2010 Glenmary Sisters Pilgrimage

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1 THE MAGAZINE OF CATHOLIC GLENMARY SISTERS AUTUMN Free Publication 2010 Glenmary Sisters Pilgrimage

2 Editor s Corner Dear Readers, On a cool autumn day in 2001, a load of beautiful pumpkins was proudly displayed in a restored antique wagon placed on Parrish Avenue in Owensboro, Kentucky. Each year, autumn is welcomed in Western Kentucky by those anxiously waiting to purchase pumpkins, mums, and corn shocks from the Glenmary Guild. The Glenmary Guild was founded in October 1992 by a group of people from Owensboro and surrounding counties. The main purpose of the Guild is to support the work and ministries of the Glenmary Sisters. Each volunteer Guild member helps the Sisters Richard Remp-Morris through Prayer, Education, Public Relations, Fundraising and Direct Mission Work. These dedicated individuals may volunteer a day, weekend, or even a week in one of the Glenmary missions. Projects may include winterizing homes, painting, Bible School, Christmas projects, or any number of things. I m deeply inspired by the selfless love and devotion of these caring Christians who truly make a difference. Their numbers may be few, but this group makes a big impact, always willing to assist the Sisters wherever needed. Each year, the Glenmary Guild purchases school supplies for the missions as well as providing household items for those in need. We must remember that we are called to give of ourselves and assist our brothers and sisters in need. The Glenmary Guild is certainly an example to emulate. KINSHIP Autumn 2010 Vol. 50, No. 3 The Glenmary Sisters, founded by Fr. William Howard Bishop in 1941, are a religious community of women working to establish a Catholic presence in the home mission areas of rural and small town America. Glenmary is actually a nickname from our roots in Glendale, Ohio (near Cincinnati) and special devotion to the Blessed Mother. Our formal name is Home Mission Sisters of America. Working in cooperation with the Glenmary Priests and Brothers, the two communities remain financially independent of each other. KINSHIP is published by the Glenmary Sisters to inform their readers of the social and spiritual needs of people living in their missions. Publisher: Sister Sharon Miller Editor: Richard B. Remp-Morris Graphic Designer: Kim Klueg Glenmary Sisters/The Glenmary Center P.O. Box Owensboro, Kentucky (270) Unless otherwise indicated, photographs and articles published in KINSHIP magazine are the property of Glenmary Sisters. For reprint permission, contact Richard@glenmarysisters.org or In this issue we have highlighted our recent Pilgrimage as well as the wonderful story of Sister Bernadette and her trip to Michigan for a family reunion. I trust that you will enjoy each page and feel even closer to the ministry of the Glenmary Sisters. Please let me hear from you by writing to Glenmary Sisters, P.O. Box 22264, Owensboro KY 42304, or Richard@glenmarysisters.org Yours in human service, Cover: Fr. John Vaughan celebrates Mass with pilgrims in Ephesus. 2 Kinship Autumn

3 President s Message Sister Sharon Miller In June of this year, Sr. Kathleen and I accompanied a group on a Mediterranean Pilgrimage/Cruise, as a fund raising and friend raising venture. It was a wonderful 12 days and we enjoyed spending the time and sharing the blessings and graces of the experiences with both new and old friends. One of the highlights of the trip is shown on the front cover of this issue of KINSHIP. We were given permission to celebrate Mass on the grounds of what is believed to be the home of our Blessed Mother after the disciple John took her into his care. If you have ever been on a pilgrimage you will know what I am talking about when I say there was a special feeling, a feeling of holiness surrounding the area. I found the song, THIS IS HOLY GROUND playing in my mind. If you are not familiar with the words the refrain goes: This is holy ground We re standing on holy ground For the Lord is present and where He is, is holy. This is holy ground We re standing on holy ground For the Lord is present and where He is, holy. As the Mass began, our group was joined by other pilgrims, who left their own groups to participate in the most sacred liturgy and expression of our faith. It was exciting and enriching to see how universal our faith is, as some of those who joined us did not speak English, but humbly and gratefully shared in the Eucharist with us. After the Mass ended, we were able to tour the small house that is believed to have been Mary s home and before we left the area, Sr. Kathleen and I lit a candle for your intentions. Interesting enough, this issue of Kinship will be making its way to your mailbox by mid October, which is the month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. As Catholics, our devotion to Mary is one of the marks of our faith that we constantly seem to have to defend with our non-catholic acquaintances. I remember this was especially true for me when I was in mission in Providence, Kentucky. I had several people that I ministered with and to, who were not Catholic, question me about what we truly believe and why we have those strings of beads. Oddly enough, the more I explained our faith to them, the more I came to a deeper understanding myself. We have since moved from there, but the lessons I learned during that time have stuck with me. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: President s Message 3 Adopt-A-Sister Program 7 Glenmary Guild 8 Mediterranean Pilgrimage/Cruise 9 Year-End Alert: Tax Changes Ahead 12 Please know that each time I pray the rosary during this month, I will ask for Mary s special intercession for you and your loved ones. Kinship Autumn

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5 What do the Beatitudes mean to us? I began asking myself that question a few months ago. As Christians, we have been taught the Beatitudes from a young age and even now, we are reminded about them regularly, but do we really know what they mean or how to live them out? I began looking for ways to live out the Beatitudes by trying to dissect the Gospel of Matthew, particularly the story of The Sermon on the Mount which includes what we know as the Beatitudes. My personal interest and curiosity grew so intense that it led me to base the latest Kinship For Kids magazine on this topic. But my question was still not answered. What do they mean to us in today s world? by John Calhoun II In general terms, the Beatitudes are the account of eight blessed ideals preached about by Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount. The word Beatitude, which comes from the Latin word Beatus, means to be blessed or happy. While we could fill this entire publication with information on the Beatitudes, I think one in particular rings true for the Glenmary Sisters. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7). Having mercy means loving those who suffer distress. Showing compassion and love toward our neighbor is a way to bring peace. And when we bring this mercy and love, we are living this Beatitude. The Glenmary Sisters live this message every day in the missions. Being merciful, as Jesus directs us to do, can easily be tied to many other examples in the Bible. For instance, we all know that Jesus reminds us that whatever we do to the least of His people, we do that to Him. We can also relate this Beatitude to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, which again are cornerstones of the Glenmary charism. Each time we pray The Lord s Prayer, we ask God to forgive our trespasses and we also ask for guidance in forgiving other people s trespasses. This, too, is a wonderful way to live this Beatitude. We all are called to live out the Beatitudes. Of course, we all stumble from time to time, but we are also forgiven when we repent. As this year comes to a close, please continue to pray for our Sisters in the missions and all in religious life as they show mercy to everyone they encounter. Have a blessed autumn. (Based on an article from the latest Kinship For Kids.) Kinship Autumn

6 House Cleaning Day (Body and Soul) Today I took my fear of cancer and all my doubt, I crumpled it into a ball and tossed it out. I swept the dust of despair out the door, Mopped and scrubbed tears of sorrow off my floor. I scraped anger, self pity and Why me, Lord? down the kitchen sink, Then I sat at the table and began to think. For so long I let these things rule my life, Stealing my happiness - cutting my soul like a sharp knife. Then I put my coat of faith in the washing machine, When I took it out, my coat was so white it gleamed. I looked it over for holes and rips, Then I tried my faith on and glory to God, it still fits. Thank you Jesus for staying with me thru it all, You always picked me up, no matter how many times I stumble and fall. With faith in Jesus and His promise of hope, Whatever life brings, He will help me cope. Betty Gonzalez, Parishioner St. Anthony s, Grand Rivers This is dedicated to Ms. Barbara Shipley You once told me to stop focusing on dying - and think about living. Thank you. With love, Betty Kind Words...Letters from the Heart From time to time, our donors include notes to the Glenmary Sisters and we would like to take a moment to share some of those comments that are so near and dear to our hearts. Many thanks for your kind note and copy of the Kinship. I hope all of you are doing well. Keep the prayers going and take care of yourselves. God Bless. - Tom GA p.s. Thanks for remembering me. I am 90 years old, 70 years professed, 63 years ordained. How much longer God our Father is going to put up with me is a question. But additional gifts make it possible for me to be generous with you. God bless, keep me in your good prayers. Fondly, - Fr. Vincent, O.Carm. NY Hello, My name is Marion and I learned about the work of the Glenmary Sisters on our recent visit to the United States (we are stationed in Germany.) We are not Catholic, but I was so impressed by the work the Sisters do for the poor that I would like to participate in the Adopt a Sister program. Thank you and God bless you, - Marion Germany 6 Kinship Autumn

7 ADOPT-A-SISTER PROGRAM Maybe you have thought of committing your life to the service of the missions - if only you could. But family duties, or your health, or perhaps your age keep you from going right now to work in the mission. However, by adopting a Glenmary Sister you can become more fully involved in the work of spreading Christ s message. This is how the program works. You choose a Glenmary Sister as your adopted missioner. You contribute a promised amount to her support each month. You pray for her and write to her, your Sister, and for her part, she will write to you periodically and pray for you daily. For more information, return the coupon below. Please send me more information on the Adopt-A-Sister program. Use the enclosed envelope or mail to: Glenmary Sisters, P.O. Box 22264, Owensboro, KY Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Kinship Autumn

8 Glenmary Guild Supporting the Glenmary Sisters since 1992 The Glenmary Guild was founded in October 1992 by a group of people from Owensboro and surrounding counties. The main purpose of the Guild is to support the work and ministry of the Glenmary Sisters. Guild members support the Glenmary Sisters and their mission work in many ways including through prayer, educating the public about what the Sisters do, public relations, and direct mission work. Guild members may volunteer in the mission areas for a day, a weekend, or more and provide assistance through home projects, holiday giving, Bible Schools and more. Another huge part of the Guild s work includes fundraising. Their efforts help raise money for specific projects as well as general support for the missions. One very well known fundraising event in the community is the annual Glenmary Guild s Pumpkin Sale. Every Fall, the Guild sells pumpkins, gourds, and other seasonal plants. The pumpkin sales began about 10 years ago and even led the Sisters to create the PumpkinFest in Owensboro, Kentucky. They have hosted the event for the past seven years and as is their tradition, once they help get a project off the ground and established in a community, the Sisters ultimate goal is to turn it over to another deserving organization. New Beginnings, a sexual assault support services organization, was selected to take over PumpkinFest in 2010, said Martha Payne, president of the Glenmary Guild. For more information, contact Martha Payne at (270) , mjanepayne@aol.com, or P.O. Box 22264, Owensboro, KY excerpts taken from Messenger-Inquirer Glenmary Guild's pumpkin sales set for this weekend By Beth Wilberding Published: Monday, September 20, :09 AM CDT 8 Kinship Autumn

9 MEDITERRANEAN PILGRIMAGE/CRUISE I have received countless blessings in my life. Many of those blessings have come through my close friendship with the Glenmary Sisters. I ve been blessed with the opportunity of participating in three of the pilgrimage trips that their community has hosted: the pilgrimage to Italy, the pilgrimage to France, and just recently the pilgrimage cruise to the Mediterranean. This current pilgrimage was a double blessing in that I was able by Mike Conley to see places to which I have never traveled before, and it was also my first time on a cruise ship. We were a group of fifty; some from the Owensboro area and others from throughout the US. My cabinmate was Fr. Ariel Valencia, a 34-year-old Filipino priest from the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois. Fr. Ariel was a great cabinmate; very likeable, humorous, and full of life. Of course we had two Glenmary Sisters who made the trip as well, Sr. Sharon Miller, president of the community and Sr. Kathleen Mulchrone from the mission in Frenchburg, KY. Our Spiritual Director was our very own St. Stephen Cathedral Pastor, Fr. John Vaughan. I acted as Music Director. We began our trip by flying from Nashville to Atlanta, to Barcelona, Spain on Delta Airlines. En route we offered up prayers for a safe journey. One should always begin a trip entrusting your travel to the care of our good and loving God. This is a prayer habit practiced by the Sisters, and my friends and I always followed this practice on our trips. Boarding the liner Brilliance of the Seas, owned by the company Royal Caribbean, in Barcelona, Spain, we made port-of-calls in Villefranche, France; Livorno, Civitavecchia & Naples, Italy; Santorini & Piraeus, Greece; and Kusadasi, Turkey, and returned to Barcelona. Spending a day in Barcelona before boarding the ship we celebrated Mass in an old Spanish Church dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. With a couple of exceptions we celebrated Mass everyday. Those celebrations help to center us for each day s activities. We visited a house built by the great twentieth-century Spanish architect, Antonio Gaudi (just around the block from our hotel), and we also visited the church he designed, the Sagrada Familia, the Holy Family - still unfinished and which the architect himself only saw the raising of one of the spires before his death. On the tips of those spires, Gaudi s architectural plan called for representations of fruit baskets. These baskets were symbols of the seven fruits of the Holy Spirit. The church s exterior presented much Christian symbolism including a great Tree of Life. Its interior was very sparse but awash in color from the windows. Gaudi, who was Catholic, wanted this church to be the first edifice seen by those approaching the city from the Mediterranean. We made a bus tour of the city seeing some of its other architectural splendors. We visited the city s Cathedral dedicated to the martyr, St. Eulalia, and the Holy Cross. The Cathedral, and the neighboring area, the Barri Gothic had once been a part of the ancient Roman center (and Christian center) of Barcino as the city had once been called. We also made a visit to Mont Juic, the Jewish Hill (once home to a cemetery belonging to the city s Jewish community in ancient times), home to museums, Olympic buildings, parks, and a fortress. On our first day at sea, we met with a storm with winds blowing up to 92 miles per hour. Needless to say our ship was rocking and rolling on the waves. Having survived that night, we arrived at the French port of Villefranche/Nice on the Cote d Azure, the Riviera. Here in France we rode by bus to the town of St. Maximin. At the Basilica dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene we celebrated Mass, toured the Church, were treated to an organ recital on their famed pipe organ, and viewed the relics of St. Mary Magdalene herself in the crypt - her head in a gold reliquary along with a piece of bone or skin from her forehead where Jesus is supposed to have placed his fingers in the garden after his resurrection when he tells he, Noli me tangere!, Do not touch me! This visit provided us an opportunity to place Kinship Autumn

10 ourselves in the presence of one who was an intimate follower of our Savior. May we be as dedicated a disciple and witness to our Risen Lord as was Mary of Magdala. On our way to this marvelous basilica we stopped at a roadside restaurant/gas station and had a quick lunch giving some of us our first chance to use the Euros we had gotten for such occasions. Our next port-of-call was in Livorno, Italy, where we had the opportunity to leave the ship to make excursions into the cities of Pisa or Florence, or to tour the canals of the port city itself. Those going to Pisa took in such sights as the Duomo (Cathedral), its Baptistery and its famous bell-tower, the Leaning Tower. Those going to Florence also took in the sights, such as the museums, and the city s Duomo and other famed churches. Much of the artworks viewed in those churches and museums was sacred. How edifying it must have been to view so many different representations of the divine. That evening we had Mass on board ship. We were given permission to use one of the conference rooms - the Baltic. Each day that we celebrated Mass on board ship we were blessed to have other passengers join us. Some from Japan, some from Ireland (from the same town as Glenmary Sister Kathleen, and who knew her family), some from Australia and South America. Having others joining us from different parts of the world gave one a true sense of the universality of the Church - while the language may be different, the rituals are celebrated in the same way so that all may unified in our worship of the one true God. Not having arranged for any excursions, I remained on board ship and spent a relaxing day. The next port-of-call was in Civitavecchia, Italy, the port city for Rome. In ancient times Rome s port had been at Ostia, but its importance declined and finally it silted up. We took a bus from the port into Rome where we first went to the Vatican for the weekly Wednesday Audience with the Pope. The audience is usually held in the large square in front of St. Peter s, however this day we all gathered in the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall, a huge building built to hold thousands of pilgrims. During the audience Pope Benedict XVI spoke to each international group in its own language. Several choral groups were among the pilgrims gathered who sang for his holiness. We spent time in prayer and listened to scripture. It was truly a mystical experience. At the end of the audience, Pope Benedict XVI blessed the religious articles that we had purchased at the Vatican Gift Shop, Savelli s. We toured the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel - to view the ceiling frescoes by Michelangelo, and his Altar painting of The Last Judgment, and toured as well St. Peter s Basilica which holds Michelangelo s famous sculpture, the Pieta. Though the day was physically challenging, it was worth the exertions to spend the day in such a holy place, to be in the presence of the leader of our faith, and to view the timeless works of art, both religious and profane. Such a day makes one realize the scope and ageless wonders of their faith. This is one of the days we did not have the time or the opportunity to celebrate Mass. We next stopped at the Greek Island of Santorini and made port at the island s capitol city, Fira. The city sits atop a cliff. To get from the port up to the city we had a choice of climbing 500 or more stairs, to ride a donkey up the stairs, or to ride in a cable-car up the side of the cliff. I opted for the cablecar; my cabinmate climbed the 500 or more stairs. I m not sure who made it to the top first. While in Fira, we visited the Catholic Cathedral dedicated to St. John the Baptist, we visited the Greek Orthodox Church dedicated to St. George, we ate at a Greek restaurant run by an Australian, and we did some souvenir shopping. All the streets where steps going up or down. I didn t experience any level surfaces there, but the views were marvelous and the people friendly - especially the shopkeepers eager for you to buy their wares. This was one of my favorite excursions. While the visit to Santorini didn t provide a deeply religious experience, it did provide an opportunity to take in many beautiful vistas of God s creation; to appreciate his gift and its beauty. The people of Greece and its islands are primarily Greek Orthodox in faith, and make use of icons to foster their faith. In the various shops and the Greek Orthodox Cathedral we visited were many, many icons of great beauty. It was easy to see why they command such devotion. Watch for the conclusion of the journey in the Christmas issue of Kinship.

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12 Year-End Alert: Tax Changes Ahead! Make Plans Now to Minimize Future Tax Bills: Higher Rates Coming in 2011 Unless Congress acts, federal income taxes will rise sharply in Why? Because tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 expire January 1, Now, before 2010 comes to a close, is the time to make plans to keep this year s taxes as low as possible and to minimize your tax bills for 2011 and later years. Capital gains tax rates will also rise in 2011, from 15% to 20%. Furthermore, qualified stock dividends would be taxed in a person s highest bracket in 2011, not at the 15% (or lower) rate that applies in Next year will also bring revival of a 3% haircut on certain itemized deductions (including charitable deductions) for people with adjusted gross incomes above certain levels. Such taxpayers can lose up to 80% of these deductions. Tax Rate Comparison % 15% 15% 25% 28% 28% 31% 33% 35% 35% 39.6% Will Congress reverse any of the above tax changes? That s hard to predict, given recent legislative gridlock. All anyone can do is monitor news from the Capitol and make plans based on tax rules in effect for Here are some ideas that can reduce this year s tax bill, including several that support our programs in the process. Convert to a Roth IRA. Anyone with a traditional IRA can convert to a tax-free Roth IRA, and future withdrawals won t be taxed. Most or all of what you convert in 2010 would not be taxable until 2011 and However, you can elect to have converted amounts taxed in 2010 (while tax rates are lower), which can make even more sense if you Maximize 2010 charitable deductions. Consider a deferred payment charitable gift annuity that postpones your initial gift annuity payment for several years and magnifies your 2010 deduction. Charitable remainder trusts are another way to increase 2010 deductions while keeping income from your gift assets. And contributing a personal residence or farmland can create exceptionally large deductions, even though you keep lifetime use and occupancy of the property. Arrange a charitable gift annuity that provides you with largely tax-free payments during your life expectancy (helpful if tax rates go up), plus a 2010 tax deduction. Make gifts of appreciated securities. You can deduct your cost, plus any long-term capital gain, and owe no capital gains tax. If you later repurchase similar securities you ll gain a new, higher cost basis. Cash expired U.S. savings bonds. All series E and H bonds have now reached full maturity. Contributing the proceeds from these bonds will produce a charitable deduction that offsets tax on any unreported interest and reduces other taxable income. Better yet, you can fund a gift annuity with savings bonds proceeds and receive a deduction and partly tax-free payments, as well. Estate Tax Rules Changing There may never have been a more important time for people to review and possibly revise their wills, trusts and other estate plans. Tax changes. Will your estate have to pay taxes? The federal estate tax has been repealed for 2010 only but is scheduled to return in 2011 with an exemption of only $1 million, unless Congress revises the law. Watch for news of estate tax legislation in Congress and ask your advisers to review your plans to ensure that they are up to date with any changes. Economic factors. Volatility in the housing and stock markets may have disinherited some of your beneficiaries. Suppose you set up an estate plan in 2007 that left a house to one child, an IRA to a second child and a life insurance policy to a third all of about equal value. Today the house is worth 20% less than in 2007, and the IRA is down 25%. Furthermore, the child receiving the IRA would owe income taxes on the entire account. The life insurance policy, however, is unaffected by the economy and will pass income tax free. Family situations. You may need to revise your will or living trust for a variety of personal reasons, including marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, birth of a child or grandchild, acquisition of new assets by gift or inheritance, giving away or selling assets mentioned in your will, death of a beneficiary named in your will, changes in the needs of your beneficiaries, inability of an executor or trustee to serve, relocation to a different state, or purchase or sale of real estate. Charitable Plans. It might be that you now wish to add or augment bequests, including provisions for our future. Your estate gift can save both income taxes and estate taxes, if properly planned. Please call our office if any of the ideas we have discussed might make sense in your own year-end planning. Richard Remp-Morris Director of Planned Giving (270) or (800) Richard@glenmarysisters.org

13 Family Reunion - Hengstebeck Style The truck was packed, the Harley loaded on the trailer and on August 5th, I headed north to Commerce Point, Michigan. It was time again for our annual Hengstebeck Family Reunion. I was quite excited to make the trip this year as I haven t been home in a few years! What a surprise my family had when I came rolling in on the back of Tommy s Harley! Now, we didn t ride the Harley the entire way, but that was ok. After we crossed into Michigan on Friday morning, my excitement was at its peak, I knew we were close to home. We made a stop at the first rest area and unloaded the Harley. At that point, we were about 50 miles from the cottage and it was time to ride! Upon hearing the roar of the motorcycle pulling into the drive, several family members were already in the yard, and wondering...who could this be? My grandniece, Karen P., was unpacking her van when she saw it was me. She came running and crying with joy. Quite a surprise to all, except my baby sister Joyce (she was the only one who knew I was riding in.) I loved the surprise for my family as my new hobby is quite exciting. Not home for even 30 minutes, I had a small disagreement with a blue tarp - and the tarp won. As a result of the mishap, I ended up with the best looking shiner around my right eye that even a professional boxer would be proud of! My first shiner ever, so I did it right! Fortunately, I was fine and there were no issues outside of the discoloration. Now the family started arriving from all parts of the country. California, Texas, Florida, and many more places in between. They arrived with campers, boats, motorcycles, and water gear - knowing what fun was to be. Our family has been having this gathering since It is family tradition for us to gather the first Saturday in the month of August. As we gathered for the family picture, 150 people were counted. All family. I love each and every one of them and am very proud of my family. A five day visit of family bonding and love, relaxing by the lake, and watching all of the younger generations carry on proved to be among the best blessings I could ever receive from God. In closing, I want to thank my good friends, Cathy and Tommy Devins, for their love and companionship as they made this trip home possible for me. Sr. Bernadette Hengstebeck As told by Sr. Bernadette to her care provider Cathy Devins. Kinship Autumn

14 Youth on a mission 14 Kinship Autumn

15 Youth from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Owensboro, Kentucky traveled to the Glenmary Sisters Mission in Millen. Projects included a Bible School held at Our Lady of the Assumption in Sylvania, Georgia and minor repairs for a home in the community. July 2010 Millen, Georgia Kinship Autumn

16 The Glenmary Center P.O. Box Owensboro, KY New hope for José See the monthly Love Your Neighbor feature article about the Glenmary Sisters and Sr. Aida s work for the Hernandez family in the current (October) issue of Catholic Digest. Epiphany celebration at St. Bernadette's. Available online at catholicdigest.com see the link on the home page or under the Good Works tab. Por favor, Santa Maria, he pleaded, give us an answer soon. Leave a Legacy of Hope! Let the Glenmary Sisters help with your estate planning today. Contact Richard Remp-Morris at or via Richard@glenmarysisters.org to discuss how financial gifts through proper estate planning will help your family and the Glenmary Sisters.