Sarah and I "Co-minister" to One Another
Sister Mary Alice Henkel
Angela Merici's birth place was Desenzano, in northern Italy. In the chapel of the main church in Desenzano there is an inscription, "Saint Angela Merici promoter of women to the apostolate in the world."
How do I, an Ursuline in the 21st century, continue to live that inscription when the word "apostolate" has, itself, been replaced by the term "ministry"? Time and culture have changed the concept. How does an 80 year old woman religious combine the passive ministry of prayer with an active ministry to which I, and all Ursulines, are called? I share but one example.
As an active member of Corpus Christi University Parish in Toledo, which serves the needs of the Roman Catholic faculty and students, I have contact with Sarah who is my prayer partner. Sarah is a nursing student who will graduate in December, 2012. Email keeps us in touch weekly. We also have gone to lunch together and out for ice cream. Sarah and I "co-minister" to one another. She comes to the apartment where I live, kicks off her shoes and heads for the couch. We settle in-an old woman and a young adult to enjoy companionship.
In the gospel of John two of John the Baptist's disciples follow Jesus. Jesus turns and asks them,
"What do you want?" They reply,
"Where do you live?" Jesus answers,
"Come and see." (John:1-39)
Sarah and I see together. And she knows where I live.
The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Earliest fresco of the Virgin Mary, Catacomb of Priscilla, 2nd century
Associates of the Month
Marion Jordan
Marion Jordan became an Ursuline in 1997 at the invitation of Dolores Pollauf following her retirement from St. Vincent’s Hospital in 1996.
Marion remembers being surprised to that St. Angela “was at least 60 when she started her Company. When (Angela) saw a need, she set 
about to do something about it. She had learned to accept and adapt to change. The Counsels (of Angela) are relevant today as they were in her time. I have seen how the Sisters at the Center have had to adapt to changes, by moving, changing job positions, etc. “It is what it is,” is a popular phrase, and certainly fits the attitude of our Ursuline Sisters. Though they have had to take on something new, it certainly is a good example for the rest of us, not to belabor what was, but what one can do from now on.”
“Being a parish nurse at St. Catherine of Siena Church, has given me an opportunity to reach out to others, with nursing home visits, education, resource referrals, and brining Communion to the homebound. We’ve had health fairs for our school children, which brings us in contact with the children, the principal and faculty. We provide a light lunch for those who have come to educate them on safety, dental hygiene, etc. We started a Lunch ‘n Learn program for our seniors, and have had a good response. Hospitality always makes me think of St. Angela. Again, when I volunteer at Helping Hands of St. Louis, it reminds me of St. Angela.”
As an Associate “I have helped on retreats, was on the committee when the Associates celebrated 25 years. Carol Pruss and I started the St. Nick’s gathering for the Sisters and priests at the Center. Also I worked with Carol on getting the Associate pin. I have “served on the Board as Director … that was a great experience, those two years, as I traveled to…Mt. St. Joseph, KY and…to Louisville, and Cleveland. Meeting the Sisters from those areas was a wonderful experience and was able to see how some of them were working in the areas of Social Justice. Being an Ursuline Associate has given me the opportunity to meet so many interesting and spiritual people and given another perspective on my faith.”
Other interesting points about Marion, she says: “I also belong to the Ursuline Associates and Friends Book Club which has given us a chance to see and listen to a Sister in a different setting. Go to the “Y” for exercise and walk as much as I can. Our 55th wedding anniversary is soon and I am blessed to have a great family and will be a great-grandmother for the first time this summer.”
Down Memory Lane
Sister Flora Therese Keller
Sister Flora Therese was born January 25, 1909 and baptized Florence Keller at St. Joseph parish in Tiffin. She entered the Ursuline Convent in Toledo on September 8, 1924. After completing her high school education at St. Ursula Academy, Toledo, OH, she went to college at Teachers' College, De Sales College and Mary Manse College on Saturdays, and through Summer School over a span of several decades. She did "on the job" training for her expertise in elementary education. She taught at St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Charles and St. Angela Hall, where she taught for a total of 18 years and spent 28 years at St. Joseph School in Tiffin. Sister Flora Therese taught students music on many instruments both in Toledo and Tiffin. She also taught crafts to St. Angela Hall students. She died December 4 at Ursuline Center at age 92.
