Detroit 2011

S I S T E R S O F M E R C Y • W E S T M I D W E S T C O M M U N I T Y • S U M M E R 2 0 1 1

Spiritual Directors Help People ‘Listen for God’

Sisters of Mercy Celebrate as Two Members Profess Final Vows

The Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community rejoiced Saturday, June 4, as Sisters Mary Omolara Oladimeji of San Francisco, Calif., and Trinette Charmaine Jayawardene of Auburn, Calif., professed perpetual (fi nal) vows in a special Mass held at 4 p.m. in Our Lady of Mercy Chapel located at the Community’s Auburn site.

The two sisters took the fi nal step in their journey to become Sisters of Mercy when they each publicly vowed to live, for the rest of their lives, lives of chastity, poverty, obedience and service to those in need, especially women and children. (continued on page 8)

“Is this all there is?” “What does it all mean?” “How do I draw closer to God?” If you have ever pondered these questions, you, like many others, may have reached a point in your life when you seek a deeper relationship with God. Ready to help are spiritual directors who have the extensive training, education and experience needed to facilitate your journey.

The Sisters of Mercy have a long and rich history in this area of faith formation.

Take Sisters Mary Ann Scofi eld, Anne Pellegrino and Mary Ruth Broz for examples. While each of these sisters may have taken different paths to this ministry, each has experienced the joy of helping hundreds of men and women from different faith traditions take their relationship with God to another level.

“When people come for spiritual direction, many times it’s because they’ve had an experience in life that they are trying to make sense of, especially in terms of God,” said Sister Mary Ann, who is retreat and spiritual director at Mercy Center in Burlingame, Calif., and internationally known for her work in this fi eld. “I ask them, ‘what moved in you that brought you here today?’” She sees her role as “listening for

God” in a person’s life. “They have had a genuine experience of God and I help them get in touch with that experience,” she said. “When they do, it’s often life-changing.”

Her education in theology and spiritual direction, and her years of experience, enable her to help people do the internal work it takes to see God working in their life and grow deeper in that relationship. “It is very holy work,” she said. “Spiritual direction is not advice-giving and it is not problem-solving. It is paying attention to God in the life of another person and helping him or her identify whenever and wherever this experience happens. I help them to live it, to own it.” (continued on page 6)

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Sisters Mary Oladimeji, left, and Charmaine Jayawardene after their vow ceremony.

“When people come for spiritual direction, many times it’s because they’ve had an experience in life that they are trying to make sense of, especially in terms of God.” Sister Mary Ann Scofield

Cabrini Clinic Offers Hope & Healing Page 4

Inspired to Help the Less Fortunate Page 9

Sister Marie Angele is new Director of Development Page 3

Living Mercy

Summer2011

Sisters of Mercy West Midwest

Community

It is only with your prayers, commitment and continuous support that individual lives will be mercifully touched.

Dear Fri� ds of Mercy Welcome to Living Mercy, Summer 2011

Living Mercy is published by the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community Development Offi ce7262 Mercy Road • Omaha, NE 68124 • (402) 393-8225 • www.mercywestmidwest.org

Director of Development • Sister Marie Angele, RSM

West Midwest Development TeamDavid Hohl, Burlingame • [email protected] Pence, CFRE, Cedar Rapids • [email protected] Pappas, Detroit • [email protected] Smith, Omaha • [email protected]

West Midwest Communications TeamSandy Goetzinger-Comer, DirectorPatti Kantor and Elizabeth Dossa, Communications Managers

Contributing Writers • Molly Altorfer, Sandy Goetzinger-Comer,Liz Dossa, Patti Kantor

Graphic Design • Pat Osborne

Photography • Jamie Lynn Ferguson, 22nd Century Media newspapers, Sandy Goetzinger-Comer, Liz Dossa, Todd Hartman

Copyright 2011 Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community • Living Mercy articles may be reproduced with written permission from the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community Communications Offi ce. Direct reprint requests to: [email protected]

2 Living Mercy • Summer 2011

On July 1, we celebrated our third year as the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community. These past three years have been fi lled with the challenges of combining six regional communities – each with its own culture and its own processes – and the blessings and energy that have come from meeting new people and learning about their ministries. In addition to developing new processes, we also established the infrastructure and engaged the people to support how we connect and make decisions across our new geography.

During these fi rst three years, we have experienced both joys and losses. We have rejoiced as we welcomed our newest candidates and novices and witnessed fi nal vows for our newest members. We also have experienced sorrow from the loss of sisters, associates and staff who have died, among them the President of our Community, Sister Norita Cooney, and our Development Director, Sister Stella Neill. Both sisters were beloved and visionary leaders and are so missed.

As West Midwest Vice President, Sister Judith Frikker assumes the responsibilities of the president, while an election is underway for the president of the community. We have completed our search for the West Midwest Development Director and on August 1, 2011, Sister Marie Angele will join the development staff as director.

For the next two years, our work in the West Midwest is to give serious discussion and discernment as to what we want our reality to be as Sisters of Mercy. Underway is a process for this important work called Transforming Mercy/Mercy Transforming. We have prepared retreats and other opportunities for our sisters to come together for deep discussion in preparation for two important meetings. The fi rst is a gathering in June of 2012 and the next is our Assembly in 2013 during which we will set the direction for the next fi ve years and elect our next leadership team.

As you can tell, it is an exciting time to be a Sister of Mercy. We thank you for all of the support you give us each year. Your contributions, whether they are volunteer, fi nancial or prayer, are very important to us and we hope this newsletter keeps you updated on the ministries and happenings throughout the West Midwest Community.

Our gratitude is expressed in our prayers for you and remains in the memory of our hearts and minds.

Sister Sheila Megley, RSMFor the West Midwest Community Leadership Team

Living Mercy • Summer 2011 3

Sister Marie Angele has been named Director of Development for the West Midwest Community and will assume her responsibilities on August 1, 2011. A member of the Community since 2003, Sister Marie has a background in education, theology and theatre arts. In May, Sister Marie graduated from Creighton University in Omaha with a MBA degree and she received the Graduate School Outstanding Service Award.

Sister Marie Angele Named Development Director As Director of Development, Sister Marie will work with the development offi ces throughout the West Midwest Community and establish development offi ces in Chicago and Omaha. Her offi ce will be located at the Central Administration Offi ce in Omaha. Sister Sheila Megley notes the West Midwest Community “is blessed to have such a gifted individual assuming the leadership role for development and we are fortunate she has a passion for this work.” Sister Marie says she is passionate about our Mercy Charism and the vitality of our ministries. “I’m excited about this opportunity to serve the future of the West Midwest Community through this ministry of service to our donors and I look forward to creating meaningful partnerships that will help extend our mission of Mercy long into the future,” she said.

Sister Norita Cooney, RSM • Age 71September 21, 1939 - March 7, 2011Sister Norita Cooney was a Sister of Mercy for 53 years. After graduating from Mercy High School in Omaha, Neb., in 1957, she entered the Sisters of Mercy and began her ministry in education in 1962. During the next 12 years, she advanced from teaching in

high school to chairing the Sociology department at College of St. Mary in Omaha. Sister Norita then headed the Pastoral Development Offi ce of the Archdiocese of Omaha. In 1976 Sister Norita served the fi rst of her terms in leadership, fi rst as councilor and then as provincial for the regional community of Omaha.

In 1986 the world of healthcare beckoned and she was named chief executive offi cer of Bergan Mercy Health System where she served until Alegent Health was formed in 1995. At that time, she was named chair of the board of directors for the Alegent Health System. In 2002, Sister Norita became vice-president of mission services and community affairs for Alegent and served on the boards of several organizations including the Health Systems of the Sisters of Mercy in St. Louis, Mo. In March 2008, Sister Norita was elected as the fi rst president of the newly formed West Midwest Community. A woman of vision, compassion, inspiration, charisma and commitment, Sister Norita believed in the power of institutions for good and gave her time, energy and wisdom to governance in both the health and housing ministries of the Sisters of Mercy.

Remembering Sister Norita Cooney and Sister Stella Marie NeillThe West Midwest Community pays tribute to two of its leaders who were among the sisters (see page 10) called to eternal life this past year: Sister Norita Cooney, who was the fi rst president of the West Midwest Community, and Sister Stella Marie Neill, who was the Community’s fi rst development director.

Sister Stella Marie Neill, RSM • Age 68November 11, 1942 - December 7, 2010 Sister Stella Marie was cared for by the Sisters of Mercy as a child at St. James Orphanage in Omaha, Neb., and was inspired by them as a student in elementary and high school. In 1960 she entered the Sisters of Mercy and began her ministry in education several years

later. Though a teacher, her real love was social work. She was a visionary woman with the ability to see needs and fi nd the funding to serve those needs.

In the early 1970s, Sister Stella founded the McAuley Bergan Center to provide outreach services to the elderly. As the director, she arranged transportation, home visits, hot meals and opened an adult day care center. In the 1980s, she was director of planning and pastoral councils for the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, and identifi ed a need for affordable housing.

She is best remembered for her work as founder and executive director of Anawim Housing. She was a legend in the Des Moines area for her work in building housing for people with limited income. Even with her busy schedule, Sister Stella found time to serve on the Extended Leadership Team for the former Omaha Regional Community for 10 years. After 22 years as executive director of Anawim, she took time to discern her next ministry. At the time of her death, she was settling into her new job as West Midwest Development Director. She is remembered as a mission-focused, proactive leader who brought gifts of critical analysis and insight to every ministry.


St. Frances Cabrini Clinic hope and healingfor Detroit's uninsured

a place of

“We serve those who fall through the healthcare safety net, and today that net has more holes than web,” says Sister Mary Ellen Howard, RSM, executive director of St. Frances Cabrini Clinic. The clinic, located in Detroit, Mich., is the oldest free healthcare clinic in the United States. Each year, the clinic provides care to 1,500 uninsured adults ages 19 to 64.

It traces its tradition of tending to the medical needs of southwest Detroit’s poor to 1834 when Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church quickly turned its new building into a medical facility to handle a cholera epidemic. In fact, consecration of Detroit’s fi rst English-speaking church was delayed so that the building could be used as a hospital for victims of the deadly disease. Most Holy Trinity thus became the fi rst hospital in the Northwest Territory.

More than 100 years later, in 1950, Pastor Father Clement Kern had a mission of meeting the needs of the Corktown neighborhood residents who were the poorest of the poor. Because many were new immigrants in need of basic medical care, Father Kern established a free clinic, naming it in honor of Mother Frances Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants. Today, a statue of St. Frances Cabrini stands in the waiting room of the Most Holy Trinity's Cabrini Clinic. Patients and staff affectionately call her “Mother.”

Volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health professionals provide primary healthcare to those who come to the clinic. Besides serving the poor, the clinic also gives hope to the future by providing valuable clinical and service learning experiences for resident physicians and many students from local universities.

Cabrini Clinic offers free of charge the following services: primary medical care, prescription assistance, health education, EKG and lab testing, mental health counseling, eye care and glasses, dressings and basic home healthcare supplies, podiatry and referrals for specialty care. It is open Tuesdays and Thursdays for medical care, and on Wednesdays for psychiatry.

Cabrini Clinic, a non-profi t organization, is supported by Most Holy Trinity Church. Income needed for the clinic’s operation

comes from three sources: an annual fundraiser dinner known as A Gathering of Friends, foundation grants and donors. Sister Mary Ellen is grateful for support received from Mercy Ministry Fund of the West Midwest Community.

The driving force behind Cabrini Clinic is Sister Mary Ellen, who has a passion for making a difference in people’s lives. She, in turn, credits much of the clinic’s success to her volunteers including: Sisters Sally Smolen, Karen Donahue, LuAnn Hannasch and Judy Mouch, Mercy Associate Mary MacDonald, and Siobhan Dodds of Mercy Volunteer Corps.

A self-described “stubborn Irish woman,” Sister Mary Ellen has more than 40 years of experience in healthcare. She started her career as a nurse, advancing to the executive level at several Michigan Mercy hospitals. However, she left administration in 1992, after a much needed sabbatical during which she decided to return to direct service to those without access to care – more committed than ever.

Sister Mary Ellen is proud to have established Riverside Domestic Violence Shelter in rural northern Michigan and Jordan Health Center, a school-based health center in Detroit. Both programs continue to impact the lives of families in need.

At Cabrini Clinic, she uses her nursing and administrative skills to provide healthcare to people who would not otherwise have access. She estimates that there are 200,000 uninsured people in Detroit.

“We do some good, but more needs to be done,” she says. She knows that free clinics cannot possibly serve everyone who is in need. She explains that sadly it is not unusual for Cabrini Clinic to refer new patients elsewhere because they are almost always at capacity.

Sister Mary Ellen has become a well-known healthcare advocate for the poor. She has publicly spoken out about the sad state of healthcare in the United States and of the urgent

Sister Mary Ellen Howard is an advocate for the uninsured.

“ We do some good, but more needs to be done.” Sister Mary Ellen Howard Si M Ell H d i


need for healthcare reform. In advance of passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Sister Mary Ellen attended a U.S. White House Regional Healthcare Forum in Dearborn, Mich., in 2009. After hearing a cancer patient’s story of coverage denial, Sister Mary Ellen quickly stood up and asked, “Who in this room is going to care for this woman?” She would not sit down until one of the many healthcare executives in the room offered to help.(The event can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=OcI1bm8h9Yo.)

And Sister Mary Ellen is not about to give up on healthcare reform. In an op-ed published in the Detroit Free Press (March 24, 2011) she wrote: “A year ago this week, Congress passed landmark healthcare reform that stands as one of the most important achievements since President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law more than four decades ago. This fi rst anniversary will provoke fresh debate over a law many Americans still remain confused about, even as its benefi ts are already taking effect. “As a Sister of Mercy and executive director of the St. Frances Cabrini Clinic in Detroit, the oldest free clinic in the country,” Sister Mary Ellen wrote, “I’m on the front lines of our national healthcare crisis every day. Our doors are open to a steady stream of this city’s sick and most vulnerable that lack insurance. I know that the more than 50 million uninsured

Americans are not statistics. They are mothers, children and grandparents who deserve to be treated with dignity. In the wealthiest nation in the world, it’s a moral scandal that our broken healthcare system has left behind so many for so long.”

She is hopeful that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will chart a new course. This law will result in fewer patients facing “dire circumstances.” Once in place, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to citizens with pre-existing conditions while prohibiting placing lifetime caps on coverage. Using her state as an example of the act’s positive impact, she says, “Over the next several years, 795,000 uninsured citizens of Michigan will gain coverage.”

She hopes people are aware that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Offi ce estimates that healthcare reform will reduce the defi cit by about $140 billion over the next decade.

“My hope is that one day Cabrini Clinic will no longer be needed,” she said. “The charity my clinic provides is critical, but a healthcare system that allows so many to fall through the cracks is unworthy of our wealthy nation. The Affordable Care Act is a step toward rectifying this injustice. I continue to work for a single payer system that will provide universal coverage.”

Sister Mary Ellen and the volunteers and staff at Cabrini Clinic look forward to the day when the United States recognizes that health and healthcare are basic human rights, and makes a basic level of universal health insurance available to all. “Until that day, Cabrini Clinic will continue to advocate and serve,” she said.

Patients of St. Frances Cabrini Clinic show their appreciation for the care they receive.

“ My hope is that one day Cabrini Clinic will no longer be needed.” Sister Mary Ellen Howard


Sister Mary Ann was a director of formation for the Sisters of Mercy from 1964 to 1974. In 1970, a Jesuit priest invited her to be one of 20 women religious to be prepared to direct Ignatian Retreats. Previously these retreats, which are based on a process and principles inspired by St. Ignatius of Loyola, were directed only by Jesuits.

As she began directing these retreats, she felt the need for more preparation. So, in addition to her bachelor’s degree in history from the University of San Francisco and master’s (1963) and doctorate in theology (1964) from St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Ind. Sister Mary Ann went back to school in 1980 for a master’s degree in spiritual direction from Weston School of Theology, Cambridge.

“That gave me a solid intellectual underpinning, as well as the practicum for seminars and spiritual direction,” she said. At that time, she was on staff at Mercy Center in Burlingame and gave retreats and did spiritual direction. Later, she began training spiritual directors and then training those who supervised them.

According to Sister Mary Ann, spiritual direction has been part of cultures and faith traditions for centuries, and has been part of spiritual formation work in religious communities since the 1960s but, at that time, there wasn’t a name for it. Spiritual direction for lay men and women emerged in the 1970s and the interest often fl owed out of weeklong retreats being held at Catholic universities. The men and women attending enjoyed their experiences and yearned for something deeper.

In the 1990s, Sister Mary Ann and a small group of spiritual directors met to pray and discern whether the fi eld could be helped by creating an organization of spiritual directors. “After a long national process, the need for such an organization emerged,” she said. That was the start of Spiritual Directors International and she served as its fi rst executive director. “We had to have money to start this group and Sister Mary Waskowiak (at that time president of the Burlingame Regional Community) gave the okay and the fi nancial support to begin. “And, we paid it all back!,” Sister Mary Ann said.

Four hundred members from seven continents responded to the fi rst letter of invitation. Today the organization has more than 7,000 members on every continent and has celebrated its 21st anniversary. Recognized as a leader in this fi eld, Sister Mary Ann has been invited by many countries to train and mentor spiritual directors, including Singapore, Thailand, Kenya, Ireland, Alaska and Australia. “I’m having such a great life,” she said.

Sister Anne Pellegrino’s ministry in spiritual direction has spanned the past 30 years. She entered religious life in 1962 with the Servants of Mary and transferred to the Sisters of Mercy in 1994. After 15 years as a teacher, she became interested in spiritual direction and completed the spiritual direction program offered by the Jesuits at Colombiere Center in Flint, Mich. During those years, she served in spiritual direction at the Servite Renewal Center in Omaha, in campus ministry at Creighton University, in private practice for several years and did programming and retreat work occasionally at Knowles Mercy Spirituality Center just outside of Omaha, Neb.

Her directees, as they are called, come largely through word of

mouth and from all faith traditions. There was a time when spiritual direction was seen as only for the “holy people.” Today, more people are recognizing that it is for the everyday person. “There has been a growing interest in spirituality and spiritual direction is a piece of it,” she said. “We all need to develop our relationship with God. That is important for everyone.” But, she acknowledged, the person has to be ready for it. “One woman told me she carried my name around for three years before calling me,” Sister Anne said.

The gift that spiritual directors bring is the ability to help people grow in their relationship with God. “We help people refl ect on their lives and see where God is in the midst of what is happening. We help them learn how to be more attentive to their feelings and experiences of life. We ask them ‘How aware are you of God acting in your life? If not, what gets in the way of that?’”

Sister Anne fi nds it is rewarding to see people change during this spiritual journey. “They tell me they recognize a richness that they had not seen in the past.” With spiritual direction, individuals learn that a relationship grounded in God often enables them to better cope with what life sends their way. “Our relationship with God doesn’t change the reality of life, but how we are in the midst of that reality,” she said.

The current downturn in the economy may also be prompting individuals to seek a deeper spiritual life. “Many are yearning to be more refl ective around what really matters and are ready to look at priorities and values. Spiritual direction is an

Spiritual Directors Help People ‘Listen for God’ (continued from page 1)

“Spiritual directors help people grow in their relationship with God. We ask them ‘How aware are you of God acting in your life? If not, what gets in the way of that?’”Sister Anne Pellegrino


invitation to be more refl ective and to make better choices.”For Sister Anne, her work in spiritual direction is personally rewarding. “When people are faithful to their inner work, they do change, they do grow. It is a privilege to witness that and be part of it,” she said.

For Sister Mary Ruth Broz, her ministry in spiritual direction fl owed from her work in the 1970s as director of formation for the Sisters of Mercy Chicago Regional Community. In that role, she guided the spiritual life of the women who were becoming sisters. Intrigued by her work, she went on to get her Master of Divinity in 1979 from the Jesuit School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry in 1989 from University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Seminary.

With a growing desire to delve more deeply into the ministry of spiritual direction, she was led to an internship program at the Jesuit Renewal Center in Milford, Ohio. There she learned that so much of the preparation needed to companion another is related to the person’s own journey in the spiritual life. “I came to the awareness that God is in the darkness as well as in the light; that life itself is one's teacher; that all is sacred; and that we each have our own best answers,” she said. “It was all part of my own personal transformation that began then and continues to be what I believe are some of the greatest resources I bring with me today,” she said.

Since that time, Sister Mary Ruth founded and served as co-director of the Wellstreams Center of Feminine Spirituality in Chicago from 1991 to 2006. She also has trained others in the ministry of spiritual direction as part of the faculty of the Institute of Spiritual Companionship in Chicago for almost 20 years. It is a ministry she believes is so needed in the Church and the world today, and wants to see it continue among the laity and among all faith traditions.

Since 2008, she has been the spiritual director and program coordinator for Portiuncula Center for Prayer in Frankfort, Ill. She currently sees about 40 people a month for spiritual direction and feels blessed to see the power of the spirit working in people’s lives. “People come to the point in life when they are not sure which way to turn,” she said. “They want to slow down. They want to focus on what is important in life. They don’t realize they have their own answers. It takes mindfulness and listening to recognize the spirit working within them.”

Spiritual direction gives people a safe place and the freedom to talk about things without being judged. They are able to unburden themselves and express anger and hurt, she said.

As an example, she said she sat with a woman whose daughter was killed in a car accident. Through their work together, the woman began to see how God was moving in her life and she became more in touch with a God who didn’t leave her. “The woman described how she brought a Columbine plant to a field only to discover it was filled with Columbines, her daughter’s favorite flower. Those moments are really tender,” Sister Mary Ruth said.

She said spiritual direction also appeals to people who are caught up in the corporate life. They want to find a balance and be able to talk out some of the conflicts they experience.

She recalled a young woman who sought spiritual direction after she lost her younger brother with whom she was very close. When she returned to work “fi ngers were snapping and deadlines loomed,” Sister May Ruth said. While her co-workers expressed sympathy for the young woman’s loss, she was expected to get back on track. She was devastated and needed somewhere to turn. “Spiritual direction provided that safe place for her to work things out.”

Sister Mary Ruth encourages her directees to take 10 minutes a day for refl ection, prayer or meditation. “It’s rewarding to help people right in the midst of ordinary life make a small change and see where that takes them,” she said. “It’s exciting to see the changes that just 10 minutes a day can bring.”

While some people seek spiritual direction for a few months to get on a good spiritual path, others have built it into their lives. “They get used to the kind of conversation spiritual direction offers. It helps them stay centered.”

“ Spiritual direction gives people a safe place and the freedom to talk about things without being judged. They are able to unburden themselves and express anger and hurt.” Sister Mary Ruth Broz

Sister Mary Ruth Broz


Sisters of Mercy Celebrate as Two Members Profess Final Vows (continued from page 1)

Attending the ceremony and the reception that followed were more than 250 family members, Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Associates, other women religious and clergy. They were joined spiritually through prayer by the 750 Sisters of Mercy, 500 Mercy Associates and nine Companions in Mercy who are part of the West Midwest Community, one of six communities that form the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.

"Following the ceremony I felt a sense of indescribable joy, then relief, then a feeling of fi nally being ‘anchored,’ if you will," said Sister Mary. “Making fi nal vows for me has been a dream come true and God’s affi rmation of my call to religious life through my permanent membership in the Institute of Mercy. In the last week I have been overwhelmed with gratitude and humbled by God's faithfulness and love in the countless encounters with people who have been the face of God in my life.”

“It is a most wondrous thing to be a Sister of Mercy,” said Sister Charmaine. “I am fi lled with gratitude to God who, through the Sisters of Mercy, has made my deepest desire a reality. I was so moved at the prostration that when I stood up I felt like I was on wings. I am still basking in the love of God which was manifest at our consecration.”

“We feel so blessed to have these women as Sisters of Mercy,” said Sister Judith Frikker, RSM, interim president of the West Midwest Community. “They truly have the love of God and the passion for serving those who suffer from poverty, sickness and a lack of education.”

Delivering the refl ection was Sister Michelle Gorman, a member of the West Midwest Community leadership team and the sister who has accompanied the two women in every step of their journey to become Sisters of Mercy.

“When Charmaine and Mary entered the Mercy community in 2004, they took their life experiences, their tremendous gifts and talents, and tossed their lot with the Sisters of Mercy,” Sister Michelle said. “Chairmaine began her life in Sri Lanka, approximately 9,000 miles from here. Mary began her life in Lagos, Nigeria, approximately 8,000 miles from here. Their silhouettes have passed over many lands and occupations. Charmaine has been a radio announcer, a banker, mother, grandmother, spiritual director, contemplative, a tender of those addicted and pregnant. Mary, a proud Yoruba, has been a catechist, teacher, youth minister, justice organizer, student. Their lives have intersected here, in the hill country of Auburn, California,” Sister Michelle said.

“We thank you, Charmaine and Mary, for traversing the open skies, and for landing today to seal your covenant with your loving God. We are grateful that you are willing to follow in the footsteps of so many women of Mercy, both living and dead, and that you are willing to commit the rest of your lives to the charism of Mercy - Misericordia - your hearts moved to compassion by the misery of the world and by your own experience of God’s mercy.”

The Rite of Profession took place following the Gospel and included a “Call to Profession,” by Sister Judith Frikker and “Questioning” by Vice President Sister Patricia McDermott, representing the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Then, symbolic of giving themselves to God, both Mary and Charmaine lay prostrate in front of the altar during the Litany of The Saints.

The sisters then publicly professed the vows that each had written and then signed them. The vows were, in turn, signed by Sisters of Mercy leadership and the presiding priest, Rev. John Boll. As a symbol of this commitment, each sister was presented a ring engraved with the motto she had chosen. Sister Charmaine chose: “Lord, my love, I am yours.” Mary chose: “Be Not Afraid/Mase Beru.” The sisters were then affi rmed in song and welcomed by the Sisters of Mercy in attendance.

“We feel so blessed to have these women as Sisters of Mercy. They truly have the love of God and the passion for serving those who suffer from poverty, sickness and a lack of education.” Sister Judith Frikker

Rev. John Boll blesses the rings that each sister wears to symbolize their commitment. With Rev. Boll are, from left: Sisters Mary, Judith Frikker, Patricia McDermott and Charmaine.

“All will be well.” That’s the message you hear on Kim Thornhill’s answering machine. It’s a message she picked up from Mother Julian who tended to the injured during the 100 year war. Mother Julian witnessed killing, disease and the ravages of war, but was sustained by her own efforts to help others.

Those words have sustained Kim, who in a way has lived with her own ravages of war, one fought against the colon cancer that she has battled since April 2009. Following two operations and numerous procedures, she learned that the cancer had metastasized.

A Mercy Associate from Walnut Creek, Calif., Kim hasn’t let the diagnosis stop her. In fact, after much refl ection, she feels it has brought her closer to God. “Thank God and Bless God for cancer, it’s a bridge to him,” she said.

A teacher for 31 years, Kim continued to teach throughout her treatment. Only this past April, two years from her diagnosis, did she feel the need to retire. Because her treatment consists of cocktails of medicine that drain her energy, she felt she couldn’t give teaching her all.

In the Spirit of Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, though, she has a new fervor for helping the less fortunate. That is her focus. “Reading about the life of Catherine McAuley and her devotion to working with the poor in Dublin has inspired me to look for opportunities in this area,” she said.

In January, she hosted a fund-raiser for Open Heart Kitchen. Based in Livermore, Calif., Open Heart Kitchen is dedicated to supplying two weekend box lunches to low-income childrenin the Tri-Valley schools. On June 25, she and friend Rhonda Wofford hosted a purse party, also a fundraiser for Open Heart Kitchen.

“Hunger doesn't ‘go on vacation’ and many of the people going to bed hungry are children,” Kim said. “The need is more acute than ever, especially with the economy continuing to struggle. I believe that having these fundraisers will help Open Heart Kitchen to continue serving the children of the Tri-Valley area.” Kim’s work with Open Heart Kitchen has inspired others.

Associate Kim Thornhill

Inspired to Help the Less Fortunate

“A dear friend of mine, has been inspired to garner support for the program and refer needy students from the school.”

When Kim thinks about the Mercy charism, it brings to mind three points for her: provide, advocate and protect. “Provide not only

food but the means by which we can empower people to help themselves. This is what Mother McAuley and the fi rst sisters did when they provided job training, as well as housing to poor women. Advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves, which Mercy is doing in the areas of healthcare, immigration reform and on behalf of those who are being ‘traffi cked.’ And fi nally, protect those who are the most vulnerable among us: the disabled, children, the homeless, those who are abused and anyone who may not have a voice.”

Kim was introduced to Catherine McAuley and the Mercy Associates fi ve years ago when she met an Associate while on a retreat at Mercy Center in Burlingame. She was drawn to the opportunity to meet others who shared a commitment to helping others and she liked the idea of supporting the sisters in their work. When she was invited to become a Mercy Associate, she said, “yes.” She feels it has been “a great fi t.”

As a result of her longtime connection with the Sisters of Mercy, she has decided to make Sisters of Mercy one of the benefi ciaries of her estate. She wants to give back to the sisters who have given a lot to others. “The sisters have always had to support themselves. It’s up to the laity to step up and help. They did a lot for us, now I can do something for them,” she said.

In the meantime, Kim feels that God has opened the door for her to this new opportunity to be of service. “I don’t count the days I have left, I make the days count,” she said. “Faith has to have action.”

She has no idea how long she has in this life, but thanks God for her time here. “Every morning I say, ‘Thank you God for bringing me through the night. Thank you for giving me another day.’ If God calls me, I’m at peace with that.”


“I don’t count the days I have left, I make the days count.”Kim Thornhill

Called to New L ifeWest Midwest Sisters’ Remembrances August 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011


CALIFORNIASister Mary Jean Meier, RSM • Age 86May 25, 1925 - August 8, 2010 Sister Mary Jean was a dynamo with fi nancial acumen, a remarkable memory and a compassionate heart. She entered in

1943 and began ministry as a teacher in several California high schools and as principal at Mercy High School in Burlingame. Later, she became coordinator of school fi nance for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Calif., and next director of development at Mercy Retirement and Care Center in Oakland, Calif. In 1986, she was called to be development director for the Archdiocese and later Cardinal Mahoney’s Director of Special Services where she served until her death.

Sister Mary Clotilde Cena, RSM • Age 82January 10, 1928 - October 10, 2010Sister Mary Clotilde loved people and approached life with vigor whether she was teaching, ministering to parishioners or creating a piece of art. She grew up in California and attended Mercy Academy in

Red Bluff, where she met the Sisters of Mercy. She entered the former regional community of Omaha in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and for 59 years devoted her life to being a Sister of Mercy, a teacher for 20 years, religious education for 12 and parish ministry for 16 years.

Sister Jane Golden, RSM • Age 74July 28, 1936 - November 30, 2010 A native of County Cork, Ireland, Sister Jane entered in Auburn, Calif., in 1952. Formerly Sister Mary Luke, she spent 48 years in education as an elementary and secondary teacher, vice principal and principal. She

served on the Auburn Regional Community Leadership Team from 1986-1990 and also was director of the Family Learning Center for the Sacramento Food Bank in Oak Park from 1995-1998. After retiring from school administration in 2007, she represented the Sisters of Mercy on the boards for Mercy Education Resource Center and Cristo Rey High School in Sacramento.

Sister Cecilia Dolores Conant, RSM • Age 94August 30, 1916 - December 11, 2010Sister Cecilia Dolores grew up on her family's 100-acre farm in Modesto, Calif. She entered in 1935 in Burlingame and in 1937 began a 50-year ministry as a primary grade

school teacher in San Francisco, Oakland, Burlingame, Bakersfi eld, San Diego, Whittier and Los Angeles schools. She was known as Sister Mary Urban. In 1987, she worked at Mercy Terrace in San Francisco, an apartment building for low-income seniors, for eight years. She retired in 1996 and volunteered at Mercy Terrace until she moved to Marian Care Center in Burlingame in 2003.

Sister Mary Magdalen Hoey, RSM • Age 79May 2, 1931 - February 18, 2011Sister Mary Magdalen felt destined to be a Sister of Mercy because the signature of Sister Mary Thomasine Kelly was on her birth certifi cate and later on her vows. She entered in 1950 in Burlingame, Calif., a year after

enrolling at St. Mary’s College of Nursing in San Francisco. She taught primary grades at schools from San Francisco to San Diego and then became sacristan at the motherhouse. Next, she assisted the Holt program meeting infants arriving at the San Francisco airport. She retired in 2000 at Marian Oaks in Burlingame.

Sister Barbara Henry, RSM • Age 64September 23, 1946 - February 21, 2011Sister Barbara entered in 1964 in Burlingame, Calif. She completed the nursing program at the University of San Francisco in 1972. After her nursing internship at St. Joseph Hospital in Phoenix, Ariz., Sister Barbara returned to

St. Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco where she ministered in obstetrics, oncology and nursing services. Earning a nursing administration degree in 1981, she returned to serve as director of nurses. Sister Barbara served for 39 years in healthcare ministry despite a heart condition.

Sister Rena Ricci, RSM • Age 90June 16, 1920 - March 4, 2011A San Francisco native, Sister Rena Ricci, known for many years as Sister Mary Emilian, entered in 1941 in Burlingame, Calif. Sister Rena spent 60 years in hospital ministry as fl oor supervisor, director of nurses, superior

and administrator, assistant to the director of development, public relations and patient relations in several of the community’s hospitals. Her generosity and attentiveness helped ease the burdens of families of those who were ill or dying. She had a special love for her Italian heritage and the San Francisco Italian community.

“ I am yours for time and eternity.” Catherine McAuley

Sister Mary Regina Sutton, RSM • Age 84November 12, 1926 - March 15, 2011Born in Arizona, Sister Mary Regina entered in 1944 in Burlingame, Calif. She earned a master’s degree in mathematics from Notre Dame University and, for 22 years, taught math at St. Peter's and Mercy high schools in

San Francisco and at Mercy High School in Burlingame. Sister Regina then became a media specialist, receiving certifi cates in electronics from the De Vry Institute of Technology and from the National Radio Institute, and was a certifi ed locksmith. Her ability to diagnose and repair electronics and deal with keying systems earned her the title of “Sister Fix-it."

Sister Mary Georgina Maher, RSM • Age 94September 18, 1916 - March 24, 2011Sister Mary Georgina entered in 1934 in Burlingame, Calif. In 1937, she began a 57-year ministry in elementary education in San Francisco. In 1948, she was assigned to the founding faculty at St. Gabriel School

and ministered for 37 years in the Sunset District. She served as superior of the newly established Marian Care retirement home for four years before returning to Holy Name School where she was librarian, tutor and parish visitor for 10 years. She was among the last to leave the parish in 2005.

Sister Mary Rose Christy, RSM • Age 88February 1, 1923 - April 25, 2011Sister Mary Rose entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame, Calif., in 1947. After a back injury ended a 14-year nursing career, she moved to Arizona where she worked for the poor and underserved as director of

community services at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix. Her triumphs took place in Romania where she revolutionized the lives of the mentally and physically handicapped. With friends in the fi lm and television industry, she drew attention to people in pain. She continued to travel to Romania until 2003 and then lived at the Huger Living Center in Phoenix.

Sister Mary Carmen Sugiyama, RSM • Age 92March 16, 1919 - June 19, 2011Sister Mary Carmen was born in San Francisco, Calif., to Japanese immigrants. She was visiting relatives in Japan in December of 1941 and was not allowed to return to the United States until the end of

the war. Those years were painful for her. Upon her return


Visit the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community website to view obituaries in their entirety, as well as remembrances about sisters who passed away prior to August 1, 2010. http://www.mercywestmidwest.org/media & resources/remembrances

to San Francisco, she enrolled in St. Mary’s College of Nursing and met Sisters of Mercy. She entered in 1952 in Burlingame and spent 22 years in nursing; nine at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz., and 13 at Mercy Medical Center, San Diego. Later she found she had a talent for art and volunteered as an art therapist for 12 years.

COLORADOSister Regina Selenke, RSM • Age 79May 12, 1931 - December 18, 2010Born in Grainfi eld, Kan., Sister Regina entered in 1953 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, following two years at Mercy Hospital

in Denver, Colo. She ministered in food-related services at College of Saint Mary, Omaha, Neb.; St. Catherine's Home, North Bend, Ore.; Bishop Drumm, Johnston, Iowa; Mercy Hospital, Des Moines, Iowa; and Nutritional Service and Maryhaven Care Home, in Denver. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the mid-1980s, Sister Regina focused on the care of others with Parkinson’s, working at the Parkinson Association of the Rockies, Denver, and upon her return to Omaha, volunteering with the American Parkinson Disease Association for more than 10 years.

Sister Mary Charlotte Gates, RSM • Age 90November 17, 1920 - May 4, 2011Sister Charlotte had a zest for life and a love of people and that was how she approached her 41-year ministry of teaching, pastoral care and hospital admissions in Nebraska, Missouri, North Dakota, Iowa, New Mexico

and Colorado. She entered in 1939 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Early in her life, she experienced vision problems and was one the fi rst corneal transplant recipients in Denver, Colo. Though she spent the last years of her life with limited sight, she is remembered as a deeply prayerful woman who never let anything stop her from enjoying life.

ILLINOISSister Jamesina Prendergast, RSM • Age 91November 28, 1919 - September 12, 2010 Sister Jamesina was motivated by a great love for the poor and underprivileged. After completing her education at Saint Xavier

University, she entered in 1942 in Chicago. She taught for 28 years in elementary schools in the Chicago area. Then she became an LPN and for 13 years nursed at several hospitals

in Chicago and Davenport, Iowa. In later years, she was a volunteer in elementary schools and worked on projects, such as sending food and clothing to Haiti and Jamaica.

Sister Mary Jeremy Doyle • Age 84March 12, 1926 - December 13, 2010 Sister Mary Jeremy came to know the Sisters of Mercy in Milwaukee, Wis., where she was a boarder at Mercy High. She remembered those years as “wonderful.” She entered in 1943, earned her degree at Saint Xavier College

in Chicago and taught for 40 years in elementary schools in the Chicago area and in Madison, Wis. After teaching she worked at McAuley Convent and Manor in Aurora, Ill., for 18 years.

Sister Madeleva Deegan, RSM • Age 84April 16, 1926 - December 18, 2010Born in Chicago, Sister Madeleva entered there in 1944. She received her bachelor’s degree in education in 1958 from Saint Xavier University and her master’s degree in elementary education from Northern

Illinois University in 1973. She spent 42 years as a teacher, administrator and principal in Catholic elementary schools mostly in the Chicago area and in Janesville, Wis. In 1989, Sister Madeleva became a pastoral associate at St. Edmund Parish in Oak Park and served there for 12 years. During that time, she received several advanced certifi cates in pastoral studies. She retired in 2001 and volunteered in archives in Chicago.

Sister Mary Assumpta Buckley, RSM • Age 95July 2, 1915 - February 5, 2011Sister Mary Assumpta entered in 1936 in Aurora, Ill. She studied nursing, graduating from Saint Xavier College and St. Louis University. She served in healthcare for 28 years as a nurse and hospital administrator

in several Illinois hospitals. She spent four years on the provincial council of the Chicago Regional Community and served on the boards of several hospitals in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. She spent 34 years in pastoral care at Mercy Medical Center in Aurora until she retired in 2006.

Sister Roselina McKillop, RSM • Age 85October 11, 1927 - May 11, 2011Sister Roselina entered the Sisters of Mercy in Chicago in 1944, joining her sister, Sister Lucille McKillop who entered in 1924. As a child, Roselina and her two sisters studied Irish step-dancing with famed instructor

Pat Roche. The McKillop sisters were the fi rst to compete in national competitions and won a national championship. For 33 years, Sister Roselina dedicated her life to teaching and school administration in Catholic schools in Illinois and New-port, R.I. She served as director of information and computer services at Salve Regina University in Newport and then as dean of admissions for 12 years.

Sister Mary Rita Meagher, RSM • Age 78February 11, 1923 - May 14, 2011Born in Chicago, Ill., Sister Rita Meagher entered in 1944. She taught for four years at schools in Chicago and in Davenport, Iowa. With a bachelor’s in nursing and a master’s in hospital administration, she served in Mercy

hospitals in Chicago until moving to Aurora, Ill., in 1967. While CEO at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, she oversaw the building of the new general hospital. She also facilitated the merger of Mercyville Institute of Mental Health and Mercy Medical Center and served as CEO of the new entity, Mercy Center for Health Care Services in Aurora. Sister Rita became the planned giving offi cer for Mercy Center and then was a volunteer at Provena Mercy Medical Center and Provena McAuley Manor in Aurora until 2004.

IOWASister Mary Dorothy LaVigne, RSM • Age 77June 26, 1933 - August 9, 2010Born in Wisconsin, Sister Mary Dorothy entered in 1953 in Cedar Rapids. She earned her degree in history, education and home

economics and taught for 17 years in Iowa schools. In 1985, she moved to Sacred Heart Convent in Cedar Rapids where she assisted with convent duties and worked on the Mount Mercy College campus. In retirement, she volunteered at Mercy Medical Center, baking bread, canning vegetables and making desserts. At holiday time, she would prepare food baskets for those in need.

Sister Mary Ellen Flaherty, RSM • Age 87August 1, 1923 - September 12, 2010 Sister Mary Ellen was born in Anamosa, Iowa, and entered in 1945. She became an R.N. in 1945, earned her nursing degree in 1950 and spent 45 years ministering in Iowa hospitals and later in volunteer ministries. She served

as nursing supervisor at Mercy Hospitals in Cedar Rapids and Oelwein and administrator at Anamosa Community Hospital. She retired in 1990, but continued to volunteer at Mercy Medical Center and the Catherine McAuley Center in Cedar Rapids. She also started child care in private homes, a ministry she continued for many years.

Sister Mary Clementine Cashman, RSM Age 96February 16, 1914 - October 22, 2010Born in St. Cecilia, Iowa, Sister Mary Clementine entered in 1932. With a bachelor’s degree in music, she spent 47 years as a music teacher in numerous Iowa schools and as

principal at four of them. She also taught music in Kalispell, Mont. Sister Mary Clementine continued her ministry at Sacred Heart Convent, Mount Mercy College and Mercy


Medical Center. In 1998, she was inducted into the Mount Mercy Athletic Hall of Fame for her continued support of the college’s athletic programs.

Sister Jane Ehrhardt, RSM • Age 82November 27, 1928 - June 5, 2011Sister Jane entered in 1947 in Marion, Iowa, and began her teaching ministry in 1950 at Immaculate Conception School in Charles City, Iowa. She loved working with children and went on to teach in numerous elementary

schools in Iowa and Minnesota for the next 40 years. During the last 23 years, she served as school librarian at St. Joseph's School in Marion. In addition to a quality education, she taught students to believe in themselves. She retired in 2003 and moved to Sacred Heart Convent where she volunteered in addition to her prayer ministry.

MICHIGANSister Michaeleen Burns, RSM • Age 85June 6, 1925 - August 8, 2010 Sister Michaeleen was a highly respected educator. She entered in 1944 in Detroit and for almost 50 years, she taught and/or

served as principal in numerous Michigan schools in the Detroit area, Bay City, Lansing, Manistee and Saginaw. In 1993 she began a ministry in pastoral care at Abbey Mercy Living Center in St. Clair Shores. There, she enjoyed visiting the sick and with her sister, Sister Mary Burns, OP. After her sister’s illness, Sister Michaeleen retired at McAuley Center in Farmington Hills.

Sister Gretchen Elliott • Age 69June 4, 1941 - October 3, 2010A Sister of Mercy for 51 years, Sister Gretchen was a graduate of Mercy schools with advanced degrees in painting, graphic layout and architecture. She taught art to students in Michigan Catholic schools. Next, she served

in several leadership positions for Sisters of Mercy including Sister Formation, six years on the Institute Leadership Team, and eight years as president of the former regional community of Detroit. In 1998 Gretchen joined Mercy Health Services as vice president for Mission Services and was instrumental in guiding the formation of Trinity Health’s identity and fi rst mission statement. She also implemented palliative care with the hospitals in the Trinity system.

Sister Mary Cecelia Begin • Age 91August 28, 1919 - November 21, 2010 Sister Cecelia entered in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1940. She spent the fi rst 30 years in elementary education where she served as teacher and/or principal in schools in Michigan and in Independence, Iowa. In 1972, she spent 20

years in parish ministry at Madonna Parish in Detroit, fi rst in religious education and then as associate pastor. In 1992, she began volunteer work including fi ve years at the Detroit Regional Community offi ce. She also was an accomplished seamstress.

Sister Mary Carmen Brown • Age 99October 26, 1911 - December 8, 2010 Sister Mary Carmen entered in 1930 in Grand Rapids, Mich. She served in elementary and secondary education for 52 years as a teacher, counselor and librarian. As a teacher and counselor, she guided students in seven schools

around the state of Michigan. She also served as dean of girls at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills. In retirement, Sister Carmen discovered her artistic abilities.

Sister Mary Blanche Lysaght • Age 89February 25, 1921 - December 10, 2010 Born in Ohio, Sister Mary Blanche entered in Detroit, Mich., in 1942. She was a student at St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Grand Rapids and her fi rst assignment as a registered nurse was clinical supervisor of orthopedics. She

served as a nurse, teacher, administrator and pastoral associate in Michigan for 51 years. In 1981, she became a pastoral caregiver at Leila Hospital in Battle Creek. The next 15 years were fi lled with opportunities to be of personal assistance to hospitalized patients.

Sister Teresa Margaret VanTassel • Age 92May 11, 1918 - February 22, 2011Sister Theresa Margaret entered at the age of 15 in Rochester, N.Y., where she was born. For more than 35 years, she taught in Catholic elementary schools in Rochester, serving as principal for 10 years. In 1969, she moved

to Michigan and enrolled in milieu therapy, which dealt with treatment of older patients. This opened a new life for her and she moved to clinical pastoral ministry in a variety of settings in Michigan and Iowa. She retired in 1988 at McAuley Center in Farmington Hills.

Sister Mary Charlene Curl • Age 95October 28, 1915 - March 15, 2011Sister Mary Charlene entered in 1940 in Dubuque, Iowa. Her ministry in nursing was distinguished by her skills in patient care and as an administrator and supervisor in Michigan hospitals, including 17 years

as administrator of Leila Hospital in Battle Creek. In 1965, she and Sister Mary Aloysius Warnock were commissioned by leadership to join other religious and clergy from many faiths in a non-violent action for civil rights. For fi ve days they were part of a major wave of protest against racial discrimination. Sister Charlene wrote an account of their experiences.


Sister Mary Josephine Koschatzki, RSM Age 96 • July 30, 1914 - March 20, 2011A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Sister Mary Josephine entered in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1928. She spent 83 years in the Mercy community serving in ministries of education, sewing and prayer. In 1931, she began what

would be a 53-year ministry teaching in elementary schools, all but 10 of these in Michigan. She once estimated that she had taught over 2,000 children. At the age of 66, Sister Josephine began teaching art. She then moved to McAuley Center in Farmington Hills and served as the diversional activities director.

MISSOURISister Mary Ernest LaForge, RSM • Age 99February 21, 1911 - February 18, 2011Sister Mary Ernest entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1930 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She began her teaching career in parish elementary

schools in Kansas City, Mo. One of her students was William Baum, later to become Cardinal William Baum. She spent 48 years teaching English, Latin and history in Missouri, Nebraska and California schools. She retired and volunteered in the laundry area at St. John Medical Center in Joplin, Mo. It wasn’t long before she was asked to visit patients and so began her second career in pastoral care for the next 19 years.

Sister Joan Marie Martin, RSM • Age 75September 21, 1935 - May 10, 2011Born in Marshall, Mo., Sister Joan Marie entered in 1954 in Council Bluffs. Her life had three phases: teaching, housing and chaplaincy work. Her teaching phase began in 1959 and spanned the next 23 years

serving in schools in Nebraska and Missouri. In 1980, she was asked to join a task force to plan Mercy Housing. She was involved in housing ministry in Missouri and Idaho for 11 years. Her third phase, chaplaincy, covered 14 years. She valiantly battled cancer for many years and spent her fi nal year at Mercy Villa in Omaha among caring sisters and staff.

NEBRASKASister Joan Martin • Age 78August 14, 1932 - December 15, 2010Sister Joan entered in 1953. A 1957 graduate of St. Catherine’s Hospital School of Nursing in Omaha, Neb., she served in several hospitals

in Nebraska and Iowa before receiving a master’s degree in hospital administration in 1968. Sister Joan was administrator at hospitals in Iowa, Oregon and Missouri, and president of Mercy Management Services in Boise and Denver. She then served on the Omaha Regional Community Leadership Team from 1990-1998. From 2003 on, she was assistant to the president of Mercy High School in Omaha.

Sister Catherine Marie Franey, RSM Age 99May 15, 1911 - January 3, 2011On her 99th birthday, Sister Catherine Marie was serenaded by the Mercy High (Omaha) Alumnae Choir, which she formed in 1980 and directed until 2005. The choir sang at her funeral, honoring her 70-year ministry

of music that inspired thousands to love music and life. She entered in 1933 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, then taught for 24 years at St. Mary’s High School, 12 years at College of Saint Mary and 34 years at Mercy High School. A gift from her family established the Franey Fine Arts Center at Mercy High.

Sister Mary Sparks Lavey, RSM • Age 77April 2, 1933 - January 15, 2011Sister Mary Sparks entered in 1952 in Omaha. She shaped the lives of hundreds of students she taught during her 36 years as an art teacher in Omaha, Colorado and Missouri schools and as a faculty member

at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colo. After teaching, she devoted full time to her art. She opened Earthworks Studio and remained in Alamosa until 2006 when Alzheimer's disease necessitated her move to Mercy Villa in Omaha. Her talents included a thoughtful analysis and commitment to social issues especially women, peace and ecology. Her artwork is on display in many galleries.

NORTH DAKOTASister Mary Camille Prodzinski, RSM • Age 89 June 28, 1921 - December 20, 2010Sister Camille was born in North Dakota and welcomed every opportunity to live and minister there. She entered in 1938 in

Council Bluffs, Iowa, and served for 48 years in healthcare roles, including nurse, supervisor and administrator, at numerous Mercy hospitals in North Dakota and briefl y at an Omaha hospital. After retiring in 1991, she continued as a volunteer in pastoral care until 2006 when she moved to Mercy Villa in Omaha.

WISCONSINSister Germaine Scheifen, RSM • Age 90August 3, 1920 - November 15, 2010Formerly known as Sister Mary Baptist, Sister Germaine was born in Wisconsin and entered in 1941. She spent her early years in

ministry caring for the retired sisters in the former Chicago Regional Community at their infi rmary. She then taught in parish schools in Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago for the next 49 years. When she retired, she taught students in the cultural arts program at Saint Xavier University. She is remembered as a friendly person with a kind smile who always greeted anyone she met.



Mercy Matters

This meeting of the largest order of women religious in the United States was the Fifth Institute Chapter of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. On July 20, members will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, which is comprised of six communities with more than 3,800 sisters who serve in North, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Guam and the Philippines.

The Sisters of Mercy have elected a new leadership team for the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, headquartered in Silver Spring, MD. Pictured to the right are: President Sister Patricia McDermott, RSM (West Midwest, Omaha, Neb.). Vice president is Sister Eileen Campbell, RSM (Mid-Atlantic, Philadelphia, Pa.); and councilors are Sisters Anne Curtis, RSM (NyPPaw, Rochester, N.Y.); Mary Pat Garvin (Mid-Atlantic, Philadelphia, Pa.) and Deborah Troillett (South Central, Little Rock, Ark.). Their term begins August 1.

Nearly 300 Sisters of Mercy from across North, South and Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacifi c gathered at Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Ill., June 20-30, to pray, discern a direction for the next six years – including electing a new leadership team - and organize a public witness to call attention to the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

Sisters of Mercy Elect New Institute Leadership Team

IHA believes that Trustee Education Certifi cation (TEC) strengthens trustee leadership and accountability in a time when healthcare organizations are continually facing rapid, unprecedented challenges. It takes knowledge, understanding,

Two Sisters Achieve Certifi cation for Iowa Hospital Governance Sister LuAnn Hannasch of Livonia, Mich., is a certifi ed trustee for Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa and Sister Maurita Soukup of Cedar Rapids is a certifi ed trustee for Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa, and Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The sisters were among the fi rst recipients of Iowa Hospital Association's (IHA) Trustee Education Certifi cation which was launched in 2010. They were recognized during IHA's Governance Forum held in Des Moines.

Fourteen Sisters Celebrate Jubilees Fourteen Sisters from Farmington Hills, Mich. celebrate milestone jubilees this year. The fourteen have a combined 780 years of service as Sisters of Mercy. The jubilarians and their years of service are:

75 Years • Sisters Marilyn Furtaw and Hilda Sucher. 70 Years • Sisters Elaine Hart and Mary Bertha Vondruska.60 Years • Sisters Bernadette Mary Frank, Canice Johnson, Mary Jonella Pieper and Mary Augusta Stratz50 Years • Sisters Karen Donahue, Eloise Hirlemann, Nancy Jones, Marian Schultz and Mary Louise Yurik

Sister LuAnn Hannasch

Sister Maurita Soukup

dedication and commitment to be an effective board member and make the decisions to enable the delivery of effi cient, high quality and safe healthcare. Therefore, IHA designed a trustee education certifi cation program as a voluntary, meaningful process to ensure trustees' knowledge and demonstration of standards, fi duciary duties, governance obligations to bylaws, accreditation standards and laws, advocacy and continuing education in hospital governance. To become certifi ed at the advanced level, a trustee must complete all criteria for basic standards and advanced standards.

NON PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSISTERS OF MERCYOF THE AMERICAS

WEST MIDWEST COMMUNITY, INC.

Mercy Embraces ‘Awakeningthe Dreamer’What can one person do to save the Earth? A lot, and the Sisters of Mercy are doing their part.

More than a year ago, members of the West Midwest Justice Team attended an international symposium called “Awakening the Dreamer (ATD), Changing the Dream.” They were so moved by its message that they brought it to leadership who agreed it needed to be shared with the whole Mercy Community and beyond. The symposium was created by Bill and Lynn Twist of Pachamama, a San Francisco Bay area non-profi t organization formed in conjunction with Ecuador’s native rain-forest people. It presents a powerful picture of the urgent crisis the Earth and its inhabitants are facing and offers a bold vision for an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfi lling and socially just human presence on Earth.

In the past year, the Sisters of Mercy Community has spent tremendous energy and time promoting, presenting and participating in this symposium in an effort to wake others up to the crisis at hand and create a critical mass of people committed to making changes in their lives and their communities.

Sister Kathleen Erickson, a member of the West Midwest Justice Team, was the fi rst to be trained as a facilitator. Since then, 15 others have been trained as facilitators and well over 1,000 sisters, associates, high school and college students and faculty, offi ce staff members, as well as other colleagues and friends, have participated in the symposium. Awakening The Dreamer symposiums have been held in Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Arizona, California, Oregon and most recently in Belize, Central America. More are being planned.

Throughout the West Midwest Community, sisters, associates, companions and staff are working to make the world a better place by starting in their own “backyards.” Some of their efforts

include: organizing community gardens to encourage organic and fresh produce; changing light bulbs to lower energy bulbs, reducing the use of plastic bottles, adding recycle bins, planting new trees and beginning a compost program using their own kitchen scraps. Employees on the Community’s Burlingame, Calif., campus were shocked to learn that food waste is the largest single source of waste in the state, with over 6,000,000 tons dumped into landfi lls each year. A geographically dispersed

Community, the West Midwest also has encouraged electronic meetings as an alternative to travel.

Awareness is one of the greatest tools to fi ght environmental destruction. At Mercy Center in Burlingame, Catherine Regan infuses conscious awareness of the environment into everyday prayer, spiritual direction and retreat. “I remind them that we are embedded in Earth and interconnected with all.” Combining the issues of social justice, sustainability and spirituality is being called “eco-spirituality” and is resonating with the public.

So, what can you, one person, do to save the Earth? Take simple steps like recycling and using less power. Educate yourself and your neighbors on these topics. Contact the Sisters of Mercy to attend or host an Awakening the Dreamer symposium in your city and help this message spread.

If interested in experiencing an Awakening the Dream symposium, visit: www.mercywestmidwest.org/dreamer for a list of facilitators and areas where the symposium is being held. You can also visit www.awakeningthedreamer.org for more information and additional dates and locations.

ingaliratpsCClelaRegina Gomez from the

Burlingame campus takes part in the 2011 Earth Day ceremony.

29000 Eleven Mile RoadFarmington Hills, MI 48336-1405

Documents

Detroit 2011