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.

Jesus, the Light of the World, as we celebrate your birth may we begin to see the world in the light of the understanding you give us. As you chose the lowly, the outcasts, and the poor to receive the greatest news the world had ever known, so may we worship you in meekness of heart. May we also remember our brothers and sisters less fortunate than ourselves in this season of giving. Amen.

Visit the Davis Center in Mill Creek Park between now and Dec. 31, Tuesdays–Sundays, 10 am – 5 pm to see a Christmas tree decorated by the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown. The park invites area nonprofits to decorate the trees each year. You’ll find many of our ministries on the tree, see some beautiful ornaments hand-crafted by Sister Mary Ann Coz and Sister Marie Antoinette, and a gift from us under it. On the first three Sundays in December, from 5-7 p.m., meet some of our Sisters and Associates as the public is invited for Merry & Bright Nights featuring music and refreshments.

Just as the little drummer boy offered his simple yet heartfelt gift to Christ, the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown offer you, our friends, this simple and heartfelt Christmas gift. We hope you enjoy it!

Sister Charlotte Italiano (left), Principal of Ursuline Preschool & Kindergarten, and Mary Ann Critell, Assistant Principal and Kindergarten teacher, are busy preparing for UPSK’s 23^rd Annual Once Upon a Christmas Craft Show. More than 100 crafters, decorations, baked goods and a raffle for numerous large gift baskets are just part of the fun being offered Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ursuline Center, 4300 Shields Rd., Canfield. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call 330-792-4150 or visit UrsulinePreschoolandKindergarten.org.

Visit the Davis Center in Mill Creek Park between now and Dec. 31, Tuesdays–Sundays, 10 am – 5 pm to see a Christmas tree decorated by the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown. The park invites area nonprofits to decorate the trees each year. You’ll find many of our ministries on the tree, see some beautiful ornaments hand-crafted by Sister Mary Ann Coz and Sister Marie Antoinette, and a gift from us under it.

On the first three Sundays in December, from 5-7 p.m., meet some of our Sisters and Associates as the public is invited for Merry & Bright Nights featuring music and refreshments.

We come to our table to welcome this feast of Thanksgiving with joy and with gladness. We have prepared this feast with good food and drink. We have gathered together and come around this table to feast and to celebrate the many things for which we are grateful.

The Lord is our light and our salvation. May this light burn brightly in our hearts and around this table, both at this Thanksgiving and at all of our meals.

(light a candle.)

We give thanks today for all of the many gifts that we have received. {Silent pause]

We also remember our sisters and those loved ones who are not present at our table. [A silent pause]

Together we pray

Lord God, we thank You for the blessings of today and for our time together. We thank you for this wonderful meal and for all who have gathered here to share it. Guide us as a family.  Help us to grow in care and love for each other. Make us mindful of those who have so much less than we have, those who are cold and hungry, sick or struggling in any way. Show us how to find ways to share ith them all the blessings that You have showered on us. Help us to be grateful and generous people.

Bless us, O Lord, and these Your gifts which we are about to receive from Your goodness, through Christ our Lord.  Amen

With Sister Nancy are Jamael Tito Brown, President of Youngstown City Council, and Cary Dabney, President of the Inter Faith Youth Core at Youngstown State University and a former student of Sister Nancy’s at the university.

Sister Nancy Dawson, General Superior of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown, inspired area faith and civic leaders who gathered Nov. 22 for the Mahoning Valley Association of Churches’ 26^th Annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast.

Sister Nancy was the keynote speaker for the event, which brings together representatives of different religious communities, politicians and judges to socialize and consider ways we can work together for the greater good.

Sister Nancy’s talk covered the need for respect for and a celebration of how our diversity strengthens us as a people concerned with leading spiritual lives and making both the world and our corner of it a better place. Her suggestion that we take this work out of offices and directly to the people who need our help the most was punctuated by applause, and she received a standing ovation at the end of her speech.

The Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown met Oct. 22 for a Community Day, a day on which our Sisters come together to pray, share, and discuss our vision for the future. This video shows our community singing the hymn Veni Sancta Angela — Come Saint Angela, Spouse of Christ, receive the crown which has been given to you by Christ for all eternity.

This is the traditional hymn sung when a young woman is accepted into the community and again when she makes her final profession of vows.

The Ursuline Center has created a short video with information about its labyrinth.

The labyrinth is available for use by all persons of faith, whether individuals, families, or groups, year-round from dawn to dusk.

There is no charge to pray the labyrinth.

For more information watch this short video.