September 12, 2023

Dominican Sisters of Peace Celebrate Formation Milestones

Three Women Enter Novitiate, Two Make First Profession

*From left, Sisters Terri Schell, Paula Danforth, and Shingai Chigwedere are welcomed to the Dominican Novitiate by Dominican Sisters of Peace Prioress Sr. Pat Twohill, OP, in a Columbus, OH, ceremony.*

Columbus, OH – The Dominican Sisters of Peace celebrated the Feast our Founder, St. Dominic, by marking milestones in the formation of five of the newest members of the Dominican family.

On August 2, Shingai Chigwedere, a human resources administrator and native of Zambia, accountant Paula Danforth, from Vermont, and North Carolinian Terri Schell, an environmental educator, were accepted into the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate. The three have since moved to Chicago to begin their canonical year at the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate.

On August 6, 2023, as the Church celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration, the Dominican Sisters of Peace also celebrated the First Profession of Vows by Sister Cathy Buchanan, from New Jersey, and Sr. Tram Bui, a native of Vietnam. As she continues her formation, Sr. Cathy will minister as the Coordinator of Dominican Ministries and Service at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven CT.

Sr. Tram, a physical therapist, is using her extensive medical training in service to her Sisters at the Columbus, OH, motherhouse.

Members of the Leadership Team of the Dominican Sisters of Peace with the Congregation’s new novices. From left, Novice Sister Terri Schell; Dominican Sisters of Peace Prioress Pat Twohill, OP; Sr. Cathy Arnold, OP; Sr. Anne Lythgoe, OP; Sr. Susan Leslie, OP; Sr. Carol Davis, OP; Novice Sister Sr. Shingai Chigwedere; Novice Sister Paula Danforth.

“We continue to be grateful to God for the blessing of vocations to consecrated life,” said Sr. Pat Twohill, Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. “Each of these women brings a diverse set of gifts to the service of God’s church and God’s people. We look forward to seeing Shingai, Paula and Terri deepen their faith and their knowledge while in the novitiate, while we thank God for the on-going service of Sr. Cathy and Sr. Tram in our ministries.”

The Dominican Sisters of currently have three Sisters in the Novitiate and five having made First Profession. Sr. Margaret Uche made her final vows in 2022.

Single Catholic women who are interested in learning more about religious life are encouraged to visit the Congregation on their website at OPPeace.org, or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

September 12, 2023

Sister Spotlight: Trina McCormick, OP

For 36 years, Adrian Dominican Sister Trina McCormick, OP, has had a profound, often transformational, effect on countless women religious and other spiritual seekers through the sabbatical programs she organized at Springbank Retreat: for Eco-Spirituality and the Arts. She recently retired as Executive Director and bears the title of Founding Director, granted by the board.

“It’s been a very good 36 years,” Sister Trina said. She and the late Sister Ursula Ording, OP (1934-2013), were living out their dream of running a retreat center in Cohasset, Massachusetts when they were invited to serve at Springbank.

Sister Trina’s first role was establishing Springbank as a center for spirituality and the arts. “It was very important to me that it be a place of awareness of what’s happening to the planet and for people also to realize the vastness of the universe and the planet, and what brought us to today … It took 13.7 billion years for it to come into being.”

Sister Trina also served as Springbank’s Aesthetics Director, “designing the grounds and buildings, creating the schedule, creating the brochures,” and blazing trails in the woods. In addition, she taught painting and – after Sister Ursula’s death – took on teaching pottery and leading yoga and breathing practices. “My creative work was Springbank – Springbank was my canvas and my palette. [It] offers 80 acres of quiet beauty and warm hospitality.”

But while transforming the grounds of Springbank was important to Sister Trina, she was even more gratified by the transformation that took place in the Sisters who attended the sabbatical program over the years. “After the one-, two-, or three-month program, you see visible changes in women’s health and well-being,” she said. “People who are so worn out and tired from leadership [change] with movement, dance, and doing beautiful pottery.”

Her years at Springbank have taught Sister Trina never to lose heart or hope. She said she has also learned much from the speakers who were featured over the years. “I’ve learned that nothing beautiful ever hurries,” she said. “You can’t hurry it. You just nurture it along.”

“Things seem to come when we need it,” Sister Trina added. “I’ve always felt protected and guided by the Spirit, even when we’re going through difficult times, and I’ve come to a place where I consult the Spirit at every moment.”

September 12, 2023

Associate Spotlight: Nery Cummings

Adrian Dominican Associate Nery Cummings is, in many ways, a bridge. As a professional American Sign Language interpreter, she links people who are deaf with members of the hearing community.

“It has taken me a lot of places,” Nery said of her profession. She works in a relay service, interpreting phone calls between people who are deaf and hearing people. In addition, she offers interpretation in hospital emergency rooms, at a parish for people with disabilities, on cruises, and even at fund-raisers for Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. “It was the best profession I could pick,” she said.

But she wasn’t always proficient in American Sign Language or English. A native of Puerto Rico and the second of five children, Nery moved to the Miami, Florida, area with her family when she was in the ninth grade. “I didn’t speak English very well,” she said, adding that, because of the number of Hispanic people in Miami, that was not a problem. The family’s move to Tampa, Florida – where more people speak English – challenged her to learn the language.

The daughter of a deacon, always active in the church, Nery turned to God when she began college, seeking to know God’s direction in her life. “I picked up a school catalog and saw sign language,” she recalled. “I didn’t even know what it meant.” Yet, she said the sign language program was the answer to her prayer. As she studied American Sign Language, she also improved her English and set the course for her profession. “I fell in love with the language” and with the culture of people who are deaf. “It was like going into a new world.”

Nery met the Adrian Dominican Sisters while earning her master’s degree in pastoral ministry at St. Thomas University in Miami. She was so impressed that, about 21 years ago, she attended two Come and See discernment weekends in Adrian. Yet, she answered another call. While working at a high school, she met her husband, Brian Cummings. When she introduced Brian to the Sisters, they suggested she become an Associate – which she did in April 2004. Nery now serves on the Development Advisory Board for the Adrian Dominican Sisters.

Nery said she has learned much from her involvement with the Adrian Dominican Sisters. “I learned to walk in the path of truth,” she said. “My parents taught me that, but the Sisters reinforced it. … I’ve learned to stand up, not to stay quiet, and to speak the truth and work for justice.”

August 29, 2023

Events & Retreats – 8.30.23

Dominicans Embracing the Heart of Laudato Si’

The Laudato Si’ Action Team from the Dominican Sisters and Associates of Racine, Wisconsin will be hosting an inspiring day for Dominicans. The Zoom presentation, called Dominicans Embracing the Heart of Laudato Si’, will help us discern the signs of the times, share the gift of Laudato Si’ and respond to the invitation to restore right relationships. We invite all Dominicans to join us for this important conversation on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.

The day will be presented by three expert presenters in the area of Laudato Si’. They include:

Dr. Lorna Gold, Director of Movement Building, FaithInvest and President of the Laudato Si’ Movement Board of Directors, Elizabeth Garlow, Co-founder, Francesco Collaborative and Senior Fellow, New America and Catherine Devitt, Programme Manager of FaithInvest. In addition, the day will include speakers and storytellers from the Dominican family who are bringing the gifts of Laudato Si’ alive.

The day will be organized in two parts:

The morning session, Restoring Right Relationships with Laudato Si’, runs from 9:00 to 11:15 a.m. CDT via Zoom. This session will explore how Laudato Si’ offers us the wisdom to see and respond to the ecological crisis. Participants will hear from Sharon Zayac, OP, Dominican Sisters of Springfield and Colette Kane, OP Dominican Sisters of Cabra and Program Director, An Tairsearch, Wicklow, Ireland, who will provide examples of Laudato Si’ initiatives from the Dominican Family.

The afternoon session, Becoming Stewards for a More Just Economy, runs from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. CDT via Zoom. This session will take a deep dive into how finances and investments can be used as a force for good. Included in the afternoon is a storytelling session facilitated by Elizabeth Garlow that will include S. Marilin LLanes, OP, Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Lisa Kane, OP Dominicans of Racine and Pat Siemen, OP, Dominican Sisters of Adrian and the Dominican Climate Solutions Fund.

“Our hope is that this incredible learning experience will help Dominicans throughout the United States better understand how faith-first investing can bring about a new economy that benefits people and planet as we work to restore right relationships,” says Maryann McMahon, OP, President of the Racine Dominicans.

Our day together will be on Zoom, and Spanish interpretation will be available.

For more information, including presenter and panelist bio and a registration link, go to https://www.racinedominicans.org/dcjr/laudatosidominicans.cfm.

Fall 2023 Lunch and Learn Sessions Focus on Art, Food, and Laughter

The Fall 2023 season of Weber Retreat and Conference Center’s Lunch and Learn Series offers the opportunity to learn about exciting topics while enjoying a lunch break. Sessions are monthly from 12:15 to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays The schedule is as follows:

Weavers and Quilters, September 13, 2023: Marvel at the weavings of Sister Nancyann Turner, OP, and the quilts of Sister Barbara Quincey, OP, as they share how they create art from thread and cloth.

Nourish Juicery and Kitchen, October 18, 2023: Sarah Verlinde, owner of Nourish Juicery and Kitchen in Blissfield, explains how we can eat vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, plant-based whole food and love it.

More Humor and Laughter and Less Stress, November 15, 2023: Hank Cetola, PhD, Professor Emeritus at Adrian College, gives an overview of his research on humor and ways to apply it to our daily lives.

Mexican Food Cook-Off, December 13, 2023: We celebrate with Mexican food the day after the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Sign up to participate with your favorite recipe and bring enough for others to sample, along with a copy of your recipe. Non-cooks are invited to come and sample. Cooks may sign up by contacting Weber Center at 517-266-4000.

Bring your lunch – drinks and dessert are provided – or purchase a lunch of egg salad, turkey salad, or chicken salad on a croissant with chips for $7. Registration is required at least two days before the event only for those purchasing lunch. To register, visit www.webercenter.org and click “programs”; call 517-266-4000; or email webercenter@adriandominicans.org.

Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse, Adrian, Michigan. Traveling east on Siena Heights Drive, pass the Adrian Rea Literacy Center, and turn left just before the solar panel-covered parking lot. Follow the signs to Weber Center. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.

Monthly Days of Mindfulness

All interested people are invited to join the mindfulness community that gathers monthly Weber Retreat and Conference Center. The purpose is to deepen their understanding of and commitment to daily meditation practice. Sister Esther Kennedy, OP, a Dominican Sister of Adrian, facilitates the sessions.

Days of Mindfulness are from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays at Weber Center. The schedule and themes for fall 2023 are:

September 9, 2023: Leave Life Alone: Let it Be. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to create a conflict with what is occurring externally? When you become aware of an inner conflict, let yourself be curious and stay with the experience.

October 7, 2023: Why Practice Patience? The ultimate perfection of patience comes from the absence of our habitual, automatic triggers and reactive hooks to the challenges of life. Mindfulness helps us see ourselves just as we are.

November 11, 2023: Touching, We Are Touched. Daily, we get lost in a separate “me” thinking and planning, while nature reminds us to be still, to be ourselves, and to connect mindfully with nature.

December 9, 2023: Live Unbiased, Open, Fresh. Mindfulness meditation offers the courage to stay with experiences that are unpleasant, hurtful, or even frightening – those cracks where the light gets into our lives.

The cost for each session is $35, including lunch. Registration is required and available at www.webercenter.org; click “programs.” Registrations may also be made by calling 517-266-4000 or emailing webercenter@adriandominicans.org. Limited scholarships are available.

Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse, Adrian, Michigan. Traveling east on Siena Heights Drive, pass the Adrian Rea Literacy Center and turn left just before the solar panel-covered parking lot. Follow the signs to Weber Center. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.

It’s Okay, Boomer, It’s Going to Be Okay: Reflections and Reassurance for the Journey Ahead

SINSINAWA, Wis.—Join us on Saturday, September 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Sinsinawa Mound for a presentation on the boomer generation with Thom Dennis, D. Min., LCPC, FT. The generation born between 1946 and 1964 has often been described as optimistic and idealistic. Over the years we’ve worked hard and played hard and certainly left our mark on history. Despite the younger generations’ call for us to move aside, our world is desperately in need of a wisdom born of lived experience. As we strive to remain engaged and vital, this program offers perspective and the chance for dialogue about how our own spirituality and worldviews are being invited to evolve as we take our steps forward in faith. Registration ends on September 18, and the fee is $25 per person. Contact Arrangements at 608-748-4411 or visit our website at sinsinawa.org/moundcenter for more information. Sinsinawa Mound, the motherhouse for the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is located in southwest Wisconsin on County Road Z, off Highway 11, about five miles northeast of Dubuque.

Wild Church: Fall Equinox

SINSINAWA, Wis.—On Saturday, September 23, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Eric Anglada, Sinsinawa’s Ecological Programming Coordinator, will be leading Wild Church: Fall Equinox at Sinsinawa Mound. Fire and song, ritual and community, prayer and quiet: this inclusive, outdoor gathering is centered on honoring this day of equal light and dark. In a time of planetary upheaval, it is crucial to recover our elemental sense of connection and kinship with Creator and Creation. We are inspired by Celtic tradition and the Wild Church movement. We will meet at Cavanaugh Park which is located on the west end of our campus across from the sisters’ cemetery. Drive through the St. Clara Academy entrance next to the Post Office on County Road Z. Stay to the left which leads out to Cavanaugh Park and the Sisters’ Cemetery. No registration is required and a free will offering is welcome. Contact Arrangements at 608-748-4411 or visit our website at sinsinawa.org/moundcenter for more information. Sinsinawa Mound, the motherhouse for the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is located in southwest Wisconsin on County Road Z, off Highway 11, about five miles northeast of Dubuque.

Day of Retreat Focuses on Teilhard de Chardin’s Approach to Struggle

Many of us long to escape struggle. But Sister Kathleen Duffy, SSJ, offers a retreat day reflecting on how to find hope in the midst of struggle. In Embracing Struggle: Walking in Hope with Teilhard de Chardin, she reflects on how his approach encourages us to continue to struggle for the kind of change needed in our Church and in our world.

The retreat is from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, September 16, 2023, at Weber Retreat and Conference Center.

Sister Kathleen, a Sister of St. Joseph, is President of the American Teilhard Association, former editor of Teilhard Studies, and Professor Emerita of Physics at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia.

The cost of $45 includes lunch. Registration is required and is available at www.webercenter.org; click on “programs.” Registrations may also be made by calling 517-266-4000 or emailing webercenter@adriandominicans.org. Limited scholarships are available.

Writing Workshops at Weber Center Offer Opportunities for New and Experienced Writers

As we enter the fall, would you like to find time to work on your writing and share with other writers? Sister Tarianne DeYonker, OP, an Amherst Writers and Artists Affiliate, offers two opportunities. Both workshops are held on Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and provide an in-person or online experience.

Letting Go and Making Room for the New, on Saturday, September 23, 2023, sets autumn as nature’s reminder to let go as we move through our lives, just as trees let go of their leaves. Writing can support our letting go and encourage us to make space for the new in our lives.

Winter’s Invitation, on Saturday, December 2, 2023, offers the opportunity to write into the mysterious and fertile days of the coming winter. Participants will explore the patterns of light and darkness together.

The cost for the workshops is $35 per session. Registration is required and available at www.webercenter.org; click “programs.” Registrations may also be made by calling 517-266-4000 or emailing webercenter@adriandominicans.org. Limited scholarships are available.

We Remember Interfaith Memorial Service (In-Person)

Tuesday, Sep 12 • 6:30 – 8:00 pm
GRAND RAPIDS, MI –Join us for this year’s Annual Interfaith Memorial Service, a time of remembrance in a welcoming and inclusive space. This year, we will gather at the Catholic Information Center in downtown Grand Rapids. There will be opportunities for personal reflection, remembrance activities, and acknowledgement of loss. Families are welcome. This community event is free and open to the public. Collaboratively coordinated and sponsored by: CorewellHealth Hospice, Emmanuel Hospice, Faith Hospice, Gentiva Hospice, Harmony Cares, and Hospice of Michigan. Coordinating support by Catholic Information Center, Congregation Ahavas Israel, Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College, Kaufman Interfaith Institute, and Michigan Humanists. For more information call 616-514-3325 or visit dominicancenter.com. Dominican Center Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, is located in West Michigan off Fulton Street East, on the campus of Aquinas College.

Details & Registration: https://dominicancenter.com/programs-and-retreats/we-remember-interfaith-memorial-service/

Tuesday Table Talk: Weaving Hope — A Conversation on Interconnectedness (In Person)

Tuesday, Sep 26 • 6:00 – 8:30 pm

GRAND RAPIDS, MI –Join us for an interfaith Tuesday Table Talk as we gather to break bread together over a simple meal of soup, salad, and bread at Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College. Let’s have a conversation about interconnectedness. Many cultures and wisdom traditions have given language to this idea of being woven together or bound up in shared mutuality with our neighbors. Engage in a facilitated discussion and learn from diverse perspectives on our interconnectedness as human beings as an imperative for justice and equity. Together we will discuss the barriers that disrupt or distort human connection as we lean into the teachings and traditions that move us to action. If our life and wellbeing are inextricably tied to the wider human family, then our shared future requires us to dream of and work towards a better world, weaving hope together. Dominican Center Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, is located in West Michigan off Fulton Street East, on the campus of Aquinas College.

Details & Registration: https://dominicancenter.com/programs-and-retreats/tuesday-table-talk-weaving-hope-a-conversation-on-interconnectedness/

A Bottle Full of Tears ~ Moving Through Grief (In Person)

Friday, Sep 29 • 6:30 – 8:30 pm & Saturday, Sep 30 • 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

GRAND RAPIDS, MI –Grief is love that has nowhere to go. Grief is deeply personal and can be one of life’s most difficult challenges. Grief is an emotional reaction occurring in response to loss and impermanence, and it is inevitable to the human experience. Begin or continue your healing journey at A Bottle Full of Tears, a retreat on moving through grief. We will explore the stages of the grief experience in a two-day, in person interactive retreat. Using a variety of transformative practices alongside reflective pauses for integration, we will honor ways we might be worked by loss, learn from it, and love through it. For more information call 616-514-3325 or visit dominicancenter.com. Dominican Center Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, is located in West Michigan off Fulton Street East, on the campus of Aquinas College.

Details & Registration: https://dominicancenter.com/programs-and-retreats/bottle-full-of-tears/

Sinsinawa Mound Market

SINSINAWA, Wis.—Join us at Sinsinawa Mound on Wednesday, September 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. for our last market of the season. The market is held at our farm at 2551 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, WI 53824. The vendors at the market will include Collaborative Farmers, Sandhill Farm, Dropseed Farm, City Girl Farming, The Mound’s Farm, Sinsinawa Bakery, Sinsinawa Book and Gift Gallery, plus more! Contact Arrangements at 608-748-4411 or visit our website at sinsinawa.org/moundcenter for more information. Sinsinawa Mound, the motherhouse for the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is located in southwest Wisconsin on County Road Z, off Highway 11, about five miles northeast of Dubuque.

Healing Haunted Histories

SINSINAWA, Wis.—Eric Anglada, Sinsinawa’s Ecological Programming Coordinator, will be leading Healing Haunted Histories on Tuesday, September 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. We live in a land that is haunted, where the spirit of past colonial violence and Native dispossession is still present among us. This retreat will explore the hauntings of this continent, region and landscape, while delving into practical ways of healing. This is both an inward and an outward journey. To prepare for the event, please research your family history and bring that information to the retreat. The fee is $15 per person, and registration ends on Monday, September 25. Contact Arrangements at 608-748-4411 or visit our website at //sinsinawa.org/moundcenter for more information. Sinsinawa Mound, the motherhouse for the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is located in southwest Wisconsin on County Road Z, off Highway 11, about five miles northeast of Dubuque.

August 29, 2023

Adrian Dominican Sister Donna Markham, OP, PhD, Receives Outstanding Leadership Award

August 29, 2023, Dallas, Texas – Shortly after retiring from her ministry as President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), Donna Markham, OP, PhD, received the highest honor of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR): the Outstanding Leadership Award. The presentation occurred on August 11, 2023, during the closing banquet of the LCWR’s 2023 Assembly in Dallas, Texas. Maureen Geary, OP (Grand Rapids), President of the LCWR, presented the award.

The LCWR is an association of nearly 1,270 elected leaders of Catholic women’s religious congregations – including the Adrian Dominican Sisters – representing about 66% of the 39,000 Catholic Sisters in the United States.

More than 800 Sisters in attendance – and countless others watching on live stream – were treated to a video outlining Sister Donna’s five-decade career, accomplishments, and positive impact. She was noted as a “trailblazer, advocate, and preacher of the Gospel.”

Sister Donna was the first woman to serve as President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, a national network of Catholic agencies serving in areas such as food and nutrition, affordable housing, immigration and refugee services, integrated health, Catholic leadership, and domestic disaster relief.

Sister Donna also served in leadership for the Adrian Dominican Sisters as a member of the General Council from 1986 to 1992 and as Prioress of the Congregation from 2004 to 2010.

“Anyone in this room could be standing here,” Sister Donna said while accepting the award. She thanked the LCWR for her 37 years of involvement. “I walked among giants,

and I was so honored and blessed to come into relationship with such wonderful, fine, strong women,” she said.

“We are all so proud and deeply grateful to Donna for her eight years of outstanding service in leading Catholic Charities USA,” said Sister Elise D. García, OP, Prioress of the Adrian Dominican Congregation. Sister Elise said the award presentation was “deeply moving and inspiring, as were Donna’s words of acceptance. It was a joy at the end of the banquet to have all of us Adrian Dominicans joined by every other Dominican in the huge hall, offering Donna our Dominican blessing.”

The Outstanding Leadership Award was the most recent of many honors that Sister Donna received in recognition of her leadership and dedication to people in need. In March, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognized her as one of the nation’s top women of faith leaders. For several years, she has been recognized as one of the Nonprofit Times’ Power and Influence Top 50 leaders of nonprofit organizations.

U.S. President Joseph Biden expressed his gratitude for Sister Donna’s “trailblazing leadership [which] opened the doors of opportunity wider for future generations of women” and for “more than four decades of care for the most vulnerable among us.”

This fitting tribute from President Biden was read by Melissa Rogers, Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, at the gala event in Washington, D.C., honoring Donna on June 16. Sister Donna also received tributes from the office of the Papal Nuncio; numerous Washington colleagues; Adrian Dominican Associate Kathy Almaney, CCUSA Board member; and CCUSA staff members as they celebrated her accomplishments in a joyful ceremony emceed by Donna’s brother, Bob Markham.