“One of the first rules of my
happiness is to be satisfied
with good in whatever
degree I can attain it.”

The annual Mother Margaret Hall Art Show, sharing the work of both Sisters and employees, was exhibited on Wednesday, Oct. 16 in the Mother Margaret Hall Community Room. Artwork included watercolor, photography, oil paintings and various other mediums.

The Sisters of Charity Federation House of Charity is hosting students from Creighton University this week. Students have had the opportunity to partner with SBP to offer rebuilding assistance to families in the area while also finding time to experience the New Orleans culture.

The late S. Rose William Herzog was honored as a recipient of the 2019 Spirit of Sister Dorothy Stang Award on Sunday, Oct. 13 at St. John the Baptist Church in Harrison, Ohio. The award, presented by the Archdiocesan Mission Office and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, is given to individuals who exemplify the values of S. Dorothy through their social justice ministry and teaching. Sisters of Charity President S. Patricia Hayden accepted the award on S. Rose William’s behalf.

The Sisters of Charity Spirituality Center offered Praying with Paint over the weekend. Mother Margaret Hall Director of Activities Bill Owen led participants in an opportunity to reflect, pray and use their creative energy to share ideas through color on canvas.

Members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) Region VI gathered Oct. 6-7 at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse for their fall meeting. Their time together included prayer, conversation and networking, as well as a presentation from S. Marie McCarthy, SP, on “Giving an Account for the Hope that is Within Us.”

Congratulations to Theresa Piatt, who made her commitment as an Associate in Mission on Saturday, Oct. 5. Theresa lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was accompanied by companion Sister of Charity Juanita Marie Gonzales.

Sisters and Associates participated in Fall Congregational meetings this month at the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse. Both weekend sessions opened with prayer in the Motherhouse chapel followed by a progressive supper in the dining rooms. The next morning began with quiet prayer, followed by the new Leadership Team sharing how they come to their new roles; each reviewed their areas of responsibility. CFO Tim Moller gave a comprehensive presentation on Congregational finances and the Property Planning Committee presented their report, giving time for questions and table discussions. Each weekend session closed with liturgy.

DePaul Cristo Rey High School, a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Charity, celebrated Founder’s Day on Sept. 27 by honoring Sisters of Charity Barbara Hagedorn and Catherine Kirby with the DePaul Cristo Rey Founders Leadership Award. The award honors persons specially connected to DPCR whose leadership demonstrated the inspiring qualities of St. Vincent De Paul and the school’s founders. Both women were instrumental in nurturing the school’s founding; S. Barbara was president during the congregation’s exploration and launch of the school, and S. Catherine headed the feasibility study committee and oversaw the task force work.

During the Season of Creation, OPJCC Director Debbie Weber has been busy encouraging the Sisters of Charity community around the Motherhouse to pray and act on ecological issues. On Sept. 4, OPJCC hosted a prayer service asking God to help guide our daily actions and thoughts as we continue to strive to be good stewards of the Earth. In addition the office has distributed products to Sisters and employees that are environmentally friendly and can be used as alternatives for our daily choices.

Sisters of Charity were in attendance for Mount St. Joseph University’s Founders Day Mass and kickoff to the university’s 100th anniversary celebrations. Archbishop Dennis Schnurr celebrated Mass in Mater Dei Chapel. Other events during the day included an art show, festival in the quad and fireworks that evening. To learn more about MSJU’s yearlong celebration visit https://www.msj.edu/about/centennial/.

Sisters living in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility enjoyed a picnic at Parky’s Farm in Winton Woods last week. In addition to enjoying lunch, the Sisters had the opportunity to see many of the animals living there.

The Sisters of Charity Leadership Council joined Sisters in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility for a special liturgy on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Jubilarians celebrating significant vowed commitments of 65, 70 and 75 years gathered for Mass in the MMH chapel followed by a special luncheon at noon provided by the MMH staff.

Community members came together on Thursday, Sept. 12 to say thank you to S. Donna Steffen (Novice director) and Sisters Nancy Bramlage, Maureen Heverin, Carol Leveque and Terry Thorman (Bayley House) for their time in walking with the Community’s Novices over the past eight years.

S. Mary Marcel DeJonckheere was the guest speaker at DePaul Cristo Rey High School’s Friday Morning Chapel on Sept. 6. The theme of the weekly all-school gathering was “Rooted in Charity,” reflecting on where the DPCR community (a sponsored ministry of the SCs) came from. After S. Marcel spoke, four students shared brief reflections on the SC values of humility, simplicity, charity and God’s ever presence.

Sisters of Charity and Bayley employees celebrated the Labor Day weekend with the annual employee family picnic on Saturday, Aug. 31 at Stricker’s Grove. Employees and their guests had the opportunity to enjoy games, rides and summer treats as a last celebration of summer.

S. Whitney Schieltz pronounced First Vows during a ceremony Aug. 24, 2019, in the Immaculate Conception Chapel at the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse. During the liturgy Whitney committed herself for three years to the service of God, God’s people, and all of Creation as a member of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. She promised “to live in community and vow to God poverty, consecrated celibacy and obedience according to the Constitutions of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.”

The Ohio Nuns on the Bus from the Toledo, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati areas assembled at the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse over the weekend for a three-day retreat with direction from S. Marcelline Koch, OP. S. Marcelline led the group into a deep look at racism and how it affects many of our unconscious actions and decisions. She helped participants see that all people are racially prejudiced (regardless of racial/ethnic identity), and racism is racial prejudice with the misuse of power systems and institutions.

Sisters and Associates in the Greater Cincinnati area wrote letters to members of Congress this week urging them to make changes to our broken immigration system. The letter writing campaign is at the request of Archbishop Schnurr and coordinated at the Motherhouse by the Office of Peace, Justice and Care for Creation.

Nearly 700 leaders of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) gathered Aug. 13-16 in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the 2019 assembly, Imagining Leadership in a Global Community. Keynote speaker, S. Pat Murray, IBVM, helped participants explore important movements occurring within religious life globally and locally through the lens of leadership. In addition, members voted unanimously Aug. 16 to commit the organization, their congregations and themselves to fight racism, welcome immigrants and help stop climate change for the next three years.

Sisters in Mother Margaret Hall welcomed Kunle Adewale, a trailblazing young African leader and pioneer in the arts in healing/arts in medicine field, to the Mount last week. Adewale gave an artist talk to the Sisters, entitled “Arts in Medicine: Changing the Narratives in Africa’s Health Space.”