Newspaper Page Text
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PAGE 2 GEORGIA BULLETIN THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1964
FRESH AIR’ IN CHURCH
New Spirit In Women’s Orders
Resulting From Aggiornamento
(The author of the following
article is the secretary of the'
Conference of Major Super
iors of Women, , Washington,
D. C., an association formed
in 1956 to advance the spirit
ual welfare and professional
efficiency of Sisters. She is a
past president of St. Xavier
College, Chicago, and a major
figure in the movement to
strengthen the formation of
women Religious.)
BY SISTER MARY JOSETTA
(N. C. W. C. NEWS SERVICE
Although no nomination for
woman of the year has come
her way, the Sister in the Unit
ed States has lately received a
large share of news coverage.
I
Readers of the American
press recognize that it has sud
denly become a best selling
item to know what Sister thinks,
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has thought, will think; does,
has done, will do. And no one
reads more avidly on the sub
ject than Sister herself.
JUST AS the Church is look
ing at herself and asking, “who
am I?’*, so, too, is the Sister
studying her identity. She has
seriously examined her life lest
she build on sand, and examin
ed her conscience concerning
the sins of the just.
This has made for the Sister
a most grace-ful time.
In the truth of the Book of
Ecclesiastes, she has come to
know that there is a time to
plant and a time to uproot; a
time to rear down and a time
to build; a time to keep and a
time to cast away.
Religious communities have
taken very seriously what the
grace of the moment has re
vealed to them. It remains now
to decide what shall be uproot
ed, what shall be pruned.
They have given attention to
the hierarchy of values to de
cide on the pruning of time
tables; they have asked them
selves about the deadwood in
their apostolates. And having
discovered the deadwood, they
are asking themselves just how
fast the prudent woodchopper
may chop.
The mood of the age is one
of great hope. The vocation of
the Sister has taken on added
dimensions. Much is beginning,
but it would be a mistake to
evaluate the apostolate of the
Sister in terms of beginnings.
THE GREAT danger of "ag
giornamento’’ lies in the pos-
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AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR SON'S FUTURE
sibility of underestimating the
accomplishments of the past,
or even of the present. The Sis
ters have ever been, first and
foremost, daughters of the
Church. A glance at the scope
of their apostolate shows that
they have long accepted the
challenge of Cardinal Suhard to
“think, plan, and love on the
scale of the world."
There are some 178,000 Sis
ters in the United States. Of
these, 17,000 are engaged in
hospital work; 102,000 are em
ployed in teaching. One out of
eight young people in the Unit
ed States attends one of the
10,600 Catholic grade schools,
or of the 2,500 Catholic high
schools. Catholic education
cares for 5.5 million of the
nation's elementary and sec
ondary school children, or 14%
of the total school population.
Catholic colleges stretch all
across the land.
The surge of the times has
swept this apostolate onto new
horizons because better than
five million of today's Catholic
youngsters are not enrolled in
Catholic schools and the num
ber will grow each year.
THIS FACT is offering a
great challenge to Sisters to
day, in terms of the cateche
tical apostolate. Sister cate
chists must be well prepared,
competent to instruct lay cate
chists, as they are being asked
to do with increasing frequency.
Some major superiors are
thinking of dividing their for
ces in a given parochial school
in the following manner; some
of the Sisters will be in admin
istration or in teaching in the
parochial school; two or three
who have been given special
training in catechetics will de
vote themselves to the instruc
tion of adults who will teach the
growing number of children in
the public school within the par
ish.
Both the nursing Sister and
the teaching Sister must rethink
the whole gamut of inter-per
sonal relationships within her
present apostolate.
Many communities have long
operated on the principle set
forth by Thomas A’Kempis that
“as often as I have gone out
among men I have returned less
a man." Sisters have been
admonished to “keep them
selves away from the world,
and keep the world away from
the cloister."
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Translated, this meant the
Sisters should teach the child
ren from eight to three, or work
the hospital shift and then re
turn promptly to the safety of
the convent.
Now, of course, the fallacy
in this sort of thinking has be
come obvious to most Sisters.
They have come to know that
this mentality is completely
contrary to the whole spirit of
Christ who went about every
where doing good. The possibi
lities of the apostolate among
the parents of the Sister's stu
dents, among the relatives and
friends of her patients, among
the lay members of her facul
ty, her hospital staff, the work
ers in her convent, are wide
open.
WHILE MANY Sisters have
long had the practice of visit
ing homes, still many are only
now beginning to participate in
this most valuable experience.
It becomes increasingly evident
that this practice is of inesti
mable value not only to the fam
ilies and groups the Sister vis
its, but to Sister herself. Her
vision expands beyond the nar
row confines of the convent; she
begins to understand the sacri
fice and the selflessness de
manded in a family; her some
times super-sensitive reac
tions are tempered by the give-
and-take she observes in every
normal family relationship; she
begins to understand the “why"
behind the attitudes and behav
ior of a student, a patient; she
becomes a bit slower to make
demands on youngsters con
cerning items involving ex
pense; in short, she learns
something of the compassion of
Christ.
It must be said, however, that
some communities hesitate to
“raise the drawbridge" in view
of the risks involved. Again, ir
refutable logic answers this
objection: “to isolate the yeast
from the dough for fear of con-
tagion is to miss the whole
point." Most Sisters agree that
risks must be faced with pru
dence, but they must be faced.
Sisters are becoming more
and more involved in adult edu
cation, especially in their col
leges, conducting evening clas
ses, and in some of their high
schools. Some sisters are
presently teaching on the facul
ties of secular universities.
COUNSELING has grown in
importance in the apostolate of
the Sister. Some are engaged in
Newman Club work in state uni
versities; others are in youth
counseling. Sodality work, YCS
groups, CFM, have been a part
of the work of many Sisters
over the years. Social work
ers among Sisters are increas
ing yearly.
Establishment of the Nation
al Sister Formation Conference
in 1953 has brought to the Sis
ters a long and careful spirit
ual formation, intellectual
training, and precise profes
sional preparation to equip
them for their role in the
Church. Most religious com
munities in the United States
have heeded the directives of
the Sacred Congregation of Re
ligious to establish a “Junio-
rate" to insure their Sisters
of this careful preparation. In
recent years the Junior Sisters
have engaged in the direct apos
tolate while in training. Many
of them are active in the cate
chetical work among young
children in areas where there
is no parish school.
SISTERS OF the United States
have “thought and planned and
loved on the scale of the world"
in^ another area, that of the
Overseas Education Program.
This program has grown since
1959 to now include students
from Burma, India, Thailand,
Uganda, Brazil, Chile, Colom
bia, Peru, Venezuela. In 1963
almost $2 million in scholar
ships were given involving
some 145 foreign students in
45 American colleges.
American communities have
likewise responded to the plea
of the popes that they send Sis
ters to South America. More
than 2,000 Sisters from the
United States are presently
working in Latin America.
Different types of activities
are springing up in these mis
sions. Some of these may serve
as pilot studies for further work
in the United States.
For example, one communi
ty operates an apostolic center
in a Latin American city. Three
Sisters are presently assigned
to this mission. One of them,
trained in theology, is working
for the Archdiocesan Cateche
tical Office, conducting work
shops for lay catechists, study
days, and the like. A second
Sister assists her in this work,
devoting herself particularly to
the social activities of the ca
techists in the training groups.
The third sister, with a mas
ter’s degree in socilogy, gives
instruction in sociology and ca
techetics to the teachers in a
Rural Life Institute organized
to educate the poor in rural
areas.
PERHAPS nowhere is the
spirit of “aggiornamento" so
alive as in the area of relig
ious life itself. Meetings of
groups on all levels have
brought a greater dialogue,
among the Sisters. It is a time
to speak. The Sisters are unit
ed to find the truth for the sake
of the common good.
The vow of obedience is a gift
from God that Sisters may know
His will for them. The idea of
stoic silence and blind submis
sion is slowly being replaced
by the attitude of the superior
that she must be the “master
listener." Organizations such
as the Conference of Major Su
periors have brought the re
sponsible leaders together
where they can learn from the
wisdom and experiences of each
other.
With all their hearts they
echo the inspiring words of
Pope Paul VI when he was Car
dinal-Archbishop of Milan:
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RESTAURANT,W€
R20WN ON W0CK WATCHING
DRESSED AS BRIDES—About to receive the habit and veil of a novice are these eager
postulants in a convent chapel, at the end of an eight-day retreat. In most communities
the novice receives a new name at the beginning. Her novitiate usually lasts a year. The
apostolate of the sister has taken on added dimensions in recent years. Among the 178,000
religious sisters in the United States, there are 102,000 teaching and 17,000 engaged in
hospital work. Others are in social work, catechetical and counselling activities. Many
labor in the home and foreign missions.
SCHOOL SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME
History Of Congregation
Covers 400 Active Years
SINVI CHRIST 40 ►
HOLY CROSS
BROTHER
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4950 Dauphin* Scroet'
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BY SISTER MIRIAM JOSEPH
S. S. N. D.
Saint Peter Fourier, an Au-
gustinian Canon, founded the
original Congregation of Notre
Dame, near the close of the six
teenth century. The foundation
was begun in the French Pro
vince of Lorraine, with the
training and education of youth
as its primary purpose. The
first Mother Superior was the
saintly Alix le Clerc, under
whose guidance the Congrega
tion quickly spread through
France, Germany, and Savoy.
Sorrow descended upon the
Congregation, however, when,
along with the other religious
orders and foundations in
France, it was suppressed. As
French influence and. power
spread through Europe, the
houses in Germany and Savoy
were closed also. The last con
vent and school of the Congre
gation to close its doors was
the one in Stadtamhof, Baua-
ria. This was in the year 1809.
ONE OF THE pupils attend
ing the school in Stadtamhof,
was little CarolineGerharding-
er, who later would work with
Bishop Michael Wittman in re
organizing the Congregation of
Notre Dame. This reorganiza
tion and refounding of the Com
munity took place in Bavaria in
1833. Caroline Gerhardinger
became Mother Mary Teresa
of Jesus, the first Mother Gen
eral of the School Sisters of
Notre Dame. The new Congre
gation framed its spirit and
rules according to those of the
great Father of the Church,
Saint Augustine, and it con
tinued the work of Saint Peter
Fourier and the original Can-
onesses of Notre Dame in fur
thering the interests of edu
cation.
That Mother Mary Teresa
and her successors accom
plished what they set out to do
is evidenced by the continual
growth and expansion of the
wmmmmmmmmmmmHmmmm
Congregation during the past
one hundred thirty-one years.
IN THE YEAR 1847, on the
feast of Saint Ignatius, the first
small band of School Sisters, led
by Mother M. Teresa herself,
came, to the shores of America.
Sister Caroline Friess, one of
this original group, became the
first Mother Superior of the
School Sisters in this country.
The first Motherhouse in Amer
ica was founded in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, and from there Mo
ther M. Caroline saw the Con
gregation expand to the North,
the East, the South, and the
West.
Today there are 12,000 School
Sisters of Notre Dame, 6,000
of whom are from the American
Provinces. The members of the
Order are doing the work of
God in nineteen countries, nine
of which are staffed by Sisters
from the American Mother-
houses. These include the Unit
ed States of America, Canada,
Puerto Rico, England, Japan,
Guam, Central America, Okina
wa, and Bolivia. In these Ameri
can-staffed schools alone, more
than 296,000 children of all ages
are being educated according to
the spirit and ideals of the
School Sisters of Notre Dame,
always in collaboration with
Diocesan or Archdiocesan au
thority.
THE WORK OF the Congre
gation has remained strictly
educational through the years
but the army of “behind the
scene" workers necessary to
keep the educational work of
the Order functioning at top
level include nurses, techni
cians, bookkeepers, house
keepers, librarians, cooks, and
others.
When a girl enters the Com
munity she remains a Postu
lant for ten months, during
which time she begins her re
ligious and professional train
ing. After the term ofPostulan—
cy is completed she is received
“Rejoice because your vo
cation is great, your mission
sublime, your call from God.
Be glad in your hearts and re
joice that your vocation is so
highly esteemed and has be
come so Instrumental, so func
tionally necessary."
into the Congregation and re
ceives the habit and the white
veil of a Novice. The Novitiate
year is a time of concentrated
religious training, although
some professional studies are
carried on during this time al
so. At the end of the Novitiate
year the Novice takes the vows
of Poverty, Chastity, and Obe
dience for the first time. At
this time the vows are taken
for a period of three years
only, during which time the
Sister continues the work of
spiritua and professional for
mation in the Juniorate. Sec
ond temporary vows are then
taken for a period of two years.
At the end of those two years
th e perpetual Vows of Relig
ious Life are pronounced and
the Sister becomes a fully pro
fessed member of the Commu
nity.
HOW DOES Georgia figure in
this large network of educa
tional activity? In Georgia, the
School Sisters of Notre Dame
opened, in the years 1947 and
1948 respectively, grade
schools in Griffin and Fort
Oglethorpe. There are seven
Sisters and two lay teachers
staffing these schools. In both
Griffin and Fort Oglethorpe,
where the Catholic population
is small and Protestant child
ren make up a good percentage
of the school enrollment, much
is being done to further under
standing of the Catholic faith
among the Protestants.
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Orders Of Nuns
Under the leadership and inspiration of Archbishop Hallinan and
Monsignor P. J. O’Connor, the Director of Vocations/.he Advi
sory Committee for women’s vocations in the Archdiocese has
established a program to interest the youth in the religious life,
to enlighten and motivate them and help them decide what calling in
life God has in store for them.
This commission is the Archdiocesan Center of Vocations, co
ordinated and unified pastoral effort for more effective recruit
ing of divine vocations. These include the inauguration of a com
plex of private and public prayers for youths and adults, a day of
recollection, vocational talks in all the schools given by the Sis
ters who are laboring in the Archdiocese, as well as talks to adult
groups; Open House in convents for girls to be accompanied by
their parents; encouraging the reading of vocational literature;
the personal spiritual guidance of prospects by select priests call
ed vocational directors, or through one’s regular confessor or
parish priest; and finally, a vocational pageant and outing. This
unified program of priests, Sisters and laymen will engender a
common effort to obtain better response from youths, greater
cooperation from parents, and a deeper understanding of the reli
gious life in the laity.
THE GEORGIA BULLETIN will assign a column for the next
several weeks which will carry the stories of the Re
ligious orders of women working in the Archdiocese. There will
be information about.the Founder, her spirit, the specific work of
the Congregation and the qualifications required to become a mem
ber, This column should be of vital interest to all since the
problem of vocations concerns everyone. All baptized Catholics
have a serious duty of working for the vitality of the church to
which they belong and share the responsibility for the vitality of
the priesthood and the religious life. A year ago Archbishop Hal
linan said, "Vocations should be of great significance to the
laity, especially parents. Stressing the current shortage of voca
tions, he placed his confidence in parents by saying, "parents know
it is their responsibility, their privilege, to give to the cause of
religion those young people who desire the life of a Religious".
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