When we reflect on Black history, we often recall the inspiring legacies of leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Shirley Chisholm, Frederick Douglass, and Katherine Johnson, individuals who have profoundly shaped the course of American history through their unwavering commitment to justice, freedom, and equality. Their courage and resilience continue to inspire generations to stand up against injustice and advocate for the dignity of all people.

Yet, within the broader narrative of Black history, there are voices that have not always received the recognition they deserve, particularly those of Black Catholics who, guided by their faith, worked tirelessly to uplift their communities and challenge the injustices of their time.

Our Winter 2025 cohort gatherings were held on February 1st and 3rd, with guest presenter Mercedes McCann, RSM, PhD to explore navigating loss and grief. We were invited into a space of self-compassion and empathy, recognizing the anticipatory grief of these times and the importance of self-care for vital engagement in ministry. We reflected on the importance of ritual in the processing of grief and how individual personality, family and culture may impact one’s expression of loss. We were invited to remember how the gift of those we love can inform and enrich our lives as we let go and continue with the freedom our loved ones would most desire for us. Sr. Mercedes assured us that all this takes as much time as it takes. GIven the positive responses from cohort members, this was a topic that certainly was needed!

The Futuring Leadership Team is making preparations for their Spring in-person Planning Meeting to be held March 14-16 in Columbus, Ohio. Many thanks to the Dominican Sisters of Peace for hosting us and to the many cohort members who have provided us with feedback on our 3-year goals as outlined in the survey. Your input is so appreciated as we make plans for the next few years. Please contact Lisa Kane or any member of the FLT if you have additional comments or questions.

The seeds of Adrian Dominican Sister Gail Himrod’s life-long dedication to music and her 40 years at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, began years before and far away. Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Sister Gail and her family moved to Ohio, first in Columbus and Middleton and finally in Van Wert. 

 

It was at St. Mary School in Van Wert that Sister Gail met the Adrian Dominican Sisters. She gained her love for music from her parents and took piano lessons from Sisters Catherine Genevieve Miller, OP, and Mary Luke Kinstle, OP. In addition, she sang in the parish choir and in her high school chorus.

 

She entered the Adrian Dominican Congregation in June 1954, ironically part of the crowd dedicated to Divine Providence. In her early years of religious life, Sister Gail taught in a number of Adrian Dominican schools in Illinois and Michigan.

 

Sister Gail holds a bachelor’s degree in music and English from Siena Heights College (now University) in Adrian, a master’s degree in music history and musicology from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate in music education and music history from Boston University.

Trip to El Salvador with Our Dominican Family

by Sister of St. Dominic of Amityville Maureen Muir

 

On January 2nd, a group of 16 students, alumni, and staff from both Molloy University, NY, (founded by the Amityville Dominicans) and Dominican University, NY, (founded by the Blauvelt Dominicans) set out on a ten-day trip to experience the people, places, and culture of El Salvador. The visit was coordinated by Molloy’s Director of Mission and Dominican Associate Michelle Martin and Sister Jenn Schaff, Vice President for Mission and Ministry and Dana McStowe, Director of Community Engagement and Leadership Development for Dominican University in Blauvelt. Diane Capuano and I were also there as chaperones.

 

The students and alumni made this trip to El Salvador, as they have been doing annually for several years, to work at the summer camp program for children up to ages 12 years old. The program was created and operated by our own Sister Flor de Maria Buruca. This program has grown over the years from working with kids at one site to working with children at three sites this year.

“I couldn’t be anything else but Dominican.”

That was the conclusion that Adrian Dominican Associate James Mallare came to during a recent time of reflection. That would most likely be the same conclusion of Sisters and Associates who work with and have come to know James. 

James first met the Adrian Dominican Sisters through the “gentle nudgings” of Sister Mariane Fahlman, OP, a professor who taught him during his undergraduate and graduate years and as a member of his dissertation committee. James earned a bachelor’s degree in education with a focus on community health education; a master’s degree in community health education; and a doctorate in kinesiology, with a specialty in community and school health, all at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Between his undergraduate and graduate programs, James helped Sister Mariane with her research on the effects of exercise on aging Catholic Sisters. “I was popping in and out of Weber Center,” the Congregation’s retreat center, during his work with Sister Mariane. “It was during that summer that I really fell in love with the charism,” he recalled. He became an Associate in August 2022, mentored by Sister Carol Jean Kesterke, OP

 

Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ, the Director of the Vatican Observatory, visits Adrian in March to offer a program titled A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars and for an evening reception and short presentation.

 

A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars is from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday, March 13, 2025, at Weber Retreat and Conference Center. The cost for the program, which is in person and livestreamed, is $35. Registration is required. The reception – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the same day at Weber Center – is free and open to the public. The evening will include soft drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and a half-hour presentation.

To register for the afternoon program, visit www.webercenter.org and click on “programs,” call 517-266-4000, or email webercenter@adriandominicans.org. Limited scholarships are available.

Spring Equinox Ritual Celebration

All are invited to welcome the return of Spring with the Spring Equinox Ritual Celebration from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 23, 2025, at Weber Retreat and Conference Center. Bring a story and song, gratitude, and, if you like, a treat to share.

The celebration is free and open to all. Registration is not required.

Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse, Adrian, Michigan. On East Siena Heights Drive, turn into the driveway between Adrian Rea Literacy Center and the solar panel-covered carport. Follow the signs to Weber Center. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.

Single Catholic Women Invited to a Weekend

of Discernment with the Adrian Dominican Sisters

Are you a single Catholic woman, ages 19-45, who is wondering how to spend your life or contemplating religious life? One step you can take is to find out what these paths would mean in your life. The Adrian Dominican Sisters invite you to Zoom and See, March 7-9, 2025, to spend the weekend discerning God’s call for your life – and all online and from the comfort of your home. 

Participants in Zoom and See will have the opportunity to meet other women in discernment; join the Adrian Dominican Sisters for Sunday Liturgy; take time for prayer, reflection, silence, sharing, and fun; and learn about the life of a Dominican Sister of Adrian, Michigan.

The weekend is free of charge. Register online at https://tinyurl.com/ADSDiscern. 

For information, call or text Sister Katherine Frazier, OP, at 260-229-3045 or email her at kfrazier@adriandominicans.org.

Dominican Center Marywood 
Visit https://www.grdominicans.org/transformative-programs-retreats/ for a full listing of retreats and events. 

 

 Opening Our Hearts to God’s Presence Retreat (In-Person)

Friday, Feb 28 • 6:30 – 9:00 pm & Saturday, March 1 • 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Awaken to the abiding peace and joy found in Christ—no matter the circumstances. Together, we will immerse ourselves in the present moment, learning to distinguish between the chatter of the mind and the sensations that bind the body. Open to the boundless spaciousness of God’s presence, uniquely revealed within you. Engage in contemplative therapeutic practices designed to help you attune to and cultivate God’s divine qualities of love, peace, and joy. Gather with a community of like-minded individuals to learn tools from evidenced based mental health practices and hold space for God’s peace in all situations, drawing strength from His presence. For more information call 616-514-3325 or visit dominicancenter.com. Dominican Center Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, is located in West Michigan off Fulton Street East, on the campus of Aquinas College.

Details & Registration: https://www.grdominicans.org/program-retreat/opening-our-hearts-to-gods-presence/

 

Skill Series for Spiritual Directors (Online)

Mondays: Mar 3, Mar 17, Mar 31 • 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Spiritual Directors are invited to learn in community about three common areas of challenge in the spiritual direction relationship: anger, depression and the dark night of the soul, and boredom. In each, we will consider how these states and emotions manifest in directees and in ourselves, growing our awareness and ability to navigate them with the Spirit. For more information call 616-514-3325 or visit dominicancenter.com. Dominican Center Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, is located in West Michigan off Fulton Street East, on the campus of Aquinas College.

Details & Registration: https://www.grdominicans.org/program-retreat/sd-skill-series/

 

Zentangle Patterns of Pause ~A Visual Prayer Practice to Cultivate Peace (In-Person)

Saturday, Mar 8 • 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

GRAND RAPIDS, MI --  In the fullness of everyday life, pausing and noticing what scripture and creation reveal can refresh us.  Both are filled with wonderful patterns that can spark delight. When we slow down and notice, we make space to invite peace and calm, encounter the presence of God, and be rejuvenated. In this class, we’ll enjoy combining the Zentangle Method*, watercolor, and pen to create a visual prayer inspired by a portion of Scripture. We’ll also explore how this visual prayer practice encourages us to cultivate gratitude, awareness, delight, peace, and faith. Other visual prayers are sure to be inspired! (The Scripture passage will be different from our autumn Zentangle workshop.) Previous art or Zentangle experience is not required, only a willingness to create, one stroke at a time!  A brief introduction to Zentangle and all supplies will be provided. For more information call 616-514-3325 or visit dominicancenter.com. Dominican Center Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, is located in West Michigan off Fulton Street East, on the campus of Aquinas College.

Details & Registration: https://www.grdominicans.org/program-retreat/zentangle/