September 2009 Index

Pax Christi Conference
Maureen McDonnell, OP, Reg McKillip, OP, and Stella Storch, OP, attended the annual Pax Christi USA National Conference July 17–19 in Chicago titled “Remaining Awake through a Great Revolution: A National Catholic Conference on Peacemaking.” Read more . . .

Voices from Community Days
Community Days 2009 was quite a homecoming as more than 400 Sisters and nearly 20 Associates gathered Aug. 5–9 to “deepen the conversation” around community and contemplation. Read more . . .

Community Days 2009
Deepening the Conversation
“Just pay attention!” With these words from a poem of Mary Oliver, Delmarie Gibney, FSPA, invited the over 400 Sinsinawa Dominican and Associate participants to awaken. And awaken we did, in exquisitely prepared space and through the powerful presentations of Delmarie; the artful weaving of the themes of contemplation and community crafted by Elizabeth Toohey, OP, and Mary Ann Nelson, OP, and their committees; and the integrated multimedia presentation and challenge arranged by the committees on care of the Earth, peace and justice, and collaboration. Read more . . .

Inviting Others
Greetings to all Advocates for Our Life and Mission! As if you didn’t know this, especially after our Community Days 2009, the recent landmark study on U.S. vocations showed that, with the lived example of professed members, the most significant attractions to us for new members are community and prayer. Read more . . .

Celebrating a 'YES' to Religious Life
Our rituals of initiation this August 2009 were extraordinary celebrations. After having affirmed our desire and intention to move together into the mystery, sharing our gifts with the world, we gathered to celebrate the “YES” of our novice and newest members to continue the journey of becoming Dominican. Read more . . .

Wisdom's Well
When Alita Lisbeth, OP, was asked to describe the ministry at Wisdom’s Well Interfaith Spirituality Center in Madison, WI, that she shares with Maureen McDonnell, OP, and Paula Hirschboeck, Alita responded, “It’s people.” Read more . . .

Quilts Tell Their Stories
How many hands have contributed color and texture to the quilt that is your life? A current exhibit at a local museum features quilts made by the descendents of slaves who worked on a plantation in Gee’s Bend, AL. These quilts were made from scraps of clothing and found materials. Read more . . .

ARTT Day of Remembrance and Celebration
Aug. 4, 2009, was indeed a day of remembrance and celebration as over 140 Sisters, Associates, coworkers, and guests gathered at Sinsinawa. The day was dedicated to Mildred Thompson, OP, scholar, lifelong advocate for justice, and member of the Anti-Racism Transformational Team; and Sister Carol Artery, OP, whose dedication to multicultural education and liturgy inspired so many. Read more . . .

Congregation Appointee
Martha Mary Rohde
Martha Mary Rohde, OP, has been appointed Siena Prioress and began her position Sept. 1. This change in ministry comes after 41 years in education, including the last 10 years at St. Michael in Fernandina Beach, FL. Read more . . .

Crowd of 1954 Holds 55^th Gathering
The crowd of 1954 gathered during Community Days to mark the 55^th anniversary of their profession. Read more . . .

What Bright Future Dawns for We-Ha-Kee?
Sister Alberta Duffy returned from Faribault bringing little We-Ha-Kee LaBatte, whose mother is a Sioux and whose father a Frenchman was killed in the late Indian uprising. We-Ha-Kee’s mother came to the Sisters in Faribault, telling her a sad story, and Sister Alberta’s great heart was so touched that she brought the little girl to St. Clara where she is to be educated. Read more . . .

Tending to Father Samuel's Benton Home
In 1989, Father Samuel Mazzuchelli’s little house in Benton, WI, was moved from Bean Street to its present location west of the rectory by parishioners of St. Patrick, Benton. It was restored, painted, given a new roof and porch with two barrel decorators in front to be filled yearly with flowers. Read more . . .

STEPS Celebrates 15 Years
Sinsinawa Training and Educational Programs for Success (STEPS) completed its 15^th year of service enhancing the skills of undereducated workers in the Milwaukee area. Read more . . .

Getting to Know One Another
If I may indulge in some anthropomorphic whimsy, I have long loved the vision of God throwing the stars out into dark space with careless abandon. Some landed in large clusters like Wisconsin, Illinois, and Florida, or medium clusters like California, Georgia, and Iowa . . . you get the idea. But some are charged with lighting their space alone. Yet we know that there is no careless abandon with God and there is no “alone” for Dominican Associates. Here are some voices of the more distant stars. Read more . . .

DVUSA: Greetings and Good-Byes
Dominican Volunteers USA (DVUSA) is a full-time, faith-based lay mission volunteer program of the Dominican Family serving those in need in the United States. Our volunteers serve in health care, education, social service agencies, community organizing, organic farming, peace and justice, and church ministry. Read more . . .

Dominican Alliance Leadership Meets
The leadership teams of the Dominican Alliance met at the Mound July 17–19. There were 25 of us representing seven congregations, including the new Dominican Sisters of Peace. The gathering was filled with creativity, contemplation, collaboration, community, and courage (I love “c” words!). Read more . . .