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…

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…

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.

Recently, Sister Pat Eck (Congregation Leader) and Sister Rose Marie Jasinski (Country Leader) traveled to Lima, Peru for a Cultural Welcome Program. 

Says Sr. Rose:
My time in Peru was very busy but also very blessed.  We had the opportunity to visit many of the ministry sites of the sisters there and were warmly greeted by all.  The children were especially excited to see us and offered gifts, flowers, and entertainment of song & dance. 

A Message from Sister Rose Marie Jasinski, Bon Secours US Country Leader :
Dear Friends,

I am honored to have been chosen as the leader for the United States and to be a part of the congregation team.  I spent my first several months preparing for our assembly in March, where we put the team together and watched our new governance model truly come alive.  The sisters at this assembly had the opportunity to talk together and determine among themselves the size of the team and if the team should be elected or appointed by the leader from a list of names the sisters nominated.  After a true discernment process, it was decided that… CLICK HERE to read more.

Join with others across the USA on July 30 to pray for the gulf oil spill, for the devastated fragile ecosystems, and for a complete response from officials.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”  1 John 4:7

Creator God, we join together with people from across the USA to pray for the Gulf oil spill crisis and its impacts on the people, the water, the land, the fish, and all creation.  Together we cry out with those affected by this unprecedented disaster and we pray for complete resolution that will meet the urgent needs of people in the Gulf region.

Inspire and guide all people who labor tirelessly to contain the oil that has affected lives across the region and beyond.  Give us the means to help the people whose livelihoods are suffering, and give your … continue reading…

It is hard to believe that Sr. Anne Marie Mack has any time left at all to work with such meaningful projects, but alas, God provides the strength, endurance, and passion to provide good help to those in need!  Thank you, Sr. Anne Marie, for your dedication, and for allowing God’s work to flow through you to his people.

More on Sr. Anne Marie:

Sr. Anne Marie talks about her life as a Sister
Honored at the Bon Secours College of Nursing
Speaking out against Human Trafficking
In community with Sr. Vicky

Catholic Health World

July 1, 2010
Volume 26, Number 12

It takes vision to realize when good is not good enough.

Sr. Rita Thomas, CBS, had the vision to help transform a regional health system into a leader in cutting-edge care. Throughout her career, she’s fought for justice and discovered creative ways to reach the needy in her community of Portsmouth, Va., and its environs.

As a newly minted director of nursing, she was involved in making sure St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, Va., would not be segregated as originally planned when it opened in 1964. And today, well into her 80s and enjoying an active retirement, she works for the less fortunate and serves on numerous nonprofit boards. A few years ago, she traveled to Peru to assist the Peruvian Sisters of Bon Secours with new programs in their health clinic.

Richard J. Statuto, president and … continue reading…

At the recent graduation of Bon Secours Memorial School of Nursing in Richmond, Sr. Pat Eck and Sr. Anne Marie Mack were honored to be named the first Professors Emeritus of the NEW Bon Secours College of Nursing.  The college will begin accepting applications for the upcoming fall semester.

Read more about Sr. Anne Marie Mack, CBS:
A Sisters Life
Sr. Anne Marie fights against Human Trafficking

Read more about Sr. Pat Eck, CBS:
Ministry in Peru
Press Release: Sr. Pat Eck Elected Congregation Leader
Bon Secours Health System – Chair of the Board
The Gift of Music
“The Emerging Role of Ethics”

Affirming the Spirit of the Sponsoring Congregations
Published: Sisters Academy of Baltimore Newsletter – Volume 7, Issue 1

Our students are reminded every day of the four groups of Catholic sisters who founded and continue to sponsor Sisters Academy of Baltimore. First, the girls interact with sisters who work at the school. The Academy’s president, principal, eighth grade homeroom and lead math teacher, eighth grade art teacher, and librarian are sisters from two of the four congregations of religious women.

On the walls throughout the building, students see symbols of the sisters, including a picture of the foundress of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, a statue of the foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, a Mercy cross that stands for the Sisters of Mercy, and a sculpture of potter’s hands working … continue reading…