A small Catholic college closes, and some fear it won’t be the only one

 

As she neared the end of high school, Clare Kelnhofer's future had its share of uncertainties. But where she'd go to college wasn't one — at least at first.

Kelnhofer, of Brandon, had decided she'd go to Holy Family College — the only college she'd applied to. The fit was perfect: the right size, the right values, passionate professors, close proximity to family in Manitowoc.

The school recruited her to play basketball. She won a prestigious, full tuition scholarship to pursue a degree in actuarial science.

Then, without warning, Holy Family announced May 7 that the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity had decided to close the college at the end of the summer term.

continue at JS

 

FSCC welcome three new sisters professing First Vows

“As Postulants, you chose the group title, Lanterns of Merciful Light. Today’s liturgy speaks of Jesus telling the Disciples that they will be witnesses of His suffering, forgiveness and merciful love. You have learned how to recognize the light of Jesus in another and you have had opportunities to experience Jesus’ mercy for yourself and extend that mercy to others. We now live in the promise Jesus made to send us the Holy Spirit to be with us. God will continue to give the graces to live the Vows throughout our life.”

https://fscc-calledtobe.org/2019/06/03/three-franciscan-sisters-profess-first-vows/

Faith, farming and family: Sister Natalie Binversie’s rural roots helped shape her values

MANITOWOC — Sister Natalie Binversie learned plenty during her years as a student at Silver Lake College of the Holy Family, Creighton University, St. Bonaventure University and Angelicum Pontifical University in Rome.

But the lessons she learned decades ago as a youngster on her family’s dairy farm near St. Nazianz in rural Manitowoc County also remain important.

“I still hold very close to me the values learned over the years in that agricultural upbringing and family setting on the farm,” said Sister Natalie, in her sixth year as the community director for the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, whose motherhouse is on the western outskirts of Manitowoc.

“I still hold those values close to me, especially the importance of the simple. Things were simple on the farm. I try not to make things too complicated — just keep them simple and put my trust in God.”

continue at LeaderTelegram

Abp. Carlson praises Wisconsin based FSCC convent in Saint Louis

The Archdiocese of St. Louis is sharing a video on our Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity who offer a welcoming presence to those working to end abortion. Archbishop Robert J. Carlson states that “This Convent is a powerful witness, directly across the street from the city’s abortion clinic in the Central West End in the city of St. Louis.”

FSSC

FSCC Discernment Retreats

FSCC Vocation Retreat in Manitowoc March 16-18

Also: Franciscan Calendar of Saints

St. Cecilia, ora pro nobis!

From the Sisters St. Mary Chapel at Holy Family Convent in Manitowoc (which you might consider adding to your list of places to visits)

Young Adults retreat hosted by FSCC in Plover Sept 6

FSCC accepts three new novices this June

On Trinity Sunday, June 11, 2017, Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity welcomed three Novices: Sister Colleen, Sister Clare Rose (Tricia) and Sister Cecelia Joy (Megan). The Community celebrated the Rite of Initiation into Religious Life in St. Mary Chapel. Novice Directress Sister Mariadele Jacobs is responsible for teaching the Novices the essentials of Religious Life and providing experiences to learn the spirit and life of our Congregation. Community Director Sister Natalie Binversie addressed the Novices and our Community of Sisters at this awesome occasion.

continue at FSCC

Congrats!

Silent retreat for single women 18-35 on April 29 at the Cistercian Valley of Our Lady Monastery, Prairie du Sac WI

FSCC-Cistercian Retreat Flyer by Matt J Korger on Scribd

FSCC & Poor Clares silent discernment retreat in Sauk Rapids MN Oct 8th

Email from the sisters(thank you for the kind words!):

Matt, thanks for highlighting us on Badger Catholic! We are thrilled by your support. Retreat went well.

Now we are looking at a collaborative event with the Poor Clares in Sauk Rapids, MN.

https://franciscanizedworld.fscc-calledtobe.org/2016/09/silent-discernment-of-spirits-day-retreat-october-8-sauk-rapids-mn/

Know of our prayers for all that you do for the new evangelization!

Discernment of Spirits Retreat Flyer by Matt J Korger on Scribd

FSCC offers discernment retreat in Manitowoc Sept 16-18

Sister Anne Marie Lom leads this September 16-18, 2016 retreat that includes contemplating what was important to St. Francis, especially his relationship with God and others. Includes time for prayer and reflection, as well as joining us in a Beach Sweep for ‘Sister Water’ at Lake Michigan. Call or text Sister Julie Ann 920-323-9632.

http://1bewut1gndve7rsji3iknps7tb-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/FSCC-Retreat-Flyer_Sept2016_EyesFrancis_P2.pdf

FSCC

Camp Franciscan: "Women of Strength, Women of God" in Manitowoc June 15-17

Women of Strength, Women of God

This is an experience of meeting many Franciscan Sisters, friendship with other campers, Community prayer, Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation, fine arts, homespun entertainment, and more. It is an opportunity to catch the Franciscan spirit!

Who: All young women 6th grade to college age are invited.

When: Begins at 1 p.m. on June 15.

Where: Holy Family Convent, Motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity

Leadership Training: High School Sophomores to college age are invited to help us guide the other campers June 13, 1 p.m. – June 15, 1 p.m.

continue at Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity

FSCC nuns divided over recent Packers Cardinals game

Sister Martha and her six sisters are all die-hard Cardinals fans, wearing Big Red shirts underneath their habits to show support.

But the organization the sisters belong to, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, is based out of Wisconsin. On a Skype call, four sisters in Manitowoc said they have faith in another team.

"I’ve just loved the Packers all my life," said Sister Mariella Erdmann, "and I just think we’re going to win on Sunday. I think if we have a pass rush on the quarterback we’ll be okay."

continue at AZ12News

Well, not much more to say about to say about the game.  Except maybe this:

WATCH: German TV announcers call the #Packers Hail Mary TD catch. 📺: https://t.co/cj8bzfch3D pic.twitter.com/W1kk5J4B8v

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 18, 2016

Oh those crazy Germans!  What a great play.  I ripped my sweatshirt off and threw it across the bar.  People were scared.  Deal with it, that's a once in a lifetime play(two Hail Marys on the same drive to tie in the playoffs).  But it only made the coinciding blown play that much more devastating.

Seriously though, it looks like Aaron Rodgers will likely have as many Super Bowl victories as his predecessor Brett Favre.  He's 32 years old..... and we know what Ted Thompson thinks of veteran players.  JS has a good breakdown of the Fitzgerald catch.  A series of unfortunate events in the playoffs leave us to wonder what could have been.   The pool of playmakers running thin, are the Packers now trending downward for a time?  Or do we just need to learn how to hit the curveball?

Time capsule found in Manitowoc convent

Per usual, I'm behind a bit.  This from last month.

Sister Caritas Strodthoff could spend much of her days digging up more pieces of Holy Family Convent’s history.

But it’s not every day that history is nicely persevered and waiting to be discovered more than 142 years later.

When the cornerstone from the original section of the three-story building was removed for repair work, Sister Caritas and other Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in Manitowoc were eager to find out if those before them had left a time capsule inside.

“We had no idea,” said Sister Caritas, archivist for community. “There was no record of anything. It isn’t very often a cornerstone from 1873 is opened and anything found.”

continue at htrnews

Wisconsin FSCC nun take on principal job

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School has a new principal, and she is the first nun to lead the school in many years.

Sister Carol Seidl grew up in Luxemburg, Wisconsin.

“It’s a small farming community, 960 people,” she said. “I grew up on our family farm, a dairy farm, now a third-generation dairy farm.”

Her family was religious, she said. She attended a Catholic school taught by nuns and had a first cousin who was a nun.

“They were my inspiration,” she said.

Seidl took the vows of obedience, poverty and chastity with the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, which was founded in Wisconsin.

continue at Casa Grande Dispatch

HT MK

J-O-Y at Camp Franciscan - Manitowoc

Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Motherhouse on Silver Lake, Manitowoc WI

HT Mark

Wisconsin’s own “Flying Nun”

Just who was the "Flying Nun"? Well, those of us who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s think of Sister Bertrille, that tiny nun with the huge bird-like headpiece on her habit. Sally Field starred as the winged postulant who could easily fly when stirred by the slightest breeze. Based on the 1965 book, "The Flying Pelican," the sitcom ran on ABC from 1967 to 1970.

The character, Sister Bertille, was a nun in the fictitious convent of San Tanco in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the nuns' habits were adapted from those of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. Interestingly, the real Daughters of Charity are an order that make annual vows throughout their life, leaving them free to leave whenever they wish.

But, Sister Bertrille was not the original "Flying Nun," at least not in this part of Wisconsin. Sister Mary Aquinas Kinskey, was our local flying celebrity.

continue at Sheboygan Press

HT MK

History of the Lourdes Grotto at the Franciscan Sisters' Wisconsin Convent

With this photo, we share a bit of Franciscan Community history about our own Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto found at our Motherhouse and a tradition we hold of presenting a single yellow rose at the time of each of our Sister’s death.

Our Franciscan Community Archivist Sister Teresita Kittel wrote: “To many visitors, one of the most inspiring spots of our convent is Our Lady’s Grotto.

The building of our little Lourdes started in the spring of 1939, while Mother Perpetua was Vicaress. It is a memoria to Mother Generose on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee. The pattern used may have been merely a magazine picture. The reason for the present grotto and its largeness was so that Mary might bless the entire countryside, rather than have just a private grotto for the community alone.

Most of the work was done by our workmen, especially Robert Klingeisen. The rocks in the frame work came from our farm and farms as far distant as St. Nazianz. The large rock in front, with holes in it was brought from the Frank Fessler farm, the first farm on Highway 151 as you turn right to go to Manitowoc. This family felt honored to have donated this rock, for Frank Fessler is a nephew of the Father Joseph Fessler who helped found our convent.

continue at Sisters of Christian Charity 

HTR Manitowoc: Ugandan Sister excited to take classes at Silver Lake College

So I go on a bit of a rant, but then find another fine piece in a secular paper on a Catholic topic. 

MANITOWOC – The first thing Sister Maddy Takyala of Uganda wanted to do when her plane landed in Milwaukee earlier this winter was to touch the snow.

With daytime temperatures in her native country reaching the 80s and 90s all year long, she had never seen — except in the movies — the fluffy white stuff that now surrounded her.

“It was too cold,” Takyala said, shaking her head as she recalled her first real-life contact.

She was on her way to Manitowoc to study at Silver Lake College, with plans to earn her education degree so she could return home to teach.

After an arduous journey that included delays, canceled flights and lost luggage, she finally arrived at what would become her second home for the next several years.

Sister Maddy, 25, is among eight international Sister students being sponsored this year by the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, founders of the college.

The youngest of 11 children, she was the first in her family to leave her country.

continue at HTRNews

HT Mark