Generative Spirits: Conversations with Catholic Sisters

For our January episode, we welcome back Margaret Eigsti, Senior Program Officer for Catholic Sisters and fellow Generative Spirits podcast host. This episode will be an opportunity for review - of the year, of the episodes we released in 2022, and of taking stock of what brought us energy and what propelled the work forward. We will take time to remember our favorite moments, listen to quotes we loved, and talk about what is next for Generative Spirits.We are grateful to have been in conversation with sisters and individuals working in sister ministries who carry the desire for a loving, just world with them. Our time as collaborators on Generative Spirits has evolved from humble beginnings and we learned the world of sister podcasting as we were doing it. We hope you enjoy!Links:1. To listen to all Generative Spirit podcasts, visit https://www.generativespirit.org/podcast Tags: #CatholicSisters#Community #Podcast #GenerativeSpirits 

For our November episode, we are joined by Angela D'Orazio, Senior Program Officer for Housing at the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland. Through grants, technical assistance, convening, advocacy, and policy initiatives, Angela's work in striving to end chronic homelessness and youth homelessness has resulted in state and local collaboration to meet the needs of the unhoused community.  Angela has worked closely on an initiative called A Place 4 Me, which brings together diverse community partners to collectively prevent and end youth homelessness, especially among youth who have aged out of the foster care system. Working closely with the program director of A Place 4 Me, Angela co-facilitated a community planning process to develop the Cuyahoga County Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Youth Homelessness. She also works on behalf of the foundation to garner private and public investment to support implementation of the plan.Angela has a Bachelor of Science in psychology and sociology from Kent State University and a Master of Science in social administration (MSSA) from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH.Links:1. To learn more about Angela's work in striving to end homelessness in Northeast Ohio, visit https://socfcleveland.org/our-work/ending-homelessness Tags: #CatholicSisters #Housing #Homelessness #Faith #GenerativeSpirits 

For our October episode, we are joined by Brenna Davis, Sr. Anne Victory, and Sr. Cheryl Rose to talk about the Covenant Companion Relationship, a 2-year formation process for lay people through the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in which participants take a vow of humility. We talk about how the idea came to be and what it means to live the vow of humility in our daily lives. Brenna shares about her experience as a participant and Sr. Anne and Sr. Cheryl, both members of the Sisters of Humility of Mary, discuss the origin and continued evolution of this new way of being, including the new kinds of relationships that were formed between Sisters and lay partners. Brenna Davis is the Director of Education for Justice and Environmental Initiatives at the Ignatian Solidarity Network. Breanna has been a participant of both the JOY: Just One Year program and the Covenant Companion Relationship through the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in which she took a vow of humility. Originally from Tennessee, Brenna graduated from Boston College in 2010 with a B.A. in theology and Spanish. After graduation, she moved to Cleveland as a Jesuit Volunteer. At the end of her JV year, Brenna began working at Saint Martin de Porres, Cleveland's Cristo Rey High School, as a theology teacher and cross country coach. She is a certified spiritual director, Cuyahoga County Master Recycler, and is a member of NCR's EarthBeat Advisory Panel.Sr. Anne Victory is a member of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in Cleveland, Ohio and currently serves on their leadership team. She began her ministry in healthcare as a registered nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain. Sr. Anne served as an instructor in the practical nursing school at St. Joseph, as well as serving in  administrative roles. She has served the HM Community as the director of ministry and community life development. Sr. Anne served two terms on the HM Leadership Team from 2001 to 2009. She then joined the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking as director of education, where she served until July 2021. In 2019, she received the Bishop Amadeus Rappe Award from Ursuline College, Cleveland for her work with the Collaborative. Sr. Cheryl Rose is a member of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in Cleveland, Ohio. She served for 26 years as a high school educator, teaching chemistry, physics, theology, and prayer, as well as holding ministerial roles. She currently provides spiritual direction for individuals and groups, leads retreats, and is engaged in programming focused on spiritual growth and contemplation. Sr. Cheryl has co-led the year-long retreat, JOY: Just One Year, which offers women a one-year immersion in spiritual growth and formation, and she continues to provide virtual and in-person retreats during the pandemic.Links:1. To learn more about the Covenant Companion Relationship, contact Sr. Cheryl Rose, HM or Sr. Anne Victory, HM, visit https://www.humilityofmary.org/join-us/covenant-companions/ 2. To learn more about the JOY: Just One Year program, a one year immersion in spiritual growth and formation for women, visit https://www.humilityofmary.org/join-us/just-one-year-joy/ Tags: #CatholicSisters #Humility #Community #Sistersofthehumilityofmary #GenerativeSpirits 

For our September episode, we are joined by Sr. Réjane Cytacki, SCL, Executive Director of A Nuns Life, an online ministry that welcomes people from around the world to gather to explore God's calling in their lives. A  member of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL) in Leavenworth, Kansas, Sr. Réjane has previously served as the Executive Director of the Racine Dominican Eco-Justice Center and on the Core Team for Giving Voice. We discuss the unique nature of having an online ministry, our experience in sharing community with a group of sister podcasters, and how love shows up in our relationships with each other and with God. Touching on the process of podcast production from behind the scenes, Sr. Réjane brings joy and enthusiasm to Generative Spirits. She recounts the ministries that led her to her vocation and to being Executive Director of A Nuns Life.Founded by Catholic Sisters Maxine Kollasch and Julie Vieira in 2006, A Nuns Life believes that each person is called by God to a vocation that enriches the individual and the world, helping people discover and grow in their vocation by engaging questions about God, faith, and religious life by connecting Catholic sisters. Links:1. To learn more about A Nuns Life ministry, visit https://anunslife.org/ 2. To listen to the podcasts of the sisters in the podcast cohort, visit https://anunslife.org/podcasts/other-nun-podcasts Tags: #CatholicSisters #ANunsLife #Community #Podcasting #GenerativeSpirits

For our July episode, we are joined by Emily Liptow, a member of the Generative Spirit community who has served as technology facilitator, community member, and co-dreamer of what Generative Spirit could be today and in the future. We are able to explore what it means to be young adults in a world of Catholic Sisters, what unique connections we are able to access and have within these relationships, and what is coming next for us. We discuss our admiration for the national Nuns and Nones movement and how we heard about its impact as the church continues to change.Links:1. To find out more about Generative Spirit, visit https://www.generativespirit.org/ 2. To learn more about Nuns and Nones, visit https://www.nunsandnones.org/ 3. To learn more about and watch Rebel Hearts, visit https://www.rebelheartsfilm.com/ Tags:#CatholicSisters #Community #Youngadults #Nunsandnones #GenerativeSpirit #RebelHearts

For our June episode, we are joined by Richaun Bunton, Managing Director of the Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood. Richaun is a member of the foundation with a long commitment to the Central Neighborhood, allowing her to understand the needs of the community and highlight the champions she works with in the neighborhood. We discuss the many roles she has held during her time at the foundation, as well as centering her work with family partners, a group of community members and friends that work together to support families in the central community in their ability to thrive. Richaun shares about how her spirituality is infused into her life and work, and how can we honor God in everything we do. In several episodes of generative spirits this season, we will feature the work of sisters by giving particular focus to their ministries, including the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland. We look forward to incorporating other essential voices in this conversation in the months to come.Links:1. To find out more about the Cleveland Promise  Neighborhood or to provide support, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandPromiseNeighborhood/ 2. To learn more about Richaun and her role at the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, visit https://socfcleveland.org/about-us/staff-and-board/staff/richaun-n-bunton,-lsw,-msw Tags: #Promise #ClevelandCentralPromise #CatholicSisters #Community

For our May episode, we are joined by Sr. Norma Raupple, an Ursuline Sister in Youngstown whose commitment to ministry has led her to the US/Mexico Border working with immigrant families. After 10 years at the border teaching English to mothers and securing grants to open a learning center and health clinic, Sr. Norma returned to Youngstown with the same spirit of service for the immigrant community. She headed a tutoring program through the Immigrant Outreach Program, a ministry of Beatitude House, gathering young adult college students and Americorps volunteers to become tutors. In 2016, the Ursuline Sisters in Youngstown were gifted a house to support their ministry, becoming a space for young adults to live in community and share in the gospel as they continued serving communities in need. We discuss the ways we can live out the call to service set out by St. Angela Merici and how to do so in community. Links:1. To learn more about the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown, visit https://www.theursulines.org/  2. To offer support, volunteer, or offer support to immigrant families , visit Beatitude House at https://www.beatitudehouse.com/contact-us/ 3. You can read a “Sister Story” about Sr. Norma Raupple on the Foundations website here: https://socfcleveland.org/stories/february-2018/sister-story-sr-norma-raupple,-osu 

For our April episode, we are joined by Sr. Susan Zion, an Ursuline Sister of Cleveland and founder of Ursuline Piazza, a non-profit located at St. Augustine Manor on the Near West Side that addresses the needs of individuals living with HIV. We explore the history of Ursuline Piazza since its inception in 2007 and the many hats Sr. Susan wears as Executive Director. Known for helping HIV positive individuals who have gaps in care, Ursuline Piazza has offered a number of programs like Individual Counseling, Client Assistance, Peer Up, and Club 95, a group focused on building community, receiving and offering support, and encouraging a 95% adherence rate to medication. Ursuline Piazza partners with individuals living with HIV to better navigate medical care, housing, and social services. It serves as an extra safety net to help keep individuals linked to care. Links:1. To learn more about Ursuline Piazza and support their work, visit https://ursulinepiazza.org/ 2. To read the 2021 Buckeye Flame article written about Sr. Susan Zion and her ministry with Ursuline Piazza, visit https://thebuckeyeflame.com/2021/08/27/ursuline-piazza/ 

In our second installment of Short Features, shorter clips from our full length episodes that surround one topic, Sr. Claire McGowan, OP shares about the power and necessity of falling in love with the Natural World.To listen to the full episode, find "Season 3, Episode 2:  Creating Sustainable Futures with Sr. Claire McGowan, OP", released March 9th everywhere you get your podcasts and on generativespirit.org/podcast.

Our March episode will feature Sr. Claire McGowan, OP, a Dominican Sister of Peace and former Executive Director of New Pioneers, a community non-profit organization founded in Washington County, Kentucky to promote sustainable thinking and sustainable development in this rural community of 12,000.Living in Bardstown, Kentucky, Sr. Claire talks about her work in ministry with New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future and how clarifying our relationship with the Natural World is necessary as we inch closer and closer to irreversible damage to our home and ourselves. We discuss Laudato Si, Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment published in 2014, and a section of a book by Thick Nhat Hanh, titled Love Letter to Earth published in 2013 - both companion pieces in this continued thinking. In future episodes of Generative Spirits, we will continue to highlight the work of sisters by giving particular focus to their ministries, including the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland. We look forward to incorporating other essential voices to this conversation in the months to come. Links:1. To learn more about New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future and to support their work, please visit https://newpioneersfsf.org/ 2. Read about Sr. Claire's work with New Pioneers in an article titled Sister Claire's Green Habit, written for Kentucky Living in 2011: https://www.kentuckyliving.com/archives/no-title-2712 3. Read Ten Love Letters to Earth by Thich Nhat Hanh here: https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/ten-love-letters-to-the-earth/ 4. To read Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home written by Pope Francis, the first encyclical to focus on the environment, visit https://www.usccb.org/offices/general-secretariat/laudato-si-care-our-common-home 5. “We will not save what we do not love” - Adrienne Rich

For our February episode, we are excited to welcome Joe Black to the podcast to talk about his role as program officer for health equity. As a member of the foundation, Joe has longstanding relationships with members of the central neighborhood and strives to focus on health outcomes, particularly safety. We talk about his role at the foundation, how his past work has informed his current role, and the value of community relationship and voice. We explore the importance of racial equity in grantmaking, essential projects of his like the Reverse Ride Along, and how hope and action must go hand in hand.In future episodes of Generative Spirits, we will continue to highlight the work of sisters by giving particular focus to their ministries, including the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland. We look forward to incorporating other essential voices to this conversation in the months to come. Joseph Black oversees the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland's program area for health equity. Over the past decade, Joseph has invested his time, energy, and passion to create equitable solutions that benefit the residents in the city of Cleveland. Prior to this role, Joseph was the Central Promise Neighborhood Community Investment Manager, where he was responsible for supporting residents in developing and implementing transformative strategies in the Central Promise Neighborhood.Links:1. Read more about Joe Black here: https://socfcleveland.org/about-us/staff-and-board/staff/joseph-black 2. Learn more about Joe's work in health equity in Cleveland's Central Neighborhood here: https://socfcleveland.org/our-work/strengthening-central/health-equity 

In our November episode, we are joined by Sr. Carol Kandiko, a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and co-director of Centering Space. Founded in 2003, Centering Space is a place where people are invited to “come and listen to their own heart and hear the voice of God.” Located in a house on the campus of Lakewood Catholic Academy and the grounds of Lakewood Park, Centering Space provides an open and welcoming environment with programs like weekly reflective prayer, a variety of spiritual programs and gatherings, and even a library of resources. To visit Centering Space is to take time out of your day for quiet and listening.Sr. Carol talks about the mission and history of Centering Space, as well as the ways she has found community and opportunity for stewardship in what she describes as “a house of discernment.” With Centering Space celebrating its 18th anniversary on November 1st, this episode is a special tribute to Centering Space and the community that has grown around it. We are excited to offer this conversation and hope it provides space for reflection in each of us.Links: 1. To attend a program at Centering Space, visit https://centeringspace.org/programs/list/ 2. To contribute to Centering Space, visit https://centeringspace.org/support/donate/#Generative #Generativespirits #Catholicsisters @centeringspace #sistersofcharityofstaugustine

For part 2 of our conversation with Sr. Rita Mary Harwood, SND, we explore the many ministries she initiated for several historically marginalized groups, including the incarcerated, the LGBTQ community, migrant families and refugees.In August 2021, Sr. Rita Mary retired from the Diocese, where she had most recently led the Secretariat for Parish Life and Development. Sr. Rita Mary has supported multiple ministries, including chairing Church in the City in 1994 and leading the Welcoming the Stranger committee, a group of professionals committed to the rights and needs of migrants and refugees. She began her work at the Diocese in 1995, with responsibilities for the parishes of the eight-county diocese and the offices that are in service to those parishes, as well as all the lay organizations and ethnic ministries of the diocese. After joining Bishop Anthony Pilla's staff in 1995, Sr. Rita Mary set out to initiate several ministries within the Diocese.  The Diocesan Ministry to the Incarcerated and their families, the Gay and Lesbian Family Ministry, the expansion of the ministry to the migrant community and development of the Asian and African Catholic Ministry are all facilitated by Sr. Rita Mary.Sr. Rita Mary served as a teacher, administrator and supervisor of schools before joining the staff at the Diocese of Cleveland. Sr. Rita Mary was also Major Superior of the Sisters of Notre Dame for nine years.We have gotten to know Sr. Rita Mary through the Welcoming the Stranger committee, and we are excited to share this conversation about her experience in ministry, her lifelong service, Cleveland's immigrant community and a brief reflection on the late Bishop Pilla.Links:1. To learn more about Church In The City, visit https://teachingcleveland.org/church-in-the-city-initative-from-cleveland-bishop-pilla-1990s/ 2. To learn more about the Welcoming the Stranger committee, visit https://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/offices/parish-life/immigrants-refugees-people-on-the-move 3. To support the Immigrant Assistance Fund, please visit https://www.catholiccommunity.org/ways-to-give/donate/immigrant-assistance-fund4. To learn more about the Synod journey for 2021-2023, please visit https://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/synod #Generative #Generativespirits #Catholicsisters @sistersndusa 

This month, Sr. Rita Mary Harwood, SND, joins Generative Spirits to reflect on more than 25 years working for the Diocese of Cleveland, where she initiated ministries to several historically marginalized groups, including the incarcerated, the LGBTQ community, migrant families and refugees.In August 2021, Sr. Rita Mary retired from the Diocese, where she had most recently led the Secretariat for Parish Life and Development. Sr. Rita Mary has supported multiple ministries, including chairing Church in the City in 1994 and leading the Welcoming the Stranger committee, a group of professionals committed to the rights and needs of migrants and refugees. She began her work at the Diocese in 1995, with responsibilities for the parishes of the eight-county diocese and the offices that are in service to those parishes, as well as all the lay organizations and ethnic ministries of the diocese. After joining Bishop Anthony Pilla's staff in 1995, Sr. Rita Mary set out to initiate several ministries within the Diocese.  The Diocesan Ministry to the Incarcerated and their families, the Gay and Lesbian Family Ministry, the expansion of the ministry to the migrant community and development of the Asian and African Catholic Ministry are all facilitated by Sr. Rita Mary.Sr. Rita Mary served as a teacher, administrator and supervisor of schools before joining the staff at the Diocese of Cleveland. Sr. Rita Mary was also Major Superior of the Sisters of Notre Dame for nine years.We have gotten to know Sr. Rita Mary through the Welcoming the Stranger committee, and we are excited to share this conversation about her experience in ministry, her lifelong service, Cleveland's immigrant community and a brief reflection on the late Bishop Pilla.Links:1. To learn more about Church In The City, visit https://teachingcleveland.org/church-in-the-city-initative-from-cleveland-bishop-pilla-1990s/ 2. To learn more about the Welcoming the Stranger committee, visit https://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/offices/parish-life/immigrants-refugees-people-on-the-move 4. To support the Immigrant Assistance Fund, please visit https://www.catholiccommunity.org/ways-to-give/donate/immigrant-assistance-fund#Generative #Generativespirits #Catholicsisters @sistersndusa 

This episode is the first of a series called Short Features, shorter clips from our full length episodes that surround one topic. This Short Feature will focus on Sr. Rita Mary Harwood's words about Bishop Pilla and Church in the City. We honor Bishop Pilla and his work in this Short Feature, as we learned of his passing on September 21st, 2021. To listen to the full episode, please tune in for part 1 and 2 of Sr. Rita Mary's conversation with us, out October 8th and 22nd everywhere you get your podcasts and on generativespirit.org/podcast.

For our September episode, we are joined by Sr. Sheila Marie Tobbe, an Ursuline Sister of Cleveland and COAR board member, and Mary Stevenson, the Executive Director of COAR and graduate of Beaumont High School, a ministry of the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland. We talk about the mission and history of COAR and how its connection to Cleveland has lasted for decades. COAR, known as the “Children's Village”, stands for the Community of St. Oscar Arnulfo Romero and is located in Zaragoza, El Salvador. It was founded in 1980 as an orphanage by a Cleveland Diocese Mission Team priest, Fr. Ken Myers, during El Salvador's civil war. Today, COAR works with 1,000 students, preK-12th grade and has 50 children in residential foster care. It includes a medical and dental clinic, pharmacy, and trade shops. Our episode shares about the model of care and community COAR has established in El Salvador and in Cleveland.Sr. Sheila Marie Tobbe, OSU is an Ursuline Sister of Cleveland and serves on the COAR Peace Mission board . She taught at Beaumont High School for 18 years and served on the Administrative Team. She continued her work in religious education at 4 parishes in the Cleveland area. Her ministry extends beyond the classroom as a founding member of the Interreligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia. Sr. Sheila Marie has volunteered on many boards and committees and served as a National Council Member for Pax Christi USA and helped to develop the Anti-racism Team of Pax Christi USA. Mary Stevenson is the Executive Director of the COAR Peace Mission – the U.S. fundraising and outreach arm of the COAR Children's Village in Zaragoza, El Salvador. She was a student at Beaumont High School in Cleveland Heights in 1974 when Sr. Dorothy Kazel, OSU, left to begin her five-year assignment on the Cleveland Diocese's Latin American Mission Team.Mary become Executive Director in 2004. Links:1. To learn more about COAR and support their work, visit their website at www.coarpeacemission.org or call (440) 943-7615.  You can support COAR children through donations, by a service visit, to sponsor a child, or by spreading the word.2. 4 U.S Catholics Killed in El Salvador - Washington Post article from December 5, 1980 #Generative #Generativespirits #COAR #ElSalvador #Catholicsisters @ursulinesisofcle @COARPeaceMission 

For our August episode, Rachel and Sr. Cheryl Rose, HM discuss the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the ways we are asked to slow down and do less to make way for grace. A spiritual director and contemplative, Sr. Cheryl values the solitude the pandemic has brought her, allowing for deeper awareness.Sr. Cheryl Rose is a member of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in Cleveland, Ohio. She served for 26 years as a high school educator, teaching chemistry, physics, theology, and prayer, as well as holding ministerial roles. She currently provides spiritual direction for individuals and groups, leads retreats, and is engaged in programming focused on spiritual growth and contemplation. Sr. Cheryl has co-led the year-long retreat, JOY: Just One Year, which offers women a one-year immersion in spiritual growth and formation, and she continues to provide virtual retreats during the pandemic.Links:1. Sr. Cheryl mentions the writing of Don Bisson, FMS, a Marist brother, spiritual director, and retreat leader based in Esopus, New York. You can view his essay “Pandemic Reflection: Revolution” here: http://www.donbisson.com/retreats-and-workshops.html2. Barbara Marx Hubbard (d. 2019) was a futurist, spiritual thinker, and author who coined the phrase “Conscious Evolution”. She was part of creating a documentary titled “Humanity Ascending”, available here: https://www.barbaramarxhubbard.com/our-story. To learn more about Barbara Marx Hubbard, visit this NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/obituaries/barbara-marx-hubbard-dead.html3. To attend a retreat with Sr. Cheryl Rose, please visit the Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center website at www.vmesc.org.#Generative #Generativespirits #COVID #Spirituality #Catholicsisters #contemplation @sistersofhm

Our June episode centers on Leadership in Sister Communities. Our guest will be Sr. Margaret Taylor, a sister of the Incarnate Word (SIW), and Sr. Pat Kozak, a sister of St. Joseph (CSJ). They serve on and support the Conference of Religious Leadership (CORL) of Northeast Ohio. We start with an overview of Sister congregations, the ways congregations have changed, and the impact of their role in leadership. Margaret Taylor, SIW is a Sister of the Incarnate Word from Parma Heights.  She taught elementary school for 16 years and was elected to congregational leadership in 1990, serving two terms as Congregational Leader. She was elected again as Congregational Leader in 2015 and re-elected in 2019, a role she currently holds.  Pat Kozak is a member of the Congregation of Saint Joseph, living in Cleveland, Ohio. She has served in congregational leadership and currently works as a facilitator and consultant to religious congregations in the US and Canada. Links:1. CORL stands for the Conference of Religious Leadership2. Sr. Pat references a quote from the poet Rainer Maria Rilke. It can be found in a letter in “Letters To A Young Poet #6” to Mr. Krappus, sent from Rome in 1903. Full quote here: “Be patient and without bitterness, and realize that the least we can do is to make coming into existence no more difficult for Him than the earth does for spring when it wants to come.”3. To learn more about the Sisters of the Incarnate Word, please visit https://incarnatewordorder.org/ 4. To learn more about the Congregation of Saint Joseph, please visit https://www.csjoseph.org/ 

Our May episode highlights Spirits on Fire, a Year-Long formation program for lay leaders in the CSSJ Mission and Tradition. Our guest will be Sr. Judith Minear, a sister of St. Joseph of the Congregation of St. Joseph, or CSJ, who serves as the Coordinator of Mission Integration with CSJ ministries and one of the leaders of Spirits on Fire. Started in 2016, this program serves to form a group of experienced leaders from the Congregation of St. Joseph and the Sisters of St. Joseph to engage deeply with the CSSJ charism in a transformative process of growth. As a member of the Generative Spirit Advisory Committee and the Curriculum Committee for the Ministry Leadership Program, Sr. Judith brings her many years of experience working with leaders of all ages. In an effort to continue the mission of the sisters, Spirits on Fire, focuses their efforts on ongoing formation through accompaniment. To learn more about Spirits on Fire, visit https://spiritsonfire.net/Links:1. Spirits on Fire is a year-long formation program for lay leadersin the CSSJ Mission and Tradition. To learn more about Spirits on Fire, visit https://spiritsonfire.net/ 2. CSJ - Congregation of St. Joseph. The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph is a religious community of nearly 500 vowed Catholic women and over 500 lay associates who live and minister in the U.S. and around the world (via https://www.csjoseph.org/)

Our April episode highlights the Ministry Leadership Program, or MLP, an opportunity for emerging leaders (ages 22-35) at mission-driven schools, colleges, and non-profit organizations. Intergenerational relationships is the element that makes MLP unique, and our guests are examples of that relationship in action. Sister Carol Brandt, a sister of Notre Dame, and Anita Hooley Yoder, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry at Notre Dame College in Cleveland, Ohio join us as two past participants of MLP. We explore the power and surprise that comes with Intergenerational Relationships and the wisdom that can be gleaned from them.To learn more about the Ministry Leadership Program, visit generativespirit.org/ministry-leadership-program or email Rachel Drotar, Program Coordinator, at rdrotar@socfcleveland.org. Applications are due for those interested on April 30th, 2021 and the program begins in August 2021. Links:1. To learn more about the Ministry Leadership Program, visit generativespirit.org/ministry-leadership-program or email Rachel at rdrotar@socfcleveland.org2. ERAA stands for Education, Reflection, Accountability, and Action and is an anti-racism group for White people of faith through Generative Spirit.

Welcome to the first episode of our second season! For our first episode of 2021, we are uplifting the stories of sisters working against Food Insecurity in honor of Catholic Sisters Week. We highlight the East Cleveland Community Garden which began in 2007 by East Cleveland resident Gladys Walcott. Gladys serves as the garden's leader today.In 2017, as part of her Golden Jubilee celebration, the 50th anniversary of taking her vows as a Catholic sister, Sr. Marie Manning, SND decided to become more involved in the community where she worships at St. Philomena Church. Sr. Marie began her involvement at E.C. Community garden as a gardener and assistant in planning, as well as a fundraiser. To learn more about the topic of Food Insecurity, we interview Sr. Marie Manning, SND about her experience at the garden and the Coit Road Farmers Market in East Cleveland.Links:1. Visit E. C. Grows Community Garden at 15000 Woodworth Road, Cleveland, Ohio2. Donate or learn more to E. C. Grows Community Garden - https://www.ecgrowscg.org/ 2. Coit Road Farmers Market - http://www.coitmarket.org/ 3. “White Catholics will never change if they don't encounter their marginalized neighbors” - America Magazine. 4. Catholic Sisters week is an annual recognition of the work of women religious standing with the marginalized, including immigrants, children, racial and economic injustice, in an effort to share their work and spirituality, create community, and offer hope. More information can be found at https://catholicsistersweek.org/ 

We recognize and remember the 40th anniversary of the murder of four Churchwomen in El Salvador: Catholic Sisters Dorothy Kazel, Ita Ford, and Maura Clarke, and laywoman Jean Donovan. The women served in El Salvador during a time of great political unrest that was fueled by financial support from the United States to the Salvadoran government. On December 2, 1980, the women were abducted and killed by the U.S.-backed Salvadoran military for their ministry to those living in poverty. They were targeted because they accompanied refugee families who were victims of the escalating violence and oppression that eventually led to civil war. The people of El Salvador suffered horrific violence during this time, and many religious men and women who stood in solidarity with them, including Saint Oscar Romero, were killed.To learn more about the Churchwomen and their courageous story, we interview Ursuline sisters of Cleveland Sr. Martha Owen and Sr. Rose Elizabeth Terrell. In honoring the Churchwomens' legacy, we discuss their lives, their connection to Cleveland, Ohio, and the ongoing work for justice and nonviolence they inspired.Sr. Martha Owen, OSU, was mission partners with Sr. Dorothy Kazel, OSU, beginning their time in El Salvador in 1974 as part of CLAM (Cleveland Latin American Mission Team). They lived and worked together for 5 years in El Salvador.Sr. Rose Elizabeth Terrell, OSU, began her time in El Salvador about 30 years after the murder of the Churchwomen and worked in community in a rural mountain town. She also provided opportunities for others to visit the site of the murder and to pray in community, carrying on the legacy of the Churchwomen.1. Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland: We Remember and Recommit - Information on the Churchwomen and additional events around the 40th Anniversary. https://www.ursulinesisters.org/we-remember-and-recommit 2. Roses In December Toolkit - Bios of Sister Dorothy Kazel, OSU, Sister Ita Ford, MM, Sister Maura Clarke, MM, and Jean Donovan and resources on the conflict in El Salvador. https://bit.ly/2L1IzjL 3. Audio clip of Dorothy Kazel, OSU from historyspeaks.com. https://historyspeaks.clevelandhistory.org/2016/08/22/sister-dorothy-kazel/ 

Our seventh episode features a conversation with Sr. Rene Weeks, OP, the Director of Centro San Pablo in Salem, Ohio. Centro San Pablo is a ministry of St. Paul Catholic Church that is committed to creating a safe, welcoming space for members of the immigrant community in the Salem area by providing needed social services and Parish programs. We discuss the work of Centro San Pablo, the challenges facing the immigrant community in Salem, and what Sr. Rene has learned from this ministry.

Our 6th episode will discuss Civic Engagement and Voting, highlighting the JPIC committee, an Op-Ed written by representatives from Northeast Ohio Congregations, and reflections from the Diocese Social Action Office about how Catholics move through election season. We hope this episode will be a way for listeners to continue to be present to the election and consider that their participation is essential, reflective, and (as noted from John Lewis' words) sacred. Links to the following documents can be found by visiting the anchor website from your browser: 1. Statement from the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Committee, published October 2020 - http://bit.ly/NEOsistersVOTE 2. John Lewis' Speech (PBS) - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/rep-john-lewis-your-vote-is-precious-almost-sacred 3. A reference to the Apostles Creed was mentioned in episode 6 in which Jesus "descended into hell, on the third day he rose again from the dead". This is included in the Catholic translation of the Apostles Creed.  4. "Conscience, Candidates and Discipleship in Voting", by Bishop McElroy (NCR) -  https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/bishop-mcelroy-voting-faith-and-conscience 

Our fifth episode will include a conversation with Sr. Catherine Walsh, CSA. We will discuss her work with the Catholic Worker in Akron, Ohio and the ways she is using funding from the Sisters on the Frontline initiative, in which we funded 61 sisters with $1,000 for ministries struggling during COVID-19. We will discuss this initiative, it's impact on her ministry, and the ways the needs of those served by the Catholic Worker have changed. To learn more about the national Sisters on the Frontlines initiative, visit https://www.catholicextension.org/sisters-on-the-frontlines/. To learn more about this initiative in Northeast Ohio, please contact Margaret Eigsti, Program Officer at the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland at meigsti@socfcleveland.org.

The fourth episode will include a conversation with Sr. Eilis McCulloh, HM. Sr. Eilis has worked in immigration, on committees centering racial equity, and is currently in law school with the hopes of pursuing immigration law. We will discuss the work of racial equity as it relates to religious life, especially for younger sisters, and discuss the changing landscape of this work in todays world.

Our third episode will continue our theme of exploring the lives of sisters during a global pandemic and how COVID-19 has impacted life and ministry compared to the 1918 Flu. We will be in conversation with Sisters of Notre Dame in Chardon.

Episode 2 of Generative Spirits explores what life was like for Northeast Ohio sisters during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, including their response in healthcare and other ministries. We talk with Sr. Cynthia Glavac, OSU and Sr. Elizabeth Wood, SND, archivists from their congregations that tell a story through documents saved through the century.

Co-hosts Rachel Drotar and Margaret Eigsti introduce themselves and what inspired the creation of a podcast centering on conversations with Catholic Sisters.

A trailer for “Generative Spirits: Conversations with Catholic Sisters”, Catholic Sister podcast that explores how members of Northeast Ohio congregations respond to the signs of the times in ways only Sisters can- with personal insights and a collective knowledge of life and ministry over a century old.