Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia closed to visitors

Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia will be closing to visitors

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia are taking the following measures to prevent our sisters, employees and the public from becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus that is spreading throughout the world.

• Effective immediately, no visitors may enter the Nazareth Motherhouse. This includes patrons who use the Motherhouse swimming pool.
• All programming at Manna House of Prayer has been canceled until further notice.
• There will be no public masses at the Sacred Heart Chapel at the Nazareth Motherhouse.
• All programs at Neighbor to Neighbor in Concordia have been canceled and N2N will be closed for as long as Concordia public schools are closed.
• Anyone seeking assistance from the Helping Hands ministry at Manna House of Prayer should call ahead at (785) 243-4428 and ask for Susan LeDuc or Cecilia Thrash to make an appointment to address their needs. There will be no walk-ins.

The Sisters of St. Joseph are actively doing their part in curtailing the spread of this disease. We will keep you updated on any changes to the policy. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sisters to host community forum on 2020 census

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia will host a free Community Needs Forum focusing on the 2020 Census from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, in the Nazareth Motherhouse auditorium. A sandwich bar will be provided. It is free and open to the public.

Sister Jean Rosemarynoski, a member of the Cloud County Complete Count Committee, said participating in the 2020 Census is essential for Concordia and Cloud County.

Featured speakers at the forum will be Kim Reynolds, executive director of Cloud Corp and chair of the Complete Count Committee, and David Driscoll, a U.S. Census representative from Salina.

The census is used to determine distribution of about $6.5 billion dollars in annual funds from the federal government to Kansas. According to Census Bureau data, there are approximately 2.9 million Kansans, so for each person counted, the state of Kansas will receive approximately $2,082 each year for 10 years.

These federal dollars help support important local services such as school lunches, Head Start preschool programs, housing, foster care, special education, children’s health insurance, Pell grants for low-income college students, highway funds, community tax credits and block grant programs. In total it helps support more than 300 different programs in Kansas.

“I think people would be very surprised to know that your federal Pell Grants are funded based off the census, as well as special education, your free and reduced lunches, your school breakfast program, vocational rehab, so many of those are things that a lot of our residents in our community rely on,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds said she is visiting with senior centers, schools, health centers to help them understand the importance of the census.

“People need to know the census questionnaire is completely confidential. They are not going to ask you questions like ‘what is your social security number’ or ‘are you a citizen of the United States.’ Those questions aren’t on there,” Reynolds said.

“It should only take people 10 to 15 minutes to fill out the census form. This year they’ll be able to do it online, through the mail or over the phone,” Reynolds said. “And the really cool thing about online is we are working in conjunction with our local libraries to have extended services or times where people would be available to help those who may not have the internet or access to a computer to still fill out their census form online if they would like that help.”

Some new things for 2020

This year it will be easier than ever for everyone to complete the census form.

• For the first time, residents can respond online, by phone or mail. All data is collected privately and protected by federal law.
• April 1 is the official date for the census, but the call to participate will begin in March. Households will be invited to respond by mail. First a letter will be sent, then a reminder postcard, then a paper questionnaire. For residents with a post office box address, or households who do not respond to the mail request, a census worker will hand-deliver the questionnaire.
• Also new this year, in November Kansas voters approved a change to align with most other states and count residents who may not be permanent but are living here now. If a person lives or sleeps most of the year in Kansas, then he or she should complete the census form using the Kansas address.

Learn more at 2020census.gov.

Lunch will be provided without charge by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and those planning to come are asked to RSVP to 243-2149 or sisterjean@csjkansas.org. Parking is available in lot on the east side of the Motherhouse. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

This is the 36^th Community Needs Forum. The Community Needs Forum grew out of informal meetings between the Sisters of St. Joseph and community leaders in the fall of 2008. The first working lunch was held in January 2009, and the continuing gatherings have identified what participants see as the greatest needs in the community and have established smaller groups to seek solutions. The working lunches provide an opportunity for updates on projects and a clearinghouse for new ideas.

 

Sister Jean Ann Walton recognized at Veterans art festival

Sister Jean Ann Walton, of Concordia, was honored to have her textile artwork selected to be in the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center auditorium on Feb. 28.

Her quilt, titled “Mom’s Lilac Bush,” was selected in the knotting, needlework, quilling and beadwork category.

The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF) is the celebration and grand finale stage show, art and writing exhibition that is the culmination of talent competitions in art, creative writing, dance, drama and music for veterans treated in the Department of Veterans Affairs national heath care system.

VA medical facilities incorporate creative arts into their recreation therapy programs to further rehabilitation for both inpatients and outpatients. This annual competition recognizes the progress and recovery made through that therapy, and raises the visibility of the creative achievements of our nation’s veterans after disease, disability or life crisis.

Sister Jean Ann is a Marine veteran, serving from 1969-1975 as an illustrator and drill instructor. She graduated Wichita State University in 1978 with a bachelors degree in fine arts and in 1980 with a bachelors in art education. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia in 2007 and professed vows in 2010. She currently lives at Manna House of Prayer assisting with retreat work.

 

Creating a greener lifestyle

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

Choose to enjoy nature rather than go shopping.

 

Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia honors employees

 

 

 

 

Twelve employees of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia were honored
Feb. 25 at the 2020 Employee Appreciation Banquet at the Nazareth
Motherhouse.

The annual event drew a large crowd of employees, guests and Sisters of St. Joseph to the auditorium in the Nazareth Motherhouse.

The theme of the evening was “Mardi Gras,” with each beautifully
decorated table highlighted with fanciful Mardi Gras decorations made by
Sister Ramona Medina with help from volunteers.

Sister Jean Rosemarynoski, president of the Sisters of St. Joseph of
Concordia, opened the evening using the Mardi Gras theme.
“Our theme for our dinner this year is Mardi Gras. Mardi
Gras is hundreds of years old and has a rich tradition,” Sister Jean
said. “Chris Rose is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, and after
Hurricane Katrina where the people of New Orleans really needed Mardi
Gras, Chris Rose wrote that Mardi Gras is the love of life. It is the
harmonic convergence of our food, our music, our eccentricities, our
neighborhoods, our creativity and our joy of living all coming together
at once.”

“And Chris Rose goes on to say Mardi Gras has many life lessons to teach
us. And that of the many he mentions I found two to be the most
important. The first is to be neighborly and to be patient,” Sister Jean
said. “The second is team building. That is why we chose this theme. I
often tell a story that goes along with the theme, but tonight, you are
the story. That the lessons of Mardi Gras: the hospitality, the team
building, the helping one another … you are the story. You live the
story of Mardi Gras.”

“You are the living example of the very best of Mardi Gras. So we
celebrate all of you,” Sister Jean said. “And as I’ve told you before,
but I cannot say it often enough, we not only believe, but we know we
have Concordia’s very finest. We are humbled and grateful that out of
all the employers in this area, you chose us.”

Sister Marilyn Wall led the assembly in prayer. Sister Mary Jo Thummel
acted as master of ceremonies conducting drawing prizes throughout the
night.

The employees honored, listed with their length of service, are:
Vicky Thoman, 40 years
Susan LeDuc, 30 years
Carlene Edwards, 25 years
Joy Bliss, 20 years
Barbara Kortman, 15 years
Tina Goff, 10 years
Pam Huber, 10 years
Sheri Krause, 10 years
Mary Walker, 10 years
Kim Brownell, 10 years
Cindy Dunlap, 5 years
Katy Brown, 5 years

In addition to the elegant meal provided by the Nazareth Motherhouse
food service staff under the direction of Larry Metro, door prizes were
randomly drawn throughout the night for baked goods, gift certificates
to local eateries and bowl warmers.

A PowerPoint slide presentation showed photos of all the honorees at
work, while various sisters spoke to how each of the employees are
appreciated for their contributions to the workplace.

Vicky Thoman, the 40-year honoree, was particularly mentioned as this
being her first job out of high school … and her only job since then!

The Sisters of St. Joseph have about 70 employees in Concordia, working
at the Nazareth Motherhouse, Manna House of Prayer and the CSJ
Administrative Center at 215 Court St.

“There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” will be featured book at March’s Reading with Friends

March’s book for Reading with Friends at Neighbor to Neighbor will be “There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly!” by Lucille Colandro and illustrated by Jared Lee.

It’s the Old Lady from the famous childhood song as you’ve never seen her before! Now she’s swallowing animals from the classic story … to create a home full of lovable pets!

With rhyming text and hilarious illustrations, this is the original song young readers know and love with a wacky twist.

The book will be read by special guest Janene Aggson.

Story time will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, March 6. This month’s event is a week earlier than usual, as Neighbor to Neighbor will be closed for Spring Break the following week.

The story times for children 3 to 5 years old are usually on the second Fridays of the month and all begin at 10 a.m. at Neighbor to Neighbor, 103 E. Sixth St. Each session includes playtime and a snack for the children, plus each child will receive a free copy of that day’s book to take home.

There is a limit of 30 children per session so parents must register in advance. Call Neighbor to Neighbor at 785/262-4215 or email neighbortoneighbor@csjkansas.org.

The monthly program has been a part of Neighbor to Neighbor’s regular offerings since September 2012.

 

Lenten studies series temporarily suspended at Manna House of Prayer

This series, along with other programming at Manna House of Prayer has been temporarily suspended due to precautions for the COVID-19 virus. Please follow this page, or the Manna House of Prayer Facebook page for more information on when programming will resume.

 

What are you giving up for Lent? A common question every year. But this year, have you thought about what you want to acquire to help you understand and appreciate Lent?
The Manna House of Prayer in Concordia is offering a six-part series during Lent, open to everyone of any denomination, or even no denomination at all. The series begins on March 4 and continues through the Lenten season ending April 8.
Each session is presented by a different sister of St. Joseph of Concordia. Everyone is invited to attend and join in a lively discussion during the Lenten series.
Each session is $10, or $50 for all six sessions. Contact Manna House of Prayer at (785) 243-4428 or email retreatcenter@mannahouse.org.
MARCH 4, 2020
Lenten Series Week 1 – Knowing Jesus
Presenter: Mary Jo Thummel, CSJ
Let’s take a journey in the life of Jesus.  Who is Jesus to each of us?  How do we come to relate with Jesus more deeply?  What does the life of Jesus say to how we live our own lives?  Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:00 p.m.  Cost: $10 or $50 for all 6 sessions.

MARCH 11, 2020
Lenten Series Week 2 – God’s Purpose for our Lives and Our Deepest Desire
Presenter: Janet Lander, CSJ
Do you want to follow Christ? What does that mean in these times, in our ordinary lives? Can we really know and do God’s will? Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:00 p.m.  Cost: $10 or $50 for all 6 sessions.

MARCH 18, 2020
Lenten Series Week 3 – Something’s Broken
Presenter: Sr. Gilla Dubé CSJ
Life is difficult and at times unfair and confusing. In our vulnerable moments, it seems easy to make choices that do not bring healing. Regardless of the choices we make, God loves us deeply and responds to the broken parts of our lives with love and forgiveness and desires that we do the same. Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Cost: $10 or $50 for all 6 sessions.

MARCH 25, 2020
Lenten Series Week 4 – Finding God in All Things
Presenter: Jean Ann Walton, CSJ
We can find God in all things, in the storm and in the calm, in the laughter and in the tears, in friends and in enemies, even in a can of worms.  So how can we do this? Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Cost: $10 or $50 for all 6 sessions.

APRIL 1, 2020
Lenten Series Week 5 – Suffering Jesus
Presenter:  Pat Eichner, CSJ
Reflecting on Jesus’ suffering leads us to know him more intimately, to love him more dearly and to follow him more closely.  Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Cost: $10 or $50 for all 6 sessions.

APRIL 8, 2020
Lenten Series Week 6 – God’s Love and our Response
Presenter: Betty Suther, CSJ
As we contemplate Jesus’ resurrection, we collaborate with God’s action in the world.  How do we integrate prayer and service, contemplation in action?  What is God calling me to do, to be?  Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Cost: $10 or $50 for all 6 sessions.

Sisters elect new leadership team

A woman well known throughout Concordia has been re-elected to lead the Sisters of St. Joseph for the next four years.

Sister Jean Rosemarynoski was re-elected president of the Concordia congregation on Feb. 15, 2020, as the sisters’ four-day Senate of Elections neared its conclusion. The Senate — the congregation’s highest deliberative body — convenes every four years, and the schedule depends on the agenda. This Senate began in October 2019 with an assembly of all the sisters in the Catholic religious order and    then culminated this week with the Leadership Council elections.

Sister Jean will renew her office July 1, having previously served for the past four years.

Sister Jean is a native of Wichita and lives in Concordia. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Washburn University and then master’s degrees at Kansas State University and St. Mary University in Winona, Minn. Before being received as a novice in the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1994, she worked as an educator for the Topeka Public Schools, and later at Parkview Passages in Topeka as administrator for education.

She has served as communications director and development director for the congregation, and was first elected to the Leadership Council in 2008. In 2012 she was elected to a four-year term as vice president of the congregation and then elected as president in 2016.

Throughout her tenure on the Leadership Council, she has been active in civic organizations, as a member and president of the Rotary Club, board chair for the Concordia Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Concordia Year of Peace Committee. Currently she is a member of the Cloud County Complete Count committee for the census and the Concordia Sesquicentennial Celebration committee.

She will serve with a new congregational Leadership Team that was also elected this afternoon.

Sister Mary Jo Thummel, a native of Plainville, Kan., was elected as vice president of the congregation.

Sister Mary Jo was received into the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1959. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Marymount College in Salina and then a master’s in Christian spirituality from Creighton University in Omaha. She has also completed certificates in spiritual direction from Creighton and in corporate ministry from St. Louis University.

She was a teacher at various schools for 22 years, and then moved into parish ministry. She served as a pastoral associate in Oakley, Kan., and then served in Gorham, Kan., as pastoral administrator for 12 years and later as pastoral associate in Junction City, Kan., and was a member of the Diocesan Parish Council. In 2008, she was elected to the congregation’s Leadership Council and then re-elected in 2012 and 2016.

Sister Mary Jo, lives in Concordia, and assists with the programs offered at Manna House of Prayer.

Sisters Jean and Mary Jo will be joined on the Leadership Team by three councilors. They are:

Sister Janet Mary Lander is originally from Santa Monica, Calif. Sister Janet earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles and another master’s in pastoral ministry from Boston College. She also completed a post-master’s certificate in the practice of spirituality at Boston College.

She originally entered the Sisters of St. Louis of Woodland Hills, Calif., and then in 2003 joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia.

She lives at Manna House of Prayer in Concordia, where she serves as a spiritual director and retreat leader. She has served as co-director of the CSJ Associates program since 2005 and been a member of numerous congregational committees. She has also had an active role in the U.S. Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph, serving on committees for associate directors and federation artists, as well as teaching in the Federation Novitiate currently based at Manna House. She was elected to the Leadership Council in 2016. Since then she has served as secretary of Leadership Conference of Women Religious Region XIII, and been active in the Leadership Collaborative with programs and mentoring Collaborative Leadership Development Program participants.

Sister Marilyn Wall, originally from Aurora, Ill., who was received into the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1961. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Marymount College in Salina and then master’s degrees from Kansas State University and St. Louis University.

Early in her religious life, she was a teacher in Fairbury, Neb., and Manhattan and Salina, Kan. She then taught biology for several years at Marymount College and eventually served as a social worker at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Concordia. She then joined the staff at Manna House of Prayer.

From 1987 to 1991 she served on the congregation’s Executive Council, and then began a new ministry working in parishes. She has lived and served as pastoral administrator or associate or parish life coordinator in Oberlin, Selden and Leoville, Kan. (1994-2002), Washington, Morrowville, Hanover and Greenleaf, Kan. (2002-2009), and Wilson, Dorrance and Holyrood, Kan. (2009-2012).  After five additional years at Washington County, where she was also a chaplain for Meadowlark Hospice, she was elected to the Leadership Council in 2016.

Sister Dian Hall was born and raised in Cedartown, Ga., and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of West Georgia. By the early 1990s she was teaching in a migrant education program in Cartersville, Ga.

It was during that time that she stepped in to help raise one of her teenage students when the girl’s parents were killed. When Juana — now 34 — was in her 20s, she and Hall decided they wanted to “formalize” the family feeling they had had for years, so Hall adopted her. Juana is now a married mother of three sons, and lives in Cartersville.

That’s where Hall was living and working in 1994, when she met three Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia who live in the Greater Atlanta area. That began a “conversation” with sisters that continued until November 2009 when Hall came to Concordia and was received as a candidate for agrégée membership. She spent two and a half years studying and praying with her mentors in Georgia before realizing that she was being called to canonical membership. She became a canonical novice in June 2012, and professed her first vows during a special ceremony at the Motherhouse on June 7, 2014. She professed her final vows in 2017. She returned to Georgia to continue in the work she did before coming to Concordia, as a special education inclusion teacher for the Cartersville schools. Dian is now retired from teaching and serves as Director of Parish Life in her parish in Cartersville, Ga.

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Full house at Neighbor to Neighbor’s Reading with Friends

It was a packed house Friday, Feb. 7, for Neighbor to Neighbor’s monthly Reading with Friends.

This month’s reader was Alisha Sipe, a mother and friend of Neighbor to Neighbor. With one of her children in her lap and another in the audience, she read, “That’s NOT a Hippopotamus!” by picture-book writer Juliette

MacIver and illustrator Sarah Davis.

The event is limited to 30 kids, but there may have been a few extra on Friday morning. Each family gets a copy of the book to take home for free.

Sister Missy Ljungdahl, director of Neighbor to Neighbor, made sure to let the mom’s know that if they got short on books this week they would order more.

After introducing Sipe, Sister Missy let the moms in the audience know that Sipe was involved with Concordia Area Moms, a local support group, and that there would be an informal get together while the kids enjoyed playtime in the toy room. Concordia Area Moms has an active Facebook page with the slogan, “We’re not meant to go through motherhood alone.”

The next Reading with Friends will be at 10 a.m. on March 6 at Neighbor to Neighbor, 103 E. Sixth Street. This is a week earlier than normal. Each session includes playtime and a snack for the children, plus each child will receive a free copy of that day’s book to take home.

There is a limit of 30 children per session so parents must register in advance. Call Neighbor to Neighbor at 785/262-4215 or email neighbortoneighbor@csjkansas.org.
The monthly program has been a part of Neighbor to Neighbor’s regular offerings since September 2012.

2020 Theological Institute: “2020 Vision — The Experience of Interculturality”

Presenter: Anthony Gittens, C.S.Sp.

July 23-26, 2020

Presenter: Anthony Gittens, C.S.Sp.

Father Anthony Gittins is experienced as a missionary pastor and professor of Mission Theology and Culture and is the author of many books. His most recent are: Courage and Conviction: Unpretentious Christianity, 2017; The Way of Discipleship, 2016; and Living Mission Interculturally, 2015. Our 2020 Vision will be an exploration of the present in light of and in hope for our future as Christians with a mission in and for the world. It will encompass the themes of these recent works by Gittins who is a skilled missionary, workshop and retreat leader, professor and, above all, a passionate Christian for our world. Come and sharpen your heart and your vision in the company of this missionary whose life speaks for itself as totally given for the good of our world. Thursday, 5 p.m. – Sunday, 1 p.m. Cost: $325.

For more information, call 785-243-4428, email retreatcenter@mannahouse.org or visit mannahouse.org to register online.

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