Communigram

Manitowoc, WI―On November 12-13, 2011, Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity HealthCare Ministries Inc. gathered all of our Sisters involved in the healing ministry of Jesus at the Mother-house. This meant our Sisters serving in Holy Family Convent Health Clinic and St. Rita’s Health Care Center were joined by others from nearby Holy Family Memorial Medical Center, Manitowoc and St. Paul Elder Services, Kaukauna. Community members at Franciscan Care Services, West Point, NE and Genesis Health Care System, Zanesville, OH, also came the dis-tance for the Health Assembly Program Making a Difference in Our Ministry.

Guest speakers included keynoter Sister Mary Haddad, RSM, who spoke on Stewarding the Ministry in a Time of Change and Judy Turba on Dealing with Change as a Sister, as a Sponsor, and as a Per-son. Sister Laura Wolf, Sister Louise Hembrecht, Sister Patricia Linssen, Sister Helena Young and Sister Martin Flavin had sig-nificant roles in event planning and presenting.

It was great having the Sisters involved in our health care minis-try at the Motherhouse for their assembly. Their enthusiasm and dedication was evident in various comments following the meet-ing: “Excellent Program!”, “These days have been very interest-ing and informative”, “It’s been enlightening and motivating.”

Making a Difference in Franciscan HealthCare Ministry

Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity December 2011

Volume 45, Issue 10

The objectives of the Health Assembly Program November 12-13:

• to discuss stewarding the ministry in a time of change

• to review the role and structure of sponsorship amid the reality of change

• to update participants on the various projects under consideration by the System

• to reflect on the effects of change in our personal lives

• to share our ministry stories with other Sisters in the service of healthcare.

Remember in your prayers Regina Lehnerz

as she accepts the Insignia of our Postulancy

during a special service at the Motherhouse

on Wednesday, December 8.

Sister Mary Haddad (left, with Sisters Laura and Louise) is a Sister of Mercy of the South Central Community. She is senior director of sponsor services for the Catholic Health Association (CHA). Judy Turba (pictured with Sister Patrica Linssen) is the programming director for the Norbertine Center for Spirituality and public relations coordinator for St. Norbert Abbey.

Sister Sue Ann Hall is currently serving in Zanesville, OH as a vol-unteer at Genesis Health Care Sys-tems, Good Samaritan Campus. Sis-ter served most of her religious life cooking on missions for our Sisters in these locations: Oneida, WI; Delaware, OH; West Point, NE; West Covina, CA; the FSCC Motherhouse, Silver Lake College and St. Francis Convent, Manito-woc. However, the past five years Sister has been serving as a volun-teer at Holy Family Memorial Medi-cal Center, Manitowoc; St. Paul Manor, Kaukauna, WI; and now at Zanesville, OH. As a volunteer she is helping in several locations: at the Patient Information Desk, main lobby, where she answers the phone, helps find answers to questions, and directs people “where to go.” Some-times she works in Volunteer Trans-port where items are delivered to various departments or to the doc-tors’ building surrounding Good Samaritan, and takes out patients when they are dismissed. She also answers the phone there and advises the volunteers “where to go.” Sev-eral days a week she helps out in Out Patient Surgery, greeting pa-

tients, guiding and visiting with pa-tients, getting them settled for their scheduled surgery. Sister folds isola-tion gowns, and assembles patient bundles of gown, robe, socks and clothing bag, sanitizes the Bay areas after a patient leaves, replaces items in the bedside stands--and between-times ‘spoils the nurses with back rubs’! Occasionally she makes post dismissal calls to patients to see if they were satisfied with their care while in the hospital. And also, she helps with different projects, like decorating the Good Sam Lobby Christmas Tree.

Sister remarks that “everything now is different about my mission life. After being a cook for over 40 years and now working in the Health Care system, my life has taken on a new adventure. My Myers-Briggs test, taken years ago, didn’t show me as an extrovert, but boy, has that changed! I’ve never had so much interaction with people—and I thrive on it! You deal with so much that is at the heart of the lives of patients, families, and nurses. A kind word, a smile, a hug, a touch, a prayer, just being there works won-ders in a person’s life and beyond. People just want to be recognized as a person.”

Sister reminisces over her child-hood. The youngest of three chil-dren, she arrived on December 13, 1945, when her sister Harriet was a senior in high school and her brother Bob a freshman. And winter was not as it is now, occasioning her Dad to tease her that “You got lost in a storm.” Her crib was in her Mom and Dad’s bedroom and her Dad would sleep in his bed, with the

crib alongside, holding hands with his infant daughter. ‘ Daddy’s little girl?’ she asks. Her future brother-in-law Gordon says he had to hold her hand until she went to sleep be-fore he could take her sister out on a date! Four years old when her sister Harriet got married, little Sue was dressed in a pretty blue satin dress and hat with lace around the edges. She says, “My brother Bob was my parents’ built-in baby sitter. He liked to tease me and make me cry, and I obliged him! Later, when I was eleven years old, he and Marge were married, and I was their flower girl, dressed in a lovely pink eyelet dress. Then, as the years progressed I was the “built-in” babysitter for both Harriet and Bob!”

“My vocation story is nothing un-usual, no great event, it just matured gradually. When I was six years old my great aunt made me a Sister out-fit. I got to crown Mary in May in 2nd grade at St. Boniface in Manito-woc, WI. I had our Franciscan Sis-ters in all my grades (except 3rd grade) and I think that was influen-tial in my becoming a Sister. I used to help the Sisters in their class-rooms and in cleaning the church.

Page 2 Month ly Memo Volume 45, I ssue 10

Might her vocation

story have started

at age six when

she was dressed up

as a Sister?

By Sister Kay Elmer

But I had one great concern: could I be a Sister if I was left-handed? I wonder if there was a stifled laugh to the answer; and I’ll bet that was a topic of conversation at the Sisters’ supper table that night!”

“It was not easy on my Mom and Dad when I left for the Convent. Mom thought I was too young and Dad just missed me. I never regret-ted my decision to be a Sister even at the early age of 13, 51 years ago and now 47 years professed. All life has its struggles and there has always been someone there to help me over them. What a blessing from God! I wanted to be a Sister, but what I would be doing as a Sister never en-tered my mind. It would all unfold as time went on. And what an un-folding it has been--each day rich in opportunities and inspirations! May I choose wisely or at least ‘pick my-self up, dust myself off’ and start all over again! It is a wonderful journey for love of God and love of those whom God puts in my pathway each day. It’s a beautiful life. College was-n’t easy along the way and it was suggested I try homemaking, which turned out to be the right fit for me, although I never cooked in my life. It was purely gift and genes from my Mom. And they have been good years. If anyone had told me I would be serving in the Health Care Sys-tem now I would have said,” You have to be kidding.” I never thought I could/would do anything else but cook. I wasn’t the type to step out of my comfort zone. but it has proved to be a wonderful change and well worth stepping out. Now when I cook, we all cook. We each do something for a meal, one does the meat, someone else the vegeta-ble, another the salad, and the least experienced,--the fruit!—and we all manage the kitchen at the same

time! It’s kind of a homecoming sharing of our day.”

“Sister Louise Hembrecht, our Community Director, asked me one day if I would go with her to Rome and cook for the Sisters there while she attended the Major Superiors Meeting. Wow! I didn’t need time to think about that! That was quite an

experience. I was glad the Sisters spoke English and someone was able to go shopping with me. You don’t find things packaged the same way as in the States and they have markets along the streets. On one of those trips several young boys ap-proached me speaking Italian. I just smiled and shook my head “no.” The Sister with me said I answered correctly; they were asking for money! On a free day I decided to take a bus to the Vatican. I had walked there once before. Well, with the bus being so crowded, I couldn’t see where to get off—so I had a tour of Rome I never would have seen or experienced otherwise! We drove for a good half hour before we came to a terminal where one has to change buses. ‘Oh dear, now what?’ I looked around to see if I could see anything familiar. There a little ways away, was a #40 bus. I ran towards it-- for I knew it stopped near where we were living. ‘Thank you, God!’” Sister thinks we

should adopt the Italian afternoon nap. She says, “On one occasion in walking through a store after lunch, I noticed I was the only one in the store! The light went on in my head; they close shops after lunch for a couple of hours! I was out in a flash.”

“The biggest thrill for me was mak-ing the Franciscan Pilgrimage to As-sisi, Italy. What a privilege to walk the streets knowing that St. Francis walked them years before me. It made me so proud to be a Francis-can Sister of Christian Charity fol-lowing Francis. So much history, so much beauty, so much inspiration, so much life! How could I not be caught up in the beauty of St. Fran-cis’ life and legacy. It renewed my dedication to God and the life I had chosen.”

“I have many interests: Counted Cross Stitch, working on squares for a quilt on checked gingham; plastic canvas creations for the Craft Room in Sister Paul’s “Sweat Shop”; mak-ing my own cards; putting jigsaw puzzles together; writing letters, and I enjoy watching football and base-ball. I have no trouble finding some-thing to do. And I’ve always enjoyed my work. It was never a chore!”

Page 3 Month ly Memo Volume 45, I ssue 10

Sister Sue Ann serving gelato at the Domus Santae Mariae Guadalipe in Rome, October 2002.

August, 1991 - Sister Simona Jamiel and Sister Sue Ann entered a quilt at the Manitowoc County Fair. Sister Sue Ann did the counted cross stitch while Sister Simona put it together.

Greetings from Cambridge, Ohio.

Page 4 Month ly Memo Volume 45, I ssue 10

It has been a very busy year with many school activi-ties. We started school rather early, at least for us, with faculty meetings and parent school night on August 16. Sister Anna Maar arrived just in time from her month’s visit with relatives in Germany. She had a great time sharing life and love with many, including those of whom we knew but had never met. Her travels took her to visiting relatives in Germany, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia. She also had the opportunity to visit sights such as the ice caves in Germany that are high up in the mountains. In one of these caves she had to climb 700 steps up and down again!

For our Community Day we went to Warthers Mu-seum in Dover, Ohio. It is a place worth visiting if you are ever in the area. What a talented and humble man he was! His woodcarvings are outstanding and so intri-cate! Craftsmen also make knives there, and if you need your knives sharpened, this service is also pro-vided. Dover is near Amish country, so we celebrated the day with a dinner at an Amish restaurant.

St. Francis Day found us celebrating with our Sisters at Zanesville, OH. They had a delicious meal for us and fun, games and prayer followed. We, in turn, invited them to our house for Thanksgiving. We, too, had a delicious turkey dinner with the works. The Packers provided part of the entertainment for us along with some games that Sister Miriam Dosch had prepared and a treasure hunt cleverly orchestrated by Sister Carolee Vanness. We also played an “Old Ladies” type of volleyball. One had to sit on chairs and volley a punch ball. This provided a time filled with joy and much laughter. The day together was concluded with a Thanksgiving prayer service composed by Sister Theresa Feldkamp.

We continue to give thanks for Sister Miriam who brings the Lord and much joy to many shut-ins; Sister Eloise Biedenbach, who always provides a col-orful and cheerful environment in the

school library; Sister Carolee, who teaches the second graders in a creative and joy filled way; Sister Anna, who challenges the upper grades in science and math and Sister Theresa, our principal, who keeps everything running smoothly and helps us work together in har-mony.

We wish all a blessed and peace-filled time of year.

The Sisters at Cambridge

Chair volleyball―not too easy to spike !

May your spirit be awed by

the miracle and wonder of Christmas

and God’s deep love for us.

A Blessed Christmas!

All of us in the Communications Department

Page 5 Month ly Memo Volume 45, I ssue 10

Trafficking of Human Beings: Our Response as Franciscans

The following overview is a list of the types of LABOR trafficking cases that have emerged within the United States.

Domestic Servitude/Domestic Worker Cases o Nannies o Maids/Housekeepers

Small Businesses/“Mom and Pop” Operations o Landscaping o Nail Salons o Restaurants o Industrial Cleaning o Construction o Hospitality

Peddling Rings/Sales Crews o Magazine sales crews o Flowers/Candy sales crews

Large Scale Labor Cases o Agriculture o Factory settings (i.e. garments,

food processing) environments (i.e. industrial welding)

-Polaris Project

A Franciscan Oatmeal Honey Bread Favorite

We begin a new Church year with the new Roman Missal, new prayers, new responses and above all a search for a new heart in the spirit of the season of Advent. We renew our consideration of the hymns we use by looking at them through the lens of Catholic Social teaching and the call to social justice.

Perhaps the most well known Advent hymn is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. Let’s take a look at those well known lyrics to consider their relation-ship to the practice of social justice. The very first verse pleads with God to send Emmanuel to ran-som captive Israel. As we well know, this is not just a statement from Bible History. God’s people of all races and creeds remain captive throughout our world. Some are physically imprisoned unjustly. Some are captives of a government that denies them the freedom to speak or practice their faith. It

is Emmanuel with us in the prayers and works of his people that will set these captives free.

We invoke Wisdom who orders all things asking for guidance in the path of knowledge. We sing our prayer pleading that God will enlighten us in ways to bring peace and justice to His people. The song continues to call on the Lord of Might citing His gift of the Law. We ask that God’s laws of justice might prevail for all peoples. We ask that we and our brothers and sisters be delivered from our foes, spiritual and in the flesh. We ask the Key of David to close the path to misery and we call on the Day-spring to put death’s dark shadow to flight. This includes those on death row, those in the path of war and violence everywhere. Finally we call on Emmanuel the Desire of nations to bind all people as one. What greater prayer for social justice could we offer? Let us sing to the Lord who is coming!

Ad ment By Sister Kathleen Murphy

Sister Julie Ann Sheahan shared a Motherhouse bakery favorite, Oatmeal Honey Bread, on our website; http://www.fscc-calledtobe.org/ this month.

2 c. boiling water 1 c. oatmeal 2 pkg. dry yeast 1/3 c. lukewarm water 2½ tsp salt ½ c. honey 2 Tbsp soft margarine 6 c. flour

Pour boiling water over oatmeal and let stand 20-30 min-utes. After mixture has cooled, soak yeast in lukewarm wa-ter. To oatmeal mixture add salt, honey and margarine. Then add yeast that has soaked about 5 minutes. Next add flour 2 cups at a time. If dough is sticky, add a little more flour and knead. When flour is all worked in, shape into a mound in the center of the bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Let rise until twice its regular size. Cut it down and divide into 2 well greased loaf pans, shaping to cover the pan bottoms. Let rise. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Brush tops with butter when done. Note: try this recipe forming smaller rolls baking 15 minutes until golden brown.

Oatmeal Honey Rolls

Honoring Veterans

Updates from Greenwood, MS

Page 6 Month ly Memo Volume 45, I ssue 10

New Deck off the Kitchen

During November we were blessed with the addition of a new deck to our small porch off the kitchen. The porch we had was great for getting access to our backyard, but it was small and had no sides rails, so one had to be care-ful about how close you got to the edge, which only took a step or two. Brother Steve, along with Daniel and Javier built a wonderful extension to our porch, including a ledge to add planters if we wish. We were able to move our grill to a safer spot as well as add a couple of chairs. We are so blessed.

Scholarship Fund Raising Efforts in Greenwood

We are always looking for ways to raise funds for schol-arships for our students to attend St. Francis School in Greenwood. Sister Mary Beth Kornely recently com-

pleted this very warm and cuddly crocheted "Coffee and Cream Dia-monds Afghan" which is currently being raffled with a winner to be announced just before Christmas. Her last afghan raised over a $1,000 so we are spreading the word, hop-ing to match or pass last spring's results. Over 53% of our students receive scholarships and many of them wouldn't be able to attend St. Francis without them.

All Saints Day Celebration at St. Francis

Sister Mary Ann Tupy invited her fifth and sixth grade religion class to do research on a saint and then dress up for the school Mass on All Saints Day. Seventy-five percent of the class took on the challenge and introduced their saint to the rest of the school. Everyone en-joyed their creativity and presentations.

Kekaha, Kauai, HI―Military personnel from the Pacific Missal Range Facility on Kauai provided the students of Saint Theresa Grade School in Kekaha with a patri-otic as well as fun Veteran’s Day program. New flags, American and Hawaiian, were a gift from members of the military base. The ceremony began with special military style flag raising. Patriotic songs were sung and the students were then given the opportunity to ex-plore a military base police car. The students also climbed aboard a huge Zodiac remote controlled boat.

The students returned to their classrooms and listened to invited guest speakers talk about their present and past experiences of the military. The generosity of these soldiers for the students on this enjoyable day was greatly appreciated, not to mention the heroic ser-vice that these military personnel give to our nation.

Submitted by Sister Carol Ann Gambsky

Zodiac Remote Control Boat Grandpa Joe with Sister Janet Rose’s Second Grade Class.

Photo by Sister Annette Kurey

Submitted by Sister Mary Beth Kornely

Submitted by Sister Carla Riach

The Spirit of Assisi- One People, One Spirit, One World

Remembering, Celebrating and Rejoicing in Yuma

Page 7 Month ly Memo Volume 45, I ssue 10

Tucson, AZ――The Spirit of Assisi- One People, One Spirit, One World was the title of an ecumenical prayer service hosted by the Franciscan Friars minis-tering at San Xavier Mission and South Tucson. The service was held Oc-tober 27th, the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s gathering of leaders of different religious traditions in Assisi to pray for peace.

The participating religious traditions represented were Jewish, Muslim, Episcopalian, Buddhist, Native American and of course Catholic. Sister Carla Riach and Sister Delores Vogt joined in the

Yuma, AZ ― The Sisters and a number of invited guests gathered at the con-vent for the celebration of the Transi-tus on October 3rd. It was an evening of remembering and celebrating the passing of our Father St. Francis from his earthly life to new life with God. Everyone enjoyed refreshments and time for socializing following the prayer service. (Picture 1)

Immaculate Conception School stu-dents and faculty showed their appre-ciation for the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity on the Feast of St. Francis. They posted banners, gave them many warm greetings, presented them with homemade cards and lovely gifts. The Sisters were gratefully touched by the warmth and kindness of the school community. (Picture 2)

The Sisters joined the Close family for the baptism of their new little son, John Ryan Wesley Close. John and Jes-sica are members of Immaculate Con-ception parish. Their daughter Ashley is a sixth grade student at Immaculate Conception School and their daughter Audrey is attending Yuma Catholic High School. What a joy it was to wit-ness this little one become a child of God! (Picture 3)

Deacon Nixon and his wife Maria are the proud parents of a newly ordained Benedictine priest/monk, Father Basil Nixon. He joined a new Benedictine community whose monastery is located in Nursia, Italy. Father Basil (Michael) grew up in Yuma and attended Im-maculate Conception School for Kin-dergarten before going to public school. The Sisters attended his Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, October 30th at Immaculate Conception Church. That evening the Sisters were guests at a dinner provided by the Nixon family. It was an evening to celebrate and rejoice with Father Basil (black beard) his Prior, Father Caspian, and the Nixon family. (Picture 4)

This butterfly native to North America is so tiny it is often missed by most people. One day the little butterfly landed on Sister Elizabeth’s finger and stayed there as if it didn't want to go anywhere. “It was truly amazing to wit-ness and see this tiny creature of our good and loving God. I was able to take some photos of the tiny butterfly to share with others. I thought you would enjoy seeing it.” (Picture 5)

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(Continued on page 8)

Submitted by Sister Elizabeth Benvie

event and the local Third Order Seculars served refreshments.

Several of the speakers began by sharing how they came to know and love St. Francis. Sister Carla was amazed that our Beloved St. Francis has such universal appeal. Each presenter had a unique style and there was a variety of literary forms used in the reflections and prayers. Everyone reminded us that peace begins within our indi-vidual hearts.

Sister Delores had a pleasant sur-prise the following Sunday after Mass when a gentleman greeted her with “Shalom”. He had been next to her in the pew and they had prayed for each other as part of Rabbi Stephanie’s reflection.

Father Matt Tumulty, OFM con-cluded the prayer service with his reflection Prayerful Longings – Spirit of Assisi. The Buddhist Abbot rang the bell in between.

SWORDS INTO PLOUGHSHARES!

When mothers of the world come together and say: Let’s stop this killing of each other’s children! Their pierc-ing cry bringing our family of nations to outlaw war, and we teach our chil-dren war no more. (Bell)

THE ARC OF JUSTICE BENDS TO-WARD TRUTH AND RECONCILIA-TION!

We are gathered here on Tohono O’odham peoples’ land. May our na-tion honor first nations and proac-tively respond to fulfill our treaty obli-gations, for the sake of their cultural integrity from which we have all bene-

fited. (Bell)

NO MORE DEATHS!

Reaching deep into our common hu-manity, acknowledging our own im-migrant past, we secure our borders through a humane immigration policy. (Bell)

MOVING OUT OF DOMININATION TO SERVING OUR IMPERILED PLANET!

Our common mother Earth, without our deepening awareness and com-mon action, will cease being able to nurture our children. That is not an epitaph we want for our generation. (Bell)

CREATION! A TABLE AT WHICH ALL CREATURES PARTAKE!

Our person human, our earth a home for all! (Bell)

The Spirit of Assisi- One People, One Spirit, One World (Continued from page 7.)