URSULINES IN GREECEthem, (Sister) Maureen McCarthy gave one or more years of voluntary service....
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URSULINES IN GREECE Martha Counihan, O.S.U. In This Issue Wilmington’s God Squad 3 Trafficking 4 In Memoriam 5 Development Update 6 Photos Courtesy Sr. K. Kuczkowski A recent conversation with Mother Cecilia Wang about the conclusion of Ursulines’ service in Greece after 300 years impelled Sr. Kathleen Kuczkowski to reflect on her years of service there and that of many Eastern Province Ursulines. French Ursulines arrived in Greece at the invitation of Jesuits, establishing a monastery on Naxos in 1730, thus bringing higher education for women to Greece. The Aegean islands of Naxos and Lutra-Tinos were centers of Ursuline education for many years, primary and secondary education plus a weaving school. Italian Catholics engaged in the shipping business were settlers and were just as eager for the education of their daughters with the Ursulines as for their sons with the Jesuits. Relations with Greek Orthodox neighbors and students were cordial. The islands also gave several Greek Sisters to the mission. Two Greek Ursulines are presently bringing the mission to an end. The Tinos and Naxos communi- ties joined the Roman Union in 1904 and received French missionaries who helped staff the two schools for many years. Sadly, World War II and the subsequent communist revolution brought devastation, starvation and occupation to Greece. The Ursulines were forced to close their schools. After the war, there was much concern by the Ursuline general government in Rome for continuation of the small group of Ursulines in Greece. A decision was made to seek economic help and to expand their educational mission. An international community began a language school in Athens in (continued on p.2) Bylines Ursulines of the Eastern Province AUTUMN 2018 Ursuline school at Tinos - photos circa 1955 First Communion day at Ursuline school in Athens. The group includes Sr. Jane Mennis. Athens: Greek students prepare for marching in a March 25th parade, the historical and religious holiday marking Greece’s freedom from the Ottoman Empire
Transcript of URSULINES IN GREECEthem, (Sister) Maureen McCarthy gave one or more years of voluntary service....
URSULINES IN GREECEMartha Counihan, O.S.U.
In This IssueWilmington’s God Squad 3Trafficking 4In Memoriam 5Development Update 6
Photos Courtesy Sr. K. Kuczkowski
A recentconversationwithMotherCeciliaWangabout the conclusion of Ursulines’ service inGreece after 300 years impelled Sr. Kathleen
KuczkowskitoreflectonheryearsofservicethereandthatofmanyEasternProvinceUrsulines.French Ursulines arrived in Greece at the invitationofJesuits,establishingamonasteryonNaxosin1730,thusbringinghighereducationforwomentoGreece.TheAegean islands of Naxos and Lutra-Tinos werecentersofUrsulineeducationformanyyears,primaryandsecondaryeducationplusaweavingschool.Italian
Catholics engaged in the shipping business weresettlersandwerejustaseagerfortheeducationoftheirdaughterswiththeUrsulinesasfortheirsonswiththeJesuits.RelationswithGreekOrthodoxneighborsandstudentswere cordial. The islands also gave severalGreekSisterstothemission.TwoGreekUrsulinesare
presently bringingthe mission to an end. The Tinos and Naxos communi-ties joined theRoman Union in
1904 and received French missionaries who helpedstaffthetwoschoolsformanyyears.Sadly,WorldWarIIandthesubsequentcommunistrevolutionbroughtdevastation,starvationandoccupationtoGreece.TheUrsulineswereforcedtoclosetheirschools.Afterthewar,therewasmuchconcernbytheUrsulinegeneral government inRome for continuationof thesmall group of Ursulines in Greece.A decision wasmade to seek economic help and to expand theireducational mission. An international communitybeganalanguageschoolinAthensin(continued on p.2)
BylinesUrsulines of the Eastern Province AUTUMN 2018
Ursuline school at Tinos - photos circa 1955 First Communion day at Ursuline school in Athens. The group includes Sr. Jane Mennis.
Athens: Greek students prepare for marching in a March 25th parade, the historical and religious holiday marking Greece’s freedom from the Ottoman Empire
From the EditorRoxanneZimmer
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Ursuline BylinesEditor: Roxanne Zimmer
Editorial Board: Martha Counihan, Terry Eppridge, Sara Gunn
Production: TE Graphics Published by The Development Office of the Ursulines of
the Eastern Province of the United States.Sara Gunn - Director of Development
Ursuline Provincialate1338 North Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10804914-712-0068 E-mail: [email protected]
PROVINCIAL NOTES JaneFinnerty,O.S.U.
1947,andthethreecommunitiesbecameamissionoftheSouthofFranceProvinceandthenaViceProvincein 1956. In the 1950s, an appeal to all Ursulines formissionariesstirredtheheartsofmanyyoungEasternProvince Sisters; a number volunteered, and somewere selected for Greece. Over ten Eastern ProvinceUrsulines eventually served inGreece.Most becameteachers in the new Athens foundations under theleadershipofMothersMarieElizabethDuganandJoanofArcCronin.A small school for elementary ageAmericanchildrengrewlargerwhenit became known amongAmericansin Athens that a Catholic schoolwas available for English-speakingchildren. The French languageelementaryschoolcontinued.AlargeGreek secondary school was erectedon the outskirts of Athens. Fromthe1950s to the1970smore than tenEastern Province Ursulines, amongothers, served as school directorsand teachers in theAmerican schoolandtheFrenchandEnglishlanguageschool which remained in centralAthens. Several graduates of The College of New Rochelle, amongthem, (Sister) Maureen McCarthygaveoneormoreyearsofvoluntaryservice.Presently,SistersAnnDuggan,JuliaDennehy,KathleenKuczkowski, Carol Ann Holder, Jane Mennis, andMaureenMcCarthycanregaleuswiththetalesoftheirserviceinGreece.Eastern Province Ursulines who served in Greece: Sr. Julia Dennehy, Sr. Ann Duggan, Sr. Carol Ann Holder, Sr. Kathleen Kuczkowski, Sr. Jane Mennis, Sr. Joan of Arc Cronin+, Sr. Helen Davison+, Sr. Marie Elizabeth Dugan+, Sr. Basil (Irene) Kutsky+, Sr. Marietta Marinan +, Sr. Loretta Shanahan+.
Left photo: Ursuline convent in Athens. Above, standing left to right: Mothers Basil (Sr. Irene Kutsky), Carol Ann, (Sr. Carole Ann Holder), Stanislaus (Sr. Kathleen Kuczkowski), Daniel Joseph (Sr. Julia Dennehy), Joan of Arc Cronin; seated: Maureen McCarthy CNR‘61, Mary Krackler CNR‘61, Susanne Stubbs CNR‘62. Photo taken at Ursuline Convent in Athens, circa 1963.
We note the passing of Douglas Hearle. Doug was editor ofBylines for a number of years.He was a wordsmith with ajournalisticsensibility.Heserved
our readership in providing memorable issues of all things Ursuline. The BylinesstaffextendsoursympathytoMaryandtheHearlefamily.
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GREECE continued
PleasejoinusinprayingforthesuccessofourGeneral Chapter.
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WILMINGTON’S GOD SQUAD Jeanne Cashman, O.S.U.
A pastor,anunandarabbiwalkintoaclassroomand begin four years of sharing wisdom,wit and wonder around interfaith matters
with retirees at the University of Delaware’s OsherAcademy of Lifelong Learning. Our point is alwaysclear.Ourinterfaithworldisfilledwithdifferences,butunderstandingcanhelpusliveandworktogetherinourneighborhoods.Thisyearinourcourse“America’sGot…Religion,”weaddedweeklyspeakersincludingmembers of the Hindu, Muslim, Swedenborgian,Mormon,EvangelicalChristianandotherfaiths.Classparticipationwasgreat.But the God Squad as we’re known in Wilmingtoncametogether35yearspreviouslybeforeengaginginfaithconversationswithretirees.In1983,asDiocesanDirectoroftheOfficeofPeaceandJustice,Ihappenedonanarticleinthelocalpaperaboutagroupofnon-Catholicclergywho’dcometogethertosprayblackpaintoversomeanti-Catholicgraffitionadowntownbuilding.Notingthecuriousjuxtapositionof a Lutheran pastor named David Mueller and aRabbi named Peter Grumbacher, I dropped them anote thanking them for their action. This led to ourfirst get-together, forwhich Imade name tags to tiearoundournecks.Half-waythroughthefirstsession,weexchanged them.The resulthas stuckwithus tothisday.WearePastorPete,Sr.DaveandRabbiJeanne.We became colleagues both because of, and in spiteof, our major faith differences. Now, after years ofbeing enriched by each other’s faith and wisdom,wearedrawntoshareourcollectivelearningswithawiderworld.Over35years together, theGodSquadhasbroughtthewitnessofinterfaithsharingtoschoolgroups, clergy and other religious settings. Lately,we’vegonetoassistedlivingfacilitiesandheadlinedanursinghomefundraisingluncheon.(Thisvenuecameaboutwhen the originally scheduled speaker, JamesMcBride,authorofThe Color of Water,cancelledaweekbeforetheevent.Wewereaskedtohelp.Wecalledourpresentation“TheColorofHolyWater”.)Happenings among the God Squad often includefamilies and grandchildren. We’ve shared mealsout and at each other’s homes, celebrating shabbat,holidays,specialbirthdays,weddingsandbatandbarmitzvahs.DaveandIhavepreachedfromthebimahat Congregation Beth Emeth. Introducing us as the“family rabbi” and “family nun,” Dave called Peterandme toblesshisdaughteratherwedding, to thesurprise of all.
*Sojourners’ Place, founded in 1991 by Sr. JeanneCashman,OSU,recentlycelebrated22yearsofpro-viding Delaware’s only comprehensive servicestohomelessadultmenandwomen.Afteryearsinsocial servicework andministry to the homelessinWilmington, Sr. Jeanne and other local leadersrecognized a need for a model other than theexisting one – three meals and a place to sleepwitha30-daylimit.Sojournersprovidesanopen-ended timeframe for the homeless to develop the skills required to return to society. In Sojourners’Place,theaveragestayis6-8months.Havingbeenallowedtimetogrowspirituallyandemotionally,the residents return to the community with thepricelessgiftofself-respect.
Atmy25thjubilee,PeterdidthereadingfromIsaiah,andDave gave the final blessing. They and both oftheir congregations became involved from the verybeginning of Sojourners’ Place*.We’vemourned theloss of each other’s familymembers and supportedeach other in many ways through those difficultmoments.I’vealsohadthegreat joyofroastingbothDaveandPeter at various significant milestones. We do notseemtofinisheachother’ssentences;wetendtojumpinandeithercontradict,makefunofortotallymakemincemeat of them – all in a jolly, tolerant way, ofcourse.One of the nicest rewards of teaching our class atLifelongLearningcomestousattheendwhenmem-bers of our class tell us they now believe interfaithrelationships are possible because they witness ourinteraction.NotabadgoalforaGodSquad!
The God Squad: Pastor David Mueller, Sr. Jeanne Cashman, Rabbi Peter Grumbacher.
Photo courtesy Sr. J. Cashman
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Human traffick-ing,thelucrativemult inat ional
business based on the abuse and sexualexploitation of womenand children, haslong been a concern
of the Ursulines of the Eastern Province. As earlyas 2001, the Ursulines joined others in forming theCoalition of Religious Congregations to Stop the Trafficking of Persons (CRC-STOP). By 2012, thirty-fourcongregationsrepresentingover20,000membersand associateswere hard at work focusing on threeareasofconcernforvictimsoftrafficking:legislation,educationandsafehousing.TheLegislativeCommitteewasveryactiveinpassingtheNewYorkStateAnti-TraffickingLawin2007,oneofthestrongestlawsinthecountry.Each year the Education Committee collaborateswith local colleges to provide workshops educatingall generations on the problems of trafficking in thesupply chain, andon the prevalence oftrafficking in the areaof hospitality, hotelsand air travel. RachelLloyd, founder ofGirls Education andMentoring Services(GEMS), was givena platform one yearand the ImmokaleeWorkers of Floridaspoke another time.Studentsatareacollegeswereencouragedtoresearchandparticipateinvariousefforts.Early on sisters provided emergency space wherewomen in crisis were able to stay for a few nights.Then,in2007,Sr.JoanDawber,SC,foundedLifeWayNetwork, an effort to provide long termhousing. InFebruary 2012, the LifeWay Network Safe House inNew York City opened. Three sisters, including anUrsuline,formedahostcommunityreadytowelcomeandsupportguests.Collaboratingwithsocialserviceagencies,healthproviders,legalandlawenforcementnetworks,theLifeWayNetworkgrewtoastaffofninewiththirtyregularvolunteers.LifeWayNetworknowhastwosafehousesthathavecaredforovertwodozenwomenthisyear.
TheUrsulinescontinuetoworktogetherwithLifeWayNetwork through funding, volunteering, educationand advocacy. Through an annual donation in eachyear’s Gala Fundraising, we support the growingneeds of housing and rehabilitation. Several Ursulines are also regular volunteers, spending time at the house wherewecometoknowtheyoungwomenandlearnabouttheireffortstoentertherapeuticandeducationalendeavorstogainnewlyindependentlives.Wewillbepartofanewmentorshipprogramforcurrentresidentsand safe house alumnae.
TRAFFICKINGAliceMarieGiordano,O.S.U.
Photo above: a Sister volunteer and a guest at the safehouse. Below, Sr. Melissa Camardo, SCL, presenting at conference on Trafficking at the UN.
Sisters Maureen McCarthy, Maureen Welch, Pascal Conforti, Jane Finnerty, Eileen Finnerty, Mary Virginia Orna at LifeWay Network fundraiser.
Photos: LifeWay Network, Sr. A. Giordano
Songcatchers, theAfter-School MusicProgram begun bySr. Beth Dowd, heldits39thannualmusic camp inWarwick. It wasattended by over100aspiringyoungmusiciansandstaff.Top photo: Sr. Beth Dowd conducts out-doors in Warwick, NY. Below: Young campers practice guitar. Ph
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NEWS & NOTES
WeinviteyoutolearnmorebyparticipationinUSCatholicSistersAgainstHumanTraffickinghttps://www.sistersagainsttrafficking.org/joinus and to sub-scribe to a Stop Trafficking newsletter at http://www.stopenslavement.org.
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NEWS & NOTES continued
In Memoriam
Sister Alice Gallin, O.S.U.
1921-2018
Sr. Mary Virginia OrnaisinPolandteachingEnglishand Italian to sisters of the Poznan Community ofUrsulines. Since her students’ proficiencies in Englishvary, theclassesareone-on-one. In theUrsulines’highschoolshehasalsohad theopportunity tomeetwithaclassof seniorswhoseEnglish isexcellentandwhoareverygladtointeractwithanativeEnglishspeaker.
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Sr. Mary Virginia and her Ursuline students.
TheUrsulineSistersoftheRomanUnionwerehonoredby the Catholic Schools office of the Archdioceseof New York on Friday, October 19th at St. Francesde Chantal Church in the Bronx.Sr. Jane Finnerty, Provincial,acceptedthecitationofhonoronbehalfofthe Ursuline Sisters.
On September 13, 2018, SisterAliceGallin passedaway peacefully at Andrus-on-Hudson, at age96. Thedaughter ofWilliamandAliceGallin, shewas raised in New Rochelle, and educated bothat The Ursuline School and The College of NewRochelle.BeforeenteringtheUrsulinesin1946,shetaughthighschoolfortwoyears,andthenwenttoWashingtontoworkintheU.S.MilitaryIntelligenceServiceuntilaftertheendofWWII.FromthetimeofherfirstprofessionasanUrsuline,in Julyof1948,until1976,Sr.Alice– thenMother
MaryAlice–wasengagedinherownstudyaswellas teaching, and administration at CNR. DuringthoseyearssheearnedherM.A.andPh.D., taughthistory,servedforatimeasActingAcademicDeanand later, Dean of Students.Theseacademiccommitmentswerefollowedin1976by SisterAlice’s participation in the U.S. Bishops’“CalltoAction”,ayear’sprogramfocusedonsocialandeconomicissues.Soonthereafter,Sr.AlicebecametheAssociateDirectoroftheNationalCatholicHigherEducation Office in Washington, then ExecutiveDirectortwoyearlater,andserveduntil1992.Duringthefollowingyears,Sr.AlicecontributedtoCatholichighereducationinmultipleways,includingatimeasInterimPresidentofSt.Bonaventure’sUniversity.She continued her scholarly research and writing,withnumerouspublications. Predeceased by her four siblings as well as herparents, Sr.Alice is survived by many nieces andnephewsaswellasherUrsulineSisters.
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BylinesUrsuline ProvincialateDevelopment Office1338 North AvenueNew Rochelle, NY 10804-2121
Development Update Sara Gunn, Director of Development
With your donations in 2017, we began the iPadInitiative that enabled us to provide a computertablettoonesister.Thankstothegenerosityofoursupporters, we now have seven sisters with re-furbishediPads.Inaddition,RitaFerrarigenerouslydonateshertimetotraineachsisteronhowtousethe iPadwhich isan invaluabledimensionof thisinitiative.WeincludeheresomephotosofSr.AnneTherese,Sr.Joan,andSr.BethwiththeiriPads.That same generosity has spilled over into ourannualfund.Wesurpassedour$300,000goalwhenourfiscalyearendedinAugust!Yourcontributionsputusabout$25,000aheadoflastyear.Wearemostgrateful.St.AngelaMericiassuredusthat“Godwillneverfail to provide for all your needs.” TheUrsulineSistersareabletocontinuetobuildabetterworldbecauseofthegenerosityoffriendslikeeachofyouwhohelpus tokeepSt.Angela’svisionaliveandgrowing.
Sisters Joan WoodcomeAnn Therese DillenElizabeth Dowd
Photos: Sara Gunn
Yup’ikUrsulineSr. Josephine Aloralrea of the Western Provincewasafeatureddanceratthe40thSanFranciscoEthnic Dance Festival this past July. The ensemblepresented The Shimmering Moon,adanceaboutlight,thesun, moon, and stars. It took the membersof the native ensemble ten years to make theirdance costumes. Sr.Josephine’s headpieceshows rings of theuniverse, consciousness,and nightime stars.HerministryisinAnchorage,Alaska.
Photo: R J Muna
NEWS & NOTES continued
FromOctober6thto8th,EasternProvincemembersmetin Chapter to prepare for the General Chapter to be held fromSeptember toOctober inRomein2019.ThetaskoftheChaptergatheringwastwofold:todiscernissuesofimportancetotheProvinceandtotheworldaround
us and to elect two members asour delegates in Rome. Sr. Lynn Jarrell, Ursuline of Louisville, afrequentconsultantonsignificantissues affecting consecrated life,was the facilitator for the twodays of group reflection. Thefinalpartof theChapterwas theelectionoftwodelegatestoattendthe Chapter in Rome next year.TheProvincial,Sr. Jane Finnerty is an ex-officio member of the Chapter. Sisters Sandy Wardell and Maureen Welchwere elec-ted as our delegates to the General Chapter.
Above: Sr. Sandy Wardell; below, Sr. Maureen Welch.
Photos T Eppridge
