Celebrations for 150 Years of Ministry in the USA

Throughout the past year we Sisters have observed 150 years of ministry in the United States. We celebrated on July 4, the actual date of our sisters’ arrival. (You can see the name of our foundress in a ledger at Ellis Island.)  Another celebration occurred on November 10, when we invited relatives, friends, benefactors, and donors to Gesu Church in Toledo. Rev. Jeff Walker, pastor in Delphos, gave a meaningful homily capturing the spirit of Notre Dame that goes on in each sister. Father Walker focused on Sisters who were filling needs, just as our founding sisters did.

This is the commentary read before Mass:

In 1850 two friends, both teachers at St. Lambert’s School in Coesfeld, professed vows to God and became the first Sisters of Notre Dame—our foundresses Sister Maria Aloysia Wolbring and Sister Maria Ignatia Kühling. Their journey became our heritage. Within a quarter century, political upheaval meant leaving their blessed and burgeoning fields of ministry. The response? To America! With trust, those first sisters could say, “Our dear Mother of God has already prepared a place for us in the Land of Freedom. Let us go there joyfully [with] generous hearts full of apostolic love!” A small group arrived in the United States on July 4, 1874. Not knowing language or customs, not even having a home, perhaps they felt like the women in today’s readings—not knowing the future but giving all they had. For 150 years the Sisters of Notre Dame have tried to give their all to schools, hospitals, mission activity, justice for the needy, parish involvement, and more. Our charism—trust in God’s provident care—has been blessed by our figurative jars that did not go empty and jugs that did not run dry. For God’s goodness to us, we give all praise and thanks to God—and to you, our friends, relatives, benefactors, donors, associates, and everyone who has walked along beside us these 150 years.