Nurses’ Appreciation Week
As we celebrate Nurses’ Appreciation Week, I am very grateful for the loving 
service many of our Sister Nurses have provided for us and so many over the years. One of my first encounters with their loving care as early as my high school years was the attention shown to me by Sister Mary Leo (aka Sr. Mary Leonilde) Furlong. Sister served in nursing ministry for over 30 years and has shown Christ’s compassionate healing in countless ways.
Sister Mary Camilla Lochotzki is one of our Sister Nurses who continues this healing ministry today in her ministry at Rosary Care Center in Sylvania. At a gathering of our Sisters involved in health care ministry a year ago, they summarized their care as follows:
We, the Sisters of Notre Dame in the ministry of health
care, witness to God’s goodness and provident care
through the healing ministry of Jesus.
We commit ourselves to:
• respect for the dignity of the human person
• the health of the whole person
• universal access to health care
• preference for those who are poor or marginalized
• unity in our internationality
that all may have life and have it to the full.
Thank you, Sisters, for your loving service!
Another Sister who gave selflessly of her time and talent is our dear Sr. Mary Damian Meng. I remember over 20 years ago now when I fell and tore my ACL and had to have surgery. I wasn’t using the crutches correctly. She really “got after me” as I was walking down the health care center hallways. But it was her hearty encouragement that got me through the tears and pain and I need no knee brace today. Another time, at the sudden death of our dear PNG Sister Teresita Marie when we were junior sisters, it was Sr. Damian who brought the Kleeenex boxes to us and kept encouraging us amidst our shock and grief. THANKS, Sister Damian!