Rita Tatum sasses cancer back

Taking on the Big C with spirit is the subject of a new book written by Providence Associate Rita Tatum, (pictured in pink at right with the late Sister Marianne McGriffin) who chronicles her journey with stage IV uterine cancer through a series of emails to family and friends. “Sass Cancer Back: Living with Spirit” was published last March.

“The book began as emails to friends, who were praying for me, during my surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy treatments. As the months passed, people receiving my emails kept telling me how funny they were. A number encouraged me “to write a book so others can benefit from your experience.” When the book was in an early draft, a book critic reviewed the manuscript and felt it was like having a friend with you as you embarked on a cancer journey. He told me to double the manuscript (then 40,000 words), keeping in mind that friend concept. I took his advice,” shared Rita.

Rita adds a large dose of humor to her work.

“Life is absurd. You never know when or where on your life’s journey, you’ll end up hitting a slippery segment and come crashing down, hopefully on the well-padded end. Now, covered in mud, you can cry. But it takes lots and lots of tears to wash mud off. Or, you can laugh and turn the garden hose on yourself. It’s been my experience that the garden hose option is faster,” she joked.

“Sass Cancer Back: Living with Spirit” is available at Xlibris and at all major online booksellers.

Picture of the Week: May 27

Every five years, the Sisters of Providence get their pictures taken for a congregation-wide photo directory. 2011 is one of those lucky years, so this week I began the process with the first batch of SP picture days. We started with some of the sisters who are "home" at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

What a delightful experience it's been so far to witness the dignity, humor and grace of these women! Each face I get to capture is chock full of stories of a life full of Providence.

I couldn't pick just one, so here are three. (From the top: Sisters Richard Bussing, Sheila FitzSimons and Adelaide Ortegel)

ZAP! Providence Associate Paul Beel pens a comic book

In Tales of Power there are heroes: Apex and Oath. There are villains: Atomic and Thoom. There’s a city called New Providence. And there’s plenty of theology.

“As far as theology, we tried to place several good messages in the book. We also embed theology in to some of our heroes. One of our characters is a reverend at his day job. As you have probably noticed, we have a character named Scripture [pictured]. There is even a hero that is merged with an angel. I couldn’t help to give a small nod to the Sisters of Providence. There is a city named New Providence. I plan to pay homage to the sisters in later books as well. The first thing we did was base our universe around God and his son Jesus Christ,” explained Paul, a Providence Associate since 2008.

To get his comic printed, Paul and his colleagues are raising money through a website called KickStarter.

The site “is filled with projects that need donations. Once we are able to print we plan to make it available for purchase on our website as well as comic shops in Indianapolis and Maryland for starters,” continued Paul.

ZOWEE! BIFF! POW!

Join Alice Shelton’s online radio audience

Providence Associate Alice Shelton has been a co-host of the weekly blog talk radio show, “Open Book,” since November 2010. Each week she and Lori Harris Strawn host a 15-minute show that discusses spirituality through novels, poetry and other literature. Why did Alice agree to this venture?

“When Lori emailed me initially about this [show], I responded yes to her request. I was in a place in my own life where I felt that I needed something consistent and reliable each week, outside of Mass attendance, to help maintain Christian accountability and spiritual growth. Her email came at a time in my life where it felt like an answered prayer,” said Alice, a Providence Associate from Indianapolis and a 1987 graduate of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

Alice continued, “I think that both of us tend toward trying to find things that are not mainstream and that will challenge our thinking some. We also try very hard to not limit our discussion to ‘Catholic’ stuff, but we do know that our bias naturally comes through. While we mostly agree on things, there have been times when our discussion brought to light a point of disagreement. Those times are most interesting — in part because it makes the dialogue more lively and in part because it has deepened our friendship and helped us learn new things about one another.”

SPs and the National Museum of Civil War Medicine

Last week, I spent several days on a Civil War pilgrimage to Gettysburg, Antietam, Harper’s Ferry and Manassas. On our way to Antietam (also known as Sharpsburg, Md.), we stopped at an awesome museum in Frederick, Md. — the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

It rocked! There was information about the evacuation of the wounded, field hospitals, embalming, Dr. Letterman and his early version of triage, and, lo and behold, a brief entry on Sister Athanasius Fogarty and the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Sister Athanasius served as directress of Military Hospital during the Civil War. Needless to say, I was very excited and asked one of the docents if I could take a photo of the sign. She said yes and was quite pleased to know that I had a connection with the Sisters of Providence.

If you are ever in the Frederick area, I strongly recommend you check out this museum.

‘A sacrament of God’s love, Providence, hope and healing’

“It is my desire to respond to God’s call through a lifelong journey of conversion of mind and heart in order to serve as a Black Catholic woman by being a sacrament of God’s love, Providence, hope, healing and liberation,” says Providence Associate Barbara Cottrell in an interview for the May 2011 issue of Providence Associate newSPaper.

Barbara continues, “I am drawn to journey with the Sisters of Providence through Saint Mother Theodore’s charism of love, mercy and justice. I want to accompany others on their journey to healing, transformation and growth.”

This issue of PA newSPaper also shares information about this summer’s General Chapter in which Providence Associates may attend Monday, June 27, and until noon on Tuesday, June 28. Associates will have their Annual Gathering on Sunday afternoon and evening, June 26. Sister Catherine “Cathy” Schwemer, PHJC, former director of the North American Conference of Associates and Religious (NACAR) will lead the discussion.

If you are interested in becoming a Providence Associate, the application process is now open.

What’s new in HOPE

“When I did my dissertation, we had to type it on a typewriter. You remember typewriters?”

“The children see that the sisters here [at Woods Day Care/Pre-School] are truly interested in them and love them.”

“We don’t give up on them [at Providence Cristo Rey High School]. If you create a culture that says it is OK to be successful, then the students learn how to do it.”

“The young girls and boys that I teach [at Guerin College Preparatory High School] are among the fortunate because their parents have as a priority the value of a Catholic education.”

By reading the summer 2011 issue of HOPE, you’ll discover who made the above statements as well as learn how the Congregation has valued education throughout the years. You’ll be introduced to two new faces at Providence Center: Sister Jan Craven and Andrew Conner. You’ll learn about the Congregation’s participation in the Vigo County Indiana Civil War Sesquicentennial Project. And, of course, you’ll find the usual departments: alumnae/i news, newsnotes, photo album and obituaries.

Enjoy!

Picture of the Week: May 6

It's shearing week at White Violet Farm Alpacas! Every year the animals get their summer "haircuts" and the fiber is collected to process into roving, yarn and felt for fiber items.

Here you can tell the difference between the fluffy alpaca on the left and the newly shorn one on the right. They look so silly until it starts to grow in again.



Here's a slideshow of shearing photos from the last few years.



(If the above image and slideshow aren't showing up correctly, you can view them at http://flic.kr/p/9F7XEu and http://flic.kr/s/aHsjuuMmAp)

Heritage Museum features new exhibit

In 1987, an Indiana House Resolution was passed honoring and congratulating Sister Cecilia Clare Bocard (died 1994) for her several and varied contributions to the fields of music and education.

Before Sister Merry Marcotte (died 2008) entered the Congregation on Aug. 24, 1974, she served in military and field hospitals in Vietnam and received an award in 1970 from the 93 D Evacuation Hospital-Long Binh, Vietnam.

These are just two of the awards in a new exhibit in the Heritage Museum in Providence Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., that features several awards that sisters have received throughout the years.

As you make plans to come to O’Shaunessy Dining Room at Providence Center for Mother’s Day Brunch, be sure to visit the Heritage Museum and check out our new exhibit. And don’t forget to visit The Gift Shop at Providence Center!