WISDOM S VOICE. FALL 2014 Issue 4 Volume 2 A MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATE COMMITTEE A PUBLICATION FOR AND ABOUT THE ASSOCIATES OF WISDOM

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1 WISDOM S VOICE A PUBLICATION FOR AND ABOUT THE ASSOCIATES OF WISDOM FALL 2014 Issue 4 Volume 2 A MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATE COMMITTEE Dear Associates, Once again it s great to have another newsletter. Once again kudos go to the newsletter committee for all their time and hard work to make this possible. Community is what we are all about and having a newsletter in hand keeps us all connected. We hope you all have enjoyed our beautiful summer weather and have had the chance for some rejuvenation as well. Our busy summer began with the Associates weekend at Star in late June to replace the snowed-out annual February weekend at Montfort House. This was a different kind of weekend for us in that rest and relaxation was the prime focus for both Associates and Sisters. In addition to prayer, good talk and good food, a number of business issues were discussed with the highlights being the renewal of covenants and a celebration of Valerie s twenty-five years as an Associate. The month of July marked two celebrations. On July 13, a number of Associates, Sisters and friends gathered at Montfort House as Joe DiMauro made his first covenant an Associate of Wisdom joining Bill Powers as our second male Associate. Just two weeks later, the Wisdom family gathered once again but this time at Montfort Spirituality Center in Bay Shore to celebrate the jubilees of both Sisters and Associates. Alistine Aikins and Valerie Day were honored for their twenty-five years as Associates of Wisdom. Our next focus is on the Star weekend beginning on Friday night October 24 and concluding on Sunday October 26 at noon. We encourage attendance for the entire weekend as we will be beginning work on Friday night and continuing on Sunday morning. Saturday s will be taken up by a program on the Enneagram given by Pat Schmidt, DW. As always, when we come together, we experience a special bond as community and are reminded that it is TOGETHER that we love, live, proclaim Wisdom. The Associate Coordinating Team Pat Valerie and Roe On the porch at Star of the Sea..

2 OUR NEWEST ASSOCIATE, Joseph DiMauro My Calling to be an Associate of Wisdom It has been two months since I made my first covenant at the Montfort House chapel in Litchfield with DWs and AWs gathered along with other friends for the celebration. There was a discernment process going on for some time before I actively sought the Associate program. Pat Schmidt had mentioned the program to me in the past and Ann Cassagrande had invited me to Wisdom Circle meetings more than once. Then, my wife Dorothy, an AW, invited me to join her in these Wisdom Circles. I went to a number of sessions as well as day long meetings of DWs and AWs. My desire to pursue this path was growing stronger. After making my formal inquiry to enter the formation process, Pat Schmidt became my mentor on the journey to become an AW. We met monthly for a year plus, discussing and sharing Wisdom spirituality. I was so blessed to have Pat guide me in this Wisdom walk. None of this would have occurred without the encouragement of my wife, Dorothy. Her love of her own AW experience touched me. Our faith life is grounded in Wisdom Spirituality and we are blessed to be part of the Montfort community and the DW/AW community in Litchfield. I am grateful for the guidance of our co-directors, Ellie and Pat, the coordinating team, and the Daughters of Wisdom and Associates of Wisdom that were supportive of me throughout this journey. In all my years of Catholic experience, diaconate ministry and the various communities of which I have been a part, the Daughters of Wisdom and the Associates of Wisdom best represent Christ consciousness. If I might add, this community is the most loving, serving without rancor, of any Christian community I have experienced. The non-hierarchic, non-competitive atmosphere that is present within our gatherings is refreshing. God was so gracious to reveal the Divine Feminine to us!

3 PERENNIAL WISDOM RETREAT WITH RABBI RAMI SHAPIRO by Ellie Filipone, AW This past July, a number of Associates spent a weekend at Wisdom House with Rabbi Rami Shapiro delving into his newest book, Perennial Wisdom for the Spiritually Independent. Like a perennial flower, Perennial Wisdom keeps coming back as it deals with the basic principles held in common by every Wisdom Tradition/religion. Rami coined the term, Spiritually Independent, to identify the growing number of people who have gone beyond ties to traditional religion. On a spiritual quest these seekers take truths from many belief systems and weave them into their own pattern with five basic questions at the core: 1. who am I 2. where did I come from 3. where am I going 4. how shall I live 5. and why Rami dealt with these questions from the premise that all is God Reality the Holy. To simplify the answer to the first question, Who am I? he postulated that each of us is an expression of God, for that is all there is. Each of us is manifesting God s self as Susie, Harry, Joe or Judy. We are God Susie-ing or Joe-ing. To answer Where did I come from? Rami pointed out the differences in the two Genesis stories emphasizing the story in Genesis 2 wherein we are made from the earth. We are an organic expression of the one Reality. We are the earth self aware. Where am I going? is summed up by saying succinctly we return to God Reality. We move out of the egoic or world into the and world. He dealt with the question How shall I live by illustrating the win/lose mindset that plays what is called the Zerosum Game wherein there must be a winner and a loser. This is the mentality of the majority of the world. He negates this idea by pointing out that in Jesus upside-down world the first shall be last and the last shall be first thus demonstrating the Non Zero-sum Game approach where there are no winners, no losers and the maintenance of relationship is paramount. For the question Why, there is no answer. It is what it is because, given the particular circumstances, it can t be anything else. In Rami s words We come from God, we manifest God and we return to God.

4 JUBILARIANS 2014 This past July two Associates of Wisdom along with seven Daughters of Wisdom celebrated Jubilees with a liturgy led by Fr. Bill Considine, SMM, held at the Montfort Spirituality Center in Bay Shore. Pictured are snippets from the event. 75 Years February 2, 1939 Sister Rachel Bouchard 60 Years February 2, 1954 Sister Ann Nielsen February 2, 1954 Sister Claire Sullivan August 2, 1954 Sister Agnes McColgan 50 Years February 2, 1964 Sister Maureen Hurley February 2, 1964 Sister Evelyn Eckhardt August 2, 1964 Sister Rosemarie Greco ASSOCIATES OF WISDOM: 25 Years Sister Ann Gray with Jubilarians, (left to right) Sr. Ann Nielsen, Sr. Claire Sullivan, Sr. Agnes McColgan, Sister Maureen Hurley, Sr. Evelyn Eckhardt and Sr. Rosemarie Greco. Sister Marilyn Soeder and Associate Audrey Schroeder enjoy the festivities. January 28, 1989 Alistine Aikins January 28, 1989 Valerie Maniscalco-Day Sister Ann Gray and Associates of Wisdom Silver Jubilarians Alistine Aikens and Valerie Day

5 JUBILEE GRATITUDE AND A REFLECTION SHARED by Valerie Day, AW Although it has been three months since our Province Jubilee Celebration, I am still overwhelmed by the incredible beauty of the celebration and the love, support and affirmation that was showered on all of us Jubilarians. We were asked to reflect on our evolving journey as either a Daughter or Associate of Wisdom and to recall a story or experience in which we were empowered to share our Light with others or in which we were enlightened by others. I would like to share my reflection with you, in all its tenderness, pain and joy... A Reflection... I determined to take Wisdom to share my life, knowing She would be my counselor in prosperity, my comfort in cares and sorrow. (Wisdom 8:9) On April 14 th, the Monday of Holy Week, Steven s sister Adrienne passed away after a brief illness. We were shocked and deeply grieved at how quickly we lost the heart of our family. Her wake and funeral were scheduled for Holy Thursday and Good Friday. On Holy Thursday morning, within an hour of waking up, I had to be rushed by ambulance to LIJ Hospital. I was admitted and scheduled for emergency surgery Good Friday morning. Although Steven wanted to remain with me, I insisted that he go to his sister s funeral. On the morning of the surgery, I received extra special attention when I explained to my nurses and doctors why my husband would not be at the hospital until much later in the day. They all spent time with me so I would not be alone in the holding area or recovery room. And my surgeon, Dr. Sammy Elsayed Elsamra, left a beautiful condolence message on Steve s voice mail and assured him that I was being well taken care of. When I was back in my hospital bed Good Friday afternoon, grateful (and relieved) that the surgery was behind me, overwhelmed by the goodness and kindness of everyone, and yet trying to sort out the events of this Holy Week, I remembered part of a reflection offered by Sr. Anne Marie David at the International Gathering of the Friends of Wisdom in August Wisdom did not come to explain suffering, death, distress; Wisdom did not come to get rid of suffering, death, distress. She came to inhabit it. It was She I encountered in the very fabric of these life events. It was She I encountered in the goodness, kindness and compassion of all involved in my care. And it was She I encountered, for 40 years, in the love of my sister -in-law. In the book Everyday Simplicity by Robert Wicks, he writes that in every person s life there are moments when there is a lifting of the veil at the horizon of the known, opening a sight of the eternal. Such experiences are rare events... yet they kindle a Light that is never quenched. The Light, the Divine Spark within me, was kindled by the events of Holy Week And my remembrance of this will sustain me as my journey as an Associate of Wisdom continues to unfold. Valerie Day, A.W. June 2014

6 ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM BLESSED MARIE LOUISE by Bonnie Odiorne, AW How might Blessed Marie-Louise Trichet have responded to the presence of Associates of Wisdom in her community? She wrote the following to her daughters in her community: If the Lord hears my prayers, my dear Daughters, you will receive an increase of grace and fervor. My prayers will be more efficacious because they are united with those of the community. My dear Daughters, let us work harder than ever at our perfection, by faithfully fulfilling the details of our Rule and in accomplishing our humble duties to the best of our ability. We thought it might be interesting to guess how she might have written to Associates today: (briefly) in French: Mes chers filles et fils associés aux Filles de la Sagesse partout dans le monde: combien la Sagesse a récompensé nos prières au-dessus de nos plus chers espoirs... My dear daughters and sons associated with the Daughters of Wisdom all around the world: Wisdom has rewarded our prayers beyond our deepest hopes... Our Rule, your Promises, while not the same, have the same intention: to work humbly with Wisdom as our guide, all the more so as we pray united in community. How grace and fervor have increased, because, as we trusted in Our Lord and have done our best to come closer to perfection, you have also in a time that is so very different from our own! I could not have imagined the world you face, but Wisdom has sent you to answer our prayers. We are not so very different, as we, you Associates, and I and my Daughters of so long ago, have desired Wisdom and humbly await Her working in our lives to the best of our ability. AN INVITATION TO RE-MEMBER by Linda Fennimore, AW Remember Seeking a deeper relationship with God Remember Searching for a purpose or meaning to where life's journey is leading you Remember Listening to that whisper of an invitation and responding to Wisdom inviting you to experience Her in your everyday life Remember As Associates we are blessed with the presence of each other Remember If we have not seen you lately, we feel your spirit among us and you are an important part of us Remember We Love, Live Proclaim Wisdom Remember You are always welcome. The invitation to join us again is an open invitation - remember to keep in touch! Actually, we all need to RE-MEMBER our joy in Wisdom each day and answer the invitation of her bounty each day. Peace, Linda

7 MY JOURNEY WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF WISDOM by Marie Josée, DW I have known the Daughters of Wisdom since my high school years, as back in my native country Haiti, I was educated by them at Sacré-Coeur in Port-au-Prince, a school with a rich tradition founded in From there, I earned an Associate s Degree in Bilingual Commercial Studies from Christ the King Secretarial School owned by the Sisters of St. Anne of Lachine Quebec, (Haiti Branch). While working, I completed a three-year psychology program at The School of Ethnology and Psychology of the State University of Haiti, and also a four-year law program at the school of Economic Sciences and Law. Later on, I earned a diploma in Spanish language from the Institut Lope de Vega. When I relocated to the United States in 2004, God, whose ways are mysterious, put me back in contact with the Daughters of Wisdom through my home parish, Our Lady of Mercy in Brownsville, Brooklyn. In fact, the Pastoral Associate, Sister Bernadette Sassone happened to be, to my great surprise, a Daughter of Wisdom. Through her, the call to Religious Life that had long ago been growing in my heart came to fruition. In August 2012, I joined the French International Novitiate for a twoyear Formation Program where I had the opportunity to live a very enriching experience of cultural diversity with novices from Congo RDC, Madagascar, France and Haiti. On August 9, 2014, I made my first profession as a member of the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom in the Chapel of Incarnate Wisdom at The Montfort Spirituality Center, Bay Shore, New York. It was a grace-filled day, and one filled with emotions, too, as you can imagine. I give thanks to God Wisdom for in His love He has taken me thus far, and I place all my trust in Him because I know He will continue to guide me and walk the way with me. This is my deepest desire. One thing I want to say is that when I answered the call I felt so at peace with myself, and it is a wonderful feeling. Obedience to the Will of God is so rewarding! Often times I say to myself, Why did I wait so long to surrender to His will? Then I realize that with God everything happens in due time; He never gives up on us, and never forces us either. He is just patiently yearning for our friendship every day, Who would believe that! God yearning for us! This is how loving and awesome our God is! Now, I live with my new community in Port Jefferson while I am actively focusing on the search for my Ministry call. Wisdom s Voice is produced by the Communications Committee: Audrey Schroeder, AW Maryse Haig, AW Bonnie Odiorne, AW Emma Rohn, DW Margaret Kelliher, DW Layout & Design by: Mary Lazzaro, AW The newsletter will come out twice a year: Spring & Fall