Ursuline Sisters of Toledo Fall 2017 Ur suLine Standing on the shoulders of all those who have gone before us Page PB UrsuLine Fall 2017 Ursuline Sisters of Toledo Page 1 Welcome I have always said same reasons. It is the hopes and fears of these persons I know how old I am to which Sister Carol Reamer listens and holds. War has because our community always brought diversity and tension. St. Angela knew is 100 years older that and sought ways to bring creativity from the tension than me. I can now and find unity in the diversity. The students at SUA whom say that my longest Sister Donna mentors in the Mission of St. Angela living teacher, Sister come from today’s multi ethnic, racial, and religious Antoinette is only 63 backgrounds. They find a multiplicity of ways to bring the years younger than the spirit of her creativity and unity to their own tomorrows. community. When the The Ursuline Associates, in carrying the Toledo Ursuline Ursuline Sisters came to Toledo, they taught children of charism forward do so out of the contexts of their own Catholic European Immigrants, and the Civil War on the life vocations and gifts. No one generation copies the horizon would bring racial diversity to the area. By the one before it and the present generation does not clone time Sister Antoinette entered the community, there had itself. In this issue, we take a look back in order to move been one world war and the next was very close, adding forward. Soli Deo Gloria! to the changing immigrant population. The immigrants and refugees coming to the area today may come from other areas of the world but they come for many of the On the Cover ‘We stand on the shoulders of all those who have gone before us.’ Standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us while pressing on to the future with hope and enthusiasm is what the theme for the fall 2017 issue of UrsuLine is all about. As we plan for the future of the Ursuline Sisters of Toledo, we must reflect on the ministries of the many Sisters who have gone before us. Elements of this theme are reflected on the cover. The necrology board, located at the entrance to the Ursuline Chapel, lists the Toledo Ursulines whose ministries have had a tremendous impact on individuals all across our communities and have entered eternal life. Also on the cover is a fabric painting by Sister Georgianna Benner (1916 - 1998). Sister Georgianna was a talented artist whose artwork adorns the walls of the Ursuline Center and many homes in our community to this day. The Laurel Tree in the painting represents the deep roots of the Ursuline Sisters dating back to 1854 when the Ursulines came to Toledo. The Associate pin contains the Associates’ symbol, a shoot of the This photograph is of our Toledo Ursulines who served at St. Gerard’s, Lima, Ohio during Laurel Tree, which calls to mind new growth and vitality as it pushes its Silver Jubilee on October 19, 1941. out into today’s world. The floral arrangement signifies the vibrancy and life of the Toledo Ursulines and Associates today. Page 2 UrsuLine Fall 2017 Ursuline Sisters of Toledo Page 3 St. Angela’s Spirit is Alive at St. Ursula Academy by Sister Donna Frey, Mission Effectiveness at St. Ursula Academy Having the awesome responsibility of sharing the spirit and life of St. Angela Merici at St. Ursula Academy (Grs. 6 – 12), is both a privilege and a great joy. Faculty/Staff and Students over the years are graciously accepting St. Angela into their lives and learning more and more about her relevance in our society today. Although Angela lived over 500 years ago, her spirit is even more alive than when she was here on earth. Working closely with the Theology Department, I meet several times with the students throughout the year striving to instill various aspects and values important to Angela in their personal lives. Integrating her spirit is essential to passing on our Ursuline spirit and legacy. Some of the topics included on different grade levels are “The Doors in St. Angela’s Life,” “The Mission of St. Angela,” “Ursuline and SUA Coat of Arms,” “Mother Amadeus Dunne,” and “Pictorial Introduction to St. Angela and St. Ursula.” The Seniors do an Angela Project that pulls together some aspect of Angela’s life and how they have been influenced by Angela. During the school year, at least once each quarter, the Faculty and Staff are given input and reflection on St. Angela or the Ursuline Connections. Faculty and Staff also benefit from a monthly reflection on a quote of St. Angela, and weekly pauses for reflection. Sister Donna Frey, who carries out the Ursuline mission effectiveness role at Here are a couple responses from students that St. Ursula Academy, stands beside a show reflection and integration of St. Angela into beloved statue of St. Angela Merici. their lives. What have you learned about St. Angela that you will remember and take with you as you take the next step in your journey? “What I have learned from St. Angela is a tremendous drive to help others and to work to institute a society of love rather than culture of death. In my own life, St. Angela has inspired me to look beyond myself and to actively work to improve the community. I have recently started a charity geared toward raising literacy rates in Native American children which was only made possible through the inspiration of strong, charitable women like Angela.” Angela was a woman of hope. How do we remain women of hope for today’s youth? “To remain women of hope we must always put our faith in God. We must try to focus on the moments we are going through and be optimistic about what the future holds for following generations. Trust God’s holy, unique process.” The experience and moments of walking in the footsteps of St. Angela in Italy in September, 2011, provided me a profound and deeper understanding of the person of Angela as she walked the cities of Desenzano and Brescia. That experience, too, was of privilege and joy! Page 2 UrsuLine Fall 2017 Ursuline Sisters of Toledo Page 3 Ursuline Jubilarians Celebrate Years of Blessings Seven Ursuline Sisters will celebrate milestone anniversaries of religious life with a Mass and celebration on September 24, 2017 at the Ursuline Center. Sister Antoinette Cosentino, Sister Stephanie Helfrich, Sister Coletta McAllister, Sister Mary Jo Koudelka, Sister Mary Alice Henkel, Sister Mary Katherine Garvin, and Sister Carol Kronfield were invited to share what their years as an Ursuline Sister have meant to them. Sister Antoinette Cosentino ~ 80 Years My years as an Ursuline Sister were spent in the “House of the Lord.” I loved teaching children in the elementary grades and high school students, including all the different subjects – English, Reading, Math, Science, Art, Music, Handwriting, and, even, French. Of course, my favorite subjects, if I had any favorites, were Music, Art, French, and English. The best part of teaching was the time spent with each child and the fun of seeing each one learn the fundamentals of communicating the knowledge learned in class to all the other children in the classes and the school. Each child learned to take pride in their scholastic achievement. Making learning a lot of fun really helped the learning process for each one, pupil and teacher. Each day was a different adventure in the world of education. No two days were exactly alike – no days were boring. Having fun learning was the key to understanding the world and how all things work together for the good of all the people, if we love each other and learn how to do good things for all peoples, including every man, woman, and child – as different as they might be. Besides teaching students, I had experience with high school students in Glee Club. These were very enjoyable moments and musical days. The fact was that all days spent in the House of the Lord were days of special love and care for God’s family – each person great and small. Sister Stephanie Helfrich ~ 65 Years In May, 1952 I believe I made the most important decision of my adult life. That was the day I asked to enter our Ursuline Community and gave up a scholarship to Mercy School of Nursing. That decision set me on a path of living out my baptismal commitment to live in relationship with The Trinity in a particular way. How that decision came about is a story in itself, but what it has meant is what this reflection is about. This is about what these 65 years as a Toledo Ursuline have meant to me. All that these years have meant is more that I can easily put into words. I come to this year of jubilee full of gratitude to the One whose faithful love we celebrate. Being a member of this Ursuline Community has offered me many blessings that took various forms. The first blessing that comes to mind is that of my sisters in community. Then I would name the blessing of a rich variety of ministries the Community has afforded me. Each of those ministries has been a blessing in itself. Each has been a source of untold opportunities. I have found those various ministries to be full of grace for me and, I hope, for others as well. As in the case of any life, it hasn’t always been easy.