Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Bringing Christ's love to the world

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Sharing an experience of Guatemala

It was the start of the Memorial Day weekend. When so many people were beginning the unofficial start of summer, many of our adult tutors and friends attended an evChristine Marie 2 and Lorraine Campanelli crening presentation on Guatemala. Sr. Christine Marie Baltas, MSC, from Cabrini College in Radnor, PA, presented her experience while in Guatemala with a college class.

Cabrini Immigrant Services in Dobbs Ferry, NY, serves a large population of people from Guatemala. It was felt that we needed to know more about the people we serve and what better way to learn than by someone who has had the experience of being in their country of origin.

Throughout Sr. Christine Marie’s presentation, we were brought to different areas of Guatemala. We saw how the people of Guatemala live. They experience injustice in so many ways. The people have been deprived of food and water, things that we take for granted. One could understand their fears especially when they arrive in a new country.

Sr. Christine Marie shared some of the student’s videos of their experiences on You-Tube. You can tell that each of them were touched in a very deep way through this experience. We, too, were affected very deeply by the presentation. Those who attended have asked that we meet again to share all that we learned. I believe that this presentation opened our eyes even more to what our clients have dealt with in their lives.

Thank you Sr. Christine Marie for sharing your experience with us!

                                                        

Joy Abounds at Profession of Vows

Joy! Joy! Joy!

No other word can sum up what the perpetual profession of Sr. Laura Baldini, MSC was like. Even before the day – May 31st – came, our house was filled with greeting the many guests for the occasion. The guests came from Argentina (Laura’s home country), Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, Rome, and the United States. Among the guests from Argentina were Laura’s mother and aunt.

The mix and mash of English-Spanish, Spanish-English reverberated everywhere and always with a joyful sound. It gave us here in the U.S. a great opportunity to get to know our Latin American Sisters.

When the time came for the vow ceremony all plugged into the prayer and the solemnity of the occasion. There were three con-celebrants: Fr. Kirk Reynolds, S.J. and the two OFM Caps: Fr. Thomas Faiola and Fr. Michael Ramos. The chapel was full – downstairs and up in the choir loft. The liturgy was bi-lingual and inclusive.

After liturgy, all were treated to a sumptuous meal where the camaraderie continued with festive joy.

MSCs Observe Memorial Day

In the United States this past weekend the nation celebrated Memorial Day to remember and honor all those who have given their lives in the service of their country and all those who have served in the armed forces.

Memorial Day 1 crThe Missionary Sisters at Sacred Heart Convent in New York City observed the day in by celebrating with a red, white and blue cookout.

Sharing in Mission Dinner Goes on a Sunset Safari

Cabrini of Westchester recognized the achievements of three honorees at its 17th annual fundraising event, The Sharing in Mission Dinner held on May 13, 2015 at the beautiful Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown, NY. Thanks to the honorees, sponsors, donors and the 2015 Sharing in Mission Dinner Event Committee, the evening was a tremendous success and netted over $188,000 to benefit the ministry of Cabrini of Westchester!

Sharing in Mission cr 1The Sunset Safari theme added a lot of frivolity to the evening. Guests were greeted with Sunset Martinis and Amarula on the Rocks, an authentic African Liquor, as they entered the mansion. On entering the dining room, they were humored by centerpieces of typical safari animals surrounded by African flowers and fauna. Mike Bennett, a local radio host, kicked off the evening with his great wit followed by moving speeches from each of the three honorees, all of whom gave tribute to the high-quality care for which Cabrini of Westchester is known. A highlight of the evening was Sr. Arlene Van Dusen’s invocation which included a blessings sung in Amharic by Sr. Hanna Dima, MSC and Sr. Amarech Herego, MSC who were visiting from Ethiopia.

This year’s honorees included Ron Corti, President and CEO of St. John’s Riverside Hospital and his leadership team, Peter Millock, Partner, Nixon Peabody and Joseph Bisaccia, Cabrini’s Director of Food, Nutrition and Purchasing. The honorees were chosen for their dedication to Cabrini of Westchester’s mission which calls on individuals to be leaders, educators, advocates and sponsors of quality services to those in need of care and compassion.

 

MSC Offices Celebrate One Year Anniversary

Last year, just as the Cabrini College graduates were leaving campus, the moving vans were arriving and a series of over 50 campus office re-locations was about to begin. First up, the move of the MSC Mission Offices from the College’s historic Mansion to the Cottage located on the northwest corner of campus.

After a spectacular renovation of the property by the College’s Facilities Department, The Cottage was ready for us. It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by! Given the natural setting of the Cottage, we have delighted in all four seasons here.

Fittingly, on this Monday, we had international MSC visitors with us to help commemorate this happy occasion. Sr. Lucy Panettieri, MSC, Provincial Councilor, brought

The Cottage - International MSCs cr. w N 1Sr. Laura Baldini, MSC, Sr. Hanna Dima, MSC and Sr. Amarech Herego, MSC for a visit to Radnor. They toured the campus and met many members of the College community who impressed the Sisters with their mission spirit. They also spent time at the Cottage. Following their visit to the Cottage, Sr. Lucy and the sisters travelled to Langhorne, PA for a visit with Sr. Arlene Primus, MSC and Sr. Stephanie Kabacinski. MSC.

Another exciting development at the Cottage is the inauguration of a new container garden. The backyard of the Cottage is blessed with southern exposure. The sunlight streams down all day. When Cabrini College acquired the property, the vestiges of a vegetable garden were in place. Over the course of the past year, the MSC Mission Offices staffers had dreamed of reconstituting the garden in order to grow vegetables for the various shelters in the nearby city of Norristown with whom the College’s Wolfington Center for Service partners.   Collaborating with Wolfington Center Director Tom Southard, “Francesca’s Garden” as Sr. Grace Waters has dubbed it, will provide fresh produce for the guests at these various organizations.

Tomatoes for garden 1 plants crIn consultation with Gus Feudale, the head groundskeeper at Cabrini College, and Cabrini student Stan Thompson, plans have been developed to prepare a full vegetable garden for which the prep work will begin later this summer. Members of the College community will be invited to work in the garden and the future bounty will be given to Catholic Social Services of Montgomery County, PA, the Norristown Hospitality Center and Coordinated Homeless Outreach Center (CHOC ) and other homeless shelters with whom the College has an on-going relationship.

Jumpstarting the garden this month was the gift of heirloom tomato plants from Cabrini College alumna and trustee Elizabeth Riley Bell ’69 and her husband Ray. Elizabeth delivered the plants cultivated by her husband to campus and Gus Feudale took it from there. Different varieties of heirloom tomato plants are now in place in large containers at the Cottage made secure from the many deer and fox visitors that frequent the property.

Cabrini Closet Now Open in NYC

Through the tireless efforts of Cabrini Action and Advocacy Chair Karol Brewer and Cabrini Mission Corps missioner Melanie Paccillo and the generosity of many others, a new Cabrini Closet has opened in New York City to assist victims of human trafficking.

The Cabrini Closet NYC is now officially open following a prayer service, blessing, and ribbon cutting at the Gramercy Park location.

This wonderful new ministry of the Missionary Sisters will provide a direct service to female survivors of human trafficking. Through fashionable clothing any woman would be proud to wear, the Cabrini Closet will be an important part of the transition from victim to survivor.

Missionary Sisters and friends of the Cabrini Community gathered from all over New York City and Pennsylvania to join in this very special prayer, blessing, and ribbon cutting. Following the opening song, God of This City by Chris Tomlin, there was a reading of an anti-trafficking prayer and a response prayer. Missioner Jenay Smith reminded of us how Christ is in the least of our brothers and sisters by reading the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-40. Interspersed were quotes from Mother Cabrini such as, “as I see it, the mission is simply this: loving other human beings.” Father Golino from Epiphany Parish blessed the closet and those in attendance with holy water. Sr, Catherine Garry, MSC made some beautiful comments and, with the help of Sr. Arlene VanDusen, MSC and Phillip Deans, Manager of the Cabrini Apartments, cut the ribbon to officially open the closet. All sang the closing song of Press On by Mandisa. Following the service, guests enjoyed a reception and fellowship.

Spire of Mother Cabrini to be restored in Milan

NY Times columnist Michael Luongo has written an article which will appear in this Sunday’s Times. It tells the story of why Mother Cabrini — her statue atop one of dozens of saint spires on the Duomo — was picked for special restoration efforts this year.

Sr. Mary Ann Hawes - Milan DuomoFor Milan’s Duomo, beauty has its price. The city’s massive Gothic cathedral on which construction began in 1386, is undergoing a restoration, and the marble that provides its celebrated luster is a particular challenge.

Monsignor Gianantonio Borgonovo, president of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano, the organization that has been responsible for the cathedral’s construction and maintenance since 1387, said: “Restoration is the main work for the Fabbrica, because this marble from Candoglia is not hard. In 50 years, in maximum one century, you have to change all the stones.”

The marble, which is quarried in Candoglia, near Lake Maggiore, about 65 miles northwest of Milan, “is not so strong as Carrara marble,” which is more commonly used in Italy, he said.

Milan’s Duomo is among the world’s largest churches and took nearly five centuries to complete. It will receive renewed attention throughout Milano Expo which began last week and will run through October 31.

A statue of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, which adorns one of the cathedral’s 135 spires, is also about to undergo restoration. Mother Cabrini was born in Lombardy, the province of which Milan in the capital. She lived and worked in New York beginning in 1889, Pope Leo XIII to help the Italian immigrants. She died in 1917 in Chicago, and in 1946 became the first American citizen to be canonized.

The restoration of Mother Cabrini’s statue is the centrepiece of a crowdfunding campaign by the International Patrons of Duomo di Milano, a United States charity created in 2014 that works with the Fabbrica to raise funds for maintenance of the cathedral. Called the Save the Saint, the campaign was launched in conjunction with ForItaly.org, which works to preserve Italian cultural heritage. The group met its $150,000 target for the Cabrini spire and has a fund-raising goal of $1 million.

Alessandra Pellegrini, chief development officer for the Patrons, said 23 percent of Duomo visitors are from the United States, which is why the Italian-born American saint was chosen for the campaign. She added that by visiting the cathedral, “Americans can understand how deep and rich is the culture and history around Milano.

To raise awareness of the restoration, the statue of St. Lucia and gargoyles from one of the Duomo’s spires are displayed in the Eataly food complex in New York City. Dino Borri, an Eataly partner, said the company donated $100,000 to the Patrons for the Duomo project.

Sister Mary Ann on camera croppedSome of our Update readers may recall the appearance of Sr. MaryAnn Hawes, MSC as our spokesperson at there US kickoff and fundraiser earlier this year.

To read Michael Luongo’s article in its entirety: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/08/travel/anticipating-a-crowd-milans-cathedral-undergoes-a-restoration.html?_r=0

Campus Beautification Day

This year, Cinco dCampus Beautification Day Spring DT cr 1e Mayo was celebrated at Cabrini College with an environmental twist. Thousands of annuals were planted throughout campus assuring a riotous show of color next week just in time for Commencement.

Teams of faculty and staff volunteers wielded rakes, shovels, trowels and dug, mulched and planted throughout the campus for the Spring Beautification Day.

The Radnor campus is already showing off the efforts of the Fall Beautification Day when over 10,000 bulbs were planted.

The morning gardening effort concluded with a community lunch

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