“Let us abandon ourselves
to the Providence of God
and be on our guard
against anticipating it.”

Office of Peace, Justice and Care for Creation Advisory Committee members Associates Patty Broughton, Irene Diesel, Jan Metz, Debbie Weber and Rita Wesseling toured the Cincinnati-based Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women in January. S. Katharine Pinto, who serves on the board of Shelterhouse, the organization that oversees the homeless shelter, arranged for the tour. The OPJCC team will be partnering with staff and residents of the Shelterhouse centers during the Lenten season.

Fifteen Sisters in their 40s from 11 congregations and 12 countries came together this past weekend in Seal Beach, California, for the Giving Voice 40s Retreat. Sister of Charity Romina Sapinoso joined the women for an energizing weekend filled with wisdom and love.

Sisters Tracy Kemme, Annie Klapheke and Whitney Schieltz joined Catholic peers in their 20s and 30s for a weekend of community, prayer and relaxation. This year’s Giving Voice retreat, held in Phoenix, Arizona, focused on the theme “Friendship with God: A Sending.”

S. Sally Duffy received the 2020 Exemplar Award from the Notre Dame Club of Greater Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 19 at its Family Mass and Brunch. According to its newsletter, “[B]efore discerning her vocation with the Sisters of Charity, [S. Sally] served as Notre Dame’s second women’s basketball coach while a graduate student at the University. She went on to a stellar career providing resources, strategic vision/guidance and spiritual leadership to many initiatives both locally and across the country that have improved conditions for the most vulnerable and underserved populations …” Congratulations, S. Sally!

Seton High School celebrated the Feast of Elizabeth Seton with an all-school Mass on Wednesday, Jan. 15 in the Auditorium. Sisters of Charity were invited to the celebration and lunch immediately following, which was provided by a SHS family.

Last week the House of Charity in New Orleans, Louisiana, hosted a Federation group for days filled with service, prayer and fellowship. During their time together the group served at Hotel Hope, a shelter for women and children founded by Sisters Mary Lou Specha and Julie Marsh, P.B.V.M.

Congratulations to Sisters of Charity President S. Patricia Hayden, who was honored by the State of Colorado for faithfully serving its people for more than 27 years as an educator, chaplain and hospital administrator. Colorado Governor Jared Polis proclaimed Nov. 20, 2019 as Sister Patricia Hayden Day, saying Sister acted as a beacon for Colorado communities and inspired lives led in service of others. S. Pat most recently ministered as the vice president of mission integration at St. Anthony Health Campus in Westminster, Colorado, before being elected to serve as president of her Community.

Sisters of Charity and Associates from across the country remembered Elizabeth Seton, founder of the Sisters of Charity and America’s first native-born saint, with celebrations over the weekend. The SC Motherhouse hosted a dinner and celebration on Sunday, Jan. 5 following afternoon Mass. In Spring Hill, Florida, Associates hosted a re-commitment ceremony as well as welcomed three new candidates into discernment. Sisters and Associates in the Colorado Springs area celebrated with an Associate commitment ceremony, welcoming Agnes Patrick and Patricia Traver to the Community.

In its first year ever, the Sisters of Charity Gingerbread Decorating Contest, sponsored by the Human Resources Department, was a huge success. All departments of the Motherhouse and Mother Margaret Hall joined together with their work families to create their version of a Gingerbread house. Taking first place with the “Most Creative” house was the MMH Activities and Social Services Department. Motherhouse Grounds and Projects received second place for “Best Theme” and the “Biggest Display” went to the Motherhouse Maintenance Department.

The Sisters of Charity Community came together on Dec. 13 to celebrate the 100th birthday of S. Bernadette Kambeitz. In addition to a celebration with Sisters in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility, S. Bernadette had a special dinner that evening with visiting guests and close friends.

The annual Mother Margaret Hall Christmas Tea for employees, Sisters and volunteers was held on Wednesday, Dec. 11 in the Motherhouse Dining Room. MMH staff beautifully decorated the Dining Room in holiday décor and served their guests as a thank you and celebration for the efforts and assistance of all throughout the past year.

EarthConnection recently hosted Dr. Mike Roman as a follow-up to its Movies that Matter series featuring Anote’s Ark. Dr. Roman was one of the consultants on the film and is a former Peace Corps volunteer on the island of Kiribati. His lecture, The Human Faces of Climate Change, introduced those attending to the people on the island and the unprecedented climate change challenges they have silently faced over the past three decades.

Members of the Sisters of Charity Leadership Team hosted an Open House on Friday, Dec. 6 for employees and Sisters. The Open House provided visitors with an opportunity to visit with Leadership Team members and the chance to win one of many holiday-themed door prizes.

Members of the Mount St. Joseph University baseball team and coaches decorated the halls of Mother Margaret Hall on Friday, Dec. 6. Team members decorated trees and brought the holiday spirit to Sisters and employees of the nursing facility.

Sisters of Charity and SC employees started their holiday celebrations off with an annual tradition – the 12 Days of Christmas sing-along. The celebration (in its 19th year) was held on Thursday, Dec. 6 and includes employees and Sisters participating in their own, unique rendition of the holiday classic.

The Motherhouse Gift Shop hosted its annual Christmas sale Dec. 3-5 for Sisters, Associates, employees and guests. Christmas cards, decorations, handcrafted items and delicious holiday treats were included in the fun.

Members of the Visitation House hosted a small group of Sisters, including the SC Leadership Team, on Sunday, Dec. 1 for the renewal of temporary vows of S. Annie Klapheke. The group gathered in prayer and a shared meal to celebrate the occasion.

S. Sally Duffy was one of three inductees into the Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) Hall of Fame on Monday, Nov. 18. As co-chair of the Cincinnati Child Poverty Collaborative, S. Sally was recognized as a WIN collaborator in the elimination of child poverty. For 41 years WIN has empowered people to make informed choices for themselves and their neighborhoods through community building, home ownership and economic learning.

Members of the Sisters of Charity and the SC Federation are concluding their week in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of Nuns Build 2019. The House of Charity is hosting Federation Sisters and participants for the week while the group helped in the ongoing efforts in New Orleans.

The Cincinnati Sisters of Charity Associates hosted the annual Fall Soup on Sunday, Nov. 10. In addition to enjoying fellowship and a meal, Associates Sue DiTullio and Carmen Ferguson offered a presentation on their experiences with the Collaborative Leadership Development Program. Food items were also collected from guests and donated to the Community Matters Food Pantry.