Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

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Cabrini University Helps Nonprofit Notch Milestone Donation

Cabrini University’s annual Give Love, Give Socks, Give Hope drive helped The Joy of Sox reach a notable milestone: With its delivery on Saturday, Feb. 13 to Prevention Point Philadelphia in Kensington, PA, the Radnor-based nonprofit has donated a half million pairs of socks since 2010. In the past four years, Cabrini has contributed 6,000 pairs of socks to The Joy of Sox’s donation efforts in the Philadelphia area.

Cabrini’s Give Love, Give Socks, Give Hope campaign, held in early February to align with Socks for the Homeless Day on Feb. 14, raises funds for not only The Joy of Sox’s many sock donations in Pennsylvania and around the United States, but also for the University’s Wolfington Center, which fosters community-based learning through Catholic social teaching in the spirit of Mother Cabrini. Since 2017, Cabrini students, alumni, staff and Missionary Sisters have been among those who have volunteered to package and deliver socks on behalf of The Joy of Sox.

“The Cabrini community’s commitment to service is integral to the University’s Education of the Heart and we are proud to support the impactful work of organizations within our community like The Joy of Sox,” said Ray Ward, PhD, Director of the Wolfington Center. “It is an honor to have played a part in this milestone of 500,000 pairs of socks donated to those experiencing homelessness. I am also grateful to the donors whose contributions to the Give Love, Socks, Hope
fundraiser will support further service opportunities for Cabrini students through the Wolfington Center.”

 

 

Founded by Cabrini College alumna Nancy Gorevin Costello (ʼ71) and her husband Tom Costello Jr. (HONʼ11), The Joy of Sox receives donations of new socks and raises funds to purchase new socks which are then delivered to homeless shelters and clinics throughout the United States and as far away as Uganda and Afghanistan. The organization has succeeded in making ‘Socks for the Homeless Day’ a recognized observance in five states, including Pennsylvania.

“We observe Socks for the Homeless Day in mid-February as a way to increase winter-time charitable giving, which traditionally drops off after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays,” said Tom Costello, Chief Sock Person at The Joy of Sox. “As we reflect on our 10th anniversary and this milestone of 500,000 pairs of socks donated, we express sincere gratitude for the continued service of countless volunteers and key partners like Cabrini and its mission-driven community.”

Prevention Point Director of Community Engagement and Volunteer Services, Clayton Ruley, said Saturday’s milestone donation comes at an ideal time for the city’s unhoused population. “We take for granted that we’re able to change our socks on a daily basis, but that’s just not the case for a lot of people we work with,” Ruley said. “In the cold months, if homeless people can’t change their socks, it leads to illness and disease that the cold and wetness brings.”

~ with abundant thanks to Steve Highsmith, Jackie Marciano, Matt Nestor, Emily Rowan and John Verdi
for their help in initiating, orchestrating and publicizing the Give Love, Give Socks, Give Hope campaign.

 

Cabrini University Observes Black History Month

Cabrini University is celebrating Black History Month with a month-long series of discussions and activities that will showcase Black talent and culture, while also gathering the community to examine Black history, its champions for justice, and its connections to the present day.

“Understanding American history is one of the most powerful tools we have to combat the inequities of the present moment,” said José Rodriguez, Chief Diversity Officer. “I’m proud of this wide range of programming produced by our Cabrini community to encourage a better understanding of the contributions of our past and present members from our Black/African American communities.”

Events will be both virtual and in-person and will highlight Black art, music, and creativity, while examining issues of faith, injustice, violence, and racism. The month’s programming is a community-wide effort by the Office of University Diversity Initiatives (OUDI), the Black Student Union, Student Engagement and Leadership (SEaL), the Holy Spirit Library, various academic departments, and Cabrini Athletics, among others.

“Cabrini’s faculty, staff, and students are engaged in conversations to promote the healing that needs to happen in the country, particularly after the events of last summer and the impact of COVID,” said Chioma Ugochukwu, PhD, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Black History Month has always been seen nationally as an opportunity to shed light on the challenges and struggles of African Americans, but beyond that, this month is also important to highlight the achievements of African Americans.”

The full and detailed listing of Black History Month events is available on the OUDI website.

CLM Director Hosts Virtual Brown Bag Lunch

The year 2020 has been a year of many firsts. On Tuesday, November 17th, we held our first Cabrini CLM Chat via Zoom. Participants were invited to bring along their lunch and join in the conversation.

Lorraine Campanelli, the Director of the Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs), spoke to a group of administrators, faculty and staff from Cabrini University, and other invited guests. The lunch time meeting opened with a beautiful prayer given by Sr. Grace Waters, MSC, followed by an introduction of Lorraine by Sr. Christine Marie Baltas, MSC

Lorraine presented information about the CLMs and how they are integral members of the Cabrini Family. She spoke about their initial formation period and the journey to making a commitment as a CLM. The participants offered wonderful comments and questions for Lorraine.

In addition to the formal presentation segment of the brown bag lunch meeting, the participants enjoyed seeing each other and having some informal, friendly conversation. There was such a beautiful spirit amongst everyone. Because of COVID, many people had not seen each other, especially in-person, in a long time. It was energizing to reconnect virtually.

Thank you to Sr. Grace, Sr. Christine Marie and Nancy Costello for arranging the meeting and inviting us to attend. Thank you, also, to Nancy Golen, the Director of the Cabrini Retreat Center in Chicago, for providing the Zoom technology. And, of course, a big thank you to all those who participated in the discussion. ~ submitted by Lorraine Campanelli, CLM Director

For those interested in learning more about the CLMs and their ministries, kindly contact:
Lorraine Campanelli: Email: cabrinilaymissionariesgp@gmail.com Phone: 914-907-0143

Residents and Staff Join in Feast Day Observances

Cabrini of Westchester celebrated the Feast Day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini on Friday, November 13th and included both staff and residents in the celebration. A Mass, with live music, took place in the St. Cabrini Nursing Home Chapel that was beautifully decorated with vases of purple and white flowers. Sr. Romualda Molon, MSC also included a striking figurine of Mother Cabrini that was hand painted in 1939 and a gorgeous violet plant that she lovingly tends to in the home’s convent among the décor for the altar.

Later in the day, Sheri Gottlieb and her dedicated Therapeutic Recreation Staff distributed ice cream cones to the residents as a special treat in honor of the Feast.

The staff was included in the celebration with the distribution of $10.00 gift certificates to Magnolia’s Café for each employee.

What a special day to honor such a truly extraordinary wom an: our patroness, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini!

 

Voices for the Voiceless

We are very proud and grateful for the students of Cabrini University’s ECG 200, Voices for the Voiceless class. They helped organize a Human Trafficking Awareness Walk at Cabrini University on November 10 (Cabrini Day) and had “stations” where they shared info on Human Trafficking. The students in this class have become abolitionists and we know they are going to continue to be voices for the voiceless!
~ The Barbara and John Jordan Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education, Cabrini Action and Advocacy Coalition, and ECG 200 Voice for Voiceless-Anti-Human Trafficking Class

Some topics discussed:
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, in which people are controlled and exploited for profit. Perpetrators use force, fraud, and/or coercion to manipulate and establish control over individuals.
Types of Trafficking:
Various forms of trafficking exist around the world, including forced labor, sex trafficking, child labor, forced marriage, and child soldiers.
Statistics:
In 2019, 11,500 situations of human trafficking were reported to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. These situations involved 22,326 individual survivors; nearly 4,384 traffickers and 1,912 suspicious businesses. Human trafficking is very much under reported. Shocking as these numbers are, they are likely only a fraction of the actual problem.
Impact:
Trafficked persons often have limited access to basic necessities such as safety, food, sleep, hygiene, and medical care.

Get Involved:
Learn everything you can about human trafficking and share that info with your friends, neighbors, family members; donate to organization’s who help trafficked victims & volunteer for them:

Please place the National Human Trafficking Hotline # in your cell phone 1-888-3737-888 and report suspected cases.

Cabrini University – Cabrini Day

Cabrini University

Cabrini Day

November 10, 2020

COVID 19 and HUMAN DIGNITY

Cabrini Day 2020 is unique in context and delivery.  For the first time, students will deliver the keynote address, and all Cabrini Day presentations will be virtual

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