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SFP VOICES NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2011 Vol. VII, No. 6 © |
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RADIANT LIGHTS AMONG US
"In each of our lives there are people who bring us to the light by who they are."
Introduction
70 Years
Sr. Rita Marie Donnelly
60 Years
Sr. Adelaide Link
Sr. Arlene Mc Gowan
Sr. Daniela Marie Meade
50 Years
Sr. Paula Huecker
25 Years
Sr. Barbara Fiorentino
Sr. Tiziana Merletti
Sr. Vincenzina Raimondo
First Impressions
Sister Daniel Marie Meade: Who She is, Beyond What our Eyes Can See
I Say Yes!
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Sr. Rita Marie Donnelly, SFP
Entrance Date: October 3, 1941
First Profession: April 26, 1944
Perpetual Vows: April 26, 1949
I know that living as a woman religious is truly God’s work; always saying yes to God and my superiors is what my life is about.
My first step into the Congregation was made at twelve years of age. I was injured and my mother brought me to the emergency room at St. Mary’s Hospital, Hoboken. The Sisters took very good care of me. I began volunteering at the hospital and one day the pharmacist, Sr. Priscilla, asked me, “Do you think you are being called by God?”
While thinking about religious life, the Sisters gave me little cards with the picture of Mother Frances. I prayed to her early on for guidance, asking her: “Am I being called?” Well, the Lord did call -- and I said yes – so maybe I am one of Frances’ first miracles! I had also felt close to St. Therese of Lisieux. My confessor had asked me at the time, “Why the Franciscans? They get up early and work all day.” I told Msgr. Coyle, “I like the Sisters – they are so friendly. I just have to be a Franciscan!”
I entered on October 3, 1941 -- one month before the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the beginning of World War II for the U.S. I remember working lovingly and joyfully with the Sisters, sacrificing for the men and women in the armed forces.
The day after I made my perpetual profession, I was assigned to be the receptionist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. I had no idea what to do! Sr. Amalia said, “Just smile at the people, be present with them, give them coffee and a sandwich. Don’t ask questions. Let them talk to you.” I served at St. Francis Home in New York City. Several homeless women also lived there. I believe that many healing miracles took place at St. Francis Home.
My most challenging assignment was serving as Director of Novices for four years. I had no experience, but said yes again and God saw me through everything. My most consoling assignment was pastoral ministry and being with the dying and praying with them. I have served at St. Michael’s Medical Center in Newark; St. Mary’s Hospital, Hoboken, St. Francis in Jersey City, and St. Anthony Hospital, Warwick where I was in charge of the office. I was also Director of a nursing home in St. Cloud, Minnesota. I was totally dependent on God throughout these assignments. I have done the best I could before God and He did the rest!
Our healing charism belongs very much to this time; there are so many who are fearful, unemployed, and displaced from their homes. The wounded world needs us. As a congregation we have done so much good through the years and my hope is that we continue to have vocations.
My advice to someone considering religious life is to accept who you are, accept what you are doing as coming from God! I am now retired, but I minister by being present to the people I live with at Brighton Gardens, New Jersey. I try to give witness wherever I am. The same God is with me now as at the beginning. And I am always joyful – I guess it’s the Irish in me!
In Celebration of a Jubilee
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Sr. Adelaide Link, SFP
Entrance Date: March 1, 1951
First Profession: September 8, 1953
Perpetual Vows: August 25, 1959
I am happier now than I was when I entered! I have absolutely no regrets. I have been so blessed. I never expected, as a farmer’s daughter, to learn so much or go to so many places. I have served in Dayton OH, Detroit, MI, Brazil and Senegal; I served from 1989 to 2008 in Chinle, AZ on the Navaho Reservation at Talbot House Catholic Charities. Now I work near Dayton, Ohio in a food pantry and homeless shelter and volunteer at Tamar’s Place in Cincinnati.
Over the years, I certainly have learned to incorporate the meaning of the "Serenity Prayer" – God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference – in my daily work! I have learned different ways to think and pray. From this, I developed a therapeutic model for healing; letting go of the ‘baggage' of life and learning to claim – and acclaim – one's strengths in the goodness of God, our Creator.
My commitment to our charism, to heal the wounds of a suffering humanity, has deepened through the development of this circular, holistic healing model which incorporates the four directions with Mother Earth and Father Sky and all life in a spiritual hoop that never ends. Now I am looking forward to working in another mission. I am 76 years old, but my Dad worked until he was 89, and my brother is still working at 88 – so why not me?
If I were to give anyone advice about their vocation, it would be this: Always be hopeful – and always believe in your vocation!
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Sister Arlene McGowan, SFP
Entrance Date: July 2, 1951
First Profession: May 11, 1954
Perpetual Vows: September 8, 1959
The celebration of a Jubilee is as good a time as any to reflect back on the years, and the joys, of religious life. Certainly I lived through them all – and loved every one of them. Religious life has changed dramatically during these years – and mostly for the good. Of all the changes – and there were a lot! – I have seen in my 60 years as a Franciscan Sister of the Poor, perhaps the most significant were engendered by Vatican II. And of those – and there were also many of them – the most significant was Vatican II’s insistence on the need for each person to develop a deep spirituality. Among the changes in our lives occasioned specifically by Vatican II – was the freedom we were given to pursue our dreams about how to implement its directives! Perhaps the changes in our Congregation that were most important also had to do with freedom – we were given a lot more freedom, and also there was much less regimentation.
All this freedom, of course, called us to personal responsibility. This included, among other things, a willingness to try the new ways. I was one of the people who modeled change in the habit. I did it gradually, first wearing a modified habit and so forth. Not only were there changes within, but there were also changes outside. I worked for many years in our health care institutions – and perhaps the biggest change there for me was the move into administration. Earl Gilreath (CEO at Franciscan Mt Airy Hospital) tried for years before he finally convinced me to go into administration, and I was never sorry that I did. I was able to start so many things, create so many opportunities for people – it was wonderful.
While many sisters chose, or created their own new ministries, I did not. I have never chosen a ministry and I also have never been in one I did not love! However, at least for me, the most difficult adjustment was to vocation ministry. However, I learned to love that too because I had many chances to tell people about Mother Frances and St. Francis, and to talk about religious life.
My life as a Franciscan Sister of the Poor has been – and is – GREAT. The only piece of advice I would give anyone is this: Give it all you’ve got – and then some!
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Entrance Date: June 29, 1951
First Profession: May 11, 1954
Perpetual Vows: September 8, 1959
With the grace of God, religious life is a wonderful life. And if I had life to live over again, I would do it again, of course! I came from a small town in Newfoundland – only 45 families lived there – the third of six children: three boys, three girls. While I worked in Catholic hospitals for a number of years, I did not meet the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor until later when I attended a friend’s ordination. He had an aunt and a sister who were SFP's. I entered in 1951, made first vows in 1954 and final vows in 1959. As a junior professed, I earned a baccalaureate in medical technology from Marywood College and worked at St. Francis Hospital in the Bronx. I also served four years as Director of the Junior Sisters. Later I returned to school at St. John’s University to earn my masters in medical technology. Then I attended St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark where I was Vice Director of the Lab.
When our Major Superior asked for volunteers to go to Italy or Brazil, I volunteered for Brazil. I continued working at the lab while I learned Portuguese and something about the Brazilian culture. I went there for a three-year term and spent 40 years – except for a short time spent in Senegal helping them get their lab going. When I first arrived in Brazil, the people were desperately poor. Can you believe that 96% of the children tested positive for worms? When I left this year, 97% tested negative. And the turn-about has been just as great in people’s daily lives. Brazil has come so far in the last 40 years! I found the greatest satisfaction is seeing the people develop – to self-actualize!
I learned so much from the people of Brazil. I saw their spirit of sacrifice despite poverty and hardship – and I learned to see the possibilities that can be found in even the most desperate situations. I have done much too! I have baptized babies, learned hypnosis, opened a fully accredited lab…and so much more. There were many sacrifices, but the grace of God was not lacking.
The sacrifices inherent in religious life lead to a life that is all one could hope for. And my bit of advice? It is what every Franciscan knows: “Live in the joy of the Lord!”
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Sr. Paula Huecker, SFP
Entrance Date: September 17, 1961
First Profession: August 25, 1963
Perpetual Vows: August 25, 1969
I think I am Franciscan by nature. When I was in my teens, I would sing the love songs I heard on the radio, only I sang them to God. As the fifth of six children – 3 boys and 3 girls -- reared in a very Catholic household, I met and dated a number of nice young men. And I liked them, but nothing was as satisfying to me as spending time with God.
I loved being with the others in the novitiate: it was a disciplined life, but one filled with friendship and spent in community. You always have someone to turn to, and you will always have a friend: someone who listens and cares. As a sister you are expected to pursue your interests and talents and you live among people who encourage you to do so. I have loved sewing and art…and I have enjoyed both! I love everything about religious life. It is one choice that I have never regretted. Now I have the best job I have ever had as a religious: working with the retired sisters at the Terrace.
Sr. Barbara Fiorentino, sfp Entrance Date: September 8, 1984 “Give me everything” These are the words I heard at 16 years of age that began my journey. In trying to understand what this meant and how to live it, I arrived at Casetta Nova. Meeting the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor and getting to know our charism more deeply led me to May 18, 1986, Pentecost Day -- when I gave my life to God for poor and suffering humanity. During these 25 years, I have met many brothers and sisters along the way. With some of them I share my daily life, prayer, projects and missions. With others I have shared only part – but a meaningful one – of my life. I spent twelve years in Senegal, four serving the poor in Padua. Now I am in Rome. Today, the words: “Give me everything” still give meaning to my journey. The ministry I carry out at the “Sunrays” Day Shelter gives me the opportunity to be with my brothers and sisters. In encountering them, I find out who I am and experience the best part of my life. |
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Sr. Vincenzina Raimondo, sfp Entrance Date: September 8, 1984 “My God and my All” In my heart I can still hear the echo of the powerful words in the Gospel of May 18, 1984. “Peter, do you love me? Do you love me more than...?” We had chosen this passage because Mother Frances was inspired by it when she received her call. On that day, however, I felt those words were addressed to me, “Vincenzina, do you love me more than...?” My answer was generous, immediate and felt like the fire of Pentecost. The words of the formula “My God and my All” are branded forever within my soul. I felt the strong desire to go out into the world to heal its wounds with the same gentleness and mercy that God had shown toward me. I immediately began with the children in Olivieri, then with the young people in Messina. After that I went to Senegal and served in formation ministry. Today, I minister to the families in Assisi in their various stages of growth and transformation. Throughout the years, the words “My God and my All” went beyond simple enthusiasm and turned into a deep awareness that my life does not have meaning outside of that “All.” This is where the “doing” becomes enjoyable; this is what makes me go all day. And in the evening, after I have loved intensely all day, I find my “being.” Walking in the Paths of Hope Every place I visited touched me deeply, but the Lake of Tiberias touched me in a particular way especially for its simplicity. During the crossing of the lake, mid-way between the two sides, after stopping the boat’s engine and listening to the waves, we read two passages: the calming of the storm and the call of the apostles. Then, after a moment of silence, I read the words of my Profession, renewing my “Yes, forever” to God and to my brothers and sisters. Hearing Jesus’ words, “I am with you always” and “Come, follow me,” being read in the middle of the lake, spoke deeply to my heart. This experience gave the words “My God and my All” a new depth. Renewing my Vows at the place where Jesus called the apostles and where they unconditionally gave their Yes, is for me, today, a commitment to follow Jesus poor and crucified without compromising. I start anew from here, to continue this divine adventure, carrying within my heart the echo of the words, “I am with you always." |
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An Interview with Sister Tiziana Merletti
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Sr. Tiziana Merletti, sfp
Entrance Date: August 9, 1984
First Profession: May 18, 1986, Pentecost
Perpetual Vows: April 28, 1991
What in your experience makes religious life as a Franciscan Sister of the Poor worth living?
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of my first profession has been a great opportunity for me to look back and be grateful for the gift of the call to be an SFP. Religious life has given me the opportunity to experience the breadth and depth God’s love through the small things I encounter in my daily life and the brothers and sisters I am connected with in every moment.
Since the beginning of my journey, I have been attracted by these words in the Gospel of St. John (12:32): “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everything to myself.” It gives me meaning and a sense of direction in what I am doing and who I want to be: an instrument of healing within the community of life, as Jesus the Risen One continues to reveal to us.
Being a member of our SFP community gives me the grace to walk on this journey with humility in my struggles and trials and with gratitude for God’s mysterious attraction. I know we cannot solve the problems of all poor and suffering humanity, as I dreamed in my youth, but I believe in the power of a small seed planted together in God’s name.
How do you see the gift of our healing charism being needed today in our world?
I know that we are living in a very difficult time of transition, but I believe that our charism is as crucial as ever. The challenge I see is more internal. As Mother Frances would say: the fire of the love for God and neighbor was burning within me… The question is how can we keep this fire burning within ourselves and among us? I have been asking myself what we need to change, to let go of, and to let into our lives as SFPs. We want to be real, inclusive, and close to the people and their problems. But at the same time we face disillusionment, sadness, discouragement, and a sense of loss.
I believe that this daily conflict can be hazardous for us: we can serve our egos seeking great successes, stay passively in the background, complain with anger and bitterness toward the injustice of institutions… In spite of the diversity of challenges we face, I am so grateful to see women around me so devoted and faithful to Mother Frances’ vision and mission; it reassures me that our presence is truly needed and will continue in the future.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor? For religious life?
My hope for the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor is that we will increasingly become ministers of anointing, as a sign of God’s healing presence. Our call is to embrace the wounds of poor and suffering humanity, and I believe that we can do this through meaningful, respectful, and profound relationships such that we are able to bless and anoint our brothers and sisters whenever we can and are welcomed to do so.
My hope for religious life is that we will find new and more meaningful ways to share our treasure within the larger ecclesial community. Numbers in religious life are necessarily decreasing, but the power of our legacy is not.
Srs. Tiziana Merletti, Barbara Fiorentino, and Vincenzina Raimondo.....
It is said that one should not trust first impressions, and I believe that this is wise, but our heart does not always follow wise advice.
I met Sr Tiziana Merletti the first time I went to Casetta Nova. She was dressed in white, walked quickly and smiled. They told me she was a Temporary Professed Sister who lived at the Youth Center and cooked for the Oblate of Mary Immaculate fathers. Someone added, “She has a Law Degree.” I thought, “What? she has a Law degree and winds up being a cook?” I was flabbergasted and wanted to know more about her.
When I found out that she would come and visit us in Padua in the apartment that I was sharing with two other students, I was really happy. It felt strange to host two Sisters, but everything was really simple and family style. So we did not worry when she and Sr. Gianna (then a novice) insisted sleeping on the mattresses we had put on the floor for ourselves!
A year later, I went to Casetta Nova again. I was trying to discern what to do with my life and confided in Sr. Tiziana. At that time she was no longer a cook, but studying Canon Law at the Lateran University. She told me that it was not easy for a nun to find a place in that context. One of her classmates had teased her saying, “What did they send you here for? To study in order to become the General?” We had a good laugh at that. It was Spring of 1988.
That famous first time I was in Casetta Nova, I also noticed another Sister, who had a full head of hair sticking out from her veil. She was in a car and was yelling something to somebody. The very fact that she was driving a red Renault 4 made me like her right away. When she got out of the car and began to joke around with her thick Sicilian accent, I liked her even more. That was Sr. Barbara Fiorentino.
Years later, she welcomed me at the Dakar airport where I had arrived for my Novice internship. Her sense of humor helped me laugh about my many fears during those two unforgettable years. Later on, when we found ourselves both in the community at Casetta Nova, she continued to tell me true things in a joking way. Good times! The red Renault was sold in the end, but in the meantime Sr. Barbara had converted to the bicycle. She continues to ride her bike in places where she is not expected, often passing others, faithful to who she is and to those who ride with her. The bicycle she used in Senegal has been handed down to the Novitiate, but it is always at her disposal if she wants to come and visit us.
The first time I saw Sr. Vincenzina Raimondo, I mistook her for someone else. I was in Padua and had come to the Community to meet Sr. Mariapia, who was the fourth member of the new Community. We had been waiting for her for a long time because she had first to graduate from the school of Social Work. They told me she was beautiful, strong and energetic. So that morning, when I got to the door of via del Santo with a Sister who seemed to correspond to that description, I told her, “You must be Mariapia. Hi, I am Marvi.” Instead she was Vincenzina. She looked at me with a big smile, let a few seconds go by and said, “Hi Marvi, I am not Sr. Mariapia.” “Oops, how embarrassing, who are you?” So with great calm, she began to tell me who she was, then asked me about myself. Time passed without rushing. With Vinci it has always been like this: she makes you feel at the center of the world, giving you all of her attention. With her nothing is ordinary because she does every little thing with solemnity.
Last year she returned to Senegal for the Perpetual Vows of Sr. Rose and Sr. Sylviane. They were the first young women she had welcomed at the Foyer. It was such a grace having her for a few days here at the Novitiate – this was the house she had dreamed about and that she had offered and suffered for. It made me understand a bit more the parable of the grain of wheat that dies and brings much fruit. Thank you, Vinci!
Sr. Marvi Delrivo, sfp
SISTER DANIELA MARIE MEADE:
Who She Is, Beyond What Our Eyes Can See
Associates Elizabeth Fátima Bette Câmara and Miguel da Costa Câmara
As Associates of the Congregation, we feel very comfortable speaking about Sister Daniela Marie Meade. Sister Daniela, through her life’s witness as a woman religious, has shown us the real mission of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. She has actually assumed and embodied the charism of Mother Frances Schervier to heal the wounds of poor and suffering humanity.
The disposition and vigor of youth Sr. Daniela had when she first arrived in Brazil never faded away. Even in her advanced age, she never failed to serve those who needed her help. Sr. Daniela never turned her advancing years into limitation in fulfilling her commitment to the community of Jataí.
Her name – Daniela – means "I'm ready." That is precisely how we see, beyond what our eyes can see, what this religious Sister means to us as Associates, and to all the people she served. There were no barriers nor distances to prevent her from serving Christ and our brothers and sisters.
Throughout these long years, while sharing her company as Associates, we had the opportunity to see how important she is as a person, how impressive is her availability, how immeasurable are her teachings and wisdom -- something that is beyond what money could ever buy. We could say much more about Sr. Daniela, but should we do so, we would not exhaust our praise, much less communicate her actions in simple words.
Sister Daniela Marie is who she is and we enjoyed her company. Having witnessed to her life story fills us with pride. We have learned much from her, and every time we met, she always taught us something new, she was and is an inexhaustible source of knowledge.
Thank you, Sister Daniela Marie, for welcoming us at your side, for giving us an example of humility, service, and dedication to Christ. Above all, thank you for sharing the witness of your life with us, not by words alone or only through sharing some amazing life stories, but in the daily experiences you have undertaken. You show us that when we are willing to serve, nothing can stop us.
Your life and faith have allowed us to seek to become better people. May God give you an even longer life so that everyone may enjoy your presence and company. This will inspire in us as well the living charism of Mother Frances, so that we may always serve others, soothing the suffering of all humanity.
Copyright 2011 Franciscan Sisters of the Poor