On Christmas Day our Sister Teresa Winsen joined the choirs of angels singing “Glory to God in the Highest” when she died at Park Vista. She was 80 years old.
 
In her 57 years of active ministry, Sister Teresa distinguished herself in education and leadership in Catholic schools, parishes and for the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown.  She taught at Immaculate Conception, St. Columba, and St. Patrick Schools in Youngstown.  She also served as principal at St. Patrick, Immaculate Conception, St. Brendan, and St. Joseph, Austintown.

Sister Teresa was elected to leadership of the Ursuline Sisters in 1972, serving as Temporal Coordinator in addition to her ministry as principal at Immaculate Conception.  She was elected General Superior of the Ursuline Sisters in 1976 for a 4-year term.

After her term as Superior,  Sister Teresa began parish ministry and worked in several local parishes including St. Maron, St. Patrick, Leetonia, St. John, Campbell, St. Anthony, Youngstown, and Holy Trinity, Struthers.

In the 1980s, Sister Teresa was appointed Associate Director of the Office of Religious Education for the Maronite Eparchy of Brooklyn.  In this capacity, she helped publish a Marionite Religious Education textbook series.  In 2000, Sister Teresa was awarded the Cross Pro-Ecclesia et Pontifce, i.e., the Cross for the Church and the Pontiff, by Pope John Paul II.  This award is given to clergy and laity who have given service to the Church.

Calling hours for Sister Teresa will be 4:00 to 4:45 pm, Wednesday December 28, 2011, at the Ursuline Motherhouse, 4250 Shields Rd., Canfield.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 5:00 pm immediately after calling hours.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown.

Our Sister Darla Vogelsang is celebrating 50 years as a nun in the Ursulines of Youngstsown.  Sr. Darla entered the Ursulines in September 1960 after having graduated from Ursuline High School.  She entered the novitiate in August 1961, which is the date for which we mark Jubilee.

Sister Darla has had a variety of ministries during her 50 years as an Ursuline:  as a teacher at St. Patrick, Youngstown and teacher and principal at Immaculate Conception elementary schools in Youngstown, as a parish minister at Immaculate Conception and Sacred Heart in Youngstown, St. Paul, Canton, and St. Patrick, Hubbard, in service to the Ursulines of Youngstown as a member of the Leadership Team, on the Liturgy Committee and the Retreat Committee.

Most recently Sr. Darla was certified as a Catholic Chaplain.  It is a kind of “encore career.”  She now serves as chaplain for HMHP at St. Elizabeth, Boardman and St.Joseph, Warren.

Sister Darla says that “a 50th anniversary for anyone is a hallmark year.  It is also an opportunity in prayer, gratitude and celebration to look back at the people and the opportunities that have formed me in religious life.  And it’s a celebration of the Ursuline Sisters as well, an opportunity for the community to celebrate the gift of Religious Life in the church.”

Congratulations Sister Darla!  Ad multos annos.

One of the Old Testament Canticles that is regularly part of the Liturgy of the Hours is Daniel 3:57-88.  In this Canticle we pray:  “All you winds, bless the Lord.  Fire and heat, bless the Lord.   Cold and chill, bless the Lord.  Dew and rain, bless the Lord.  Frost and chill, bless the Lord.  Ice and snow, bless the Lord.”

I have been repeating these lines in my head for the past 2 days as we in northeast Ohio have all of these types of weather (except maybe  fire and heat).  When I am driving in ice and snow, “blessing” the Lord is not my first thought.  It is usually praying for safety.   Still, the mystery of the forces of the universe remain beyond us despite our scientific knowledge.  There is a beauty in all of it.  And there is joy in an unexpected day when you can’t go to school or work because of elements beyond your control.

So with Daniel and the whole church we can pray:  “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.”

I was among the many who gathered at Immaculate Conception on Oak Street on the Eastside of Youngstown this morning.  Today was the last Mass in that church building.

Bishop Murry presided at Mass today.  He reminded us all that, though the building would close, the church would continue on at a new location and with a new name:  Immaculate Conception-Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Sacred Heart building.

There were lots of tears on the faces of many at Mass, but lots of smiles as well.   Everyone was remembering their time at that church – special occasions like First Communion, weddings, and funerals – and the regular worship each week.

Many Youngstowners trace their roots to the eastside.  My grandmother – Mary Reardon McCormick - was baptized and went to school at Immaculate.

When I first entered the Ursulines I went to Immaculate to Mass regularly.  Fr. John Summers was pastor and Fathers Phil Conley and Dan Venglarik lived at the rectory.

But what I really learned there was how to teach.  Sister Mary Lee Nalley was on the faculty and while I was still a student at Youngstown State University, I went to Immaculate Conception school once or twice a week and learned skills of classroom management, planning lessons and working with school age students.  Some of those same students I met when I began to teach at Ursuline High School.

Sister Mary Lee, herself a daughter of the parish, has been ministering at for nearly 40 years.  She will continue to serve the people of the new parish.  As she said to Fr. Kevin Peters, the new pastor:  “I serve the people of God, not a building.”

The Ursuline Nuns have always been intimately involved with the people of the greater Youngstown area.  Our ministry is in collaboration with the needs of the local church and the needs of the people.

All of the Ursulines pledge their support to the reconfiguration of the parishes throughout the diocese.  We know that the church at Immaculate Conception-Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish will remain strong.

The Ursulines who were at today’s Mass were Sister Mary Lee and Sister Kathleen McCarragher who work at the parish, Sister Nancy Dawson and Sister Charlotte Italiano, both daughters of the parish, and Sister Darla Vogelsang who taught at Immaculate Conception School, served as its principal and worked as a pastoral associate.  Several Ursuline Associates were also in attendance:  Sheila Triplett, Monique Smith and Carol Mentges.

Beatitude House began its  20th Anniversary Celebration with a Mass with the Ursuline Sisters and members of its Board of Directors – current and past – on Sunday January 23, 2011 at the Ursuline Motherhouse.  Fr. Richard Brobst presided at liturgy while Sister Patricia McNicholas recalled the origins of Beatitude House in her reflection.

The story of the beginning of Beatitude House is a lesson in communal discernment for ministry in the lives of Ursuline Sisters today.  Sister Margaret Scheetz – Peg, who died in January 2001, was pursuing an advanced degree in computer education at Kent State University in the late 1980s.  One day she watched a TV show about a homeless woman and her struggles to keep her family together.  That show sparked an idea – could the Ursulines do something for homeless women in Youngstown?

Sr. Margaret shared her idea with Sr. Nancy Dawson, General Superior and Sr. Mary O’Leary.  Both responded enthusiastically and Peg began immediately:  looking for a house and a neighborhood, seeking donations, and seeking workers who could help turn an old house into new apartments for homeless women and their dependent children. 

Throughout the of the process of bringing an idea into reality, Peg consulted with the community and counted on their prayers for success.  Lots of the sisters helped with things like cleaning or gathering donations from friends and family. 

What began as an idea of a single sister turned into 4 apartments for homeless families, and then 8.   Check out the video to get all the details of the numbers of women and children whose lives have been changed by their time at Beatitude House.

This is an example of how nuns get things done.  First, a sister has an idea to work for the people of God.  Second, she shares it with her friends and the leadership of the community.  With their approval and support the sister can work to bring that idea into reality.

Here it is Thanksgiving Day and the 475th Anniversary of the Founding of the Ursuline Sisters.
We have much to be thankful for: our lives, our health, our family, our friends, our community. In a particular way this year we are grateful to God for this anniversary. There is no word that immediately comes to mind for a 475th anniversary. If you were to make one up from Latin roots, you might say we are celebrating our dodransquincentennial, a word that means 1/4 century less than 500 years. No matter what you call it, 475 is a long time.

People mark anniversaries for 2 reasons: to look back and to look ahead. What we remember is pretty well known to most of us…Sr Mary McCormick’s reflection for 475th Anniversary Nov 25 2010

Local news coverage

Icon of the Holy Trinity

Each year the Ursulines make a retreat.  Many sisters make retreat at the Motherhouse while others take the opportunity to experience retreat at another venue.

This year, all the Ursulines of Youngstown joined together the week of June 21 for a communal retreat.  Father Michael Woost,

Father Michael Woost

Assistant Professor of Liturgy and Sacramental Theology at St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in the Diocese of Cleveland, served as retreat director.

The theme of the retreat was Contemplation and Action.  This theme was taken from the spirituality of St. Angela Merici, Founder of the Ursulines in 1535, 475 years ago this year.  Fr. Woost developed the theme of Contemplation and Action in light of the mystical journey and in light of the writings of St. Angela.

Each day the sisters gathered for 2 conferences as well as Eucharistic liturgy.  Though the house was filled with sisters, there was a peaceful silence.  It was a profound experience of listening, prayer, and grace.

You’ve heard it said that some people will find any excuse for a party.  Count us as part of that group.  On Wednesday June 16, the Ursulines hosted a party.

Sr Nancy greeting guests

We were celebrating the 475th Anniversary of the founding of the Ursuline Sisters by St. Angela Merici in Brescia.  We also celebrated with our brother priests, marking the end of the year of the priest.  Since the Ursulines came to Youngstown in 1874, we have always worked closely with the clergy and religious in the greater Youngstown area  They are truly colleagues in ministry.

We began our celebration with evening prayer.  From there we moved to the dining room for a social and dinner.  There was no program and there were no speeches.  It was an evening when the Ursulines and the brothers of the area could celebrate with the priests as the Year of the Priest came to an end.

Gathering for dinner

We are grateful to God for the call to work as collaborators in ministry with the people of God in the Diocese of Youngstown.  May God continue to bless our ministry and the friendships nurtured in service.

We Ursulines promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  We know, too, that most people considering priesthood or becoming a nun (sister) or brother consult a priest as part of that process.   We will continue to work together for the good of the church.

Welcome to our “Ask The Nun” series of informal videos. Sister Mary McCormick offers some questions to think about when searching for a Religious Community.

Sometimes when people think about becoming a nun they are familiar with one or more religious communities. Other times, people feel called, but don’t even know any nuns.

I suggest that you do a little thinking and a little exploring when you want to begin to enter into the process more deeply.

If you were dating someone, you might liken it to the “getting to know you phase.”

Here are some questions to consider:

• Are you interested in serving the church in an area close to where you currently live?
• Or, would you prefer to be part of a group that serves all over the country and maybe all over the world?
• Are you interested in a small group?
• Or would you like to be part of a large group?
• Do you have a special ministry in mind? If so, you might seek out a community that specializes in that service? Or,
• Are you open to a variety of ways to serve God’s people?

I encourage you to do some investigation – on line and in person by visiting some communities.

Good luck with the process

Please submit your questions to vocations@theursulines.org

As the Christian world prepares to enter into a solemn remembrance of the Passion and Death of Jesus this Good Friday, in a joint statement, the members of the Leadership Teams of The Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown and the Sisters of the Humility of Mary publish the following statement in regards to Ohio’s death penalty.

“We are writing to voice our concerns about the Vindicator’s recent reportings on the death penalty. As Leadership Teams of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown and the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, we support a moratorium on executions until Ohio’s death penalty is studied by the legislature. Ohioans deserve to know if the death penalty is effective, if it is the best use of our scarce resources, and if it supports healing for victims’ families. The death penalty presently fails on all of these counts. Rather than bringing any healing, the death penalty often prolongs the pain of murder victims’ loved ones who must endure years—even decades—of reversals in the courts and media hounding throughout the long life of a capital case. The death penalty provides a false sense of hope that with an execution will come closure. Many survivors have said there is no such thing as closure for a person whose loved one is murdered. What is more, the death penalty often creates new victims of the corrections officials who must carry out executions and of family members whose loved one is executed. Given that we spend millions more on the death penalty than on life in prison without the possibility of parole, we would rather see those resources being better spent on counseling for murder victims’ loved ones and other victims’ services, more law enforcement, or increased crime prevention programs.

The death penalty is not effective. Study after study has shown the death penalty does not deter crime. The death penalty is also carried out disproportionately—who receives the death penalty often depends on socioeconomic status, the race of the victim, and where the crime occurred rather than the nature of the offense.

We also risk the integrity of the entire judicial system every time an innocent person is released from death row. There have been 139 of these exonerations across the country, and that number keeps climbing. After spending 22 years on Ohio’s death row, the charges against Joe D’Ambrosio from Cuyahoga County were finally dropped this month due to strong evidence of innocence and prosecutorial misconduct. If officially exonerated, D’Ambrosio will be our sixth death row exoneration from Ohio. Nationwide, there are also several cases of people who were executed despite evidence of innocence. Every time we sentence an innocent person to death, we chip away at the system’s credibility to enact real justice. We can save money and ensure real justice is served by eliminating the death penalty in Ohio.

It is because of these reasons and because of our moral commitment to life that our Leadership Teams simply cannot support the death penalty. Thank you for taking the time to hear our concerns. We hope that in future reportings on the death penalty, you will consider some of the above. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss this matter further.”

Sincerely,

Sister Nancy Dawson, President
Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown (OSU)
Ursuline Motherhouse, Canfield

Sister Susan Schorsten, President
Sisters of the Humility of Mary (HM)
Villa Maria, Pa