VOLUME 7 ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 2016 With Hearts as Wide as the World From October 21-23, 40 Associates and Sisters gathered in Ipswich, MA for the an- nual Associates Retreat weekend. The theme of the retreat was “Associates of Notre Dame de Namur - Giving and Receiving with Hearts as Wide as the World!” and it was extra spe- cial for several reasons ~ We had such an amazing turnout - 6 Sisters and 34 Associates, including long-time Associates from Alabama, Jan Smith and Rosemary Gagliano. Also present were the mem- bers of the EW Associate Coordinating Circle, who had just wrapped up their annual face to face meeting. With plenty of opportunities for sharing, reflecting, and conversing with one another, bonds were strengthened and new friendships formed. We were graced with the presence of Teresita Weind, SND, Congregational Leader- ship Team member, as our retreat presenter. As people who are called to give and receive “with hearts as wide as the world”, she challenged us to think deeply about what that means in our lives, and what that looks like and feels like. She encouraged us to connect with God and the divine in ourselves, in others and in our world with our senses, with our heart, and with our soul. She asked us, “How are we communing from the heart and with the heart?” We explored examples of that in Jesus’ and Julie’s life, and immersed ourselves in poetry, prayer, and even movie excerpts that revolved around that question, and also an underlying theme of LIGHT ~ accepting the light, recognizing light in a broken world and in our broken selves, growing this light within us, seeking it out and sharing it with those near and far. Two particularly powerful pieces that were presented included “Prayers of a Young Poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke and “How the Light Comes” by Jan Richardson. Special thanks to Associates Barbara Walton and Laurie Janecko for coordinating this year’s retreat, Sr. Teresita for guiding it, and all involved with the Spirituality Center at Ips- wich for all the behind-the-scenes coordination! Pam Mason, AND ASS0CIATES ALIVE ASS0CIATES A U.S. Associate Publication Editor: Pam Mason, AND Just SOME of the participants in this year’s retreat, joined by Congregational Leadership Team member Sr. Teresita Weind, and East West Leadership Team members Srs. Cathy Waldron and Anne Malone PAGE 2 The Northeast Welcomes Six New Associates After the conclusion of the annual Associates Retreat in Ipswich, Sisters, family and friends gathered in the chapel to rejoice with six wonderful women making their commitments as Associates of Notre Dame de Namur. We are grateful to the mentors who served as companions on their journey, for Sr. Jon Julie Sullivan and her photography skills, and for Sr. Kathleen Cassidy and all who worked behind the scenes to make the atmosphere wonderful. We would like to welcome Shayna Clapper, Kathleen Lalli, Mary McMahon, Ann Marino, Noreen Shea, and Sue Strandberg to Association! Shayna Clapper: I have been a registered nurse for eighteen years. I have been employed by Notre Dame LTC since Sep- tember of 2014. I am the Unit Manager on the West Wing, which is the long term care unit. I have been married to my high school sweetheart Randy for 18 years. We have 3 wonderful children, Joseph 17, Camila 16 and Mark 15. I would like to thank Sr. Claire Pierz, Sr. Karen Coakley and Sr. Fran Murphy for being my teachers this past year. I have learned so much from all of you! I am very blessed to be part of the Sisters of Notre Dame family. I look forward to a lifelong relationship with all of the Sisters and the Associates. Kathleen Lalli: I began working for the Sisters of Notre Dame in the Congregational Finance office 4 ½ years ago after many years of Parish work. The Sisters with whom I work, by their example, have both challenged and inspired me to more fully live out my Baptismal call. It is a privilege to be a part of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur’s Mission believing that God is good and standing with those who are marginalized. I am a mother of four grown children and a four year old grandson. They contin- ue to be God’s greatest blessing to me. Mary Meehan McMahon: I grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts attending the Academy of Notre Dame Tyngsboro for twelve years from 1964 to 1976 and then Emmanuel College for another two years. Being with, and educated by, the Sisters of Notre Dame has formed me as a person and as God intended. I owe my very life to that formation. There is no way to thank you enough for your guidance and love. Life is life and takes unexpected detours for us all. Often in those detours we come closer to God and his plan for us. And so the rest in this order; I graduated from Boston College with a B.A. in Theology and married my Kevin in 1986. In 1988 our son John was born and in 1992 our Kara. They are grown up now and love God and life-- thank you God! I knew I wanted to be a teacher because, if just one student could come to know Christ as I did in Notre Dame, my life would be worthwhile. I was able to pursue that passion in 1999 when PMA Methuen gave me that opportunity. And here I am today, ecstatic at becoming an Associate of the greatest collection of women I have ever known and expressing in a deeper way, “How good is the good God”! Ann Marino: I attended St. Mary's High in Cambridge, Mass, where I had Srs. Anne Stevenson, Sr. Julie Theresa Kane, and Sr. Anne St. Joseph as principal. I entered the Little Sisters of the Assumption in 1967 and went to Africa as a volunteer with the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity in 2002. I started visiting Notre Dame in Ipswich to see Sr. Julie Theresa and I heard Deacon Roy, AND, speak at an Associates Retreat. He stated it is never too late to deepen our Spiritual life. I inquired about the Associ- ates, and I am glad and grateful that I am now ready to proceed with my commitment to deepen my spiritual life in the service of the Lord with the Notre Dame Associates. Continued on Pg. 3 PAGE 3 Continued from Pg. 2 Noreen Shea: I am the Director of Activities, Memory Care, and Wellness at Notre Dame Long Term Care Center in Worces- ter, MA. I have a unique role at NDLTCC. I work with the Activity Team to provide engaging and meaningful activities for our residents. I also provide dementia training for all of our staff, volunteers, and family members. I am able to provide support and education for our residents, families and staff as they journey through this disease. I have been part of the Notre Dame family for eight and a half years. During this time, I have come to know the Sisters as one of the most courageous, empowering, diversi- fied, dynamic, and spiritual group of women I have ever met. They have inspired me to learn and come to know my own spiritu- al being and capabilities. It is time for me to give back, live the Mission, and carry on the Mission. Sue Strandberg: I am a 52 year old single woman from Worcester, MA, with a niece and nephew I love dearly. I have worked at Notre Dame Health Care since 1993, where I made my first encounter with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. My current role is Program Manager for the Educational Bridge Center, where I can continue St. Julie’s mission of “educating for life” every day. The idea to become and Associate was sparked by some of the first SNDdeNs I met (thank you, Sr. Helen McEleney and Sr. Marie Gabriel Mahoney!) and has been nurtured by many since then. It is no longer enough for me to work “for” the Sisters. I wish to work “with” them in the charism of St. Julie. I am honored to become an Associate. Associates Noreen Shea, Shayna Clapper, Ann Marino, Sue Strandberg, Mary McMahon, and Kathleen Lalli PAGE 4 Companions on the Journey What a blessing and an honor when Kathleen Lalli approached me about her interest in becoming an Associate! She asked if I would be her “Mentor” and this began our journeying together. We met twelve times to discuss the Associate Guidelines that often related to her life experiences, and this in-depth sharing has certainly created a bond between us. We went beyond the “Guidelines” to our tak- ing a couple of days “vacation” on Peaks Island, ME. It is wonderful to have some- one to share with spiritually, and sometimes simply to go off and play with! On Sun- day, October 23, 2016, Kathleen made her commitment as an Associate, along with five others from the New England area. We are so fortunate to have Kathleen as part of our Associate community and Notre Dame family, and I am most fortunate Kathleen Lalli, AND to also call her my friend. May she be blessed now and always by our good God! and Lynne Clarkin, AND Lynne Clarkin, AND Honoring Pat Stacker, AND More than 55 SNDs, Associates, and friends gathered on a warm August afternoon at the San Carlos home of Associate Dede Waters-Masters to honor the memory of Associate Pat Stacker and to raise funds to build a school in Nica- ragua.