Taking a glance backward at the end of a calendar year has become traditional—and for us, too. We hope you enjoy savoring our joys and remembering the sorrows and challenges of 2022 in equal measure.
Our Top Six
Our big news in 2022 was the celebration of the 150th anniversary of our founding. We began the celebrating on August 19, 2022, on the 149th anniversary—and will continue to celebrate through August 19, 2023. Here’s an updated calendar of events so you can join us when you are able.
Participating in the global synod of the Catholic Church has been another exciting event for us. There will be more synod news in 2023 as the church moves to the continental phase and two representatives of our congregation take part in that next step in the process.
Three stories out of Peru this year, two joyful and one challenging. In 2023 the sisters in Jarpa will move in to the new convent so many of our donors helped to make possible, and they have welcomed two young women at the beginning of their discernment of a call to religious life. Follow the link to see a photo of Nicohol and Maribel with Sister Maria Louisa, who is responsible for their formation. In the midst of these wonderful developments for our mission in Peru, has come, late in the year, a destabilizing coup that threatens Peru’s democracy. As of now our sisters report that they are not threatened, but they have great concern for their nation and ask for our prayers.
Though she was elected to LCWR leadership last year, in the fall of 2022 Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma took the helm at the Leadership Conference of Women Religious at a time when the leaders of religious communities of women are looking to a future that calls us to a clear-eyed look at a complex future.
A dedicated group of Springfield Dominican Sisters and Associates have worked hard to lead us toward a deeper commitment to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Action Platform. You can keep up with what we are up to at the landing page.
Our Most Amazing Video
A team from Daprato Rigali, the company that designed the interior of Sacred Heart Convent chapel, and our own housekeeping and maintenance crew, accomplished a major restoration and cleaning of the chapel this fall. Brandon Durham, the media and design specialist in the communications office, captured this fun time lapse video of the project. Enjoy the video!
A F.L.O.W.cast Round-up
This was season two for our podcast series F.L.O.W.cast. Here are the top episodes, based on the number of downloads.
- The top episode was Spiritual Practices for Everybody that featured Springfield Dominican Sisters Barbara Blesse and Jane Ann Beckman who shared practical tips for growing and deepening a relationship with God and his creation.
- Runner up was Embracing the Gospel: Sisters’ Life, Mission and Mission part one that highlighted Sisters Mary Clare Fichtner, Judith Anne Haase, and Marcelline Koch who reflected with host Sister Karen Freund about the changes they’ve seen in religious life during their years of religious profession.
- Next was Advent: Giving God Time with Sister Phyllis Schenk, who offered F.L.O.W.cast listeners a mini-retreat about making time for God in everyday life.
- Understanding what goes in to making important life decisions was the topic of the next most popular episode, How to Discern Anything, which featured Sister Elyse Marie Ramirez sharing insight on discernment.
- Ending the list of the most downloaded F.L.O.W.cast episodes was The Transformative Effects of Antiracism with Dr. Wendi Wells El-Amin and Dominican Sister Marcelline Koch, OP.
If you haven’t listened to F.L.O.W.cast yet yourself there’s plenty of time to catch up on season two before season three launches next August!
People
In Memoriam. The Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois felt the loss of five sisters and five associates in 2022. The sisters who passed into eternal life included: Sister Helen Michael Horne, OP, Sister M. Virginia Derhake, OP, Sister M. Noel Plummer, OP, Sister M. Teresine Zarones, OP, and Sister M. Raymunda Troeckler, OP. The Dominican Associates who passed were: Claire Stapleton, Vernice Jones, Carol Sipes, Alejandro de la Cruz, and Merlin Skretvedt. Visit the our ancestors page to see the sisters obituaries.
Just for fun
We've launched a new and popular social media video series called "Hey Sister, What are You Doing Today" If they haven't showed up in your social media feed already, you can see them all here, and watch for more in the New Year.
What about you?
If you'd like to share some of the memorable moments of your 2022, drop us a note in comments below.
