Pray With Us

How SSND Communities Practice Communal Prayer

School Sisters of the Atlantic-Midwest Province live across North America and in England, forming small communities with one another where they live. The question of how these small communities practice communal prayer was posed by Sister Marlene Panko, SSND, Chicago, in the weekly newsletter. We will post their answers as the Sisters reply!

Ordinary Time: A Time to Live Deliberatively

Despite its name, Ordinary Time is far from ordinary. Lasting from now until Advent, it carries us through the rest of the summer, from swim season to the start of the new school year and apple-picking to pumpkin-carving. Join us as we share Sisters Ordinary Time practices and reflections.

Lenten Reflections

On March 5, we observe Ash Wednesday and embark on our 40 days of Lent journey.

Pope Francis encourages us to become Pilgrims of Hope in our broken and fragile world.

In Mission 2024 - Longing for the Oneness of All in God

The articles presented in this edition of In Mission show different aspects of how we try to respond to the call of our General Chapter. We read about education, restructuring into one new province, care of creation, reconciliation, communication ……

Memorial Service Programs Archives

Here you will find the prayers being prayed during Memorial Services for our Sisters who have died. Because of social distancing, these memorials cannot currently be held with large numbers of Sisters attending, but many Sisters would still like to pray the service for each Sister lost. This archive starts in May 2020.

My Graced Adventure of Aging

Over the years, I was asked or offered to move into all sorts of unfamiliar ministerial situations. Having lots of physical and imaginative creative energy, I was quick to respond and act - to do anything, go anywhere. I inherited the spirit of my parents who emigrated from Germany for the adventure of America. The adventurous spirit in all the Theresa and Caroline stories helped to attract me to SSND. My life in SSND has always felt adventurous.

Canadian Sisters Share Personal Prayer Practices

In winding up our series on community prayer practices, we share some final thoughts from Sisters Rose Mary Sanders, Barbara Paleczny, and Celeste Reinhard.

How We Pray at Marian Village

We sisters in independent living at Marian Village near Chicago gather for community prayer in the afternoon, Monday through Thursday. We take turns leading the prayer, a week at a time. We have agreed that the leader in prayer is free to plan it.

Ordinary Time Gifts Us with Time

Ordinary Time is not ordinary at all... in the Church, Ordinary Time highlights Jesus' ministry of healing and teaching and speaking the truth.

How We Pray in Beth Abba Community in Joppa, MD

Personal and community prayer shapes our daily rhythm, keeping us connected to one another and to God. Each morning and evening we gather with Give Us This Day as our guide. We pray their form of Morning or Evening Prayer, listening together to the day’s Gospel. After the reading, we set aside time for quiet personal reflection, allowing both of us to enter silence and personal prayer before we conclude together.

The Reason for "Ordinary Time"

What does Ordinary Time mean to us ? When I was finding the title 'Ordinary Time' inadequate, I looked carefully at the Church Year. Clearly, Advent-Christmas, and later, the Lent-Easter-Pentecost season capture our imagination. But

God's Ordinary, Everyday, Radical Gift

First, Ordinary Time is called “ordinary” not because it is somehow lesser than the other liturgical seasons, but - according to church historians - simply because the weeks of Ordinary Time are numbered. The Latin word ordinalis refers to numbers in a series. It marks a time when we are neither feasting nor fasting. (Wikipedia)

Our Spiritual Growth at Ozanam

Ozanam has created a really vibrant and deeply spiritual environment for both the Sisters and the residents. Our communal prayer life, here at Ozanam, is centered around the Eucharistic celebration which we are privileged to have every morning at 11 a.m. in our beautiful chape.

How We Pray in Waterdown, Ontario, CA

We in Waterdown are a very busy and involved community! We have daily, weekly, and monthly prayers, activities, and events. We continue to be an active community here in Waterdown!

Is Ordinary Time Really Ordinary?

I never thought of Ordinary Time at all growing up. By the time I entered the SSNDs, I just took it as the time when there was no Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter. It was ordinary, in other words.

How We Pray at Charlesgate Apartments, Towson, MD

Sisters at Charlesgate Apartments practice community prayer all together. Typically, all 19 sisters from nine different buildings gather at one of the apartments for our monthly Solidarity Prayer. We take turns hosting the prayer.

Grace, Growth, Bonding Time

To me, Ordinary Time might better be called ‘Grace Time,’ or ‘Growth Time,’ or ‘Bonding Time.’ During Ordinary Time, we walk with Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and all the Apostles.

How We Pray at 3030 Park in Bridgeport, CT

As an SSND community within a larger staff and residential community in Bridgeport, CT, we are grateful for the many opportunities to grow in communal prayer!

ExtraOrdinary Time

Ordinary Time, with the capital letters, is so filled with extraordinary events and feasts, such as that of the Trinity, Corpus Christi, feasts of Mary, and so many who showed heroic virtue and move us to try to emulate their lives in our very own.

Ordinary Time: Not So Ordinary

Liturgically speaking, Ordinary Time is a period or season during the church year that falls between the celebrations of major feasts. But what does it mean to me?

Ordinary - and Remarkable - Life

It is the common experiences that linger in memory and storytelling. Take a moment to look around. There are countless individuals presently engaged in their ordinary lives on Earth. We are fortunate to be part of this!

Ordinary Time: Not so Ordinary!

When invited to reflect on Ordinary Time, my gut response was, ORDINARY TIME … is there really still such a thing??? There simply doesn’t seem to be anything “ordinary” about all of this!

Lessons of the Liturgical Year

In life, we experience four seasons regardless of our geographic location – Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. Then in our faith life, we experience six Liturgical Seasons, all of which are extraordinary!

Journey of Encounter - Synodality in Action

135 people travelled from every province in Canada to attend Journey of Encounter, a synodal processes training event, at St. Jerome’s University, Waterloo, June 15-18. It was truly a pilgrimage of hope.

Continued