner, a Louisville native, says, “I am formed by my ministries and those who shared them with me, and also my family. I am also shaped by the Gospels and Angela.” The oldest of three children with two younger brothers, she went to St. Helen’s parish school through eighth grade and then on to Sacred Heart Academy for high school.
being killed on the highway, but also the joys. It wasn’t just the pain of life, but also how to celebrate life.”
Sister Anne Mary recalls that, “I had thoughts off and on of becoming an Ursuline Sister throughout grade school— being around the Sisters made me look at them and think, ‘I’d like to do that.’” In high school, it went on the back burner, then when graduation came, there it was again. She says, “As a young girl, when I look back on the call, there was something there that I knew I had to do.” During high school, she had been babysitting for a family that had eight children at the time (later expanded to twelve children), and when she informed the mother, Ann, that she wouldn’t be babysitting anymore as she was entering the convent, Ann looked her right in the eye and said, “I knew my eight kids would drive you to the convent!” She is still living and still says that to Sister Anne Mary!
Sister Anne Mary also worked in Immigration Legal Services with Catholic Charities. Sister says, “That was the most challenging, stretching experience of my life.” She worked on applying for grants and managing existing grants, all without a law degree. Sister says, “Being on leadership twice has taught me courage to do things I never really thought I could do or learn; I think of some of the difficult decisions we have had to make as a community. It took a lot of courage to change and move forward.”
Sister Anne Mary says that each ministry built on the other, and gave her the skills to move into the next one. She has loved the wide variety of experiences that she has had, beginning with teaching. She then worked in parish ministry for 15 years and said that the parishioners taught her LIFE. She says, “When you come to the convent at 18, there is a whole experience of life that you miss, but the people of those parishes formed me in life experiences. And I learned the intense sadness of losing a two-year-old, and a husband
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She was in vocation ministry for seven years and that really taught her leadership. She also was in social work and started Project Women, now called Family Scholar House, with a group of women religious (see story on pages 4-7). They started this program for single, homeless women with children in Louisville to help them obtain an education. The participants of Project Women taught her about a society that is so lacking in acceptance of people who are on financial assistance in any shape or form, and who do not have support from their families.
Sister Anne Mary says that being an Ursuline Sister of Louisville has been the ultimate experience of a lifetime. She says, “I renew my vows every day because they are so meaningful for me, and to me, in my relationship with God and creation.” Sister Anne Mary says that as a young girl, she would tell people that she wanted twelve kids and to live on a farm. Now, she says, “I have hundreds of children who have accompanied me on this wonderful journey called Ursuline life, as we have learned to live the Gospel together.”
OUR JUBILARIANS BY KATHY WILLIAMS
On reaching the 25th Jubilee year mark, Sister Yuli Oncihuay, a native of Peru, says she wants to have more patience, compassion and a broader vision of life, to “open new windows to let more fresh air in.” Since she has moved to Louisville from Peru this year in order to serve on leadership, she also wishes to insert herself into a new culture, without losing the essence of who she is and her roots. Sister Yuli recalls a favorite memory from Peru. She had been using the “Turtle Technique” with her students at Saint Angela Merici School in Callao to work on their emotions; be it anger, sadness, frustration, etc. She said, “I remember that I explained it in a picture to the children. Every day we put this technique into practice, but one day I forgot—I was angry with them, and one child came up to me and said, ‘Remember Miss, don’t forget the Turtle! You tell us to breathe, calm down and you forgot that!’ I listened to him and I said, ‘I am sorry, thank you for reminding me.’ They were very attentive to what I was doing every day and it was a learning experience with them every day!” The Turtle Technique: 1. Recognize your emotions. 2. Think and Stop 3. Go into your shell and breathe 4. Come out of your shell and find a solution. If Sister Yuli could go back in time and talk to her younger self, she would say, “Cheer up, you can do it! Young woman, I say to you, get up! I know you are too young to understand and comprehend, but life gave you the opportunity to bring the great creativity and wisdom that is in your heart.” Anyone who knows Sister Yuli would agree that she is indeed very capable of great creativity and wisdom, which overflows from her kind heart. In 2017, as she was preparing to go back to Peru after living for a year in the Motherhouse to learn English, Sister Yuli wrote: “I know there is still much to learn. Life continues to invite us to come to a meeting
To be an Ursuline is to be like the weavers who pick up the different colored threads that we are, every being on earth, and with all these threads we weave a great blanket of great diversity and become one. place with ourselves, and in that space, we run the risk of facing our woundedness, touching our roots, and in touching them, we find a greater freedom inviting us to be in a fuller life; to reach out to our brothers and sisters who are suffering, and who are waiting for us to heal their wounds.” When asked what being an Ursuline Sister has meant to her, Sister Yuli very poetically states that to be an Ursuline Sister is: • To be like an open piazza, siate piazzevolo—to welcome, to observe, to listen, to contemplate and to act in the face of the reality in which we live. • To reflect that we are able to face life with courage and bravery every day, like our mother, Angela. • To pray with the voice of the people who cry out for peace and justice for the poor and the afflicted. • To be like the weavers who pick up the different colored threads that we are, every being on earth, and with all these threads, we weave a great blanket of great diversity and become one. • To be present in the simple, everyday life. • To go out to meet our brothers and sisters, to break down borders and bridges that give us the opportunity to form community and to go out of our comfort zone. DOME | SPRING 2021
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PLANNED GIVING
Ursuline Related and Educated—A Winning Combo for This Planned Gift Colette Hughes was born in 1933 above the family grocery store in a predominately Catholic area of Louisville’s west end. She was educated by the Sisters of Loretto through high school and thought she would join the order. However, she was talked out of it by her pastor, who encouraged her, at 17 years of age, to wait. With her sister and brother-in-law living out west, she traveled by train to visit them and explored Washington, California, and Oregon for a year. Then she returned to Louisville to attend Ursuline College, while working part-time to help pay for the tuition. Colette’s college plans were interrupted after her junior year when a former boyfriend from high school days, Tom Dumstorf, who had served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, returned home to Louisville, where he soon began looking for dates! Colette and Tom reconnected, married, and had their first child. Colette was insistent that they both finish college. While she taught, Tom attended the University of Louisville Speed School, earning an electrical engineering degree. He was employed by Corning Glass Company, Hooker Chemical Company and Occidental Petroleum before retiring in 1985. They lived in California and Pennsylvania before returning permanently to Kentucky. Colette, wanting to re-enroll to complete her senior year at Ursuline College, found herself pregnant with their second child. She knew she had to check if her return was permitted because college then was usually for young, single women just out of high school. She met with Sister Raymond Carter, the dean, about her situation. Sister Raymond told her, “Just try to fit in and not be too conspicuous.” Colette still laughs about it, since being inconspicuous while pregnant in classes with novices and postulants, as well as recent high school grads, and going unnoticed was going to be a bit of a challenge! She graduated in May 1959 with a degree in elementary education and pursued her love for teaching and science as a teacher and principal at several Louisville Catholic elementary schools. She commented that she was a working mom raising a family when working moms with children were not
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the norm. After she left her positions in elementary schools, she worked for the Archdiocese of Louisville, and then Spalding University as supervisor of student teaching. She eventually retired and continued to volunteer with the Ursulines. The Dumstorfs’ memories include taking their entire wedding party to the Motherhouse so their Ursuline relatives could see them, and cruising down the Ohio River in the summer on their Kris Kraft with a boatload of Sisters in their habits. Tom and Colette have six children and nine grandchildren. They still live in the house they bought in 1967, which is within walking distance from the Ursuline campus. They have traveled extensively, and recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with a ride-by of family and friends during this time of social-distancing due to COVID-19. When asked what influenced their decision to include the Sisters in their planned giving, they both said Ursulines have been in their lives forever. Tom is related to the Staeuble/Stauble family, including deceased aunt Sister Agnese Staeuble and first cousins Sister Sarah Stauble and deceased Sister Inez Staeuble. Colette remains close friends with college classmate Sister Kathy Franze. She is grateful for her education and teaching career, which were Ursuline inspired by “Dean Raymond” and a distant deceased relative, Sister Kyran Larkin. The decision to give back to beloved causes and organizations through a planned gift was “relatively” easy.
PLANNED GIVING 1. Baby Colette with siblings 2. 1959 graduation photo from Ursuline Collge 3. Tom in between his siblings 4. Colette and Tom on their wedding day, Nov. 24, 1955 5. Colette and Tom with their six children in 2016 6. Sister Inez Staeuble 7. Sister Agnese Staeuble 8. Sister Raymond Carter, Ursuline College,1960s 9. Sister Sarah Stauble
What’s in Your Will?
If you have included the Ursuline Sisters, or are considering will inclusion in your planned giving, please make sure this information is on your legal documents: Corporate Name: Ursuline Society and Academy of Education Mailing Address: 3115 Lexington Road Louisville, KY 40206 Questions? Contact: Ellen McKnight (502) 515-7526 emcknight@ursulineslou.org DONATION INFORMATION The Ursuline Sisters of Louisville appreciate the support of those who share their financial resources with us. We make every effort to ensure that you receive the maximum tax credit allowed by law. When making a donation, make your check payable to the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, and mail to Mission Advancement Office, Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, 3115 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40206, or use the enclosed remittance envelope. The check must be processed through the Mission Advancement Office for the Ursuline Sisters to generate the proper documentation you will need for your tax-deductible donation. Ursuline Society and Academy of Education (USAE) is the corporate title under which the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville do business. USAE does not include gifts received for the other corporation, Sacred Heart Schools (SHS), Inc. Gifts for Sacred Heart Academy and other campus schools are received by the SHS Office of Development and used exclusively for the schools and their programs.
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ASSOCIATES
Associates Reflect on Meeting in Small Groups via Zoom A number of our Associates have met regularly in small groups via Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked some of them to share their reflections on what these online gatherings have meant to them, emotionally, spitiually and mentally. We hope you find their words to be uplifting.
Change is inevitable
Praying through Zoom
My father used to say that the only thing for certain is death and taxes. Change is inevitable. Life in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic has required us all to make many changes to our daily lives.
Zoom – v. to move or travel quickly – that is what we might think of when we hear the word, but over the past 49 weeks of zooming, I have felt like life has been anything but fast-paced during this global pandemic. I certainly pray that the vaccine will zoom us into a healthier and safer environment where we can gather again as a community.
The reflection group of which I am a part has responded to the need of refraining from in-person gatherings based upon expert medical advice. Our virtual gatherings are done using the cloud-based platform for video, voice and content sharing called Zoom. Is it ideal? No. Do any of us enjoy this as much as meeting in person? Most likely not. But it does help us maintain our already close-knit community by providing an opportunity to interact and see each other’s face. It is wonderful to see the smiles that are now normally hidden behind masks everywhere we look. Saint Angela Merici possesses many admirable qualities. Her adaptability is evident when one reads her Last Legacy of the Testaments bequeathed to the Company of Saint Ursula. Changes to her rules, when necessary, are deemed acceptable with wisdom and good advice. I yearn for the day that our Ursuline community of Sisters and Associates can again gather in person and enjoy the warm Ursuline welcomes to which we have become accustomed. Until then, we will strive to maintain community however possible. —Kim Sison, Associate
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Until then, Zoom has certainly been my friend, enabling me to meet with one of my Associates prayer groups on a monthly basis to pray, reflect and reconnect. I am grateful for a screen full of boxes that frame the faces of those who have committed to living the legacy of Saint Angela through their contemplative love of God and their willingness to serve— particularly to serve each other through virtual prayer experiences. I look forward to a day soon when we can gather again to pray in person. In the meantime, I am grateful that I am not zooming through prayer, but rather, praying through Zoom! — Amy Nall, Associate
ASSOCIATES
Finding a way The pandemic of 2020–2021 has been a time of fear and anxiety, a time to reflect on the freedom taken for granted, turmoil in our country, and the great loss of engaging with family and friends. Reflecting on the Ursuline community and all the ways we have been a part of one another’s lives, I am thankful we have a safe way to continue our “community.” As the weeks have turned into months, it has been a blessing to engage on Zoom. Saint Angela always managed to find a way…and we are finding a way to keep our “community” alive. We pray together, we learn from one another, we discuss our hopes and our dreams for a better world, and we continue on this pandemic journey together. —Donna Helm, Associate
THE CHARISM of Saint Angela Merici and
Blessed by community
the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville
To be honest, I did not realize how much I needed to be in community with others, until Lisa Steiner invited me to participate in a small group. This group meets via Zoom on Sunday mornings to read and reflect on the gospel reading of the day. Lisa invited me when I was spiritually stuck in a valley. The pandemic had hit my family especially hard and separated me from them. My initial concern was that I had nothing to offer this small group of amazing women. Fortunately, this community met me where I was. I consider my time with them to be a blessing that came out of the pandemic. I look forward to our weekly gatherings.
is a contemplative love
— Amy Olson, Associate
of God and a resulting openness and eagerness to serve the needs of others.
35 Years Anna Michael Kathy Mattingly Carolyn Neely Mary Agnes Squires Peasie Fischer
30 Years Karen Welles
25 Years Josephine Mantheiy Theresa Patterson Linda Ratchford
20 Years Theresa Butler Margie Dischinger Jane Elpers Anita Morin Jean Patton Mary Ann Peer Colleen Sparks
15 Years
Feeding my soul Meeting with Sisters and Associates on Zoom feeds my soul. Sunday scripture with Kim Sison, friends, and my associate prayer group are my church during these challenging times. For me, it is the difference between despair and comfort. Breaking open the word and sharing spiritually has become my Eucharist. The presence of my Ursuline family is the rock I lean on. I have come to depend on this church time to sustain me during these isolated times of social distancing. The Spirit of Angela is alive and thriving. —Jan Farrell, Associate
Pam Catlett Sharon Clayton Catherine Gracesqui Karen Harris Judy Heitzman Mary Mail Kim Sison Hugh Smith Margaret Cundiff Maria May
10 Years Mary Ellen Grabenstein Patricia Hagan Lois Miltenberger
5 Years Carlotta Ingram Amy Olson Kevin Wadle Coty Bella-Oropilla Anne Reardon
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ANGELA MERICI CENTER: EASTER
From Annus Horribilis to Easter BY GINNY SCHAEFFER
We must learn to be able to think and behave like Jesus… This becomes a journey of great love and great suffering. These are the two normal and primary paths of transformation into God. —Richard Rohr
In 1992, Queen Elizabeth, speaking to the people of the British Commonwealth, described that year as her own annus horribilis or horrible year. In that one year, three of her children’s marriages, including Prince
Charles’ to Princess Diana, came to scandalous ends. Her beloved Windsor Castle was heavily damaged by fire. The cost of its repairs raised many questions about the Queen’s finances that led to the opening of Buckingham Palace, another of the Queen’s homes, to the general public as a tourist attraction. The funds raised were to be used for repairs to Windsor Castle. We, too, have experienced our own annus horribilis. I am weary of recounting all the crises that have erupted this past year; but,
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as then President-elect Joe Biden reminded us on the eve of his inauguration, in order to heal, we must remember. So, here goes:
limate crises continued to exact •C a toll on the environment, as well as human life, property and local, state and national economies.
• The COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 with over 28 million confirmed cases and over 500,000 deaths in the United States alone, and became the leading cause of death in the U.S. The death toll from COVID-19 totals more lives lost than all the U.S. lives lost in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War combined.
•D ivisive politics fed by false claims of a rigged election culminated in an insurrectionist mob taking over the Capital and attempting to stop the legitimate transfer of power.
• Economic inequity: While millions lost their jobs and were
forced to sit in food lines for hours just to feed their families and faced evictions through no fault of their own, the wealth of millionaires and billionaires grew at a staggering rate. • Four hundred years of racial oppression and injustice came to a head following the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and other people of color. The resulting protests called for an end to systemic racism and the overhauling of police tactics, with much work still to be done.
To borrow a thought from Sister Jean Anne Zappa, the shutdown last year began as we were in the middle of Lent, and it has felt like Lent ever since. Yet, here we are, turning our faces toward Easter once again. We are mindful,
perhaps even more now, that there would be no Easter without the triduum—the pain and passion of Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and the mystery of Holy Saturday. This is not our way, though. We would only have Easter Sunday if we could. We would forgo the suffering that is part and parcel of life on this planet. We would live in an eternal spring and summer. Sadly, this eternal spring and summer is not our reality—the miracle of Easter is that God, with our consent and cooperation, is able to take our pain, suffering
ANGELA MERICI CENTER: EASTER
and million little deaths and bring out of it a new life, to convert our darkness into light, our despair into hope, our fear into faith, our grief into joy and our foolishness into wisdom. To do so, we must follow the way of Jesus, even when it takes us into the “valley of the shadow of death,” into our own personal triduum. Jesus did something amazing on the night he was betrayed, something that often goes against the grain of being human. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he poured out his heart to Abba, begging to be spared an unimaginable agony. In that prayer, Jesus refused to ignore his feelings or the unfolding situation. He invited God into his fear, despair, betrayal and grief; and God did not abandon him. Instead, God created a way (we sometimes call it grace) for Jesus to face what was coming. He did not flee into the mountains and he did not fight the temple guard when they came to arrest him. It’s as if he opened his arms and said, “Here I am.” Life inflicts wounds, whether from a global pandemic or the addiction of a loved one, the
consequences of climate crises or the diagnosis of cancer, the inhumanity of racial injustice or the dissolution of a marriage. Instead of falling back into our old patterns of avoidance, denial or numbing out, we need to follow Jesus—we must turn toward our suffering, “take up our cross,” and find ways to give the pain expression to walk through that dark valley. It is only then that we can truly experience the transformative power that is Easter. This is not the way of the pansy or doormat, as some might think. Choosing the way to Easter requires the humility to admit when we are not in control, the courage to open our hearts and experience the gamut of emotions, the resolve to stay on the path as the going gets hard—and it will get hard—and the willingness to let go. Of course, this would not be possible without great love. Beginning with his foundational experience of God’s unconditional love and acceptance, Jesus stayed connected with the Source of love and life. He often went off alone to pray, finding direction, a deeper understanding of God’s way, an opening of his own heart with
compassion. Jesus knew, in his heart-of-hearts, that he was loved. To experience the power of Easter, we too, must stay connected to the One who is the source of all love, to be open to and aware of any expression of that love. Only then can we take up our cross and walk through the “valley of the shadow of death” in a way that is life-giving. Only then are we able to open our hearts, even the dark places—especially the dark places—to the Lover of us all who heals, forgives and transforms. Allowing God’s transformational grace and power to work in us and through us, brings us into a new and abundant life that is the promise of Easter. May you know it in all its fullness.
Do you miss our in-person workshops, services and retreats? Follow us on Facebook at: amcspirituality or vist our website: www.amcspirituality.org to see our virtual Taizé prayer services and reflections. You may also sign up to receive updates in your inbox! Please email amc@ursulineslou.org for more information and to sign up. DOME | SPRING 2021
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SOCIAL CONCERNS
The Dignity of Work and Catholic Social Teaching BY LISA STEINER
I’ve been reflecting on the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s lives. Specifically, as someone who has worked for many years and values the importance of work, I’ve been wondering what the future will hold in terms of economic and employment equality. Clearly the pandemic of 2020-21 has not been an “equal opportunity disrupter” of jobs and incomes. In fact, we know that in the U.S., COVID-19 has triggered the most unequal recession in modern history. Unlike the recessions of 2001-02 and 200809, which drove job losses across many income levels, COVID-19’s impact in 2020-21 has most acutely harmed low-wage earners. According to The Washington Post, “At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, low-wage jobs were lost at eight times the rate of high-wage jobs.” And now, as the U.S. economy begins to recuperate, paid work is still out of reach predominantly for people of color, women, non-English speakers, and younger workers who used to hold those jobs. Not only did the virus infect more people who were struggling to meet their basic needs, it also made it harder for them to find decent work and get back on their feet. Estimates suggest that millions of farming, restaurant, service sector and retail jobs are now gone for good. The Polaris Project addresses the root causes of human trafficking and seeks to mitigate them. In 2020, it reported dramatic increases in numbers of people being trafficked, especially people of color and youth.
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COVID-19 related job losses have led to greater poverty, homelessness and starvation. Current estimates are that over 40 million people are enslaved globally. These daunting statistics trouble me. They cause me to ask myself, what can be done to right the wrongs of economic injustice? How do systemic racism, forced migration, and climate change play a part in widening the chasm between rich and poor? How can we put the well-being of God’s creation ahead
of one human family. And we believe that every creation of God is precious and worthy of protection. Related to this truth is another theme of Catholic social teaching: The dignity of work and the rights of workers. Here we acknowledge that all types of jobs deserve respect, no occupation is superior to another, and work is an essential part of life. In the same way, all workers are worthy and have rights. No one should have to suffer dangers of oppression or abuse in their work. The U.S. Catholic bishops have written about the dignity of work and economic justice. They say, “The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected—the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.”
of corporate and political interests? And, as a woman of faith, a justice seeker, and a person of privilege, how should I respond? The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers Once again, I find myself turning to Catholic social teaching, remembering that as Catholics we celebrate the inherent dignity of all life. We rejoice in being members
The bishops ask us to examine our conscience in light of Catholic social teaching. As a worker, do I give my employer a fair day’s work for my wages? As an employer, do I treat every worker fairly and with respect? As a consumer, do my purchasing choices consider the many hands involved in producing what I buy? Through quiet reflection, I’ve come to realize that I am called to say and do much more. Change in individual behavior creates societal change when
SOCIAL CONCERNS
people come together as a group to challenge the status quo. Here is an excerpt from a 2015 joint letter to Congress from the U.S. Catholic bishops and Catholic Charities USA on wages: “An economy thrives only when it is centered on the dignity and well-being of the workers and families in it. ... We see every day the consequences when society fails to honor this priority. Protecting low-wage workers and promoting their ability to form and nurture families are shared responsibilities and critical to building a more equitable society.” In recent decades, we have heard about the dignity of work from all the pontiffs, who have understood that working is integral to what it is to be human. In Laudato Si’ (“On Care For Our Common Home”), Pope Francis writes, “We were created with
a vocation to work…. Work is a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development, and personal fulfillment. Helping the poor financially must always be a provisional solution in the face of pressing needs. The broader objective should always be to allow them a dignified life through work.” In Saint John Paul II’s 1991 encyclical, Centesimus Annus (“The Hundredth Year”), he states, “The obligation to earn one’s bread by the
sweat of one’s brow also presumes the right to do so. A society in which this right is systematically denied, in which economic policies do not allow workers to reach satisfactory levels of employment, cannot be justified from an ethical point of view, nor can that society attain social peace.” These words move me. All human beings long to live, to
love and to belong. We need to participate in society and use our God-given gifts. We are called to work, and it is a holy calling! So, as I reflect on the post-COVID future, I wonder about the possibilities. Whether Saint Angela’s charism calls us to prayer, education, service or advocacy, each of us can make a difference. We can focus on job creation, fair wages, and safe workplaces. We can prioritize the needs of people in poverty. And we can move closer to achieving
economic dignity, which places people ahead of profits. I leave you with the words of Dorothy Day: “By crying out unceasingly for the rights of workers, the poor, the destitute… we can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever widening circle will reach around the world.”
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PERUVIAN JOURNAL
So Much In Common BY SISTER SUE SCHARFENBERGER
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bancomundiallac/
As one listens to, or watches the news, it becomes clear how very much we are all alike across the globe, and at the same time, how very different! Many countries would like to remove their president, but only Peru has been able to do it so successfully—four times in five years! Many countries followed the guidelines of the World Helath Organization (WHO) and had limited problems with COVID-19. Peru followed the guidelines, but has one of the highest death rates due to Covid in all of Latin America. We did everything right and still got it wrong. Why? Peru is known for its “informality” in the workplace, on the economic front, and in its health care. We have written about this before, but it stands out even more noticeably when a pandemic comes along.
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Limted resources and a fragile economy are stretched beyond the breaking point and the poor are hit the hardest.
In the face of the recent health
now, it is the church—certainly not only the Catholic Church, but other churches as well—who have come together and launched “Resurrect Peru.” This is a movement that involves private businesses, nongovernmental organizations, foreign investors and others, to pool resources to respond to the hunger and health needs of the population.
crisis, it is important to recognize the role of the church in Peru. When the health system was collapsing all around us, it was through the leadership of some of our church authorities that oxygen plants and home oxygen equipment became available, even in the most remote of areas. And
In addition to appealing to large international groups in the country, it attempts to move the ordinary people of society to give what they can, as well. Most of what has been collected has supplied innumerable soup kitchens across the country with food supplies to combat the hunger that thousands have faced.
Even in more “developed” countries, the very poor are the ones left out of the picture when there is a crisis, because they have been “left out” long before.
PERUVIAN JOURNAL
Other examples of solidarity have also sprung up. Here in Carmen de la Legua, we have a growing number of people affected by the virus. Friends, parents of our students, Associates and neighbors have been affected. But immediately, people contact one another to try to find a doctor to consult, an oxygen tank to be purchased, a meal to be placed on the table, especially when it is Mom or Dad who has been affected.
This has been a huge strain on our teachers and our families. So few have adequate tablets or laptops or internet service to be able to be connected virtually.
People remind one another of what to do, the medicines to take and not to take, the foods to eat, the precautions to take so that others are not infected.
This year, Peru celebrates 200 years of independence. In place of big celebrations, Peru will be asking itself, “What kind of a neighbor am I?” and, as in the words of Fratelli Tutti (“On Fraternity and
We are preparing now for a second year of virtual learning.
We finished 2020 with a huge deficit at Colegio Santa Angela Merici. Our entire school community is grateful for the generosity of many of you, our friends, who have made it possible to pay teachers and offer some support to families.
Social Friendship” 1paraphrased), “I dream that we can rebirth the desire to recognize the dignity of each person in sisterhood and brotherhood, so that no one has to struggle alone for life. We need community to sustain us, to help us to look ahead together. How important it is to dream together!” Let this desire be what we have in common!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bancomundiallac/
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FORWARDING SERVICE REQUESTED 3115 Lexington Road Louisville, Kentucky 40206 www.ursulinesisterslouisville.org
Our Mission Teaching Christian living is the corporate mission of the Ursuline Sisters. This ministry, cutting across socio-economic, racial and national boundaries, assists women, men and children to live more fully and to develop a personal relationship with God.
Sacredly Centered In 2017, we kicked off a $3.5 million campaign for the Motherhouse Chapel renovation and restoration project. The chapel is the epicenter of spiritual life for the Sisters and the schools on the Ursuline campus in Louisville, Kentucky. We are in our final year of fundraising and are only $200,000 away from this goal. This board and donor restricted fund is being used for upgrades and repairs to this 104-year-old sacred space, so it can be preserved for decades to come.
Send corrections, change of address and story ideas to: Mission Advancement office • 3115 Lexington Road • Louisville, KY 40206 (502) 515-7523 • Fax (502) 896-3913 • communications@ursulineslou.org
Like us on Facebook! facebook.com/UrsulinesLouisville
You have an opportunity to help us reach our goal! Please use the special remittance envelope enclosed for your gift designated to the Chapel Preservation Fund. Inclusion in your planned giving is also an option.
www.ursulinesisterslouisville.org
Follow us on Twitter! @UrsulineSisters
