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October 2010, Vol. XXX, No. 8
Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters
Convent of the Holy Spirit – Techny, Illinois
Falling Leaves--Undressed Trees
IIII n October we observe the beautiful
foliage of leaves dropping away and
undressing the personality of the tree.
The stark frame embodying the noble
character of the tree stands vulnerable and exposed
to God and to nature. The tree seems to let go so
gracefully of all its embellishing wardrobe and to
stand naked and bare just as it is. Both the “letting
go” and the stark nakedness of the tree fascinate me
and have something to say to us as we prepare for
our Assembly/Chapter in April.
Maybe the tree can let go so graciously because it
has the experience that at the right time its core will
create another dress, another outward form. What is
essential, its core self, can stand naked, wait in hope
and trust its inner dynamism. As a province, we,
too, have the experience of letting go of so much: of
one ministry after another, of one form of religious
life for another, one geographical location for
another, of big numbers for small numbers of
Sisters. In all of this, hopefully, we, too, have
learned to graciously let go, knowing that what is
essential will survive. We can’t hold on to
anything, but the truth of who we are and the
mission we stand for will always be there. Let us
with curiosity expectantly await what the inner
dynamism of the Spirit, alive in each of our Sisters,
will create anew as an outward expression of SSpS
religious-missionary life in the Paraclete Province.
(continued on page 2)
BBBB oth the “letting go”
and the stark
nakedness of the tree
fascinate … and
have something to say to us
as we prepare for
our Assembly/Chapter in April.
2
(continued from page 1)
Since as a province much of our foliage has dropped away, what an opportunity to stand
exposed before our God, “our real selves before the Mysterious Real”! We can be open to
the core of our identity and mission, so that the Spirit can soak us through and through and
marinate us with Life and Love, Compassion and Peace. Then we can wait not only in
optimism of what we can do, but in hope of what the Spirit will do through us and for us.
Our first preparation for our Assembly/Chapter is to be open and empty before the Lord,
letting God’s presence and action stir up anew within us the foundation energy of our iden-
tity and mission. With that energy alive in us, it will be fascinating to see what we and the
Holy Spirit can do together. In what kind of beautiful foliage will our communities and
province express our charism in today’s world?
Sr. Carol Welp, SSpS
In 1937, Mr. Matthias C. Happ, a friend and benefactor of the American SSpS province,
passed away. (Reverse the last two digits of
1937!) On August 5, 2010, 73 years later,
eight of Mr. Happ’s extended family visited
the SSpS at the Convent of the Holy Spirit in
Techny, Ill. The occasion of their visit pre-
sented the opportunity to appreciate the par-
ticipation of Mr. Happ and his wife Anna in
the mission of the Church as entrusted to M.
Leonarda Lentrup in the founding of the SSpS in the USA. Through a Power Point
presentation (prepared by Sr. Anita Marie
Gutierrez) the SSpS and the Happs journeyed from 1901 to 1937. During these years the
Happs:
• welcomed the arrival of the founding
Sisters late at night,
• provided furniture when there was no
one else to turn to,
• chauffeured the Sisters from the train
station and between St. Ann’s and the
Provincial House,
• supervised the farm,
• informed the Sisters of available land,
and
• not only made their own land available
for the SSpS mission, but Mr. Happ
became the SSpS building consultant!
A Bit of SSpS History -
A Visit from the Happs
After Mr. and Mrs. Happ’s golden
wedding anniversary and after Anna’s
death, Mr. Happ was welcomed to live in
the Provincial House. He died at our St.
Therese Hospital in 1937. The after-
noon of the visit of the various genera-
tions of the Happs ended with photo tak-
ing, refreshments, a visit to the chapel
and a tour of the first floor of the
Convent.
Sr. Anita Marie Gutierrez
Other Happ-SSpS history: The first
school staffed by the SSpS in the USA
was a little red brick school known as St.
Joseph Elementary established in 1901
and located on what today is known as
Founders Road in Techny, Ill.
(continued on page 3)
The Happ Family with Sr. Anita Marie
3
Sr. Zelia Cordeiro dos Santos will be going to Ecuador during the month of October for
VIVAT workshops. We wish her every blessing
on this mission.
Sr. AnnIta Walsh was here for some PLT meet-ings in August. Until December we are doing
our meetings over the Internet with Skype. We
will again have a face-to-face longer meeting in
December.
Sr. Patricia Snider will be going to Anguilla in the Caribbean for a diocesan clergy and pastoral
workers meeting from October 18-21.
Sr. Miryan Ines Cespedes Canete returned to Antigua on September 12 after participating in
the SSpS Spanish International Tertiate.
Ms. Heather Hovasse joined the Techny community on October 2. She will be working
20 hours a week in Communications and typing
for the community as well as continuing her on-
line studies.
The landscaping and sewer repair to keep the
water away from our houses has been going on
full speed during August and September. This
should solve our water infiltration and flooding
problems. It’s been a lot of hard work, but by
mid-October we are expecting all the irrigation
pipes to be in and the new sod greening the land-
scape again.
Comings and Goings
Two friends — Mr. Mathias Happ and
Mother Leonarda
Landscaping and Drainage
(continued from page 2)
M. Leonarda Lentrup (foundress of the SSpS
American Province) taught at the school, to-
gether with two other SSpS and Pauline
Happ as substitute. At the end of the second school year 1902-1903, M. Leonard gradu-
ated three of her first students, one being
Honorius Happ!
Honorius Happ was around the age of 13
when he attended the school and pencil
sketched Ecce Homo. The SSpS archives, as
of September 16 became owner of Ecce
Homo, donated by Honorius’ son, Mr. G.E.
Happ.
The first school, outgrowing its quarters,
moved across the street, where the present
day gift shop and mission offices now stand.
The school became known as St. Norbert’s
School. Again, the school’s population
required another move in 1949. Retaining the
name of St. Norbert’s, the move was to
Walters Avenue in Northbrook, Ill. Over 60
SSpS taught in these three schools until 1960.
4
Over the weekend of September 17-19,
the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters had
various events for STAND UP and
worked with Jubilee USA for debt relief
in the poorest countries of the world.
The Techny community had the chain
links blessed at the Eucharist and then
during the day the chains were signed
and put together. At the end of the day,
there was a prayer service, STAND UP,
and the completed chain was offered.
Educational materials on the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) were made
available.
The Techny Community’s STAND UP
At Grayslake the community had the
STAND UP event and an action for debt
relief which included prayers, songs and
action of making, signing and connect-
ing the chain links.
For Your Prayerful
Remembrance
Our deceased
Sr. Beatrice Wappelhorst, SSpS, died very peacefully on the morning of September 11. She
was in her 99th year of life and had completed
77 years of vowed life. Her brother, Markus,
and a niece and nephew were with us for the
wake and burial. We celebrated her life and
know she is in God's own arms now.
George Artis, SVD (Techny), died peacefully on the evening of September 11 at the age of 79.
He was well known to many of our Sisters work-
ing in the South.
Mark Pardy, brother of Sr. Mary Pardy, died on October 4 at the age of 84 after years of suf-
fering from mesothelioma. May he rest in peace.
Richard Janz, uncle of Sr. Margaret Hansen, died October 4. His wife and son were with him.
Please pray for him and the family.
Our Sick During the month of September some of our
Sisters were admitted to the hospital. Sometimes
it seemed we could go with the same car to take
one Sister and then bring another home. Now
everyone is home, but please keep our sick and
suffering in prayer: Sr. Sienna Ressel, Sr.
Terisse Zosso, Sr. Lucille Hackenmueller, Sr.
Maria Burke, Sr. Mariella Plenter, Sr. Mary
Winkler, Sr. Agnes Marie Crabb, Sr. Dolores
Marie Kuhl and Sr. Catherine Mueller.
Also keep in prayer:
Bernice Brown, the sister of Sr. Mary Helen
Sullivan; Anita Scarf, sister of Sr. Priscilla
Burke; Sr. Renee Walsh, RSC, sister of Sr.
AnnIta Walsh; Lambertus Bele Bau, father of
Sr. Julita Bele Bau; Irmina Holthaus, sister of
Sr. Lucille Hackenmueller.
Stand Up -
2010
Grayslake Community: Sr. Salud Osornio,
Sr. Stela Maris Martins, Sr. Agathe Bramkamp,
Rebecca David and Sr. Edel Deong
During the month of October on Wednedays,
Sr. Monica Darrichon with Fr. Carlos
Paniagua-Monroy, SVD, will present to the Hispanic Community at St. Joseph parish a
course for adults in faith formation entitled
"Jesus and the Father.”
Also in October, Sr. Monica will begin
attending an English Course at a local
Community Center and, along with several
leaders for Formation in the Hispanic
Community, will meet in Jackson, Tenn. to
plan the 2011 calendar of activities.
Sr. Rose Martin Glenn will be attending the Fall sessions of "Do This In Memory of Me,”
at St. Louis Parish. This is the Diocesan
exploration of the Sacred Liturgy studies in
preparation for the changes in the liturgy of
the Mass. The remaining four sessions will
be given in the Spring.
On October 3, Respect Life Sunday, Sr. Rose
Martin along with several parishioners from
St. Louis Parish, went in procession with the
Blessed Sacrament to participate in the
annual Memphis "Life Chain.” Signs were
held proclaiming to all that life is sacred.
This year there was a very good turnout as
the weather was in the 70's with plenty of
sunshine. The Holy Hour was from 2-3 pm.
Motorists would honk with approval.
Besides the daily visits to the Jubilee Schools
and the two Initiative Schools, during the last
week in October, as we are more settled in
our schools, Sr. Rose Martin will begin
training the staff in CPR, standard first aid
and the use of the AED (electric shock,
called defibrillation) equipment.
Loving greetings to all! Thank You!
Sr. Rose Martin Glenn
The Techny community is sharing in the 40
Days for Life Campaign from September 22
to October 31 in a number of ways. Prayer is
the essential component for us. A prayer of
petition is being offered each day during these
40 days for life and a copy of this intention is
placed on our prayer board to keep us aware
of it. A booklet, Prayers for Life, compiled
by Srs. Rose Therese Nolta and Aprilia
Untarto from prayers by Fr. Frank Pavone has been given to each Sister. It will be used
by the community during our Holy Hours in
October and for personal prayer. A “Choose
Life” prayer was given to our employees and
also to some nurses at the County Hospital.
On October 2, the feast of the Guardian
Angels, a Mass is being offered for the inten-
tions of the 40 Days for Life. Another action
of prayer is planned by several Sisters to join
in a prayer vigil at a family planning facility
in the Chicago area.
To help Mothers “choose life”, Sr. Margaret
Hansen has placed in the community room a bassinet where Sisters can share items for
babies. Employees are also being invited to
share an item. These will then be given to the
organization, Aid for Women, which helps to give alternatives to women when they have an
unplanned pregnancy. Someone from Aid for
Women will come and talk to the community
about this ministry.
Sr. Marie Louise Jilk
New from Memphis 40 Days for Life
5
St. Joseph Parish and the alumni of St. Joseph
School gathered in Meridian on September 10,
11, and 12 to give thanks and to “honor their
past, to celebrate the present and secure the
future.” Srs. Carol Welp, Betty Tranel,
Maryellen Drasler and Marie Sheehy were
happyto be present for the many festivi-
ties. Celebrations began with time for
renewing acquaintances on Friday
evening with a hospitality gathering.
The room was filled with energy and
excitement!
Those interested met on Saturday for a
book signing and discussion of the
book, African-American Children and
Missionary Nuns and Priests in Missis-
sippi by Ethel E. Young and Jerome
Wilson with a foreword by Sr. Carol
Welp. This book is a complement to Seventy Septembers from the viewpoint
of the students. The attendance was
larger than expected.
The Centennial Banquet was held at St.
Patrick’s Center on Saturday evening.
The highlight of the festivities was the
Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday morn-
ing celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph
N. Latino, Bishop of the Diocese of Jackson. It was rewarding to see the
positive attitude and the gratitude of the
alumni and members of the parish as
well as the growth that has taken place.
Sr. Marie Sheehy
On September 16, at Hilton Chicago,
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) held a Public Hearing on
Coal Ash. Men and women from all
over Illinois and neighboring states
were able to voice their concerns re-
garding the regulation of the disposal of
coal ash. Sr. Rose Therese Nolta pre-sented a written statement for the EPA.
Various environmental groups, to which
we belong, were present for the public
hearing.
Top: Keynote speaker, Dr. Marie Davidson, spoke
so passionately about what the Sisters did for the
students that even the Bishop smiled! Bottom: Srs. Carol Welp, Maryellen Drasler,
Betty Tranel, Marie Sheehy, and former Holy
Spirit Sister Carmelita Stinn, who is now a Sister
for Christian Community (SFCC).
6
Centennial Celebration of
St. Joseph Church in Meridian
Public Hearing on Coal Ash
JPIC
SSpS
USA
7
October 2010
Praying at Broadview
Detention Center
Sr. Angelica Oyarzo Chavol
On August 6, I accompanied Sr. Rose
Therese Nolta and Sr. Socorro Lopez
Rodriquez to the Broadview Detention Center near Chicago where immigrants
who were undocumented were being
deported. That Friday morning – as on
every Friday for the last eight years - many
people of faith went to support and encour-
age those who were deported for being un-
documented.
We arrived there at about 7 a.m. A few
minutes later a bus and two vans came
filled with about 60 men and women who
were deported that day from Broadview.
The vehicles stopped in front of us while
some police officers were guarding them.
I knew that in the bus and vans were
people with their dreams shattered and
many families abruptly separated. I was
impressed and could not believe what was
Sr. Angelica Ovarzo and others at Broadview
happening in front of me. Many times I
had heard about situations like these, but
that Friday it was real for me – happening
before my eyes.
At that very moment of great sadness, all
the people who were outside of the deten-
tion center began to pray and sing. While
they prayed, they held up their rosary and
hands, blessing those being deported.
Some showed banners with encouraging
words. Many thoughts crossed my mind:
What about the dignity of these people?
What about their rights? What was I
doing for them?
The rate of deportations goes up day by
day. Eleven hundred deportations occur
every day -- 1100 parents face being left
to cope with the grief and hardship of
raising fatherless or motherless children
alone.
I felt very helpless until I thought of the
power of prayer and the support of just be-
ing a compassionate presence at such a
moment. I hope that soon there will be a
Comprehensive Immigration Reform that
will improve the situation and the lives of
immigrants.
8
Broadview Detention Center Sr. Stela Maris Martins
On September 24, Sr. Rose Therese Nolta,
Sr. Aprilia Untarto, Sr. Salud Osornio
and I went to Broadview Detention Center.
This is a place where undocumented
immigrants are processed before they are
deported. The deportations happen each
Friday.
Sr. Stela, Sr. Salud and Sr. Aprilia – praying
After arriving at the Detention Center, we
met Sr. Joann Persch and Sr. Pat Murphy.
Both Sisters are members of the Sisters of
Mercy and they focus their work on immi-
gration issues. One aspect of their ministry
is to pray in the bus with and for all who are
being deported. At 7:15 am, we prayed the
Rosary and sang in front the Detention
Center with a group who supports this
cause. Sometimes, family members of the
deported immigrants are present. That
Friday, the mother of two children, a young
woman whose husband had been deported
that day, was there. Her constant tears
showed her suffering and struggle with the
situation.
At the end, a lawyer gave us some informa-
tion. It was shocking to know that every day
in the U.S.A. 1,100 immigrants are
deported. All of us can imagine the conse-
quences for families and communities. I
believe that this situation invites us to pray
and to take action where we can help to
make Comprehensive Immigration Reform
possible in this country.
Prayer for Peace in Sudan Lord Jesus, you who said to us: "I leave
you peace. My peace I give you." Look
upon us your sisters and brothers in Sudan
as we face this moment of referendum.
Send us your Spirit to guide us. Give us
the wisdom we need to choose our future
where we will know your true peace. You
call us out of slavery, oppression, and
persecution so that we may have life in
abundance. Grant us peace with one
another. Give peace among ethnic groups.
Help us to work together for the good of
all. We ask this in Your name, Lord Jesus.
Amen. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Announcements at the Broadview Detention Center
101-DAYS of PRAYER FOR SUDAN
The International Day of Peace marked the
start of a campaign: “101 Days of Prayer for
Peace in Sudan,” sponsored by the Sudanese Bishop’s Conference, the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief
Services. “Sudan’s stability is the key to
stability in the whole region, and with
preparations lagging for a January referen-
dum on succession by Southern Sudan, many
governmental and nongovernmental agencies
are watching the nation care-fully,” says a
statement sent to Fides.
You are invited to pray for Sudan.