Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield

A variety of gifts

2011-02-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Last week Sr. Mary Lou Gillon said her last goodbye to the many, many residents at Mont Marie whom she served as pastoral minister. Mary Lou performed this service for 14 years. (She is on the right in the picture.)

The reason I’m writing about this is because during the five plus years I’ve worked here at the Mont, I was continually impressed by her truly generous nature, her genuine warmth, and her ability to project real caring to the people with whom she worked. Granted, I wasn’t with her most of the time, so there must have been times when she was grouchy, frustrated, or just plain in a bad mood – but I never saw that, I don’t think any of the residents did either. She went to hospitals in the middle of the night and stayed for hours in the ER, sat with very, very sick patients, offered endless prayer on their behalf, and talked to family members of the residents of the Health Care Center about difficult end of life issues. She went to wakes and funerals a lot. It’s truly lucky that God blesses us with a variety of gifts because I could never do what she did.

Anyway, I think I’ll ask Mary Lou to write a blog about her experience as a pastoral minister here at the Mont, but I believe she’ll say, “You know, Denise, I’m not good with the computer” (and probably has never looked at the blog), but she is really good at some very important things. We’ll see.

What does "Catholic" mean?

2011-01-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

A few days ago at morning prayer, we read the following excerpt from Joan Chittister's God's Tender Mercy, Reflections on Forgiveness: "Because history shows us that the church is a sinful church, it is the very place in which we should be able to find the greatest degree of mercy, of understanding, of compassion, of non-judgmentalism."

It put me in mind of the unfortunate action of Bishop Thomas Olmsted in Phoenix when he had the Eucharist removed from St. Joseph's Hospital and stripped it of its Catholic designation for performing an abortion in November 2009 to save the life a pregnant woman suffering from severe symptoms of pulmonary hypertension. Last May Bishop Olmsted excommunicated Sr. Margaret McBride, a member of the Sisters of Mercy (whose congregation founded the hospital over a hundred years ago) because she served on the hospital's ethics committee and was involved in the decision to save the mother of four other children.

While none of us is privy to the process Bishop Olmsted used to arrive at his decision, it seems that his harsh, legalistic application of punishment has done a lot of harm and saddened many ordinary Catholics - many who really would like to somehow find a way to stay within the walls of the Church despite its missteps. The people of God display much more compassion and understanding than the Bishop of Phoenix does. If just a few bishops in the United States would say (audibly) that Olmsted is over the top in the area of judging who sins and who doesn't and what must be done about it, then I think the small flame of hope will burn a while longer in our hearts.

Mary and God's Plan

2010-12-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Mary was preserved from all stain of original sin from the first moment of her conception. In a brief reflection on this feast Joan Chittister, OSB, says “It is important to remember that Divinity stirred first in a woman and because of her in the rest of us. It is important to realize how integral to God’s plan for salvation women really are. It is even more important to work for the feminine in life or God’s plan can never really be whole.” The Church honors Mary for the role she fulfilled in God’s plan. Her virtues and characteristics are held as holy. But somehow the fact that God chose a woman for a pivotal role in salvation history does not translate into the recognition by many in the hierarchy of the virtues and characteristics women could bring to bear on the work of the Church today. This situation has persisted over time and has eroded the belief that there might be cause for hope that things might change any time soon.

Added to being relegated to second class citizenship is the Vatican’s use of an apostolic visitation to figure out what’s wrong with US women religious and make some recommendations to help us. Offering a tiny glimmer of reality, Archbishop Joseph Tobin, newly appointed Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, said that Rome must acknowledge the “depth of anger and hurt” provoked by a visitation of American nuns and that it illustrates the need for a “strategy of reconciliation” with women religious. Tobin said that he does not expect any “punitive” fallout from the visitation, and that before any decisions are made women’s communities should have a chance to know the results and to respond. We’ll see, I’m not holding my breath.

Here's an opportunity

2010-11-19T06:17:00.000-08:00

Restorative Justice & Community Accountability Boards

In 2005 Mary Quinn, ssj, changed her ministry in restorative justice to answer a call to serve as the president of our congregation. Before and since then she has encouraged many sisters to be part of Community Accountability Boards which are a vital part of the work of restorative justice. At a recent appreciation dinner for volunteers in this work we heard from Sheriff Michael Ashe, James Kelleher, and Monica Dominique, coordinators of CAB, how important this volunteer work is for local communities and former inmates.

Community Accountability Boards meet face to face with an offender once a month for four months. He or she is challenged to examine his/her actions, take responsibility for those actions, and explore how those actions have affected victims as well as other people in the community, themselves, and their family. Assignments are given to the offenders each month by members of the board. In turn the offenders spend time writing answers to the assignments and sharing them with the board at the next month's meeting. The time spent doing the assignments and the sharing that follows allows for conversations and future choices that might be impossible to do without the concern of CAB volunteer community members.

One of the most important principles to remember in this work is that the boards of volunteers take a non-judgmental stance during the time spent with the offenders. In fact, the offenders have already been judged and have been incarcerated for their crime and have chosen to be part of this program. Board members are also asked to keep whatever is shared at the meeting only for those present.

Due to many changes in our lives, several of our sisters who were volunteers are no longer able to be part of this program. Perhaps there are others, including associates and agregees, or partners in ministry who might consider this very important work within their own communities. The basic commitment for volunteers is a meeting once a month facilitated by a staff member from the Sheriff’s department. The two hour a.m. and/or p.m. (your choice) meetings are held in the communities of Chicopee, Holyoke, and Springfield.

If anyone would like further information about this program please feel free to call or e-mail the Justice & Peace Office. rmulcahy@ssjspringfield.com

This article appeared in Mission an online newsletter of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield. It was written by Roberta Mulcahy, Justice and Peace Coordinator.

Women & Spirit

2010-11-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

Now and then a good shot in the arm is just the thing, isn't it? At the end of October hundreds of Sisters of Saint Joseph from the northeast traveled to Ellis Island to experience Women & Spirit Catholic Sisters in America, a traveling exhibit chronicling the breath and depth of the contributions sisters made to the country and to the church. The exhibit was organized by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) an association of leaders of congregations of women religious in the United States.

Standing side by side with sisters in my own congregation, gathering the information, learning about women whose stories are known by few outside their own group and thinking about the courage, perseverance, and savvy it took to establish - hospitals, orphanages, colleges, and a myriad of other service institutions - usually with very few resources and sometimes in the face of opposition, made me proud.

Seeing the panel highlighting the Sisters of Saint Joseph who responded from France to an invitation to come to Missouri and teach the deaf in St Louis in 1836 underscored for me what these faithfilled 'women of spirit' did. I have thought often of how solid are the shoulders we stand on - never more so than that afternoon in New York. I did count my blessings.

(In the photo above Sisters Maureen Broughan,left, and Connie Quinlan take in one of the panels in the exhibit.) For more information visit: womenandspirit.org

Whose court is the ball in?

2010-11-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

It is the day after the midterm elections and voters have decided (apparently) to turn the House of Representatives over to the Republican Party. Frustration with government, pretty much at all levels, is deep and wide. Understandable. I am finding it hard to be optimistic about what lies in our immediate future. More gridlock? Can Mr. Obama and Mr. Boehner really find some common ground from which the federal government can address the common good?

I think that voters are sick of deep partisanship and if it continues for the next two years then we’ll have more head-spinning results in the 2012 presidential.

As a dyed-in-the-wool Massachusetts liberal and an SSJ the task of uniting neighbor with neighbor seems incredibly daunting in the harsh political climate of the country and of the Church for that matter.

The times, it seems, are calling for a courageous articulation of the teachings of Jesus; learning from and walking with people who are vulnerable and voiceless; and “joining with others in prayer and in action to effect change in those ecclesial and civic systems that hinder the journey toward the day when all will be one.” (2005 Chapter Commitments) May God bless us all.

Can we "describe the emperor's clothes/"

2010-10-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

Roberta Mulcahy, ssj, wrote the following article for "Mission" one of our congregational communications.

Remember the story of the young boy who told the people just what the Emperor had on or to be exact didn't have on?

At a recent Sister of Earth conference we were challenged by Vandana Shiva, our guest speaker from India, to "Describe the Emperor's Clothes." In other words she challenged us to speak and act from the wisdom of our education and lived experiences about the life issues of food, health, and water. These justice issues affect, as we are well aware, poor peole, the earth, and the rising poverty experienced throughout the world. We also know that the corporate world plays a key role in controlling food, health, and water in many poor countries as well as our own.

Reflecting on this brought to mind our involvement in the corporate world through our investments. There is no question that we are part of the Wall Street financial system. Our SSJ investment philosophy gives us guidelines for investments which we try to follow and to update when necessary. However, that doesn't excuse our need to educate and act through proxy work and shareholder resolutions.

Two particular corporations that we hold for advocacy work, Coca Cola and Monsanto, are very involved in poor countries through their water "rights" and seed programs. Coke needs water rights to produce its soft drinks which are mostly water. Monsanto produces hybrid seeds which are genetically modified (GMO) and which cannot be saved. Both these corporations are in some litigation over policies they use in poor countries. We also hold two health related corporations for advocacy: Merck and Schering-Plough. Patents held by these and many corporations control who "owns" what and who untimately receives the "rights" to medicines, water and seeds.

We will respond to Vandana Shiva's challenge by working with organizations like ICCR, Network, SOE and all who have the courage to "describe the emperor's clothes" so that the voices of the poor people and the earth are heard in their need for food, health, and water.

Last July, the United Nations General Assembly voted to support a nonbinding resolution declaring access to clean water and sanitation as a human right. Canada, the United States, and Australia were among the 41 countries to abstain from the vote. No country voted against the measure. More than 884 million people around the world lack access to clean drinking water and 2.6 billion are without access to basic sanitation.

A long walk together...

2010-10-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

The guest blogger today is Sr. Nancy Welsh (pictured below). Nancy performs a host of services at our Motherhouse in Holyoke.

For as long as she can remember, my good friend, Rev. Janet Skagerlin has felt a "profound connection to God." She'd always been drawn by the richness of the Catholic faith and, at one time, thought she'd like to be a Catholic sister. Ultimately though, she received a master of divinity degree at Andover-Newton Theological School, was ordained and became, as her first assignment, pastor of First Baptist Church in Worcester. We became friends during her pastorate at First Congregational Church in Gardner, where I had spent almost forty years in teaching and pastoral ministry and as an active member of the Interfaith Religious Council. For years, getting to know pastors of other denominations and their congregations and being involved in community projects together greatly enriched my life.

Almost three years ago I moved to Mont Marie in Holyoke, and, to my surprise, received a call from Janet a few months ago telling me she was now ministering at the First Park Memorial Church in Springfield. We got together for lunch several times and realized that, spiritually, we continued to have a great deal in common, both continuing to seek ways for an ever deeper connection with God and neighbor. As I spoke of my interest in ecology and making my small contribution to care of Mont Marie property, she updated me on her small farm in Templeton, with its variety of animals and vegetable gardens, where she resides with her husband and daughter. Our meetings, as in Gardner, continued to be mutually enriching.

Recently, Janet was installed as the newest pastor of First Park Church and I was honored to be invited to come and offer a Prayer of Installation for her. How good it was, once more, to be warmly welcomed
by another denomination, and to take part in their beautiful service of thanksgiving for the gift of Janet to them.

In our mission statement as Sisters of St. Joseph, after the gospel prayer of Jesus "that all may be one," we say that "we welcome all to walk with us." Since my delightful evening with the First Park Church community, I have been reflecting on how heart-warming it is to be on the receiving end of that kind of welcome and I am grateful.

Catching up with the faithful

2010-09-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month a colleague of mine at the secondary school where I served for 25 years was let go because she married her same sex partner. There is a long story to this but for my purposes suffice it to say that a decade ago I hired this young woman to teach science. It’s been six years since I worked there and she has since gone from science teacher to dean of students and athletic director. She has a tremendous work ethic and carried out the many responsibilities of these jobs with great skill, integrity and compassion. She knew early on that should she cross the clearly marked line with which the Catholic Church indicated where “sin” occurred, that diocesan officials would end her employment.

And so it happened – she and her partner went to North Carolina (not one of the six states where same sex marriage is legal); a photo made it to Facebook; the Bishop was informed and she was let go. Everything played out in the newspaper and on the Internet. While the Diocese did what current doctrine directed it to do, it is clear that there is a distinct and large group of people who believe that the time has come for all to be truly welcome at the table where Jesus invites everyone to take and eat. One of the several methods of developing church teaching is consulting and listening to the sense and the consent of the faithful (consensus fidelium). In the apparently inflexible prevailing climate in the Church, listening to the faithful could go a very long way toward closing the gap between the hierarchy and the people.

A remarkable education

2010-09-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

The guest blogger today is Kathleen Knowles, SSJ. Last June, Kathy

finished working as a classroom teacher at an alternative school in the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Being a teacher can be an education! I have worked with hundreds of students during the past twenty-plus years, and have had many experiences that I never would have imagined when I began teaching forty-three years ago.

I learned to answer questions about pre natal care with seeming ease, to recognize illegal drug categories, gang colors, symbols, and signs. I listened to young people who questioned their sexual identity, comforted students whose parent, sibling, or friend died as a result of a drug overdose, physical violence, or AIDS. I attended too many wakes and funerals of former students, visited correctional facilities, and grew to have a sense of what life without parole means to a young man and his family.

Through all these experiences, I have been surrounded by young people who are strong and resilient. They have reinforced for me the immeasurable value of humor. They know what they want and don't hesitate to verbalize it. They have a sense of openness -- they don't mind saying, "This is the first book I've ever read." or asking, "Are you really a nun?" Their kindness and gentleness can be seen, just ask the retired sisters at Mont Marie. I will always treasure these students and the lessons they have taught me. It's been a remarkable education!

A journey of love and dedication: how these years and this work have changed me

2010-08-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

Judith Kappenman, SSJ, is the guest blogger this week.

On July 13, 2010 I published the biography of my grandfather John Donahue in a book called “To Dakota and Back the Story of an Orphan Train Rider.” It has been an incredible 15 year journey. Little did I know when I started where the road would take me! Before my mother died in 1995, I promised her that I would tell her father’s story. His was a remarkable life that she felt others should know. When I began the work, I made preparations for the journey by examining family photos, letters, newspaper clippings and documents that my grandfather had left with my mother. And I found some surprising treasures. In the year 2000 I began the actual journey.

I searched records in Massachusetts and South Dakota. I read about the practice of sending children from orphan homes in the eastern cities to rural areas, about indentured servitude, immigration, homesteading, pioneer life and work on the Plains states. Since my grandfather owned and published a newspaper, I obtained copies through interlibrary loan. I traveled to the small town of Ethan, SD where he lived so many years as an adult and visited the farm where he worked as a child.

Over the past ten years, the road has not always been smooth, nor was it straight and narrow. I found myself sidetracked by detours with work demands and other activities. Though the road was sometimes long and lonely, I did not travel alone. Editors, readers, and supporters traveled with me. I made discoveries about my grandfather and, though I loved him when he was alive, I realize even more now what a remarkable man he was. I made discoveries of myself also: discoveries of a promise made and a promise kept, of perseverance and self confidence. I have become a stronger person over these years and am happy that I did not stray from the path that took me to a published book.

The book is available at: www.lulu.com or by calling the author at 413.592.7165

A two way street

2010-08-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

When Sr. Angela Deady visits 84-year-old Shirley Brunell in her senior housing apartment, it's like visiting a friend - not surprising since the two have been getting together for 13 years!

Visiting seniors and other homebound folks is just one of Angela's duties as Pastoral Minister at All Saints Parish in Ware, Massachusetts, where she has served for 20 years. Angela's previous ministry involved working with children. But now, she says, it's a privilege to work with people of all ages.

Shirley, a retired nurse, especially appreciates Sr. Angela bringing her communion because she is unable to go to church. "I'm glad she's here, I don't know what we'd do without her."

Sr. Angela says it's a two way street. "The work of the Sisters of St. Joseph is to unite neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God ... and so, that's my job. Who could ask for anything more? The blessing of this work is that that is exactly what the people in this faith-filled community do for me."

(This article originally appeared in Witness, a publication of the SSJ Development Office.)

A step forward???

2010-08-11T06:40:00.000-07:00

Fr. Joseph Tobin was appointed as the new Secretary of the Congregation for Religious on August 2. This Congregation is headed by Cardinal Franc Rode and is responsible for the Apostolic Visitation currently underway in the United States. The secretary coordinates the day-to-day work of the Congregation for Religious. Fr. Tobin is a Detroit native and a Redemptorist who served as their Superior General from 1997-2009. In an interview with National Catholic Reporter's John Allen, Fr. Tobin said "Maybe I can offer a different picture of American women religious than the one that sometimes has been presented in Rome, my own impression is extremely positive." (a point in Fr. Tobin's favor)

The NCR also reported that Fr. Tobin speculated that perhaps the choice of an American for the secretary's role in the Congregation for Religious could "suggest some awareness of just how badly this thing (the Visitation) has gone down."

While this seems like it might be good news for women religious in the U.S., a centuries long history of astute political savvy as practiced by Vatican clerics suggests that may not be the case. If Vatican officials really think that the Apostolic Visitation is probably not going to result in restoring life as they knew it in the 1950s, why not instruct Cardinal Rode to shut the Visitation process down? Most unlikely, way too much water under the bridge for that.

Fr. Tobin also said that "his main aim will be to find a way to 'bring life' out of the Apostolic Visitation, meaning to convert it into a positive experience." The hierarchical Church's continuing practice of treating women as second class citizens makes converting the Visitation to a positive experience equally unlikely.

When you know what is essential...

2010-07-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

The guest blogger this week is Jeanne Branchaud, SSJ. For the past seven years, Jeanne has served as congregational representative for our sisters in our health care center.

Walking into one of the dayrooms at Mont Marie Health Care Center during breakfast is always one of the pleasures of my day. One of our sisters with severe Alzheimer's disease looks up from her breakfast, greets me with a big smile that says I better come over and have a moment with her. Often she is lost in time, back when she was more in control of life and will give me some school related task to complete as I kiss her on the forehead.

As the Congregational Representative I have always felt that I hold a privileged position in the community. I journey with our sisters and others in ways in which no one else could really ever know unless they've held this position. I get to walk with them in joyful as well as difficult moments of life. I am frequently in awe of these women I minister to or, more so, with.

I have learned that we all reach a point in life when big things just aren't important anymore. We have to let go and learn to live in the love of those around us and our God. It's not the words that are always important, but our actions - a touch on the hand, a gentle rub on the back or a kiss on the forehead. It is being there that counts, even if just for a few moments in a classroom years ago.

The latest from the Vatican

2010-07-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we received a communication from the Diocese about the Vatican’s latest norms to strengthen efforts against abusive priests. Most of the norms address the priests’ sex abuse scandal. The news article also included the following as a “delicta graviora” (more grave crime): the “attempted sacred ordination of a woman.” In such an act, the Vatican said, the cleric and the woman involved are automatically excommunicated and the cleric can also be dismissed from the priesthood.

Not being a canon lawyer, I have to say I learned new things. One, that a list of “more grave crimes” exists. Two, there are two types of more grave crimes – those concerning the celebration of the sacraments (ordination of women) and those concerning morals (clerical sex abuse and hierarchical cover up). “Vatican officials emphasized” the news article stated “that simply because women’s ordination was treated in the same document as priestly sex abuse does not mean the two acts were somehow equivalent in the eyes of the church.” Right.

It shouldn’t surprise me that the Vatican is still riveted on a celibate, male priesthood. While I have no desire to become a priest in the Catholic Church I’m having trouble believing that the doctrinal congregation isn’t dialing the situation backwards with the inclusion of women’s ordination on the “grave crimes” list. Sinking that pilon even deeper into the foundation of institutional church does not strengthen anything at all.

I will be away next week but feel free to comment if you're inclined...

Once a teacher

2010-07-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

What is it like to teach Scripture and Theology to young
people today? "Fun and very challenging" according to

Mary Kate Birge, SSJ, Associate Professor of Theology

at St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Following 16 years of teaching high school in Massachusetts,

Sr. Mary Kate received her Doctorate from Catholic

University and has been at MSM since 2001.

She says she likes the give and take of the classroom, "I

especially love to see students' eyes suddenly grow bright

with excitement when they "get" some point and can

apply it to their own lives." Mary Kate also feels strongly

that the mission of the University is closely aligned to that of the Sisters of St. Joseph. "It offers that very same hope and direction I find in my congregation's own history for how we will accomplish this task of

handing on our Catholic tradition and identity to the next generation." She adds that she is deeply grateful

for the opportunities afforded her at Mount St. Mary's.

(This article originally appeared in Witness a publication of the SSJ Development Office.)

An African Journey

2010-07-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

By guest blogger Sr. Mary Quinn, President, Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield

A plethora of images surround me as I reflect on my recent trip to visit Sr. Pat Smith in Kenya and Sr. Dorothy Pilkington in Tanzania. The beauty of the countries and of the people stand in sharp contrast to the great poverty that was evident in every village and town I visited.

The most striking images I carry with me, however, are the women and children I met. Kenyan women with Sr. Pat work with displaced persons, and form Base Christian Communities for service to those in need and for prayer to sustain them in their ministry. I attended Mass with hundreds of young women and men in school uniforms who walk miles for the opportunity of an education.

In Tanzania, Sr. Dorothy ministers with the Missionary Benedictine Sisters. She runs an orphanage for twenty-five babies and young children born HIV positive. Along with the medicine they receive, the love and compassion given to them bodes well for a healthy future.

The myriad expressions of faith shown in worship, in dance and in song permeate the lives of the people I met; they inspire and challenge me to renew my commitment to make a difference in some part of our fragile and vulnerable world.

As Nelson Mandela reminds us, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Between a rock and a hard place

2010-06-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

In the “U. S Briefs” section of the June 11, 2010 edition of NCR there is a short article about the Diocese of Springfield (MA) cutting one-third of its employees. This is the Diocese to which we belong and where Springfield Sisters of St. Joseph have served for over 125 years. Several SSJs who work in diocesan positions were affected by this job shake-up and the Congregation will experience a significant loss of revenue.

Along with the cuts has been a pervasive restructuring of the way the Diocese is organized to deliver its spiritual and ministerial responsibilities. According to the Bishop these drastic measures were necessitated because of the downturn in the economic markets, the increased financial demands to subsidize Catholic schools and some parishes’ failure to meet their financial obligations. While it may be true that the drop in revenue is not due to settlements for abuse victims, the drop in the number of people in the pews has surely been impacted by the Church’s handling of the clergy sex scandal.

Like CEOs of everything from states, to school systems, to healthcare systems, the Bishop is in an untenable position. While he seems to be doing what is humanly possible – at great cost to everyone touched by the Diocese – to address the situation, it looks to be spiraling slowly downward anyway.

What to do after retirement...

2010-06-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

You may find Sr. Joan Hawkins out on the playground swinging a jump rope with some 'tweens, or inside at a desk helping a third grader with homework. Such are the varied duties of her work in the After School Program at the Washington Park Community Center in Warwick, RI, where she has been ministering since 1995. Her previous ministries as teacher and school administrator at St. Francis of Assisi in Warwick made her a perfect fit for this position.

The Center's Executive Director, Francis Murphy has high praise for Joan's work, "Sr. Joan helps to provide a consistent, nurturing, stable environment, teaching the children many things there is often no time to learn in school. She has been an integral part in hundreds of children's lives and school success over the past 14 years.

The children in the program are from low-income families, mostly Hispanic and with a single working parent, so Joan's help sometimes includes spiritual guidance. She says people seem happy to know that there is a religious person helping them. "When a situation arises, I am there to give support."

No Mercy

2010-06-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about the situation that Margaret McBride, RSM, finds herself in these days. Sr. Margaret is the Mercy sister who, until recently, was vice president for mission integration and served on the Ethics Committee of St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. The hospital was founded by the
Sisters of Mercy in 1895. Margaret was on call for the Ethics Committee when the situation about what to do for a woman whose 11 week pregnancy was causing pulmonary hypertension - a condition the doctors deemed nearly 100% fatal. The decision was made to terminate the pregancy and save the life of the mother of four.

When he learned of this event, the Bishop of Phoenix, Thomas J. Olmsted, saying that "abortion is not permissible under any circumstances" excommunicated Sr. Margaret immediately along with anyone else at St. Joseph's who participated. While I am surely not alone in this opinion, I am surprised at Bishop Olmsted's use of such a blunt and severe instrument to address what had to be an incredibly delicate and heartbreaking decision. This type of clerical behavior widens the gulf between many ordinary members of God's people and some of the hierarchy.

One of the great lessons of history is being ignored here: an institution whose leaders are encapsulated by their belief that they alone are worthy of deciding what is right and true risk making terrible and costly mistakes. The decision by Bishop Olmsted reinforces the perception that church leaders are crushingly rigid and out of touch with the human condition. The whole situation around this series of events in Phoenix draws into sharp contrast the futility of 'all or nothing' positions. Makes me think of Jesus when he was asked about what should be done with the woman taken in adultery - his response was to bend down and write in the sand...at least then the accusers had the good grace to walk away and leave judgment to God.

Ministering to Many

2010-05-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

One of the purposes of this blog is to highlight some of the work the Sisters of St. Joseph do. Sisters Betty Broughan and Mary McGeer are part of a group of sisters who offer quiet, dedicated service in parishes.
This article and photo (by Doug Brega) appeared in our Development Office's publication Witness.

When a young girl was unable to get her wheelchair out of her house to attend school, SSJs Betty Broughan and Mary McGeer stepped in and found the resources to build a ramp. As Pastoral Associates at St. Michael's Parish in East Longmeadow, the two Sisters have a special place in their hearts for children. "We bring items to the shelters and support our local agencies including Open Pantry, the Grey House and Homework House, where many children are educated and loved."

They are focused on protecting children of all ages and are working with a local school system on suicide prevention. They also meet with families who have lost loved ones, and help to bury their dead. Other pastoral tasks include preparing families for baptism, performing communion services in church and nursing homes and visiting the homebound. They also facilitate Bible study throughout the year in addition to Reflection Nights during Advent and Lent.

Sisters Betty and Mary say, "We are part of a warm, loving and caring community of 2,400 families at St. Michael's" and they strive to live the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph: "That all may be one," by uniting neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God.

Arizona

2010-05-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

In 2005 the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield committed themselves to being an informed, compassionate advocate for people who are poor and marginalized. Moved by that commitment, Sr. Mary Quinn (picture at right), President of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, wrote a letter to the editor of the Springfield Republican about the bill passed in Arizona designed to address that state's concerns about illegal immigrants within its borders. The letter was published on May 4, 2010.

"When Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona signed the law cracking down on illegal immigrants, she unleashed a storm of controversy. There are strong supporters who say Arizona must act because the federal government has not done so and there are strong opponents who see the ruling as an unconstitutional affront that will lead to racial profiling.

It does seem that the Gospel as well as the Bill of Rights call us to recognize one another as human beings with unalienable rights. Requiring police to check the citizenship status of a person because of a suspicion that the person might be here illegally encourages xenophobia and makes discrimination legal. There are many legal challenges to this law being mounted in Arizona from Phoenix police officers to the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders. It is my hope that the legal challenges will succeed and immigration reform - a need expressed across the religious and political spectrums - will be enacted in a manner that enhances the common good and reflects our country's highest ideals."

The US Catholic bishops are and have been strong advocates for immigration reform. The climate in Washington now makes immigration reform a very difficult task.

Who is Catholic?

2010-04-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago the health care bill was passed by both Houses of the U S Congress and signed by President Obama. During the days running up to the crucial votes, Sr. Carol Keehan, President of the Catholic Health Association, called for the passage of the bill. Network, a Catholic social justice lobby in Washington, published a letter in support of Keehan's position with 60 signatures on it. Those 60 were from individual religious women, some congregational leaders, some leadership teams, social justice committees, etc. That action by CHA and the signers of the Network letter ignited reactions, both pro and con, about the position.

One reaction came through loud and clear from Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, formerly the Archbishop of St. Louis and now the head of Rome's Apostolic Signatura. During remarks at Mundelein Seminary in Illinois earlier this month, the Archbishop said that Catholic consecrated religious who openly dissent from the authority of Rome and the Church's teachings on life are "an absurdity of the most tragic kind" and should cease from identifying themselves as Catholic. "Who could imagine that consecrated religious would openly and in defiance of the bishops as successors of the apostles, publicly endorse legislation containing provisions which violated the natural moral law in its most fundamental tenets - the safeguarding and promoting of innocent and defenseless life...? questioned Burke.

A second reaction came from Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, who, through the Vicar General, instructed the priests of his diocese that no diocesan office, the diocesan newspaper, nor any parish "would promote a vocation awareness program of any religious community that has taken a stance against the US bishops by being a signatory of the Network document" without having the promotion vetted through the Diocesan Office for Clergy Vocations. This announcement was aimed at the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden (PA), a congregation with a long history of dedicated service in Bishop Brandt's diocese.

Both of these members of the hierarchy seem to equate the total acknowledgement of the primacy of the Vatican and the bishops as the litmus test for being a Catholic. The obvious divergence in understanding what is catholic centers around the interpretation of the focus of Jesus' life and teachings. Did Jesus intend to create what has evolved into a monolithic institution whose leader claims to speak infallibly for God or did he instruct his followers to side with those who are marginalized, not bind up heavy loads for others to carry, work for the common good, and to love one another as he loved them? There are voices crying in the wilderness and focused on the mission even in the face of being labeled "absurdities." Archbishop Burke may be correct in calling the situation tragic.

Justice & Peace: A Ministry of Reflecting, Relating, and Action

2010-04-12T12:16:00.000-07:00

Today's guest blogger is Sr. Roberta Mulcahy, pictured on the right in the photo. Roberta serves as the Chair of our Justice & Peace Committee.

We, Sisters of Saint Joseph of Springfield hold a "rule of life" that we call our Constitution. Our "rule of life" challenges us to incarnate God's dream for a just and peaceful world. In 1975 a group of women came together to reflect, relate and act to integrate our developing spirituality and social consciousness in response to the gospel message "that all may be one." Out of that action and further challenges and commitments both from within and outside the Congregation, the Justice and Peace Committee continues to evolve.

In this present time the Justice & Peace Committee, influenced by the social issues of life at all levels, works to change unjust structures that especially affect the lives of people who are poor and all of creation. Our committee networks with local, national and global justice groups. Reflections from LCWR, USCCB, Network, Catholic Social Teaching and others are part of our prayer and action. Through ongoing education we present a variety of information on social justice issues with an opportunity for input, questions and concerns from community members and those who use our website. We also use a Public Statement process that results in an action relating to issues such as immigration, non-violence, human trafficking, and the death penalty among others.

Coming full circle from our "rule of life" challenges in our Constitution, we made a commitment in our 2005 Chapter, to "join with others in prayer and action to effect change in ecclesial and civic systems that hinder the journey toward the day when all will be one." We take this commitment very seriously and believe that working toward its fulfillment gives hope and meaning to bring about God's dream for a just and peaceful world.

Time to transform

2010-04-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

Easter can be a time of transformation. During the Easter season we celebrate the paschal mystery - the death and rising to new life of Jesus so the Spirit could be released into God's creation.

There is need for transformation everywhere; from our biggest, most complicated systems to our own individual selves.

Sisters of St. Joseph all across the planet are committed to living and working that all may be one. This is a mission of converting (transforming) what is disparate into one. It is letting what is not bringing about the common good die so that God's spirit can shine through. Our society needs to be transformed from one that is increasingly polarized and caustic to one where we see each other as traveling together toward a common goal. Our civic divisions stretch from the corridors of Congress to the Tea Party groups. Harsh rhetoric abounds. Our church surely needs to be transformed. The sexual abuse scandal obscures and taints all the good that the church does. The inability of the Roman hierarchy to scale its own defenses and speak to the hearts of those who suffered and are still suffering is taking an awful toll.

Easter can be a time of transformation. Transformation and conversion begin in our own hearts. Joan Chittister, OSB, puts it this way: "(Easter) is a day of decision. What is really to be decided is whether or not we ourselves will rise from the deadening grip of this world's burnt-out systems to the light-giving time of God's coming again, this time in us." Transformational work to be sure.

Bishops - No; Sisters - Yes.

2010-03-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

Some columnists ( E J Dionne, Washington Post; Maureen Dowd, NYT) have made quite a splash this week highlighting a difference in the positions of US women religious and US bishops over passage of the health care bill.

On March 17, Network, a Catholic social justice lobby, founded in 1971 by 47 sisters from different US congregations, sent a letter to the members of Congress urging them "to cast a life-affirming 'yes' vote for the health care bill." The letter indicates that the signers joined the Catholic Health Association, which represents 1200 Catholic sponsors, systems, facilities and related organizations, in saying: the time is now for health reform. Marlene Weisenbeck, FSPA, LCWR President, is the first signer ahead of 60 other signatures.

The nub of the problem is clear - the bishops said no, the sisters said yes. As in all things and on any given topic, bishops fall along a spectrum of agreement with their official position and the same is true for sisters. Everything revolves around the interpretation of the specifics of the bill regarding payment for abortion. The Catholic Health Association read it one way, the bishops read it another. The columnists were calling attention to the "liberal" nuns and the "conservative" bishops. While Network is on the record as being pro-life and opposed to federal funding for abortion, it is the publicly opposing stances in this case that caught media attention. All of this is exacerbated by the Apostolic Visitation and in the Vatican investigation of LCWR. The atmosphere is thick with controversy and heightened emotions. Nevertheless, the sisters and the bishops have a right to express their beliefs and positions on issues that affect the common good. Actually, it is more than a right, it is a responsibility - one that for many women religious is as integral part of their congregation's mission.

Of historical note: Clare Dugan, a Sister of St. Joseph of Springfield, was one of the "founding mothers" of Network back in 1971. Clare's dedication to justice was intense and life-long.

Unleashing the gospel

2010-03-19T07:28:00.000-07:00

St. Joseph's Day (March 19) is always an occasion for the members of the SSJs of Springfield to get together at our motherhouse in Holyoke. This year's observance included information from a workshop presented in Chicago by Sandra Schneiders, IHM, dinner, liturgy, dessert, and music.

In summarizing some of Sandra Schneiders' thoughts, Mary Quinn, SSJ president, said that what religious women are about is "trying to 'reimagine our world,' trying to live out the gospel that Jesus unleashed in the imagination of the human race." I thought that those were powerful words. "Unleashing" - freeing, letting go of God's vision for creation; imagining and working to bring about a world where all God's children - all - are seen as equal; where sinners are guests at dinner; where the last are first; where all things are see as interdependent; where people who are poor inherit the earth; and where everyone has what they need to live in the dignity worthy of God's daughters and sons.

This requires the willingness to rebalance everything. It seems like a daunting and difficult task - certainly one worthy of the work of a lifetime. May Joseph bless us all with energy and wisdom and imagination.

What cost?

2010-03-10T10:18:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, a friend of mine and I went to a local stage production of “A Man for All Seasons.” The actors did a fine job – it was interesting to see a live production of a movie I’ve seen several times. Anyway, that’s not why I thought to include this particular event on the blog.
Thomas More, in the face of incredible pressure from his friends, his family (until close to the end), and the very powerful, maintains a morally and intellectually honest position. It eventually costs him everything he has, including his life. More, who lives by a clear and strong conscience, serves God “wittily in the tangle of his mind.” The royal court is rife with sycophants, many in the Church are morally corrupt, even the Common Man – the character who connects the events of the play – shows no backbone when the wind shifts. More’s integrity becomes intolerable.

I think More’s life serves us (apostolic women religious in the U.S.) well as we work our way through the Apostolic Visitation being conducted now at the instigation of the Vatican. Surely our desire to serve God in a morally and intellectually honest way may cost us.

Got Quilts?

2010-03-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

Got Quilts?

Ten years ago Cathy Alaimo, SSJ, was asked to consider making quilts for Griffin's Friends, a Baystate Medical Center organization whose goal is "to ease the hardships of children in treatment for cancer and the families that love and support them." Since that request a group of SSJs and their friends have met approximately nine times a year to create quilts for this group of kids.

The project began modestly with a couple of portable sewing machines on the kitchen table at the home of a group of the sisters. It is now housed in a well-equipped craft room at Mont Marie in Holyoke. The initial enthusiasm and sense of purpose has never flagged and under Sr. Cathy's able, patient, and encouraging leadership a cheery, child-sized quilt has been tucked into a backpack along with other expressions of care and given to a child. This has occurred hundreds of times over the last decade.

This endeavor does move us in the direction of "uniting neighbor with neighbor" as we enjoy being with one another and working together to ease the hardships of children in treatment for cancer.

Oprah et all

2010-02-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

Last week the Oprah show did a segment on the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There were interviews with sisters, lots of film footage of the sisters going about their life at their motherhouse, and the opportunity for Oprah and reporter Lisa Ling to ask questions of the four sisters who were on the show.

As I watched I felt like I was 15 again - for the scenario was one I saw as a high school sophomore: here were young, bright, habited women answering questions, going to chapel, playing sports, enjoying each other's company; they exuded warmth and confidence and humor - who wouldn't want to join?

Oprah concentrated on what these young women had "given up" and on their habit. I'm sure the show generated a zillion hits on their website - a classy and sophisticated affair that revealed more about the sisters and their reason for being than the time with Oprah.

Did the show depict life as it is lived by the majority of women religious in the United States? No, it didn't. It felt like a glimpse into an era that many of us went through a few decades ago but, obviously still generates much interest.

2010-02-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our latest foray into the world of social media. When this idea was put forward initially I asked what the purpose of our having a blog would be. "To get us (SSJs) out there" was the answer.

I'm sure that our purpose will refocus and refine as time goes by. My goal is to highlight some of the work our Sisters are doing in the many places where we serve. There will be guest bloggers who will tell their own stories.

So, we join the 70,000 other new blogs that will launch today.

We're out there!