Mission Advancement Egram - March 31, 2023

California Region

Mission Advancement Egram

March 31, 2023

One Heart. One Hope. One Mission.

MESSAGE FROM MISSION ADVANCEMENT

...rejoicing in the many blessings of 2022

Dear Friends,

In this egram, we are pleased to share our 2022 Impact Report, which also includes the final report from our 2023 Nun Run. Our theme, "Make it a habit," shows the many ways that the SNDs, Associates, friends and donors have embraced the SND spirit and mission, bringing so many blessings to their families, friends, and various communities that are part of the fabric of their lives.

To “make it a habit” has both positive and negative implications: building habits to pray, read, or relax; or stopping habits of procrastinating, nail-biting or multi-tasking. It doesn’t take much time on life’s journey to recognize that good habits are the stepping stones to a life of joy and peace.

As Sisters of Notre Dame, we recognize that there are many different attitudes and behaviors which are essential for a healthy lifestyle—spiritually, socially, emotionally, physically and so much ore. Embracing “one heart, one hope, one mission” means that we seek a unity of life from good habits, all in the spirit of the Gospel. And we all know that life is full of ripple effects--opportunities for us to be inspired by the habits of our companions. We hope that this 2022 Impact Report provides highlights of our life and mission which encourage you as well.

In particular, we thank and honor our donors of 2022 whose habits of generosity enable us to touch so many lives. Quite often, the impact of a habit is hidden—both in the immediate moment and in the long-term. Yet we know for certain that the kindness of thousands of donors over the years has been an awesome blessing from our good and provident God, a means to make “one heart, one hope, one mission” a powerful reality. Thank you for making a habit of being our partners in mission! We wish you abundant graces during this coming Holy Week and Easter season.

Grateful blessings, today and always,

Sr. Lisa Megaffin, S.N.D.

Director of Mission Advancement Services

FROM THE CALIFORNIA GRAPEVINE

Did you know that approximately 2,000 homeless persons die on the streets of Los Angeles each year? Sisters of Notre Dame participated in the Homeless Resource Fair sponsored by the Office of Life, Justice and Peace/Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Sr. Rebekah Kennedy brought four luminarias inscribed with the names of homeless individuals who died in 2022. These individuals are being remembered in the prayers and liturgies of the SNDs in California during the Lenten season.

Please join us in praying for the souls of:

Gwendolyn Carter

Omar Pena

Erick Morales

Clady Williams

Follow this link to learn more about a Catholic response to homelessness in Los Angeles.

As a community, the SNDs around the country turned their attention to low-income families, women and children, and those facing housing insecurity this Lent.

The photo on the left shows Sr. Regina Robbins, Sr. Teresita Keliher and Sr. Luellen Boeglin collaborating with La Reina staff and students to provide hygiene products, socks and underwear for those in need through Harbor House in Thousand Oaks.

The photo on the right shows Sr. Jolisa Lazaro, Sr. Val Roxburgh, Sr. Paulynne Tubick and Sr. Cristina Buczkowski preparing "angel bags" for the homeless in the Long Beach area.

Where are they now?

...Robert Asiimwe and Esha Chhabra

Dear Sr. Jane,

I hope this email finds you well. I am Robert Asiimwe, I hope you remember me from St. Julie School (Buseesa, Uganda) between 1999 and 2003. I am writing to simply say THANK YOU. The foundation you laid for me, and I believe for many others, in math has got me where I am today. I have just arrived in Germany to pursue a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics, this is where a strong foundation in math has led me so far. THANK YOU!

I recently stumbled on this article written in 1995. And I can say with confidence that indeed education has allowed us to break these cycles of poverty. You did your job and did it exceptionally well. May God reward you abundantly. STAY WITH THE ANGELS

Sr. Jane McHugh is shown here with one of the Ugandan tykes. Today, she is a faculty member at St. Dominic's School in Eagle Rock, California.

Esha Chhabra, a 2004 graduate of La Reina High School, recently authored Working to Restore. It has received wide acclaim and is the #1 New Release in Green Business at Amazon. Congratulations, Esha, the Sisters of Notre Dame are proud of you!

NDA art students featured

at the LA cathedral

Congratulations to Celeste A. '26, Olivia D. '26, Izzy K.'26, Ava M. '26, and Nessa N. '26 on their exceptional artistic talent. Their artworks are inclued in the Robert Graham Memorial Exhibition held annually at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. They are shown here with Archbishop Jose Gomez who presented them with certificates of recognition.

Thanks to our friends at Staples Construction!

From Linked In:

"Recently, our team joined over 700 others in the 9th Annual Nun Run 5K hosted by the Sisters of Notre Dame at La Reina High School and Middle School in Thousand Oaks, CA. Several years back, Staples had the pleasure of remodeling the interior of the sisters’ facility adjacent to the middle/high school to better suit their needs.

What began as a contractor-client relationship continues on a more personal level to help support the mission of these devoted women and so the Nun Run tradition continues!"