May/June 2011, Vol. XXXI, No. 5

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters

Some lingering thoughts from our Assembly/Chapter

ruly, we experienced the presence of the Risen Lord in our midst! This was especially evident in the communion amongst us during our faith sharing

and significant conversations in groups of mixed ages and nationalities from our oldest members all the way through to our postulant. The talents of all were brought out in our cultural evening and there were tears of gratitude for the richness of who we are.

We also experienced the Spirit of the Risen Lord alive in our midst in the enthusiasm for mission. In the preparation and in the Assem-bly itself, the mission spirit was very much alive. Our desire to be the Good News of Jesus especially for the poor and women by showing our solidarity and care was evident. In the Assembly/Chapter it proved itself in our consent to the Corporate Stances for Immigration and Trafficking, in our recommendations and pro-posals concerning Jamaica, St. Kitts, the Life Learning Center in Rogers Park and the hope for team building with our SVD brothers, especially in multicultural parishes. Some may have felt we moved too far and others not far enough, but we moved and we moved together. Community Life and Leadership were other topics of significant conversations. Our hope is truly to live participative leadership and to both individually and communally discern in our election of leadership. In community and in mission we truly hope to see with God’s eyes and love with God’s heart. We want our communities

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to be centers of hope and were affirmed in our being able to make diversity, internationality and differences of age into tools of communion and unity. We were also challenged to let God’s love free us from negative judgments and criticism.

May the experiences and belief in the Risen Lord’s presence amongst us help us as we come down the mountain into the reality of our communities and mission and live with care the ways we have chosen.

Sr. Carol Welp

May - the Month of Graduations

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Sr. Aprilia Untarto graduated with a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling

from Loyola University, Chicago.

Sr. Julita Bele Bau graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cross Cultural Studies

from Divine Word College, Epworth, Iowa.

Sr. Mariola Stawasz graduated with a Doctor of Ministry from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, and will be returning to her mission in Taiwan. Her mother, Zofia, was able to come from Poland to attend her graduation.

Sr. Maria Joseph Nguyen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from

St. Francis College, Brooklyn, New York

June - the Month of Jubilees

In the month of June, Jubilee bells will ring!

For our Golden Jubilarians,

on June 24:

Sr. Rose Martin

Sr. Agnes Marie

For our Diamond Jubilarians, on June 19:

Sr. Elizabeth

Sr. Dominic

Sr. Francetta

Sr. Lucille

Sr. Terisse

Sr. Trinette

Sr. Marie Angela

Sr. Mathilde

Sr. Rose Martin Glenn Sr. Agnes Marie Crabb

Sr. Elizabeth Jueditz Sr. Dominic Bartsch

Sr. Francetta Kunkel Sr. Lucille Hackenmueller

Sr. Terisse Zosso Sr. Trinette Paltzer

Sr. Marie Angela Risi Sr. Mathilde Steffens

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Sr. Leema Rose Savaritimuthu writes from Ethiopia that people are starving due to lack of rain water and asks for prayers.

Jorge Luis Darrichón, the younger brother of Sr. Monica Darrichón. He is in intensive care at the hospital with burns on his body. He was working and his truck caught on fire.

May 28 Baby Shower at the Convent for the benefit of Aid for Women jointly sponsored by the Convent and the Holy Spirit Association June 11-12 Province Centennial Celebration June 12 Pentecost (the day before, June 11, a Province fast day) June 10-19 Vacation Bible School in Greenville and Indianola, Mississippi June 19 Trinity Sunday and Dia- mond Jubilee June 23 Vespers, Sr. Aprilia Untarto renews her vows June 24 Golden Jubilee June 26 Mother Leonarda Day July 16 -23 Vacation Bible School in Fort Wayne, Indiana July 17-22 Retreat in Convent July 24-29 Retreat at Techny Towers July 30 Joint Jubilee Celebration August 7-13 Cultural Orientation Program (COW)

Our deceased: Sr. Angelinda Stoetzel, SSpS, who died on May 4, a few days after celebrating her 84th birthday. Sr. Angelinda had suffered a massive stroke on Sunday evening. After a beautiful Mass of the Resurrection and proces-sion through flowering trees, she was buried on Saturday, May 7. Fr. Bill Liebert, SVD, a former New Guinea Missionary, who died on Friday, May 6. Funeral services were held for him on May 11 before his body was taken to New Guinea . He will find his resting place at Sacred Heart Monastery in Wewak, New Guinea.

Pius Watun, brother-in-law of Sr. Julita Bele Bau, who died on May 7, leaving behind Sr. Julita’s sister and five grown children.

Gene Jahn, brother-in-law of Sr. Betty Tranel, died on May 17. Sr. Betty’s sister, Marge, also lost her daughter in death within the year.

Sr. Elaine Georgen, OSF, cousin of Sr. Sienna Ressel, who died on May 4 at the age of 87.

Angelina Alarcon Castro, mother of Graciela Bahena, housekeeping staff member, who died in Mexico.

Our sick:

Please keep all our sick sisters, especially Srs. Mariella Plenter, Mary Antonia Rade-macher and Jeanne Blie, in your prayers.

Gertrud, sister of Sr. Maria Fischer, who was hospitalized in isolation with a serious infection on her head and face. She’s home now.

Toby Schweibish, former employee in the business office, who is in a coma due to inflammation of the brain.

For Your Prayerful Remembrance

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Important Summer Dates

Sr. Maria Elisabeth Klodt has been trans-ferred from New York to Techny for prayer, presence and retirement. Sr. Monica Mabel Balbuena has been trans-ferred from Techny to New York for studies. She will continue to keep our website up to date and will also find a mission outreach. Sr. Angelica Chavol has finished her English studies at Lake County College and has been transferred to the Rogers Park Community to be a part of the Life Learning Center. Sr. Maria Joseph Nguyen moved from New York after graduation. She has been assigned to ministry and presence in Memphis.

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Sr. Aprilia Untarto will make her third vows on June 23. Shortly after, she will be going on home leave to visit her family in Indonesia. She is assigned to Rogers Park Community and needs to finish a course and take an exam in early 2012 for her counseling license. She will also be part of beginning the Life Learning Center Sr. Zelia Cordeiro dos Santos is going on home leave from May 2 until July 23. Soon after her return, she will be giving VIVAT workshops in India.

The Greening of Greensburg— Greensburg, Kansas, was completely destroyed in May 2007 by a tornado that was 1.7 miles across, a little wider than Greensburg itself. Today, with 60 percent of the former population, Greens-burg is new and better with efficient buildings powered by clean energy. The town had been named for a stagecoach owner, Donald “Cannonball” Green. “Putting the green in Greensburg” became the slogan for the rebuild-ers. Today, a sign on the edge of the city wel-comes visitors:

Rebuilding.. Stronger, Better, Greener! Sr. Marie Sheehy shared this story from a recent Reader’s Digest. Something to think about …

Sr. Gladys Smith, Sr. Maria Joseph and Sr. Carol Welp visited Sr. Dolores Marie Kuhl on May 16 at Emmaus House. She sends loads of greetings to all and is doing much better. She needs to strengthen her progress and learn a few more skills to help herself and then she’ll be ready to come back to us.

Transfers and Home Leaves

A Bit of Good News

News from New York

The SSpS, SVD and Comboni Sisters and Fathers celebrated the VIVAT International 10th Anniversary together at the Convent of the Holy Spirit on Friday, April 29, 2011. The mem-bers were welcomed by Sr. Carol Welp followed by an Indonesian dance. Each Congregation shared about their ministries in the Chicago area. Sr. Zelia Cordeiro dos Santos, SSpS, and Fr. Felix Jones, SVD, the Executive Team in New York shared about the growth and activities of VIVAT over these last ten years. Afterwards everyone enjoyed a reception.

Opening Dance Fr. Felix and Sr. Zelia – Executive Team

With five million internally displaced people, Colombia now has the world’s largest displace-ment crisis. Ongoing conflict has forced half a million people to flee to neighboring countries. Un-equal land distribution is at the heart of Colombia’s conflict. The homes and lands of indigenous people, Afro-Colombians and small-scale farmers in Colombia continue to be violently and illegal-ly seized by paramilitary and guerrilla groups who profit from the sale of these lands to unscrupu-lous companies. The new Colombian government’s attempts to address the issue is one step to-wards justice, but U.S. policy also needs to change to ensure the complete and fair return of land to the millions of people who have been displaced.

The Sisters want to stand in solidarity with the people of Colombia and at the same time help to change the U.S. policy in Colombia. Therefore, we made banners and posters with a desire to touch our hands to the hands of the suffering people of Colombia through this action and prayer. We signed postcards to our national legislators regarding Colombia.

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10th Anniversary of VIVAT International

Hand in Hand for Peace in Columbia

The Illinois Rescue and Restore held a press conference regarding the 6th Outreach Day on Hu-man Trafficking. Attorney General Lisa Madigan spoke, along with delegates from the State’s Attorney, Sheriff’s Office, and other key agencies in Chicago. Sr. Rose Therese attended the press conference since we are coalition members of Illinois Rescue and Restore. Seven of us took part in the Outreach Day on Human Trafficking in Waukegan, Illinois.

IL Attorney General Lisa Madigan

I was asked to be on the Diocesan Voca-tion Committee, following in the footsteps of former SSpS in Memphis. Besides being present for the students and parents of the Jubilee Schools, I minister in ways not included in my job descrip-tion, i.e., praying at the bedside of a critically ill student who went to her eternal reward on the ninth day of the novena to Mother Josepha, attending criminal court with a parent during a severe thunder storm, and waiting in the Children's Hospital Surgical Unit with an anxious parent for the results of a six-hour diagnostic procedure to rule out a heart condition in her only daughter. I was also asked to be a member of the subcommittee of Catholic Charities Parish Social Ministry, serving a religious vs. professional role in the Catholic Schools. And I was a guest speaker at Robert Morris College in Chicago via conference call to the Health Management Class of Dr. Denise Gray. Again, thank you for blessing us so that we can be a blessing for others.

Sr. Rose Martin Glenn

News from Memphis With a grateful heart for your prayers, we send you greetings from Memphis! After greeting a Memphian for the day, you would ask, "How are you ?" and many would say, "I am blessed." That is exactly what we are saying. We are among the "blessed" who live in an upper area away from the major flooding, "blessed" that one mile from our house on the same side of the street a tornado touched down and left homes severely damaged and trees uprooted. We are still counting our blessings as we continue in ministry, Sr. Monica Darrichon assisting in giving days of recollec-tion. During the month of May, every Wednesday evening, Sr. Monica, along with Fr. Carlos, SVD, will present to the Hispanic community from several parishes Diocese the theme, "The Primitive Church: First Christians", according to the guidelines set by the Office of Catechist. These presen-tations will be held at St. Joseph Church.

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6th Outreach Day on Human Trafficking

JPIC SSpS USA

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OUTREACH DAY

In April, 2011, seven sisters joined a num-ber of volunteers of the Illinois Rescue and Restore Coalition to Combat Human Traf-ficking in blanketing the state with posters, brochures, and fact sheets with infor-mation on the national hotline for traffick-ing victims. By hanging these posters, we helped to inform the public of the problem of trafficking, on how to identify and assist victims, and how to raise the profile of the issue.

In Waukegan, Illinois, Sr. Stela Maris Martins worked with a group from the Confirmation class to hang posters and give brochures to the businesses in one area. Sr. Agathe Bramkamp, Sr. Yuliana Meno, Sr. Angelica Oyarzo, Sr. Uloma Akpa, Heather Hovasse and Sr. Rose Therese Nolta formed teams to share infor-mation in other areas of Waukegan. Since the day was rainy, all of us were grateful to have a wonderful meal with our community in Waukegan and to be able to regroup for our afternoon efforts.

As many as 20,000 victims are trafficked into, and within, the U.S. every year. This figure includes both American citizens and

foreign nationals who have been coerced into forced labor or forced sexual exploitation. A vic-tim of trafficking can also be trafficked domesti-cally; human trafficking does not necessarily im-ply movement - only force, fraud, and coercion. Many victims of sex trafficking are children as young as 2 years old who are kidnapped or lured into the United States. Illinois has been a hotbed of trafficking with over 80 victims being rescued since 2003 from rural, urban, and suburban com-munities.

For more information on human trafficking, see the website: www.dhs.state.il.us/rescueandrestore

For more information on human trafficking, see the website: www.dhs.state.il.us/rescueandrestore

If you suspect an incidence of human trafficking, call the toll-free Trafficking Information and Re-ferral Hotline – 1-888-3737-888.

Seeing the impact of human trafficking, especial-ly on women and children, our province has just taken a Corporate Stance on Human Trafficking at the Assembly/ Chapter, April 25-29, 2011.

HOLY SPIRIT MISSIONARY SISTERS – PARACLETE PROVINCE --

CORPORATE STANCE

ON HUMAN TRAFFICING

We, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, stand in solidarity with the victims of human trafficking and take a corporate stance against the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation, prostitution, forced labor, and/or real or virtual slavery. Through valuing life and promoting the human dignity of each person, we uphold the dig-nity and human rights of those exploited and jour-ney in building communities and societies of Gos-pel justice.

RATIONALE

From the beginning of our congregation, we have served as women for and with women. “We

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consider it an important mission to enable women to grow in awareness of their per-sonal dignity and their role in the family, the Church and society.” (Constitution 109.3)

The practice of human trafficking exists here in the USA and worldwide. It is a violent and inhumane exploitation of the human person and is incompatible with the values of the Gospel; therefore, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters oppose the traf-ficking of human persons.

“Recognizing that the selfishness of the human heart is at the root of all oppressive structures and systems, we, Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, struggle against sinful-ness in our own lives; and in whatever situation we are, we stand for justice, freedom and peace.” (Constitutions 112)

The Catholic Social Teachings show us that “All human beings are clothed in the same personal dignity. For this reason they must be respected, and no reason can ever justify their being used at whim, as if they were objects” (Pope Benedict XVI, January 1, 2007).

COMMITMENT

We, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, pledge ourselves to pray for women and children caught in Human Trafficking, to educate ourselves and others regarding the magnitude, causes and consequences of human trafficking, work for change in so-ciety by supporting anti-trafficking legisla-tion and collaborate with others to work to eliminate the root causes of human traf-ficking and minister to victims of human trafficking.

PRAYER

Prayer Services / Holy Hours for victims of human trafficking especially women and children

Petitions during our liturgy Personal prayer to transform the system Ongoing prayer for the release and healing of

those who are trafficked Ongoing prayer for the traffickers for their

change of heart and repentance

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS (ourselves and others) Learn about the magnitude, causes and conse-

quences of human trafficking Become more aware of the laws concerning

human trafficking (state and federal and inter- national)

Learn about the key issues of human trafficking here in the USA/Caribbean.

ADVOCACY Letter writing, e-mailing,

lobbying for policy change that will support and impact human trafficking

Network with others on human trafficking

Support the U.N. agenda on anti-trafficking

ACTION Collaborate with others to work to eliminate the

root causes of human trafficking, Network with others to minister to victims of

human trafficking in ways that are possible for our province

Collaborate with organizations that focus on human trafficking

Empowerment of women where we are serving (For more information, contact: Sr. Rose Therese Nolta, SSpS - jpicssps@yahoo.com)