ITEMS OF INTERESTSisters of the Good Shepherd Province of Mid-North America

M A R C H - A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Engraving on the Pelletier home.

The 11th century castle on Noirmoutier became a prison during the Reign of Terror.

St. Philbert church

I had the honor and great privilege of being invited to journey as a Pilgrim from February 24 to March 4 to a sacred place for Good Shepherd: the place where our holy work was born -- the Motherhouse, in Angers, France. This is where St. Mary Euphrasia expanded the work of Good Shepherd to an international mission and vision. It

has been a place of prayer and contemplation for almost 200 years.

I journeyed with 79 other mission partners from the provinces of Canada, New York, Mid-North America, Australia/New Zealand and Malaysia/Singapore. Our pilgrimage focused on the life of St. Mary Euphrasia and the history of

Continued on next page

Life began for St. Mary Euphrasia on Noirmoutier Island off the Atlantic coast of France. Photos from top right: It is where she was born after her parents were released from a castle prison during the 18th century Reign of Terror, and where she was confirmed in 1808 at St. Philbert church. It is on Noirmoutier where Rose Virginie Pelletier and her young friends set about restoring St. Philbert’s crypt after it had been abandoned centuries before. And the sea abutting the rocky island (above) captivated Rose Virginie. She loved to pray at the rocky grotto where St. Philbert came to pray in the 7th century.

Pi lgrimage to Hol y GroundBy Jeanette McDermott

the founding of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, with time for prayer, reflection and sharing about the Good Shepherd mission and spirituality.

We heard about the life events of St. Mary Euphrasia and made connections to our own journey as Good Shepherds. We took time together in small groups to discuss how we live the mission of Good Shepherd in our agencies and ministries and how we embody the core values as individuals.

The ExperiencePilgrims made a trip to Noirmoutier to see the house where St. Mary Euphrasia was born, the prison where her parents were kept during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, and the church where she was confirmed. We walked through the village that had once been home to her, and we

experienced the rocks, sea and forest that she loved so well as a young girl.

For a week we absorbed the sights, sounds and spaces of the sacred Motherhouse and its grounds. I never grew tired of sitting with St. Mary Euphrasia at her tomb and in her office, praying in the same chapel where she prayed and walking the holy grounds to immerse myself in

PROVINCE NEWS

The Motherhouse in Angers, France.

A marble statue of St. Mary Euphrasia stands at the entrance to the chapel in the Motherhouse (above), where Mother Foundress and the sisters attended Mass and prayed (below).

There is a small and tidy room at the Motherhouse where St. Mary Euphrasia slept and kept office. Here she wrote countless letters to her “daughters” around the world and corresponded with many other people who were vital to Good Shepherd work of the day. Brass nameplates on the letterboxes mark the destination point for her letters.

Corridor at the Motherhouse.

Pilgrimage continued from page 1

2

3

Good Shepherd history and lore.

Many of us were deeply moved by the experience of being led through the tunnel that St. Mary Euphrasia had built to help the sisters move about more freely, and we were captivated when we stood at the Green Doors, where St. Mary Euphrasia welcomed young women into the Order and sent them out as missionaries into all parts of the world.

On our visits to these holy places and during large group sessions, Srs. Anne Joseph Carr and Noreen O’Shea filled our hearts and sparked our imaginations with stories about the long line of holy people who have inspired others by their faithfulness to the Good Shepherd and dedication to following their own special destinies.

We learned that Count deNeuville was a man of God whose stream of benefactions to

St. Mary Euphrasia and the early order she founded and to other good works never ceased, so that by the end of his life this nobleman by birth lived in poverty and died a pauper.

Likewise, we learned that Countess d’Andigné was a loyal counselor, companion and champion of St. Mary Euphrasia who advocated for her causes. The Countess was a good friend to St. Mary Euphrasia and often travelled with her on long, loud and smoky locomotive journeys and harsh, bumpy carriage rides.

The pace of the pilgrimage was kept open enough for us to reflect on the many stories we heard of people who played prominently in Good Shepherd history, as well as those who continue to spread the mission today across 72 countries.

We visited the town of Angers to absorb French culture and see the

historic cobblestone streets, cathedrals and other structures that St. Mary Euphrasia would have experienced. Pilgrims were especially fond of strolling across the bridge over the River Maine,

The bridge over River Maine-et-Loire is a short walk from the Motherhouse and leads into the city of Angers.

Some pilgrims wrote intentions or carried them from co-workers at home to place at the tomb of St. Mary Euphrasia.

Sr. Anne Josephine Carr, presenter from the Congregation in Rome, brought Good Shepherd history to life by telling stories about St. Mary Euphrasia, including those about the insufferable journeys by carriage.

Continued on next page

PROVINCE NEWS

4

a walk that St. Mary Euphrasia would have made many times.

Our pilgrimage started as a journey to an outward place; however, it soon had become a journey of the heart that connected each pilgrim to a sacred center, to story and to each other. Our days as pilgrims were joyful, informative and rich in blessings. I know I don’t stand alone when I say that my desire now is to bring my gratitude and the insights and rewards I gained as a pilgrim back into my daily life. I return to my province and my home fully committed to the Good Shepherd mission and am ready to help lead Good Shepherd into the future.

Sisters of the Good Shepherd Conference of Provincials of North America sponsored the pilgrimage.

Pilgrims walked the labyrinth at the Motherhouse as a way of getting in touch with themselves and God.

The tunnel at the Motherhouse has become legendary in Good Shepherd as a symbol of zeal. Pilgrims learned of the tunnel’s history, walked through it to see St. Nicholas Abbey, and experienced a memorable ritual inside its sacred stone walls.

Pilgrimage continued from page 3The Tunnel

Ina Argueta and Christina Franco, Good Shepherd Shelter Los Angeles, point to the Noirmoutier bridge.

PROVINCE HAPPENINGS

5

LEADERSHIP TEAM TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Apr 1 Sr. Madeleine at Board Retreat, DeNeuville Learning Center, MemphisApr 6-12 Sr. Mary Catherine and Apostolic Council at CARE training, BaltimoreApr 14-16 Shepherding Team and PLT meeting, St. Louis Apr 17-21 Sr. Madeleine with RGS community in OrlandoApr 27-May 1 Sr. Liz Retreat at UMSL, St. Louis

Community of Jesus the Living Mercy grows in numbersThere are now 20 members of the Community of Jesus the Living Mercy in Ohio who have taken private vows. Several others are going through the discernment and formation process to eventually take their vows. Their ministry, Bethesda - The House of Mercy, helps women find healing after an abortion through various monthly offerings that help them recover and grow in their spiritual and personal lives. The Community of Jesus the Living Mercy is currently guiding and mentoring more than 30 women through a healing process. They ask for prayers for the women being helped, and for each member of the community.

Submitted by Sr. Patricia Marie Barnette

Heart of Mercy is expanding its ministry in Baltimore to offer a broader spectrum of healing for women. In addition to post-abortion healing, Heart of Mercy is now prepared to help women recover from depression, anxiety, grief, loss and relationship troubles. Sr. Patricia Marie Barnette said, “We pray that this broader focus will help us in our mission to reach more women.” On March 29, twenty-one women attended a Lenten day of healing prayer, “A Time of Grace,” sponsored by Heart of Mercy.

Community member Paulette Matter was a 2014 Pilgrim to Angers, France.

ANNOUNCEMENTSSr. Regina Do has a new email address: reginado.la2013@gmail.com

Sr. Marguerite Mary Doyle, RGS, from Ireland arrived in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, on March 13, 2014, where she will spend a year on a Religious Visa experiencing contemplative life in community.

The deadline to contribute photos, articles and announcements for the May issue of Items of Interest is April 21. Please send your contributions to jmcdermott@gspmna.org and be sure to type in the subject line “Items of Interest.”

he nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization, 4H, held a four-day, hands-on learning summit in Washington,

D.C. for high school students who are passionate about healthy living, and who want to develop strategic action plans to lead change in their communities. The summit ran from January 9-12.

Alondra Alvizo and Jayelo Harvey, high school seniors at Vista Meadows Academy and co-leaders of the 4H governance group through Vista Maria’s Journey to Success program, attended the summit, along with other high school students and 4H youth governance groups across the U.S.

During the summit youth explored and discussed the importance of civic engagement, developed leadership skills and learned more about aspects of healthy living, including nutrition, personal health and wellness and emotional well-being. In preparation for the experience, the 4H groups that were selected from Michigan attended a daylong conference in Lansing.

The youth’s educational experiences at Vista Meadows Academy, a charter high school that is located on the second floor of the residential school for girls on the Vista Maria campus, also prepped the youth for the trip through the leadership skills they have developed through Journey to Success.

“Journey to Success is a unique blend of activities that work together to keep students like Alondra and Jayelo engaged and interested,” said Greg Everett, Program Manager.

“The components include an after school program; community based counseling program that offers fun interactive groups on conflict resolution, male

responsibility and substance abuse prevention; and a mentoring program called DREAM, which stands for Dreams Realized through Education and Academic Mentoring,” Greg said.

The blend of activities offered through the Journey to Success program keeps students fully engaged, as many of the students participate in all three components. If they aren’t engaged in all three, they are introduced to the others.

Journey to Success serves fewer than 100 students in each component, making it possible for the after school activities to be intimate in size. This allows students to form close, healthy peer relationships while also allowing them to better interact with instructors and other adults.

“The staff are able to get to know the students personally in this smaller, more intimate setting and the students form a tight bond among themselves,” Greg said.

Vista Maria’s Journey to Success program has proved so empowering for high school youth that the agency has replicated it offsite at Harper Woods Middle School in Dearborn Heights.

Alondra Alvizo (left) and Jayelo Harvey are high school seniors at Vista Meadows Academy at Vista Maria. They were selected to attend a healthy living summit in Washington, D.C. in January based on outstanding leadership displayed in the MSU Extension 4H youth governance group.

PROVINCE HAPPENINGS

Journey to Success is a unique blend of activities that work together

to keep students engaged and interested.

Vista Maria youth attend healthy living summit in Washington, D.C.

T

6

by Jeanette McDermott

Executive Director honoredThe Province of Mid-North America sponsored a table of eight for the Soroptimist Dinner held in San Francisco March 13. Gracenter also bought a table. This allowed 17 people from Gracenter to attend the 92nd annual dinner of the San Francisco Soroptimist Society, where Sr. Marguerite Bartling, Executive Director of Gracenter, served as keynote speaker.

Every year Soroptimist Societies across the globe recognize women who are making extraordinary differences in the lives of other women and girls. The societies bestow upon these women the Ruby Award, a name that represents the gemstone and implies wisdom, importance, vitality, strength, power and love.

The San Francisco Soroptimist Society selected Sr. Marguerite as this year’s winner of its Ruby Award. The dinner in March was held to honor and recognize her for the difference she makes in the lives of women at Gracenter.

12-step spiritual retreat heldIn March Sr. Marguerite Bartling fulfilled a dream she has held for many years -- to have Gracenter offer women in recovery the opportunity to have some time and beautiful space to deepen the spiritual part of themselves, especially those women who cannot afford an expensive experience at a formal retreat house. The retreat was open to present residents at Gracenter and graduates of the program.

The intent of the retreat was for women to focus on the spirituality of the first three steps of a 12 Step program as a way for them to see how they can live life more deeply. Through this process, retreat leader Sr. Patricia Galli, RSM, opened space for women to experience creative art, nature,

time for quiet reflection and a picnic under the trees. The women who attended said they enjoyed the camaraderie with each other and the spirituality of the steps.

Seven of the present residents at Gracenter attended the one-day retreat, along with two women who were at Gracenter but are now living in different situations. Gracenter plans to hold four retreats a year, with Sr. Patricia leading them.

Sr. Patricia graduated from the University of San Francisco as a nurse, married and became a mother of four. Her life journey continued and the marriage ended, the children became adults and the blessing of recovery from addiction changed her life.

Sr. Patricia said, “With the deepening of the experience of the compassionate love of God through the Twelve Steps and guided spiritual exercises I became a Sister of Mercy.”

Sr. Patricia has degrees in Counseling and Theology and has been a spiritual director and retreat director for almost 30 years.

7

Gracenter staff attended the Soroptimist dinner where Sr. Marguerite Bartling was honored.

PROVINCE HAPPENINGS

Gracenter experiences special moments

The intent of the retreat was for women to focus on the spirituality of the first three steps of a 12 Step program.

Sisters of Our Lady of Charity in, Ohio display at its center the statue of St. John Eudes, which came to OLC from Good Shepherd when sisters left Milwaukee.

l-r: Srs. Barbara Beasley, Marguerite Bartling and Jean Marie Fernandez enjoy the Soroptimist fete.

8

PROVINCE SNAPSHOTS

Digging for archival treasures

Sr. Tarcila Abaño, Philippine Province

Sr. Tarcila Abaño, who is missioned to do the archives in the Philippine Province, took a week-long diversion from her month’s vacation in San Francisco to visit the archives at the St. Louis Province Center. She came specifically to pore through the archives in search of historic photos, letters and other archival treasures from Los Angeles, which was the Province Center for the Philippines before the Philippine Province was formed in 1946. The visit to the archives had special meaning for Sr. Tarcila, as she made her novitiate in Los Angeles in 1963 and made first profession there in 1965. Sr. Tarcila left happily with scanned documents and images to take back to the Philippine Province.

Fiona Robinson was named Shepherd of the Month in March for Good Shepherd Services Baltimore. She was nominated along with Quita Roberts and Valerie Shell for taking on the helm of leadership in the Clinical and Medical department.

Nominations for the award are anonymous. According to the person who nominated the three women for the award (only one nominee is selected through a

ballot draw), “All three of these dynamic women are setting a course for the unit with a new vision. They excel in their jobs despite having limited and waning resources. Their actions inspire hope and awaken in others a renewed sense of purpose. I hope they know how many supporters they have working behind the scenes to help ensure their success, because if they succeed we ALL succeed!”

Fiona Robinson Shepherd of the Month, Baltimore

From left: Sr. Dorothy Renckens, RGS, marks with prayerfulness and deep gratitude the 60th anniversary of her vows on April 24. Sr. Roberta Kienstra, RGS, turns 100 on April 14 and will celebrate the occasion at a favorite St. Louis landmark with her family in June. Sr. Therese Hillary had her 50th Jubilee last year but will mark the occasion this year with a celebration on April 26 with Sisters in the Immaculate Heart community.

Personal milestones reached in St. Louis

Submitted by Sr. Mary Carol McClenon

OBITUARY

Luella Harder was born on June 6, 1919 to Elmer J. and Emeline (Steger) Harder in Rochester, Minnesota. She was one of six children born into a happy household that was to be overshadowed with sorrow. Her only brother died at age 13, and the following year her mother died giving birth to their baby sister, who was herself in fragile health. Upon the death of their mother, Luella and her older sister Dorothy, both in their teens, were placed in the care of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in St. Paul Minnesota. With the companionship of Dorothy and the care of the Sisters, Luella was able to overcome her sorrow. She entered into her studies and learned skills that would prove helpful for her future. As her faith and love for God increased she became interested in the Contemplative Sisters who shared the Good Shepherd campus. Upon graduation from high school Luella asked to enter the Community of Sisters Magdalen (Later called the Contemplative Sisters of the Good Shepherd). At that time she took the name Sr. Margaret Paul. She made her First Vows on July 22, 1940 and her final vows on July 22, 1950. Sr. Margaret Paul served the community in multiple ways and with varied skills during her almost 74 years as a Contemplative. She became an excellent chef with special expertise in cooking, baking and canning. She also helped with the custom-cutting of shirts that were tailor-made for a select clientele. Her service extended to secretarial and bookkeeping tasks for the community, as well as driving and caring for the community car. In her spare time she became adept with a crochet hook and knitting needles. Throughout the years she helped with community finances by making handcrafted items to sell such as baby blankets, stuffed knitted animals, baby sweater and hat sets and many scarfs and mittens.

In the mid 1960s, Sr. Margaret Paul was once again separated from those she loved when she was asked to move to a community in Spokane, Washington. Although the move was not easy, she soon adapted and was put in charge of the flourishing altar bread industry which the community had developed. Sr. Margaret Paul came to love the community and served there for nearly 30 years. There was one interim during this stage of her journey that temporarily disrupted her life in community. Her father, now a retired chief of the Rochester Fire Department,

had become seriously ill with cancer and was in need of special care. Sister was given permission to go to him, and she became his devoted caregiver until he was called to eternal life. This was a blessed time for her to be able to be reunited with her father and share in his many memories. He was laid to rest amid all the honors of the Rochester Fire Department. In 1992 the Spokane Community was dissolved and Sr. Margaret Paul returned to the St. Paul community. Here, despite many health issues, she took charge of the community linen room and busied herself in filling the regularly-recurring requests for crocheted goods, particularly baby sets. Sr. Margaret Paul celebrated her 70th Jubilee as a Contemplative of the Good Shepherd in July of 2010.In 2011 the Community moved from St. Paul to Boutwells Landing in Oak Park Heights. This was a very challenging move as Sr. Margaret Paul needed assisted living and, therefore, had to find her own way to live out the life she was committed to for so many years. She found herself in a small apartment, which she used as a place of solitude and prayer, as

Sr. Margaret Paul Harder, CGSJune 6, 1919 - March 19, 2014

Continued on next page9

OBITUARY

Sr. Margaret Paul Cont’d !om page 9

well as where she continued her crocheting projects. She donated countless pairs of mittens to the poor and made baby sets and other items as requested. Sister attended many services provided by other denominations and practiced ecumenism in her friendships and devotion. Although the change from convent living was difficult for many months after she arrived at Boutwells Landing, Sr. Margaret Paul found that she had a special calling within her original call to contemplative life. She became very happy in her new life, sharing her love and faith.

In late February of 2014, Sr. Margaret Paul was finding it hard to walk any distance without losing her breath. She had very little energy. She was admitted to the hospital and was found to have serious heart problems as well as other health concerns. After a couple of weeks she was dismissed from the hospital to hospice care. On March 19th, the Feast day of St. Joseph, Patron of a happy death, Sr. Margaret Paul died peacefully.

Submitted by Sr. Dolores Kalina

Graduates of Maria Droste Residence gather to say goodbye to the ministry.

Annual Trivia Night was successful and always a lot of fun.

10

Sad farewell to Maria Droste ministry

Maria Droste Residence has closed its doors and discontinued services.

aria Droste Residence program closed its doors in St. Louis and discontinued its services the last week of March. Sr. Jeanne Waddell and her council created the program in the 1970’s. They

were seeking to continue a ministry presence in St Louis after we turned over Marygrove, our program in Florissant, to Catholic Charities.

Maria Droste Residence started out as a simple shelter and later became a sober living house. Homeless women who had completed drug and alcohol programs applied to live there to continue their recovery. Maria Droste provided safety and shelter as well as case management to meet the various needs of women in recovery.

Within the Good Shepherd ambience of compassion and core value of individual worth, the residents were able to continue their outpatient recovery work, seek employment, budget their money and save for the future. In-house recovery meetings and support groups that focused on the Twelve Steps helped to strengthen their resolve to maintain sobriety and heal physically, emotionally and spiritually.

On Thursday, March 20th Maria Droste staff, Province Sisters and past and present residents spent the afternoon remembering Maria Droste Residence in sadness and in celebration of the gift the program had been to them. The afternoon began with appetizers and conversation. When all were gathered everyone reflected and took turns sharing their memories, recalling the gift and blessing of the program and the special meaning that Maria Droste will always hold for them. A dinner followed.

On Sunday, March 23 a final graduation ceremony took place at Maria Droste Residence. Three of the last residents graduated from the program as their families and friends witnessed the touching event. The following Monday, volunteers who had helped with Maria Droste’s yearly fundraising Trivia Night were guests of honor at a special dinner hosted by Sisters at the Province Center.

M

Submitted by Sr. Sharon O’Grady

SOCIAL MEDIA

How to use facebook in 8 easy steps: for the novice

11

acebook is a social media tool that can do wonders for increasing visibility and

support for Good Shepherd ministries. If you haven’t already started using facebook, it’s easy to learn. Just follow these steps.1. First, create a personal

facebook page. Watch this video to learn how. Or you can click here for written instructions

2. Once you have a personal facebook page you can “Like” other facebook pages such as the Good Shepherd page. Learn how to use the facebook “Like” button.

3. Test out what you learned in Step 2 and “Like” our facebook page: www.facebook.com/sistersofthegoodshepherd. The more likes we have on our facebook page, the more awareness we raise about Good Shepherd.

4. In addition to using the “Like” button to like a whole page, you can use the button to like individual photos and comments. Clicking “Like” under a photo or on someone’s comment drives traffic to our facebook page to increase visibility about Good Shepherd.

5. Commenting on photos is fun and also drives traffic to our facebook page. Learn how to comment on a facebook photo.

6. Practice what you have learned in Steps 4 and 5 by liking photos and posting comments

on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/sistersofthegoodshepherd.

7. It’s important to like and comment on photos if you want to benefit from social media. But nothing gets the word out faster than sharing a photo you like on facebook. Here’s how you share something you like.

8. Now practice sharing photos from our facebook page to your own timeline. www.facebook.com/sistersofthegoodshepherd.

That’s all there is to using facebook. If you get stuck, just review the links in the steps. Enjoy the social media experience!

F

Download this Ebook if you want to use facebook to market your ministries.

ITEMS OF INTERESTSisters of the Good Shepherd Province of Mid-North America

7654 Natural Br idge RoadSt. Louis, MO 63121

S i s t e r s o f t h e G o o d S h e p h e rdP ro v i n c e o f M i d - N o r t h A m e r i c a7 6 5 4 N a t u r a l B r i d g e R o a dSt. Louis, MO 63121

314-381-3400 or 1-800-615-5073314-381-7102 faxJeanette McDermott, editorjmcdermott@gspmna.org

"You who love the mission so much help us to keep it going.”

St. Mary Euphrasia

2014 Pilgrims