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A shrine is a special place of pilgrimage. As a Jubilee Station for the Archdiocese of Baltimore we are pleased that many groups from across the country are scheduling dates to come to the Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann during the millennium year which also marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the canonization of our saint. With this issue our horizons are being broadened by a look at some of the newer ministries in which the daughters of Saint Elizabeth Ann are engaged. For the first time the Daughters are serving in Alaska. Always seeking the poorest of the poor, some new openings in Mississippi have been identified. Going beyond the boundaries of our country, we are reaching out to assist educators in Lithuania. Love knows no limits. In the joy of this new millennium, this new century, our prayers at the shrine are for all of you. Devotedly, The Seton Way E-Mail: office@setonshrine.org Editorial Board: Typing & Layout |
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made to major industries where jobs were available in an adjacent county. My primary ministry, the door-to-door assessment of need of families living in the poorest sections of these two counties is, I believe, that part of my ministry dearest to the heart of St. Vincent and St. Louise. I approach each family as a minister from the respective Catholic Church in the county being visited explaining that my service is focused on finding families who are not receiving, for one reason or another, that which they are entitled to from various government programs including social security, S.S.I., disability, Medicaid, Medicare and food stamps. It is hard to believe that in our country where so many programs and services are ailable to people, many persons are either ill-advised, unknowledgeable or are sometimes told they are ineligible by agency workers when such is not the case. Since January 1999, 176 perxsons have been found to be eligible for Medicaid. The majority of these persons are eligible for full coverage. Whenever possible, visits with families and individuals are concluded with a prayer asking God's blessing and intercession for the needs that have surfaced during the visit. Almost inevitably I leave each home, poor as it may be, enriched by the simplicity and hope witnessed in people who have little in terms of earthly possessions but who are rich in their faith and trust in God's providence. Sr. Emmanuel Schott, D.C. New Horizons for the Daughters of Charity-the Aurora Borealis The daughters of Charity of the Los Altos Hills, California Province have answered an entreaty made by Most Rev. Francis Hurley, Archbishop of Anchorage, Alaska. His request was made of the |
Provincial council of Los Altos Hills to make a commitment to the Archdiocese of Anchorage to establish works for the poor of Anchorage. The four Daughters named from a group of 27 volunteers are: Sisters Stella Joseph Burns, Donna Kramer, Noreen McPartland, and Agnes McPhee. The Northeastern area of Anchorage, notably the Muldoon and Mountainview sections, has heavy concentrations of the poor of the city, both in trailer courts and traditional residential housing. Sisters Agnes and Stella belong to the staff of St. Patrick's Parish to serve the Muldoon section, and Sister Donna is a staff member of St. Anthony's to serve the Mountainview area. This work is many-sided, and includes home visiting, needs assistance, and various forms of pastoral assistance. Sister Noreen serves as Mission Effectiveness Co-coordinator to the entire Department of Catholic Social Services. While much of the territory of the Archdiocese of Anchorage is very sparsely populated, the city of Anchorage houses the largest percentage of the total population of Alaska, and there are many poor people to be helped, especially during the long, cold, dark winter months. The Daughters of Charity hope to provide services along with the priests, lay leaders and workers, and other religious men and women who are already serving there. Every area has its own uniqueness, and Alaska's consists in the harsh climate, long hours of darkness, and isolation. Residents of Alaska feel this isolation and respond with great care for each other, uncommonly generous compared to the rest of the United States. They even speak of travel outside of Alaska as Continued on page 3 Every area has its own uniqueness, and Alaska's consists in the harsh climate, long hours of darkness, and isolation |
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