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Those of us who’ve lost a loved one know their spirit lives on long after their death.

Certain situations will trigger our memory of them. Recalling what they said or did, we are inspired to live up to the legacy they left us. In this way, their presence continues through our words and actions.

We might well imagine the disciples’ overwhelming sense of grief and absence when Jesus ascended into heaven. As time will tell, Jesus’ absence will really mark the beginning of a new kind of presence. As his followers, we’re commissioned to preach that suffering and death lead to new life, and that forgiveness will be granted to all who seek forgiveness.

His ascension is our commission, because we are now His presence on earth.

His very absence calls us to be and do as Jesus. To put another’s needs above our own desires. To seek amends when forgiving another, or letting go of grudges. And we don’t do this on our own. We’re gifted with the very power of the Holy Spirit.

Having experienced God’s saving action, we can be that saving action for others.

^{Adapted from Renew International Year B; this post first appeared in 2021 and was written by Sister Therese Ann Rich.}

In her book “May I Have This Dance,” Sister Joyce Rupp challenges us to REALLY think outside the box:

“Can we imagine a God who sings a happy song over us? A God who dances with shouts of joy? Could our God be the one who laughs and enjoys life?”

It’s a different notion of God than many have. But – why not?!

Spring’s vibrant colors and soft, sweet scents are inspiring. Walkers in our neighborhood hum, whistle and sing.

Dancing and shouting with joy – many celebrations in life inspire such behavior. For countless children, no day is complete without them!

Our lives are always enriched when we laugh and enjoy ourselves. And if we believe we truly are made in God’s image, then it makes sense that God has shared with us His senses of wonder and humor.

We can honor God for these gifts by thanking Him with a sense of awe.

Our Ursuline Education & Wellness Center, 4280 Shields Road, soon begins its 12^th year of labyrinth walks. We hope you’ll join us! Bring family and friends!

Each walk will be led by a different facilitator, either an Ursuline Sister or Associate, with the meditation centering on hospitality. The virtue has been central to our ministries since we began working in the Mahoning Valley in 1874, and to the mission of St. Angela Merici, who founded our order in 1535.

All persons of faith are invited to participate in these free, weather-permitting events. Walks generally take 20 minutes to ½ hour.

This year’s schedule is:
Sun., June 12, 2 p.m.: Welcoming Jesus into our hearts
Thurs., July 21, 6:30 p.m.: Knock…it shall be opened
Thurs., Aug. 18, 6:30 p.m.: Jesus invites the children
Thurs., Sept. 15, 6:30 p.m.: Jesus accepts invitations to eat with sinners
Sun., Oct. 16, 2 p.m.: God welcomes us all

The labyrinth is open dawn to dusk for all persons of faith. There is no cost to use the labyrinth, which is accessible for different physical abilities and offers ample parking. Learn more on our YouTube channel.

Printed guides are provided at the Labyrinth’s entrance giving suggestions for following the path, but there is no right or wrong way to experience the sacred walk.

While the labyrinth is open year-round, themed and guided labyrinth walks are offered by trained facilitators during the warm-weather season.

For more information, call the Ursuline Education & Wellness Center at 330-799-4941 or visit ursulinewellness.org.

We’re starting a Nuns & Nones chapter for the Diocese of Youngstown. Parents and grandparents of millennials – and millennials themselves – are invited to an informational meeting Mon., April 25 at the Motherhouse, 4250 Shields Road at 7 p.m. Guests are asked to bring masks.

Nuns & Nones is an international group uniting millennials and vowed-religious Sisters. Nones are adults ages 26-42 who believe in God and are spiritual beings but no longer consider themselves Catholic.

Sister Kathleen McCarragher is one of the founders of the local group. “Research shows Nones feel they aren’t part of any organized religion. We want to reach them — with simple conversation and no judging,” she said.

Sister Eileen Kernan, whose ministry centers on helping people grow their spirituality, is also a founder of the local chapter.

“We believe millennials are a spiritual group and willing to discuss their thoughts and experiences of God,” she said.

The millennials are invited to a follow-up meeting Mon., May 2 at 7 p.m. at the Motherhouse.

The Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown are Catholic nuns who’ve ministered in the Mahoning Valley since 1874.

^{This reflection was written by our late Sister Therese Ann Rich and first published for Palm Sunday 2017}

For most of us,  Holy Week unfolds like many other weeks: work, school, preparing meals, doing laundry. Palm Sunday begins an unusual week – a week – concentrated in a few days on the ultimate meaning of our lives. We are invited this week to reflect on these questions: Why are we here? What have we been called to do? What are we willing to die for?

We have journeyed from Ash Wednesday to this day. This week, we will experience the last hours of the life of Jesus. We must slow down and make choices so that this week does not go by without our taking time to enter into its meaning.

In our Gospel today, even in the midst of great suffering, Jesus extends his compassion to others, so total, that he  willingly empties himself to the point of death. As we enter this week, let us pray that our self-emptying for the good of others will be so total.

We celebrate in the liturgies of this week what we live every day – all the dying to self that characterizes our faithful discipleship. The triumph of this week is in doing our tasks with joy, being kind to those around us [even those cranky folks], meeting setbacks as paths to learning. Then, with Jesus, we can commend ourselves into God’s hands.

Since 2010, we’ve offered Service Learning opportunities for college students and graduating high school seniors. Call today if you’d like to volunteer this summer. The experience will be rewarding, and you can add it to your resume! Read the flier and watch this video (under 2 minutes) for more.

We’re searching for an AmeriCorps member. Please share this with recent college graduates.

By Dan Wakefield, Ursuline Associate

I’ve always been drawn to the complexities in the Gospel story of Lazarus and the intermingling of the human and the divine within the story: the illness of Lazarus and his sisters calling on God; “doubting” Thomas being the apostle to rally the other disciples to be faithful to Jesus and return to the town of Bethany; the community comforting Martha and Mary in their grief over Lazarus’ death; Martha and Mary’s unwavering faithfulness in Jesus; Jesus weeping on his way to Lazarus’ tomb; and finally the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

Just as I thought I had considered it all, a new interpretation of Lazarus was recently offered on social media by Jesuit priest Fr. James Martin. Fr. Martin noted that, given the information we have in the Gospel stories about Lazarus, Lazarus was a countercultural figure during his time.

Despite living in a patriarchal society, Lazarus isn’t positioned as the head of his household, instead living with his sisters, Martha and Mary. Although both Martha and Mary have dialogue that is recorded in the Gospel, Lazarus remains silent, even after being raised from the dead.

These observations have led some scholars like Fr. Martin to speculate one possible reason: Lazarus was disabled.

Reflecting on this possibility opens up a whole new way to interpret the life of Lazarus, the love of God, and provides us with a powerful message.

How many of us might now be able to more fully identify with Martha and Mary who, with this interpretation, are not only devoted sisters, but also devoted caregivers, to their brother? How much more empathy might we have for Martha in the story from the Gospel of Luke when she is stressed and overwhelmed by serving? And how even more powerful and loving is Jesus’ message to Martha in that story when he responds: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing.”

Martha and Mary both place their trust in Jesus. Jesus provides the sisters and Lazarus the knowledge that they are seen, they are loved, and they are worthy. As caregivers, this knowledge that their faith would sustain them during difficulties and challenges must have provided Martha and Mary a sense of peace.

They also received from Jesus the understanding that their brother was loved. Jesus’ love for Lazarus is without question; in fact, the beautiful phrase that the sisters use to call Jesus back to Bethany when Lazarus was ill perfectly reveals their knowledge of this fact: “The one whom you love is ill.”

In this interpretation, the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead also takes on another dimension.  Can you imagine the society at that time not only left speechless by the resurrection, but also stunned that the one raised was one whom society had shunned?

In a society that ignored the disabled or, just as worse, treated them as disposable and unworthy, Jesus once again offered a lesson on human dignity and worth, calling on Lazarus to “come out”—words that raise Lazarus from the dead, while simultaneously invite him into a place in the community. Come out, Lazarus, join us.

And what might be the message for us today? First, I have witnessed many loving caregivers, and I have always been inspired by the selflessness and love that they have shown to others. It’s not an easy road to travel, but hopefully when they, too, are “anxious and worried about many things,” they can find strength in their faith like Martha and Mary.

My involvement with the Ursuline Sisters and Ursuline Sisters Mission has shown me that we still have progress to be made on how we treat the disabled in our own society. Let’s not contribute to the ridicule and poor treatment of the disabled–signs that our society itself can be disabled by its own cruelty and hard-heartedness—and instead remember that those with disabilities are ones whom Jesus loves.

The Ursuline Sisters and their ministries provide many services to those who have disabilities. Like Jesus, the work of the Ursulines serve as a reminder to those touched by their ministries that they are seen, they are loved, and they are worthy.

A guest blog post by Sister Larraine Lauter, an Ursuline Sister of Louisville, Ky.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
Jesus, Matthew 5:9

Saint Augustine said, “If you want to make peace, begin by putting peace inside yourself. Then you will be able to be a peacemaker”.

I’ve been intrigued by this image of Angela Merici for many years, but just recently with a friend’s help was able to identify the artist: Auguste Moede Jansen. I could say so much about this masterful portrait, but what I most want to bring attention to is the peace in Angela’s eyes, indeed in her entire face.

For that reason, I chose this portrait to aid us in our meditation.

Angela teaches us how to be peacefully present to the world: immersed in the presence of God, present to the Presence, for the sake of the world.

Our times are fraught, as were Angela’s, with what we might simply call “anti-peace” – all the energies that mitigate against peace, on every level of our lives: personal, social, political, global.

Sitting in the peace of our silent prayer, we may become aware of the cries of pain and anti-peace that echo from every corner of the world, both near and far.

We long to live at peace, not only for our own selves but for the sake of a suffering world. We want our prayer for peace to actually bring about peace… in a sense, for our prayer to be the first step of action for peace. And this may begin to happen when we, faithful to silent prayer, find that it opens within us a ground for compassion, patience, self-control.

Then, throughout our day, perhaps we notice something in our own interactions, even when seemingly insignificant, and particularly in response to friction or conflict. We may notice that we are able, through Grace, to contribute to the energy of peace rather than the energy of anti-peace.

Perhaps our responses ripple out from us to the next person, who unconsciously or consciously repeats them in their own interactions…and so there is an energetic flow of peace. And perhaps our small, hidden movements help to lift a wave of peace that flows far beyond us into the situations for which we pray: the terrible energies that poise humans for war, hatred, and destruction.

“Through her examples of peace-making, through her teachings in favor of peace among the sisters and others, through peace of conscience, and through her radiant and joyful peace, Angel is truly a messenger of peace. In our times of dissensions, wars, and rivalry, she invites us to be as she was, real witnesses to the peace which Christ alone can give. As Saint Augustine said, “If you want to make peace, begin by putting peace inside yourself. Then you will be able to be a peacemaker”. We know that any lasting action in favor of peace is based on inner strength which the Savior alone can bestow, He who has vanquished the world. If His peace dwells within us, it will irradiate from one person to another and make us real messengers of peace.
Sister Marie Seynaeve, Ursuline of the Roman Union

[This quote comes from the end of Sister Marie’s very worthwhile reflection which can be found at this link: https://ursulines.union.romaine.catholique.fr/Justice-and-Peace-english . Sister Marie has much more to share on Angela’s peacemaking presence, both in her times and as she continues to inspire her Ursuline family.] 

Sister Larraine is the founder and Executive Director of 
“Water With Blessings,” a nonprofit that brings clean water to God’s thirsty children.

Sister Larraine is also the leader of the  planning committee for the Virtual North American Ursuline Convocation in September 2022.  

Our Sister, Therese Ann Rich, died on Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at Windsor House in Canfield. She was 73.

Sister Therese Ann was born on June 26, 1948, in Conneaut, the daughter of Jay and Catherine White Rich. She entered the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown on Sept. 12, 1966, and professed perpetual vows in 1975.

Sister Therese Ann was educated at St. Mary School in Conneaut and graduated from St. John High School in Ashtabula in 1966. She earned a B.S. in education from Youngstown State University in 1973 and an M.A. in religious studies from John Carroll University in 1985. In addition, she did post-graduate work in pastoral studies at Loyola University of New Orleans.

In 51 years of active ministry, Sister Therese Ann held a variety of roles. She taught at Sacred Heart, Youngstown, St. Rose, Girard, St. Joseph, Austintown, St. Luke, Boardman, and Ursuline High School. She served as director of Religious Education at St. Charles and at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Aurora, where she also served as pastoral minister.

She served as a member of the leadership team for two terms with the Ursuline Sisters, 1996 to 2008. In addition, she served as director of the Ursuline Center. Since 2006, she has worked at St. Edward Parish as pastoral minister. She also was active with the Ursuline Sisters Young Adult Outreach Ministry.

She served the larger diocesan church as a member of the Diocesan Liturgy Commission and the Diocesan Pastoral Council. For many years, she was involved in the Ursuline Sisters Prison Ministry.

One of the talents she acquired for ministry in recent years was expertise in social media. She established our online ministry across several platforms and used her talent to connect with “friends” near and far for the parishes in which she worked and for the Ursuline Sisters and Ursuline Sisters Mission.

Sister Therese Ann leaves her Sisters in Community; a brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Joanne Rich of Cleveland; and a sister and brother-in-law, Cathy and Randy Loomis of Conneaut, and her nieces and nephews. Her parents preceded her in death.

Friends may call at the Ursuline Motherhouse, 4250 Shields Road, Canfield, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, 2022. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Charles Church, Boardman, at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 7, 2022. Friends may call at the church, before the funeral, beginning at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery.

Due to COVID-19, masks are required and please maintain social distancing. Thank you.

Memorial donations can be made to the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown.

Arrangements by The McCauley Funeral Home, privileged to serve the Valley for more than 120 years. Thoughts and condolences can be shared at www.mccauleyfuneral.com.

The following is the homily offered by the Most Reverend David Bonnar, Bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown, on Ash Wednesday 2022.

     Today with the Church throughout the whole world we begin the holy season of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting, and charitable works.

I think many of us probably have images of what these days mean going back to our childhood. Some of these images include journeying into the desert, picking up one’s cross, and offering a sacrifice of one kind or another by giving something up.

     One of the images of this season that the religious Sisters instilled into me was that of springtime. Lent is the springtime of one’s soul. Given the winter that we have been enduring with all the snow and ice and sunless days, I think we all are excited to welcome spring, even the springtime of one’s soul.

     With every spring there is something new. This is a new moment for our spiritual life. Spring also engenders many opportunities. The Lenten spring is no different. In fact, the readings today highlight three specific opportunities of these days. 

     The first opportunity is to come back to God with every fiber of our being. In the first reading, the prophet Joel says, “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments.”

Lent is a time to give our whole hearts to God so that he can clean them, heal them, soften them, and strengthen them. God does not want part of us. He wants all of us. It is very tempting to give our attention to something or someone else at the expense of God.

     The second opportunity is to seek reconciliation in our lives with God and those with whom we are alienated. In today’s second reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians Saint Paul says, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

In our humanness we can lose our way with God. We can so easily allow sin to win out over grace.  Lent is a time to set things right with God and others. One of the best ways we do this is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Lent is incomplete without it.

It is tempting for us to miss this part of the Lenten experience because our society has downplayed and rationalized sin. We are all sinners in need of God’s mercy.

     The third opportunity in these 40 days of Lent is to become more genuine in our prayer. In the gospel, Jesus warns the disciples to not become hypocrites. In other words, he does not want them to reduce their prayer to acting or being fake and just going through motions. We need to aim to be more real and honest in our prayer.

The more genuine we are, the deeper our relationship can become with God. It is tempting for us to be superficial or inauthentic in our prayer. Remember, God does not want just part of us, he wants our whole self. No one knows us like he knows us. 

     In each of these opportunities we are seeking to become more intentional in our relationship with God which leads to what can be a new image of Lent for us, namely, that in this conscious intentionality, we fall more in love with Jesus who even in sinfulness, never tires of loving us. 

     May the Eucharist we receive today empower us to not grow tired in this Lenten journey. May the Eucharist help us to see our sufferings not as obstacles but opportunities to return to the Lord with our whole heart, to be reconciled to him and to be more genuine. 

Happy Lent! May this time truly be a springtime for your soul and a new beginning in your spiritual life. 

By Sister Therese Ann Rich

We’re now in the great season of Lent, six weeks preparing to celebrate the high point of our faith: the Paschal Mystery, the suffering, death and resurrection of the Incarnate God.

Formerly, it was a time of severe penance to purify ourselves from sinful habits to celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ with a renewed commitment to follow him.

But our reflections shouldn’t only focus on the negative. Over the coming weeks, we should ask ourselves:

• What positive things should be part of my life?
• How do I treat family, friends, colleagues & strangers?
• Am I active enough in my Christian community?
• What difference do I make to other people’s lives?
• How do I help eradicate abuses in our society?

Some things we can do are:

• Celebrate the Eucharist daily as often as possible.
• Set aside time daily day for personal prayer.
• Reflect on Scripture daily, alone or with others.
• Set aside money we might spend on wants to help the needs of the less fortunate.
• Remember that real penance is to live life well. Be the mercy and peace of God for others.

Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown never really retire, we just change ministries.

Take Sister Eileen Kernan. Four months after her “retirement” as the pastoral associate for St. Joan of Arc Parish, Streetsboro, in 2016, Sister Eileen began offering women’s spirituality workshops through the Ursuline Education & Wellness Center.

“It’s delightful for me when the classes touch people in their experience and help them to grow,” she says. “We’re both growing, and it’s never ending!”  

Sister Eileen, who ministered as a teacher, principal and pastoral minister, usually offers the three-month workshops four times a year. In February she offered a four-part series for the ladies of St. Luke Church in Boardman. She also offers book-sharing sessions.

“I’ve always been searching for life’s meaning, even when I entered the convent in 1955,” she states. “Through the years, I’ve accumulated a lot of spiritual information.”

Topics of Sister Eileen’s workshops include exploring the inner dimension of our lives, discerning where we have been and where we are going, and how journaling aids in our quest to deepen our spirituality.

“Different writers have shared their wisdom with us,” she observes. “We all have that inner wisdom, but they put theirs on paper.”

We have a wealth of historical items from our nearly 150 years of ministry, some of which you see here.

They represent the commitment by all Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown — past, present and hopefully
future! — to serve God’s people here in the Mahoning Valley.

An aspect of legacy planning we’re focusing on is archiving — preserving not only our historical documents but also our digital record.

We started with blueprints and are now moving to photos and other historic items, moving all of our important documents to a digital platform.

Many of our Sisters and employees are excited to be part of this initiative.

It’s amazing how we connect with people. We believe it’s the Holy Spirit at work.

Such an example is the friendship between Sister Marilyn Hoover and Laura Chelgren.

The two met in 2020 when Laura participated in the Nun Run, our annual fall fundraiser for our HIV/AIDS and Ursuline Preschool & Kindergarten children’s ministries.

Laura, who lives in Punxsutawney, Pa., ran virtually and picked the option of running in honor of a Sister. She was matched with Sister Marilyn, to whom she sent a Christmas card.

The two exchanged phone numbers and their friendship has blossomed since.

“It makes me feel very good,” says Sister Marilyn, who’s originally from Altoona, Pa.

“One time I told her about how when I was little, we went to our lady of Lourdes church. It had all these steps. I can still see it,” Sister Marilyn recalls. “She brought it up on the computer, and said, ‘I see it.’ It was amazing!”

The two enjoy sharing stories of their lives and listening to the other’s experience. Of course, when you think of Punxsutawney…

“When she came to see me she brought me a little stuffed groundhog. I pulled him out to give the weather Feb. 2, and mine was better than the one we got from Phil,” Sister Marilyn laughs.

Sister Marilyn got to meet Laura’s mom, Nancy, when they visited the Motherhouse for the 2021 Nun Run.

“I teased Laura and said, ‘When you run, I’m coming with you — but I’ll be like a turtle,’” Sister Marilyn jokes, noting Laura did very well, coming in third place for her age group.

The friendship may seem unlikely, since Sister Marilyn will be 90 this June and Laura is in her 20s, but the two find much in common. Laura greatly appreciates her friendship with Sister Marilyn, and says, deciding to participate in that first Nun Run “has brought me nothing but joy!” 

Did you know the Eucharist shared at your parish could come from our Motherhouse?

Our Altar Bread Ministry began in 1930, when “Sisters baked and packed the hosts for the churches,” says Sister Dorothy Kundracik, who runs the ministry now.

“A long line of Ursuline Sisters have contributed to this service to our parishes,” she adds.

Noting that our founder, St. Angela Merici, counseled us to change as necessary — but prudently — with the times, Sister Dorothy says there have been quite a few changes with the Altar Bread Ministry over the years.

Since 1985, the Cavanaugh Co. of Greenville, RI has provided the manufacturing, packaging and wholesale supply for religious communities such as ours to continue this service.

Also, whole-wheat hosts have mostly replaced the formerly traditional white ones.

“Gluten-free hosts have been introduced with much controversy,” she continues, explaining that not all clergy will provide these hosts to their congregations. “But they’re offered with a consideration for the many people who cannot receive the host due to gluten intolerance.”

Another change is the number of customers. “Originally we had 70 churches who requested altar breads,” Sister Dorothy says. “Today that number has been reduced by almost half.”

A number of parishes have merged and closed, she observes, and the pandemic has reduced demand in the last two years.

“But we continue to serve those churches that request hosts from us and look forward to people being able to more readily receive Communion,” Sister Dorothy says.

Other changes include increasing postage costs for the altar bread itself, office supplies and postage. “It’s definitely a nonprofit ministry,” she states.

Not only do we serve many parishes in the Diocese of Youngstown, which comprises six counties, we also serve some in western Pennsylvania and those for other denominations.  

“I am grateful to be part of this tradition,” Sister Dorothy says.

Sister Janice Kusick is passionate about people and lifelong learning.

For the last decade, she’s ministered in adult faith formation at three parishes – St. Angela Merici and St. Columba in Youngstown, and St. Rose in Girard.
  
“This Lent I’m teaching ‘People of the Passion’ at both St. Angela and St. Rose Parishes,” Sister Janice says. “Each week, we’ll study a major participant in Jesus’ last week of life.” 
  
She offers six-part Bible study programs at both parishes four times a year – Lent, Advent and two in Ordinary Time – with about 20 people participating each time.
  
“The people who come are usually retired and very faith filled,” she says. “They come and share. They build a bond among one another. The classes build community, too. Some of the folks are converts wanting to learn about their faith.”
  
Sister Janice has also been active with St. Columba’s RCIA program.
  
“St. Jerome says, ‘Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Jesus,’” she adds.
  
In addition to teaching, Sister Janice also ministers on the board of the First Friday Club and offers hospitality at its events.

If they’d work harder, they wouldn’t be poor.

I work hard for my money, so why should I help someone who’s lazy?

This is America, so anyone who works hard can achieve the American Dream: Health, Wealth and Happiness!

We’ve all heard these statements. Maybe we’ve said them. But what these generalizations have in common – besides focusing on people living in poverty – is they don’t recognize the complicated issue that poverty is.

Vicki Vicars, director of Mission, Equity & Resilience for Ursuline Sisters Mission, hopes to change that with an awareness campaign on social media coinciding with National Poverty in America Month.

Multiple social service agencies and nonprofits promote the January event, Vicars says, noting it’s especially important for residents of the Mahoning Valley.

“The national poverty rate was around 11.4% in 2020. In Youngstown it’s nearly 37.9% and has been as high as 49%,” she says. “A third of our residents are living at or below poverty level, meaning they have inadequate housing, food, transportation and health care.”

For the other 66%, and folks living in the surrounding communities, Vicars states, it can be difficult to understand why it matters.

“Poverty lowers the quality of life for the entire community,” she posits. “It robs people of their potential, of their ability to contribute their gifts to the community. When everybody can’t do their best and be their best, we all suffer.”

So what’s considered poverty by the U.S. government? In the contiguous United States and District of Columbia, it’s making $12,880 a year for one person and $26,500 for a family of four. A complete list for different size families, Alaska and Hawaii is found here.

Many of the U.S. citizens living in poverty, Vicars says, are senior citizens and children. In fact, more than half the children in Youngstown live in poverty.

Poverty, Vicars said, often is generational – meaning an adult living in poverty is likely to have lived in poverty as a child.

 “You’re caught in this web of not having enough,” Vicars explains. “When you’re concerned with where your next meal is coming from or where to safely put your children to bed at night, you don’t always have time to focus on your career path or getting a better job.”

Systemic measures keep people in poverty, she adds.

“If you have a good job and you get a raise, then might you lose child care credits or free health insurance,” Vicars observes, “but you still can’t afford them. So is it worth it to make another dollar or two an hour if you lose all these benefits and it doesn’t actually raise your quality of life?”

The stress and trauma of poverty robs people of both their potential and opportunity, she states.

“Nobody grows up and says they want to be poor,” Vicars states. “They want to support themselves and have full lives. They get trapped in this system that doesn’t give them options.”

Those who don’t suffer in poverty have options for making a difference, she says.

“Donating is important and one of the easiest ways to address poverty. People can recognize the legislation that impacts lifting people out of poverty,” Vicars says, noting the Ohio Poverty Law Center advocates for this, especially for children.

Concerned citizens also can advocate for job training and become a mentor for a student. Youngstown City Schools is collaborating with the police department to form such a program. Our Beatitude House ministry also seeks mentors for our Ursuline Sisters Scholars program.

“The prison industry can predict how many future cells they’ll need by the reading scores of second graders,” Vicars says. “Advocating for a better educational systems helps keep future generations out of prison.”

Children growing up in poor households lack connections with people who can nurture them through school and help them get jobs, she says.

“For decades, ministries of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown have worked to help local families escape poverty and have fullness of life,” Vicars observes. “They are working toward that for all God’s people.”

“One of the concrete ways that the Sisters and our colleagues in ministry show our love for God is by loving our neighbor,” said Sister Mary McCormick, general superior of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown. “In this we follow one of the great commandments of the bible. Helping individuals and families break the cycle of poverty through education and other outreach programs has always been a part of the mission of the Ursuline Sisters.”

Below are some of our ministries and other organizations helping families escape poverty:  

Ursuline Sisters Ministry Fund/Ursuline Sisters Mission
Beatitude House
Ursuline Sisters HIV/AIDS Ministry
Youngstown Dorothy Day House
St. Vincent de Paul Mahoning District
Catholic Campaign for Human Development

By Nancy Beeghly

Sometimes it takes a hammer and nails to keep a family together.

Sometimes it takes the courage and faith of a community of Ursulines willing to launch the first Beatitude House for homeless mothers with children.

Sister Margaret Scheetz (“Peggy” to her family) was neither a carpenter nor a social worker.

She was a math teacher at Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio. While she was completing a degree in computer science at Kent State University, she was inspired by a film on television.God Bless the Child told a story of the struggles and defeat of a homeless mother and her daughter.

Peggy couldn’t rest as she researched the numbers of single mothers who who were barely surviving in the Youngstown area alone. Most people would have been overwhelmed by the challenge to give homeless and battered mothers and their children hope and a home.   

Not Peggy. She felt called by God to a new ministry. Undaunted, this determined nun prayed, planned and presented her ideas to her Ursuline Sisters community.

“Go for it,” said Nancy Dawson, the general superior at the time. “See what you can do.”  Others in her community volunteered to help.

The fact that there was no money for a house in the budget didn’t worry Peggy one bit. “I made a deal with God that if he wanted me to start the program, He had to find a house!” she laughed. “Then I found a realtor because I know God needs help.”

Indeed. Her requirements for a house were almost impossible among the few available properties: She wanted a house in a safe neighborhood with a porch and a yard where the children could play — and of course, all of this for free. It would be nice to be close to Youngstown State University, too, when the mothers were ready to pursue their college degrees.

Lo and behold, providence delivered a retired nursing home at 1515 Fifth Ave., just north of YSU. As soon as Peggy saw the building, she knew it was just right. That gift from the Masternick family 30 years ago lives on. It has been the anchor and refuge for thousands of disadvantaged children and women finding ways out of poverty and into hope and self-esteem.

The Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown officially took possession of the home May 1, 1990.

In July of 1990, Sister Margaret published her first newsletter of many to come: THE GOOD NEWS FROM BEATITUDE. It was a simple white sheet of paper overflowing with optimism and gratitude for the contribution of $50,000 from the city of Youngstown toward the first Beatitude House. She wrote:

Beatitude means a blessing; perfect blessedness or happiness.

This newsletter is being presumptuous since officially Beatitude House is not yet in existence. But it will be. 

Prophetic words indeed.

The greater community was behind the project. Peggy’s dream was a magnet for generosity.  No money left for a porch?  When Peggy insisted that a porch is an important part of a home, a contractor donated one.

As soon as the final paintbrush was hung up to dry, Peggy reported the best news of all. In her October 1991 newsletter, she wrote: 

We have finally settled in 1515 Fifth Avenue.

Our beautiful house is occupied by four families – living in four separate, finely–furnished apartments –and one house mother, namely, Sister Margaret, former high school math teacher, painting contractor and wall painter. She is adjusting well to her new role as mother and grandmother and promises not to teach algebra to anyone in the house under five.

Four mothers are eagerly starting their new lives as college students, three school-age children and five toddlers. Each contributes their uniqueness to Beatitude. We are, without a doubt, becoming all for one and one for all.

And to you, we humbly say, THANK YOU

God has poured His blessings on us over the past year…Our new dream is to find another apartment complex. For those of you who have helped make Beatitude a success, why stop now? Just think— what if there were a Beatitude House for every homeless mother and child? We started a dream and we will continue to dream, and it is you, our contributors, who have made our dream a reality.

Sister Margaret Scheetz died of brain cancer Jan. 4, 2001.  In her memoriam, Sister Patricia McNicholas wrote: 

In the past 10 years, Peg worked extremely hard to expand and develop Beatitude as an outstanding agency serving both homeless and other low -income women…with children to enable them to pursue their dreams of a better life. She dreamed of creating a comprehensive program including housing and support service. She faced her impending death with the same tenacity and courage that characterized her whole life. Peg was a person of deep practical faith. She had an abiding sense of confidence that Beatitude House was God’s work and that God would see it to completion.

Her legacy lives on in the 7,000 lives of women and children achieving their dreams in the past 30 years.

During the calling hours for Sister Margaret, a young woman made her way to the coffin.

She placed a red rose in her casket.  When she said, “Thank you for saving my life,” she could have also been speaking for the grateful thousands of mothers and children who’ve found their ways out of poverty and into hope and self- esteem with Sister Margaret’s help.

Join us, the Humility of Mary Sisters and ACTION of Youngstown as we work together to present a two-day event to address systemic racism in the Mahoning Valley: ANTI-RACISM at the Crossroads: Healing the Great Divide 2. 

The workshop will be Friday evening April 30 from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday May 1 from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The program is being hosted entirely via Zoom. 

To register for the program, please contact Sr. Mary Stanco, HM at [email protected] or visit www.actionoh.com.  After registering, participants will be sent a link to a recording of the first workshop as well as a reflection question to prepare for this free event.

To view a video of Ursuline Sister Patricia McNicholas and Ursuline Associate Shelia Triplett discussing the program on WFMJ’s Community Connection show, click here.

The workshop’s facilitators, Sister Patricia Chappelle, SNDdeN and Sister Anne-Louise Nadeau, SNDdeN, facilitated a conversation on becoming Anti-racist in November 2020.  Over 50 participants were invited to reflect on clear definitions, attitudes and behaviors that enabled racism in seven separate systems.  This was followed by a presentation on specific ways to transform those attitudes and behaviors.

During this workshop, participants will narrow down seven systems to the one that we want to specifically address in the Mahoning Valley.  A follow up meeting has been planned for May 22 at 10:00 am also via zoom.  Our goal is to plan a specific action that will impact the causes and effects of racism in that system in our Valley.     

For additional information please contact Vicki Vicars at [email protected] or at 330-717-8953.

As we often do for social justice issues, the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown are collaborating with the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, Villa Maria, Pa., to combat hunger in our community.

It was inspired by a challenge from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious for nuns across America leading up to Catholic Sisters Week, explains Ursuline Sister Mary Alyce Koval, who ministers as the Parish Leader for St. Luke Church in Boardman.

“We’re working to end hunger by heightening awareness to widespread food insecurity and its underlying causes,” she says. “We have a number of initiatives to directly fight hunger as well.”

Catholic Sisters Week is March 8-12. The annual event emphasizes all the good that vowed religious women contribute to society. Sister Mary Alyce and Sister Regina Rogers, who serve on the Ursulines Leadership Team, are heading efforts for our community. Sister Regina also is the Pastoral Associate for St. Edward Parish, Youngstown. Sister Toby Lardie, pastoral leader of the HMs, and Sister Mary Stanco, are coordinating efforts for their community.

The two local communities, who separately offer many ministries in the Mahoning Valley, are asking lay partners to also answer the call to combat hunger. Sisters Regina and Mary Alyce have also sent appeals to area parishes, Catholic schools and other local communities of faith. An article on the initiative was published by the Catholic Exponent, the newspaper of the Diocese of Youngstown.

“We understand the corrosive nature of hunger because both communities have numerous ministries that feed those in need,” Sister Mary Alyce states.

For instance, she says, St. Luke’s runs a pantry and contributes food and volunteers to the St. Vincent de Paul kitchen and pantry in downtown Youngstown. “Our Sister Kathleen McCarragher volunteers there, as do her father, brother and sister-in-law, who are Ursuline Associates, and other of our Ursuline Associates volunteer there,” she notes.

The Ursulines and Youngstown Catholic Worker volunteers collaborate with the HM Sisters at the Dorothy Day House of Hospitality near Youngstown State University on the city’s north side. HM Sister Ann McManamon is the director.

Several entities have answered the call, Sister Mary Alyce says. Among them, St. John the Evangelist Parish in Summitville is collecting canned goods for the Lisbon Foodbank. St. Luke parishioners and CCD students are collecting non-perishable food for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. St. Charles, Boardman, CCD students are collecting food or monetary donations for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Further, Pam Jadue, director of the diocese’s five Early Childhood Learning Centers, has asked parents to collect food for either their local church pantries or St. Vincent de Paul.

Ursuline Sister Martha Reed led a collection of canned soup for the St. Columba Parish food pantry, as well. And the Mahoning Valley Association of Churches is donating $50 each to five local church pantries.

“The Ursuline Sisters are asking each Sister to make personal monetary contribution during Lent and the community will match them,” Sister Mary Alyce says.

The HM Sisters are making a significant monetary contribution as well, says Kylene Kamensky, communications coordinator for their community.

“The Ursuline Associates are serving lunch at the St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall during Catholic Sisters Week,” Sister Mary Alyce adds.

Sister Yvonne Horning, OP, the pastoral associate with Immaculate Conception Parish in Ravenna, answered the call as well. “I will make a gift card donation to local grocery stores, through the parish Knights of Columbus Lenten collection project, to be given to Catholic Charities serving Portage County for distribution to residents in need.”

St. Thomas Aquinas School in Louisville is doing a food drive for its local food pantry, Sister Regina adds, and CCD children at Little Flower Parish in Canton will be collecting items for their food pantry in March.

In addition to inviting local parishes and lay people to become involved, Sister Regina contacted lawmakers asking them to support the COVID-19 relief proposal.

According to the LCWR, 54 million people in the United States are food insecure, including 18 million children.

“God is calling us to act, today!” the LCWR states.

While we can’t yet continue all of our Ursuline Education & Wellness Center programs, we’re utilizing the down-time to prepare for when we can.

This includes focusing on improvements to property and equipment.

“Since we already had to curtail public offerings, this was a good time to tackle upgrades with the least disruption to services,” states Sister Mary McCormick, our General Superior.

One such capital improvement project added more than $41,000 in upgrades to the Motherhouse pool, which in normal times is utilized for classes six days a week. Offered there are SilverSneakers water classes, water aerobics, classes for those with arthritis, swim lessons and more.

These improvements include new parts to make the pool system run more efficiently. It also was drained and painted.

Nearly $10,000 more has been invested to improve the main Motherhouse entrance.

If you haven’t visited our campus for a while, you’ll see upon your return that we completed the $325,000 repaving project for the Motherhouse campus’ drives and parking areas. The project also increased available spaces, doubling the amount of handicapped-accessible parking.

In the last nine years, we’ve invested more than $8 million in upgrades and expansions at the Motherhouse campus.

“Before the pandemic hit, we had approximately 1,500 people coming to the Motherhouse campus monthly for programs, school, as visitors, to work and live,” Sister Mary says.

In addition to being the main living quarters for most of our 33 Sisters, the Motherhouse campus is home to the central offices for Ursuline Ministries, Ursuline Sisters HIV/AIDS Ministry, Ursuline Preschool & Kindergarten, Ursuline Education & Wellness Center and Ursuline Sisters Senior Living.

“The Ursuline Sisters have been in the Youngstown area since 1874,” Sister Mary observes. “We have a strong past, a vibrant present, and are committed to serving the people in Mahoning, Trumbull and Ashtabula counties for generations to come.”

We’re welcoming nine new Ursuline Associates this year.

These Catholic adults are committed to our mission and ministry, and the charism of St. Angela Merici, who founded the Ursulines in 1535.

While the last year has been one of big change for everyone in the world, these new Associates realize the continued value in the wisdom of a woman who lived in 16^th century Italy and prioritized faith, education and hospitality and embraced such virtues as compassion, respect and hope.

Joining the Ursulines as Associates this year are:

Don Clyde is a member of Christ Our Savior Parish in Struthers. An audio and video creator and delivery driver, Don and his wife, Mary, who also is an Associate, have been married 29 years and have two children.

St. Angela, he says, inspires him “to be honest and a leader in my community regardless of the odds.”

Barbie DeLucia of Youngstown belongs to two Youngstown Diocese parishes – St. Columba and St. Angela Merici. While Barbie lost her job of two decades due to COVID-19, she says she still has much to be grateful for.

“I was honored when Sister Norma asked me to become an Associate! [I want] to learn more about providing ministry to others so I can hopefully share my gifts with them,” Barbie states. “I am inspired by Angela’s closeness to her family. Also, she was very accepting of all and appreciated a simple lifestyle.”

Barbie is engaged to fellow new Associate Tom Welsh.

Antonia Ross Douglass, a member of St. Charles Parish, Boardman, is a retired teacher who began developing her love of the Ursuline Sisters and their ministries as a student at Youngstown’s Ursuline High School, founded by the Sisters in 1905.

“They directed me to the profession I absolutely loved,” Antonia comments. “St. Angela Merici — I love her independence, openness and knowing that God is the One who loves her as we, too, are loved.”

Antonia and her husband, James, have two sons, Jed and Ross, two daughters-in-law, Angela and Denise, and three grandchildren, Julianna, Giovani, and Amelia, who she calls “the joys of our lives.”

Like Antonia, Anne Schirck Kravitz is a member of St. Charles and a retired teacher. The Hubbard native also attended Ursuline High School and says she was first inspired by the Sisters there.

Anne is active in her parish’s ministries and appreciates the Sisters’ ministries and St. Angela’s example.

“She was truly a woman way ahead of her time and continues to set the example for us today,” she observes.

Anne and her husband, Irv, and I have four children and five grandchildren.

Cindy Lacko and her husband, James G. Lacko, are making the journey as Associates together. They’re members of St. Patrick Parish in Hubbard.

Cindy is a theology teacher at Ursuline High School, and Jim is the Asset Reliability Manager with Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.

On becoming an Associate, Cindy says, “I have always been impressed with the many ministries that the Ursulines facilitate and succeed in and am proud to inform my students of them and their founding of Ursuline High School.”

Jim says St. Angela is inspiring because of “her outreach and non-judgmental way that she proceeded through life.”

Both agree they’re glad to add their talents to our ministries. They have two sons, Jimmy and Matthew, and a grandson, Jameson. 

Lawrence “Larry” Lutz lives in Boardman and attends St. Michael Parish, Canfield. The mental health clinician volunteers with our Ursuline Sisters Prison Ministry as a chaplain.

Of St. Angela, Larry says, “I am most inspired by her openness to the directions of the Holy Spirit.”

Mary C. Moon of Youngstown is a member of St. Brendan Parish. The retired teacher and retail associate enjoyed taking water aerobics classes at our Motherhouse pool in pre-COVID days.

“The most inspiring quality of Angela, to me, is her capacity to be open to all people,” she states. “She embraced young and old, men and women, and worked with each one on the level they were on to bring her compassion and spirituality to each one of them.”

Mary has a son, a daughter and three granddaughters. 

Thomas G. Welsh, Jr., lives in Youngstown and attends the city’s St. Patrick Parish. Tom has lifelong ties to the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown.

“At one time, three relatives were active members of the community, including my aunt, Sister Marcia Welsh [deceased] and two cousins, Sister Martina Casey [deceased] and Sister Norma Raupple,” he says. “My mother, Elaine Welsh, has been an enthusiastic supporter of the community and is currently a member of the Century Club II.”

Tom says he’s inspired by St. Angela’s work with people from all walks of life.

“Her relationships were invariably free of judgment, and she approached each individual on his/her own terms,” he posits. “Angela’s spirituality was informed by a practicality and flexibility that reflected her sympathetic understanding of human nature.”

A professional writer and editor, Tom has penned many books on local history. He’s engaged to new Associate Barbie DeLucia.

Sister Norma Raupple is director of the Associate program and says the entire Ursuline Sisters community welcomes these new members.

“Ursuline Associates are faith-filled, service-oriented men and women who journey with Ursuline Sisters,” she states. “Our mutual, reciprocal relationships enable all of us to live the Gospel more fully in the Spirit of St. Angela.”

The Ursulines now have more than 90 Ursuline Associates. Although most live in the Mahoning Valley, some live in other locations across the United States.