Dominican Spiritual Tradition. Passing on the

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1 The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill Summer 2017 Passing on the Dominican Spiritual Tradition For 93 years at Aquinas High School in the Bronx and for 60 years at Albertus Magnus High School in Rockland County, the Sisters have nurtured the spiritual formation of their students. The passing on of Dominican spirituality happens in many ways, but at both schools one very special tradition is to come for retreats at Dominican Convent. While retreats take place throughout the year at Aquinas, as graduation day approaches, the 100+ seniors participate in a day-long retreat at the Motherhouse in Sparkill. This past spring the tradition continued with a day of prayer and reflection on the topic of God s love for them as individuals. Albertus students come to Sparkill twice during their sophomore and junior years as those two years focus on the Dominican pillars of prayer and community. In this way, they come to know the Congregation in a deeper way. The students report that they are in awe of the peace in the Convent. Continued on page 3

2 Leadership Team Sister Mary Murray, OP President Sister Irene Ellis, OP Sister Eileen Gannon, OP Sister Grace Anne Hogan, OP Sister Margaret Palliser, OP Mission Advancement Karen Ellis Director Bernadette Donohue Associate Dominican Convent of Our Lady of the Rosary 175 Route 340 Sparkill, NY T The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill proudly announce their participation in the AmazonSmile Program. Dear Friends, I grew up in a small house in St. Ann, Missouri with six brothers and sisters. In my adulthood I have often wondered how my parents coped so well with all of the demands and challenges that life presented to them. I recall each of them finding quiet time and space to just be. Dad would sit outside every evening he could to enjoy the night s peaceful beauty; in his spare time he loved to catch up on his reading. Mom would find her peaceful time by watching public TV late at night and by rising early in the morning to have some quiet time before the activity of seven children greeted her. Perhaps many of us can recognize this feeling of just needing some time alone some time of peace and quiet. In this space we can collect our thoughts, pursue our interests, or just simply rest with a good book (or ipad in today s world!). This is a kind of peace that we all long for at times in our lives. It is good and important to find. But there is another kind of peace I believe the world longs for today. We are inundated with images of war and destruction and large numbers of refugees fleeing their countries for more peaceful places. The violence begot by wars and terror surrounds us. Views on what is needed to care for our planet span a wide spectrum of attitudes from climate change is a myth to climate change needs to be addressed now for the sake of the earth s future. In the face of all of this, how do we find the peace that is so sorely needed? I believe that Christ is with us in our efforts to live as a peaceful presence and that Christ will continue to be with us as we do our best to live the Gospel message of peace and justice in the times and circumstances we find ourselves in. Each of you in some significant way helps us to be a peaceful presence in our world today. Your prayers and generous donations support our ministries that we believe do help to bring about a more peaceful world, a world of hope for others. Thank you for your generosity. Please know that the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill are most grateful to each one of you for your interest in and willingness to share in our life and mission. You are always remembered in our daily communal prayers. God bless you! Sister Mary Murray OP, President

3 Threads of wisdom and grace God s love is like Sister Margaret has a Doctorate in Theology from the Portifical Gregorian University in Rome and is a member of the leadership team at Sparkill. Jesus often taught his disciples by telling a story. The gospels are filled with Jesus wonderful parables like the stories of the Good Samaritan, the sower and the seed, the lost sheep, and the Prodigal Son. I would like to share another parable, one drawn from my own experience. When I was a very young Sister, my father surprised me with a visit. He wanted to bring me a gift, but with eight younger children at home he had no extra money to buy something for me. So he spent more than 24 hours on a bus, traveling from our family home in St. Louis to our congregation s motherhouse in Sparkill, all the while carrying by hand his black Emerson electric desk fan you know, the kind that oscillates from side to side at different speeds. He insisted that I keep it to help me to deal with the summer heat. One of my most treasured possessions, this 22-lb fan is now more than 70 years old and still working smoothly and very silently (unlike some of today s models!). But the fan of my parable is more than a vintage appliance. It symbolizes the depths of my father s selflessness and thoughtfulness. The love of God is like an old Emerson fan Do you have a story from your life that reveals God s love for you? ~ Sister Margaret Palliser, OP Passing on the Dominican Spiritual Tradition (Continued from cover) Another way the Sisters foster the spiritual growth of their students is by sending them to the Dominican High School Preaching Conference with Sister Nancy Richter. There they join students from 23 schools from across the country to experience the extraordinary perspective that Dominicans have of preaching as looking at the world, seeing what it is needed, and responding with compassionate action. A special highlight this year was the presentation, We Have Family in Iraq, by Dominican Sister Habiba Bihnam who works in a refugee camp in Mosul. In these and in myriad other ways, the Sisters are continuing to build faith and strengthen their students commitment to God, community, family, social justice, and the Dominican tradition. The Dominican High School Preaching Conference. Sr. Nancy Richter and students. WEAVINGS SUMMER

4 A Neighborhood Rises This past spring, the East Side Heart & Home Family Center completed its 21st home in the Resurrection Park Neighborhood in East St. Louis. The Center s housing program partners with residents to cultivate positive changes for the families and to revitalize, stabilize, and sustain the neighborhood community. This initiative has created a vibrant neighborhood in an area that had been devastated by poverty and crime. In tandem with the construction of quality, affordable homes, the Center provides free homeownership education and partners with families to build their credit, secure home loans, and ultimately become homeowners. To date, thirteen families have become homeowners and seven more will do the same in the near future. In February, members of the Resurrection Park Neighborhood Association met with the Mayor of East St. Louis, Emeka Jackson-Hicks, to discuss how they can join the Mayor s Restoration of Hope Initiative. The Mayor was very impressed and expressed her hope that others will be inspired to create similar groups. Shaped by the residents of the community, the Center s programs seek to improve quality of life for low-income families, to build lasting relationships between people of diverse racial and economic backgrounds, and to cultivate both individual transformations and systemic changes in the city. Another key program is the Family Program, which includes a women s circle, a senior program, and educational assistance programs. The Women s Circle gathers together once a month to learn and share thoughts on issues that affect their lives and the lives of the people around them. The women are empowered to use their talents to create positive changes in their families, their city, and their world. The Senior Program provides quality social opportunities for seniors who live independently, offering fun and stimulating interactions, activities, and outings. 4 WEAVINGS SUMMER 2017

5 The Center offers educational assistance in two ways: an after-school program and an alternative education program. The after-school program offers tutoring and homework assistance two days a week; students can also get help from staff members on additional days. The alternative education program provides opportunities such as job training programs, GED assistance, and tuition support. This year to enable the Center to help more community members who dream of obtaining a quality education, they launched Changing the World through Education, a scholarship fundraising drive. The Family Center was founded in the fall of 1993 by Sister Carol Lehmkuhl. As she begins her 25th year at the Center, we are grateful to her and Sister Mary Ann Buhr, as well as their many supporters and volunteers, for their transformative work in East St. Louis. WEAVINGS SUMMER

6 On Wednesday, June 7, a beautiful, sunny day greeted the 110 golfers and supporters of the Sisters who gathered for the Dominican Sisters 20th Annual Golf Tournament at the River Vale Country Club in River Vale, New Jersey a new location for this prestigious anniversary. There they feasted on BBQ before proceeding to the challenging 18-hole course. That evening, golfers, guests, sponsors, and the Sisters enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Old Tappan Manor, followed by the presentation of the prizes for the winners, the annual 50/50 Raffle, and a NY Yankee ticket auction. We look forward to seeing all our supporters and golf aficionados on Monday, June 18 in 2018! DOMINICAN SISTERS OF SPARKILL THANK OUR 2017 GOLF TOURNAMENT SPONSORS SPECIAL THANKS TO: Christine and staff at the River Vale Country Club Martin and staff at the Old Tappan Manor Our Sponsors and Golfers for your continued support all these 20 years! Sponsorship Opportunities LUNCH SPONSOR Puma Lauria Planning Services / United Healthcare, Inc. NAME THE 9 GAMCO Asset Management Christopher Desmarais PUTTING GREEN JAM Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Joseph Mezzasalma Special Opportunities EAGLE SPONSOR Ridgewood Savings Bank Dr. Margaret Fitzpatrick BIRDIE SPONSOR All American Consulting Corporation Robert Jaeger Fred Alger & Company, Inc. Chelsea Charette Grassi and Co. David Rottkamp McManus Electrical Michael McManus Werner Construction William & Rosemarie Werner TEE/GREEN SPONSOR Aquinas Painting Elizabeth Dugandzic Bi-State Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. B. Foschino & Son Landscaping Barry & Patricia Foschino D&G Electrical Supply Co., Inc. John Manna Maureen Hull In Memory of the Reeves Twins Moritz Funeral Home Pfister Maintenance Corporation, Inc. Dieter Pfisterer Richard and Barbara Kohlhausen SISTER SPONSORS Larry Beckerle, Beckerle Lumber Linda Borstelmann, New Hope Manor Carrie & Tony Cheung Barry Foschino, B. Foschino & Son Landscapes Mary Ann & William Gorman Richard G. Gray, Richard G. Gray, CPA, P.C. Mary Ann & William Hughes, Hughes Family Kevin & Carol Hughes Robert G. Jaeger, All American Contracting Corporation Margaret Keane John & Eileen Lawler Michael McManus, McManus Electrical Contractors Julia O Toole Richard W. Sutton, Esq., Getter, Gomes & Sutton PC Angelo Tondo, Upstate Concrete & Masonry Colleen Van Dillen Arlene & Joe Verrino, Sparkill East Side William & Rosemary Werner, Werner Constuction Louise Yanuzzi GOLF PRIZE/RAFFLE BASKET SPONSORS 1 Foursome River Vale Country Club 4 Yankee Tickets on July 3 Anonymous $25 Gift Certificate Oscars Restaurant (Formerly Milanos) $40 Gift Certificate West Nyack Florist $100 Catering Certificate Luigi s Bottle of Wine Demarest Hill Winery Brunch for Restaurant/Bear Mountain Inn Carvel Coffee Mugs and Coasters/Water Bottles Jim Salerno. Carvel Ice Cream Chocolate Golf Ball Chocolatier Matisse Cookie Tray Aunt Mia s Sweets Dick s Sporting Goods Gift Certificates & Discount Coupons Brian Hagerman Dinner for 2 Prix Fixe Madeleine s Petite Paris Gift Certificates Hogan s Diner Glass Pipe Village Sensations Golf Balls Paul Fitzpatrick, Ridgewood Savings Bank Golf Lessons Jon Manos/Jon Manos Golf Knives Anonymous Specialty Raffle Gift Baskets Diane & Gerry Farley Stationery Gifts Liz Quinn, Stationer on Sunrise Tote Bags & Pens Flik Lifestyles TOURNAMENT PRIZES John Culhane Culhanes Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc. 6 WEAVINGS SUMMER 2017

7 For additional photos: WEAVINGS SUMMER

8 Looking back on my 23 years of ministry as Administrator of Dominican Convent, I realize how fortunate I have been. It has been a true gift to meet so many wonderful people over the years as we celebrated our Sisters Golden Jubilees (marking 50 years as women religious,) as well as Diamond Jubilees (marking 60, 65, 70, 75, and even 80 years as women religious.) Actually, Sparkill Dominicans love to celebrate! Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year s and Easter are always great celebrations when the friends and families of Sisters join us at Mass and dinner. And we enjoy many special occasions most recently, the 50th Anniversary of Dominican Convent and the 100th Anniversary of our beloved Sacred Heart Chapel where so many of us professed our vows. I have been happy to represent the Congregation to our guests. So many groups regularly hold their meetings and retreats in our Motherhouse. In addition to the many parish teams, councils, and schools who come here, we host groups such as the Franciscan Sisters of Peace, the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Leviticus Fund, the Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment, the New York Archdiocesan Council of Women Religious, the local chapter of National Catholic Development Conference, and the New York Archdiocesan University Apostolate. The full list of the organizations that use Dominican Convent for their gatherings would fill this page! 8 WEAVINGS SUMMER 2017

9 Every year, the Sisters and the seniors from the Thorpe Senior Center (which is here in the Motherhouse) are treated to delightful musical entertainment when students from Aquinas, St. Edmund, and Albertus Magnus High Schools and St. Paul s Elementary School come to Sparkill. They especially enjoy the Christmas concerts by these talented young people! We also host the Hudson Valley Chorale for wonderful public concerts as well as their weekly rehearsals. On St. Patrick s Day, the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians always begin its day with a morning Mass in Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel. The annual visit of young Sisters from the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate brings much joy. Not to be left out are the many beautiful brides who, on their wedding day, walk down the longest aisle in Rockland County in our Sacred Heart Chapel. I have always felt it a privilege to help prepare for these events and to welcome our guests. But perhaps the greatest honor has been to take care of the home of so many members of the Community that I love so dearly, the Sparkill Dominicans. Celebrating Life in the Motherhouse Reflections by Sister Joanne Deas WEAVINGS SUMMER

10 50th Anniversary Celebration with Lecture by Father James Martin On Wednesday, June 14, 2017, the Sparkill community gathered to celebrate Dominican Convent s 50 years of presence in Sparkill, New York. The life and ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill is deeply woven into the fabric of Rockland County. Dominican Convent, the place from which that life and ministry stems, stands as a concrete manifestation of the Sisters presence and impact. The building was dedicated on June 14, 1967 and serves today as home to many Dominican Sisters, as the corporate and administrative offices, as well as the spiritual center for the Congregation. While not all Sisters live in or nearby Dominican Convent, it is the hub of life and activity for all community members, and thus its 50th anniversary marked an important milestone in the Congregation s history. The anniversary was celebrated with a day of festivities featuring a visit from renowned Jesuit priest, editor, and author, Father James Martin, SJ. The Sisters, Associates, staff, and benefactors participated in a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Father Martin, followed by a lovely meal. In her reflections shared at the Mass, past Leadership Team member, Sister Carolyn Wolfbauer, spoke of what makes the Convent such a special place. Dominican Convent, our Motherhouse, was constructed to serve three functions: to be the center for congregational administration, a residence for Sisters, and a gathering place for celebrations of liturgy, meetings, and educational and enrichment programs. This building provides the structure and space for its intended purposes. But it is a building made of brick, mortar, metal, glass, etc. What brings it to life? What brings it spirit? Look around Here we are! It is we who live here and who work here that create the spirit that makes this place more than just another well-built, fifty-year-old structure. And that spirit is not a given. It is something each of us has to keep going. In the evening, Father Martin gave a wonderful lecture entitled, Encountering Jesus: Meeting the Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith to a crowd of over 250 people. The Sisters were thrilled to welcome their guests who traveled from near and far to hear Father Martin s engaging presentation. 10 WEAVINGS SUMMER 2017

11 Partners in Mission Making a Difference Around the World! Your generosity has enabled the Sisters to award the following grants: The Peace and Non-Violence Speakers Forum, New York Help in launching a speakers series Intercommunity Ecological Council, St. Louis, MO Providing for programs that help people learn to care for the Earth Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Formation Program, Big Sandy, Box Elder, & Rocky Boy, Montana Funding for a Catechesis training program Aquinas High School, Bronx Support for the school s performing arts program Sr. Thea Bowman Women s Center, Siena College Aid for students who wish to participate in a service trip to the Dominican Republic Damietta Cross-Cultural Center, Siena College Support for a theater program which focuses on interfaith harmony & compassion East Side Heart & Home Family Center, East St. Louis Support for a children s camp & Saturday breakfast club for the community One-to-One Learning Leadership Project, Nyack, NY Funding to create a leadership training program for immigrants who are students & alumni Dowling Gardens, Sparkill, NY A grant to create enriched programs in music, the arts, & current events for the frail elderly Dominican North American Justice Promoter, Iraq Coordinating Committee Help in alleviating the isolation experienced by Iraqi Dominican Sisters and the refugees they serve Loreto Girls Hostel, Loreto, Pakistan & the Sister Purissima Girls Hostel in Bahawalpur, Pakistan Support to enable the Sisters to provide a balanced diet & school supplies for impoverished girls so that they can continue with their education WEAVINGS SUMMER

12 DOMINICAN CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY OFFICE OF MISSION ADVANCEMENT 175 ROUTE 340 SPARKILL, NY Address Service Requested Learn more about the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill by visiting our website: and our Facebook page. To make a donation, go to Development s Home Page on our website and Click: Make a Donation which will take you to the secure page. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7TH CBC HIGH SCHOOL ST. LOUIS, MO For more information or to reserve your table, go to