Community News

By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager

Throughout her ministry at St. Pius V Parish & School in Rhode Island, Sr. Shirley Jeffcott, OP, has impacted many lives.

Whether she was teaching in the school or answering phones in the parish office, Sr. Shirley has always done “whatever needs to be done” to support the St. Pius V community.

With the school year approaching, Sr. Shirley has been helpful to the St. Pius V School administration as she has met with the incoming principal to help her learn about the history of the school.

Seven notable musicians will travel to Frankfort, Illinois, on September 2, 2020, to perform a live, private concert at St. Francis Woods for Sister M. Anna Clare Meyer's 105th birthday. That week, Sister is also celebrating her 85th anniversary of serving as a Franciscan Sister of the Sacred Heart. Trombonist Robert Graham, Sister Anna Clare's nephew by marriage, assembled the band of musicians for this special occasion.

Are you interested in religious life? Want to discover your passion and hear the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity share about serving others while in mission? MSBT Sisters invite single women, age 18+ that are discerning religious life to join them in a virtual discernment retreat. Perfect for those considering religious life, enjoy service and value faith sharing and reflection.

Please help me spread the word!

I would like you Zoom with the Springfield Dominicans Friday, September 18th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (Central Time Zone).  We will be discussing our vowed life, community life, prayer life and our mission and ministry; a panel of sisters will be doing these short presentation; there will be time for small group discussion; and then a round of “QUICK CONVERSATION” with sisters, as we move you in and out of the breakout rooms.

This evening is just “a glimpse” of who we are!  Come and ZOOM.

Congregation Spotlight: Saying Goodbye to St. Luke's School

By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager

In early July, the St. Luke's School community received devastating news.

The Archdiocese of New York announced on July 9th the closing of 20 Catholic schools due to the financial impact of COVID-19, and St. Luke's School was one of six schools located in the Bronx on that list.

August 3-5, 2020, the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville gathered in Chapter, which is our meeting held every six years to plan for the future and respond to the needs of our community and world.

Tragic events from March to August led us to shift our agenda to respond to them. Our mission statement proclaims in part: “Our mission…cutting across socio-economic, racial and national boundaries, assists [all] to live more fully and develop a personal relationship with God.” Thus, as women of peace since 1535, we renew our commitment to work for peace and justice for all.

Sisters Come from Varied Backgrounds in Education, Healthcare and Advocacy Work for Impoverished, Deaf Ministry in the United States and Peru

LOUISVILLE, KY (August 5, 2020) – Five Ursuline Sisters of Louisville committed themselves to guiding the 162-year-old congregation of Sisters and Associate members that today minister with communities and individuals, near and far, in a variety of ways.

Ministry During a Pandemic: Sr. Barbara Duffy, OP

By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager

“Learn to generously share what you have with those who ask for help, and don’t close your heart to the one who comes to borrow from you.” -Matthew 5:42

Over the past few months, many of us have used quarantine as a time to pick up new hobbies or complete projects around the house that we never had a chance to complete.

Congregation Spotlight: Cathy McCann, Associate

By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager

Cathy McCann has been quite busy over the past few months.

At the beginning of the COVID outbreak, she came out of retirement to assist the New Jersey VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) in handling the initial pandemic response at food banks and pantries across the state.

By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager, Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, NY

Since March, it has felt as if life has been on pause, and only recently, that the world is beginning to get back to a “new normal.”

For Sr. Monica Paul Fraser, OP, a Sister of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, and a Pastoral Associate at Incarnation Church in Sarasota, Florida, her return back to her ministry couldn’t have come at a better time.

Germany, July 25: At the just concluded Regional Council, a new Council team for the German Region of Ancillae Secular Institute has been elected. Aniela Lichy is the newly elected Regional Directress and Sieglinde Werner, Valsamma Varghese, Sabine Baumann and Maria Kraushaar has been elected as the councilors.

As the COVID-19 pandemic and its far-reaching implications continue to unfold globally and in our communites, the Ancillae more than ever is compelled to make their “Apostolate of Presence’ relevant to the needs and needy of these troubled times. While Ancillae communities are at the service of the people in many and various ways, Marykutty Michael at Ulhasnagar, Mumbai is setting trends for reaching out during pandemic by her Tele-counselling initiatives. 

Incarnate Word Foundation is pleased to sponsor billboards across the St. Louis, Missouri area which host a message from the St. Louis Catholic Sisters. Calling for racial justice and requesting prayer to end hatred and violence, the Congregations affirming this message are: 

The Ursuline Sisters of the Eastern Province are pleased to announce the transition of their  Leadership Team 2020-2025.

Sister Maureen Welch, OSU – Provincial;
Sister Brenda Buckley, OSU – Councilor; and
Sister Patricia Schifini, OSU – Councilor.

The new team took office July 1, 2020. Please join us in praying for them and welcoming them in these roles. All three served on the previous council in other roles.

St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry (St. Charles, MO) has initiated a quarterly newsletter THE CHANNEL to highlight our efforts to promote Catholic social justice and peace.  In the Peace Prayer of St. Francis we sing “Make me a channel of Your peace…”. We hope this newsletter will be a “channel” to you to join us in our Mission to promote the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching and inspire their fulfillment within us, our faith community, and in the wider world. 

Our focus encompasses:

Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI professes First Vows on Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 2PM in Dayton, OH.  The Dayton Marianist Sisters and a few Marianist Brothers who shared her novitiate experience will be present, but hundreds of her family friends and the Marianist Family, religious and lay will particiapte in the Mass via livestream.  Sr.

The Sisters were engaged in the news media coverage of the racism demomstrations around the country and wanted to show some sign of involvement. Yet they were very aware of COVID-19 safety guidelines. However, on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 the communitty of the Sisters of St. Mary decided to gather in the driveway and over onto the front lawn of the Sisters of St. Mary Center for a peaceful home protest. The Center is located on a residential street on the westside of Buffalo, NY. The Sisters carried signs that read, "Love is stronger than Violence", "Against Racism", "Black Lives Matter".

At 9:35 a.m. on a sunny Minneapolis morning, Bao Phi is on his way to drop his daughter off at daycare. Knowing that they are running late, Bao rolls through a stop sign without waiting the designated 3 seconds, and is stopped by a police officer who approaches the car with his hand already on his pistol.

The Sisters of Mercy, West Midwest celebrate 55 jubilarians who entered the Mercy community from 25 to 75 years ago. Following the footsteps of Catherine McAuley, they served in a great variety of ministries including teaching, founding a free medical clinic, hospital chaplaincy, family law, and retreat direction. The hallmarks of their years as Sisters are a search for social justice and a faithful deepening of their own spiritual journeys.  Celebrations of their jubilees have been postponed and are still to be decided. For more information on each sister, click here.

As School Sisters of Notre Dame and as the Atlantic-Midwest Province, we lament the death of Mr. George Floyd of Minneapolis, who died from inhumane and cruel treatment at the hands of local police. The cries of Mr. Floyd for mercy, and for breath, resound through our hearts, calling us yet again to repent our complicity in the scourge and sin of racism.

You can read our full statement here.

Statement of the Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great on the Death of George Floyd

The Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great express deep sorrow and regret at the needless death of George Floyd. This occasion demands prayer, reflection, and urgent attention to the present moment. In a spirit of mourning we address this letter to the community.

The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady are the religious sponsor for Cristo Rey Baton Rouge Franciscan High School high school, ensuring that it is Catholic in identity and mission, true to the religious charism of the congregation. Cristo Rey Baton Rouge began the 2019-2020 school year with 174 students in grades 9-12. In May, the Class of 2020 was the first graduating class in the history of the school.

Ancillae Secular Institute members are going viral during the lockdown days.13th of May 2020 on the occassion of  the feast of  Our Lady of Fatima 'Ancillae Media' was launched with the aim of promoting 'Consecrated Secularity' and the 'Spirituality of Insertion' among today’s Cyber - Savvy generations. 

Sadness, frustration, fear, and anger are but a few of the disquieting emotions resulting from the egregious fatal arrest of George Floyd of Minneapolis.

Laudato SI' Week 2020 was celebrated with nine days (Novena) prayer and reflection in the provincial house community. 48 Sisters participated in the Novena. Before conducting the Novena, the young members of the community,15 of them were given a week training on Laudato SI' and I teamed them with me to conduct the Novena for the whole community. We prepared powerpoint presentation for each day from May 16-24 having a theme for each day with prayers and reflection from Laudato SI', On Care for Our Common Home.