Sept-Oct 15 PNN.pdf

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ews ote News NotesPROVINCE

SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF CARONDELET AND ASSOCIATES • ST. LOUIS PROVINCE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Jesus wanted to show us his heart as the heart that loved so deeply.—Pope Francis


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Page 2 September/October 2015 PNN

Province News Notes is apublication of the Sisters of St. J oseph of Carondelet, St. LouisProvince. Its purpose is to promotedialogue and unity within theSt. Louis province and to keepmembers informed on those

subjects that promote communityand ministry.

We welcome your submissions!Submit articles and photos toSarah Baker at [email protected].

**Materials are subject to editingand will be published at thediscretion of the editor.

• STAFF •

J enny BeatriceEd itor

Sarah Baker J enny BeatriceGrap hic Design

Susan Narrow &Print Shop Volunteers

Prod uc t ion , p rint ing a nd m a iling

J enny Beatrice J ane Behlmann, CSJ

Madeleine ReillyProofreading

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FOCUS ON FUTURE

Sister Mary Flick reflectson two summer meetingsthat focused on futureimaginings and actionfor the Sisters ofSt. Joseph.

ASSOCIATION

Learn more about ourfeatured associate,Cathie Braasch, whoserves the dear neighborat Nazareth Living Centeras a social worker.

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CSJ EVENTS

Check out our newsection featuringupcoming events andpast happenings alongwith news from Liturgistand Associate Mary KayChristian.

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CONTENTSProvince Leadership News ..................................................................................3

Focus on Future ................................................................................................ 4-5

Congregation News ........................................................................................6-7

Around the Province ............................................................................................8

Acts of Chapter ....................................................................................................9

Corporation & C ouncil ......................................................................................10

CSJ News .......................................................................................................11-13

Sharing of the Heart ..................................................................................... 14-15

Archives ......................................................................................................... 16-17

Necrology: S. Helen Rottier ...............................................................................18Necrology: S. Agnes Marie Baer.......................................................................19

Necrology: S. Frances Virginia Cholet .............................................................20

Necrology: A. Deborah Diane Marino ............................................................21

CSJ Events .....................................................................................................22-23

Back Cover .........................................................................................................24

ON THE COVER: LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR

In honor of Pope Francis’ visit to America, the CSJ Congregationcollaborated on an advertising campaign with America magazine sharing

our mission of love and neighbor without distinction.

Among his very powerful statements during his speeches , Pope Francis

recognized the signi ficant presence and contributions of women religious

in the Church and the world. Calling himself “a bit feminist,” he said that

sisters always respond quickly to the front lines of trouble.

“The church thanks you for this. It is a beautiful witness.”

22-23


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September/October 2015 PNN Page 3

Province Leadership Team

“We commit ourselves to simplify our lifestyles through specific,measurable actions regarding water, climate change, foodconsumption and waste, taking into consideration local realitiesand concerns.” Congregational Chapter, 2013.

At our August assembly, we began a year-long provincefocus on Communion Within the Earth Community. Ourgift and our challenge as members of the family of Joseph isto actively engage in building relationships that continuallyreflect God’s great love for all persons, for all of creation. Indoing so, we must ask ourselves, “What I am being invited tochange in the here and now?”

Te word “change” is powerful in that it invites me to reflectand then to act. I must be willing to enter that deep, still,mysterious place of quiet within my heart and allow Divine

Light to illumine the way forward. In the midst of darkness,I must trust that grace will show me the way. Te path Ichoose will be illumined as I journey.

Tis is not easy for me. It requires a discipline to be willingto stay in the moment, patient, waiting, confident that Iwill know the next step and will know when to take it. I aminvited to be still and to be ready to move.

I am coming to understand, perhaps at a deeper level, that Imust cultivate a spirit of openness and a spirit of gratitude.Openness to what is yet to be made known. Gratitude forwhat has already been revealed to me. Both of these requireme to be receptive, even to embrace change.

Te Mystery of ransformation is what each of uscommitted to participate in individually, communally andin our expression of mission. As I continue to ponder thequestion of what I am being invited to change, I am moredeeply aware that I must let go in order to take in. I believethat I must hold myself in a stance of open hands, letting gowhile at the same time remaining in a position of acceptingwhat is offered.

As we contemplate together our chapter call, may we

prayerfully consider what we are invited to change. ogether,we pray in solidarity with all persons as we strengthen ourcommunion within the earth community.

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and inthe smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tendernessall that exists. Pour out upon us the power of your love, that wemay protect life and beauty … Encourage us, we pray, in ourstruggle for justice, love and peace.

“A Prayer for Our Earth,” Pope Francis, Laudato S

Invitation to Changeby Sister Mary Margaret Lazio

2014-2019 Provinc e Lea d e rship Te am : Siste rs Rita M a rie Sc hm itz, M a rilyn Lo tt, Ma ry Ma rga ret La zio ,

Lind a Straub a nd Ma uree n Free m a n.


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Seeding Our FutureAlbany • July 30 - Aug. 1

“Seeding Our Future” in the life of the Carondeletcongregation was the purpose of a three-day conferenceat the Albany motherhouse for 33 vowed members of thecongregation, age 62 and younger.

Sisters Sarah Heger, Amy Hereford, Patty Johnson, ClareBass and I entered into our time for reflection and facilitateddiscussion on our lives together as we imagined the look anddirection of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

A sharing of hungers and hopes provided a goodintroduction to our time together as we named some of the“essentials” of our lives: our personal gifts, our insights as tocreation’s greatest hunger today, and our deepest longings forour future together as CSJs.

Sister Miriam Ukeritis of the Congregation Leadershipeam presented “Some Signs of Our imes,” aka the

demographics of the congregation withparticular attention to those affecting thenewest sisters. Reminding us that “numbersdo not determine our future,” she sharedwith us “pieces” of our reality:

By our next congregational chapter in2019, sisters over age 70 will outnumberthose younger than age 70, by a ratio of10 to 1, with no province or vice provincehaving more than 20 sisters under age 70.

By the 2025 chapter, only Peru will havemore than 10 sisters under age 70.

Tis sobering piece of reality led tofurther reflection and discussion. Duringan evening exercise called, “Council ofFuture CSJs,” we were invited to imagineourselves 10 years from now, speakingwith our present-day selves. In four open-space sessions, we looked at deepeningrelationships, the unity of the congregation

vocation/formation and the currentdemographic reality.

Eleven of our sisters from Peru were present, bringingthe blessing and challenge of inter-cultural exchange anda second language to our conversations. In response, onegroup proposed a monthly, bi-lingual Sharing of the Heartonline.

We claimed our voice as an “emerging group” (as encouragedby the Acts of Chapter) and developed a documentproposing a means by which we can step up and takeresponsibility for our part in the future of the congregation.Tis includes the request that our distinctive voice beheard at the table, particularly when issues are discussedthat directly affect our cohort and our future, and that theministry of vocation and formation be entrusted to ourcohort as well.

Our facilitator, Charlene Diorka, SSJ (Philadelphia),summarized what lies beyond our discussion. We aredifferent, yet much unites us in the heart. All of us are

Summer Meetings Focus on Imagining and Actionby Sister Mary Flick

Siste rs M a ry Flic k, Pa tty Jo hn so n, C lare Bass, Sa rah Heg e r a nd

Am y Hereford in the a rm s of St. Josep h d uring See d ing o ur Future.

FOCUS ON FUTURE


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leaders—and courageous followers. We have been deepeningour relationships since our earliest gatherings more than adecade ago. Te question is: how will we stay connected?

Leadership Alumnae GatherChicago • July 16-17

Honoring the past, acknowledging the present andimagining the future of religious life was the work of 99women religious who gathered at a leadership alumnaeconference, July 16-19, at St. Xavier University in Chicago.I joined Sisters Sandy Schmid and Patty Johnson inrepresenting the St. Louis province and its participationin the Leaders as Leaven initiative of the Federation of theSisters of St. Joseph. We gathered with alumnae of thesix national leadership development programs for womenreligious and associates, representing 28 congregations from15 homelands. Te conference was made possible, in part, bya grant from the GHR Foundation.

As part of early conference planning, 359 graduates of thesix programs were surveyed to solicit how such a gatheringcould best serve them. Te majority who respondedexpressed a desire to strengthen relationships among us andbuild networks, to determine what supports we need goingforward and to engage in creative visioning for religious life.

We were clear that we did not need a presenter, but skilledand capable facilitators to guide our discussions. We werenot disappointed. Facilitators Debbie Asberry and MaryAnn Zollmann, BVM, set the context for our days anddeepened the conversation with questions that cut to theheart of our experience.

Early on, Debbie Asberry shared with us “Teory U” andtold us that systems emerge out of a body to meet particularneeds. Tey are created, grow, mature, and, in time, declineand decay because they no longer serve the original intent.In the period of early decline, there are those in the systemwho put “fixes” into place with hopes that the system willcontinue to serve. But there is a small number of “wayfinders” who say there has to be another way. It is important,Debbie said, for these way finders to find each other, so thattogether they can midwife the new. In this middle space,what was is gone, but what is coming is not yet clear. It wasevident to us gathered that it was from this middle spacethat we spoke in both our small and large groups.

One of the first questions we were invited to personallyreflect on was: what aspects of the current expression ofreligious life are no longer relevant? Having named thisreality, we were invited to share what we desire and what we

are passionate about, and to remember what compelled eachof us to enter religious life. Tis naming process enabledus to grow in our awareness of our individual calls and ourcurrent reality, and to set the stage for further imaginings.

“It is clear,” our facilitators voiced for us, “that thecommunities of the future will be steeped in the propheticand spiritual traditions of the life forms that existed inthe past, but will be relevant to the needs of the 21stcentury.” Aloud, they spoke what we know: religious life isbetween life and death. Ten they fanned the embers we

had acknowledged, saying, “Courageously, we must namewhat is dying so we can allow new life.” More than once, thegroup voiced that we are not our institutions and must letgo of those that “stifle the Spirit rather than unleash it.” Onedescription offered during the open mic session gave a newlook at a current worldwide image. A participant describedwomen religious today as being “sleeper cells around theglobe, ready to act when needed. We are global in heart andspirit.”

We, as a group, agreed that it is not yet clear where we are

going, but we are not going back. As our time togetherwrapped up, we were reminded that religious communitiesstarted with conversations about the signs of the times, thendid something about it. We encouraged each other to takeresponsibility for the relationships formed during our daystogether, and to build regional networks as well as networksto continue the conversation around issues and topics wesurfaced, and to keep the conversation going on Facebookand witter.

It was clear that the way finders had found each other and

something more was being created. A quote from humanrights activist Arundhati Roy that was shared often by thefacilitators during our gathering seemed an apt send-off:

Not only is another world possible,She is on her way.On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.


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Partnering with New EyesAd vo c a ting fo r Pena l Re fo rm , End to the Dea th Pena lty

by Sister Barbara Moore

Tis is the final piece in a series ofcongregational articles from our CSJs ofAfrican-American descent.

Congregational Chapter 2013 calls us“to partner with new eyes,” based onspecific beliefs, the mission of Jesus,the importance of mutuality and jointactivities with others for systemicchange. In response to the call, we

commit to educate ourselves in order totransform our world view and to walkwith the marginalized and especiallythose who live in poverty.

Te Call for Systemic Change“Systemic” implies that something isembedded within and spreadthroughout, affecting a whole system,group, body, economy, market or society.

Educational, economic, health, politicaland penal systems are a few that cometo mind, particularly in light of specificchallenges and concerns at this timein our country and our history. As acongregation we might focus on one ortwo systems where we might be able tomake an impact.

Follow the Bishops’ Lead

During the month of April, the CatholicBishops of Missouri wrote an openletter to the governor, attorney general,

justices of the Missouri Supreme Courtand members of the Missouri GeneralAssembly expressing their grave concernwith the rapidity and number ofexecutions in recent months.Te bishops identified concern aboutracial disparity, inequity of sentencing,

inadequate defense counsel andinclusion of those with documentedcases of mental illness or life-longintellectual disability. Tey stressedthat the death-penalty sentence isflawed. I thought that the letter of thebishops was timely and courageous.Abolishing the death penalty is an issueabout which we have been advocatingfor years. I began to do more research

about the involvement of our bishopsand found a statement made by theUnited States Catholic Bishops in 1980speaking out against the death penaltybecause of the value and dignity ofthe human person. In addition, theyaddressed the profound legal, ethical,moral and religious issues surroundingthis practice.

Congregation


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Sister Mary Madonna Ashton, CSJ has been named a 2016 National Women’sHistory Month Honoree. Te 2016 theme established by the National Women’sHistory Project is “Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Womenin Public Service and Government.”

“Sister Mary Madonna, at age 92, is the oldest living recipient to be honoredand only the second woman religious (Sister Aloysius Molloy, OSF, honored

in 2007) to be honored since the project began in 1980,” explained MollyMurphy MacGregor of the Women’s History Project (NWHP). NWHP isa clearinghouse providing information and training in multicultural women’shistory for educators, community organizations, parents or anyone seeking toexpand their understanding of women’s contributions to U. S. history.

While Mary Madonna has been invited to receive her award in Washington,D.C. next spring, the event falls on the Feast of St. Joseph. “We’ll have tosee,” said Mary Madonna of the D.C. invitation. “And I love being with mycommunity on our feast day.”

Pope Francis SpeaksOn March 20, Pope Francis, in speaking with members of theInternational Commission Against the Death Penalty, statedthat capital punishment is cruel, inhuman and an offense to

the dignity of human life. “Capital punishment is the oppositeof divine mercy, which should be the model for our legalsystems.”

Michelle Alexander, a civil rights litigator and legal scholar,authored Te New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age ofColorblindness. Alexander discusses race-related issues specificto African-American males; however, she acknowledges thatdiscrimination and repression also exist among other peopleof color and socio-economically disadvantaged populations.

Injustices Addressedoo often we read about persons being released fromprison, having served many years after being falsely accused;several of those released had been on death row. With theemergence of DNA and many organizations such as theInnocence Projects, Spence Forensic Resources, ruth in

Justice, injustices are being addressed and persons have beenexonerated.

Work for State ChangesTere are 18 states that have abolished the death penaltyincluding Hawaii, Minnesota and New York. Tirty-fourstates still have the death penalty including California and

Missouri.

Need for Effective Partnering Trough the years, there have been numerous partnershipsformed to address racial, religious and societal issues. Somewere more successful than others. Many, if not most ofus, have participated in these partnerships. When thepartnerships have a clear focus on the common good rootedin religious of civic motivation, this fosters social cohesionand understanding, encourages cooperation and promotescollaboration.

Now is the imePerhaps the time is now to join with our bishops and othersto bring about much needed change in our penal system toinclude abolition of capital punishment in keeping with aconsistent ethic to respect life from conception to naturaldeath. Silence is not an option. Let us act and encourage theCongregational Leadership eam to make public statementson the justice issues that plague our penal system in the nameof the congregation.

St. Paul Sister Named 2016 National Women’sHistory Month Honoree

Ma ry Ma do nna A sh ton , CSJ


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Te home phone rang on a summer’s eve, just a week aftermoving to Green Bay from the win Cities. I picked up thephone after identifying myself. A pleasant voice caller said,“Hello, Shawn. Are you planning on being buried up therein Green Bay?” I had not spent much time idling over such a question. So Iasked the caller, “Is there some rumor circulating in St. Louisthat I am on the way out so to speak? Or is there some otherreason you want to know my burial intent?”

After a chuckle, the person told me she had beencommissioned to see if there were suffi cient burial plotsaround the province to house the living (well, eventuallydead) members of the province. I assured her that when theoccasion for burial presented itself, I would not really carewhere my ashes were buried, so Green Bay would be fine.

Ten the next request came. Could you call the others inWisconsin and see where they want to be buried? Knowingthe other five sisters in Wisconsin, I was sure they would notbe any more vigorous or picky about burial sites than I was.

However, I did make the proper inquiries with the resultthat was predicted. Since some of us were already registeredorgan donors, skin donors, etc., we six are an economical lotsince Wisconsin allows three cremains in one plot. Five years later, it was another summer day and anotherrelated question. Could Sister Judy Miller and myselfcheck on the CSJ plots at Allouez Cemetery (in Green Bay,Wisconsin) to see if there was need for upkeep. Judy wassure that would be easy since 30 years ago, she went to oneof the burials of a CSJ and recalled that one of our plots wasunder a small tree. Needless to say, in 30 years small treesbecome big trees and look like every other hundred trees inthe general area. Succumbing to reasonableness, Judy went to the AllouezCemetery offi ce for a map of wherever “we” are located. Loand behold, we have two different sites in two differentplaces in the cemetery. Following that cemetery so-calledmap was like looking for some buried treasure. Where is Siriwhen you need her?

Well, at last, both sites were found so we made our ownmental maps hoping to find each site again when we workershad our necessary equipment. Site One definitely neededour assistance. One of the stone markers indicated a 1908burial. Imagine Wisconsin winters and then imagine whata century can do with fungi, black mold, acid rain, snowand sleet, and hot moldy summer days. So you can see whatour large cross marker, St. Joseph and the sunk down stonemarkers looked like with all that mix settling on everything.

But never say die! Off to Home Depot we went for

necessary advice and materials to make things looking likenew again. Clearly, much of our work would have to bedone after the paid cemetery workers went home. Ten theunpaid workers could begin in earnest.

With some bits of challenge, the sunken stones were raisedwith new dirt placed underneath them for the next centuryof wear and tear; the large cross and Joseph were patchedup and then resprayed with cement and hammered Rust-Oleum. wo nice bushes were planted to mark the spot. Teold site with its markers was now revitalized and the names

of our sisters on the cleaned stone markers were once moreable to be read. Te newer site needed farless repair. However, afterhours, the unpaid duoshowed us how to fix thissite. By now the processwas second nature so thiscleanup was most effi cient.Tis second site receivedsome small bushes tomark our spot or plot.All names on the stonesare now readable again.

Since there are some extraplots, fell free to contactProvince Leadershipif you would like to beplaced in Packerland soil.We have room for you!

From a Summer’s Eve to a Cemetery Updateby Sister Shawn Madigan (with Sister J udy Miller)

Around the Province

The m onum ent tha t m arks

the ne w C SJ sec t ion o f the

Alloue z Catho lic Ce m etery

and Cha pe l Ma uso leum in

Green Bay.


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Focus on Earth

Communion Within the Earth CommunityCa lls to A c t io n: Wate r

We commit oursleves to simplify our lifestyles throughspecific, measurable actions regarding water, climatechange, food, consumption, and waste, taking intoconsideration local realities and concerns.

Congregational Chapter 2013

Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor wholack access to drinking water, because they are denied theright to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity.

Pope Francis, Laudato Si

Our commitment to uphold the sacredness of creationand the dignity of our dear neighbor is expressing itselfin new ways through our ministry in Gulu, Uganda,with a growing focus on water purification efforts.

In February, Associate Carolyn Henry, an analyticalchemist, went to Gulu to test community well waterduring a 12-week stay.

As providence would have it, while the trip was beingplanned, the province developed a relationship with an

organization called Water with Blessings that provideswater purification kits and education to village womenaround the globe.

Carolyn brought her expertise and 26 kits to Gulu,where she met with the Gulu district water offi cer andcollected samples. She identified bacteria in about 1/3of the samples.

She informed the authorities and was surprised theytook no action on the contaminated wells, leaving itup to the residents to solve the problem. And thanksto Water with Blessings and our collective efforts, theyhave the tools to do so.

Te entire province showed its support at the AugustAssembly, raising $2,751, enabling us to buy 45filters. Crocheted socks to keep these life-giving filtersprotected, were made and donated for these 45 filtersplus another 160 for other Water with Blessingsprojects.

Ab ove : Volunte ers Ch a ssity M ena rd a nd Sa ra h Jim inez

w ork w ith Siste rs Na nc y M a rsh a nd Ka thlee n Eiler to

c roc het soc ks for the fi lte rs.

Below : The m ot he rho use c om m unity b lessed Siste rs Pa tty

Clune a nd Pa t M urp hy in a Pra yer of Send ing on Sep t. 9.

Siste rs Pa tty a nd Pa t left fo r Gulu o n Sep t. 14 to w ork a s

wa te r fi lt ra t ion tea c hers.


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Page 10 May/June 2015 PNN

APRIL MINUTES

Corporation

Accepted•

Minutes of Board of Directors of theCorporation Mtg. held March 30

• March 2015 Financial Statements

Approved• Summer Program for Hispanic

Youth, St. Philip the ApostleParish—$2,500

• Marie Joan Harris Scholarship Fund,Avila University—$25,000

• Mary Carol Anth Scholarship Fund,Fontbonne University—$25,000

• Rita M. Schmitz Scholarship Fund,Fontbonne University—$25,000

• SJA Chapel—$5,000• SJID Unrestricted Gift—

$100,000

Council

Accepted• Minutes of the Province Council

Mtgs. held March 30-31

Approved• Patrimony Requests (2)• Education Requests (2)

MAY MINUTES

Corporation

Accepted• Minutes of Board of Directors of the

Corporation Mtg. held April 21• April 2015 Financial Statements

Approved• St. Matthew’s Annual Dinner

Auction—$1,000• Ignatian Spirituality

Project, Company of GraceInduction—$1,000

• Water with Blessings—$5,000• Romanian Sisters of St. Basil—$500• SJA Board Members

Council


Mtgs. held April 20-21

Approved• Patrimony Requests (2)• Sabbatical Request (1)

Updated• Sponsorship Agreement Review• Mtg. w/Linda Markway, Voc-For

JUNE MINUTES

Corporation

Accepted• Minutes of Board of Directors of the

Corporation Mtg. held May 19• May 2015 Financial Statements

Approved• Fiscal 2016 Province Budget• North Grand Neighborhood

Services Anniversary Celebration &Reception—$500

• Marion Weinzapfel’s Ministry in

Gulu—$5,000• SJA’s 175th Anniv. Book—$2,500• Ratification of St. Joseph’s Academy

Action

Council


Mtgs. held May 18-19

Approved• Patrimony Requests (2)

Updates• Elder Care Study Group• Design eam• Senior Ministry• Communications-Public Relations

JULY MINUTES

Corporation

Accepted•

Minutes of Board of Directors of theCorporation Mtg. held June 22, 2015

• June 2015 Financial Statements

Approved• CRSS Motown Revue—$5,000• Franciscan Missionary of Assisi

Bldg., Convent, Preschool,Zambia—$3,000

• Te Fields at Wellsprings Farm,2015-16—$900

• Little Sisters of the PoorDonation—$100

• Cancer SupportCommunity—$1,000

• G.U.L.U. Immersion Project,Fontbonne Univ.—$2,000

• S. Marie Joan Harris as NLC Boardof rustee Member

Council


Mtgs. held June 22-23

Approved• ravel Requests (2)• Patrimony Requests (3)• Education Requests (2)

Updated• SJID• Co-Director on Association

Interview Process

CORPORATION & COUNCIL


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CSJ News

Order of the HouseBy Sister Kate Filla

Four Imagine If gatherings held in 2014 flowed fromideas that emerged during the St. Louis Province Chapter

meetings (December 2012 to January 2014). Some womenat those Imagine If meetings focused on developing a processfor sharing the Order of the House. Tese sessions are opento all vowed members and associates and are held quarterly.Te third meeting was held June 21. Te gathering openedwith prayer followed by time to listen to one another aboutthe movement of God in our lives. After several roundsof sharing in twos, the large group reassembled and timewas given to surface the common threads we heard in ourconversations and what are we being called to in our missionof unifying love.

Among the responses:

• We are sustained in God’s love.• We do not separate ourselves from suffering.• We grow in awareness of our oneness with others.• We are open to differences and intrusions.• We move together to the more.• We recognize God’s presence in meetings, meals

together, daily events.• We participate with others in our efforts toward justice.

All are invited to participate in the Order of the Housemeetings held at the Carondelet Motherhouse. Tose notin St. Louis are encouraged to form their own group for thesharing. Upcoming meetings at the Carondelet Motherhousebegin at 2 p.m. and conclude by 3:30 p.m. Tey arescheduled on the following Sundays: Dec. 20, March 13 and June 19. Sisters who may be contacted for more informationare: Clare Bass, Pat Gloriod, eresa Horn-Bostel, RitaHuebner, Kate Filla, Linda Markway and Monica Kleffner.

Corporate Monetary ResponseBy Sister Lillian Baumann

Do you work with or know people who are in immediateneed of monetary assistance?

Sisters of St. Joseph have funds allocated yearly to help withimmediate needs entitled Corporate Monetary Response tothe Needy.

Policy: Te St. Louis Province of the Sisters of St. Josephof Carondelet shall continue to give a monetary response tothose in immediate need.

Implementation: Needy individuals and families withimmediate needs, not including relatives. Guidelines: Where money is given as direct aid to the needya CSJ/CSJA must be personally involved or connected withthe person(s) receiving the aid. Aid to individual or family islimited to one request per fiscal year. Te committee members will evaluate requests. Afterconsultation, appropriate decisions will be made.

A CSJ/CSJA who receives money from this fund isaccountable to the committee for the use of the money. Te committee, at this time, includes Sisters LillianBaumann and Audrey Olson with Sister Linda Straub as thePL liaison.

All requests should be emailed to all three sisters on thecommittee and should include: the amount of moneyrequested, identification of person(s) with immediate need,and an explanation of the need/use of money requested.

Golf Tournament: Thank You!From Exec utive Direc tor Patty Cassens

Tanks to all our sponsors, underwriters, players andvolunteers for helping to make the 27th Annual CSJ Golfournament a special day. Te tournament was held Sept.21 at at the Westborough Country Club. View more photosat csjsl.org.


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Since a great number of us were school teachers, this time ofyear usually has a sense of beginning anew again. With thatin mind, I want to share with you two experiences I had thissummer that may bring newness or a freshness to our healthfor the season of autumn.

Several sisters spoke to me about something new in theirlives—coloring books. Yes, there is a renewed interest incoloring as an adult. 60 Minutes even featured a segment onAdult Coloring Circles.

I have enjoyed choosing colors out of my assortment of48 colored pencils and sitting quietly with my book ofbutterflies. I have found that the experience is very relaxing,that it releases any tensions in my body.

Te health benefits go beyond relaxation, and includeexercising fine motor skills and training the brain to focus.Because it’s a centering activity, the amygdala, which is thepart of the brain that is involved with our fear response,actually gets a bit of a rest and it ultimately has a really

calming effect over time. A spiritual benefit is that ofcentering one’s body, mind and spirit. Everything aroundme sort of floats away during my “coloring time.” I stronglyencourage you to give it a try.

In late August, I participated in a mindfulness workshop,sponsored by the St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute.Te presenter, Dr. Christopher Grimes, gave an overviewof mindfulness, starting with a definition by Jon Kabat-

Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction:

“paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, andnonjudgmentally, to the unfolding of experience moment tomoment.”

Some of the benefits of mindfulness include bodyregulation, emotional balance, response flexibility, insight,empathy and intuition. We had several opportunitiesduring the workshop to practice mindfulness. Tese alwaysbegan with paying attention to our breathing. With breathawareness, we have a repeated process where the in-breath isalways followed by the out-breath. Tis predictability helps

to calm the mind.

Since the workshop, I have tried eating and brushing myteeth mindfully, and being conscious and present to eachstep I take when walking up or down stairs. Tese practiceshave slowed me down and made me more conscious of thepresent moment. I have noticed that being mindful is a verygood preparation for the 10-minute contemplation practicewe’ve been asked to do as we discern our future direction.

CSJ News

Senior MinistryOp t fo r Hea lth

by Sister Bonnie Murray and Trish Callahan

Development Of fice Announces Name ChangeFrom Executive Direc tor Patricia Cassens, CSJ A, CRFE

Te St. Louis Province Development Offi ce is now theSt. Louis Province Mission Advancement Offi ce. Wewill continue to support the mission and ministries ofthe Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet by advancing themission of the Sisters of St. Joseph through fundraising,

stewardship, and expanding awareness of the sistersand their ministries. We do so by raising funds tosustain and enhance the work the sisters perform andinvite friends, families, staff, volunteers, businesses andfoundations to partner with us.


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Association:Volunteer Spotlight

Ca thie Bra a sc h I am honored to havethe opportunity to be apart of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet as anassociate. And it has beenmy privilege to work atNazareth Living Center inSt. Louis as a social workerfor about 15 years. It is in

the skilled nursing unitthat I perform my services,always trying to rememberthat it is the “dear neighbor"whom I serve.

My responsibility is to assist the residents and their families withtheir special needs, including scheduling doctor's appointments,and transportation to and from; helping resolve family concerns,advocating for them with genuine care and empathy; addressingany complaints as soon as possible with understanding andcomfort.

I seek out residents who need compassion and a listening friendduring their loneliness, and we pray together. I love mentoringsocial work practicum students and new employees, alwaysbrainstorming for solutions to problems. I am certified in Healingouch Level I, which enables me to comfort residents in distress.I also serve on several committees—quality improvement, ethics,admission team, resident counsel team and palliative care team—that focuses my attention always on the dear neighbor, Nazarethresidents and their families, and seeing that they are always treatedwith love.

My prayer on this journey is that my ministry be nourished withthe charism, zeal and passion I share with the Sisters of St. Joseph.My goal is that every resident and family member feel the presenceof Jesus during their time at Nazareth, and I gladly rearrange mywork hours to accommodate them. My personal integrity as aperson of faith, combined with my professional commitment andexperience, make visible the charism of the CSJ community.

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14/24


Sharing of the Heart

Imagine that Christianity is about loving God. Imagine thatit’s not about the self and its concerns, not about “what’s init for me,” whether that be a blessed afterlife or prosperity inthis life. Imagine that loving God is about being attentiveto the one in whom we live and move and have our being.Imagine that it is about becoming more and more deeplycentered in God. Imagine that it is about loving what Godloves. How would that change our lives?

—Marcus Borg

For some reason, I thought about Marcus Borg a few weeks

ago. I had attended a lecture given by him in Denver some20 years ago, and had read a few of his books over the years.So, I went online and reserved his latest book through theSt. Louis County Library.

oday, I went online to look up what Borg has been doingall of these years. He died in January of this year at the ageof 72. Convictions: How I Learned What Matters Most is hisfinal book. I should have guessed that this book would be a kind of

memoir or one of those big reflections that one does later inlife. Borg’s intentions are pretty clear. He wished to combine:

... the triad of memories, conversions and convictions.Memories of growing up Christian and American morethan half a century ago, and what I absorbed then.Conversions—major changes in those understandings thathave happened in my adult life. Convictions—fundamentalways of seeing and living that are more or less settled andnot easily shaken (but are neither dogmatic nor closed tochange).

I have found Borg’s books to be simple and straightforward.In some ways, this final book combines ideas put forward inearlier books. However, it’s much more than that.

In an early chapter, “God Is Real and Is a Mystery,” theauthor develops the theme of mysticism. He describeshis own mystical experiences. I remember going into achurch in Rome and seeing the Bernini statue entitled “TeEcstasy of St. eresa” done in the baroque style. Gazingupon the emotion and beauty of this white marble statue

was an experience in itself. Perhaps, many of us have hadexperiences where we suddenly saw things in a totallydifferent light, a luminosity, a sense of “the more.” Weexperienced the “Glory of God.” In the words of the author,“Te central convictions and foundations of this book arethat God is real and that the Bible and Christianity are theChristian story of our relationship with God, the more,what is.

One of the things that I like about Borg is that he makesme rethink words and concepts. In reference to the meaning

of salvation, Borg states that “Salvation is about liberation,reconnection, seeing anew, acceptance and the satisfaction ofour deepest yearnings. Christianity at its best—like all of theenduring religions of the world at their best—is a path oftransformation.” For me, salvation has come to mean freeingmyself from all those “shoulds”—those reoccurring themesor “fugues” that hold me in bondage and fear.

Te author belonged to the Jesus Seminar, a group ofbiblical scholars who studied the historical Jesus. In achapter entitled “ Jesus’ Death on the Cross Matters—But

Not Because He Paid for Our Sins,” Borg explains that inthe first thousand years of Christianity, the emphasis onpayment for sin did not exist. It wasn’t until the 11th centurythat St. Anselm of Canterbury developed the concept ofthe incarnation and death of Jesus. Borg would argue thatthe death of Jesus was political—he kept going up againstthe establishment. Tis is not to negate the death of Jesus.Te death/resurrection mystery is about transformationof the “Kingdom of God” now, as well as my personaltransformation now.

In the process of reflecting on this book, I came to a deeper

understanding of the concept of passion—the passion of Jesus, the passion of God. In the final paragraph of the bookBorg asks: “What’s the Christian life all about? It’s aboutloving God and loving what God loves. It’s about becomingpassionate about God and participating in God’s passion fora different world, here and now. And the future, includingwhat is beyond our lives? We leave that up to God.”

Live the present with passion; remember the past with gratitudeand embrace the future with hope.

—Pope Francis

Convictions: How I Learned What Matters Mostby Sister J ean Iadevito


15/24


... Happy are your eyes because they see ... I tell yousolemnly, many prophets and holy ones longed to see what you see, and never saw it. Matt. 13: 16-17

Tese words of Jesus have always intrigued me and, inmy later years, have taken on an ever deeper meaning.

For the past 20 years or so I have been keepingglaucoma under control. I use eye drops faithfully, visitmy ophthalmologist four times a year, and drive withmy sunglasses. I’ve had laser treatments and cataracts

removed, all with the aim of preserving my vision. Andall has been successful.

However, at times my vision is blurry or hazy resulting frommedication or fatigue. I appreciate the gift of sight, love itactually, and I take delight in seeing a soaring hawk, a roilingocean, the Mohawk River Valley, a vast Kansas expanse, aswaying oak in a storm, or the smile of a friend. Yes, my eyesare happy when I take in these beauties.

But when Jesus says, “Happy are your eyes,” he means more

than physical vision. He implicitly tells his disciples thatthey are gifted with a new kind of sight, a “seeing” with themind and heart. He emphasizes to his friends that they havebeen given new insights into the truth by the mere fact thatthey are associating with him. Many, he says, “longed to seewhat you see and have not seen it.”

Te disciples were led gradually to understand what Jesusmeant in that statement. Tey witnessed many blind personsregaining their physical sight at Jesus’ healing: the blindbeggar who pleads, “Lord, that I may see;” the man bornblind who was told to go and wash; another who told Jesushe could see persons, but they “looked like trees walking.”

Te disciples, whose understanding was still clouded, didnot initially comprehend that these healed persons alsoregained an inner vision. Te two on the road to Emmaus,for example, illustrate this lack of comprehension. Teireyes are downcast because they are filled with sadness anddisappointment. Tey do not “see” the Jesus alongside thembecause they were not looking for him. Tey even tell Jesus

“Our own hope had been that he would be the one to setIsrael free.” Only after Jesus breaks the bread and hands it tothem “their eyes were opened and they recognized him.”

We, too, are Jesus’ disciples and live with his life of grace. We,too, have been blessed to see, to ponder the Mystery of Godamong us. If we have eyes to see we can perceive that we as acongregation are “making something new.” Can we see it?

Our leaders have reminded us to keep the vision of thewhole as the horizon for our reflection and the well-beingof the whole as the desired outcome of our decisions. Forthis journey into newness, we carry within our hearts thepromise of Jesus ,“I will be with you always,” and we knowthe truth of God’s loving presence through the Spirit, ourAdvocate, who reminds us of all that Jesus has told us.

Sometimes, like the first disciples, our inner vision is alsoblurry. However, we can help one another see more clearlyby sharing together ways to put into practice our chapter

directives. Attending to suggestions for action made by theAd Hoc committee on the environment is another way wecan brighten our way. Communally, we are thus keepingthe “vision of the whole” before us, encouraging ourselvesforward to a wider vision for the well-being of the whole.

If we listen attentively, maybe we can hear again those wordsfrom Isaiah “See I am making something new. Do you notsee it?” Happy are our eyes that see ...

Happy are Your Eyesby Sister Rita Louise Huebner


16/24


Te Archivists of the Congregations of Women Religiousmet for its triennial meeting, Aug. 27-30 in Pittsburgh.About 130 archivists were present, including the fourCarondelet province archivists, along with seven other CSSJarchivists (pictured).

Te keynote address was given by Nancy Schreck, OSF,former LCWR president. Sessions ranged from access

and confidentiality to digitizing to future planning tore-modeling facilities. What was most exciting was tosee so many younger women and men, recently hired bycongregations and orders, who are leading their respectivearchives into the future by considering collaborations or, atthe least, raising questions about disposition of collections.

As you may recall, the Carondelet archivists submitted aproposal to the Congregational Leadership Group in early

2015 to begin the process for consolidation of archivalholdings at one location. Te proposal was approved and Jane Kenamore, archival consultant, was hired to visit eacharchive to assess its holdings and determine its readinessto be relocated, and to make recommendations for thedevelopment of a common digitization plan and a commonelectronic records management plan. By early October, Janewill have visited the St. Paul, Albany and St. Louis (province

and congregation) archives; she will visit Los Angeles onOct. 13-15. Jane’s final report will be presented via Internetconnection to the archivists and CL representative SisterDanielle Bonetti by early January.

Plans will then be made to share the report’s findingswith Province Leadership and with the CongregationalLeadership eam in February. Next steps in theconsolidation process will also be considered at this time.

Archives

Archivists of the Congregations of Women ReligiousMeet for Triennial Meetingby Sister Mary Kraft, St. Paul Province

Ba c k row : Virg in ia Dow d , Brentw oo d ; Ka th lee n Wa shy, Ba d en; S. Ma ry Sa lva terra , Alb a ny Prov inc e;

S. Bernad ette Pa c hta , Co nc ord ia; S. Pa tric ia Rose Sha na ha n, Los Ang eles Provinc e; Leo Ca ta ha n, Orang e;

S. Ma rie Timm on s, Eire. Fron t ro w : Lisa G ib b o ns, Co ng reg a tion o f St. Josep h (g ro up of sev en c o ng reg a tions);

S. Jane Beh lm a nn, St. Lou is p ro vinc e; S. Ma ry Kra ft, St. Pa ul prov inc e. Photo b y Lisa G ib b on s.


17/24


Meeting Our AncestorsPro fi le o f a n ea rly sister who d ie d

in the m onth o f Oc tob er by Sister Jane Behlmann

Sister Bernard Joseph Dunne died atNazareth Convent, Lemay, Missouri,on October 22, 1951, in the 84th yearof her age and the 64th of her religiouslife.

Receiving the habit March 19, 1888,Sister Bernard Joseph, who had entered

from Kansas City, was named for Rev.Bernard Donnelly, first resident priestof Kansas City and early pioneer priestin western Missouri. Te schools thatwere privileged to have her on the staffeither as teacher or directress were St.Peter’s, Oconto, Wisc.; St. Leo’s, St.Louis; Academy of Our Lady, Peoria,Ill.; and Rosati-Kain High School, St.Louis. Although she never residedon the Fontbonne campus, she taught

English at Carondelet for the Collegefor over 20 years. Here, she likewisesupervised the study of the Sisters ofthe province.

Always a firm believer in highereducation for women, Mother Bernardpromoted in a most vehement mannerthe higher education of the Sisters.Tis she knew could be attained afterFontbonne was erected. Fontbonne

was largely at the outset the result andeffect of the interest and prayers ofeducators like Mother Bernard.

It was at Rosati-Kain that MotherBernard’s true devotion resided. Oneof the school’s founders, she taught

English there and was co-principal from 1912 to1930. A large diocesan highschool staffed by the SchoolSisters of Notre Dame andthe Sisters of St. Joseph,Rosati-Kain claimed MotherBernard’s best years. She

frequently spoke to eachsucceeding senior class ofthe advantages of highereducation, aiming, as allknew, at interesting them inenrolling at Fontbonne.

Stories abound concerningMother Bernard’s greatcharity, friendship,and almost limitless

understanding of herstudents. Large and dignified inappearance and correspondingly largein mental and spiritual qualities, shepossessed a capacity for estimating thetrue worth of a person. Bishop CharlesHelmsing, who preached the funeralsermon, declared, “Mother Bernard wasa great soul, a woman of deep interiorlife.”

Mother Bernard left Rosati-Kain tobecome General Councilor in 1930; onthe death of Mother Columbine, shebecame the Assistant Superior Generalin 1935, holding that offi ce until thenext general election the following year.For over 25 years, she was a member

of the provincial council, serving underthe following Provincial Superiors:Mother Columbine [Ryan], MotherPalma [McGrath], Mother Angela[Hennessy], Mother Henry [Siegel],and Mother arcisia [Finn]. She wasa member of the first group of Sistersto attend the Catholic University ofAmerica. [Necrology Report]

Sister Bernard Joseph [Bridget] was born

May 2, 1868 in Ontario, Canada toCatherine Corrigan and John Dunne.She died of cerebral apoplexy and isburied in Resurrection Cemetery Row 2, grave 30.

Siste r Be rna rd Jose p h Dunne


18/24


Sister Helen Rottier, CSJ(S. Jo sep h A nthony )

March 1, 1941 - May 19, 2015

A lov ing w om an d evo ted to the se rv ic e o f God ’ s pe op le ;a fa ithful frien d .

Te Hand of Go Sha Hold You

Helen Rottier, first daughter bornto Alphonse and Josephine (VandenHeuvel) Rottier of West De Pere,Wisconsin, grew up with three sistersand four brothers on a dairy farm.After graduating from St. JosephAcademy in Green Bay, she workedin a law offi ce for a year then entered

the Sisters of St. Joseph on September15, 1960. She received the habit andthe name Sister Joseph Anthony onMarch 19, 1961. Her bachelor’s degreein mathematics was from FontbonneCollege (1965).

From 1965-1970, S. Joseph Anthonytaught junior high in Wisconsin,Illinois and Missouri. When S.Helen taught at Valle Grade School

in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, S. MaryAnn Hilgeman recalls her as “joyfuland good-humored … a very goodmathematics teacher…” In 1970-1982,she taught at St. Francis de Sales HighSchool in Denver, Colorado, and thenat Denver Central Catholic whereshe was successively teacher, assistantadministrator and administrator.

S. Mary Ann Figlino remembers those

Denver days: “My memories of Helenare many good ones. In particularwas her laughter, enjoying time in ourDenver community and her excitementof making a 30-day retreat together.”

S. Helen received a grant to study atTe Catholic University of America,Washington, D.C., earning a master’sin mathematics (1974). S. Mary Ann

Hilgeman shared a room with herat Catholic University where theysucceeded in saving money by diningout once a day and using a coil to heatliquids. Teir room air-conditioner“kept the produce cool and us frozen.”

S. Mary Ann Potts met S. Helen

when they were living at St. Francis deSales Convent and teaching at CentralCatholic High. Tey were drawn intofriendship by the fact that each ofthem had a profound experience of thespiritual exercises of St. Ignatius.S. Mary Ann remembers that whenthey would be looking for a directedretreat, S. Helen’s choice was alwayssomeplace where, if possible, therewould be a body of water. In Denver

“…we both found great peace andsatisfaction in teaching the poor andministering to Hispanic students.”Teir friendship was a lasting onethat included over 40 years of living incommunity together.

When Denver Catholic closed, ReicherCatholic High in Waco, exas, wasS. Helen’s next assignment as a teacherin 1982 and as assistant principal in

1983. Her 1984-1990 assignmentas principal at St. Joseph Academyin Green Bay allowed her creativeleadership talents to shine, bringingthe school to be acknowledged as a“Blue Ribbon School recognized by thegovernment for its excellence.” In thatsame year, she, herself, was honored asWisconsin Administrator of the Yearfor Catholic Schools.

After a short sabbatical in Kingstree,South Carolina, S. Helen went toBrownsville, exas, spending 1990-1997 at various schools in Brownsvilleas teacher, principal or administrator.In 1997 she became principal ofImmaculate Conception Grade Schoolin Rio Grande City, exas, until 1999

when she became principal of St.Martin de Porres, Weslaco, exas.In 2012 she began two part-timeministries, teaching at Our Lady ofGuadalupe School in Mission, exasand doing special projects for thediocese. “

Her last contribution to Catholiceducation was as special projectscoordinator in the diocesan school

offi ce. Her work with federal programsbrought much needed funds to theCatholic schools. She wrote grants forscience and she also helped the schoolsto raise their math scores,” says S. MaryAnn Potts.

S. Helen’s life included rich and variedexperiences: camping, fishing, severalsummers helping in an orphanage nearijuana, Mexico; Vacation Bible Schoo

in South Dakota, immersion programsin Mexico City and Guatemala; andtravels in South America and Europe.S. Helen loved to read, enjoyedanimals, was an excellent cook andbaker, had a deep love of family, andof course, followed the Green BayPackers.

S. Helen Oates with S. Mary Ann Potts


19/24


Sister Agnes Marie Baer was born toOliver Louis and Agnes (Robineau)Baer in St. Louis, Missouri, onNovember 6, 1921. She attendedImmaculate Conception Grade School,Rosati-Kain High and FontbonneCollege. She received a degree in socialstudies in 1942. Her work at the St.

Louis Public Library during collegecontinued until February 1944 whenshe entered the Sisters of St. Joseph. “Iwanted so much to be a sister and to dosomething for God’s people.”

S. Agnes Marie taught in elementaryschools in St. Louis: Our Lady ofLourdes (1946) and St. eresa of Avila(1951). After receiving a master’s insocial studies from St. Louis University

(1952) and a secondary administrativecertificate, she ministered at St. Francisde Sales High, Denver, Colorado, until1961. Tat year she was sent to ReginaMundi, to prepare for formation work.

Assigned to Carondelet as director ofpostulants in 1962, S. Agnes Mariecontinued that position through1967 when she became director ofnovices and postulants. One of those

former postulants/novices, EllenDukes, CSJA, experienced her faithfulfriendship for 50 years.

Likely leadership in formation isnot easy; I speculate that leadershipduring the time of the SecondVatican Council was akin to having frequent whiplash. She approachedher assignment with grace and carealways.

Dodie Sudduth, CSJA, wrote: “Here iswhat S. Agnes Marie taught me, ‘Loveputs sacrifice into perspective so it isno longer a sacrifice.’ She lived what shetaught.”

For 10 years, S. Agnes Marie taughtor was assistant administrator in

secondary schools: Academy of ourLady, Peoria (1968); St TomasAquinas, Florissant (1970); andRosati-Kain, St. Louis (1973).Troughout her five years teachingreligion at Rosati-Kain, she spentsummers in the Human Rights Offi ce.“I just got saturated with what washappening. I said, ‘If you’d ever findsomething that you think I could do,let me know.’ ”

In 1978, while ministering in socialwork at the St. Louis ArchdiocesanHuman Rights Offi ce, S. AgnesMarie was asked to consider “doingsomething for prostitutes.” She visitedSt. Louis judges, the Work House, thecity jail. She traveled to the MissouriState Prison in Jefferson City andorganizations in St. Louis that workedwith the poor, particularly women.

Having learned what she could, in1979 she became the founder andexecutive director of the New LifeStyle Program. Short of staff, the St.Louis Probation System often found iteasier to send people to jail than to putthem on probation. Te New Life StyleProgram provided a second chance.

Understanding prostitutes and theirbackgrounds is just something Istruggled to understand ...Tey are people who have had very, very,very little benefits. We would visitthem in their homes, and they hadnothing. Tey were trying to surviveon nothing, and they didn’t have

any skills to help them get a better job ... Tere is nothing uplifting intheir lives ...

S. Agnes Marie became a grant writer/worker at the St. Joseph DevelopmentOffi ce (1995) until retiring (1999) toSt. Joseph’s Academy where she didvolunteer work until 2007 when shemoved to Nazareth Living Center.

We remember: St Francis de Sales

graduate S. Marion Weinzapfeldescribed S. Agnes Marie as her life-long mentor. “She always had time totalk... She was a pillar in my life. I amhappy she is home.”

S. Rose McLarney, consideringadministration of a new non-profit,Center for Women in ransition, “drewupon S. Agnes Marie's experience andwisdom in working with the non-profitorganization she developed... She wasvery supportive and encouraging tome... ”

Her Le Puy Prayer Group: “We willnever forget the undivided attention,the testament of faith, and the loveof the dear neighbor that was theessence of S. Agnes Marie Baer. We areprivileged to have known her.”

Helen Oates, CSJ

Sister Agnes Marie Baer CSJNovember 6, 1921 - July 14, 2015

Alwa ys o ther -c en te red , wa rm , c ar ing , a w om an o f praye r.



20/24


Joan Mary Cholet and her brother,were born August 29, 1927, in Jefferson City, Missouri, the first ofthree sets of twins (and singles!) bornto Harold and Virginia (Hennessy)Cholet. When her family left JeffersonCity for St. Louis, Joan attendedRosati-Kain High School. She entered

the Sisters of St. Joseph September15, 1945, receiving the habit and thename S. Frances Virginia in 1946. Shereceived her bachelor’s degree in Frenchfrom Fontbonne and her master’sin French from Western ReserveUniversity in Cleveland.

For more than 20 years, S. Francestaught elementary school: St. Anthony,St. Louis; St. Viator, Chicago; Holy

Guardian Angels, St. Louis; St. Joseph,West de Pere, Wisconsin; and OurLady of Lourdes, University City,Missouri, where she was a teacherand then principal. While at Lourdes,S. Frances was chosen to be part of aprogram to launch foreign languagein elementary schools, ultimatelyspreading from primary classesthroughout all grades.

In 1969, as elementary educationcoordinator, S. Frances worked withCSJ principals hoping for clarityaround the issue that sisters’ abilities,not just empty slots, should be priorityfor placement. In addition a three-yearcontract was created to use betweensisters and parishes, partly to enablebetter future planning. Schools couldno longer assume that they would

always have sisters or even the samenumber that they had.

S. Frances was appointed to be thedirector of personnel in 1976, anappointment cut short in 1977 by herselection as one of the two assistantprovincials to S. Mary CatherineO’Gorman. In 1984, she herself wasselected to be the provincial superior.Sisters Joan Haas and Anne Kellywere her assistants. During this timethe Development Offi ce was set upat Carondelet; pastoral planning withCassian Yuhaus began, and the 1986Sesquicentennial was celebrated.

Completing her term of offi ce in1988, she spent 11 years as the vicepresident of mission effectiveness for

the Carondelet Health System.

S. Maryellen ierney, describesS. Frances as a woman of “gentle spiritand wisdom” remembering “the waysshe made sure that the philosophy,mission and vision of the Sisters ofSt. Joseph was present in all of ourhospitals.”

CSJ Care, founded by S. Ann

Chamblin to minister to the elderly athome, welcomed S. Frances in 2000.Volunteer ministry became her nextchoice in 2009 until she retired toNazareth Living Center in 2011.

“It was my privilege to serve asprovince treasurer during SisterFrances Virginia's term ... She wasextremely supportive ... ”

S. Paulette Gladis

Frances was truly a delightful person.Always quietly low key, she allowed herquiet, wonderful humor to light up anygroup in which she found herself…herpresence always seemed to influence forthe better as she brought her joy to anyconversation, any gathering.

S. Ida Robertine Berresheim

For years Frances organized an annualget-together for our reception...Shekept us together!”

S. Ruth Burkart

During our free time atCongregational Chapter, Frances wasmost willing to partake in activities ...paddling a canoe, bike trekking, etc.One thing I found amusing was the

aftermath of a bike spill she endured.When I went to be of assistancepicking her up, I discovered the stuffI thought was hanging bloody skinturned out to be nylons. Who wearsnylons underneath shorts?!

S. Shawn Madigan

Troughout our time in leadershipeach of us would receive a card andpersonal note from [Frances] letting

us know that we were remembered inthought and prayer. You can imaginehow nice that was, the smile, thewarmth that came from those periodicmessages—someone who had been inour position now holding us in prayer.

S. Mary Kay Hadican

Helen Oates, CSJ

Sister Frances Virginia Cholet, CSJAugust 29, 1927 - July 30, 2015

A though t fu l c a r ing w om an fi lled w ith q uiet joy

and a sense o f hum or



21/24


Deborah Diane Marino was bornin Kansas City on June 23, 1951.Deborah, or Debby, as most peoplecalled her, grew up in a loving andgenerous household. Her parents, Johnand Melva Marino raised Debby, hersister Marcia, and her two brothers,Mike and Greg with a strong Catholic

faith.

Debby’s education began at St. PiusX Catholic Grade School in Mission,Kansas, followed by St. eresa’sAcademy in Kansas City. It was herexperience at SA that changedDebby’s life forever.

After high school, Debby went on toSaint Mary College in Leavenworth,

Kansas, where she received degrees inmath and education. Debby followedher heart’s inspirations, first when herlove for mathematics led her to becomea high school math teacher.

Debby began her dream career as ahigh school math teacher, but she thenfelt a stronger tug as she answered thecall to enter the religious life with theSisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in

St. Louis.

During her years with the Sistersof St. Joseph, Debby ministered inseveral places: Reicher High School,Waco, exas (1983-85); Aquinas HighSchool, Augusta, Georgia (1985);St. Joseph Hospital, Kansas City,Missouri (1985-86); Clearwater,

Florida (1986); Montara, California(1986-87); St. Cronan Parish,St. Louis (1987-89).

After 14 years as a sister with the CSJs,Debby decided to leave the communityand begin a new life as a layperson inAlabama. Debby shared a home with

her good friend Robin Smitherman,who had also left the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Having never left the spirituality andcharism, both Debby and Robin laterbecame CSJ associates. Debby wrotein her associate application form of herdesire to be “more connected with theCSJ community, and to remain closerto the heart of the Community of St.

Joseph.”

She also shared that she “realized astrengthened relationship with God asa result of a serious medical condition,”and she had “a greater appreciation forthose who suffer and for the sufferingsChrist underwent for us all.” Debbywas one of the founding members forthe Fairhope Associate Community.

Debby spoke with her family oftenabout how much Fairhope and thesurrounding communities in BaldwinCounty had become a true homefor her. With her interest in servingothers, Debby found her niche as themembership director at the SouthBaldwin Chamber of Commerce, hermost favorite job.

Debby also found much joy in herparish, St. Margaret of Scotland inFoley, Alabama. At Debby’s funeral, hersister Marcia spoke of how much shewas “spiritually fed” at St. Margaret’swith the wide variety of ministries thatwere available. Debby sang in the choirand lead the rosary. She also loved the

beautiful windows at St. Margaret.

Debby is remembered for herdedication to serving others her wholelife and her faithfulness to God. Shewas also a big fan of the University ofAlabama’s football team, the Crimsonide.

Marcia explained in the eulogy thatDebby had a habit of saying “Are you

sitting down?” before sharing goodnews. With the family’s relief thatDebby’s suffering and pain was over,Marcia closed the eulogy and tributeto Debby and said, “Are you sittingdown?”

She then asked everyone to “respondwith the good news that we all know:‘Debby is in heaven.’” Tat was thepractice run. Marcia then asked

everyone to respond again, for real:“Are you sitting down? Debby is inheaven!”

Roll ide.Amen.

Kay Komotos, CSJA

Deborah Diane Marino, CSJA J une 23, 1951 - J uly 31, 2015

Ded ic a ted to serv ing othe rs a nd fa i th fu lness to G od



22/24


CSJ EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

SOURCE & SUMMITby Associate Mary Kay Christian,

province liturgist

Tis spring was busy in the chapel with theEarth Mama concert and the sisters’ retreatsas well as the 60th Jubilee Mass. Te summerbrought another Catch the Fire concert andthe Province Assembly.

We entered the season of fall with awonderful concert by Sara Tomsen and aone-woman play about the life of DorothyDay at the end of September. In Octoberwe will once again celebrate Founders Day

with Mass. Finally, in November our annualAll Souls Day Mass and the Associates’Tanksgiving Celebration will bring us to theclose of Ordinary ime and into the seasonof Advent.

LITURGY CALENDAR

October

7 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.14 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

15 Founders Day Mass 5:00 p.m.21 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.28 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

November 2 All Souls Mass 11:00 a.m.4 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

11 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.18 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.22 Associate Thanksgiving Mass 10 a.m.24 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

EARTH MAMA (top)

Joyce Johnson Rouse spread her joy of the earth through song in the

Holy Family Chapel on April 17.

SARA THOMSEN (middle)

Singer-songrwriter Sara Thomsenwas blessed by the audience

members during her concert thatcelebrated the Year of Consecrated

Life.

HAUNTED BY GOD (left)

Lisa Wagner-Carollo gave a

resounding performance and trulybrought Dorothy Day to life in herone-woman show Haunted by God:

The Life of Dorothy Day on Sept. 27.


23/24


Founders

DayCelebration Thursday Oct. 15

5:00 p.m.Holy Family Chapel

Join us for liturgy anddinner. RSVP by Monday,

Oct. 1 to 314-481-8800 [email protected].

Pictured:

Mother Celestine Pommerel

MISSOURI CHORALSOCIETY IN CONCERT

Saturday, Dec. 5 at 2:30 p.m.Holy Family Chapel

Back by popular demand, the Missouri

Choral Society, a community chorusfrom St. Charles will perform avariety of selections celebrating the

Christmas season.

Admission is free.

To learn more about the MCS, visitmissourichoralsociety.com.

ST. LOUIS

Stoking the Fire o f Resil ie nc e

with Cathy Modde, CSJA

Saturday, Oct. 179-11 a.m.

Carondelet Motherhouse

Explore spiritual sources of resilience

and ways to fan the flames of the

resilience within (even if it feels like just a little spark) to stay strong and

bounce back in hard times.

Cost: $16Register by Oct. 12 to

314-678-0307 or [email protected]

KANSAS CITY

Doing Ord ina ry Thing s with

Extra ord inary Lov e

with Sisters Becky Holley &Mary Jo Logan

Saturday, Oct. 249-11 a.m.

Avila University,Whitfield Center

Sisters Becky and Mary Jo celebrate Jean Vanier, founder of L’Archeinternational communities throughstories, songs and the message of

L’Arche, challenging the world oneheart at a time.

Cost: $16Registration: Visit csjsl.org/events toregister online and learn more aboutthe event.

SAVE THE DATES

LEARN MORE AND VIEW OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS AT CSJSL.ORG.

ALL SOULSEUCHARISTICCELEBRATION

Monday, Nov. 2 at 11 a.m.Holy Family Chapel

In celebration of All Souls, the Sistersof St. Joseph of Carondelet willremember your deceased loved ones.

If you would like to join us for

Eucharist and refreshments,RSVP on or before Nov. 2 to314-678-0326 or [email protected].


24/24

LEADERSHIP CALENDAR

NEXT ISSUE: November/DecemberPNN & Directory ChangesSubmission Deadline: Nov. 10 • Publication Date: Dec . 1Fo r a c om p le t e PNN sc hed u l e , v isit M em b e r s On l y a t w w w . c sjsl. o rg .

October

2-3 Fontbonne Alum Weekend (RS)

5-7 Heartland Federation Mtg., St. Paul (MF, ML,RS, LS)

8 LCWR Breakfast (ML, RS, LS) Wine & Chocolate Event (ML, LS, RS)

10 Sectional Mtg. (RS)10 Associate Leadership Board (LS)12 Development Advisory Council (ML)15 Executive Committee, SJID (MF)

15 Founder’s Day Mass & Dinner (RS, LS)16 Mission Integration Committee, Fontbonne (MML)17 Linger Over Breakfast (LS)

17 Fontbonne Board Mtg. (MML)17 Sponsorship Task Force Mtg. (MML, RS)

19-20 Carol Zinn, SSJ (MML)19 Elder Care Study Group (ML, MML)

22-23 Council/Corporation Mtgs. (All)31 Mass for Consecrated Life, Archdiocese of St. Louis (ML, MML, RS, LS)

November

2 PCRI Mtg. (MML)2 All Souls Mass (RS, LS)

3-5 LCWR Region X Mtg., Carondelet(MF, MML, RS)

3-8 Federation Leadership Assembly, Albany (ML, LS)6 Cardinal Ritter Senior Services Benefit (MML, RS)

7 Sponsorship, Phase II (MML, RS)9 Agenda Committee Mtg. (MF, ML)

9 SJA Board Mtg. (RS)12 LCWR Breakfast (MML, RS, LS)12 Executive Committee, SJID (MF)14 Government Committee Mtg. (LS)

14 Avila University Celebration (RS)16-17 Council/Corporation Mtgs. (All)18 Investment Managers’ Mtgs. (All)

19 SJID Board Mtg. (MF)23 Elder Care Study Group (ML, MML)

26-27 Thanksgiving Break, Of fice Closed (All)

December

1 Dept Head Mtg. (All)6-26 Gulu (ML)8 Nazareth Christmas Party (MF, MML, RS, LS)

10 LCWR Breakfast (MML, RS, LS)10-11 Avila Board Mtg. (RS)14-15 Council/Corporation Mtgs. (MF, MML, RS, LS)

SISTERS OF ST . JOSEPH OF CARONDELET 2015

THURSDAY, OCT. 8 . 6:00-8:00 P.M.CARONDELET MOTHERHOUSE

$30 per person

For more information and to register/pay online, visit csjsl.org.

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