Edition No. 111 — November 14, 2019
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Sister Mary Helen Kashuba SSJ, DML
Chestnut Hill College
Awarded Highest Academic Honor in France
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Congratulations to
Sister Mary Helen Kashuba SSJ
, DML who recently received the highest academic honor in France for her significant contributions to its language and culture.
Sister Mary Helen has been teaching foreign language and literature courses at the College since 1963 and is currently the chair of the Foreign Language and Literature Department.
Established in 1808 by French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and originally given to French academics, the award comes in the form of a golden medallion on a purple ribbon. It has been awarded on an international level since 1866 to anyone who demonstrates exceptional leadership, participation, outstanding work and advocacy in French culture and education.
“Learning any language is going to enrich a student’s experience because they are learning how another culture expresses itself,” Sister Mary Helen said. “It’s a means of communication, a discipline, and a way of learning critical thinking, and it’s a way of understanding another culture because I think that one of the main failings in America is that we don’t understand other people in other cultures, and we think of ourselves often as superior.
We have to learn diversity, and you learn diversity through studying another language. You are enriched. You are able to read their literature.You are able to find out about the important people in the society. It’s a benefit.”
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ASEC
20
th
Anniversary Celebration
November 5, 2019
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The ASEC@20 event celebrated the many ways ASEC's goal of facilitating access to education for women religious in Africa has led to the enhancement and expansion of the education, health, economic, social, environmental and spiritual services in Africa and beyond.
“What ASEC has accomplished is an outward manifestation of God bringing a dream into the light of day,” shared
Sister Carol Jean Vale SSJ
, Ph.D.,President of Chestnut Hill College. “The collaboration between ASEC Board of Directors, the ASEC staff in the United States, the Leadership Conferences of Women Religious in Africa, the Women Religious who serve on-site in Africa as liaisons between the Africa and the United States is an exemplar of the power of partnerships to bring about monumental transformation for marginalized and vulnerable populations. None of this would have been possible without the financial and moral support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Steve Hilton, Brad Meyers and Sister Jane Wakahiu whose unwavering championing of this project provides the fuel that makes it run. When the current grants are fully expended, The Hilton Foundation will have contributed $33 million to our projects, making ASEC one of the highest funded groups in Hilton history. There are no words to say thank you for such generosity.
Finally, let it be said that women religious working together with their partners for the good of others are an unstoppable, unbeatable, unquenchable force afire with the passionate energy and divine grace to turn today’s seeds into tomorrow’s harvest. ASEC at 20 has changed the world forever and will contribute to work to provide for those it serves—a future full of hope.”
Look for full coverage of this event in the upcoming issue of ONE WITH.
See photos from this event on the SSJ Flickr site.
Click here
.
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Pictured from left: Patricia Kelly SSJ,
Nancy Kamau LSOSF, Carol Jean Vale SSJ, Draru Mary Cecilia LSMIG and Maureen G. Erdlen SSJ
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The Mysteries of Saint Joseph: The Josary
Sister Kathleen Rooney SSJ
November 8, 2109
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Saint Joseph is a man of mystery. Very few Scripture passages refer to him and there are no recorded words of his in Sacred Scripture. Yet, he was paramount in God’s work of salvation.
Sister Kathleen Rooney SSJ
has created a way to pray with the mysteries of Joseph’s life—the
Josary
. It is similar to the Rosary in meditating on the mysteries of Mary’s life. The
Josary
prayer, much like the Hail Mary, begins with the Angel’s annunciation to Joseph and concludes with our seeking his intercession.
Kathy shares her inspiration for the
Josary
. “This prayer, which focuses on the Mysteries of Joseph's life, came while on retreat at Cape May. I was coming to the end of the retreat and happened upon a book in the Community Room entitled:
Saint Joseph and the Third Millennium
, edited by Michael Griffine. As I read the various articles about Saint Joseph, I began to think more about the Mysteries of Joseph's life. Over time, as I prayed with and pondered those questions, the
Josary
began to take shape. Over the last eight years I have worked on and off with this project and it is still a work in progress. My hope is to share the Mysteries of Joseph's life, via the
Josary
, with parish groups/organizations, our Associates, Sisters and friends. I have already presented the
Josary
to our Cape May Associates and to our Villa and Motherhouse sisters.”
Anyone interested in a
Josary
presentation and prayer, can contact Kathy at
kathleenrooneyssh@gmail.
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Pictured from left: Jean Laurich SSJ and Kathy Rooney SSJ
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Prayer Vigil
For the Future of our DACA Recipients
November 11, 2019
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On November 12th, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Sister Colleen Dauerbach SSJ
, Social Justice Coordinator, organized a prayer vigil in the Motherhouse Chapel on November 11th to pray for wisdom for the justices and justice for our neighbors. We pray for DACA recipients, for their protection, their dignity and their hope. We pray that we may boldly lift our voices again and again as advocates and authentically stand in solidarity with those for whom DACA has brought light and hope.
At the prayer vigil
Sister Jane Field SSJ
reflected on the question,
Why do we feel compelled to be one with and help our neighbor (DACA)?
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HIGHTEC HVAC
Award of Excellence
November 7, 2019
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HighTec was awarded the
Excellence in Mechanical Construction Award
for their work on the Chapel renovation at the Motherhouse. The Excellence in Construction Awards Gala celebrates the industry’s most innovative construction projects in Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
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Pictured from left: Maureen G. Erdlen SSJ, Kathleen Letts SSJ, Ken Carlin, Service Manager, HIGHTEC HVAC, and Marie O'Brien SSJ
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"With the help of God's grace and in fidelity to our founder's expressed wish, we live and work lovingly among all persons with a special preference for those who are poor, which calls us wherever we are to be in union with them."
— SSJ Constitutions #21
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