Sisters of Providence Newsnotes

Sister Carolyn Kessler featured

Sister Carolyn Kessler was featured in the recently published Who’s Who’s “Top 101 Industry Experts: Insights and Ideas to Inspire You” for her work in language education. Sister Carolyn is a professor emeritus in the bicultural bilingual studies department at the University of Texas in San Antonio, Texas. She was recognized for excellence in teaching and innovation in the areas of English as a Second Language education, second language acquisition and bilingualism.

Providence Associate sculptor

Providence Associate Teresa Clark recently finished a bronze sculpture dedicated to the Indiana state song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away” and its composer Paul Dresser. The sculpture resides next to Dresser’s boyhood home at the entrance to Fairbanks Park in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Sister Barbara Sheehan recognized

In October, Sister Barbara Sheehan received the Distinguished Service Award of the North Central Region Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE).
Sister Barbara serves as Executive Director and ACPE Supervisor of the Urban CPE Consortium.
“In this ministry, I am an experiential theological educator of persons of all faith/spiritual traditions journeying with them in reflecting on their actions, attitudes, assumptions, gifts, development needs in caring among the marginalized and oppressed,” Sister Barbara said.”

22 new Providence Associates

This fall, 22 women and men made first commitments as Providence Associates of the Sisters of Providence. Those making commitments Nov. 8 are, above from front left: Jennifer Calvert, Donna Snelling, Traci Tucker, Marcy Meldahl, Jean Smith, Helen Flavin with Director of Providence Associates Sister Diane Mason. Second row from left: Amy Miranda, Tracy Biggs-Green, Marilyn Rausch. Third row from left: Charles Fisher, Jane Fischer, Suzie Ray, Terry Urban, Duane Drake and Marsha Bialaszewski. Back row from left: Assistant Director of Associates Debbie Dillow, Tara Lane, Lorraine Scheidler, Rev. Rebecca Zelensky, Sarah Wilson, Susan McDowell and General Officer for the Sisters of Providence Sister Dawn Tomaszewski. Not pictured: DeAnna Havel and Diana Garza.

Celebrating 40 years

8th Day Center for Justice in Chicago, a coalition of Catholic religious congregations (including the Sisters of Providence), celebrated 40 years of working toward justice. Sister Kathleen Desautels has ministered at 8th Day Center for 29 years. At left, attending the 40th anniversary event in September are, from left, Sisters Barbara Sheehan, Arlene Knarzer, Carol Meyers, Jenny Howard, Barbara Battista and Beth Wright.

Phonathon: we will be calling!

Through February and early March, Sisters of Providence, Providence Associates, volunteers and staff members will be calling previous donors who have not yet given a gift this fiscal year (or since Sept. 1, 2014.)
Phonathon continues to be one of the most effective and least costly ways for the Sisters of Providence to raise money for their mission, ministries and daily life. Last year, our callers dialed nearly 4,500 numbers across the United States, speaking to 2,875 donors.
Phonathon also allows sisters the important opportunity to connect with our benefactors in conversation and prayer. Year after year, our donors tell us of their love and good memories of the Sisters of Providence. These calls are inspiring — hopefully on both ends of the line!

We will be making calls during Feb. 15-17, Feb. 22-24 and March 1-3. If you would like to make a donation before Phonathon, please do so at donate.sistersofprovidence.org. Calls are made only to people who have not yet given for the year.

If you would rather not be called, please contact us at 812-535-2800 and we will remove your name from our call list.

New icon

Former U.S. Representative Ed Pease commissioned artist JK (Jan) Lamkin in Taos, New Mexico, to write an icon of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin to commemorate the opening of the 175th anniversary year of the Congregation’s founding. The image, held by Sister Ann Casper at right, is already a favorite of some staff members and sisters.

(Originally published in the Winter 2015 issue of HOPE magazine.)