Eight congregations of religious sisters gathered March 29 at Magnificat High School in Rocky River for a program hosted by the Conference of Religious Leadership. During the daylong session, Sister Nancy Shreck, OSF, keynote speaker, discussed issues and challenges they face and how to best deal with them. Sister Pat Kozak, CSJ facilitated a discussion that included sharing at tables and group sharing.
A highlight of the day was a brief, surprise visit from Bishop Edward Malesic after lunch.
“I am so happy to be here,” the bishop told the approximately 140 sisters at the event. He praised their many years of dedicated service in the Diocese of Cleveland and commended them for their commitment to the Church, its people and their charisms.
The bishop also thanked them for supporting those in need, including refugees and immigrants. As part of the gathering, CORL supported the Ninety-first Day Outreach Fill the Truck event. A truck was parked at Magnificat the week of March 24 to accept donations of toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, dishwashing liquid, shampoo, baby diapers and cash.
The Ninety-first Day Outreach is an initiative established to address the needs of refugees and immigrants resettling in Greater Cleveland. The name is derived from the point at which agency support ceases – 90 days -- and these individuals and families are expected to be self-sufficient.
Bishop Malesic noted how important organizations like the Ninety-first Day Outreach are as the resettling refugees and immigrants struggle to rebuild their lives in a new country. He also made a donation to the cause.
Before leaving, the bishop offered a blessing and encouraged the sisters to continue their ministries.
Eight congregations were represented at the gathering:
- Congregation of St. Joseph
- Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati
- Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine
- Sisters of Notre Dame
- Sisters of St. Joseph, Third Order of St. Francis
- Sisters of the Humility of Mary (Magnificat High School is one of their ministries)
- Sisters of the Incarnate Word
- Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland
Sister Margaret Taylor, SIW helped organize the program.
Many of the attendees are retired from careers as teachers, principals, nurses, parish ministry, social justice work, health care and more, while others remain active. Some have found new ministries as they work to end human trafficking, to assist refugees and immigrants, support social justice work and spend time in prayer ministry.
The program opened with a prayer for the future that included bits of the charisms from the various congregations.
“Oh, how gently you nudge us into the future, O God,” the sisters prayed. “You nudge us beyond our fears, beyond our hesitations, beyond our questions. You nudge us … lovingly, tenderly, persistently to open our eyes and look with you into the possibilities.
Attendees were asked to contemplate how they were being asked to give their hearts to God amid their everyday activities and to “Be prepared to meet your grace in every circumstance of life,” as written by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.
The Humility of Mary Sisters said they share in Jesus’ mission of “bringing more abundant life to God’s people, especially those who are poor, by announcing the liberating message of the Gospel and by the witness of our lives.” That statement is contained in the Sisters of the Humility of Mary Constitutions.
The Venerable Jeanne Chezard de Matel, foundress of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word, wrote, “Deepen your hope, spare nothing, always keep a great heart, trust me. I ask you to place all your hope in God alone … Look at God as the primary mover, as the center and end of all our plans.”
The prayer continued, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
St. Julie Billiart, Sisters of Notre Dame, wrote, “We must have courage in the century we live in. Great souls are needed, souls having the interest of God at heart.”
After the prayer, the sisters reflected in silence about what gives them hope or pause as they continue on their journey together as sisters in religious life.
Sister Shreck then gave her presentation, “Thriving in Troubled Times.”
She noted how many of the congregations’ charisms overlap. The sisters must really live in the current time “and not waste time waiting for something that may never come,” she added.
Pope Francis said if Christ deemed us worthy of living in these times, “We need to find a way to work and have and have our charisms in this time, not 25 years ago,” she said. “You are our ancestors; wildest dream of how our religious life should be.”
Sister Shreck also urged her fellow sisters to “Think big, in the context of a larger world. What we’re doing is not just for us alone.”
The reality of diminishment – fewer members in the congregations and aging sisters – means the congregations need to think about their future and the need to merge or phase out their orders.
“It is not an accident that you were born into religious life at this time. Albert Einstein said, ‘Anyone can make things bigger and more complex, but it takes a touch of genius to do the opposite.’”
Sister Shreck reminded the sisters that they don’t need big numbers and youth to share their knowledge with the world. She asked them to “let go of what’s not needed and grow the rest.”
Her presentation concluded with a video and a song about the sower and the seed.
“Whatever grows will grow. Whatever dies will die. Whatever works will work. Whatever flies will fly. Whatever fails will fail. What’s mean to soar will soar. I’m planting seeds, nothing more,” the song said.
“Don’t worry about the harvest. That’s God’s work. Take the long view. Be faithful to what our time is asking of us … acknowledge these times and support each other,” she said. “It’s all about being faithful in our time.”
With guidance from Sister Kozak, the sisters shared their thoughts. “You were meant to be here. We are our ancestors’ wildest dreams,” she reminded them.
One sister noted despite their age, “We are not too old. We have a lot of wisdom and still can do things.”
Another concluded, “You are never too old to learn, to educate yourself.”