I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.

32 Pages·2013·2.34 MB·English

Spring/Summer 2013 y Vol. 5 y no. 1
One
The CongregaTion of The
SiSTerS of ST. JoSeph
This
Much
imagine
“I have come that they
may have life, and have it
more abundantly.”
John 10:10
as Sisters of St. Joseph flows
from the purpose for which the congregation exists: We live
and work that all people may be united with god and with
one another.
We, the Congregation of St. Joseph, living out of our common Spring/Summer 2013 y Vol. 5 y no. 1
tradition, witness to God’s love transforming us and our world.
recognizing that we are called to incarnate our mission and imagineONE is published twice yearly,
charism in our world in fidelity to God’s call in the Gospel, we in Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter,
commit ourselves to these Generous Promises through 2013. by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
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We, the Congregation of St. Joseph, promise to take the risk CenTral OffiCe
Outro s urmrendiers osuri loivens and resources to work for specific
3430 rocky river Drive
systemic change in collaboration with others so that the
Cleveland, OH 44111-2997
hungers of the world might be fed.
[phone]
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We, the Congregation of St. Joseph, promise to recognize
WiTH SiGnifiCanT PreSenCe in
the reality that earth is dying, to claim our oneness with
Baton rouge, la Minneapolis-St. Paul, Mn
earth and to take steps now to strengthen, heal and renew
Cincinnati, OH nazareth, Mi
the face of earth.
Cleveland, OH new Orleans, la
z Crookston, Mn Tipton, in
We, the Congregation of St. Joseph, promise to network
Detroit, Mi Wheeling, WV
with others across the world to bring about a shift in the
laGrange Park, il Wichita, KS
global culture from institutionalized power and privilege
Kyoto, Japan
to a culture of inclusivity and mutuality.
leaDerSHiP TeaM
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We, the Congregation of St. Joseph, promise to be
Sister Pat Bergen, CSJ
mutually responsible and accountable for leadership
Sister Jeanne Cmolik, CSJ
in the congregation.
Sister nancy Conway, CSJ
Sister Kathleen Durkin, CSJ
Sister Marie Hogan, CSJ
We Care about all Creation
Sister Jeannie Masterson, CSJ
Sister Marguerite O’Brien, CSJ
in awareness of our mission, the Congregation of St. Joseph is pleased
to present this issue of imagineone, which has been produced in an eDiTOrial anD DeSiGn
environmentally sustainable way.
executive editor
Pat Milenius, Director of Mission advancement
[email protected]
Grace Skalski, editor
[email protected]
Gina Sullivan, art Director
[email protected]
SJ
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ba ann Hultgren
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central office listed above.
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I n sId e
4 One
Message from leadership

5-18

upfront
Leadership for new challenges
Neighboring aNew
Celebrating Tipton
Federation novices
Welcome Erin
Antitrafficking efforts continue
ARISE Chicago
CSJ associate’s faith journey
Congregation awards grants
Young artists shine
Sisters celebrate life
imagine
a good reason for a parade
Spirit of Giving
Before graduating from our St. mary kindergarten in Kikuchi, Japan,
six-year-olds celebrated their last sports day with a parade.
31
Reflection: Plenitude
F e a t u r e s
by sister Christine L. Parks, CsJ
19
God’s total giving teaches us how to live abundantly
On the cover:
SPRING/SUMMER 2013 y VOL. 5 y NO. 1
ONE Creator God, Savior God by sister Cynthia sabathier, CsJ
TSHISET ECROSN OGFR SETG.A JTOIOSENP HOF THE and Counselor God, three
This persons in One God, have 21
Much
poured themselves out It is in giving that we receive
imagine entirely in unconditional by sister Jeanne Cmolik, CsJ
love for humankind: love
ma“yI h haavvee l icfoem, aen tdh ahta vthee iyt as big as the sky and the 24
more abundantly.”
John 10:10 oceans, love as big as the God’s overflowing love seeks the common good
universe and beyond.
by sister Marilyn nickol, CsJ
Why? “That they may have (life) more abundantly,”
27
Jesus said. That we may live from a sense of
Oh God, make me a not-so-material person
abundance, seeking nothing more than what is
by sister Judith Minear, CsJ
necessary, and always sharing from the reservoir
of abundant love and compassion with all people,
without distinction. 29
Abundant love enables all stages of life
by sister Mary ellen Loch, CsJ, LMsW
Leadership Team reflects on…
Living Abundantly
much.” it makes a powerful impression until the
burgeoning demands of family and work, government
and society, the economy, the environment, health care
and so much more begin to drown out God’s message of
God’s total love for us. So we need to be reminded, as on
this issue’s cover.
in her cover article on page 19, Sister Cynthia Sabathier, CSJ,
describes how God continuously pours out God’s whole
being to convey abundance of love for all of creation.
“How is it,” she asks “that we miss the message that we
are to do likewise?”
Our founder, father Jean Pierre Medaille, SJ, made the
connection when he envisioned the Sisters of St. Joseph
to become “… the Congregation of the Great love of
God” — to receive God’s total love and compassion and
let it flow freely through us to all who are in need,
Back row from left, Sisters Jeannie Masterson, Jeanne Cmolik,
Kathleen Durkin, and Marguerite O’Brien. especially those who are most vulnerable in our world.
Front row seated from left, Sisters Pat Bergen, Nancy Conway, and
Marie Hogan. always mindful of God’s abundant, never-ending
compassion and love, we live from a sense of abundance,
“Do you love me?” is a question that’s been asked
“eyes open, ears attentive, spirit alert … sleeves rolled up
across the ages. in this holiest of seasons — Holy
for ministry, without excluding the more humble, the less
Week, easter, Pentecost and the ascension — we
pleasing, the less noticeable.”* That is why so many of
proclaim God’s response of expansive, inclusive
the articles in this issue speak to living abundantly:
“YeS!” Jesus explained in John 10:10, “i came that
developing our leadership abilities to better use our
they may have life, and have it more abundantly.”
resources in ministry; standing in solidarity with
That is God’s plan. Thus, we can proclaim, “We are
immigrants who are victims of wage theft; giving grants
an easter People and alleluia is our song!”
to organizations working toward systemic change.
(St. Augustine, 4th Century)
We are an Easter People and alleluia is our song!
are you familiar with the story of someone, in a time
of doubt, asking Jesus how much he loved her? it’s
*From “Portrait of a Daughter of St. Joseph,” by Father Marius Nepper, SJ
said that Jesus stretched out his arms in the way they
had been positioned on the cross and said, “This
This is the last issue of imagineOne for the current Congregation leadership Team. We profoundly thank you for
standing in solidarity with us in mission these past six years. During easter Week, april 1-5, our sisters will take
part in our congregation’s second Chapter meeting where we will elect a new leadership team for the next five
years. We ask you to pray for all of us during that time.
4 imagineOne
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Anticipating 21st century challenges for leadership in our congregation, thirty-one of our sisters and their mentors took part in
a yearlong leadership development program.
Cultivating new leadenrsheipw fo r challenges
in January, thirty-one of our younger sisters and their CSJ mentors completed one year of developing leadership skills
focused on what will be necessary to meet the challenges the 21st century will present.
At their final meeting, keynote speaker Gregg from the congregation to develop a plan to
Servis from the full Circle Group, a business enhance her leadership abilities; participated in
whose competency is developing and working topical webinars; and read and discussed the
with leaders, stressed that the current economic, book, “WalK OuT WalK On: a learning
cultural, environmental, political and social Journey into Communities Daring to live the
challenges will require deeper inquiry into future,” by Margaret Wheatley and Deborah frieze.
better ways forward. Questions to ask are: Can
we look past what has worked in the past, see at a mid-year assessment, the participants noted
through our collective organizing assumptions that “leadership requires contemplation,” a
and find new ways to meet our mounting point they see as both an insight and a desire.
challenges? How do we evolve the leadership They also experienced a transformation in their
that is both conscious and capable enough to understanding of “leadership,” from the idea of
effectively capitalize on the opportunity one who is followed to seeing leadership as one
embedded in today’s complexity? whose presence, words, decisions and actions
can influence the world with the congregation’s
Since January 2012, each of the 31 participating mission of unity and its Generous Promises. l
sisters met with her coach and mentors drawn
CongregaTion of ST. JoSeph 5
Living Abundantly
Congregation plans for
Neighboring aNew
as time, life present new challenges
as our sisters consider what is foreseeable
about the congregation’s future and keep
abreast of the evolving signs-of-the-times
in order to serve the needs of our dear
neighbor, planning becomes a huge priority.
The vast change over just the past ten
years brought on by technology, the
economy, health care, social issues and
demographics already are having an impact
on the congregation’s physical presence in
communities we serve and the ministries
in which we can be most effective —
sometimes, perhaps, in new ways.
in 2011, a team of sisters and staff formally
took on that planning responsibility.
reaching back to when Sisters of St. Joseph
were first established 363 years ago in
lePuy, france, for the purpose of serving
the dear neighbor, the team identified its
Sister Marcella Clancy, CSJ, invited her audience in Cleveland to imagine new ways the
work as “neighboring anew.”
congregation can more effectively use its resources.
already, they have taken a number of steps housing/shelters for vulnerable populations,
to gather information needed to continue planning: integral spirituality, multigenerational education
and environmental initiatives.
• Taken an inventory of all of the congregation’s • Held meetings in January with national and local
physical properties, their occupancy/usage rates, “thought leaders,” and sisters and associates to
operating costs and potential uses. engage in broad, high-level conversation about
• Conducted a detailed survey of the sisters possible ministerial uses for our properties.
regarding their preferences for living The goals were to expand the congregation’s
arrangements. understanding about the needs and possibilities
• Asked sisters to indicate whether they affirm two thought leaders perceived to be present in their
neighboring anew agreements: geographic areas where our centers are located; to
1) to reduce the number of centers in order to better “reality check” our dreams in relationship to the
match the congregation’s current and future thought leaders’ views; to meet the criteria of
demographics; and 2) to affirm investigating comprehensive, realistic, implementable and
licensed care options (Medicaid) for sisters who sustainable uses; and to identify those possibilities
need skilled or assisted care. 79% of the sisters who that might be pursued further.
responded affirmed both agreements.
• Invited the sisters and associates attending Spring results from these meetings had not yet been compiled
2012 assemblies to volunteer ideas for potential at this magazine’s press time. We will continue to report
uses for existing properties. ideas focused on on neighboring anew in future issues. l
6 imagineOne
upfront
Sisters, clergy and friends exit
a special last Mass together
celebrating all that the Sisters of
St. Joseph have meant to people
in the Tipton area since 1888.
Since 1888, Sisters of St. Joseph have served the community of Tipton, ind., and many parishes
throughout indiana and beyond. They came to teach, to serve people in need and to live the gospel.
On Sunday, October 28, St. Joseph Center in Tipton, intercessions offered by Sister Veronica Baumgartner, CSJ,
(Eccles. 3:1.)
Ind., was filled with friends whose lives have been expressed thanksgiving and abiding hope for the
touched by Sisters of St. Joseph. More than 400 guests future. “ We, Sisters of St. Joseph, are filled with
‘cTameo to weovrsheipr anyd tcehlebriatne wgith, th et sihsteres ornee la sti s graati tusdee anad jsoyo fonr al,l t hae blnessidngs wae h a ve received
time before sisters who lived at the center would move, in this place, for all that has been accomplished through
tanidm the ceen tetr woo ueldv cloeser itys d ooprs uat trhe penod osf e unusd, aned fror altl thhat eis toh comeea. Mvaye funtur.e ble ssings be
’
December. What a celebration it was! upon this building and our grounds, which we
relinquish to others. May new uses for them bring good
Several priests with personal ties to the sisters for people in the Tipton area and beyond.”
concelebrated Mass with Bishop William Higi, making
the day even more special. father Patrick Keith Hosey as St. Joseph Center closed its doors and sisters who
broke open the Word in the homily and Bishop Higi lived at the center moved to other CSJ centers, sisters
offered personal reflections. Each of these men recalled living away from the center remained in the area and
the faithfulness of these vital women of the church and continue in active ministry and prayer with and for the
offered words of comfort, challenge and gratitude. dear neighbor. l
CongregaTion of ST. JoSeph 7
Novices from St. Joseph congregations
grateful for time together
Sister Mary Flick, CSJ, a native of St. louis and also
with the St. Louis CSJs, reflected that she is in a mid-life
vocation change and said, “i had been with a religious
community during the 1980’s; those were difficult times
for us. But now, two decades later, i have found in
women religious a new spirit for a new time.”
Sister Heather Ganz, CSJ, a long island new Yorker
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re from the CSJs in Brentwood, n.Y., added, “i am
g
ult continually amazed at the growth in my life. i am
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Sister Zita Iwuoha, CSJ, a native of nigeria, West
The Novitiate women are (l to r) Sisters Mary Flick, CSJ; Alison McCrary, CSJ;
africa, from the Baden, Pa., CSJs, said, “i live and share
Clare Bass, CSJ; Heather Ganz, CSJ; Kelly Smock, SSJ; and Zita Iwuoha, CSJ.
life with other energetic women who are as excited as i
am in learning more about this precious “Congregation
at the u. S. federation of Sisters of St. Joseph novitiate of the Great love of God.”
House, which moved to Chicago on rotation from
Orange, Calif., in the summer of 2011, six dynamic Sister Kelly Smock, SSJ, of Springboro, Pa., and from
women are wrapping up an eight-month segment of the SSJs in erie, Pa., sums up her experience by saying,
their novitiate, discerning about becoming women “it is a sacred time of growing even more into the
religious. The federation is a union of 16 member woman God has called me to become.”
congregations of Sisters of St. Joseph throughout the
u.S. and Canada who trace their common origins to “relationships really are at the heart of who we are, and
le Puy, france, in 1650. Today they number 5,000 it’s because of those relationships that the Spirit helped
sisters, nearly 2,900 associates and 11 agrégées. me to find the CSJs and the CSJs to find me,” said Sister
Alison McCrary, CSJ. She is from rural Georgia, a
Two program directors serve as guides for the women. member of the eastern Band of the Cherokee and a
They are Sisters Bernadette Dean, CSJ, and anne Davis, novice with our own Congregation of St. Joseph. “i am
CSJ. Together, they prepare the formation program, grateful to have had this Sabbath time of the novitiate
inviting presenters from member congregations to to allow God to open my heart to all that is possible.
speak on topics particular to the history, spirit and
spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The next step for each of these novices, when ready, will
be when they ask to make their first profession of vows. l
While reactions to the program vary, they hold a
common thread called thankfulness. “i have not found
this experience to be easy, but I feel fulfilled, engaged
and joyful,” said Sister Clare Bass, CSJ, a Mississippi
native from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in
St. louis.
8 imagineOne
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‘Love of God and neighbor without exception’
Our congregation is pleased to of faith, service and solidarity with worked as a cook for the sisters’
announce that we have accepted the poor have changed and convent at St. raphael Parish there.
erin McDonald as a candidate for transformed me. … i have been so “She sat me in the kitchen with her
vowed membership. erin, who profoundly changed by these while she cooked,” erin recalls.
earned a bachelor of psychology experiences that i am choosing to “Those sisters influenced my
degree from Wheeling Jesuit live a life completely rooted in love earliest memories.”
university in Wheeling, W. Va., and of God and love of neighbor as a
a master of social work degree from Sister of St. Joseph. erin connected with the Sisters of St.
West Virginia university in Joseph of Wheeling in the summer
Morgantown, W. Va., returned to “after serving two years as a of 2000, when she was a student at
Wheeling last summer from humanitarian aid worker with the regis College in Weston, Mass., and
working two years in ministry in Jesuit refugee Service in rwanda, i participated in our “Volunteers in
rwanda, africa, with the Jesuit have seen and experienced, Mission Program.” She then
refugee Service. She is currently firsthand, the brokenness in our transferred to Wheeling Jesuit
working for Catholic Charities world that is crying out for unity university to complete her degree in
West Virginia in the Diocese of and reconciliation,” erin explains. psychology. later, she became the
Wheeling-Charleston. “as a candidate to become a Sister assistant director, then director of
of Saint Joseph, i am called to be a the Service for Social action Center
referring to the description from catalyst for positive change and at the university.
the congregation’s mission, “a healing in our wounded and
Sister of St. Joseph moves always fractured world.” as she begins her candidacy, erin
toward profound love of God and says, “i pray for the courage to
love of neighbor without distinction, Originally from Massachusetts, erin follow God’s call wherever it leads
from whom she does not separate had an early connection with the me and to embrace, with an open
herself,” erin says, “it encompasses Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston. When heart and mind, whatever the future
the ways in which my experiences she was a child, her grandmother of religious life may hold.” l
STepS in The formaTion of a SiSTer of ST. JoSeph
Inquiry: a time when women who are Novitiate: a two-year period in chastity and obedience and working
considering religious life get to know us which the novice lives in community in full-time ministry. It is also a time of
through shared experiences of prayer, and continues to discern her call as continued discernment about a lifelong
ministry and discernment. she experiences the life of a Sister of commitment as a Sister of St. Joseph.
St. Joseph. It is a time that includes
Candidacy: a time to live in community a concentrated program of prayer, Perpetual vows: In making perpetual
and share the life and mission of study, reflection and limited ministerial vows, a Sister of St. Joseph commits
the congregation. This provides an engagement. herself to lifelong vows of poverty,
opportunity for the candidate and the chastity and obedience and dedicates
congregation to get to know each other Initial profession: a time of living as herself to God, to unifying love in
more deeply. a sister for three-to-six years with initial community and to serve a world in need.
vows of poverty,
CongregaTion of ST. JoSeph 9
Major entertainment
events for some mean
literal slavery
for others
as you may have read in our Spring/Summer issue
last year, religious communities in the u.S. have
been working to put a stop to human sex trafficking
that thrives around major events like the Super
Bowl, Mardi Gras, and major conventions. This year,
women religious in new Orleans and Baton rouge,
like those in indianapolis for the Super Bowl last
year, spent months organizing and contacting
general managers in the area lodging industry
offering to deliver information on how to spot
traffickers; offering training for their employees on
how to report suspect behavior; urging management
to sign a code of conduct agreement and inform
travelers of their no tolerance policy for human
trafficking on their premises.
in addition, they invited all of our sisters in the
congregation to pray in the weeks prior to the Super
In New Orleans, our Sisters Barbara Hughes, Bowl to St. Josephine Bakita, who, herself, was a
CSJ (left), and Ellen Poche, CSJ, assembled victim of trafficking. Meanwhile, students of St.
information packets that were delivered to Joseph academy in Baton rouge chose to support a
hotel and other lodging general managers
safe house during the effort.
in louisiana, this work was doubly important,
because shortly after the february 3rd Super Bowl
came Mardi Gras, culminating on february 12th
with even more potential for sex trafficking. l
10 imagineOne