Memory Loss Changes Everything!

Join us at Manna House  from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, for a workshop entitled Memory Loss Changes Everything!

One of the most difficult experiences in life is accompanying someone we love who is living with diminishment of their memory. While the person with memory loss may look the same, they are not. They can no longer access their memory in the same way and that’s extremely scary and confusing. Relationships are forever changed and day-to-day life is altered.

Come spend time away and begin unraveling and naming the impact of memory loss and how to reweave relationships as gently as possible. Presenter Sister Gilla Dubé. Cost: $50 (includes lunch). For information call: 785-243-4428 or email: retreatcenter@mannahouse.org. Preregistration required by Oct. 7. Click the link below to register online with Manna House.

Memory Loss Changes Everything!

Creating a greener lifestyle

To learn more about the Sisters of St. Joseph Ecological Integrity Committee, CLICK HERE.

Plant a tree.

 

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO LINK: Mass celebrates the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia’s 2020 Jubilarians

Click on the video player to watch!

VIDEO: Click here to watch the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia honor their 2020 Jubilarians (Program)

Click the link below to watch the the 2020 Jubilian program.

Mercy and Forgiveness Workshop at Manna House of Prayer

Manna House of Prayer in Concordia, KS will be offering the workshop Mercy and Forgiveness with Father Barry Brinkman from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.

One of the biggest obstacles to attaining peace is resentment. Even those who seem to have almost everything they need to be happy are sometimes miserable because of a host of resentments that embitter their lives. We see how widespread this problem is when we witness the critical tone of many conversations, the anger, the divisions between people, marital partners, and the eagerness in society for vengeance.

Jesus provides a remedy for this darkness that plagues our society and relationships. The remedy is forgiveness. Jesus’ whole life was about modeling for us what forgiveness entails.

This gathering will discuss the power forgiveness can unleash in a person’s life. It will provide participants greater clarity on what forgiveness is and what it is not. We will review the Biblical foundations for forgiveness and its relationship with mercy. Practical guidance will also be provided on how to begin the process of forgiving those who have hurt us.

Free will offering. Masks and social distancing will be in effect. To register or for more information call: 785-243-4428 or email: retreatcenter@mannahouse.org.  Preregistration required.

NOW IN STOCK! New book — “Fire and Passion: The Mysticism of Bette Moslander”

A collection of the works of Sister Bette Moslander now available  

“Fire and Passion: the Mysticism of Bette Moslander” is a new book and a labor of love for Sisters Marcia Allen and Gilla Dubé. The book is a compilation of excerpts from Sister Bette’s writings and talks and original chalk drawings from her personal journal, complimented by reflection questions written by Sister Marcia.

The book is on pre-order and will be shipped as soon as it arrives from the printers.

Additionally, the interactive book will contain links to a dedicated website that will offer entire texts of her talks, as well as audio and video presentations. The book currently is in the printing process and will be available to the public soon. Once available, it will be announced on the Manna House of Prayer and Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia’s websites and Facebook pages.

“We chose the title ‘Fire and Passion’ because these words express the essence of her life,” Sister Gilla said. “The fire, the passion and the mysticism — these were the three descriptors that spoke to me of her life and spirit.”

For Sister Marcia, Sister Bette was mentor and friend, going back to when Sister Marcia entered the postulancy and Sister Bette was a novice. Sister Bette, who entered the Community with a Ph.D. in theology, taught the newest members, postulants and novices. From there, Sister Marcia worked closely with her in the 1970s when she was elected vice president of the Community and Sister Bette was elected president. The two then worked together from 1980 to 2010 helping other communities with chapters, assemblies and working as consultants both in the United States and abroad.

“Everywhere she went she was always a speaker in demand,” Sister Marcia said. “She had a very charismatic presentation when she spoke and left a legacy of friendship around the world. And everywhere she spoke, people often would ask, ‘Can we have a copy of that?’”

“She would start out with some sort of a script, and then ab lib, but nobody knew that. After she died I decided that I would collect her written and oral works and see what could be made available,” Sister Marcia said. “What we found dated as far back as the 1950s and she was still teaching in 2010. That’s when I realized the task would be large.”

“I kept trying to figure out how to grasp the essence of what she said, without simply publishing volumes and volumes of words. Finally the idea to take excerpts of her talks and make reflection opportunities began to surface,” Sister Marcia said. “I

discovered that Sister Gilla would be able to edit and organize the material. So we chose the excerpts and I created reflection questions for each excerpt. We then organized the material into themes seen through the lens of mysticism: Discipleship, Love, Creative Energy, Vulnerability, Inclusion. Samples of Sister Bette’s chalk art enhance and illuminate the themes.”

Additional support for the project came from Sister Sherryl White, a Sister of St. Joseph of Baden, PA who created a special website for Sister Bette’s works. “The

website makes it possible for the reader to access an entire talk or text via audio or video or the written word. The reference given for each excerpt enables the reader to go to the website and find the whole text or talk,” Sister Marcia said.

“The guiding principle for me, and I’m sure for Sister Marcia, was the desire to honor the legacy of this woman,” Sister Gilla said. “I came into this not knowing anything about Sister Bette except by reputation, her leadership background and popularity as a speaker. I started reading her work and immediately got swept into her spirit – her fire and passion. What’s fascinating to me is that what she wrote in the 70s into the early 21^st century is as relevant and prophetic today as it was then.”

“Our challenge was to present Sister Bette’s spirit and depict a true picture of her life’s commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A critical piece, as least as far as I’m concerned, is not just the excerpts, but the reflection questions that accompany each excerpt. The personal reflection questions that Sister Marcia offers bridge the reader with the meaning and spirit of the text and its implications for today and into the future.”

“We see this book as a personal reflection guide, a retreat guide, a group study guide,” Sister Marcia said. “There are no limits to possibilities in the use of this book. While the majority of her talks were given to women religious of various orders, she also spoke to various lay groups of women and men and priests’ organizations. Any talk she gave illuminated Gospel values and is applicable to any person who believes.

Her main theme was the root of the Christian life and the mission of Jesus. “Christians have to rediscover the soul of the Christian message,” Sister Bette said.

“Sister Bette offered challenge and consolation to individuals looking for hope in ordinary time, and she spoke to that,” Sister Marcia said.

“She was obviously extremely bright, yet what drew me was her tenderness so evident in the texts that I studied. When she wrote, there was such love and such tenderness,” Gilla said. “yet she had a way of challenging the status quo, challenging people not to settle for mediocrity.”

Sister Bette died on March 22, 2015. “Fire and Passion: the Mysticism of Bette Moslander” was printed by Consolidated Printing in Salina, Kansas. To pre-order, use the form below, click our paypal “buy now” link, email retreatcenter@mannahouse.org or call (785) 243-4428. Cost is $19.95. Shipping and handling is $4.50 for one book. Add an additional $1 for each additional book. Please make your check payable to Manna House of Prayer. As soon as they arrive from the printer they will be shipping!

 

 

Eulogy for Sister Ann Glatter — March 28, 1929 – Aug. 8, 2020

Vigil: Aug. 11, 2020, at the Nazareth Motherhouse
Eulogist: Written by Sister Mary Savoie and read by Sister Jean Rosemarynoski

Sister Ann Glatter, daughter of Vincent and Ann (Frank) Glatter, was born on March 28, 1929 on a farm northwest of Amherst, Nebraska, and given the name Mary Alice Glatter. She had three sisters and three brothers; three died in infancy and Margaret, Nancy and Don are all deceased. Her 18 nieces and nephews have always been the highlight of Mary Alice’s life.

Mary Alice Glatter left home to follow God’s call when her parents would, no doubt, have appreciated her assistance with their busy family life on the farm. But God had always been first in her life and the life of her parents and family.

Mary Alice Glatter attended Sunny Side Grade School which was across the pasture from her home. She graduated from the Amherst, Nebraska, High School in 1947.

On February 2, 1948, a blustery blizzard cold day, at the age of 19 years, Mary Alice Glatter came up the long front steps of Nazareth Convent in Concordia, Kansas. Her possessions were a deck of cards, a little toy tractor, and a 10 cent set of silverware purchased at a store on her trip to Concordia. She walked in the front door totally unexpected as she had never answered the letter from the convent stating the date of entrance for the postulants.

When she entered the novitiate, Mary Alice received the name Sister Ann Vincent. In August of 1949, she pronounced her temporary vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity. She pronounced her final vows on Aug. 15, 1953. Her surviving band member is Sister Charlotte Lutgen. She later dropped the name Vincent and preferred just Sister Ann.

To share some highlights of Sister Ann’s life among us, I would like to quote some of the personal messages she wrote about herself for her 70^th anniversary as a Sister of St. Joseph. We all know about the many years she provided tons of fresh vegetables and fruit for our meals here at the Motherhouse. But here is what she shared about herself as she celebrated her 70^th year among us.

“There have been many joys in my life as a Sister of St. Joseph. I was able to serve the poor and needy in many ways. I supported many teenaged boys who were going through the court system and had them work out their probation with me in our community garden. Many other young people came and worked with me in the garden. I also appreciated the many times I was able to help men traveling through Concordia and in need of assistance. I called them ‘St. Josephs’ and tried to be, as Jesus would have been, helpful to them. Also, over the years I have been able to belong to and help the St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary, especially their Mardi Gras celebrations. I also spent many hours praying in the chapel, especially during the funeral services of our Sisters. In fact, I had the privilege of being a Hospice Volunteer during which I visited and prayed with many dying persons. Letter writing was also a wonderful way to stay in touch with friends and offer prayers for them. I am very grateful for my life among my Sisters of St. Joseph. I am truly blessed. My life has been full to the brim.”

Sister Ann Glatter’s life was one of admired talents, hard work, total self-giving, sensitive compassion, assistance to people living in poverty and down-trodden, and fulfillment of her deep and life-time oneness with the earth and God’s creatures. All she did was for the benefit of others.

She entered into contact with soil and she felt at one with the Earth. She once said of herself: “I probably would not have persevered in religious life had I not been able to be in touch with the soil and roam around through garden paths each day and night. A garden’s beauty is not only a thing of joy to me, but also a sign of God’s loving providence over all of us, his children.”

Sister Ann would not be happy with us if all we concentrated on were the so called ‘flowers’ of her life. As we all know, some of the garden in her life wilted and was drought stricken. There were several crooks and curves and near dead-ends in her life. She recently said this about her life: “There have been many trials in my life when temptations to live respectfully were painful to me, but with God’s help and the help of my community members, I labored untiringly in the Lord’s vineyard”.

Sister Ann also asked that the following reflection be added to her eulogy. I believe it is an honest reflection of her daily conversion of heart.

“In a sense my religious life mirrors the work undertaken in the garden. Daily existence in the convent has its quiet succession of hours, days, months, seasons and years in which I was given the time to labor spiritually for the good of my soul. The autumn of my life has arrived and I look forward to reaping from the seeds of my life with sincere humility. I pray daily to the Lord of the harvest, to be able to yield a bountiful crop rendering fruit into eternal life knowing that the humble work of my hands has been a form of prayer.”

Faithful to prayer, retirement offered Sister Ann the opportunity to spend a notable amount of time in the Motherhouse chapel, communing with, as she put it, ‘Our Blessed Lord’ and inspiring those who observed her daily communing with God, manifested in her relaxed, smiling, contemplative countenance.

Sister Ann died on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020.

So now we say, thank you, dear friend, for your life among us as we return you to God’s loving embrace.

To make an online donation in Sister Ann Glatter’s memory, click on the button below:

 

CLICK HERE for Livestream link for Sister Ann Glatter’s funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 11, 2020

The live stream will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11. If you are having difficulty with this feed, there also will be a Facebook Live stream, however the sound should be much better on this link.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for Sister Ann Glatter’s family, friends and Community.

Obituary for Sister Ann Glatter — March 28, 1929 – Aug. 8, 2020

Sister Ann Glatter died Aug. 8, 2020, at Nazareth Motherhouse in Concordia, Kansas.  She was 91 years old and a Sister of St. Joseph of Concordia for 72  years.  She was born in Amherst, Nebraska, on March 28, 1929 to Vincent and Anna Franke Glatter, the fifth of seven children, and was baptized Mary Alice. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia on Feb. 2, 1948. On Aug. 15, 1948, Mary Alice received the habit of the Sisters of St. Joseph and was given the name Sister Ann Vincent, later changing to Sister Ann.  She pronounced first vows on Aug. 15, 1949, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1953.

Sister Ann served the community as gardener at the Motherhouse for 60 years. In addition to lawn and yard work at the Motherhouse, Sister Ann refurnished chairs and chapel pews and worked in ceramics. She was recognized in October 1996 by the Concordia Area Chamber of Commerce for her lifetime of volunteer service to the community. In 2000, Sister Ann was honored by the American Red Cross for donating blood 126 times. She was described as a “legend” in Concordia whom people knew and expected to turn up wherever there was action or a need for help. 

Sister Ann was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and three sisters.  The Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Aug.11 in the Motherhouse Chapel with Rev. Barry Brinkman presiding. Due to the safety precautions for Covid-19, the funeral mass will be private. However, it will be livestreamed on the Sisters of St. Joseph Facebook page and website.  The burial will be in the Nazareth Motherhouse Cemetery. 

Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, 325 W. Sixth St., Concordia, is in charge of arrangements.  Memorials for Sister Ann Glatter may be given to the Sisters of St. Joseph Health Care/Retirement Fund or the Apostolic Works of the Sisters; P.O Box 279, Concordia, KS  66901. 

To make an online donation in Sister Ann Glatter’s memory, click on the button below:

 

Two new Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia profess their vows

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia welcomed two new sisters on July 19.

Carol Goodson and Robin Stephenson both made their agrégée Vows of Religious Profession at the Sacred Heart Chapel in the Nazareth Motherhouse in Concordia, Kansas.

Each sister took a unique path to finding their religious calling with the Community in Concordia.

Carol Goodson

After retirement as a librarian from the University of West Georgia in 2015, a priest led her to ask God if she could possibly become a sister.

“Two days later my prayer was answered when I saw some information about the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia,” Sister Carol said.

“On my very first visit to Concordia in June 2016, I was so touched by the warm reception I got from the sisters.”

After profession, Sister Carol is returning to Georgia to begin new ministries in the Atlanta area.   

In her previous ministry, she was president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in her parish in Carrollton, Georgia. In that capacity, in addition to leading the organization, she visited the poor in their homes in order to assess their needs and pray with them.

“We nearly always provided financial assistance to them as well, usually with utilities or rent,” Sister Carol said. “We also had a food pantry in the parish which was very heavily used, and we conducted a monthly distribution of frozen food to our clients.”

“Once I have chosen a home parish, I will introduce myself to the pastor and ask what he needs, offering myself to do it,” Sister Carol said. “I was part of the RCIA team at my previous parish, and — as a convert — that work is very close to my heart.  One of my long-term goals is to try to start a CSJ Associate group in my new home area.” 

Robin Stephenson

Sister Robin Stephenson was facing retirement and trying to find a way to become closer to God. The Internet gave her a hand in finding the Sisters of St. Joseph.

“Initially I took an online personal inventory on whether religious life would be feasible. The inventory validated aptitudes toward religious formation,” Sister Robin said.

She was coming up on 40 years of pediatric and school nursing, but didn’t really feel like she was done yet. Additionally, Sister Robin wanted to draw even closer to God and the charism of inclusive service seemed to fit her vocational goals.

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, residing now in Portland Oregon, Sister Robin has been a district school nurse in Beaverton, Oregon, for the past 26 years, and anticipates retirement in 2021.

“I was married for many years, and then my marriage was annulled. I have two beautiful children who are now grown adults,” Sister Robin said. “There is also a beautiful five-year-old granddaughter that is one of the lights of my life.”

Robin said after finding information on the Sisters of St. Joseph, she contacted Sister Lorren Harbin about four years ago. She visited in Concordia on her school summer break.

“I was instantly drawn to the sisters. Over the three years of discernment I definitely felt like I wanted to be a part of this beautiful group of women and the work they do,” Sister Robin said. “If I could just be a sponge to soak up some of their wisdom … I just fit. It feels like a part of family when I’m with the sisters.”

Sister Robin said she plans to continue living in Oregon and fulfilling her mission there.

“Currently I’m on the Eucharistic ministerial team at St. Mary’s of the Immaculate Conception at the Cathedral however, the Covid-19 times have lessened that right now,” Sister Robin said. “I assisted with second grade religious education and first reconciliation and communion at the Cathedral last year.”

“All the CSJ sisters with whom I have had the opportunity to be with have shown their soul beauty and love,” Sister Robin said. “I pray it continues to rub off and influence the rest of my life.”

Agrégée vows

Agrégée sisters are defined as women who commit themselves to active and inclusive love of God and the dear neighbor as expressed in the spirit and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia. They are viewed as members of the congregation in almost every aspect, but there are a couple of significant differences:

• “Canonically vowed sisters” profess the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, as defined by canon — or church — law. As part of the vow of poverty, an individual sister relinquishes all personal wealth and income; at the same time, the congregation assumes responsibility for her economic well being for the rest of her life.
• “Agrégée sisters” profess a vow of fidelity to the congregation, but it is noncanonical, meaning that it is not governed by Church law and is instead a private vow between that sister and the Concordia congregation. It also means that the agrégée does not relinquish her finances to the congregation, and the congregation assumes no financial responsibility for her.

Father Barry Brinkman presided over the liturgy while Sister Jean Rosemarynoski, president, received the vows in the name of the Congregation.

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