On Saturday, May 24, four sisters celebrated their Golden Jubilee in the chapel of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse.

   Sisters Barbara Bartkowiak, Patricia Klemm, Sharon O'Neil, and Ann Wachter, renewed their vows and celebrated the years they have spent as Franciscan Sisters of Allegany in the company of fellow sisters, family members, brother Friars, coworkers, and friends.  

   Mass was celebrated by Stephen Kluge, OFM, and musical accompaniment was provided by Judy Pastore and Julianne Wallace. 

    For additional photos and video, visit our Facebook page. See the Summer 2014 edition of Allegany Connections for full article. 

 

   

   On May 10th, 13 Sisters and 15 Associates from around the island of Jamaica gathered at Immaculate Conception Convent in Constant Spring, Kingston, JA. This was the last of the Spring Assemblies. Three were held in the United States - in New Jersey, Florida and New York - as well as one in Anapolis, Brazil.  

   At the assemblies,there were presentations on Franciscan Evolutionary Spirituality, discussions on the plan to move the Chapter 2012 Initiatives into concrete actions, updates on the Motherhouse renovation, sharing of pictures and an update on our Sisters and their ministry in Bolivia, and reports of various ministries, as well as time for prayer and sharing.  

    The week-end before the Assembly in Jamaica, the first ExtravaFRANza was celebrated in downtown Kingston.  Children from the seven Allegany Franciscan Schools gathered to dance and sing. It was a wonderful social event as families, teachers and students celebrated their gifts of dance, song and oratory and their heritage of being a part of the Franciscan Family.  The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany have been in Jamaica for over 150 years.  They are well respected and well loved by many of all socio-economic levels.  

 

   The Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province will hold their Provincial Chapter June 1 to 6. The chapter theme is "Being Who We Say We Are."

    "It is important, at this stage of the Province's life, for us to think about our personal identities as well as our organization's identity," said Daniel McLellan, OFM, committee chair. "'Being Who We Say We Are' is meant to generate discussion among the friars about our lives and our ministries, about what it means to be a 'brother,' not by blood but by vocation, and to be in mission, not self-selected, but sent."

By: Diane Winger, assistant librarian

   

   There's a book in our library I would like to bring to your attention.  It is about faith.  It is about healing.  It is about forgiveness after suffering unimaginable brutality.  It is the true story of Louis Zamperini, Olean NY native, Olympic runner, WWII prisoner of war and, until recently, an unsung hero.   

    Laura Hillenbrand wrote his biography Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption which has been named one of the best books of 2010 by many critics and was on the New York Times bestseller list for over 80 weeks.   Angelina Jolie is directing and producing the movie "Unbroken" which is due to be released in December.  Olean citizens are planning to honor Mr. Zamperini with a granite marker or bench in War Veterans Park this summer.

    Unbroken is on display in our library - I hope you'll give this inspiring story a look-see! If you can't find it, please let Sr. Anthony Clare or me know so we can help you.  

  

   Band of Sisters tells the story of Catholic nuns and their work for social justice after Vatican II of the 1960s. Weaving history with current day events, the film follows two sisters over the course of four years as they work for the rights of immigrant detainees. It also explores the cutting edge work of other sisters in affordable housing, the movement to close the School of the Americas, holistic health care for low-income people, and more.   For Catholics who wonder what became of the nuns they knew in habits and convents many years ago, for activists who may feel profoundly discouraged given the problems of today's world, for women seeking equality in their church, and for people of all faiths yearning for an inclusive and contemplative spirituality, Band of Sisters challenges us to ask what really matters in life. 

   This hit film premiered in Chicago in September 2012 and, since then, has been drawing audiences at independent movie theaters, art museums, colleges, convents, retreat centers, and churches in over 70 cities around the U.S. Read more at www.bandofsistersmovie.com.

    Band of Sisters will make its Buffalo debut on Sunday, June 8, at The Screening Room in Amherst at 4 p.m. It will be shown again at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 12. Tickets will be $10 for adults and $7 for seniors and children, and can be purchased online at http://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-screening-room-cinema-cafe-3685445789. 

 

Wednesday, May 28

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 

Canticle Farm South

3835 South Nine Mile Rd. 

Allegany, NY 14706

Held at River's Edge

June 3 - Next edition e-newsletter