Let Your Heart Be Broken - Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of ...

page 2JourneyFall 2008Listeningby Sr. Mary Persico, IHMThe Problem and Power of ListeningWhen Simone Campbell,SSS, while speaking toa group of IHM Sisters,challenged us to “let your heart bebroken,” the words touched our collectivespirit with an ironic knowingthat the only way to understand theheart of another is to feel the depth ofthat person’s pain. And yet we spendour lives shielding ourselves fromhurts, avoiding difficult situations,and praying that we will not personallybe visited by sorrows and misfortune.Throughout this issue of Journey,the writers will share their storiesand reflections about this commonparadox we experience as human beingslonging to connect to one anotherand to our God. I have chosen as myparticular focus in this introductorypiece the importance of listening, thesimple yet eminently difficult act ofhuman kindness. Listening!If ever you have participated inthe evaluation of a particular groupto which you belong, chances are thatone assessment of the group’s inabilityto function at its peak or to be mosteffective in its mission is the ubiquitousconclusion expressed in thephrase “lack of communication.” Thisevaluation propels the group’s leadershipto make more sincere efforts atsending memos, convening meetings,or making information available. Themembers too step up their attempts atbeing on time for meetings or activities,and participating more efficientlyin the duties required of them. Laterevaluations reveal that the solutionswere only moderately successful anddid not address the underlying complaint.This is a simple and concreteexample of a fundamental reality. Thehuman translation of the technicalterm “lack of communication” is “Iwant you to listen to me.”In her book, Finding Our Way:Leadership for an Uncertain Time,Margaret Wheatley tells this littlestory: “A young black South Africanwoman taught some of my friends aprofound lesson about listening. Shewas sitting in a circle of women frommany nations, and each woman hadthe chance to tell a story from herlife. When her turn came, she beganquietly to tell a story of true horror– of how she had found her grandparentsslaughtered in their village.Many of the women were Westerners,and in the presence of such pain, theyinstinctively wanted to do something.They wanted to fix, to make it better,anything to remove the pain of thistragedy from such a young life. Theyoung woman felt their compassionbut also felt them closing in. She puther hands up, as if to push back theirdesire to help. She said, ‘I don’t needyou to fix me. I just need you to listento me.’”When Simone Campbell addressedthe IHM Sisters and encouragedus to let our hearts be broken,she had been recounting stories ofimmigrant persons and the plightthat brings them into our country andmore importantly into our lives. Itis in the listening to stories of oppressionand abject poverty that thenameless faces of people becomeflesh and blood human beings wholove their families as we do ours andlong for the freedoms we enjoy asunconsciously as the air we breathe.Our listening to their stories hasprompted us as a congregation ofwomen who hold justice as one of ourfive most cherished values to supportwholeheartedly the Catholic Bishops’stance on immigration reform in U.S.legislation and in our hearts. Unlesswe stop to listen to our immigrantneighbors, we cannot know theirstories, their loves, their longings, andthe common human bonds that bindus together.Perhaps our sense of listening isdulled by the cacophony of soundsall around us every day. Bombardedby media that is often violent andpenetrating and by entertainment thatis earsplitting and raucous, we’vegrown accustomed to the noise andhave forgotten how to discriminatebetween the sounds that need to befiltered out and those that need ourattentive listening. The human voicethat speaks the feelings of the humanheart is crying out to be heard.As Christians, disciples of Jesus, andgood people of other faith traditions,we must listen to those around us, tothe people of a boundary-less worldwho want to be heard, and to our ownhearts made in the image of God. Inthe story of Exodus recounted in theHebrew Bible, God speaks to Mosesand says: I have seen the miseryof my people who are in Egypt. Ihave heard their cry because of theirtaskmasters. I have felt what theyare suffering; therefore, I have comedown to deliver them. There is a logicalprogression in this straightforwardlesson. The heart of God is revealedin four verbs – seeing, hearing, feeling,and saving. How often do westop this progression in our own livesafter merely seeing the distresses ofpeople near us and far beyond? Wecan’t bear to learn more; it’s too painfuland our hearts might be broken.But God’s lesson to Moses is simple.It is when we listen and truly hearthe stories of those who need us thatwe can feel their pain and be movedto change the structures that stand inthe way of God’s dream for all peopleand all creation. It is when we listenThe only wayto understandthe heart ofanother is tofeel the depthof that person’spain.and truly hear the stories of thosearound us that our hearts will be brokenenough to love more deeply andlive more compassionately. It is whenwe listen and truly hear the stories ofothers that God speaks to our heartsand we find the peace that rests inGod alone. Let us listen long enoughfor our hearts to be broken and lovewill be born anew every day.Wheatley, M. (2004). Finding ourWay: Leadership for Uncertain Times.Berrett-Koehler Publishers: SanFrancisco.Sr. Mary Persico is the presidentof the Congregation of the Sisters,Servants of the Immaculate Heart ofMary, Scranton, Pennsylvania.Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Vol. 26, No. 1 Fall 2008Our mission as Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton,Pennsylvania, is to follow Jesus as a community of disciples, aware that we are sentto be a clear and understandable prophetic witness to the presence of God in theworld. - from the IHM Mission StatementEditor: Sr. Fran Fasolka, IHM Copyeditor: Sr. Kathleen McNulty, IHMAdvisory Board:Sr. Gilmary Beagle, IHMSr. Benedicta Berendes, IHMSr. Suzanne Delaney, IHMSr. Ann Barbara DeSiano, IHMSr. Lillian Marie Farrell, IHMSr. Maryalice Jacquinot, IHMSr. Lisa PerkowskiSr. Amy Zychal, IHMProofreaders: Sr. M. St. Anthony Radzikowski, IHM and Sr. Carrie Flood, IHMCover: Sr. Donna Korba, IHMJourney is published by the IHM Congregation for its members as well as its friends, donors, sponsoredinstitutions and supporters of the IHM Sisters and their ministries. Opinions expressed by authorspublished in Journey do not necessarily reflect those of the IHM Congregation. Correspondenceshould be addressed to the editor at: IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509e-mail: communications@sistersofihm.org

page 4JourneyFall 2008Courage for the Heart of the Caregiverby Sr. Paula Gallagher, IHMThe history of scripture is repletewith stories of the great peopleof faith, who, in their journeyof covenant, are given a new name.Many of us at this point of historyare now being given a new name:that of caregiver for a beloved familymember or close friend who iselderly or ill. We are called to a deepand demanding ministry, of helpingsomeone feel safe and loved as theyprepare to sum up their life and offerit back to the Father. May we come tosee this time as holy.We have to be so proud of ourIHM Congregation with its hugecompassionate heart that has learnedto embrace and encourage this ministry.Certainly we all recognize the riskthat is involved in having to let go ofa professional position at this challengingeconomic time in our nation’shistory. We also recognize the riskof having to remove ourselves froma responsible job at this time in lifewhen age will work against us as weseek to return to active ministry. TheCongregation takes this risk with us,and gives us its blessing. IHM saysto us “do what you need to do, do itwith all your heart, keep your balanceand your health and your wisdom asyou do it, and know we uphold you inour prayer.”A friend remarked to me the divineirony in the fact that the daughtersour families gave to ‘motherChurch’ are the same daughters whoare returned to their families in therole of greatest service at the time ofgreatest need. We have been promisedthe hundredfold; perhaps, being hereto see our loved one’s life come tofull circle is indeed part of the fullnessGod has promised.Many of us have interactedsteadily with the elderly of the parisheswe have served. We’ve beenblessed with surprising friendships,shared delight, and when they havepassed on, we know we have friendsin heaven. But accompanying one’sown parent or sibling or best friend,this is overlaid with so much morehistory. Seeing the strong, competent,capable, adventurous person that yourmother or father, brother, sister orfriend was, now bent over a walker orconfined to a wheelchair, unable to dothe simplest things — this is particularlypoignant. It is so helpful to keepa photo or a memory in our mind’seye of the scope of this person’sgood life, to remember the full storyof the one we are helping. We honorthe fullness of this individual as wego, with the same kind of love andwelcome, attention and steady supportthey gave us at the beginning of life.We help complete their sacred circle.Outlook is everything. So webegin each day asking for eyes to seewhat is truly transpiring here, beneaththe round of tasks and schedules. Weask for the patience, gentleness andattention we need to honor this as ourtrue present ministry. We ask for theability to slow down from the schedulesand responsibilities we are leaving,and to enter the rhythm of ourloved one’s days. We will be amazed,I think, to find this rhythm alive withgrace, transparent with God. We askfor the grace of true dialogue, momentsof heart to heart talks, as wellas rituals of comfort. We ask for theclarity to be firm advocates for ourparents in negotiating the medical andlegal systems. We ask to learn quicklywhat is needed in the round of keepingthe household running smoothly.And we learn so much as we go,things we never thought we could do.The one drain upon the energy ofour caregiving heart will be expectingmore from others than they areprepared to give, either emotionally,spiritually, financially or in terms oftheir presence. It is a siphon of thestamina needed for the needs of theone you serve to lose any energywishing others would do more. Weare blessed to stand near, and we canencourage others to come near as wellto know this blessing, but then wemust be free enough to let go of it,and let others respond as they need to.Let us be purely and peacefully presentto this task.It is our IHM Congregation whohas taught us to be women of thechurch and women of vision. It isIHM who prepared us to be professionallycompetent, ready for challengingpositions. It is our familieswho have always reminded us whowe are and where we have comefrom, who have given us the freedomto travel far and have great experiences,who have welcomed us home,strengthened us, and sent us on ourway again. It is our families who haveimportant lessons to teach us now:availability, humility, compassion. Itis our family, especially the one mostvulnerable, who teach us what is atthe heart of the Gospel: to lay downour lives so another might live.The greatest encouragement forthis role of care giving comes fromthose who have done this before us.The friends who call and recognizethe sacrifice we make of the work welove, the security we have come totake for granted, thecommunity interactionwe have learnedto thrive on — thesepeople give us aninvaluable gift. Whatwe need to hear noware the ones who havedone this very samejourney of caring fora parent in old age,and who look back onthat experience calling it a privilege,a blessing, one of the best things theyhave ever done in life. These are thepeople who know how long theseyears feel while we are travelingthem, the uncertain timing that confrontsus daily. And they are the oneswho can tell us that once this part oflife is over, no matter how long, itwill feel like just a moment of time,a moment that was wonderful. Theseare the people who can tell us of thegreat satisfaction we will have at theend, knowing we have done the bestwe could to love and comfort, andhow complete our souls will be whenthis journey is done. These are thepeople who truly bless us and set uson our feet with courage for anotherday of loving.We must recognize that once ourdirect ministry of caregiving is completed,we will be the ones who carrythis gift of encouragement for others.We will be the ones who recognize,from the inside out, what concretephysical acts of assistance will trulyhelp in the situation. We will be theones who can offer the relief visits,drop in with the welcome meal, helpwith the necessary errands and upkeepof the home. We will be the oneswho continue the role of caregivingby being the voices of encouragementand wisdom for those who are in thethick of it.Let us be blessed to bring thatspirit of joyful, loving service toevery moment of this part of ourlives. If days are limited and counted,let us fill them with grace and courage,kindness and faith. It is all holy.Make it all good.Sr. Paula lives in Santa Fe, NewMexico and cares for her mother,Margaret.The greatest encouragement for this roleof caregiving comes from those who havedone this before us. The friends who calland recognize the sacrifice we make of thework we love, the security we have cometo take for granted, the community interactionwe have learned to thrive on —these people give us an invaluable gift.

page 6JourneyFall 2008Taking It PersonallyA Justice and Peace Perspectiveby Sr. Christine Koellhoffer, IHMMany years ago, I was part ofa group of dedicated activistsgathered for a planningprocess. At the beginning of the session,each of us was asked to namea particular gift that we brought tothis meeting. A litany of wonderfulattributes followed as people namedtheir gifts: hospitality, generosity, asense of humor, commitment, and soon. I was comfortably settled into thislovely affirmation of the qualities ofthose gathered when suddenly oneperson added, “Brokenness. I bringthe gift of my brokenness.”I sat bolt upright. Until that moment,I don’t think I had ever thoughtof brokenness as something positive,much less a gift. But in the yearssince, I’ve come to see brokennessas exactly that — a gift — a gift thatinvites us to reflect on how we’vecontributed to the wounds of ourworld; a gift that opens us to live withcompassion for another’s reality; agift that challenges us to make justicepersonal.As a writer, I find it incrediblyeasy to dash off a response supportingor opposing a justice issue. Todaythat’s a process made especially easyby the many faith-based organizationsproviding ready-made letters to whicha personal message can be addedonline. Yet I also believe that writingthat letter or signing that petition ormaking that phone call—as criticaland important as that action is—can’tbe the end, the final response. Toeffect change in ourselves as well aschange in the structures and policiesthat wound our world, we need tobring those same issues to our contemplationand reflection. We needto make them deeply personal in theway that Julia Esquivel describes:When it is necessaryto drink so much pain,When a river of anguishdrowns us,When we have wept many tearsand they flow like riversfrom our sad eyes,Only thendoes the deep hidden sighof our neighborbecome our own.“The Sigh” fromThe Certainty of SpringWhen we take the deep, hiddensigh of our neighbor into our heart,we’re taking justice personally. Manyof the people who have become dearfriends in my parish community insoutheast Queens have experiencedfirst-hand discrimination, racism,exclusion from places of power anddecision making.Though, sadly, their experience isnot uncommon in our society, what isexceptional is the way in which thesedear friends have integrated profoundlypainful life experiences intotheir worldview, and how they’ve refused—emphatically refused— to letbrokenness embitter or defeat them.Instead, they’ve turned every negativeexperience on its head!Reflecting on their own sufferingand the deep hidden sigh of theirneighbor has fueled their determinationto ensure that no one, no sisteror brother here at home or anywherein our world, is ever again oppressedor marginalized. This is what impelsthem to work tirelessly for a morejust, inclusive world, for the fulfillmentof Dr. King’s dream of thebeloved community. This is whathappens when a community or an individualtakes justice very personally.In the company of so manyshining lights, we’re invited to keeplearning life’s big lessons: to drawdeeper compassion from our own brokenness,to imagine ourselves in otherpeople’s lives, and to keep on asking:•z How does it feel to be brokenby homelessness, living on thestreets, never getting a goodnight’s sleep because we have toguard both our body from harmand our few possessions fromtheft?•z What is it like to be broken byviolence in our neighborhood,shaken awake at night by gunfireand gangs and kept awake infear for our children’s safety andour utter powerlessness to evercompletely protect them, much aswe long to?•z What does it mean to be brokenby an impossible economicsystem, weighed down byforeclosure or unscrupulousmortgage practices that threatento tear away from our family theonly home we’ve ever known?•z How does it feel to live withinthe boundaries of our brokenimmigration policy, alwaysalert to the threat of raids anddeportation, always sensitive toa climate of unwelcome, alwaysexhausted by the backbreakingwork which is all that’s availableto us because we have nodocuments to prove we “belong”?On the deepest, most profoundlevel, we need to take the brokennessthat is part of our human conditionpersonally. We need to put a humanface on the issues of our time. Otherwise,they remain simply issues—they are “out there,” a statistic to beaddressed and a point from which tomove on. If we keep the issues distantfrom our hearts, nothing significant isdemanded of us; nothing challengesus to be radically transformed. Justicedoesn’t get personal.But it must. Elizabeth O’Connorin The New Community notes thatthe mark of a liberating community,which is what we aspire to belongto, is “a clear, radical, unequivocalcommitment to the poorest, theweakest, and the most abused membersof the human family.” In otherwords, to the broken.This unequivocal commitment tothose who are broken was dramaticallyunderscored in a presentation,“Genocide: Can Love Prevail?”last year at Maryknoll. One of thespeakers was Dativa Nyangezi Ngaboyisana,a Rwandan, a genocidesurvivor, and now a warden at the6,000 inmate prison in the capital,Kigali. In the prison where she worksas a warden, more than half of thewomen and men inmates have beenconvicted of perpetrating crimesagainst humanity during the sameRwandan genocide which Dativasurvived.How could she, a survivor, turnaround and minister to the verypeople who had brutalized both herand so many she had loved and lost?With a stunning largeness of heart,Dativa observed of those who hadparticipated in the genocide, “Becausethese people have committedsuch atrocious crimes, they have to betreated with a lot of love so they canbe transformed.”As we struggle to learn from ourown brokenness and to be movedto compassion by the brokenness ofour world, let us also continue to beinspired by the great cloud of witnesseswho intuitively know that, forthem, there is no way to justice exceptto take it personally.Sr. Chris Koellhoffer serves as thedirector of communications for theDaughters of Wisdom, U.S. Province,in Islip, New York.

Fall 2008Journeypage 7A Plea for Forgivenessby Sr. Donna Korba, IHMThere is a sacred custom amongthe agricultural Mayan communitiesin Guatemala’s westernhighlands. At the yearly plantingof corn and beans in April, before thebeginning of the rainy season, entirecommunities gather to pray and tocelebrate life. The prayer consists ofgratitude for the blessings of the pastyear and a plea for forgiveness forthe wounds that will be inflicted uponMother Earth as the Maya break openher body to plant the grains in herwounds. Each year there is both joyand sadness inherent on that day. TheMaya instinctively know that theywill leave their environmental footprinton their Mother in the woundingprocess of planting and harvesting,and so, they ritualize these actions. Inthe ritual, they remember the interrelatednessof all creation in the sacredcommunity of life.For those of us who live in countriesfarther removed from the sacredrites of agriculture, where moderntechnology, unbridled consumerism,and a fast paced, disposable lifestyleare the norm, it becomes ever morenecessary to awaken our consciencesand break open our hearts to experiencethe profound truth that theworld’s indigenous peoples havealways known: All are one. All aresacred.In recent years, we have heardmore and more about global warmingand carbon footprints. Global warmingis the rise of Earth’s temperaturecaused by the burning of fossil fuelslike coal and oil, which pump carbondioxide into the atmosphere. Worldwide,80% of the energy consumedcomes from the burning of fossil fuels.Carbon dioxide and other greenhousegases form, trapping Earth’sheat and causing rising temperatures.The consequences are catastrophicfrom floods, droughts, famine, anddisease to the extinction of entire lifeforms. The impact of global warmingwill initially fall most heavily onthe world’s poor who are particularlydependent on the natural environmentbut will have consequences on all life.A carbon (environmental)footprint is each person’s individualcontribution to the global warmingprocess, each individual’s piece of thepollution caused by the overuse offossil fuels: the damage done to Earthfor having lived. Science has shownthat there is a definite relationship betweenan individual’s carbon footprintand global warming.As inhabitants of one of Earth’srichest countries, we citizens of theUnited States have a responsibilityto look at our lifestyles, evaluate thewounds we have imparted on MotherEarth, and take individual and collaborativeactions toward her healing.As people of faith we have aneven more profound obligation. JohnPaul II spoke in his 1990 World Dayof Peace message: “Christians mustrealize that their responsibility withincreation and their duty toward natureand the Creator are essential parts ofour faith.” In their 1992 documententitled “Renewing the Earth,” theU.S. Bishops praised St. Francis ofAssisi while reminding their readers:“Safeguarding creation requires usto live responsibly in it, rather thanmanaging creation as though we areoutside of it.”As women religious and asSisters, Servants of the ImmaculateHeart of Mary, we too have a responsibilityto look at our individualand corporate carbon footprint onGod’s creation. We have committedourselves to seek ways that we canbe “life for the life of the world.”The challenge before us is perhapseven more profound than the initialwords we wrote in our 2006 directionstatement strategies. Can we sense theurgent need to do our part? The followingsuggestions are some commonsense ways that we can each make aconscious effort to make a differencein our own lives and in the life of ourworld.The average North American usesbetween 70-100 gallons of water perday. In developing countries, waterusage ranges from 3.5 - 20 gallonsper day. How can I reduce my waterconsumption?1. Turn off the water when brushingteeth, soaping dishes. You’llsave 5 –15 gallons of water perminute.2. Install low-flow shower headsand low-flow toilets. If you havea traditional toilet, fill a two literplastic bottle with sand and placeit inside the tank. This will displacewater and you will use lessper flush.3. Avoid bottled water. Tap water istreated in the U.S. and is safe fordrinking. Consider installing awater filter if it would make youfeel more secure.3.4.5.Every food product has twocaloric values: the amount of energyyou receive from the food itself andthe amount of energy required toproduce it. The second value comesfrom the sun, human energy involvedin production, and the fossil fuels thatare involved in the production andtransportation.1. Buy locally. You’ll have healthierfood and reduce your carbonfootprint by avoiding the fuelneeded for transportation.2. Reduce your meat consumptionby 20% and you’ll reduce yourcarbon print by reducing the fossilfuels needed for grain production,slaughtering, packagingand transportation. You will alsomake the grain available for humanconsumption. No one has togo hungry if some of us sacrificea bit.Purchase food with the leastamount of packaging and processingas possible. Avoiding fastfood and preparing meals the oldfashioned way are both healthierfor you and reduce the productionand disposal of harmful packaging.Replace individual serving packageswith larger containers.Replace plastic cups and plateswith glass.Buildings are a major source ofcarbon gas. Two thirds of the energyused by buildings is for heating andhot water.1. Set your thermostat in the winterat 68 F and 64 F in the bedroom.Each 5 degree increase produces7-11% increase in energy consumption.2. Replace old light bulbs withcompact florescent bulbs andyou’ll save 150 pounds of carbondioxide a year. Remember todust light bulbs for better light.3. Use less hot water. It takes a lotof energy to heat water. Washclothes in cold water. Air dryyour clothes when possible.Dryers consume much energy.You’ll save 500 pounds of carbondioxide gas per year.4. Turn off and unplug electricaldevices. By turning off your television,DVD player, stereo, andcomputer when you’re not usingthem, you will save thousands ofpounds of carbon dioxide a year.Unplug cell phone chargers.5. Avoid air conditioning to excess.Set your air conditioner 5 degreesbelow outside temperature. Useless air conditioning in your carfor better gas mileage.The average North American uses1,722 gallons of oil annually.Continued on page 18

page 8JourneyFall 2008Just because it’s legal, doesn’t make it rightby Sr. Janet Yurkanin, IHMOn a visitor’s visa,Nadia came to visither son and hertwo grandchildren.Because she wasthere, her son andhis wife were ableto go to a party. Onthe way home, theywere killed in anautomobile accident.Nadia applies foran extension ofher visa once but itcannot be extendeda second time. Shenow joins the ranksof the undocumentedas she works toprovide a home forher grandchildren,something she wouldnot be able to do inher home country. Ifyou were Nadia, whatwould you do?Once we realize that we are notGod, we learn to accept thereality that we cannot alwayssolve problems, alleviate suffering orbe a source of hope for others. Wecan welcome them. We can listen totheir stories. We can be compassionate,understanding, and nonjudgmental.We can see others as persons, notas stereotyped nonentities.Every person we allow to touchour lives somehow adds a piece tothe mosaic that we are. That is whywe must learn to reflect upon eachencounter and even let our hearts bebroken by that person’s pain and suffering.If we do, our love can becomegreater, deeper, and more inclusive.Just because it’s legal, doesn’tmake it right. Slavery and the denialof the vote to women were once legalbut were challenged and changed.So, too, must our current immigrationlaws, which negatively impact thelives of God’s people. The followingare stories of real people.Edithe, a lawful permanentresident (green card holder fromHaiti), works two jobs as a dishwasher.Even with hearing aidsand the ability to read lips, she hasdifficulty understanding the spokenword. She communicates well bywriting, but her spoken word is oftendifficult to understand. Edithe wantsto immigrate her sons who are over21 years old. The current visa wait is10 to 12 years. The process will befaster if she becomes a U.S. citizen.Every few weeks she would stop bythe Office of Migration and RefugeeServices with a money order, as shehad saved up the needed $325 applicationfee to become a citizen. Ather first interview, the immigrationofficer gave her the disability waiverform N-648 and told her to take it toher doctor to prove from medical datathat she cannot learn English. Shereturns the completed form. Not satisfiedwith what the doctor wrote, theimmigration officer told her to take itback to the doctor. Because her hearingloss occurred in Haiti, the doctorcannot provide the medical data andher application is denied. She justlost $325. She gets the medical centerin Haiti to document her case. Sincethe immigration fees were raised, shemust now save up $675. For someoneearning $9 per hour, that amountsto more than 70 hours of dishwashing.She applies again. Sit with Editheas she awaits her next interview, notknowing if the medical report whichis not done on the N-648 form willbe accepted, again wondering if herrequest to be tested in writing will behonored.Susan, a U.S. citizen and sixmonths pregnant with her secondchild, walks in with her beautifultwo year-old daughter. She and herhusband hired an attorney to do theimmigration papers needed to get himan immigrant visa and a green card.Together they went for their immigrationinterview, but only Susanleft the Mount Laurel office. Herhusband was handcuffed and takento a detention center where he awaitsdeportation to Mexico. They did notknow immigration law. They did notknow, probably because their attorneydid not inform them, that anyone whoenters the U.S. without documentationcannot apply for adjustment ofstatus. Susan wants to know how shecan speed up the deportation process,because the same attorney told herthat a waiver can be obtained at theU.S. consulate in Mexico. Leavingthe U.S. after one year of unlawfulpresence triggers a ten-year bar.Shortly after she leaves, the officereceives an e-mail stating that thewaiver for unlawful presence had justbecome extremely difficult to obtainin Ciudad Juarez. Take a moment andsit with Susan whose husband willspend the next ten years in Mexico.ICE (Immigration and CustomsEnforcement) agents came to Jorge’shouse with a warrant for his brother.Outside on the sidewalk the brotherasks Jorge to go inside to get his passport.When Jorge goes in, he fails toclose the door behind him. Jorge doesnot know that an open door givesthe ICE agents the right to enter hishome. As a result, the agents followhim inside, open the bedroom door,and take his wife into custody. Whatdo you tell Jorge?When his car was rear ended at astop sign, Guillermo suffered a backinjury that resulted in the loss of feelingin his left leg. Unable to return towork, facing extensive therapy, andunable to continue paying the $125deductible for each doctor’s visit, heand his family made a decision. OverThanksgiving holiday, his U.S. citizenwife, Yadira, and two children accompaniedhim to his parents’ homein Mexico, knowing only too wellthat he will be barred from returningfor ten years. They return withouthim. There is no provision in thelaw for him to legalize while in theUnited States. Sit with Yadira and herchildren as they experience the voidin their lives.Entering the country illegallymay be a civil wrong, but it is not acriminal act. “Being in this countrywithout proper documentation is nota crime,” U.S. Attorney ChristopherChristie said at a public forum inDover. “Don’t let people make youbelieve that that’s a crime that theU.S. Attorney’s Office should be doingsomething about,” he added. “It isnot.”Maria comes with her friend whojust received a deportation notice.Tears well up in her big brown eyes.After being in the U.S. for twelveyears, she will be deported to Guatemala.Could anything be done? Walkhome with them as they ponder theanswer, “No, nothing.”Fifteen minutes before closingtime in walk Luis and his son. Hiswife was one of those picked up duringthe ICE raid in Bristol, Pennsylvaniaa few hours earlier. She was justa factory worker trying to supplementthe family income. Because she hasminor children, she is released thenext day. What now? What next?When? Imagine their fears and theiruncertainties.On a visitor’s visa, Nadia came tovisit her son and her 2 grandchildren.Because she was there, her son andhis wife were able to go to a party.On the way home, they were killedin an automobile accident. Nadiaapplies for an extension of her visaonce but it cannot be extended asecond time. She now joins the ranksof the undocumented as she works toprovide a home for her grandchildren,something she would not be able todo in her home country. If you wereNadia, what would you do?In the County Jail sits a youngMexican woman arrested for DUI.She claims that she had only onedrink. Under NJ law, ICE was notified.Her legal aid attorney advisesher to give up custody of her oneyear old child because when she isdeported, the baby cannot travel withher. Let your heart be broken as yousit with this young mother.Sr. Janet serves as the director of Migrationand Refugee Services for theDiocese of Trenton, New Jersey.

Fall 2008What do you crave? Doyou know what it is liketo crave something?Have you ever wanted something somuch that there was a pain deep inside?I know some young people whohave said “Oh, I am so hungry (orthirsty) I could die.” Have they feltthat pain inside? I doubt it. I doubtany one of us reading this article,except those who are extremely poor,have felt that pain. Have we everfelt hungry? Sure, we all have butnowhere near “the painful sensation”as the dictionary describes hunger.I remember hearing when I wasin grade school about the paganbabies and putting my change inthe mission box. And when we gotenough money to adopt one we got toname it. We were so excited to put aname to this child. Today as I thinkabout it, the child probably didn’tsurvive. As I went through school Iprobably heard statistics about povertyand hunger, but they never reallymade a deep impression on me. Forthe moment I thought how terriblethat was, but quickly forgot, whenword of the next dance or the Saturdayfootball game came around. Inthe end it was not statistics that taughtme about hunger and poverty, butpeople.The hungry and the poor werenever statistics to Jesus. He ministeredto them, met their needs evenwhen he had nothing himself. Was hethe poor helping the poor? And herewe are the wealthiest nation on earthand still there are millions of peopledying for lack of food. Someone diesevery 3.6 seconds from hunger relateddiseases. So, as you are reading thisarticle, how many have died? Anddoes it spark our consciences? Weknow this and yet…? Someone oncesaid “If you are not outraged, you arenot payingattention.”This hasbecome myfavoritemotto, mymost oftenused linewhen I amworkingwith the studentshere atMarywoodUniversityon social justice projects.I have worked here at Marywood forthe past twenty-two years, and it hasbeen an eye-opening experience forme personally and, I hope, for thestudents I have worked with over theyears. It has given me the experiencenot only to work with the poormyself, but to work with young adultsin their understandings of poverty andhunger and their stance before Godand within this human family.I can remember my first internationalservice trip to Doran, Ecuador,one of the poorest places I have everseen. I left a piece of my heart thereand the experience changed my lifeforever. As I said before, one canread statistics, but until one seesthe faces, looks into their eyes, andbegins to understand the lack of optionsfor people, one might only feelbad and move on to the next event.Maybe this particular student whotook my service-learning InternationalService Trip class put it best:“Having the opportunity to take theInternational Service Class followingmy trip to Guatemala allowed me toprocess my experience on an academiclevel. It connected the statisticsthat I so often read and immediatelyforget, to real people, real faces, realsituations. I am no longer fightingJourneyWhat Do You Crave?by Sr. John Michele Southwick, IHMbecause ofnumbers; Iam fightingforthe peoplewho havechangedmy life. IfI give up, Iam not givingup on asituation, Iam givingup on a humanbeing.” -EliseWhen we began the InternationalService trips, the expense of such atrip was a question in my mind. Wasit worth spending a huge amount tosend ten or twelve students so faraway when there was poverty herein the U.S.? It didn’t take me longto resolve that question. Yes, thereis poverty here in the United States,but there is also much more help herefor the poor. In developing countries,there are usually no options for thepoor. Or as one student put it: “…who would want to accept a job withno benefits, barely making it dayto day on their pay? The workingpoor we met are working in order topay others for benefits that shouldcome along with their jobs in the firstplace.” -CourtneyWhen witnessing sweatshops andthen learning about them in class,another student wrote:“Before going on the service trip toGuatemala and before taking thisclass, I never really paid much attentionto the things I was buying, whereit was from, or what it was madeof. After taking this class, I decidedto think about some of my futurepurchases. I own an old pair of Nikeshoes and that will be my last pair ofNike shoes. Also, I am going to trypage 9to find out what clothing companiesdo not use sweatshops: I will start tobuy from them. I am also going tobecome an advocate for fair and justlabor”. -JeremyI suppose my dream and mypassion is to plant in my students’hearts a craving for justice, a deepdesire to move them toward action tohelp the poor and to put their beliefsinto action. As one student said, “asindividuals we need to take on changein our own lives before we can placeblame elsewhere.” -MeganI think she got the idea!I asked my students if theythought they were prophetic persons,and one wrote “I do not think that Ican say I am a ‘prophetic person’ yet,but I know I am working to becomeone.” -JanetteAnother student wrote, “Onceyou are aware of these false wantsand how to rid your mind of them,then you can start to experience yourtrue wants. True wants come fromyour soul, your values and yourbeliefs. In my opinion, they are notusually for personal gain, but insteadto make you a better person orto achieve a better world: when wechoose who we want to BE, we arechoosing ourselves plus everyoneelse.” -JeremyWhat is it we crave? Is it onlymaterial things? Megan, a student,said to me, “When we crave morethings, we cause others who canbarely survive to have even less.”Could that deep hunger, thatcraving in us actually be a cravingfor justice, for feeding the hungry, forending poverty?That is my passion, my dream,my craving. What is yours?Sr. John Michele serves as a campusminister at Marywood University inScranton, Pennsylvania.Marywood University students lay the foundation for awomen’s center in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala.Marywood University student teaching math at a schoolin Vieux Fort, St. Lucia.Marywood University students picking coffee beans inSan Lucas Toliman, Guatemala.

page 10JourneyFall 2008An Unfolding Crisis - LeOn January 11, NETWORK ExecutiveDirector Simone Campbell, SSStraveled to Lebanon and Syria as partof a delegation sponsored by CatholicRelief Services (CRS). The purposeof the trip was to assess the situationof Iraqi refugees in the Middle East.The delegation met with Iraqi refugees,Christian and Islamic leaders,representatives of religious and civilNGOs, U.S. diplomatic personnel,a Syrian Parliament Member, andUNHCR regional representatives.This article provides informationabout their findings and is printedwith permission from NETWORKConnection.I am hauntedby the sound of the Iraqi youth choirin Damascus as I write. I hear thelovely (but mournful) song to Marythat they sang for our Catholic ReliefServices (CRS) delegation of sevenwomen religious, one lay woman andthree CRS staff. It is this sound ofyouthful energy infused with hopethat lifts my spirits. But it is also thissound that weighs me down, for it isthe sound, too, of suffering and fear.Join me in this account of our delegation’snine-day visit to Lebanon andSyria—a visit of heartbreak and healing,fear and fortitude.BackgroundThe United Nations High Commissioneron Refugees (UNHCR)estimates that there are between 2and 2.5 million Iraqi refugees and anThe “old walled town” in Damascus.additional 2.2 million Iraqis internallydisplaced. This means that approximatelyone-fifth of the populationof Iraq have been forced from theirhomes since 2002. It is like having20% of the population of Californiadisplaced.Where have they gone? Most ofthe refugees are found in the followingcountries: 1.5 million in Syria,700,000 in Jordan, 50,000 in Lebanonand 150,000 in Egypt. In each country,this huge influx of frightened,traumatized people adds to significantdomestic pressures in fragile economies.Additionally, this Iraqi crisishas compounded the already graveproblem of Palestinian refugees.For more than 60 years, Arabcountries have been host to Palestinianrefugees who fled or were forcedfrom the land that became Israel 60years ago, or land taken by Israel in1967. These long-term refugees livein camps in the neighboring hostcountries. Families have lived all oftheir lives in these camps, and manystill have no national identity. It isestimated that direct descendants ofthe original 711,000 refugees nownumber 4.25 million people. Youcan imagine that this large displacedpopulation stretches the resourcesof the host countries and the UnitedNations—along with the patience ofthe local populations.More than two million Iraqi refugeesfled terror and violence in theirown country to enter this already difficultreality, underscoring the importanceof settling the Israeli/Palestinianconflict, which further complicatesthe issue of peace in Iraq.Another complication is thatnone of Iraq’s neighbors has signedthe 1951 International Conventionon the Status of Refugees that set upUNHCR and established criteria forthe treatment of refugees. This wasbecause the large refugee populationalready present in these countriesmade them fearful that they wouldbe unable to measure up to expectationsset out in the document. As aresult, Iraq’s neighbors have no legalobligation to recognize Iraqi refugeesas a group for special consideration. Italso means that the governments arenot used to working with UNHCR.With this scene set, let’s go toLebanon.LebanonThe country known as Lebanonwas established after World War I. Injust 50 miles, its landscape changesfrom Mediterranean beaches tosnow-capped mountains topping morethan 9,000 feet and back down to theSyrian border. We were told that itis twice the size of Delaware but hasfour times the population. Lebanondoes not have oil, but it does havewater. It observes Sunday rather thanFriday as the weekly holiday.Into this beautiful, bustling, anddelicately-balanced nation, 50,000Iraqis have fled. Lebanon is teeteringon the brink of chaos yet again.A disastrous civil war (1975–1990),Syria’s prior occupation of the Bekaavalley, Israel’s prior occupation ofsouthern Lebanon, and Hezbollah’scurrent rise to power in the Palestinianrefugee camps have all created avery precarious situation.During our visit, Lebanon’s presidentialelection was delayed for thefifth time. The Lebanese Parliamentknows whom they want for president,but they cannot work out the otherpower-sharing arrangements. Theirconstitution says that the presidentmust be Christian, the prime ministermust be Sunni, and the parliamentspeaker must be Shia. This was apower-sharing distribution based onan earlier census, when the populationwas fairly equally divided into threeparts. Since that time, the Christianpopulation has decreased and theShia population has dramaticallyincreased.Fifty thousand Iraqi refugeesfled through Syria to Lebanon, oftenbecause they had family membersalready in Lebanon, some familiaritywith Lebanon, or a desire to run asfar away from Iraq as possible. Whatthey encountered was a country thatclosed its borders to refugees. Justas with people coming to the U.S.,some refugees paid smugglers to getthem into Lebanon. Others got visitorvisas and just stayed, or they slippedthrough the borders on their own. Allof these refugees have no status inLebanon and, unlike in the U.S., it isa crime to be without status. So therefugees are terrified of being pickedup by the police and sent to jail forthe crime. We were told that theirsentences can vary from one to 18months and that most Iraqis receivethe minimum sentence.Once they finish their time injail, these refugees are transferred toAn Iraqi family in Syria;(L-R) General Haraki’s assistant, General Haraki, SClare Nolan GSS, Aa facility for immigration processing.Let me tell you about the facility. First,let me say that General Harraki, whois in charge, told us right away that sheand her whole staff want a differentfacility. They deplore the conditionsand are trying to get a new place, butthey have not been able to do so. Inthe meantime, they work with a nongovernmentalorganization to improveconditions for the detainees and staff.The facility was constructed undera freeway in downtown Beirut. It iscompletely without windows and builtin a long narrow design to mirror theroadway above. Air-intake vents bringin polluted air from the freeway. Thereare 13 cages that hold the detainees.The cages contain no furniture, so

Fall 2008t Your Heart Be BrokenJourneyby Simone Campbell, SSSpage 11refugees of the Iraq war.imone Campbell, SSS, Jenna Welch (from CRS),nne Curtis, RSMpeople sit and sleep on mats on thefloor. We were told that each cage wasmeant for 40 people, but there are cur-rently 50 to 60 in a cage.The women are grouped togetherby nationality and the men are orga-nized alphabetically. We saw peoplefrom Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Somalia,the Philippines, Iraq and many morecountries.We were told that most people stayin this facility for two to three monthswhile their deportation or voluntarydeparture is arranged. Iraqis have beenrefusing to return to their country, andinstead have been choosing to stay inthis underground facility. One Iraqiman has been there for more than ayear.Into this setting came the CaritasLebanon Migrant Center—heroes toour whole delegation. Beginning in2000, the Migrant Center began towork with the detention facility, theonly NGO to do so. They improvedconditions by bringing in a washerand dryer that allows the detainees towash their clothes. They also provideround-the-clock access to socialworkers, health screenings, three hotmeals a week, a library, etc. Afterwe returned to the U.S., we receivedword that this marvelous organizationhas joined with UNHCR to negotiatewith Lebanese security for the paroleof Iraqi refugees and their families.After payment of a $630 fine,they would be paroled into Lebanonin the custody of UNHCR for a periodof six months. They are still workingout the details of this agreement,but hope to begin implementing it byMarch of this year. Catholic ReliefServices is partnering with the MigrantCenter to pay a portion of thesefines in order to get as many peopleout as quickly as possible.Leaving this heartbreak of aplace, I realized that I came becauseof the Iraqi refugee crisis, but I metthe reality of globalization. I haveoften argued that immigration is nota domestic issue, but this brought meface to face with the stark reality of aworld’s population on the move. Notonly must the Iraqi refugee crisis beconsidered in the context of the Palestinianissue, it also has the backdropof global migration. Fortunately, it isset also in a context where people ofgood will work for the common good.Najla Chahda and her staff of socialworkers and outreach workers at theCaritas Lebanon Migrant Center aresuch people of good will. They havedeveloped a multi-service center thatserves 1400 Iraqi refugee families byproviding food, medical care, mentalhealth services and much more. Theseven social workers strive to respondto the variety of needs of the families.We were privileged to meet several ofthese families.The first family we met includeda mom and dad and their 10 children.In Kirkuk, they had run a liquor store,as many Christian families do in Iraq.They fled after their store was burned,the father was tortured by militia, andtheir lives were threatened by fundamentalistMuslims who said thatalcohol was evil. They wonder if thereal issue was that Christians weremaking a good middle-class livingand others were jealous. When theyfled, they took their life savings ofabout $10,000 with them. They spent$2000 to get to Syria and then $4800($400 each) to get smuggled intoLebanon to join the wife’s sister andher family. They all live in a room ofabout 15 square feet with an alcovekitchen and bathroom, and they havespent their entire savings. Their olderchildren work under the table andbring home a combined total of about$800 a month for their family. Theymust pay $270 per month for rent andutilities and $10 per day just for breadfor their family. Because of damage tohis hands, the father trembles constantlyand is unable to work. TheseIraqis fear for their survival each dayand dream of beingrelocated tosomeplace safe.AnotherIraqi who hauntsmy memoriesis a 30-year-oldnew mother whohas her mastersin nuclearphysics. Sheand her fatherwere workingin a small Iraqicompany thathelped rebuild ahospital in Iraqwhen they werethreatened for working with a U.S.company. Her father was killed, andshe fled to Lebanon where she joinedher husband who had fled earlier. Sheclings now to her new baby, whosename means flower. When she spokeof her ordeal, she closed all the doorsand windows that were letting in thewarming sunshine, sat in the middleof the bare room on the floor with us,and whispered of her terror. She andher husband live in fear of the Lebanesepolice, but also in fear of otherIraqis whom she believes might befollowing them. We did not know ifthis was a realistic fear or the residualeffect of the trauma that she faced.Through these families and otherswe met both in their homes and at theMigrant Center shelter, we learnedof the terrible effects of violence. Welearned that many people suffer withpost-traumatic stress disorder and thatwe must learn quickly how to respondeffectively. We learned of theirprecarious lives below the radar inLebanon, and we heard families saythey did not want to return to Iraq. Weunderstood a small portion of theirterror and trauma. Our hearts werebroken in the four short days we spentwith them—but we needed to moveon.Children of refugee families preparing for a Christmas play.SyriaHalfway through our trip, wedrove the 70 miles from Beirut toDamascus. We spoke of Paul’s experienceon the road to Damascus whenhe was blinded. I thought about howblind I am at times to the life of Christaround me. It also seems that our nationis blind to this crisis.I realized quickly that I had beenblinded by U.S. rhetoric to the morecomplex reality of Syria. It is a modern,secular country that fears religiousextremism and dominance bywestern culture. Many women on thestreets of Damascus wear the hijaband the modern Islamic covering forwomen. And yet the city has lingerieshops with display windows showingthe most revealing mannequins that Ihave ever seen.We are told by our governmentthat Syria sponsors terrorism. I don’tknow if that is true, but I do knowthat they have welcomed 1.5 millionIraqi refugees.For four and a half years, the Syrianstold Iraqi refugees that they didnot have permission to accept salariedemployment but that they could investin business. So Iraqis lived on savings,money sent to them, or throughblack market jobs. This means thatthe majority of Iraqis are living on theedge of hunger and need every day.In response to the need, ordinarySyrians took Iraqi families intotheir homes. They gave them smallsummer cottages in the hills outsideof Damascus to live in. Taxi driversoften do not charge passengers whospeak Arabic with an Iraqi accent.Continued on page 13

page 12JourneyFall 2008He wore a blue shirt, with red,yellow and green patches, andstretched his arms out to mine.He wanted to be held.My heart breaks each time I thinkabout that little boy in an orphanagein Tanzania.And I never even learned hisname.It’s now been more than a yearsince I returned from a trip to Africa,part of an assignment from TheTimes-Tribune to see the work of theAfrican Sisters Education Collaborativefirsthand.The stories have been published,the photos shared. My passport istucked inside a drawer, and my visashave expired.The assignment is over. But Ican’t get Africa out of my mind.My assignment was one that alljournalists dream about. I spent oneweek in Tanzania and Uganda withMarywood University’s president,Sister Anne Munley, I.H.M., Ph.D.,and Ann Henry, vice president ofMarywood’s Board of Trustees. I wasinvited to go on the trip during aninterview with Sister Munley aboutASEC, the mission formed by fourcongregations and their colleges toeducate African sisters about leadership,technology, and other importantsubjects. My editors loved the idea,and soon I was getting my shots,applying for visas in New York City,and booking my flights.I was not just going to writeabout the mission of the collaborative.I was going to see it firsthand. I wasnot prepared for what I was about tosee.We went to orphanages and AIDSclinics, villages and markets, andspent two days at a school for girls.I saw people beg on the streetsBut I Never Realized...and mothers walking miles to fill apitcher of water. I had seen photosand news reports from Third Worldcountries, but I never realized thereality of it until I saw it with my owneyes. There really are children whoaren’t able to shoo the flies away fromtheir eyes. There really are entirefamilies that live in mud huts, with nowater or electricity.Life expectancy in Uganda is 52years. More than 4.1 percent of thepopulation is HIV-positive, accordingto The World Factbook. Statistics arealso grave in Tanzania, where 8.8 percentof the population is HIV-positive.For the last 22 years, the conflict innorthern Uganda between the rebelLord’s Resistance Army and the governmenthas led to the displacementof more than 1 million people. Thearmy is known for its use of childsoldiers, having abducted more than30,000 children during the war.Each night, as I lay in a bed underneathmy mosquito net,my emotions ran wild.Some nights I cried,other nights I felt so muchgratitude and gratefulnessfor my life back in theU.S.After one week, Icame back to Scranton,eager to share my experienceswith readers. Iwrote a three-day seriesand a column. Each daythe paper printed an entirepage of my photographs,and a video I made waspublished online.Less than three weeks after myreturn, I married my high schoolsweetheart. Even with the joy I felt asI looked over the Great Smoky Mountainsfrom our honeymoon cabin, Istill thought about those children’sfaces and how I could be so lucky.I grew up like many American childrendo. I never had to worry aboutfood on the table or a roof over myhead. I went to a good high school,attended sports camps in the summerand had my own car at age 17.Although I spent only a week inAfrica, I was exposed to an entirelynew culture and saw things that I willnever forget.For me, going to Africa was aStudents and sisters at the Bigwa School in Tanzania.Sarah Hofius Hall and Tanzanian boy.by Sarah Hofius Hallwake-up call. I needed to see that tobecome a better person. I think thatto truly know and understand oneselffully, one must also know and understandthe lives of others around theworld.I saw true selflessness with the sistersand in many of the African peopleI met. The sisters do so much withwhat little they have. I should be ableto do more with all that I have. Thesisters I met are truly an inspiration tome, and are women I admire.I also learned the meaning of dedicationat the Bigwa Sisters SecondarySchool in Morogoro, Tanzania. The350 students at the school came therefrom across the country in hopes ofbetter lives for themselves and theirpeople. At Mass, their harmoniousvoices gave me chills and a sense ofinner peace. In the year since I spenttime there, the girls now have Internetaccess, which opens up a world of opportunities.When I’m having a rough day, Igo through my photos from Africa. Isee the children’s smiling faces outsidethe Tanzanian orphanage and the glowingfaces of the students at Bigwa.Those photos put my life into perspective.I have promised myself that oneday I will return to Africa. I want tomake a difference, perhaps as a journalist,perhaps as a volunteer.Maybe I will once again find theboy who reached his arms out to mine.I want to learn his name.Sarah Hofius Hall is a journalist forThe Times-Tribune in Scranton. Sheresides in Dunmore, Pennsylvania.

page 14JourneyFall 2008Friends of GodIn Memoriamand lovers of the dreamSister M. Dorinda DoughertyJune 23, 1920December 19, 2007by Sr. Eleanor KalafutWhen I recall the nursery rhyme –Twinkle, twinkle, little star,How I wonder what you are!Up above the world so high,Like a diamond in the sky!Twinkle, twinkle, little star!I think of Sister Dorinda. For thoseof you who may not have knownher very well, Dorinda was a greatdancer. She was so light on her feetthat we called her Twinkle Toes.When she danced, she was like afeather swaying in a breeze. She wasthe life of any party, and her partieswere always first class.In addition to her joviality,Dorinda had a more serious side.When I lived with her at Saint Rose inCarbondale, she was the DRE for theparish. We both shared eight fruitful,happy years there. She set up aprogram for grades 1 through 8 whichis still in existence today. She alsotrained many people for her program,frequently giving them in-serviceworkshops. Sally Donahue, SisterDorinda’s assistant, still remainsin the program, and was happy andblest to share enriching moments andstories with her.Sister Dorinda had a great lovefor her family. She was the youngestof fourteen children and sharedthe grief of loss for each one of them.She was particularly close to hersister, Margie, and Bim, her brother.She looked forward every summer tovisiting her niece in California. Theywere very close as they shared familialties. The trips west always gaveDorinda renewed enthusiasm. Whenthose visits were no longer a reality, itcaused her much sorrow.There was a deeply spiritualdimension to Dorinda that emanatedfrom her presence. She had greatdevotion to our Blessed Mother anda deep awareness of Our Lord in theBlessed Sacrament. At the end of abusy day, Dorinda could be foundeach evening in chapel deep in meditation.She loved praying the rosary,and among the May devotions, theCrowning of Mary was her favorite.When illness brought an end toher active life, Dorinda surrenderedher will to the Lord. She loved herresidence at Our Lady of Peace,and appreciated the loving care andconcern of all who ministered to her.Although her activities were limited,her mind was well aware of what washappening around her.Sister Dorinda has touched thelives of many people with her kindnessand generosity and example. Iknow she has touched mine. Thankyou, Dorinda, for all you have donefor me personally, but mostly for yourfriendship. You will always be in mymind, my heart, and my prayers. Youare now at peace and resting in theeternal life promised us by Jesus, theRisen Lord.Sister M. Phyllis McCartyFebruary 18, 1922January 17, 2008by Sr. Kathleen O’DeaOn January 17, 2008, PhyllisMcCarty, Sister, Servant, of the ImmaculateHeart of Mary, quietly acceptedthe long awaited call, “Come,my love, my dove, my beautiful one;come home.” As the morning sunbegan its task of lighting the world,Phyllis was ushered by the angels oflight into eternal union with the Godshe loved deeply and served tirelessly.During her sixty years of religiouslife, Phyllis’ fidelity to communityprayers, her special devotionto St. Joseph and her litany of familyintentions energized her to recognizedaily the good in those she encountered.She was gifted in sensingthe subtle and not so subtle needsof those with whom she lived andworked: prayers, cards, flowers forthe ill, comfort and consolation forthe lonely, a top of the line shampooand set to brighten one’s day, ceramicChristmas trees for the holidays,afghans to add colorful warmth to achilly room, financial help when one’spiggy bank was empty and her newestoutfit for someone who needed a bitof TLC. Truly, Phyllis responded joyfullyto her vocation as servant.As person, teacher, administrator,or superior, Phyllis meaningfullytouched the lives of thousands ofyoung men and women. This wasevident from former pupils who regularlytouched base with her, especiallyat holiday time, always expressinggratitude for her kindness and inspirationand most of all encouragementto recognize and use their God-giventalents.The presence of Sister Phyllisin my life has been a treasure I willforever hold in my heart. When HenryFord was asked about friendship,he replied, “My dearest friend is theone who brings out the best in me.”Without a doubt, Phyllis has been mydearest friend for the past forty yearsPhyllis, everyone keenly missesyou; however, we rejoice that youare pain free and enjoying eternal lifewith our Master, who, over the yearshad tenderly prepared your dwellingplace. May you rest comfortably inHis arms until we meet again.Sister M. de Sales WilliamsMay 10, 1926January 17, 2008by Sr. Kieran WilliamsMake yourself familiarwith the AngelsAnd behold them frequently in spirit;For without being seen,They are present with you.-St. Francis de SalesDuring Sister de Sales sixty-twoyears of religious life, she touched thehearts and lives of so many. Sister deSales loved being an IHM Sister andteacher.Many people have shared storiesand experiences of being a student,teacher, or friend with Sister de Sales.She was a wonderful person with ajoyful spirit in the classroom, teachingthe children the Irish jig, squaredancing, patriotic music, Godspell,liturgical music, and gestures to accompanythem, as well as workingclosely with many sisters, faculties,and staff.How blessed was I to grow up inan environment that truly fostered myvocation. Sister de Sales, Aunt Mary,was a great example of joyful, lovingservice. Her spirit and energy were reallycontagious and I loved her dearly.Aunt Mary brought so much joyinto our homes and our hearts. Wheneverpossible, Aunt Mary was therewhen we received the Sacraments,played in recitals, marched in bands,played sports and graduated, singingand dancing. Aunt Mary loved tosend cards for our birthdays, anniversaries,and special occasions and withour large family, that was a full-timeministry in itself.When Aunt Mary came to visiteach family, she brought gifts that hadbeen given to her which she neveropened, so she could give to us, hertwenty-seven nieces and nephews andmany great nieces and nephews. AuntMary taught us how to trust in Godcompletely and to give away whateverpossessions we had for someoneelse in need. Her love for our BlessedMother and beautiful prayer whilesinging the Ave Maria will be cherishedin our hearts forever.Whether in community or choir,at a profession or ordination, theclassroom or office, basketball gamesor Camp St. Andrew, in the parishvisiting the sick or burying the dead,Aunt Mary’s beautiful smile andjoyful presence will remain with usalways.Thank you, Aunt Mary, for showingus how to live joyfully and diehumbly, accepting sickness and deathin God’s time, not ours. “As we makeourselves familiar with the angels, webehold your spirit frequently in ourheart, Aunt Mary. For without beingseen, we know that you are present.”Obituaries for IHM Sisters may befound on the Sisters of IHM webpage:www.sistersofihm.orgGo to Who We Are and click onObituaries.

Fall 2008Inspire us to lives of meaning.Sister M. Jeremy HornungFebruary 7, 1929February 16, 2008by Sr. Mariam PfeiferShe who pursues beauty and kindnessshall find life and honor, too.-Proverbs 21entered the IHMs. Four years later, Ifollowed in her footsteps, graduatedand also entered the IHMs. Sister Jeremy,the former Thomasina Hornung,has been a loyal friend, colleague andconfidante for over half a century, andI can still hear her laugh! How we allmiss her.JourneyIn Memoriamness to innovation, and her warmthand concern for faculty, staff andstudents in a unique and engagingway. She loved this work; it was forher a challenging and fulfilling way tocarry out the IHM mission.She was also a great and faithfulfriend, as I know well; many othersalso knew her great and open heart.May we, like Patricia, pray for gratefulhearts and daring spirits as wecelebrate her life, and God’s fidelityto her.page 15Faithful ones delighting in God’s loveShe then arose and ministered tothem.The following verse was found inMarie’s wallet:I’d like the memory of meto be a happy one,I’d like to leave an afterglowof smiles when life is done.I’d like to leave an echowhispering softly down the ways,Of happy times and laughing timesand bright and sunny days.I’d like the tears of those who grieve,to dry before the sunOf happy memories that I leaveWhen life is done.Sister Jeremy Hornung’s lifewas truly one of “joyful, loving,hospitable service.” She loved life,family, friends, music and was alwaysthere for others. Former Marywoodstudents and colleagues expressedmemories such as, “Sister Jeremywas such a dear to all of those aroundher - what an inspiration!” and “Onething that comes to my mind is thesmile that greeted me when I walkedin for my trombone lesson… I alwayssaw her love of music in what shetaught... a truly gifted musician, whofreely shared that gift with all… I willalways remember her smile.”The Marywood University 2008Wind Ensemble Concert directed byWilliam (Bill) Weber was dedicated inmemory of Sister Jeremy Hornung.Bill, in his usual fashion, interspersedmany humorous stories about Sisterbetween selections. He also reflected,“Sister Jeremy was my chief mentorand supporter at Marywood University.She started the Wind Ensemblein 1973 and she and her dear friendand colleague Jane McGowty hiredme to teach and to conduct the WindEnsemble in 1975. Sister playedFrench horn in the group until 1983and regularly attended concerts untilher death. I will always be gratefulfor her love and support.”When my pastor, Fr. Ruppert,brought me to Marywood to auditionfor acceptance into the Music Department,we were pleasantly surprised tomeet Thomasina Hornung, who hadbeen Father’s organist. Followingthe audition, Thomasina treated usto a beautiful rendition of the WidorToccata on the chapel organ. Uponher graduation in 1950, ThomasinaSister Patricia Ann MatthewsMarch 10, 1940February 19, 2008by Sr. Gail CabralSister Patricia’s life was markedby loyalty to faith, family and theIHMs. She was educated in publicschools in the Scranton area. Afterthree years at Douglas College,Rutgers University, she decided toenter the convent and asked a familyfriend, then a student at St. RoseHigh School in Carbondale, whereshe would enter if she were going tobe a sister. The answer was “I’d bean IHM. They’re really nice and theywear blue!”During her interview with MotherKathleen, Patricia was informedthat it was customary for enteringpostulants to bring $250 to offseteducational expenses. Patricia saidthat since she was not going to beable to help with the education of heryounger siblings, she would not askher parents for the money. MotherKathleen said, “I just hope, Patricia,that someday you will be as loyal tous as you are to your family.” All ofus IHMs benefited from that bargain!Patricia certainly was a loyal, grateful,and faithful IHM.Patricia was an enthusiastic andchallenging teacher at Bishop GuilfoyleHigh School in Altoona, at St,Mary’s High School in Manhasset,and after her doctoral studies werecompleted, at Marywood College.She became dean of the UndergraduateSchool in 1978, and then served asvice-president for Academic Affairsfor 20 years. She used her superbproblem-solving abilities, her open-Sister Marie RooneySeptember 25, 1913February 28, 2008by Sr. Wilma RooneySister received her heavenlyreward on February 28, 2008, aftermany years of teaching and ministering.When she entered she alreadyhad her bachelor’s degree fromMarywood College. After profession,Sister Maré, as she was then known inreligious life, was sent to New York,where she taught grade school whileworking on her master’s degree atColumbia University. All her classeswere scheduled for evenings andSaturdays.Upon receiving her degree, shewas brought back to Marywood Collegewhere she taught in the HomeEconomics Department. It was thenthat Mother Marcella said; “Yourname is now going to be Sister Marie;we don’t want anyone to call you the‘old grey mare.’”Marie was a great teacher and agood friend to the girls. She taughtthem everything from upholstering tosewing slip covers. A special projectshe had was to make First Communionoutfits. These were given toneedy children.When she retired to the MarianConvent, she continued to sew foranyone who asked her. Marie felt thatshe was like “Dorcas,” the womanwhom St. Peter brought back to life.Sister M. Ina KenneyJanuary 24, 1911March 3, 2008by Sr. Paula GallagherWith ninety-seven years of wonderfullife, our Sister Ina Kenney wassurely a national treasure.This beautiful, refined, talentedand generous person blessed ourcongregation with her presence forover eighty years. Throughout a longcareer, she left a wake of beautifulmusic, amazing arts, encouragingfriendships, and a deep, rich, tenderlove of God. Sister Ina was anexquisite violinist, a master teacher,a person of tremendous creativity.Whatever passed through her handswas always of the finest quality.Her kindness and sensitivitytouched so many of us. She had atender way of reaching our heartswith her thoughtfulness, and a strongministry of supporting our work withher prayers. I visited with Sister Inaas she was celebrating her 70th Jubilee.She said: “It’s been a good, goodlife” with IHM. She showed us in amillion ways how to round out ourdays with beauty. In her retirementshe was as active as ever, inviting thesisters to enjoy the arts that wouldengage and delight them. When herconsiderable energy began to wane,her mind remained engaged, active,

page 16JourneyFall 2008We carry on your light, In Memoriamwe call upon your namealways growing and learning. Evenin her latest years, she would readavidly, and pass on the best volumesof things that had interested her. Herspirit percolated with beautiful andgentle life.Sister Ina was a petite and fragilewoman, but with a resilience thatcontinually amazed us. She bouncedback from many illnesses and injuries,especially in her later years. Shebore it all with such patience andserenity of soul. And how remarkablethat with all these challenges, Godrounded out her full circle with such along life.Sister Ina had prepared for herservices; she searched for words thatwould ingather and reveal the dignityof her precious, long, dedicated life.This is what she left for us – so fitting,and like her, so beautiful:“May He support us all the daylong, til the shades lengthen and theevening comes, and the busy worldis hushed and the fever of life is overand our work is done. Then in hismercy may he give us a safe lodgingand a holy rest and peace at the last.”-Cardinal NewmanShe leaves us like a hauntingmelody long remembered.were startled because her studentsstopped whatever they were doingand began the prayer “Hail andblessed be the hour.”Sister Paula was a wonderfulcommunity person who helped theSisters in whatever task they hadundertaken. She had many practicaltalents that she used for the good ofall. On the first Sunday of the monthshe wrote a card to all her relativeswho were having birthdays or anniversariesthat month. When she wasa resident in the Marian Convent shekept her joyful attitude despite manychallenges. While there she nurturedthe plants as ardently as she formerlynourished her pupils. Our IHM Constitutionsstate that “we devote ourselvesto joyful, loving, service to thepeople of God.” Sister Paula practicedthis her entire life.In her later years at Our Lady ofPeace, Sister Paula lived the “Prayerof Diminishment” of Teilhard deChardin: “When the signs of age beginto mark my body (and still morewhen they touch my mind)… grantthat I may understand that it is you…who are bearing me away withinyourself.” This our loving God did forSister Paula on March 6, 2008.ever I needed a friend.While in high school, I discoveredthat Marita’s joy and peace camefrom her theme song which I knew tobe “Have confidence in God.” Maritataught us, through her very gentlespirit, to examine our consciences onthe depth of our confidence in a lovingGod.As I am writing this reflectionon the Fifth Sunday of Easter, I’mreminded of the words Jesus spokein today’s Gospel: “Do not let yourhearts be troubled. Have faith inGod and faith in me. In my Father’shouse there are many dwelling places;I am indeed going to prepare a placefor you and then I shall come backto take you with me, that where I amyou also may be.”When Sister Marita resided atOur Lady of Peace, my visits werebrief. I felt she did not recognizeme any longer and yet I knew by hersmile and peaceful bearing that shestill lived what she taught. Thanks,Sister Marita, for sharing the specialgift of your life with me and manyothers who knew and loved you.from Marywood College, she livedher dream of being an elementaryteacher and a religious educator formore than four decades.While many people will rememberSister Anne as an excellentEnglish teacher in schools in RhodeIsland, New York, Maryland andPennsylvania or as a super-organizeddirector of religious education in EastRockaway, Binghamton or Vestal,New York, those of us who knew herbest will cherish her as a woman whoshaped her life around what matteredmost to her. Great love for God, herIHM Congregation, her family, andchildren were at the very core of herbeing. In a quiet, determined, andunassuming way, she consistentlypreached Gospel values, sometimesusing words.In the latter years of her life andmost particularly during the time ofher final illness, I had the privilege ofjourneying with her as she journeyedinto the heart of God. As illness tookits toll, the strength of her faith andtrust taught me much about whatit really means to be a woman ofsubstance. I thank God for this goodand holy woman and for the legacy oflove that she has given to my familyand to the IHM Congregation. Mayshe, in the words of the poet, JohnO’Donohue, “continue to inspire usto enter each day with a generousheart to serve the call of courage andlove….”Sister M. Paula BaierAugust 26, 1916March 6, 2008by Sr. Ann Mary BoslettWhen I say Sister Paula’s nameor even think of her, I smile becauseshe was a joyful person. She had agreat love for God, her family, andher pupils. Her classroom was alwaysa beehive of activity where her pupilslearned more than the basic academics—theylearned lessons for life andmany practical skills. I believe everypupil that Sister Paula taught learnedhow to knit, not with knitting needles,but by using two large sharpenedpencils. If you were in Sister Paula’sclassroom when the hour struck, youSister M. Marita GillAugust 6, 1915April 3, 2008by Sr. Margaret F. GallagherSister Marita was my homeroomand Latin teacher at St. Paul School,Scranton. Besides her gift of teaching,she appealed to the students by wayof her gift of listening. She becamea sounding board for those of us whowere seeking to find our vocation inlife. By the time I was a senior at St.Paul’s, I knew that this Sister, Servantof the Immaculate Heart of Mary wasa model I’d like to follow. Throughmy early years in the novitiate andmy first few years on mission, Maritacontinued to be there for me when-Sister Anne PickardApril 12, 1916April 6, 1918by Sr. Anne MunleyThe maxim: “Still water runsdeep” stirs in my heart when I thinkof my aunt, Sister Anne Pickard.Sister Anne spoke little, pondereddeeply, cared intensely, and livedsimply.Born in Archbald, Pennsylvania,the daughter of James E. and Anna G.Kearney Pickard, she was the middlechild in a family of nine. She enteredthe IHM Congregation on September8, 1944, at a time when four of herbrothers were in military service inEurope and the Pacific. She professedtemporary vows on May 8, 1947, andmade her final profession on August2, 1950. The recipient of bachelor ofarts and master of science degreesSister M. Aloisa McHughAugust 12, 1916April 11, 2008by Sr. Anne FulwilerI’ll never forget the day SisterAloisa was introduced to our seventhgrade class. Our particular group wasvery active and occasionally a boy’sbook would ‘fall’ to the floor. WhenSister Aloisa turned toward us to acceptthe introduction by our principal,there was a gentle ‘aah’ throughoutthe room and every one of us sat up

Fall 2008JourneyWalk closely by our side In Memoriam Until that daypage 17straighter, for there she stood – thisbeautiful, smiling young sister. Fromthat moment on Sister had each of usin the palm of her hand. Needless tosay, our parents were pleased that wewere happy and eager to be early forschool and frequently offered to remainafter school to erase the boardsor to carry Sister’s books over to theconvent. We just enjoyed being inher presence because she talked aboutGod and the saints.Sister Aloisa loved children andcherished the opportunity to teach thelittle ones. When she slowed downa bit physically she chose to remainwith children, tutoring the young onesand encouraging them each step ofthe way.It was years later when I, as aprofessed IHM, had the privilege tolive in community with Aloisa. Shewas no longer young but alwaysbeautiful and gentle in her ways. Isoon realized that her shining beautywas the glow of her inner life with herDivine Lord. I did not meet SisterAloisaagain until I retired and took upresidence in our beautiful, new OurLady of Peace Residence. She met mein our dining room with a big smileand said, “You were my pupil” and Ireplied, “And you were my teacher.”This little exchange became our dailygreeting. Some months later sheslowed down considerably but alwayskept her inner peace and her radiantsmile. We learn from scripture that wehave been made in the image of a lovingGod. It certainly seems that SisterAloisa had taken on that image to aremarkable degree. We know that theGod she served so faithfully with hertrademark smile has received her withopen arms, and of course, a lovingsmile.Sister M. Helaine O’DeaOctober 14, 1916April 17, 2008by Sr. Suzanne DelaneyBeyond a doubt, Sister HelaineO’Dea was a true New Yorker bornand bred in the city. The Irish heritageof her family was ingrained in herspirit, wit, and gift for storytelling.We met in late August of 1971when we were both missioned toSouth Scranton to teach at SouthCatholic High School. Our classroomswere next to each other andwe forged a friendship that remainedloyal for thirty-seven years.Helaine’s life proclaimed themessage of John’s Gospel, that Jesuscame that we might have life, life inabundance! In Helaine’s 91 and ½graced years, she lived her life to thefullest, even as she transitioned fromher life at St. Mary’s in Manhasset toOur Lady of Peace in late January.All who knew Helaine and were apart of her life experienced one thingin common - her zest for life. She hadvaried interests ranging from traveling,reading (with a special fondnessfor the NY Daily News), cooking,crocheting, sewing, quilting, dancing,making ceramics, shopping for bargains,and playing bridge, to visitingthe Atlantic City casinos and the racetracks!In the spirit of St. Alphonsus,Helaine prayed every day for thepoor, lonely, downtrodden, homeless,unemployed, and depressed.She also reached out to them byvolunteering in a homeless shelterfor men in Greenwich Village. Sheknitted scarves and lap robes for thepoor of New York City and gatheredher many friends to join in this effortto send large cartons into the city tokeep the homeless warm.Helaine was an inspiration ofhow to age gracefully and graciously.She will be dearly missed by her familyand many friends for the myriadways she touched their lives and thoseof others. We all rejoice, however,that she is now in the great circle ofGod’s eternal embrace - the God fromwhom she came.Sister M. Johnine O’NeillJune 6, 1917May 26, 2008by Sr. St. Monica CostelloI first came to meet Sister Johninethe year after I graduated from St.Alphonsus Commercial High Schoolin New York City. A friend from myclass was interested in entering theconvent and she dragged me to St.Alphonsus Convent as she told thesisters the news. I was there for moralsupport. She never entered and here Iam.Since all my teachers weretransferred, I was introduced to SisterJohnine, the new sister in the highschool. She was assigned to teach mefirst year Latin in the evenings after Ihad finished working. She was verykind to me and we soon became goodfriends.When I was ready to enter, shetook me shopping to Barclay Street.She encouraged me, she prayed forand with me and made me comfortablein my decision to be an IHM.After entrance, she visited me duringher trips to Marywood for meetingsand retreat. She always made it apoint to call my parents on her returnto let them know that I was well andhappy. I was always grateful to SisterJohnine for her interest, her supportand her friendship.Sister Johnine did all things welland with great spirit. I am sure thatshe kept her job at the White Housebecause of her abilities, fidelity andjoyfulness. At St. Alphonsus HighSchool, she was interested not onlyin the girls’ education but also intheir families and their relationships.She made many a phone call to seekemployment for the graduates.Sister Johnine did all things wellwhether is was working with theIHM Leadership or her working inthe college and other institutions. AllIHM’s are grateful for Sr. Johnine’syears of service but I am most gratefulto God because Sr. Johnine wasmy friend.Sister M. Andre DavorenApril 7, 1924June 3, 2008by Sr. Jan Marie KalyanSister Andre, the former AnneDavoren, was born to John and AnnaHiggins Davoren, April 7, 1924, inBrooklyn, New York. All throughher life she and her sister, Mary, andbrother, Jack, were a deep supportto each other. She had great pride inher brother’s three children and theirfamilies. They visited their Aunt Annenumerous times over the years. HerIrish heritage was enriched by visitsto the “old sod” with her sister andfriends. (We had a hard time takingher picture in front of the famous“Dirty Nellie’s pub”). Sister Andre’sBrooklyn accent would slip out everyso often, claiming her early New Yorkyears.Her home economics backgroundcould be seen in the interior designof the new St. Ambrose Convent inBridgeport, Connecticut. As a teacher,she captivated her students, especiallythe boys in her “bachelors’” classes;as a principal she was loved andrespected; and as a superior, she wasconcerned about each sister. And thenthere were those trips into New YorkCity for breaks from summer universityclasses for the young sisters.Sister Andre’s spiritual life wasdeep and quiet, with special devotionsto Mary and St. Therese of Lisieux.She always had a current spiritualreading book and would love to sharethe new ideas she had just read.Then there was her mystery book“lending library” and the daily cross-

page 18JourneyFall 2008When we shall meet again.word puzzles to keep her mind sharp.After Sister Andre “retired” from classroomteaching, she would graciously take onnew ministries as she was able. When she wasill, if asked how she was feeling today, herresponse would be, “ask me tomorrow.” Wewill always remember her when we think ofcoffee ice cream (defrosted a bit!) and petitelobster tails at Cooper’s.Writing about a person you have knownfor forty years conjures up pictures showing afriendship deepened by conversations, travel,and shared family and community celebrations.Those of us who were privileged toknow Sister Andre have these pictures, somewhatdifferent hues, but of the same wonderfulperson Andre was to all of us.Sister Andre Davoren entered into eternallife and peace June 3, 2008. Rest in peace, myfriend.Sister M. Regina BarrettNovember 30, 1925July 13, 2008by Sr. Mary Joan KelleherI am very happy and honored to be ableto write about my wonderful friend of manyyears, Sister Regina. Regina was an unusualperson, very creative, talented, generous, sensitiveand prayerful. To know her was to loveher. Her spirit was remarkable and was easilycaptured by those around her.You realized her love for her family,community, friends, and students, because, inher remarkable way, she was involved withall. She was deeply concerned for her family,interested in every event of their lives, andalways showing her love and concern.Her students, from the children in theEarly Childhood Center, to those in MarywoodUniversity, experienced her love andher exceptional teaching. Her friends alsoenjoyed her great spirit and her love of community.I, personally, enjoyed many exciting andheartfelt moments with Regina. Her creativityand her generosity never ceased to amaze me.Throughout the years, we celebrated manyhappy occasions together, for which I amdeeply grateful.My dear friend is missed, and will begreatly missed for a long, long time.In MemoriamSister Mary EarleyDecember 14, 1915July 28, 2008by Sr. Anne Mary BoslettSister Mary Earley was a woman ofloyalty and integrity. She was loyal to herfamily, her friends and especially to herGod. Mary’s integrity was shown by herhonest and candid relationships with all thepeople she encountered in her work and inher social life. Mary loved life and enjoyedit to the fullest. Her spiritual life was asrich and vibrant as her physical life.Mary’s constant mentor and spiritualguide was Henri Nouwen. She read anddevoured his books and tried to put hisspirituality into practice in her own life.When Mary went to Our Lady ofPeace Residence, she began preparing forher final days on earth by deepening herpersonal relationship with her God. Shewanted to die, not to be relieved of physicalpain, but to meet her loving God who washer constant companion. As her physicallife began to ebb away, her spiritual lifetook on a renewed energy; what she lostphysically she gained spiritually.Mary was a vibrant teacher who taughther pupils lessons that not only preparedthem to make a living but also taught themhow to live. Many of the students she hadas a young Sister in Archbald and otherplaces kept in contact with her and creditedher for their success because of the excellentfoundation she gave them in her commercialclasses.One of the many gifts that Mary employedwas her ability to write. She kept incontact with her friends and many Sistersespecially those who were on home ministry.Her newsy and informative letters werea source of joy and encouragement to thosewho received them.With the same vibrancy that she livedher life, Mary overcame many setbacks inher health.On Monday, July 28, 2008 Sister MaryEarley went to meet the God who had beenher constant companion.Continued from page 71.2.3.4.Drive less. Walk, bike,carpool or take mass transitwhen possible. You’ll saveone pound of carbon dioxidefor every mile you don’tdrive.Check your tires. Keepingyour tires properly inflatedcan improve gas mileage by 3%.Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbondioxide out of the atmosphere.Drive at 60 mph. Gas mileage declines quickly above 60.Each 5 mile increase above 60 mph is like paying an additional10 cents a gallon for gasoline.Pesticides and chemicals are a major cause of water andland pollution.1. Purchase biodegradable cleaning products.2. Avoid aerosol products. Potpourri is a good air freshener.Baking soda and water are good oven cleaners. Whitevinegar makes a great disinfectant.3. Avoid pouring oils in sink drains. Save used cooking oilin a plastic container or can and discard with any nonrecyclable waste.1.2.3.In the office:Use recycled office supplies.Use DRAFT quality printing when printing everydayjobs. It uses less ink and so reduces the pollution causedby ink cartridges.Reduce junk mail. Remove your name from lists via aphone call or an e-mail to the catalogue company.Check the number on the back of the catalogue.Each of us, by being alive has a kinship with every otherpart of creation, each made by God. Charity Sister and biologist,Paula Gonzales, Ph.D., points out that human beings arenot the most important part of the creation of God, only themost recent. “When we proclaim God’s name as hallowed, dowe recognize the echo of God’s name in all of creation?” asksPaula. “We are all a part of the 13.7 billion year drama of Godcalled creation.”And so we, too, as IHM Sisters, are called upon to do ourpart in this drama. We, too, are invited to break open our heartsand to feel the wounds which we personally, we communally,we as a people have inflicted upon our Mother Earth. We as acongregation are continuing to take active steps to evaluate ourIHM Center and Our Lady of Peace Residence to see how weas a Peace Site and the hub of the congregation can more gentlylive on Earth. As we continue this journey, we will inviteeach sister to journey with us. Through the Office of Justiceand Peace and the newly formed Environmental Committee,we will offer educational opportunities, spiritual resources andthe challenge to examine our individual lives and our corporatecommitment to be life, for the life of the world.Like the indigenous Maya in the highlands of Guatemala,we who live in the developed countries of the world must alsoask pardon for the wounds we have imparted on Mother Earththrough our carbon footprint. Each of us has the power to dosomething to reduce our print. Corporately we have even morepower to do something for all life. It is a matter of justice. Itis a matter of peace. Perhaps it is what we called ourselvesto when we committed ourselves to “channel our energies tofoster respect for diversity” and to be life “for the life of theworld.” The future of Earth depends on the choices we maketoday.Sr. Donna serves as the director of the Justice and Peace Officefor the IHM Congregation.

page 20JourneyFall 2008IHM Sisters EndorseComprehensive Immigration ReformThe IHM Congregation supports the positionof the US Catholic Conference of Bishopscalling for comprehensive immigration reform.The reform proposes:providing undocumented immigrantsalready in the US with a path toresidency and citizenship;reducing the waiting times forseparated immigrant families;protecting the rights of all workers witha guest worker program;preventing entry of terrorists andcriminals while treating individuals withrespect and humaneness.We adopt this corporate stance in solidaritywith our immigrant sisters and brothersand in fidelity to our congregation commitmentto be a clear and understandable witnessto the presence of God in the world.We hope you will join us in supportof the bishops’ position.JourneyIHM Center2300 Adams AvenueScranton, PA 18509-1598Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. PostagePAIDPermit No. 39Scranton, PASisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Vol. 26, No. 1 Fall 2008Let Your Heart Be BrokenAs Christians,disciples of Jesus,and good people ofother faith traditions,we must listen to thosearound us, to the peopleof a boundary-less worldwho want to be heard,and to our own heartsmade in the image of God.- Mary Persico, IHM