Dec. 31, 2010: ‘Another Year of Peace’ continues ideal of helping Concordia, by Sister Jean Rosemarynoski
December 31, 2010 by Sarah
This column signals both an ending and a beginning.
When a group of us from across the community kicked off the Concordia Year of Peace in September 2009, we expected it to run through this month. But over the last few weeks, several individuals and groups have asked us to continue the Year of Peace; they’ve told us they’ve seen a difference and hoped we could continue the discussion. Thus, 2011 is “Another Year of Peace.”
But 16 months into this emphasis on peace and civility, some of you may be asking, “What’s its purpose? Is it really necessary?”
Let me share with you some of what I have heard this past year and then you can decide what your answer is to those questions.
A businesswoman told me she supported the Year of Peace because she had seen one indirect impact of violence firsthand: In one 10-day period, three of her employees left their jobs — and, ultimately, Concordia. Each was a victim of domestic violence, and each had to move to another town for her own safety and the safety of her children. The women’s safety was this businesswoman’s first priority; her second concern was how to replace three workers with no notice.
Another person who works with youth said she’s seeing more grade-school age children raising themselves and knows many of them suffer abuse and neglect. That’s not the Concordia she knew from a few years ago, she says, and she hopes there’s a way to address those changes.
Meanwhile, a number of participants at the Concordia Needs Forums have noted the disturbing rate of sexual assault in Cloud County, saying that they see it as a major issue across the community.
Can Another Year of Peace address all these concerns and solve these problems?
No. No, it can’t. But it can help make people aware of them. It can encourage people to take action – notify proper authorities, get people help – when something is happening that should not be.
To help us all be an informed community, the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Year of Peace committee is launching a yearlong Community Forum Speaker Series beginning in February. On the third Monday night of each month, we will invite community leaders to speak on a topic that is of interest to the whole community. The events will be free and open to the public.
The purpose is to present a picture of the complex issues in our town. We believe that the first step in making a difference is becoming informing. Then we are all better able to participate in making our community a better and safer place for everyone.
Our hope is that the Concordia Year of Peace instills in each person the belief that all people are to be treated with dignity and respect. Dignity and respect for children, for women, for men, for the elderly, and for those who are different from us in some way. Dignity and respect for our neighbors, for those we meet on the street and for our own families. That is not always easy to do but we believe it is an ideal worth striving for.
Signing the Civility Pledge is one way to commit to treating others with dignity and respect. Pledge sheets are available until Jan. 15 at the Frank Carlson Library, the Chamber of Commerce and Neighbor to Neighbor. The signed pledge sheets will be published in the Blade-Empire.
Now, back to the question, “Is the Year of Peace really necessary?”
My own New Year’s resolution is to help make Concordia the best small town in Kansas through the efforts of the Year of Peace. Can I count on you to join me?
— Sister Jean Rosemarynoski is a member of the Leadership Council of the Sisters of St. Joseph and head of the Concordia Year of Peace Committee. If you have ideas or suggestions for committee or want to get involved with the Year of Peace, contact Sister Jean at 243-2149 or sisterjean@csjkansas.org, or any of the other committee members.
Dec. 24, 2010: Belief and attitude: Can you hear the bell? by Kirstyn Dvorak
December 24, 2010 by Sarah
Have you ever noticed how some people just don’t believe? They have no faith that things can turn right around. But if you don’t believe in what they can’t see, then how can you dream? How can you peer into the future and imagine what you will be doing in 10 or 20 years.
To succeed, you have to believe in something bigger than yourself.
In the movie “Polar Express,” the main character, a little boy, does not believe in Santa Claus at the beginning of the story. When he boards the Polar Express, he is still doubtful and he doesn’t believe until he sees real magic. The boy is chosen to receive the first Christmas gift of the year and he chooses a bell that has fallen off of one of the reindeer’s harnesses. On the way home he discovers he has a hole in his pocket and has lost the bell. When he wakes up he dismisses the whole night as a dream — until he finds one last box addressed to him under the Christmas tree. In the box are the bell and a note from “Mr. C.” Then he discovers that his parents cannot hear the bell and eventually neither can his little sister. It can only be heard by true believers.
That bell is like faith. When you lose your faith, you can no longer hear the bell.
One thing that is just as powerful as faith is a good attitude. Many people go throughout the day with such a bad attitude that nobody wants to be around them.
For instance, our eighth-grade girls volleyball A team went into most of their games with an “I don’t care” attitude. The girls won most of their games but there were many close matches because they looked like zombies standing out on the court. On the other hand, our eighth-grade girls volleyball B team went out there full of spirit with our chins held high and we never lost a match.
Some people don’t realize how much a negative attitude affects their lives. If you go out onto the court or field with a bad attitude, you might as well not be there because you will play badly and it will affect your team. Or, if you go to take a test and are sure you will fail, you’ll probably prove yourself right. If you don’t think you can pass, then you won’t.
When you read this I hope it reminds you that if you believe and have a good attitude you will live a much happier life. I hope everyone who reads this can hear the bell.
— Kirstyn Dvorak is an eighth-grader at Concordia Junior High School. She is the daughter of Sharon Klima and Heath Dvorak.
Dec. 17, 2010: Giving of ourselves leads to true inner peace, by Jessica Baynton
December 17, 2010 by Sarah
Peace is an ideal form of happiness and agreement between people from different cultures, countries and religions. The idea of peace is one of the most important lessons that our parents can teach us before we strike out on our own.
In my eyes peace enables us to achieve happiness and live comfortably, without worry of religious terrorism and political war. Through peace, we attain equality without discrimination of skin color, faith, academic ability or social status.
Some definitions of peace include thoughts regarding freedom of the mind from annoyances, distractions and anxiety. I agree with this idea because if someone is distracted by annoyances from other dimensions of their life, then that person will not have a peaceful state of mind.
Many people strive for a peaceful life, but are troubled by the demands of work, society and family commitments. People often think that their lives are horrible, but they do not understand the disease, famine and poverty that afflict people elsewhere in the world.
Poverty, famine and disease need to be eliminated worldwide so that people can understand how peaceful the world could be if it was free of these things.
Many people take for granted that we have food, care and housing readily available. Yet people who live in extreme poverty will rarely be able to enjoy a sense of tranquility and peace.
I believe all this can be cured by opening up our hearts and giving to those who are in desperate need of help. Everyone deserves the right to experience peace in their daily lives, and if people work together this can be achieved.
Not enough is being done to prevent disease and famine, because many of us are too greedy to even think about donating to the less fortunate. Many people never even think about starving families when they leave a plate piled with leftover food. Without thinking of others, how can we ever experience true inner peace?
— Jessica Baynton is from Dorking, Surrey, England, and is studying secondary education at Cloud County Community College.
A special message: Volunteers needed!
December 14, 2010 by Sarah
Looking for a way to make a difference by giving your time? We may have exactly the right volunteer opportunity for you!
“In every community there is work to be done.
In every nation there are wounds to heal.
In every heart there is the power to do it.”
— Marianne Williamson
We need the power of your heart.
We invite you to consider joining us as a volunteer in our mission as Sisters of St. Joseph — whether for an hour a week, a few days, or even a year! From drivers to help at the Motherhouse in Concordia, to exciting possibilities in El Paso, Texas, and Silver City, N.M. — we need you!
The CSJ Volunteer Program is a means to:
• invite people to be in mission with us on a temporary basis.
• provide ministry opportunities for people who desire to witness to faith through service.
• provide an environment for mutual growth in faith that liberates the charism of unity and reconciliation in the world.
For more information on the CSJ Volunteer Program, contact:
Sister Christine at cdoman56@aol.com
For a brochure you can download as a PDF and print, just CLICK HERE.
Silver City, N.M., has something special to offer!
If you want to know more about a different volunteer opportunity with a community of sisters in the Southeast, CLICK HERE for a printable brochure describing our program at St. Mary’s Spirituality Center.
A special message: A gift of generosity
December 14, 2010 by Sarah
Sometimes the very best gift we can give is a lesson in generosity. And by making a donation on behalf of someone else, you can do that — and so much more. You demonstrate by your example the value of giving, while also telling the recipient he or she was in your thoughts. And your gift benefits all those served by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia.
When you make a donation of any size the the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, we will send you an email within 24 hours asking you to whom we should send the “thank you.” And if it’s that man or woman or teenager or grandparent, you may be surprised by their gratitude in knowing that their gift helps us continue to give our gifts to those in need.
Please make a donation through our secure server with Pay Pal. Simply click on the Donate button:
Open House offers warmth in wintry weather
December 11, 2010 by Sarah
Friends, family and neighbors flocked to the Motherhouse this afternoon despite the season’s first blast of wintry weather.
• • • • • • •
Temperatures were in the low 20s, and made to feel much colder due to wind gusts of nearly 50 mph. But that was not enough to affect the warmth of the welcome offered by the Sisters of St. Joseph at their annual Christmas Open House.
In addition to the standard fare of cookies, punch and cider ‚ which, as always, were delicious — the sisters served up livve musical entertainment, with the Bent Wind Bent Wind Saxophone Ensemble of Cloud County Community College and the Concordia High School Chamber Choir.
The Saxophone Ensemble was directed by Patrick Sieben, who also plays in the quartet, while the choir was directed by Kevin Johnson.
The annual event was organized by the sisters’ Development Office and coordinated by Sister Loretta Jasper. During the Open House, sisters were stationed throughout the Motherhouse so visitors touring the building could ask questions and get more information about the historic structure and the Concordia-based congregation of women religious.
Dec. 10, 2010: Kids learn about peace from the community around them, by Sara Hittle
December 10, 2010 by Sarah
When I think of the phrase “peace through community mindedness,” I think of our community working together with one goal in mind: Peace. We have a common goal, while we also each have our own strengths and special abilities. We achieve our goal of peace in our own unique ways, all the while working together as a team.
Since we all have different skills, abilities and strengths, we can achieve peace in many different ways. One example is good sportsmanship, with both the team and the individuals having unique contributions: The players respect the calls and each other, the cheerleaders chant positive cheers and the crowd focuses on support rather than bad comments.
Other ways peace can be found is in good deeds done for others, being a peer mediator and in general being the bigger person when it comes to any conflict.
“Community mindedness” also means including everyone, with no one left out. We all need to work together somehow, in some way, to achieve this goal.
The adults should be the ones responsible for keeping the idea of Peace in the forefront, because they are the ones to set the example to all kids. But it shouldn’t just be the parents; it should be teachers, daycare providers, babysitters, older siblings and any other person the kids look up too. Children are all learning from their surroundings and environment, so they learn about peace and peaceful resolution by the actions of all the adults in their lives. You need to think of the present as in the hands of the adults and your future in the hands of those of us who are kids today.
— Sara Hittle is an eighth-grader at Concordia Junior High School. She is the daughter of Chris and Heidi Hittle.
A special message: Bring on the kids!
December 8, 2010 by Sarah
It has a serious name (“Youth Ministry”) and a serious purpose (to help children, teens and young adults discover God in their lives), but it mostly seems like fun when Sister Julie Christiansen takes over.
From confirmation retreats to specialty weekend gatherings for women in their 20s, 30s or 40s… From the summer Discover Camp for girls to a Saturday making blankets for the homeless… Every piece of this ministry is designed to engage the participants while demonstrating God’s love and concern for each of them.
You can help us help them with your gift.
Please make a donation through our secure server with Pay Pal. Simply click on the button below:
A special message: Give the gift of a gift
December 6, 2010 by Sarah
For all of us, there’s that one person on our gift list… Maybe it’s the man who has everything, or the woman who never seems satisfied with anything. Maybe it’s the teenager whose tastes never match yours, or the grandparent who really doesn’t need another pair of slippers…
Maybe a better alternative this year would be the gift of a gift.
When you make a donation of any size the the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, we will send you an email within 24 hours asking you to whom we should send the “thank you.” And if it’s that man or woman or teenager or grandparent, you may be surprised by their gratitude in knowing that their gift helps us continue to give our gifts to those in need.
Please make a donation through our PayPal secure server. Simply click on the button below:
Music highlights annual Motherhouse Open House
December 5, 2010 by Sarah
The Sisters of St. Joseph are hosting their annual Christmas Open House from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11.
Everyone is invited to stop by the historic Nazareth Motherhouse for refreshments, building tours and a chance to meet and visit with the sisters. Also, this year entertainment will be provided during the Open House by the Bent Wind Saxophone Ensemble of Cloud County Community College, directed by Patrick Sieben, and the Concordia High School Chamber Choir, directed by Kevin Johnson.
The Sisters of St. Joseph is a religious order of women who came to Kansas in 1883 and established the Nazareth Convent and Academy in Concordia a year later. Their first Motherhouse was at Fifth and Olive streets and is now Manna House of Prayer. The cornerstone for the current Motherhouse, at 13th and Washington streets, was laid in 1902 and construction was completed in 13 months. The 108-year-old building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
