Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

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.”

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.

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

Getting to Know You!

February 25, 2021

What a beautiful meeting we had on February 20th. The current Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs) and Sr. Catherine Garry, MSC met several of the people who are interested in becoming CLMs.

Thanks to the gift of Zoom, we were able to connect from different areas. We had people from California, Colorado, Guatemala, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington State! We introduced ourselves to one another so that we can learn more about each other and the wonderful works that are being done in the name of St. Cabrini.

The meeting was in English and Spanish. Thank you to Adela Jarquin and Digna Merchan for helping with the translating. As we listened to each other and heard the beautiful works that everyone is involved in, you couldn’t help but see Mother Cabrini smiling down on all of us. Everyone is involved in a ‘helping ministry.’ In addition, many are enrolled in different scripture classes, etc. as well as reading and learning about being a CLM. We look forward to many more meetings where we can share our love of Jesus, the Sacred Heart and Mother Cabrini.
~ submitted by Lorraine Campanelli, Director of the CLMs

A Reflection for the Third Sunday in Lent

February 18, 2021

Sometimes I hear people say, “I don’t know how you could miss it, it’s so obvious.” Well, I think very often, we can miss the obvious. For example, in the readings for Mass on the First Sunday of Lent, three times we are told how we can attain Heaven and be with God. But, do we always get it?

In Genesis 9:8-9, God said to Noah and his sons, “See I am now establishing my covenant with you and yourdescendants after you. We ARE those descendants!! We are the people to whom God was referring. The covenant with Noah, which is often depicted as the rainbow, was not only meant for him, his family and friends, but for generations to come. The same God has made a covenant with you and me.

In 1 Peter 3:18, we are again reminded that God is there for us and gives us a pathway to follow. All we have to do is respond. In 1 Peter, we are called ‘Beloved’, a term of endearment, a term of relationship. We are told that Christ suffered for sins once so that we might be led to God.

In the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 1 verse 15, we are told how to reach the Kingdom of God: “The Kingdom of God is at hand, REPENT and BELIEVE in the Gospel”. The Kingdom is here and now, not after I die and go to Heaven.
As we begin our Lenten journey, we know straight from God that God wants us, we have a covenant with God, we are God’s beloved and if we repent and believe in the Word of God, we will be with God not only in this life but in the life to come.

Reflection: – What touched my heart in this reflection?
 -Do I really believe that I am God’s beloved?
 -What can I do this Lent do repent and believe even more deeply on the Word of God?

~by: Lorraine Campanelli, CLM Director

United in Spirit and Prayer

December 15, 2020

As the saying goes, “Prayer can move mountains!” Even COVID-19 could not stop several of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs) sharing an Advent prayer service with the Sisters at Sacred Heart Convent in New York City.

Once again, we were thankful for technology as we met via Zoom. It was wonderful to see each other as we have been quarantined and not able to visit in person. After some ‘catching-up,’ we shared in song and prayer. Thank you to Sr. Isalia Carvalho, MSC, for being so supportive of our coming together and making sure all the technology was in place. We look forward to being together again, hopefully in person, but until then, we are blessed to see each other via Zoom.