By Sister Margaret Briody, OP (Amityville)

Sister Yolanda Alvarez Ramos made her final profession of vowes religious life April 7 in the Province of Puerto Rico. A few days before the event, the province also welcomed Sister Mary Hughes at Convento Santa Cruz, and Sisters Beth McGarvey and Terry Gallagher in Cataño. Dominican Associate Maritere Nieves welcomed Sisters Marenid and Flor. Their presence reaffirms the phrase “We are a People Made One.”

Mass was presided by Fr. Yamil Rivera, OP, at the Parish Church in Cataño. By 10:30 a.m., the church was completely filled with parishioners, our own sisters and at least 30 sisters from different congregations who also shared in our joy. There were many meaningful moments during this celebration, but we choose to share with you one that was very beautiful… after pronouncing her vows, we, the sisters, surrounded Sister Yolanda and blessed her as we sang our Dominican Salve. After this we shared a sign of Peace with her. The church and the parish activity room where the reception was held was nicely decorated with Trinitarias of different colors, Sister Yolanda’s favorite flower.

Watch video from Sister Yolanda’s final vows ceremony

By Ceil Roeger, OP (Houston)

“Get on board! The Nuns on the Bus are headed to Austin in support of health care coverage for the working poor” was the call from Catholic sisters from around the State of Texas. In response to the call, at 5:30 a.m. on the morning of April 17, sisters from five congregations in Houston and their friends boarded the bus and headed for Austin. Dominican Sisters Carol Mayes, Eleanor Cresap, Julie Greig, Pat Casey, Ceil Roeger (Houston), Maureen O’Connell, (Adrian) and Jeri Cashman (Sinsinawa) were members of the delegation.

The seed for this day of advocacy was planted in October 2012, when it was confirmed that Sr. Simone Campbell, the Executive Director of NETWORK, was to be a keynote speaker at the Socially Responsible Investment Coalition’s fundraising event on April 16, 2013. Nuns on the Bus-Texas Style would converge on the Texas state capitol on April 17.

When the bus rolled up to the west gate of the capitol building, the Houstonians were greeted by nuns and friends from around the state. Holding signs that read “Health Care for 1.5 Million Now” and “Texas Needs a Healthcare Solution Now” between 300 and 400 people gathered for a rally on the steps of the capitol. Standing before a group chanting, “Health care for everyone,” Sister Ceil pointed out that 24 percent of Texans do not have health insurance, the highest number in the country. Speaking at the rally, Sister Simone was clear that “germs are not selective.” “They don’t ask if you have health care before invading your body.”

Following the rally, delegations visited the offices of their legislators and Governor Perry’s office, where letters from his constituents urging him to do the right thing were delivered. The visits focused on encouraging the legislators and the governor to find a “Texas Solution,” using the billions of dollars of federal tax money that our citizens have already sent to Washington that would provide health care coverage to more than 1.5 million low-income Texans.

Lunch was prepared by the staff of AFL/CIO and set up in their auditorium near the capitol. While enjoying sandwiches, fruit and cookies, stories were shared, some encouraging, while others reminded us we still have work to do. More of this conversation took place on the bus ride home. Advocacy is not just for one day. We still need to make calls, write letters, and pray.

On April 9, the Fremont (California) City Council voted to appropriate $250,000 in fiscal year 2013–2014 Community Development Block Grant funds to the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose.

The CDBG funds will be used to support an estimated $1 million–$1.2 million renovation of the first floor of the congregation’s Siena building to host an Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay (ASEB) operated adult memory care program.

The Dominican ASEB program will offer the first dementia-specific adult-day care program in Fremont serving 50 diverse, low-moderate income elders and veterans in the Tri-City area, providing professional, affordable “person-centered” care to individuals and care giver families.

The sisters’ strategic plan recognized their motherhouse as a treasured resource that could be shared with the community to address urgent needs in the arts, health and wellness, environmental sustainability and spirituality. ASEB, a 25-year non-profit leader in memory care, will operate the program on the motherhouse campus.

The Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose are an international congregation of Catholic sisters, founded in California in 1876 to serve “the young, the poor and the vulnerable.” The sisters continue to maintain their 26-acre campus and operate a School of Music, open to adults and youth interested in learning flute, guitar, piano or violin. The sisters also cultivate the largest remaining grove of “mission-era” olive trees in California, producing extra virgin olive oil that is bottled and shared with friends and sold each year at their Holiday Boutique.

For more information about the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, visit www.msjdominicans.org.