Today, as a trauma and critical-care surgeon at a hospital in southern California, Lyn is getting a more up close and personal look at the sisters and their lives. On September 18 she became a candidate for the Sisters of Providence in a ceremony in the chapel at St. Joseph Residence, Seattle.

“This draws me,” Lyn explained. “I can hear God calling me. I want to develop the call so I can really know what it means for the community and for me.” Her hope is to serve in ministry and to have an opportunity to get closer to God. “I want patients to know that I am a woman of prayer and that my prayer for them is inseparable from my service to them.” She is inspired by Matthew: Whatever you did for one these . . . of Mine you did for Me.

In her early years, Lyn was taught by a Belgian community of sisters, Daughters of the Cross. She had exposure to Dominican cloistered nuns of Perpetual Adoration through school retreats at the monastery.

Lyn said she always knew she wanted to be a surgeon. “At the age of 5, I wanted to dissect animals, like garden toads, to see how the internal organs worked.” Her father, seeing her interests, purchased a wax board on which she could perform her first surgeries.

“It was quite a shock when I learned that being a surgeon required going to medical school to first become a doctor.”

She entered medical school in the British system initially and went to England for a clerkship (practicum) in general medicine, obstetrics and surgery.

Her residency was in surgery and her fellowship was in surgical critical care. At that point in her life, she began to hear God’s call to religious life.

Since the very beginning of her discernment process, Franciscan Sister Rosa Maria Branco, her spiritual director, has walked with Lyn.

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Lyn had discovered where she belonged. After completing her studies, she was recruited to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, in Mission Hills, Calif., where she met the Sisters of Providence in 2011.

At Providence Medical Center, Lyn inquired about the Sisters of Providence and was put in contact with the Vocations Office, where she was invited to come for a visit in Seattle and Spokane. She visited, applied, was accepted and is now in her candidate year, visiting with sisters as regularly as her busy surgical schedule allows to “get to know them in a mutual discernment process.”

Lyn said: “I am very grateful to the sisters who take the time and energy to walk with me in my journey of discern-ment. I was humbled by the acceptance into the community by the provincial, Sister Judith Desmarais.” Lyn recalls with great appreciation Sister Joan Gallagher, who accompanied her and helped her through the application process, and helped Lyn to see God’s presence throughout her life.

“In my candidate year I will spend time in community with the sisters, in prayer and reflection on sacred Scripture. That’s what I really like to do, stay with the word of God. He has knit me in my mother’s womb. God has cherished me, and my relationship with Him as my Father has made me feel very whole.

“I have called you by name: you are mine . . . Because you are precious in my eyes . . . and I love you . . .”

“He has engraved me upon the palms of His hands. That expresses how painful that must be, but also how much He loves me.”

That is what she tries to convey to her trauma and critical-care patients. “I tell them to endure and just know that they are so precious to God. I feel a sense of accomplishment when a patient says ‘God saved my life’ and when a family says ‘my loved one is in His presence’.” l

They only have eyes for what lies ahead, the future, especially the future of their children. They know that comes with a lot of pain, work, loneliness and fears, but it does not matter. They’re here to advance, not to have fears, not to hide, not to look backward. . . They do not know where they’re going. They do not know if a friend will receive them for a while, maybe some relatives, someone they knew a long time ago or a neighbor. In fact, everything is uncertain, but the arrow of their lives has only one direction, forward

. . .Today I go back home so tired, my heart tightened from these emotions. My thoughts are scrambled by the inequities of our systems -- political, economic, social and even religious -- that do not allow women, children, men and youth full lives.

“Thanks, Mother/Father/God, for all women in the world who are now fighting for a better life for their beloved ones . . .” l

Born into a devout Catholic family in the Portuguese tradition, Carolyn “Lyn” Lobo recalls her attraction to religious life and exposure to women religious at a very early age. The sisters who met Lyn when she was first born were the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus, a Maltese community. “They were joyous,” she recalled. “They always had time to pick me up, to laugh and play with ‘BabLyn’ and to watch ships in the harbor from the seawall behind my home.”

Artwork created by children at the border expresses their longings, sadness and broken hearts.

Dr. Carolyn “Lyn” Lobo acts on her faith, both in the hospital emergency room (above) and as a candidate for the Sisters of Providence.

Getting to know candidate Carolyn “Lyn” Lobo, MD

or will not stop. They look you in the face, and when you ask what they need they say thanks and offer to help with your work. For them, this is not a time for fear or for cowardice. There is no time to think about their fatigue or their pain, or the cold or the heat. There is no time to look back. They are on their way and that’s the only important thing. . . Mourn? Unthinkable, not now. Fears? No, not now. Sorrow? Maybe, but they can live with many sorrows.

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We deeply appreciate your kind and generous donations to the Sisters of Providence and the ministries in El Salvador, the Philippines and the United States. We acknowledge the contributions that were received through the Development Office from January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014. If you note any error in these records, we apologize and ask you to please contact us at (425) 525-3019.

$1000 +Major Benefactors

Johanna AroraBill Bouten, PAFrank and Sharon BoutenEileen B. CollopyDr. Johnny and Barbara CoxJames and Rose FlahertyJudy George, SPT.K. and Donna GeorgeIrene GleasonGonzaga Preparatory School, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. Gary HeermannShirley Hofmeister, PCIgnatius Ohno FoundationDavid and Shirley JohnsrudDorothy LeeCornelius J. Linehan TrustHenrietta Manipis, PAPavilion Advisory Group, Inc.Francis and Sandra RaucciSt. Cecilia Catholic ChurchSt. Hilaire Farms, Inc.Richard and Barbara UmbdenstockRobert and Mary WIldenhaus

$500 - $999Major Donors

Dennis and Saralyn AndersonPamela BehringSheryl Clark, PACorpus Christi Catholic ChurchRalph and Catherine CostonVirginia FiccoDr. Thomas and Jonita GeorgeDoris HixonCreigh and Janice Kuder HouseKathleen ManningJames and Jo Ann RobertsRichard and Patricia St. JohnGeorge and Rita Waldref, PAs

Charles and Brenda BrownMr. and Mrs. Gary BruleSteven BurdickMr. and Mrs. Bruce ButlerMary Butler, PAMarite ButnersCatherine J. CarbaughCarmelite Monastery of SeattleCatholic Daughters of the AmericasRev. William M. CawleySarah J. CooperWilliam and Anne CummingsArmand and Joy DeFeliceJudith Desmarais, SPDanette DobynsIrene Dufort, PAAnne K. DuntonAlma ElworthPatrick D. FarrisJudith Anne FinnDaniel FortenskyDr. Jodi Wardian FunkStacy and Mary Luise GalesWilliam George and Susan RossDon and Jean GiovanazziCamille M. GoldsmithCarolyn Beth GreeleyH.F. Magnuson Family Foundation, Inc.Claudia HaglundThomas and Nola HallAdelene HammelmanJohn and Suzanna Harland, PAsBetty Harrington, PAJeanette M. Heindl, SPMatthew and Rachel HerbLorrie and Morris HorningJewelyn ImpettDenise JeanDr. Kennard and Marie KapstaferLeonard and Martha KorslundRobert and Ann KudrnaMargaret M. KushnerMary J. LackaffDebbie A. LampertReggie and Mary Anne LantzDr. Thomas and Alice LayneLeon Leadon and Betty Leadon, PAJoe and Martha Legel, PAsKen and Annie Lind, PAsAsuncion C. ManaoisScott Manning, PAEmmett and Amedee MarxRose Anne McClellanMary C. McGuire, SPBetty Hale McLaughlinChris and Connie MeloneRev. Abraham Miller

Diane L. CookVirginia CooperEllen CummingsMary DiJulioCharlene M. Diss, PABillie DranchekLawrence and Grace DyerPatricia EwensMargaret M. FeistShirley Andersen FitzpatrickLeone FossHeidi FrieseDavid GalesMichael and Norma GavinPatricia J. GeraghtySusan GilmartinJoyce Green, SPKathleen GutierrezJeannine D McClung HackettChris Halter, PAJayne HolmesDonna HorneAnnie Hulme, PAEvelyn Jenda, PAMr. and Mrs. George JurichKathleen KaluzaMary Margaret Kelly, SPVicki Marie KennerudCharlene A. KingFrances Kuhl, PAVincent and Dolores LaCoursiereAgatha LapointeDale and Rose LavigneJosephine M. LeeMichael and Patricia LinerJudith Lynn-PerezBarbara MaesDonna J. MaloneMartin and Linda MarlerMargaret MaxDavid and Sharon McDougallLoretta T. McIverDorothy Miller, PAEugene and Frances Munson, PAsKaren MyersDan Vi NguyenDr. and Mrs. J. Patrick NolanSue Orlowski, SPThomas and Marie-Claude OwensWilliam F. PadillaEthelyn G. PankratzDr. and Mrs. Robert P. ParkerHeide Parreno and Duane PalykaRose Marie ParsonsProvidence Health & ServicesJames Qualls and Alaine Qualls, PARamona Raffaell, PAMr. and Mrs. Robert RiveraJennifer and Larry Roseman

Thomas MoenDarlene Moore, PAIrene Mullen, PADr. William and Mary MurphyVirginia NelsonGabrielle Nguyen, SPEileen Norris, PAMartin and Barbara NorrisPeggy O’PhelanJorge and Maureen OlguinDr. Donald R. OlsonJames and Elaine PeplinskiJean Randall, PAPaul and Barbara RedmondBarbara Z. ReganKatherine RempeRenton ToyotaBecky Rosales, PAPatricia RutanSacred Heart Mission, Inc.Thomas D. SchaeferJoseph F. SciutoColleen Seed, PABob Sendek and Marilyn Sendek, PAAnita M. ShafferJoanne ShreeveChristine Singer Olaf and Marie StimacMarcia SziebertTony TeskeGisele and Andre ThibaultJohn TiscorniaBarbara TraynorHarriett Van WyckMitzi A. VandewegeRafael VegaPerry VicenteLucy Villanova, SPPat Weidinger, PCMary Ann Wilharm, PAMary Louise Williams Carl and Mary WingateJohn and Barbara Wodynski

$100 - $499 Special Donors

Carol AndersonMonica AndersonAlice AsmarVera BaumillerMargaret Bischoff, SPBarbara BochslerDorothy BochslerCaroline S. Brown

$1 - $99Donors

Myrwin AndersonBachtel Property Management, Inc.Kathryn BaldasariDavid BjornsonNancy Brooks, PANancy Bulgherini KempDale and Gladys CarlsenJoan C. CassidyKathryn ChurchFlorence Montani CiceroStephen and Andrea Coleman

Sisters of Providence thank our donors and benefactors l January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014

Sisters of Providence thank our donors and benefactors

Lillian Maria Deslauriers, SPGisele and Andre ThibaultMarian DicaireMary J. LackaffRose Marie Dillman, SPMr. and Mrs. Gary BruleIrene Dufort, PAPatricia J. GeraghtyNancy Bulgherini KempMargaret M. KushnerVincent and Dolores LaCoursiereDonna J. MaloneJean SimardRuth ZelenakNeil DufortIrene Dufort, PACharles ElworthAlma ElworthFitzpatrick FamilyShirley Andersen FitzpatrickClaudia FortenskyDaniel FortenskyNathan GallegosBillie DranchekJohn P. GreeleyBachtel Property Management, Inc.Carolyn Beth GreeleyKristen and Joseph SchlimHallie HiteMary J. LackaffRachel and Lorraine Hofmeister, SPsShirley Hofmeister, PCJean Randall, PANino HolmesJayne HolmesHarold HooperMary J. LackaffErle and Catharine HutchisonWilliam and Marilyn ThordarsonJames P. ImpettJewelyn ImpettRobert Janocha Sr.Jayne Holmes and Robert JanochaGertrude JohnsonJayne HolmesArthur John KaluzaKathleen KaluzaCarolyn Margaret Koreski, SP Steven BurdickGary LaubyReggie and Mary Anne LantzAgnes LaValleyDoris HixonScholastica Lee, SPCarol Anderson Patricia EwensJosephine M. Lee

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Mrs. F. Wallace RothrockMary J. ScarpelliClaire SchaubelKristen and Joseph SchlimPhyllis Silva-Keith, PAJean SimardRuby C. SirockmanBecky SirrsKatherine Smith, SPRoger and Mary SmithSallie SpruteSt. Joseph ResidenceFerd and Libby SwensonFred and Roseanne ThatcherWilliam and Marilyn ThordarsonJoan TuckerBetty WaltersGrace M. WaltonRobert and Mary Kay WeyPam White, SPJames WittrellGeorge and Carolyn WuchterDr. Mary A. WyperRuth Zelenak

IN HONOR OF

Martha AlmandarezKathryn ChurchMaryann Benoit, SPRev. William M. CawleyAlice Blessings, SPMary Di JulioChauncey Boyle, SPKathleen GutierrezDorothy Byrne, SPBetty Harrington, PACreigh and Janice Kuder HouseDebbie A. LampertReggie and Mary Anne LantzJoe and Martha Legel, PAsMrs. F. Wallace RothrockRose Byrne, SPAlice AsmarFelma Cerezo, SPKathryn BaldasariAsuncion C. ManaoisLiz Cole, SPBetty Harrington, PAJoe and Martha Legel, PAsLucille Dean, SPReggie and Mary Anne LantzJoseph F. SciutoJudith Desmarais, SPDorothy LeeKarin Dufault, SPDorothy LeeDr. Mary A. WyperClaire Gagnon, SPDavid BjornsonThomas and Marie-Claude OwensEleanor Goligoski, SPBetty Harrington, PA Joe and Martha Legel, PAs

Mary Hawkins, SPJoseph F. Sciuto2014 JubiliariansCaroline S. BrownIrene GleasonMitzi A. VandewegeChloe Keitges, SP Betty Harrington, PAJoe and Martha Legel, PAsBeatrice LaFramboise, SPAnne K. DuntonRosalie Locati, SP Ralph and Catherine CostonVirginia Miller, SP Heidi FrieseClaire SchaubelKathryn Rutan, SP Bill Bouten, PAMary Butler, PAAnnette Seubert, SP George and Carolyn WuchterSisters of ProvidenceCaroline S. BrownShirley Smith, SPMr. and Mrs. George JurichFran Stacey, SPDon and Jean GiovanazziScott Manning, PAJames Qualls and Alaine Qualls, PACharlotte Van Dyke, SPKathryn ChurchJerrelene WilliamsonJennifer and Larry RosemanAnn Dolores Ybarrola, SPRev. William M. Cawley

IN MEMORY OF Mary AndersonMary J. LackaffDawn AndersonMyrwin AndersonJeanette Benson, SP Barbara Z. ReganAnne Bouffard, SPMeannine D. McClung HackettVeronica M. BoutenLawrence and Grace DyerElinor BrennanBetty Hale McLaughlinAgripina CabreraPerry VicenteVince CiceroFlorence Montani CiceroPeter Claver, SPDavid and Shirley JohnsrudHonora Collins, SP Roger and Mary Smith

Teresa Leone, SPDr. Thomas and Alice LayneWalter MaesBarbara MaesAlberic Marie, SP Dr. Thomas and Alice LayneMildred Marie, SPDavid GalesKatherine Markel, SPVera BaumillerMargaret M. KushnerEd MarshallIrene Dufort, PAMaryville SistersEllen CummingsDr. James McClellanRose Anne McClellanClaudia McMillan, SPDavid and Shirley JohnsrudMelone FamilyChris and Connie MeloneJean and Kenneth MerryweatherSarah J. CooperMary Mudd MoholtJoanne ShreeveFrank MontaniFlorence Montani CiceroJulian Moran, SPMartin and Barbara NorrisMary Murtha, PAPhyllis Silva-Keith, PADean PraticoMary J. LackaffMary Raymond, SPJames and Elaine PeplinskiInga RoddenMary J. LackaffJerry RosalesBecky Rosales, PAMercedes Sauve-CassidyJoan C. CassidyJohn SeckerReggie and Mary Anne LantzMary Shearer, SP Leone FossJoan SillingNancy Bulgherini KempBetty Lentz TeelMarcia SziebertRobert TeodosioClaudia HaglundDr. Theodore K. TeskeTony TeskeMichael VoltaReggie and Mary Anne LantzBetty S. WheelerDr. William and Mary MurphyMary Jane WodynskiJohn and Barbara Wodynski

Sisters of Providence thank our donors and benefactors l January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014

Sisters of Providence

Burbank, Calif.Sister Rose Byrne retired

in early January after serving many of her 66 years in religious life at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center and in Catholic parishes around Burbank. Kudos for this 90-year-old Sister of Providence were the subject of a celebration at Mass at St. Finbar Parish on January 4 and a recognition at the January 6 meeting of the Burbank City Council.

Sister Rose, who comes from Ireland, spent about 25 years teaching in California and the Pacific Northwest before arriving at the hospital’s medical records department in 1978. She worked in hospitals in Portland, Ore., and Oakland, Calif., before returning to the San Fernando Valley in 1998. She has served in parish ministry at both St. Patrick Catholic Church in North Hollywood and at St. Finbar Catholic Church in Burbank.

Through her spiritual care and prayer ministry, Sister Rose has been touching patients, their families, doctors, administrators and staff. The Burbank City Council praised her “outreach daily” to the sick and to the well, especially the “economi-cally needy.” She also has been a tireless advocate for their needs.

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Yakima, Wash.A potluck at St. Joseph

Parish on January 24 was a gathering of friends and family of Yakima native Sister Alice St. Hilaire. In her 67 years as a Sister of Providence, Sister Alice has served in formation, spiritual direction and retreat work. Besides the dinner, fellowship and entertain-ment at the parish, there were words of appreciation from many who have felt blessed by Sister Alice’s presence in the Yakima Valley over the years.

In addition to Sisters Roberta Rorke, Fe Sumalde and Silvia Troncoso, who live in Yakima, there were many other Sisters of Providence who traveled there for the occasion, including Sisters Judith Desmarais, Josefina “Josie” Ramac, Marisol Avìla and Claudia Ruiz, from Bernard Morin Province, who is doing a cross-cultural experience in Yakima.

The evening’s events ended at Sister Roberta’s house with the sisters sharing an evening of stories and toasts to Sister Alice with sparkling cider and grape juice.

Dr. David Gordon, mayor of Burbank, cited “her faith, the Irish twinkle in her eye, her laugh and her smile,” as leading to “untold numbers blessed” by her presence and to substantial funds raised to support the hospital’s needs and services.

Sister Rose, accompanied by Provincial Superior Judith Desmarais, traveled to her new home at St. Joseph Residence, Seattle, in January.

s Sister Alice St. Hilaire (left) shares a laugh with her housemate Sister Silvia Troncoso.

uMembers of the St. Hilaire family were delighted to gather for the festivities recognizing Sister Alice.

Sister Rose and Sister Alice

for the service of sisters there dTwo communities say thanks and farewell The festivities continued the next

day, with Sisters Maureen Newman, Celia Chappell and Joan Gallagher joining in after driving to Yakima from a ritual for Sojourner Place in Renton, Wash.

Sunday morning there was a Mass at St. Joseph Parish with Yakima Bishop Joseph J. Tyson as the celebrant and homilist. Because it was Catholic Schools Week, the school choir sang. Bishop Tyson said his mother and Sister Alice went to school together and talked about their “callings and missions”. He also talked about the presence and impact of the Sisters of Providence in Yakima. The Mass ended with a prayer of blessing for Sister Alice, followed by a reception and an opportunity for parishioners to say their goodbyes.

After the reception, Sister Sylvia hosted a lunch for the sisters at the home she has shared with Sister Alice.

“Let us give thanks for Sister Rose and Sister Alice, who have labored in the Lord’s vineyard so long and so well,” said Sister Judith. “Providence of God, we thank you for all!” l

s Dr. David Gordon, mayor of Burbank, Calif., introduces Sister Rose Byrne at a meeting of the Burbank City Council.