Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Bringing Christ's love to the world

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Advocating in Albany

On Wednesday, January 22nd Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC staff and community members joined the New York Immigration Coalition in Albany, New York for their annual Member Congress. CIS-NYC and other immigration organizations from around New York State came together to advocate for our state budget and policy priorities. CIS-NYC staff and community members visited with 9 state Senators and Assembly Members to discuss these priorities and ask that they commit to supporting them in the 2020 legislative session. We advocated for an increased investment in immigration legal services, healthcare coverage for all, an end predatory ICE apprehension activities in NY Courthouses, and more. We look forward to continuing our fight for these essential pieces of legislation in the coming months!

Gently Serving Others as a CLM

“The important thing is that each believer discerns her own path, that she brings out the very best of herself, the most personal gifts that God has placed in her heart”. (cf. 1Cor. 12:7)

felt called by God to live a life as a Cabrini Lay Missionary since 1990. I was first missioned in Nicaragua teaching religion in one of our schools. Then the Provincial asked me to go to Argentina to work in a parish where I worked as a catechesis coordinator. During that time, I lived in the Provincial house and enjoyed sharing life and prayer with the sisters.

Then, Sr. Maria Barbagallo, MSC, who was the General Superior at that time, asked if I would be willing to go to Russia. I did not know the culture nor the language but I was there for more than six years working among the people doing evangelization. Following my time in Russia I was missioned to Italy and enjoyed teaching religion and working in a parish.

In 2002, Sr. Maria believe that it was time for me to go to United States. There I began to work among the immigrants as Mother Cabrini did as she, too, was an immigrant like me ministering to immigrants.

I saw the struggles the immigrants had adjusting to a new country, new culture and new language as I, too, was going through the same struggles. After a few years I was able to become an American citizen. Following my years ministering to the immigrants I was asked to begin to minister to the Senior Sisters at Sacred Heart Convent [in New York City] and St. Cabrini Nursing Home [in Dobbs Ferry, NY]. I enjoy working with these sisters as they have lived and continue to live lives of prayer, sacrifice and love.

Over these years I have had many opportunities to enrich my life both spiritually, communally and ministerially. I am so grateful to God and Mother Cabrini for this wonderful opportunity to serve as a Cabrini Lay Missionary.
~ by: Adela Jarquin Soza, CLM

Climate Organizers: 2020 is the year to mobilize

~ by Jesse Remedios, Earth Beat, National Catholic Reporter

Catholic climate organizers say they’re certain of it: 2020 is “absolutely the year” for climate mobilization.

November 4, 2020, the United States is schedule to officially withdraw from the Paris Agrement on climate. That’s one day after the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the outcome of which will largely shape the U.S. response to climate change moving forward.

With that in mind, the Catholic Climate Covenant is organizing what they are calling the “U.S. Catholic Climate Project , a yearlong intergenerational Catholic initiative to gather Catholics from across the church to make “the moral call for climate action.”

According the to the Climate Project’s website, the project will reach out to a range of Catholic institutions to provide support on activities that can galvanize action. To kick off the project, the Catholic Comate Covenant is hosting a webinar on webinar Jan. 23 to describe the initiative’s vision and goals, as well as explain how Catholics can collaborate to organize events around Earth Day and Laudato Si anniversaries.

Participation and leadership by youth and young adults is a big part of the Climate Project. The Catholic Climate Project understands that young people are the ones who will have to deal with the conseequences of climate inaction and, and project leadership is hoping to make use of young people’s passion for the issue to pull older generations into the fight.

“fundamentally, this is about the future of youth and young adults and their growing awareness of the interdependence between the Creator’s gift and the lives we lead,” said Jose Aguto, associate director of the Catholic Climate Covenant and co-chair of the Climate Project, told the NCR. “We of older generations have the moral obligation to support them.”

To read the entire article: https://www.ncronline.org/print/news/earthbeat/climate-organizers-2020-year-mobilize-young-people-lead

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.

A Feast Day Message from the Provincial

November 13, 2019

Dear Sisters and those co-responsible with us in Mission,

[Yesterday] we celebrated the Feast of Mother Cabrini. In these recent days I have had various experiences which have touched my heart and soul – a gift of Jesus and Mother Cabrini on her feast

• ➢ I listened to a webinar from an organization called “No more deaths” during which they spoke of a member of the organization who was being charged with a felony simply because he provided compassionate care to two undocumented migrants he discovered in the desert. I asked myself: What has become to the moral fabric of the USA that we would criminalize compassion?

• ➢ I listened to Sr. Yolanda, MSC who returned from a meeting in Matamoros, Mexico of those organizations who give assistance to migrants along the USA-Mexico Border. My heart was filled with hope as I heard of the generous service of so many volunteers and organizations who day by day offer care and compassion to our suffering brothers and sisters. My heart was also full of deep sadness that the immigration policies of the USA have created a humanitarian crisis for hundreds perhaps thousands of men, women and children who are stranded along the Mexican border. They are living in tents, inhumane conditions, without adequate food or health care. The tragedy is the number of children! They can’t go forward and they have no money to go back home! At that moment we made a decision to try to partner with one organization who is providing much needed help.

➢ Yesterday, Sr. Antonina, Sr. Pietrina and myself joined staff and clients from CIS of NYC, together with the New York Immigration Coalition, to go to Washington, D.C. to stand in solidarity with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) young adult recipients as they persevered in their struggle to gain a path to citizenship. We also met a group from Cabrini University!
For years this group of young people have lived in constant uncertainty that their status would change and they could be deported. The persistent hope and courage of those who are DACA recipients as well as those who fight for their cause was an incredible witness. Once again, the question surfaced in me: How is it that a nation formed and built by immigrants is now so closed to immigrants?

➢ Finally, today I listened to a webinar offered by the UISG (International Union of General Superiors) which shared the challenges, vision and horizon of CLAR (Confederation of Latin American and Caribbean Religious) for consecrated religious life for the years 2018-2021. There were many themes that confirmed our Provincial Chapter outcomes. What touched my heart was the vital call to be witnesses of Communion and Hope based on our belief in Jesus and to continue to live with enthusiasm the gift of our consecrated life as missionary disciples. We are further called to weave relationships that foster communion, reconciliation, inclusivity, and compassion. Finally, we are called to renew our option for the vulnerable and excluded of our world. For those who understand Spanish, I encourage you to go to www.clar.org and look under “Horizonte Inspirador” for more resources around these themes.

As I live these various moments, I find myself called to conversion. It is not enough for me to see or to hear/listen but my heart must be “moved to compassion” and action. Going to Washington, D.C. was one small action but I and we are called daily to go out of ourselves in love. When we go out the door of our room, our heart, our minds let us be credible witnesses – missionary disciples of God’s love in the world. If we do this – we give honor to God and honor the memory of Mother Cabrini.

Happy Feast Day!
United in the Heart of our loving God!
Sr. Diane Olmstead, MSC , Provincial, Guadalupe Province

We are All Responsible to Protect the Amazon

~ by Barbara J. Fraser, Catholic News Service

Solutions to environmental problems discussed at the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon must involve not just Amazonian nations, but countries in Europe and North America, the bishops said.

Many of the environmental issues that synod participants have raised – including destruction of forests, pollution of rivers, rapacious mining and especially climate change – are also common to other tropical regions of the world

Those problems have roots in North America and Europe, although they often are exacerbated by policy loopholes and lack of enforcement in Amazonia countries, synod participants have said.

Synod participants described how mines, dams and other enterprises owned, built or operated by companies in industrialized countries displace local communities, affecting the environment and disrupting people’s lives.

Global trade means that even consumers’ decisions leave a footprint in distant countries. For example, most of the deforestation in Brazil is for cattle ranching to export beef. And the demand for gold keeps prices high, encouraging miners to invade indigenous people’s territories in remote parts of the Amazon. Their unregulated operations leave a scene
that resembles a cratered moonscape where rivers are poisoned with mercury and cyanide.

“No one can say, ‘I’m not responsible, it’s not my fault,’” said Bishop Karel Choennie of Suriname. “We are all responsible.”

The economic and social costs are borne by indigenous villagers and small farmers in the Amazon, said Josianne Gauther, executive secretary of CIDSE, an international consortium of Catholic development agencies and an invited guest at the synod.

“It’s colonialism – you externalize the costs to another population that you consider inferior or of less value,” she said. “It’s a one-directional relationship, where you exploit and live well, while the others suffer the consequences.”

People in places like North America and Europe do not always see that “environmental degradation and human rights violations (in the Amazon) are connected to our behaviors or policies or trade agreements” elsewhere in the world, she said.

People begin to understand the impact of their consumer choices and the policies of their countries when they come face to face with

May the Cabrini Light Shine in Your Good Works

Solidarity with South Sudan, an initiative of the Union of Superiors General (men) and the International Union of Superiors General (women) is in response to a request from the Bishops of Sudan, that focuses its ministry on building the capacity of South Sudanese to become teachers, registered nurses, midwives, sustainable farmers and pastoral agents.  Sisters, priests and brothers from a variety of congregations and countries work together with lay personnel in four primary sites with outreach to far flung areas of the country.  Sr. Therese Merandi, MSC will work with others in the South Sudan to effect these important measures.

A Bittersweet Celebration

The October 22nd Liturgy at St. Cabrini Nursing Home was particularly moving for residents, staff, family members and volunteers. It was different from any other service. It was filled with joy and gratitude but also laden with sadness and tears. For this was the last Mass Rev. Edwin Robinson, OFM, Director of Pastoral Care, would conduct before retiring after a 21 year career at St. Cabrini Nursing Home.

The Chapel was packed with residents, staff, family members and volunteers who had all come to thank Fr. Edwin and wish him well. The Mass was beautiful and the staff and volunteers of thePastoral Care Department went above and beyond to make it a joyous celebration of not only Fr. Edwin’s career but his many gifts to St. Cabrini Nursing Home. Regina O’Connell, President of Resident Council, addressed Fr. Edwin at the end of Mass and likened him to an angel amongst us. She presented Fr. Edwin with a gift from the residents. It was a beautifully framed, spiritual painting created by resident, Sr. Susan Greene, RDC, with a quote from French Philosopher and Paleontologist, Teilhard de Chardin, SJ, that read:

“May the universe offer to our gaze the symbols
and the forms of all harmony and beauty.”

Mass was followed by a festive luncheon in the boardroom where everyone had time to wish Fr. Edwin well. Over his more than two decades of service to St. Cabrini Nursing Home, Fr. Edwin touched the lives of countless individuals and families. He touched the souls of so many with his meaningful and creative homilies. He was able to bring love, life and a sense of purpose to those who felt lost beneath the heavy baggage of physical challenges and emotional losses that comes with age. To many, he was so much more than the Director of Pastoral Care, he was a confidant, a reliable shoulder to lean on, a beacon of light in the darkness – he was a friend.

Fr. Edwin along with Pastoral Care Chaplain, Alex Riddick, who retired from his post, plan to return on a monthly basis to celebrate Mass and visit their Cabrini family. May God bless Fr. Edwin as he begins this new chapter on his journey.

Offering Hospitality and Hope to Immigrant Women

Bethany House of Hospitality (BHH) offers housing and support services to young immigrant women as they journey to independence. The Missionary Sisters are one of eleven Sustaining Member Religious Communities supporting this mission to women awaiting asylum determinations in the Chicago area.

Residents are from El Salvador, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Guatemala, Somalia, Venezuela, Honduras, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Women are accompanied through the complexity of immigration process coordination of services includes: access to immigration attorneys, health care, education and employment.

The second anniversary luncheon celebrated the strength and resilience of the 40 women that have participated in the Bethany House program to date, as well as the vision of the religious women that saw the need and responded.

Sr. Joan McGlinchey, MSC Vicar for Religious and Nancy Golen, Cabrini Retreat Center Director represented Guadalupe Province at the event. Sr. Cathy Fedewa, CSFN, Retreat Center Immigrant Outreach Coordinator, is a founding and current member of the Bethany House Board.

At the event it was announced that through a partnership with the Scalabrinian priests Bethany House will be moving to a new location in Chicago which will allow the number of women served to double.

Uniting Hearts and Minds with Our Migrant Brothers and Sisters

  • 70 Million: The total number of forcibly displaced persons in the world today.
  • 25.9 Million: Number of refugees around the world. (An all-time high).
  • 37,000 people on average are forced from their homes each day. ~ June 2019 UN Annual Report on Refugees

“Migration is not a passing emergency.” ~ Pope Francis

This week, we continue our coverage on the “Run for Your Life” simulation that took place at the Cabrini Retreat Center in Des Plaines, IL from September 13 – 16th. A variety of adult and youth groups from across the Archdiocese of Chicago participated in the simulation.

After an introduction to the crises that may be happening in a refugee’s life, causing them to leave their home and their country, participants begin their simulated journey. They are divided into family groups and given a biography of their family, their situation and the particular members of their family.

Participants are asked to take on the identity of that family as parent, grandparent, adult child, toddler, etc., as well as their reason for leaving.

The urgency begins as they are told they have to leave IMMEDIATELY, no time for planning. They are given a “wallet” of money and a series of pictures of items to take along….but they can only choose 10 of those items…and that’s all they will have besides the clothes on their backs.

They begin their journey toward what they hope will be a country that will welcome them and protect them from the harm they are now facing. They do not know what obstacles or dangers they may face, nor how long that journey may take.

 

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Phone: 610-902-1039
Fax: 610-971-0396
info@mothercabrini.org