Responding with courage and personal sacrifice to the call of Christ in the Church, our foundresses lived out their desire to become Women of Prayer, Community and Service. SSMO Constitutions, Article 1
Dear Friends,
The New Year is well underway and the celebration continues. We had the joy of celebrating Tết Nguyên Đán which, in the Vietnamese tradition, is a time for families to reunite and honor their ancestors, while praying for luck, prosperity and health in the New Year.
Included in this Newsletter is a listing of opportunities to pray for vocations to religious life, to discern pathways to life choices, and to join others undertaking similar quests. Please consider sharing information about these opportunities and joining us in these endeavors.
Blessings,
Sr. Charlene
SSMO Happenings:
Happy New Year // Chúc Mừng Năm Mới
On Wednesday, before the grand celebration of the Lunar New Year on January 21, Sr. Thanh Pham and Sr. Maria Kieu Tran gave a presentation on the history and meaning of the symbols and practices that are part of the celebration.
The photos show the decorations, traditional clothing, and food which was prepared by our Sisters.
Enjoy a “taste” of our Lunar New Year celebration!
Maryville wins the COVID-19 Mitigation Medal
Maryville Skilled Care is one of just three care centers in Oregon to win the COVID-19 Mitigation Medal for the fourth quarter of 2022.
The medal recognizes vigilance and excellence in infection control and prevention efforts at long-term and post-acute care centers across a five state region.
In all, 15 centers were recognized for their accomplishments.
Congratulations to the Maryville administration and staff!
New SSMO Website
Check out the new SSMO website – launching today, Feb. 1! A tremendous amount of effort and research has gone into this update! Congratulations to Brad, Alli, Lizette, and David of the Communications Department as well as the great work from web developer Wendell Harness and Addison Allemann to achieve this excellent result.
Their commitment and dedication are evident!
Did you know?
- The giant sequoia trees on campus were planted less than 100 years ago.
- The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon is the only religious community founded in Oregon.
Religious Women Saints – February
St. Josephine Bakhita
St. Josephine Bakhita was a Sudanese-Italian religious sister who was kidnapped at the age of 7, sold into slavery and given the name Bakhita, which means fortunate.
She was resold several times, and finally taken to Italy in 1885. Because slavery was illegal there, she finally gained her freedom and entered the Canossian Sisters. Josephine was declared a saint in 2000.
Her feast day is Feb. 8.
Saint Scholastica
St. Scholastica was born in 480 in Italy.
Scholastica and her twin brother Benedict were brought up together until he left for Rome to continue his studies. They remained close throughout their lives as Benedictines, meeting once a year to discuss spiritual matters.
Her feast day is celebrated on Feb. 10.
Feast days of Mary – February
The feastday of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated on Feb. 11.
Mary appeared to a peasant girl named Bernadette. The vision revealed that she was the Immaculate Conception. Church authorities doubted Bernadette when she claimed to have seen a vision of Mary. When she shared that “the lady” claimed the title of Immaculate Conception, they recognized that Bernadette could not have known the term except from the vision. Many still travel to France every year for a cure (physical, spiritual, etc.) in the healing waters of Lourdes.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Discernment – Would you like help with your discernment? We are here to assist. Send a note to [email protected] for more information.
Every Thursday is Holy Hour. You are invited to the weekly Holy Hour with the Sisters. On the first Thursday of each month, the special intention is for vocations to religious life and priesthood. Join us at 6:30 p.m. at the SSMO Motherhouse Chapel.
Please call ahead so someone can meet you at the front door.
Feb. 5 – Mass at the Cathedral for World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life
Feb. 11-12 – SSMO display after Masses at St. Cecilia Parish
Feb. 28 – College age men and women are invited to join the the Vocation Discernment Group at the University of Portland. Send a note to Sr. Charlene at [email protected] for more information.
Be an Ambassador for Vocation Awareness
We invite you to assist the SSMO Vocation Committee to help raise awareness of the vocation to religious life.
Consider scheduling Committee members to have the vocation display after Masses or inviting a Sister to share information during a Young Adult meeting.
Interested in Attending a Vocation Discussion Group?
We are considering hosting a group of young adults (men and women) who are interested in learning more about religious life and priesthood.
Gatherings would begin after Easter, continuing through the summer months.
Contact Sr. Charlene if you are interested or if you have questions.
