Recognizing 40 years of Service with Yearlong Festivities

“My friends, let us turn to the Father who has gathered us together in his Son, Jesus, and pray that the Spirit will come upon us and upon this place, so that all who come here will experience the fullness of God’s peace, healing, and strength”

With these words, Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore W. Francis Malooly began the celebration on January 13, 2008 marking the beginning of the 40th Anniversary of Bon Secours Spiritual Center.

More than 180 people were in attendance to experience the bishop’s blessings, Mass, a reception, and a liturgical feast. The day gave all in attendance a chance to thank the Sisters and to reaffirm the commitment to the Center’s ministry as a place for all people to realize healing and wholeness in mind, body, and spirit.

As Sr. Alice reminded the assembly in her welcome: “We invite you all to rejoice with us in the heritage of healing we share and to pray that God will continue to … continue reading…

Planning for a Health System

It all started back in the late 1960′s when the Sisters of Bon Secours realized just how autonomous their health care facilities were and knew that in the ever changing health care environment they needed to strengthen their sense of mission and identity to continue to succeed. In response to this concern, the Provincial Chapter authorized two studies that focused on the Sisters’ mission and how they saw living out this mission in the future. One study was done in 1968 and the other in 1972. It was the recommendations from the 1972 study that began the evolution of Bon Secours into the health system we know today.

Sr. Rita Thomas and Sr. Urban Auer took the initial steps in 1973 by calling together for the first time the CEOs of all Bon Secours facilities. From the historic meeting, the Bon Secours Health Commission was formed in order for CEOs to share plans, problems, and opportunities as well as to consider the possibility of shared services. In the same year, Sr. Justine … continue reading…

To help associates with their spiritual commitment by providing new insight, challenge and inspiration, Bon Secours associates from around the United States recently attended their annual associate retreat in Marriottsville, MD. Held October 3-5, this retreat was a time of renewing friendship, prayer and reflection with fellow associates and Sisters. Led by Michael Fonseca, a compelling speaker who ministers in the Diocese of Gaylord, Mich., the retreat focused on the life of discipleship and how this is expressed in a life committed to the charism of Bon Secours.

Building on the retreat’s theme of “Courage at the Crossroads,” Fonseca’s talks centered on the nature of spiritual courage, perseverance in the face of life’s difficulties, and how Christians can reach beyond anxiety and despair to trust in God’s reliability and constant care. Retreatants were challenged to examine their habitual responses to life’s stresses, to view these through the lens of God’s Revelation as seen in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, and to take a “leap of trust” into deepened spirituality. Fonseca called retreat participants to aim for a … continue reading…

In keeping with the Bon Secours’ mission, Bon Secours volunteers strive to provide “Good Help to Those in Need.” For our volunteers, this is witnessed in the full-time service they devote to a particular ministry.

This year’s volunteers are ministering throughout Baltimore. While their full-time service is quite noticeable to the community, one may need to look more closely to perceive how this service leads to the transformative growth volunteers experience throughout the year.

A year as a Bon Secours volunteer is about much more than the act of full-time service, it is about reflection on one’s service, too. By reflecting on their interactions, conversations, and relationships with others, volunteers undergo tremendous growth. The central question upon which volunteers are asked to reflect is: “How are you recognizing Christ in the people you serve?” Whether they find Christ in a patient, a student, a roommate, or a neighbor, volunteers grow closer to God by meeting Christ in others.

Bon Secours Volunteer Ministry is based on the belief that building relationships with people in need is transformative. While … continue reading…

Sr. Joseph Fintan Barry, born in Cork, Ireland in 1920, the youngest of four recently passed away. As a Sister of Bon Secours, Sr. Joseph went to Glasgow, Scotland to nurse the sick. She dedicated her life to the care of the sick and her name is well known throughout all the diocese of Scotland. She was charming and gifted in the art of persuasion, especially when asking doctors and surgeons to care for the sick. She was deeply spiritual, and like St. Joseph, patron of the dying, she took great care of the dying.

Sr. Anthony Mary Kilroy of Ireland who made her first vows in 1945, ministered to the sick and dying in Belfast. Throughout her life, she prayed for peace in Northern Ireland. No small coincidence, on the day Sr. Anthony died, the IRA de-commissioned their arms.

Sr. Catherine Therese Mulvihill was born in the USA and while still a child her family moved back to Ireland. She entered Bon Secours in 1940 and shortly after making vows moved to England. It was during the Second World War … continue reading…

The Association of Sister, Brother and Priest Physicians (ASBPP), is a support network of over a 100 members worldwide, most of whom are missionaries. They will hold their annual general meeting in 2006 in Ireland. Sister Mary Leamy, CBS, MD (Ireland) will host the gathering during which they will hear presentations on organizational ethics, advances in palliative care, pathology, surgery, medicine and intensive care, in addition to having a Celtic Spirituality day given by Sr. Bina Hogan, RSM that includes a visit to pilgrim sites. Sr. Vicky Segura, CBS, MD (USA) will assist in preparations for the meetings. Recently, ASBPP members elected Sr. Mary Leamy vice president of the association for 2006. The ASBPP provides updates on various medical topics, ethical and theological issues, and spirituality.

Three new projects are in various stages of development in response to our own challenge to collaborate with other to benefit those in need, especially women and children. Glenfields Childcare Center will care for disadvantaged children in Cork to allow their mothers to train, study or work. The center will also have meeting space for local elderly. The Irish sisters will also collaborate with Bernados to develop a center for children while their parents receive programs on parenting, home management and social skills. The third project, Cope Housing Project involves developing residential housing for mentally challenged adults who may also have physical disabilities.

The Sisters in Peru have begun two new missions to serve those in need. The first is in Los Ranchos, six hours from Piura in the north. The focus of the Peruvian Sisters is evangelization and the promotion of women’s rights. Los Ranchos receives electricity and water only a few hours daily. The town is comprised of 27 small villages that are accessible by horseback or walking. Macote is the second mission, which is 2600 meters above sea level in the Andean Mountains. The Sisters will be serving the people through evangelization. They will live in a parish with no priest.

Our Peruvian Sisters are pleased to share with us that Sr. Mariselda Garcia Chumacero and Sr. Janet Cordova Alberca have made final vows.

Visit from the USA

Recently, Sr. Rita Thomas, at the invitation of Sr. Nancy, Congregational Leader, spent three months in Peru sharing her expertise and years of experience as a health care administrator with the Peruvian sisters to help in the preparations for the opening of the new Madre de Cristo Health Center in Esperanza, Peru, just … continue reading…

Sisters of Bon Secours Heed the Call To Give Good Help To Those In Need

Following research by the Diocese of Tzaneen, which has bee nrun by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart for many years, four Sisters of Bon Secours – Srs. Mary Leamy, Martina Mulcahy, Nora Erlinda Jiminez Cruz, and Rosa Gomez – came to live in Louis Trichardt or Makhado in early June 2008. This is the third largest town in Limpopo, South Africa’s northern province.

The Sisters’ objectives for their mission are:

To get to know the people of the area assigned to us
To learn about the reality of the communities visited
To identify the sick, the orphans and the families in need
To communicate God’s love through our charism of Compassion, Healing and Liberation

After meetings with the parish priest, some of the Sisters joined the parish-home-based carer team. Monday to Thursday, Srs. Nora and Rosa go with a carer to visit poor and sick people in the 12 outlying townships around Louis Trichardt, and on Fridays, they evaluate their visits. They bring … continue reading…

On September 11th the Provincial House & Spiritual Center staff and guests gathered with Health System co-workers to remember the events of September 11, 2001. We prayed for those who died that day, their families, and all those in harms way. We also prayed for First Responders and for those who work for peace, with these words:

God of perfect peace, Create in us a pure heart so that we may bear witness to your presence in the face of our enemy. In the midst of pain and suffering, let your Spirit show us the way to justice and forgiveness.

Later that day we joined with local firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians for a cookout recognizing the important work of these First Responders.

While the day was a serious one, we did enjoy the celebration of the Good Help these men and women are to our community.

-Andrea Springer, Provincial House