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| January 21, 2015 |
Photos of the Week
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Springfield Dominicans The Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois, are committed to addressing systemic racism. The Springfield Dominican Anti-Racism Team (SDART), formed in June 2004, includes laypeople and sisters who are called to identify and understand systemic racism and to practice and promote anti-racism. A recent article in the Illinois Times, “Rooting out systemic racism: After a decade of quiet struggle, the Dominican Sisters have started a movement,” featured this initiative. Read article Above: Sister Mary Jean Traeger (right) at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Springfield. Photo by Barbara Nelson. Reprinted with permission from the Illinois Times |
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Dominican Young Adults The week of Jan. 4–8, eight members of the Dominican Young Adults Chapter at Molloy College came together to participate in a service project on Long Island, New York, to help repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. This year’s build was a three-way collaboration among United Baptist Disaster Relief Services, United Methodist Disaster Relief Services, and Dominican Young Adults. Two associates from the Dominican Sisters of Amityville also participated, along with two others from the local community. Read article by Gina Fleming, OP (Amityville) Above: Sister Gina Fleming (fourth from left) with volunteers at one of the work sites |
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Houston Dominicans December was a month of community celebrations for the Dominican Sisters of Houston. The Knights of Columbus from St. Michael Parish rolled up their sleeves to do some landscaping and maintenance work at the Villa, then treated the retired sisters to a catered dinner party. Other festivities included a volunteer/staff appreciation party, Spirit Cookers visit, Dominican Family prayer and brunch, and a prayer partners gathering. Read article by Ceil Roeger, OP Above: Sister Carol Mayes presents the Pauline Gannon Award to Hunter Nelson, nephew of deceased Sister Davidica Nelson. Hunter set up a vacation fund for the sisters in honor of his aunt’s memory. Hunter and other members of the Nelson family joined the sisters for the Dominican Family prayer and brunch Dec. 20, 2014. |
Dominican Sisters’ Conference
Convocation registration, ‘Paris 2015 and Counting’
As we embark into this New Year, the Dominican Sisters’ Conference is counting down to the 2015 Climate Summit in Paris, France. The DSC’s Paris 2015 Sub-Committee encourages sisters and others to participate in the “Paris 2015 and Counting” initiative to help raise awareness of justice issues impacted by climate change. January’s focus is how climate change and human trafficking are related. More information and resources, including study guides, action items, and prayer service materials, are available online. The DSC is also planning for its second convocation Oct. 1–4 in Wheeling, Illinois. Registration materials for attendees and market place vendors are available on the DSC web site. The latest issue of the DSC newsletter, In the Loop, has also been posted. Read newsletter (PDF)
Maryknoll Sisters
Selma: More than a movie for Sister Maddie
Maryknoll Sister Madeline Dorsey, 96, was among those on the front lines of the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Along with three other sisters, she represented the African-American doctors who worked with them at Queen of the World Hospital, the nation’s first interracial hospital, in Kansas City, Missouri. Read article on Maryknoll web site Sister Madeline was interviewed for the documentary “Trailblazers in Habits,” where she gave a firsthand account of her experiences. Watch video
Adrian Dominicans
Sister Donna named president of Catholic Charities USA
Sister Donna Markham, OP, PhD, former prioress of the Adrian Dominican Congregation, has been selected to serve as the next president of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA). The first woman chosen for this position, she succeeds Rev. Larry Snyder and will officially assume office as CCUSA’s 10th president on June 1, 2015. “I am both honored and humbled to engage in this enormously important ministry,” said Sister Donna, currently president of the Behavioral Health Institute for Mercy Health. “There can be no greater call than to serve and advocate on behalf of persons who struggle to get by in a world where they are all too frequently relegated to the margins of society and where they long for dignity, hope, and compassion.” Read more
Ministry Opportunity
Executive director for Churches’ Center for Land and People
Churches’ Center for Land and People (CCLP), based in Verona, Wisconsin, is seeking an executive director. CCLP is a faith-based organization that connects with people of faith to promote earth stewardship, economic justice, sustainable local food production, community-building, spirituality and rural-urban connections. They are seeking candidates with a knowledge of and passion for agriculture, food and sustainable farming practices and an understanding of rural communities and rural development issues. The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters are among the supporters of the CCLP. The part-time contractual position begins April 1. Deadline for applications is Feb. 16. Download job description (PDF)
Mariandale Retreat and Conference Center
Ann Willits, OP: ‘What Does God Expect of Us?’
Preacher, poet, writer and lecturer Sister Ann Willits, OP (Sinsinawa) will present “What Does God Expect of Us?” from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14 at Mariandale Retreat and Conference Center in Ossining, New York. Program description from the brochure: “What God expects does not always match what we want. This day of reflection will offer us time to pause and consider what God wants us to hear. Perhaps we might prepare for the day by asking ourselves: What does it mean to belong to God? The day will offer us some time to be silent, time to listen to God, and time to listen to our lives.” Read more
Dominican Retreat and Conference Center
‘Women Saints of New York’ with Br. Mickey O’Neill McGrath
The Dominican Retreat and Conference Center in Niskayuna, New York, offers a weekend retreat for men and women Feb. 27–March 1 with artist, author and storyteller Brother Mickey O’Neill McGrath, OSFS. Br. Mickey will share his paintings and the stories behind them, shining new light on the women saints who walked the streets and forests of New York: Kateri Tekakwitha, Elizabeth Seton, Frances Cabrini and Dorothy Day. Br. Mickey will also present “Devotions on Devices” Thursday, Feb. 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. Learn how the SketchbookPro app can be used to illuminate your prayers and inspirations. Read more about Br. Mickey and his ministry of art and faith. For more information and to register, call 518-393-4169 or visit www.dslcny.org.
Dominican Center at Marywood
Reflecting with Pope Francis
The Dominican Center at Marywood (DCM), Grand Rapids, Michigan, is offering three evening programs on Pope Francis. The first, “Pope Francis: The Man and Spiritual Leader” with Diane Zerfas, OP, is Monday, Feb. 9. “Pope Francis the Teacher: The People Wish to See Jesus” with Diane Zerfas, OP, is Monday, March 9. “Pope Francis the Writer: The Joy of the Gospel” with Mary Kay Oosdyke, OP, PhD, is Monday, April 13. Each program runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $15. For more information and to register, visit the DCM web site.
Faith and Film
The Imitation Game, Whiplash, Selma
“The Imitation Game” tells the true story of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) who successfully breaks the Nazi Enigma Code, contributing greatly to the defeat of Germany in World War II. The independent film “Whiplash,” the story of a first-year jazz student in a prestigious music conservatory, is one of the most intense movies I’ve ever experienced.
“Selma” provides us with a snapshot of a pivotal moment in American history. It is masterful in every way. I appreciated the fact that “Selma” shows the support King received from priests, ministers, and religious in Selma. One of my earliest memories of the Civil Rights Movement was watching priests and sisters crossing the bridge in Selma, along with Martin Luther King and his supporters. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP
Previous updates:
National Catholic Sisters Week The second annual National Catholic Sisters Week will be held March 8–14. Scheduled in conjunction with National Women’s History Month, NCSW is a series of events created to raise awareness of the lives and contributions of Catholic sisters. San Rafael Dominicans in the news The Dominican Sisters of San Rafael have made headlines twice this month in Catholic San Francisco. The diocesan newspaper featured the congregation in a Jan. 14 article titled, “Dominican Sisters of San Rafael intertwined with history of archdiocese.” Another article featured Sister Anne Bertain, who is retiring from 50 years of ministry at St. Dominic Parish, where she started a drop-in day shelter for the homeless. Sinsinawa hosts lecture on Afghan peace efforts The Sinsinawa Dominican Office of Peace and Justice is hosting an evening presentation Feb. 16 by Patrick Kennelly, director of the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking. He has traveled to Afghanistan four times since 2011 to understand how Afghans are using nonviolent solutions to resolve the conflict in their country. For more information, contact Sister Joy Peterson, PBVM, Sinsinawa Dominican promoter of Peace and Justice, at 608-748-4411. Fr. Dominic EWTN interview on free speech and religion On Jan. 8, Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, spoke on EWTN News Nightly, sharing his insights on free speech and religion in light of the recent tragedy in Paris. Trained in civil law as well as systematic theology, Fr. Dominic teaches on the faculty at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. Vocation story: ‘Consecration made visible’ Sister Maria Catherine, OP, a Dominican Sister of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, Ann Arbor, Michigan, talks about her calling to religious life in an article in Catholic San Francisco.
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