SPRING 2021 School Sisters of Notre Dame Atlantic-Midwest Province MEMORIES AND BLESSINGS OF LEADERSHIP In March 2016, Delegates representing all parts of the Atlantic- Midwest Province gathered together in Rochester, NY to elect provincial leadership for the years 2016–2020. The Leadership Blessings is a publication for Team is elected by our Sisters and is currently composed of a The School Sisters of Notre Dame are part of an family, friends and benefactors of Provincial and five Councilors. As each Councilor was elected, the School Sisters of Notre Dame. she chose a scripture passage to mark her years of leadership. international congregation. They currently minister in SSNDs in the Atlantic-Midwest Each of us carried these words to Installation Day, July 9, Province express their mission of 30 countries. “Our internationality challenges us 2016, held at Villa Notre Dame in Wilton, CT. There we stood unity through education, which ay leadership on the altar facing our Sisters, professing our gratitude to our enables persons to reach the fullness to witness to unity in a divided world; to discover foundress, Mother Theresa Gerhardinger, and to the many of their potential. “Urged by the love be for us a true adventure of Christ, we choose to express our women of our congregation who had gone before us, who unsuspected ways of sharing what we have, especially of growth." mission through ministry directed M learned to trust in God and who dared to risk all for the sake of the mission. toward education. For us, education with the poor and marginalized; and to search for new means enabling persons to reach — John O’Donahue As a newly elected Council, we pledged to continue the work of Embracing the Future. We the fullness of their potential as channels of service in the international church.” YAS, C26 began searching for and implementing alternative living options for our Sisters, initiating individuals created in God’s image creative ways to respond to the urgent needs of our world by engaging our Sisters in and assisting them to direct their gifts toward building the earth.” implementing our 2017 Directional Statement, , working with our Love Gives Everything (You Are Sent, Constitution of the colleagues and Associates to be carriers of the vision and finding ways to engage our Sisters School Sisters of Notre Dame, C22) in the work of the province, always in the context of the congregation. Sister Joan Pikiell was due to Editor take perpetual vows on August 8. We were excited, eager, determined and open to the challenges that lay ahead of us, Caelie Haines However, COVID-19 precautions embracing the unknown future and eager to serve the province and to transform the world, Contributors caused the ceremony to be remembering that we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Over the Laura Lang, Catherine Schoonover, postponed. Instead, Provincial months and years our commitment has not waivered. Patrick Laorden, Yvonne DeBruin, Laura Stafford Leader Sister Charmaine Krohe When the possibility of not having an Election Assembly became a reality due to the raging accepted Sister Joan’s vow COVID-19 pandemic, our Council was asked to add another year to our four-year term. Little Design Stephanie Coustenis Graphic Design renewal in a gathering outside of did we know what this would mean for us and for the province: an outbreak of the virus in Villa Assumpta on July 19. two of our retirement centers, resulting in the deaths of many of our Sisters; limited travel; Email [email protected] working from home; canceled meetings and donor events; Zoom Assemblies; political, social and racial unrest. Website atlanticmidwest.org As I look back on the memories of our term as a Council, I give thanks to God for the talent, ON THE COVER: Sister Kathleen generosity, openness and enduring commitment of the Council. The years of 2016–2021 ATLANTIC-MIDWEST OFFICES Feeley of Notre Dame of Maryland University during her mission time were challenging for all of us, yet in the midst of it all each Councilor moved faithfully and Villa Assumpta in Africa. willingly from the concrete everyday minutiae to the elusive intangibles of mystery. We 6401 N. Charles Street moved hurriedly from a finance meeting to accompanying a Sister who had just been placed Baltimore, Maryland 21212 SMALLER PHOTO: Sisters on the 410-377-7774 Villa Assumpta bowling team, on comfort care—all within a day’s work. Together, we have laughed, cried, argued, grappled Sister Cathy Bonfield was many of whom lost their lives with difficult decisions, accepted criticism, received accolades, celebrated birthdays, mourned Villa Notre Dame to COVID last year and whose 345 Belden Hill Road one of the first Sisters to the loss of our Sisters, witnessed the generosity of our benefactors, and kept long hours to memories are a blessing. Wilton, Connecticut 06897 return to classroom teaching, complete the day’s work. 203-762-3318 welcoming back her masked During these past five years, the Council has prayed, researched, evaluated, failed, reiterated, Notre Dame Convent and safely distanced students listened, observed, watched, grown and learned more than we could ever have imagined. As 1921 Snake Road at St. Martha School in CONTENTS leaders, we functioned on behalf of our SSND family, and soon, when our term is over, each of Waterdown, Ontario LOR 2H0 905-689-6646 Sarasota, Florida on August 2 us will return to our community as members of our family and as Sisters to one another. 17, 2020. Precious SSND Memories Over these five years in the ministry of leadership, we, as a Council, have been blessed by our 10 province, our congregation, faithful associates, dedicated staff and employees, our sponsored Celebrating Our Jubilarians and co-sponsored ministries and our generous benefactors. We are grateful for all you do to 12 support our Sisters and the work of our province. We continue to pray for you and your family The Year in Photos and wish you many good memories and an abundance of blessings. 14 Gratefully in Notre Dame, In Memoriam Charmaine Krohe, SSND 16 Provincial Leader Development Corner 2 SCHOOL SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME ATLANTIC-MIDWEST PROVINCE Their Memories Are a Blessing After coming through such a difficult year as How SSNDs Have Touched Lives Throughout Their History 2020 was, memories of those lost and those loved have truly been a blessing MOTHER SETON ACADEMY LOVES SISTER MARIANNE RODERICK to us. We appreciate all or many Mother Seton Academy graduates and their Sister Marianne’s influence extended beyond the students. who submitted their families, the first introduction to the School Sisters of As new teachers joined the MSA community, they looked FNotre Dame was meeting Sister Marianne Roderick, to Sister Marianne for guidance on everything from the memories of School Sisters SSND, who for twenty years taught sixth-graders. The curriculum to classroom management, to lunch and of Notre Dame who have subjects she taught included mathematics, science and recess supervision duties. One colleague, Leah Benzing, touched their lives in religion, but she taught more than the academic content. remembers, “I was blessed to be partnered with Sister some way. Here are a few Each of the homerooms is named for a founder of one of Marianne as the sixth-grade teaching team for my first years of teaching. She guided me through the uniqueness of their memories. our sponsoring communities. During her time at MSA, Sister Marianne embodied the spirit of Mother Theresa of our community as well as the more mundane Gerhardinger and introduced her students to Mother responsibilities of a classroom teacher. I still hear her voice Caroline, as well. Instructing the students about Mother when feeling challenged or overwhelmed. I then take it one Theresa included teaching them a special song in honor step at a time and make decisions on what is best for our of the Foundress. Although the students found the rigor students. She led by example, and I still reflect on it often.” of the academic subjects demanding, they found in Sister Generous in spirit, committed to service, and kind to Marianne a kind and firm teacher who would prepare them struggling students, Sister Marianne has gifted her well for future studies. Students would later remark on how students and colleagues with memories of a loving, Sister prepared them well for future challenges. effective teacher. One of the most memorable experiences Sister Marianne —Mother Seton Academy, Baltimore, MD provided the students was a chance to visit her family farm. The day provided a chance to interact directly with the farm animals and to learn about life on the farm. The students also learned about care of the earth and stewardship of God’s gifts. Sister also made it possible for the students to have other learning experiences by safely driving them by the busload to learning opportunities. Always generous with her time, she readily modeled for the students what it meant to be of service to others. 2 SCHOOL SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME ATLANTIC-MIDWEST PROVINCE BLESSINGS SPRING 2021 3 NDP NOSTALGIA THE SPIRIT OF IND had never seen a live nun as I walked into Sister Mary have a "picture cube" still on display in our living room. was a relatively young Sister when I arrived at NDP in ’m a graduate of 1983, but I had many Sisters at IND before Ethelred's homeroom class at Notre Dame Preparatory One of my favorite photos in it is of Sister Sharon Kanis 1972, slightly intimidated by the idea of teaching high me. Sister Virginia Stallings I met in 1971, when I was five.