Students explore SSND ministries for alternative spring break
As college students across the country were boarding flights to beaches and other sunny spots, 13 students from Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, a sponsored ministry of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND), were up bright and early for a bus ride to St. Louis. They were sent on their way with a blessing from the SSND who live at Trinity Woods, the campus’ intergenerational living community. The group made their way to Sancta Maria in Ripa and a week’s worth of purposeful work and perspective, bolstered by the unique opportunity to participate firsthand in SSND community life. It was a busy week!
Day 1 – Upon arrival, students enjoyed a welcome supper with sisters and a chance to explore the grounds of Sancta Maria in Ripa, including the nearby greenway, which runs parallel to the Mississippi River. Students participated in an orientation to prepare for the week ahead and enjoyed conversations with sisters.
Day 2 – Everyone was up bright and early for breakfast and to pack lunches for the day. One group of students made the trek to La Vista Ecological Center in Godfrey, Illinois, while another departed for the Wellston Center to volunteer in the thrift store and food pantry. Students at La Vista explored the grounds during a scenic walking tour, helped prepare a pollinator garden for spring and shared a lunch of Three Sisters Soup (beans, squash and corn) while reflecting on a morning spent in nature.
Day 3 – Following breakfast and prayer, the day was an opportunity for groups to switch destinations, allowing those who had served at Wellston Center to venture out to La Vista Ecological Center and vice versa. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors at La Vista, and the group put in a long day pulling invasive honeysuckle from the wooded hillsides along the property. Those at Wellston Center continued the effort of sorting and stocking the thrift store; the group worked their way through an entire storage container of donated goods.
Day 4 – Today brought new ministry destinations – the Criminal Justice Ministry and St. Josepine Bakhita Parish. Students working with the Criminal Justice Ministry put in a morning of service cleaning apartment space which will become home for recently incarcerated individuals as they reenter the community. The group at St. Josephine Bakhita was involved in helping prep food for the parish’s weekly Lenten fish fry. Upon returning to Sancta Maria in Ripa, students toured the Liturgical Fabric Arts room and then shared supper with sisters. In the evening, there was a debrief of the experience and then a chance to wind down with a movie.
Day 5 – The week went by quickly, and by 7a.m., everyone was up for a final shared breakfast and morning prayer before making the return drive to Milwaukee.
The eager participation of the students and support offered by the sisters made for a wonderful week. The success of the visit is an example of collaboration within the Central Pacific Province and speaks to the ongoing and significant impact of SSND on another generation of women.
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