Salvatorian News Walk with Us Sisters Weave Life Lessons Into Classroom Fundamentals
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Spring 2018 That all may know the Savior Salvatorian News Walk with us Sisters weave life lessons into classroom fundamentals isters of the Divine Savior in Sri language and social studies. Parents with Lanka know all too well the way to a little or no income can’t afford the cost of Sisters of the Divine Savior have child’sS mind can be through his stomach. supplies, travel and tuition for remedial served on the tiny island “pearl” Their project to supplement government classes to make up for learning deficits. known as Sri Lanka since 1954. schooling for children in impoverished Without such classes, children are at risk for Natural disasters and prolonged civil villages addresses a variety of needs and ending up in the same plight as their parents. strife have kept many Sri Lankan nutrition is a priority. Many families can’t people in dire need. You can read here Sadly, alcohol and drug addiction among feed their children three meals a day. It’s how our sisters address that need. men is common. Those who have jobs meager by our standards, but a bun and It’s not a quick fix. It’s an enduring labor for low wages. Many mothers leave packet of milk three days a week gives commitment to improve quality of their families hoping to earn money to life by empowering Sri Lanka’s next children more energy to learn. help their children, often leaving them in a generation with education. In 2017, the sisters started a program grandmother’s care. These realities are born Inside, we feature one Golden to support students from low-income of natural disasters and a 25-year civil war Jubilarian along with six sisters families in Illuppaikulam, Katugastota and that began in 1983. professed for 60 years. We look Wijekatupotha where our sisters live. They Sister Rani Fernando, SDS, Provincial forward to honoring them in June. refer to the program as “tuition classes” but Superior in Sri Lanka says, “These students Also in this issue, we continue it doesn’t fully capture the breadth of their struggle in a hand-to-mouth economy. They our Years on Fire celebration of support. lack security when both parents go in search Salvatorians first coming to the U.S. Government-run schools in Sri Lanka are of day-to-day jobs, leaving them without Our year of Passion for Remembering free, but in rural areas facilities are lacking commemorates the 100th anniversary and have poor standards for science, math, continued on back page —> of five events that changed their lives. By the time you read this message, Our Salvatorian Province in Sri Lanka has 67 sisters in 13 communities. Their diverse we’ll have elected our Province ministries include a home for orphaned girls and a shelter project to replace fragile huts leaders for the three-year term that with modest cinder block homes. begins July 1. We couldn’t share the news here due to our press deadline, but you’ll find it on our website at sistersofthedivinesavior.org As 2018 unfolds, I ask you to stay with us, pray with us and walk with us in our mission to make known the goodness and kindness of the Divine Savior. Holding you in prayer, Sister Beverly Heitke, SDS Provincial Leader Companions “I have talked about Sister Mary and the wisdom and love she has taught me to many friends near and far. I know the in Mission stories I’ve shared have made an impact on them.” — Patti S., Brookfield, Wis. Patti S. of Brookfield, Wis. began bible study classes led by Salvatorian Sister Mary Frost, SDS about five years ago. Over time, Patti’s friendship with Sr. Mary has grown, and so has her bond with the Sisters of the Divine Savior. Patti points to Sr. Mary’s Weekly bible study class on Ignatian Spirituality as a turning point that deepened their brought together Patti S. (left) and friendship. Salvatorian Sister “It was a small class of only four people and we did a lot of faith Mary Frost. sharing. Part of Ignatian Spirituality is learning to see God working in your daily life. Sr. Mary’s example of faith and the way she lives her life was a great example to me of how to find God in the everyday moments. Finding those ‘God moments’ is when you sense His love, guidance, presence and joy, even when you’re Over the last several years, Patti has honored her teacher with having hardship, and feeling God’s protection and strength.” financial gifts to the Sisters of the Divine Savior. But perhaps her Patti calls Sr. Mary an excellent teacher who has shared many greatest tribute is calling Sr. Mary her “hand hold” from God. stories of her time teaching in Africa. There she learned about the “I know that God sent me someone to hold on to my hand and oral tradition and now in her classes she relates it to parts of the show me the way,” says Patti. “Sr. Mary teaches real forgiveness. bible. Patti also describes Sr. Mary as one of the strongest women She teaches you to be kind and just, to pray for the one who hurt she knows. you, and to trust in God’s mercy and love.” “She has belief in herself and is a wonderful leader. She has taught me to believe more in my own abilities and talents. Sr. Mary once told me that if all you ever ask of God is to ‘Help me to love better,’ How has a Salvatorian Sister touched your life? it would be the only prayer you’d ever need. It has become my We’d love to hear your story. Email Lori Land at: daily prayer, that God help me to love better.” Patti adds, “It’s the [email protected] greatest gift anyone has ever given me, teaching me to pray for that.” Counting Your Blessings Tip You’re making change for good If you’re still paying premiums or have paid up Just as our sisters have adapted traditional ministries to changing needs, your an old life insurance policy, there might be a support for our mission has evolved over the years. We’ve witnessed it, as better use for it. As more people outlive the you affirm your trust in us with need for a long-held policy, they forget about generosity from all corners of the the asset until an annual statement comes in country. Last November and the mail. After providing for your loved ones, December, we received donations consider naming Sisters of the Divine Savior as from 36 states and the District of Columbia. We’re grateful for each a partial or full beneficiary. You can designate prayerful decision you make to proceeds to support one of our international share your worldly blessings with mission projects or for our retired sisters’ us. As we hold you in our prayers ongoing needs. For more information, go to of thanksgiving, we will continue sistersofthedivinesavior.org/support/planned to steward each and every gift Or contact Lori Land at 414-466-7414 or to serve the greatest need in our [email protected] Thank You! Savior’s name. SDS Mission Advancement Office • 414-466-7414 • sistersofthedivinesavior.org • sistersofthedivinesavior 2 2018 Passion for Remembering In this second of five Years on Fire celebration, we focus on the 100th anniversary of the death of Father Francis Jordan, founder of the Salvatorian Family of sisters, priests and brothers, and Lay Salvatorians. Our 2018 theme, “Passion for Remembering” commemorates Father Jordan’s death in 1918, along with four other events that deeply touched the hearts of Salvatorians newly arrived in the U.S. Father Michael Hoffman, SDS, Archivist for the Society of the Divine Savior shares a powerful reflection on the word remembering: W henever we use the word remember, they re-member you in the present, and Last Supper, when Jesus and his disciples we tend to imagine ourselves going back you live on. celebrated that ancient Seder ritual. This in time, reliving a past event, or recalling Today, when the Jewish people come time, Jesus gives his disciples a new meaning to the meal. When he took the bread and a relationship with someone who is no together each year and re-member the first longer with us. We think of it as “taking the Passover meal and the Exodus, they are not the cup and shared them with the disciples, he said: “From now on, whenever you do present back into the past.” But the true simply telling the story or recalling a people this, re-member me.” Each time we come root of the word, which goes all the way who were freed from slavery in the past. together to celebrate the Eucharist, we back to our Judeo-Christian beginnings, Their understanding of re-membering is aren’t simply recalling stories about Jesus. means “bringing the past into the present.” bringing those people and that event from We are truly re-membering him, making It literally means re-membering someone the past into the present, here and now, him a member of our family here and now, who was once a member of our family or and all are saved from slavery in this event. community, making them a member again and he is alive and present to us once again. here and now, alive and present. Throughout 2018, Salvatorians will The people of the Old Testament did not take time to share our “Passion for have a strong belief in an afterlife.