News

The Presentation Sisters of San Francisco held the annual commissioning ritual in conjunction with a two-day pre-chapter meeting on September 10-11. The leadership team of Sisters Michele Anne Murphy, Pam Chiesa, Giovanna Campanella and Paula Baker first blessed the congregational coordinators, who then called out the ministries of their sisters. Associates were also blessed and recognized, after which the leadership team themselves were commissioned. This concluded one of several pre-chapter meetings leading up to the chapter meeting next spring. Please hold the congregation in your prayers during this time of discernment and decision-making.

A virtual walk to the Presentation congregations in the Conference In May, Carrie Hansen, cojourner director and justice commission contact,  shared the idea that we should do a “virtual walk” to the Gathering of Presentation People. She invited sisters, cojourners and employees to share their daily steps with her. In wanting to keep things very simple, steps could be tracked on a phone or watch or by keeping track of the time spent doing an activity such as walking, pool therapy, physical therapy, exercising, working in the garden, etc. Each week participants submit…

Pictured above: Sister Paula Schwendinger works with other volunteers in preparing packages of diapers for traveling migrants. Poet Warsan Shire, a Kenya-born Somali woman, now British citizen, writes, “No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark. You only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well, your neighbors running faster than you. No one leaves home unless home chases you, fire under feet, hot blood in your belly … it’s not something you ever thought of doing until the blade burnt threats into your neck … You…

Pictured, from left, Sisters Catherine Cleary, Laura Urbano, Mary Catherine Redmond and Dorothy Scesny. It is with grateful and joyful hearts that we announce the newly elected leadership team: Sister Mary Catherine Redmond, president; Sister Catherine Cleary, vice president; Sister Dorothy Scesny, councilor; Sister Laura Urbano, councilor. These sisters will assume their leadership role on October 2, 2021. We wish them abundant graces and blessings as they begin this sacred ministry.

Many of the sisters at the motherhouse in San Francisco participate in chair exercise before lunch. In this photo they are at the end of a session, singing “Amazing Grace” as they stretch. Others arriving for lunch join in the song, creating a beautiful moment of blessing.