Edition No. 182—August 6, 2021
|
|
Sister for a Day
by Cecilia Rupell
SSJ Director of Communications & Public Relations
Recently, I had the opportunity to play a sister for the day on the set of THE HAIL MARY, a film by Daniel Roebuck, currently being filmed at the former Mary Immaculate Seminary in Northampton, Pennsylvania, and other locations throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Danny, an actor, writer, director and producer, is a former student of the SSJ's in Bethlehem, PA. Throughout his 35+ year career, he has thanked the sisters for the positive role they played in his education and faith journey. THE HAIL MARY is the second film presented by A Channel of Peace, a 501(c)3 organization created by Danny and his wife, Tammy. The organization's mission is to produce movies and other media projects that advance family, faith in God, and the values of love, forgiveness, good works and gratitude.
This film is a comedy about Sister Kathy, a Catholic Sister with a sense of humor and purpose, who finds an angry loner in need of redemption. Sister Kathy leads him to his atonement by conning him into creating a football team for her all-boys Catholic School.
The role of Sister Kathleen, played by Marsha Dietlein Bennett, is especially meaningful for Danny. He gives a large amount of credit to the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia for creating the perfect foundation, along with his parents, for his future as an artist. One sister, in particular, Sister Kathleen, was Danny's first-grade teacher. She had a significant impact on Danny, and this character is named after her for that reason. Other names from his days at St. Anne's of Bethlehem also pop up in his film. No doubt fellow alumni would remember Sister Alice and Sister Margaret Anthony.
For Danny, THE HAIL MARY is a love letter to the Sisters of Saint Joseph, as well as all of the Religious Sisters who have dedicated their lives to making the world a better place!
The Sisters of Saint Joseph provided five habits for the movie and a profession cross (worn by a novice). The congregation depicted in the film is fictional. The habits, augmented with a white collar and a veil, are worn by the main sister characters. Other sisters, including yours truly, wore a combination of black and white. My role as an "extra" involved ushering three students down the hall and into a classroom. These boys were played by three special needs students from the Mercy School in Allentown, PA.
Movie-making involves much time waiting around. For me, this time was well spent in the "Nun Green Room," enjoying conversation with the sister actors. Much of the discussion involved me answering their questions about sisters—all in a day's work for a communications director for a congregation of Women Religious.
|
|
Saint Joseph Villa
Painting With a Twist
|
|
Brittany Crinita, who works in the Wellness Center at Saint Joseph Villa, recently hosted a Painting With A Twist experience for residents. These sessions are fun, relaxing and something everyone can enjoy.
|
|
International Symposium on the Trinity
Keynote Address
Sister Gloria L. Schaab SSJ, Ph.D.
|
|
From July 27-29, Gloria Schaab, Professor of Systematic Theology at Barry University, delivered the keynote address at the three-day international symposium on the Trinity sponsored by Collaborative Leadership of the provinces of Africa, Atlantic-Midwest, and Central Pacific of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The symposium responded to the mandate from their 24th General Chapter - "We deepen our consciousness of who we are in relationship to the Triune God, one another, and God’s amazing universe, particularly through theological reflection on the Trinity.” Gloria's keynote address “Trinity in Relation to an Evolving Cosmos” discussed the life of the Trinity and of creation in terms of three relations – origin, emergence, and effect – which have significant ramifications for the cosmic and human community. The symposium also featured the keynote by Stephen Bevans, SVD, Professor of Mission and Culture at Catholic Theological Union, entitled “Love Gives Everything! The Trinity as Ground of Mission, Interculturality, Inculturation, and Justice and Peace.” Gloria and Fr. Steve also responded to table feedback on their presentations from SSND participants, as well as in a roundtable discussion featuring SSND sisters from various cultural contexts.
|
|
Saint Joseph Villa
Lean in Leadership Academy
August 3, 2021
|
|
It was a great honor for members of the Villa team, as partners in mission, to visit the Motherhouse Tuesday morning to learn about the Missions of the SSJ's.This visit was a part of the "Lean-in Leadership Academy" experience that the group is participating in to obtain more tools and become better leaders at the Villa. The group was able to visit the Heritage Room, the Chapel, and learn about the many sponsored works of the SSJ’s.
|
|
SSJ Neighborhood Center
Neighbor to Neighbor Sharing Market
August 4, 2021
|
|
As Sisters of Saint Joseph, we always look for ways to “deepen and broaden our existing network of relationships.” The recent Neighbor to Neighbor Sharing Market helped us to reach out to neighbors near and far. The hall was filled with donated household goods, toys and even Christmas decorations. Our neighbors enjoyed browsing through the tables and choosing items that would benefit their families.
We also had the privilege of honoring and remembering John Rusak, the loving Dad of Kerry Rusak, Director of the SSJ Associates in Mission. Kerry, her mom, and sisters assembled Pizza Kits in honor of John and offered them to our neighbors. It was a wonderful day filled with laughter and joy. Relationships were deepened, and neighbors were united in a spirit of community.
|
|
Kerry, (far right) her mom, and sisters assembled Pizza Kits in honor of John and offered them to our neighbors
|
|
By Sister Colleen Gibson SSJ
|
|
Reprinted with permission from Global Sisters Report
Read Sister Colleen Gibson SSJ’s latest article in the Global Sisters Report:The way forward involves fruit salad and connections
Multilevel conversations about the future of religious life will inevitably bear many fruits. Our challenge will be recognizing, balancing and reconciling these fruits of the Spirit: We're making fruit salad.
|
|
Looking for Inspiration?
You can find it by clicking on images below!
|
|
|
"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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|