A Report from theSisters of Charity-Halifax2009

Dominican Republic

Bermuda Peru

Canada United States

We’re There...EducatingAdvocatingEmpowering

We Sisters of Charity-Halifaxaccept the Gospel challenge

to be a prophetic congregation.

We are moved by the pain of the world and by the energy of our charism.

We commit ourselves through prayer and dialogue, study and analysis, collaboration and action to bring about structural change in the unjust systems that cause poverty in all its forms.

We embrace the personal and corporate transformation to which this calls us.

This statement represents a shift toward global systems but direct service in specific areas will continue to be an important part of the Sisters’ work. In fact, our Sisters have always tried to tackle the “big picture” issues along with the immediate needs before them. For instance, we’ve been active as a non-governmental organization (NGO) at the United Nations for more than 10 years. And many of our Sisters work with partners to make real change both in our local areas and in our global community.

In this Report, you’ll see a few examples of that:

Two Sisters in Nova Scotia opened their doors as a safe house for prostitutes long before the word “trafficking” was part of our vocabulary.

A Sister in British Columbia is lobbying government officials to control human trafficking at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Through seemingly simple actions such as letter-writing campaigns, a small group of Sisters is having an impact in eastern Canada.

Our Sisters are at the table for policy discussions at the United Nations.

History has taught us that one person can make a difference. Especially when that one person adds her passion to others’. There’s strength and power in uniting with one voice, to speak out in unison with those who are poor.

Committed to ActionThis is a significant time for the Sisters of Charity-Halifax. Reading the “signs of the times” in recent years has brought the Congregation to focus on the just sharing of water and eradication of human trafficking, in particular. Looking at the root causes of poverty led to the development of a broader Congregational Statement, in 2008, which will guide decisions and actions in the coming years.

What's systemic change?

Generally speaking, any action contributes to systemic change:

if it has a wide-ranging social impact on the life of a poor person

if it's sustainable, that is if it creates a structure for ongoing, permanent change

if the strategies used can be replicated to solve similar problems elsewhere

if it brings about social change by transforming traditional practice

if it develops or implements a pattern-forming idea, allowing people to see the world with new eyes

Change Through EducationMaritime Federation ProjectFour congregations based in eastern Canada, representing almost 1,000 women religious, have collaborated to advocate for the most vulnerable in society. Their work focuses on housing and social assistance, especially for women and children. Primarily through research, education and letter-writing, the Maritime Federation Project has already received response and commitment from provincial governments.

So far, the committee has highlighted the need for increased social assistance rates, greater accessibility to heating rebate assistance, and workable poverty reduction plans in the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. They’re also looking at the need for affordable and mixed-income housing.

Committee members (l to r): Sisters Helen Danahy (Treasurer); Franklyn Ferguson, Sisters of Saint Martha, Antigonish, NS (Secretary); Aurea Cormier, Notre Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur, Moncton, NB (Chair);and Roma de Robertis, Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception, Saint John, NB (Communications).

Through the Congregation’s Global Connections program, Sister Maureen Wild spent a month in Ecuador earlier this year. In a country which has recently adopted a new constitution recognizing the rights of nature, it seems appropriate that she was invited there to guide programs on the Earth Charter and ecospirituality. Accompanying her as translator was colleague and environmental educator Sister Paula Gonzalez, a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati.

Sister Maureen was invited by Pro Bosque Fondación (Pro Forest Foundation) of Guayaquil, to guide programs about the New Cosmology and the Earth Charter. The setting was Cerro Blanco, Pro Bosque’s ecology centre and the site of over 14,000 acres of protected tropical forest. True to its principles, accommodation provided at Pro Bosque was an eco-cabin of bamboo with a thatched roof and a solar panel for electricity. None of the committed staff and volunteers who participated in the workshop had ever heard of the Earth Charter, though they work by many of its principles every day.

Ecospirituality

Sister Maureen Wild

She also put together a spiritual ecology program in Quito for more than 80 people, many of whom were religious educators, leaders of base church communities and Associates of Franciscan Sisters. It was clear that they saw care of the environment as a ministry for all conscientious people. The program was wildly successful. As the local organizer says, “It was a day of awe, respect, joy, love and prayer.”

Sister Paula observes, “The concept of ecospirituality may have been new, but the almost immediate connection that people experienced was evident. Seeing the profound interconnectedness of all that exists reminds us about relationships – with God, with the rest of our 6.5 billion human sisters and brothers, and with all our other-than-human relatives: the oceans, mountains, deserts, forests, and the other living beings which call earth home.

“Thomas Berry reminds us that there are four major ‘scriptures’ we must read: the cosmic scriptures, the scriptures of human cultures (their history and wisdom), the written scriptures of world religions and the scriptures of the human heart.”

While doing a bit of post-program sightseeing,Sisters Maureen and Paula were shown a school in a poor barrio of Duran named after Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. It was founded 20 years ago by a married couple who built the school with their own resources and the generosity of others. A Cincinnati Sister who had served in Duran for almost 30 years had been a friend to them, so the name of the Charity congregations’ founder was an appropriate name for the school, which now serves more than 500 students.

Making the Change SustainableOver the past five years, Sisters of Charity-Halifax have contributed more than $500,000 to support water projects in the Dominican Republic and Peru. Partnering with local organizations has meant safe drinking water and sanitation for hundreds of people.

The long-term success of these projects, though, depends on much more than installation of pipes and storage tanks, toilets and taps. An education and empowerment component is equally important. As well as providing much of the labor, the families who benefit from the project learn about water storage and conservation, health and hygiene. Then they dig the trenches for pipes. And only then, their hard work is rewarded with a new water storage tank on their roof. Local committees are responsible for ongoing maintenance of the systems.

Accommodation at Cerro Blanco

The Cosmic Walk at Cerro Blanco

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Along with the Sisters of Charity-Halifax, the other Sisters of Charity Federation congregations involved are Sisters of Saint Martha (Antigonish, NS), Les Religieuses de Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur (Moncton, NB) and Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception (Saint John, NB).

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Collaboration is at the heart of Becoming Neighbours, a ministry reaching out to newcomers to Canada through companionship and prayer.

Erandy says it all with her sign.

Sister Marcella has accompanied families from Ghana, Afghanistan and northern China. The Ghanaian woman calls Sister Marcella her “Canadian Mom”; others call her “friend”. She offers a listening ear, encouragement to the parents and their children, and practical guidance.

Through a donation from the Congregation, Sister Marcella has also provided these families with food

Sister Marcella Ryan (centre) was among the 150 people from 23 countries gathered in a Toronto park, in late September. Sponsored by the Becoming Neighbours program, the celebration featured music, dancing, face painting and food prepared by a local Afghan Women’s Group.

“I have learned that people all over the world, no matter where they come from, have the same basic needs”

In 2003, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Toronto, ON, invited other women and men religious to join them in exploring the unmet needs in the Greater Toronto Area. Nineteen congregations came together, and Becoming Neighbours was established in 2006.

“With a collaborative ministry you’re not alone and you don’t get overwhelmed,” says Sister Marcella Ryan, who has accompanied three families for three years. “With the collaborative aspect, you have people around you, you have people you can call.” The program, directed by Father Peter McKenna, SCJ, offers newcomers accompaniment on three levels: companions, who are involved in direct service; telephone call partners; and prayer partners.

vouchers, transit tickets and telephone calling cards. Keeping connected to their families at home is a great help in combating the loneliness of a new country that many immigrants and refugees experience.

When asked what she’s learned from accompanying the families – who are now all Canadian citizens –

Change Through Collaboration

Sister Marcella responds: “Sometimes I wonder who’s helping whom. I have learned that people all over the world, no matter where they come from, have the same basic needs.

“They want to be protected, they want to be respected, they want to be able to contribute to their newly chosen country. The pain and frustration lived by the newly arrived gradually lead to increased trust, confidence and hope.”

“And for me, the global experience was right in my backyard. I connected with China, with Afghanistan and with Ghana, and I didn’t have to go anywhere.”

An important part of Sister Marcella’s ministry is participation in monthly meetings with other companions for theological reflection. She’s a group facilitator and says these meetings are a way “to keep rooted in our faith and God’s love for us and all peoples. It keeps us focused on why we’re doing what we’re doing with the newly arrived in Canada.”

There is also an opportunity to share difficulties and lessons learned. “One of the things that we’ve become deeply aware of is the great need to change our immigration laws. We need to make them more humane,” she says. “Sometimes, for instance, we have to move in and act as advocates when somebody is threatened with deportation for no reason.”

Sister Marcella sees the parallel between the Becoming Neighbours ministry and the Sisters of Charity Congregational Statement. “When we talk about our commitment statement, we can’t live out that commitment if we don’t do the collaborative piece. That’s the glue.”

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Systemic change takes time, and it takes collaboration. In her 12-year ministry at the United Nations, Sister Marie Elena Dio has forged many connections with other congregations and non-governmental organizations to help bring about that kind of change.

Initially she represented the Sisters of Charity Federation as a non-governmental representative (NGO) to the Department of Public Information of the UN. Later, the role became that of an NGO representative to the Economic and Social Council, a progression which meant that she could make verbal and written interventions.

Sister Caroljean Willie, a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, is the current representative for the Federation, but Sister Marie Elena keeps connected in a volunteer capacity. She contributes to UN orientation sessions offered through the Partnership for Global Justice.

When she started in 1997, “it was an opportunity to be more involved in global social justice and it was an opportunity to work with our Sisters toward that,” says Sister Marie Elena, who focused particularly on the issue of international debt and finances. “Something happened after I got the position that I didn’t expect, and that was an appreciation for the Federation itself. I developed a real love and understanding and knowledge of all the different congregations.”

Sister Marie Elena identified the need for each of the Federation’s 13 congregations to have a liaison with her, who would provide insights and assist with communication. That included distribution of monthly action alerts, a practice that continues today.

“Every month we would pick something that was relevant at the time and we would ask all of our Sisters to participate in letter-writing campaigns,” Sister Marie Elena says. “We got a lot of answers back. One time, for example, the director of the International Monetary Fund said to another NGO representative,

Connecting with the world

Sister Marie Elena Dio

‘We’re getting all these letters on pink stationery from nuns. How do they know about this?’ It was on global debt.”

Sister Marie Elena worked closely with representatives from other NGOs. They shared in lobbying efforts and gave panels and workshops at - and about - the UN. They also shared information and perspectives. She goes on to say: “Others have insights, particularly people from the poorer countries, that we don’t have.”

Over time, Sister Marie Elena witnessed a change in how non-governmental input was received. “Initially, when it came time for the non-governmental organization to speak, a lot of the government representatives would just leave the room,” she says. “But over the years we've seen things happen. Now our statements get into government papers, some of our statements get into the final documents. Some of our committees now give one of the opening statements at the government meetings. That was just not so when I first went there.”

Looking ahead, Sister Marie Elena hopes that Sisters will raise awareness and motivate people beyond the congregations to become involved.

“I really believe it's the world movement of citizens which is going on right now that will bring about changes,” she says. “It’s not going to be the governments, it’s going to be the world movement of citizens.”

As a chaplain at the women’s prison on Rikers Island, NY, Sister Eileen Schulenburg is making a substantial difference in the lives of incarcerated women.

Rikers Island is a tough place. There are about 16,000 inmates who are either awaiting or serving sentences for a variety of convictions in the State of New York. About 1,300 of them are women. Allegations and convictions are related to drugs, domestic violence, child abuse, murder... but Sister Eileen doesn’t see the crime, she sees the reasons that led to the crime. She believes that incarceration is often the result of victimization. False allegations may be placed on women coming from human trafficking, immigration and deportation situations, for instance.

“When I look into the women’s faces, I experience God in so many ways,” she says. “I am humbled by their openness, by the pain of their lives and by their courage.” She has learned that when these women ask for something—whether it be a stamp, envelope, phone call home, or rosary beads—that recognition of their dignity and attention to who they are is what they want the most.

For instance, Sister Eileen says, “one day a woman came for a stamp. I invited her to sit down and asked who she was. She looked startled but then shared her story through her tears. At the end of our time, I asked how she would have felt if I just gave her the

stamp and sent her on her way. She said, ‘I would have felt you didn’t care about me personally’. These women are so used to this kind of response.”

And this response is exactly what Sister Eileen is hoping to change. She wants these women to know that they are valued and respected. She wants them to know how unconditional God’s love really is. She also knows that it’s a cold world for many of these women when they leave jail. Without proactive measures like mental health programs and proper discharge planning, it’s easy for people to slip back into the old routines that landed many of them at Rikers in the first place.

Sister Eileen is not alone. Each of the 10 jails at Rikers has a Jewish, Muslim, Protestant and Catholic chaplain. She also works with affiliated departments and outside agencies to advocate on the women’s behalf.

But it’s when Sister Eileen walks through the gauntlet of women waiting for social services or down the long hallways that you see the immediate results. Smiles spread across the women’s faces as she passes by. Some ask her for prayers, some simply say hello. A book in her office gives inmates a chance to ask for prayers from retired Sisters. The requests are simple and handwritten. Some ask for prayers for their children at home, some ask for relief, some ask for hope of a better tomorrow.

“I feel the presence of the Sisters of Charity here so strongly,” she says. Sister Eileen is consoled knowing that she can advocate, pray and just be present for these women. “The spirit of Saints Elizabeth Ann Seton and Vincent de Paul energizes me,” she says. “God’s action, movement and voice are stirring at Rikers Island with such profound power.”

Creating Change at Rikers Island“I feel the presence of the Sisters of Charity here so strongly”

‘We’re getting all these letters on pink stationery from nuns. How do they know about this?’ It was on global debt.

Sister Eileen Schulenburg

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Twenty years ago, long before "human trafficking" was part of our vocabulary, two Sisters opened their home as refuge for women working the streets in Halifax, NS. It was a simple decision that made a huge impact on the lives of the women who came their way over the next few years.

Stepping Stone, a local agency, was looking for a safe house for former sex workers. Sisters Pauline and Nora Deal (two of three in the family who became Sisters of Charity-Halifax) provided temporary accommodation, until the women could be moved to another location. They also offered an environment of respect that many of these women hadn't known before.

"When the women arrived, they usually had their belongings in green garbage bags," a friend recalls hearing from Sisters Pauline and Nora. "When it came time to get them to the airport, we couldn't see them leaving like that. Many suitcases went on their way! They were always amazed that we all ate together... they never expected to be treated as part of the family."

When the location became too well known and had to be given up in 1991, Stepping Stone staff were disappointed. "The Sisters there offered a warm, nurturing environment that gave the women who stayed there the space they needed."

A young woman living in poverty in the Toronto area is sold into prostitution by her mother. Somehow, she escapes and lands in Vancouver, BC, where she receives sanctuary at Covenant House. In time, she feels comfortable enough to leave the house on a safety plan.

“A gang member assaulted her but she escaped,”Sister Nancy Brown says. “While walking down the street, another gang member followed

Space for Change

based local organization that works with women who have been trafficked and provides public education. REED’s current campaign, called Buying Sex Is Not a Sport, is a grassroots initiative for education - using everything from public forums to T-shirts and DVDs.

“We need to make more people aware that the demand for paid sex fuels the market for women and children to be trafficked,” Sister Nancy says. “Everyone is being encouraged to be agents of change in their own communities, to stop sexual trafficking.”

Another group working toward change is the One is Too Many Summit. Sister Nancy says her decision to become involved with the One is Too Many Summit was directly related to the Sisters of Charity’s Congregational Statement, which speaks to bringing about “structural change in the unjust systems that cause poverty in all its forms”.

It’s a theme which connects all of her work, whether it’s leading workshops on trafficking for parents, or speaking to various groups, participating in postcard campaigns to governments, or speaking one-on-one with young people at Covenant House.

“I stay at Covenant House because I think if we can change the lives of younger people, there’s a greater chance of change in our society,” she says. “We need to speak out to governments, to raise public awareness, and I believe it is happening.”

Sister Nancy has no illusions that effecting structural change is a quick and easy undertaking. She acknowledges that it’s a very slow process, and one which can be disheartening. “But,” she says, “we as Sisters of Charity need to be a voice for the voiceless, we need to challenge the injustices around us.”

A Safe House

The need for Covenant House is greater than ever. “I’m a Vancouverite and it’s very sad for me to say ourstreets are becoming extremely violent with gangs, not only related to drugs but also to sexual exploitation,” Sister Nancy says.

And it’s very likely that problems will increase with the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver. “At a meeting yesterday, we were saying that the streets seem to be getting more violent as the Olympics approach. The city is trying to clean up the streets; the police are coming down harder on the homeless, so the violence goes underground,” she says.

Sexual trafficking is a real concern. “There’s a group in the city pushing for the legalization of prostitution, pushing for a brothel to be

her in a car and on the sidewalk, threatening, telling her what she ought to do and not do. It got to the point where we had to relocate her to another safe home away from Vancouver.”

Sister Nancy could relate many stories of the homeless young people who come to Covenant House Vancouver, where she works on the senior management team. Her roles includes pastoral counseling, overseeing and working with case management, and acting as an ombudsperson. Sister Nancy says most of those living at Covenant House are escaping situations of family abuse, drugs, sex trafficking, or gangs. After a period of respite, each meets with case workers to develop a plan - or covenant - for going forward and making changes.

“This is why I like the work we do here at Covenant House, because it’s all about change,” Sister Nancy says. “It’s developing ways we can help young people live more productive and healthy lives. So we might get them back into school or a drug treatment program; we might get them a job; or we might actually send them back home if that home is a safe environment and that’s what they want.”

Sister Nancy Brown

opened just before the Olympics,” Sister Nancy says. “We all know the demand will increase. It’s documented that at any world sports event, trafficking and prostitution increase.”

Sister Nancy is collaborating with others to ensure that the reality of human trafficking is put in the spotlight. She’s a board member of REED (Resist Exploitation, Embrace Dignity), a faith-

“Everyone is being encouraged to be agents of change in their own communities, to stop sexual trafficking.”

A Voice for the Voiceless

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Microfinancing, or microcredit, are terms relatively new to many people, as a concept in community development and in assisting entrepreneurs. But the Sisters of Charity-Halifax have been practicing microcredit for many years. Through its Alternative Investment Fund, the Congregation has made low or no-interest loans totalling an estimated $300,000 over the past 20 years. Currently, seven organizations receive support.

These groups have put the funds to good use in supporting business creation, affordable housing development and educational opportunities, to name a few examples. “Through these small loans we caneffect change and improve lives,” says Sister Joan Butler, Congregational Treasurer. “Those are the most powerful dividends.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Sister Cecilia Hudec in Richmond, British Columbia. She says we all need to relearn economics, from the perspective of building 'earth community'.

She refers to some of David C. Korten’s ideas in his book, The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community. “The Earth Community prosperity story depends on life-serving economies that satisfy our basic material needs, maintain a sustainable balance with Earth’s natural

systems, strengthen the bonds of caring communities, and support all persons in the full realization of their humanity,” Sister Cecilia explains.

She goes on to say: “This requires the localization and distribution of power within a framework of responsible citizenship and international cooperation. It is wholly within our means, and consistent with our higher consciousness, to create such economies. Countless groups and individuals throughout the Earth Community are moving to partnership models of prosperity.”

A notable example is Oikocredit, which describes itself as “one of the world’s largest sources of private funding to the microfinance sector.” It also provides credit to trade cooperatives, fair trade organizations and

Small Change, Big Results: Alternative Investments

Oikocredit gives the poor access to credit through microfinance institutions.

Organizations currently benefiting from the Congregation’s Alternative Investments Fund:

BCA Holdings LimitedLocated in Sydney, Nova Scotia, the organization is run by volunteers and focuses on raising funds for local business development. Hundreds of jobs have been created with funds raised.

Boston Community Loan FundWith a mission of building healthy communities where low-income people live and work, the Fund invests in businesses that create social and financial returns. It finances affordable housing, child care facilities, arts programs, schools, health clinics, youth programs and other community services.

Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operativeOpen to registered Canadian charities, the CAIC was formed in the early 1980s by religious congregations wanting to pool financial resources to promote social justice. They are particularly interested in investments that promote alternative economic structures and act as catalysts for structural change.

Institute for Community Economics, Inc.The ICE builds the capacity of community land trusts and other locally controlled organizations to develop permanently affordable housing and local small businesses, throughout the United States.

Leviticus 25:23“The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants.” With a service area covering New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, this organization’s mission is to provide flexible capital and financial services for the development of affordable and supportive housing, and community facilities including child care centres. They have a specific focus on smaller cities and suburban neighbourhoods beset with poverty.

New Community CorporationThis New Jersey organization provides community-based services and programs including housing, early childhood education, transitional housing for the homeless, job training, education, health care, community arts, youth programs and a host of social services for children, families and senior citizens.

OikocreditOikocredit provides loans to about 500 microfinance institutions which have touched hundreds of thousands of families in 70 countries.

Sister Cecilia connected with Oikocredit British Columbia after her local KAIROS group (an ecumenical initiative focused on social justice) invited the organization to speak to churches in Richmond. Sister Cecilia then shared information about Oikocredit at a meeting of the Vancouver Sisters Association, and the group decided to invest $2,000 of its savings in shares. The Archdiocese got involved and now more than $300,000 has been invested in Oikocredit from that area.

“There’s a direct link between our monies and the people who need it,” Sister Cecilia says. “It’s change happening at the roots, so to speak. So the people who are poor are making the decisions about how the monies loaned to them can be used in their own areas.”

And these decisions can be life-changing. As Sister Cecilia observes: “To the extent that Oikocredit has financing, they help more and more people to gain control of their lives, coming to grips with their own capacities to make a living and to support their communities and their families.”

small-to-medium enterprises in the developing world.

Sister Cecilia says, “In the co-operative culture of Oikocredit, people’s initiatives and participation are central to all their actions and policies. Oikocredit extends credit to marginalized people – irrespective of their faith, culture, age or gender – and favours the initiatives of women, as they are the backbone of their families and thus of society as a whole.”

For more than 10 years, our Advancement program has moved forward with the help and support of family members, colleagues, alumnae, former members and friends.

Our partnerships - and your donations - enable us to direct needed funds to Sisters ministering in Canada, United States, Peru, Dominican Republic and Bermuda, and to support the health care and retirement needs of our elder Sisters.

In addition to raising funds, our Advancement program strives to keep our donors connected by providing an annual newsletter, special appeals and events. Our Advancement Associates show their dedication to mission in their daily work. Below you will read in their own words how they see their role in the Advancement program and with the Congregation.

My daily activities go from planning events to contributing to our publications, interacting with the Sisters and communicating with our great volunteers. The work is challenging, ever-changing and gratifying. Our various events raise much-needed funds, and bring together Sisters and friends in celebration of the work and mission of the Congregation. I find the warmth and support for our Sisters’ mission expressed at these events nothing short of inspiring.~ Rosemary Previte, Advancement Associate (Massachusetts)

Much of the focus of my work involves sharing the great works of the Sisters with our many friends and supporters. Overseeing the creation and mailing of our fundraising appeals allows me to speak with Sisters from across the Congregation, collecting the stories of their ministries to pass along to our donors. From bringing fresh water to poverty-stricken communities, to fighting human trafficking, our Sisters fearlessly tackle needs and issues that most of us shy away from.~ Carrie Flemming, Advancement Associate (Nova Scotia)

It’s extremely rewarding to be in touch with donors, family members, former students and friends of the Sisters of Charity-Halifax. A lot of people tell me that when they read the Advancement appeals on the website or see information about events in their area, they’re excited to get involved with the Sisters. When they share our excitement about the Sisters’ work, we’ve done our jobs.~ Lauren Manning, Advancement Associate (New York)

In Celebration of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

The past year, 2009, marked the 200th Anniversary of Elizabeth Ann Seton’s founding of the Sisters of Charity. It’s also the 10th year for the Elizabeth Ann Seton Awards, given in celebration of the spirit of the Congregation’s founder alive in our world today. These awards are given out at events in Boston, New York and Halifax. Recipients include Sisters and lay people, and they represent many areas – the arts, business, education, healthcare, civic service, social service and pastoral care.

Advancements in Clean Water In summer 2008, Advancement sent out a special appeal focusing on the Congregation’s support of water projects in Peru and the Dominican Republic. Our friends and supporters responded generously, donating more than $26,000. The Congregation has since dedicated those funds to a project in a community called La Guama in the mountains north of Bani, Dominican Republic. Partnering with Hermandad Inc., the La Guama aqueduct project will feed water from high in the mountains to the community’s 28 homes.

For more information on the Advancement program, the Sisters’ support of water projects, or to make a donation, visit www.schalifax.ca.

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Advancing the Mission

Through changing times and increasing social concerns, Sisters of Charity seek to respond to the needs of the poor with compassion and loving service. The Advancement program supports this in two ways:

by promoting awareness of our mission and inviting others to become partners in this endeavour; and

by generating new sources of revenue to expand our ministries, and support the healthcare and retirement needs of our Sisters

The Advancement program facilitates opportunities for those with means and generous hearts to have a real part in changing the lives of the poor and marginalized of our world.

Sister Marie Sorenson (back, left ) is Director of Advancement for the Congregation. Shown here with Elizabeth Ann Seton Award recipient Mary McMahon and her children, Evelina and Edward.

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Congregational Expenses

Support ofMission/Ministry(includes Sisters’ household adminexpenses)

43%

16%

26%

12%

Retirement &Health Care, Canada

Retirement &Health Care,US

Charitable Donationsin support of Ministriesand Programs

Congregational Administration3%

Congregational Income

Retirement Income(Pensions)

Salaries & Stipends

Contributions(includingAdvancement)

Other Income(includingInvestments)

31%

24%13%

4%

28%

Resident Care/Medical Subsidies

Advancement IncomeTOTAL $321,049

22.4%

7.2%

12.2%

10.5%

8.5%19.1%

8.2%

8.9%

$27,290Elizabeth Ann SetonAward Brunch, NS

$33,596Elizabeth Ann SetonAward Luncheon, MA

$39,203Elizabeth AnnSeton Award Luncheon, NY

$23,055Journey of Loveevent, MA

$72,002Golf Outing, NY

$9,604Seton HallLegacy event, NY3%

$28,651ChristmasAppeal

$26,604WaterAppeal

$61,044OtherDonations

Advancement DisbursementsTOTAL $321,049

69.1%

30.9%

$99,230 Support of Retired Sisters

$221,819Support of Ministries

Our Financial Picture

Financial Data from January 1 to December 31, 2008

The huge complex was opened in 1959, designed to accommodate 900 Sisters and Academy students. It hasn't served the Sisters' needs for many years, and was deconstructed through the spring and summer of 2009.

Materials will be reused to the extent possible. A few significant elements were incorporated into the new Caritas Residence, and more than 12,000 items were sold at public auction, with proceeds designated to support Sisters' projects locally and internationally. But most of the contents of the huge Motherhouse complex found new homes with other nonprofit organizations.

A new church for Saint Benedict Parish, Halifax, NS, will incorporate stained glass panels from the Motherhouse

Dedication of Casavant organ, Saint Agnes Church, Halifax, NS

The Casavant organ was donated to Saint Agnes Church, Halifax, where local Sisters were invited to a special dedication Mass in September. Built by Casavant Frères of Quebec, the organ was originally a gift to the Congregation by the Boston family of Sister Marie Agnes White.

Stained glass panels went to a new school and church, and to private collections. Pews went to various churches and even a restaurant in Bedford, NS. The green plush auditorium seating found new homes with several theatre groups in the province. Paintings were donated to various collections including the Musée de Kent in Bouctouche, NB (home town of artist Sister Agnes Berchmans) and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Furniture and hundreds of other pieces were donated to other nonprofit organizations, with some items going as far as Ghana.

Reuse, Recycle, RepurposeThe Sisters of Charity-Halifax no longer have a Motherhouse, but they’ve ensured that elements of the building will continue to serve for many years to come.

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Top LeftSister Catherine Hanlon is among the 80+ residents at the Sisters of Charity retirement residence in Wellesley Hills, MA

Top CentreBert and John Jacobs, founders of Life is Good, were recognized with the Community Leadership Award at this year’s Elizabeth Ann Seton Awards Luncheon in Boston, MA

Top RightSister Margaret Mary Fitzpatrick (swinging) was one of three Sisters who picked up the clubs at the August Golf Outing in New York. This annual event raises funds to support Sisters’ ministries, health care and retirement needs.

Bottom LeftSister Jolaine States (right) recently celebrated her 25th year as a Sister.

Bottom RightThe 248th annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in New York honored the founding of Sisters of Charity 200 years ago. Sisters of Charity-Halifax were invited to join in the parade with Sisters, Associates, family and friends from Federation congregations.

www.schalifax.ca

In the logo of the Sisters of Charity-Halifax, the cross represents Sisters’ commitment to the work of Christ and the church. Its position inside the moving globe represents our place in today’s world: taking a values-driven, contemplative stance to reach out as part of a global community.

If you would like additional copies of this Report, or further information on the Sisters of Charity-Halifax, please contact:

Communications OfficeSisters of Charity Centre, 215 Seton RoadHalifax Nova Scotia B3M 0C9 CANADA email communications@schalifax.ca

If you would like details on how you can help support the mission and ministries of the Sisters of Charity-Halifax, please contact:

Advancement OfficeTel 1-800-247-6509 ORemail advancement@schalifax.ca

OR

New YorkSister Marie Sorenson, Director of AdvancementTel 718-424-1813 . msorenson@schalifax.ca

Lauren Manning, Advancement AssociateTel 718-424-1813 . lmanning@schalifax.ca

Mailing Address:Sisters of Charity-Halifax, 85-10 61st RoadRego Park NY 11374 USA

MassachusettsRosemary Previte, Advancement AssociateTel 781-997-1210 . rprevite@schalifax.org

Mailing Address:Sisters of Charity-Halifax, 125 Oakland StreetWellesley Hills MA 02481 USA

Nova ScotiaCarrie Flemming, Advancement AssociateTel 902-406-8114 . cflemming@schalifax.ca

Mailing Address:Sisters of Charity Centre, 215 Seton RoadHalifax NS B3M 0C9 CANADA

Front Cover

Dominican RepublicClose to 1,000 families in Ilo and Cutervo, Peru; San Pedro de Macoris and San Jose de Ocoa, Dominican Republic; and Fondwa, Haiti, have access to safe wa-ter for the first time, thanks to the collaboration with local partners in water projects.

BermudaSisters Dolores Michael Sullivan and Judith Rollo serve in the House of Prayer, Hamilton, Bermuda

PeruAlong with the three Sisters who live in Lima and Ilo, a group of Vicentinas live the charism of charity in their own neighbourhoods. Vicentinas are similar to Associates in North America and Bermuda.

CanadaFour congregations based in eastern Canada collabo-rate in advocacy (see pg 2).

United StatesSisters Virginia Blend (pictured) and Barbara Buxton volunteer with St. John’s Bread and Life mobile soup kitchen in Brooklyn, NY.

At A Glance Sisters of Charity-Halifaxcurrently serve in:

Primary Ministries

Statistics as of September 1, 2009www.schalifax.ca

Bermuda 2 Dominican Republic 2 Peru 3 Canada 211 Alberta 11 British Columbia 11 Nova Scotia 179 Ontario 8 Quebec 2 United States 253 Georgia 1 Maryland 3 Massachusetts 175 New Hampshire 1 New Jersey 2 New York 71

Total 471

Spiritual Development 2.1% Social Services 3% Health Care 4.5% Congregational Service 6.6% Pastoral Ministry 6.8% Education 8.9% Ministry of Prayer/Other 68.1%