SiSterS of St. franciS Dubuque, iowa faLL 2019

Footprints

Footprints

Cover Photo

Photo by Sister Janet Haverkamp

FootprintsFootprints reflects the mission,spirit, and values of the Sisters ofSt. Francis, Dubuque, Iowa.

Mount St. Francis3390 Windsor AvenueDubuque, Iowa 52001Phone: 563.583.9786Fax: 563.583.3250Web site: www.osfdbq.org

4 The DBQ Franciscan Corporate Stances Since 1983, the Dubuque Franciscans have enacted five corporate

stances, each responding to a unique sign of the time.

15 A Checklist for your Estate PlanThoughts and information from the Development Office.

16 ObituariesRead about the lives and ministries of our deceased sisters.

18 Sister Reunites with First Grade ClassThe St. Mary’s School 8th grade class of 1969 invited their first grade

teacher to their 50th class reunion.

19 LCWR Annual AssemblyThis assembly titled, “Imagining Leadership in a Global Community,” was attended by nearly 700 leaders of Catholic sisters, including the Dubuque Franciscan Leadership Team.

20 New Associates CommissionedNine Franciscan Associates were commissioned in September.

20 Calendar of EventsUpcoming events at the Canticle of Creation Center and Shalom

Spirituality Center.

Contents

Fall 2019 Volume 53 Number 3

A message from

A mission statement for an organization explains the purpose of theorganization and its values. The Sisters of St. Francis missionstatement, “Rooted in the Gospel and in the spirit of Saints Francisand Clare, the Sisters of St. Francis will live in right relationship withall creation.” One way that we, the Sisters of Saint Francis, havechosen to live this mission statement has been the approval of fivecorporate stances since 1983: Nuclear Disarmament, Sanctuary,Immigration Reform, Human Trafficking, and the Earth Charter. Inapproving a corporate stance we publicly state that we will takeaction, personally and communally, in response to these issues.These five stances are concrete ways of living our missionparticularly through our three commitment areas: “deepen ourrelationship with Mother Earth and Sister Water,” “stand withpersons who are poor,” and “make peace and practice nonviolence.”

We are called to take these stances based on our foundingdocuments. From the Third Order Rule of St Francis: “The sistersand brothers are called to heal the wounded, to bind up those whoare bruised, and to reclaim the erring.” (30) From the Constitutionsof the Sisters of St. Francis: “As a pilgrim congregation responding tothe needs of the times and impelled by the urgency of the mission,we minister in and with the church through a variety of works whichfurther the reign of God in human life and social structures,” and “Inall of our ministries, we express the tradition of our foundress(Mother Xavier Termehr) as we seek peace and reconciliation amongpeople, reverence for all of creation, stewardship of God’s gifts, andjoyful celebration of life itself. Thus we provide present and futuregenerations with reasons for living and hoping.” (15)

This issue of Footprints presents the history of each corporate stanceand how each remains relevant in today’s global society. Asfollowers of the Gospel, Francis, and Clare we are to be authenticwitnesses to what we believe and profess. “This is who we are; thisis what the global community can expect of us.”

--Sister Marie Cigrand, OSF

Our MissionRooted in the Gospel and in

the spirit of Sts. Francis and

Clare, the Sisters of St. Francis

live in right relationship with all

creation.

Focus 2014 - 2020:

In our personal, communal andpublic life, we commit toongoing conversion as we:deepen our relationship withMother Earth and Sister Waterstand with persons who arepoor make peace and practicenonviolence.

This is who we are; this is whatthe global community canexpect of us.

Leadership TeamSister Cathy (Kate) KatoskiPresident

Sister Marie CigrandVice President

Sister Mary LechtenbergVice President

Sister Kathy KnipperVice President

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Leadership

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Sisters, Associates, and Friends gather at a prayer service for World Refugee Day in 2016.

As we enter autumn, there are many signs that Mother Nature gives to alert us tothe change in seasons. In response, we pull out

our sweaters and do other tasks to ready ourselves tomeet the cooler days and the earlier darkness. Oursociety gives off many signs, too, of urgent needs andinjustices. A Corporate Stance is a public statementor action made by the congregation and/or associatesto address an issue of human concern, social impact,or structural injustice in society or church. This is oneway we join our individual voices and actionstogether to place greater focus and communal effortson a current issue. The procedure of coming to suchaction necessitates study of the issue and prayerfuldiscerning of our response based in Gospel valuesand who we are as Franciscans, encouraging eachsister and/or associate to make a personal supportive

action in response. Since 1983, the DubuqueFranciscans have enacted five corporate stances,each responds to a unique sign of the time.

Nuclear Disarmament - 1983Many incidents over several decades composed

the context leading up to the importance of this issuein 1983. In July of 1957 an autonomous internationalorganization known as The International AtomicEnergy Agency (IAEA) was formed to promote thepeaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its usefor military purposes. Throughout the ensuingdecades they have been called on to assist inverifying nuclear capabilities and disarmament.

In spite of the 1963 Test Ban Treaty, nucleartesting continued. The focus of this treaty was aboutlimiting nuclear fallout rather than actual

Corporate Stances Respond to the Needs of the Time

by Sister Michelle Balek, OSF

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disarmament by prohibiting testingin the air, space, and water.Between WWII and 1983 therewere 1,762 nuclear tests doneworldwide. These were conductedmainly by the U.S., Russia, andthe U.K., though later in thisperiod, France, China and Indiawere also conducting these tests.

In the 1970s there were severaltreaties relating to limiting anddecreasing nuclear weapons. InMarch of 1970 the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty entered intoforce, creating nuclear weaponsstates (NWS) and non-nuclearweapons states (NNWS). The fiveNWS countries, including theU.S., committed to pursue generaland complete disarmament, whilethe NNWS countries agreed toforgo developing or acquiringnuclear weapons. Only SouthSudan, India, Israel, and Pakistanwere non-signatories. According tothis treaty only the five NWScould have nuclear weapons as theyhad “manufactured and exploded a nuclear weaponor other nuclear explosive device prior to 1 January1967.” India, Israel, and Pakistan were known orsuspected of having nuclear weapons. To join thetreaty they would need to dismantle their weaponsand put their nuclear materials under internationalsafeguards. Iraq called on the nuclear powers forassistance in building a nuclear reactor for peacefulpurposes in accord with the non-proliferation treaty,after its three were destroyed by an Israeli attack in1981 and by the U.S. during the 1991 Gulf War.

In March of 1979 the Three Mile Island nuclearaccident, with its partial meltdown of the reactor thatleaked radiation, raised many safety and healthconcerns for more people, regarding the use of anynuclear energy. In December of that year, NATOmade a two-fold decision to deploy, by 1983, newlong-range nuclear forces in Europe and to enter intoarms control negotiations with the Soviets aboutsuch forces. This deployment created alarm andthere were many protests throughout Europe andNorth America. By June of 1982 a NuclearDisarmament Rally was held in New York City’sCentral Park. It drew about one million people,including 22 Dubuque Franciscans, in support of theSecond United Nations Special Session onDisarmament. In 1983 the U.S. deployed cruisemissiles to the UK and President Reagan introducedSDI, the Strategic Defense Initiative, known as “StarWars” meant to intercept and prevent a nuclearmissile attack.

During this time, Dubuque Franciscans wereactively engaged in educating themselves and taking

action on these issues. They sponsored speakers,attended rallies, demonstrated and held workshopson the U.S. Bishops’ Peace Pastoral and onnonviolence. They participated in and collaboratedwith various programs and organizations--local,national, and international--such as the LeadershipConference of Women Religious (LCWR),NETWORK, Fellowship of Reconciliation, GroundZero Week, Firebreaks War and Peace Game, Pledgeof Resistance, and Beyond War.

The original statement from 1983 called uponthe U.S. government to take meaningful unilateraland multilateral initiatives toward nucleardisarmament. In response, sisters pledged actionssuch as prayer and weekly fasting, participating inpeace groups, educating for peace and responding toNETWORK alerts. Over the next years, sistersparticipated in national and local peace walks(Sister Dorothy Marie Hennessey did the GreatPeace Walk of 3,300 miles started in March 1986),workshops on nonviolence, civil disobedience,attended speakers and conferences on this issue, aswell as advocated for legislation for disarmament. Atthe special General Chapter held in 1986, thecongregation declared Mount St. Francis as aNuclear Free Zone. This was introduced andpromoted by the ACJ (Dubuque Area Committee onJustice), and a sign was installed on the Mount St.Francis property in October of that year. The Current Reality

Between 1984 and 2018 there were 294 nucleartests done worldwide. While the number of thesetests has decreased immensely since 1983, Pakistan

Sisters bless the Nuclear Free Zone sign installed in October of 1986.

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and North Korea have joined those conductingnuclear testing. With unrest in the Middle East, theWestern Allies have tried to keep Iraq’s nuclearambitions in check as well.

As of early 2019, the number of nuclear warheadsin the world are about 13,890. Of these,approximately 9,330 are in the military stockpiles(the rest are awaiting dismantlement), of which some3,600 warheads are deployed with operational forces,of which about 1,800 U.S., Russian, British andFrench warheads are on high alert, ready for use onshort notice. About 93% of nuclear warheads areowned by the US and Russia, and stockpiles havebeen decreasing. However China, Pakistan, India,and North Korea are increasing their warheadinventories. There are ncreased tensions globally,creating more insecurity.

Negotiations between the U.S. andNorth Korea have stalled. Those withRussia and other countries, specificallySyria and Turkey, are increasinglydifficult. Turkey recently announcedthe desire to produce their own nuclearweapons. The U.S. intends to buildsmaller nuclear weapons for “nuclearwar fighting” as part of a plan torebuild the entire U.S. nuclear arsenalat the cost of $1.7 trillion over the nextthree decades. Conceived and initiatedby the Union of Concerned Scientists(UCS) and Physicians for SocialResponsibility (PSR) in the Fall of2017, The Call to Prevent Nuclear Waris a current collaborative effort of manyorganizations. Back from the Brink isits initiative to engage citizens in effortsto stop the existence and proliferationof nuclear weapons by getting anti-nuclear resolutions passed at the local(municipality, state, etc.) levels.

Sister Camilla Hemann was amember of the ACJ, which initiated thisstance, and remembers herself andother sisters being very active withinthe congregation as well as within thebroader Dubuque community. Sheattended every march, made phonecalls, and participated in almost everyproject relating to disarmament. “It wasvery important to do all these actionswithin the context of prayer. Andhaving made this very publicstatement, I felt I needed to give publicwitness to what we said we believe asFranciscans,” she said.

Sister Marian Klostermannresponded to the stance byvolunteering in 1984 with “BeyondWar” to educate others on the nuclear

reality and begin to change people’s thinking. “Hopewas given with the motivation of working togetherwith others to build a world beyond war,” she recalls.Her actions did not stop there. “While living in SiouxCity and Omaha, I frequently protested at Offutt AirForce Base in Omaha where the Strategic AirCommand (SAC) was located. Sometimes I enteredthe base with other peace folks to give messages tothe commander which caused us to be arrested. Afew times we were able to have conversations withbase employees.” Today in Dubuque Sister Mariancontinues to respond to this corporate stance byjoining the weekly vigil for peace with others inWashington Park, across from the Federal Building.

Nuclear DisarmamentBecause of our reverence for life, we, the Sisters of St. Francisof Dubuque, Iowa, voice our condemnation of nuclear armsand pledge individual and corporate action toward totalnuclear disarmament in our nation and in the world. As theUnited States has been the first to take other initiatives ofworld leadership, we call upon our government now to takemeaningful unilateral and multilateral initiatives towardsnuclear disarmament.

Specifically we ask that the U.S. government:1. Declare that this nation will never use nuclear weapons ona first-strike basis;2. Put into effect a unilateral moratorium on the production,testing, and deployment of nuclear weapons and deliverysystems, and implement this moratorium through a series ofinitiatives;3. Refuse to appropriate funds for nuclear weapons;4. Take practical steps towards peace conversion alternatives;5. Invite the Soviets and all nations having nuclear arms tomatch U.S. efforts.

In 2010 the Corporate Stance on Disarmament was reiterated bythe congregation: In January 1983, we took a corporate stance opposing the

production, storage, and use of nuclear weapons. Subsequentdevelopments cause us now to reiterate our stance and focus onspecific treaties. We call on our sisters, associates, and thecommunities of people with whom we live and work to: • Pressure the U.S. government to respect the two-pronged

nature of the non-proliferation treaty and to put as much emphasison disarmament as on non-proliferation• Urge the Senate to ratify the Strategic Arms Reduction and

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaties• Insist on an annual audit of Pentagon spending on nuclear

weapons.

This Corporate Stance was initiated by the Dubuque Area Committee onJustice (ACJ) and the Community Committee on Justice (CCJ) andpromulgated in April 1983.

Sanctuary - 1987A civil war erupted in El Salvador in late

1979 between the military-led governmentand a coalition of resistance movementscalled the Farabundo Martí Liberation Front(FMLN). A coup was followed by thegovernment killing anti-coup protestors andthe guerrillas retaliating. Government deathsquads, trained by the U.S., deliberatelyterrorized and killed thousands of civiliansthroughout the country, including prominentCatholic clergy, such as Archbishop OscarRomero in March of 1980 and four churchwomen in December of that year. Many were“disappeared” and other human rightsviolations occurred mainly by the military,including recruiting child soldiers. The U.S.assisted the conflict by providing $1-$2million a day in military aid along withtraining at the then named School of theAmericas in Fort Benning, Georgia. (Nowcalled Western Hemisphere Institute forSecurity Cooperation.)

With an unknown number ofdisappeared, massacres, daily violence, andnot knowing who one could trust, manySalvadorans sought refuge outside theirborders. Eventually, the violence spread intoneighboring countries like Guatemala, leading evenmore people to flee. Many came to the southern U.S.border seeking asylum. In July 1980 national newscovered the story of a group ofSalvadorans crossing the SonoranDesert who were abandoned bytheir guides (coyotes) and 13died. The rest were brought toTucson and Phoenix to awaitdeportation by the Immigrationand Naturalization Service(INS). Local churches wereoutraged that they would not begiven the opportunity to applyfor asylum and instead be sentback to most certainly face theirown death. The religiouscommunity believed that theRefugee Act and other lawsshould protect these CentralAmericans fleeing for their livesand so sought ways to assistthem. By March of 1982, sixcongregations in Arizona andCalifornia declared themselves tobe “sanctuaries” based on thereligious concept of a holy, safeplace. Thus the SanctuaryMovement was launched,building communities of supportfor these increasing numbers ofrefugees seeking asylum. This

soon spread across the United States, creating whatsome called a new “underground railroad.” The factthat the U.S. was complicit in creating the situationled to an even more committed response from the

Dubuque Area Sisters held a prayer service in 2015 for Sisters Dorothy Kazel, Ita Ford, and MauraClarke, and their associate Jean Donovan, who were brutally murdered by Salvadoran NationalGuard members.

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SanctuaryBecause we are a pilgrim community responding to theneeds of the times and impelled by the urgency of themission, we, the Sisters of St. Francis, voice our endorsementof the Sanctuary Movement of the Central Americanrefugees.

To witness publicly to Gospel values, we engage in an activeadvocacy campaign to call upon the United Statesgovernment:

1. To guarantee full due process rights for all asylum seekers2. To commit itself to the principle of non-refoulement (noforced return when life is in jeopardy) in relation to thosewho seek asylum in this country3. To put an end to all actions which exert pressure uponasylum seekers to leave the U.S. without delay when theyare seeking refuge here, or which intercept them outside theborders of the U.S. in order to prevent their entry4. To grant to Salvadorans and other Central Americansseeking refuge in this country the privilege of ‘extendedvoluntary departure’ until they can return home with areasonable degree of safety.

This Corporate Stance was initiated by Sisters Mary Lee Cox, Pat R.Farrell, Maureen Leach, Nancy Miller and promulgated in 1987.

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faith communities. For the most part, immigrationauthorities did not enter these places of sanctuary.

The Sanctuary Movement spread to the municipallevel as well, with many cities passing ordinancesdirecting law enforcement to not ask aboutimmigration status, or otherwise outlining what theywould or would not do regarding immigrationenforcement. By 1987 there were some 440 declared“sanctuary cities.”

During this time, many of our sisters wereministering in areas with migrants, farm workers, andrefugees including Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Iowaand California. They attended rallies, demonstratedat the SOA, visited refugees held in detention centers,and helped educate others on the situation. Oursisters arrived in El Salvador in 1986 to minister thereduring the civil war, echoing the actions of ourfounding sisters in Germany, who cared for orphansand those wounded in the Franco-Prussian war. Inministering to and standing in solidarity with thelocal communities, our sisters knew firsthand the diresituation in El Salvador and what happens torefugees crossing the border into the U.S.

The Current RealityEspecially since the 2016 U.S. presidential

election, it is déjà vu for refugees/immigrants, mostfrom Central American countries, but also those ofdiffering religious affiliation, especially Muslims. Incampaign rhetoric, one candidate repeatedly calledsuch refugees terrorists, rapists, criminals, andresponsible for taking jobs and creating the problemsin the U.S. The current Administration has thwartedthe DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)

program, sought to impose travel bans to stopimmigrants from Muslim countries, and gave anexecutive order criminalizing sanctuary jurisdictionsand cutting off funding for those cities. In addition,the reallocation of funds from the military to build awall at the border with Mexico was announced andpolicies that deny application for asylum wereenacted, which separate immigrating families andplace them in stark conditions--many described ascages and concentration camps--without basicnecessities. The Administration secretly changed the“medical deferred action” policy that had allowedundocumented immigrants to stay in the country forlife-saving medical treatments, sending threateningletters to them giving them 30 days to leave thecountry. All these tactics of the Immigration andCustoms Enforcement (ICE) and other governmentdepartments seem to be using cruelty anddehumanization of the refugees/immigrants asdeterrence with no thought to their safety and basicneeds. Solidarity with, and offering safe havens for,these current refugees and migrants is an urgent needtoday.

Our sisters continue to educate themselves andothers on these issues, and to minister to refugeesand immigrants, both documented andundocumented, collaborating with otherorganizations where possible.

“In 1987 when the congregation passed thecorporate stance on sanctuary, Sister Kay Koppesand I were living in a displaced persons camp run bythe Archdiocese of San Salvador with Salvadoransbrought from conflict zones literally with just the

clothes on their backs,”remembers Sister PatFarrell. “For many ofthe internal refugees,their hope and minewas for them to bewelcomed in the U.S. orother countries thatcould provide safetyfrom massacres andviolent persecution.Our corporate stancewas a public plea forprotection, a propheticposture, an expressionof ethical urgency. Ittook the edge off myown sense ofpowerlessness in theface of the magnitude ofthe human tragedy Iwas witnessing daily. Itmade me proud then

Sister Maureen Leach acts as acoyotee during an immigrationsimulation at Mount St. FrancisCenter in 2016.

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and still does today.”“I had met numerous Salvadorans and heard their

stories of how they fled from the violence in theirhomeland,” said Sister Nancy Miller. “I had beenpart of a church that provided sanctuary for aSalvadoran and that experience challenged me tolook at my complicity in this situation. I was awareof how U.S. policy and financial aid to El Salvador’srepressive government was detrimental to its peopleand part of the problem. It was important to speakout on this issue and to provide sanctuary.”

Sister Carol Besch lived in El Salvador for 10years (1987 to 1997) and was able to see the violenceand poverty first hand.

“I am not surprised to see how many people from

Central America flee to a place of safety In the US.Since I have returned to the U.S., I have welcomedthe immigrants who have settled in Iowa. Presently Iam working with unaccompanied minors and youngpeople from Guatemala who are trying to make a newlife for themselves. It is a gift to walk with them andsupport their growth.”

Immigration Reform - 2011Given the influx of immigrants from Central

America in the early 1980s, the U.S. Congress passedthe Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). Itwas signed into law by President Ronald Reagan onNovember 6, 1986. This law made it illegal forcompanies to knowingly hire undocumented

immigrants, and set variouspenalties for doing so. In additionthis law legalized most of theundocumented immigrants whoarrived in the U.S. prior to January1, 1982. In spite of the IRCA, thenumber of undocumentedimmigrants continued to rise.Animosity and suspicion towardimmigrants, especially of Latinxancestry, also continued toincrease.

The U.S. Congress has mademany attempts to reform theimmigration process, with mostfailing. In 2001 the DREAM ACT(Development, Relief, andEducation for Alien Minors Act)proposal was first introduced. It isa process for granting residencystatus to qualifying immigrantswho entered the United States asminors, known as Dreamers. Itwould first grant conditionalresidency and, upon meetingfurther qualifications, permanentresidency. It was reintroducedseveral times, with bi-partisansupport, but continued to failpassage.

Following the terrorist attackson September 11, 2001, theImmigration and CustomsEnforcement agency (ICE) wascreated. Detention anddeportations increaseddramatically during this time.Immigrants, understandably,experienced increased fear ofprofiling and deportation, evenamong those with documentation.

One of the country’s largestraids at the time, occurred in May2008, when nearly 1,000

Immigration ReformOur mission as Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque, Iowa, is to livein right relationship with all creation. Rooted in the Gospel andthe spirit of St. Francis and St. Clare we publically proclaim thatimmigrants have God--given rights to be treated with respect anddignity, to work and to access services that satisfy their basicneeds. Basic human rights, the right to life and to migrate insearch of the means to sustain life, are conferred not bycitizenship but by personhood. We support comprehensiveimmigration reform that will respect these rights. Therefore, wecall on our elected legislators of all political parties to introduceand approve comprehensive immigration reform legislation thatwould respect the rights and basic human needs of all people.

Our Catholic faith grounds us in the realization that each personhas inherent dignity because he or she is created in the imageand likeness of God (Gn 5:1) and the right to basic human needs(Mt 25:35-40).

We call on our sisters, our associates, and the communities ofpeople with whom we live and work to:• Ask the U.S. government to respect the migration history of ourcountry;• Urge all parties to work together to promote comprehensiveimmigration reform that is in the best interest of all;• Insist that the rights and dignity and basic needs of all personsare respected regardless of their legal status;• Advocate for the development of national and internationalpolicies that respect the basic human rights of the undocumentedpersons;• Advocate for a process to verify legal eligibility to work in U.S.;• Advocate for an adequate guest worker program;• Advocate for the development of a legalization process for themillions of undocumented people presently in the U.S. to becomecitizens;• Advocate for the development of an effective, humane bordersecurity system.

In proclaiming this stance for Comprehensive ImmigrationReform we, as Francis, embrace the stranger, the outcast ofsociety and we stand in solidarity with them.This Corporate Stance was initiated by the Standing with those who arePoor Commitment Circle and promulgated in 2011.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agentsdescended on a Postville, Iowa, meatpacking plant aspart of the George W. Bush administration’s“Operation Endgame” meant to remove all 11 millionundocumented immigrants in the country within adecade. The result was 389 immigrants weredetained, of which 287 were deported. Due processseemed nonexistent. Many were taken to theNational Cattle Congress in Waterloo, Iowa, a facilityused for livestock shows. It became a courthouse toexpedite the processing of the criminal charges. Theywere processed in groups of 20 at a time.

Many of these were indigenous Mayans fromGuatemala who came to the U.S. to escape theviolence back home and to raise their families insafety. Families were torn apart, a small towntraumatized and devastated. Fear understandablygrew within the immigrant communities across thecountry. The local faith community came to the aidof these families as best they could, and becameadvocate voices. This incident brought theimmigration debate into focus for the entire nation.“Comprehensive Immigration Reform” as a goal didnot materialize during this time.

In 2012, then-Secretary of Homeland SecurityJanet Napolitano created the Deferred Action forChildhood Arrivals (DACA). This was a matter ofprosecutorial discretion and not federal legislation,providing temporary relief from deportation (deferredaction) and work authorization for youngundocumented immigrants brought to the United

States as children, allowing eligible youth to lawfullywork or attend school, without fear of deportation.Participants needed to renew their status every twoyears.

During this time, Dubuque Franciscans continuedto minister to many of the migrant and refugeepopulations–-documented and undocumented–-including Burmese, Vietnamese and Latinx, as well asministering in Honduras. Sisters in these directinteractions helped to educate the congregation andothers on the unjust treatment of these immigrants.

Current RealityThere is obvious overlap between the Sanctuary

Movement and immigration policies. According toPew Research, the peak for unauthorized immigrantsto the U.S. was 12.2 million in 2007. As of 2017 thatnumber is 10.5 million, or 2.3% of the total U.S.population.

In recent years efforts at immigration reform havebeen piecemeal and shifted away from an emphasison family reunification and employment-basedmigration, and more toward a merit or point systemthat sets specific education and work qualificationsas the criteria for entrance.

The current U.S. administration has thwarted theDREAM ACT/DACA leaving many young people whowere brought into the U.S. as children, in limbo.These youths have done everything asked of them,and now are unsure if the promises the U.S made tothem will be broken. They live in fear of deportationto countries they don’t even remember.

Sisters Nancy Miller, Mary Lechtenberg, Marge Staudt, and Ginny Heldorfer in 2013 at the march commemorating the 5 year anniversary of thePostville raid.

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ICE continues to raid variousfactories. In August of this year,on the first day of school, ICEconducted raids on seven foodprocessing plants in Mississippi,rounding up hundreds of workers,separating families and creatingchaos for communities. Morton,Mississippi, was one of the citiesinvolved and DubuqueFranciscans at EXCEL, Inc.worked with the community toassist in meeting the needs ofthese families.

Sister Eileen Hauswald, SiteDirector of EXCEL, Inc. in Mortonhas seen first-hand the impact ofinaction on immigration reform.Since the ICE raids there inAugust and her direct work withimmigrants, she has seen the“human face” of the issue. “Twoweeks ago, our parish celebratedthe Feast of Saint Michael at one tri-lingual Mass--English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. As parishionerscame forward to receive communion, I could see thatankle monitors had been placed on a number of menand women. Meanwhile, the refrain of thecommunion song in Spanish spoke about receivingthe body and blood of Christ. Tears came to my eyesas I reflected on the suffering that these individualsand families are experiencing.”

As for the need for reform, Sister Eileen notes that,“This immigration crisis perpetuates human rightsviolations as there is no legal way for the majority ofmigrants to come to the U.S. or to remain here if theyhave overstayed their VISA or had no documentationin the first place. Development and implementationof a legalization process for undocumented personscurrently living in the U.S. and a fast track tocitizenship has been stalled for decades. It’s time tohold our lawmakers and the executive branchaccountable for their inaction on this issue.”

In Dubuque, Sister Carol Ann Berte volunteerstwice weekly at the Presentation Lantern Centerwhere she tutors immigrants in English. “Immigrantshave every right ‘to be treated with respect anddignity’ as stated in our Sanctuary and ImmigrationReform stances,” she notes. “Learning English is akey means to help them navigate in the largercommunity and to become productive citizens. It isa real privilege for me to get to know the immigrant,to hear them speak English, though faulty at times,and then to hear a great improvement. They makegreat sacrifices to come to the tutoring, affectingfamily and transportation, all in an attempt to usetheir talents in a new culture. They are beautifulfolks. We need more of them!”

Human Trafficking - 2014Human trafficking is as old as the hills--capturing

persons, exploiting them as slaves in horribleconditions, and/or selling them. History is repletewith many instances including the Genesis story ofJoseph being sold into slavery by his brothers.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s people aroundthe world were becoming more aware of the extent ofthis problem. It knows no borders. Persons werebeing trafficked for a variety of reasons: from sex andforced labor to the harvesting of human organs. InNovember 2000 the United Nations introduced theProtocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Traffickingin Persons, especially Women and Children, alsoknown as the Trafficking Protocol. Article 3 of thisprotocol defines human trafficking as: “Therecruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring orreceipt of persons, by means of threat or use of forceor other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, ofdeception, of the abuse of power or of a position ofvulnerability or the giving or receiving of payments orbenefits to achieve the consent of a person havingcontrol over another person, for the purpose ofexploitation. Exploitation shall include, at aminimum, the exploitation or the prostitution ofothers or other forms of sexual exploitation, forcedlabor or services, slavery or practices similar toslavery, servitude or the removal of organs.” Thisprotocol is part of the broader Convention AgainstTransnational Organized Crime. Another relatedprotocol to this Convention is the Protocol againstthe Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea, and Air. TheTrafficking Protocol came into force in December2003 after the required 40th country ratified it. TheU.S. was an early signatory in December 2000, andthe U.S. Senate ratified it in November 2005.

The United States government responded to this

Sister Judy Sinnwell, Associate Vince Vanden Heuvel, Sister Marian Klostermann, Sister CarolAnn Berte, and Sister Mary Lee Cox. Contributed photo.

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international problem with the Trafficking VictimsViolence Prevention Act of 2000 (TVPA). It definedand classified human trafficking into two maincategories: sex trafficking and labor trafficking.

In 2002 the organization Polaris Project waslaunched. Its name, Polaris, came from the NorthStar which slaves in the U.S. used as a guide tonavigate to freedom. They quickly began servingvictims of trafficking by compiling data, starting anational hotline, and working with law enforcementacross the nation. Other groups also formed to help

educate others about this crimecommitted in plain sight.

At the 2012 LeadershipConference of Women Religious(LCWR) Assembly the grouppassed a resolution to abolishHuman Trafficking. This resolutioncommitted their membercongregations to collaborate inorder to abolish this form ofmodern day slavery. In respondingto this call, the DubuqueFranciscans hosted speakers andattended workshops to becomemore informed and empowered totake action.Current Reality

Recent statistics gathered bythe Polaris Project show thathuman trafficking has not abated.The International LabourOrganization (ILO) estimates thatthere are 40.3 million victims ofhuman trafficking globally. Ofthese, 81% are trapped in forcedlabor; 25% are children, and 75%are women and girls. The ILOfurther estimates that forced laborand human trafficking is a $150billion industry worldwide. TheU.S. Department of Labor hasidentified 148 goods from 75countries made by forced andchild labor. In 2017, an estimated1 out of 7 endangered runawaysreported to the National Center forMissing and Exploited Childrenwere likely child sex traffickingvictims.

Currently there is no officialestimate of the total number ofhuman trafficking victims in theU.S. The best estimate is that thetotal number of victims nationallyreaches into the hundreds ofthousands when both adults andminors, as well as sex traffickingand labor trafficking areaggregated.

With the increased awareness has come moreprosecutions. In the first six months of this year(2019) in Iowa, nine people were convicted forhuman trafficking, with five of those in May alone.The number of calls to the National HumanTrafficking hotline (888-373-7888) has risen. Inaddition, there has been an increase in servicesprovided for survivors. However, there is the need forgreater funding for prevention efforts as well asservices for survivors. In Iowa, there are currentlyseven restoration projects, including the Siouxland

Human TraffickingBecause we believe that…• God created each person to have inherent dignity and basichuman rights• We are called to live in right relationship with all creation andare responsible for creating a just and moral society

Because we know that…• Human trafficking, the illegal trade of human beings forcommercial sexual exploitation or forced labor, is a modern formof slavery.• Trafficking has been identified as the fastest growing criminalindustry in the world and it generates billions of dollars in profiteach year, second only to drug trafficking.• The scope of human trafficking is global and has beenreported in all 50 states of the United States.An estimated 300,000 children are trafficked in the UnitedStates. It is estimated that 75-80% of human trafficking is forsex. The root causes of human trafficking include: the world-wide demand for prostitution and pornography, wide-spreadpoverty and homelessness, demand for cheap labor, genderdiscrimination, economic and social underdevelopment, and theabuse of power through control and exploitation. In the case ofsex trafficking it is often the exploited victims who arecriminalized and prosecuted, which prevents them from seekinghelp, while victims of forced labor are threatened withdeportation and harm to loved ones.

We therefore endorse the following corporate stance:We, the Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque, Iowa, in the traditionof Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi, denounce all forms of humantrafficking as criminal acts which violate basic human rightsand exploit innocent people. We pledge to pray and workdiligently with appropriate partners to abolish humantrafficking and the economic and social systems that foster it.We commit to effective action…• Educate ourselves and others about the causes, extent andresults of trafficking• Collaborate with others to work for change in society bysupporting programs and services for victims• Advocate for legislation and policies that help to identify andprosecute those who exploit victims with the intention ofeliminating human trafficking.• Include in daily prayer intentions.

This Corporate Stance was initiated by Sisters Lou Ann Kilburg, RenaeHohensee, and Franciscan Associate Lisa Schmidt.

12 Footprints

Restoration Center which opened LilaMae’s House(https://lilamaeshouse.org/) inNovember. Our sisters and associateshave been involved in the work of thiscoalition as well as in the Tri-Statesarea. Sister Shirley Fineran has beeninstrumental in establishing Lila Mae’sHouse. Current efforts of thesecoalitions also include training for hotelstaff in recognizing the signs and whatto do regarding human trafficking,sponsoring the showing of documentaries on thisissue, as well as giving educational presentations toparish groups and other organizations.

Many sisters and associates have become involvedin carrying out this stance, from educating others,including hotel worker trainings, to helping to fundprojects. Associates Chuck and Kathy Glatz recallthat they were first involved in the human traffickingissue just before the congregation’s stance.

In 2014 they volunteered in Ghana assisting inthe establishment of a school and community librarywith an organization seeking to rescue andrehabilitate children trafficked as workers in thefishing industry on Lake Volta. “But the Sisters’ effortsinformed us of how this is a problem much closer tohome, and we had Associate Lisa Schmidt andSister Mary Lechtenberg come to Ames for aprogram for middle-schoolers.” Their involvement didnot stop there. “We embraced the corporate stancemore comprehensively when the Associates decidedto take on assistance to Lila Mae’s House as a groupvolunteer activity.”

The associates raised funds for and helped tobuild a labyrinth at Lila Mae’s House. “That and acouple of gatherings in Dubuque increased theinvolvement of the Associates in discussions aboutthe future and have heightened our feelings of being apart of our shared mission,” said the Glatz’s.

Earth Charter - July 2019April 22, 1970 marked the first Earth Day in the

U.S. There was a growing awareness around theworld, of the detrimental effects our human impactwas creating on the environment and how little theseissues were being addressed in the political andmedia spheres. With this heightened awareness theU.S. established the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) in December of 1970. Just two years later theUnited Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) wasestablished as well as the Clean Water Act in the U.S.In 1987 the United Nations (UN) World Commissionon Environment and Development called for thecreation of a new charter in response to the multipleglobal environmental challenges. The UN Conferenceon Environment and Development (UNCED) knownas the Rio Earth Summit was an attempt to garnercollaboration among member states in sustainabilityand development efforts. It also provided for largescale public participation. Grassroots organizationsfrom across the globe attended outside the officialmeetings, pressing for sustainability, equity, and morepublic participation.

It was at the Rio Summit in 1992 where thedrafting of an Earth Charter was launched.Consultations were held globally, from 1995 to 2000,involving diverse regions of the world, a wide varietyof organizations and individuals from all walks of lifeand faith backgrounds. The Earth Charter

Commission worked on drafts during thistime and began distributing them in 1997to interested groups, incorporating theirfeedback. The final version was approvedin Paris in March of 2000 and a processwas launched for individuals,organizations, and governments at alllevels to endorse it.

During this time, the DubuqueFranciscans also were growing inawareness of environmental issues and ourcall to care for creation. We have alwayshad a committee to assist the congregationin addressing these creation care issues. In1998 we had composed and affirmed Our

Earth CharterWe, the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Family, committedto live in right relationship with all creation, take a corporatestance to endorse, promote, and implement the EarthCharter’s vision, principles and values in how we live, pray,and minister, and in our advocacy for public policy.This Corporate Stance was initiated by Sisters Sisters Meg Gemar, MargeStaudt, Marie Cigrand, and Michelle Balek and affirmed by thecongregation in July 2019.

Sisters and Associates pray a silent blessing during a gath-ering in Dubuque for more than 20 billboards with the mes-sage “Standing with Pope Francis; Caring for Our CommonHome” placed by women religious in strategic locationsthroughout Iowa, southwest Wisconsin and western Illinoisin 2016.

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Covenant with Creation. In 2005 we began studyingthe Earth Charter and its congruence with Franciscanvalues. From that study eventually was born theSister Water Project, though as a congregation wehad not officially endorsed the Earth Charter. In 2015Pope Francis promulgated his influential encyclicalLaudato Sí, On Care for Our Common Home inresponse to the critical environmental and socialissues, inviting all people to dialogue and action. Ayear later, the Dubuque Franciscans promulgatedtheir Land Ethic.

Current RealityThe rationale written for this corporate stance this

year outlines the current situation and the urgency ofresponding:

“We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history,a time when humanity must choose its future.”(Earth Charter preamble) The whole Earthcommunity is experiencing even more peril. Thelatest National Climate Assessment, releasedNovember 23, 2018 by the US Global ResearchProgram, outlines severe consequences of rapidlyrising global temperatures to all areas of our lives: ourhealth, the economy, the environment, andinfrastructure. The United Nations has warned thatwe have 12 years in which to limit climate changecatastrophe.

The daily news illustrates our current nationalsituation with its constant assault on theenvironment, democratic institutions and the verysocial fabric of our country: rollbacks ofenvironmental protection policies, inhumanetreatment of immigrants, the sharp decline in civildiscourse, abandoning our global commitments, agrowing economic disparity, the erosion ofinstitutions that safeguard democracy, the rise ofwhite supremacy and hate groups. These nationalassaults are mirrored in many countries across theglobe. Our Earth Community is crying out forcompassionate responses.

The Earth Charter encompasses Gospel andFranciscan values as well as our congregation’scommitment areas, articulating them in today’sterms. It is more important than ever to give witness

to the vision, principles, and values of the EarthCharter as a positive alternative, finding ways to takeaction as a congregation and in collaboration withothers to create a more just and sustainable world. Inhis encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis calls us tolive an “integral ecology” and reminds us that: “…wehave to realize that a true ecological approach alwaysbecomes a social approach; it must integratequestions of justice in debates on the environment,so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry ofthe poor.” As Francis of Assisi related to all as brotherand sister, we too are called to live this familial modelof kinship in our time and place. The Earth Charterprovides a framework to focus our compassionateresponses to the cry of our Earth Community.

Sister Theresa Jungers takes an active role atMount St. Francis in living out this stance. “As Icontinue to live into the values and principles of theEarth Charter, I am supported through theeducational and action-oriented efforts of the MountSt. Francis Green Team, of which I am a member. Ibelieve that every action taken to respect the earthand to care for the community of life is my way toparticipate in the creation of a sustainable globalsociety, for future generations.”

Sister Meg Gemar one of the initiators of thestance, sees its importance in unifying all three of thecongregation’s commitment areas in this stance. Inrecounting the current world situation, she finds hermotivation to be involved as she recounts: “Morestorms are more severe and drastic. Plant andanimal species, as well as humans, are losing theirhabitats and life requirements every day. The worldstill overlooks the poor and vulnerable, doesn’t wantto help the refugees who are trying to escapeviolence, wars, hopeless situations, and who arelooking for a place to find a decent living. We are stilltrying to overcome racism, sexism, trafficking ofanimals, plants and humans, unfair wages, and gunviolence. This is why I was willing to work on thecorporate stance we took on the Earth and it is whatgives me hope for the future.” n

The preamble to the Earth Charter succinctly outlines the urgency of taking action: “We stand at a criticalmoment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasinglyinterdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we mustrecognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family andone Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable globalsociety founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace.Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, tothe greater community of life, and to future generations.”

Preamble to the Earth Charter

14 Footprints

THOUGHTS and I N FORMAT ION from the DEVE LOPMENT O F F I C E

Check the Health of Your Estate Plan

Footprints 15

By Sister Cathy (Kate) Katoski, OSF

1. Do you have a will or living trust drafted by aqualified estate planning attorney?

I have either document. (+10 points)

2. Do you review and update your will every fewyears?

Yes, I do. (+5 points)

3. Have you named an executor in your willand notified that person?

Yes, I have. (+3 points)

4. Is your life insurance adequate for you andyour family’s needs? Are the beneficiarydesignations up to date?

I have reviewed my coverage in the past five years. (+5 points)

5. Do you have beneficiaries who requirespecial care?

I have not made arrangements for their well-being. (-5 points)

6. Have you established a durable power ofattorney in case you become incapacitated?

Yes, I have. (+5 points)

7. Do you have a living will or health carepower of attorney?

I have either document in effect. (+5 points)

8. Does your will name a guardian for anyminor children you may have?

Yes, it does. (+5 points)

9. Do you have a pet or farm animals? Haveyou made arrangements for their care ifsomething were to happen to you? No, I have not made arrangements. (-5 points)

10. Have you made any provisions for yourfavorite charitable organizations?

Yes, I have. (+5 points)

Total Score:35 to 43 points: Nice job! Your estate plan is inexcellent condition. Make sure it stays that way byreviewing your plans regularly and after major lifechanges.25 to 34 points: Consider your plans to be in faircondition. Set aside an afternoon to morethoroughly assess your plans, then contact anestate planning professional if you need helporganizing and updating.24 points or less: It’s time to see an estateplanning professional to make sure your plans aredesigned to protect the people and causes you careabout most, or to get started. n

Already have anestate plan?Does it cover

everything you need itto? Evaluate yourcurrent estate planwith the questionsbelow and add upyour points. How doyou score? If youdon’t already have aplan, see what youcan accomplish bytaking time to planyour future…today.

Include the Dubuque Franciscans in your future plans! In addition to supporting loved ones, you canuse your estate plan to make a difference for the causes you care about. Contact Sister Cathy Katoski atkatoskic@osfdbq.org or 563-583-9786 to learn how you can include the Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque,Iowa in your estate plan today. n

The secondoldestchild of 12,

Bernice was bornto Joseph andJustina(Goergen)Schuetz in afarmhouse near

Remsen, Iowa. In 1930 the familymoved to a farm four miles fromCurrie, Minnesota. They lived therefor 11 years before moving to anacreage outside of Sioux City, Iowa.Bernice finished 8th grade at St.Boniface, Sioux City, and thenattended a public school for a yearand a half, after which she decided tostay home to help the family. Sheworked the next six years at JohnsonBiscuit Company in Sioux City.

Being content with her life athome and at work, she did not hearGod’s small gentle voice calling her

until the age of 23. After writing toseveral communities, she heard fromMother Ruth Mary who assured herthere would be room for her in theconvent. On August 25, 1952,Bernice entered the Franciscancommunity and the following year,on August 10, 1953, she took thename Sister Mary Hyacinth.

After many years of teachingelementary and high school studentsshe began taking summer classes atIowa State University, Ames, Iowawhere she graduated with a master’sdegree in home economics educationin 1967. During the six week Chapterin 1968, and a change in ourgovernment structure, Sister waselected to serve four years on theGoverning Board of our communityas the Regional Coordinator of theEastern Iowa Region.

In 1978, Sister Bernice foundherself “out of a job,” as she stated.

At the same time, the Director of theBriar Cliff College library was askingthe community to be relieved of herposition. Sister Bernice wasinterested in this position but wouldhave to get a master’s degree inlibrary science. She entered RosaryCollege in River Forest, Illinois, asuburb of Chicago, in 1980. With theguidance of Sister Joanice Theobald,Bernice was appointed Director ofBriar Cliff library until 1993. Sisterstayed on as a reference librarianuntil 2000.

Sister is survived by her sistersGertrude (John) Sargent and Jo Ann(Jim) Weston; her brothers RonSchuetz, Michael (Marita) Schuetz,and James (Carol) Schuetz; hersisters-in-law Jean Schuetz, MarleneSchuetz, and Barbara Schuetz;nieces and nephews, and herFranciscan sisters with whom sheshared over 65 years of her life. n

Sister Bernice Schuetz January 6, 1929 - August 2, 2019

In Remembrance

OnJanuary16,

1941, Janet wasborn to Josephand Louise(Jaeggi)Osterhoff inDubuque. Janet

was the eldest of two siblings, Bettyand Robert.

She attended elementary schoolat St. Mary’s School on Jackson St.,which was very convenient, as shelived near the school. Janetattended three years of high schoolat Immaculate ConceptionAcademy before she entered theconvent and finished her fourthyear of high school.

One of Janet’s memories of heryouth was the time she and theneighbor children were playing hideand seek. She ran and hiddowntown, eight blocks away! Sheran in and out of the stores. Bettyand the other friends couldn’t findher, so they gave up and ran homeand called the police. It wasn’t ahappy scene as her father was onthe police force!

For Janet, becoming a FranciscanSister was largely influenced byparish and school life at St. Mary’s.She was also a member of theCatholic Students Mission Crusade(CSMC) and the Sodality, and ofcourse, growing up in closeproximity to the Sisters’ conventacross the street, also influenced

her greatly. On September 3, 1958 Janet

entered Mount St. Francis and thefollowing year on August 10 shereceived the name Sister MaryHelena. In 1962, Sister began herministry in Iowa as a teacher at St.Francis Xavier in Dyersville and inDubuque at Holy Trinity, HolyGhost, and St. Mary’s. She wasalso missioned at St. Anne Schoolin Hazel Crest, Illinois.

Sister Janet is survived by hersister, Betty Weiland, and herbrother, Robert (Laura) Osterhoff;nieces and nephews, and herFranciscan sisters with whom sheshared over 59 years of her life. n

Sister Janet Osterhoff January 16, 1941 - August 5, 2019

16 Footprints

Pearl RosePickartwas born

on a farm nearNorway, Iowa onJanuary 20, 1927to her parents,Oscar and Mary(Boddicker)Pickart. She had

five brothers, Clyde, Milton, Joseph,Lyle, and Glenn and two sisters,Hazel and Ruth.

It was in her junior year of highschool that she seriously consideredreligious life, so serious that she wentto visit her aunt, Sister Marian, whowas living at St. Joe’s, Iowa at thetime. Their discussion must have

gone well because in her senior yearof high school she decided to take atrip to Mount St. Francis. SisterHelen Marie met her at the door andgave her a thorough tour. Herentrance day was August 25, 1945.

The following year on August 12,1946, Pearl was received into thecommunity and given the nameSister Mary Romaine. After finalprofession in 1951, Sister began herprofessional career at St.Christopher’s in Midlothian, Illinois.In Iowa, Sister was missioned atSacred Heart School, Dubuque; St.Frances Xavier, Dyersville; Visitation,Stacyville; Briar Cliff College, SiouxCity; Holy Ghost, Dubuque;Stonehill Care Center, Dubuque; St.

Joseph, Earlville; and Sacred Heart,Maquoketa. In addition to theschools in Iowa, Sister Romaine alsoministered at Sacred Heart inMelrose Park, Illinois, and St. Paul’sSchool in Eugene, Oregon.

At the time of writing herautobiography Sister Romaine didn’tknow what the future would hold forher, but she considered herself veryblessed to have had so many variedtypes of experiences: as a teacher,principal, secretary, admissionsrecruiter, media center worker, andserving in parish ministry.

Sister is survived by her sisters-in-law, Helen and Mary Pickart; niecesand nephews, and her Franciscansisters. n

Sister Romaine Pickart January 20, 1927 - August 13, 2019

On November22, 1938

Carol was bornto Gerhard(Gary) andAmanda (Pins)Hoverman inthe New

Hampton, Iowa hospital. Fouryears later her brother Jim wasborn. They grew up on the 160acre family homestead owned byher grandparents southwest of AltaVista, Iowa in Chickasaw County.

Carol attended grade and highschool at St. William School inAlta Vista. The Franciscans were apart of the Hoverman family asboth her mother and father weretaught by Franciscan Sistersthroughout their twelve years ofeducation. Carol’s mother playedthe piano which influenced Carol’slove for music. It was in juniorhigh that Carol realized she wouldbe a Sister because there were

religious vocations on both sidesof the family. On August 25, 1956,Carol entered the Franciscancommunity. The following year, onAugust 12, 1957 as a novice, shereceived the name Sister MaryAngela Merici, in honor of hergodmother, Angela HovermanOfferman.

Sister Carol’s first assignment asa teacher was at Sacred HeartSchool in Melrose Park, Illinois.This school was multicultural andhad 1,200 students. After 10 yearsat Melrose Park, she moved to St.Mary’s School in Dubuque.Sister’s favorite teachingexperience was putting on recitalsand musicals, such as The Wizardof Oz and Tom Sawyer with theupper grade students.

In 1980, as St. Mary’s wasdwindling in the number ofstudents, Sister Carol was asked tobecome the part-time MediaCoordinator for the Archdiocese ofDubuque in addition to teaching

part-time. In 1982 Sister became full time

Director of Communications forthe Archdiocese. ArchbishopHanus offered Sister Carol theposition of editor for thearchdiocesan newspaper, TheWitness, in 2001. Sister internedfrom January to June of 2002, andthen became the first womaneditor of The Witness.

While the community waspreparing for our 100thanniversary, Sister Carol beganwriting original songs forcommunity events. Many of thesesongs are in the Sing Joyfully bookand are used on variousoccasions. Sister would say that itgave her great joy to hear how hersongs were used in a variety ofways.

Sister is survived by her brotherJim Hoverman (Mary Pat Cole);nieces and nephews; and herFranciscan sisters. n

Sister Carol Hoverman November 22, 1938 - October 3, 2019

In Remembrance

Footprints 17

OnNovember5, 1928,

Barbara wasborn at St.Francis Hospitalin Waterloo,Iowa to Peterand Wilhelmina

(Haberzeth) Schaefer. Both parents saw to it that all five

of their children received thoroughtraining and instruction in theCatholic faith. Every year in gradeschool, Barbara remembers theteacher asking the class what theywould like to be when they “grewup.” Her response was to become asister. “I have literally been aFranciscan since birth being born atSt. Francis Hospital, cared for by theFranciscan Sisters from Wheaton,Illinois, taught by the Franciscans ofDubuque, from kindergarten through12th grade, and had FranciscanFathers from St. Louis Province as

spiritual care givers at St. Mary’sParish in Waterloo, Iowa.” Giventhis, it was inevitable that Barbarawould eventually join the Sisters ofSt. Francis of Dubuque.

On August 25, 1947 Barbaraentered Mount St. Francis as apostulant. The following year onAugust 12, 1948, Barbara wasreceived into the community andgiven the name Sister Mary Roland.

She ministered as an educator atmany schools in Iowa including St.Mary’s in Remsen, Ashton,Dubuque, Manchester,Roseville/Marble Rock, andWaterloo, and on the western side ofIowa at St. Joseph, Bode and St.Michael’s and Heelan in Sioux City.Sister Barbara also taught at SacredHeart Schools in Dubuque andMelrose Park, Illinois.

In 2000, Sister retired to MountSt. Francis, and in 2007 moved toHoly Family Hall until 2011 whenshe moved to Clare House.

Sister is survived by her sisterGloria Ann Barfield; nieces andnephews, and her Franciscan sisters.n

Sister Barbara Schaefer November 5, 1928 - October 24, 2019

In Remembrance

18 Footprints

Donna WingertSister-in-law of Sisters Mona and JoleneWingert

Rebecca (Becky) ZapantaSister of Sister Terri Rodela

Merle FriedmanBrother of Sister Lois Friedman

Lois TaphornSister-in-law of Sister Janet Taphorn

Bernard DansartFranciscan Associate and husband of Franciscan Associate Marilyn Dansart

Joan PaskerSister of Sister Rita Goedken

Donald (Don) HeldorferBrother of Sister Ginny Heldorfer

Thomas NealonBrother-in-law of Janet Haverkamp

Merlyn AltmanBrother-in-law of Sister Carol Ann Berte

Rest in Peace

Sister Bev Eichler Reunites with First Grade Class from 1961

This summer, Sister Bev Eichler(Mary Owen) received a specialinvitation from former students to

the 50th reunion of the 8th grade class of1969 from St. Mary’s School in Waterloo.Sister Bev taught them first grade in1961.

“It was truly a wonderful time anda delight to have Sister Bev with us tocelebrate,” said her former studentChris Draude. “Every one was sohappy to see her and she stillremembered classmates by name!”

Father John Haugen was alsohappy to reunite with Sister Bev.

“We were THRILLED she came toour reunion. We had a Mass and then a meal and it was so good for her to be there,” he said. “Shehad huge classes in those days, and her memory of her students was great--maybe TOO great insome instances! It was a real blessing and connection to the past.” n

Sister Bev Eichler (bottom row, third from right) with the students she taught first grade toin 1961. Contributed photo.

Footprints 19

Every August the LeadershipConference of Women Religious(LCWR) holds a National

Assembly for its members. Thisgathering offers opportunities fornetworking, prayer, and celebration. Key to this assembly is education andreflection on important issues ofreligious life leadership and the role ofwomen religious in the broader society.In reading the signs of the times, theLCWR affirms resolutions to addresscurrent issues and suggest actions formember congregations in enacting theresolutions. This summer’s Assembly,entitled Imagining Leadership in aGlobal Community, was attended bynearly 700 leaders of Catholic sisters,including the Dubuque Franciscan LeadershipTeam. Through keynote speakers and tableconversations, many challenges for women religiousleaders were presented as they focus on bringinghope to a struggling world. In addressing some ofthe issues our world faces, the Assembly passed aresolution looking specifically at the intersection ofracism, migration, and the climate crisis:

“Reading the signs of the times from our desire tocreate communion, we, the Leadership Conferenceof Women Religious, affirm the interrelatedness ofthe justice concerns addressed by the LCWR Callfor 2015-2022. We are heartbroken by the myriadways our one human family and Earth, our commonhome, suffer from disconnection, indifference,violence, and fear in the face of racism, migration,and climate crisis. Responding to God who loves allof creation into being, we recommit ourselves tocreate communion and examine root causes of

injustice. We particularly focus on the intersectionof racism, migration, and climate crisis. Werecognize a sense of urgency and pledge prayer,education, and advocacy. We will use our collectivevoice, resources, and power in collaboration withothers to establish justice which reflects God’screating love.

We are committed to contemplative listening tothe signs of our times and compassionate responseto the cries of our brothers and sisters, and to Earthand its biosphere. In 2018 the LCWR membershippledged to go deeper into the critical work ofrecognizing racism as a systemic, structural causeunderlying and contributing to the multiplesituations of injustice identified in the LCWR Call.This resolution builds on the work undertaken inresponse to the commitments of previousassemblies and is consistent with the LCWR Call for2015-2022.”

As Leadership Team member SisterMarie Cigrand reflected on thisresolution, she saw many connectionswith our congregation.

“Francis and Clare provide greatinspiration to us as we address theintersectionality of the many justice issuesfacing the global community. The missionstatement of the Sisters of St. Francisclearly states what our response will be tothe LCWR Resolution: “live in rightrelationship”, “commit to ongoingconversion,” and our three areas ofspecial focus: “deepen our relationshipwith Mother Earth and Sister Water”,“stand with persons who are poor”, and“make peace and practice nonviolence.” n

Creating Communion at the Intersection ofRacism, Migration and Climate Crisis

LCWR NAT IONA L A S S EMBLY

Sisters Yesenia Fernandez, MGSpS, Marie Cigrand, OSF, and Ramona Miller, OSF at the LCWR banquet.

Sisters Kathy Knipper, OSF, Chala Hill, FHM, and Cathy Katoski, OSF at the LCWRbanquet.

by Sister Michelle Balek, OSF

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Calendar ofEvents

DECEMBER 14Snail Mail Social, 9:30 a.m.-11:30a.m., Shalom Spirituality Center,1001 Davis St., Dubuque. Enjoya morning of coffee and lightrefreshments during our snail-mail socials. Write letters, aChristmas newsletter, addressyour Christmas cards or work oncards for cancer patients, shut-ins, or soldiers. Various greetingcards and stationery will beavailable.

DECEMBER 18Drum Circle, 6:30 p.m., Canticleof Creation Center, 3390 WindsorAve., Dubuque. Free willoffering. Register tocanticle@osfdbq.org.

JANUARY 6Women’s Christmas: An Eveningof Rest & Restoration, 5:30 p.m.to 8:30 p.m., Shalom SpiritualtityCenter, 1001 Davis St., Dubuque.This evening mini-retreat is agood time to pause and take abreak from all that has kept youhurried and busy. $18 or $30 ifsigning up with a friend. CallShalom at (563) 582-3592 toregister.

Nine Franciscan Associates Commissioned

On Sunday, September22, the Dubuque

Franciscanscommissioned nine newAssociates whocompleted the two-yearFranciscan Way of Life(FWL) process.

Linda Crismanreflected on her path tobecoming an associate.

“Family has alwaysbeen important to me. Ifeel honored and blessedto have journeyed for twoyears with my family of FWL candidates. Now because of this teamwork andengagement, I am excited to be a part of the larger Franciscan family and theopportunities it will bring to make a difference.”

In her reflection on the readings, Sister Kathy Knipper challenged theassembly to make such a difference when she asked, “And so my Sisters andFranciscan Associates, are we willing as individuals and collectively ascommunity to be in relationship, work for justice, be honest in things greatand small, and encounter the least among us, all in the name of faith andlove? The call to conversion for the sake of transforming the world in thename of love is ours.”

Associate Director Lisa Schmidt had met with each of the candidates asthey completed the FWL and was impressed by each: “They are committed tothe Franciscan Way of Life, and it was a privilege to get to know them. Theyhave a passion for social justice and carrying out the Franciscan values.” n

Front row (seated) left to right: Lori Pottebaum, Judy Gansemer,and Beth Oppelt. Back row left to right: Pat Wiss, Mark Johnson,Linda Crisman, Eunice Enk, Jane and Dave Heiar. Photo bySister Phyllis Manternach.