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Sister Eileen Ghesquiere / Sister Mary Wentland / Sister Donna Marie Zetah / Sister Joyce Piotrowski / Sister Vianney Weier |
Talk of walls, wars, hurricanes, and borders invades our lives on a daily basis. Each one represents a kind of violence in our midst. How do we look violence in the face and take action for peace? Jesus Christ is the great peacemaker and model for the how. Following this model was St. Francis of Assisi in the 12th century, who many know through the “Peace Prayer of St. Francis.” In the 21st century men and women who choose to live the peace message of Jesus Christ through the particular influence of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi are known as Franciscans. Franciscans take action for peace in the face of violence. The violence of wars and natural disasters often lead to hunger and homelessness. For the sake of food and shelter people will risk their lives and bodies to cross borders and scale walls. In the face of these needs personal possessions and private property cannot be excuses to withhold food and shelter from our neighbor. Obviously peace never leaves one passive. It requires that we move into the midst of struggles between people of good will who have different perspectives. Peace insists on treating the other person with love and respect even when we are at odds. So a peacemaker might be a World War II medic who treats wounded soldiers both Germans and Americans in the same tent without carrying a weapon to defend oneself. So a peacemaker serves coffee to border watch groups who oppose immigration and at the same time provides water stations for border-crossing people in the desert. So the peacemaker works with the state legislature for resolutions to honor both land-holders and persons seeking a life beyond poverty for their families. The peacemaker lends her own bedroom to a woman in refuge from domestic violence and serves as a counselor for a group of men court-ordered to anger rehabilitation while also helping to write legislation for prevention of domestic violence. The peacemaker eliminates the use of Styrofoam supplies in their cafeteria, conserves on the use of water in the bathrooms, and shares profits of the business beyond wages with their employees. How are some of these seemingly incompatible actions possible in today’s world of consumerism? Women who gather in religious communities, who are motivated by the values of Jesus Christ and who are influenced by the attitudes of St. Francis and St. Clare can manage this. Community life provides the prayer, vision, and shared resources to sustain these kinds of actions for peace. In communities of religious women we listen from many different viewpoints to seek common ground. We live simply without clinging to possessions so we are free and quick to assist others. We draw strength from each other to persevere in love when faced with adversity. We vow our lives to gospel obedience, poverty, and chastity. In particular the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota, have been called, “women committed to promoting human rights and dignity for all; women committed to prayer and building community wherever they live; and women committed to healing and non-violence in our world.” Among our group of 200 women are found peacemakers of every kind described above. The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls have lived and served in Texas since the 1970s in the Rio Grande Valley and in the dioceses of Beaumont, Tyler, and Galveston-Houston. Their closest presence at the moment is in San Antonio, Tex. and across the border in the Linares diocese of Mexico outside Saltillo. |
Senior LinkAge provides older adults with information and real help “How may I help you?”
I volunteer at SLL and respond to such requests. I first became aware of SLL when my family was looking for housing for my mother who had Alzheimer’s. The SLL person was so helpful and prompt in her response it left a strong impression. Additional experiences with health care billings gave me a desire to be an advocate for older adults needing assistance, particularly in the area of health care. So I took the training program offered through the Minnesota Board on Aging and became a State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) counselor. Let me share how SLL works. The Older Americans Act (1973) required states to set up Area Agencies on Aging to link people with information. The legislation was designed to make communities a better place to grow old and to leverage community resources that benefit older and low income adults. Minnesota has six agencies. SLL was established in 1994 to be a one-stop call. By calling 800-333-2433 a caller is linked to the agency where the person lives. (If a person needs to locate help in another state, the person may call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 or visit Most inquiries come from people 60 years and older; other calls are from caregivers and professionals looking for help for their clients. The needs may be transportation, nutrition services, home care, senior housing, house chores, health insurance counseling, home repair, prescription drugs, and much more. We are a referral agency. When beneficial, we initiate three-way phone calls to assist with transportation or to resolve an issue with Medicare, an insurance company or a pharmacy. The calls are free, although there may be a charge for services the person is referred to. We not only respond to telephone inquiries but also provide information and counseling at senior events and health fairs, including the Minnesota SLL hours are 8:00-4:30, M-F, but a message may be left 24 hours/day at 800-333-2433. I find it very satisfying to be able to assist people and resolve problems, although some still fall between the cracks. People are very grateful for someone who listens |
Thanks to my Franciscan community and to several benefactors for the opportunity to experience mission life with our sisters in San Rafael, Mexico. I would like to share a few happenings and insights. Among the treasures of the experience: twice-daily bilingual prayer together in the little chapel; the wholesome home-cooked meals; stimulating conversations; always-available clean drinking water; and functioning e-mail during the last two weeks of my stay. When I offered to assist our candidate, Aurora, with English conversation, I was instantly hired! “Classes” took place in any available space at any convenient time, usually from 1 - 3 hours on most days. Sharon Reiter, our associate from Huntingdon, Tenn., also met with Aurora, focusing on basic English grammar. Sharon spends some months each year as a volunteer, working with literacy in the poorest section of San Rafael. She joins our sisters for prayer, meals, household tasks, and overnights as needed. I accompanied Sister Colette to tiny villages on the plains (the altiplano, 5,000+ feet high, between two spectacular ranges of the Sierra Madre). Apples, potatoes and mushrooms are grown and processed throughout the region. Sister Colette meets individually with catechists regarding First Communion and Confirmation preparation, giving materials, instruction and support. The villages in the Sierra are some 2,000 feet higher. These are the mission areas of Sisters Pat and Janice. Picture l-o-n-g stretches of bumpy gravel roads, with large puddles and deep ruts after a heavy rain. Much of this farm land is owned by corporations. With the help of the neighbors, one might find the catechist or village leader at home. I felt privileged to be invited into homes for a cup of instant coffee and a cookie and, once, tortillas fresh from the stove! Family problems and faith questions surface as the catechists share about challenges in their ministry. Alcoholism among the men is an immense problem throughout the 54 villages and the cause of much of the poverty. The lack of wholesome recreational opportunities — even decent reception of television and radio — is a factor. Sister Anita has started an AA group in San Rafael. I was pleased to participate in a success story involving Alejandra, who graduated from high school in July. She was one of four girls who lived with our sisters during the school year. Alejandra is very intelligent and wants to attend the university but she is shy and lacks confidence. Aurora and I accompanied her by bus to Saltillo (a big city about an hour away) — once to inquire about courses, registration and scholarship possibilities and again when she took the qualifying exams. She will live with a family in Saltillo while studying computer science. Few rural girls complete high school because of parental attitudes about educating girls, and/or the expense and distance involved. The sisters are active in youth and vocation ministry. They frequently accompany young women in retreats and other opportunities to grow spiritually. While I was there, Sister Pat and Aurora recruited and chaperoned a contingent of youth from the San Rafael area on an “encuentro” near Mexico City that thousands of young people attended. Reflecting on my brief experience in Mexico, I see many similarities to our pioneer ministries as Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls: Educating and housing high school girls, training nurses, building hospitals, teaching catechism, meeting needs as they arise. I believe that our community’s presence and ministry in Mexico is indeed a response to our call to rebuild the Church, to embrace the poor and marginalized and to promote human dignity, in the spirit of St. Francis and Clare. [Learn more about our Mexico Missions]
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Peacemakers in the kingdom
That’s the warm welcome a caller hears on the Minnesota Senior LinkAge Line (SLL). The response to that first question is as unique as the caller. “My mother can’t take care of herself anymore and I don’t know where to turn.” “I have run out of medication and don’t have any money.” “My wife died and I have a heart condition. I need someone to clean the house.” With that we begin the assessment of the situation and try to find resources to meet the need.
Five weeks in Mexico!
In my free time, I became a ready companion on shopping expeditions, errands, visits, mission trips etc. — great opportunities to improve my rusty Spanish. Everywhere we went, I witnessed the love and respect of the people for their sisters: Rosa, Jeni, Coletta, Patti, Anita. I was Elena.  |
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Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota
116 8th Avenue SE, Little Falls, MN 56345
(320)632-2981m info@fslf.org