Working on our
Reunion plans has been pure delight, not only because of how wonderful it's
been to become reacquainted, but also because of the outpouring of generosity
I've witnessed. So many of you have
come forward to offer help and do special things that I couldn't have even
imagined... we're going to have an
amazing reunion!
Given the love I've
seen, it was only natural that I thought
of you and your big hearts, when I learned that Sister Cecil Clare Vanderlick
was living in McCullough Hall, the nursing center for the Sisters
of Divine Providence,
and had need of a few personal things to make her retirement comfortable. Can you imagine that this passionate woman
with boundless energy for teaching and nursing would find herself at a point in
life where she would request a few stamps when asked if there were something she
might want? That's how Anita and Mary
David learned of the needs of the Congregation when they visited her last year
in San Antonio.
As you might imagine, Sister CC's
situation is not unique. While she and
other retired members of the Congregation of Divine Providence are well-cared
for, they are not living in the lap of luxury, nor do they wish to be, haven
taken vows of "poverty, simplicity, charity, and abandonment to Divine
Providence" many years ago. But
they do have needs and the Congregation is experiencing an up-hill battle trying
to meet them.
At the forefront of the battle is
another beautiful woman with whom we are all acquainted: Sister Ann Petrus. It is her greatest challenge as the new Superior
General of the Congregation to care for those aging and ill women who dedicated
their lives to us. She and the few
active sisters work tirelessly at their own jobs, teaching, seeing to the
housing needs of poor women, ministering to the spiritual needs of many more, and
then contributing their own hard earned income to care for their retired sisters. There
are 170 nuns in the Congregation today, and nearly forty percent of them are in
assisted living or require nursing care.
It is staggering to consider the personal burden that providing even the
most basic care poses to each working member of the Congregation.
So what can we do? In the long run, we can, as individuals,
donate to the Providence Trust,
a charitable fund "designated
to ensure the future comfort, safety and if necessary, nursing care for Sisters
in their later years." To do this,
simply go online at http://www.cdptexas.org/donatenow2.html and make your donation! It couldn't be easier, and wouldn't this be a
fine charity for regular giving?
In the short term, we're going
to have a load of fun at this reunion, and part of that will be a live auction
for a really wonderful memento being built as we speak... stay tuned for full disclosure
in the next few weeks! We'll also have a
silent auction and I encourage you to participate. We already have the promise of some gorgeous
jewelry made by our own Frances Ward Johanson, some etched wine glasses created
by Joe Hebert's daughter, and music CDs customized by Mike Blank and Mike
Conelley for our class! If there's
something you'd like to donate for the auction, let me know.
And of course, outright cash donations,
large and small, will be gladly accepted on behalf of the Sisters at the
reunion! Don't forget Sister Ann will
be there... we ARE her favorite class!
By the by, you should receive your reunion registration
package in the next two weeks!
Much love to all of you..... Sheila
No comments:
Post a Comment