Spirit of the Daughters of Charity

URL Change for this blog coming!!

2012-04-04T14:39:00.001-04:00

Hello Everyone!
Just a heads up--the url will be changing! The name of the blog will be the same so you can search "Spirit of the Daughters of Charity". It remains to be seen how this will affect various links.
Have a blessed Holy Week and a joyous Easter!
Sr. Denise

Feast of the Annunciation and the Renewal of Vows for the Daughters of Charity

2012-03-26T10:52:00.000-04:00

Luke 1:35,37-38

The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon youand the power of the Most High will overshadow you… For nothing is impossiblewith God.” Mary said, “I am the servantof the Lord. Let it be done to me as yousay.” With that the angel left her.

Today all around the globe, Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul will renew their annual vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and service of those living in poverty. The vows are simple and private. In the context of a Eucharistic celebration, the Daughters will kneel after the homily and silently renew their vows. The vows are with the intention of forever even though they are for one year.

I was reading our "Common Rules"--our rules from the beginning. It begins, "The principal end for which God has called and established the Daughters of Charity, is to honor our Lord Jesus Christ as the source and model of all charity; serving Him corporally and spiritually in the persons of the poor, whether sick, children, prisioners, or others who, through shame, dare not make known their wants."

This remains our principal end no matter if we are in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Columbia South America, Eritrea, Bethlehem, Taiwan, France, Poland, Kenya or any of the 93 countries that we call home. Being an advocate for the marginalized and invisible people of society is not always easy--people often don't "get it." It is amazing how small our world view can be even with technology making information so available. Nothing can replace our experience and if our experiences are narrow our view can be also.

I am grateful to be part of an international community. I hear about the impact of the tsunami in Japan from those seeking to help. I hear how our Sisters in Mexico experience the challenges of being safe in the midst of the drug wars just like the rest of the population. I have been able to rejoice to hear how a trafficked woman was able to get back to her homeland with the help of our Sisters. I have been blessed to visit other countries and see the impact of our actions or inaction here in the U.S.

Being vowed as a Daughter of Charity bonds me to over 17,000 other women of faith who have consecrated themselves to Christ in service as women of the Church. I believe that as women of prayer--women who not only pray but pray regularly together--God will use us to face many types of misery that remain hidden from general view.

As I prepare to renew my vows later today, I pray that my local community may live closely united in prayer as our founders challenged us to live the example of the Blessed Trinity. May we continue to seek ways to live a simple lifestyle in the midst of a consumeristic society. May we spread and nurture seeds of faith, hope and love in the midst of so many weeds. May I live the gift of faith and compassion which I have received to its fullest. May I find Christ in each person I meet, especially those who act hateful. May I see their woundedness and reach out in faith in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Check out Sr. Honora's reflection on the Annunciation at Catholics on Call: http://www.catholicsoncall.org/let-it-be-done-me

The Power of Mobile Phones in Ministry

2012-03-21T13:45:00.000-04:00

Check out this site: http://mobile.vinfamily.org/ to find out more and join the chat on the power of mobile phones. It is into its second week--check it out!

Happy Feast of St. Louise!

2012-03-15T10:27:00.001-04:00

Happy Feast of St. Louise de Marillac!

St. Louise de Marillacfounded the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul

(last part added later!)in 1633 in Paris, France.

St. Louise is thepatroness of social workers. She saw no bounds in the variety of servicesneeded to serve those living in poverty and she was willing to get her handsdirty in her service. No work was beneath her and she trained the Sistersto do likewise.

Weare blessed that many of St. Louise’s letters and her spiritual writings havebeen preserved. Here is part of her Meditation

on the Hunger and Thirstfor Justice

(p.733 in SpiritualWritings of Louise de Marillac):

"Blessed are they who..." Hunger and thirst are two urgent needs of nature, especially in strong bodies...

Thirst for justice, which is a more pressing need, must lead usto desire greater things. We must long for union with God and thedisposition and means to attain it. We must ardently desire that theeffects of His holy will reign in us; and we must do all in ourpower to bring about this reign in others.

It is only just that the owner should dispose as he sees fit ofwhat is his without encountering any resistance. To attain this goal in my ownlife, I shall abandon myself entirely to Divine Providence and no longer seek to be the proprietor of my free will.

Rather, I shall place myself in the hands of God and of mySuperior. To put this resolution intoeffect, I shall gladly accept whatever God permits to happen to me, whether itcomes directly from Him or through the instrumentality of His creatures, to whose judgement I shall acquiesce despirt my repugnance to do so.

Louise experienced greattrials in her life—before and after the community began. She learned tohave great trust in Divine Providence

despite the difficultyinvolved—she learned to take the leap of faith!

There are otherresources online about St. Louise de Marillac:

Brief life of St.Louise: http://famvin.org/wiki/Louise_de_Marillac

Spiritual Writings ofLouise de Marillac (complete volume in pdf): http://via.library.depaul.edu/ldm/

Portrayal of theFriendship of St. Vincent and St. Louise:

http://famvin.org/en/2012/03/11/portrayal-of-the-friendship-of-vincent-and-louise/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FamvinEnglish+%28FAMVIN%3A+The+International+Vincentian+Family%29

Havea blessed feast of St. Louise!

Sr. Denise

Visit the Daughters ofCharity website:

http://www.daughters-of-charity.com

Visit the Spirit of theDaughters of Charity blog at: http://srdenisedc.blogspot.com/

Vision & Voice Magazine http://www.doc-ecp.org/index_main.html?pathid=EVT

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/daughtersofcharityus#p/u/4/u1f5cU5ppwA

Social Justice Video Contest for Young Adults

2012-03-06T14:49:00.000-05:00

Like making videos? Want to make a video that could make a difference in the lives of those living in poverty? Check out the info below and go to: http://www.networklobby.org/nep/blog/video-contest-young-justice-seekers

The deadline has been extended to March 15th!!

NETWORK and NETWORK Education Program (NEP) are excited to announce the Mind the Gap! contest for young justice seekers. If you Mind the Gap! and are between 18 and 25 - or know someone else who fits this criteria – start thinking about why this gap really matters. Create a short video (5 minutes or less) demonstrating why wealth disparity in the United States is an issue for all of us, and you could win a trip to DC to showcase your video at NETWORK’s 40th Anniversary Celebration.

While the submission is a video, your project could be anything – want to write a song, or cover your street with sidewalk chalk? – just make sure to get some footage and explain how you shared why you mind the gap. Finalists’ videos will be shared with thousands of NETWORK members and e-activists, and one winner will be invited to present her or his video at the NETWORK 40th Anniversary Celebration in Washington, DC, and receive the Young Justice Seeker Award.

The Least of These in Lent

2012-03-01T13:15:00.000-05:00

Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving the three pillars of Lent.

Ministry in the Cook Islands

During this pre-election time I think it would be great if we could fast from politics;-) Don't get me wrong, the election is important, but is seems to me that with all this bipartisan bickering that the (re)elections become the focal point and not the good of the people.

This past Monday the gospel was :
Matthew 25:34-45
Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'

These are the directions from Jesus to receive eternal life. How are we doing? How are we welcoming the strangers/foreigners among us? How are we caring for the sick with no medical help? What about the imprisoned?

I heard just today that 50% of those imprisoned in MD will return to prison. The study done concluded that the people don't have help transitioning back to regular life and are often without resources such as housing and employment and end up back in trouble. There was a group in MD lobbying for assistance for those leaving prison. Instead of "ex-cons" they called them "returning citizens." I was impressed with how the one label expresses long-lasting judgement and the other of respect and a new beginning.

How will your prayer, fasting and almsgiving reflect the type Jesus challenged us to? Let me close with a reminder from Isaiah 58:

Is this not,rather, the fast that I choose: releasing those bound unjustly, untying thethongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke? Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringingthe afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you seethem, and not turning your back on your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like thedawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go beforeyou, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Let you voice be heard about the HHS mandate!!

2012-02-10T10:52:00.000-05:00

The voices of Catholics are causing a stir--hopefully it will grow into something very loud! The impact of this mandate is great. We are strong in our conviction and will not let our morals be disregarded. Have you taken action? It is so easy to become complacent and let others be the ones to speak up.

From USCCB (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops):
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/take-action-now/capwiz/-- for the complete explanation.
"To correct the threats to religious liberty and rights of conscience posed by PPACA, the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act has been introduced in Congress (H.R. 1179, S. 1467). This measure will ensure that those who participate in the health care system "retain the right to provide, purchase, or enroll in health coverage that is consistent with their religious beliefs and moral convictions.” It is more important than ever that Members of Congress be urged to co-sponsor this measure. For co-sponsors, please check H.R. 1179 and S. 1467 at: thomas.loc.gov."
ACTION: Contact your U.S. Representative by e-mail, phone, or FAX letter:

Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Members’ local offices.
Additional contact info can be found on Members’ web sites at: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Here is a link that explains the impact the new mandate has on Vincentian ministries in particular and other links:
http://famvin.org/en/2012/02/06/hhs-mandate-and-its-effect-on-vincentian-family-ministries/

Sr. Mary Ellen Lacy, DC writes about the new mandate:
http://famvin.org/en/2012/02/07/sr-ellen-lacy-dc-on-current-conscience-issues/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FamvinEnglish+%28FAMVIN%3A+The+International+Vincentian+Family%29

Take action--don't wait for others to take care of it!

Is there hope for the future of religious life?

2012-01-20T12:36:00.002-05:00

True, I am a very optimistic person, but I really do believe that religious life has a future and a role in the present. The generation of young people in the Church today are often open to the idea of having a vocation. On Christmas day, this past December, there was this story

Young girl joins convent instead of college.

Then there is the January 9th issue of People Magazine. Have you seen it? It has lots of stories of people who have lost lots of weight(I guess for New Year's resolution inspiration) and the celebrity gossip as usual. But on p.110 there is a story of of a very different kind of inspiration! It is called "How Ashley Found Her Calling". It is 4 pages of photos and text about Ashley becoming a nun. Isn't that amazing and a hopeful sign! Young people of this generation are more inclined to do volunteer work and to seek out the spiritual. Just last Thursday we, the Daughters of Charity in my province (region), had a young woman become a postulant.

Amanda receiving the Miraculous Medal

Last week was also National Vocation Awareness Week. Hopefully, something was done in your area to promote vocations. The week begins each year on the feast of John the Baptist--a prophetic witness reminding us to follow the way of the Christ. A good model to follow!
In Pope Benedict XVI's Angelus address on January 15th, he spoke of the importance of "the testimony and proposal" of another to help someone answer God's call for them "to follow Jesus more closely, giving up forming their own family to dedicate themselves to the great family of the Church." He also spoke of the importance of parents in promoting Church vocations, "who by their genuine faith and joyful married love, show children that it is beautiful and possible to build all your life on the love of God."
What is your vocation? Marriage, single life, religious life, clergy? How was your vocation inspired? How do you, personally, encourge children and your people to not assume their vocation and to take it to prayer? Do we all invite the youth to consider religious life--even if it is a passing thought?
I am very blessed to be a Sister and to live in community with other Daughters of Charity and am connected to a great network of DCS. I rely on them for support and inspiration in prayer and ministry and I offer the same to them. I was blessed to have been around Sisters while growning up-3 different orders. In society these days we need to be more direct about sharing about all the vocations and inviting young people to look at them and take it to prayer. There are many young people who are open to the Holy Spirit and seeking God's call.
Have you found that to be so?

Christmas in Bethlehem at the Creche

2011-12-27T10:49:00.000-05:00

Nativity Icon in Magadan ,Russia where the Daughters of Charity serve.

Christmas is a challenging time for so many people. How do I keep focused on the spiritual when I am surrounded by consumerism? What about dealing with such a variety of expectations individuals have about Christmas and how feelings can easily be hurt? Then there are people who carry a burden connected to Christmas or that rises to the surface at times like that when family is accentuated. It can be easy for us to push being merry when it is an opportunity for healing through the mourning of what is/was missing.

The Nativity is the cornerstone for the Crucifixion--the joy and the suffering closely linked. Yet, we are Resurrection people of faith. It is healing and salvation at the conclusion. Jesus came to proclaim the Good News--something which can be manifested here on earth.

Below is a link to an article about a work of the Daughters of Charity in Bethlehem who run an orphanage in a non-Christian area and culture. It is sad to think of how the children suffer being separated from family. It is also admirable how the mothers chose life despite the personal cost. Check it out:
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1682227.php/Bethlehem-s-manger-for-outcast-Palestinian-children-Jan-Uwe-Ronneburger

We have missionary Sisters in Magadan, Russia. One is from here in the U.S. and the others are from Poland (the languages have more similarities). The Sisters minister to the people of the area left behind from the labor camps that had been there. Did you ever read With God in Russia? On the website of the parish are some of the stories of survivors of the labor camps. Just go to the link below.
http://magadancatholic.org/englishpages/repressed.html

The human spirit can be very resilient when it finds love--love at the Creche Orphangae in Bethlehem, love at the Catholic Church in Magadan. Can we include love in your presence?

Online Vocation Discernment Retreat!!

2011-12-20T13:33:00.000-05:00

We, the Daughters of Charity, are one of the sponsoring communities of the federation.

Precious Life and the 'Triduum' of the Daughters of Charity

2011-12-08T20:32:00.000-05:00

On November 20th, my sister went into labor with her twins and she was only 4 months along. My nieces didn't survive the emergency c-section. Thankfully, Kelly, her husband and the rest of the family had plenty of time to spend with Josie and Nadia to say both hello and goodbye. Please pray for Kelly and TJ as they continue to miss having their twin girls. It is amazing how much we already loved those babies that we hadn't even met face-to-face yet!

Josie's feet

Nadia's feet

My nieces died on the feast of the Miraculous Medal.

I have given my other nieces and nephews a miraculous medal when they are baptized. So, I gave Kelly and TJ a mini miraculous medal--the kind that has a pin--for each of the twins. These particular medals were ones that I bought when I was at our mother house. The mother house of the Daughters of Charity is in Paris, France. It is in that chapel that Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine a couple of times. I took the medals I had bought and put them on the chair--believed to be the one Blessed Mother sat on. I did this just because it was a tradition, not because I had a special devotion. However, as I knelt by the chair and prayed for those that would receive these medals, I experienced a special presence that. I believe. was the Blessed Mother.

Jesus' mother suffered the loss of her son and now she has embraced my nieces in heaven. Kelly and TJ have offered the girls totally to God--no greater gift! We miss the girls already!

So, what it the "triduum" of the Daughters of Charity??

Re-enactment of the first Daughters of Charity

DC "triduum"=November 27th is the Feast of the Miraculous Medal, November 28th is the Feast of St. Catherine Laboure and November 29th is the Foundation of the Daughters of Charity (1633).

I contacted many people when my sister first started having problems the other weekend. I also sent updates. I have been greatly touched by the prayers that have been offered for Josie, Nadia, their parents and the rest of my family. I had emails from all over the world! I know Daughters of Charity around the world and also other members of the Vincentian Family from other countries. It is moments like these when I realize how small the world has become.

The personal emails, cards and phone calls from other Daughters of Charity has been a very concrete expression of how we are connected so deeply through our total gift of self to Christ through our bonds as Daughters of Charity. It goes way beyond friendship--a very beautiful thing.

My nieces during their brief time here on earth drew my family closer together in prayer and love. Josie and Nadia also gave so many people the chance to reach out in prayer and love to my family during this time of heartbreak. It is amazing how much we already loved those girls! I was very blessed to have been able to hold them.

Today, we celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception--when Blessed Mother's life began. Yes, life is so precious. As Daughters of Charity, we consecrate our community today to God under the protection of Our Lady--the only mother of the community. May we be faithful to our call to be servants of those who live in poverty while supporting one another in prayer and community.

Celebrating Saints, Souls, and Seekers

2011-11-02T13:35:00.000-04:00

Artwork by Sr. Ellen LaCapria showing significant holy ones in the Vincentian Family

Hell, Heaven, and Purgatory--that is how my pastor spoke of Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day. When he spoke of Halloween it was that there is a hell and there are scary things in the world. However, God is far more powerful than evil. Yes, there is power with the name of Jesus. How often do we try to do hard things on our own? How long does it take us to call on Jesus?

So we have the day of scary things with the assurance that we are not alone. Then we have a day that helps us look at so many different role models. There are so many people that we know have "made it"! We all have our favorite saints those that resonate with something deep inside us. Today we pray for all those who have died with hope that they have made it to Heaven or will make it to there soon.

So what about us seekers? Do we take these days to reflect on our own lives and our mortality or is it just another commercial holiday celebrating Halloween and ignoring the other days?

October 19th there was an article in the Baltimore Sun "Apathy after hit-and-run strikes a nerve in China". Think story of the Good Samaritan from the scriptures, but replace the victim with a 2 year child who had wandered off from her mother and into the street. More than a dozen pedestrians and motorist passed the already hit bloody child who still lay in the street. Finally, a female trash collector came by and rescued the child--no one would help this woman even to call an ambulance. The child's mother came and the two women got help for the child.
It is hard for me to imagine this to be real! Yet it is--all too real! The article went on to explain that there is no Good Samaritan law to protect helpers from liability--as we have in the U.S. It is sad that we must have a law so people feel safe to help someone else in time of great need. Even without a law, isn't it our duty to help our neighbor?

Here is the explanation that was outlined in the paper:
"Many said they see the country's obsession with prosperity as the main reason for eroding moral standards. 'China as a nation has lost its passion and is beyond hope,' Haowu Yiyi said on Weibo. 'It is a nation that can sell its soul for money.'"

The Chinese culture has traditionally been very group oriented, unlike the individualistic American culture. So, has the seeking of wealth torn out the soul of many Chinese? Can't we say we see that in many Americans? Look at the financil crisis--so much greed!

Yet, no one is beyond hope. We find our hope and strength in Christ! Christ shows us how to live and love one another. If we are truly seeking, He is the Way and can show us the way. We need each other too--we cannot do it alone. As on Halloween, we can walk around full of fear or we can be brave and go forward with purpose and in the company of others.

Let us walk together in the light of Christ!

Day in the Life of Sr. Liz Sjoberg--Daughter of Charity

2011-10-26T14:08:00.001-04:00

Do you know this celebrity from Mount St. Mary's University? She is commonly known as Sr. Liz campus minister. Catholics on Call recently posted an article by Sr. Liz about her life and ministry--check out the link below! While you are at it check out the Catholics on Call website!

http://173.13.199.245/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.catholicsoncall.org/day-life-daughter-charity

Christ's Kingdom made Manifest in Mighty Macs?

2011-10-18T15:45:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of the movie "The Mighty Macs"?? I was invited to a screening of the movie in August and am excited that it is finally being released this week. I highly recommend the movie and on a number of different levels--here is the trailer for it: http://www.themightymacs.com/ There is the basic story line which is a classic one of the underdogs win. This is done with lots of humor which I appreciate and it is a "clean" movie! It is a challenge in this day and age to find an inspiring, fun movie that is also clean. After the screening of the movie we were told it was rated G. I had to stop and think about the movie because it didn't seem like a rated G movie in the classic sense--kiddie animated film. Sure enough, an entertaining movie without foul language, violence and sexual scenes. So will the rating scare off viewers because they will think of it is as a kiddie movie? I sure hope not!

As a vocation director for the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, I also appreciated the subtle theme of "call" woven into the story. In the movie Cathy Rush has only been married a couple of years and there is a young Sister, Sr. Sunday, who ends up getting involved with the team. I don't know if Sr. Sunday was a real person, but I really enjoyed her role in the movie. So, Cathy Rush and Sr. Sunday have both reached the post-honeymoon phase of their vocation. They each want to make a difference with their lives and are searching for a way to do that in the context of their respective vocations. It is clear that both are struggling with their life committment. Through the story they each find their place to give from their gifts, but they don't do it alone. Cathy struggles through this with her husband and Sr. Sunday with her superior. They stick with their commitments and at the same time find their own place in the world--not in isolation, but with gradual understanding and support from loved ones.

We live in such a disposable society. Unfortunately, that includes disposable vows and disposable people. It is not unusual when I am doing a presentation on vocations that one of the first questions is can you quit or a paraphrase of that. A year's posts could be about how people are disposed of--some of my posts do speak of some--trafficked persons, lives lost to abortion, people shunned due to their nationality or their "papers".

This movie holds on to values. It teaches a lesson in perseverence in one's goals and vocation too. It is exciting to see more "clean" movies with good messages making it to the theaters. I haven't seen "The Way" yet, but the trailer looks great--starring Martin Sheen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEqNn_kAh7Q. I heard about another movie on the Christian radio station the other day "Courageous". It is about dad's as heroes and men seeking to get fatherhood right. Here is the trailer to that one--brought tears to my eyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9VT_NBIVfs

Seeing these movies come out and the excitement around them gives me a shot of hope. There is hope that the world can become a better place through awareness of who we are in God's eyes and who we are called to be for one another no matter our baggage or background. Christ's kingdom can be manifest here on earth if we each do our part. Something as simple as supporting good movies can help expose others to the Gospel and Gospel values.

The "Ruse of the Devil"

2011-10-10T11:47:00.000-04:00

People are tempted by all kinds of things and society today makes many temptations readily available. However, I want to reflect on the "ruse of the devil" for those of us involved in serving others, in Church ministry, in caring for our families and communities----doing lots of good, wonderful things. St. Vincent de Paul saw in St. Louise de Marillac the danger of trying to do too many good things. Here is what he wrote to her:

"Oh! Take great care to preserve it (your health) for the love of Our Lord and His poor members and be careful not to do too much. It is a ruse of the devil, by which he deceives good people, to induce them to do more than they are able, so that they end up not being able to do anything.”(Coste, vol. I, p.92)

Do you know people who burn themselves out doing lots of great things? Are you one of them?

Celebrating a Missionary Spirit on the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul

2011-09-27T06:00:00.004-04:00

"The Company (of the Daughters of Charity) is missionary by nature; it strives to retain the flexibility and mobility needed to respond to the calls of the Church in the face of every form of poverty. Like its Founders, the Company tries to reach out to those who are poor wherever they may be and to seek out the most abandoned and neglected. From the very beginning, Saint Vincent and Saint Louise, with the audacious courage of the apostles, sent forth their Daughters on the highways of the world." Constitution 25

Sr. Patty Huffman was recently "sent on mission" to the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands? You ask, "Where is that?" Scroll down. Daughters of Charity are sent on mission by the leadership in response to needs. For Daughters of Charity, like Sr. Patty, to be sent on foreign missions the Sister needs to request it. Foreign missions are a call within a call. The Sisters discerns foreign mission work with the community and then is sent accordingly.

Yes, the Cook Islands are in the area of the star where there is no sign of land from this zooming distance! Our Sisters are on 2 of the islands and it is a 2 hour flight between the 2 on a small plane!

Did you ever watch the movie "Whale Rider"? It is a great movie about the clashes of culture and generations. But anyway, the movie has a special cultural dance--does it look familar with the photo below from the Cook Islands? The dance was also in "Invictus". (The movies didn't include the females.)

So, what are the Daughters of Charity doing in the Cook Islands? Sr. Margaret O'Dwyer (below) has been on mission on the Cook Islands for several years. Sr. Margaret leads a program for inmate rehabilitation focusing on literary and working skills in conjunction with other agencies.The books the women are holding in the photo below were donated by Rotary for the inmate literacy program.

The Sisters have an after-school program for children. Below you see they not only feed the minds.

The Sisters are also very involved in the community. Here Sr. Margaret is visiting a new mother.

Another outreach of the Daughters on the islands is support and care for those with special needs. Some of these disabilities are since birth others are from accidents, aging or health problems like strokes.

Here Sr. Madeline and Sr. Mary are serving at Te Ata o te Ra...

and a home visit.

While St. Vincent still lived, he sent Daughters of Charity from France to Poland and the Congregation of the Mission (our brother community) as far as Madagascar. Most of us won't live in far off lands, but the princples remain the same for home also--to honor the cultures of others, to acknowledge the faith of those we serve, to serve with respect and to be open to being evangelized by those living in poverty.

Take a moment to reflect on those principles and how they exist in your service.

Natural Disasters or a Visit to the Holy City

2011-09-08T15:21:00.002-04:00

Last week while I was away in Rome for a meeting there was an earthquake an a hurricane at home. I sure got the better end of that deal!! Actually, the hurricane was in process at home when I left Rome. I owe great thanks to Delta for quickly rerouting my flight and upgrading my seat!! This is not a product placement! Once home it was only 2 days without electricity--not bad compared with those who went a week.

So, let's get to the time in Rome! Did anyone ever tell you that August is incredibly hot? Well, it is!! However, that didn't put a damper on my visit. It didn't stop all those pilgrims there from WYD either. Have you been to Rome before? If not let me take you on a little tour..

The Catholic Church understands that we need concrete expressions of our faith--just as Christ understood when He gave us the Eucharist. So you go into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican and you see amazing art work all around you. You have been to art museums right? Somethings are just not to be touched! However, as you enter St. Peter's there is a golden cross on the right which many people touch. Then there is also the statue of St. Joseph--shown above. People line up to touch the feet of this statue. The feet of St. Joseph are slowly disappearing due to the amazing number of hands that have rubbes his feet.

Here is a statue of St. Vincent de Paul inside St. Peter's. St Vincent got a front road seat--ok he is standing, but he is on the lower level of statues on the right shortly after you come in the door. He is right outside the Eucharistic chapel.

St. Louise de Marillac also got a big space in St. Peter's! There is a "chapel" area where the daily Mass is regularly held. She is on the upper level there--larger than life.

This is a photo of the Eucharistic chapel. I was disappointed to find it closed that time. However, I was able to get this photo. When the chapel is open, the gates are open but a curtain blocks the doorway. There are no photos allowed in the chapel because it is truly a place of prayer for pilgrims and not a place for tourists.

I went along the corridor set up on the right side for people to follow to get to the Eucharistic Chapel. There was a group crowded next to some barricades that were in front of this side chapel. I thought they were a tour group just hearing about the painting or something. When I came back later I could get closer to the barricade and check it out and then I saw...

it was the resting place of Blessed John Paul II!

This is the plaza outside St. Peter's--it is huge!! This is actually just like a quarter of the plaza. There is a spot that is marked that you can stand on and when you look at the 3 curved rows of pillars it looks like just row. My grandfather told me about that, so this photo is in his honor!

On a non-religious note, this is the Trevi Fountain. I know that the water isn't actually showing, but all the people are blocking it. There are steps that go down and people through a coin in backwards over their shoulder and wish to return to Rome. Of course there is the mandatory gelato also! That is a kind of Italian ice cream. I actually had one EACH day! Fortunately, I did a lot of walking too!!

This photo is of Casa Maria Immaculata. It is the house of hospitality that the Daughters of Charity run. It is only about a 20 minute walk to St. Peter's. It was a blessing to be with our Sisters there. Their hospitality was amazing despite the language barrier--and the great meals with them!! An added bonus was that some of Daughters on their way to an international heritage sesssion for the coming month stopped by in Rome on their way to the motherhouse in Paris. Right next door is another local community of Daughters of Charity where some of the elderly Sisters live and they provide special hospitality for women with children in need.

Did I mention I was there for a meeting? The meeting was fantastic too, but there is something amazing about being at the Vatican--I was able to go on the Scavi tour too: http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/necropoli/scavi_english.html (virtual tour). Being surrounded by pilgrims from around the world speaking and praying in so many languages is such a spiritual shot in the arm!

Why did Sr. Meg decide to be a Daughter of Charity??

2011-09-02T15:39:00.000-04:00

From Sr. Meg Kymes!

While I was a Vincentian Service Corps volunteer in St. Louis, MO, I felt called to be a Daughter of Charity. From the moment I met them I felt drawn to their joyful spirit. I heard this little voice inside of me say, “You could be happy like that.” At first I was shocked and a little scared. I tried to push the little voice away and say NO! But, the voice got more and more insistent and I had to at least see what was drawing me to the Daughters of Charity.

That was 5 years ago, and today I still feel as called as I was then. Now, I am a Seminary Sister (know to other communities as a novice) in Evansville, IN. Today, looking back it was not just the Daughters joyful spirit that kept me coming back to them during my discernment, but other aspects as well.

There is a saying in the community that states, “If you’ve seen one Daughter of Charity you have seen one Daughter of Charity.” I have found this to be true. Among us you will find we dress the same and many do similar works, but underneath the works and blue and white habits you will find many different personalities, interests, and backgrounds which makes life much more interesting! There is truly room for everyone at the table of Vincent, Louise, and Elizabeth Ann!

I also saw a great openness and flexibility in them; my vocation directress told me over and over, “A Daughter of Charity, if nothing else, is flexible.” Vincent would call this obedience; he told the first Daughters they would go where they don’t want to go and do what they don’t want to do not because of themselves but because of God’s will. While going where we don’t want to go and doing what we don’t want to do seems like a bad thing, it isn’t always. I visit a sister at our retirement home that went from growing up on the streets of Chicago to spending 55 years in Japan. She tells me she wanted to go to China, but God had other plans for her. She stayed in Japan all that time happy to follow God’s will for her. I have found myself in places I never imagined doing things beyond my wildest dreams because of being open to God’s will. I spent last year in New Orleans. Now, I was born in raised in St. Louis and until meeting the Daughters had no intentions of ever leaving St. Louis. However, my last year in New Orleans was one of the happiest times of my life. I fell in love with the city, the culture, and the people. If I was not flexible and open I would have never had that experience like the retired sister who had the opportunity to serve the poor in Japan for 55 years.

Most of all, I was continually drawn back to the Daughters of Charity because their love for the poor. Louise implored us in her Spiritual Testament, “…above all take good care of service of the poor.” Vincent told us, “Let us love God, but let it be with the strength of our arm and the sweat of our brow.” While a relationship with Jesus is central to a Daughter’s life, all of our prayers, daily Mass attendances, spiritual readings, and Rosaries are done to give us the spiritual energy to go out to those living in poverty. Most of the Daughters I have met say what makes a Daughter and true Daughter of Charity is love for the poor. Their eyes light up when they speak about their current ministries or their past experiences of serving those living in poverty.

So, why am I drawn to the Daughters of Charity? I fell in love with the poor and decided to follow Christ’s call to by being given to God, in community for, their service.

By the Sweat of Our Brow and the Strength of Our Arms in New Orleans

2011-08-17T09:29:00.003-04:00

The title of this post comes from our founders prayer that we pray daily:

"Oh God Eternal and All-Powerful, Who filled St. Vincent, St. Louise, and St. Elizabeth Ann with Charity, Listen to our prayer and give us your Love. Following their example, make us discover and serve Jesus Christ, your Son, in the poor and unfortunate. At their school, teach us to love, in the sweat of our brow and the strength of our arms, with humility, simplicity, and charity. By their prayer, deliver our hearts from self-sufficiency and selfishness. Make us remember that we all, one day, will be judged on our Love."

So, that is what we tried to do this past week in New Orleans. The sweat of our brow was not difficult to do since it was around 100 degrees each day outside and hotter, I believe, inside where we were working. I went with a couple of Daughters of Charity and some young women discerning a religious vocation. During the day St. Bernard Project set us up to help rehab houses damaged by Katrina. So that is where the strength or our arms comes in! We spent 3 days at 2 different locations doing "mold remediation". Two This requires scrubbing all studs and rafters with a wire brush, washing them all down with "shockwave" chemical, and finally painting it with white sealant. I think almost all of it is out of my hair now. Two other days were spent "mudding" and sanding sheetrock.

This photo is of our group in its "shockwave" pose. We are outside St. Rita Church where we celebrated the Eucharist each day. We had Liturgy of the Hours each morning before Mass. Then we would come back and get in our grundgy clothes, eat breakfast and head to the site.

Each evening we had evening prayer and a reflection after our refreshing shower and dinner. The evenings touched on how the Daughters of Charity are "Given to God, in community, for the service of Christ in persons who are poor." One night we went to a local house of Daughters of Charity and another night DCs from 2 our local communities came to us. We stayed at the House of Charity--which I wrote about in a previous post---amazing hospitality!

We began the week with a day of retreat on Sunday and ended Friday afternoon by reflecting on where we met Christ during our week. Then we went down to the French Quarter to get pralines and beignets! Oh, we had dinner too!!

The work we did was not exciting--mold remediation, mudding and sanding, but it is life changing for those who will be able to move home finally. We were able to attend a "homecoming" for a family whose house had been completed. We were also able to meet the home owners of the first house we worked on during the week. They brought us red beans and rice and fried chicken for our 2nd lunch!

As I said before it was mighty hot and God blessed a couple of our afternoons with rain. This shower had no lightning! Here is a shot of a couple of us cooling off. We were already soaked with sweat so soaked with rain was much better!

We called the week "Search and Serve." It was a combination of service and discernment for where God is calling each of these young women. It turned out to be a powerful week of community living and joy. Each of us was touched by God during the week through the prayers and our service. God's call is clearer after last week, but it is not the end. Each step in discernment is a step not the end. So now, they all return home and get ready for the next step. Each step taken with prayer, faith and courage.

What is God calling you to do in prayer, faith and courage? Are you willing to take a step--just a step??

The Daughters of Charity Province of St. Louise is a Reality!!

2011-08-01T18:39:00.002-04:00

The new province is officially established! As I wrote about in my last post, it was July 31st. The photo above is Sr. Evelyne Franc our Superioress General who resides at our motherhouse in Paris, France---our chapel there is the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal where Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Laboure.

Sr. Evelyne Franc installed our Visitatrix ("provincial"-above) before the installation of the provincial council, provincial treasurer, secretary, and director (Vincentian priest from our brother community who serves as spiritual director).

With Sr. Evelyn below is the new provincial council: Sr. Rose Ann Aguilar, Sr.Nora Gatto, Sr.Janet Keim, Sr. Mary Beth Kubera, Sr. Jean Rhoads, Sr. Joanne Vasa, Sr. Mary Walz, and Sr. Mary Catherine Warehime.

The link below is an amateur video of the ceremony that was held during the Eucharistic liturgy--check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErskvH1QiPc

New Daughter of Charity Province!

2011-07-28T12:28:00.003-04:00

On July 31st the Province of St. Louise will be launched at a special Eucharistic liturgy at the Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore---America's first cathedral! What a great place to begin the new province. The new province is named after our co-founder, St. Louise de Marillac.

We are reconfiguring 4 current provinces into one larger one in order to better fulfill our mission serving those who live in poverty. The province will consist of over 560 Daughters of Charity. So, how does this better serve those who are poor? We are a mobile community. We often are part of setting up services for the poor and then stepping back once they are established and able to be handed over to the laity.

As a new province we are already set to open a new mission in Greensboro, NC at St. Mary Parish. We will serve with our Vincentian brother community. The community is young and vibrant filled with immigrants from many countries and continents. Several Daughters of Charity have also received new missions within the new province. One such missioning is a Sister who is a lawyer and nurse who is crossing previous provincial boundaries to work for a Catholic advocacy group in Washington, DC. Another Sister who has been on mission with me and is a physician's assistant is being sent to Niagara Falls to serve in a clinic connected to a Catholic hospital.

This weekend will be a great celebration! Some of our Sisters who are on the foreign missions were able to arrange their return visits to coincide with the big celebration. Our international leadership will be attending from our motherhouse in Paris (Chapel of the Miraculous Medal--where Blessed Mother appeared) and from Rome also.

I look forward to great possibilities we will have in our service through greater collaboration. I think the process of bringing us together strengthens the bonds of community and the core of who we are, what we are about, and Whose we are. It has been and will continue to be an opportunity to review our lives in community and use this as a chance to draw closer to Christ together remaining true to our original "charter" set forth by St. Vincent:

"They shall bear in mind that they do not belong to a religious Order because that state is incompatible with the duties of their vocation. Nevertheless, since they are more exposed to the occasions of sin than nuns bound to the cloister, having for monastery only the houses ofthe sick and the place where the Superioress resides; for cell, a hired room; for chapel, the parish church; for cloister, the streets ofthe city; for enclosure, obedience, with an obligation to go nowhere but to the houses of the sick or to places necessary for their service; for grille, the fear of God; for veil holy modesty; making no other profession to ensure their vocation and that, by their constant trust in Divine Providence and the offering they make to God of all that they are and of their service in the person of the poor..."
(CCD X, p.530)

Obviously this photo is a re-enactment of our first Sisters in their habit which was the outfit of the peasant woman of the time--all of us wore a blue dress.

In October 1644, St. Louise went on pilgrimage to Chartres in France. Here is a portion of her reflection in her letter to St. Vincent de Paul upon returning:

"On Monday, Feast of the Dedication of the Church of Chartres, I offered to God the designs of His Providence on the Company of the Daughters of Charity. I offered the said Company entirely to Him, asking Him to destroy it rather than let it be established contrary to His holy will. I asked for it, through the prayers of the Holy Virgin, Mother and Guardian of the said Company, the purity of which it stands in need. Looking upon the Blessed Virgin as the fulfillment of the promises of God to mankind, and seeing the fulfillment of the vow of the Blessed Virgin in the accomplishment of the mystery of the Incarnation, I asked Him for the grace of fidelity for the Company through the merits of the Blood of the Son of God and of Mary. I prayed also that He might be the strong and loving bond that unites the hearts of all the sisters in imitation of the union of the three Divine Persons." (Spiritual Writings, p.122)

Our superioress generals have continued each year in the footsteps of St. Louise to dedicate the "little company" to Blessed Mother. I attended a heritage session at the motherhouse and we like many before me, went to Chartres, to the crypt chapel, and dedicated ourselves and the little company to Blessed Mother.

We have been so blessed since our beginnings in 1633 in Paris and we pray for God's grace as we take another step in Baltimore in 2011!

A Daughter of Charity Helping Students Make Dreams Real

2011-07-07T12:56:00.000-04:00

Sr. Joan, a Daughter of Charity, teaches 8th grade at Mother Seton Academy-- a tuition-free middle school in Baltimore for students surrounded by poverty http://www.mothersetonacademy.org/index.html. She teaches an entrepreneurship class in addition to her regular teaching schedule after school a couple of days a week. The program is called NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship).

Students are trained to prepare a business plan, create a budget and to promote their business through presenting their business. The students compete locally and nationally with other NFTE participants. Sr. Joan has had students win the city-wide competition for the last 2 years who have gone to higher levels of competition. Her students are in middle school, but most of their competition is high school students.

Students take these business proposals seriously and many have been able to put their business plans into action. The businesses vary greatly such as dog treats, scented lotion and lawn care.

In NFTE and in regular classes, Sr. Joan inspires her students to dream and to follow their dreams backed by a solid Catholic education. Her students work hard and they can see the fruit of this work in projects such as NFTE.

NFTE recently sent Sr. Joan and other teachers from the U.S. and around the world to New York for a special event. At this event Sr. Joan and others were presented "Teacher of the Year" awards for their dedication to prepare the business leaders of tomorrow.

Here is her award:

Cool looking isn't it?!

Sr. Marguerite Rutan, Daughter of Charity, is Beatified!

2011-06-23T10:56:00.000-04:00

Sister Marguerite Rutan of France was beatified this past Sunday! She lived during the French Revolution and was a martyr for her faith in Dax, France. Our international website has a nice video about her:
http://www.filles-de-la-charite.org/en/

Here is another great link that has a slideshow, videos and links.
http://cmnewengland.org/2011/06/beatification-of-sister-marguerite-rutan-dc-june-19-2011/

This is a link to the homily about Sr. Marguerite by the director general of the Daughters of Charity--think of him as the spiritual director for the whole of the community.
http://famvin.org/en/2011/06/21/fr-pat-griffins-homily-at-beatification-of-marguerite-rutan-dc/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FamvinEnglish+%28FAMVIN%3A+The+International+Vincentian+Family%29

We celebrate this wonderful occasion, but then what? Do we let her life impact ours? How?

Sister Marguerite took an unpopular stand in her country which she knew could have dangerous consequences. As a woman of faith and integrity, she chose to take a stand in fidelity to the Church in opposition to the leaders of her country. She had opportunities to change her mind many times, yet she didn't. Despite all the persecution going on around her and those dying at the guillotine she remained steadfast and continued her care for the sick and directing the hospital in Dax, France near the birthplace of our founder St. Vincent de Paul. Blessed Marguerite was martyred for the faith April 9, 1794. On June 26 of the same year 4 more Daughters of Charity who were on mission in Arras, France were also martyred.

I would like to think that I could make a heroic choice like that. Just last night at the young adult group I am part of, Bethany--we are on facebook ;-) Someone said we like the idea of big sacrifices, but how about the small ones each day that we are called to make? The inspiration last night was how JP II accepted his aging process and was a witness of faith in suffering. So, how do I do with the daily sacrifices in my life? How do I handle the aggravations of life--say getting stuck in traffic? As Jesus told us in His parables, it is in the small things that we prepare for the big ones.

Maybe a "big" thing won't be asked of me, but there are small things each day that challenge me to respond in faith and love.

Amanda Takes the Leap!

2011-06-03T21:44:00.000-04:00

Now if you want to know about Amanda's leap with the Daughters of Charity, check out her blog:
http://drinkdeeplymydaughter.blogspot.com/

Amanda shared with me about her experience with Sr. Mary Elko while she was in Bolivia. Enjoy!

Sr. Mary Elko was the first Daughter of Charity I ever met outside of the historic holy hills of Emmitsburg, Maryland. By then, I had already known the Daughters for years but only from my years at Mount St Mary's College and retreats at their Emmitsburg Provincial House.

At the time, I was working with the Salesians at an all girls orphanage in a small dairy town in Cochabamba, Bolivia. In addition to that, I was also an aspirant/pre-postulant/candidate of that community. I had been there almost nine months and my mom was there visiting me. She had brought along with her a copy of the “Maryknoll” magazine because their main article was about the missions in Cochabamba. As we flipped through the magazine together, we spotted a picture of an African-American Maryknoll Sister, arms in the air, probably telling a story to the children around her. With her, was another Sister, in a beige habit with a veil, with her hand placed on a sleeping child's forehead, as if measuring her temperature.

I can't remember whether we asked around about her or if the Salesians I worked with flipped through the magazine and saw her picture. Either way, the Sisters I worked with immediately recognized that Sister in the beige habit “That's Hermana Mary!! She runs a shelter in the city for girls and women. A lot of girls here came from there. Oh, really, you need to meet her, Amanda! She's American like you!” So, we made tentative plans to visit her one day during my mom's visit.

A couple of days passed by., but aspirancy was a busy time with chores, prayers, Mass preparation, as well as ministry in the orphanage. One day, I heard the doorbell ring at the convent, where I was living at the time, and heard the loud creak of someone opening the large fence that led to our “parking lot” (aka: the basketball court). I thought it strange since the only person we knew who owned a car was our parish priest, who would be way too busy to be visiting on a week day. I continued whatever it was that I was doing until I heard someone speaking Spanish in an American accent. I looked and there she was – the same Sister with the beige habit I had seen in the magazine!

She was elderly and looked frail but with a smile that was young at heart. She had with her three girls – a five year old, a six year old and a nine year old. The two youngest were sisters and their mother had died of cancer the night before. The oldest, at nine, was a runaway who had been abused by her family. All three had been living at Madre de Dios, that shelter in the city. Sr Mary Elko - “Hermana Mary” - was dropping them off at our orphanage so that they may have a more permanent home.

Hermana Mary and I started talking in English, as I jumped at the chance to do so. She asked more about me – I said I was from Maryland. When she asked which college I attended, I said Mount St. Mary's. “In Emmitsburg?” “The one and only!” “That's where I did my Seminary (novitiate)” “Wait....you're a Daughter of Charity?!” And she indeed was. Now, years later, I wonder what her answer “yes” meant for me, as I had been thinking about the Daughters of Charity as I wrestled with thoughts of leaving aspirancy/pre-postulancy with the Salesians but that's a story meant for another day.

While she was talking with me, she was still holding unto the three girls, wiping the tears of the five-year old and stroking their heads to let them know everything was okay. My mom, a camera nut, caught the whole thing on film. I knew I was in the presence of someone holy. She was well in her eighties and was one of the founding members of the Cochabamba mission...more than fifty years ago. Her dedication to the Bolivian poor is seen superficially in just how long she's stayed there, but more profoundly, it was seen in her utter compassion of the three girls who were moving to our orphanage.

Soon after her visit to our convent, my mom, another Salesian Sister and I went to Madre de Dios. It was certainly in the city, close to the Bus Terminal and the Cancha (South America's largest open-air market). We entered to find a bustling home. People were constantly coming and going as we waited in the hallway for Hermana Mary. We looked at the photos on the wall and I found out that about half of the girls I worked with every day came from this very place.

When Hermana Mary came out to greet us, she showed us around the compound. People of all ages were attracted to her – kids clung to her as we walked around. In the courtyard where the classrooms were, there was a statue of the Miraculous Medal. She took me there and said “you know, the Sister who saw this Blessed Virgin was one of our own Sisters – a Daughter of Charity.” She clasped her own medal of the Miraculous Medal. “Never lose devotion to the Blessed Virgin She brings miracles. I can't say how many she's made for me. I ask for her prayers every day.”

Years later, when I read the biography of Saint Catherine Laboure, the Daughter of Charity who saw the Blessed Virgin, I was reminded of Sr Mary Elko. It wasn't simply because of what she herself had talked about Catherine Laboure, but rather because her utter dedication to the poor and the Blessed Virgin mirrored that of Catherine Laboure. Sr Mary Elko's is truly an example of what the Blessed Virgin told Catherine Laboure: “My child, I particularly love to shed graces upon your Community; I love it very much”

Daughters of Charity serving at the UN?

2011-05-29T17:19:00.000-04:00

Sister Brenda Fritz recently when to the United Nations for an orientation to the work of the NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations). The role of the NGOs is to inform the delegates to the UN as to what is really happening on the ground. Data, statistics and stories are gathered where the people represented by the NGOs serve and the plight of the people shared with governmental officials in order to advocate their case. Many Religious communities are part of NGOs and try to focus on the areas of the UN Millenial goals that most fit their charism.

Here is the link to the Daughter of Charity NGO website that we share with the Congregation of the Mission (our brother community): http://www.cmdcngo.org/dc-page.html The Daughters of Charity in the US are part of a Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul NGO which gathers information from the international reaches of the Daughters of Charity on mission throughout the world. The US Daughters of Charity are also part of the Seton Federation NGO which is made up of communities with connections to Mother Seton.

Below is a photo of Sr. Ligia, Sr. Brenda Fritz, Sr. Angela and Sr. Germaine who works at the UN NGO. Sr. Ligia and Sr. Angela are both Daughters of Charity in the US studying English. Sr. Brenda is director of a child care center in Indiana.

No matter what our ministy is as a Daughter of Charity, we are called to advocate, to be a voice for the voiceless of those who live in poverty and those who live in misery. Hopefully, we can help the people find their own voice. Each year a few Sisters go for an orientation to at the UN to understand the work being done by our NGO.

From Sr. Brenda:

The work of the Vincentian Family @ the united nations is inspiring and energizing. The work of global advocacy is so rooted in catholic social teaching, the vincentian charism, and last but not least, the Gospel. Back in the 1600's, way before social media, vincent was sending his guys to places like Madagascar! Vincent and Louise and Elizabeth Seton were promoters of the reality of the Body of Christ, including everyone at the table. Issues highlighted yesterday during this united nations orientation were multinational mining companies violate human rights of indigenous persons and communities by failing to fully implement the united nations principle of free, prior, informed consent. The bottom line is people are displaced and violently victimized for purposes of greed! Seton Federation, Daughters of Charity, Congregation of the Mission ngo's - God bless your work! And thank you for caring. Sister Brenda Frtz, DC