Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

A Reflection for Christmas

December 13, 2022

As we have journeyed through Advent one of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries has offered a reflection. This week, we offer a reflection for Christmas.

I have always loved Christmas.

I celebrate the coming of Jesus and marvel each year as the story of His birth is recounted through Bible readings, story, and songs. I imagine his mother Mary, father Joseph and the tiny, newborn baby, surrounded by animals in the stable as the angels sang to the shepherds of his coming. If I had been there, watching my sheep by night, I would have rushed off with the other shepherds, to worship Jesus and kneel before Him.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is The Little Drummer Boy. The boy in the song had no extravagant gift to offer the baby Jesus, so he played a special song for him on his drum. The words of the song remind me that each of us is called to honor our Lord by offering the gifts of our time and talents and most of all, our Love to each other, not only during the Christmas season but throughout the year.

As I drive home from work during the dark evenings before Christmas, I find joy in the lights I pass along my way. I think of Jesus, who truly is the light of the world. I am grateful for any opportunity to reflect His love and His light, especially through joining with the Missionary Sisters and Lay Missionaries in whatever work I am called to do. Christmas is a time for giving and for sharing with those around us, including those who are the most vulnerable, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the elderly, the lost and lonely.

When I was very small, I learned these simple lines:
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what can I give Him?
Give Him my heart.

The words still resonate with me as I prepare for Christmas and carry the love of Jesus in my heart.

Cabrini Lay Missionaries Joyfully Celebrate the Feast Day and Welcome a New CLM

June 29, 2022

The day started with a beautiful Mass at St. Cabrini Nursing Home, Dobbs Ferry, NY. Four of our CLMs were able to attend the Mass. Melanie Paccillo and Lorraine Campanelli, both renewed their commitments during the Liturgy. Following the Mass, we shared in a delicious lunch at the nursing home with the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

The day continued with a prayer service via Zoom for the CLMs who were not able to attend the liturgy due to distance. It was during this prayer service that

Melissa said, “Yes,” to becoming a CLM. She, along with Digna Merchan, Sheny Hinestroza, Susan Pierson, Veronica Hernandez and Victoria Ortiz, all made commitments for 1 year. What a blessing to have so many Cabrini Sisters join us for prayer and support! Cont’d next page.

We had people from California, Colorado, Guatemala, New York, Pennsylvania and the State of Washington joining in.

Thank God for technology because we were able to be together to share the love of the Sacred Heart.

An Afternoon of Hope

June 9, 2022

In every age, O God, you have been our refuge. In every age, O God, you have been our hope.” (Psalm 90 1-4; Janet Sullivan Whitaker).

Uvalde school massacre. Eleven year old Miah smeared herself with the blood of her best friend and played dead. Miah survived. Nineteen classmates and two teachers did not.

Tulsa massacre: Four fatalities. Dr. Phillips shot to death.

Buffalo massacre: Thirteen shot. Ten fatalities.
“In every age, O God, you have been our hope.”

Ukrainians continue to be executed by Russian soldiers.

Covid continues.
“Oh God, you have been our hope.”

On Saturday, June 4th, Cabrini Lay Missionaries of the Guadalupe Province, along with caring Cabrini partners, gathered at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in New York City for an afternoon of song, prayer, discussion and reflection on the meaning of hope. Our afternoon was facilitated by Lucille Larrivee Naughton, retreat leader, spiritual director and music minister.

Our afternoon began with a lovely buffet lunch followed by song and prayer. We were then ushered into the conference area where Lucille asked us to examine and reflect on the meaning of hope for ourselves, beginning with our personal hope and extending outward to include family, local community and finally the global community and Mother Earth.

We gathered in small groups at discussion tables, shared with one another and then reported to the entire group. All of this took place virtually as well, and included participants from all over the United States and Central America. Simultaneous translation was provided.

There was room for creativity as well. Participants were given the opportunity to express how hope lives in them by designing a patch that will become part of a quilt representing this hope.

We wish to thank Lucille Larrivee Naughton for sharing her passion, creativity and expertise with us.

“In every age, O God, you have been our refuge.

In every age, O God, you have been our hope.”

Cabrini Lay Missionary Day of Reflection

April 21, 2022

The Cabrini Lay Missionaries-Guadalupe Province

Invite you to join us for an

Afternoon of Reflection

Saturday, June 4, 2022

1:00-3:00 PM EST

Join us in-person at the Cabrini Shrine, NYC or via Zoom (Spanish/English available via Zoom)

Theme: Hope

Speaker: Lucille Larrivee Naughton

Please register for the program by emailing Cabrinilaymissionariesgp@gmail.com

Please indicate if you will be joining us in-person or via Zoom

If attending in-person, lunch will be served at 12:00 Noon.

Celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Sacred Heart Convent

December 14, 2021

December 12th was such a special day. It was not only the Third Sunday of Advent but it was also the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, our Province Feast. The Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs) wanted to do something special for the Feast Day so we shared in a prayer service with the Cabrini Sisters who reside at Sacred Heart Convent in New York City.

Some of the CLMs were at the convent where they celebrated liturgy and lunch with the Sisters and then shared prayer with some of the other CLMs via Zoom. What a beautiful way to honor Our Lady. In addition to prayer, it was so wonderful to ‘catch up’ with one another and enjoy a lot of laughs. Thank you, Sisters, for your hospitality and for sharing prayer with us.

A Day of Commitment and Celebration

June 16, 2021

Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs), Guadalupe Province, shared a beautiful Feast of the Sacred Heart and the celebration continued until June 13th.

On the Feast Day, we had a special prayer service, via Zoom. During the service, Adela Jarquin and Marianne McGowan, renewed their commitment to the CLMs for 3 more years. We are so grateful for their continued presence and their work toward the Cabrinian mission.

Following the renewals, five new CLMs made their initial commitment for 1 year. We are blessed to have Digna Merchan, Sheny Hinestroza, Susan Pierson, Veronica Hernandez-Perez and Victoria Ortiz-Perez begin their new journey as CLMs. Digna lives in New York, Susan in Pennsylvania and Sheny, Veronica and Victoria are from Guatemala. Each person received a certificate, their CLM handbook and a symbol, which is worn as a sign of being a CLM. They will be sharing more about themselves in the coming weeks in our CLM Corner in The Update.

We certainly did not let distance or a pandemic stop us from celebrating the gift of our new CLMs. On June 13th, we met again on Zoom. The Cabrini Sisters were invited to join us so they could meet our new members. We had Sisters from Colorado, Guatemala, New York, Pennsylvania and Nicaragua. It was a beautiful gathering as our new CLMs spoke about themselves and the amazing work that they are doing. A special blessing was prayed by all for our new CLMs. We pray that they will continue to bring the love of Christ to the world.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make this such a special time for all our CLMs.

Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

May 13, 2021

CLMs Await the Feast of the Sacred Heart

It is with great excitement that we look forward to celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 11th. Not only is this day special to the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart (MSCs) but it is also a day that the Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs) renew their commitments. This year, two of our CLMs, Adela Jarquin and Marianne McGowan, will be renewing their commitment for three more years! In addition to these renewals, we are blessed to have five people who will be making their initial commitment as a CLM!

This past year, a year of initial formation, those interested in becoming a CLM, have met monthly as a group. We had presentations about Mother Cabrini, the Institute, the different missions of the MSCs, the spirituality of the Sacred Heart and a discussion about the book, In Weakness, Strength by Segundo Galilea.

We have candidates from Pennsylvania, New York and Guatemala. It has been an exciting year as we learned about different cultures and the different ministries that everyone is involved in as well as having our meetings in English and Spanish.

Please keep all of us in your prayers as we prepare for a special celebration on June 11th.

Palm Sunday Reflection

March 25, 2021

Each week during Lent,
one of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries will be offering a reflection.
The reflection for Palm Sunday is offered by
Patricia Stancato-Purkey , CLM

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is an example of worshiping Jesus as Savior, Messiah, King, and Lord. He is the son of God. To see Jesus as he truly is and worship him accordingly; also, to worship him in right -order. Jesus is the great healer. Jesus loves us so much; we are so blessed.

On Palm Sunday we need to worship God with our Hearts, Soul, and in our Lives. We need to act like citizens of heaven with a daily call to live as God has called us to live. At every Mass we are worshiping Jesus Christ as King and Lord in the Eucharist. We should worship him publicly at Mass and in our homes and also wherever we are.

People are connected on Palm Sunday with the Majestic King. We have the privilege of multiple options to attend Mass and Adoration daily. Every opportunity we take to attend Mass is a delight in Jesus’s eyes.

One of the fruits of worshipping the Lord is to be caught up in the Heavens with Jesus. The Lord desires us to worship him with our Heart. He inhabits the praises of His people no matter if we are feeling sad, worried or afraid. It is wonderful to have Jesus Christ as our Savior. The Lord loves us so much; that he willingly died to save us, the least we can do is to continue to seek him in all we do.
~ written by Patricia Stancato-Purkey, CLM

The Fourth Sunday in Lent

March 10, 2021

Each week during Lent,

one of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries will be offering a reflection.

The reflection for The Fourth Sunday in Lent is offered by

Vicky Lucio, CLM

The Fourth Sunday in Lent

H.E. Paul D. Etienne, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Seattle, declared a Year of the Eucharist in our archdiocese from June 2020 to June 2021. Such a declaration, I think, is very timely during this difficult time of pandemic.

We need the Eucharist in our lives more than ever. The pandemic is not an impediment for us not to attend the holy Mass. In fact, this time is a great opportunity for us to maximize the benefits of the Holy Eucharist through the power of technology. Our current eucharistic life is now celebrated virtually or physically wherever it is viable. For those with limited internet or those with no internet at all, I heard they use the traditional use of radio or other indigenous ways of celebrating it. Regardless of how we participate, it becomes a viable alternative for all of us to receive the body and blood of Christ.

Interestingly, Pope Francis declared this year as the Year of St. Joseph in celebration of St. Joseph’s 150th anniversary of his declaration as Patron of the Universal Church. We also celebrate his feast day this month. St. Joseph obeyed God with simplicity, silence, and humility. I think his characteristics resonate with what we need to focus on. There is too much noise hovering around us and at times we find it hard to see the simple things in life, to feel the silence of our hearts, and to experience the fruits of humility.

Covid 19, is a virus that is so silent yet extremely dangerous. If this is how silent and deadly the virus is, maybe we need silence to fight it back through the solemnity of each holy Mass being celebrated around the world.

Moreover, we need the intercession of St. Joseph especially during this Lenten season. May his faith and obedience to God be a guiding force and hope for all of us as we continue to rise above the pandemic. ~ reflection by Vicky Lucio, CLM

A Reflection for the Third Sunday in Lent

March 4, 2021

The Third Sunday in Lent

Joan Chittister, a Benedictine Sister, author and a woman of inspiration shares this Lenten reflection:

Lent is a call to weep for what we could have been and are not. Lent is the grace to grieve for what we should have done and have not. Lent is an opportunity to change what we ought to change, but have not.

Lent is not about penance. Lent is about becoming, doing and changing whatever it is that is blocking the fullness of life in us right now.

Reflection: What are those things that keep us from living a fully Christian life?

Let us pray for guidance. Let us pray for the courage to make those life changes that will bring us more fully into the life of our Christian community. ~ by Marianne McGowan, CLM