Students Make a Difference

Students, parents and faculty at Perth Amboy (NJ) Catholic School have been collecting new and gently used sneakers for their “We’ve Got Soul/Sole!” campaign in conjunction with National “Make a Difference Day” on Saturday, October 26.

The sneakers will be shipped to Haiti to the Felician Sisters and to the Sisters of Charity who have missions there. The footwear will be distributed to those who have suffered from natural disasters.

The campaign has been a great success and more than 200 pairs of sneakers have been collected.

Mrs. Rose Pennyfeather, art teacher at the school, is the organizer of the effort, with the support of principals SM Rebecca Piatek, CSSF,  and S Beverly Policastro,SC.

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Meadowlands Area YMCA

Meadowlands Area YMCA Honors Sister Theresa Mary Martin

S Theresa Mary Martin, president emeritus of Felician College, was one of four honorees at the 93rd Anniversary Gala, Meadowlands Area YMCA on Friday, October 4. The event was held at The Fiesta in Wood-Ridge, NJ.

Mr. Anthony Scardino presented Sister Theresa for the award. In addition to listing her achievements as President of Felician College for 28 years, he also paid tribute to the work of all the Felician Sisters. He actually quoted the words of the Felician Charism: The Charism of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Felix of Cantalice is to imitate Mother Mary Angela’s boundless love of God and surrender to God’s Will in compassionate service, total availability, and concern for the salvation of all people. Sister Theresa received the Caring Award.

The event was an opportunity to showcase the marvelous work of the Meadowlands Area YMCA. According to SM Virginia Tomasiak, “It was also beautiful to hear of the accomplishments of the wonderful people of the Meadowlands area.”

As people were leaving the event, many congratulated Sister Theresa on her outstanding gift of public speech.

Sister Virginia added, “The Felician Sisters who attended were proud of Sister Theresa Mary and grateful to have attended this gala.”

Christmas Holiday Stocking Project

The sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Convent in Coraopolis, PA, participated in an outreach project that is sure to bring smiles to the faces of a United States Navy Troop stationed in Iraq this Christmas.

SM Denise Bernas, activity director, coordinated the Christmas Holiday Stocking Project with one goal in mind: that of providing meaningful activities for the sisters.

The project began with the tracing and cutting of the stocking patterns from colorful Christmas fabric donated by Joann Fabrics and the St. Vincent DePaul Store in Coraopolis.  Sisters, volunteers, staff and many others could be seen working to get the task done. Simultaneously, Sister Denise began the solicitation of items to stuff the stockings such as DVD’s, healthy snacks, phone cards, athletic socks, body wash, shaving cream, sunscreen, insect repellent, and liquid soap.

Items for the stockings came from the VFW in Groveton, PA, the Legion in Moon Township, the Shop and Save in McKees Rocks, and the McGuire Memorial Educational Opportunity Center in Moon Township, as well as from the sisters, employees and volunteers at the central convent.

According to SM Cabrini Procopio, the activity room on the ground floor resembled Santa’s workshop as the stockings were being filled. When the task was complete, 77 Christmas stockings were packed and sent to Boatsie’s Boxes, Inc., for shipment to Iraq.

Sister Denise said “This was such a fun project!  It is sure to brighten the spirits of the Navy men and women who will be the recipients of the generosity and labor of love that this project entailed. The donations were so bountiful that the surplus items will be used for the next project, which will be “Bags for Veterans.”

 

Congratulations Sister

In commemorating its founding, the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Care (AAHPM) asked members to nominate whom they consider to be the most influential leader in hospice and palliative medicine.  Then a vote was taken for the top 10 among the 126 names submitted by their colleagues. More than 6,500 ballots were cast.

Many common themes emerged in praise of the nominees – mentor, leader, big thinker – but there was also great variety in how Academy members described what these Visionaries did or do to advance the profession, citing them for furthering research, communication or education, for advocating for public policy, or for their kindness and compassion. Some Visionaries were identified as individuals that significantly increased access to care within a region or community, while others shaped policy and practice on a national or international level.

SM Giovanni Monge, CEO of Angela Hospice in Livonia, Michigan, was one of the 30 Visionaries chosen for this prestigious list.

Among the 30 were early pioneers, some now gone, who inspired today’s leaders. These include such great women as the late Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, MD, author of the ground-breaking book, On Death and Dying, as well as the late Cicely Saunders, OM DBE FRCS FRCP FRCN, Founder, St. Christopher’s Hospice, South London, England, known for her role in the birth of the hospice movement.

Others on the list represent the new generation of Visionaries taking the profession into the future. Listed here, in alphabetical order, are the 30 hospice and palliative medicine Visionaries.

Second Music Video

Villa St. Francis Celebrates Second Music Video Premiere

Last night, residents, family, and staff members of Villa St. Francis in Milwaukee, WI, celebrated their second music video premiere, “In the Summertime!”

To watch the video, click here.

According to Vicky Schneider, director of mission integration, “Once again, it was a celebration of life, and a wonderful expression of joy.”

Villa St. Francis | www.villastfrancis.org

True joy doesn’t come from things

True joy doesn’t come from things, from having, no! It’s born from the encounter, from the relation with others. It’s born from feeling accepted, understood, loved and from this acceptance, this understanding and this love, and not because it’s of interest for the moment, but because the other, the other is a person. Joy is born from the gratuitousness of an encounter! And from hearing it said: “You are important to me,” not necessarily in words. This is beautiful … And it is this, in fact, that God makes us understand. In calling us God says to us: “You are important to me, I love you, I count on you.” Jesus says this to each one of us! Joy is born from here, the joy of the moment in which Jesus looked at me. To understand and to feel this is the secret of our joy. To feel loved by God, to feel that for Him we are not numbers, but persons; and to feel that it is He who calls us.

-Pope Francis’ Address to Seminarians and Novices, July 9, 2013

National Day of Service and Remembrance

On the morning of September 11, National Day of Service and Remembrance, about 30 members of the Williamsburg County AARP group visited the Felician Center in Kingstree, SC, each one humbly carrying a bag of food for the pantry.

SM Susanne Dziedzic, director, spoke to the group about all aspects of the Felician Center and encouraged the members to consider some future involvements with the ministry.

SM Johnna Ciezobka and S Heather Marie Deneen accepted the canned goods for the next distribution. The AARP group toured the facility and some even made a modest monetary donation to support the food pantry.  The group will soon travel to Atlanta, GA, for their annual convention featuring Whoopi Goldberg and Tyler Perry. Sister Susanne said the group was very fun-loving and compassionate.

Afterwards, Sister Johnna, SM Jacqueline Benbenek and Sister Susanne attended the Patriot Day and National Day of Service Remembrance Program at Williamsburg Technical College.

Sister Susanne said, “The singing of ‘God Bless America,’ patriotic remembrances by three veterans of war, and the playing of ‘Taps’ put into perspective not only the events of September 11, 2001, but also the need for prayers for our country’s safety and security.”