Spiritual Strength in Trying Times
The Sisters of the U.S. Province find peace and prayer amid COVID-19 crisis
Our world is living through history right now, enduring the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Celebrating a Holy Week without services or Masses, our sisters living in community are finding unique ways to connect with God, nature and each other in circumstances not seen during their lifetimes and not since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.
Rome, ITALY
Our sisters in Italy saw the effects of the pandemic weeks before we did in the U.S. “The streets are empty and nothing is opened — only grocery stores, pharmacies and the tobacco stores,” says Sister Jeanne Marie Ulica, who has left the Generalate in a mask only to pick up prescriptions.
The daily schedule has been modified so that the sisters there pray on their own and have an evening Mass conducted by one of three students who are priests. “I have found myself spending more time on Facebook — posting updates and real information about the situation here in Italy, sometimes a bit of humor, and try to inject a bit of spirituality,” says Sister Nancy Celaschi, who has seen several of the Franciscan pilgrimages she’d been scheduled to lead canceled by the pandemic.
Somerset, N.J.
Like many of our sisters, Sister Marie Therese Sherwood is staying in touch with family, friends and community via text message. Her family recently coordinated a video chat to celebrate her niece's birthday. “Eleven of us were present to sing Happy Birthday and watch her blow out the candles. It was uplifting for me to see our family and connect with them that way,” Sister says.
She and Sister Maria Derecola continue to pray office together, lifting up everyone in prayer. Each day, Sister Marie Therese takes a contemplative walk. “I am spiritually nurtured by creation — the new buds, daffodils and robins, as well as the song of the cardinals."
But she also takes times to appreciate the silence. “I have been spending a good amount of time sitting in my room, enjoying the quiet," she says. “I feel God close by as I pray for my loved ones, our sisters, parishioners, and our world. The pastoral staff at St. Matthias Catholic Community is communicating twice a week via Zoom and recorded Holy Week and Easter liturgies to share remotely with parishioners.
Sister Marie Therese and other St. Matthias staff members are calling around daily to check in on parishioners. "Some conversations are heartbreaking, as families reveal illness or death among loved ones or unemployment situations," Sister says. "All have expressed gratitude for the call and how much it means to them to be remembered by our parish staff."
San Antonio, TEXAS
In San Antonio, Sisters Jo Goolish and Yolanda Escamilla remain busy with work. Sister Jo is using technology to connect with her art students at St. Gerard Catholic High School, while Sister Yolanda still reports daily to Living Days Adult Day Care to teach arts and crafts.
The pair walks about 2.5 miles daily at a local park to experience nature. “This fills us with hope and peace,” Sister Jo says. “Our holy hour each day also is a source of great strength.”
“I keep reminding myself about a Jesuit reflection:
‘God is with each of us. We are not alone.’”
Bethlehem, PA.
With all retreats canceled for the foreseeable future, St. Francis Center for Renewal has rescheduled it's spring Star Struck Gala until August and has begun Bless This Space Between Us, a new ministry for the homebound that operates via Zoom.
Staffers Gena Tallarico and Maryann Kearns had the program in the works anyway, but social distancing has made this new form of spiritual delivery more timely than ever. The first session on April 7 drew 40 online participants and generated lots of positive feedback. Nan Merrill's Psalm 143 was highlighted to contemplate opportunities to face fears, trust in the Lord and surrender to the flow of new life. The next program is set for April 21, with plans to host future sessions during the Tuesday time slot normally occupied by the Center's popular onsite Simply Prayer program.
Sister Barbara Brown’s ESL classes also are suspended. Her students may be out of sight, but they’re not out of mind. “I spend some time every day praying for the safety of my students and their families. My mantra: ‘I am with you on the journey and I will never leave you. I am with you — always with you.’”
Sister Jean Makovsky says she is using these extraordinary times to downsize papers and clothing, do picture and word puzzles, send greeting cards, call people who live alone, and to pray, pray, pray. “I keep reminding myself about a Jesuit reflection: ‘God is with each of us. We are not alone,’” Sister says.
Sister Margaret Stewart was inspired by a social distancing story from her niece in Mechanicsburg, Pa. “Last Friday, the director of my niece’s housing plan called every resident and asked them to come out onto their sidewalk at 11 a.m. and wave to each other. Some waved, some bowed, some danced a little, some called out,” Sister recalls. “It was a little thing, but it really lifted their spirits.”
Like their counterparts around the Province, the sisters at Monocacy Manor have married tradition with technology for daily Mass. They watch Allentown Bishop Alfred Schlert each day on a TV monitor atop the altar in the White House chapel.
Sister Anne Kutch reports that she is calling folks to check in on them and praying the Rosary for those afflicted with COVID-19.
Keeping ‘Busy’
Sister Lorita Kristufek, who assists annually with the Busy Persons Retreat at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, did so this year through the wonders of technology. Sister led the retreat for five of the 22 participating students, discussing and praying with the Scripture of the Prodigal Son.
pittsburgh, Pa.
Dinner table conversation among the 12 sisters at Mt. Assisi Place in Pittsburgh, Pa., often quotes from Living Lent with Laughter & Love, a book shared with the sisters by Sister Frances Marie Duncan. The sisters make time to visit the chapel individually and watch daily Masses on TV and various websites.
The sisters also keep busy doing crafts, playing table games, making puzzles, research genealogy, sewing, reading, watching TV and connecting with family and friends via phone and computer.
“Personally, I have decided to call, email, send a message or send a card to family members and friends who are living alone or in nursing homes,” says Sister Roselyn. “I do a few a day.”
At San Damiano Convent in Pittsburgh, the sisters share holy hours and watch Mass via the internet together, share wonderful cooked meals and evening time in community.
“I’m enjoying wonderful music and spiritual presentations on the internet — such beautiful music of all kinds to just listen to and enjoy,” says Sister Georgette Dublino. “It’s a nice opportunity to share via cell phone with my family and friends and to send out encouraging and caring emails to so many.”
Sister Pat Mahoney has been spending much of this time online taking the classes required for her to continue volunteering with Spanish-speaking children in the future. Many volunteer programs like hers have been suspended since mid-March.
“I am not alone. My God is with me always.
Repeat often, and you will feel God’s love.”
Inconvenience & Inspiration
Despite faith in God and their own best efforts, our sisters do sometimes experience the fear and loneliness that has accompanied this time of extended social distancing. Funerals for Sisters Connie Frank and Rose Ann Rovnak remain in limbo, and all community events have been postponed for the foreseeable future.
“Some days I am ‘living the dream’ — no schedule, deciding what I want to do and when I want to do it,” says Sister Nancy. “Sometimes it is a ‘nightmare’ — no going out to the museums or churches I love; a virtual meeting with the parish family with whom I worship; seeing the same people day in and day out. I guess it’s all in the way I look at it — seeing it as a dream or a nightmare. However, I hope we get back to ‘normal’ soon.”
“At this time of crisis, what we have most of is time — time to be more mindful of our neighbor and his or her needs," says Sister Pat Marie. “Every minute of the day, there are hundreds of minutes. It is a time to evangelize by tiny things, a time to be Jesus for one another. By doing this we bless the whole world.”
Perhaps solace can be found in the words of Father Abraham Orapankal, pastor at St. Matthias: “Let us keep taking all precautions and keep praying, because though we do not know what the future holds for us, the good news is that we know who holds the future!”
Special thanks to Sisters Roselyn Kuzma and Carol Ann Papp for lending their photography skills to this article.
“At times like this when it can seem as if God has forgotten His people, I call to mind the last verse of the poem ‘Footprints in the Sand.’ I remember that it is in these times that God is carrying us.”
“The coronavirus pandemic has given me the opportunity to reflect more deeply than ever before on the universality of the Church and how connected we all are as the Body of Christ. Let’s pray for each other always and live like those who are full of hope!”
“There is no church we can go to, but in our present experience, our home has become our church. May the most profound teaching of our faith fill you with great joy!”
“The Resurrection is not ancient history. Christ rose from the dead, and he is risen ... forever ... and is still with us. Even in the pandemic.”
“At this time of crisis, what we have most of is time — time to be more mindful of our neighbor and his or her needs. Every minute of the day — and there are hundreds of minutes — it is a time to evangelize by tiny things, a time to be Jesus for one another. ”
“I have been strengthened by the scriptural reflection of Pope Francis on the storm at sea. Our present day storm is the coronavirus. But we do not have to fear, because Jesus is in the boat with us!”
“Do we know the peace and security of the Good Shepherd who watches over us? We are members of Jesus’ flock, and we have nothing to fear.”