Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters SSpS Mission

Called by the Spirit ~ Embracing the World

Article on page 2

2012

The Life Learning Center

Students and teachers enjoy the final exam in cooking class—the taste test!

ALSO IN

THIS

ISSUE:

Our

Mission in

Russia

Holy Spirit

Missionary

Associa-

tion

News

Notes

SSpS Mission Magazine Page 2

TTT hehehe Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters in the USA-West Indies Province have taken a

corporate stance on immigration. In part it reads:

“We, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, strive in collaboration with dedicated laity

and clergy, to live and proclaim the Gospel of God’s love, justice and peace by reverencing the

dignity of each person and creating a spirit of hospitality. With the strength of the Holy Spirit, we

stand in solidarity with immigrants, refugees and displaced persons of diverse cultures and

traditions and minister as well as journey together with them.”

During this time when anti-immigrant sentiments, misinformation and hatred are finding a way in-

to laws, policies and ways of dealings with immigrants, we Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters believe

it is especially urgent that we stand with immigrants and with those who share our passion for

justice. Therefore, we commit ourselves to pray for immigrants, to become aware of immigrants’

situations, educate ourselves and others on immigration issues, develop relationships that are built

on respect, advocate, act and serve with and for immigrants.

To this end, we have taken concrete action

in our Rogers Park community by opening

the Life Learning Center to help immigrant

women and children in the area to learn

sustainable living skills. The Center

officially opened in January, and since

then, we have received several gifts.

First of all, we were happy to receive a

grant from the Hilton Foundation allowing

us to purchase much needed furniture and

supplies. The second good gift was the

arrival of Katrin Weiss, a volunteer from

Germany, who lives and works with us

through the MaZ program. Consequently,

with such good resources, we were able to

buy four new computers and to implement

a ten-day computer class in August to help students develop basic computer skills. For most of our

students, it was the first opportunity to become familiar with this kind of technology. They made

good progress, and were very enthusiastic. It was like opening a window through which they could

see a different world. The attendance averaged 15 students per day. Some would like to keep

practicing and learning; therefore, we will continue offering a computer class once a week this fall.

Katrin with a child learning through play

SSpS Mission Magazine Page 3

We also restarted the English classes

which will last for ten weeks. Forty

students are attending this program.

In addition, there are some students

on a waiting list. We are grateful to

have very good volunteers who have

committed to lend a hand in our

ministry, including Sr. Mary

Melady, OSB, Kathy Meyer, Marie

Drozdzick, Sr. Lauren Lapinsky

(Felician Sister) and Elizabeth

Tapia. Very soon, Sr. Pat Snider

will join us once a week. Sr. Monica

Mabel Balbuena will continue to

offer sewing and bible classes.

Our Life Learning Center continues to

grow, and we are happy to have such a good

outreach in the neighborhood. We know that our ministry can just cover a very small percentage

of the needs in the area; however, we keep searching for new ways to make it a real support

center for the women and children. Thus, we have started a plan to set up a program against

Domestic Violence.

We are still in the very beginning, which means we are doing the appropriate research, visiting

the agencies that exist in Rogers Park in order to discover our own way to do it here, and reach-

ing out to the program of the diocese. Once we have collected all the necessary data, we will be

able to move into a new phase, and so, progress toward our goals.

Sr. Angelica Oyarzo Chavol

Sr. Angelica with students at the computer

Sr. Monica with a student learning to sew

Sr. Mary with ESL (English as a second language) students

SSpS Mission Magazine Page 4

O ur SSpS outreach to Russia began in 1991. The first mission was in Moscow and was part

of our Province of Slovakia. At present we have four missions and ten Sisters (four from

Indonesia, three from Poland, two from Slovakia and one from India) in Russia. The

eleventh Sister will arrive soon. The missions stretch from Tambov, south of Moscow and

near the border of Russia with Ukraine, to Irkutsk in eastern Siberia (near Lake Baikal north of the

border with Mongolia). Kemerovo and Abakan are in south central Russia/Siberia, closer to Irkutsk

than to Tambov.

Our Sisters’ mission in Russia/Siberia is first and foremost to be a living witness of Christian faith and

community. We work primarily with children who are often poorly parented since their parents are

either not present or are working full time. Catechetical ministry is part of each Sister’s daily life:

children, youth, adults, catechist formation and sacramental preparation.

Although based in the cities named, they travel to six to ten outstations. In some places, because of

distances, they stay overnight in the homes of the people. In the villages their ministry includes

visiting families, comforting the sick and lonely, and celebrating the Eucharist service. Truly their

work is manifold and demanding. In addition to their work with known Catholics, the Sisters also

build community among those of any faith. They seek to develop good relationships with leaders in

the Russian Orthodox Church as, for many years, the relationship between the Roman Catholic and

Russian Orthodox Churches has been strained.

During the 50 or so years of communist domination, the country moved from a religious Christian

atmosphere to an atmosphere of atheism with no public expression of religion. Church buildings were

destroyed or remodeled into museums and/or theaters. The result of this is experienced today as the

faith of the people is deeply buried in their hearts and gathering for worship is not a common practice.

Seemingly, the Russian Orthodox Church is favored by the current government over Catholic Latin or

Greek rites that are in union with Rome. (Today Russia is a little over 15% Christian; the remainder

are Muslim, Buddhist, other, and atheist.)

There are also many effects felt today from Russia’s history in connection with Europe, Japan, China,

and the indigenous peoples. This history includes wars of conquest and defeat, deportations of mass

numbers of peoples, death camps and more, that have left scars in the hearts of the people. Yet the

people hold to a deep belief in Something, shone in their hardworking spirit and their friendliness.

As I traveled from one mission to the other, I experienced the people as warm and helpful. They are

strong and independent, a natural as they live in an area of the world where winters are harsh. I had

the good fortune of being there at the end of their summer. The days were warm and inviting, usually

with much sunshine. Nights were pleasantly cool. As I was sharing these thoughts with a young man

in Kemerovo, his response was: “Oh, come in winter and see what Russia is REALLY like.”

By Sr. Judith Vallimont

SSpS Mission Magazine Page 5

Sr. Pat and happy couple!

Inside the Russian Orthodox Church, Kemerovo

Our Sisters in Russia with Bishop Cyryl Klimowicz of the Diocese of Irkutsk

Srs. Marcela, Mariani, Agata, Bohdana, Danuta, Judith (General Councilor), Natalia, Tressa, Jose, Eusebia, and Juliana

At the Children’s TB Convalescent Center in Irkutsk where our

Sisters do pastoral ministry.

SSpS Mission Magazine Page 6

Sr. Sara

The school today.

Global economy!

Global warming! Global travel!

In this time of everything global, we could look at the

needs of global missionaries. That would include all of

us. Today we need everybody’s help in our outreach to

the needs of the world.

In your own lives, I know that you encounter this also.

We are being challenged to relate with people of all

creeds, nationalities, languages, etc. Even in our church

communities, and maybe especially in these communi-

ties, we are asked to go beyond our own boundaries to

see with new eyes the wonders that God is bringing

about at this time in our history.

That is why you as Associates are so important to us.

Your Sister Missionaries rely very much on your pray-

ers for support and probably you need ours.

For those of you who are not a part of our Association,

please contact me at the Convent of the Holy Spirit if

you are interested.

This association is made up of Christians who:

A. Grow into a closer relationship with the

Holy Spirit.

B. Experience community in the Trinity in

today’s world.

C. Live the life and mission of the church

where they are by bonding with the Holy

Spirit Missionary Sisters.

WE WILL HAVE A PRAYER DAY AT THE

CONVENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON NOVEMBER

17, 2012 FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M. PLEASE

SAVE THE DATE.

Sr. Pat Snider, SSpS

Sr. Rosalia Service Galmin, Sr. Barbara

Miensopust, and Sr. Theresa Tawiah left

to begin our new mission in Jamaica on

Friday, August 3. All three Sisters will be

involved in parish ministry and the school

at Our Lady of Assumption. The parish

has the geographical size of the island of

Antigua and is one parish with two quasi-

parishes. Sr. Barbara will also begin

working for the organization Food for the

Poor. Please continue to support our pio-

neers with your prayers. (In the photo

below, left to right: Srs. Barbara, Rosalia

and Theresa)

SSpS Mission Magazine Page 7

News Notes

On June 24, Sr. Aprilia Untarto and Sr. Catharina Liliek renewed their temporary vows as Holy

Spirit Missionary Sisters. Sr. Aprilia left in July to spend two years in Chile for a cross-cultural

experience and to learn Spanish. Sr. Catharina moved to Epworth, Iowa, to continue her studies in

English before getting involved in ministry in the United States.

Katrin Weiss, featured in our Life Learning Center story, is a volunteer from Germany with the MaZ

organization. The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters have a long history of collaboration with MaZ which

sends young people abroad to gain experience as lay missioners. The Holy Spirit Sisters welcome

Katrin and hope that her time here enriches her Christian life as we know her presence will enrich the

lives of those with whom she works as well as the lives of the Sisters.

PLEASE NOTE: We will not be sending out a winter 2012 edition of SSpS Mission Magazine.

Instead you will be receiving a copy of our 2013 calendar. We hope you enjoy it!

SSpS Mission Magazine is published quarterly by the

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters Our web site: www.ssps-usa.org Our phone: (847) 441-0126

Editor: Judy Cates

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The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters are an international community of Catholic religious women serving in 47

countries. Missionary activities include pastoral work and catechesis, education, nursing and health care, social

work, adult education, and many other services designated to promote human dignity.

SSpS Mission Magazine Page 8