Celebrating 175 Years of Presence and Partnership

Currents of Hope Prayer Partnering - A Way to Relate
by Judith Sheahan, BVM

BVMs value relationships and they have done so since the very beginning when five friends established a relationship based on prayer and good works. Eventually, this relationship carried these women from Dublin to Philadelphia and from there to the frontiers of Iowa. Through 175 years, their BVM followers have found ways to bond together. One significant relational bond that involves every BVM is that of prayer partnering.

For more than 30 years, BVM Sisters have been “prayer partners” for other BVMs. Each year, the sisters who live at Mt. Carmel and Wright Hall are given a prayer card asking them to partner with a BVM house and pray for those who live there.

There is nothing static about this partnering—sisters combine houses, close convents and sisters die—leaving sad partners behind. But for many BVMs, those who are “pray-ers” and those who are the beneficiaries, their relationships are important, enduring and go both ways.

BVMs (l.) Dorothy Gaffney (Irene Patricia) and Kate Keating (St. Wilma) help Philomena Roselli as she tries out her new closet in the Motherhouse.

As the sisters began their move from the Mt. Carmel Motherhouse in February last year so reconstruction could begin, Chicagoans Kate Keating and Dorothy Gaffney took the trip down Highway 20 to help their prayer partner, BVM Philomena Roselli (St. Philomena), move across the river to Sinsinawa. This September they came again, reversing the process, as Philomena moved back to the renovated Motherhouse.

Kate and Dorothy reflected on their prayer partner relationship. “Philomena has been our pray-er for many years—and we love her! We were so happy that we were the ones to bring her home again to Mt. Carmel.” For Kate and Dorothy, it was their thank you for all the blessings Philomena has sent their way. For Philomena, it was, “Wonderful!”

BVM Margaret Mollan prays for her friends at Holy Family Convent, Glendale: (l. to r., first row) BVMs Roberta White ( St. Caritas), Suzanne Stopper (Carmelita), Loretta Hubl, Mary Jean Ferry (St. Christopher); (standing) Vicki Smurlo, Joan Condon (Rosaria), Mary Beth Galt (Andrew), Mary Jeanne Stopper (John Edward), and Ann Lenore Eifert. Ann Lenore recently moved to Mt. Carmel.

Unfortunately, not all those who moved could have the help of their prayer partners. BVM Margaret Mollan (Laurice) moved to the Julien Hotel but her prayer partners were 1,000 miles away in Glendale, Calif. However, in spite of that distance, Margaret is happy with this prayer relationship although she prays for a community of nine BVMs.

Margaret comments, “Leaving California was hard after 20 years. I had hoped to be the ‘pray-er' for St. Phillip, Pasadena, but as I was leaving California that convent closed and several of my friends moved to Holy Family, Glendale. Then to my surprise and delight, I was assigned to pray for Holy Family. I thank God for the privilege of praying for my dear friends.” Her “dear friends,” miles away, are also thankful.

Another Way to Partner—Associate to Associate

When Joan Stritesky (Magdaletta) was appointed coordinator of the BVM Associate Program, she looked for ways the Associates could parallel the BVM community in some of their practices and customs. Joan saw value in the relationships established through prayer partnering so in 1995 she set up a program of prayer partners for the Associates.

Kay Ann Derner Brown of Tulsa, Okla., who presently coordinates the Associate Prayer Partners, explains that when an applicant becomes a BVM Associate, the person is given a prayer partner as a way to bond in friendship, love and support with another member of the Associate community.

Kay reflects on her own partnership. “In my case I was given Mary Clair Wenger ( St. Louis, Mo. ) and we found we have a lot in common. Both of us are mothers and she lost her husband to death and I lost mine to divorce. Both of us are active in parish life and in community activities. We try to keep up with each other but as our schedules are varied and hectic, we always know the other one is praying for us and our families. That is very comforting to both of us.”

Jean Ann Fritscher (l.), celebrating her Commitment Ceremony in Dubuque, has a surprise visit from her prayer partner, Elberta Raschke of Chicago.

Several other Associates have similar experiences. Elberta Raschke traveled from Chicago to surprise her prayer partner, Jean Ann Fritscher, when she made her Associate Commitment in Dubuque recently.

Associates Patricia Domm and Rosemary Juliano were Chicago friends who lost contact when Pat moved to Michigan.

When, due to circumstances, each woman needed a new prayer partner, Coordinator Kay Brown, unaware of their previous friendship, assigned them to be partners. In relating this story, Associate Coordinator Nancy McCarthy (Josephine Mary) notes that these women feel very blessed by this special bond and intend to “keep in touch.”

Sister and Student–College Partners

When BVM Kathleen Sinclair was campus minister at Clarke College in 1998, she began a program that linked a Clarke College student with a Sister prayer partner at the Mt. Carmel Motherhouse. Unfortunately, the temporary closing of the Motherhouse and some personnel changes at Clarke caused this partnering to be put on hold.

BVM Vincentia Kaeferstein is sorry. “I liked that prayer relationship. It was good for both of us. If someone begins it again, I'll sign up.” Perhaps Vincentia's enthusiasm might encourage a new beginning for this partnership program.

About the author: Judith Sheahan, BVM recently retired as administrative assistant to the BVM leadership team. In that position, she administered the Prayer Partner program for ten years.