Federation News_March-April_2021 1 Federation News NEWS FROM CANADA: Sister Gabriella celebrates her 98th birthday with her favourite dessert—ice-cream cake. It was delicious! NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA Proposal to rename a University library in honor of Sr. Sara Salkahazi along with Mr. Odoardo Focherini Recently, Sr. Maribeth, our General Director was informed of the proposal to rename the main library at the St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. A committee was formed, led by alumni Timothy Bagwell, Ph.D. to open a process to rename this library for Sr. Sara Salkahazi along with Mr. Odoardo Focherini, both martyrs. An article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial section in part states that Sisters of Social Service Sister Sara Salkahazi was executed for hiding over 100 Jews in Hungary. The article also included information on Mr. Odoardo Focherini, who was an Italian Roman Catholic journalist. He gave false documents to Jews so they could escape the Nazi regime. He was sent to a concentration camp in Heisbruck where he died for an untreated leg infection. Both died on December 27, 1944 and both suffering death and subsequent martyrdom. Sr. Sara was beatified on September 17, 2006 and Mr.Focherini was beatified on June 15, 2013. It is interesting to note that both had experience as journalist. These two individuals are among those recognized in The Righteous among the Nations in Israel for risking their lives to save Jews during Federation News_March-April_2021 2 World War II. The work of the aforementioned committee of alumni is continuing in order to honor and memorialize these two martyrs. Sr. Georgianna Cahill, SSS Sr. Georgiana entered the Community on August, 1946, made her profession in 1950 and went to her eternal home on April 17, 2021 after a long illness. She was actively involved in social work since her entrance in to the Community. Before working in Los Angeles, she was the Director of the Office of Catholic Youth in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. For the Los Angeles Archdiocese, she served as Director of Catholic Community Services and of CYO (Catholic Youth Organization), and as Associate Director of Catholic Charities, Sr. Georgianna was also greatly involved in the work with the resettlement populations from Cuba and South East Asia. She was also active in the National Conference of Catholic Charities and in the Campaign for Human Development. Serving as the Executive Director of Catholic Charities for the vast San Bernardino Diocese since 1997, Sr. Georgianna retired in 2003. While being the Executive Director of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of San Bernardino, Sr. Georgianna was the recipient of the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross” in recognition of “meritorious service to the Universal Church.” It was presented to her by the Most Rev. Gerald R. Barnes, Bishop of the San Bernardino Diocese. She will be remembered as always working to carry out the Mission of Jesus Christ. Cultivating Hope After a Year of Lockdown On March 11, 2020 the WHO (World Health Organization) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Mary Hatton, Director of Development for the Los Angeles SSS, wrote: “Obviously, the last year has not been forgotten. We have far to go. We are certain to be reeling from the effects of the pandemic for many years to come many of us having experienced deep pain and loss, on many levels….” Sisters, Staff and Associates were recently asked to reflect on the last year of the Pandemic and the promise of hope. Here are some of their responses: “What is the promise of hope that I pray will be realized when we finally are lifted from beneath the shadow of this pandemic? That we recognize more deeply than ever before our responsibility to protect and promote the well-being of the earth and all her people.” Sister Maribeth Larkin, SSS, General Director “The pandemic has made me realize how important our health is, as the saying goes ‘Your health is your wealth.’ And not only our individual health but the health of the community, humanity in general, and our planet earth.” Sister Nodelyn Abayan, SSS “The Year of Pandemic stopped us – literally – in our tracks. This re-arrangement of our lives has provided us – without our permission – a time of “forced retreat.” Have we heard the message?” Sister Deborah Lorentz, SSS “Hope is a duty, not a nicety. Hope is not a dream, but a way of making dreams become reality. Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.” Suenens. Submitted by Damaris Bradish, SSS Associate “What resonates to me is the second commandment of Jesus as one community, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself (Mk 12:31).” Amid pandemic, we practice health protocol to protect one another- our duty to protect our earth and sisters and brothers because we all are one humanity; what happens to Federation News_March-April_2021 3 one member affects the whole of humanity.” Sister Vangie Lasao, SSS Respectfully Submitted by Yolanda Vega, SSS NEWS FROM HUNGARIAN DISTRICT District assembly: on a weekend of March we had a conversation with the nominees via Zoom, but because of the pandemic we had to postpone the election to Pentecost. Our elderly sisters struggle with sickness, we are especially worried about the ones infected with Covid 19. Our sister Teresa Tóth died of the infection on Holy Thursday. We celebrated the Easter Triduum in our local communities online; we prayed the stations of the cross – which is traditionally a community event - also online. Our junior sister Zsófia defended her portfolio with flying col- ors – this is an important degree in a teacher’s career in the Hungarian education system. On the feast of Saint Joseph we had an online event together with sisters and associates in the year of Saint Joseph; we shared our stories related to St. Jo- seph. Federation News_March-April_2021 4 The book written by Sr. Luca and Viki, a young woman in our pre-entrance program was published under the title: The Media as a Possibility in the Inclusion of Disabled Persons. On the 25th of March, the feast of Mary, Spouse of the Ho- ly Spirit we organized a spiritual evening program with 60 mothers, Sr. Éva lead the event. It was very meaningful occasion for the participants. The spring weather was cold in the Matra mountains, where our vacation house is: We had a quiz with earlier pictures of the sisters: here are some of them – whom can we recognize? NEWS FROM MEXICO During this time of pandemic our activities have changed in many ways, since the work (apostolate) with the students has changed, but we have continued with great enthusiasm and dedication, since it is also important to support them emotionally, since some of them have lost a loved one and in other cases whole families have fallen ill with this virus, but thank God they've made their way. As mentioned above, the activities have con- tinued, as has the "Testimony Don Vasco" which we organize year after year and we did so this March as well; some of the young people, carried Federation News_March-April_2021 5 out a clean-up fundraising campaign and donated the proceeds to the Zacapu nursing home, others shared goods with some families or peo- ple in need and thereby helped a little in the economy. Another activity that the chil- dren did was a Biodisfraz (bio disguise) contest which consists of the children making a costume with recyclable materials or what they have in their home and this was very interesting since in some cases the parents also collaborated. Likewise the young people participated in the via crucis that I published on the Facebook page of the high school in order that the kids can live the Holy Week as if they were on missions, but from home. Community: we gathered for the days of the Easter Triduum, we had the Eucharistic celebration of the last supper and the Holy Hour helped us to spiritual depths as we shared in com- munity a prayer, like Jesus with his apostles, after that we shared the rite of the Jewish Seder dinner, which we had done for a while and I believe that traditions must be celebrated so that they continue to pass from generation in generation. On Good Friday we prayed the community Stations of the Cross, recalling Jesus’ passion and praying at each station for the consecrated women and men, so that imitating Jesus they may follow the path that leads to the Father. In the afternoon we prayed the Office together and I believe that when we share it and live in community it can be deeper for each of us. On Saturday we prepared for the great event we remem- ber each year, "the Resurrection of Jesus" we per- form the cleansing and arrangement of our chapel in Tacámbaro. In the afternoon we joined the Easter celebration in a community near Tacámbaro. Federation News_March-April_2021 6 On Sunday we shared the Eucharist with Father Abel Pedraza and the Catechist sisters of Mary Most Holy, and then we had a pleasant gathering where we enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by the Sr. Avi and Sr. Irma. During this time we also had the opportunity to have moments of recreation that helped us strengthen community ties and get to know each other a little better. Then we had a few days of vacation together in Tuzantla and enjoy the warm weather, and we took the opportunity to rest and visit with family, as well as visit some places such as the sanctuary of the Lord of Carácuaro since not everyone knew it him; after that we spent time with a family whose hospitality we enjoyed.