- June 2, 2020
Sister Mary Flick
I often tell myself and my friends that these times are calling me to live in the moment. This is not easy for someone who enjoys living by the calendar she carries with her everywhere.
The experts call this the “novel coronavirus” because it’s new to everyone. We don’t know when the threat of infection will end, nor do we know when, if ever, life will return to normal. ...
... I try not to think about the future. When I catch myself doing so, I find myself feeling frustrated and powerless. And when I think about all I’ve missed these past months, I feel a void, a loss.
So I need to stay here today. This is all I have. And here, I am healthy and blessed.
Sister Ida Berresheim
An exercise program began at the motherhouse as the brain child of Sister Sandy Schmid, who sent an invitation to the residents asking if they were interested in participating.
The program materialized almost immediately as participants learned chair exercises for older people and the initial movements of Tai Chi.
Six to eight sisters now assemble daily Monday through Saturday. Chairs are set up far apart in St. Joseph’s Hall. The separation helps keep the mandated social distancing asked of us by those helping all of us to keep our distance from one another because of possible contagion. ...
... And so it is that our exercise together has made for another day very well begun.
Associate Dorothy Dempsey
The journey we are all on now was not foreseen by anyone. How do we cope in this world of false news, distrust and
fear? ...
... You hear of people dying every day and no cure in sight. Yet we are blessed beyond measure for the people who have been ordained by God to be soldiers on His battlefield. Doctors, nurses, bus drivers, kitchen helpers, laundry workers—all essential workers for a world crisis. ...
... Covid-19 is a legacy of fear, hurt, death and compassion. It will never be forgotten as we continue our journey through life. We must continue to walk renewed in faith and know that God is ever present at our sides a shining light in the darkest of hours, He will never forsake us.
Sister Ruth Burkhart
At Nazareth Living Center, the pandemic gets more real by the day. ...
... We are quarantined in our respective buildings, required to remain on our floor, and wear a mask when we leave our apartments. Meals are delivered to our rooms. Mass is viewed over closed-circuit TV, without distribution of Holy Communion. We are limited to a small area outside for fresh air. ...
... Reading and games are always relaxing. I do not feel bored and cannot allow myself to dwell on all the possibilities ahead.
I am very grateful for the many people who are risking their lives to help the rest of us. ...
... One thing is sure: God is with me/us every moment, sharing my/our hopes and fears.
Sister Jean de Blois, CSJ
The biggest ethical challenge of the coronavirus is for us as individuals to understand that making decisions doesn't affect just me. ...
... The Catholic tradition begins with and sustains its commitment to the dignity of every human person ... to the social issues that threaten the common good across the board.
The common good is the sum of those social resources necessary for people to flourish: education and health care, adequate housing, fair pay for work.
But none of that's going to happen unless we become much more vocal as citizens and choose elected officials who want to serve the common good, not just my political self interest.
Richard Kranes-Rutz
Director of Mission Advancement
In these days of working from home and adjusting to a “new normal," I brought home a Joseph on the Journey statue that normally resides in my office as a reminder to keep our patron in mind.
As I see the statue everyday, I am constantly reminded that, just like Joseph on his journey, it was Joseph's faith in God’s plan that saw him through.
Being like Joseph is exactly the example we need to follow during this difficult and uncertain time.
While we may not know what lies ahead, we must have faith in God’s plan to see us through. Now is a time unlike any other when we must all work together and do our part to eliminate this virus.
Only together, on this journey, will we make it through, because, together, we truly are more.