Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY

A ritual was held July 1 in St. Elizabeth Motherhouse to recognize the 75th Anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, New Jersey. It included the blessing of a tree that is now planted on the Motherhouse grounds, and the reading of the names of Sisters who served at the hospital.

The date was significant because on July 1, 1950, the first patient, Fred Folks, was admitted to the hospital.

The Sisters who attended a recent celebration at Our Lady of Lourdes in New Jersey were each given a small container of soil from the hospital. During the Motherhouse ritual, some of that soil was added to the tree's soil.

Sr. Margaret Magee offered this Blessing of the Soil: Today as we gather to remember and celebrate, we bless these small containers from Lourdes hospital. ... Through the years our sisters nourished the soil, the lives and people of Camden and Southern New Jersey. Their lives, their presence and their ministry brought life, hope, and beauty that is still remembered and celebrated today.

Also, in honor of the Sisters who served at Lourdes, the hospital had a new altar, ambo, and presider’s chair built for the chapel. Names of the Sisters who served are engraved on a plaque.

Several people commented on our Facebook post about the ritual.

Judy Meli wrote, “My life was saved by Dr. Repici, who was Head of Pediatrics at Our Lady of Lourdes in approximately 1954/55.” She went on to say that he saw her and her mother in his office at around 1 a.m., determined she was in critical condition and sent her to the hospital. 

Judy added that she and the doctor’s daughter were friends from kindergarten through grade 12 and were taught by the Franciscan Sisters.

“And that was the best influence on me,” she said. “Thank you all!”

Karen Dalton wrote that she went to Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing and worked at Lourdes for many years, adding that she “received a wonderful education and worked with many wonderful nurses, doctors and other wonderful personnel.”

She said Lourdes holds a very special place in her heart.

Christine Chmielewski graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing in 1978 and worked there as well.

“I received an amazing education,” she wrote.

Christine also asked for the names of the Sisters who are living at the Motherhouse so she could say a prayer for them and carry them in her heart.

You can watch video of the July 1 ritual here:

From the Franciscan Center

We are deeply sorry to inform you of the passing of one of our former staff members, Roxanne Davison Moreno. 

Although Roxanne left the staff many years ago, we will still hear people speak about how great her cooking was. She had a big heart for Franciscan hospitality and was always looking for ways to make our guests feel welcome. Her time as chef and kitchen manager was marked by rave reviews for her culinary magic and her easy-to-follow occasional classes.

Join us in our prayers for Roxanne and her family at this time.

BayCare was part of a multiagency effort to support the U.S. Marshals Service during “Operation Dragon Eye,” the most successful missing child recovery operation in American history.  

BayCare Director of Clinical Operations for Behavioral Health Tracey Kaly joins Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and the U.S. Marshals Service during a press conference for “Operation Dragon Eye

The two-week mission resulted in eight arrests and the recovery of 60 children across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties in Florida who were deemed to be at risk of violence and sexual exploitation.  

“The recovery of 60 critically missing children through Operation Dragon Eye is a powerful testament to what’s possible when federal, state and local agencies unite with committed partners like BayCare. Prideful is an understatement – the impact of this collaboration is deeply meaningful for our most vulnerable children,” said BayCare President and Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Conners. 

Immediately upon rescue, the teens were brought to a secure BayCare facility for evaluation where professionals specifically trained in aiding at-risk youth assessed their individual needs and provided appropriate care.  

You can read more here:

BayCare has distinguished itself as a leader in health care innovation by integrating advanced technology across clinical and operational settings, including the use of robots. 

Now, St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., has a robot to work alongside team members, helping them provide extraordinary care for their patients.

Beaker cruises between the first-floor lab and the higher floors of the ICU, cardiovascular ICU and dialysis, calling elevators and making pickups and deliveries. 

Craig Anderson, BayCare’s vice president of innovation, says he first saw a similar robot at a hotel in Miami and said if it worked that well in a hectic hotel environment, it could work for BayCare, too.

And, the State of Florida has designated BayCare’s St. Joseph’s Hospital as a statutory teaching hospital, in recognition of its expanding investment in graduate medical education.

The Agency for Health Care Administration’s designation encompasses all five BayCare facilities under the St. Joseph’s name.

The formal recognition comes as BayCare has dramatically increased the size of its graduate medical education programs. Nearly 300 residents will train across BayCare this coming academic year, and BayCare is on track to train up to 650 by 2029.

This has been accomplished in part due to the Florida Legislature’s commitment to providing funding support for graduate medical education. BayCare has also expanded its research efforts, doubling the number of clinical trials enrolling patients in recent years. 

The Greater Olean Association of Churches recently held a Peace Prayer Circle in St. Elizabeth Motherhouse.

It opened with a declaration from the Rule and Life of the Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order Regular St. Francis: While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.

The circle included lighting of the Peace Candle, Scripture readings and sharing about moments where peace is present.

Let us continue our prayers for all who have experienced this devastation and great loss, as well as the First Responders, Volunteers and all assisting in the recovery process. 

Margaret Magee OSF

Congregational Minister

Franciscan Sisters of Allegany

On Corporate Responsibility – For Your Information

By Gloria Oehl, OSF

Recently, our Congregation, working with Investor Advocates for Social Justice, has filed shareholder proposals addressing issues of:

1. Weapons sold by General Dynamics to Israel, and the impacts on civilians in the Gaza Strip and elsewhere.
2. Workers’ rights at Wendy’s and
3. Human rights policy assessment at Chevron.

The following is from a recent correspondence from IASJ:

As investors and people of faith, we are called to be stewards not only of finances but also of the Earth and its people. Scripture is a reminder that “to whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). This is a moral invitation to use our collective power, resources, and influences to shape a more just world. 

The very spirit of shareholder advocacy is a natural extension of that call. It urges us to align our financial decisions with our values of equity, dignity, and compassion. When we challenge systems to uphold rights, protect all of creation, and maintain just practices, we are not only advocating as investors, we are also witnessing as believers. 

In a time when justice is under attack, our faith offers a compass and a mandate to speak truth, to act with courage, and to ensure that every investment is a step toward the world we pray for.

The seventh cohort of the Franciscan Institute’s Padua Program started July 9. Participants were on the campus of St. Bonaventure University through July 12 and will meet via Zoom for the remainder of the program.

The Padua Program is a yearlong certificate program of Franciscan mission-based leadership training for lay and religious leaders of Franciscan institutions.

Participants affiliated with the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany are Marlene Gooden, Jamaica, Partner in Mission; Deacon Chris Gooden, Jamaica, Partner in Mission; Marcia Parkins, Jamaica, Partner in Mission; Jeanne Croskery, Jamaica, Partner in Mission.

Also, Tom Andrews, Board Member, St. Anthony Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida; Anthony Koffman, Director of Mission and Ethics, St. Anthony Hospital, St. Petersburg; Kathy Doyle, Associate, Quakertown, Pennsylvania; Mary Laubenthal, Associate, Buffalo, New York; Judy Hruszczyk, Associate, Lutz, Florida; and Alba Luz Mejia Solis, OSF, Allegany Franciscan, Tampa, Florida.

Let's keep everyone involved in the Padua Program in our prayers.

For more information on the Padua Program visit www.sbu.edu/franciscaninstitute.