Sisters of Charity, New York

Final Lecture in Series: Dr. Maureen Fitzgerald spoke on November 9th about the impact that the Sisters of Charity have had on child welfare. After Dr. Fitzgerald’s talk, there was a panel discussion on the topic “Social Welfare: Where’s the Compassion Now?” with:
• Sr. Jane Iannucelli, SC, Director of Sponsorship Services for the Sisters of Charity of New York
• Dr. Alfred D’Anca, Chair of the Sociology Dept. at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, where this and the prior three Bicentennial lectures were held

Dr. Fitzgerald is the author of Habits of Compassion: Irish Catholic Nuns and the Origins of New York's Welfare System, 1830-1920. She is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and American Studies and Director of the American Studies program at the College of William & Mary.

Sister Honored: The parish of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Shrub Oak (Westchester County,NY) honored Sr. Gabriel Miriam Obraz, SC, at its First Annual Parish Ball, held on November 6th. The tribute for Sr. Gabriel from pastor Rev. Msgr. Thomas P. Sandi reads in part: “She embodies a faithful, Christ-like spirit . . .touching the lives of literally thousands of parishioners for almost four and a half decades, and every day we deeply treasure our own “Mother Seton”. Thank you, Sr. Gabriel, for your selfless, faithful witness to the Charity of Christ.”
The Journal from the evening also listed and paid tribute to the 18 other Sisters of Charity who have served in the parish over the years.
View photos from that evening online »

Sister Honored: Sr. Katherine Seibert, SC, (& MD, PhD, FACP) was one of five doctors to receive the Surveyor Spirit Award from the Commission on Cancer. The tribute for Sr. Kay read, in part, “excellent surveyor; extremely knowledgeable; valued advise. We were impressed with her life experiences, her passion for patient care and commitment to service.”
Sister serves as an oncologist/internist at Hudson River Healthcare in Monticello, NY.

Peace Workshop: The Congregation hosted an interactive and experimental workshop entitled “Creating a Culture of Peace” on October 4th. It was facilitated by Janet Chisholm, past national chair of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship and currently Peace Coordinator at Kirkridge Study and Retreat Center in Pennsylvania. Attendees learned new skills for personal and societal change.

Third Lecture in Series: Bernadette McCauley, PhD spoke about the impact that the Sisters of Charity have had on health care. This October 7th event was held at the College of Mount Saint Vincent (CMSV).

After Dr. McCauley’s talk, there was a panel discussion with:
• Sr. Miriam Kevin Phillips, SC, Senior Vice President for Mission at St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers of NY
• Dr. Carol Vicino, Chair of CMSV Nursing Dept.
• Karen Vicino Bourgeois, CMSV Instructor of Nursing
• Megan Gonzalez, CMSV class of 2011, nursing major

Dr. McCauley is the author of Who Shall Take Care of Our Sick?: Roman Catholic Sisters and the Development of Catholic Hospitals in New York City. She is Associate Professor of history at Hunter College (CUNY).

Mass of All Saints: We held our annual Mass of remembrance on November 1st for those who died over the past year. The lives of the following Sisters were celebrated on All Saints Day:

We also remembered Former Member Michele Le Brun that day. The Liturgy was held at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Mount Saint Vincent.

Spellman High Turns 50: Cardinal Spellman High School celebrated its Golden Jubilee on October 30th. To date, 19,000 young men and women have received a first-rate education and spiritual formation at this east Bronx school. Sr. Mary Ann Garisto, a former faculty member, was an Honorary Vice Chair of the Jubilee Committee and said Grace at the dinner. Sr. Mary Ann was inducted into Spellman’s Hall of Fame in 2001.
Learn which other Sisters of Charity
have ties to this east Bronx school »

President Inducted: Sr. Dorothy Metz, President of the Sisters of Charity of New York, has been inducted into the Saint Barnabas High School Hall of Fame. Her many contributions to St. Barnabas during her 20 year tenure there include her role as a faculty member, chair of the Math and Religion Departments, and founder of the Development Office. The ceremony took place during their Alumnae Luncheon on October 24th.

Sister Awarded: Sr. Regina Bechtle has been awarded the 2009 Saint Elizabeth Seton Medal by the College of Mount Saint Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. The award, which recognizes distinguished women in theology, was presented to Sr. Regina on October 14th for being one of the foremost experts on the life of Saint Elizabeth Seton. Sr. Regina presented a lecture at the college entitled, “Harvesting Wisdom: Theological Abundance in Saint Elizabeth Seton’s Story” that day.

Sister Recognized: Sr. Mary Ann Garisto received a Certificate of Recognition from the Chief Technology Officer for the International Space Station, Kevin Zari. Kevin was a student of Sr. Mary Ann’s, when she taught Biology at Iona Prep. The NASA certificate read, in part, Presented to Sr. Mary Ann Garisto for inspiring generations of students to pursue college degrees in biology and other sciences. Kevin wrote “Thanks for inspiring me to reach for the stars.”

Seasonal Spirituality:
We’ve updated our two seasonal spirituality sections for the late fall:

Clothing Drive: Sisters Theresa Capria and Cecilia Harriendorf in the Campus Ministry office at the College of Mount Saint Vincent coordinated a collection of men’s apparel through October 30th for Midnight Runs. Winter jackets, sweat shirts, men’s jeans and men’s shoes, or canvas bags / tote bags were sought so students could distribute them to the homeless.

After being rained out on the original October 15th date, we were able to hold our annual golf outing on October 29th.
As with the prior two outings, this year’s was held at the Hempstead Country Club in Port Washington, LI. And as twice before, attendees enjoyed the outing immensely, even though no one sank a hole-in-one to win the new car. Better luck next year, golfers.
Proceeds go to the support of our retired Sisters. For more information about donating to this worthy cause, contact Bill Hurley at 718.549.2248 or bhurley@scny.org

Parish Celebration: St. Raymond Parish in the Bronx celebrated the 200th Anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of Charity at its Annual Parish Reunion on October 18th.
Recognition was given to the many Sisters who taught over many years at the three parish schools – Saint Raymond Elementary School, Saint Raymond Academy for Girls and Saint Raymond High School for Boys – and to all the women who entered our Congregation from the parish. The celebration consisted of the 12 noon Mass followed by receptions and tours of the three schools.
The Sisters of Charity have been a part of this parish since the 1850’s and they continue to serve in the Academy. St. Raymond has been the Mother Church of the Bronx since 1842.

Discernment Weekend: The Congregation hosted a discernment weekend for young women seeking to learn about religious life and the ministries of the Sisters of Charity of New York. It was held at our Sisters Hill Farm in Stanfordville, NY during the third weekend in October. If you have questions about vocations, call 718-543-4898 or email: vocationsc@scny.org

Congregation Honored: Fordham University’s Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education (GRE) bestowed its Sapientia et Doctrina Award on the Sisters of Charity of New York. This award acknowledges those who do the daily work of the Lord, often without adequate recognition for their contributions. The GRE wished to honor the multifaceted ministries of the Congregation as it enters its 3rd century of service. The presentation took place on October 16th.

Sponsorship Celebration: Six hundred of New York’s finest were invited by the Congregation to a party at the Chelsea Piers on September 29th. The Sisters wanted to celebrate the work done by those at their sponsored ministries and set direction for the future. SC Associate Retta Blaney wrote her impressions of the evening, which was graced by NY’s Cardinal Egan, Archbishop Dolan and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sisters, Priests and lay people from over a dozen varied ministries. This was one of the major celebrations of the bicentennial of the founding of the Sisters of Charity in the Americas by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Read more »
Read press release »

New Prayer Book: Two of our Sisters – Regina Bechtle and Margaret Egan – collaborated on a new prayer book.
All Creation Sings: Praying the Psalms with St. Elizabeth Seton is 64 pages long. Each page contains either a psalm favored by Mother Seton or a quote from the first American-born saint herself, plus a beautiful color photograph.
The booklet is 5 ½ x 8 ½ inches in size. Download the flyer and order form »

Blood Drive: The College of Mount Saint Vincent dedicated its fall blood drive to the Congregation in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of Charity. Most of the 114 donors were students, but the total also included Sisters and college staff too. Sr. Maria Louis Octavio, SC, was one of the volunteer workers at the drive which was held on September 23rd & 24th.

Free ESL Classes: The need was so great, that the Sisters offered a second session of free evening English-as-a-Second-Language classes at Mt. St. Vincent. The first session drew those more at home with Spanish, Korean, Arabic and other languages who were eager to improve their reading, writing and everyday conversation skills in English. This fall session runs September 21– November 18.
For more information, contact Sr. Mary Katherine Hamm, SC, at 718.549.9200 x 264 or mkhamm@scny.org
For more details, click for flyer (English & Spanish) »

Parish Celebration: Our local parish, St. Margaret of Cortona, honored all Sisters of Charity at a celebration that began with the noon Liturgy, followed by a reception in the School Hall on September 20th. The Sisters were administers and teachers for the parish school from 1926 through 1997; Sr. Eleanor Fitzgerald still volunteers there. Before the parish was established in 1887, the Sisters taught the children of the area at St. Vincent’s Free School from 1875 – 1910, in Le Gras Hall, where their administrative offices now are.

Broadway Blessing: Approximately 450 attended the annual “Broadway Blessing” on September 14th at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Manhattan. For 13 straight years, SC Associate Retta Blaney has coordinated this annual interfaith service of song and story that brings the theatre community together to seek God's grace on the new season. Among this year’s performers was actress Lynn Redgrave who spoke of the 3 things that kept her going through her breast cancer – her faith and her church, her work and the theatre. After the performances, cancer survivors lined up to tell Ms. Redgrave their stories; they weren't dazzled by her celebrity, they were drawn to her humanity. Read more about the evening at Retta's blog »

Vespers: The Vespers Service at St. Peter's Church, Barclay Street, on September 13th was one of the highlights of the Sisters of Charity Bicentennial. It was preceded by a walking tour of the area and followed by a reception. Many Sisters and their Associates from the four Charity Congregations serving the NY metro area attended: Sisters of Charity of New York, Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth (Convent Station, NJ), Sisters of Charity – Halifax and Daughters of Charity, Northeast Province (Albany).
You can read the reflection that Sr. Regina Bechtle gave at this evening prayer service.

Circle Line Cruises around Manhattan: Sisters from four Charity Congregations in the NYC area were joined by their Associates, family and friends in a circumnavigation of the borough where Elizabeth Seton lived and where many of our Congregation’s most important ministries have been. Cruises departed at 2pm and 7pm on August 29th. It was a delightful event.

Statue Dedicated: Sr. Margaret Beaudette’s work “Jesus and Two Students” now graces thecampus of Holy Family University in Northeast Philadelphia. Sr. Peggie oversaw the installation of her three life-size bronze sculptures on July 23rd. She returned for the dedication ceremony on August 25th. The sculpture group depicts Jesus Christ speaking to two intently listening college students. The three figures are fixed on a low-walled ledge outside the entrance to the new Stevenson Lane Residence. Students are welcomed to sit on the ledge with the bronze figures.

Founders Day: July 31st was a very special day to the Sisters and Daughters of Charity and their Associates. It was the 200th anniversary of the day that Elizabeth Seton and her companions began their religious life in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Sr. Regina Bechtle has summarized the events of that time »
The Sisters of the New York Congregation gathered locally with family and friends to celebrate. They used a brief prayer service developed by Sr. Mary Mc Cormick.
Some Sisters traveled to Emmitsburg to spend the weekend where it all began. The program in MD included walking tours to a grand concert; the weekend’s entire agenda is online.
Here are links to a recap of the Emmitsburg weekend:

Congregation Retreat: Sisters, Associates, former members, Federation members, ministry colleagues and friends took part in the Congregation Retreat at the Passionist Spiritual Center in the NW Bronx. The theme of this year’s retreat, which ran July 20–24, was “Encounter Elizabeth Again – for the First Time.”

Free ESL Classes: The Sisters hosted their first round of free evening English-as-a-Second-Language classes at Mt. St. Vincent. Those more at home with Spanish learned to improve their reading, writing and everyday conversation skills in English. Childcare was available. This session ran July 7 – August 13. Sr. Mary Katherine Hamm, SC, coordinated the program.

Prayer Cards: Show others that they're in your thoughts and prayers by sending them our prayer cards. Choose from four designs. Order them right online »

Alumna Mourned: The Sisters were saddened to learn of the July 31st death of their former classmate and student Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. Mrs. Aquino graduated from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in 1953 with a major in French and a minor in Mathematics. Her election as President of the Philippines in 1986 was significant. She was the first woman President not only in her country, but in all of Asia. Throughout her life, she embodied the highest ideals of the College, including faith, service, modesty, and moral courage.
CMSV President Charles L. Flynn, Jr. reflects on her remarkable life and the New York Times has a detailed obituary.

Article Published: Sr. Regina Bechtle’s article on "The Impact of Women Religious on the Church of New York" appears in the current issue of Review for Religious, the quarterly journal of Catholic Spirituality. You can read it online »

Farm Picnic: Sisters and shareholders enjoyed the pot-luck picnic held at Sisters Hill Farm on July 11. The afternoon was filled with good food, music, and the laughter of children. It was a great chance to meet fellow shareholders in the farm. Sr. Mary Ann Garisto, Farmer Dave and his interns were the perfect hosts. There’ll be another shareholder gathering in the fall.
Click to learn more about the Sisters Hill Farm »

ESL Class: The summer trial of a free semi-weekly English-as-a-Second-Language course is going better than expected. In addition to those whose primary language is Spanish, Middle Easterners and Koreans also are hoping to improve their English verbal and writing skills, for both business and social purposes. All who come appreciate this opportunity afforded them by the Sisters.
Sr. Mary Katherine Hamm, SC – Halifax, our Director of Volunteer Services, is coordinating the program. She is assisted by two certified ESL volunteer teachers and several Sisters.

College Awarded Grant: The College of Mount Saint Vincent, which was established by the Sisters of Charity, was awarded a $77,087 grant by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), a division of the office of Health and Human Services. This money will enable the college to continue providing scholarships for disadvantaged nursing students. Over the past two years, Mount Saint Vincent has helped 56 such students to attend college. Nearly 68% of the College’s nursing students are from culturally diverse backgrounds and approximately 67% of the nursing student population is financially disadvantaged, with 40% of the full-time nursing students meeting federal poverty guidelines.
“Because of the award, the College will be able to continue to provide educational experiences into the future,” said Congressman Eliot Engel, who was instrumental in procuring this grant for the college, which is in his district.

Articles on Mother Seton: The July issue of St. Anthony Messenger magazine contains two articles of interest in this bicentennial year:
• “Elizabeth Ann Seton: A Profoundly Human Saint” by Elizabeth Bookser Barkley, a professor of English at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. Like Elizabeth Ann Seton, the author is a daughter, wife, mother, widow, teacher, sister, religious sister, friend.

• “St. Elizabeth Seton: Mother to Many” by Sr. Judith Metz, SC-Cincinnati, who is the historian/archivist for her congregation.