Fall 2015 Vol. 34 No. 1

Fall 2015 Vol. 34 No. 1

Living the Franciscan values

2 Our JOurney • Fall 2015 Franciscan sisters OF little Falls, MinnesOta

Cause to celebrate!These four graduates from the Students in Residence program in San Rafael, Mexico, are eager and well-prepared to further their education at the university level. Vanesa Martinez will study administration on Saturdays and work full time during the week. She was given high honors in two areas: the Generation Representative chosen by her classmates and Informatica which is a specialty in computation.

Merary Nava, Karla de la Cruz and Esmeralda Peña will pursue nursing degrees; their studies will be financed through Mi Casa, an organization based in San Antonio, Tex., serving the elderly, teens and children.

Fall 2015 • VOl. 34 nO. 1

Our Journey is published three times a year by the Community Relations Department of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota, for donors, associates, friends, relatives and employees. This publication shares the journeys of our sisters and associates as they work in joyful service in the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare.

Editorial Team:Deanna V. Boone, director of Community RelationsElizabeth Mahoney Rydeen, editorJan Roering, editorial assistant Julie Hanson, direct mail specialistSister Rose Margaret SchneiderSister Elise SaggauSister Carmen BarsodyAssociate Geri Dietz

Printed by: Spectrum Marketing Services, Little Falls, MN

To receive this publication, please contact:

Community Relations Dept. Franciscan Sisters

of Little Falls, Minnesota116 8th Avenue SE

Little Falls, MN 56345 Phone: 320-632-2981

[email protected] • www.fslf.org

Cover: Jean Rouland and Sister Julien Dirkes walking the grounds of St. Francis Campus. Photo by Jeanie Michaels

Our Mission: We, Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota, are a community of women religious whose members are called to live the Gospel joyfully and to reverence the earth and all of God’s creation. In the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare, we embody a life of prayer, simple living and service to those in need. We are committed to nonviolence as we recognize the need for healing in ourselves and in our world. We seek to build communities of peace and justice wherever we are called to serve.

© September 2015 Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota

OurJourney

Honored to be an AugustinianSister Ardis Cloutier

At a dinner in January honoring Bishop Robert Prevost, O.S.A. (newly consecrated bishop of Chulucanas, Peru), Father Bernie Scianna, Provincial of the Chicago Augustinian Province, came to my table and said, "Ardis, I have something to tell you. The Prior General, Father Alejandro Anton, has named you as an Augustinian Affiliate." I was completely surprised and overwhelmed. The Augustinians came to Chicago from Villanova, Penn., in 1905 but did not become a separate province until 1940.

The affiliation ritual happened at the Mass on April 25, celebrating the province’s 75th anniversary. There were eight of us and each was called up separately. I was honored to accept a beautiful plaque welcoming me to the Augustinian Family, “united by bonds of communion and fraternity.”

From left: Rev. Bernie Scianna, O.S.A., M. Rev. Robert Prevost, O.S.A., Sister Ardis Cloutier, M. Rev. Alejandro Moral Anton, O.S.A., V. Rev. Joe Farrell, and Father Tony Pizzo, O.S.A.

From left: Sister Mary Dumonceaux, Merary Nava, Vanesa Martinez, Karla de la Cruz, Esmeralda Peña and Sister Pat Forster.

Franciscan sisters OF little Falls, MinnesOta Our JOurney • Fall 2015 3

Dear Friends,

Our theme for this issue of Our Journey—Blessed are the Care Givers—got us pondering on what it means to give care.

There are all kinds of care and many ways to care for the physical needs of children and elders, parishioners and co-workers. There is emotional and spiritual care that is attentive to the inner experiences and needs of people. There are ways to care through providing opportunities for learning and professional growth, helping people experience themselves and their work as meaningful.

What we know is that “doing for” someone is not the same as “caring for” that person. Caring is a gift that is offered freely from the heart. A wise woman once said that people do not necessarily remember what you did for them. “What they will remember,” she said, “is whether you loved them.”

In this issue, you’ll get a sense of our community of care givers—our sisters, associates, co-workers. You’ll read about our sisters involved in care for our elders, our farewell to Clare’s Well, the outreach and fun at the Green Fair Folk Festival and the St. Francis High School gathering. You’ll also learn about the StarTribune’s Top 150 Workplace Award earned through the input of our dedicated co-workers . . . and so much more.

As a sidebar we’ve included a list of events in 2016 to mark our 125th anniversary as a Franciscan Community. We hope to see you at one of the special liturgies or the benefit concert featuring Marty Haugen, David Haas and Michael Joncas or Late Nite Catechism at the Paramount Theatre in St. Cloud.

With this issue, it is our hope that the care expresses God’s love, which is best experienced when the person receiving and the person offering care understand the giftedness and worth of each other. Our care then comes from being grounded in our common humanity and our common source who is God.

Thank you for caring and for sharing your love with us and with all those you encounter each day.

Love and “care” surrounded Sister Fabian Schneider on her 100th birthday. From left: Sisters Bea Eichten, Fabian and Cordy Korkowski.


The blessing of community livingDeanna V. Boone

Each Franciscan Sister is encouraged to be a good steward of her life and health—emotional, mental, spiritual and physical. As in a biological family, the community members know the nuances of each person’s personality and see the minute changes

that occur in later years. Together, they share the responsibility of caring for one another.The sisters’ health care team is led by five sisters and a lay person who take that

responsibility seriously. Sister Latona Kalis is an R.N. and director of Health Services and Planning; since 1966 she has worked with elderly in both the private sector and in community. Assisting her is Sister Caroline Stoltz, also an R.N., who has worked in acute care, long-term care, home health care and nursing education. Seven years ago, Sister Loretta Bloch accepted the sister personal services role after having worked as an LPN in a hospital before becoming an R.N. and later specializing in art and massage therapy. As the spiritual care director since 2011, Sister Loretta Denfeld brings skills from her education and experience in applied spirituality, clinical pastoral counseling and spiritual direction. Sister Julien Dirkes, as sister services coordinator, coordinates special events and living arrangements for sisters on campus; celebrations such as jubilees, birthdays, wakes and funerals fall to her. Nursing supervisor Melissa Harris, R.N., is with the sisters and staff full time; her observations, assessments and expertise are important in their total care.

“That’s the beauty of community,” Sister Latona said. “Together we strive to provide the highest quality care possible. We keep our professional skills up-to-date in the ever-changing field of health care and we put that knowledge to practice every day as we care for one another.”

Sister Latona thought back to 1966 when everyone in health care attended meetings for this “big thing coming” that was called Medicare and all the changes since then: moving from paper charting to electronic, remodeling Clare Residence to make it more home-like and less medical, learning to deal with dementia, disaster planning and planning for the future.

“Like all elderly people, many of our sisters don’t want to go to our care center on second floor or Angela Community, the memory center, on third floor,” she said. “For them, it signifies an end and that requires a big adjustment and the change is difficult for everyone.” The word from sisters’ families is that “they receive excellent care,” “the nursing staff does an outstanding job, more than we could ever expect.” The families are kept informed with photos or phone calls that keep them in touch even though distance might separate.

With listening ears, Sister Caroline accompanies sisters to medical appointments as an advocate and educator, offering assistance and a supportive presence. As a case manager, she may walk with and be present with sisters at very vulnerable moments. “We encourage sisters to make their own decisions,” she said, “and we do all we can to access appropriate services with preventive care and wellness as the goal.

“Sisters are living longer so we help them to ‘age in place,’ a trend in this country’s health care. We also share what we know about being with those who experience memory loss. The words we say, the way we express them, the height at which we look into one another’s eyes, the patience we show are all steps to demonstrate our respect and compassion for each person,” Sister Caroline explained. “We give priority to community living here and are very much person-centered. At the same time, we are not care-givers;

Sister Latona Kalis

Sister Caroline Stoltz

Sister Loretta Bloch

Sister Loretta Denfeld

Sister Julien Dirkes

Melissa Harris


instead we are care partners. That’s a big aspect of our care.”Sister Loretta Denfeld interacts from a pastoral care

perspective. She said, “It energizes me to interact with these women,” as she finds ways for sisters to continue their personal spiritual growth. She and her health care colleagues know that their elders face a multitude of losses in the later years: their sisters and family members die, eyes dim, hearing fades, mobility is difficult and they need help from others when, before, they were fiercely independent. To cope with those losses, they implemented a “Befriending Loss” series where they can talk about it and learn to accept the inevitable changes. A new focus is on physical balance so that they can prevent falls “and the interest has been rewarding.”

The gifts Sister Loretta brings to the program, according to others, are her intent listening, ability to seamlessly enter someone else’s private space and thoughts and her talent for encouraging conversation. In addition, she offers regular prayer services, holds a service of remembrance after a sister dies, offers prayers for the sick, blesses the hands of the many care partners and sits with those who are dying.

Sister Loretta Bloch, or as she is sometimes called Sister Do-You-Have . . . , buys clothes or other items for sisters if they cannot shop themselves, transitions sisters when they move and deals with “all sorts of stuff ” when they die. Her office cupboards are meticulously organized by hair care, glasses chains, nail care, shoe laces, embroidery hoops, knitting needles, radios and just about anything anyone would need. Thus, her nickname Sister Do-You-Have . . . That’s the beauty of living in community and embracing poverty.

Her passion for organization makes it possible for her to feel good about meeting a need without spending a dime. “Community is like a family,” she said. Coming from a family of 18, her siblings are all introverts and like their alone space. “Yet our connection is very strong. The same is true of living in community; we don’t always see eye to eye, but we are still a family. We belong together and it gives me pleasure to be able to help.”

Angela Community, the memory care area, is a premier example of living in community, they all agreed. “If one in their midst is dying, these sistersinstinctively know it. They pass by, stop in, leave, return—all the while praying for their sister. Within their private rooms and open spaces, they are safe and free to roam,” Sister Loretta Denfeld said. “If they go to Mass or a program elsewhere in the convent, they may become confused, agitated and completely overwhelmed, like all people who are in various stages of dementia. Yet, in Angela Community, the atmosphere is less stimulating and activities are geared to individual abilities, the care is compassionate and they live with and for one another—the blessing of community living.

StarTribune names Franciscan Sisters a Top Workplace in MinnesotaDeanna V. Boone

The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls rank 11th in the Top Small Business category of employers as selected by the StarTribune’s 2015 Top Workplaces in Minnesota. This year 343 companies participated.

Top Workplaces are chosen solely on employee feedback and on strict standards for organizational health. The employee survey was conducted by Workplace Dynamics, a leading research firm. Employees at St. Francis Convent responded to questions related to the workplace. Employees were encouraged to be candid in their responses and answered the survey questions confidentially. We wanted a true picture of what employees think. Obviously, their responses were extraordinarily high; if the responses had taken a different turn, the sisters would have wanted to learn from those answers, too.

Sister Bea Eichten said, “I am delighted and, at the same time, I am not surprised. We have a wonderful group of co-workers who made this distinction possible. Their dedicated, capable service and their presence among us help create a caring Franciscan community made up of Franciscan Sisters, co-workers, associates and volunteers. We are grateful to them for who they are and how they are with us. Together, we build an environment of community where each is valued.”


A return to my first profession: nursingSister Carol Virnig

After years in Peru and Bolivia ministering as a nurse and pastoral minister, I was gifted with a personal sabbatical of a 30-day retreat where

I contemplated the questions of where will I live? Where will I find a meaningful ministry? I remember distinctly the call, in 2001, from Sister Adela Gross, director of Multicultural Ministries for the St. Cloud Diocese. She shared that the number of Latinos in the St. Cloud/Waite Park area was increasing. A bilingual minister was needed to respond to the many families who were coming to St. Joseph’s Church for Eucharist and the sacraments. We met Father Ron Weyrens, who had a welcoming spirit and heart for the newly arrived immigrants. He said that his parish was the only one of 12 in the St. Cloud area willing to be a welcoming, faith community for the Latino faithful. We saw the need for a center—a place for people to meet safely, to be prepared for the sacraments in their language and to have fiestas common to their cultures.

We began a Spanish Mass; Father Ron presided, and I translated his homilies. I invited some lay leaders to work with us: Nora and Isabel from Mexico, Lorenzo from Cuba and Ana from Honduras. They became the first Hispanic Committee. We opened Centro Hispano first in a classroom in St. Joseph School in Waite Park and later settled in the pastoral offices. I saw the need for health services for women and children. Monthly we began offering a free clinic through PROJECT HEAL affiliated with Mid-Minnesota Doctors and Nurses. A Mexican doctor worked with the English-speaking medical team and some Spanish-speaking nurses.

When we started English classes for the Latinos, some Anglo parishioners wanted to learn Spanish to communicate with our new members. For us, this was a first sign of integration. We talked of a bilingual Mass and have done one for Holy Thursday for many years—Sister Adela and Father Ron’s vision became a reality. David and Adela Hernandez are the new Hispanic coordinators for Centro Hispano; a new lay Hispanic Committee was elected. Today lay leadership

continues with Father Mark Innocenti as pastor and Father Oswaldo Roche from Venezuela as the Spanish-speaking priest for the Latino community in St. Cloud/Waite Park, Cold Spring and Morris. Several Hispanic leaders serve on our parish council.

As I retired as Hispanic coordinator after 14 years, I asked myself, “What is the Spirit’s call to me, now in 2015?” In February I returned to my first profession as a nurse and was hired by Comfort Keepers, a provider of in-home care services. I’m delighted to minister in the homes of my clients and truly care for them in their familiar settings, integrating home care and pastoral ministry. Presently, I’m caring for a veteran and a younger man from Somalia who needs total nursing care. I also have an elderly woman who needs companioning, personal care and other services. I work with Comfort Keepers three days a week, which allows me time for home visits to members, both Anglos and Latinos, at St. Joseph’s. I am part of the Greccio local community along with Sisters Carolyn Law, Gloria Haider and Doretta Meier. Each of us ministers where our personal gifts and training have found a “home” in ministries bearing our Franciscan values.

Sister Carol Virnig was attracted to Comfort Keepers and its “Interactive Caring” philosophy which centers on four interrelated aspects: engagement of mind, an active body, proper nutrition and safety.


What looks like poverty usually hides deep povertySister Mary Dumonceaux

Ten years ago four Franciscan Sisters initiated a new mission in San Rafael, Mexico. As newcomers to the area, we experienced

the same confusion, sense of loss, uselessness and insecurity as any other group of immigrants. That made us immediately more sensitive to the needs of those we met.

Led by Sister Rose Mae Rausch, we helped to build a home for Tomasa and Pablo in El Cono, squatter land on the far reaches of San Rafael. Two youth groups from the States came to help that summer. One group made the adobe bricks and the second group set them in place for a small four-room home for this couple. They survive by collecting other people’s recyclables. Pablo has a crude cart drawn by a donkey with which he canvases the streets of our 4,000 residents.

Events of life also recycle.About a month ago, Josefina looked to us for help.

She, too, has a shack in El Cono, not far from that of Pablo. Two electrical outlets that she used for lighting and cooking burned out after heavy rains. When I visited her home, I found it barely standing and grasped the direness of her need.

We sisters visited officials who might help. We talked with the U.S. equivalent of a mayor who suggested that we go to the local treasurer. We waited for answers for weeks and, in the meantime, Josephina had no electricity and a flimsy home. Finally I talked with a person who said to take photos, with the promise that “in three weeks, the newly elected office holders will be able to help you.” More delays.

Alberto, our handyman, and I went to Josefina’s home to evaluate the need, but she was not home for our appointment. A neighbor said it was the day for bonos, a government voucher received about every six months to provide food. Of course, she would need to take advantage of this.

Several phone calls and 10 days later, I went to her home again. Someone else had replaced the two outlets and explained that her wires were bare and frayed from lying on the ground. No electrical poles in this part of the village exist. So that led me to connect with a retired lineman who might help diagnose the problem. Still, no solution.

How does a single mother without work, two children and little education navigate the governmental systems? I have a car, a network of people, reliable phone and time so I accompanied her through the maze of officials. Sadly, I have been of little use to her except as a companion.

She needs a house—perhaps a modest 24 by 10 feet space. In the meantime, she continues to beg water from her mother, goes to wedding suppers (invited or not) and asks for aid from anyone who will listen. Despite her struggle, she is energetic, happy and hopeful. I learn from her to be grateful and kind.

Josephina’s home. Still, no solutions.


Sisters value simple livingDeanna V. Boone

Going about their daily life, people will sometimes ask, “Are you a sister?” Why might someone ask? The question prompts delight.

Perhaps it’s the consistent, conscientious presence at daily Mass, perhaps the quiet countenance, perhaps the simple living.

Four Franciscan women—Sisters Isa Berrones Morales, Lorraine Olmscheid, Marie Theis and Kay Watts—live in community at Mary’s House in southeast St. Cloud. Ranging in age from Isa’s 44 to Marie’s 97, they have the same spiritual energy and the gift of growing in faith together.

The day’s rhythm finds them rising, eating breakfast and quietly greeting the morning until Mass. Then Sisters Kay and Isa go to work. Upon their return in the late afternoon, they prepare a meal, wash dishes, pray and listen to the news . . . until they retreat into quiet space again.

Sister Kay volunteers in the clothing department at Catholic Charities where she has met clients for eight years, listens to their needs and finds clothing solutions. One man had no clothing to wear to his daughter’s wedding; before he left, he was outfitted with a shirt, tie, pants and sport coat. “They are grateful and I am grateful that we were able to help,” she said.

Also a volunteer at Catholic Charities, Sister Isa divides her time between the Hope Community

Support Program and Immigration and Refugee Resources. “My gifts are to serve the people in the best way I can do through these programs,” she said. “It is challenging when we work with people who come into a different culture. Nothing is the same as it had been for them.”

On the home front, Sister Marie takes one day at a time. “I try to live it for the honor and glory of God. I take the day and do my best, whatever that is. That even includes all the aches and pains that the Lord sends,” she said. “I know how much I can do, then I sit down and rest . . . and then start doing it again.” She takes her turn in fixing meals for her sisters in community and, in her spare time, she is updating the family history on three sides of her family. “I thank the Lord for what I have still got up here (pointing to her head), so I don’t want to complain. I still have lots going for me,” she said with a smile.

Sister Lorraine’s ministry is a Franciscan presence. She said, “The days go quickly as I respond to visitors, calls, meal preparation, embroidery for the Franciscan Gift Shop and silent auctions, mending and more. Life is a balance of activity and quiet.”

Sister Isa arrived in April from Mexico where she had studied and earned her degree in Social Work and Human Development. “Life is new for us every day,” she said, “Faith keeps the meaning in our life.” As Franciscan Sisters, “We own nothing. All things

belong to our community and to God; we receive what we need. Community is the strength and support and we live out our vocation with others. These sisters are good role models of how to live my life. For example, Sister Marie is wise, active and faith-filled. She teaches me daily.”

“It’s a blessing to have Sister Isa with us,” Sister Kay added. “We learn about foods and customs from her culture. We share in life together.”

Sister Marie said, “God gives vocation. Things happen in our lives . . . and the Holy Spirit knows the whole thing. With God giving vocations, He sees that we are put in places. I am here now; that is God’s will. Since He gives

Continued on page 11Sisters Isa Berrones Morales, Kay Watts, Lorraine Olmscheid and Marie Theis share community at Mary’s House.


Green Fair Folk Festival . . . something for everyone

Back in 2006, Sister Gert Brixius and a group of employees formed the Campus Green Committee with a

goal to create a just, sustainable, peaceful global environment while seeking to heal our damaged earth. Hosting the Green Fair Folk Festival—a joint venture between the Campus Green Committee and St. Francis Music Center—promotes the core Franciscan value of caring for Mother Earth and all of God’s creation. It seeks to inform and educate people on conserving energy, minimizing waste, preventing pollution, preserving natural resources, recycling and responsible consuming. The Campus Green Committee looks for ways to show how each person can make a difference in the workplace and at home, works to make St. Francis Campus more environmentally friendly and moves people to action on behalf of Mother Earth.

On August 5, the ninth annual Green Fair Folk Festival welcomed over 1,000 guests to the campus of the Franciscan Sisters. Fair-goers enjoyed a variety of good food and great entertainment from St. Francis Music Center and URock summer camp as well as tours of Sacred Heart Chapel. A horse-drawn trolley brought visitors through the campus gardens and grounds. Other highlights were activities for kids and face painting, green products and exhibits on caring for the environment.

Pope Francis endorses the Campus Green Committee! From left: Sister Gloria Haider, Robyn Gray, Allen Riedeman, Anne Heisick, Jeff Odendahl, Terry Bernardy, Karin LeBlanc and Sister Mary Pat Burger.


Third Order Regular Franciscans and the Consecrated Life: MinoritySister Elise Saggau

In our last article on “Third Order Regular Franciscans and the Consecrated Life,” we noted that the Rule of 1982 features four fundamental

qualities that characterize this way: conversion of life, contemplation (prayer), poverty, and minority. In this article we pay special attention to the quality of minority—the recognition that one must consider oneself less than others. Jesus explicitly taught his followers: “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” (Mark 10: 42-45) St. Paul echoes this gospel directive: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:2-4).

For contemporary Christians, these are extremely hard sayings. Virtually everything in our societies calls us to look first to our own interests, and then, if we make it, we can condescend to share a bit with others! Our cultural mores point upward, socially and economically. Who today chooses “downwardly mobility”? Such language is counter-cultural to the degree of absurdity. Nevertheless, Saint Francis, who lived in a culture not un-similar to ours, tells all who want to follow the Gospel that “we must never desire to be above others, but instead, we must be servants and subject to every human creature for God’s sake” (2LtF 47). “Servants of God can be known to have the Spirit of the Lord in this way: if, when the Lord performs some good through them, . . . they regard themselves the more worthless and esteem themselves less than all others” (Adm 12, adapted).

Aspiring to be “less than all others” is truly a difficult and counter-intuitive choice. Yet it constitutes a very fundamental attitude of Saint Francis and the gospel tradition that stands behind him. If all good is from God and if we can make no personal claims about the good we do and the beneficial results we achieve, we understand ourselves

to be a kind of emptiness waiting to be filled with a power greater than ourselves. The model for this image is Christ himself and the incredible kenosis that is the very heart of the self-revelation of God.

[Christ], though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. . . . And he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8).This event is the very foundation of Christian

spirituality. At the Last Supper, Jesus knelt before his disciples to wash their feet, affirming that this was why he had come—to be the servant of others. And this, then, is how his followers must be and what they must do. Francis took this model to his heart, realizing that, in Christ, God empties God’s self and takes on the form of a slave. In common parlance, that’s as low as you can get. We were created to be like God, like Christ. So, what is God like? The Incarnation is God’s absolutely free self-donation—God’s “emptying out.” God comes among us, not just as one of us, but precisely as a lowly servant. And that lowly servant’s name is Jesus Christ.

So if we want to know what God is like, we must contemplate Christ, gaze upon Christ, consider Christ. If we want to be like God, we don’t make absurd claims about our own power and importance. We take the lower place; we step down. Thus, when Saint Francis says that we must esteem ourselves less than all others, this is what he is talking about—being ever more like Jesus Christ, the perfect revelation of God. In his Testament, shortly before his death, Saint Francis reminisced about the early days of the Order:


After the Lord gave me brothers, no one showed me what I had to do, but the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the pattern of the Holy Gospel. . . . And those who came to receive life gave whatever they had to the poor and were content with one tunic, patched inside and out, with a cord and short trousers. We desired nothing more. . . . And we were simple and subject to all (Test 14-17).This is a summary statement of how Francis

understood minority. It is a matter of spirit, of seeing God’s revelation with simplicity, with utter openness, and with gratitude. Once we know who we are, we understand that we are subject to all. This is not just something we do; this is something we are. When we move to the lower place, we discover a level of freedom, openness, and gratitude that cannot be accounted for by our own powers or personal gifts. It is there that the Spirit is alive and at work in ways beyond our ability to ask or imagine.

"Sisters value simple living" continued from page 8

me another day, He wants me to use it for His honor and glory. Jesus teaches us that love is above the law. He basically says it’s not enough to keep the commandments and the beatitudes. We must go beyond that. It is here that I will earn my heaven, so I must do my best with each moment.”

As they tend their garden and flowers, they revel in the mature trees, green grass and colorful blooms. Sister Kay tends to the flowers and Sister Marie, the vegetables. “It’s almost like being in the country. God is good to us,” said Sister Kay, “just as he is good to the critters in the backyard—the deer, rabbits, raccoons, turkeys, robins and cardinals.”

As is their Franciscan tradition, sisters see a need for others and do what they can in service, all done with great love. As Sister Lorraine summed it up, “Apparently there is something about our spirit that goes out to people . . . they recognize it and respond.”

Advent - Who are we preparing for? Encountering Jesus with

St. Bonaventure Presenter: Shawn Colberg, Ph.D.

December 5, 2015 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

St. Francis Convent, Little Falls

Join us for a day of interesting presentations, reflection and good conversation as we take time to look forward to the celebration of Christmas.

Shawn’s teaching and research specializes in medieval church history and theology. He teaches theology at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., as well as at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind. He has a master of divinity degree from Yale University and a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame.

The day includes liturgy and lunch Cost: Donation Register by November 27, 2015, with the Franciscan Life Center: 320-632-0668 or [email protected].


Moving on means moving throughAssociate Monica Rudawski

I have been a part of the Clare’s Well family for 25 years, and so it was of no surprise to me when I felt called to assist them in their move to 9080

Kennedy Avenue in Annandale. It is not always easy to accept help, but accept they did and, on March 2, I began a journey with Sisters Paula Pohlmann, Jan Kilian and Carol Schmit that finally came to a close for us on June 16.

We shared together as we cleaned; prayed together as we sorted; cried together as we tossed things away; laughed together as we packed; and celebrated as we organized and arranged. It is funny how cleaning, sorting, tossing, packing, organizing and arranging became a parallel process for each one of us as we did the same thing within our interior world.

As you might imagine, it wasn’t all fun and games. There were moments of anxiety, sadness, tears and tension. I kept reminding us that people have divorced over far less! How many times was the question posed, “Can we just go to sleep and wake up in September when it is all over?” Countless things to grieve, countless things which are uncomfortable to face . . . who would find that inviting? The only way to “move on is to move through,” step by step. The beauty was that all the uncertainty and worry was held with conversation, forgiveness, awareness, gentleness and love.

It was a privilege for me to witness these extraordinary sisters do something that many of us will never be asked to do—let go of a 25-year-old home and ministry. I learned a lot watching these well-weathered women put away something they loved. The experience was filled with lessons in courage and compassion, grace and mercy. It was clear that I was privy to a very sacred, secret world for these four months. I was honored.

In addition, there was the blessing of living together in community, being counted as an equal and valued for the gifts I brought to the circle. Their constant affirmation and appreciation felt very supportive. And I lived the gift of being in the presence of three spiritual icons—women filled with wisdom, who are experts at guiding others to their own personal wisdom within.

Now back in Nicaragua, I have exciting plans before me and I am filled with anticipation and joy. Yet, in the depths of my heart, there is a bittersweet place that knows what I have just passed through will never again be repeated. And so I hold those four months with deep gratitude and holy silence, knowing that angels and my Beloved have planted mysterious things within me that will come to fruition in the time to come.

Here I stand on the cusp of transition—the new not yet revealed. It is an experience that I believe many of us are facing right now as we see things pass away and wonder what is to be. May we all be granted the grace to face the unknown together with open hearts and soft willingness to be bent in the fashion the Divine Creator asks of us.

Sister Carol Schmit and Associate Monica Rudawski. Monica has long and deep ties to the ministry at Clare’s Well.


Monica Rudawski’s article “Moving on means moving through” puts into words an experience we are only now able to

think about. During the months of “cleaning, sorting, tossing, packing, organizing and arranging” the move from Clare’s Well, we had no time or energy to feel much of anything or reflect on what we were really doing. Thank you, Monica, for your staying power those final months as well as for your thoughtful reflection on the experience. We thank and ask God to bless all of the many persons who came to help us empty and clean the beautiful farm home we lived in for 27 years.

It is a joy for us to continue to live and serve with the people of St. Ignatius Parish and the Annandale community. Our new address is 9080 Kennedy Avenue NW, Annandale, MN 55302. Our phone number stays the same. We look forward to hearing from you.

What was Clare’s Well is now Wellsprings Farm, a community supported retreat (CSR) which sells “shares” for day/night retreats, a concept more well known in community supported agriculture (CSA) where shares of garden produce are sold. New owners Dan and Joan Pauly Schneider will begin receiving guests in September. More information about them and

Wellsprings Farm is available at wellspringsfarm.org. We couldn’t be more grateful for Dan and Joan’s

enthusiasm, creativity and deep care for people and for Earth. Thank you, our loving Creator, for what has been and for what is yet to come.

Sisters Paula Pohlmann and Jan Kilian, Roxanne Wagner and Sister Carol Schmit say good bye to Clare’s Well.

Girls Camp 2015The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls hosted their eighth annual Franciscan Girls Camp: “Faith and Fun with Franciscans,” June 9-11 in Assisi Park, located on the grounds of St. Francis Convent. Twenty-four girls who had completed grades 6-8 enjoyed a variety of fun and unique activities all while camping outdoors in the beauty of nature. Participants also had an opportunity to visit with Franciscan Sisters and learn about the values of Saint Francis of Assisi. This year’s theme was “God’s Gifts Within and Around Us.” Campers, ages 12-14, came from Bowlus, Carlos, Cold Spring, Fort Ripley, Little Falls, Long Prairie, Milaca, Minneapolis, Nelson, Rice, Royalton and Swanville.

Campers Emily Popp of Royalton and Hannah Schneider of Swanville are ready to have their tent blessed.

Spirit of Clare’s Well lives onSisters Jan Kilian, Paula Pohlmann and Carol Schmit


A Reflection on Laudato Si’, mi SignoreAssociate Ramona Huebsch Kadow

I n his encyclical, Laudato Si’, Pope Francis refers often to Saint Francis of Assisi, whom he took as his guide and inspiration when he was named

Bishop of Rome. And, as you might know, the very name of this encyclical comes from Saint Francis’s Canticle of the Creatures. And so he begins:

“In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. ‘Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs’.” (1)

Why do people all around the world listen when Pope Francis speaks about the environment and the global climate change we are experiencing? I think it is because he has spoken from his heart in simple language and addressed this letter to all of his sisters and brothers on this planet. No one is left out. We each have something at stake here.

Pope Francis asks us to simplify our lives and detach ourselves from the pull of consumerism, only after first choosing a simple lifestyle for himself. He speaks from personal experience as a man who has walked the walk with the poor, not only in the barrios and homes of the marginalized in his beloved home country, but in every country he has visited as our Holy Father. Always he makes room in his schedule to be with the imprisoned, the homeless, the hospitalized, the immigrants. So, he comes across to us as authentic and caring as he speaks from the heart. For him, personally, the bottom line is not profit, but is the Common Good of all on our planet. He asks for honest debate and a “new dialogue about how we are

shaping the future of our planet.” (14) A recent editorial in The National Catholic Reporter

said that at times the language of this encyclical will make some of us “squirm.” And, indeed it does! Pope Francis points out that it is the rich nations that do most of the polluting, but it is the poor who have to live with the rising oceans, poor water quality and air pollution—and they have the least technology and resources to deal with it. Listen to this:

“It seems that some consider themselves to be more worthy than others. While some are mired in desperate and degrading poverty, with no way out, others have not the faintest idea of what to do with their possessions, vainly showing off their supposed superiority and leaving behind them so much waste which, if it were the case everywhere, would destroy this planet.” (90)

The tone of this encyclical is both disarming and eloquent. Pope Francis at times talks with us like a beloved father in very plain language, but easily transitions into the language of economics, technology and power politics. He

scolds, reasons, pleads, inspires, but always words of hope and encouragement shine throughout his writing from beginning to end:

“In the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward. Praise be to you, my Lord!” (245)

Pope Francis. Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. Huntington, Ind., Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, 2015.


Seeking what is mine to doAssociate Betty Pasela

M y husband Jerry and I became Franciscan Associates in 2011. As we deepened our love for God, we found the Franciscan way

of living a good fit for us. Becoming an associate was a way of fulfilling my desire to love more and give more of myself to others. Now, at 71, I still have a longing for becoming who God calls me to be; and, as Saint Francis would say, to discover what is “mine to do.”

In the mid-1960s Jerry and I served as Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) in West Africa. Following our two-year service, Jerry continued to work in West Africa as a staff member for the Peace Corps and for Save the Children. Altogether we spent 17 years in five different countries while working with the Peace Corps and Save the Children. We returned to the States in 1987. Jerry worked at St. Cloud State University with international students; I was an RN at St. Gabriel’s Hospital.

Our dream was to return to Africa as PCVs after we retired, but Jerry’s health did not permit this to happen. My Jerry passed away in January 2013. We have two children with three grandchildren and though I kept busy with family and volunteer work, I felt I should be doing something more. I prayed that God would show me what to do.

One day in June 2013, I had an overwhelming feeling with the message “Peace Corps.” This sounds corny, I know—but that’s what happened! I thought about it for a couple of months before approaching my children, who told me to “go for it.” I submitted my application and sat back to see if I would be accepted—and here I am, right now in 2015, a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa.

I work with very committed co-workers in a wonderful organization called Amangwe Village. All of our projects involve, either directly or indirectly, helping people prevent and/or live with HIV/AIDS. South Africa has the highest HIV/AIDS rate in Africa—you can’t find a family here that has not been affected in one way or another with this disease. Major programs include Home Based Care which cares for sick folks at home, support groups for HIV and chronic illness, a day care for 40 children, foster care placement for children, a “toy library”

from which day cares can borrow books and toys, an organic garden to teach folks how to grow their own nutritious foods, and a self-help program to assist women to support themselves and their families. We also do other projects such as a wheelchair program, deliver food parcels to families in need, help people get their legal identification papers so they can go to school, and a Child Protection Day for 400 pre-schoolers.

Until a month ago, getting to Mass was a real problem for me. As a PCV I am not allowed to drive a vehicle (I can have a bicycle but at 71, I passed on that!). The closest church is in Enseleni, 10 miles away and off the local taxi route. This July we had a change in priests, and our new priest offered to pick me up for Mass. Yes! Mass is in Zulu, but I have my prayer book in English and can “generally” follow the Zulu sermons. The music is outstanding, often accompanied by dancing. Father Louis has nine other parishes to cover, having one Mass in Enseleni and then others in the outlying villages.

I do miss my family—especially my three grandchildren, but I am happy and believe this is where God wants me for the moment. So here I am, Lord! Thank you for showing me what is mine to do.

Associate Betty Pasela is a Peace Corp Volunteer, serving in South Africa.

Prefer to donate online?It’s easy and convenient. Visit www.fslf.org to learn more.We would appreciate your email addresss and your cell phone number. Thank you!

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Sisters helped name Christmas babySister Cordy Korkowski, director of Donor Relations

I It’s not Christmas yet, but in a few months it will be, and Noel Iwen will celebrate her birthday. She recalls her parents telling her that she was

born at St. Francis Hospital in Breckenridge, Minn., on Christmas Day in 1944. Her parents, John and Hilma, were “stuck” when it came to naming her. They immediately asked the Franciscan Sisters for suggestions. The sisters agreed that Noel would be a wonderful name for the Christmas baby.

Noel was raised in a Methodist-Catholic home, strengthened by the faith of both her parents. Her father reminded her, “We have two faiths, but we worship the same God.” She left home at the age of 17 and in the late ’60s and early ’70s worked at St. Ansgar’s Hospital in Moorhead, which was staffed by the Franciscan Sisters from 1920-1992. Noel was employed for nine years at St. Ansgar’s. She said that her relationship with the Franciscan Sisters was “instant love and admiration.” It was in the Medical Records department that she felt strongly influenced by the sisters. “They were kind to me, would listen to me at any time and taught me to love.” She reflected, “I can’t imagine how the sisters welcomed a complete stranger and how all this happened.”

The Franciscan Sisters have become her family. With the death of her husband Dale in March 2009, her relationship with the sisters took on new meaning. It was with them that she felt a deep and meaningful identification, a spiritual connection. “When the sisters speak to me about faith issues, it brightens my life. I never have to apologize when sharing topics about my inner life with the sisters.”

Noel has been gifting us with “Christmas presents” throughout the years, donating to the Franciscan ministries, projects and current needs of the sisters. Whenever there is a giving envelope from Arthur, N. Dak., we can be sure that Noel has remembered us yet another time. Noel, may you know that gratitude goes both directions. Your gift as friend, partner in ministry and spiritual companion is a blessing to us. Thank you, Noel, for sharing your story.

Our donors share the Gospel values of the Franciscan Sisters, and their generosity manifests itself in the joy that accompanies each gift. A year ago I began seeking donations to help repair our chapel roof. To date generous donations total over $70,000, which helps offset our original bill of $114,254. Thank you!

As you read Our Journey, may I remind you to look for the donation envelope? It’s easily pulled from every issue. Your gift supports the mission and ministries of the Franciscan Sisters. Be assured of our ongoing, grateful prayers.

Noel Iwen generously supports the mission and ministries of the Franciscan Sisters.

Planned GivingPlease let us know if you would like more information on remembering the Franciscan Sisters in your will and estate planning.

Contact: Sister Bernice Ebner 116 8th Avenue SE, Little Falls, Minnesota 56345 (320)632-0699, [email protected]

Donating to the Franciscan Sisters: Please, feel free to express any wishes you may have for your gift. However, be advised that in order to ensure that donors will be entitled to a federal income tax deduction, Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota, is required by Internal Revenue Service rulings to retain full authority over the assets granted to it and cannot accept gifts that are required by the donor to be paid, or to be used, only to further the work of a specific individual or that are required to be used in another country by FSLF or another foreign charity or religious institute.


Living the Gospel courageously . . .with energy, spirit, peace

Spiritual direction is an on-going, one-to-one sharing for persons desiring to become more con-scious and intentional about one’s relationship with God, a privileged time to reflect with

another about one’s spiritual journey. Sister Maureen Kelly provides spiritual direction both in-person and via email. In addition, she is a member of the Franciscan Community’s Be-friending Loss committee where sisters can help one another as they face the loss of loved ones, physical capabilities or changes in ministries. On a personal level, Sister Maureen tends to her own losses by having physical therapy twice daily and participating in group exercises at the convent twice weekly . . . and she does so with a bright smile.

“Saint Francis called us to think of others and to be like Christ in meeting and greeting others . . . and being for and with oth-ers. I am open to receive people whenever our paths meet,” said

Sister Therese Lenz. She interacts with sisters in Clare Residence where she says the prayers of intercession, takes care of common spaces like the community room and kitchenette and waters plants. “I greet the face of God when I greet others.”

Sister Helen Ann Brake works in the convent gardens from early spring when she removes mulch until fall when the plants are cut down and covered for the winter. In her 70th year as a Franciscan Sister,

she gardens almost daily from 7:30-10 a.m. in the two large community flower gardens, Sister Debo-rah Honer’s memorial garden and flower beds by Breezy Inn and Mary Hall. “Sometimes I’m dirty from head to foot, but I thoroughly enjoy digging in the dirt and seeing the results each summer. I find it therapeutic.” Blessed with good health, she talks with the Lord as she goes about her tasks. “I have been known to say, ‘You and I are a good team, Lord. We get a lot done.’ At other times, I talk to the plants and tell them they will be beauti-ful—and they need to hurry and bloom,” she said with a laugh. “When I see a bluebird, cardinal or baby toad, I thank and praise God for all creatures.” Wildflowers, perennials and annuals often find their way to Sacred Heart Chapel where Sister Joel Bieniek arranges them to enhance worship. “I have been blessed to have a dear friend, Mary Bye, help me; she also loves to work with flowers in God’s good earth. Nobody likes to play in the dirt as much as we do,” Sister Helen Ann said. Mary add-ed, “There are only a few of us who look forward to dirt, mud, sweat and weeds. But the benefits are flowers, visits, laughs and fresh air.”

Sister Jeanne Lieser retired from teaching mathematics at The Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield where she is now an all-around substitute. In fact, she cannot think of a classroom

where she has not subbed in classes a high school student might take—physical educa-tion, art, music, industrial arts, world languages, theology. She also works with the Athletic De-partment taking tickets at after-school events, supervises the lobby and welcomes guests. “It is a great place to meet former students and grandparents from my teaching years at the Academy. I was inducted into the Activities Hall of Fame in 2011. My parish is Pax Christi Catholic Community in Eden Prairie where I am a Liturgi-cal Ministry Volunteer.” During her free time you might find her at Minnesota Gopher women’s games or biking, cross-country skiing or hiking.


Second annual St. Francis High School Gathering

I n July about 115 St. Francis High School graduates, former students, faculty and staff enjoyed a delightful day at the Motherhouse, celebrating the

second annual Gathering. The goal of this event is to keep alive the relationships formed at SFHS and to nurture and promote the Franciscan spirit instilled during those special high school years. Anniversary classes of 1935, 1945, 1955, 1965, and 1975 were honored, with Sister Bernarda Sanoski being the only representative of the class of 1935.

Father Michael Kwatera presided at the liturgy; Sister Elise Saggau gave the homily, and graduates from various years served as liturgical ministers. Everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch in St. Francis Hall and an afternoon of intense visiting. They were able to watch a DVD presentation on the life of Sister Elizabeth Weier, who had served for so many years at the school and whose funeral had been celebrated just one week earlier. Many toured the former high school building, recalling their wonderful memories all the way.

The day ended happily with anticipation of participating again next year on the third Sunday of July 2016. Look for information early in 2016 in Our Journey and on the FSLF website. Notices will also be sent via email.

Marilyn Hanson Grundman (’51) and Lois Hinnenkamp Braun (’60) were among the many graduates who attended the gathering.

St. Francis Convent116 8th Avenue SELittle Falls, MN 56345

All are welcome!Learn more at www.fslf.org.

Feast of November 14, 20154:30–7:00 pm - St. Francis Convent

116 8th Avenue SE, Little Falls, MN

Chicken breast, sausage, garden vegetables, coleslaw, homemade bars and beverages will be served.

Adults $9 • Children (5-12 years ) $4Children under 5 years - FreeTickets available at the door or by calling: (320) 632-2981, Monday - Saturday

Proceeds will benefit St. Francis Health and Recreation Centerand St. Francis Music Center, Little Falls.

F R A N C I S C A NHarvestSupper


Sister Elizabeth Weier, 87Elizabeth (Betty/Liz) Weier was born in Dodgeville, Wis., the ninth of 12 children of the late Frank and Nora (Coffey) Weier. Accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls, Minnesota, on August 12, 1948, she took the name Sister Mary Urban, but later returned to her baptismal name, Elizabeth. Her first profession of vows was on August 12, 1950, and final vows on August 12, 1953.

The Franciscan Sisters owned and operated the nearby hospital in Dodgeville, and the sisters became good friends of the Weier family. Their influence encouraged six of the children who eventually became Franciscans, including Father Thomas, Sisters Lenore, Camillus, Vianney, Elizabeth and later Helen, who became a Poor Clare.

Sister Elizabeth received her bachelor of science and master of arts degrees from Marquette University in Milwaukee. She taught English and driver education at St. Francis High School for many years. When St. Francis High School closed in 1977, Sisters Elizabeth and Judine Cassidy changed from educating girls to educating boys, moving east to New York, where they served at Bishop Ford High School in Brooklyn and Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island. Sister Elizabeth saw her ministry in education as a blessing and was able to help students grow as Christian women and men and find their place in society and church.

Known as a great cook, Sister Liz’s culinary delights never failed to please everyone who came to her table. She was gracious and hospitable and reached out especially to those who lacked the company of family and friends.

In loving memory

Charlie King, 79, passed away May 26, 2015, at his home in San Antonio, Tex., after a long struggle with cancer. He was a Franciscan Associate for nine years.

Charlie was a retired Navy chief. Serving in this role requires leadership qualities—and Charlie had a servant leader’s heart. True to his character, his care and concern for others carried on after the Navy when he became an ordained deacon at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in San Antonio. Previously, Charlie had been a widow and involved in Grief Support Ministry. While ministering there, he met his future wife, Rachel. Both Charlie and Rachel were Eucharistic ministers in the church, at the hospital and to the homebound. Both did home visitations for their parish. Charlie once wrote, “I love hospital ministry and I am especially moved when I can help patients reconcile with God.”

Charlie and Rachel met Sister Mary Dumonceaux through a spiritual direction program and became good friends and later Franciscan Associates. Another time he wrote, “I favor St. Francis’s principle of life: It’s down to earth. Simplicity with ‘God’s will’ is my utmost priority. . . . I am so honored to be a part of the endeavors for Christ’s mission as a Franciscan Associate.”

November 22, 1927 – July 5, 2015

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In November 2014, Pope Francis announced that 2015 would be a year dedicated to the Consecrated Life. He declared that Religious throughout the world should “look to the past with gratitude, live the present with passion, and embrace the future with hope” (Apostolic Letter, November 2014).

Consequently, the Franciscan Sisters have been making particular efforts to share information about their religious way of life. They visited many parishes in the Diocese of

St. Cloud to speak about their own personal experiences and the special character of the 800-year-old spiritual tradition begun by Saint Francis of Assisi.

On October 4, 2015, the Feast of Saint Francis, the sisters will host an open house at their Motherhouse in Little Falls and offer tours of their convent. All are welcome to share this event, which begins at 1:30 p.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. At 3 p.m., the Holden Vespers will be sung in Sacred Heart Chapel as the concluding celebration.

Open HouseSunday, October 4, 2015

1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

St. Francis ConventLittle Falls

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