School Sisters of Notre Dame Associates
Living out the works of mercy in their everyday life
Associates and sisters – Ohio and West Virginia
In July, 2015, Associate Cecelia Helmick brought a unique idea to our monthly associate gathering in Coolville, Ohio. She told us about “The Father’s Love Letter”, which is a compilation of about 50 Scripture quotes that are put together as a “love letter” from God. These love letters take the form of prayer sacks.
The Coolville associates caught Cecelia’s enthusiasm and worked on the prayer sacks: printing, cutting the letter into 50 quotes, folding the quotes and putting them into brown lunch bags. On one side, we included information about the letters, and on the other, information about the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
We presented these prayer sacks to various groups. At Parkersburg Catholic High School in West Virginia, Cecelia and Sister Joan Marie Van Beek distributed the sacks. The group was met with almost 180 students who were eager to see which Scripture quote they would pull out next, aware that each had a special message for them. The teacher who accompanied us in these presentations also described the prayer sacks as a personal blessing.
We met with the confirmation class and youth group at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Belpre, Ohio, who received the prayer sacks as well. We also shared the prayer sacks with other youth leaders in the area.
We will continue to share these prayer sacks with groups and individuals in our community.
If you would like to view the letter or watch a video, visit http://www.fathersloveletter.com/.
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Writing and my bus ministry
To me, mercy means being available to joyfully and humbly serve as needed, which is what I do in my “bus ministry” as I wait at city bus stops and ride city buses in Milwaukee.
I have incorporated my bus ministry with another ministry: bringing Scripture to life by condensing it into readable poetry and publishing it as books. Read more...
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Associates build extended communities
SSND associates are located across the United States and around the world. United in a desire to live out the spirit and mission of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the associates are lay women and men who better their communities in their own ways. Read more...
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Father Gene Stenzel’s rock house — a lifelong passion to create
Father Gene Stenzel, an SSND associate, builds rock formations on his family farm in Wells, Minnesota. Learn about his creations and the time sisters and associates were able to visit them. Read more...