SALT Fall 2015 | Page 18

SALT BRIEFS BVM Inspired at Pope Francis Mass in Ecuador BVMs Receive Governor Volunteer Awards Sara McAlpin, BVM (Philip Mary) and Mary Agnes O’Connor, BVM (St. Agnes) were among other Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque volunteers presented with the Governor Volunteer Awards on June 11 at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Each volunteer dedicated over five years of service to the program. Sara and Mary Agnes volunteer in Dubuque’s Restorative Justice Program in the Archdiocesan Jail and Prison Ministry Program. Associates Summer Retreat Focuses on Change Over 40 associates, sisters, candidates and friends participated in the Summer 2015 Associate Retreat: “Living With Uncertainty & Change” at Mount Carmel. Presenters for the retreat weekend were BVM Virginia Stone (Alice Rose) and BVM Associate Joann Crowley Beers. 2015–16 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES www.bvmcong.org/join_volunteer.cfm 18 | S A L T MAGAZINE BVM Mary Miguel Conway feels blessed to have experienced the open air Papal Mass in Quito, Ecuador, in July. She and Fr. John Halligan, S.J., founders of the Working Boys’ Center in Quito, attended the Mass. She says, “The expression of faith and the feeling of the presence of Christ in the man who is our pope is enough to bring tears to one’s eyes. What an experience! In the name of Jesus we were greeted and attended to as if each of us was a special guest. For me, this was an historic day, to be in the presence of someone who is so simple and so attractive for the kingdom. I will not forget it.” The Archivists of Congregations of Women Religious (ACWR) commemorated the 25th anniversary of its founding this year at its August Triennial Meeting in Pittsburgh. At the celebration, Anita Therese Hayes, BVM, was honored as one of nine religious sisters who were founding members. All of these women joined ACWR in 1990 or 1991. Anita Therese became the archivist for the Sisters of Charity, BVM in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1991, and continues to volunteer in the Mount Carmel Archives today. Holy Name Courtyard Dedicated to BVMs BVM President Teri Hadro, along with 30 sisters and associates, were present on June 14, as the courtyard behind Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago was dedicated to the Sisters of Charity, BVM. A wall-mounted plaque recounts the 102-year history of the sisters at Holy Name Parish. BVMs were presented with roses before the ceremony.