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,
As we continue to celebrate Easter, let us pause and rejoice in all the signs of life,
hope, and resurrection that we see around us.
In anticipation of the celebration of Pentecost on May 19, which gift of the Holy Spirit are you hoping to receive in abundance: wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, or fear of the Lord?
Which fruit of the Holy Spirit: peace, joy, faithfulness, patience, gentleness, goodness, kindness, or love?
Maybe you are hoping to receive all of the above! Let us pray for each
other that we will experience new growth in our spiritual life similar to the way nature experiences new life at this time of year.
Blessings,
Sr. Charlene
Meet our Sisters – Sister Anna Nguyen
Sister Anna Nguyen was born in Vietnam and grew up in a big, happy Catholic family with nine brothers and two sisters.
Sister Anna’s parents taught her and her siblings to pray in
the morning and evening. They
attended Mass every day and were faithful to God.
In 1975, North Vietnam (the Communists) took
over South Vietnam and many things changed. It was a difficult time for Catholic people living under the Communist system. They had no freedom to live and practice their faith.
It took several years, but Sister Anna’s family escaped Vietnam by boat, leaving 1 by 1, and reunited in the U.S.
Eventually, Sister Anna was introduced to the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon in 2011 when she attended Sr. Rosina Pham’s temporary vows ceremony. She met several of the Sisters and felt inspired by them. Sister Anna joined the SSMO in 2013. Today, she serves on the Sisters’ Vocations Committee – helping both men and women with their discernment.
Sister Anna says, “I love living with the Sisters in Community. Living in community with Sisters helps me strengthen my relationship with God through communal prayers, daily Mass, and interaction with the Sisters with whom I live.”
Visit Sister Anna’s bio page to learn more about her amazing journey from Vietnam to the SSMO.
Come and See Retreats
Contact Sr. Charlene Herinckx to learn more or register.
Your invitation to a Weekend with the Sisters
Who: single women ages 18 to 35 who want to learn more about religious life.
When: May 18 and June 22
Where: SSMO Motherhouse
Why: This is your opportunity to ask questions, learn more about your discernment and spend some time with our Sisters.
Don’t forget to invite a friend to join you!
Discernment Questions – Religious Life, Vows, Community
Your questions answered:
Will I be able to stay in contact with my family and visit them?
The simple answer is yes. The frequency due to distance and stage of formation are typical
factors to consider. Use of a cell phone is a common means for communication.
Women Religious Saints – May
She saw a need and responded
Rose Venerini (1656 – 1728) was an Italian woman who founded the first public schools for girls and young women in Italy. According to the Vatican document published on the occasion of Venerini’s canonization in
2006, “Wherever a new school sprang up, in a short time a moral improvement could be noted in the youth.”
Her confraternity of teachers, after her death, was raised to a religious congregation called the Religious Teachers Venerini. The Sisters worked with Italian immigrants in the U.S. and Switzerland and established the
first day care centers in the northeastern U.S.
Her feast day is May 7.
May Feastdays
Feastdays of May – Dedicated to Mary
Our Lady of Fatima – May 13 – Our Lady of Fátima is a title of Mary, Mother of Jesus, based on the Marian apparitions reported in 1917 by three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria in Fátima, Portugal. The three children were Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto.
The appearances took place between May 13 and Oct. 13, 1917.
Our Lady of the Harvest – May 15
Mary is often depicted over a field
of wheat, protecting the crop as she
would have protected and nurtured
her own son.
Visitation of Mary – May 31 – the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary commemorates the Virgin Mary’s visit to her cousin, Elizabeth, who acknowledges that Mary is the Mother of God.
With this event, Mary provides an excellent example of humility, graciousness and generosity toward her elder cousin.
