Love and Presence
Spring 2022
A newsletter for and by Associates of the School Sisters of St. Francis
OUT OF CHAOS
COMES ORDER…
By Associate Kathleen Kovatovic

Lately I found myself feeling a constant feeling of angst. I know it is my response to the current chaos in the world that we all bear witness to. In preparation for an upcoming lecture by Jon Sweeney I read his book, Feed The Wolf: Befriending Our Fears in the Way of Saint Francis.  In it he explores fifteen spiritual practices from the essential wisdom of St. Francis. The lessons suggest that one “embrace the wolf” and befriend our fears.

Sweeney encourages the reader to allow the insights of Saint Francis to move into one’s heart, feet, mouth and hands, and discover a peaceful path forward to navigate today’s precarious times. This book along with fellow Associate Pat Zealley’s reminder that “out of chaos comes order” has helped me find a bit of inner peace. After all God created the earth and all its creatures out of chaos!
 
This year we lost a fellow Associate and beautiful soul, Michael Angeli. While I have not been an Associate long enough to know Michael, I am in awe of the impact on all of the people he encountered. Who better than his daughter, Liz Angeli can tell us what the world is like without Michael? Please read her eulogy.

PARTNERS IN MINISTRY ROOTED IN SPIRITUALITY - 50TH ANNIVERSARY


Excerpt taken from "History of School Sisters of St. Francis Associate Relationship" by Sister Barbaralie Stiefermann, OSF

The School Sisters of St. Francis has spent decades studying the charism of St. Francis of Assisi and its own charism.

It is difficult to define the Franciscan charism. Definitions tend to solidify and restrict the spirit they were meant to express. Therefore, it is up to the followers of Francis to make the values of Jesus and Francis their own and live them in whatever situation present itself. What better way to expand the Franciscan charism than to incorporate the spiritual life and power of the laity in religious communities of women.
Don't forget to register for the 50th Anniversary event on July 23 at Alverno College. If you need a registration, please contact the Associate Relationship Team.
UNITED IN MINISTRY AND COMMUNITY
By Associate Cherie Esposito
 
Sister Rosemary Rombalski and I began planning and dreaming of a shared ministry several years ago. July 2020 was the target date for me to move to Milwaukee and launch into that future. I met Sister Rosemary many years ago through a retreat that she facilitated and the relationship as spiritual companions grew. My career as an elementary school principal and district administrator was coming to an end. It was time for Sister Rosemary and I to realize our dream of a mission and ministry together. In preparation for the transition, I came to Milwaukee on weekends and joined in activities and events with Sister Rosemary and the School Sister community. 

(In the picture from left: Associate Cherie Esposito and Sister Rosemary Rombalski)
Remembering Mike Angeli
By Liz Angeli        

My dad died on Sunday, February 6, 2022. I had the honor to write and read his eulogy. To be honest, this eulogy is one of the hardest things I’ve written. How do you talk about someone like my dad in 10 minutes? A traditional chronological format that captures key moments in his life was too limiting. My dad was really anything but traditional and he pushed limits to do what he felt was right, so in that spirit, this eulogy is guided by one question:                                                         

What is the world without Mike Angeli?” (In the picture: Mike and Liz Angeli)
 
In Memoriam
We remember and pray for our Lay Associates who went home to God:
Mike Angeli Became an Associate 2013
Went Home February 6, 2022
See article above.
Books Our Fellow Associates Are Reading

Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden
This is a book written not just by the president, but a father, grandfather, friend and husband. Promise Me, Dad is a story of how family and friendships sustain us and how hope, purpose and action can guide us through the pain of personal loss into the light of a new future.

The Star and the Shamrock by Jean Grainger
This is a book set in World War II. It is the story of two Jewish Children shipped from home and mother’s arms to a long lost cousin, which grabs your heart.

Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
A lot of professors give talks titled ‘The Last Lecture’. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?
When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave, ‘Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams’ wasn’t about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.

Madre; The Nun Who Was Mother to the Orphans of Honduras by Kathy Martin O’Neil
Writer and mission trip leader Kathy Martin O’Neil sets the unlikely triumphs of this “Angel of the Poor” against the backdrop of Honduras’s deprivation, broken families, and gang violence that send desperate young migrants fleeing for their lives. Drawing from more than a decade of mission travel to SAN, she captures Sister Maria Rosa’s magnetic allure and Franciscan wisdom on how best to change hearts and stand with the marginalized people of the world. Sister Maria Rosa was a School Sister of St. Francis.
 
Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community by Dr. Martin Luther King
In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., isolated himself from the demands of the civil rights movement, rented a house in Jamaica with no telephone, and labored over his final manuscript. In this prophetic work, which has been unavailable for more than ten years, he lays out his thoughts, plans, and dreams for America's future, including the need for better jobs, higher wages, decent housing, and quality education. With a universal message of hope that continues to resonate, King demanded an end to global suffering, asserting that humankind-for the first time-has the resources and technology to eradicate poverty.

VIDEOS OF INTEREST

Exploring Intersections. Catholic Sisters on Racism, Migration and Climate
Each month, they focus on a social issue and explore how it intersects with racism, migration and climate in a thought-provoking and engaging conversation. Each panelist offers unique perspectives, notable achievements and invaluable insight on their particular topic.
PRAYER IN CLOSING

I end this issue with a prayer for hope that we so desperately need:
 
Lord, help me to hear you saying, "I am your hope" over all the other voices.
Lord, your word says, you are the hope for hopeless so I'm running to you
with both hands stretched out and grabbing on to you.

Fill me up with hope and give me a tangible reminder today that hope
is an unbreakable spiritual lifeline (Hebrews 6:19-20).

God, you know those things in my heart that I barely dare to hope for,
today I give them to you, I trust them to you, and ask that you because
I know that you can do more than I could ever guess,
imagine or request in wildest dreams (Eph 3:20).

God, you are my hope and I trust you. Amen.
I would like to thank all of those individuals who contributed to this newsletter. This is a platform for associates and I welcome any ideas for upcoming editions. Please forward all ideas and comments to:

Kathleen Kovatovic, Editor
kkovatovic@gmail.com