Here’s this week BSN Headline News.  This week’s stories are Farm Bill, Nurses: Leading, and May Celebrations.

Here’s this week BSN Headline News.  This week’s stories are Personal Health Assessment, Nurses: Advocating, and Energy Star.

Here’s this week BSN Headline News.  This week’s stories are National Nurses Week, ConnectCare, and Practice GreenHealth Awards.

On Friday, April 20th, Sisters, co-workers, and friends celebrated Earth Day at the Spiritual Center in Marriottsville, Maryland. We enjoyed listening to scholar and educator Laura Anderko, RN, PhD, and nurse consultant Brenda Afzal, MS, RN. Dr. Anderko shared her knowledge of epidemiology, public health and environmental health and Ms. Afzal shared how she recently led an initiative to devlop a national environmental health nursing organization. Attendees participated in a thought-provoking question and answer period about climate change and other environmental issues. 

Earth Day Prayer
Maheo, Lord

Whose breath gives life to the world—send your spirit.

Great Spirit,

We look to the Four Winds:

To the East  where Father Sun rises to bring us light for our path.

To the West where he sets giving us darkness to search.

To the South from which Brother Wind sends warmth for Spring and Summer.

To the North from which he sends cold for Fall and Winter.

We send these words to you, hear our prayer, Maheo,

That as we think on light and darkness, and the movement of seasons,

We remember the times we live with and without you in the seasons of life.

Let us love … continue reading…

Here’s this week BSN Headline News.  This week’s stories are Top 25 Minority Executives in Health Care, Cultural Awareness and Earth Day.

Fresh from the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Sr. Kathleen Moroney, CBS shares her background and journey in religious life with us:

“ I was born in Croom, County Limerick, Ireland as the second oldest in my family of four children – three girls and a boy.”

“The highlight of my childhood was our annual summer vacations. Mom, Dad and the four of us toured the beautiful scenic views of Ireland for one month each year.  This was a carefree time when we sang, told jokes, played games, learned about nature and learned about life. Valuable insights and values were given to all of us. I look back on those happy times and I see now that the seed of my vocation in religious life was being sown.”

“ I was educated in Catholic … continue reading…

What a wonderful heritage and legacy we celebrate today -  that on January 24, 1824 twelve women in Paris professed their vows as Sisters of Bon Secours and pledged to be a presence of good help to the sick and dying in their homes; something truly unheard of at that time!  Something risky yet creative.  Something that inspired other women to follow and others to seek their compassion and good help in their times of need.

The same Spirit moves among us today, calling us to a new creativity; to take new risks; to continue to meet the pressing needs of today in our world.

We give thanks for our 12 founding sisters and all those who came before us and on whose shoulders we stand.  We give thanks for all of our sisters, associates, ministry volunteers and co-workers today who generously provide compassion, healing and liberation to people in need.  And we give thanks for all those who will come and join us tomorrow and in future years to be “good help to those in need.”

Blessings and love,

Sr. Rose Marie Jasinski, … continue reading…

For the Sisters of Bon Secours, whom brighten and enrich my life, I am thankful.  For my Mother and my family, I am thankful.  For the women in discernment, I am thankful.  For my coworkers and fellow religious, I am thankful.  For each day that awakens the Earth, I am thankful.  For all living creatures on this planet, I am thankful.  For the fresh, life-sustaining air that we breathe each day, I am thankful.  For the individuality so creatively engineered within each of us by God, I am thankful.  For YOU, I am thankful. 

May you find Peace, Love, and Happiness this Thanksgiving Holiday!

Sister Pat
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Thanksgiving in North America originated from a mix of European and Native traditions. Typically in Europe, festivals were held before and after the harvest cycles to give thanks for a good harvest. Native Americans also celebrated the end of a harvest season. When Europeans first arrived in the Americas, they brought with them their own harvest festival traditions from Europe, celebrating their … continue reading…

MARRIOTTSVILLE, Md.—Sr. Patricia A. Eck, C.B.S., Congregation Leader for the Sisters of Bon Secours of Paris since 2009 and chairperson of Bon Secours Ministries, the sponsor for Bon Secours Health System, will receive the Papal award, Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal on November 20, 2011. This award is the highest honor given to a member of a religious community by the Vatican.

“I am grateful for the recognition of the long-standing presence of the Sisters in the Archdiocese, especially in Baltimore and Marriottsville. This is indeed an honor for us all,” Sr. Eck said.

Instituted by Pope Leo XIII in 1888, the honor is bestowed upon lay people and clergy who have provided distinguished service to the Roman Catholic Church. Sr. Eck will receive the medal at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore.

Sr. Eck entered religious life on Sept. 11, 1966, dedicating her ministry to the care of the sick, particularly … continue reading…

We are happy to have Sr. Bernie Claps here at the Provincial House and Spiritual Center in Marriottsville with us now.  Sr. Bernie began her ministry as Manager of Spiritual Care and Mission at the end of the summer. The Spiritual Center is a direct ministry of the Sisters of Bon Secours and flows out of its charism of compassion, healing and liberation. This charism is further elaborated in the sister’s ministry focus of caring for all of creation and working to eliminate all that diminishes life. 

Sr. Bernie elaborated on her new role at the Spiritual Center in a brief interview:

Could you tell me about your hopes for the center? 

 My hope for the center is that it will become a spiritual home for those who are seeking to deepen their relationship with God  and with all the manifestations of God in the wonder of … continue reading…