THE SISTERS OF CHARITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY | WINTER 2020 Forming Relationships by Touching Hearts SEASONing A Message from BVM Leadership “Carve your name on hearts, not needs, and sharing the congregation’s tombstones. A legacy is etched into blessings continues to be written on the hearts and etched into the minds of others. the minds of others and the stories This issue also offers BVM Perspective, they share about you.” our annual development report. New —Shannon L. Alder Development Director and Grants goodreads.com Administrator Ann Sweeney, a Clarke University alum, introduces herself and This advice by popular author Shannon highlights the achievements of the past year. L. Alder exquisitely captures the theme of Her message makes clear that the BVM legacy is carried in thousands of hearts. this issue of Salt magazine. BVMs are all When BVM Foundress Mary Frances about hearts, not tombstones! Clarke consoled her sisters with “I have no fears but that God will aid us as in the past as In the pages ahead, you can meet Sr. long as you are working unitedly,” she had no Jean Agnes Phillips through her nephew’s idea that more than 100 years later, alums, memories, read benefactor Gerald colleagues, family members, and friends Hoeger’s reflections on Catholic sisters, would be supporting and working alongside get acquainted with the Gannon Scholars BVMs to keep her legacy alive and growing. of Loyola University Chicago, and travel As you read this issue of Salt, please to Ecuador with participants in BVM- know that we wholeheartedly endorse BVM sponsored immersion trips. Forming Georgeann Quinlan’s expression of gratitude: relationships by touching hearts is at the “It seems very important that we stay in core of the BVM mission. touch with our donors in a personal way. Stories about the BVM Disaster Fund, The donations which come in are ‘part of the BVM Marie Greaney’s 67-year history hundredfold’ we heard about as novices. Our of giving blood, and the Mount Carmel BVM congregation is blessed….” Knit Wits provide glimpses of new and Dear readers, we are truly blessed by your creative ways in which BVMs and their prayers, messages of care, and financial gifts. partners keep the BVM mission vital. As You, too, etch your legacy in minds and our authors illustrate, the BVM legacy hearts by partnering with us to serve others. of relationship-building, meeting critical We are grateful. 2 | SALT MAGAZINE I N T H I S I S S U E Winter Two Thousand Twenty Volume 48, Number 2 Mission Statement: The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a community of Catholic women religious who, in response to a personal call from God, have chosen a vowed life of prayer, ministry, and community. 6 9 12 BVMs express their mission of being freed Preserving Legacy for 25 Years Mount Carmel Bluffs Journey to the Middle of the Earth and helping others enjoy freedom in service to God’s people though their core values of freedom, education, charity, and justice. Forming Relationships by Touching Hearts 4 Gannon Scholars Learn to Lead Salt is published three times per year for by Mary Fran McLaughlin, BVM friends and family of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 6 Women and Leadership Archives Celebrates 25 Years Editor: Angie Connolly by Carolyn Farrell, BVM [email protected] Managing Editor/Staff Writer: 7 When Disaster Strikes, BVMs ‘Attend to Those in Need’ Mary Glindinning by Kate Hendel, BVM Layout and Design: Sandra Dieter 8 Shared Values Build Community Communications Advisory Committee: by Terese Shinners, BVM Lou Anglin, BVM; Carolyn (Lester) Farrell, BVM; Mary Fran (Virginia Mary) McLaughlin, BVM; Ann Sweeney, and Associates Lori Ritz and 10 Giving the Gift of Life, Affirming Life in Ministries Andy Schroeder by Margaret “Peggy” Geraghty, BVM If you would like to receive Salt, contact: 12 Travelers Share Insights, Adventures, Experiences From Ecuador [email protected] by Mary Glindinning 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 52003 563-585-2854 15 Stop, Take a Breath, Observe, and Proceed by Associate Katie Pfiffner Calendar of Events 16 In Memoriam March 2020 8–13 Loretto Community NGO Delegation to the Annual Commission 18 Salt Briefs on the Status of Women, New York April 2020 14–19 2020 Congregational Assembly Dubuque, Iowa BVM Perspective Annual Report 2018–2019 17–20 Ecumenical Advocacy Days Washington, D.C. 26 Immaculata HS Alumnae Luncheon 19 Donor Profile: Families Share Sister, Memories, and Spiritual Strength Niles, Ill. by Mary Glindinning 26 St. Mary HS Alumnae Luncheon Lombard, Ill. May 2020 21 Welcome, New Sister Development Network Members! 14 Great Give Day 17 Memorial Mass, Mount Carmel Dubuque, Iowa 23 Gratitude for Catholic Education Lasts a Lifetime July 2020 by Mary Glindinning 18 Silver Jubilee Celebration Mount Carmel, Dubuque, Iowa 24 Mass for Our Benefactors and Memorial Mass 26 Installation of New Leadership Mount Carmel, Dubuque, Iowa 26 Set of 1960, 60th Celebration Mount Carmel, Dubuque, Iowa On the cover: In this issue of Salt, read how BVMs leave For more events and information, visit: bvmsisters.org/events. their legacy on hearts, not tombstones, to paraphrase Shannon L. Alder as quoted in “Seasoning.” Writers explore how BVMs continue to educate, as seen through the eyes of Gannon Scholars; how they touch others’ lives by giving Check us out online: blood; how they help preserve and share the history of facebook.com/bvmsisters women leaders; how they inspire others to experience twitter.com/bvmsisters another culture; and how they prepare to share their home youtube.com/bvmsisters pinterest.com/bvmsisters through Mount Carmel Bluffs. instagram.com/bvmsisters BVMSISTERS.ORG WINTER 2020 | 3 Thirty-seven women at Loyola University Chicago are 2019–20 Gannon Scholars. The program is named for BVM Ann Ida Gannon, who hoped women would be inspired “not only to achieve their rightful place in society, but also to be able to use their gifts in bettering the world.” Photos provided by Loyola University Chicago. Gannon Scholars Learn to Lead by Mary Fran McLaughlin, BVM The Gannon Scholars Program, In the midst of about 12,000 research project focused on the socio- a jewel of the Gannon Center for Women undergraduate students at LUC, emotional challenges facing undocu- and Leadership at Loyola University Gannon Scholars shine, claiming mented women in the United States. some of the most coveted academic Emily, from Avon, Chicago (LUC), is a progressive four- awards, holding on-campus leadership Ohio, is one of the first year program that engages students in positions, and volunteering or students in the School leadership, service, and research. interning in community organizations. of Communication’s Recently two Gannon seniors, new creative Juana Fonseca and Emily Robertson, advertising major Founded in 1984, the program continues received the President’s Medallion, and is the firm director of Inigo Mundelein College’s legacy of academics given to an outstanding student in Communication, Loyola’s unique and service. Appropriately, the Gannon each of Loyola’s 14 Schools. student-run communications agency. Center was named to honor the late Ann Juana, from Chicago, As director, she spearheaded an is a biology major on organization restructure—possible Ida Gannon, BVM, a pioneer in women’s a pre-medicine school because of her vision, her ability to education and leadership who served as track. She is currently communicate that vision, and her Mundelein’s president from 1957 to 1975. engaged in a two-year steadfast commitment to results. 4 | SALT MAGAZINE Scholars in Many Fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Last summer she returned to work and This year, 37 women are enrolled as Mathematics) classes, including her first live on the farm—planting and harvesting Gannon Scholars: six are first-generation physics class, indicates potential academic crops and preparing meals for the workers college students and 14 are women achievement and success. from fresh seasonal produce. She found of color. In the spring of 2019, their She is already involved in several rich multi-cultural and intergenerational median GPA was 3.92, student organizations diversity among fellow workers and and 14 participate in the on campus, including created a variety of new menus featuring interdisciplinary and one Engineers for Social seasonal plants, fresh from the farm. in the business honors As it moves into Justice and the Latin She truly values the Gannon program program. Their majors the future, the Gannon American Student for “single-gender space where you can represent 26 areas of study. Center will extend Association. be yourself, speak openly about what you The $8,000 Gannon its influence beyond As a Deferred Action think, disagree with a different view or scholarships are awarded “Mundelein College, for Childhood Arrivals opinion, put aside fear of being or looking annually to incoming Loyola University (DACA) student, she too smart.” first-year students and Chicago, and the United is passionate about are renewable for three States to inspire women immigration and Encouragement Sustains Studies additional years based on throughout the world. .” separation of families; the Lastly, senior Radia successful participation. —Ann Ida Gannon, BVM environment and gender Daud, from Chicago, will More than 1,200 2009 equity in STEM are also launch her nursing career applications are received priorities for her. this summer. annually for 10 places! “I would not love Now a U.S. citizen, Radia Gabrielle Buckley, Mundelein ’77, Loyola as much if I were not in Gannon,” was born in Eritrea in East Africa and as a director of the Gannon Center, and she says, adding that among the Gannon toddler fled with her mother to Ethiopia, Sarah Hallett, program coordinator, Scholars she has found strong group where they lived in refugee camps while sift through initial applications before support, even a physics tutor, and a bond seeking asylum in the United States.