Journey: Fall 2002
Contents
Two CSJs Profess First Vows
A Piece of History, an Occasion for Thanks
A Daughter of St. Joseph
Your will wont work well when...
S. Marie Denise Gagner, CSJ
S. Joseph Francis Glavan, CSJ
River Cruise Raises Funds, Makes Friends for CSJs
Associates in the Spotlight
Viewpoint on Spirituality
SJA Baton Rouge
Two CSJs Profess First Vows
In an afternoon ceremony held on August 24, Ss. Joan Manuel
and Theresa Pitruzzello took a step toward full profession
as Sisters of St. Joseph.
The sisters made their first vows in the St. Joseph Chapel
at the Catholic Life Center in Baton Rouge. Congregation
president S. Phyllis Manda received the vows; the Rev. Msgr.
Douglas A. Doussan, pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel
Church in New Orleans, presided at the mass.
S. Joan, daughter of John and Dorothy Huckaby of Eunice,
LA, is the mother of two grown sons and has a two-year-old
granddaughter. Now 47, she traces her religious feelings
back more than 15 years. “In my thirties,” said
S. Joan, “I realized I had a restlessness that wasn’t
about relationships, money, or career.” Three years
ago, after praying, meeting with a spiritual director, and
attending a vocation retreat, she followed the call to religious
life and became a novice in the Congregation.
S. Joan has an associate degree in nursing from LSU Eunice,
LA. She is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing
and taking graduate-level courses in pastoral studies at
Loyola University New Orleans. Before entering the Congregation,
she worked as a nurse for 25 years, in a rehabilitation
hospital in Crowley (LA), at an ob/gyn clinic in Eunice,
and as the in-service director at Moosa Memorial Hospital
in Eunice. In September S. Joan began a ministry at Sacred
Heart Parish in Baton Rouge, where she is pioneering a parish
nurse program.
S. Theresa, daughter of Michael and Mary Pitruzzello of
Huntsville, AL, followed a longer but clearer path to the
religious life. Now 28, she has been interested in becoming
a sister since she was in the first grade at St. Joseph
School in Hunstville. S. Theresa was seeking a congregation
that would provide the community life she wanted while allowing
her to work with people to fulfill God’s mission.
She stated, “Your call to religious life is matching
what you desire deep in your heart with what God desires
for you.”
S. Theresa attended Loyola University, where she earned
a degree in music therapy. She served her internship at
Cedar Lake Health Care Center in Wisconsin, and for four
years was full-time music therapist at the Chateau de Notre
Dame Nursing Home in New Orleans.
Currently S. Theresa is working toward a master’s
degree in pastoral studies at the Loyola University Institute
for Ministry in New Orleans. She hopes to continue in music
therapy, possibly in connection with a hospice program.
S. Theresa is now working as liturgy coordinator and combining
her musical talents with her love for the liturgy at St.
Luke Evangelist Church in Slidell, LA.
The quotes and much of the information for
this article were taken from an article by Laura Deavers
in the August 21 issue of The Catholic Commentator, newspaper
of the Diocese of Baton Rouge.
Letter from the President
A Piece of History, an Occasion for Thanks
by Phyllis Manda, CSJ
As I sat at my computer to write this, my first message
for Journey, images of my recent visit to France rushed
through my mind. In early October I was privileged to attend
an international meeting in Lyon with Sisters of St. Joseph
from around the world. We gathered with energy and enthusiasm
to plan for an international peace and spirituality center
to be located in France. The Center would serve the Sisters
of St. Joseph, their associates, and young people.
A special feature of the gathering was a trip to the small
mountain village of LePuy, where in 1650 a young Jesuit
priest and six simple women founded the Congregation of
St. Joseph. As I walked the cobblestone streets of this
quaint town, I knew in the depths of my being that I was
walking in the footsteps of our first sisters. I could feel
their strength and courage flow through me, their thirst
for the mission, their need to reach out to the neighbor
and to work for unity and community and communion. It was
then that I knew this Center would be born there in LePuy,
just as the Congregation of St. Joseph had been born there
so many years ago.
In 2000, Sisters of St. Joseph worldwide celebrated the
350th anniversary of this humble beginning in Le Puy. The
tiny seeds sown in that village have been fruitful: Congregations
of St. Joseph include 14,000 sisters around the world. After
the French Revolution the Congregation enjoyed a providential
blossoming from Lyon, and many Sisters of St. Joseph branched
off to form new foundations around the globe.
As Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille we trace our U.S. origins
to Bourg-en-Bresse, France, where our Congregation was founded
in 1823. After just 60 years, in 1884, the Bourg Congregation
sent sisters to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. On November
30, 1977 the Bourg foundation here in the United States
became an independent American body, the Congregation of
St. Joseph of Medaille.
As I recall this brief piece of our history and foundation,
and remember the spirit of the first sisters so palpable
in the village of LePuy, I am filled with gratitude. How
blessed we are, who have been called through our vocation
to offer a special gift to the Church and to society through
our lives and ministry. We call this special gift our charism:
to bring unity, reconciliation, and community wherever we
live and minister. As Sisters of St. Joseph we were founded
to do what was not being done to serve the poor, orphans,
and all others in need. We were established to bring all
people together, to be peacemakers, to erase divisions,
to incarnate the presence of Jesus, to do “all the
works of which women were capable.”
We Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille will mark the twenty-fifth
anniversary of our foundation as an American
congregation on November 30. This Thanksgiving season is
a time to give thanks and celebrate God’s continual
invitation to be women of St. Joseph. What more fitting
time to give thanks for each of you who support us and are
partners with us as we strive each day to live the mission
of Jesus: “that all may be one.”
As Americans we are blessed with a bounty of fruits of the
earth; we enjoy the gifts of freedom and liberty. Let us
join hearts and hands, circling our globe with fervent prayer
for peace and justice that people of all lands may prosper.
Let us recommit ourselves to Jesus’ dream of a world
where the richness of diversity is cherished, where the
dignity of every person is respected, and where the goods
of the earth are shared equitably by all members of the
human family.
A Daughter of St. Joseph
by Ruth Kettman, CSJ
Eyes open, ears attentive and spirit alert,
Never settled down,
always in a holy disquietude,
Searching...in order to understand,
To divine what God
and the dear neighbor want from her today,
Now, for the body and for the soul...
– Marius Nepper, SJ
Our recent General Chapter called us to reclaim with a new
passion the mission that is at the heart of our existence,
“that all may be one” with God, with one another,
with the dear neighbor, with all creation.
As one of many CSJs, my own prayer and reflection—alone
and with other CSJs—enable me to live out our charism
of unity and reconciliation. As director of the Justice
and Peace Office in the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky and
professor of a Hebrew Scriptures course at the College of
Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, I am deeply aware of the
opportunities to live out our charism.
Journeying with and ministering to the “dear neighbor,”
I am involved in promoting and enabling unity efforts. Examples
include working with our Committee for Persons with Disabilities,
and on Inclusive Church and Justice and Peace Commissions.
These involve issues of accessibility, equality, human rights,
and peace and nonviolence in our Church and our world—and
today, the debate about a war in Iraq. Where are we called?
How are we to act? What are the legal issues and the moral
values?
The Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph (23 groups in
the United States) has nongovernmental organization (NGO)
status at the United Nations. Our representative is Sister
of St. Joseph Carol Zinn of Philadelphia. The Federation
supports her in the work at the U.N. as she represents all
of us in the United States. The Federation strives to be
able to speak publicly with a corporate voice that represents
all of us. This is exciting and a real grace!
As we continue into the twenty-first century and the 352nd
year of our founding as a Congregation, we are called to
deep prayer and great energy for the mission “that
all may be one!”
Live out your life with one desire only:
To be always what God wants you to be,
In nature, grace and glory,
For time and eternity.
– Maxim 73
S. Ruth is Director of the Peace and Justice Office
in the Diocese of Covington, KY.
Your will won’t work well when...
It’s out of date. How old is your will? Have
you reviewed it in the past three years? If not, it may
need some attention. Your will can be affected by personal
factors such as changes in income, employment, family size,
or marital status. External factors such as changes in federal
or state laws also may create the need for revision.
It’s legally invalid. Even if your will contains
all the information you think you need, it may not be worth
the paper it’s written on. This is more likely to
be true if your will is out of date or if you tried to cut
corners by using generic forms from a stationery store.
A will can be invalid if it is unsigned or witnessed improperly.
There’s no substitute for the work of a competent
attorney. This may cost you more in the short run,
but it will provide greater peace of mind and may protect
your survivors from a legal nightmare.
It conflicts with other documents. Your will should
be coordinated with your other estate transfer documents.
For example, insurance proceeds and brokerage accounts pass
outside the will to the named beneficiaries. Pension funds
also are distributed outside the will. In a will that truly
works well, all of these other assets are taken into consideration.
It fails to express your wishes. Your will should
accomplish exactly what you intend. Do you want your children
to receive their inheritance all at once or in portions
at intervals? Do you want your charitable gifts to be used
for unrestricted purposes, or do you wish to earmark them
to meet specific needs? Do you want to give the Sisters
of St. Joseph of Medaille a percentage of your estate or
a fixed amount?
Is it time to review your will? Perhaps you didn’t
know all the options when you signed the current version,
and later you may have discovered other ways to make your
bequests. Or you may be dissatisfied with your will as it
is today: it may work as a legal document but not as an
expression of your true desires.
If your will needs updating, we urge you to make an appointment
with your attorney as soon as possible. You should be satisfied
and confident about your estate plan.
S. Marie Denise Gagner, CSJ
December 12, 1913-September 23, 2002
S. Marie Denise Gagner, who joined the Congregation in 1930,
died September 23 at Marywood Residence in Crookston.
A native of Terrebonne, MN, she grew up in that rural area
and then attended St. Joseph’s Academy in Crookston.
There she came to know the CSJs and felt called to join
them.
S. Denise served in various ministries. Beginning in 1933,
she was cook and produce buyer at her old school in Crookston.
Then, in a change of direction, she studied nursing from
1952 to 1955. Until 1966 she worked as a registered nurse,
first at Trinity Hospital in Baudette (MN) and later at
St. Joseph’s Hospital in Park Rapids.
Finally, S. Denise was called to serve as an RN and a missionary
for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Recife, Brazil. She
remained in Recife until 1984, and then transferred to the
Brazilian mission of São Paulo; there she worked
as a nurse and a catechist. At one point during her stay
in Brazil, S. Denise also served on the goodwill ship Hope,
which the U.S. government sent to Third World countries
to provide much-needed medical help.
Upon her return to the United States, S. Denise spent 10
months in Seattle, caring for ailing family members. Then,
taking up residence at Marywood, she became coordinator
of the retired sisters and served as a part-time RN in the
infirmary.In 2000 S. Denise published My Journey of Faith
and Love, her account of her life and ministries.
S. Denise is remembered especially for her love of people,
whether visiting the homebound, taking part in prayer groups,
or enjoying family and community celebrations. She is survived
by a brother, Arthur Gagner, of Brooks, MN; a sister, Florence
Spear, of Crookston; and several nieces, nephews, and other
relatives.
Much of the information reported here came from the September
26 issue of Our Northland Diocese.
S. Joseph Francis Glavan, CSJ
June 16, 1915-September 18, 2002
S. Joseph Francis Glavan, a member of the Congregation since
1936, died on September 18 at the Ochsner Foundation Hospital
in New Orleans.
After finishing high school in her hometown of Biloxi (MS),
she lived for a time with her godmother in Bay St. Louis.
There she first met the Sisters of St. Joseph. In the words
of S. Jane Aucoin, who delivered the eulogy, “Mother
Eveline Elliot recognized her potential and hired her—fresh
out of high school, with no training—to replace one
of the teachers at St. Joseph’s Academy (in Bay St.
Louis). And there she recognized God’s voice calling
(her) to become a CSJ....
“After pronouncing first vows in 1938, she was assigned
to St. Joseph Academy in New Orleans, and thus began a 56-year
ministry as a beloved and highly successful primary teacher.
The love and esteem her former students, and their parents,
continue to have for her is an extraordinary testimony to
her teaching skill, but above all to the depth of her love
and her lifelong devotion to those she always called ‘my...babies.’”
S. Joseph Francis taught in many places during her long
career: St. Joseph Academy in New Orleans, St. Joseph Parochial
School in Baton Rouge, Guardian Angels School in Cincinnati,
St. Ignatius School in Grand Coteau (LA), Holy Rosary School
in New Orleans, Sacred Heart School in Baton Rouge, St.
Frances Cabrini School in New Orleans, and the Sisters of
St. Joseph School on the St. Frances Cabrini School campus.
After S. Joseph Francis retired from teaching in 1994, she
became active in the People Program in New Orleans and worked
in community service at the house at 1200 Mirabeau. Even
in retirement she “devoted herself, energetically
and with...great and universal love, to folks in the People
Program, to service
as receptionist at the front door, and especially to creating
handmade objects....She made all manner of little things
to give away—concrete signs of her continuing to embrace
everyone around her and everyone dear to her, with gratitude
and love.”
S. Joseph Francis is survived by a brother, Herbert Glavan,
and a sister, Sylvia Glavan, both of Biloxi.
River Cruise Raises Funds, Makes Friends for CSJs
The riverboat Avalon was the setting for “Holy Rollin’
on the River,” held on September 15 in Stillwater,
MN to support the Congregation’s ministry and health
care needs. About 200 people attended the cruise on the
St. Croix River, which included dinner, live music, and
an auction. S. Joy Manthey piloted the boat.
Sponsors of the event were the St. Croix Boat and Packet
Company, the DuFresne Manufacturing Company, steering commitee
honorary chaircouple Nancy and Charles Hooley, chairpersons
Shari Taylor Wilsey and Roger Wilsey, Diane Malone, Kathy
Slattery Tucker, and the Twin Cities Regional Development
Committee for the Sisters of St. Joseph. The items at auction
were airline tickets for New Orleans, provided by Phyllis
and Tony Willerscheidt; hotel room in New Orleans and walking
tour of the French Quarter, provided by Cathy and Servando
Mendez; dinners and piano music, by Ss. Elaine Dufresne
and Mary Ellen Proulx; a seafood dinner, by Gail Sergot
and Doug DuFresne; and a spaghetti dinner, by John Proulx.
John and Diane Malone furnished music on the boat, and Chaplain
Mary Pauluk served as master of ceremonies and auctioneer.
Associate Conati Recalls Campus Ministry
Collette Maehren Conati of Crookston, a CSJ associate since
1997, retired recently from a job that suited her perfectly:
campus minister at the University of Minnesota at Crookston
(UMC).
Collette applied for the position 12 years ago at age 52,
after the last of the six Conati children left for college.
“Being a mom is my best qualification,” she
explained. “In my interview, I think I sold them on
that. They knew my kids and thought ‘Well, we’ll
try her with (university) kids.’” She added,
“Even though I don’t have a baccalaureate in
any given field, I’ve accumulated more than 200 university
credits over my lifetime that equipped me with ministry
skills.
“In my ministry,” said Collette, “so many
things happened around the table, just as they did in my
own family. The challenge for me was ministering to young
adults who bared their whole soul to me in the journey of
leaving their family for the first time, making life’s
decisions, and sometimes sharing their tears and fears of
the future. They trusted me. I have become a ‘second
mother’ to many, and this is the greatest honor I
can think of. I have been able to create a lot of good programs
for students, good experiences in the community of Crookston,
but most of my ministry was done in just being there.
“Midway through my ministry at UMC, I had the opportunity
to complete a unit in certified pastoral education at Altru
Hospital in Grand Forks (ND). It was during that time, working
with and being a part of that team, that I realized how
lonely I was as a campus minister. You’re not a part
of the university faculty or staff. You rent a room to minister
out of, trying to create a ‘home away from home’
for students.
“You have to create your own team to work with, so
I invited students to apply. Eight were chosen, and later
became the Campus Ministry CORE team. They met once a month
at my home, over a dinner of good old mashed potatoes, gravy,
and apple pie. We shared around the table, prayed, and created
an activity calendar for the next month. At our meetings
I included some leadership training for the students, who
then were qualified to perform the activities they suggested.
Each pulled in their friends and did their own advertising.
They touched many more students than I could have done,
and the ministry grew. Our CORE team has had a chance to
evaluate their work, create new ideas, and do the things
they wanted to do. We held each other when we failed, and
we celebrated our successes.
“I may be called a campus minister, but this team
did the ministering. It was this team that honored me at
a wonderful retirement reception. And it is this team that
will carry on long after I’m gone.”
When asked about plans for the future, Colleen said “I
will continue to ask God’s blessings on our young
people, who in so many ways have gifted me to be the kind
of person I am. I definitely will continue my journey.
“One of the gifts I have is the gift of imagination.
It has enabled me to be a good storyteller and a good prayer
leader. I think everyone is thirsting for that person who
has the ability to make life exciting and good, and also
one who can lead us in prayer. I’ll pack up the gifts
God gave me, and I hope that by fall I will be able to create
some retreat opportunities for women, to help them to believe
in themselves and know that we are all in this struggle-kingdom
together.”
Viewpoint on Spirituality
“Follow the Spirit”
by Terri Holman
“Follow the Spirit.” Those were the last words
of wisdom from the late Bishop Raymond Lucker to the people
of the New Ulm Diocese in Minnesota. I was deeply touched
by his admonition, but how could I follow the Spirit in
my life?
I found myself opening up to situations I had not looked
at twice in the past. In my work as Director of Development
of the northern region for the Sisters of St. Joseph of
Medaille, I had met S. Margie Navarro only once. However,
I kept up with news about her work in Batahola and other
parts of Latin America. I also read the daily e-mails from
the people who remained with her in Batahola until her death.
On a trip to New Orleans, I had dinner with S. Helen Prejean,
S. Kathleen Babin, and three of my friends from Minnesota.
Helen and Kathleen spoke of the late S. Margie’s work
in Nicaragua, and of how the Cultural Center was holding
up after her death and the death of Fr. Angel Torrellas.
Helen talked about the great people at the Cultural Center,
and said that a few people in the United States have formed
a group called The Friends of Batahola. The group was going
to Managua in March 2002 to be with the people and staff,
experience the Cultural Center in action, and attend a retreat.
Helen invited us to come along, saying “You will love
these people.”
I prayed, opening myself to follow the Spirit. Everything
seemed to fall into place: March came, and nine of us went
off to Managua. The wonderful people of the Cultural Center
greeted us at the airport. Four of us stayed with a woman
named Connie and her family. The rest stayed at S. Julie’s
house and S. Dianne’s house, a few blocks away. All
of us were well taken care of by the people of Batahola.
The Cultural Center was most impressive. We saw children
in dance lessons, listened to children practicing the Hallelujah
Chorus, and watched a creative drama class act as the teacher
told a story. It was beautiful to see the cooking, sewing,
computer, and art classes in action and to know that what
S. Margie and Fr. Angel had birthed will continue with the
help of many. They empowered very special people to take
the Center to a new level.
The language of love was easily communicated. The Spanish
language proved a little more difficult for me, but with
the help of our interpreters we were able to communicate.
On the day of the retreat, when I saw the pain the team
was still feeling from the loss of their leaders, and the
uncertainty that lies ahead, I felt compelled to help. Someone
from the group said that you couldn’t experience this
and walk away. There is no turning back.
In contrast, the poverty of the country was hard to see.
The large, colorful mural at the Center, titled New Dawn,
gives hope daily. I did not experience the people as poor
in spirit. They “follow the Spirit” every day,
as they have hope for the “New Dawn.” I believe
this is how they have survived so far.
I will never forget the beautiful eyes of the Nicaraguan
people, nor will I forget their warm hearts.
Terri Holman is the Director of
Development for the North Region.
SJA Baton Rouge Wins Third Blue Ribbon Award
For the third time in 11 years, St. Joseph’s Academy
of Baton Rouge has been recognized by the U.S. Department
of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
One of only 172 public and private schools nationwide to
receive this award in 2002, SJA also was named a Blue Ribbon
School in 1991 and 1996.
Since 1996, SJA has redesigned its curriculum with the goal
of teaching for understanding rather than recall. In addition,
a mission effectiveness team has been formed to aid in achieving
SJA’s mission objectives of academic excellence, faith
development, and personal growth.
A major element of the Academy’s educational progress
since 1996 is the integration of technology into the classroom,
especially the notebook computer program and the use of
Blackboard software. Computer education is a new component
of the Blue Ribbon Award; SJA also will be recognized for
its exemplary technology, one of only three schools in the
nation to be so honored.