Americas

Brazil

There are five Sisters in Brazil and along with their nine Associate members they are engaged in a variety of ministries. Now, we have closed a corporate ministry, Project Consolation, and are researching a new beginning in another part of the country. It is hampered by the pandemic, so the following is what is happening now.

1. Family Ministry
2. Youth & Vocation Animation
3. AMMM
4. Pastoral Health
5. Prison Ministry
6. Counselling
7. Women group apostolate

There are nine lay associates in Brazil, seven in Capim Grosso and one Cabaceiras do Paraguaçu and one here in Salvador. Most of them are engaged in parish ministries.

Here their main ministries are: Pastoral da familia (family parish group) – this is a group where the couples come together and share their struggles and strengths in living together.

• Listening and counselling to families who have special needs children . One associate is volunteering in a project that supports families who have children with special needs.
• Prayer ministry- some took more seriously the ministry of prayer specially for the people who lost their relatives due to the pandemic.
• Empowerment of parish leaders- one is directly engaged in helping to organize the Tuesday workshops on various themes for parishioners and teachers who are accompanying the young people.
• Engagement in the youth ministry – this involves: local fundraising for participation in workshops organized by the Marist Brothers. These workshops give skills on engaging with the youth as well as listening and accompanying the young people, referrals to spiritual and psychological accompaniment and coordinating the team.
• Vocation animation ministry – there are some also who are engaged in inviting some young women to participate in our virtual “come and see” meetings.

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USA

Our Sisters in the USA are mostly elderly now and many are living in assisted living facilities. However age has not dimmed their enthusiasm for mission. Read below the contribution of some of our MMM Sisters and Associates.

Sister Anne Marie Hubbard MMM
Initially I said well I have no ministry, but then on further reflection, I definitely do here in Youville Assisted living. It is one of support, listening, walking with, and of course praying. My praying has become somewhat different, and I find myself when saying the Office to have a long list of things to pray for. The Lord must say, is she finished yet? So, my ministry is different, but it is most real.

Sister Margaret Anne Meyer MMM
Since I came to Somerville, I continue to go with Nina on vocation work. Since last March we have had Monthly meetings by Zoom with a group called “Fiat” run by Sister Marian Bartho, a Sister of St. Joseph. There are about 7 congregations involved and 10-12 young women either attending the Boston Universities or in business in the Boston area. We take different topics of religious life each month from October to May. We have told Sr. Marian that we are not recruiting for MMM but would like to be part of the program to encourage other young women to join a congregation.
I belong to a Parish Vocation Ministry and we used to meet monthly but have stopped during Covid. One of the priests in St. Louis and Zelie Martin (name of our new parish grouping) invited me.
I joined the United States Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking last October and I find myself engaged in a lot of advocacy work ending child pornography by trying to get the EARN-IT ACT passed.
working on the elimination of child forced labor regarding the chocolate industry, working to pass the Equality Act Based on the Nordic Model of decriminalizing the woman and criminalizing the buyer and or trafficker. I attend many zoom meetings in these areas every month and notify Congress members.
I belong to the Boston Sisters against trafficking. We are 5 members from different Congregations.
We have monthly zoom meetings and prepared two prayer vigils this year. I volunteer one day a week in the Visiting Nurse Association on Highland Residence.
I forgot to say that I think my main ministry is prayer. There is so much going on in the world and I lift all the suffering people to God.

Sister Kathie Shea MMM
I have two public ministries:

• one is working in our Mission Development Office in business administration/finance in collaboration with the Mission Development Director and staff. Within the US I also participate, as possible, in making MMM known by participating mission appeals/awareness

My second ministry is as the Area Business Administrator for the Area of the Americas in collaboration with the Area Leader and her team. I am in regular contact with the local business administrators in Brazil, Honduras, the US, and those living by themselves ensuring that accounts are kept up to date and budgets are prepared and presented to the appropriate persons within MMM. Over the years I have introduced and taught some of our sisters how to better keep their accounts and financial records.

In both ministries I am in regular contact with our Central Business Administration. These 2 ministries while of a financial nature I feel can best be summed up by saying my ministries involve accountability and collaboration within MMM.
A not so public ministry, but a conviction I have, is to put a “face” on the Area of the Americas and MMM through our Area Facebook. I endeavor to regularly keep our Facebook up to date and relevant. I enjoy immensely taking photos and some of my photos have facilitated our communications department in Ireland in their ministry/work. Thus, this ministry can best be summed up as public relations for MMM.

Sister Bernadette Kenny MMM
Head Start Board Monthly Meeting /Visits
Food Bank Weekly Meeting / Distribution monthly
First Communion Instruction – weekly
Church Transport- Weekly
Eucharist Visitation. 5 families- weekly
SUPPORT RELATIONSHIPS
MMM Telephone Calls 7x per week
Families in Crisis. 3
Physician visits model wholistic care.
Social visits Graduation, Showers etc
RESEARCH
Zoom Meetings with other Religious women
Cultivation of Resilience both Theory and Practice.

Sister Nina Underwood MMM
I continue to be involved in vocation ministry and also attend the “Fiat” monthly/ by monthly meetings, Also, I respond to letters from women who express a desire to know more about MMM and a missionary vocation. I am also involved in a limited way (since Covid) with our parish here in Somerville.
Volunteering at the VNA (Visiting Nurses Association) across the street at least one day a week. This involves everything from feeding patients to helping the staff in whatever way they need assistance, games with residents, walks, etc.
Outreach to my family (Siblings) who have serious health concerns at the present time. I am the HCP for two of them. Driving sisters to Doctor appointments when needed, community responsibilities etc.etc.
God gives me many opportunities to serve. I consider it a privilege to assist the elderly and my sisters.

Sister Joanne Bierl MMM
The two ministries that take most of my time are that of Area Leader and MDO director. It is being the public face of MMM to the world of Religious life in LCWR and all the organizations we collaborate with and with our partners, friends, and vendors, etc. I had been volunteering as English instructor for migrants working with Aquinas Literacy Services (Sponsored ministry of the Dominican Sisters) but had to discontinue because of time constraints and travel schedule.

Pat Adams AMMM
Development and coordination of a parish-based outreach program for those in need in our local community, to include basic necessities of: hot and cold meals, clothing, toiletries, shower and laundry access, haircuts, drop in center, emergency shelter, transportation to medical appointments, assistance with paperwork for medical insurance, disability and housing, adult mentoring, life skills classes.

Marianne Grisez AMMM
As far as what I have been doing
I am part of Secular Franciscans at Mission San Luis Rey –
– donate to food bank and support their ministries
@ St. Thomas More my parish,
I am on Social Justice comm.
1. We are part of national Faith in Action and our local group SDOP – San Diego Organizing Project.
– help to sponsor and support asylum seekers upon arrival.
– advocate for affordable housing and other political actions to benefit the common good.
3. work with other local denominations who support refugees who have settled here – such as Jewish family services, Episcopal church.
4. work with Pax Christi to – study Fratelli Tutti and support the efforts to fight racism in our county.
5. support local group homes for those who are escaping human trafficking and child abuse.

Connie Saldivar AMMM
My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 7 years ago.
Accepting the condition is not always easy.
Here in Chicago there was a need to have a support group in Spanish. Two other ladies and I started a support group in May 2020.
The name of the group in Spanish is ANCLA which means “Anchor”
A – Animo – Encouragement
N – Nostalgia – Nostalgia
C – Cariño – Loving
L – Luz – Light
A – Amistad – Friendship.
As an AMMM I am happy to share the Healing Charism in this support group to the Spanish community here in Chicago.
Thank you MMM for your guidance and support

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