Brothers Focus Investments on 'Changing People's Lives'
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TheAlexians The Love of Christ Compels Us Immaculate Conception Province of the Congregation Brothers focus investments of Alexian Brothers Mission Statement on ‘changing people’s lives’ Strengthened by community, prayer, commitment to the poor and the legacy of our hile the Alexian Brothers founders, and in partnership pursue their healing with others, we Alexian Brothers witness the Healing mission through Wministries in four states, the Christ by a holistic approach to promoting health and Philippines and Hungary, they also caring for the sick, dying, are helping the poor and vulnerable aged and unwanted of all socioeconomic levels. through their investment portfolio. Since 2012, Alexian Brothers Values Compassion Communities and Ministries, the Dignity of the Person nonprofit organization of the Im- Care of the Poor maculate Conception Province, Holism has worked with Ascension Invest- Partnership ment Management (AIM) to ensure that the Brothers’ invest- Provincial Brother Dan McCormick, C.F.A., (second from left), and Brother Steve Fogt, C.F.A., (right), comptroller of Alexian Brothers Communities and Ministries, discuss the ments follow Catholic Socially Alexian Brothers’ socially responsible investment philosophy with Joanne Kristoffersen, Responsible Investment guidelines. (left), secretary to the provincial, and Adeline Dzierozynski, business manager of Alexian AIM is a subsidiary of Brothers Communities and Ministries. Ascension, the nation’s largest nonprofit health which focuses on investments that support the system and the world’s largest Catholic health betterment of the human condition and provide system. Ascension is the parent organization a competitive return. The strategy seeks to foster of Alexian Brothers Health System (ABHS) and improvements in the following areas: clean water, coparent of AMITA Health, the joint operating food and nutrition, adequate and affordable company formed by ABHS and Adventist housing, education, health and health care, envi- Midwest Health in 2015. ronmental sustainability and financial services. For the last three years, the Alexian Brothers “The Brothers want to invest in a way that Fall 2018 have embraced AIM’s Impact Investment strategy, (continued on page 7) Fall2018 Superior general likes what he sees at Hungarian mission rother Lawrence “Larry” Krueger, C.F.A., into private apartments for senior residents. superior general of the Congregation of Twelve existing rooms at the home will be Alexian Brothers, visited the Brothers’ converted into private apartments during the Bmission in Gyo˝rújbarát, Hungary, recently and next five years, giving the facility a total of 24 later delivered a glowing report about the private rooms – more than half of its projected mission’s progress. 47 total rooms. A new Brothers residence will “The Brothers there have done a fantastic be built at a nearby site owned by the Brothers. job,” said Brother Larry, who as superior general Increased nursing home regulation slowed conducts an assessment, or “visitation,” once the process of obtaining permits for the project, every three years at the mission. but the process started to accelerate late this past “They have dived in, done what summer, and the Brothers expect to begin the needed to be done and expanded project by year-end. “They’re on the right course the ministry.” with expanding the home because a real need Two Brothers staff the exists,” said Brother Larry, who visited the mission: Brother Alexius Siska, mission from Sept. 9 to Sept. 14. “There’s no C.F.A., and Brother Leó Vendrey, doubt in my mind that what they’re doing C.F.A. Brother Alexius oversees is valuable.” the mission as director of its While planning the home’s expansion, Alexian Brothers Community. He Brother Alexius and Brother Leó have been also ministers part-time to resi- extending the Brothers’ healing mission in other dents at the mission’s St. Elizabeth ways, Brother Larry said. Brother Leó, for exam- of Hungary Home for the Elderly, ple, conducts scripture studies for St. Elizabeth which provides assisted-living residents. Because of a shortage of priests, the and skilled nursing care for low- two Brothers distribute Holy Communion to income older adults. Brother Leó Catholic residents of local nursing homes. devotes most of his time to assist- Brother Alexius also has been contacting local ing the home’s residents and staff. parishes to encourage priests to celebrate Mass Superior General Brother Lawrence Brother Alexius and Brother Leó took on at the nursing homes. “Larry” Krueger, C.F.A., (left), joins the day-to-day tasks of sustaining and growing In addition, Brother Alexius and Brother Brother Leó Vendrey, C.F.A., for a photo during Brother Larry’s visit the mission following the death of its founder, Leó invite area residents to a weekly “holy hour” to the Alexian Brothers’ mission in Brother Joseph Francis Czébán, C.F.A., in May service in the chapel at St. Alexius Monastery. A Gyo˝rújbarát, Hungary. 2013. Under their leadership, the 15-year-old monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament is mission has continued to grow. The home for placed on the altar during the service, which also the elderly, which has become known for deliv- includes scripture readings, prayers and hymns. ering high-quality, holistic care, operates at The service concludes with Holy Communion. capacity and maintains a waiting list. Brother Larry’s visitation followed a visit to Brother Alexius and Brother Leó have the mission from Sept. 6 to Sept. 9 by a group of collaborated with Henriett Ziegler, the home’s Brothers from St. Alexius Province in Germany. administrator, to develop a plan for expanding The Hungarian Brothers accompanied the the facility to meet growing demand for private German Brothers and Brother Larry on visits to rooms. The plan calls for connecting the home various religious and historic sites in Hungary. to the Brothers’ St. Alexius Monastery next-door “It’s always a great pleasure to meet the Brothers 2 and converting the monastery’s 12 bedrooms in person,” Brother Alexius said. TheAlexians Provincial’s Letter Dear Alexian Friends: Home for the Elderly, Brother Alexius and As the Alexian Brothers have shifted away from Brother Leó are pursuing a plan to expand the our longtime administrative and nursing roles facility by moving out of their monastery and at healthcare facilities in recent years, we have converting it into additional space for the home focused our energies on identifying and pursu- for the elderly. They also are extending the ing new opportunities to perpetuate our 800- Brothers’ healing mission in other ways, such year-old mission of serving the sick, the poor, as offering scripture readings for St. Elizabeth the elderly and the mentally ill. residents and conducting a weekly “holy hour” Most of these opportunities require us to service for area residents. have some type of physical presence, which we In Chicago’s northwest suburbs, Brother can provide only to a certain point because the Torch Acosta, C.F.A., continues to expand our deaths of older Brothers and an overall decline “presence ministry,” which provides comfort, in religious vocations have reduced our numbers support and spiritual guidance to people at our during the last 30 to 40 years. namesake health-care facilities. (See article on But the Brothers have found a way to page 4.) One of his top priorities has been help- increase our impact exponentially without ing clients of the Alexian Brothers Center for having boots on the ground: Managing our Mental Health find jobs. He takes pictures of investment portfolio to support the betterment “Help Wanted” or “Now Hiring” signs and of the human condition. (See article on page 1.) funnels them to the center’s vocational depart- We are very pleased with the results of this ment. As a result, clients are finding jobs after effort, which so far has: receiving treatment at the center and recovering • fueled the expansion of a Kenyan phar- enough to return to the workforce. Did you know? macy chain dedicated to improving wellness In the Philippines, our Brothers continue to Editor’s Note: “Did you know?” provides and quality of life among East Africans; assist or operate several ministries for the disad- brief glimpses into the rich, 800-year histo- ry of the Congregation of Alexian Brothers. • provided financial services to people in vantaged and sick. This year, the Brothers have Asia and Latin America who have little or no taken on the additional responsibility of guiding Remember the movie “Dead Men Walking” about the death-row min- access to such services; four American novices through the first-year of istry of Sister Helen Prejean? • and supported an innovative power and their two-year Novitiate program, helping them Actress Susan Sarandon won the cooling solution that is providing more-reliable develop their prayer life while exposing them to Academy Award for Best Actress for electrical power at a significantly lower cost for ministries that harken back to the healing work her portrayal of Sister Helen in the 1995 movie, which tells the story of people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is reducing of the earliest Alexian Brothers in the Middle how Sister Helen provided spiritual greenhouse gas emissions. Ages. (See article on page 6.) advice and comfort to an inmate While our investments are helping the Together, these efforts and others, such as during the time leading up to his underprivileged and making the world a better our ministry serving vulnerable homebound execution. Sister Helen’s ministry was remi- place, the Brothers continue to do the same seniors in Chattanooga, Tennessee, are extending niscent of one of the most dramatic through our individual and collective efforts the Brothers’ healing mission in multiple direc- ministerial expressions of the Alexian here in the U.S. and at our missions in Hungary tions, renewing our tradition of caring for those Brothers’ 800-year history: the Brothers’ presence on the execution- and the Philippines.