by Jan Ferguson

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”  (Matthew 25:35) 

Since May of this year, sisters and associates have been meeting the needs of asylum seekers traveling on buses from the southern U.S. border to new homes all over the country.

Adam Feinauer of Fort Wright, Kentucky, is a dad, a husband, an SND Associate, and a St. Agnes parishioner. He is also studying to become a Permanent Deacon at The Athenaeum of Ohio / Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

by Kayla Drager, Uganda Mission Volunteer

Hello from Buseesa, Uganda!

Thankfully, the rainy season is going strong, so recently we’ve been enjoying cold weather and morning or evening storms. Maybe I should say I’ve been enjoying--most of the locals don’t love the cold, but I’m just thankful for a break from the heat!

What are you doing this summer? Share your talents as a volunteer at Notre Dame Urban Education Center!

Pay it forward in service with the Sisters of Notre Dame on Saturday, April 6. 

Kayla Drager, a Berea, Ohio resident and 2015 graduate of Berea-Midpark High School, was invited to volunteer teach at Notre Dame Academy in Buseesa, Uganda.

Dear Sisters and Friends,

As Mary went in haste to Elizabeth, so we are called to go out to those whom God calls us. We are grateful for the many who responded to this call and took part in our Adventure to Give service project on December 9 for the benefit of the guests at the Emergency Shelter of NKY. We appreciate the many and varied ways that you were engaged. May God bless each of you for your thoughtfulness and generosity!

Blessings,
The Vocation Team

Sisters in Lourdes Hall recently wanted to reach out to others. One sister was aware of the push to "do good" on September 11 (www.911day.org) in order to spread kindness and counteract fear. 

Marilyn Keller volunteered at the Sisters of Notre Dame mission in Uganda from August 2017 to May 2018. 

On August 15, 2018, Marilyn will share about her experience at St. Julie Mission in Buseesa, Uganda.

That’s all it took, a gentle nudge to set in motion a delightful and blessed mission project. The So-Sew Mission endeavor started when Ina McCord, a seamstress from Augusta, KY was moving and needed to dispose of her supply of fabric. She gave the fabric to her friend, an SND Associate, who in turn gave the lovely material to the Sisters at the Covington Provincial House sewing room.

by Micaela Dyson, Uganda Volunteer

For the past few days, I have watched excited and energetic children kicking a soccer ball around the field in front of my teachers' housing building. Many times, I have felt the urge to go out and play with them, but something kept stopping me.

Dear Sisters,

It's been quite an exciting adventure over here. On Saturday, students began arriving on boda-bodas (motorcycles), dressed smartly in their blue uniforms with white socks and black shoes. I spent most of the day checking their cases and welcoming them back to the term. They were all very eager to gather their belongings and unpack so that they could begin playing with one another. By the end of the day, the once-quite dorms were filled with the happy sounds of children laughing and chatting animatedly with one another.

Dear Sisters,

Thank you for your prayers and blessings! We have been in Uganda for two full weeks now and I am learning so much with each day that passes. I would love to share some things about the season and the church with you and the sisters back home.

Be a part of the inaugural fall service trip!

Location: Frenchburg, Kentucky and surrounding area.
Dates: October 22-27, 2017.
Duties: Light maintenance and yard work.

From May-August 2017, Sr. Mary Judith Averbeck was in Kentucky on home visit, which takes place every two years. When she returns to the SND mission in Uganda on August 24, she will not be alone. Micaela Dyson and Marilyn Keller will return with Sr. Judith as volunteers at the SND mission in Uganda.

by Sr. Maria Francine Stacy, SND

When I first started studying Spanish in the university, my mom asked me, “Why are you studying that? You know you will never use it.” And I replied simply, “I know, Mom, but I like it.” When I entered the Sisters of Notre Dame, the sister in charge said, “I see you have Spanish studies in your background. Well, we don’t have a need for that…” I replied simply, “I know but I liked it.”

More than fifty volunteers participated in the Sisters of Notre Dame (SND) Pay It Forward Service Day on Saturday, April 22.

On January 16, 2017, Sr. Mary Janet Stamm boarded a flight to travel to Uganda with a volunteer maintenance group. This was her first time returning to the SND Mission in Uganda since she concluded 18 years of service at the mission in 2013. For two weeks she served as the volunteers’ liaison to the sisters and locals and prepared delicious meals.

Do you like to bake or make treats? You might be interested in our baking and treat-making team for the 4th of July Festival. 

Notre Dame Sisters Ruth Lubbers and Kate Hine arranged a spring break service trip with students from the University of Akron. Their spring break destination? Covington, Kentucky.

In between their service hours, we sat down with some of the students to ask what the trip has meant to them. Click below to watch!

Growing up a Mt. Adams girl from the wrong side of the river, Kathy Kramer had to be “introduced” to Kentucky by her Covington Catholic graduate husband, Larry. Kathy took to the correct side of the river like a Buckeye fallen from a tree.

Dear Sisters and Friends,

Sunday's Adventure to Give was truly a blessed time! Thanks to each of you for your participation in the day!  Your generous sharing of yourselves in so many ways provided for much joy and comfort for others.  It was a pleasure to have you come to together with us for this Advent prayer, reflection and service time.

I have been an Associate for the Sisters of Notre Dame since 2013.  I was familiar with the Sisters for many years, but was specifically introduced to the Associate program through my dear friend, Leah Britt.  I was kind of experiencing "empty nest syndrome" and was interested in finding a service organization where I could volunteer.

My favorite part of working with the Sisters of Notre Dame is the relationship that has formed….of mutual love and respect.  The Sisters are so grounded in their mission that the focus and direction never strays too far.  Few are blessed to have such examples of God’s love so present in their daily interactions.

My relationship with the Sisters of Notre Dame began in 1959 at St. John Catholic School in Covington, KY. My family was long-time members of both the church and the school. The three Sisters that I remember as teachers are Sisters Mary Michyl Habermehl, Mary Shannon Kriege, and Mary Kevan Seibert.

Sr. Mayra Marie Martinez and Sr. Nicole Marie Varnerin came to the SND National Novitiate in August 2015. Since then their formation has included university studies, inter-community formation, and ministry in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Volunteers at St. Claire Regional Medical Center (SCR) give back and pay it forward in so many ways. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, volunteers contributed donations totaling $63,000 to SCR. 

Notre Dame Urban Education Center (NDUEC) is seeking volunteers for fall 2016. Tutors and PE monitors are greatly needed to provide educational support services to young children in Covington.

Claire Dunlevy, Rachel Franzen, and Christie Back traveled to New Orleans in July with Sr. Ruth Lubbers, Sr. Paul Ann Hanneken, and Sr. Rachel Nerone as part of the SND "Stretch Your Heart" service trip. While there, Claire, Rachel, and Christie helped build a tiny house that was featured on Cincinnati's Local 12 News.