Four Times a year Ursuline Associates provide and serve a meal at the Dorothy Day House at 620 Belmont Ave. These men and women enflesh the spirit of St. Angela Merici today.
St. Angela,the Founder of the Ursuline Sisters, challenged people to live a deep spiritual life and to let their faith overflow into service. The Associates live a life of prayer and service in their daily lives and also participate in the many ways the Ursuline Community responds to the needs of the times through outreach to those who are marginalized in society today. St. Angela lived 500 years ago but her presence is with us today as we strive to live the Gospel.

The Associates who prepared food and served at the Dorothy Day House on July 13th were: Patty Canton, Patty Ewing, Mickey Fata, Colleen Flannagan, Jackie Fyock, Sean Fyock, Laura Kotheimer, Lindy Kubic, Sr. Norma Raupple, Sr. Isabel Rudge, Scott Schulick, Monique Smith. Other Associates helped by preparing part of the menu: Peg Eicher, Peg Mills, Flora Schneider, Jo Subler,Rose Mary Yaniglos.

This enriching opportunity provides Associates a chance to nurture relationships among themselves as well as with the guests at the House.      

It is also a way to make a difference in the lives of others and to allow ourselves to be challenged.

Associates, Sisters and Guests exchanged lively conversation and warm greetings at their “annual picnic” on June 26th. The time together began in the gathering space outside of the Motherhouse chapel. During the prayer we reflected once again on the presence and vision and spirit of our Founder, St Angela Merici. The picnic food included delicious casseroles, salads and deserts contributed by the Associates as well as Chicken and beverages. Summertime allows for relaxed and animated interaction among us as we share our journey of faith.

Ursuline Sisters, Members of the Company of St. Ursula and Associates throughout the world remember their “Mother” and Founder, St. Angela Merici on January 27th each year. In Youngstown, Ohio, the Spirit was alive and well as the entire Community of Sisters and Associates gathered for Mass and Dinner. After Sister Nancy Dawson’s challenging words to us, seven men and women came forward to enthusiastically announce their decision to be associated with the Ursuline Community. The Sisters proudly responded by expressing their intent to share their lives, their prayer and their ministries with the Associates. Angela was among us as we enjoyed each other with hospitality,encouragement and renewed energy.

The entire Community of Ursuline Sisters and Associates gathered to celebrate the gift of St. Angela, their Founder. They celebrated their lives and their faith with the Eucharist and a special meal. They were inspired and challenged by the message of their Superior, Sister Nancy Dawson. Seven new Associates were welcomed. They brought new life and energy to the enthusiastic gathering.

Welcome to our “Ask a Nun” series. Today, Sister Norma discusses what makes an Ursuline Sister different from other sisters.

All Catholic Orders of Nuns are structured in the same way according to the requirements of the Catholic Church. Each group however is unique because of the time and place and reason for why the community was founded.

Ursuline Sisters have St. Angela Merici as our founder. She gathered a group of women in 1535 in Brescia, Italy and formed a group of women under the name of St. Ursula. St. Angela believed that women could live holy lives expressed in service to those in need without living in convents. Although the women did not live together they gathered regularly as a community. This model of community still prospers today as the Company of St. Ursula, a Secular Institute in the Church.

A parallel model soon emerged in Italy when St. Charles Borromeo, was bishop in Milan. The Ursulines, known as the Order of St. Ursula, became an official religious order in the Church, similar to all other orders. Although the Youngstown Ursulines serve mainly in Northeast Ohio there are women who have their origins in St. Angela all over the world today.

Welcome to our “Ask a Nun” series. Today, Sister Norma discusses a question we received from several readers: “Do all nuns have to live in a convent?”

Many nuns live in a convent where there is a chapel and other rooms that are shared for daily living activities such as the kitchen,dining room, laundry rooms, living rooms. Space similar to space shared by a family.

There are various living arrangements. Some nuns live in larger convents of twenty sisters or more and may share some responsibilities together.

Some Sisters live together in small groups.They share the responsibility for daily activities such as cooking and cleaning. They make time to pray together even though there may not be a chapel in the home.
There are situations where sisters live alone-at least for a time. A Sister may be serving in a location where there are no other sisters nearby.

A Sister may choose to live alone for personal reasons. This can be arranged through communication with the Community. Even though a Sister may be living alone in an apartment, she
remains connected to the larger Ursuline Community through her relationships with other Sisters and by attending the regular Community gatherings.

Welcome to our “Ask a Nun” series. Today, Sister Norma discusses some advntages and disadvantages of living in a convent.

A convent is a house where a group of Sisters share their lives and their space with each other. There is a chapel in the central part of the house because our relationship with God is the center of our lives.

The convent where I live is in Canfield, Ohio where there are 30 of us Ursuline Sisters living together. I see many more advantages for living in a convent than disadvantages:I have a spacious private room which looks out on the woods. I often enjoy the sunrise from my window. At the same time, I enjoy the presence and interaction of other women of faith -women of all ages.Their support and encouragement helps me to maintain a healthy, happy life.Our life style is simple and fulfilling as we gather for prayer and Eucharist and spend time together when we are not engaged in ministry.

At times, I experience the schedule as a disadvantage. For example, the individual sister does not choose the schedule for prayer and meals. The schedule is determined by everyone talking together and deciding what is best for the group life.

Sister Mary Ann Coz lives at the Ursuline Motherhouse at 4250 Shields Rd. where she has been engaged in hard work as well as enjoyment in caring for the gardens and wildlife.  Religious Life is a life-long way of life and a permanent commitment.  A woman brings herself as she is with her unique gifts and temperament and throughout her life she responds to many opportunities, changing needs and evolving situations.  Her  relationships along the way also shape her life.  Her life is enriched by being part of a religious community as she continues to respond to God’s love.  Sister Mary Ann tells about how she has experienced meaning and fulfillment as an Ursuline Sister.

Seeds of the Ursuline Charism were planted in Matamoros Mexico in 1997 when five Ursuline Sisters arrived in Brownsville, Texas to serve at the Border. Sisters Maria Teresa DeLlano (Roman Union Central), Michelle Guerin (Roman Union East), Elizabeth Miller (Ursulines of Chatham), Gia Mudd (Maple Mount), and Norma Raupple (Youngstown) gathered in order to live among the people and offer service. Within the first year there were women who were attracted to the spirit and vision of St. Angeal Merici. They soon began a process to become Ursuline Associates. Silvia Alonso was one of these women. Silvia came with a friend to the house where the Sisters lived to participate in “Via Cruces” during Lent of 2000.

In 2006 Sister Norma and four Associates made a pilgrimage to Italy sponsored by two Ursulines from Brown County. The highlight of the trip was spending time with two members of the Company of Angela known as “The Secular Institute of St. Ursula”. Through research of Mary Cabrini Durkin, we were connected with Mirella Turri, the Director of the Company in Trent, who speaks Spanish. Mirella spent the afternoon with us giving us an orientation to the original model of Angela’s Company. This was the beginning of Silvia’s discernment to learn more about the Company. Eventually the Company in Trent, Italy, discerned that they would give birth to a new Company in Mexico.This would be the first in a Spanish-Speaking Country among the International Federation of Secular Institutes.

Silvia began the formation process three years ago. Silvia has become accustomed to living her new way of life which is similar to religious life. She has been in dialog with Mirella each month and has reflected with Sister Josefina Granada from Iguala, Mexico,regularly. She visits the Mexican Ursulines for community gatherings and retreats in Puebla. Sister Miriam Fidelis from the Cleveland Ursulnes and the Associates in Brownsville also support Silvia. Since she retired after 28 years of teaching, she has dedicated herself to evangelization, religious education and pastoral ministry. She serves in “Los Pinos”, a very poor area where the people are trying to build a small church in their colonia. Silvia’s mother , Santos, who is also an Ursuline Associate, lives with her.Their home is the gathering place for immediate and extended family where all find a place of welcome and love.

Silvia made her vows of poverty,chastity and obedience on November 25, 2010. This is the day that St. Angela officially started the first Company in Brescia, Italy in 1535. At this time the women did not live together in convents but gathered for prayer and support. This original model is the model of the members of the Federation which Silvia has become a part of. Mirella and two other members from Trent, Italy, the priest from the diocese of Matamoros, Silvia’s family and two Associates witnessed her profession of vows.

Scott says “The spirit and mission of the Ursuline Sisters and the impact they have had in the past and the present is what drew me to the program”.  Scott has known the Ursulines since attending Ursuline High School.  He is a believer in education and sees that  the Ursuline Sisters have been in the forefront of education in the Mahoning Valley through the years.  Scott is Vice President, Sr. Trust Investment Officer and Treasurer at Farmers Trust Co.  He also serves as a Trustee of  at Youngstown State University and various other community organizations.  He is an active member of Our Lady of St. Carmel.