ACTIVITIES IN SPRINGFIELD
UNITED STATE
2nd -7th July 2004Activities outside the symposium program.
A. THE HOSPITALITY WELCOME OF THE SISTERS OF SND DE NAMUR IN UNITED STATE.
Some activities done before the symposium.
On the 2nd of July: Thank be to God!
We were really thankful that we arrive at 16.30 at Bradely – Airport in Hartford safely. Sr. Christa and I tried to look for Sr. Mary Claire Pierz who picked us up at Airport. We both never met her before. We decided to stand near the outdoor area, so it would be easy for her to find us. She was surprised when she saw us already waited her at outside. She was really lovely and greeted us ‘welcome my cousin! We are very glad to meet you!’.
We felt so closed to each other.
On the way she told us shortly about the community where she live and the situation of United State recently in connection with the election of the new president and the concerns of the situation in the world because of war etc.
Visit to Julie House –community in Windsor
This is the first house of SND de Namur in USA that we visited. It is a house for elderly sisters who are still able to care herself. There are more and less 19 sisters live in this community and the sisters are all old. Sr. Martha cares for the sisters. She welcomed us in hospitality and once again they
said to us ‘Welcome our cousin! How good God that we meet you here!”. I felt the joy atmosphere. They said they only heard from history and now they really could meet us.
Sr. Martha lead us to meet the sisters and to see the whole rooms and the small chapel. She is really happy to be with the sisters and serve them.
At 18.30 we had supper together with the sisters.
The province house
We continued our trip to visit the province house closed by the St. Julie House.
We met Sr. Patricia Chappell who was busy preparing the material needed for Symposium.
She showed us the offices and rooms. Next to the province house, it is still in one building we met Sr. Josita Colbert who has ministry in formation. She gave us as gift a CD with St. Julie’s song.
Sr. Patricia Chappell - in her office
The community of SND de Namur in Shrewsbury- Massachusettes
After having a long trip and looking at the beautiful scenery along the way to Shrewsbury, eventually we arrived in Shrewsbury properly. “WELCOME” greeting hung on the wall. Srs. Mary Grace Noble and Rosemary Grant welcomed us enthusiastically. We really had comfortable feeling with this new situation even though we never met one another before.
This community consists of 4 Sisters of SND. The community also accommodated one Indian sister of Franciscans congregation. They called her ‘Sr. Babby”. After finishing her study, she works now at a nursing house.
When we came, we did not met Sr. Marna Rogers who always took contact with us about our preparation. She was still accompanying other group in New York till 4th July evening.
Together with the Sisters of Shrewsbury community
Srs. Claire, Marna, Grace and Rosemary
On the 3rd of July : Visit to Botanical Park.
On the 3rd of July Rosemary brought us to visit Botanical garden. It looks like ‘Kebun Raya Bogor’ in Indonesia.
It is about 15 minutes by car to reach the place. We walked around the garden.
Looking around the garden we realised that we all have to t the importance of having good care for nature that remind people about God’s creation.
We spent our time one and half hour there and went home.
In the evening we plan to go to Holy Mass, but Sr. Rosemary had trouble with her car. We decided to go on Sunday morning.
Sr. Rosemary Grant guided us to admire the beautiful nature at Botanical Park
In the evening we went out for dinner at ‘Connor a restaurant’. We also adjusted ourselves with the different meal we got. They eat much salads. Fortunately we did not have problem with the meal. Sometime we felt too much for us. In this problem the sisters said that we allowed to bring home the rest. Wow this way likes we have in Indonesia. We also noticed
that other people did the same too. That was also a nice experience to not throw away our meal. After having dinner Sr. Christine Allen brought us again to Shrewsbury. We indeed enjoyed our evening.
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The Independence Days of United State.
On the 4th of July is the special day of United State. They celebrated the 228th of the Independence Day.
This day was Independence Day of American. According to history New England was under the colony of United Kingdom. The sisters in the community planned to celebrate together this special moment in the evening.
At 10 o’ clock we attended Holy Mass in the chapel at Nursing House - Notre Dame Du Lac – in Woscester. Sr. Mary Claire showed us some parts of her ministry in this building. I was surprised that she also still works on Sunday.
Visit to ‘The Old Village’ museum.
After having Holy Mass together with Srs. Christine and Rosemary, we were invited to visit a museum ‘The Old Village’. About one hour we arrived there.
Here we got view about the way of living of society for a long time ago. It is a small village. It is like a museum in Bergercompass or Enkhuizen Netherlands. We were really interested to see it. Because of celebrating their special day today, they held a kind of special performances such as carnaval, music show etc. It was really wonderful.
A small party in the community
In the evening the sisters celebrated the Independence day with having a small party. We eat together outside. Sr. Claire Pierz cooked corn and she said that was a special menu for this party. We liked it much. Sr. Rosemary also prepared a special desert for us.
We came from NewYork and that was the first time we met each other. Before we only had contact via email. She was really happy that we could come for Symposium program.
Television program performed a famous music concert from Boston in connection with the celebration of the Independence Day.
On the 5th of July:
Visit to the Assisted Living Community Notre Dame du Lac- in Woscester.
Notre Dame Long Term Care Center is located next to Notre Dame du Lac, an assisted living residence also sponsored
by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.
This building is provided for health centre care. There are two parts health centre. One building is for long term care and the other one is for short term care. We visited these two buildings. It was really depth experience we got. Through talking and touching with the the sisters and other residences, we felt how we learned to deal with our end of life. Sr. Marna , who has task as the spiritual director of the long term care, guided us to come, taste, see and feel how wonderful and meaningful ministry they have for assisting the elder people who indeed need personal approaching and contact to help them to experience and deal their days towards the end of their life. Sr. Marna told enthusiastically all the program and the activities of this house. The rule of managing a nursing house it is almost the same with way with the Dutch province. They also sometime get control from the official Institution whether this Nursing House fulfil the requirements needed as a qualified and professional Nursing House or not. In this case the sisters and personals here work hard to keep their good quality of serving. A good collaboration is indeed needed in service. We really had deep impression towards the sisters who work at this ministry. They take high dedication to help and to care their own sisters. They serve their own sisters and the people residences whole week. They greet, talk and serve the residences in personal ways. The family of the residences at Long term care are able to come here anytime to see or help their own family.
We also got chance to see the Short term care building. This building was built almost 100 years ago. In this building one part is special used for the 30 SND Sisters with completely privacy rooms are needed as a community such as living room, kitchen, recreation room etc. But they do the general activities such meal, play etc. together with the other residences in order to keep good relationship as community life among the sisters and the other residence.
We quoted short information about this nursing house
In 1849, three sisters came to Boston. Within days they were teaching at St. Mary's in the North End, the only Catholic parish school in Boston. In 1919, Emmanuel College, the first Catholic College for women in New England, was established in Boston by the Sisters of Notre Dame.
In 1900, Sister Superior Julie noted, "the prospect of so many of us getting old at the same time is reason why such a home should be provided where worn out laborers may retire to take their crowns." Her reference was to Swan's Farm, an estate of 145 acres situated on the border of beautiful Lake Quinsigamond.
Chapel at short term care- SND Du Lac
On February 2, 1900 the deed to the estate was listed in the name of the Sisters of Notre Dame. The Lake, as the farm was called, has been home to sick and aging sisters since the beginning. A large convent was built in 1924. Here the sisters were cared for in a family setting with younger sisters spending a year or two in the care of elders. In the 1960s the addition of a wing, licensed as a chronic care hospital, expanded the scope of service through the hiring of medical personnel.
To be and together with the other to experience
How the good God lead their life.
In 1985 the wing was designated as a Nursing Home. In the early 1990s the Nursing Home was replaced by the new Notre Dame Long Term Care Center built on the property.
After extensive renovations the old Nursing Home was reopened in October of 2000 as the Notre Dame du Lac Assisted Living facility. Modern design, a flower-filled courtyard and tasteful art throughout the halls add to the sense of welcome. The high quality of care provided makes the center one of the most sought after in the area. Approximately 30 sisters and 80 lay residents find a loving and caring home permeated with the spirit of St. Julie.
We always find the statute of Mother Julie
in every House
We also had chance to see the chemistry behind the building. There were almost 600 sisters already buried at this chemistry since this building was built.
After visiting Living Assisted Community we continued to visit the ‘Academic School of SND sisters in Woscester. It is really a beautiful house. It seems like a castle. The principal of the school lives in this house with some SND sisters. The school is located behind of this house.
In the evening the sisters served special meal for us. Sr. Rosemary cooked Spaghetti and we also found ‘Semangka’ fruit on the table. We talked and shared to one another our day today .
On the 6th of July 2004:
Visit the diocesan office.Sr. Marna planned our day today to visit the Diocesan office. We had chance to talk with the Bishop around 30 minutes. The Bishop really welcomed us friendly. He told about the mission and situation of the church in his diocesan. The Catholics is more and less about 50% in his diocesan. He realised that the situation in Indonesia and The Netherlands is big different with his diocesan when look at the number of the Catholics. He asked us to keep our courage and our identity to become a witness of the world through our calling wherever we live. To dare to let know our own identity openly as we have pronounced to be religious woman with all our commitment. He realised that we have to face many challenges, especially to live religious life in this time. He thanked that the involvement of SND sisters has took a great support in his diocesan. We thanked to the Bishop for giving us time to meet and talk for a while with him.
Visit the Abby’s house.
Sr. Marna showed us the ‘Abby’s House’ where Sr. Mary Ann works there. Abby’s House is a place where a lot of people who care together and create a safe place for homeless and battered women with or without children.
At Abby’s house they provided an opportunity for women to help women. Volunteers staff our programs and serve on our Board of directors. The collective input of staff, guests and residents and supporters donate food, household items, time and talent. Together we offer a bright spot in the city for hundreds of women and children in need, making an important difference in their lives.
Seven nights a week dedicated volunteer and core staff welcome guests who are struggling with domestic violence, unemployment, emotional crisis, economic difficulty or lack of decent, safe, affordable housing.
Visit at Str. Christopher – Assisted Living Care.
We continued our trip to visit Sr. Rosemary’s who has ministry at Christopher Assisted Living Care. This is also a kind of Nursing House. She works there some days within a week. She guides prayer life of some residences through meditation etc. When we came there, we participated in meditation moment. By listening the CD that more and less tells about the path of one’s soul to find an inner peace and realise how God lead our life every moment (it likes water flow in the river), we together were invited to go deeply into our own presence as human being who created in God’s love. That was a beautiful moment to experience how Sr. Rosemary lead the people to be aware about the own presence and the presence of God in their whole life. Afterwards we got chance to see some rooms where the residences do activities such as play, gymnastic, etc. We got impression that they really provided a good accommodation and facilities for the Elderly House.
Hill Green Park
When going home, Sr. Marna showed us Hill Green Park where people can use for picnic or relaxing. In the middle of this park we can see a kind of monument in order to remember the soldier who died in Vietnam and Korea.
At 12 o’clock we were at home again. It was nice we could see many things today.
Small party with the residences sisters( uitwonende zusters)
In this evening Sr. Marna and the sisters in the community planned to invite the residences sisters who live in Woscester to come together in Shrewsbury community. Sr. Marna said that the sisters wanted to meet and talk with us too. It was really surprised us. We were really touched with the way they treated and welcomed us. The sisters were really glad to meet us as their cousin from The Netherlands. The sisters said that Mother Julie has gathered all of us in her house. Her spirit of noticing ‘How Good God is’ has to be experienced by all the people in the world. Through this moment we together wanted to share the joy to one another.
Every sister brought some contribution for this party . One sister brought cake, the other brought vegetables or vegetables, ice cream etc. So every one had something to give and to share. We felt like in Indonesia when people had party for special occasion in a village. It was really nice experience we got and we indeed had a joyful party.
On the 7th of July.
Visit Ipswich communityAt 09.00 Sr. Mary Jane accompanied us to visit Ipswich community. It was around one and half hours from Shrewsbury.
At 10.30 we arrived in Ipswich. It is a small city where many Irish people live here. There are many old houses that built around years of 1850 – 1870
Sr. Mary Jane introduced us to Sr. Patricia. She is one of leader team in this community. We went around the building and looked at the rooms and offices. We met two general council members, Sr. Angela Kitewo and Maria Delaney.
According the history, Ipswich was the formation house for postulants and novices. In the past this was formation house for noviciate and postulate. There were almost more than 100 residences at that time. This land was large and it was bought in year of 1840. The sign interior of windows in the chapel was really beautiful. The designer was one of their own sisters. She was really fantastic woman when we saw her mystical vision through her imagination she created. On the wall there hung cross ways that also made by the same sister.
Now they use this building for community and province house with the offices of their mission. There are 75 sisters and most of the sisters are old.
At noon we had lunch together in a big dining room. During lunch Sr. Patricia asked us to tell the sisters about the Sisters in Indonesia and The Netherlands. They were happy so to met us, because they only knew the story of SND Amersfoort, but it was the first time they knew us as SND Amersfoort.
After lunch we looked at their Book Store that sell books and other souvenir.
Then at 14.00 we attended Holy Mass in the chapel. Afterwards we had to continued again our day to go home.
Atlantic Ocean
On the way of going home we went to Ipswich shore. It is a beautiful seashore of Atlantic Ocean. We walked for a while to enjoy our nice weather and beautiful view with many boots.
Farm of Julie
We still got chance to visit Farm of Julie. Farm of Julie is a kind of Education Centre for the children. The children are introduced the responsibility of people to care the Earth and the whole of God’s creation. Here Sr. Patricia has care for this ministry. You can find many kinds of animals, plants etc. It is really an interesting project for mission.
17.30 arrived home again. This day was a long day for us, but we were really happy to see places where the sisters live and work. Tomorrow we would start our day for attending the Symposium program. We had to departed from Shrewsbury at 11.00. We would go together with Sr. Rosemary.
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