CABRINI COMMUNICATOR a Newsletter by and for the St
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No. 1 THE May 2015 CABRINI COMMUNICATOR A newsletter by and for the St. Frances Cabrini community We the people of St. Frances Cabrini are a searching community of wounded healers. We are called by God to live the non-violent love of Christ in our community action and personal lives. We exercise active leadership in the life Musings of our community. on our Mission We express and understand ourselves in Eucharist, worship, religious e the people…” It was the last formation, and social consciousness and “ day of a graduate class I was action. Wteaching at Creighton University on – The St. Frances Cabrini Mission Statement the Spirituality of the Twelve Steps. I asked the class what was their most significant learning of the class. A woman in the second row raised her hand and piped up: “I learned that the most important word of the twelve steps is the first word of the first step – WE.” There was a collectiveWe come The Inaugural Edition! together or we do not come at all. We get sober together, we recover together, we The well-known priest, journalist, sociologist, gadfly, and much- awaken together or we do not awaken published author, Andrew Greeley, was said not to have an at all. So, too, do we speak of ourselves unpublished thought. To ensure such a possibility here at Cabrini for here at Cabrini. In a culture that is our parishioners, it is with pleasure that I welcome our inaugural becoming more private and more edition of the Communicator. There is much to say and it is well individualistic, Cabrini boldly says that said. Thanks to all who made this happen. Blessed Andrew of happy we are public and a community and memory would give his imprimatur. that is how we come to God and to Father Mike Tegeder our world. – – Dick Rice A Journey to Rwanda arol Dittberner is Cabrini’s Mother of the Church, to accompany The two trainers brought home long serving leader, trainer, and her on a training trip to Rwanda at stories of mosquito nets, malaria pills, Cteacher of the Catechesis of the Good the invitation of the Missionaries of and missing clothes that were returned Shepherd, and she continues to respond Charity Sisters. the next day cleaned and pressed, thanks to invitations for mission trips across Carol and Cindy left November to the Sisters. The Sisters seemed to the world to train new teachers. Carol 14 with eight huge suitcases full of fall in love with the Good Shepherd is responsible for our early childhood donated materials and books and program and our intrepid travelers education program, which is based arrived at the Sisters’ Home of Hope in enjoyed the Sisters’ reactions to the on the Montesorri Method, teaching Kigali, Rwanda. There they conducted training presentations and excited the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd three weeks of training for 26 Sisters talking about what they were learning through a hands-on experiential from three countries, representing ten in their group discussions. method of learning and growing in convents. The language of the Order is The Sisters showed their gratitude faith. Last November, Carol invited English so the training was conducted to Cindy and Carol in many ways. For Cindy Moon, a Pastoral Associate for in English. example, upon learning that Cindy Childrens’ Faith Formation at Mary, loved popcorn, the Sister in charge Carol, Cindy and a few of the children 2 Most of the Sisters at their Home of Hope in Kigali of meals popped a fresh batch for her Marian apparitions from 1981-1989, every day. reportedly recognized by the Church. As frequently happens, the local During a visit with one of the teenage children found Carol and Cindy as they girls, she told them of a vision and a started unpacking the many suitcases. message from Mary warning about the Regardless of culture or economic genocide that occurred in Rwanda in status, Carol found that the children the 1990’s. The travelers also recalled were drawn to the message of the hiking down a mountain path to a Good Shepherd. One two-and-a-half pool of healing water with the Sisters year old boy, named Fabriece, bonded reciting the Rosary of the Sorrows on with Cindy. He had a reputation for the way. being a handful and he would often When they got back to Kigali, a appear at her side and ask to go to the double rainbow appeared that seemed “Jesus room” and entered the room to end at the Grotto where a statue of during training. He responded to the Mary stands. They both thought it was a presentations with bright eyes, smiles sign that they were meant to be there, a and joy, working with the materials sentiment shared clearly by the Sisters, on his own while the Sisters’ training children and adults at the Missionaries continued. of Charity, Home of Hope. Carol and Cindy were able to see the city of Kigali as well as the countryside Note: Parts of this article have been of Rwanda, which is called the land of reprinted with permission of Mary, 1,000 hills. During their travels, they Mother of the Church stopped at the Shrine of Our Lady of Kibeho. Kibeho is a small town in South Rwanda and is the site of numerous 3 The Cabrini Composers Forum here are threads running through Jacki Betsworth Maggie Brickson our lives. Sometimes we see this I grew up in a family that sang I began composing at the age of 15 atT the time, sometimes later, looking its way to grandma’s house and then again in earnest while at St. back. Music composed specifically every Sunday afternoon. In the small Frances Cabrini beginning in 1996. for the Cabrini community goes back mission parish where I grew up, I I enjoy writing liturgical songs of all many, many decades, and some of that watched my sisters in the choir loft sorts and occasionally delve into songs earlier music is still sung for liturgy. from my place in the pews until it was about life and love. I have also written More recently, the five of us started my turn to join the music, eventually a few instrumental pieces for piano and getting together regularly, about 7 or 8 leading the group as the accompanist composed and recorded the incidental years ago, calling ourselves the Cabrini on the church’s Hammond organ. I music for two film shorts a few years Composers Forum. We recognize like to think I’ve come a long way in ago. In fact, Faye tells me all the time that others may write music as well, my compositional style since my first that I should be composing music for but we decided to meet and make a song, a Christmas jingle I convinced movies. commitment to share the music we my nephews and nieces to perform for I am most often inspired by texts or were composing, offer feedback and family, complete with choreography, prayers already written. Often, I hear support, and enjoy the fruits of each as I accompanied them on the organ, the music writing itself in my head as I other’s creativity. We are most fortunate in about 1970. I studied instrumental read the words. Then I sit at the piano to have the support of one another and music in college and then promptly and my hands find the key signature and the Cabrini community! In January put it aside for over a decade, finally the harmonic structure. When I can’t 2013 we gave our first concert of 15 returning to it in the 1990’s as a musical write it all down in one sitting, I write original songs, and we hope to do a performer for various Twin Cities down enough to be able to remember second concert in the fall. In their own preschools. My greatest hits of that and revisit it later. words, here are some comments from decade include songs about monkeys, My wife, Cindi, and five children are each of the members who have taken trees, and bugs. supportive of my musical quests and I part in this “forum” over the recent With the generous support of my can always tell that I’m onto something years: friends in this group, my regular Cabrini when any or all of my three youngest singing partners, and my amazingly children start dancing in the living patient family, I’ve been able to focus room while I’m playing. Conversely, I on getting small bits of the eternally also get the hint when someone asks running soundtrack in my brain onto me if I will be done soon. paper in singable form during the past In a college sacramental theology several years. Though I often compose class, I learned that sacraments are music by noodling on the piano with a a point-in-time recognition of a particular event or text in mind, my go- significant event in one’s life. In to themes are love, the unity of all life that way, I believe compositions are and spirits, and gratitude. the same. Sometimes a song comes together immediately. Other times, I tinker with a piece of music for months or even years because the significant event is still unfolding and the music and text just aren’t gelling. In those times, it is important to trust that all things, including that last phrase or a bridge, will be revealed in due time… in God’s time. 4 Larry Dittberner Faye Fisher Ward Chris Kosowski My whole life is music—as a musician Music has always been an important One of the longest threads weaving in at Cabrini since 1968 and a music constant in my life.