Sisters of Bon Secours » Publications

Between Heaven and Mirth by James Martin, SJ

dowling — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:17:34 +0000

Fr. Martin, SJ, author of “Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life” writes that God wants us to be happy and that we are called to be joy-filled. Life can be serious for all us but without a sense of humor to see the absurdities in life, we are doomed to live mundane lives.

Fr. Martin writes that Jesus had a great sense of humor. We see his playfulness and humor in the Scriptures through stories such as the parables. The analogies he tells the disciples, the crowds, and others are pretty amazing. Picture a camel squeezing through the eye of a needle…. Now really, who would ever think of such an analogy? You have to chuckle … can’t you see this long necked creature morphing into a weird thin, rubbery figure like Roger Rabbit.

I went to Fr. Martin’s talk on humor and joy this past Autumn at St. Ignatius parish in downtown Baltimore. His talk was a preview of the book. He used humor to address some of today’s challenges. Yes there were lots of jokes and most of them were about Catholics. So, take a departure from the norm and pick up a copy of his book. This is a video of Fr. Martin previewing his book. Enjoy!



FOCUS Publication: Spring 2011 Issue
dowling — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:28:54 +0000
Click here to read the entire newsletter 
In this issue:
A Message from the Leader
International Committees
Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
Sr. Anne Lutz’s Career in Health Care
Sr. Fran Gorsuch Serves Those in Need in New York
Bon Secours Sisters in Peru: A Commitment to Education
Living out the Mission Focus
Reflections on a Year in Service
Bon Secours Ministry Grant Fund
Congratulations to Sisters Katherine Ann Durney, Mary Regina Flatley and Alice Talone
The VIII Team
Come & See Weekend Dates
2010 Prayer Book
A Special Place of Renewal
Sisters of Bon Secours Book Club
Sr. Jean Aulenback, Our Resident Stargazer
Sunshine Monk, Ed Gerardo, Howard Wilen and Jacqueline Edwards Share Their Experiences
Warm Wishes of Welcome and Congratulations
In Memoriam: Celebrating the Life of Sr. Rose O’Brien



St. Francis “Sustainability” Earns National Environmental Award
dowling — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:28:25 +0000
Congratulations to the Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, in Greenville, South Carolina.
Read the Press Release
Every Day is Earth Day at St. Francis:





Focus Publication: Fall 2010 Issue
dowling — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:57:04 +0000
Click here to read the entire newsletter
A Message from Sister Rose Marie Jasinski, Bon Secours US Country Leader :
Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe that my first year as Country Leader is almost over.  It has been a wonderful, exciting and challenging year, and I very much appreciate the opportunity I have had to meet, work and pray with so many exceptional people.
As our new model of governance has emerged, the Congregation Team members have continued to get to know each other better and develop a deeper sense of care and concern for the well-being of the entire Congregation, not just their own individual county.  Also, one of the goals of the new governance model is to encourage decision making at the community level when appropriate.  This will allow all of the sisters to be involved in decisions affecting their own lives and ministries, while also being challenged to keep in mind the good of the whole.
As the Country Leader for the United States, I believe that the sisters are energized around this new model of governance and especially around the Mission Focus Statement that was adopted at the 2009 General Chapter.  Read More…



Japan Update from OCHA
dowling — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:23:23 +0000
The United States Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has published a report with an summary of events and an update on the disaster experienced by peoples in Japan and the surrounding areas last week.  
Click Here to read the OCHA Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Situation Report from March 18, 2011.
Please continue to pray that they find people alive and that aid is available in a timely manner. 
Pray for those merely surviving, and for those struggling to survive.  Pray for the orphans and the childless parents. 
Pray for the safety of rescue crews and first aid specialists. 
Pray for a successful sanitation project to renew living conditions. 
Pray for clean water and food for those suffering and hungry. 
Pray for love and peace between the peoples. 
Most of all, pray for God’s guidance through the storm, His peace during calamity, His comfort in the midst of sorrow, and His strength in the face of weakness.



In Loving Memory of Sr. Rose O’Brien (1915 – 2010)
dowling — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:09:46 +0000
As published in The Weekly Insider Volume 5, Issue 49, page 8.

Sr. Rose O’Brien, C.B.S., Sister of Bon Secours, Dies at Age 95

Sr. Rose O’Brien, C.B.S., a Sister of Bon Secours, died on Dec. 9, 2010, in Marriottsville, Md., on Marian Hall, the home of Bon Secours’ retired sisters. Born Margaret O’Brien on March 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, she entered the Congregation of Bon Secours in 1932 and made her first profession in 1935.
She made her final vows on May 24, 1941. Sr. Rose became acquainted with the Sisters of Bon Secours while volunteering at the then St. Edmond’s Home for Crippled Children in Pennsylvania. Coming to Bon Secours was providential for Sr. Rose. “I felt that I had a vocation, but did not want to be a teaching or cloistered nun,” she recalled. “At St. Edmond’s, I was drawn to help the little ones in need and that was what our lives were about…going where there was a need.”
Sr. Rose followed that path throughout her 78 years as a Sister of Bon Secours. She was a student nurse at Bon Secours Hospital in Baltimore from 1934–37, and upon graduating in 1937 from the Bon Secours School of Nursing, she served at the school as an instructor in pediatric nursing until 1942. From 1942–1963, she worked at Bon Secours Hospital in Baltimore as a medical technologist in the clinical laboratory and taught microbiology. In 1963, Sr. Rose moved to Massachusetts and served at Bon Secours Hospital in Methuen as a clinical laboratory medical technician. From 1965–1991, Sr. Rose served in Richmond, Va. She taught at the School of Medical Technology and worked at St. Mary’s Hospital as a medical technician and then became chief medical technologist as well as certified in blood bank technology. Sr. Rose remained in Richmond until 2005 when she retired to Marian Hall in Marriottsville.
A viewing was held on Monday, Dec. 13, from 1–5 p.m. in the Sisters of Bon Secours Chapel at 1525 Marrottsville Road in Marriottsville, Md., and a Mass of Christian Burial was held at 5 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Retired Sisters Fund.
Sr. Rose is survived by her community and a brother, Father Joseph O’Brien of Philadelphia; a niece, Jane Mooney, and her husband, Patrick, and family of Ocean City, Md.; and several dear friends in Richmond.





Focus Publication: Spring 2010 Issue
monk — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 19:14:10 +0000

Focus Publication - Spring 2010 Issue - Sisters of Bon Secours
Click here to download the entire newsletter

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.



Sr. Rita Gets a Lifetime!
dowling — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:11:01 +0000
Click the picture to read the full article.
Sr. Rita Thomas has done it again!  Or rather, she has never stopped doing it.  What, you may ask?  Sr. Rita has never stopped providing good help to those in need.  As a Sister of Bon Secours, good help is just “who” she is!  And now, the Catholic Health Association of the United States has acknowledged her work, and awarded her with their Lifetime Achievement Award.  The award recognizes Sr. Rita’s dedication to strengthening ministries of the Sisters of Bon Secours as well as the Bon Secours Health System.  CLICK HERE to read the full article.



Healing the Wounds in Haiti
dowling — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:34:06 +0000
Click the picture to read the full article.
God’s reach is limitless.  A young lady named Ann-Marie studied nursing with the Sisters of Bon Secours in Ireland.  She later moves to South Bend, TX and ultimately ends up serving those in need in Haiti.  CLICK HERE to read her story.



Bon Secours Virginia helps food pantry to recover
monk — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:15:16 +0000
Click the picture to read the full article.
Read this wonderful article published in Catholic Health World about Sr. Kaye (Katherine Anne) and a local Virginia food pantry that had to close its doors after Hurricane Ida.
CLICK HERE to read the full article.