Associates share their music

By Associate Mary Conarchy

The 10th Anniversary Committee gratefully acknowledges Associates Mary Heyn and Anne Vidacovich for their gift of music! Read more about Mary and Anne and the songs they composed in honor of Blessed Theresa and the charism of SSND. The recordings and sheet music are available for downloading.

‘All the Works’

Associate Mary Hein served as an elementary teacher for her entire career in Catholic schools of the Milwaukee Archdiocese. She taught primary students and had the privilege of preparing many students to receive their First Holy Communion. Mary’s love of sacred scripture prompted her to attend the Catholic Biblical Institute in San Antonio, Texas for several years during her summer vacation. Over the years, she adapted numerous Bible stories to help young children understand about God’s great love for them.

Each morning, she describes waking up and asking the question: “What are you singing to me today, Lord?” With God’s grace, Mary has been inspired to write her own books of prayer, poetry and song. In the late 1980s, when teaching with School Sisters of Notre Dame, it was Sister Cerella Baumgartner who asked Mary: “Why aren’t you an associate?” That question provided the invitation for Mary. Sister Raynalda Szyszka served as her companion for almost 30 years. Mary celebrated her initial covenant as an associate in 1988.

In 1990, Mary wrote the song “All the Works,” using Blessed Mary Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger’s words from the December 29 quotation in the book Trust and Dare. The song was sung during a group pilgrimage in 1993 as Mary and other associates visited SSND heritage sites in Germany and Italy. Mary is happy to share the song once again, as the Central Pacific Province celebrates its tenth anniversary.

‘Carriers of the Vision’

Associate Anne Vidacovich was born in New Orleans where her family belonged to St. Phillip Neri Parish. Her father worked in journalism and her mother taught along with School Sisters of Notre Dame at their parish school, where Anne, her sister and two brothers first met the sisters. Anne was impressed by their joyfulness. When Anne was 10, the family moved to Plano, Texas. She was glad for a continued connection with SSND through the two sisters who served in parish ministry at St. Mark Parish. As a teenager, she was active in the youth group and respected the sisters’ commitment to social justice. Anne’s attendance at a vocation retreat in Dallas led her to enter the SSND postulancy in Irving and then the novitiate in St. Louis.

The sisters treated each person with dignity and respect. By being open to diversity, Anne recognized how different cultures and spiritualities really enrich our lives. Seven years after her first vows, Anne discerned God was calling her to a different life. After leaving the order, she earned her MSW and embarked on a new ministry in social work. Today, she serves youth and their families in the emergency room of a children’s hospital. Anne learned from SSND the importance of being present to whomever you are with. These words from You Are Sent express her integration of the SSND charism as a social worker: “…enabling persons to reach the fullness of their potential as individuals created in God’s image.”

Anne reconnected with SSND and covenanted as an associate in 2015. While serving on a planning committee for an associate gathering, she wrote a song to describe the SSND charism. “Carriers of the Vision” conveys how we are called to share in the love and unity proclaimed by Christ – carrying the vision in prayer, action and deed.

Read more reflections and stories celebrating our 10 years as the Central Pacific Province.

Gratitude for 10 years