Tag Archives: IHM sisters

IHMs prepare for Chapter 2012

Posted on January 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Chapter 2012! What’s that you might ask. Since religious communities are living, breathing organisms,  they don’t just keep existing from year to year. If they’re healthy they  grow and change in response to God’s new invitations to them. Thus all congregations meet every four to six years to set directions for the future and open to the Spirit’s call.

This year the IHM community comes together for Chapter 2012 from January 23 to 28, and this will include election of our IHM Leadership Council for 2012 to 2018. Then on Sunday,  January 29, the whole community–vowed members, associates and friends –will gather at a 2:00 PM Mass in the Motherhouse  chapel to celebrate the graces of the Chapter and our newly elected Leadership Council. We’d love to have you with us on the twenty-ninth if that’s possible for you. Give me a call at 734-240-9820 if you’d like to come. 

Of course we don’t take lightly the importance of this time . We desire to be  open to the Spirit of God moving among us, so we’ve been joining in this prayer for the whole year. As friends of IHM I invite you to pray it with us.

PRAYER FOR IHM LA ASAMBLEA – ASSEMBLY 2011

God, life-giving Spirit:
Traveling our communal faith journey, you guide us.
Stepping along the pathway toward our destiny, you guide us.
Discovering our purpose for existing, you guide us.

Listening to our journey’s life-revelations, you walk with us.
Sharing our story with others, you walk with us.
Discovering the wisdom in each other, you walk with us.

Gathering strength from one another, you give us courage.
Believing in our abundant wisdom, you give us courage.
Celebrating our passion for mission, you give us courage.

Seeing what to keep and what to let go, you give us new life.
Daring to dream, you give us new life.
Moving into a prophetic vision, you give us new life.

God, life-giving Spirit, you guide us into a future full of hope.
Thank you for our wisdom experiences and for all that
will unfold on our journey.
Amen.

Feel free to ask if you’d like to know more about Chapters in religious communities.

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Why I never published this “Fun with Sabrina” post I have no idea!

Posted on November 22, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Sabrina and Sr. Julia Ann Kline

Sabrina Melni came early for the Come and See weekend to hang out with the nuns. She spent her first day here at the Motherhouse doing volunteer work with some of our elders, a work that seems to come naturally to her. As you can see from the above pictures she and the sisters (and Rocky the cat) enjoyed each other. Sabrina loved the stories the sisters told her about their early days in the convent and got a good chuckle as they talked about a picture of sisters doing the dishes in the old days with habits and big blue checked aprons. The picture is intersting  to look at but Sabrina  loved the way the sisters were all disagreeing about the details they remembered, like what material was used for their home- made petticoates, cotton or satin.  I’m betting it was cotton!  Today one of our sister artists is going to teach her techniques of calligraphy and later she’ll be joining the sisters on the fourth floor for a pizza party. It’s fun to have her here.
Sr. Jean Burbo, Sabrina and Rocky

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Our IHM Sisters in Mexico

Posted on August 30, 2011 by | 2 Comments

One of the joys of the weeks surrounding Jubilee is that our sisters who live at a distance are home. I took the opportunity to ask Sr. Maureen Kelly and Sr. Maria Antonia Aranda Diaz, two of our sisters who minister in Juarez,  Mexico to share their vocation stories on video. I particularly wanted Maria Antonia to tell her story in her native tongue. Those of you whose native language is Spanish can enjoy that clip more than many of us. I also asked them to talk about their experiences of mission in Juarez.  Stay tuned.  I’ll be posting those later.

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Jubilee reflection

Posted on August 5, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Srs. Margaret Brennan and Joan Mumaw in the Jubilee entrance procession

One of the Jubilee gifts that I didn’t mention before was the reflection Sr. Margaret Brennan gave after the Gospel at Mass. I promised a copy to our Jubilee guests, but why not share it with all of you as well? Just click on the link below. Sr. Joan Mumaw, acting president, introduced the Jubilarians by name and invited their renewal of vows. I’m sure it was a bittersweet experience for her as we continue to grieve the loss of  Sr. Mary Fran Gilleran.
http://www.ihmsisters.org/www/media/about_us_autogen/BrennanReflectionJUBILEE11.pdf

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Faces of IHM Jubilee

Posted on August 3, 2011 by | 1 Comment
Miss Jubilee? Oh no! Our Jubilee always falls on the last Saturday of July and all IHMs make a priority to arrange our calendars accordingly.  It’s difficult to describe what it means for us. First of all we celebrate the lives of consecration of our Diamond, Golden and Siver Jubilarians.  It is so touching to see the faces of the Diamond Jubilarians particularly, either walking proudly, or more often being wheeled down the aisle.  This year I particularly noticed three of those sisters  showing brilliant smiles while tears brimmed in their eyes. Let me tell you their eyes weren’t the only ones brimming!
 
However,  Jubilee means much more than a number of years. We all experience overflowing  joy and gratitude for our IHM vocation.  No one actually sits on the sidelines. One of the discerners who shared Jubilee with us picked it up right away. She said, “I could feel the excitement in the air as soon as I came in.”   I hope the pictures express the spirit of the day!

Pictured at the pre Jubilee reception are Sr. Barbara Stanbridge, Jeanne Salerno, Sandra Hagen, Sr. Carmen Armenta-Lara, Sr. Maria Antonia Aranda Diaz and Marcia Edge

Entrance procession: Srs. Anne Crimmins, Kathy Onderbeke, Margaret Brennan, Joan Mumaw (hidden), Frs. Babcock and Singelyn, surrounded by enthusiastic, clapping IHMs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A joyous Diamond Jubilarian, Sr. Lucille Smalley, escorted by her friend, Sr. Margaret VanVelzen

 

Golden Jubilarians Srs. Mary Ann Mehling, Mary King, Rose Ange Leddy and Angela Hibbard

Sign of Peace with more sisters in the aisle hugging each other than in the pews
 

Jubilee closes with a festive dinner. Obviously Sandra Hagen, Joyce Elaine Cutliff, Marcia Edge, Sr. Maxine Kollasch, Sue Palmer and Sr. Julie Vieira enjoyed it.

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