Lives rooted in community - The Sisters of St. Francis

Recommendations

Info

Feature SiSterS’ liveS p Sisters Rosemary Hendry and Amy Williams 2 FrAnciscAn spirit Rooted in Community p Sisters gather at their 2008 General Chapter meeting. p Sisters Alvera O’Grady and Elizabeth John (E.J.) Timson Life in community with our sisters nourishes and gives us the support to go beyond ourselves to minister to and with others in the spirit of Francis and Clare. Community may take many forms. Some sisters live in community in one of our regional houses in new York, Pennsylvania or Hawaii. others live in homes or traditional convents in twos, threes, fours or more. And still others may live singly because of the demands or location of our ministries. However, for each of us, it is our connection to community that gives us our roots as Sisters of St. Francis and “where we are strengthened in our relational life and supported in our ministry … and which enables us to continue to grow as persons and as a community.” (Sisters of St. Francis Constitutions, Art. 35) no matter what our living situation or place of residence, we remain sisters to one another as we live our common Franciscan life through fraternity, prayer, daily living and service.
Faith and community empower sisters in hawaii By our Franciscan commitment to living the Gospel, we accept the invitation to give witness by our lives and our work to the redemptive power and presence of God in this world. sisters oF st. FrAncis constitutions, Art. 36 “Let us make the very best use of the precious moments and do all in our power for His dear sake and for His greater honor and glory.” blesseD mAriAnne cope K nowing it was God’s will for them, in 1883 Mother Marianne Cope and six Sisters of St. Francis from Syracuse, N.Y. traveled halfway around the world to care for people with leprosy on the Hawaiian Islands. As they cared for the sick and poor, they supported each other in community and their desire to serve increased. Through the years more and more sisters yearned to serve in Hawaii, and eventually the community’s presence increased. Today, more than 50 Sisters of St. Francis serve in schools, parishes, a retreat center and health care facilities on four islands extending the Franciscan spirit to the greater community. Among those ministering in health care in Honolulu are Sister Norise Kaiser, director of mission and values integration at the St. Francis Health Care System and Sister William Marie Eleniki, chief administrator of the St. Francis Healthcare Foundation. Through their shared ministry, millions of dollars have been raised, new services have been created, and the mission of the sisters is alive in the work of the lay professionals with whom they minister. Last year, the health system provided more than $2 million in services to people in need. “I believe when you give, it comes back to you in various ways,” says Sister William Marie. The two agree that it is their relationships in community that both nourish them and empower them to be creative. “It enriches us and then we’re able to come back to the workplace stronger to meet the challenges,” explains Sister Norise who lives in community with four sisters at Marianne Cope Convent in Honolulu. The sisters are well known for founding St. Francis Hospital in 1927 which has evolved through the years into a wide-ranging health care system which is shifting its focus from acute care to meeting the growing needs of Hawaii’s senior adult population. continued on page 4 p Franciscan Vistas Ewa in Ewa Villages, Hawaii FAll 2011 3
Page 1 and 2: Franciscan Volume 1.3 • FAll 2011
Page 3: Franciscan Volume 1.3 • FAll 2011
Page 7 and 8: p Sister Francis Clare DeGracia and
Page 9 and 10: p Sister Mary Ann Mishurda, third f
Page 11 and 12: For many summers they have played o
Page 13 and 14: Working for Peace and Justice Withi
Page 15 and 16: Franciscan Action network Since the
Page 17 and 18: House and director of mission integ
Page 19 and 20: meet our PArtnerS in miSSion: The G
Page 21 and 22: one-hundred and fifty years ago, th
Page 23 and 24: 29 Tea with the Queen 11:30 a.m. St

Lives rooted in community - The Sisters of St. Francis

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?