Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Bringing Christ's love to the world

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NRVC Delaware Valley Member Area Holds Winter Meeting

The Delaware Valley Member Area of the National Religious Vocations Conference (NRVC) met on Tuesday, January 14th at the Motherhouse of the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary located in Immaculata, PA.

Sr. Debbie Borneman, SSCM, the Director of Mission Integration of the NRVC, joined the members and gave a presentation on “Risking Hope: Countering the Narrative of Completion”. Additionally, there was a panel presentation of discerners and new members who shared their stories of vocational call and discernment.

A business meeting followed the morning session. Plans are in process for a Life Awareness Retreat for young adults ages 18 – 45, for those women and men who are contemplating a major decision in their lives such as job opportunities; post-baccalaureate volunteer service; graduate school and/or life vocation – single, married, vowed religious and priesthood. (Please see the flyer on the next page. ) The Delaware Valley Member Area will also hold three Gift of Mission days for high school juniors on February 4th and 13th and March 5th. The MSCs will have representation at each of these vocational outreaches.

Closing Observance of National Migration Week

~ by Sr. Cathy Fedewa, CSFN

 

This past Saturday, I planned to attend the screening of One Border, One Body at a nearby parish. This was part of the “Film Festival” organized by the Chicago Archdiocesan program of Immigrant Parish Coordinators as part of the observance of National Migration Week. But, as elsewhere in the country that day, the weather did not cooperate and I could not get there. So I watched the film privately through the internet.

That occurrence actually became a powerful mindset for my participation in Sunday’s Interfaith Service, Becoming a Community of Hope, sponsored by the Sisters and Brothers of Immigrants. For four years now, it has become our closing celebration for National Migration Week.

With representation from the African American, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian traditions, we heard from each representative the common themes that all of their writings and teachings express: hospitality, hope, welcoming the stranger, respect for differences. As would be expected in this kind of service, we were “preaching to the choir”, but it is good for the choir to be reminded together of the common concerns that so many of us carry. It was an affirmation of the need to persevere in our care for the immigrant, the refugee, the asylum seeker.

Two of the traditions specifically mentioned their understanding of hope, reflecting that, in those traditions, hope’s opposite – depression – is seen as an offense against God because it assumes a lack of trust in God’s providence.

This was something I think I needed to hear at this point in time amidst all the difficulties and crises going on around the world and in our midst. We closed in a Circle of Communities around the church singing Sr. Miriam Therese Winters’ lyrical adaptation of America the Beautiful.

I drove home that night buoyed by the mercy, goodness and power of our God who, in spite of the limitations of the human beings God has created, is still more powerful than all the negativity we manage to create.

HOPE STILL PREVAILS.

Celebrating a Lifetime of Dedicated Service to the People of Chicago

After a lifetime of faithful commitment to their religious order, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus better known as the Cabrini Sisters, and to the Catholic Church’s healing ministry at Saint Anthony Hospital, Sister Benigna Morais, MSC and Sister Alfonsina Gomes, MSC will be retiring from Saint Anthony later this month.

Their faithfulness to the Saint Anthony Hospital family and its community has been a blessing to us all.

The Cabrini spirituality, which Sister Benigna and Sister Alfonsina have lived out lovingly is at its core a commitment that implies nothing less than a desire to love as Jesus loved, with the total self-gift of their lives, seeking to reach those most vulnerable, neglected or marginalized. With God’s grace working in them as in St. Frances Cabrini before them, this is the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus order’s ideal: no work will be too difficult, no land too distant, no person too wounded for the love of the heart of Jesus and for all those invited to be bearers of the love of Christ in the world.

To honor their sacred work and their love for Saint Anthony Hospital, a celebratory Mass will be held in the chapel on Tuesday, January 14 at 1:00 pm celebrated by Bishop Robert Casey and followed by a reception.

All are welcome to attend this special celebration to honor Sister Benigna and Sister Alfonsina.

Wildfires in Australia

The Guadalupe Province is deeply saddened by the terrible bushfires that continue to impact many communities across Australia. The Missionary Sisters have a large health care system in Malvern, Australia. Sue Williams, the CEO of Cabrini Health, described how they are responding to this situation:

“We have all been shocked and saddened by the terrible bushfires that continue to impact many communities across Australia.

“Cabrini is keen to support and assist bushfire victims as they grapple with the ongoing disaster and start to rebuild.

“Initially, we are supporting the Victorian Bushfire Disaster Appeal, will offer our Tooronga Road apartments to families affected by the fire and will provide hospital services free of charge if required. We are also considering what we can do to support communities affected by the bushfires over the medium to long-term.” A Mass was also offered for all those who have been affected by this disaster.”

We join Australia in our prayers for so many people who have been impacted.

If you wish to help, please send any monetary donations to: Cabrini Mission Foundation 222 E. 19th St. Suite 5E New York, N.Y. 10003 and be sure to indicate that it is for the Australia Bushfires. The money will be sent to Cabrini Health to support the relief effort.

If you wish to send a donation directly to the Victorian Bushfire Disaster Appeal go to: Online – visit the Victorian Bushfire Disaster Appeal website <https://www.communityenterprisefoundation.com.au/make-a-donation/bushfire-disaster-appeal

We thank you for your prayers and support.
Sr. Diane Olmstead, MSC
Provincial, Guadalupe Province
Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Promoting a Church and World for All

In his 2019 World Day of Migrants and Refugees message, the Holy Father called on Catholics to welcome, protect, promote and integrate not only migrants and refugees but “all those living in the existential peripheries.”

The United States annually celebrates National Migration Week each year in January.

A Mass at Holy Name Cathedral on January 5, feast of the Epiphany, highlighted the ethnic diversity of the Archdiocese of Chicago through multilingual readings and music. The Mass included Spanish, Polish and Filipino choirs from different parishes. Immigrants representing more than 30 countries participated in their traditional attire. Intercessions were offered in six languages, with Sr. Cathy Fedewa, CSFN from Cabrini Retreat Center, offering the English prayer.

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago stated, “These days also highlight how the world’s refugees in our day experience the same struggles of the Holy Family, who had to flee violence and travel to a foreign land
for safety.”

Cabrini High School fights Human Trafficking with Dressember Day

Cabrini High School helped fight human trafficking on Thursday, December 5, 2019 by participating in Dressember, a national collaborative movement leveraging fashion and creativity to restore dignity to all women. Dressember uses fashion to advocate for women who have been exploited for their femininity.

Founded by Mother Cabrini, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus supports two corporate stances, “To support the rights and dignity of all immigrants” and “To stop human trafficking.” This is the driving force behind Cabrini High School’s efforts to fight human trafficking.

Dressember is a day to dress and advocate by keeping four important points in mind: dignity, fashion, modesty, and femininity. Students were allowed to pay one dollar to dress up with dignity, modesty, femininity, and their own fashion. These words guide the Cabrini dress guidelines for every occasion.

Throughout the school, Cabrini raised $230 for Dressember. All money collected will be donated to Eden House, a house for women survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.

Cabrini High School has been participating in Dressember since 2014. Over the past five years, Cabrini has raised over $2000 through Dressember for Eden House. Prior to Dressember, students were educated on facts about human trafficking and slavery, and prayed as a community to end this horrible crime against humanity.

Following Dressember, discussions will be held in Religion classes amongst the students, as well in the month of January, which is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Cabrini will continue to pray for victims of human trafficking.

Cabrini Palliative and Supportive Care Celebrates 20 Years

It takes a special kind of person to care for someone with a life-limiting illness but Louise Taylor and the palliative and supportive care team at Cabrini wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Nurse Unit Manager of Palliative Home Care and Nurse Consult has been working at Cabrini for 27 years and was part of the original development of the palliative and supportive care service.

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the service, which has grown to a large integrated service across all Cabrini sites and in the local community, providing more than 800 admissions to Cabrini Prahran, 7000 community visits and more than 1400 visits and appointments across the other Cabrini sites a year.

Ms. Taylor said palliative care provided invaluable care and support for patients with a life-limiting illness.

“Palliative care is about allowing people to have the best quality of life they can have for as long as possible,” she said.

“There aren’t many jobs where you get to come in at that time in a person’s life and help them. We assist patients to live well and to die comfortably and peacefully, as well as supporting their families through that process.”

Cabrini Palliative and Supportive Care Director of Nursing Janine Stockley said there were benefits in referring patients early to palliative care.

“This allows patients to access support for complex pain and symptoms, obtain advice on financial and social matters and prepare children and families for the future,” Ms. Stockley said.

“Palliative care is about teamwork and keeping the patient and family at the centre of care. This is integral to the mission of Cabrini,” she said.

Cabrini Chief Executive Michael Walsh said the anniversary was a testament to the staff who operated the service.

“Our Palliative and Supportive Care service has a wonderful reputation in the community and that is because of the staff behind it,” Dr. Walsh said.

“Patient-centred care is at the heart of everything we do and this service epitomizes our commitment to putting patients first and tailoring care to the individual’s needs. I am incredibly proud that we have reached this milestone and I am sure the service will continue for another 20 years to come and hopefully many more.”

A New Home for Bethany

To the delight of all, Bethany House of Hospitality* has a new home! On December 7, vans, cars, trucks, residents, staff and volunteers were busily engaged…..all part of the challenge of packing, then unpacking belongings from two years and 50 miles away.

The new residence is owned by the Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians) and was originally used as their seminary. Their missionary focus for the last 25 years has been to be migrants with the migrants and to be in mission with people on the move along with a special priority for the poorest migrants. So, when the Board was searching for a new location closer to the city, the Scalabrinians saw that the mission and purpose of Bethany House was a perfect fit for a building they were no longer using.

Though it was a challenge to move in December, the weather was on their side as the young women and their volunteers, made the move and worked to get the house initially settled. They have much more yet to do while they continue to focus on finishing their semester’s studies.

While their former house in Bartlett was a serene and beautiful setting, it was far from the city of Chicago. The new house is in a better location for transportation to classes and activities. (Staff members are also grateful to have a much shorter commute.) It is hoped that there will also be many more opportunities to engage the nearby community in volunteer activities with the residents using the larger space available. The good news is that resident capacity can double, but that is on hold due to budget constraints. Development and fund raising efforts are just beginning.

*Bethany House of Hospitality, established in 2017, is sponsored by several local religious congregations, including the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It provides housing and support services to young immigrant women as they journey to independence.

A Well Deserved Honor

Ralph Lucariello, MD, long time member and current board chair of Cabrini of Westchester, was honored by the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs & Services by being inducted to the Westchester Senior Hall of Fame Class of 2019. Dr. Lucariello graciously accepted his award along with 70 other individuals on December 6th at a luncheon held at the Westchester Marriott Hotel in Tarrytown, NY. This admirable award is given in tribute to older adults who have generously given their time and energy to improve the quality of life in their communities or the county at large.

Dr. Lucariello has always demonstrated a deep commitment to Cabrini of Westchester’s residents, clients and staff and has dedicated his time and expertise to ensure high high quality outcomes for each of the organization’s programs and services.  He is truly deserving of this award.

610 King of Prussia Road, Radnor, PA 19087
Phone: 610-902-1039
Fax: 610-971-0396
info@mothercabrini.org