By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager
After 20 years of ministry at Siena House, Sr. Cely Byrnes, OP, a Sister of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, retired as Director of Operations.
Sr. Cely shared, “I’ve been planning retirement for three years, and finally, three months ago, I decided that this was the moment (to retire) and time to move on.”
Siena House, which Sr. Cely refers to as a “very dynamic place,” is a ministry site that she trusts “will be around for the future.”
How can we help those we cannot see? How does one empower those who are in chains? Human trafficking, as far-reaching and insidious as a global pandemic, knows no boundaries—whether by online home invasions or physical coercions dressed as dreams.
Pleas watch our newest video on Sr. Marie! She shares her story on how she became a Presentation Sister and what ministries she felt called to. Click this link to see the video! https://youtu.be/cgMgZbhLgKc
Video also can be found on our social media sites
In May, Sister Alexandria was honored by Msgr. McClancy Memorial High School in East Elmhurst, Queens, for her work on the school's Board of Directors for the past seven years. This award is “the highest honor bestowed by McClancy high school for character, leadership, achievement and service.” The school published a short biography of S. Alex, including her latest endeavor which involves conducting an ethnographic study in India on the indigenous language, Mangalorean Konkami.
During the week of May 25th, twenty-eight students from Dominican universities and colleges from around the country as well as 12 mentors and 25 presenters came together virtually to celebrate the 20th year of the National “Preaching in Action” Conference. The participating universities/colleges included Albertus Magnus College, CT; Caldwell University, NJ; Dominican College, NY; Dominican University, CA; Edgewood College, WI; Molloy College, NY; Ohio Dominican University, OH; and Siena Heights University, MI.
Congratulations to Sr. Mary Flood of the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York!
In late April, Sr. Mary was honored as a Woman of Distinction for the 97th Assembly District, which includes Orangetown and Ramapo.
The Women of Distinction honorees were nominated by community members, then selected by Assemblyman Mike Lawler, and presented with an official NYS Assembly Proclamation.
On May 1, Sister of St. Dominic of Amityville Margaret Smyth, OP, presented No Room for Them in the Inn as part of an ongoing online series for The Year of St. Joseph sponsored by the Vicars of Religious of the Dioceses of Brooklyn and Rockville Centre in New York.
S. Margaret -- the Founder of the Northfork Spanish Apostolate-- works with the Spanish-speaking community on the east end of Long Island.
Here is the video posted to our social medias.
Facebook: https://fb.watch/5Ly5kv4jr0/
Youtube: https://youtu.be/m6CPmFncscw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CPYjguPlH2s/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PBVM_Sisters
By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager
The 2021 Virtual Nun Run/Walk 5K looked much different from past events but was undoubtedly just as memorable.
From May 8th until May 16th, runners and walkers throughout the country participated in the Nun Run/Walk from their hometowns.
Mary Margaret Schroeder was the overall winner with a time of 23:44. Daniel Rickard finished in second with a time of 24:39, and Julia Shideler placed third with a time of 28:05.
An exhibit featuring the works of three Latina women artists opened on May 22 at the Marie Louise Trichet Art Galery at Wisdom House, Litchfield, CT.
LEVITICUS FUND WILL ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF LEGACY FUND, INTRODUCE FOUNDING MEMBERS
Thursday, May 20 at approximately 10:15 a.m. - During Virtual Annual Meeting of Members
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Media is invited to attend and cover
The third and final zoom session on transgender ministry for women and men religious will be on Friday, May 21st from 1:00-2:30 pm EST. The presenter will be Deacon Ray Dever from the Diocese of St. Petersbury, FL. Deacon Ray has an adult transgender daughter and is a frequent speaker and writer on matters of faith in the LGBTQ+ community.
The link is here.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82493566016?pwd=OVpObTgwNUc2NmtUd1pueVlxUW9zZz09
In today's world of isolation, we feel a call in our hearts to create connections of love and hope. Join us as we deepen our relationship with the Creator and all of creation in a day of discovery, play, reflection and inspiration. This three-hour program will include online prayer, discussion, and offline reflecting including interacting with nature in your own environment.
By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager
In a world full of endless distractions such as addicting technology, social media, constant sensational news, it is sometimes difficult to find God in the everyday.
These distractions often take up valuable time, leading to wasted days while the world goes on around us.
By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager
Sr. Ceil Lavan, OP, is one of the fiercest advocates that you will ever meet.
In her ministry as Justice Promoter for the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York, you can almost always find her on the frontlines of the congregation’s advocacy efforts.
In a recent episode of the Hearts Afire Podcast, Sr. Ceil discussed her ministry and what is behind her motivation, and how that drives her activism.
Sister Eileen Connor has been selected for the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award from St. John's University with the Collins College of Professional Studies. She has been an adjunct professor there for 14 years in the Humanities Department teaching Philosophy Core and Ethics courses. This award recognizes those who have made a sustained and outstanding contribution and epitomize the mission of the school.
The True Cost: Stories of Human Trafficking, written production by Jenny Magnus performed by Still Point Theartre Collective, a Chicago non=profit, gives voice to the forgotten ones: the people sho are forced into sexual servitude; the chilcren who are exploited for slave labor; the adults who are lured into domestic labor that turns out to be entrapment. Following the production, there will be a post show panel discussion with local experts and acitivists.
The event is on Zoom. A link to the event will be sent upon RSVP.
After years of hard work, the community of Sol Naciente and the Village of Once, El Salvador, has a new well and clean running water pumped into the homes of 38 families.
What began as a mission trip of Molloy College and Dominican College to help the village of Amityville Dominican Sister Flor Buruca, blossomed into a beautiful relationship between its people and the building of a new well.
Please join the Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, for a Livestream Sara Thomsen Concert of Celebration and Gratitude Wednesday, May 12,
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Streaming live on youtube.com/clintonfranciscans
Ursuline Sisters of Toledo, Ohio Leadership Team’s Statement on Racism
The Ursuline Sisters of the Sacred Heart Leadership Team stand together to confront the destructive effects of racism on our communities and our country.
In the spirit of the FSPA provocative movement to build bridges of relationships that stretch us to be people of encounter who stand with all suffering in our Earth Community, and educating ourselves on the intersection of climate crisis, racism, and migration, the FSPA Encuentro@TheBorder group has commissioned a team to respond to an emergency call from Catholic Charities.
A mother, grandmother, great grandmother and Presentation Sister. Watch this video to hear Sr. Stella’s story and learn how she became a Presentation Sister.
Here are the links:
Youtube link: https://youtu.be/LK-9HkUoI3I
Facebook link: https://fb.watch/52JQ7AqxJD/
Twitter link: https://twitter.com/PBVM_Sisters
The Sisters of St. Francis Franciscan Peace Center will show the movie Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem via Zoom on Tuesday, May 27, at 6:30 p.m. The 30-minute film will be followed by a group discussion.
S. Francis Piscatella is turning 108 on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. When Sister of St. Dominic of Amityville Francis Piscatella entered the order in 1931, it was a different time! Due to a perceived disability- as a child her arm had been amputated -she was declined admittance by four Religious communtities. When she was accepted by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, she proved there was nothing she couldn't do!
In appreciation of our valued partners in mission on staff and in support of the the actions of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), the Seventh Generation for Interfaith Coalition for Responsible Investment and Raise the Wage Act of 2021, we have partnered with Wipfli consultants to begin a compensation project that will ultimately raise the organization’s minimum wage to $15 in 2021.