Dominican Center at Marywood

Sister Mary Brigid Clingman, OP (Grand Rapids), pastoral associate, will lead a six-session course starting Monday, Oct. 7 and continuing through Nov. 11 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Dominican Center at Marywood, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Designed by JustFaith Ministries, the workshop offers the opportunity for prayer, reading, and reflection about the issue of immigration. Participants will explore public policy positions on immigration, the U.S. history of immigration, Biblical concepts and experiences, Catholic social teaching, and the effects of globalization on economic systems enmeshed in immigration realities. Read more

Adrian Dominicans

Sister Adela Langa, OP (Adrian), coordinator for mission effectiveness and leadership for Barry University, is planning special events on the university’s Miami Shores, Florida, campus on Monday, Oct. 7, to mark the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to lunch and conversation with three Dominicans: a friar from the Southern Province, an Adrian Dominican Sister, and an Adrian Dominican Associate. The three will speak of their own call to Dominican life. Read more

Are you a woman wondering what life might be like as a religious sister? Then sign up for “Dubuque’s Got Sisters!” and get ready for a unique experience. Dubuque, Iowa area religious communities (including the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters) are offering an opportunity to come together with sisters and other women who are asking how to best serve the people of God. Join us for prayer, conversation, and a chance to get to know communities of women who continue to serve people on the margins. There is no fee to attend.

The “Dubuque’s Got Sisters!” event begins Friday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. and ends Saturday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. To register or for more details, e-mail Sister Lou Anglin, BVM, at langlin@bvmcong.org or call her at (563) 588-2351. “Dubuque’s Got Sisters!” is sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters (Wis.), Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Dubuque Franciscan Sisters.

The retreat will be held at Mount Carmel, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, situated atop the beautiful bluffs of the Mississippi River. “We are glad to jointly offer this opportunity to women who are interested in religious life. Sisters in the Dubuque area collaborate in many ways to offer service, speak out for justice issues, and pray together. It seemed quite natural to come together to offer ‘Dubuque’s Got Sisters’ as well,” said Sister Lou Anglin, BVM, who will be one of the Sisters accompanying the group.

Catholic Sisters, who live and work in your community, invite you to learn more about their work by visiting their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/catholicsisters.

By Lucianne Siers, OP

The Visioning Dominican Retirement Committee met in St. Catharine, Kentucky, Sept. 7–10 to discuss issues that relate to those who administer and support members of Dominican congregations of sisters who are retired. Twenty-two women, both sisters and lay women who work in Dominican retirement facilities came from the congregations of Peace, Springfield, Hope, Maryknoll, Sinsinawa and Grand Rapids to network and share their expertise.

Topics for discussion included: “How to have Difficult Conversations,” “Rituals and Burial Practices including Green Burials,” and “Adjusting to the Changes in the Medicare and Medicaid with the New Healthcare Policies.” Discussions on various topics were led by members of the group who volunteered to share their own experiences and then offered opportunities to discuss ways in which other congregations deal with similar issues.

This process of sharing our perspectives on issues with qualified professionals among ourselves provides an opportunity to learn from one another as well as ways to network and exchange resources. The leadership was shared as well as the focus of each topic moved from person to person in a manner that is deeply integrated in a style of equal exchange, which is rather unusual in our society of experts; however, in the Dominican family, it is a welcome and healthy way to deepen our ways of being with one another that is a natural and reverent way of listening and speaking out of our own lived experiences.

The hospitality of the Dominican Sisters of Peace living at St. Catharine’s was outstanding. The country wide open spaces and fresh air and the rolling hills provided a relaxing and homey space for all the participants to gain new insights and carry home fond memories from a lively group of Dominican friends and new ideas to carry out in our ministries to our members. The group will meet again next year in Adrian.

For more information, contact Sister Mary Hopkins, OP (Sinsinawa), marycbh@aol.com.