Spring 2013 - Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth

Spring 2013
www.SCNJ.org
“People are
my Passion”
A Publication of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
NEW Dimensions is the quarterly
magazine of the Sisters of Charity
of Saint Elizabeth, a congregation
founded by Saint Elizabeth Ann
Seton, in the spirit of Saint Vincent
de Paul and Saint Louise de
Marillac, in Emmitsburg, Maryland
in 1809. In 1859, Mother Mary
Xavier Mehegan founded the New
Jersey community known as the
Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth.
Today the Sisters of Charity of
Saint Elizabeth are engaged in
education, health care, pastoral
and social service ministries in 23
dioceses within the United States
and El Salvador, Central America.
The
Congregation
currently
numbers 353 vowed members.
The Seton Associate relationship
has 265 affiliated lay and religious
women and men.
NEW Dimensions Staff
W
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L
C
O
E
Dear All,
Transition requires openness to change and the willingness
to be changed. For us it entails the willingness to find God in
those we meet each day, in those around us, in the peoples of
the world and in the daily situations of life. Transitions have
been part of the spiritual tradition of the Sisters of Charity of
Saint Elizabeth from the beginning. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
challenged her sisters to “Go out and meet your grace!” Go
out daily to find God in the world and to make God’s love
known in the world. This challenge has taken us far and wide
to people and places we could have never imagined.
This edition of NEW Dimensions highlights the diversified
ministries and volunteer work of our Sisters and Seton
Associates. It looks at how a chance meeting, a request, or a family tragedy led to works that
reach to the heart of people’s needs and experiences particularly those most vulnerable. It looks
at the new life that volunteer work brings to all involved and how crafting skills can open new
worlds to others. It delves into the choices that have led so many women and men to make
life time commitments to the Charism of Charity. And, as always, we meet those wonderful,
faithful supporters who so generously share of their resources and time to support many of
these important works.
Editor/Director of
Communications
Donna Sartor-Halatin
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton “met her grace” with determination and love. In this edition of
NEW Dimensions you will meet Sisters and Seton Associates who are moving forward daily
in this search to meet their grace.
Graphic Design/Layout
Scott Garibaldi
Let us pray diligently for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that each day we will continue to
seek the grace to enable the Kingdom of God to blossom here on earth through our lives.
Council Liaison
Sister Joan Repka
Advisory Board Members
Sister Kathleen Koerner
Tina Lesher
Sister Noreen Neary
Sister Sharon Sage
We thank you for joining us once again as we share our journey.
Many Blessings
Sister Rosemary Moynihan - General Superior
Spring 2013
www.SCNJ.org
Letters to the editor, comments
and photos are welcome. The staff
reserves the right to edit for space
and readability. Make submissions to:
Sisters of Charity Communications
Office, P.O. Box 476, Convent Station,
NJ 07961-0476. Phone: 973-290-5345.
Fax: 973-290-5337. E-mail: escharity@
scnj.org. www.SCNJ.org
www.SCNJ.org
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A Publication of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
“People are
my Passion”
On the cover:
Sister Maryanne
Campeotto with one of
her “happy campers”.
Sisters Maryanne and Regis Keane at
Maris Stella Retreat and Conference Center
People are my Passion
by Sister Noreen Neary
If Sister Maryanne Campeotto’s story were a musical composition, the
above statement would be its melody. If the aesthetic whole of Sister
Maryanne’s life as a Sister of Charity of Saint Elizabeth is her vibrant
interaction with others, then the single notes are the varied ministries
– both formal and informal – through which she has responded to their
needs.
Fatima of New Jersey, a facility that provides a camping experience
for children and adults with developmental disabilities. That musical
note has resonated for four decades: each summer Sister Maryanne
has volunteered at camp, at times serving on the Board of Directors
and always promoting its mission, drawing others – Sisters of Charity,
students, friends – to join her as volunteers and benefactors.
As a high school student in Newark, N.J., Sister Maryanne felt the call
to work with children with special needs. At the College of Saint Elizabeth,
she earned a degree in elementary education with a concentration in
psychology. Upon graduating, she entered the Sisters of Charity of
Saint Elizabeth and accepted a position at her alma mater, teaching
religious studies at East Orange Catholic High School and later at Saint
Vincent Academy in Newark. In the early 1970s, Immaculate Conception
Seminary had begun to accept a broader range of students than those
hoping to be ordained to the priesthood and, to further her professional
preparation, Sister Maryanne entered its School of Theology, earning a
M. Div. degree in 1979.
Another long-sounding note was her involvement in liturgy and music.
For a few years Sister Maryanne worked part-time as the liturgy and
music director at Christ the King parish in Hillside, N.J. For all of her
years as a Sister of Charity, Sister Maryanne has shared her talent with
us, our friends and co-workers and the Seton Associates, directing choirs
and planning liturgies that enrich the worship experience.
During the 1970s, several notes in her life’s melody were played. In the
summer prior to entering CSE, she volunteered for the first time at Camp
Sister Maryanne notes that it was the breadth of the mission of the
In Sister Maryanne, her students found personal warmth, a listening
ear and wise guidance. Desiring to work more directly with people in
need, Sister Maryanne earned a M.S.W. degree from Fordham University
and now is a licensed clinical social worker. At the same time she
accepted the call to serve as Vocation Director for the Sisters of Charity.
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Sisters of Charity that first attracted her to the congregation and led to those
diverse ministries.
“Our mission is so broad…to go where there is a need. But it’s also so specific.
We have a mandate to be with people in need and there are so many kinds of
poverty, so many types of prisons that prevent people from truly being free. I
don’t think I could have been happy in a religious community that did only one
type of work.”
Ice cream celebration salutes St. Joseph’s Family (l to r) Sisters Mary Pauline Hogan, Maryanne and Bea Guider
Her first year as a social work intern was spent working with oncology patients
and their families at Saint Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, N.J.
The second year of internship found Sister Maryanne counseling birth parents
through the adoption services of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Paterson.
This led to a full-time ministry at Catholic Charities, counseling pregnant women
wrestling with the idea of surrendering their children, at times searching for the
babies’ fathers, facilitating both the legal and psychological issues for potential
adoptive parents. “In addition to determining the family’s eligibility, I tried to
determine which family would best be suited for each child,” she notes.
As a social worker Sister Maryanne maintained a private practice, while also
counseling students and their families at Saint Thomas the Apostle School in Bloomfield, N.J.
In 2007, she returned to Paterson and today serves as the Vice President for Mission for Saint Joseph’s Healthcare System, which employs 5200
people. “The Mission of Saint Joseph is so broad, my work draws on every skill I’ve acquired since I entered the Sisters of Charity,” she says. While
there are more than 30 Sisters of Charity involved in that healthcare system, Sister Maryanne plays a unique role as the face of the sponsor.
“There’s administrative work, of course, but my office also includes
“Our mission is so broad…
to go where there is a need.
But it’s also so specific.
We have a mandate to be with
people in need......”
the pastoral care of the patients, working with our staff to foster
diversity and cultural competency in our very diverse community and
maintaining the Catholic identity of the system.” Certified in Catholic
healthcare bioethics, Sister Maryanne is a member of the ethics
committee and has a positive working relationship with the Bishop of
the Paterson diocese.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of her job is the orientation of the
healthcare system’s new employees to the mission of Saint Joseph’s.
“I could delegate that task,” she notes, “but I won’t give it up. Every
two weeks I meet with our new employees and explain our mission:
to provide quality healthcare, especially to people who are poor and
underserved. I make it clear that this is our mission and, if that’s not
what you’re coming to Saint Joe’s for, well, the store down the street
is hiring!” Sister Maryanne is clear that for all those employed by Saint
Joseph’s Healthcare System, it cannot be just a job. She is clear about
the harmony between the organization’s mission and that of its sponsor.
“For 145 years that broad and yet specific mission of the Sisters of
Charity has been our mission and it lives and breathes within these
walls!”
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Music, music, music. . .Sisters Constance Tanski,
Jacquelyn Balasia and Maryanne (l to r).
Spring 2013
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Habit History
“They shall practice the same virtues as those who take solemn vows in a Regular Order, though with greater difficulty as they are
more exposed to the dangers of the world; hospitals being their monasteries; rented rooms, their cells; the parish church, their chapel;
the streets of the city or the wards of the infirmary, their cloister; obedience, their enclosure; the fear of God, their grate; modesty, their veil.”
- Vincent de Paul
Transition took place within the Sisters of Charity in many facets throughout the years.
Here is one area where transition was prevalent - sometimes drastic and at other times more subtle.
Here is a glimpse of the history of the habit and its transformations.
1. 1859 – First habit of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth – Sister Mary Agnes O’Neill
2. 1874 – Fluted cap with a softer look - Mother Mary Xavier Mehegan
3. 1906 - Fluted cap changed to have a stiffer look – Sister Hildegarde Marie Mahoney
In the coming years, approval was given to wear modified habits in accordance with
specific ministries or ministries with a warmer climate.
4. 1948 – China – Sister Jane Marie Farrell
5. 1960 – St. Elizabeth Hospital – The sisters involved with patient care wore full white habits, while sisters in administrative
positions wore traditional black. Pictured (l to r) Sister M. Borgia Byrne and Sister Ellen Patricia Meade
6. 1966 – Virgin Islands – (front to back) Sisters Stephanie Marie Whitley, John Dorothy Delotto, Richard Ann Dube, Angela Marie
Berry and Regina Ellen Coll
7. Christmas Day 1959 – The black modified habit replaces the fluted caps. First worn with a white plastic collar then changed
to a white material collar – Sister M. Angelica Doris
8. Christmas Day 1966 – The familiar black attire was replaced by a simple blue habit. Pictured on left in black habit is Sister
Anne James Connolly and on right in the blue habit is Sister Jean de Paul Mc Closkey.
9. Late 1960’s – Habit became optional. Presently, Congregational pins are worn to identify Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth.
Pictured (l to r) Sisters Patricia Dotzauer and Teresa Bruno
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Meet Donor
Deacon
Bill Myers
by Wendy Relation
When asked about the Sisters of Charity,
Deacon Bill Myers responds without hesitation, “The Sisters of
Charity helped to make me who and what I am today.”
Bill Myers grew up in Kearny, New Jersey, where he attended St.
Cecilia’s Grammar School and High School and was taught by the Sisters
of Charity for twelve years. One of Bill’s classmates at St. Cecilia was
Sister Francis Raftery. Bill fondly recalls the “great ladies” who patiently
encouraged him in the classroom and, by training him as an altar boy,
nurtured his love for serving the church. He still remembers his second
grade teacher, Sister Georgianna Mary Berry, who currently resides at
Saint Anne Villa, and says that he maintained contact with two of his
most influential teachers, Sister Joan Marie Lang and Sister Mary Jean
Nestor, for more than 50 years.
The educational foundation that began with the Sisters of Charity
prepared Bill to go on to earn a BS in Accounting from St. Peter’s College
and later an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University, which Bill applied
to pursue a successful career in business and later in healthcare. This
same foundation received from the Sisters of Charity, centered on
service to the church and to others, also laid the ground work for Bill’s
transition to serving the church as a deacon. Bill entered the Permanent
Diaconate Program in the Archdiocese of Newark in 1993 and was
ordained to the Permanent Diaconate in 1995. He was assigned to Queen
of Peace Church in North Arlington, where he presently serves. Following
ordination, Bill continued his education and earned a Masters of Arts
degree in Systematic Theology from Seton Hall University.
A constant throughout all the transitions in Bill’s life has been his
connection with the Sisters of Charity. Bill has long been devoted to Saint
Elizabeth Ann Seton and went on several pilgrimages to the National
Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He says
that over the years, “Mother Seton became a great friend in my life.”
Recognizing that he is drawn to living the charism of charity, he became
a Seton Associate three years ago.
Bill has supported the Sisters of Charity with his prayers and financial
gifts, and has enjoyed attending events such as the Harvest Festival and
the Spring Lake Luncheon. He is also an enthusiastic participant in the
50/50 raffles.
A very special way that Bill has demonstrated his support of the Sisters
of Charity is by naming them in his will and by encouraging others to do
the same. For Bill it is simple: “I chose to include the Sisters of Charity in
my will because the Sisters have been such an important part of my life.”
A legacy gift to the Sisters of Charity serves as a powerful
expression of your gratitude and support for the Sisters of
Charity and your desire to make a lasting difference. Your gift
will help ensure that the mission of the Sisters will go forward
into the future and will also help to provide for the continuing
care of the Sisters who devote their lives to service. Various
types of planned or deferred gifts will allow you to make a
difference in the future, and your gift can be an integral
component of prudent financial and tax planning.
Leave a Legacy of
C h a r it y
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The Sisters of Charity are truly grateful to all those who support
them with their prayers and their gifts, and they are especially
grateful to those who care enough to provide for the sisters
and their continuing mission by planning a legacy of giving.
People who remember the Sisters of Charity in their wills,
bequests, or other planned giving vehicles are recognized in
the St. Vincent dePaul Heritage Society. For more information
about the St. Vincent dePaul Heritage Society, please contact
the Development Office.
Spring 2013
An Ecological Reflection
on the Sisters of Charity
Congregational Seal
by Fr. Terrence Moran
Of the Sisters of Charity communities that trace their foundation to
Saint Elizabeth Seton, only the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
have the pelican as a community symbol. The origins of the myth
of the mother pelican who feeds her young with her own blood are
lost in antiquity. There is even an Egyptian hieroglyphic that depicts
it. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Laertes draws on this image when he
says, “To his good friend thus wide, I’ll open my arms / And, like the
kind, life-rendering pelican / Repast them with my blood.” Some of
us may remember the verse of the Latin hymn from Holy Thursday,
the Adore te devote, that calls Jesus “pie pellicane,” a loving
pelican. The Constitutions of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
see the symbol as the embodiment of the purpose and spirit of the
Congregation, “the ideal of boundless charity.” (C.13)
An ecological consciousness invites us to view the entire cosmos as
the nourishing mother pelican who feeds us on her substance. Reflect
on the plate of food at your next meal. In addition to the humans who
worked to put the food on your table, your dinner is the fruit of the
labor of the cosmos. You are eating energy from the sun, captured
by plants in the miracle of photosynthesis – a cosmic marvel. Every
meal is a Eucharistic moment in which the boundless charity of our
God energizes us to think and to act. As Dominican Miriam Therese
MacGillis reflects, “My plate really holds rock and soil, minerals and
water and the energy and heat of the stars. Now they are providing
me with delight and nourishment. And they would soon become my
blood, my bones, my sight, my movement, my thoughts, my prayers.”
So the next time you say grace – thank God, thank the humans
involved in providing your meal, and thank the boundless charity of
the universe.
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They Bloom Where They are Planted
Mother Xavier, the foundress of the New Jersey Sisters of
Charity, is supposed to have said, “Sisters of Charity are like
petunias; they bloom wherever they are planted.” Many sisters’
lives contained much planting and re-planting over the years.
These transitions, (the re-plantings), a more frequent experience
for some than others, were sometimes geographical, sometimes
ministerial, or both. At some point in life, as the aging process
progresses, one transition for a sister may be from full-time
employment in ministry to part-time ministry, most often as
a volunteer. As long as health permits, ministerial service, a
rich part of the Charity tradition, is continued. Let’s look at the
ministerial journeys of three Sisters of Charity.
by Sister Edna Francis Hersinger
teaching in high school for about 18 years, Sister Patricia was sent to study
theology at Catholic University of America, where she became aware of the
opportunity for renewal of the Church “through renewed spiritual formation
of adults and through the liturgy.” She also wanted to give attention to the
spiritual formation of young people in public schools.
So in 1969 she transitioned into pastoral ministry, serving as part of a
pastoral team (one of the early ones) at St. Athanasius in Reading, Mass.
She continued parish service as a Director of Religious Education in St.
Paul’s, Jersey City, then as a member of pastoral teams in Oradell and
Ridgewood. During these years, many parents came to her to discuss their
problems and this led to another transition. As she indicates, “I became
aware of the psychological and relational suffering of so many of our
parishioners, and I discovered I was good at helping them. So I studied for
an MSW and became a clinical social worker.” This enabled her to minister
as a mental health therapist in the Frawley Clinic at Good Samaritan
Hospital, Suffern, N.Y., from 1982 to 2003.
These days, as a volunteer, Sister Patricia continues to use her talents
and the skills she developed over the years, back at St. Vincent Academy
and also at Josephine’s Place in Elizabeth. At Saint Vincent’s she works
with students who have personal, family, or academic difficulties. Another
day she works in the Development Office, focusing on alumnae affairs.
At Josephine’s Place, she teaches classes in knitting and crocheting, and
helps out with events.
Left to Right: Sister Patricia Beaumont and Janet Lino
As with many of our sisters who entered in the 40’s and 50’s, Sister
Patricia Beaumont began ministry as a teacher. Sister enjoyed this time,
beginning in St. Vincent Academy, specializing in teaching French. After
Now Sister Patricia, looking back, comments, “Everything in my past
prepared me for now. All my life, I have found that the skills I learned in
a former ministry helped me in my current one. I feel grateful and richly
blessed that I am able to be a volunteer in these two ministries. I love the
people and the work. I enjoy using the talents I have – and developing
some new ones if I have to. I’m never bored and I feel that I am still actively
working on building God’s kingdom in this world.”
Back in the 70’s, if you walked down the corridors of St.
Elizabeth Hospital in Elizabeth, N.J., you may have seen a
certain sister nurse, in her white habit, caring for patients
there. If you walk down those same corridors today, on certain
days you can see that same woman visiting patients and
caring for them in a different manner. Sister Mary Jane O’Hare
now volunteers at Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth (formerly St.
Elizabeth’s).
But how did she transition from one position to the other?
Let us listen to her story in basically her own words.
“I came to the Sisters of Charity on April 2, 1950, a long time
ago. After a year-and-a half in the Novitiate at Convent, I went
to Our Lady Help of Christians School in East Orange, even
though I had thought everyone went to Jersey City! I was there
for eight years teaching first, fourth and fifth grades. Although
I enjoyed my years there in many ways, I did feel that I might
minister to the sick as a nurse. So when that was approved, I
Left to Right: Gwen Hollinshed, Unit Secretary at Trinitas and Sister Mary Jane O’Hare
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Spring 2013
went to St. Joseph Hospital, Paterson, to study nursing. There I obtained
my diploma in nursing in 1962. Since then I’ve been serving happily in
health care.”
Between 1959 and 1981, Sister Mary Jane ministered as a nurse in
St. Vincent’s Hospital, Montclair; a short time at Saint Anne Villa, then
at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Elizabeth, for 10 years, followed by another
short time at St. Anne Villa. Transitions included moves between acute
care and long term care. Then, Sister Mary Jane continued, “In 1981 I
went to St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark where I ministered until 2009
at which time I retired from nursing. I always wanted to care for the
patient, hands on . . .and that’s what I did in all those years. There were
many different types of patients to care for, but always at the bedside.”
something, and I was drawn to my former place of ministry, now known
as Trinitas Regional Medical Center where I go two mornings a week.
Primarily, I visit patients, believing I have a chance to offer them comfort
and reassurance, as well as a chance for them to voice their fears,
anxieties, joys, and questions. As a nurse, even though I was at the
bedside, many duties prevented me from spending as much time with
a patient as I would have liked. Now I can give to and enjoy the many
beautiful people as I never could before.”
As Sister Mary Jane thinks about her time at Trinitas these days, she
concludes: “I believe my presence there is good for those I meet and for
me.” I do believe that those she meets would agree that her presence
there is good for them.
“When I completed my time at St. Michael’s, I knew I could still do
several times a week. Sister Ursula delivers mail on weekdays
and serves at the Front Desk four times a month. She is also very
helpful to the other residents. Is she really 86 years of age?
By what route did Sister Ursula arrive at St. Anne Villa? After
entering in 1946, she taught – beginning at St. Joseph’s, Newark,
then St. Peter’s, New Brunswick, and Star of the Sea, Long Branch,
teaching Grades 4 through 8 during the years 1948 to 1978.
During these years she gained great experience and became
an excellent and caring teacher. At that point it was time for a
change –still in education, but a somewhat different form. She
worked in Compensatory Education, especially in reading and
math. This broadened her outlook on education and methods of
teaching. She learned how to reach and work well with students
who had special needs. The organization, Independent Child Study
Teams, Inc., was begun to provide Comp. Ed. in parochial schools
where this had not been offered. Sister Ursula served with this
organization from 1978 to 1994. She began as a teacher where she
received complimentary reviews over the years for her excellent
work. In 1983, she received the group’s first annual Merit Award
for Outstanding Teaching. Her last six to seven years in Comp Ed
were as a supervisor.
Sister Ursula Kendig
Have you visited at Saint Anne Villa recently? You are most
welcome to do so – and meet the wonderful sisters now living
there. Among the residents, who have transitioned to the Assisted
Living section of the Villa is Sister Ursula Kendig. Sister became a
resident at the Villa in 2005. In her years there, Sister Ursula has
become what you might call a “full-time” volunteer. Sister helps
daily in the chapel, assisting the Pastoral Care staff in taking care
of tasks appropriate to a sacristan. Her fidelity to these tasks is
outstanding. She is a lector and serves as a Eucharistic minister
After 1994 she began her Volunteer Ministry, visiting patients at
Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, N.J.. Again she brought
her prayerful presence to the people she met, providing them with
comfort and compassion. This was preparing her to bring those
same qualities to the Villa residents.
Although she was not thrilled by her move to Saint Anne Villa,
she recognized that once more she was where God wanted her
to be. Here she could once again use her gifts. Looking back, she
could recognize God’s loving presence throughout her life - and his
assistance in her adapting to many changing circumstances over
the years.
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2012 JUBILARIANS
Congra
Please join us in con
congratulatory n
25 YEARS
55 YE
60 YEARS
65
25 Years (l to r): Sister Patricia Mennor, Sister Mary Jane Stephan • 50 Years (l to r): Sister Bernadette Crowley (Bernadette de Paul), Sister Bernice Jozwiak (Ann Louis), Sister Bever
55 Years (l to r): Sister Ann Carmela Olive, Sister Barbara Gnecco (James Seton), Sister Claire Donnelly (Claire Marita), Sister Dorothy Mary Mangan, Sister Elizabeth Brennan (Vincent Rose), Sis
Sister Marianne Sullivan (John Noreen), Sister Mary Anne Katlack (Thomas Anne), Sister Maureen Malone (John Immaculate), Sister Regina Martin Keane • 60 Years (Top l to r): Sister Ann D
(Anne Maurice), Sister Maureen Killough (Rose Michael) • 65 Years (Top l to r): Sister Barbara Connell (Mary Regis), Sister Dorothy Mastrian (Mary Patrice), Sister Elizabeth McLoughlin (Mar
Sister Patricia Mary Mc Mullen, Sister Mary Canavan (Assumpta Mary), Sister Mary Celine Laskey (Clare Anne), Sister Regina Bernard McCartney, Sister Thomas Aquinas Regan, Sister Rober
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Spring 2013
atulations to the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth who have celebrated milestones in their religious life.
ngratulating them on many years of service to the people of God. If you recognize one of the Sisters, send a greeting or a
note to her. Your correspondence can be mailed to the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Communications Office,
P.O. Box 476, Convent Station, NJ 07961-0476 or e-mailed to [email protected].
50 YEARS
EARS
YEARS
70 YEARS
75 YEARS
rly Policastro (Marita James), Sister Maureen Mahan (William Margaret), Sister Lillian Sharrock (Kathleen Vincent), Sister Carol Johnston (Carol Patricia), Sister E. Ann Fay (Ann Patrick)
ster Francis Cordis Bernardo, Sister Francis Raftery (Francis Marita), Sister Maria Cordis Lamendola, Sister Maureen Crowley (Maureen William), Sister Rita Catherine O’Farrell (James Theresa),
Dorrity (Barbara Michael), Sister Edna Francis Hersinger, Sister Elizabeth Ann Noonan (Joan Elizabeth), (Bottom l to r): Sister Lillian M. Silkowski (Francis Anthony), Sister Margaret Mary Welch
rie Pierre), Sister Jean Hemmer (Jean Marie), Sister Mary Rosarii Downes, Sister Mary Alberta Keuhlen, Sister Mary Rose Mitchell, Sister Mary Theresa Regan (Joseph Teresa), (Bottom l to r)
rta Mary Rooney, Sister Rosemary Campbell (Mary Anthony)• 70 Years (Top): Sister Alice Elenita Barry, (Bottom): Sister Joseph Miriam Anderson • 75 Years: Sister Dorothy Jose Lichtenberg
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Left to Right: Luz Elena Baena and Sister Pat
A Conversation with
Sister Patricia Reynolds
by Sister Barbara Conroy
Q: Pat, you have been involved in a variety of ministries from primary grade teacher to teacher of quilting. Would
you be willing to share with us your transitions to these varied ministries over the years?
A: Like so many other Sisters of Charity, I began my ministry in education as a primary teacher and I loved it! After 15 years of
teaching in several elementary schools, I was ill and off-duty and living in Jersey City. Someone recommended me for a position
that became available at St. Peter’s College – it was a course in Arts and Crafts for elementary teachers. I taught that course for
eight years. I think that I was successful in that ministry because my approach was based on my real experience as a primary
teacher – I was able to model teacher creativity to my college students. While I was teaching at St. Peter’s, I got involved in
a battered women’s shelter and learned so much from the women there. That work enabled me to involve others – students,
parishioners in the lives of the women and children. We even took the women to Harvey Cedars for a week’s vacation.
The next transition was the result of my being in a car accident on my way to Convent Station. I was brought to St. James
Hospital in Newark. While I was there I did some work with pediatric patients in the playroom. When the children saw me
coming, they’d call out “Here comes the play lady!” It was the beginning of the Child Life Program at St. James Hospital – a
program which was duplicated around the country. I had wonderful support in the Child Life work from many sisters, especially
Sister Francis Elena who was living at Saint Vincent Academy, Newark, at the time.
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Spring 2013
While I was living in Newark, I used to visit patients in
Martland Hospital (now called University Medical Center).
I asked to study chaplaincy and that ministry brought me to
St. Vincent’s and Mountainside Hospitals in Montclair. My
supervisor in the chaplaincy work was Father Angelus Croce,
OFM; another colleague was Jack Judge - both were also
good friends. I was involved in chaplaincy ministry for eight
years.
Another step on my life’s journey took me to St. Mary’s,
Jersey City, where I worked with homebound persons, longtime parishioners of Irish descent. Most of the workers in the
program were Puerto Rican and that was the beginning of my
struggle to learn Spanish!
Around this time my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
disease and I needed to be closer to home in Avon. I went to
live at St. Peter’s Convent in New Brunswick. I was certified as
a Home Health Aide and ministered at the Presbyterian Home
in Plainfield. My responsibilities included recreation activities,
and then later I became Director of Volunteers. One of the
projects I developed with the help of the Master Gardeners
group in the area was the Wheel Chair Garden. This served as
the beginning of Horticultural Work in Nursing Homes in the
state of New Jersey – another project accomplished with a lot
of outside help through family connections, Union County, and
other groups.
Q: How did you get into massage therapy or should I
say healing touch, Sister Pat?
A: Actually that started when I was visiting a patient at
Martland. There was a nurses’ strike at the hospital and I
was with a dying woman, really taking taking care of her.
Someone said to me, “you’d be good at massage.” I learned
from a Russian woman who lived in Bayonne. I wanted to
get certified so I applied to the congregation’s Education
Committee for permission to enroll at the Somerset School
of Massage. That began my work as a Massage Therapist, a
ministry I loved and did for retreat groups and others, including
Infant Massage, a wonderful example of the Sacramentality
of Touch. I also studied at Hartwood in California for several
months and there I experienced the beauty of nature and a
variety of other modalities of prayer, reflection, and healing
therapies. One of those experiences taught me the Tibetan
Wheel Ceremony, a practice that utilizes Tibetan bowls for
healing vibrations and sound. I use one of those bowls in my
daily prayer. My good friend, Father Jim Burke, suggested that
I apply for a position at St. Mary’s parish, Colts Neck. I did and
became the parish Massage Therapist.
While I was involved in ministry at St. Mary’s Parish I
got involved in visiting the Morristown jail because of a
family connection. I visited (David) at the jail before he was
remandated to the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. Little
by little I got the people of St. Mary’s Parish involved in the
prison ministry. Over 10 years the program grew in scope;
in fact, it is still going on through the work of parishioners.
Activities run the gamut from corresponding with prisoners to
classes in Literature and Spiritual Masters. Sad to say, after
9/11 lots of privileges were stopped at the prison.
Q: As you think about the transitions in your life and
ministry, how have they changed your life and your
attitude toward ministry?
A: I was on the receiving end in all the interactions I have had
with people. I believe that if you are open to the new, you are
constantly receiving. As a person in ministry, I believe to be
present to people, to be with people is ministry. As we grow
older there are so many things that we can do. The genius is
in seeing what the needs are and engaging others in the work.
We need to see the goodness in people. I’ve loved everything
that I have done!
“God Continues to Lead”
Sister Pat’s mantra which she interjected into this conversation many times.
13
2012 Harvest Festival
The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth’s 2012 Harvest Festival was celebrated on Oct. 25, 2012. What an
evening! The 200 guests in attendance enjoyed a delicious dinner and a night of music and dancing.
James R. Prisco and James R. Prisco, Jr. were honored with the Caritas Award in recognition of their ongoing
commitment to service in the spirit of the Sisters of Charity. Mary Ann Burgess Motiuk received the Mehegan
Award for exemplifying the legacy of charity passed on by Mother Mary Xavier Mehegan. Congratulations!
5
1
“I will be forever grateful
to the Sisters for the
wonderful education I
received and the values
they instilled. They are
the best.”
Mrs. Kathleen Dodds,
Massachusetts
14
2
Spring 2013
“I am sending my
donation for repair
of windows in the
Motherhouse. Shortly I
will be completing my
pledge. During these
months I have grown to
feel a part of the work
you do in some very
small way.”
Mrs. Meridyth Burrows,
New Jersey
4
“The Sisters of Charity have touched the
lives of children and adults, bringing
the Lord’s work and words to those who
listened. They have labored hard and long
in the field. I thank them all.”
Mr. Richard Kist,
New Jersey
1. (l to r) Steve Prisco, Kristen Prisco,
Sister Barbara Conroy and Steve Madonna
2. (l to r) James R. Prisco, Jr., Sister
Barbara Aires, Sister Rosemary Moynihan
and James R. Prisco.
3. (l to r) Sister Cecilia Mary Gelinas and
Sister Thomas Mary Salerno
4. (l to r) Sister Joan Repka, Susan LeVan,
Robin Fresella and Sister Jean Stabile
5. (l to r) Sister Rosemary Moynihan, Leo
Motiuk and Mary Ann Burgess Motiuk
6
6. (l to r) Dorothy Donoghue, Sister Maureen
Mahan and Jane Dernoga
3
15
Five Associates Commit Lives to Charism
Lourdes David of Jersey City, N.J.
Lourdes David became a Seton Associate in 2009. She is a native of the Philippines who teaches at St. Patrick/
Assumption All Saints School in Jersey City. She holds a B.S. in elementary education. She taught for 33 years in
the Philippines and 11 years in Jersey City. She is known for her exquisite singing voice. Sister Julia Scanlan is
her sponsor.
Lourdes made her Lifetime Commitment “to thank God for all the blessings He has given me and for all the goodness
that has entered my life. I want to continue to serve God and perform acts of charity every day to show my gratitude
and to help others. “
Anne Marie Gardiner of North Vale, N.J.
Anne Marie Gardiner became a Seton Associate in 2006. A professional fundraiser, Anne Marie devotes her skills to
organizations that serve the poor, and she volunteers her knowledge and ability to St. Augustine School in Union City.
Sister Elizabeth Holler is her sponsor.
A graduate of the College of Saint Elizabeth, Anne Marie credits the influence of the sisters on her decision to make
a Lifetime Commitment. “We were challenged to do more for others, fill the needs of those less fortunate and do it
all in God’s name,” she said.
Jean Semler of Jackson, N.J.
Jean Semler became a Seton Associate in 2008. Jean holds a BSN in Nursing and for some years enjoyed a career in nursing.
Later she earned an M.Ed in Organization Development and was a business manager at Merck & Co. for many years. After
she retired, she and her husband, David Thelen, formed a 501 (c) (3) charity ChangeALife Uganda and she has devoted herself
24/7 to improving the education, health care and employment of people in rural Migyera and Nabbingo. Sister Roberta Feil
and Sister Johanna Quinto are Jean’s sponsors.
“Elizabeth Ann Seton is a model and inspiration for my work with the poor in Uganda,” said Jean. “Her outreach to the
poor through education and health care is a model that inspires our ChangeALife Uganda program. Her life built on a strong
relationship with God speaks of how one person, through God’s grace, can make a difference in the lives of many. I am
honored to become a Lifetime Seton Associate.”
Patricia O’Brien of Morristown, N.J.
Pat O’Brien became a Seton Associate in 2008. A graduate of the College of Saint Elizabeth, Pat taught in various
elementary schools. She received a MLS in Information Science and later an MA in Media Studies. She set up the first
library in Boynton Beach, Fla., and a media program at The Hague in the Netherlands. She presently donates loving
hours to the sisters at Saint Anne Villa. Sister Maureen Corcoran is her sponsor.
“My participation in the Seton Associates has been and continues to be a major contributor to the deepening of my
spiritual life,” said Pat. She chose to make a Lifetime Commitment because she found “programs on the lives of the
Founders…humbling. . .and the Associates themselves are an inspiration in so many ways.”
E. Francine Guastello of Westbury, N.Y.
Fran Guastello became a Seton Associate in 2009. She holds a Ph.D. in Education and heads the Education Department
at St. John’s University where she serves as Associate Professor of Literacy. She also volunteers on the board of St.
Brigid School in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she once served as principal. Sister Ethel Beneville is her sponsor.
Fran said the Holy Spirit led her to re-connect with the Sisters of Charity and become a Seton Associate. “The moment
I stepped down from the altar at our commitment service, a great void in my life was filled. I cannot begin to explain
the healing, the peace and the grace I have experienced since becoming a Seton Associate…I believe that making a
Lifetime Commitment is another response to the calling of the Holy Spirit. I truly feel I have embraced and continue to
live in the spirit of charity that is the charism of the Sisters of Charity.”
16
Spring 2013
Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
Development Office
Financial Report
July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012
Mass Cards
1%
Special Events
18%
Window
Campaign
12%
What a great magazine and a
great issue of NEW Dimensions.
You and your staff are doing
a wonderful job. Keep up the
good work. Jim and I look
Bequests
29%
Parish Collections
3%
s
r
e
t
t
Le e
h
t
o
t
r
o
t
i
Ed
forward to our next issue.
Direct Mail
Program
32%
- Mary C. Smith (Seton Associate)
Other Unsolicited Gifts
7%
I browsed through a copy of
Sources of Income
Bequests
Direct Mail Program
Other Unsolicited Gifts
Parish Collections
Special Events
Mass Cards
Window Campaign
Total
$ 565,199
$ 637,503
$ 137,545
$ 56,716
$ 312,390
$ 12,718
$ 233,925
$ 1,955,996
Bequests: Designated for ministry, St. Anne Villa, retirement or plant funds.
Direct Mail Program: Includes donations solicited via mail requests, 50/50 tickets,
and non-ticket gifts.
Unsolicited Gifts: Includes memorials, tributes, matching gifts and other gifts.
Parish Collections: Helps support ministries and provide care for the elderly &
retired sisters.
Special Events: Includes the Harvest Festival, Spring Lake Luncheon and Golf Outing.
Mass Cards: Includes Masses offered at St. Anne Villa or a private oratory.
Window Campaign: Windows Replacement Project for the Motherhouse.
NEW Dimensions that I received
this week. I was delighted
to read the article about St.
Elizabeth Hospital (Trinitas
Regional Medical Center). . .
What a trip down memory
lane I had seeing the photo
of the hospital again, except
when I worked there, the new
addition to the right of the
Williamson Street entrance did
not exist. I have nothing but
fond memories of working
there. It was my first job in
my working life and my best!
- Cynthia R. Colchie De Rose
(former employee of St. Elizabeth
Hospital from 1975-1981))
17
Top: Sister Margaret Amelia celebrating her 100th birthday
Right: As a young sister
Happy 100th
Birthday Sister Margaret
Amelia Costello
by Donna Sartor-Halatin
“I suppose my fondest memories as a Sister of Charity of Saint Elizabeth are when
I was missioned at De Paul Catholic High School (Wayne, NJ),” said Sister Margaret
Amelia Costello, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday on Jan. 15. For 19 years
Sister Margaret Amelia worked in the office at De Paul and for the next four years she
volunteered there wherever she was needed. She previously taught at St. Joseph, Jersey
City; St. Mary’s, Morristown; and Marylawn of the Oranges Academy, South Orange.
She then became a guidance counselor at Marylawn before moving to St. Mary of the
Assumption High School, Elizabeth.
In Memoriam
Please visit “Remember Our Deceased
Sisters in Your Prayers” at www.SCNJ.org
for reflections on the Sisters of Charity
of Saint Elizabeth who died between
September 15, 2012 and March 15, 2013.
May our Sisters enjoy the fruits of their
labor as well as peace with their God.
Sister Marian José Smith
October 2, 2012
Sister Winifred Marie Sagendorf
October 14, 2012
Sister Louis Marie Bryan
November 8, 2012
Sister Margaret Kane
December 26, 2012
Sister Katherine Carroll
January 12, 2013
When asked what advice she would give a young woman who is considering religious
life, she said, “The only thing I would tell her to do is pray. . .to pray for direction. That is
all I did -- pray for direction.”
Sister Lucille Francis Raniszewski
Sister Margaret Amelia, now residing at Saint Anne Villa, tells us the secret of living
a long life: “I have no secret. God gave it to me. I got it from God! I suppose sometimes I
wonder if I am worthy of it.” Well, Sister Margaret Amelia, you are more than worthy of it!
You have been a blessing to the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth for close to 75 years
and to many, many others for more than100 years!
February 14, 2013
February 12, 2013
Sister Therese Andre Noble
Sister Cecilia Mary Gelinas
March 1, 2013
Sister Bernadette Therese McCann
March 4, 2013.
Sister Patricia Maureen Brennan
March 11, 2013.
18
Spring 2013
SISTERS OF CHARITY
WINDOWS
REPLACEMENT
PROJECT
The generous support of our many friends has allowed the Windows Replacement Project to
continue to progress. When completed, this project will allow us to replace 438 windows in the
Motherhouse building. The extensive replacement work includes not only the removal and replacement
of windows, but also lead paint removal, interior and exterior wood trim, scaffold and lift, and special
weight and chain mechanisms.
Many of the sisters are already enjoying the benefits of the replacement windows, which can be
operated easily and which protect them from winter drafts and summer heat. Sister Jean Stabile is
one of the sisters enjoying the new windows. “Because the new windows protect so well, I can sit
two feet away from the windows on the coldest, windiest day and still be comfortable,” she says. “We
all have noticed a big difference!”
We are now approaching the final phase of the Windows Replacement Project and, with your help,
our goal of “Windows Free and Clear” is within reach. Please help us realize our goal by making a
gift to the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and designating your gift to the Windows Replacement
Project. You may use the envelope included with this magazine or send your contribution directly to:
Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
Development Office, P.O. Box 476,
Convent Station, NJ 07961-0476.
We Would Like to Hear From You!
_____ Please add my name to the mailing list for NEW Dimensions.
_____ I am receiving duplicate copies of NEW Dimensions. Please remove ______________________.
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_____ Please send a copy of NEW Dimensions to the following person (please list name, full address and zip code):
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Send this completed form to: Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Communications Office,
P.O. Box 476, Convent Station, NJ 07961-0476 or e-mail your requests to [email protected].
19
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
Paid
Permit #1278
Caldwell, NJ
Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
P.O. Box 476
Convent Station, NJ 07961-0476
www.SCNJ.org
Upcoming Events
Spring 50/50 Raffle
Drawing takes place on
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
There will be 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners
Spring Lake Luncheon
Thursday, June 6, 2013
at Spring Lake Bath & Tennis Club
Guest Speaker – Sister Francis Raftery
President, College of Saint Elizabeth
6th Annual Golf Outing
Monday, June 17, 2013
Echo Lake Country Club, Westfield, NJ
For all u
pcoming
events
please co
ntact:
The
Sisters o
f
zabeth D Charity of
evelopm
P.O. Box
ent Offic
476, Con
e
Saint Eli
vent Sta
tion, NJ
07961-0
-5454/54
476
09 • srch
arity@sc
nj.org
www.SC
NJ.org
973-290