Lacordaire Academy Caldwelldominicans
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2020 FLAME LACO COVER _Layout 1 2/20/20 10:15 AM Page 1 THE SISTERS OF SAINT DOMINIC, CALDWELL, NEW JERSEY FLAMEVolume 14 No.1 Spring 2020 LACORDAIRE ACADEMY CALDWELLDOMINICANS The Flame SISTERS OF SAINT DOMINIC OF CALDWELL, NJ A Message Letter from the Prioress ..............................................2 from the Raffle Thank You ........................................................3 Lacordaire Academy 100th Anniversary .................4-7 Prioress Universe and Creation Committee ..........................8-9 Dear Friends, In Memoriam ........................................................10-11 In this issue of The Flame, we acknowledge and Sister Doris Ann Bowles, OP thank profusely our benefactors who have so Sister Mary Claire Weber, OP generously shared their prayers and donations with us during this past year. Many of you have been so faithful over the years and we especially thank you Thank you for that faithfulness. And we welcome and thank A Tribute to Our Benefactors ...............................12-19 those who have joined us in our mission this past year. We give thanks continually to God for your Lumen Center ...........................................................20 generous spirit. Lacordaire Academy in Upper Montclair, New MISSION STATEMENT Jersey, is the focus of our newsletter this spring Affirmed by Chapter 2005 • Reaffirmed by Chapter 2015 as it celebrates its centennial. Lacordaire is an We, Sisters of Saint Dominic of Caldwell, are a community of vowed women religious responding to God’s call and united in our quest independent, college preparatory school rooted for the unfolding revelation of God. We preach the Word of God in the Dominican tradition. It serves a diverse through our lives of contemplative prayer, study and ministry in response to the needs of our time. student body, coed pre-k-8 and young women in grades 9-12. Its challenging curriculum, enrichment VISION STATEMENTS 1995 programs, and nurturing atmosphere are all Reaffirmed by Chapter 2015 attractive features for its students. We know you will We will reclaim our passion for contemplation, and choose this as our lens through which we make decisions, enjoy reading about Lacordaire, one of our beloved live our lives, minister, and perceive our world. sponsored ministries. We will hold the promotion of Justice as top priority in every area of our Congregation. As we enjoy the freshness of spring with its new We will commit ourselves to deepen our studying, growth and promise of renewed life, know that living and teaching the mysteries of the universe and the sacredness of all creation. we hold all of you in our prayers. In return we ask We resist the ongoing devastation of our planet by that you pray for us as we listen to and preach the a contemplative scrutiny of our use/abuse of Earth’s gifts. gospel each day to the best of our ability. May we Community Leadership continue to bear fruit just as the gospel is bearing Patrice Werner, OP, Prioress fruit in you. We are ever so grateful for each of you. Elsie Bernauer, OP, Vicaress Eileen Ivory, OP, Councilor And may the Lord continue to bless you, your family, Patricia Tavis, OP, Councilor and loved ones. Development Office 1 Ryerson Avenue, Caldwell, New Jersey 07006 Gratefully, 973.403.3331 Maria Cianci, Director of Development, ext. 46 Sister Ann Monica Seemann, OP, ext. 36 [email protected] Patrice Werner, OP www.caldwellop.org Prioress 2 2020 FLAME RAFFLE PG 3_Layout 1 3/12/20 11:39 AM Page 1 caldwelldominicans THE FLAME The Sisters of Saint Dominic held their Second Calendar Raffle during July, August, and September, 2019, and it was a big success. Lightning Sister OPSuzanne Janis, did strike three times with second time winners. Yes, it can happen! againThak to all whoYou participated. We apprec iate your good spirit. Now, we’re planning the 2020 3rd Annual 3-Month Calendar Raffle! So, we hope you will . “STAY in it, to win it!” John T. Carrie & Joseph G. Maryellen N. Nancy T. Dover, NJ Piermont, NY Ridgefield Park, NJ San Diego, CA September 4, 2019 $500 September, 25, 2019 $100 October 16, 2019 $100 November 6, 2019 $100 Jim C. Mary Ann B. Val P. Jackie N. Olean, NY Caldwell, NJ Riva, MD Freehold, NJ September 6, 2019 $100 September 27, 2019 $100 October 18, 2019 $100 November 8, 2019 $100 Pat W. Mary Immaculate M. Pat W. Ginny G. Caldwell, NJ Caldwell, NJ Caldwell, NJ Neptune, NJ September 9, 2019 $100 September 30, 2019 $100 October 21, 2019 $100 November 11, 2019 $100 Marie M. Joan C. Judith L. Franziska F. Catonsville, MD New Bern, NC New York, NY Manchester, NJ September 11, 2019 $100 October 2, 2019 $100 October 23, 2019 $100 November 13, 2019 $100 Franziska F. Marie L. Kathy B. Kevin B. Manchester, NJ Passaic, NJ Long Branch, NJ Port Reading, NJ September 13, 2019 $100 October 4, 2019 $100 October 25, 2019 $100 November 15, 2019 $100 Geraldyne Y. Maria C. Gene B. George D. Caldwell, NJ Cedar Knolls, NJ Manasquan, NJ Naples, FL September 16, 2019 $100 October 7, 2019 $500 October 28, 2019 $100 November 18, 2019 $100 Claire S Marge C. Joyce C. Corinne T. Cedar Grove, NJ Brunswick, ME South Amboy, NJ Jersey City, NJ September 18, 2019 $100 October 9, 2019 $100 October 30, 2019 $100 November 20, 2019 $100 Carrie & Joseph G. Joan M. Meg K. Geraldyne Y. Piermont, NY Montclair, NJ Breezy Point, NY Caldwell, NJ September 20, 2019 $100 October 11, 2019 $100 November 1, 2019 $100 November 22, 2019 $100 George T. Patricia G. Eileen I. Mark V. Bayonne, NJ Manasquan, NJ Caldwell, NJ Lynch Station, VA September 23, 2019 $100 October 14, 2019 $100 Nove mber 4, 2019 $100 November 25, 2019 $100 Jackie N. Freehold, NJ November 27, 2019 $100 Jim & Fran P. Caldwell, NJ November 29, 2019 $500 Congratulations!to all our winners! 3 2020 FLAME LACO PG 4_Layout 1 3/12/20 11:10 AM Page 1 caldwelldominicans LACORDAIRE ACADEMY IN “The authentic“ op Dominican” shape disappears at 100 years into the peopleT she serves; she ! reappears in the people she empowers.” Written fifty years ago, these words scene at the symbolic level, describe a significant movement in the this transition of an parallel histories of Lacordaire Academy iconic convent into an office building becomes and the emerging Catholic Church. a metaphoric mirror for an historic movement On August 20, 2018 three Caldwell Dominican within the Church: the empowerment of the laity. sisters ceremoniously drew to completion a A year later on October 24, 2019, parents, decades-long process of disappearing from trustees, faculty, staff, and students—past and Lacordaire Academy. In the convent chapel, present—assembled on the lawn in front of the they assembled to pray together as the final former convent, now James Hall, to launch the sisters’ community to occupy the mansion public celebration of Lacordaire Academy’s that had housed both school and home for first One Hundred Years. Only forty of those in close to a century. A small group of former the crowd of five hundred were Caldwell faculty and staff represented the one hundred sisters with only one sister on the school’s staff. fifty Caldwell sisters who had served generations But as Bishop Manuel A. Cruz concluded the of children and their families there. As those Centennial Mass, a sturdy chorus of pre-k sisters’ names were solemnly intoned, everyone voices proudly preempted the spotlight for a silently shared bittersweet emotions. Wistful spirited rendering of the Dominican Magnificat. letting go of a beloved space gradually segued A sense of fulfillment surged through the into gratitude for all the men and women who crowd. Spontaneously and unconsciously, once shared and are now continuing the youngest students and oldest alumnae Lacordaire’s educational ministry. In their ritual of the Lacordaire community of remembrance, Caldwell sisters seemed to formed a living symbol of an “disappear and reappear.” Reflecting on the empowered laity. 4 2020 FLAME LACO PG 5_Layout 1 3/12/20 11:12 AM Page 1 THEFLAME On January 16, 2020, a site visit from editors of A wall is now reserved for a companion artifact the Flame confirmed abundantly that Lacordaire expressing the gratitude of the Dominican is unlikely to forget its Dominican heritage. Nor is sisters for their lay partners in mission without it likely to minimize its debt to the lay colleagues whom Lacordaire would never be celebrating who have animated its extraordinary vitality. a hundred-year history. Among these many Throughout our interviews and observations we dedicated lay professionals, the person most juxtaposed Lacordaire’s inherited traditions with often cited is Brian Morgan, Lacordaire’s first its present reality. We also compared that reality lay Head of School. Having weathered the with the school’s presentation of itself on its storm of being the first male administrator at this attractive and informative website. This process all-girls school, Dr. Morgan immediately united affirmed that Dominican values and Lacordaire the three school levels into one academy. The traditions pervade the school’s culture and positive impact of this decision is universally curriculum. The two traditions most prominent remembered as transformative. At the end of in documents and comments from Lacordaire Dr. Morgan’s ten years, Christine James, Board staff are collaborative leadership and education of Trustees Chair and Sister Luella Ramm, OP, through the arts. A striking example, combining Board Member and Former Chair summarized both Dominican and Lacordaire traditions, his administrative style. Brian Morgan left “an welcomes visitors at the high school’s main indelible mark of passionate, collaborative, entrance: a stunning abstract montage mission-centric leadership.” Between 2007-17, representing Saint Dominic’s legendary Orange he led the academy through two accreditations Tree.