Let me tell you a little story.  Last week, my assistant Sunshine came into work in the rain.  Her hair was already soaked through from showering.  Only seconds after opening her office door, she was met by Sister Mary Cabrini Bonnett, arms loaded with a towel, a sweatshirt and scrubs.  Here is how Sunshine described it:
As I sat down, Sr. Cabrini came over and asked if I was cold.  I assured her that I wasn’t and tried to explain that my hair was mostly wet from my shower, not from the rain.  She was so insistent, and I was hesitant, not even knowing why.  Finally, Sr. Cabrini reminded me that I had a family to tend to and could not afford to get sick, then she convinced me that there was a draft.  I obediently leaned over to her while she gently wrapped the towel around my head and shoulders.  She … continue reading…

Please enjoy this blog entry from Sisters Bernie and Chris, as they continue on their journeys to becoming a Sister of Bon Secours.
We had a tour of the Mother House led by Sr. Yvonne Moreau today.  It was like going back in time walking in the footsteps of the sisters who came before us. 

The creaking of the floorboards brought into existence the realities of the strong and courageous women who took care of the poor, sick and dying.  The walls and the furniture made the past real today. 

The Bon Secours Chapel was the highlight of this two-hour tour.  It was more exquisite and breathtaking than pictures or imagination portray. 

We also had the opportunity to hear the vocation stories of the Peruvian, Irish, and English sisters and shared our stories. 

The fascinating thing we found was that while the stories took place in different places, different … continue reading…

Robert Morneau is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church currently serving as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay in Wisconsin.  Bishop Morneau upon reading Parker Palmer’s well-known book, Let your Life SPEAK, Listening for the Voice of Vocation, began to reflect on the meaning of vocation and writes that it is something that involves listening, peace upon recognition, taking a path, love, self-giving and our lives reflecting what our true calling is.  

How do I know who I’m supposed to be”   “How can I be happy?” “How can I find God?” “How do I make good decisions?”  These are good questions to ask when exploring what vocation you are called to.  I’d encourage you to read Parker J. Palmer’s book, Let your Life SPEAK which invites us to listen to that inner teacher and following its lead to “being alive” as Joseph Campbell, a religious scholar writes in a poem.
People say that what we are all seeking is a meaning for life.
I don’t think that is … continue reading…

Eight temporary professed sisters are gathering at the Mother House of the Congregation of Sisters of Bon Secours in Paris, from August 9th through August 23rdas part of their preparation to become permanently vowed Sisters of Bon Secours.

This is the first international gathering of temporarily professed sisters for Bon Secours.   Countries represented at the program include France, Ireland, Scotland, England, the United States and Peru.

They will be joined by Sisters Pat Eck, the congregational leader of the Sisters of Bon Secours, Nancy Glynn and Yvonne Moreau who will give presentations along with the formation directors and vocation directors of the countries they represent.  Several other sisters from the congregation will be serving as translators.

It will be an opportunity for those in formation to strengthen their sense of Congregational unity across borders; to grow in their individual knowledge of the cultures of other countries represented in the Congregation; to appreciate their rich Bon Secours heritage handed on to generations of Sisters of Bon Secours by the  founding sisters; to foster leadership for the future of religious life; and to increase awareness of … continue reading…

As published on June 4, 2010 in The Weekly Insider, Volume 5, Issue 22 in the Sisters Corner column.

A Commitment to Healing

Flying across time zones, Sister Patricia Eck, C.B.S. saw first hand the devastation left by a Tsunami that left over 250,000 dead in 2004. Representing Bon Secours Health System as part of a delegation from Catholic Relief Services, Sr. Pat Eck as chair of the BSHSI board stood on the expansive flatlands of Banda Aceh in 2005 and realized that no one could have survived the violence of the tsunami that struck Indonesia.

The purpose of the trip was to see first hand how donations helped in recovery and as a witness to tell the story of how CRS relief efforts are doing wonderful works. Three years later in January 2010, Sr. Pat, as Chair of Bon Secours Ministries and as Congregation Leader for the Sisters of Bon Secours stood in the desert heat of Trujillo, Peru as part of a delegation from BSHSI to support the formal launch of a collaborative Infant Mortality Project to … continue reading…

One of our co-workers here at the Provincial House, Sherry Nelson, is fortunate enough to live in an area that has a high concentration of wild animals.  Each spring/summer, she ends up tending to the critters.  Here are some of the wonderful little surprises she has had this year.

Click on a photo below to enter the photo gallery.

Healing the wounds of the earth and its people does not require saintliness …only gumption and persistence.                   

                                          -Van Jones, The Green Collar Economy

Sisters of Bon Secours Country Leader elected for the United States

There is a great deal of excitement at the Sisters of Bon Secours headquarters in Marriottsville, Md as Sister Rose Marie Jasinski assumes her new role as Country Leader.  Sister Rose Marie takes up the mantle of this elected position, well prepared for the tasks ahead of her.  She previously chaired the Sisters’ Congregation Governance Planning Committee and helped to develop the new … continue reading…

When Mariska Hargitay, Costar of the TV series “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” was asked about positive influences in her life, she responded with this comment on the sister from her high school who encouraged her to reach her full potential:
“If there’s such thing as cheering silently, that’s what I felt Sister Margaret always did for me.  I saw it in her eyes, and it meant the world to me.  Of course she encouraged me out loud as well, but knowing that someone was holding hope and faith for me inside herself made an enormous difference in my life.  I hope I have the opportunity to pass along that gift.”
When not filming episodes of Law and Order, or spending time with her family, Mariska is now also the founder and president of the Joyful Heart Foundation whose mission is “to heal, educate, and empower survivors of … continue reading…

They say the opposite of war is not love…it is PEACE.  And I have to say that this video, actually it is a trailer for an independent film, certainly brings light to how strongly we should be waging a campaign for Peace.  What do you think?

Here is an excerpt from the Global Zero website:
The film is a fascinating and frightening exploration of the dangers of nuclear weapons, exposing a variety of present day threats and featuring insights from a host of international experts and world leaders who advocate the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

Countdown to Zero is a chilling wake-up call about the urgency of the nuclear threat. It tells the striking story of uncertainty, exposing the real possibility of nuclear disaster and revealing the truth behind an issue on which human survival itself hangs.