Category Archives: religious life

So how was the Nun Run? (follow up on 3/16 post)

Nun Runners sharing a meal with Sr. Monica and Sr. Mary Bea at Visitation Spiritual Center

Great! Eight women participated in the whirlwind visit to six different communities in the Detroit area between last Friday at 6:00 PM and Saturday at 8:00 PM. A Nun Run provides a way to experience how different groups of sisters  live out their call to religious life. Though the time limit precluded some areas of interest to the women like the steps in the formation process,  the vows and an experience with the sisters in their ministries they recognized the advantage of getting to know a little bit about the different groups in a day. You might call it one stop shopping. In their favorite session the runners learned what “charism” meant and then were treated to a creative process in which each vocation director brought two objects that were significant for the community and why. Nothing like visual aids! Then they each told two of stories showing how their sisters live the charism today. One of the runners said that the most important thing for her was “seeing the orders together and being able to see how they are different yet the same.” Another commented about the day,”I have a better sense of where and what I’m called to.” Another added, ” I think today helped me realize that I’m being called into deeper discernment. Some days it’s so easy to brush off that gentle tugging on my heart.” She continued, “even being around sisters fills me with such joy and happiness, and it just feels right.” One said on her evaluation,” I loved praying with the sisters and eating meals together.”

If you’re sensing a call to religious life and have the opportunity to go on a Nun Run I highly recommend it.

Running with Nuns

Think about joining Detroit area vocation directors for a fun nun run. We’ll visit Mercy sisters, Adrian Dominican Sisters, Daughters of Charity, Bernadine Franciscan Sisters, and IHM sisters. Yes— all in one day! The advantage of meeting a number of groups in one day is that  you get a rare chance to experience first hand how various religious communities are alike as well as how they differ. Each group has a unique spirit, a different way of living the Gospel. God doesn’t make a generic call to you but rather leads you to a particular group where you can best live and grow and minister to the people of God.

“Nunnabes” and Friends


For the last few days we’ve had a fabulous time hosting nine women interested in joining the IHMs in some way. This was the weekend of our Coordinating Council meeting so many of our sisters who live at a distance, even Puerto Rico and Washington, DC were home for it. We  invited some IHM “wannabes” to hang out with us and join in the prayer and  presentations at the CC. I’m not sure which was best, the laughter, the wonderful sharing or the extra loud but delightful noise in the dining room. However, I do know  a lot of discerning happened as we shared our lives.

We’d love you to “Come and See”

Save the date!

IHM Chapter, IHM Capitulo 2012

IHM Leadership 2012-2018: Srs. Mary Ann Bredice, Janet Holland -Vice-president, Margaret Alandt, Jane Herb- President, Pat McCluskey, Helen Ingles

Sr. Joan Mumaw acting president and Sr. Jane Herb, newly elected president enjoy the community’s standing ovation.
Time for quiet reflection
Serious conversations
A rousing song during one of our rituals
IHMs enjoying each other
View of Lake Erie from our meeting room at Maumee Bay State Park
Our choir

 I hope one picture is really worth a thousand words.  So the above is worth eight thousand, right? Words actually limp trying to express what Chapter week meant to us. If you had you been here you would have observed a spirit of hope and peace, untity and great energy around our mission and our future.