In this Issue:

Welcome Sister Death

"Being Resistant and Resilient"

BayCare Hurricane Relief Fund

St. Joseph's South Maternity Award

Conscious Contact Mini Retreat

Sta. Chiara D’Assisi Gallery

Empty Bowls & Baskets Dinner

Blessing of the Animals

BayCare Founders Day Luncheon

Trash Bash Day

Song for the Feast of St. Francis

Hurricane Helene Relief

October Birthday List

Send Us Your News

Welcome Sister Death

Rosemarie Kolmer, OSF

BORN: February 19, 1948, in Rochester, NY

DIED: October 2, 2024, at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, Allegany, NY

DAUGHTER OF: Ralph and Marion Voellinger Kolmer, Rochester, NY

Sr. Rosemarie entered the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany on September 8, 1966, was received into the Congregation on July 1, 1967, and professed her final vows on May 31, 1975. For 58 years, Sister lived her commitment to Franciscan values through her ministry and life in community and to the people with whom she served and ministered.

Rosemarie was educated in Rochester, NY, at St. Andrew Elementary School and graduated from Our Lady of Mercy High School. She attended St. Claire Hospital School of Nursing, New York, NY, where she graduated as a registered nurse. She attended St. Bonaventure University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Arts with a minor in Health Care 

Sr. Rosemarie ministered in healthcare at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Camden, NJ for 17 years, first as a nurse and then in pastoral care. She served for the Diocese of Camden as Coordinator of Health Care Advocates for Sacred Heart Residence and worked per diem for Our Lady of Lourdes Wellness. In 2020, she switched to part-time work and officially retired in 2024, when she was warmly welcomed home to St. Elizabeth Motherhouse.

Sr. Rosemarie is predeceased by her parents, Ralph and Marion Voellinger Kolmer. She is survived by two brothers: Stephen Kolmer and Mark Kolmer; three sisters: Karen Walsh, Annemarie Wegman and Sr. Kathleen Marie Kolmer, a Sister of Mercy and several nieces and nephews.

At Sr. Rosemarie’s request, there will not be a Wake Service. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at 10:00 AM in the Chapel of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, followed by burial in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany, NY. The funeral arrangements are under the direction of Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc., 646 East State Street, Olean, NY.

Memorials, if desired, can be made to: Student Sponsorship Program, Sacred Heart School, 1739 Perry Avenue, Camden NY 08104.

Illustration created in loving memory by Brother Mickey McGrath for Rosemarie.

Being Resistant & Resilient: The Essence of the Ecclesial Base Communities

By Marcelo Santos - Pascom Menino Jesus

Article By: Sister Maria Helena dos Santos, OSF, Curuai,

Diocese of Santarém - PA

During the afternoon of Saturday, September 21, 2024, at the 8th Archdiocesan Meeting of the Ecclesial Base Communities (CEBs) of the Archdiocese of Santarém, Sister Tea Frigerio, also an advisor to the Meeting, highlighted the importance of resisting and being resilient as essential characteristics for the experience of the CEBs. In her speech, she recalled what the Bishop of Crato-Ce said at the opening celebration of the 13th Inter-Ecclesial Meeting of the CEBs, and reformulated the idea of that speech saying: "The CEBs are not just an alternative way of being Church, they are the way of the Church being". For the nun, the CEBs represent a minority form of being a Church, recognizing that they will hardly be the majority, but they have a fundamental role in keeping hope and resistance alive. "The CEB way of being is a utopia," she stated. According to her, this utopia can be seen as a "founding myth," something that sustains the identity and faith of its members. "The myth is what gives meaning to our lives; the rite is the concretization of this myth," she explained.

Using the metaphor of a piece of music written on paper, Sister Tea emphasized that, no matter how beautiful a piece of music is, it only comes to life when it is played. "The rite is the concrete experience of the myth," she said, illustrating how the CEBs concretize in their practices the ideal of Christian community, as described in the book of Acts of the Apostles.

The first Christian communities, which gathered in homes to celebrate and share, are the direct inspiration for the CEBs' organizational model. "It is in homes, not in temples, that new things emerge, that new ways of living are experienced, including a new economy," said Sister Tea, referring to the practice of São Paulo of mentioning communities that met in private homes.

Thus, for Sister Tea, the CEBs are a living hope, an alternative Church that, despite being a minority, offers a path of renewal and transformation, both spiritual and social.

Anticipating that thousands of team members are suffering severe impacts from Hurricane Helene, BayCare Health System created a special relief fund to support staff in need.

“Our team members are our greatest asset, and without them, we simply couldn’t fulfill our mission through providing high-quality, compassionate care to the communities we serve,” said BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners. “We work 24/7 to keep open 16 hospitals and other services across West Central Florida, even during hurricanes, and our team shows up without hesitation. Now we need to help those who are always prepared to help others.” 

BayCare has committed up to $10 million for the relief fund. In addition, the not-for-profit organization is inviting team members and others who were not personally impacted by Hurricane Helene to donate to the fund. BayCare will match every donation 2:1, from $1 to $100,000. 

Click the Button to Donate Now:

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany Congregational Leadership Team donated to the relief fund on behalf of the congregation.

Hurricane Helene, which passed West Central Florida is the worst storm to hit Tampa Bay since 1921. BayCare, with more than 32,000 team members and a primary footprint serving Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties, is one of the region’s largest private employers. One out of every three people in the region chooses BayCare for health care.

Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) members build the tent village that will care for patients with lower-acuity needs. 

BayCare Health System has partnered with the federal government to establish the first Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) in the state after two recent hurricanes. The DMAT will increase West Central Florida’s access to emergency care after the region was devastated by massive storms. 

On Friday, a DMAT tent village sprung up in a parking lot just north of BayCare’s St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, which has a trauma center, including a pediatric trauma center. Hurricane Milton had exited West Central Florida the day before; Hurricane Helene, eight days before. The DMAT is expected to open Saturday and will run around the clock in partnership with the hospital, which will support this site with laboratory and additional services as needed. 

DMATs often work in tandem with hospitals to expand capacity for emergency care. DMAT is part of the federal government’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response (ASPR), which is under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

“We know that health care needs always escalate after a natural disaster,” said BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners. “With our region enduring two back-to-back hurricanes that caused extraordinary havoc, we know our communities need BayCare to be there for them and we appreciate partners working with us.”

BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners and Ari S. Rubinstein, Emergency Operations Officer, Incident Management Team discuss how the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) tent village will help the Tampa Bay community. 

Patients arriving at the DMAT site, 4600 N. Habana Ave., will be triaged with lower acuity needs being cared for onsite while any higher acuity cases, including any trauma cases, would be handled by St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Emergency Department and Trauma Center. Two other BayCare hospitals are also nearby to help serve patients, St. Joseph’s Children’s and St. Joseph’s Women’s. The not-for-profit BayCare, with 16 hospitals stretching across four counties and hundreds of other physician offices and outpatient locations, is the region’s largest health care provider. 

Earlier this week, BayCare also made two other locations available to assist state relief efforts: A former Barnes and Noble store in Tampa’s Carrollwood area and a shuttered Plant City hospital that was replaced by a new South Florida Baptist Hospital facility in August. 

St. Joseph's South Maternity Award

St. Joseph’s Hospital-South has received an Excellence in Maternity Care Award from the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. The award is for achieving the Healthy People 2030 goal for low-risk C-sections. 

Picture, from left, are SJHS Quality Manager Sherry, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brendan Malik, Patient Services Director Rita, Operations Director Michelle, Women’s Services Advanced Patient Care Leader Alexis, Dr. Maryanne Colalillo (OB/GYN), Women’s Services Assistant Nurse Manager Carolynn, St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital Patient Services Director Jenny, Women’s Services Assistant Nurse Manager Melissa, President Patrick Downes.

Visit the Franciscan Center Website to Register:

Sta. Chiara D'Assisi Gallery

Featuring Fr. Michael Reyes

The Franciscan Center, Tampa, has opened the Sta. Chiara D’Assisi Gallery to exhibit the paintings of Fr. Michael Reyes. You can visit the exhibit through mid-November during regular office hours, Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

St. Bonaventure's

Empty Bowls & Baskets Dinner

As part of Francis Week, St. Bonaventure University held an Empty Bowls & Baskets Dinner to celebrate 50 years of unwavering dedication at The Warming House, one of the oldest student-run soup kitchens in the nation.

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany were a sponsor of the event, and a number of sisters painted bowls that were available during the dinner. Several sisters attended the event as well.

In a thank-you letter to sponsors, Betsy Gingerich, chair of the event, said, they raised a preliminary total of $463,333 for the newly established Endowment for Warming House Sustainability. 

She added that the kindness, commitment and generosity of donors will “make a lasting difference in the lives of those served by The Warming House.”

In addressing the sisters, FSA Congregational Minister Sr. Margaret Magee said, “Let us continue to support the good work being done by the Bona students and adult volunteers in the area.”

Blessing of the Animals

From Allegany to Tampa, several pet blessing activities were held as part of the celebrations for the Feast of St. Francis.

BayCare Founders Day Luncheon

Bishop Gregory Parkes, BayCare Leadership, Hospital Leadership, Mission Advocates, the Spiritual Care and Mission teams, the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation team, donors, and esteemed and honored guests -- the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany -- were all in attendance at a special Founders’ Day luncheon. 

Colleen Walters, VP of Mission and Ethics for BayCare said the blessing over the food and those present. She was followed by Sr. Pat Shirley leading her fellow Franciscan Sisters in the traditional sung blessing over the group, “May the Lord bless you…” What a treat! Organizers say they were and are thankful to everyone present for all that everyone is and does each day in service to the St. Joseph’s Hospital mission. We’ll have more on this story in an upcoming newsletter.

Trash Bash Day!

By: Janet Shirdon, Associate

October 5 was Trash Bash Day at Ocean Isle Beach, NC. They have a clean-up day and people volunteer their time to pick up trash then they have lunch together. Gail and I are there along with my friend Eva Bolin. They have been doing this for over 40 years!

Song for the Feast of St. Francis

By: Sr. Dayanne & Sr. Edir, Brazil

Sisters Dayanne and Edir

shared this song to celebrate

the Feast of St. Francis.

Hurricane Helene Relief

By: Anne Holliday, FSA Communications Coordinator

They saw a need and decided to do something about it.

Bhe said he went to the office of Motherhouse Administrative Secretary Jennifer Henning and said, “We need to do something. It took off from there.”

The original plan was to just collect items and money from the Motherhouse staff and sisters, but then they decided to get the community involved and asked for help from the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce, The Olean Times Herald and 7 Mountains Media radio stations.

Bhe and Motherhouse Driver/Librarian Mike Pennington started the 10 ½ trip to Asheville Friday afternoon after collecting food and supplies for three days.

Pennington got involved when Bhe asked him, “What are you doing this weekend?”

Sister Kay Ahern, OSF, said she thought sending notes to people in Asheville would help brighten their spirits, so she started that effort. 

Pennington said each of 15 totes headed to Asheville will also include a handwritten note of love and encouragement from the sisters.

Among the items collected were cleaning supplies, non-perishable food, socks, underwear, baby clothes, diapers, extension cords, power strips, camping equipment and batteries. Pennington estimates that they are delivering about 16,000 pounds of supplies. He said there’s still about 8,000 pounds left in a storage garage. That will be delivered later.

Check out the article in the Olean Times Herald:

Happy Birthday!

We Want to Hear From You!

We would love to include more news from Brazil, Bolivia, Jamaica and Mozambique in our newsletter. If you have any pictures, tidbits of information or bigger stories you’d like to share please email them to

FSA Communications Coordinator

Anne Holliday anne.holliday@fsallegany.org

If you have any questions about whether it’s something that could or should go in this newsletter, you can ask Anne about that, too. But she’ll probably say, “Yes, send it.” 😊