Dominican Sisters of Adrian: ‘Baby Blankets Behind Bars’

October 5, 2016, Adrian, Michigan – Members of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, as well as Sisters from other communities of Catholic women religious in Michigan, will hold a baby shower on Monday, October 10, 2016 at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Enforcement and Removal Operations Field Office, 333 Mt. Elliott Street in Detroit. The baby shower will highlight the continued detention of immigrant infants and children by the DHS.
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October 11, 2016

Faith and Film: Queen of Katwe

Movie Review by Fr. Tom Condon, O.P.

Queen of Katwe tells the inspirational, true story of Phiona Mutesi, a young girl from the slums of Uganda who becomes an international chess master. Based on a story in ESPN: The Magazine, the movie follows the story of Phiona over five years. Phiona lives with her mother Nakku Harriet (Lupita Nyong’o) and her siblings in terrible squalor. One day Phiona sees a man named Robert Katende (David Oyelowo) teaching children to play chess. He is also feeding the children cups of porridge. Intrigued, Phiona comes in the shed, along with her brother. Phiona is captivated by the game and begins to play. Teased by some of the boys because of her gender, Phiona persists in chess and eventually defeats them all. Robert recognizes Phiona’s great talent and begins to take her, along with her teammates, to tournaments, first in Uganda, then to other African countries, and even as far away as Russia.
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October 10, 2016

Dominican Sisters of Adrian: ‘Sister Donna Markham, Named Top Executive, Addresses UN on Plight of Refugees and Migrants’

September 27, 2016, Washington, DC – Sister Donna Markham, OP, PhD, President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, was active in the public sphere in mid-September. She was honored on September 15 as one of the NonProfit Times’ (NPT) 2016 Power and Influence Top 50 non-profit executives and, the next week, spoke as part of a panel on migrants and refugees at a side event at the United Nations.

“Any recognition I receive is rightfully a tribute to the Adrian Dominican Congregation that has formed me, loved me and supported me throughout my religious life,” Sister Donna said in response to these events.
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October 10, 2016

“Dominican Sisters Care for Our Common Home”

By Sister Donna Maria Moses, O.P.

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” The book of Genesis reminds us that if we take care of the land, the land will take care of us, but landscape and agricultural plans are changing dramatically in response to the drought in California. Many efforts are underway to sustain the fertile land that once was called the Valley of the Heart’s Delight for future generations. Soon after it was founded in 1797, Mission San Jose was one of the largest cattle ranches in California with productive vineyards, olive groves, orchards and fields of wheat, all watered by a primitive aqueduct system. The vineyards and wheat fields are long gone since the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose purchased the property in 1891, but the original olive grove still delivers abundant fruit for the extra virgin olive oil the Sisters produce.

Photo Credit: Kelley Lotosky, Gates and Associates

October 7, 2016

Bishop Offers Blessing to Tutors at Aquinas Literacy Center in Honor of its 20th Anniversary

On Thursday, October 6, 2016, Bishop Joseph N. Perry of the Archdiocese of Chicago offered a simple blessing to learners and tutors at Aquinas Literacy Center (ALC) in honor of its 20th anniversary.