inSpirit - Sisters of the Holy Cross

inSpirit
Sisters of the Holy Cross
2013 fall / winter
Sisters of the Holy Cross
table of contents
12
Dear Friends,
The articles in this issue of inSpirit evoke a kaleidoscope of
emotions: profound sadness at the tragedy of the collapse of the
garment factory building in Bangladesh, hope from our Corporate
Stand Against Human Trafficking and
other issues of justice, and joy as religious
professions and jubilees are celebrated.
We witness the courage, compassion and
creativity of those who understand God’s call
to us expressed in the words of the prophet
Micah (6:8) and echoed in the refrain of “We
are Called” by David Haas: “We are called to
act with justice, we are called to love tenderly,
we are called to serve one another; to walk humbly with God.”*
It is this call that leads us into villages, neighborhoods, cities and
countries where our lives and the lives of those with whom and to
whom we minister are changed. The pain and suffering, hopes and
joys of our sisters and brothers remind us that we are part of a global
community, interconnected in such a way that our choices affect
people we will never meet or know. We are part of the beautiful and
delicate web of creation, where the strands are fragile in isolation but
strong when linked together.
Together we participate in our own unique ways in a shared
mission of compassionate response to the cries of persons who are
poor, marginalized and vulnerable. We are on a journey that calls us to
reflect on and respond to the signs of the times wherever we are. It is
the mission of Jesus that guides and sustains us along the way.
vol. 1, no. 3 – fall/winter 2013
inSpirit is published three times annually by
the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
Sisters of the Holy Cross
Founded in 1841 in Le Mans, France, the
Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross
is an international community of women
religious whose motherhouse is located in
Notre Dame, Indiana. We are called to
participate in the prophetic mission of Jesus
to witness God’s love for all creation. Our
ministries focus on providing education and
health care services, eradicating material
poverty, ending gender discrimination,
and promoting just, mutual relationships
among people, countries and the entire Earth
community.
To learn more, visit www.cscsisters.org.
Leadership Team
Sister Joan Marie Steadman, CSC
Sister Mary Louise Full, CSC
Sister Geraldine Hoyler, CSC
Sister Sharlet Ann Wagner, CSC
Sister Angela Golapi Palma, CSC
inSpirit Team
Editor: Amy H. Smessaert
Writers: Holy Cross Sisters M. Rose Edward
(Goodrow), Margaret Mary Lavonis, Margaret
Ann Nowacki; Sister Ann Oestreich, IHM;
Leslie Choitz; Linda M. Diltz; Ruth Johnson;
Louise Koselak
Designer: Elissa Schmidt
Devotedly in Holy Cross,
When tragedy strikes
Holy Cross community responds to Rana
Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh
On the cover: Sister Shikha Laetitia Gomes, CSC, comforts a patient hospitalized from injuries
sustained in the building collapse.
International Novitiate
Creating community, preparing to serve God
7
*GIA Publications, Inc., 1988
inSpirit is printed with soy ink on Rolland
Enviro100™ (contains certified 100 percent
post-consumer fiber, processed chlorine free,
manufactured using biogas energy).
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30 years of serving with the Peruvian people
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People Gotta Eat
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Corporate stands guide justice work
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A time to rejoice
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Spirituality session in Le Mans, France
Sister Joan Marie Steadman, CSC
President, Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross
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United in Holy Cross
Captivating Holy Cross hearts
Send story ideas, articles, photographs
and comments to
communications@cscsisters.org or
Communications Office
Sisters of the Holy Cross
100 Lourdes Hall – Saint Mary’s
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5014
(574) 284-5728, fax: (574) 284-5577
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Education equality in India
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Your generosity in action
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From tidy to turmoil
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Grant them peace
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25 ������������������ Christmas remembrance cards
26 ������������������������ Monthly recurring gifts
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Club
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Touring Saint Mary’s
Donated golf cart a blessing
© 2013 Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy
Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana. All rights reserved.
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Novitiate: Creating community, preparing to serve God
After making initial vows
at the end of their novitiate
experience, the sisters live
and minister under these
temporary vows for five
years before making a final
commitment through their
perpetual vows. To learn
more about life as a Sister of
the Holy Cross, visit www.
cscsisters.org/vocation/sister/
pages/default.aspx.
What does it mean to live and serve in an international, multicultural
community? Addressing this question is at the heart of the Sisters of the Holy
Cross International Novitiate, where women from around the world come together
to prepare for a vowed religious commitment by deepening their understanding of
God, the Holy Cross community and themselves.
The two-year novitiate at Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana, also supports the
congregation’s identity as one that is richly diverse in age, culture and ministry.
Currently, there are 20 novices representing six countries: Bangladesh, Ghana,
India, Mexico, Uganda and the United States. The three-member novitiate team
and three other sisters are part of the novitiate community.
“The International Novitiate reflects our Holy Cross charism to meet emerging
needs at this time in our world reality,” said novice director Sister Mary Tiernan,
CSC. “We are preparing women for a future we don’t know by giving them tools
to help them confront what they encounter in the world.”
“Around the globe, conflicts, wars and challenges are part of daily life for
many people,” explained Sister Mary Elizabeth Bednarek, CSC, a member of the
novitiate team. “How can we be present to this?”
The key is learning to live interculturally and in right relationship with others,
which means to understand and respect life-giving relationships. For the novices,
the path to living this way begins with creating community and that starts with
sharing family stories.
The International Novitiate
Team includes Holy Cross
Sisters Mary Tiernan,
novice director, Mary
Elizabeth Bednarek and
Mary Magdalena Gomes.
Sharing stories fosters community
“We ask the novices about significant events in their lives, tribal relationships in
their home country and whether they were raised in a city or on a farm. In sharing
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stories, we create our family, our community, in the novitiate,” said Sister Mary.
The novices learn how to live interculturally and in right relationship through
prayer, study and the daily tasks of life, all the while becoming more aware of who
they are, their gifts and their limitations. They read and reflect on spirituality and
community history, participate in faith formation (Scripture, doctrine, sacraments),
spend time in personal prayer and spiritual direction, provide liturgical ministry in
the Church of Our Lady of Loretto at Saint Mary’s and visit the congregation’s senior
sisters. They develop skills in compassionate listening and conflict management. In
addition, the novices take turns planning community prayer, cooking meals and
leading community meetings, as well as ministering in South Bend, Indiana, and
other parts of the United States.
Weekly house meetings provide a forum to bring up topics and “notice what gets
in the way of living together, such as written and unwritten cultural rules like how
to set the table or how to talk with older people,” said Sister Mary. Mealtimes offer
different experiences of intercultural living, from tasting new foods with varying
degrees of spiciness to using household appliances. “We have many conversations
about what not to put into a microwave,” laughed Sister Mary Elizabeth.
The 26 members of the
International Novitiate
community at Saint Mary’s
include 20 Holy Cross novices
along with six other sisters.
Left to right, front row, Sisters
of the Holy Cross Renatta
Jutta Essien, Shadkmenlang
Kharsahnoh, Ridahun
Basaiawmoit, Elurebel
Mynsong, Nobina R. Marak,
Janet Nantumbwe, Semaria
Tongpiar, Likha Ruram
and Rani Gumej; middle
row, Sisters Callista Tetteh,
Martha Nambi, Gidding
Simsang, Laura Guadalupe
Tiburcio Santos, Mary
Elizabeth Bednarek, Isidora
Dkhar, María Cristina Díaz
Acevedo and Mary Tiernan;
back row, Sisters Monica
Assifuah-Nunoo, Cynthia
Godia Bienaan, Jessica
Brock, Lelia Santah, Mary
Ann Uebbing, Grace Kitinisa,
Mary Magdalena Gomes and
Margaret Mary Lavonis
Not pictured: Sister Theresia
W. Mbugua, CSC
Finding common ground
The novitiate experience is “a time of growing and stretching,” Sister Mary
Elizabeth said. “It gives us a communal, congregational identity in Holy Cross, which
is important in a shifting and changing world.”
“The novitiate provides common ground for prayer, study, conversation,
communal living, spiritual and cultural reflection and ministry experience,” added
Sister Mary. “We share our faith and how God is present daily and at work in us.”
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Your generosity in action
Fifty sponsored projects
to aid people in need
July marked the beginning of a new funding year
for Ministry With the Poor/CSC Fund grants. A
total of $318,760 was awarded to 50 projects that
are sponsored by individual Holy Cross sisters in
eight countries. The amount conferred is dependent
primarily upon donations received, plus some
investment income that is earmarked for this purpose.
To read a short description of each of the 2013–14
projects, go to www.cscsisters.org, click on Global
Ministries and choose a country or U.S. state.
Two of these projects that will be supported this
year are a literacy program in Florida and a Ugandan
health center.
In West Palm Beach, Florida, Sister Barbara Gress,
CSC, ministers at the Holy Cross Catholic Preschool
and Center. The literacy program, which is open to
children and adults, will receive $6,800 to be used as
scholarships, allowing some individuals to participate
who would not otherwise be able to afford the services.
The Homework Helper program for children
has been very successful, with a growing number of
students and a new summer program with special
activities. As one of the teachers said, “The students
have heard that we are interested in helping each
student and so they come. They know that where
God is first in each person’s life, there is peace,
goodness and care all around.”
In Kirinda, Uganda, Sister Angelica Birungi,
CSC, described what makes the Holy Cross Family
Centre Health Unit so special: “In contrast to nearby
government facilities, we try to have medicines
available. We treat people, most of whom are peasants
working on the tea plantations, with a holistic
approach by caring for the body, mind and spirit.”
Sister Angelica is receiving Ministry With the Poor
funding to care for mothers with HIV. The $8,330
will be used to upgrade the skills of the nurse who has
worked at the clinic for six years and for continued
testing, treatment and delivery of HIV-free babies.
“The highest number of maternal deaths is in the
western region where we are serving,” Sister Angelica
said. “We shall continue to support and encourage
mothers to deliver in our health facility.”
On behalf of all those who benefit from Ministry With the
Poor-funded projects, thank you. These grants would not
exist without your donations.
Sister Angelica Birungi, CSC, meets
with a mother and her newborn
child at Holy Cross Family Centre
Health Unit in Uganda.
Left to right,
Sister M. Rose
Virginia (Burt),
CSC, Santos
Garcia and
Sister Patricia A.
Dieringer, CSC.
The sisters lived
with Santos
when they
first arrived in
Chimbote in
1982.
United in Holy Cross
Thirty years of serving with the Peruvian people
Health workers check me
dical supplies in a neigh
borhood
dispensary in Lima. Wh
ile working in health pro
motion with
Pro-Vida, Sister Maryann
e O’Neill, CSC, helped cre
ate small
dispensaries that provid
ed basic medications at
reasonable
prices. By 1994 Sister
Maryanne was responsib
le for the
supervision of all 35 dis
pensaries in San Juan de
Lurigancho,
a district in Lima.
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A glorious celebration was held this year to
commemorate the 30th anniversary of the arrival
of the first Sisters of the Holy Cross in Peru.
This joyous gathering took place at the Father
Patrick Peyton Family Center in Canto Grande,
a suburb of Lima, Peru.
“It was a moment to recall, to appreciate,
to be thankful,” said Sister Eleanor Snyder,
CSC, when asked about the May 4 festivities.
“A moment to pause, to affirm, to delight in
the union of the three branches of Holy Cross
men and women and how we seek to share our
charism, gifts and commitment … realizing a
variety of ministries and focusing on almost all
of the sacred human dimensions of life.” Sister
Eleanor helped to establish soup kitchens when
she arrived in Chimbote in 1988 and, with Holy
Cross associates, became a supportive presence to
different women’s organizations in the area.
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A ministry takes root
Sisters Patricia A. Dieringer, CSC, and M. Rose
Virginia (Burt), CSC, were the first Holy Cross sisters
to minister in Peru. They arrived on November 1,
1982, to strengthen the pastoral work of the Holy
Cross parish in Chimbote.
“We opened four soup kitchens in the parish with
a donation of pots, pans and stoves from UNICEF,”
said Sister Patricia. “This project nurtured new skills
in the women of the neighborhoods. We also began
a new diocesan organization called COBIS, a social
services commission that later joined with Caritas.”
Holy Cross’ presence in Peru grew, with five sisters
arriving between1983 and 1989. In Chimbote, they
supervised the orientation of religion teachers in the
public schools and worked with parish youth. After
establishing a presence in Lima, they worked in health
promotion with Pro-Vida, whose mission was the
formation of neighborhood health workers and small
dispensaries to provide basic medications at reasonable
prices. The sisters also served in the catechetical
program.
Violence erupts in Chimbote
The violence that began in the Andean mountains
arrived in Chimbote in 1990. By the summer of
1991, death at the hands of the Sendero Luminoso,
a terrorist group, threatened all in the diocese. The
terrorists killed anyone who opposed them and
bombed organizations that helped improve the
people’s lives.
“We earlier had formed a Social Pastoral
Committee in each of the parishes,” explained Sister
Patricia. “These groups helped the people to endure
the fear they felt. The terrorists visited the soup
kitchens in the diocese, asking who was in charge, and
wandered the streets in the parish asking the people
where religious sisters lived; no one told them.
“In all of the Diocese of Chimbote,” she continued,
“not one soup kitchen or mother’s club closed because
of political violence. Sister Eleanor, associate Teresa
Mundaca and I moved between Lima and Chimbote
and from house to house, keeping out of terror’s way
and trying to be present to the people and reflect with
them about what was happening.”
Living the faith
As the threat of terrorism in Chimbote declined,
the work in the parish continued. It was decided
in a diocesan meeting to begin a Bible course with
the different diocesan committees. The Bible group
continued and is active today. Currently, both Sisters
Patricia and Mary Josephine Delany, CSC, work on
the national level in a group for the pastoral reading of
the Bible. They are forming groups of Bible promoters
in some 20 different areas of the country.
Left to right, Carmen Sandoval and
Sister Patricia
A. Dieringer, CSC, review the quarterl
y accounts
for Caritas Chosica.
o,
ylí Margot Ríos Manz
rmona Chávez and No lunteers package
Ca
a
nn
va
Gio
s
ter
Holy Cross Sis
d a group of vo
left, respectively, an
third and fourth from ake victims in Pisco, Peru, in 2007.
qu
supplies for the earth
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Holy Cross sisters commemorate the
30th anniversary of the
congregation’s ministry in Peru. Left
to right, Sisters Mary
Josephine Delany, Conceição Nogueir
a dos Santos, Esperanza
(Sullca Clemente), Patricia A. Dieringe
r, Noylí Margot Ríos Manzo,
Lilma Calsin Collazos and Eleanor
Snyder
le of their parish in
Women prepare a meal for the peop
es from UNICEF,
stov
and
pots
of
need. With a donation
M. Rose
and
r
Holy Cross Sisters Patricia A. Dieringe
ens in
kitch
soup
sh
pari
ing
open
n
Virginia (Bur t) bega
s in the
skill
new
ured
Chimbote in 1983. The project nurt
ds.
rhoo
hbo
women of the neig
Mobilizing relief efforts
In 2007, Sister Noylí Margot Ríos Manzo, CSC,
the first Peruvian woman to join the congregation,
and Sister Giovanna Carmona Chávez, CSC, traveled
to the site of a massive earthquake in southern Peru
to help deliver food, clothing and medicines to the
town of Pisco.
“Chaos was everywhere,” wrote Sister Noylí. “We
put our supplies into a military truck, and a group of
12 to 15 soldiers helped us transport it to the center
of the city. But when we got there, the people were
so frantic that they got up on the truck and it was
impossible to give out the things calmly. It was very
painful to see my people suffering for bread … full of
pain and desperate because they had nothing.”
Sister Mary Josephine and trained volunteers
also visited with the earthquake victims in nearby La
Alameda, accompanying grieving families.
Hope for the future
“We have been at it now for 30 years: Bible
work, youth orientation, teaching in the schools,
managing Caritas, leading the diocesan health
organization, taking care of the aged, working
with campesinos (the local poor), and walking with
thousands of women in hundreds of different ways,”
said Sister Patricia, who currently directs Caritas
Chosica in Lima. “We have worked hard, enjoyed
every, well, almost every minute of it and formed
many friendships.”
Five women from Peru have joined us on the
journey as Sisters of the Holy Cross: Sisters Noylí
and Giovanna from Chimbote, and Sisters Lilma
Calsin Collazos, Isabel Cristina Camacho Torres and
Esperanza (Sullca Clemente) from Lima.
“Our mission in Peru is living day by day with
compassion and solidarity with the people who are
excluded from our society. These brothers and sisters
are the hope, joy, strength and vision for a better
world,” said Sister Lilma. “Our hope after 30 years
continues to be seeing the light of God and the light
of life in the eyes of our people. Thank you all for
giving us your support, patience and prayers for the
mission of the congregation in Peru.”
Holy Cross sisters who serve or have served in Peru
include include Sisters Barnita Scholastica Mangsang,
Brenda Cousins, Conceição Nogueira dos Santos,
Eleanor Snyder, Esperanza (Sullca Clemente),
Giovanna Carmona Chávez, Isabel Cristina Camacho
Torres, Lilma Calsin Collazos, Mary Josephine Delany,
Mary Magdalena Gomes, Maryanne O’Neill, Noylí
Margot Ríos Manzo, Patricia A. Dieringer, Patricia
Anne Clossey, Patricia Mary Crane, M. Rose Virginia
(Burt) and Suzanne Patterson.
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“On behalf of People Gotta Eat, thank
you for your continued support. Your
grant continues to make a large impact
on those who are living in poverty. Food
and personal care products are precious
and necessary items.”
— Karen Sommers, director of People Gotta Eat
People
Gotta Eat
Feeding family, friends
and neighbors in need
You hear a dozen chimes from the clock and you break
for lunch. Are you genuinely hungry or is it just time to eat
again? When is the last time you even heard your stomach
growl from hunger? For the people walking into the Little
Flower Church Pantry in South Bend, Indiana, hunger is a
reality they struggle with every day.
“Sometimes people do not understand the gravity of the
situation,” said Sister Frances B. O’Connor, CSC. “We don’t
think that somebody else is really hungry and that we could
help them.”
With your donations, Sister Frances is able to help feed
the hungry. After spending years working with the poor
in Bangladesh, she now works to help people in northern
Indiana. In addition to holding local fundraisers, Sister
Frances requested a grant from the Sisters of the Holy Cross
Ministry With the Poor fund to help People Gotta Eat, an
initiative of the United Way of St. Joseph County, Indiana.
People Gotta Eat, a name that says it all, works with 15
local food pantries to raise money to keep the pantry shelves
stocked while developing a plan to address food distribution
in the community. The director of the program, Karen
Sommers, reported that 17 percent of St. Joseph County
residents and almost a fourth of the children live in poverty.
“The number of hungry children keeps increasing,” said
Sister Frances. “That is why I am so interested in feeding
them through the People Gotta Eat program.”
Last year, United Way’s information and referral service
averaged 80 calls a month from people who didn’t know
where their next meal was coming from. “Some months the
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While filling a bag for a client, Sister Suzanne Patterson, CSC, pulls a bottle of juice off the shelf at the Broadway Christian Parish Pantry in
South Bend, Indiana, where she volunteers.
“Although many people come to Broadway for
number was as high as 130 calls,” said Karen. “We
food, whether breakfast or through the pantry, they
actually know that over 20,000 local people every
soon come to experience a real sense of community
month are reliant on food pantries.
among themselves and with the staff,” said Sister
“I wish I could report that food security in
Suzanne. “We are so grateful that we can respond to
our community is improving,” she continued.
the ever increasing number of families in need.”
“Unfortunately, that is not the case. Not only are
Feeding the hungry through a
the food pantries reporting
group effort has advantages. “Every
that they have served a larger
dollar gifted can be leveraged to
number of people, they also are
purchase $8 worth of food and
experiencing an increase in new
supply over three meals,” said Karen.
families who have never been to
But food isn’t the only thing the
their pantry before.”
people need. “You can’t use food
Every day there are first-time
stamps to buy non-food items,” said
visitors to the Little Flower
Andy Boes, a recent graduate from
pantry. Looking tentatively,
the University of Notre Dame, Notre
they choose a can of soup or jar
Dame, Indiana.
of peanut butter from the shelf.
As a student Andy began
“Every so often a client will
S.U.D.S. (Sustainable Use and
cry the entire time I show her
Distribution of Soap), a business
the food she can choose for her
to recycle discarded bars of hotel
family,” said a pantry volunteer.
soap into new bars of soap that are
“I have had clients say to me, ‘I
given to people at pantries or sold
was always the one who gave,
Left to right, Holy Cross Sisters Frances B.
with profits benefiting the pantries.
and now I am here.’ I say to
O’Connor and Cynthia Godia Bienaan listen to the
People Gotta Eat has developed
them, ‘You will give again.’”
J.T. Buffett Band at Foodstock, an annual family
event
with
food,
games
and
concert
benefiting
relationships with nine local hotels
According to People Gotta
People Gotta Eat in South Bend, Indiana.
to secure soap, lotion, shampoo,
Eat reports, the majority of
conditioner and toilet paper that
the people being served are
otherwise would be thrown in a landfill. These
children and older adults. Because monetary and food
donations have decreased, some of the pantries report
products are then distributed through the food pantries.
giving smaller amounts of food to those in need.
Monthly, the Broadway Christian Parish Pantry, the
Sister Suzanne Patterson, CSC, also requested
Little Flower Church Pantry and 13 other area pantries
Ministry With the Poor funding for the Broadway
provide food to over 20,000 people who rely on
Christian Parish Pantry in South Bend, where she
pantries to survive. Because of your donation, many
volunteers with the breakfast ministry.
people won’t go hungry tonight.
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When the eight-story Rana Plaza building
in Savar, Bangladesh, collapsed earlier this
year, killing more than 1,100 people and
injuring thousands more, the Sisters of the
Holy Cross joined with others around the
world to care for the physical and emotional
needs of the victims, most of whom were
garment factory workers.
We share the following stories from our
Holy Cross sisters in Bangladesh to give you
a deeper look at the disaster’s impact on the
injured and their families. You also will learn
about actions being taken by other members
of the congregation to address systemic
problems in the international garment
industry and what you can do to help address
the root causes of this tragedy.
When
tragedy
strikes…
Holy Cross responds to Savar building collapse
by Sister Kolpona Costa, CSC
Sisters visit the injured
No one could have ever imagined how
horrifying and dreadful this tragedy was.
The Rana Plaza building housed nearly
5,000 workers from five garment factories.
There were workers in other shops and offices
in the building, but they evacuated when
cracks appeared days before the collapse on
April 24. Workers in the garment factories
were forced to work under the threat of
losing their jobs.
We watched the news and felt deep
inside us that we, Sisters of the Holy Cross in
Dhaka, Bangladesh, should respond to this
need. I would like to share some simple but
meaningful actions we have taken to help the
severely injured people.
On May 1, which is International
Workers’ Day and a national holiday in
Bangladesh, Sister Minoti Rozario, CSC, and
I went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The victims we visited that day were brought
to Dhaka five days after the accident, and
they still had not received any treatment.
While we were there, doctors were
dressing the victims’ wounds. We held the
patients’ hands, wiped their tears and asked
God, “Why should these innocent people
have to suffer so much?” Most of the victims
were women between 20 and 22 years old.
Of the 25 women and 10 men we visited,
most had severe leg injuries. Some seriously
injured their backs and others had damaged
… it’s rare that we are afforded more
than a glimpse into the lives of those who
suffer and those who respond to alleviate
the suffering unless we are connected with
someone who has first-hand experience. TOP: The collapsed Rana Plaza building in Savar, Bangladesh
OPPOSITE PAGE: Representatives of Caritas Dhaka Region, foreground, and St. Joseph Church in Savar, Bangladesh, assist in relief
efforts for victims of the Rana Plaza building collapse and provide support to their relatives.
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When tragedy strikes
When tragedy strikes
Sister Violet Rodrigues, CSC, listens to a patient injured
in the Rana Plaza building collapse. Ministering with her
are Sister Minoti Rozario, CSC, far left, and two students
from Holy Cross College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
A husband lovingly attends to his wife who lost her arm
in the building collapse.
kidneys. The patients and their relatives were very grateful
to God that they and their loved ones had survived. During
our visit different groups of people came to see the patients
and donated money, clothes and food to them.
Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed in Savar.
Sister Shilpi (Rozario), CSC, ministered to the suffering
in another way — by serving on a Caritas team that
provided psychological care. (See article on page 16.)
Students, staff serve
Prayer, fasting and presence
Holy Cross Sisters Pauline Gomes and Shikha Laetitia
Gomes went to the National Orthopedic Hospital and
Rehabilitation Institute on May 1. They arranged with the
director of the hospital to send different groups of Holy
Cross College students to visit the victims over a period of
17 days. Each day at least eight students were accompanied
to the hospital either by Holy Cross College professors
or sisters, along with guardians, college office staff or
employees, and former students.
I was amazed to learn about the students’ activities
during their hospital visits. The students combed patients’
hair, cut their nails and helped them brush their teeth,
wash their heads and change their clothing. They also
massaged their hands and legs and talked with them.
Every day the group took different foods, such as boiled
eggs, milk, cookies and cakes. They also gave towels
and nightgowns. These gifts were bought with the
contributions from the Holy Cross College professors,
office staff and maintenance employees who donated one
day’s salary for these victims.
In Dhaka, Holy Cross Girls High School teachers and
students collected money for the victims and sent it to the
The Holy Cross sisters in Bangladesh contributed money
from observing one day of fast and other sacrifices. With
this money, the sisters purchased gamcha (light towels),
nightgowns, toothbrushes and toothpaste for the victims.
Sister Rita Godhino, CSC, held a prayer service with a
group of women in Boxkshanagor Parish, who also kept a
fast and donated their sacrifice money to the victims. Some
parents of students who attend Father Evans Kindergarten
School, where Sister Maria Lotica Palma, CSC, is
headmistress, also provided money for the victims. The
amounts given are not large, but people’s thoughtfulness and
willingness to help are very important.
Sister Cecilia Karuna Corraya, CSC, went to the Rana
Plaza area on May 20, nearly a month after the building
collapsed. She told us that people there were still holding
pictures of their dear ones and waiting for their return.
Seeking better conditions in the garment industry
“The Savar tragedy has taught us many things
and … is knocking at the door of our conscience.
Bangladesh has to pay homage to these victims by
bringing justice to the factory workers. I hope that
something good will come out of this terrible event.”
These words from Sister Kolpona Costa, CSC,
echoed the concerns of individuals, faith-based
shareholders, nongovernmental organizations and
other groups around the world regarding labor
exploitation. The collapse of the Rana Plaza
building in Bangladesh spurred action globally
and locally to address in a variety of ways systemic
problems in the international garment industry.
A global coalition of 202 institutional investors
from 16 countries in North America, Europe and
Australia signed a statement calling on apparel
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manufacturers and retailers to join the Accord on Fire
and Building Safety. The Leadership Team of the
Sisters of the Holy Cross was among the signatories.
More than 40 retailers, including H&M,
C&A, Primark, PVH and Abercrombie & Fitch,
already have signed this binding agreement to
monitor safety, fund inspections and empower
workers to refuse to work in obviously dangerous
situations (www.iccr.org/news/press_releases/2013/
pr_bangladeshletter051613.php). Some North
American brands and retailers have announced their
own commitment to the voluntary and nonbinding
Safer Factories Initiative.
Most retailers have not addressed the core issue
raised by Pope Francis: the economic exploitation of
workers that ensures cheap clothing for consumers.
Sister Pauline Gomes, CSC, center, comforts a victim
injured in the Rana Plaza building collapse in Savar,
Bangladesh. She is joined by two students from Holy
Cross College, Dhaka, an employee of the college,
second from right, and a nurse, far right.
Holy Cross College and Holy Cross Girls High School, both in
Dhaka, Bangladesh, are sponsored ministries of the Sisters of the
Holy Cross.
Sister Kolpona Costa, CSC, is a teacher at Holy Cross Girls
High School in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
“Not paying fairly, not giving a job because you are
only looking at balance sheets, only looking at how
to make a profit . . . goes against God,” the pope said
in Euronews, May 1, 2013.
Petitioning for change
The building collapse in Savar prompted Holy
Cross sisters in Ventura, California, to approach
local managers of large clothing stores with their
concerns about the garment industry.
“That is what you do when there is love,” said
Sister Margaret Ann Shield, CSC, explaining why
she and Sister Dolores Jean Bray, CSC, and two
friends from Bangladesh took petitions to retail
stores. “We went to the local Walmart, Gap and Old
Navy stores on April 28 with signed letters asking
the managers to ensure decent working conditions
In the days and weeks following the building collapse,
relatives of garment factory workers wait for the bodies
of their loved ones to be recovered from the rubble.
for those in other countries who make clothing for
their stores. It was our intention that the managers
would take our petition to upper management. All
the managers we spoke with were lovely in their
responses.” To view a sample letter visit http://
action.sumofus.org/a/gap-letter.
What you can do
Look at clothing labels. If the garment was made
in Bangladesh, ask whether the retailer has signed
the Accord on Fire and Building Safety or if it is
committed to the Safer Factories Initiative.
Shop at resale stores and fair-trade clothing
outlets. Visit Fair Trade USA at
www.fairtradeusa.org/shopping-guide or
Marigold Fair Trade Clothing (India) at
www.marigoldfairtradeclothing.com.
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When tragedy strikes
Seven Corporate Stands
God’s people cry out from a fragmented world. The
social-political-economic system in which we live
and minister is unjust. To sustain such a system
has profound consequences for all the people of
God. In a world which is becoming increasingly
interdependent, the redemptive love and actions
of Jesus move us to compassionate, prophetic,
liberating action. In this world, redeemed and yet
filled with so many causes and signs of death,
WE CHOOSE LIFE.
— 20th General Chapter, Sisters of the Holy Cross, 1989
Babu recovers from injuries after jumping from the
Rana Plaza building and having others land on him.
As the sole wage-earner for the eight members of
his family, Babu fears for their survival.
Sister Shilpi (Rozario), CSC, and Brother Ripon James Gomes, CSC, minister to a victim of the garment factory building collapse in Savar,
Bangladesh. As part of a Caritas team, they visited the injured, listened to their stories and offered psycho-social and spiritual support.
Victims’ stories: Profound experiences of courage
by Sister Shilpi (Rozario), CSC
For a month after the Savar tragedy, I served on
a Caritas team that provided psycho-social support
to injured workers and their relatives. (Caritas
International organizes the humanitarian efforts of the
Catholic Church.) Our team visited the victims in
hospitals and clinics, listening compassionately to their
stories and concerns, offering spiritual support and
consoling them. These were profound experiences that
made me think, “How strong human beings are! This
strength and courage can come only from God.”
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beside us. We couldn’t see each other but he encouraged us
always. Even though half of his body was pressed under
the pillars, he gave me his shirt to bind my wound. It
was hot. He found some thick paper and gave it to us to
use as a fan. Right before we were rescued … we called
him but he was dead. How can we forget him? At the
last moments of his life he served us very selflessly.”
“I was pressed under a big pillar for three days, and
my right hand was caught,” said 25-year-old Rickta.
“Everything was dark, and I could not breathe properly.
When rescuers came to me, I said, ‘Cut my hand, please,
and release me.’ I was begging them, saying, ‘Don’t be
afraid, my husband will take care of me.’ Then they
brought an iron saw. Now my hand is missing but I am
happy. At least I can see my husband and son.”
Shamima, age 18, was a sewing operator in one of the
garment factories and was providing financial support
so her brothers and sisters could go to school. She earned
about $60 per month, working from morning until
midnight. After the collapse, Shamima could feel the
ceiling in front of her nose. She could not move or breathe
properly. Everybody was screaming for help and asking
for water. Shamima was calling only God. She lost
consciousness and woke up in a hospital bed covered with
bandages. She can’t walk or move. As she lies in bed,
she is thinking only about the education of her younger
brothers and sisters. How can they continue their study?
“A few of us were inside for three days being pressed
by pillars,” said another victim. “Another worker was
Sister Shilpi (Rozario), CSC, serves in parish family
ministry and formation ministry in Savar, Bangladesh.
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In 1984 the Congregation of
the Sisters of the Holy Cross
took its first public corporate
stand on a justice issue.
Together with the United
States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, we called upon the
U.S. government to “adopt
immediate, bilateral, verifiable
agreements to halt the testing,
production and deployment
of new nuclear weapons
systems.” In 1985 we spoke
collectively to oppose U.S. warrelated intervention in Central
America.
Subsequent corporate stands
reflect a greater understanding
of the complexity of issues
and the need for a variety
of responses. In 1994 the
Corporate Stand on Land Use
and Reform addressed land
use and housing rights. The
1998 Corporate Stand on
the Oppression of Women in
Social and Religious Structures
voiced our commitment to
“eliminate the domination
and subordination of women”
in church and society, and to
speak out against oppressive
behavior against women
wherever it occurs.
Corporate stands
guide justice work
by Sister Ann Oestreich, IHM
The Sisters of the Holy Cross are committed to being a voice
for peace, justice and healing in the world. One way of living
out this commitment is by taking corporate stands on issues of
particular importance that impact the lives of God’s people and
our planet. Individual witness and action are very important,
but there is a different energy, strength and emphasis to publicly
witnessing to an issue of justice as a congregation.
Sister Joan Marie Steadman, CSC, president of the
Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, described
the process for taking a corporate stand: “It includes prayer,
reflection, study, discussion and discernment on the issue
being considered. When a corporate stand is proposed, the
Congregation Justice Committee develops the methodology for
education, research, prayer, theological reflection and possible
actions. The sisters engage in this process for several months and
then vote on a statement reflecting the congregation’s stand on
the issue. If there is agreement on the statement, it becomes the
congregation’s public position and basis for action.”
Because the process is lengthy and involves significant
time for education and reflection, the corporate stand process
In 2004 the congregation
recognized water as a “human
right and a public trust.” In
the 2006 Corporate Stand on
Nonviolence, we stated that
“nonviolence is intrinsic to right
relationship with all creation”
and rejected violence in all
of its forms. And in January
2013, we affirmed the dignity
and rights of all persons and
denounced the sin of human
trafficking and all economic
and social systems that allow
this inhuman practice to
continue.
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is used only when an issue is approved by the
congregation’s Leadership Team. In the past 29
years, the congregation has approved corporate
stands on seven issues. (See sidebar on page 17.)
Corporate stands empower leadership, groups
of sisters and individual members to speak out
publicly on issues in the name of the congregation.
The stands are a commitment on the part of all
sisters to take action on these issues, in both the
public policy forum and through our ministries,
when possible and appropriate.
For example, the Corporate Stand Against
Human Trafficking is being implemented in a
variety of ways in all countries where sisters serve.
In April 2013 the sisters in Mexico and the United
States held their annual assembly at a hotel in
Chicago that had signed ECPAT-USA’s Code
of Conduct for the Protection of Children from
Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. This
means the hotel staff has been trained to recognize
and report incidences of human trafficking. In
Indiana, sisters are working with the state attorney
general’s office to train hotel workers and law
enforcement officers to recognize and rescue
victims of sex and labor trafficking.
Holy Cross sisters in Uganda use radio
broadcasts to educate the public on this issue.
Our sisters in Peru joined a network of religious
women and men to address trafficking there. In
many countries and U.S. states, we are advocating
for stricter laws and better enforcement to protect
victims and prosecute traffickers. These efforts
are proving successful in many places, including
Bangladesh, which was recognized by the U.S.
Department of State for the progress being
made there in strengthening and enforcing antitrafficking laws.
To read the complete text of each of the congregation’s
corporate stands, please visit
http://www.cscsisters.org/aboutus/pages/corporate_
stands.aspx.
Sister Ann Oestreich, IHM, is congregation justice
coordinator for the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
Left to right, back, Holy Cross Sisters Bijoycy Thongnibah, Jane Aluku
Masangir and Rose Kyomukama; front, Sisters Royne Josephine Costa,
Khochem Mossang and Semerita Mbambu
First vows: A time to rejoice
by Sister Margaret Ann Nowacki, CSC
Six Sisters of the Holy Cross professed their initial vows
at a joy-filled liturgy on May 27, 2013, in the Church of
Our Lady of Loretto at Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana. Dancing, singing, praying and clapping set the tone for the
celebration as Holy Cross Sisters Semerita Mbambu, Jane
Aluku Masangir, Rose Kyomukama, Royne Josephine Costa,
Bijoycy Thongnibah and Khochem Mossang prayerfully and
with mature confidence pronounced their vows, pledging
their life and love to the service of God in the congregation.
The liturgy spoke the message of internationality that
fittingly defines Holy Cross in the 21st century. From the
thrilling African dancers leading the entrance procession
to the graceful flow of the sari-clad Bengali dancers at the
offertory, the rich diversity of the congregation blended
beautifully as the assembly entered into the solemn but
jubilant celebration.
Sister Theresia W. Mbugua, CSC, in her reflection, called
these sisters gifts. “We are very grateful to God for the gift of
you all, the willingness and the courage you have to say like
our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, that ‘if the imitation of
Christ is our duty, it is also our glory.’”
Then she challenged them, “Love one another as you
proclaim with your lips your decision to live the life of the
Gospel in the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. In this way you will bear fruit, much fruit in educating the
mind and heart of others, in caring for the health of many
people in their desperate situations, in affording people access
to justice and to live in peace.” Read more about this celebration at www.cscsisters.org/aboutus/
media/features/pages/profession5-27-13.aspx.
Sister Margaret Ann Nowacki, CSC, writes for the congregation’s
Communications Office at Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana.
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Holy Cross sisters, brothers and priests gather in front of the Good Shepherd Monastery, site of the tomb of Father Jacques Dujarié.
Father Dujarié founded the Brothers of Saint Joseph who were later united to the Auxiliary Priests of Le Mans, giving birth to the
Congregation of Holy Cross in 1837. Four years later, under the direction of Father Moreau, Léocadie Gascoin (Mother Mary of the Seven
Dolors) and three other postulants received the habit in a ceremony at Good Shepherd, becoming the first Holy Cross sisters.
Captivating Holy Cross hearts
Spirituality session
gives newer religious
a chance to “walk in the
same steps as our founder”
by Sister Sharlet Ann Wagner, CSC
For two weeks this summer, I had the privilege of serving
on the staff of the 2013 International Session in Holy
Cross Spirituality in Le Mans, France. The session is held
each year for the four Holy Cross congregations that share
Blessed Basil Anthony Moreau as founder: Sisters of Holy
Cross; Marianites of Holy Cross; Sisters of the Holy Cross;
and the Congregation of Holy Cross, which includes both
priests and brothers.
Each congregation is invited to send 10 members to
Le Mans. This year the program was offered specifically to
Holy Cross religious who have been perpetually professed
five years or less. The leadership of the four congregations
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made this decision with the goal of fostering strong
relationships among younger Holy Cross religious
from around the globe.
Thirty-eight women and men from 13 different
countries took part in the program, which included
conference days and travel days.
Conference days were filled with presentations
on our Holy Cross history and spirituality. For
travel days, we boarded a bus to one of the many
Holy Cross heritage sites. These included the
birthplaces of early figures in Holy Cross history
and spiritual sites that were important to Father
Moreau, including the Abbey of Saint-Pierre at
Solesmes, the Monastery at La Grande-Trappe, and
Chartres Cathedral.
It was gratifying to see the enthusiasm with
which these newer Holy Cross religious entered
into the program and how they absorbed all that
was offered. Participants were inspired by the
stories of sacrifice and hardships endured by our
founder and his women and men companions.
The reflections of two of the participants best
express the blessing that the program held for all.
“Here we are at the source where Holy Cross
sprung forth,” wrote Sister of Holy Cross Dadeline
Jean, CSC. “We are from different cultures,
different branches of Holy Cross but we are all
heirs of the same name. It is a very enriching and
unforgettable experience for us daughters and sons
of Father Moreau. It is for us a grace to have this
opportunity to know better Father Moreau and the
other important people from the beginnings of our
foundation. What a blessing to be able to walk in
their steps.”
Brother Marcelo Praciano, CSC, reflected,
“Although it was cold, you could perceive the joy
of walking in the same steps as our founder. We
walked where he walked and thus entered into the
history and spirituality of Holy Cross. Holy Cross
has a living history which captivates our hearts.”
Sister Sharlet Ann Wagner, CSC, is a member of the
congregation’s Leadership Team.
Students engage in a drawing activity at Salka Holy Cross School, Barakathal, India, where they are taught by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
Education equality in India
Across the border with Bangladesh, the Sisters of
the Holy Cross in India are following in the footsteps
of sisters who have gone before: bringing education,
religious values and hope to the poor. Whether in a
rural area such as Barakathal, lying east of Dhaka, Jatah
Village in the hills to the north or the city of Shillong,
the sisters are there, listening to those who need
assistance and helping people help themselves.
In a relatively new ministry, Holy Cross Sisters
Mitali Mree and Shibanlin Nongsiej live in a one-room
rented house in the village of Barakathal. They not only
teach the children, they are teaching the teachers at the
parish school. The sisters also visit the village families,
help with religious education and respond to the needs
of the people. As Sister Mitali explains, “Boys are often
favored in this society and girls may not be treated as
well. Our school will treat boys and girls equally. The
girls will grow up knowing that they are as smart and as
capable and valued as the boys.”
In Jatah Village in the East Khasi Hills 400
kilometers to the north, the situation is reversed:
According to Sister Parboti Gomes, “the society is
matrilineal, which gives preference to girls, and the
boys remain uneducated and jobless, owning nothing
of the family inheritance.” The sisters are working to
provide training, especially for the boys and girls who
have dropped out of school. Sewing, computer skills,
carpentry and electrical training will “prepare the boys
and girls for a new way of living.”
In Shillong, headquarters of the East Khasi Hills
District, the sisters are carrying out their ministry of
education and encouraging religious formation. In
addition to providing emergency aid to girls who come
from the villages to continue their education, they also
are teaching religious candidates the skills they need to
instill values and give service to the poor.
Holy Cross founder, Blessed Basil Anthony Moreau,
placed a high value on education of the poor. The
sisters in India are carrying this ministry forward today.
Thank you
The Development Office 2013 spring appeal
focused on raising funds to purchase land for a
new convent for sisters serving in Barakathal,
India. Thanks to help from our donors, land
has been purchased and our sisters soon will
have a new home.
A statue of Blessed Basil Anthony Moreau at the Solitude of the Savior, Le Mans, France
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From tidy
to turmoil
grant them peace
These Sisters of the Holy Cross were called home to God from June through August 2013. While we feel their loss,
we rejoice in their newfound lives. To read more about them or to make a memorial contribution, please visit
http://www.cscsisters.org/contact/archives/mementos/Pages/default.aspx.
by Sister Margaret Ann Nowacki, CSC
What might 50 years of consecrated religious
life look like in the post-Second Vatican Council
era? Sister Maureen Grady’s life could hardly be
called typical, but it gives a glimpse into how one
Sister of the Holy Cross responded to changing
and challenging needs in the world.
Trained as a nurse, Sister Maureen cared for
patients. However, the focus of her efforts soon
turned to pastoral care and a lifelong ministry of
accompanying others in faith.
In response to a congregational request, she left
what she characterized as a “tidy, comfortable life”
and plunged into the turmoil of refugee camps in
Thailand, where hundreds of thousands of refugees
swarmed over Cambodia’s border to escape
the genocide that was being waged there. She
described the next months as extremely difficult:
“Medical personnel worked from dawn until dusk,
stepping over the dead as we went about our work
of tending the living. The transition from the
comforts of home to the hell of the Thai camps
was disturbing, but the experience changed and
redirected my life.”
After Thailand, she became involved in other
places of conflict. “I joined a kind of SWAT team
of sisters working for Catholic Relief Services,”
she said. “We went anywhere there was trouble
and we were needed, mostly in the Middle East.
I spent nine years in Beirut during the civil war,
doing emergency relief and rehabilitation work.”
Upon her return to the United States in 2002,
she continued her work in pastoral formation at
the seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida. Sister
Maureen currently serves as clinical specialist
in the Department of Nursing at Saint Mary’s
College, Notre Dame, Indiana, where she teaches
communication skills and pastoral care of the sick.
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, is a
sponsored ministry of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
Sister Margaret Ann Nowacki, CSC, writes for
the congregation’s Communications Office at Saint
Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana.
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Sister M. Paula
(Eleanor Ann Donovan), CSC
November 27, 1922–June 6, 2013
entered from Hebron, Illinois
first profession August 15, 1943
Left to right, golden jubilarian Sister Maureen Grady, CSC,
with her former student Karah Susnak, a 2013 graduate of
Saint Mary’s College from Lowell, Michigan. Karah passed her
nursing licensure board exam and is looking forward to starting
her professional career in nursing.
My hope and prayer
by Sister Maureen Grady, CSC
Jubilee time brings me to a reflection upon a
favorite Shaker hymn:
Lay me low; lay me low;
Where the Lord can find me;
Where the Lord can own me;
Where the Lord can bless me.
— composed by Addah Z. Potter, 1838
My hope and prayer for our jubilarians, for Holy
Cross, and for all colleagues who share our life and
ministry is:
That the Lord may find us — down-to-earth
and level, knowing ourselves as we truly are:
unpretentious disciples standing in truth and
honesty, and devoted in selfless service.
That the Lord may own us — in attitude and
behavior, so that we may live up to our worth as
followers of the meek and humble Jesus.
That the Lord may bless us — with wisdom that
allows us to remain open and teachable, willing
to learn and grow, so that in the holy and infinite
mystery of God our lives may become one long
journey in humility.
With a real pioneer spirit, Sister
Paula and Sister Alice Lamping, CSC, opened Queen
of All Saints School in Michigan City, Indiana, in
two unheated rooms in the church basement while
construction for the “real” school was under way. Even
during these difficult circumstances, Sister Paula’s
creativity gained her success with the 50 first-graders
in her class. Her Irish humor often surfaced to disarm
a crisis or to bring joy to daily living. Her laugh was
contagious and her repertoire of Irish jokes endless. Sister M. Rosalma
(Rose Mary Fulmer), CSC
April 3, 1923–July 13, 2013
entered from Lancaster,
Pennsylvania
first profession August 15, 1945
Sister Rosalma was a caring person, and her love
of serving others marked her success in each of her
missions. After years of teaching both primary and
high school students, Sister Rosalma found her
comfort zone with preschoolers and kindergarteners. For 20 years she nurtured her little ones with love
and the warmth of her personality. Whether it was a
skinned knee or a lost pet, she cuddled her charges,
easing their pain and grief.
Sister M. Louis Gonzague
(Othelia Kullmann), CSC
August 23, 1909–July 5, 2013
entered from Aschaffenburg,
Germany
first profession August 15, 1928
Sister Louis Gonzague was the oldest living member
of the congregation and was approaching her 104th
birthday when she was called home to God. A funloving person with a sunny attitude, she was the first
person to get up to dance or sing or start a game. During her 58 years of service in elementary and
secondary schools of the East, she made a positive
impression on her students.
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Christmas remembrance cards
If you are searching for the ideal Christmas greeting or a gift that goes
beyond the latest fad, look no further. The 2013 Christmas remembrance
card from the Sisters of the Holy Cross will fill the bill.
This year’s card features an icon painted by Sister Julie McGuire, CSC,
modeled on “St. Joseph Holding Baby Jesus” (original artist unknown). The
inside verse is from an untitled Christmas poem by Sister M. Dorothy Anne
(Cahill), CSC. The cards will be personalized to tell your recipients that
you have given a gift in their names and that they will be remembered in
prayer throughout the year. (The amount of your gift is not revealed.)
Your tax-deductible donation will help our Ministry With the Poor fund.
Touring Saint Mary’s
Donated golf cart a blessing for sisters
Laura Chenoweth, a graduate of Saint Mary’s
College, Notre Dame, Indiana, who now lives in
Arlington, Virginia, visited Saint Mary’s this spring.
While there, she noticed a campus security golf cart
parked by the convent and asked if the sisters needed
their own cart.
“Of course!” said Sister M. Rose Edward
(Goodrow), CSC, director of development. “Our
sisters with limited walking ability are unable to
access many of the sites on campus. A golf cart would
provide them with a change of scenery and a lot of
outdoor fun.”
Laura’s parents, Bill and Marilyne Scully of
Granger, Indiana, had given Laura an electric golf
cart that she no longer was using. Bill gave the golf
cart a tune-up and installed an additional seat so it
could hold more passengers. Then the family donated
the cart and a battery charger to the congregation.
Lee Ann Moore, director of activities and volunteer
services, quickly implemented the golf cart into the
sisters’ activity program.
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“You had better hang on,” said volunteer Daniel
Flowers to Sister M. Anita Joseph (Reeves), CSC,
one of the first sisters to go for a ride in the cart, now
dubbed the “Nun-mobile.” Daniel and husband-andwife volunteers Henry and Kathleen Catalino are the
cart’s trained and certified drivers.
“Don’t worry about me,” replied Sister Anita
Joseph. “Just make sure you keep to the speed limit.”
Then, with a smile and wave goodbye, she and Daniel
were off.
“It has been a long time since I’ve seen the
campus,” said Sister M. Carmen (Davy), CSC. “Do I
get to ride with this handsome man here?” she asked,
referring to Henry.
The golf cart has invigorated and exhilarated all of
its passengers. With the family’s generous donation,
the sisters at Saint Mary’s are more mobile and can
tour the campus, visit the cemetery, see the prairie and
perhaps even spot an osprey.
“A handsome man, fresh air and sights to behold,”
said Sister Carmen. “Who could ask for more?”
Front of card
Cards given by:
Sign card from ____________________________________________________
- - - - - -Tear out at perforation - - - - - -
Left to right,
volunteer Michelle
Vasquez, Holy
Cross Sisters Lucy
Lalsangzuali and
Mary Elizabeth
Loughran, activities
director Lee
Ann Moore, and
volunteers Daniel
Flowers and José
Vasquez are on hand
to welcome the golf
cart donated to the
sisters.
Address ___________________________________________________________
Had You not come to me, a little Babe,
City ___________________________ State _________ ZIP _______________
I know that I should never yet have found
Daytime telephone ___________________ Email ________________________
A faith that my small heart could comprehend,
A God whom I could get my arms around.
Send Christmas remembrance cards to:
Inside top panel
Gift #1: Send a Christmas card to:
Recipient’s name __________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________
A gift has been made
during this Christmas season
City ___________________________ State _________ ZIP _______________
In honor of
Frank and Mary Smith
___ Christmas greeting
by
___ in memory of _________________________________________________
John and Anne Jones
1234 Main St., South Bend, IN 46601
Gift #2: Send a Christmas card to:
to the
Sisters of the Holy Cross
Recipient’s name __________________________________________________
You will be remembered in prayer by the
Sisters of the Holy Cross
Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana
Address ___________________________________________________________
City ___________________________ State _________ ZIP _______________
Inside bottom panel
___ Christmas greeting
___ in memory of _________________________________________________
(please list additional recipients on separate paper)
Method of Payment – Christmas remembrance cards
Amount of donation: $ _________
❑ Check payable to: Sisters of the Holy Cross
❑ Credit card:
❑ Visa
Name on credit card ❑ MasterCard
❑ Discover
You may order cards:
ΏΏ by telephone: (574) 284-5641;
ΏΏ online: www.cscsisters.org/development/
Pages/card_gallery.aspx Cards to see
available cards;
ΏΏ by mail: use this form and mail to:
❑ American Express
(please print)
Signature for credit card Sisters of the Holy Cross
Development Office – Saint Mary’s
407 Bertrand Hall
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5000
Card # _____________________________________ Expiration date_________
2013
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monthly recurring gifts
Legacy Club:
Passing it along
Have you ever intended to write a monthly check to the Sisters of the Holy
Cross, but it slipped your mind? Have you ever wished there was an easier and
less expensive way to make your donation?
If so, you’re not alone. For several years we have offered donors the ability
to make automatic, secure gifts by credit card. You tell us which fund you
want to give to, how much, and the details of your credit card. Then, on the
15th of each month the charge is made for you. Your credit card number is
encrypted and secure. We keep no other record of it after it is entered the
first time. Along with our thanks, we will send you a detailed receipt for your
records.
The number of people requesting this option has grown significantly. We
asked longtime recurring giver Dianne Shuntich what she likes about this
particular method of giving.
To get started, complete the form at right and mail it to the
Development Office or go to www.cscsisters.org/development/
Pages/donate.aspx and choose Sign up for automatic monthly
donations. (Please do not send credit card information by
email. It is not secure and we will not be able to accept it.)
Statement of Authorization:
I authorize the Sisters of the Holy Cross to initiate recurring
credit card transactions as indicated. I understand that a
record of each gift will be included on my monthly credit
card statement. I may change or cancel this recurring
payment at any time by notifying the Sisters of the Holy
Cross in writing by the 15th of the month in order to alter
the next month’s transaction. I agree to abide by all terms
and conditions of my credit card agreement.
Donor’s information:
Name ______________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________
City _________________________ State ______ ZIP _________
Daytime telephone_____________________________________
Email address_________________________________________
Monthly gift amount: $ _________
Credit card:
❑ Visa
❑ MasterCard
❑ Discover
❑ American Express I would like my gift to benefit:
❑ Ministry With the Poor
❑ Retirement needs
❑ Unrestricted
❑ Other___________________________
Card # ___________________________Expiration date ________
Name on credit card ____________________________________
Signature __________________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________
Coming soon!
• Cleaner look and function to the donations pages
at www.cscsisters.org
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“Well, it’s convenient,” Dianne said. “It’s great for me —
there’s no check to write (and mail) every month. And it’s
so simple. It’s easy to set up, either with your credit card or
through your checking account at your bank.” And then
Dianne said the best thing of all: “It just makes me feel good!”
Dorothy Beavers Pecora grew up on a large farm in
Orient, Ohio, near Columbus. She did not give much
thought as to what she wanted to do with her life until
shortly before graduating from high school. When
asked, out popped, “I would like to be a nurse.”
Since Mount Carmel was the nearest hospital, her
teachers encouraged her to visit and then enroll. On
the day of her visit, the sister in charge interviewed
Dorothy on the spot and she was later accepted. It was
the late 1930s and this was Dorothy’s first encounter
with the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
Recalling her first day at Mount Carmel, Dorothy
said, “The room was full of new students. A sister
walked into the room, gasped and exclaimed, ‘I can
tell you have been smoking. At this Sisters of the
Holy Cross establishment there is no smoking!’ This
eliminated a lot of people right then and there.”
According to Dorothy, there were four intense
courses that first year, and each year the program
got harder. They studied a full spectrum of medical
conditions and types of nursing, from surgical nursing,
to pediatrics, to caring for patients with tuberculosis.
After three years of training and study, that roomful of
initial students was reduced to 28 graduates.
Dorothy went on to become one of Gen. George
S. Patton’s field nurses, meeting and marrying a young
surgeon, David V. Pecora, MD, along the way. Both
of them served in the Battle of the Bulge. Toward the
end of World War II, Army Capt. Dorothy Pecora
helped rescue women from concentration camps,
Dorothy and David Pecora
one of the first Americans to do so. The conditions
she found were unspeakable.
Dorothy has been a member of the Sisters of the
Holy Cross Legacy Club since 2007. When asked what
made her decide to remember the sisters in her will,
she said, “It was Mount Carmel. Because I learned so
much — not so much the subjects, but the experience
I had with the sisters. I was on a farm and was isolated,
but the sisters took me in and took good care of us.”
The lessons learned from the sisters have stuck
with Dorothy throughout her life. “I could always
hear Sister Hillary telling us to do it right, and to be
honest,” she said. “I live by it! I always had good
assignments with the sisters. I was lucky, I guess.”
The Legacy Club consists of people who have named the
Sisters of the Holy Cross as beneficiaries in their wills, or
of their IRA or retirement plans, life insurance policies
or trusts. Joining is easy: Simply check the box on the
envelope provided in inSpirit.
• Ability to save and edit your personal information in
a secure environment
Send your current email address to development@cscsisters.org so you don’t miss a thing!
Ornaments express gratefulness
Readers: tell us your contact preferences
Name_______________________________________________
❑ My donation is Anonymous. Do not list my name.
Address______________________________________________
❑ I have named the “Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc.,” in my will.
City _________________________ State ______ ZIP _________
❑ Please mail to me only once a year (fall appeal only).
Daytime telephone_________________ Birth date____________
Email ______________________________________________
❑ Continue to send inSpirit magazine.
❑ Do not send inSpirit magazine.
❑ Please take me off your mailing list.
We are so grateful for gifts we receive to fund Ministry With
the Poor projects and to support our retired Sisters of the Holy
Cross. To show our appreciation, our sisters from Bangladesh
work with local women to create Christmas ornaments that can
be slipped into our thank-you notes. Each of the ornaments
is carefully handcrafted by Bangladeshi women and is made
especially for you as a token of our gratitude.
Mail to: Sisters of the Holy Cross, Development Office – Saint Mary’s, 407 Bertrand Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5000; (574) 284-5641
2013
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inSpirit
27
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100 Lourdes Hall – Saint Mary’s
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5014
Scenes from
Le Mans, France
See article on page 19.
Notre-Dame de L’Habit, a chapel dedicated to Our
Lady of Sorrows, belonged to Holy Cross founder,
Blessed Basil Anthony Moreau, from 1839 to 1865.
A stained glass window at the Church of Notre-Dame de
Sainte-Croix depicts the superiors general of the three
congregations of Holy Cross women. Mother M. Rose
Elizabeth (Havican), CSC, superior of the Sisters of the
Holy Cross, 1943–1955, is shown at right.
Floral artistry in a Le Mans public garden
28
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Cathedral of St. Julien
2013
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