Jesus, you call faith-filled men and women to follow in your footsteps of serving people through a vocation in the Church as brothers, priests, and sisters. We pray that young people may open their hearts to hear your call and to answer with generosity to a vocation to consecrated life as religious. May those who you call be examples of your love and live the Good News to such an extent that they become the Word for others. May the Holy Spirit inspire young people to be Christ for others. Amen.

For information about consecrated life as a sister, contact us at 410-442-3172 or email at: CBSVocations@bshsi.org.
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Create your own video”>http://animoto.com”>video slideshow at animoto.com.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Sister Mary Madgalen Condry, CBS

“Simple Truths We Learn In Life”
by Sister Mary Magdalen Condry, CBS

Truth #10:

Give without expecting recompense.  Give without expecting anything.  You do a good deed to somebody; you don’t expect a person to be forever grateful to you.  They may be extra nice to you at first, but you should not anticipate any sort of return.  Give and move on. ]]> http://bonsecoursvocations.org/blog/simple-truth-10-by-sister-mary-magdalen/feed/ 2 http://bonsecoursvocations.org/blog/congratulations-jubilarians/ http://bonsecoursvocations.org/blog/congratulations-jubilarians/#comments Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:36:05 +0000 dowling http://bonsecoursvocations.org/?p=3474 I would like to send a message of love and congratulations to five of our Sisters who are celebrating their Jubilee this year.  A Jubilee marks the number of years as a Sister.

(Pictured Left to Right)

Congratulations to you all, and thank you for 270 combined years of dedication to the Sisters of Bon Secours’ spirituality and charism: compassion, healing and liberation.

Read more about our Jubilarians:

Sr. Anne Lutz entered the Sisters of Bon Secours on November 21, 1960 from Darby, Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the Bon Secours Hospital School of Nursing, Baltimore and the University of Detroit. Over the past 50 years, she has served in various nursing and administrative capacities in Bon Secours facilities in Baltimore, Maryland and Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She also served in the administration of Archdiocesan facilities in Darby, Pennsylvania.  Presently, Sister Anne is EVP Sponsorship for Bon Secours Health System and the Treasurer of the Sisters of Bon Secours USA. She also serves as the Assistant Treasurer for the Congregation. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Bon Secours Ministries, Bon Secours Inc., Bon Secours Charity, and Roper St. Francis Board.   Sr. Anne is privileged to serve the ministry and celebrate her Golden jubilee as a Sister of Bon Secours. She believes that the way in which Bon Secours continually strives to deliver quality healthcare is invaluable to those who would otherwise receive little help from society and not fully realize there is a God who loves them.

Sr. Kathleen Moroney was born in County Limerick, Ireland in 1933, the second eldest of four children. She was educated by the Holy Faith Sisters and later in high school by the Mercy Sisters. The Bon Secours Sisters were very much a part of her early life. She met them for the first time at the age of eight. We invited the Sisters to our home and each week my mother served hot scones and tea. She was delighted to have them in our home.  They really sowed the seed of Sr. Kathleen’s vocation. She entered in 1950 on the Feast of the Little Flower, to whom she has a great devotion. She graduated from nursing school in 1956 and took final vows in 1958. After serving in nursing for 28 years in Ireland, Sister came to the United States in 1993 to study in Charleston with Sr. Gemma Neville. After returning to Ireland she had a great desire to live in the United States and so, in 1995, she began the process to become a member of the United States Province. In 1996 she became a certified chaplain. She was first missioned to Port Charlotte, Florida and lived with Sr. Marie Lucille Summers. In 2007 she left Port Charlotte and was missioned to Greenville, South Carolina. She continued her chaplaincy for one year at Bon Secours St. Francis East Side. Since retiring she has begun volunteer work three days per week. She also serves as a Eucharistic Minister on Sundays to the patients at East Side. The patients like to know that there is a Sisters’ presence at the hospital. She feels very fulfilled in her  present ministry. She thanks God every day for giving her health and the energy to continue God’s work in her. She will continue on as long as God wants her to in her present ministry.

Sister Nancy Glynn entered the Sisters of Bon Secours on November 21, 1960 from Lawrence, Massachusetts. A physical therapist when she entered, Nancy served in this ministry at various Bon Secours facilities in Methuen, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pa and Baltimore, Maryland. After pursuing studies in theology she was asked to be Director of Formation and then Director of Bon Secours Spiritual Center with a ministry in retreat work and spiritual direction. In 1987 she became Director of Mission Effectiveness at St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond Virginia, a role which allowed her to combine her interest in health care and theology. For the next 12 years she held Mission and community outreach positions at St. Mary’s Hospital, Bon Secours Hospital, Baltimore and Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital. In 1999 Nancy was elected Congregation Leader of the Sisters of Bon Secours and served in this capacity for 10 years at the Bon Secours Motherhouse in Paris, France. She returned to the USA in December 2009 and is presently enjoying a sabbatical year while residing at Marriottsville.

Sister Mary Ellen Wagner grew up in Cambridge, Ohio with her parents, three sisters and a brother. While attending the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Charity and made her profession. She went on to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics Education and her Master’s degree in Education. She became a certified chaplain in 1976. In 1987 Sister Mary Ellen began the process of transfer to the Sisters of Bon Secours, completing it three years later with the renewal of her vows in the Congregation of the Sisters of Bon Secours. She resided in Grosse Pointe, Michigan until recently when she relocated to the Provincial House in Marriottsville, Maryland. During her years in Michigan Sister Mary Ellen served as Director of Spiritual Care at St. John-Bon Secours Nursing Home and Bon Secours Place Assisted Living Facility until her retirement. She was also well known for her retreat work with the elderly. Most recently Sister Mary Ellen was a volunteer, tutoring the students at Hanstein Elementary school. In 2008 she received an award in appreciation for her outstanding service. Sister Mary Ellen is an excellent cook, baker, seamstress and needle pointer. She enjoys quilting and playing cards.

Sister Peggy Mathewson was born in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. I am the oldest of five children, with two brothers and two sisters. My family lived in Woodlyn, Pennsylvania.  After graduation I attended the Camillus School of Practical Nursing, in Darby Pennsylvania, which was run by the Sisters of Bon Secours. Entering the community as a nurse I went on to become a registered nurse serving in various nursing and supervisory capacities, in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Michigan. After extensive hospital experience, I went to the University of Maryland and became a Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner. Since that time I have served in various capacities and indifferent states working in a group practice with other nurse practitioners and physicians, and maintaining my own patient population in an ambulatory as well as hospital based settings. In Detroit, Michigan I developed a geriatric assessment center to evaluate the elderly in their homes and to link the patients and families with community services. I was Director of the sisters’ retirement center at Marriottsville and did consultations for other religious communities regarding the care of elderly religious. In 1998 I came to DePaul Hospital in Norfolk to develop a program for elderly with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. With the closing of that program I joined Long Term Care of Virginia in 2006 in a collaborative practice with physicians and other nurse practitioners. Since entering the Sisters of Bon Secours I wanted to be a nurse and make a difference in the lives of those with whom I came in contact. Serving the sick and dying has been a wonderful life giving experience for me. My prayer daily is that I remain faithful to the call from God to serve the sick, poor and dying. One of my favorite quotes is, “I was sick and you visited me.” I am blessed to have this opportunity to serve the sick and continue to live out the Bon Secours charism.

We began praise and worship and the music was lively and uplifting as we sang praise to God.  We broke down into groups as well to share on some fairly tough questions related to practicing one’s faith and what one hopes for in exploring a vocation.  The sharing was honest and frank as students grappled with personal life experiences.  We ended the day with a beautiful liturgy that would nourish the soul of anyone.  The day was organized by CCM students and Sr. Barbara from the SHCJ. 

Sister Pat Dowling, CBS and Sister Barbara Barker, SHCJ with student from Catholic Campus Ministry of Howard University (Wash DC)

Understanding one’s vocation begins with an open spirit to know God and prayer is the way to understanding.  God’s most basic desire for us is our happiness in life – that is a happiness which leads us to our truest selves.  Perhaps you hunger for something more than how you are presently living your life.  Ask yourself, what do you want to do with your life?   Perhaps you hunger for spirituality and feel passionate about service and making a difference in the world.  Theologian Frederick Buechner says, “A vocation is the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s ddepest needs.”  There is more to life than the materialiasm and success that the world tries to push on us.  Allow yourself to be awakened by a greater vision that God may have for you.  Allow your faith to inform your life.  Perhaps God may even be asking more of you – perhaps, God may be calling you to be his heart and hands in  the world as a Catholic vowed sister in religious life.  The world needs women and men who are filled with a passion for God and a passion to make this a better world.   

Ask God what you can do for him, ask others what you can do for God, it was the few who made the difference.  Imagine it!

For more information about how to become a nun click this link.

In 1963, Pope Paul VI designated Good Shepherd Sunday as World Day of Prayer for Vocations (WDP).  Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows us well and gives His life for us.  We rejoice in the Good

Shepherd who leads us into fullness of life. 

May God give you grace and understanding to know God’s call for you in life.  May God’s presence reveal his deepest wishes for you.  We pray today for those who are discerning their life vocation that they may listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd who guides them.   

Everyone has a vocation.  

A vocation is a call from God to be the person you are meant to be.  Each vocation is sacred and is a way we live out our life.  

We are called to one of three basic vocations in life: 

• Single Life,
• Married Life
• Consecrated or ordained life as a sister, brother or priest

Email me or call me at 877-742-0277 if you need information or to talk about your own vocation.

A Come & See weekend allows individuals to explore their own vocation and religious life without commitment or pressure.  Aside from stories shared by the Sisters about the various aspects of religious life and vocations, there is time for Mass, prayer, reflection, meeting one-on-one with a sister to talk about one’s own journey and needs, as well as time for visiting ministry sites and relaxing.

One participant said, “The sisters really helped me to realize that the most important thing I can do is to relax in my discernment of God’s call and to remain open to what this may be.  I was relieved to learn that discovering God’s dream for me will unfold over time and that there is someone like  Sr. Pat who is a vocation director to guide a discernment  process.” – Chris.

Discovering one’s vocation in life is not always easy or apparent, but inviting God into the equation to look at what I’m called to be (not always to “do”) opens up a whole new world to consider.  Perhaps a Come and See weekend will help you to take one more step on the journey to discovering this.  The important thing is to remain open – and allow God to touch your heart – ask God the question directly:  “God what are you calling me to be?  to do with my life?”

You might be surprised by the outcome!

Call or email Sr. Pat, vocation director for Sisters of Bon Secours for information about the upcoming Come and See weekend, (February 19-21) or one in the future.  Check out the Come & See video at www.bonsecoursvocations.org under multi-media.

410-442-0267 or cbsvocations@bshsi.org