By Sister Bridget Waldorf, NAVT team member
Reflect on the following three questions. The first question is for you to answer; the responses to the second and third questions are what the North American Vocation Team (NAVT) addresses on a daily basis.
- How are you being called to live the mission of Jesus in and for the world?
- How do we as the NAVT encourage you as donors, colleagues, family, friends, associates and sisters to ask the above question of those in your circles?
- How does the NAVT share the mission and charism of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) with its audiences?
Knowing that the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) charism continues to evolve through vowed commitment for mission, a culture of vocations, sharing the deep SSND story as it meets the needs of the times and assisting others to discern their response to God’s call, NAVT considers these questions carefully, every day. And how do we do this?
We have embraced the foundress, Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger’s quote, “God’s cause is the only concern of our hearts,” 1 as the compass for our vocation ministry. The critical and urgent needs of the world today continue to cry out God’s cause to School Sisters of Notre Dame, the cause that becomes the only concern of our hearts. In this oneness of cause, God’s cause and ours, we find expression of our strong desire for unity, treasuring unity in diversity, struggling for unity and seeking always to direct our entire lives toward the oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent. God’s cause is our concern, the only concern of our hearts.
Many young women are socially aware and passionate about making a difference in today's world. Knowing this, we ask a young person, “how are you being called to make God’s cause your cause?” Will you join us in asking this question of the young people in your life?
We share our SSND stories and the directive to be attentive to God’s cause in a variety of ways. Pandemic restrictions moved the NAVT to offer multiple online experiences, some of which, we believe, will continue even as restrictions are lifted.
In October 2020, we began offering online Evening Prayer each month for young women and those connected to our SSND ministries. We gather in prayer with a psalm, a reading, time for faith-sharing, the Magnificat, music and a connection to Blessed Theresa. We have been delighted to see some “regulars” each month and are blessed to welcome new participants, too. Do you know of a young person who would appreciate the chance to pray with us? Sign up for evening prayer opportunities and invite others as well.
Another online endeavor has been the Living Our Call as SSND series, which arose out of a real desire to share what is unique to SSND – how do we live out our call and respond to topics that are timely and at the heart of God’s cause? We developed this series to explore specific topics with SSND who share their personal stories from the perspective of our SSND charism, life and mission.
The first session in the series, Living Our Call as SSND: Responding to Racism (December 2020) included stories from Sisters Addie Lorraine Walker and Limétèze Pierre-Gilles. One respondent wrote afterward, “so grateful you have brought this conversation to the table. This provides another example of how our women religious are dealing with societal challenges along with the rest of us and brings yet another human aspect to the order.”
The second session, Living Our Call as SSND: Responding to Immigrants and Refugees (January 2021), highlighted Sisters Leonora Tucker, Ann Scholz and Lucy Nigh. The experience prompted this comment, “there is such a wealth of stories of how SSND are continuing the mission and charism of Blessed Theresa. I love this format for sharing those stories. I also loved how the speakers weaved SSND history and their own personal histories into their presentations.”
The most recent presentation, Living Our Call as SSND: Responding to Internationality and Interculturality (April 2021) included reflections from seven SSND, Sisters Joan Doyle, Patricia Ferrick, Rosemary Howarth, Celeste Reinhart, M. Sára Geröly, Comfort Anum and Raquel Ortez. “There is never a moment where learning is complete when it comes to things like internationality and interculturality, and what matters isn’t being perfect, it’s trying,” shared one participant.
The Living our Call as SSND series has provided the opportunity to collaborate with multiple sisters to tell the SSND story, increase awareness of how the mission is brought to life and share personal experiences, which is different than sharing “expertise.” You are invited to view the recordings of each session.
Instagram provides another forum for online outreach by the NAVT. Throughout each week, we post short videos, images, quotes or notifications of an upcoming event. The inclusion of Blessed Theresa’s words take primacy in the posts, all in an effort to share who she is and how her words guide us. This draws young people toward exploring our SSND website to find more resources about our mission and charism. We also highlight congregational and church feast days, liturgical seasons or devotional practices to help followers pause in the day to pray. Since September 2020, our Instagram site has gained more than 200 followers, an increase of 35 percent! You are invited to enjoy our posts and steer young people to our Instagram account @ssndsisters.
“We recognize that we are all vocation promoters, personally and communally.” 2
We know that about ourselves, and as our friends and colleagues, we hope you now know more of how you can also share in this call. Let us know how we can assist you.
Contact a Vocation Director
Sources:
1Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger (letter #895 of the Beatification letters).
2Act of the 24th General Chapter “Personal Development in Community”