Monthly Archives: April 2015

1st Graders Visit Cathedral Campus and HVM Convent

Children from Mrs. Zandra Mitchell’s 1st grade class at Holy Name School, Birmingham, MI visited beautiful Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Detroit on June 24 for a tour of the graceful Gothic style cathedral and grounds.  This is the 1st grade class that raised funds for Little Angels School in Ichama, Nigeria where HVM Sisters Calista and Helen serve as headmistress and teachers.  The Blessed Sacrament Cathedral tour was led by Sr. Rosemarie Abate who guided the children through the Cathedral building, answered their questions, and led them in song and prayer.  The children continued their visit through the Cathedral campus community with a short walk to the nearby Home Visitors of Mary convent on Boston Boulevard, the one-time home of J.L. Hudson.   Greetings and a short visit to the convent chapel were followed by lunch and cookies, art work with crayon and pencils, and an graduation ceremony fit to scale with appropriately pint-sized commemorative certificates.

Blessed Sacrament Cathedral

Blessed Sacrament Cathedral

Lined up at Cathedral back door

Lined up at Cathedral back door

Sr. Rosemarie - tour guiding

Sr. Rosemarie leading the tour

Glass work details

Glass work details

Showing seats used for wedding sacrament

Showing seats used for wedding sacrament

Happy children at baptismal font

Happy children at baptismal font

In the church entryway

In the church entryway

HVM convent home

Now over to the HVM convent home

At the bird feeder.  Sr. Mary Frances' special place!

At the bird feeder. Sr. Mary Frances’ special place!

Wanda the cat.  (NOT at bird feeder.)

Wanda the cat. (NOT at bird feeder!)

Formal convent welcoming ceremony

Formal convent welcoming ceremony

Mrs. Zandra Mitchell and Sr. Rosemarie

Mrs. Zandra Mitchell and Sr. Rosemarie

Questions & answers in chapel

Questions & answers in chapel

Lunch time!  Cookies visible near top of photo

Lunch time! Cookies visible on counter near top of photo

Young lady artists at work

Young lady artists at work

Young men artists at work

Young men artists at work

Formal graduation ceremony

Formal graduation ceremony

A happy tour graduate

A happy tour graduate

 

Easter First Communion in Gwagwalada

1st Communion St. Paul's GwagwaladaTwenty four children from St. Matthew Church in Passo village outside of Gwagwalada, Nigeria, joined with children from St. Paul parish, Gwagwalada, to make their First Communion at mass celebrated at St. Paul on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015.  The children in Passo were taught weekly by HVM Sr. Monica Etokudo and candidate Chioma Nwoye in preparation for their first confession on Holy Saturday and First Communion on Easter Sunday.

More than 50 children total took their First Communion at St. Paul.

1st communion under both species

HVM Sr. Barbara Dakoske joined Srs. Monica and Chioma in Passo village for the final days of preparation for the sacraments.  Another 14 children in Passo were also baptized.

Group photo with Fr. Ralph Asika and instructors

Group photo with Fr. Ralph Asika

 

Boys taught by Chioma

Sr. Barbara with boys taught by Chioma

Girls wear dresses donated by Sr. Barbara's neices

Girls wear dresses donated by Sr. Barbara’s neices

Jessica instructor from Passo with children

Jessica instructor from Passo with children

Okuta Family David and Clare 1st Communicants

Okuta Family. David and Clare 1st Communicants

Youth taught by Sr. Monica at outstation in Passo

Passo youth taught by Sr. Monica

 

Happy ending to LCWR investigation

In a fitting punctuation to the celebration of the Year of Consecrated Life, the investigation of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) was concluded on April 16, 2015, with the issuance of a final report and  joint press release.   The LCWR is a leadership group that represents 80% of nuns in the U.S.

Four LCWR sisters met with Pope Francis later the same day.

 

They released the following statement:

“On April 16, 2015, Sister Marcia, Allen, CSJ; Sister Carol Zinn, SSJ; Sister Joan Marie Steadman, CSC; and Sister Janet Mock, CSJ had a 50-minute meeting with Pope Francis while conducting their annual visit to various Vatican offices. At the conclusion of the meeting, the LCWR officials stated, “We were honored to have this opportunity for such an extensive conversation with Pope Francis that centered on Evangelii gaudium, the pope’s apostolic exhortation that has so deeply impacted our lives as women religious and our mission in the world. Our conversation allowed us to personally thank Pope Francis for providing leadership and a vision that has captivated our hearts and emboldened us as in our own mission and service to the church. We were also deeply heartened by Pope Francis’ expression of appreciation for the witness given by Catholic sisters through our lives and ministry and will bring that message back to our members.”

Press accounts of the conclusion of LCWR investigation can be seen at:

Vatican Announcement 4-16-2015 > click here.

 NPR coverage > click here

National Catholic Reporter coverage > click here

A previous Vatican investigation of U.S. women religious was concluded in December 2014 > click here.