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Federation News_March-April_2021 1
Federation News
NEWS FROM CANADA:
Sister Gabriella celebrates her 98th birthday with her favourite
dessert—ice-cream cake. It was delicious!
NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA
Proposal to rename a University library in honor of Sr. Sara Salkahazi along with Mr. Odoardo
Focherini
Recently, Sr. Maribeth, our General Director was informed of the
proposal to rename the main library at the St. Louis University in
St. Louis, Missouri. A committee was formed, led by alumni
Timothy Bagwell, Ph.D. to open a process to rename this library
for Sr. Sara Salkahazi along with Mr. Odoardo Focherini, both
martyrs.
An article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial section in part
states that Sisters of Social Service Sister Sara Salkahazi was
executed for hiding over 100 Jews in Hungary. The article also
included information on Mr. Odoardo Focherini, who was an
Italian Roman Catholic journalist. He gave false documents to
Jews so they could escape the Nazi regime. He was sent to a
concentration camp in Heisbruck where he died for an untreated
leg infection. Both died on December 27, 1944 and both suffering death and subsequent martyrdom.
Sr. Sara was beatified on September 17, 2006 and Mr.Focherini was beatified on June 15, 2013. It is
interesting to note that both had experience as journalist. These two individuals are among those
recognized in The Righteous among the Nations in Israel for risking their lives to save Jews during
Federation News_March-April_2021 2
World War II.
The work of the aforementioned committee of alumni is continuing in order to honor and memorialize
these two martyrs.
Sr. Georgianna Cahill, SSS
Sr. Georgiana entered the Community on August, 1946, made her
profession in 1950 and went to her eternal home on April 17, 2021
after a long illness. She was actively involved in social work since
her entrance in to the Community. Before working in Los Angeles,
she was the Director of the Office of Catholic Youth in the Diocese of
Kansas City-St. Joseph. For the Los Angeles Archdiocese, she served
as Director of Catholic Community Services and of CYO (Catholic
Youth Organization), and as Associate Director of Catholic Charities,
Sr. Georgianna was also greatly involved in the work with the
resettlement populations from Cuba and South East Asia. She was
also active in the National Conference of Catholic Charities and in the
Campaign for Human Development. Serving as the Executive
Director of Catholic Charities for the vast San Bernardino Diocese
since 1997, Sr. Georgianna retired in 2003.
While being the Executive Director of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of San Bernardino, Sr.
Georgianna was the recipient of the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross” in recognition of “meritorious
service to the Universal Church.” It was presented to her by the Most Rev. Gerald R. Barnes, Bishop
of the San Bernardino Diocese. She will be remembered as always working to carry out the Mission of
Jesus Christ.
Cultivating Hope After a Year of Lockdown
On March 11, 2020 the WHO (World Health Organization) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Mary
Hatton, Director of Development for the Los Angeles SSS, wrote: “Obviously, the last year has not
been forgotten. We have far to go. We are certain to be reeling from the effects of the pandemic for
many years to come many of us having experienced deep pain and loss, on many levels….” Sisters,
Staff and Associates were recently asked to reflect on the last year of the Pandemic and the promise of
hope. Here are some of their responses:
“What is the promise of hope that I pray will be realized when we finally are lifted from beneath the
shadow of this pandemic? That we recognize more deeply than ever before our responsibility to
protect and promote the well-being of the earth and all her people.” Sister Maribeth Larkin, SSS,
General Director
“The pandemic has made me realize how important our health is, as the saying goes ‘Your health is
your wealth.’ And not only our individual health but the health of the community, humanity in general,
and our planet earth.” Sister Nodelyn Abayan, SSS
“The Year of Pandemic stopped us – literally – in our tracks. This re-arrangement of our lives has
provided us – without our permission – a time of “forced retreat.” Have we heard the message?” Sister
Deborah Lorentz, SSS
“Hope is a duty, not a nicety. Hope is not a dream, but a way of making dreams become reality. Happy
are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.” Suenens.
Submitted by Damaris Bradish, SSS Associate
“What resonates to me is the second commandment of Jesus as one community, “you shall love your
neighbor as yourself (Mk 12:31).” Amid pandemic, we practice health protocol to protect one another-
our duty to protect our earth and sisters and brothers because we all are one humanity; what happens to
Federation News_March-April_2021 3
one member affects the whole of humanity.” Sister Vangie Lasao, SSS
Respectfully Submitted by
Yolanda Vega, SSS
NEWS FROM HUNGARIAN DISTRICT
District assembly: on a weekend of March we
had a conversation with the nominees via
Zoom, but because of the pandemic we had to
postpone the election to Pentecost.
Our elderly sisters struggle with sickness, we are especially worried
about the ones infected with Covid 19. Our sister Teresa Tóth died of
the infection on Holy Thursday.
We celebrated the Easter Triduum in our local communities online; we
prayed the stations of the cross – which is traditionally a community event - also online.
Our junior sister Zsófia defended her portfolio with flying col-
ors – this is an important degree in a teacher’s career in the
Hungarian education system.
On the feast of Saint Joseph we had an
online event together with sisters and
associates in the year of Saint Joseph;
we shared our stories related to St. Jo-
seph.
Federation News_March-April_2021 4
The book written by Sr. Luca and Viki, a young woman in
our pre-entrance program was published under the title:
The Media as a Possibility in the Inclusion of Disabled
Persons.
On the 25th
of March, the feast of Mary, Spouse of the Ho-
ly Spirit we organized a spiritual evening program with 60
mothers, Sr. Éva lead the event.
It was very meaningful occasion
for the participants.
The spring weather was cold in the Matra mountains, where our vacation
house is:
We had a quiz with earlier pictures of the sisters: here are some of them – whom can we recognize?
NEWS FROM MEXICO
During this time of pandemic our activities have changed in many ways,
since the work (apostolate) with the students has changed, but we have
continued with great enthusiasm and dedication, since it is also important
to support them emotionally, since some of them have lost a loved one
and in other cases whole families have fallen ill with this virus, but thank
God they've made their way. As mentioned above, the activities have con-
tinued, as has the "Testimony Don Vasco" which we organize year after
year and we did so this March as well; some of the young people, carried
Federation News_March-April_2021 5
out a clean-up fundraising campaign and donated the proceeds to the
Zacapu nursing home, others shared goods with some families or peo-
ple in need and thereby helped a little in the economy.
Another activity that the chil-
dren did was a Biodisfraz (bio
disguise) contest which consists
of the children making a costume with recyclable materials or what they have in
their home and this was very interesting since in some cases the parents also
collaborated.
Likewise the young people participated in the via crucis that I published on the Facebook page of the
high school in order that the kids can live the Holy Week as if
they were on missions, but from home.
Community: we gathered for the days of the Easter Triduum,
we had the Eucharistic celebration of the last supper and the
Holy Hour helped us to spiritual depths as we shared in com-
munity a prayer, like Jesus with his apostles, after that we
shared the rite of the Jewish Seder dinner, which we had done
for a while and I believe that traditions must be celebrated so
that they continue to pass from generation in generation.
On Good Friday we prayed the community Stations
of the Cross, recalling Jesus’ passion and praying at
each station for the consecrated women and men, so
that imitating Jesus they may follow the path that
leads to the Father.
In the afternoon we prayed the Office together and I
believe that when we share it and live in community it
can be deeper for each of us.
On
Saturday we prepared for the great event we remem-
ber each year, "the Resurrection of Jesus" we per-
form the cleansing and arrangement of our chapel in
Tacámbaro. In the afternoon we joined the Easter
celebration in a community near Tacámbaro.
Federation News_March-April_2021 6
On Sunday we shared the Eucharist with Father Abel Pedraza and the Catechist sisters of Mary Most
Holy, and then we had a pleasant gathering where we enjoyed a delicious
meal prepared by the Sr. Avi and Sr. Irma.
During this time we also had the opportunity to have moments of recreation
that helped us strengthen community ties and get to know each other a little
better.
Then we had a few days of vacation together in Tuzantla and enjoy the warm
weather, and we took the opportunity to rest and visit with family, as well as
visit some places such as the sanctuary of the Lord of Carácuaro since not
everyone knew it him; after
that we spent time with a family whose hospitality we enjoyed. During those
days we also enjoyed the cool of river breeze and the company of family and
friends.
Sister Irma's apostolate with migrants.
Participating in the training of a group of
migrant workers who will go to Salinas
California to work on the strawberry
fields. They are from Zamora, Michoa-
cán
I thank the TRUE MEXICO Organiza-
tion for this opportunity due to the lack
of jobs in our country and the need for so
many families to survive.
The apostolate of Sr. Beatriz
During this time of the pandemic God has
allowed me to continue working in the oper-
ating area of the hospital, trying to take all
preventive measures since unfortunately cases
continue to arrive of people with COVID, I
also had the opportunity to participate in the
vaccination campaign implemented in our
municipality for older adults, we continue to
gladly support what is needed to contain this
pandemic.
Federation News_March-April_2021 7
NEWS FROM SLOVAK DISTRICT
We continued in our ministries that we started at the beginning of the Lent season. The retreat for youth
based on the movie „The Chosen“, Quotations from Sr. Sara for Lent, the „Spring“- vocation
promotion program (the topic was „marriage“), permanent
formation meeting and reading at the Holy Mass in Radio
Patria. All these activities were via zoom and we mentioned
them in the previous federation news.
Easter
We spent Easter in our communities. Most of us could
participate at Holy Mass only online due to lockdown. We
prepared traditional meals as eggs, egg cheese, sweetbread,
horse radish and beetroot, smoked ham…
(
(sisters in Košice)
We started with Seder supper on Holy Thursday in
Bratislava. The priests of our parish joined us, as well.
We celebrated Holy Mass in our parish church
privately every day.
(sisters and the novices in Bratislava)
Preparation month for the first vows
Our novices Zuzana
Škrinárová, Mária Adamcová
and Flóra Kovácsová started
their preparation for their first
vows on April 19, 2021. They
have already met benedictine
monk Michal Kukuča, who
shared his experience of living
vows as benedictine and
practical suggestion of humility
in everyday life. Let us support
our novices with love,
sisterhood and prayers.
Federation News_March-April_2021 8
Activities in Patria radio in Bratislava. Sisters Magdi and Agi with novice Flora cooperate in the broadcasts of Holy Mass in Hungarian radio
Patria. They served as lectors and altar servers during the mass in pandemic time.
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