Inspirational Giving
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Inspirational Giving SISTERS, SERVANTS OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY ANNUAL REPORT | 2019–2020 FRONT COVER LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM: Marygrove College Liberal Arts Building gate, 1927; Nuns on the Bus; Sister Margaret Brennan; sisters on the campus of St. Mary Academy; River House – IHM Spirituality Center; groups of novice sisters at the centennial celebration, 1945; Sister Genevieve Petrak ministering in Harare, Zimbabew, 1984; (left to right) Sisters Mary Jean Schulte, Elenita Morrissey, Carol Quigley and Constantia Schulte enjoy an afternoon walk on the Motherhouse campus; Sisters Sharon Holland, Janet Ryan and Monica Stuhlreyer at the Theresa Maxis Award, 2019; guests at the Theresa Maxis Award, 2017; Co-founder, Reverend Louis Florent Gillet, 1847; senior class from Immaculata High School, Detroit, 1941; Motherhouse and St. Mary Academy of the banks of the River Raisin, 1899. BACK COVER: Marian High School, 1959; IHM Associates pictured in the Motherhouse Chapel; IHM Advisory Board, 1985; sisters on mission in Puerto Rico; IHM Senior Living Community room; St. Phillip Battle Creek, 1962; Mother Mary Lange, founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence; sisters gather at Watervliet Retreat House; Mother Domitilla Donohue at the groundbreaking for Marygrove College, 1925; Holy Redeemer Elementary School, Liberty City, Florida; Holy Redeemer Catholic Church and Detroit Cristo Rey High School, 2008; Detroit-Recife Mission, Brazil, 1965; novices and postulants, 1950 3 Annual Report, 2019 – 2020 Dear friends of the congregation, We are pleased to present the 2019 — 2020 Annual Report, as has been our practice. While the report focuses on your generous inspirational giving that supports our life and mission, it is difficult to present such a report without reflecting on this past year. Certainly, it has been a year like no other. At this time last year, we were looking forward to various celebrations of the 175th year since our founding in 1845. Needless to say, they did not happen. Instead, like our brothers and sisters throughout the world, we found ourselves face-to-face with two pandemics — COVID and that of systemic racism. For months, we were sheltering in place, staying home to stay safe. It is a practice that our residents in IHM Senior Living Community (IHM SLC) continue in order to keep everyone safe and healthy. The powerhouse of prayer within IHM SLC was enhanced by the prayer ministry of our sisters. Each week, we held a Zoom call with sisters and associates not living at the senior living community during which we became aware of other efforts to create a sense of community. These efforts are shared in an article in this report. Our staff within IHM SLC have worked hard to ensure the health of our residents. Unfortunately, we have had some COVID cases among our staff and several residents. During this past year, we suffered the loss of life of three sisters and an associate, due to COVID. We have been saddened by the loss of these lives and those of hundreds of thousands of our brothers and sisters. Following the death of George Floyd, we renewed our efforts to deal with systemic racism. We did so within our personal lives, our communal life and by working with others to eliminate systemic racism within our Church and society. You will notice in each issue of ihmpact that we are inviting the voice of others to share their insights and experiences as we try to understand the experience of racism and deal with our complicity at times when confronted with this reality. We creatively celebrated the jubilees of 18 of our sisters in July. Sisters and associates were invited to share video greetings that were combined and shown to the jubilarians at a luncheon with small groups at the tables. We also completed the renovation of a wing of our facility to create 19 apartments for lay residents who desire to join our Life Plan Community. To this point, 13 residents moved into 11 apartments and are looking forward to the time when they can join the rest of the residents for liturgies and other activities. In Detroit, the Marygrove Conservancy continues to grow with the construction of a state-of-the-art early childhood center. The IHM commitment to education and to the city of Detroit is coming alive in new ways. Through these months, your inspirational giving enabled our life and mission to continue. There was no “shut-down” in your giving, as evidenced by your responses during this past year to our annual appeals. They gave evidence of your commitment and belief in the IHM mission and presence in our world. Theresa Maxis, IHM, and Louis Florent Gillet, CSsR, our co-founders, faced some challenging times during the initial years. Let us rely on their gifts of courage and openness to the Spirit as we face the challenges of today. Thank you for your inspirational giving and for your continued prayerful support. Know that we continue to hold you and your families in our prayers. Gratefully, Mary Jane Herb, IHM President Annual Report, 2019 – 2020 1 Keeping In Community During Quarantine The following are highlights of how some lifted spirits and handled the “new normal” of this pandemic; from making masks, to adjusting in ministry and finding creative ways to keep in touch. While each of us experienced the pandemic in different ways, efforts to keep a sense of community abounded. Our shared experience during these unprecedented times has brought our community closer. MASKED WONDER Sister Gretchen Webb and her certified therapy dog, Gretel, were set to begin a new job together in March. The coronavirus pandemic derailed that plan. One evening on the news, she saw a report regarding the burgeoning need for face masks. She had sewing experience, a sewing machine and material on-hand. She bought a supply of elastic and turned to the internet for patterns and a tutorial. “The first one took me more than two hours to make,” she recalls. “I got faster and finished 45 masks over the weekend, which I dropped off at IHM Senior Living Community (IHM SLC).” People who heard about her effort began donating material. Sister Gretchen has made masks for friends and family throughout the continental United States and Puerto Rico — almost 800 and counting. She now makes masks in bulk, working on 35-40 at one time. Supplying IHM SLC has been a priority; she’s delivered approximately 350 for use by residents and employees and plans to continue making masks in anticipation of volunteers returning. “Orders kept coming in” she laughs, “so I kept sewing. It’s been nice to do something during this pandemic that’s helpful.” TOP: Sister Gretchen Webb and her certified therapy dog, Gretel; ABOVE: Sister Kathy Onderbeke A SPECIAL WAY TO REMEMBER LOST LIVES Early on in the pandemic, Sister Kathy Onderbeke rather to ‘tune in’ and be inspired to do our part began an installation of doves at Ss. Francis and Clare to protect the life of others,” said Sister Kathy. in Birch Run, one for each person in Michigan who died from COVID-19. It was one way to honor each of MINISTERING TO OTHERS their lives as well as those who struggled, unable to say “Life as a chaplain during COVID-19 is 10 times different good-bye, be at their bedside or gain comfort from the during these difficult but grace-filled days. Whether hugs of others in their time of loss. “Those who helped we are working alongside medical personnel or social cut out paper doves prayed for each person. We know workers with patients who come into our Emergency prayer is not a cure-all; it doesn’t take the pain and impact Department or are elsewhere in Mercy St. Vincent’s of this pandemic away. However, it is a way to help us Hospital, we encounter new challenges. Most people think hold this reality and connect to the presence of the Spirit of chaplains as people who just go into a room and pray within and among us. It is a way not to ‘tune out’ but with a patient and, at some hospitals, that may be the case. 2 Annual Report, 2019 – 2020 Sister Anne Mamienski; Sister Sharon Holland; Sister Marge Fogarty Since its founding by the Grey Nuns in 1855 in the middle even as we are unable to gather and celebrate together of cholera and malaria epidemics, chaplains are a vital in person.” Peggy Thompson, IHM Associate – New York part of the medical staff at St. Vincent’s, working alongside nurses, doctors and other medical personnel throughout “Living at a distance, I really appreciated our virtual the hospital. COVID-19 has not changed our ministry; gatherings on Thursday afternoons. We connected with it has only broadened it. I know that my ministry helps one another by just showing up and sharing our stories.” to change lives, not only for the patients, but for their Sister Jean Morsch, IHM – New Mexico families who are separated from their loved ones.” SEWING SENSATION Sister Anne Mamienski Sister Marge Fogarty said, “the last time we were able to CELEBRATIONS see one another’s smiles was the March day we began As masks and lockdown continued, sisters in IHM Senior wearing masks. This changed our way of living. We Living Community devised a new approach to birthday seamstresses, quilters and fabric artists found ourselves celebrations … “Sundaes in your doorway.” The organizers in demand. For what? Masks. began to order ice cream cups on their meal trays and to “I quickly went into action finding ways to help, to answer transfer them to the freezer.