News Notes

PROVINCE

SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF CARONDELET AND ASSOCIATES ST. LOUIS PROVINCE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

Inside this Issue

Together in Faith Event Series
Page 13
On Dec. 15, Brother Michael Mickey McGrath will present
his latest work around our patron, St. Joseph. And, check out
the newly-announced lineup for the 2015 Together in Faith
Event Series.

Year of Consecrated Life:

Come Catch the Fire

Province News Notes is a publication of

the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet,
St. Louis Province. Its purpose is to
promote dialogue and unity within the
St. Louis province and to keep members
informed on those subjects that promote
community and ministry.

Page 16-17
The Association of St. Louis Vocation Directors held its
rst of four Come Catch the Fire events on Nov. 13 at the
Carondelet Motherhouse. The program oers young adults an
opportunity to talk with peers about their faith journeys and
vocational discernments.

We welcome your submissions!

Submit articles and photos to Sarah Baker
(e-mail preferred to sbaker@csjsl.org).
**Materials are subject to editing and
will be published at the discretion of the
editor.
STAFF
Jenny Beatrice
Editor
Sarah Baker
Jenny Beatrice
Graphic Design
Susan Narrow &
Print Shop Volunteers
Production, printing and mailing
S. Jane Behlmann, CSJ
S. Charline Sullivan, CSJ
S. Mary Flick, CSJ
Proofreading

Contents
Province Leadership News ......................................................................................... 3-5
CLT/CLG.............................................................................................................................6
Imagine If .............................................................................................................................7
Nazareth Living Center ...................................................................................................8
Senior Ministry ..................................................................................................................9
Association ................................................................................................................ 10-11
Justice .................................................................................................................................12
Together in Faith Event Series......................................................................................13
Liturgy................................................................................................................................14
Vocation/Formation ........................................................................................................15
Year of Consecrated Life........................................................................................ 16-17
Carondelet Chronicles ..................................................................................................18
Sharing of the Heart ................................................................................................ 19-22
Gulu....................................................................................................................................23
CSJ Documents: Sectionals ...........................................................................................24
Meeting Our Ancestors .................................................................................................25
Necrology: Associate Rose Ann Segelle .....................................................................26
Necrology: Sister Margaret Hamm .............................................................................27
Calendars ..........................................................................................................................28

On the Cover
A dedication was held on Oct. 29 for the sixth of 10 murals on Broadway
in Carondelet.The latest addition, designed by local artist Vesna Delevska,
celebrates the growth and transformation of Carondelet over the years with the
guidance and leadership of the CSJs.The mural is located at 7518 S. Broadway.
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November/December 2014 PNN

Province Leadership
Give Thanks

by Sister Marilyn Lott

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you. (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
Paul was correct when he wrote that we should be thankful
in all circumstancesthankful to God for Gods goodness
and grace. Thanksgiving gives us time to look at our lives and
relationships and see how these moments have blessed and
challenged us. It is a time to be grateful.
Gratitude magnies our experience of the good things in
life, enabling us to enjoy them more thoroughly. Gratitude
also helps us to endure the hard things in life with dignity,
perhaps even with humor. Gratitude is like savoring a ne
meal and enjoying every bite, rather than racing through a
meal as if its some sort of race.
Gratitude also invites us to be grateful not only for what
we have, but for who we are, the opportunities weve had,
and the skills and health we might enjoy. It includes our
strengths and weaknesses, challenges and gifts. Why should
we be thankful for our challenges and problems, you ask?
They all provide opportunities for us to grow and become
more the person we want to be.
What are you are grateful for? Who are the people that help
you to become your best self?
Gratitude is creative. People bound together by gratitude
are always discovering and awakening abundant sources of
strength. The more thankful a person is, the richer he or she
is within. Thankful people store up in their grateful memory
all the good experiences of the past. As the French proverb
states, Gratitude is the hearts memory.

Back: Sisters Moe Freeman, Rita Marie Schmitz and Mary

Margaret Lazio. Front: Sisters Marilyn Lott and Linda Straub.

gratitude are truly rich. They not only know they have been
blessed, but they continuously remember that all good
things come from God. Therefore, remembrance is essential
in practicing the virtue of gratitude.
To acknowledge others, to say thank you, is a mark of
greatness. The courage to thank (that is, the courage to see
the gifts and experiences of this world) changes not only
the person who gains this insight, but the environment, the
world and those who surround that person.
As you live this moment, take time to look around you
hear the sounds, touch the earth and reect on all that is
present now. Thankfulness is a way to experience the world,
a way to perceive, and a way to be surprised. It is a way
of having our eyes opened and creating a short distance
between the eyes and the heart.
Take some time to remember and to give thanks. We thank
God for all of you and for the many ways that community
continues to be blessed day by day and moment by moment.
May this season of thanksgiving bring a sense of gratitude
to all of you and a reverence for all of creation. Blessings and
thank you.

One of the most important aspects in practicing gratitude

is the ability to say thank you to others and to take no one
and nothing for granted. Those who possess the virtue of

www.csjsl.org

Page 3

Province Leadership
Province Assembly 2015
From the Agenda Committee

Plans for the 2015 Assembly are under way. Although all the
details have not been nalized, the preliminary schedule has
been determined. We share with you the latest information
for your planning purposes. Please read carefully, as we have
some important changes to announce, all in the spirit of
experimenting and moving into newness.

The schedule, as conrmed to date, is as follows:

Changes to the Associate Assembly

Event to be held with Province Assembly
The 2015 Associate Assembly was originally scheduled for
June 6 and 7. For some time, there has been discussion about
having concurrent province and associate assemblies. Since
our chapter call encourages us to try something new, we will
experiment with this concurrent format. Therefore, please
remove the June 6-7, 2015 Associate Assembly dates from
your calendar.

Saturday, August 1
Keynote speaker and reection. Sisters and associates come
together for keynote speaker, S. Barbara Fiand, S.N.D. de N.

Province Assembly Schedule

Dates: Friday, July 31-Sunday, August 2
Location: St. Josephs Academy
We are pleased to announce that the 2015 Assembly will be
held at St. Josephs Academy. Not only do the facilities suit
our needs, but it is a wonderful way to be in relationship
with our sponsored institution.
The assembly weekend will incorporate both sister
and associate business, as well as communal time for
presentations, reection and prayer.

Feuerbacher
Grants
Available

Page 4

Friday, July 31
Concurrent business assemblies held. Two meetings held
simultaneously but separately: one for sisters and one for
associates.

Sunday, August 2
Joint session. Sisters and associates meet together until
noon.
Finance Meeting for Sisters
Date: Thursday, July 30 at 4 p.m.
Location: Carondelet Motherhouse
As we have done in the past, Sister Mary Fran Johnsons
nance presentation will be held prior to the start of
assembly in St. Josephs Hall at the motherhouse.
Please save the dates and arrange your schedules accordingly.
We will continue to keep you informed as the planning
continues.
The Agenda Committee: A. Nancy Broach, S. Maureen
Freeman, A. Alexandra Guliano, S. Joan Kaucher, S. Mary
Margaret Lazio, S. Marilyn Lott, A. Karen Monroe,
S. Kathleen Regan, S. Rita Schmitz, S. Linda Straub,
S. Jeanene Yackey

Applications for the next funding cycle of

Feuerbacher Grants are available at
csjsl.org in Members Only under Ministry
Funds. Applying for this grant is open to
organizations serving women and children
throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area.
For an electronic or hard copy, contact
Carol Underhill at cunderhill@csjsl.org or
314-678-0344.

November/December 2014 PNN

Applications must be postmarked by

Friday, Dec. 19 to be eligible.
Note that organizations applying will be
required to attend a morning gathering
on Saturday, Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon at
the Carondelet Motherhouse.

Corporation & Council

October Meeting
CORPORATION
Accepted
Corporate Resolution Authorizing Signatory of Stock Certicates
Audited Financial Statements, FY June 30, 2014
Minutes of Board of Directors of the Corporation Meeting
held Sept. 9.
August and September 2014 Financial Statements
Approved
Catholic Student Center Table Sponsorship$2,000
MICA Project Trivia Night Table Sponsorship$200
Baldwin County Catholic High School Capital Campaign$3,000
2015 Ignatian Spirituality Conference$1,000
Walker Scottish Rite Clinic$250
Midwest Pastoral Administrators Conference$2,000
Doctors Without Borders$500
North American Conference of Associates & Religious
(NACAR)$2,000
Discussed
Loan Proposal
Guidelines for Alternate Investments
Village at Nazareth
COUNCIL
Accepted
Minutes of the Province Council Meetings held Sept. 8-9
Approved
Travel Requests (5)
Patrimony Request (1)
Sabbatical Request (1)
St. Louis Province Leadership Sister Visits
2015 Assembly Meeting Space
Province Oce Christmas Party
Discussed
CSJ Response to Ferguson
Work on the Border Next Steps
November Agenda Committee Meeting
New Spring 2015 Sectional Dates
Updated
Vocation/Formation

Rest in Peace
October
14 S. Joan Sipe (SP)
S. Barbara Mary St. Andrews (A)
16 Bud Harper, brother of S. Sally Harper
28 Robert Rogers, brother of Associate Patty
Cassens, executive director of CSJ Mission
Advancement

November
4 John Sprague, nephew of S. Ann Chamblin
6

S. Frieda Kalenze (SP)

Lou Pace, brother of S. Ann Pace

Billie Chamblin, sister-in-law of S. Ann

Chamblin

S. Louisa Ayala (LA)

Thank You
From S. Kate Kitslaar: My family and I thank
all of you for the prayers and remembrances on
the loss of our sister, Mary. She is at peace at last.
From S. Mary Hugh McGowen and Mom:
I thank you for your prayers and messages.
A Thank You Poem
Stroke
Shock
Brain Bleed
Yet still I live
Life is a gift
Entitlement is worthless
Blessings so valuable

God Bless you for being our

blessings so valuable.

Ministry Changes
The following sisters moved to Nazareth Living
Center in St. Louis and serve in prayer and witness.
S. Mary Socorro Richey
S. Laura Ann Grady
www.csjsl.org

Page 5

CLT/CLG

Are We Ready to Enter into Deeper

Communion Within the Earth Community?

From the Congregational Ad Hoc Group on Communion within the Earth Community
A big thank you to those who lled out the survey on our
readiness to move into deeper communion with the Earth
community! We received responses from 37 percent of our
sisters and associates/consociates/Ohana/Familia, which we
hear is a good number for any survey.
The survey was designed to help the Ad Hoc Committee
get a sense of what our membership already knows and is
doing, and where we need information and processes to help
us go deeper. We learned that an overwhelming number of
respondents are motivated to deepen communion within the
Earth community by the idea of the sacredness of creation
and that we hold Earth in trust for those who come after us.
Responses indicated that we wish to continue to emphasize
our CSJ charism and spirituality in all of the processes and
experiences of this Call to Action.
Survey responses indicated a desire for information and
processes around the following issues. First, we need
information on the interrelatedness of our consumer
lifestyle, harmful eects on Earths life support systems,
and the eect on people who are poor and marginalized.
Second, we want information on how to make good choices
around food. Third, we wish to know how to help mitigate
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November/December 2014 PNN

climate chaos and make choices for clean and renewable

energy. Fourth, we want to be more active in protecting the
Earths supply of clean water, using alternatives to toxic and
petroleum products.
During our rst face-to-face working session in November
in St. Paul, we began the rst of the tasks assigned to us by
the 2013 Congregational Chapterdesigning processes
and experiences to focus on the issues indicated by the
survey. During future working sessions we will address the
remaining tasks of suggesting potential partners, possible
collective actions, and ways to be accountable to one
another. The full results of the survey can be found on the
congregational website at www.csjcarondelet.org.
We count on your prayers in our work and your active
support for and participation in the coming processes!
The Congregational Ad Hoc Group on Communion within
the Earth Community (pictured above l-r): Back Row: Sisters
Linda Neil (A), Catherine Steens (SP), Jeanene Yackey (SL)
and Danielle Bonetti (CLT liaison). Seated: Elizabeth Kerwin
(SP) and Toni Nash (LA).

Imagine If
Sharing of the Heart
& State of the House
by Sister Lisa Lazio

In response to the Acts of Chapter, I would like to tell you

about a variety of groups that have been meeting regularly
to deepen our experience of the Sharing of the Heart. I
am inviting each group that meets regularly to share their
information so that the rest of us can continue in our
commitment to our heart groups.
One group is a community of ve who meet weekly, rst
to enjoy dinner and then spend the evening together. They
begin with a word or phrase acknowledging how they come.
Next, each shares what the word means to them, how each
is personally, and what has happened during the week. The
sharing is of varying lengths, and no comment is made to
the speaker. Then each person brings their personal prayer
and intentions to the group. Members of this group are
Sisters Paula Patrice Michaud, Sandra Schmid, Pat Quinn,
Marian Therese Muehlbauer and Rose Mary Brueggen.
The second group has been meeting monthly since the 2006
Year End Retreat and is called the Acatamiento (seized by
Gods love). Consisting of four sisters and one associate, the
group meets for dinner and social conversation. The prayer
time is centered on the Sharing of the Heart questions:
How has God been active in my life this past month?
What is stirring in my heart? Sometimes the prayer is freeowing and spontaneous including intentions and concerns.
Always, we share deeply the presence of God and the
movement of the Spirit in our life. Belonging to this group
are Sisters Fran Maher, Pat Dunphy, Paulette Gladis and
Marianne Keena, and Associate Peggy Maguire.
Another group meets for supper at Carondelet and then
takes time to share their faith journey. This group is open
to anyone who might want to try this to see if you would
like to join. The group will split into as many smaller groups
as are needed. Please be sure to let us know if you are
interested. Be sure to let Carondelet know if youll join us
for dinner. If you would like more information, or if I can
help you nd or form a group, please feel free to call me at
314-200-8727.

From the Spirituality Committee

The Reglements is one of the foundational elements of our CSJ
spirituality. It invites each one of us to a year-end examen
of our personal spiritual journey over the last 12 months,
followed by an individuals consideration of resolutions
necessary to renew herself/himself. At the conclusion of this
personal, private reection, the Reglements encourage us to
together make a total consecration of oneself to the uncreated
and created trinities in the context of a community gathering.
This prayer of consecration states the heart and passion of our
spirit and spirituality.

Consecration of the Two Trinities

Creator, Incarnate Word, and Spirit,
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we consecrate
ourselves to you and rmly declare that:
In honor of the Creator, we will commit ourselves
to the search for Your willfor ways that lead
to a deeper union and reconciliation with You,
among ourselves and with the dear neighbor.
In honor of God the Spirit, we will practice
the most pure and perfect love possible
in all our relationships, keeping in mind
that our congregation was established
to make Your love known.
In honor of Jesus, we will live and die in untiring zeal
for the salvation and perfection of the neighbor,
for the total double union.
In honor of Mary, we will
live in great delity to all the inspirations of grace,
inspirations of Your Holy Spirit calling us
to take the next step in the journey toward
perfect union with You and with the neighbor.
In honor of St. Joseph, our patron,
we will be one in unity and charity
among ourselves and compassionately present
toward every kind of neighbor, just as Joseph
was all charity for Jesus and Mary.

www.csjsl.org

Page 7

Nazareth Living Center

This Sacred Place is Home
by Sister Mary Kay Hadican

This Sacred Place is Home is the key message in describing

Nazareth Living Center in our rst capital campaign
Materials. At present we are in Phase II of the campaign.
You may recall that our campaign goal is $3 million of the
$7.4 million that is needed to build a new memory care unit
and to renovate McGovern Commons.
Some of us are busy seeking contributions from donors,
while administration and sta leaders at Nazareth meet
regularly to discuss possibilities and imagine designs for our
new building and renovated space. It is an exciting time,
much to think about and creatively plan.
Yes, we seem focused on fund raising and building, yet our
ultimate goal is to create the environment and provide the
services that will most meet the needs of our residents. We
will keep you informed as plans take shape and are approved
by the board of trustees.

Many of you have inquired as to how you might assist in this

project or contribute to this campaign. Some have asked
when we were going to invite our families and friends to
participate in the campaign.
Province Leadership is considering this request in light
of current needs and the projected nancial goals of the
Development Oce for FY 2015. In collaboration with
Province Leadership, we will communicate with you early in
the new year and seek your armation of a tentative plan to
invite our families and friends to be a part of this campaign.
Meanwhile, pray for the success of the campaign that
ultimately means better services and living arrangements for
our sisters and the lay men and women who make Nazareth
a sacred home.

WEEKEND RETREAT
Something NewAnd Something Very Old
Contemplative Prayer with Icons
Friday, Feb. 27 - Sunday, March 1 Carondelet Motherhouse
Begin your Lent with a something new! Sister Barbara
Jean Mihalchick will lead a retreat introducing us to
the ancient practice of praying with icons. This is a rich
tradition in Eastern Christianity that oers Westerners
new insights and channels of grace. The retreat will begin
with supper on Friday evening and end midday Sunday.
A Sister of St. Basil the Great, an international Byzantine
Catholic Congregation, S. Barbara Jean comes to us
from Uniontown, Pennsylvania where she is program
director and oers spiritual direction at Mount St.
Macrina House of Prayer. Barbara Jean has a wealth of
ministerial experience from teaching in parochial schools
to congregational leadership in Rome. While working in
the House of Prayer, she also works with a coalition of
religious congregations on issues of human tracking

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November/December 2014 PNN

and immigration and received the Ruby Award for

bringing awareness of human tracking issues to
Uniontown.
Registration is limited to CSJ sisters and associates
until Jan. 15, at which time registration will open to the
general public until our limited space is lled. To reserve
a space, the pre-registration fee for sisters and associates
is $50, due to S. Jean Paul Selissen by Jan. 30. The cost
for the entire weekend is $125 for sisters and associates
and $150 for others, with adjustments depending on
preferences for staying overnight and dining at the
Carondelet Motherhouse during the weekend. The
remainder of payment is due on the day of the event.
If you want to participate, but your budget does not allow for
this, please speak to S. Jean Paul.

Senior Ministry
The Habits of Happy People
by Sister Bonnie Murray

Following up on the article I wrote in the September

PNN, Are You Happy?, I want to share some information
I gathered from a seminar given a few weeks ago. It was
sponsored by the Institute for Brain Potential and presented
by Dennis A. Marikis, Ph.D.
He began by giving several denitions of happiness: it is a
mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by
positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to
intense joy.
Happiness is a life experience marked by a preponderance
of positive emotion. Feelings of happiness and thoughts
of satisfaction with life are two prime components of
subjective well-being. It is of such fundamental importance
to the human condition that life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness were deemed to be inalienable rights by the
United States Declaration of Independence. As Dr. Marikis
said, It is our civic duty to be happy! He pointed out the
sources of happiness:

received as gift. This is called a Duchenne smile, a true sign

of contentment.
Happy people generally have better sleep, lower blood
pressure and blood glucose. What are some of the ways to
nurture a happy attitude in ones life?

Develop an attitude of gratitude: It promotes the

savoring of positive life experiences and bolsters self-worth
and self-esteem. The practice of gratitude is incompatible
with negative emotions and may actually diminish or deter
such feelings as anger, bitterness, and greed.
Savor moments in daily life: Generate positive feelings
in the present by intensifying or prolonging them through
thoughts and behaviors; generate positive feelings by
looking back on an event in a way that re-kindles positive
emotion.
Practice self-compassion and forgiveness.

50% is genetic

Tame your inner critic.

40% is within our power to change

Laugh: It relaxes the whole body, and boosts the immune

system.

10% is aected by life circumstances

Happy people surround themselves
with other happy people. Joy is
contagious. They smile when they
mean it. Not only do the corners of
the mouth go up, but the eyes are
slightly narrowed, small wrinkles
appear in their corners (crows
feet), and the upper half of the
cheeks rise. It is given as gift, and

Calm your overactive brain: Be happy for this moment.

This moment is your life.
Happiness depends less on what happens to us and more
on how we view the past, enjoy the moment and create the
future. Happiness is when what we think, what we say, and
what we do are in harmony. In the journey of life, let us take
time to smell the roses and watch the sunset. Remember
that happiness is found along the way and not at the end
of the road.

SENIOR MINISTRY ONLINE

Celebrating Life & Wisdom
Learn more about resources listed above and others on the
Senior Ministry web page in Members Only at csjsl.org.
www.csjsl.org

Page 9

Association

Associate Leadership Board Fall 2014

Sitting (l-r): S. Judy Miller, S. Shawn Madigan and S. Marilyn Lott. Second Row: A. Peggy Maguire,
S. Loretta Costa, S. Linda Straub, and A. Marilyn Koncen. Back row: A. Nicole Nicoll, A. Jim Sustman,
A. Clara Uhlrich, S. Maureen Freeman, A. Jim Oleskevich, A. Peggy Baker and S. Suzanne Giblin.

Kansas City Commitments

On Oct. 30, Eval Collins and Paige Illum (left) became Associate
Candidates; Shellye Tabor and Alicia Murillo (middle) made their
Initial Commitments; and Marcos Harders (right) made his
Ongoing Commitment at Avila University in Kansas City.
We welcome and rejoice with all of them.

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November/December 2014 PNN

Thanksgiving Prayer & Celebration

Associate Candidates (l-r) Linda Licata, Joe Licata, Glenn
Waeckerle, Joan Waeckerle, Christine Holladay and
Lori Fick made their Initial Commitments at the
Carondelet Motherhouse on Nov. 23.

Associate Volunteer Spotlight

Gene and Kathy Schwarting
by Kathy Schwarting

Since leaving St. Louis,

Gene and I have become
members of the Ignatian
Volunteer Corp (IVC) in
Omaha, Nebraska. This
came about as we sought
ways to continue our
commitment to the CSJ
goal of serving the dear
neighbor since there are
no CSJA opportunities
within 200 miles.
The IVC came to our attention as we explored other
ways to continue our activities as CSJAs. Founded in
1995 by two Jesuit priests, IVC puts experience into
service for positive change. IVC provides men and
women, most age 50 or more, opportunities to touch the
lives of people who are poor and disadvantaged, oering
hope and dignity.
IVC matches the talents and life experiences of
volunteers with social needs. For Gene and I, this meant
helping us nd the opportunity to use our more than
40 years working in educational settings with children
in need of educational support. We serve as tutors at
Sts. Peter and Paul School, a relatively small K-8 school
serving a low income, ethnically diverse population. The
school is part of an archdiocesan consolidation eort to
maintain a Catholic educational presence in a heavily
Hispanic area of Omaha.

Ignatian volunteers commit to approximately 600 hours

of service each year; and, in our case, we volunteer two
days each week. Gene works with the middle school
math teachers providing individual tutoring and working
with small groups of students. He also works in the third
through fth grade rooms assisting mainly with math but
helping wherever the need arises. I work with the middle
school language arts teacher in individual tutoring and
small group work. In addition, I have been working with
English as a second language students in developing their
English language skills. As we work with the students
who are often struggling in reading and math (some 2-3
years below grade level), we feel we may have a small
part in helping them prepare for a more positive, hopeful
future.
IVC volunteers are also committed to reecting on the
meaning of their service. This is done through monthly
community meetings that focus on sharing and reection.
Additionally, retreats are oered semi-annually and the
opportunity for individual reection is available through
monthly meetings with a spiritual guide.
After a year of involvement with IVC, Gene and I feel we
have found an alternative opportunity to continue living
out the charism and loving unity of the Sisters of St.
Joseph of Carondelet.

www.csjsl.org

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Justice
The Joy of Justice
by Anna Sandidge

When we look around our city here in St. Louis there have
been lots of cries for justice. Often we equate justice with
punishment. If someone has been harmed and the one
causing the harm isnt punished, then we believe justice has
not been served. When we operate in this very either/or
framework we leave little room for compassion, mercy and
forgiveness. And theres no room for joy. Indeed, in the midst
of such grieving and lamentations, expectations of joy can be
seen as traitorous to the cause.
Pope Francis in his encyclical, Evangelii Gaudium, calls us to
live into the joy that was gifted us in our relationship with
Jesus. By living into that joy and sharing it with others, we
will see the kingdom of God revealed, now. He warns us that
this will not be an endeavor without risks and challenges,
but we can nd strength in our beloved community of
Christ. He celebrates that community will grow when
others experience this joy pouring from us because of our
relationship with God and one another.

As you can imagine, given the direction the St. Louis Justice
Ministry has proposed, I felt a great armation from the
Holy Spirit in S. Carols presentation. I shared with her
our idea for the curriculum and workshop series that is still
unfolding among us. She has generously agreed to aid us in
its creation. It also became clear in that time that what was
originally envisioned by the justice ministry may indeed
look very dierent in the end. As we develop the curriculum
over the next few months, we will be reaching out to you,
our wisdom keepers, asking you to share your insights and
experiences to help create this experiential learning program.

Sister Carol Zinn, SSJ recently presented to the justice

coordinators at our annual gathering in St. Paul, Minnesota
in late October. She shared with us that how we view the
world shapes all our interactions. We have a mission to the
vision of the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph. It is a door
to the Gospel. For whom do we open the door and how do
we invite them to enter? She challenged us to examine what
it means for us to engage in the ministry of justice through
the charism; to examine critically how the charism is evident
in all of our engagements and not just employ strategies and
tactics of activism.

At the root of all this, we want

there to be elements of joy,
invitation and prayer. And, a part
of the sharing of our charism in
2015 is the Together in Faith
Series. In January, Rory Cooney
will inspire us with his liturgical
music that celebrates justice. In
April, as we prepare for Earth
Day, Joyce Johnson Rouse, better
known as Earth Mama, will
help us tell our earth stories
and sing with joy through an
intergenerational retreat and
concert. And, in September, Still
Point Theatre will celebrate the
Catholic call to justice in the
performance, Haunted By God:
The Life of Dorothy Day.

S. Carol invited the justice coordinators to think of our

role less as activist organizers and more as part of vocation/
formation. She proposed that perhaps we are not called to
employ tactics and strategies but to create opportunities of
contemplation, where the intentional hollowing out within
ourselves creates sacred ground, sacred space that will then
make room for the Holy Spirit to move among us.

No doubt, there will be many

more opportunities for wisdom
Earth Mama
keepers and wisdom seekers to
come together, celebrating the charism and ministry in joy,
taking great delight in the kindom of God. I look forward to
seeing how the Holy Spirit continues to be revealed among
us, for togetherwe are truly more.

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November/December 2014 PNN

Rory Cooney and wife

Theresa Donohoo

Go to Joseph

Presentation by Brother Michael Mickey

McGrath
Monday, Dec. 15 6 p.m.
Holy Family Chapel
Admission: Free will offering
RSVP by Dec. 10 to 314-481-8800 or
motherhousersvp@csjsl.org.
Bro. Mickey will present his latest work around our patron, St.
Joseph as featured in the 2013 book, Go to Joseph, exploring
different aspects of St. Josephs life as husband, father, craftsman,
traveler, guide and much more. Reflect on the images and texts,
invite St. Josephs strength and grace to become part of your
own life, and discover how he has become a role model for the
universal Church.

2015 Together in Faith Event Series

With the first year of Together in Faith
event series such a great success, the
Communications, Development, Justice
and Liturgy departments are proud to
announce the lineup for the 2015 year.
We continue to connect people to the
CSJ community and charism through
hospitality and right relationship.
Join us for another year of an eclectic
mix of programs that promise to inspire
and entertain.

JAN 24: Rory Cooney in Concert

A concert with Rory Cooney and friends,Theresa Donohoo and the St.
Margaret of Scotland Choir
FEB 21: A Lenten Day of Prayer
A day-long pilgrimage with Sister Kate Filla, CSJ
APRIL 17-18: Earth Mama
Concert & Retreat
JULY: Melissa Nussbaum, author and National Catholic
Reporter Columnist
A day-long retreat
DEC:Terree Rowbottom Glass Armonica Concert
Advent & Christmas program

Learn more: togetherinfaithseries.com

www.csjsl.org

Page 13

Liturgy
Source and Summit
Who is My Neighbor?

by Associate Mary Kay Christian, liturgist

The parable of the Good Samaritan presents each of us with
some interesting challenges. Just like the young lawyer in
the Bible, we would like some clear denitions of who and
what God considers to be our responsibility. Caring for our
immediate family and oneself can be more than a full-time
job. How are we supposed to nd time and resources for
our neighbor down the block, or across town or across the
world?
When we come together on Sunday, we encounter family,
friends and neighbors. It is comfortable and comforting to
gather with those we know and love on Sunday mornings.
But what about all the faces we dont know? What about
the faces of people in the community we dont particularly
like or with whom we have had a disagreement? It is
overwhelming when we consider all the people in real need
throughout the world. And what about those untrustworthy
souls that prey on the goodwill of others? These moral
dilemmas are age-old problems as we see in the story Jesus
tells of the Good Samaritan.
Hospitality is the embodiment of the moral to the story of
the Good Samaritan. There are dierent kinds of hospitality.
There is the Martha Stewart version; everything is perfectly
decorated and organized. Its all about appearances. The
house looks perfect but you are afraid to sit down. There is
the Down-Home, Yall come back version of hospitality.
This is the kind of hospitality that makes you feel at-home
right away. You are one of the family with this version of
hospitality. The second form is genuine hospitality. The host
and hostess welcome you from their hearts and you know
that you can relax and be yourself.
Each of us is called to be a minister of hospitality. As
Jesus teaches in the parable of the Good Samaritan, our
hospitality must extend to every person, especially those in
need. The Good Samaritan went above and beyond, to care
for a total stranger. Jesus asks us to do the same personally
and as a caring community.

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November/December 2014 PNN

So, what does real hospitality look like? Organization and

attention to details is an important element of hospitality.
Not because we are keeping up appearances, but because
it frees us to concentrate on genuine hospitality with our
guests and each other. Our church must be a place where the
stranger is welcomed and everyone is our neighbor. Do we
greet every person with a warm smile and a good morning?
Do we notice when someone seems lost or depressed. Do we
go the extra mile to introduce ourselves or ask how they are?
Hospitality is a lot harder than even Martha Stewart
knows. It takes time and energy and often a lot of charity
and patience! The world would be so much easier if we
didnt have to deal with other people. Yet that is the job of
all Christians, to reach out beyond the self and beyond our
comfort zone to welcome the poor and the stranger. Let us
continue to strive to make our churches and communities
places known for Down-Home Hospitality where people
feel drawn to come back and settle in. Let us be a place
where everyone is welcomed as our neighbor.

Liturgy Calendar
December
3

Advent Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

Advent Vespers 4 p.m.

10 Advent Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

15 Go to Joseph with Brother Mickey McGrath 6 p.m.
17 Advent Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.
January
4

Epiphany Mass

Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

14 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

21 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.
24 Rory Cooney Concert 7 p.m.
28 Midday Prayer 11:45 a.m.

Vocation/Formation
Wake up the World: 2015 Year of Consecrated Life
by Sister Linda Markway

On the rst Sunday of Advent, November 30, the Church

begins an international, year-long celebration of consecrated
life.
What is the Year of Consecrated Life?
The Year of Consecrated Life marks the 50th anniversary
of "Perfectae Caritatis," a decree on religious life, and
"Lumen Gentium," the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church. The purpose of the year-long
celebration, according to a Vatican statement, is to "make a
grateful remembrance of the recent past" while embracing
"the future with hope. The Year of Consecrated Life is
a worldwide opportunity for the church to take note of
consecrated life in the following ways:

Renewal for women and men in consecrated life. A time

for them to re-examine and renew their commitment to
vowed life.
Appreciation and thanksgiving for the witness and
service of those in consecrated life.
Invitation to the next generation of Catholics to Be
courageous! in the words of Pope Francis, and, Wake
up the world to a dierent way of doing things, of
acting, of living!
What is Pope Francis saying about consecrated life?
Religious life ought to promote growth in the Church by way
of attraction. The Church must be attractive. Wake up the
world! Be witnesses of a dierent way of doing things, of
acting, of living! It is possible to live dierently in this world.
11/29/13
Let us look to consecrated life as an encounter with Christ.
2/2/14
Men and women members of religious communities are
called to follow Jesus in a special way. They are men
and women who can awaken the world. Consecrated life
is prophecy. God asks us to y the nest and to be sent
to the frontiers of the world, avoiding the temptation
to domesticate them. This is the most concrete way of
imitating the Lord.

The priority of consecrated life, the Holy Father said, is...

Prophecy of the Kingdom, which is non-negotiable
Religious are men and women who light the way to the
future. Prophecy makes noise, uproar, some say a mess.
But in reality, the charism (or gift of the Spirit to religious
communities) of religious people is like yeast: prophecy
announces the Spirit of the Gospel. Charism, however,
is not like a bottle of distilled water. It needs to be lived
energetically as well as reinterpreted culturally.
3/1/14
What resources are available?
Suggested ways to achieve and celebrate the goals of this
Year of Consecrated Life will be oered through our regular
CSJ communications. The following is a short list of
resources available:

The Catch the Fire bookmark is enclosed with this

publication.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
usccb.org
The National Religious Vocation Conference: nrvc.net
Year of Consecrated Life Facebook page:
facebook.com/YearofConsecratedLife
Rejoice: A letter to consecrated women and men from
Pope Francis, 2/2/2014 (For the link to download a copy
of this letter, contact S. Linda Markway at
lmarkway@csjsl.org.)
The Joy of the Gospel: Pope Francis rst apostolic
exhortation, titled Evangelii Gaudium (Copies of this
booklet are being made available to vowed members.)
For direct links to the above online resources, visit csjsl.org
and click on the Catch the Fire button.
Let us know
how you, your
parish family
and your diocese
are celebrating
the Year of
Consecrated Life.
Email S. Linda at
lmarkway@csjsl.

WAKE UP THE WORLD !

2015 Year of Consecrated Life

www.csjsl.org

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Year of Consecrated Life

Come Catch the Fire: Session One
Are You Listening?
by Sister Mary Flick

Are you listening? was the opening question answered

with story and humor by the evenings two presenters at
the inaugural Come Catch the Fire program on
Nov. 13 in Holy Family Chapel. The four-part series
oers young adults, ages 18-35, an opportunity to
talk with their peers about their faith journeys and
vocational discernments while oering praise and
worship. The series is sponsored by the Association of
St. Louis Vocation Directors.
Meghan Mueller, a single woman, who works at BJC
Health Care Corporate Education, shared that the
heart of knowing God is to be vulnerableand that is
scary. She then shared the scariest moment of her adult
life: getting lost in northern Missouri while engrossed
in conversation with a friend. There are no street lights
on the back roads, she said.
Its much the same with discernment, she said. Its about
paying attention. I was not paying attention and almost
drove to Iowa. Discernment also requires a person to start
with knowing oneself, and to take time for quiet. When you
sit in solitude, you can pay more attention, she said.
Mueller also spoke about her vocation as a single woman.
I was 10 times a bridesmaid, she confessed, but never got
to register for china or towels. I felt jealous that everyone
else had something they were committed toa community,
a partner. But she remembers the day that something
shifted when a friend asked her, Can I pray for that special
someone? Mueller told her, No. But could you pray that
Im content with how my life turns out? She said It took a
lot of work to get theretalking with God, bad dates, and
a spiritual director who could point out what was healthy in
my life.
Theres a lot of good in a single vocation, she said. Its
about owning where God is calling me right now where I am
and actively choosing it. There are things I can do because
Im not committed to someone or something. At a moments
notice, I can follow Gods call with incredible freedom and
sacredness.
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November/December 2014 PNN

Adam Bitter,Troy Woytek and Meghan Mueller

Troy Woytek, a campus minister at Washington Universitys
Catholic Student Center and a husband and father of two,
described how he prays from his baptismal call as priest,
prophet and king. It starts with my disposition, he said.
It makes me more available and aware of Gods presence
around me.
Woytek related how he had walked a part of the Camino
de Santiago in Spain last May. Im a destination hiker, he
said. Doing the Camino, you have to be a journey hiker.
One day while walking, he noticed a pine tree grove and
answered the invitation of the trees. He found himself
entering a liminal space between two worlds. As he stood in
the grove, he could see the quiet road of the pilgrims, which
he had left. But on the other side, he saw cars ying by on a
highwaythe hustle of the world.
How do we listen to Gods voice?, he asked. We have to
have liminal space between the craziness of the world and
the Way of God. God is as much in one place as another, he
said.
He spoke of other learnings about discerning on the
Camino. We have to shift the paradigm from thinking we

are serving God and are in control, to letting God serve us.
Again, Woytek told of an issue he was trying to discern as he
walked the Camino. He wrestled with the pros and cons and
nally, Walking up a gravel hill, I stopped controlling and
realized I was just present to whatever God was giving. The
more we try to force discernment, the more we run into dead
ends, he said. Listen and let God serve you.
Finally, he mentioned the need for detachment in ones
discernment. If Im unattached, I am able to listen to God
in a place of freedom. Woytek related how people shed what
they were attached to as they walked the Camino. He said
he saw everything from hiking boots to cigarettes. If I am
unattached, I have a freedom to listen to God.
The two closed the presentation part of the evening by
noting that discernment is not a one-shot deal. It is a
constant unfolding. They asked those attending to consider:

Do you know yourself?

What parts are still unknown?
Do you want to know those parts?
As participants prayerfully considered these questions, the
evening shifted to prayerful reection and music by Adam
Bitter, a praise and worship musician.

Come Catch the Fire: Session Two

Unplugged and Offline...Prayer
Thursday, Feb. 12 8-10 p.m.
Carondelet Motherhouse
To learn more, contact S. Linda Markway at
314-678-0315 or lmarkway@csjsl.org.
www.csjsl.org

Page 17

Carondelet Chronicles
Linger Over Breakfast
Sister Sarah Heger presents The Power of Play
by Sister Kate Filla

If you were to do a pie chart of your activities for one week

(168 hours) what would it look like? More importantly, how
do you feel about it? How much of your time do you have
for play?
This was one of the challenges Sister Sarah Heger presented
at the Nov. 8 Linger over Breakfast session at the Carondelet
Motherhouse. S. Sarah grew up as the oldest of seven in a
family that prized fun and created ways to play together. All
sorts of games and sports were included as well as creative
adaptations of games. Two rules of a game in the Heger
Family were they could not hurt anyone or cause damage.
S. Sarah shared some challenges she had in bringing her
background in creative fun into the religious community. But
she also said that this background is one of the gifts she has
brought to her ministry as a teacher of 10 to 11-year-olds.
In describing a spirituality of play, S. Sarah began with a
quote from Hildegard of Bingen: The fullness of joy is to
behold God in everything. We can express our sense of
God, love, and joy through laughter and play.
Am I too old to play? Listen to the words of Jesus from
Matthew 18: 1-6: At that time the disciples came to Jesus
and asked, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
He called a child, whom he put among them and said, Truly
I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you
will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes
humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. Imaginative play is part of childhood. And when
we give in to the power of play, it can keep us happy, healthy,
and whole.
Since the invention of the Internet, Americans are becoming
more aggressive, distracted, depressed, fatter, and less
cognitively nimble. What can we do to move toward a
healthier balance?
Go outside. Over the course of evolution, the human
organism has spent 99.9 percent of its time outside. Natural
environments are comforting. Sunshine increases levels of

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November/December 2014 PNN

vitamin D. this can help ward o osteoporosis, depression,

and heart attack. Sunshine elevates our mood and
encourages relaxation. Being outside can boost the immune
system and energy levels. Walking in a city neighborhood
is great, but even better is a stroll where there are trees. To
combat the third highest suicide rate in the world, Japan
recently allotted funds to create 100 forest therapy sites over
the next 10 years.
Laugh. And if you cant laugh, start by smiling. Act yourself
into a new way of feeling. Explore what helps you laugh and
begin looking for an increase in oxygen, endorphins, ability
to cope with stress, creativity, energy, hope and optimism.
Dance. It helps strengthen bone and muscles, increases
stamina and exibility, helps posture and balance, releases
stress and tension. Dancing twice a week can ward o
dementia. And for persons with Alzheimers disease, dancing
can help trigger memories.
Many Americans ask, Am I happy? This is an individual
question. But the tiny country of Bhutan nestled in the
Himalayan Mountains between India and China has a
more collective point of view. The rst recorded legal code
of Bhutan from the 18th century states: If the government
cannot create happiness for its people, there is no purpose
for the government to exist. Bhutan measures GNH (gross
national happiness) not GDP (gross domestic product).
A Buddhist monk who helped develop the contemporary
framework for the GNH for Bhutan said, We know that
true happiness cannot exist while others suer, and comes
only from serving others, living in harmony with nature, and
realizing our innate wisdom and the true and brilliant nature
of our minds.
And nally, S. Sarah challenged us to look again at our pie
charts and imagine creating one for ourselves that included
time for play. Many of us have a to-do list. Lets also have
a play list. S. Sarahs challenge: Create a list of 50 ways to
playthen get going.

Sharing of the Heart

Pattern, Process & Prayer
by Sister Jean Iadevito

You look at where you're going

and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you
look back at where you've been
and a pattern seems to emerge.
Robert Pirsig
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
I've loved libraries and reading all of my life. I remember
getting my very rst library card at Barr Branch library in
South St. Louis. My rst job at the age of 16 was at the
main branch of the St. Louis Public Library. I worked in the
Children's Department cataloguing children's books (I still
remember the Dewey Decimal System), conducting story
hours, and doing art with the kids.
A year or so ago at my neighborhood library in Denver, the
librarian said she was going to renew my library card. She
renewed it to 2093. I knew that she had cancer, and that
perhaps, this was her way of dealing with her situation. So,
my library card will outlive both of us. It has already outlived
the librarian.
The library card reminds me that I've loved acquiring
information and letting it roam the inner corridors of my
brain until I nd the connections. OK, so I'm a ve on the
Enneagramthe investigator. However, now that I have
the big C, I'm working on getting into the Heart Chakra.

When I stay in my head too long, I start projecting into the

future, and that is not a healthy place for me to be right now.
I know that I need to live moment by momentthat's all I
have control over.
Some year in my teaching career, I used the book Zen
and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance with an honors
interdisciplinary class. Pirsig describes the process of
achieving a certain Quality of Life, a certain Quality of
Work. In the words of Pirsig: "Quality is the continuing
stimulus which causes us to create the world in which
we live. All of it. Every last bit of it." It is the momentby-moment transformation of a life. This is not a simple
process. I experience waves of fear, anger, sadness and
emotions that are dicult to identify. That's when I really
rely on your continual prayer energy.
Pirsig describes this inner peace of mind as similar to the
inner calm when going shing. "Just to sit with the line in the
water, not moving, not really thinking about anything, not
really caring about anything either, seems to draw out the
inner tensions and frustrations that have prevented you from
solving problems you couldn't solve before and introduced
ugliness and clumsiness into your actions and thoughts."
My Advent prayer for each of us is that we grow into that
inner Quality of Lifethat place of peace of mind and heart.

2015
JAN 31: Heart Speaks to Heart
with Mary Flick, CSJ

OCT 17: Stoking the Fire of Resilience

with Cathy Modde, CSJA

MAY 9: Come and See You Brothers and Sisters

with Paul Bernadette Bounk, CSJ

DEC 5: Candles, Creches and Carols

with Mary McGlone, CSJ

For more information, visit www.csjsl.org.

www.csjsl.org

Page 19

Sharing of the Heart

My Experience in LePuy
by Sister Rita McCormick

What an honor and privilege it has been for me to have this

opportunity to be in Le Puy. Nov. 30 will mark my fourth
month serving here and that is also my departure day. I will
be back at Carondelet on Dec. 1. I return with joy and peace
and gratitude.
The days, weeks and months in this setting have enabled
me to observe and learn the impact of the dream and vision
of establishing the Centre International St. Joseph. There
were at least ve dierent gatherings at the Centre during
my stay. Meeting and listening to and sharing with the
guests who were, at times, Sisters of St. Joseph, associates
and consociates, former members of the community
and persons of other faiths. The countries, states and
professional backgrounds of each added to the challenge
of communicating in dierent languages using gestures
or tapping on the shoulder of someone like Sister Mary
McGlone who has the ability to enter into more languages
than anyone I know.
The stories of the individuals who came here for specic
programs were powerful. Some will rest in my heart
for years to come, I believe. One sister, who was born in
Cambodia, shared with me how she hid and ran and sought
safety in order to save her life at the early age of 20. She
went without food for four days. Her ministry today is with
refugees. If I thought before I came here that I had listening
skills, this sister just astonishes me with her ability to listen
to and understand the reality of the refugee. She learned
how to reach beyond the pain of the other to further the
healing process. Yes, I was reminded of the giftedness of
S. Jean Abbott who also has this gift and oers it to those
who have undergone deep and long lasting pains.
The 10th Anniversary of the Centre International was
an event that I was privileged to be a part of solely by
accident in my choice to be at the Centre during the month
of October. The celebration that occurred in the parish
church was the highlight of my stay. The communication
and investment of the sisters during these past 10 years
included integrating into parish activities. The respect shown
to the sisters was so obvious with the words of the pastor
and the response of the people. They were present for the
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November/December 2014 PNN

celebration of many of the sisters who had the vision and

dream to open the Centre to our sisters who are serving
throughout the many countries around the world. When
the pastor motioned for the sisters present at the liturgy to
come around the altar and pray together the Our Father, in
French, I was deeply moved to stand with these persons who
have risked and committed themselves to this challenge: to
expand the sharing and working with those sisters who are
Sisters of St. Joseph. I was humbled to be in their presence
and deeply grateful to join in holding hands together in faith
and trust. We were united in our desire for the continued
growth toward what our future can become as we strive to
follow the guidance of the Spirit. Yes, it was so good to be
with Srs. Patty Johnson and Kate Filla in this celebration.
My role at the Centre was both hospitality and
housekeeping. I was assigned to clean and prepare rooms
for the guests. For me it was a time of contemplation. This
assignment called me, as I mopped the oor or made the
bed, to reect on what I observed in the person who lived
and prayed in this room for several days, what that person
had shared and given to me. I prayed for her returning to
her home and would share with those who perhaps would
not be able to make such a voyage. I reected about who was
coming next as I cleaned the room and placed a new name
on the door. I was open to learn about and from another
person what this time meant for her. I was eager to listen
and learn. I worked with gratitude, and the work was easier
for me because it was my time to contemplate where I was in
my commitment to this mission.
I write this sharing with peace, joy, gratitude and deep pride
in being a Sister of St. Joseph. The sisters here have been
so open and helpful toward me. Line Roux, the director
of the Centre, taught me much on several levels. I told
her once that she is like a modied S. Marion Renkens,
motherhouse adminstrator, and that is a strong compliment.
I marvel at the scope of her task and her ability to reach out
continuously to each one who enters and leaves the front
door. I give thanks to Carondelet, the groups that were here
during these months and the persons who shared so much
with me during this time.

An Afternoon with Jeanine Gramick

by Sister Clare Bass

The documentary featuring Sister Jeanine Gramick, SL,

titled In Good Conscience: Sister Jeanine Gramicks
Journey of Faith, is the fascinating story of how one
womans perseverance and faith lead to a movement, which
is still going strong today. Those gathered in St. Josephs
Hall at Carondelet watched the documentary, then had
some time for questions and answers with S. Jeanine. In the
documentary, we learned of what happened to S. Jeanine
as she ministered to and with people in the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Trans-Gendered and Questioning (LGBTQ)
community and became more public and vocal about the
justice needed for this community of people. Eventually
this led to a major reprimand from the Congregation of the
Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican. She did not waiver in
her truths in the face of the reprimand. Instead, S. Jeanine
became more committed to dialogue and sought dialogue
with the Holy See, to no avail.
S. Jeanine could no longer stay silent on how the ocial
doctrine of the Church is hurting those who are LGBTQ
and their families by denying their right to marriage and
partnerships. Her conscience, as well as her friendships,
moved her to be an ally to the LGBTQ community and

begin a public movement to change the way the institutional

Church views the love of persons with a homosexual
orientation. She helped begin four organizations and
co-founded New Ways Ministry as a way to assist the
LGBTQ community and the institutional church in
reconciliation. More information on this topic can be found
at newwaysministry.org.
The way S. Jeanine handles those who vehemently disagree
with her really resonated with me. I noticed right away in
the lm, how she listened to what the others who opposed
her had to say, told them what she thought on the topic,
then worked to come to a point of understanding between
the opposition and herself. She did this all while staying
calm, cool, and collected. This stood out to me because it is
something I strive to do as I encounter those who have an
opposing viewpoint. The act of connecting with the other,
especially with those who oppose me, is just as critical for
transformation as connecting with those who agree with me.
S. Jeanine did this so well that I consider it a real highlight
and testament to who she is and the work she is about. She
has been transformed and it is noticeable, as well as catching.

BOOK REVIEW: The Good Father by Noah Hawley

Reviewed by Madeleine Reilly, CSJ Data Coordinator

The Good Father was the rst book I

have read that had a dierent perspective
on the age-old question of nature versus
nurture. The opening begins with Paul
Allen, the dad, arriving home to his
suburban bliss before turning on the
TV and, moments later, being picked
up by the Secret Service. He is taken for
interrogation because of an action his
son, Danny, is believed to have committed. Initially, the
question for Paul appears to be, Did my son really do it?
And if not, can I prove it in time?
In the context of children who do terrible things, it is a
perspective of a father looking back to see if there was

some hint in his childs past that he might have missed

regarding his childs character. It also is a wonderful
example of the love parents have for their children and the
extreme ends to which a parent will go to help their child.
Pauls frantic attempts to prove his sons innocence grows
into a realization or rather a coming to terms with his sons
probable guilt.
I believe all parents can relate to moments of doubt,
ashes of hope, even sad realizations that we may not
know our own child at times or even at all. The Good
Father does inspire hope as this story implies that while
families can be fragmented, neglected or even strained; a
family is never completely broken apart. Parents will move
mountains for the love of their child.
www.csjsl.org

Page 21

Sharing of the Heart

How do you say Happy Anniversary
to a Birthday Group?

by Sisters Carolyn Hupperts, Joan Filla, Rose Marie McKenna & Mary Ann Nestel
You may ask, How did this birthday group get started?
We would see each other at retreats or workshops and
say to each other, We should get together some time.
But we never did. So we nally decided wed get together
for each others birthdays. We think that was in the midseventies. So if we say it was 1974, this year would mark
40 years of celebrating. We dont think weve ever missed a
birthday since then, though we may not have celebrated on
the birthday itself. One time, years ago, when Joanie was
missioned in Alabama and Carolyn was in Kansas City,
Mary Ann called her and said, Youve got to comeJoanies
going to be here!
Since our birthdays are in dierent seasons, we have seen
eagles and dogwoods, autumn leaves and snowstorms
together. Weve had fun times and found places to go
together by way of the coupon book that we would not
have otherwise gone to. One time we were at Happy Joes
pizza parlor somewhere in North County St. Louis, and we
spent the entire afternoon looking for Mary Anns wayward
contact lens. Weve been to state parks like Pere Marquette
and Giant City. One time we stayed overnight at Giant
Citypicture four CSJs, two creaky beds and one small
cabin. (Not our best plan.)

We have laughed together, cried together and encouraged

each other together. And we have mourned together. When
Carolyns sister Judy died, she requested that we sing the
parts of the Requiem in Latin. There were six CSJs there
the four of us along with Sisters Barbara Moore and Liz
Ganss. It was declared that we sounded like angels. Rose
Marie was ecstatic. She said it was the rst time she had ever
been asked to sing in the Schola.
Some might say, But they are four dierent personalities.
We know that. We might bring four dierent viewpoints
to a subject, but it has never interfered with our friendship.
Getting together regularly to break bread and to celebrate
our lives not only provided opportunities for good times,
but enabled us to companion one another through death of
parents, siblings and good friends. We also supported and
challenged one another through transitions of residence,
ministry and aging.
So we are inviting you to celebrate with us. You can say,
Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary or both!

1996
2014
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November/December 2014 PNN

Gulu Ministry
Sister Jean Abbott
Hosts Gulu Therapists
This fall, Sister Jean Abbott continued her trauma therapy work with our
dear neighbors of Gulu by hosting three therapeutic counselors from Gulu
for a month of intensive training in St. Louis.Their visit was made possible,
in large part, through a $20,000 gift from the CSJs.

The counselors learn

to use computer
equipment, donated
by the CSJs, with
IT Director Jay
Coffman. S. Jean
also pictured.

Gifts for Gulu

Monetary donations will supply bed
sheets for the new maternity clinic.
If you are looking for a way to bring joy to
those in need this Christmas, we have an
alternative gift-giving opportunity for you.
On Nov. 26, the Gulu maternity clinic
passed inspection and is ocially open.
The inspectors said the clinic far surpasses
Uganda standards and is more on the
international standard level. They noted that
they will be learning from our lead.
You can celebrate this milestone with us by
making a special donation. The clinic is in
need of bed sheets for the 16 beds in the
new maternity clinic. One of the local Acholi
women makes them by hand.
Your donation of $20 will cover the materials
and the labor for one set of sheets. Please do
not send bed sheets. Donate via cash, check
or credit card.

S. Jean took the

group horseback
riding to expand
their experience.

You may also make a donation in someone

elses name as a gift and the Development
Oce will let that individual know of
your generosity. Please supply us with the
name and address so they can send the
acknowledgement.

They visited with

Sisters Angela
Faustina (LA) and
Barbara Moore.

Please send your donations to the

Development Oce marked Gulu Sheets.
You may also go to our website, csjsl.org, and
make your donation onlineclick on the
Donate Now button. Be sure to write Gulu
Sheets in the information box.
Thank you for your ongoing support and
prayers for this important ministry.

www.csjsl.org

Page 23

CSJ Documents
Policy Reminders for Sisters
CSJ
Policy

From Province Leadership

With the Province Leadership transition, we would like to review some of our policies and offer a gentle
reminder to refer to the policy book.This month, we share with you the information on sectionals.
Remember, the Policy Book and other documents are available in the Members Only section of our
website under CSJ Documents on the menu.

III. SECTIONAL ASSEMBLIES

The Sectional Assemblies function as assemblies to provide for
direct participation of all the sisters in the government of the
province.
Composition: Each vowed member and committed associate
of the St. Louis Province is a member of a Sectional Assembly.
Each may choose a sectional of which to be a member. Each
Sectional Assembly will ordinarily be composed of 10-30
members. A member of the Province Leadership Team will
coordinate the Sectional Assembly composition and publish an
annual list. Each sister is to:
Identify with, attend, and participate in a Sectional
Assembly;
Read and reect upon publications from the Province
regarding assembly matters;
Pray for the assembly matters;
Support and live out assembly decisions;
Select one of the options for participation in the Province
Assembly.
In addition to vowed members of the St. Louis Province,
Sisters of St. Joseph from other provinces/
congregations, committed associates, and those in the process
of becoming vowed members or committed
associates may attend and participate in Sectional Assemblies.
Participation in a Sectional Assembly includes speaking;
oering insights and opinions; assisting with local preparations,
logistics, and prayer; leading sections of an assembly; and
participating in any leaning, which is taken.
Establishment of a New Sectional Assembly: A group of
vowed members and committed associates of the St. Louis
Province agree to form a new Sectional Assembly. Those
forming the new sectional must notify the designated Province
Leadership Team member before Aug. 1. A newly formed
Sectional Assembly will be given an identifying number and

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November/December 2014 PNN

will select a facilitator by Aug. 15 in order to receive the fall

Sectional Assembly mailings.
Agenda: The Province Leadership Team members establish
an Agenda Committee to plan the agenda and meetings for
Sectional Assemblies. Individual sisters or groups may submit
agenda items to the Agenda Committee according to the
procedures developed and published by the committee.
Functions: The Sectional Assemblies perform the following
functions:
1. Reect upon the goals set by the Province Assembly and
formulate objectives for implementation of these goals by
members of the sectional group.
2. Discuss issues and reports presented to the Sectional
Assemblies.
3. Consider issues pertinent to the vision of the congregation
and the church in that area.
4. Serve as forums and as centers for reection and
communication within the Province.
5. Select a facilitator to:
a) organize the next Sectional Assembly;
b) receive mailings;
c) send in the reports from the Sectional Assembly.
6. Encourage at least one eligible sister of the Sectional to
choose prayer, attendance, participation, and voting as her
mode of participation in the Province Assembly. (See page
14 of the St. Louis Province Government Plan for eligibility
requirements under Active Voice.) Both the Province and
Sectional Assemblies work toward unity through reection and
consensus on issues basic to our life and mission.
Meetings: Ordinarily, each Sectional Assembly will meet at
least twice each year: once in the fall and once in the spring. At
each Sectional Assembly, the facilitator for the next Sectional
Assembly will be chosen. A special meeting of the Sectional
Assembly may be called by a majority (one-half plus one) of
the Sectional membership.

Archives
Meeting Our Ancestors
Profile of an Early Sister Who Died in the Month of November
Sister Mary Daniel Facemaz
Sister Mary Daniel Facemaz
maz died at
our House of Retreat, Nazareth,
azareth,
Missouri, on November 5, 1916,
in the 65th year of her age
ge and
the 48th of her religious life.
Our dear Sister Mary
Daniel spent the
rst 18 years of
her religious life at
Moutiers, France, and
was one of ve sisters
who opened a new
mission at Oconto,
Wisconsin, in 1887.
Ill health, contracted
soon after her arrival,
made it impossible for
her to be of as much
service to the Communityy
as she desired, and called for
frequent acts of resignation.
on.
Her lively faith made herr accept as coming
from the hands of God every disposition of
obedience in her regard.
She found solace in her devotion to the Blessed Trinity,
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and to her Guardian Angel.
She oered up daily many aspirations for the conversion of
sinners, and for the temporal and spiritual interests of the
Congregation.
She was exact in the performance of her religious duties,
and only a few moments before her death made the Sign of
the Cross, on hearing the signal for a Community exercise.

She died on Saturd

Saturday, a day of special
devotion with her, and we may
well hope she
s received a loving
welcome from our Savior.
[Necrology
[Necr
Book]
Sister
Sis Mary Daniel
(Marie
(
Rose) was born
on October 31, 1850
in Bourg, St. Maurice,
France to Jeanne M.
Gaymard and Joseph
Marie Facemaz.
She was received in
Moutiers, France on
May 13, 1869 and
professed her vows on
September
24, 1871 in
S
Moutiers.
Sister was the
M
niece
niec of Mother St. John
Facemaz,
Facem General Superior
from 18
1860-1872, Sister Mary
Agnes Face
Facemaz and Sister Irene
Facemaz. Her ssister, Sister Mary
Joseph Facemaz also entered the community
and came to America as a novice in 1867. Sister
Mary Daniel was superior in St. Peters convent in Oconto,
Wisconsin from 1887-1889, and superior in St. Josephs
Convent in West De Pere, Wisconsin from 1893-1905. She
died at Nazareth Convent of mitral disease of the heart. Her
remains are now in Resurrection Cemetery Row 1, Grave 1.
Pictured: Mother St. John Facemaz, Mother Irene Facemaz,
Mother Mary Agnes Facemaz and Sister Mary Joseph Facemaz
taken before 1882aunts and sister of Sister Mary Daniel

www.csjsl.org

Page 25

The Hand of God Shall Hold You

Associate Rose Ann Segelle, CSJA

May 17, 1928 - October 26, 2014

The Lord is my shepard, there is nothing I shall want.

Rose Ann Segelle was so many things to so many people,

including myself. She wore many hats for the many family,
friends and strangers she ministered to. In her 86 years,
she was a CSJ novice, devoted daughter, wife, mother, CSJ
Associate, pianist, teacher and friend.
She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet postulate
in September 1946 and returned home to help support her
family after her father died. She reentered the community in
1950. In 1957, Rose Ann began another passage of her life
after leaving the convent and marrying Maurice Segelle. God
was calling her to be a mother; and she and her husband
Maurice adopted two sons from Canada.
During this passage of her life, both Rose Ann and Maurice
created and decorated beautiful ceramics and donated the
prots to Nazareth Living Center. Sister Rebecca, former
activity director at Nazareth, reminded me of the many
years that Rose Ann had two booths full of ceramics at the
annual Craft Fair held at Nazareth.
One of Rose Anns passions was to give to the sisters. She
sent cards on every occasion to the sisters and at Christmas,
she made sure each sister received a small gift from her.
One of her joys was visiting the sisters at Nazareth during
Christmas time and passing out her many thoughtful and
creative gifts.

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November/December 2014 PNN

After the death of her husband in 1989 she sought a deeper

relationship with our Lord and returned to her real love of
the Sisters of St. Joseph. She became an associate in January
1994.
When asked what personal gifts she wanted to share with
the sisters, she readily replied giving of myself and my time
and talents loving them by making them part of my life.
She understood their mission and wanted nothing more
than to share in their charism.
At her ongoing commitment on August 10, 1997, Rose
Ann again expressed not only her great love for God but
also for the dear neighbor as she lived out her commitment
as a CSJ Associate. Her entire life was one of sacrice and
generositynever once did I hear her complaineven as
she suered at the end of her life when she was bedridden
and forced to move to a nursing home. My life has been
changed for the better because of my friendship with Rose
Ann. I followed her example and became an associate myself.
The Good Shepherd has led Rose Ann through the valley
of the shadow of death into His marvelous and everlasting
light.
Polly Fick, CSJA

The Hand of God Shall Hold You

Sister Margaret Hamm, CSJ

(S. Margaret Helen)
April 16, 1943 - November 3, 2014

Compassionate towards those in pain; passionate about

Mother Earth and all its creatures
We believe that Creation is a sacred
trust given to the whole Earth
community. (Congregational Chapter
Document, 2013.) Sister Margaret
Hamm tried to live this statement and
worked to educate and invite others to
do the same.
Margaret was born in St. Louis,
Missouri on April 16, 1943, to Edward
and Helen (Klosterman) Hamm.
Four- year-old Edward was her only
sibling. She attended St. Paul the
Apostle Grade School and St. Marks
High School. Some of her activities
there included playing varsity volleyball
and basketball, writing for the school
newspaper and participating in the
school operetta. (In addition, she
confessed she enjoyed watching and
collecting insectsnot a surprise
to those who knew Maggie!) After
receiving a degree in physical therapy
from St. Louis University in 1965,
Margaret entered the Sisters of St.
Joseph on Sept. 8 of that year.
S. Margaret earned a degree in
occupational therapy from Washington
University in 1970 and was appointed
director of physical therapy at St.
Joseph Hospital in Kirkwood,
Missouri. In 1984, she received
the Ann and Jack Ryan Award for
literary excellence. Also in 1984,
upon getting a Masters degree in
Hospital Administration from St.
Louis University, S. Margaret began a

one-year residency program with the

Wichita Sisters of St. Joseph. During
her rst ve months, Wichita was the
base from which she visited various
health facilities; the rest of the year
was spent as an administrative resident
at St. Rose Hospital in Hayward,
California, another of their facilities.
In 1985, S. Margaret became assistant
administrator at St. Joseph in
Kirkwood. In 1990, she took some
time o to enter the Emmaus program
in St. Louis and then spent the next
10 years doing physical therapy in
connection with various BJC facilities.
Becoming interested in another
method of therapy, she enrolled in the
Barbara Brennen School of Healing in
2002. During this time, S. Margaret
aliated herself with Core Services
and was still connected with them
at the time of her death. She also
operated her own practice of Energetic
Healing therapy in Brentwood,
Missouri from 2006 to 2011 and
opened a practice in Kirkwood in 2011.
Throughout the years, her concern for
the environment brought Maggie to
write a number of articles for the PNN:
explaining global warming clearly
and concisely; sharing her experience
of using red worms for composting
vegetable waste and mixing worm
castings with potting or garden soil to
enrich it; discussing the decision to buy
hybrids in light of global warming even

though it is not an economical choice;

or urging us to keep studying ways to
take care of our Earth.
Many shared stories of how S. Maggie
ushered Gods tiniest creatures out
of the house rather than dispatching
them, or of her feeding strays at her
door, both wild and domesticated. But,
more numerous are the stories of
S. Maggies gift of healing, her
excellence as a healer using both
physical therapy and the integrative
energy technique. She had great
empathy for those in pain, even making
house calls if someone couldnt get to
her.
She had this sense of balance that
seemed to drive the way she lived and
served She knew how to touch so
that negative energy was released
(S. Barbara Dreher) While she worked
on healing.we had wonderful
discussions about everything under the
sun. She was such a wonderful healer
and so much fun. (S. Mary Carol
Anth). A very competent health care
providera great loss. (S. Pat Hauser)
While S. Maggie was studying, I felt
privileged to have her practice her
Integrative Energy Healing on me!
(S. Paulette Gladis) She knew exactly
where to zero in and send the energy
for relief of pain. She was always so
amiable as she worked on me. I will
greatly miss her. (S. Ann Pace)
Sister Helen Oates
www.csjsl.org

Page 27

LEADERSHIP Calendar
December
2
CSJ Ministries (ML)
3
Associate Group Mtg. (RS)
5
SJID Christmas Gala (LS)
6
Sponsorship Task Force (MML, RS)
7
Congregational Center Open House
(MML, ML, RS, LS)
9
Presentation to Associate Group, Carondelet (RS)
9-10 Leadership Mtgs. (All)
10
Nazareth Christmas Party (All)
10
Fontbonne University Reception (LS)
11
Associate Task Force (MF, ML, LS)
11
Avila Board Dinner (RS)
12
Avila Board Mtg. (RS)
15
Mickey McGrath Event, Carondelet (LS)
16
Department Head Mtg. (All)
18
Province Office Christmas Party (All)
18
Associate Group Mtg. (RS)
January
8-9
Leadership Mtgs. (All)
12
Agenda Committee Mtg. (All)
14
St. Teresa Academy Board Mtg. (ML)
15
Associate Group Mtg. (RS)
19
Martin Luther King HolidayOffice Closed (All)
20
SJA Board Mtg. (RS)
23
Mission Integration Committee, Fontbonne (MML)
24
Fontbonne Board Mtg. (MML)
24
Sponsorship Task Force (MML, RS)
February
5-9
CLG Mtg., Carondelet (All)
12-13 Avila Dinner & Board Mtg. (RS)
17-18 Council/Corp Mtg. (All)
19
Investment Managers Mtg. (All)
21
Sponsorship Task Force (MML, RS)
21-22 Associate Leadership Mtg. (LS)
28
Sectional Mtg. (LS)
March
2-4
7
11
14
19-22

Heartland Federation Mtg. (All)

Sectional Mtg. (MML, ML, RS)
STA Board Mtg. (ML)
Golden Jubilees (All)
LCWR New Leadership Workshop (ML, RS)

PROVINCE Calendar
December
7
Advent Vespers
15
Go to Joseph with artist Bro. Mickey McGrath
20
Order of the House
January
24
Rory Cooney & Friends Concert
31
Linger Over Breakfast with S. Mary Flick
February
15
Associate Mardi Gras Celebration
March
8
KC Benefactors Mass & Reception
14
50th Jubilee Celebration
21
Order of the House
25
Dining to Donate
28
KC Linger Over Breakfast
*All events at Carondelet Motherhouse unless otherwise noted.
For more event listings and details, visit our
Members Only Calendar of Events at csjsl.org.

Advent Prayer Online

This Advent season, join the Sisters of St. Joseph
of Carondelet and the St. Louis Catholic sisters
in prayer with daily online reections.

CSJ Prayer Blog

Subscribe to togetherwepray.org, to receive
daily reections via e-mail created by
liturgist and Associate Mary Kay Christian

St. Louis Catholic Sisters

Visit www.stlcatholicsisters.org to view an
Advent calendar from the Communicators for
St. Louis Catholic Sisters.

Pray with us.

NEXT ISSUE: January PNN & Directory Changes

Submission Deadline: Jan. 1 Publication Date: Jan. 15
For a complete PNN schedule, visit Members Only at www.csjsl.org.
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November/December 2014 PNN