SDS Contributions
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Contributions on Salvatorian History, Charism, and Spirituality Volume Four - i - Contributions on Salvatorian History, Charism, and Spirituality Volume Four - i - A PROJECT OF THE JOINT HISTORY AND CHARISM COMMITTEE Contents Ms. Jan Bitzan SDS Mr. Stephen Blaine SDS Forward ....................................................................................................v Fr. Keith Brennan SDS Sr. Aquin Gilles SDS Home Nursing in an American Metropolis: Br. Edward Havlovic SDS The First Foundation of the Salvatorian Sr. Nelda Hernandez SDS Sisters in the United States Fr. Scott Jones SDS by Johan Moris ..............................................................1 Br. Blaire Mazur SDS Fr. Daniel Pekarske SDS Salvatorian Charism in Chapter One of the Society’s Constitution Fr. Thomas Novak SDS by S. Miriam Cerletty, SDS ..........................................15 Fr. Robert Nugent SDS Fr. Paul Portland SDS Universality as Inclusive Love: Sr. Barbara Reynolds SDS A Key to Undersanding the Preferential Fr. Donald Skwor SDS (in memory) Option for the Poor in Salvatorian Spirituality Mrs. Patricia Spoerl SDS by S. Carol Leah Thresher, SDS ...................................57 Sr. Carol Thresher SDS In the Footsteps of the Apostles Layout, design, production and editing by by S. Miriam Cerletty, SDS ..........................................71 Joint History and Charism Committee The Purpose of the Society by Leonard F. Gerke, SDS ............................................95 With Superiors’ Permission Our Salvatorian Spirituality and Charism Sr. Marion Etzel, SDS in Light of Collaboation as a Salvatorian Family Provincial of the Congregation of the Divine Savior by Rev. Mario Agudelo, R., SDS ................................163 Mrs. Judy Davis, SDS Lay Salvatorian National Director Goodness and Kindness Fr. David Bergner, SDS by S. Miriam Cerletty, SDS ........................................185 Provincial of the Society of the Divine Savior Father Francis of the Cross Jordan’s Sense of Time and the Times by S. Miriam Cerletty, SDS ........................................199 June 2007 - ii - - iii - Father Jordan: A Man of the Holy Spirit by Rev. Karl Meier, SDS .............................................203 Introduction The Foundational Vision of Father Jordan: We begin this fourth volume in the series of Contributions to Salvatorian Bringing the Vision to Life in the History, Charism and Spirituality, with an invitation to pause and International Salvatorian Family remember Father Donald (Earl) Skwor, SDS. Father Don, Superior by S. Terezinha Fontana de Araujo, SDS ...................209 General of the Society 1969-1975, was a working member of the Joint History and Charism Committee from its inception. He had just About the Authors ................................................................................221 completed the preliminary organization of all but two of the articles you find here as well as the volume’s introduction when God called him home on December 2, 2002. Salvatorians around the world will miss this man and his steadfast commitment to the vision of our founder, Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan. As a small gesture of our deep respect, we begin with an edited version of the introductory text Father Don prepared in 2002. Father Donald’s Original Introduction to Volume Four The Joint History and Charism Committee is pleased to present this fourth volume in the series of Contributions to Salvatorian History, Charism and Spirituality. It represents the work of several members of the committee as well as a number of new authors whose works have not appeared before in this series. Many of you are already familiar with the name of Johan Moris, but this is the first time his work on the history of the Salvatorian Sisters in the United States has been published. “Home Nursing” features the arrival and early beginnings of the Sisters in the USA primarily in the work of home nursing. Although this ministry is now well known among health care givers, it was a new and novel development begun by our Sisters in this country. It is so typically Salvatorian that it merits a special place in our archival history. While the above contribution is more historical in nature, the rest of the articles deal rather with the charism, mission and spirituality of the - iv - - v - Salvatorian family. Father Leonard Gerke, although well known to our Sisters’ São Paulo Province, brought the assembly to its feet with her talk readers from his life of the Founder, Because He Hoped In Me, is new to “How do we bring the foundational vision of Father Francis Jordan to life our readers in his role as reflector of our mission in the “Purpose of the in the international Salvatorian Family?” We are confident that you will Society,” a relatively little known but important contribution. find it as challenging in its written form. Father Karl Meier, Provincial Superior of the Swiss province, is entirely For further information about the authors, please refer to the section new to our readership. In his “Fr. Jordan. Man of the Spirit,” he shares with entitled “About the Authors” at the end of this volume. We trust you will us his reflections on Jordan, the Pentecostal man. He traces the foundation be as pleased to read as we are to present these articles. of the Society and its early beginnings as manifestations of the Spirit in an The Joint History and Charism Committee inspiring way. All Salvatorians can benefit from his sense of dedication to the Holy Spirit. Though she needs no introduction, Sister Miriam Cerletty again graces us with her prolific pen in her articles, “Salvatorian Charism in Chapter One of the Constitution,” “In the Footsteps of the Apostles,” “Goodness and Kindness,” and “Father Jordan’s Sense of Time and the Times.” The first was written for presentation to the International Meeting of the Society’s Novice Masters, Rome, 1998. The others were written at the invitation of the Society’s International Renewal Commission as parts of the reflections on the Mission Statement for the membership. This edition brings to the entire Salvatorian Family the benefits of her scholarship and piety. Sister Carol Thresher once more continues to amaze us with the popular theology expressed in “Universality as Inclusive Love: A Key to Understanding the Preferential Option for the Poor in Salvatorian Spirituality.” Her ability to express in simple words the profound, underlying theological principles that serve as guides for our lives is a gift to the entire membership. Finally, we have further enriched this volume with two presentations by Latin American Salvatorians. Father Mario Agudelo Roldan’s 1997 address to USA Salvatorians continues to provoke insightful discussions on collaboration. Sister Terezinha Fontana de Araújo’s text was the keynote address delivered at the June 2005 Salvatorian National Assembly in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sister Terezinha, Provincial Superior of the - vi - - vii - - viii - Introduction Forward ....................................................................................................v Home Nursing in an American Metropolis: The First Foundation of the Salvatorian Sisters in the United States by Johan Moris ..............................................................1 Salvatorian Charism in Chapter One of the Society’s Constitution by S. Miriam Cerletty, SDS ..........................................15 Universality as Inclusive Love: A Key to Undersanding the Preferential Option for the Poor in Salvatorian Spirituality by S. Carol Leah Thresher, SDS ..................................57 In the Footsteps of the Apostles by S. Miriam Cerletty, SDS ..........................................71 Our Salvatorian Spirituality and Charism in Light of Collaboation as a Salvatorian Family by Rev. Mario Agudelo, R., SDS ................................163 The Spirit of the Society by Leonard F. Gerke, SDS .........................................185 Goodness and Kindness by S. Miriam Cerletty, SDS ........................................197 Father Francis of the Cross Jordan’s Sense of Time and the Times by S. Miriam Cerletty, SDS ........................................211 - iii - Father Jordan: A Man of the Holy Spirit by Rev. Karl Meier, SDS ............................................215 The Foundational Vision of Father Jordan: Bringing the Vision to Life in the International Salvatorian Family by S. Terezinha Fontana de Araujo, SDS ..................221 About the Authors ................................................................................233 - iv - Introduction We begin this fourth volume in the series of Contributions to Salvatorian History, Charism and Spirituality, with an invitation to pause and remember Father Donald (Earl) Skwor, SDS. Father Don, Superior General of the Society 1969-1975, was a working member of the Joint History and Charism Committee from its inception. He had just completed the preliminary organization of all but two of the articles you find here as well as the volume’s introduction when God called him home on December 2, 2002. Salvatorians around the world will miss this man and his steadfast commitment to the vision of our founder, Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan. As a small gesture of our deep respect, we begin with an edited version of the introductory text Father Don prepared in 2002. Father Donald’s Original Introduction to Volume Four The Joint History and Charism Committee is pleased to present this fourth volume in the series of Contributions