Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Cabrini Health Opens Cabrini Asylum Seeker and Refugee Health Hub

May 5, 2016

On Thursday 28 April, the new Cabrini Asylum Seeker and Refugee Health Hub, a much needed service in Melbourne’s inner-north, was officially opened by Cr Samantha Ratnam, Mayor of Moreland, and blessed by Reverend Monsignor Anthony Ireland STD EV PP, Episcopal Vicar for Health, Aged and Disability Care in the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.

5820_LoResgroup photo The new service, located on the ground floor at 503 Sydney Road in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick, will provide healthcare services for asylum seekers and refugees.

Special guests at the event included Cabrini Sisters General Superior Sister Barbara Staley, MSC; Sister Catherine Garry, MSC; Sister Arlene Van Dusen, MSC; and Sister Sharon Casey, MSC; as well as Cabrini Board Chairman Richard Rogers.

“Cabrini is committed to making a difference to the disadvantage faced by asylum seekers and refugees,” says Dr. Michael Walsh, Chief Executive of Cabrini. “We believe that working collaboratively is the most effective way to address disadvantage and will lead to the best health outcomes for the people we want to serve.”

[The Australian state of] Victoria has one of the highest asylum seeker and refugee settlement numbers in Australia. Many asylum seekers in our community have neither work rights nor access to government benefits such as Medicare, Centrelink, housing or emergency relief.

“Our approach is based on strong partnerships with public and private hospitals, community health agencies, asylum seeker/refugee services and others who want to make a difference to the plight of asylum seekers and refugees,” said Dr. Walsh. “We are grateful to the many agencies who have supported the concept and look forward to others joining with us over time to enhance our capacity.”

In his blessing, Monsignor Anthony Ireland reminded the gathering that pain is not hypothetical, it’s not imaginary, it’s real, and the pain of refugees and asylum seekers is a powerful reality in our community, and in societies all over the world.

What Cabrini and everyone associated with the new Centre are doing, Monsignor Ireland said, is giving witness to the Gospel truths. …Everybody involved is doing precisely what the Gospel [calls forth…]

Initial services will begin in May 2016 with GP clinics and specialist mental health services to be offered first. Chronic disease management, maternal and child health and infectious disease management, as well as social, emotional and spiritual support services, will follow.

“Clustering these services in one location will enhance access and facilitate a person-centred, integrated approach to primary and specialist care for this vulnerable group,” said Dr. Walsh.

Jack Truxillo named as President and CEO of Cabrini High School

May 5, 2016

Jack S. Truxillo has been named president and Chief Executive Officer of Cabrini High School effective July 1, 2016.

He succeeds Ardley R. Hane Cabrini President Jack Truxillo photo cr mann Jr., who is retiring from that position. The announcement was made by the school’s Board of Trustees following an extensive nationwide search.

“We are very fortunate to have Jack Truxillo join the Cabrini family,” said Thomas Long, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cabrini High School. “He brings a depth of experience in all facets of administration and management that will enable us to continue the excellence in education and the growth we have experienced and enjoyed in the past 13 years.”

Truxillo brings more than 38 years of experience at all levels from classroom teacher to dean of students to principal in the elementary, special education, and

secondary levels in the public and Catholic schools systems. His most recent position was that of associate superintendent for the Archdiocese of New Orleans Office of Catholic Schools.

Truxillo is a graduate of Jesuit High School in New Orleans. He received his bachelor of arts in secondary education social studies with a minor in special education, and his master of education in administration from Loyola University. He has professional certifications as an Elementary School Principal, Special School Principal, Secondary School Principal, Social Studies and Special Education and holds a lifetime Louisiana teacher certification.

At Cabrini he will be responsible for all aspects and operations of the all girls’ Catholic school operated by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Cabrini College to become a University

April 28, 2016

From a letter from President Dr. Donald Taylor to the College community:

Mansion 1 I am delighted to share that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has officially approved our status change to university. It is an exciting new chapter in the life of our institution, and one that we will celebrate in the coming months.

Though we have official approval from the PDE, we will continue to operate as “Cabrini College” until the end of our fiscal year. We will be Cabrini University on July 1, 2016! On that day, we will launch our new website and brand identity; and we will begin to transition all campus signage and materials to reflect the new name and visual identity. Until July 1, we will use messages talking about the July 1 change to generate buzz and excitement.

The change to Cabrini University represents the culmination of years of work that expanded our program offerings and student populations. Our graduate programs have placed us beyond the realm of a regional residential college for well over a decade. You can see this reflected in U.S. News & World Report rankings in which Cabrini College is listed as a “regional university,” not college. With the addition of our new doctoral programs and more concerted international recruitment effort s, the change to university takes on even more significance.

Cabrini High School and Cabrini College participate in CRS Refugee Simulation

April 28, 2016

Cabrini College and High School CRS Immigration Simulation
3.22.16
Photo: Tyler Kaufman/©2016

Cabrini High School (CHS) participated in the “Unaccompanied Minors: Refugees Seeking Safety” simulation developed by Cabrini College Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Ambassadors to increase understanding and awareness of the plight of unaccompanied minors fleeing South and Central American countries.

CHS Juniors participated in the simulation to increase their understanding of the plight of unaccompanied minors fleeing Central and South American countries. The program was created and implemented by Cabrini College CRS Student Ambassadors who visited from Radnor, PA. As part of the Cabrini College CRS goals and a course on the Common Good, the college students designed a simulation focusing on the specific immigration issue of the many unassisted children seeking refuge and safety in the U.S.

Cabrini College was the first college campus to establish a partnership with CRS, and Cabrini High School, a select Platinum Level Global CRS High School, is the first group of high school students chosen to participate in the program. The simulation began during the welcoming dinner, as the two CRS programs empowered one another to work together on a common Cabrinian goal: increasing awareness of the need for immigration reform.

Cabrini College’s Communications Professor Dr. Jerry Zurek and Dr. Ray Ward, Associate Director of Peace and Justice, initiated the simulation by remembering Mother Cabrini, the Patron Saint of Immigrants, and her work with immigrants, orphans and the marginalized during the time she spent in the United States. Mother Cabrini’s ministry in New Orleans was spent primarily serving the needs of many Italian immigrant children at the orphanage on St. Philip Street. The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart continue to advocate for immigration reform as one of their two corporate stances.

The simulation included a complex map of the various routes to citizenship, and scenarios tracing the process leading to legalized citizenship to determine typical lengths of processing time, qualifications, costs, and the chance of deportation. Each student was assigned a simulated journey assuming the “role” of unaccompanied minor, and traveled through the stages of gang harassment, the court system, and detention center. Throughout the simulation, the college students explained the hazards of that stage of the journey, with the whole group sharing their reactions along the way.

Advocacy was addressed during the final stage of the simulation, suggesting strategies the students could use to influence legislation, such as write to senators, representatives, and the president.

Cabrini College provided pre-printed letters requesting government leaders to:

Stop deportation of minors back to dangerous home countries.
Provide lawyers and translators for minors when they are in legal proceedings.
Fund vocational training for teens in Central America.

Many students chose to formally participate, including handwritten notes with their pre-printed letters.

Cabrini High School Pilots Journey 2050

April 20, 2016

Cabrini High School students are among the first in the US to participate in the pilot-test of the “Journey 2050” environmental learning program developed by Agrium and introduced to schools through the Nutrients for Life Foundation.

CAB Journey 2050 photo 3 cr The Environmental Science classes of Ann Smart are testing the “Journey 2050” web site learning simulation, under the oversight of Tiffany Ballow, local representative of the Nutrients for Life Foundation. “Journey 2050” is a new program in the pilot-testing phase and Cabrini is only the 6th school in the US to use it. Feedback from the students and science department faculty will assist in perfecting the program before it goes into wider use.

“The “Journey 2050” program is a new applied environmental science exercise that requires students to make decisions on how to feed the estimated 9 billion inhabitants on Earth by the year 2050,” noted Ann Smart, Cabrini Science Department Head. “Students must take into account best practices in agriculture and coordinate these practices throughout different areas of the world to enhance worldwide production in order to assure a sustainable, global food supply. At the end of the simulation, students will be exposed to various opportunities and careers related to agri-business and global resource planning and allocation.”

As part of Cabrini’s STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) initiative, the school’s participation in this program allows the school to stay on the forefront of advances in STEM instructional methods. “Focusing on STEM education and training prepares our graduates to succeed in college and in the workforce,” cited Ardley Hanemann, Cabrini’s President. “Career opportunities in the STEM fields continue to increase and accelerate in the US. We want our students to be positioned to excel in these fertile fields.”

St. F.X. Cabrini Shrine, NYC Extending Hospitality and Sharing God’s Love

April 14, 2016

For three years, the sisters at St. Frances Cabrini Gala 4-11 All cr Shrine NYC gave a home to their Jewish neighbors who had lost their place of worship. The young congregation from Fort Tryon Jewish Center would gather each week in Mother Cabrini High School to pray and sing while their children would play and learn in one of the classrooms. Over the years, smiles and greetings would be exchanged with shrine visitors as they crossed paths to pray.

On Monday, April 11, Fort Tryon Jewish Center honored the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart at a springtime gala to thank them for their hospitality. Rabbi Guy Austrian recalled first meeting Sr. Tommasina Lanski, MSC, who was then Shrine Director. “It was Purim, and I was dressed in a silly costume to entertain the children, when I ran into Sister Tommasina. It was an embarrassing first impression. Sister told me not to worry; “Sometimes people laugh at the way I dress, too!”

Rabbi Austrian presented the Shrine with a beautiful framed papercut image of the Hamsa, or Hand of God symbol. The artwork was created by a member of their congregation, and depicts a symbol of protection common to both Judaism and Christianity.

Gazing at the assembled guests, Sr. Tommasina said, “How did we get to this place, where a Jewish community and Catholic community gather in gratitude? This was a gift from God that united the two out of a respect for faith. As we got to know each other we had a greater respect for each other’s faith and greater love for our own. We share a love for and gratitude to the same God.”

On the Shrine grounds last September, families from the Jewish Center gathered to begin their celebration of Sukkot in the shadow of trees planted when Mother Cabrini was alive. Laughing children dashed beneath a full moon as their parents watched from the Sukkoh hut that was decorated with symbols of the harvest festival. From the darkness a voice began a song in Hebrew and was joined softly by others.

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Successful Campaign for Human Rights in International Fishing Industry

April 13, 2016

Informed by his Franciscan Community of an important Lenten advocacy campaign for slave-free seafood, Fr. Edwin Robinson, OFM, Director of Pastoral Care at Cabrini of Westchester, was compelled to raise awareness. He shared the Lenten initiative led by the Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Human Trafficking (CCOAHT) with Patricia Krasnausky, President and CEO, and, together, they brought the campaign to the Cabrini community.

In honor of the Year of Mercy, Ms. Krasnausky ordered and distributed over 500 hundred pre-paid postcards addressed to two of the largest distributors of seafood: Costco and Starkist. The message on the postcards read: “Catholics want slave-free seafood this year, and will be vigilant about this as we observe Lent. We, therefore, kindly urge you to do all in your power to ensure that your supply chains are free of the taint of forced labor.”

Ms. Krasnausky had the postcards signed by many employees of Cabrini of Westchester as well as those in attendance of the Cabrini Day of Prayer, Restoration and Renewal held at Cabrini College. Many were stunned to learn that the United States imports 80-90% of its seafood, and tens of thousands of people are exploited at every link in the seafood harvesting and production chain.

As a result of Cabrini’s participation, we received the following feedback from CCOAHT. “Over 15,000 cards were mailed, which exceeded the goals of the campaign. As a result, the National Fisheries Institute contacted the US Bishops Conference and a meeting is scheduled to occur in May. This contact means that the mail campaign had an effect. The initial meeting is the first step in the effort re halting the human trafficking situation in shrimp and fish farming.”

Therefore, all the individuals who signed and mailed in postcards made a significant contribution to the campaign. Thank you, and God bless one and all!

Spring into Science at Super Science Camp

April 7, 2016

Ann Smart, Science Department Head, led the campers on an adventure exploring the mysteries of solar power and plants during the Saturday morning camp. The campers started by threading UV light sensitive bead on ribbons to create necklaces. When exposed to UV light, the beads react by transforming from white to the colors of the spectrum, producing unique, rainbow colored necklaces. Campers also experimented with Sunprint paper, leaf prints, and flowers. Sunprints are filter paper dipped into chemicals to make the paper UV sensitive. Using stencils, the students exposed the paper to sunlight to form a blue and white print of the stencil.

During the plant section of the camp, the students created leaf prints by placing a leaf under a sheet of paper and gently rubbing the paper with colored pencil or crayon to show the leaf details. Campers also learned about plant reproduction by dissecting azaleas to identify the flowers’ petals, sepals, pistil, and stamen. For home study, the campers made “sock animals” by drawing faces on white socks, filling the socks with quick-growing grass seed and potting soil, and soaking the sock animals in water. In a few days, the sock animals will grow grass “hair,” allowing the campers to witness seed germination and plant growth.

Cabrini Super Science Saturday 3.19.16 Photo: Tyler Kaufman/©2016

“Best practices indicates that students grasp science and math concepts more readily when combined with practical application, so we incorporate theory and utility in all our STEM courses and activities, including our camps,” stated Smart. “The UV beads and sunprints allow the girls to grasp the existence and significance of UV light energy. When we introduce plant reproduction combined with the sunprints and the sock animals, the campers are able to witness how nature converts light, seeds, soil, and water into living, growing plants. It is an eye-opening moment for many youngsters as they realize for the first time all of the invisible and mysterious scientific processes occurring around them each and every day.”

Gathering for a Mercy Day of Recollection and Prayer

March 15, 2016

Forty members of the Cabrinian community including Missionary Sisters, Cabrini Lay Missionaries, Cabrini Companions, Cabrini College alumnae, Cabrini employees and friends gathered on the campus of Cabrini College on Saturday, March 12th for a Day of Recollection, Reflection and Prayer.

The day included reflections on the Year of Mercy by Missionary Sisters Bernadette Casciano and Christine Marie Baltas, as well as spiritual movement led by Diane Kistler and mindfulness meditations led by Fr. Edwin Robinson, OSF.

Opportunities for individual quiet reflection, coloring mandalas, walking the grounds and meditation in chapel were an integral part of the day.

During the midday time of fellowship, participants could view artifacts of Mother Cabrini in the Cabriniana Room with curator and assistant library director Anne Schwelm.

The day concluded with liturgy in the Bruckmann Chapel of St. Joseph.