Local Holy Cross sisters experience Africa at meeting with others from around the world

Friday, Jul. 18, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — Seven Holy Cross sister delegates from the Utah Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross attended the General Chapter meeting in Entebee, Africa June 9-23. 

The Holy Cross congregation is worldwide. This is the first time the meeting has been held outside of the United States; previously it was held at Saint Mary’s convent in South Bend, Ind.

The Holy Cross sisters from Utah were Suzanne Brennan, Kathleen Moroney, Catherine Kamphaus, Veronica Fajardo, Celine Dounies, Mary Ann Pajakowski and Lucy Lalsangzuali.

The General Chapter meeting is held every five years to evaluate the congregation and develop a strategic plan for the next five years. A new general leadership team also is elected. 

Sister Suzanne Brennan, Holy Cross Ministries director, was elected the congregation’s General Council treasurer. She will be responsible for finances, properties and investments for all of the Holy Cross sponsored ministries worldwide. The new general leadership group will be installed on Sept. 7 in South Bend, Ind., and Sr. Suzanne will be involved in orientation and planning sessions during that time, she said. 

The General Chapter theme in Africa was “See, I make all things new;” the emphasis for the sisters was to look at internationality.  

Sister Veronica, of Holy Cross Ministries migrant ministry, explained that the area coordinator shared what projects, different missions that were opened, or various other things that have happened in each in of the geographical areas. “The General Council also shares a current report on concerns and we discuss what our hopes are for the future, especially vocations and leadership development within the congregation,” she said. 

Issues the sisters discussed were helping their ministries to promote nonviolence and peace, having more leadership and mentor development for younger sisters in the different geographical areas, continuing to grow in intercultural living and core values, caring for the resources of the earth, having laity in the geographical areas to take over the ministries so the sisters can branch out, strategic planning and collaborating with other groups within the Church, she said.

The sisters in the United States and Utah will continue to have the opportunity to host sisters from other countries, said Sr. Veronica. “At Holy Cross Ministries we have had a good number of sisters from around the world come and learn about our ministries so they can duplicate these services in their countries,” she said. “A lot of them in the other countries are in institutions where they provide education and health care, and that is something we are hoping to continue and also to build partnerships. With Sr. Suzanne now at the General Leadership level, she will be able to take her experience in grant writing and collaborating with other institutions and organizations and put them into practice, which will benefit sisters around the world.” 

Attending the general meeting was a “very valuable experience,” said Sr. Veronica. “It was good to hear what is happening in the other countries, to find out about the blessings and challenges, what we all have in common in terms of the spirit and zeal that people have for the mission. I feel so much more grounded because I know that I am a part of something so much bigger than myself. Through the grace of God in so many places new ministries are coming up – such as schools, clinics and services – and part of our charism is to respond to the needs of the Church. It’s always fascinating to hear how those needs are being met in different places despite the different challenges they have.” 

For Sr. Cathy, the meeting also was something like a camping trip because “they just don’t have the luxuries we have in the United States,” she said. “We stayed in a retreat house and sometimes we would run out of water or electricity, and we slept with a mosquito net because the windows were open. The people were wonderful; they worked hard to serve us and it was nice to be among all the sisters from around the world.”