Drawn back home to be sent out to world

"We are all here, all of our community," said Paula VandenHogen, community director of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, with a bit of a tone of awe in her own voice that after three years of planning for a weekend event, it had actually taken place - and without a single problem.

The gathering at the order's motherhouse at Manitowoc had drawn back home to the place of their beginnings all 465 members of a community whose convent, school, parish and health-care institutions extend "from Ohio to Hawaii, from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Mississippi and beyond our borders to Lima, Peru."

Members said the homecoming reminded them what a vital sisterhood they are and that their small mission communities are very much part of the larger community where their religious life began.

The sisters, who were housed wherever there was space - at the motherhouse, the college and area convents, came together to celebrate the theme of the weekend, "Gathering to Be Sent."

The focus on Friday was Gathering - coming together, renewing friendships, celebrating their sisterhood, and learning about each other's lives. Each mission had brought a collection of information on their own work, including scrapbooks and photo albums, which were displayed along corridors on two floors of the convent, an impressive proof of the breadth and variety of their missions.

Also on Friday afternoon, a special service and procession through the three burial sites at the convent reminded the sisters that "we are gathered to remember our heritage, to honor 810 sisters who have gone before us, our founders and our other saints without whom we would not be here," Sr. VandenHogen said. Pfeffer Funeral Home at Manitowoc provided the 810 fresh carnations that were placed on the graves.

Saturday's theme was "To Be." Fr. David Beaudry in his homily at Mass reminded them of the story of Emmaus and how the two disciples did not recognize Jesus "on the way."

"Much has taken place within your order because you have recognized him on the way," Fr Beaudry said. "We must always remember to keep Martha and Mary in balance in our lives. Prayer moves and shapes our lives, but we have to stop trying to change God's mind. Prayer for you should be 'Let me feel the cheek of God against my cheek.' "

The huge tent that was the setting for the Mass and all other group activities was set up on the grounds because there was no place in the convent to accommodate the crowd. The rear of the tent was occupied by many sisters in wheelchairs or with walkers, each accompanied during the weekend by an able sister, who made it possible for her to participate when possible.

The tent lent an air of festivity to the liturgy, which included a choir leading the voices of over 400 women.

"Even the rain couldn't stop us Saturday night," Sr. VandenHogen said. "For our evening program, we just rolled down the sides of the tent and went right ahead. The weather really smiled on us."

Sunday's emphasis was on the last words of their theme, "To Be Sent." It reaffirmed the mission of these sisters, who serve far and wide, but who need the sense of community they find here.

Fr. Ron Rolheiser, Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate and a weekly columnist in The Compass, met with the sisters in their 'tent chapel' for two sessions on "The Compassion of God" and presided at the afternoon liturgy.

The final ceremony of the weekend at that liturgy was the Commissioning when each of the 465 members of the Community were sent back to 'the world' joyful, refreshed and renewed for the New Millennium.

"This has been a shot in the arm for all of us," Sr. VandenHogen said. "We so regularly celebrate our gifts with the people we serve. I guess this could be a bit self-serving, letting ourselves celebrate our gifts with one another, but we are being energized. As religious women, we are here to go out and serve others. That is one aspect of our lives, but we came to live in community, and it is in community that we get our strength."

The Sisters of St. Francis of Christian Charity were founded in Manitowoc, where they have their motherhouse, Holy Family Convent, plus Silver Lake College, the Holy Family Conservatory of Music and Holy Family Medical Center, which celebrates its centennial this year. Their sisters also staff the middle and elementary schools of the Manitowoc Catholic school system, and teach at Roncalli High School.