In the Company of Charity

This episode was originally recorded for the Flourishing Sisterhood podcast. In this podcast, Sister Kathy Overmann, DC, reflects on her life, her vocation, and her various ministries. She touches on the roots of her call to the Daughters of Charity, the hardships in her life, and how she has served those in need throughout the country. She notes that through all of these experiences, she has discovered the importance of recognizing everyone as human and embracing everyone for who they are.

As we near the end of Lent, people begin to get excited about Easter. While the Easter season is certainly something to celebrate, many of us want to skip over Holy Week. But, Holy Week, specifically the Triduum, is important to the story Easter. On today's episode, Father Patrick Griffin, CM, explains why the Triduum is so vital and how we can take the time to appreciate these days.

Lent is a season of quiet focus. We do challenges, we make sacrifices, and we pray more. But, what about after Lent is over? Today, Father Pat McDevitt, CM, joins us to talk about the "after." He tells us it shouldn't end with Easter. We should continue through the Easter season, into Ordinary Time, and for our whole lives.

We're almost halfway through Lent and today, we're checking up with Sister Mary Ellen Thomas, DC. Sister Mary Ellen shares with us what makes this Lent different from all the others and how she's using it to get deeper in the presence of the Lord. Spoiler alert, it involves a lot of prayer and a lot of listening! Share with us how you are using this Lenten season to grow deeper in your own relationship with God.

Today, we're joined by Sister Sharon Richardt, DC, to talk about the art of Spiritual Direction. Having a good spiritual director can help you with more than just your spiritual life and can help to guide you toward God's call for you! We talk about tools that Sister Sharon uses and more!

**This episode contains talk of addiction, pornography, and problematic sexual behaviorToday we're joined by Lauren Scharmer, a licensed clinical social worker who has a specialty in treating sexual addiction. We dive into not only sexual addiction, but other forms of addiction and how any form can hinder our relationships with not only others, but ourselves and God as well. Lauren offers helpful stats, history, and advice as well as reflection on these topics.If you or anyone you know needs help, there are resources available.- Fight the New Drug: https://fightthenewdrug.org/

Welcome back to another cohost chat with your favorite podcast hosts, Sister Elizabeth & Sister Liz! This week, we're touching on our side hustles, our passion projects, our unofficial ministries...whatever you want to call them, we're talking about them! From prayer groups to anti-human trafficking work, Sister Elizabeth is keeping busy! We also get an update on Sister Liz's fifth marathon and the most recent discernment retreat.

400 years ago, St. Vincent de Paul gave a world-changing sermon in France which formed into the Congregation of the Mission (or Vincentian priests). Today, one of our favorite Vincentian priests, Father Patrick Griffin, CM, is back to give us a little history on St. Vincent de Paul and how exactly he began forming all of the organizations that came after.

Today, we're talking all things St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. With her feast day just having passed and the 50th anniversary of her canonization taking place this year, it's a special time to dig into her life and legacy. Becca Corbell from the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland is helping us to do just that. From reflecting on St. Elizabeth's life to how her life has impacted others today, including Becca and Sister Liz, we note just how far spread St. Elizabeth's legacy has grown.

We're at the end of 2024 and getting ready to welcome in the new year. As Daughters, December 31 is a day of retreat to spend time in silence with God, reflect on the year we've had, and prepare for what He's calling us to do in the coming year. In this podcast, Sister Mary Jo Stein talks about the importance of this day and how it helps her in the fresh year.

We're in the midst of Advent, a season of waiting and a season a business. As we reflect on the season, we're asking ourselves how we're creating the space for Jesus to enter our lives more deeply. Today, our cohosts share a little on Advent, Christmas, and life in general as well as give a little peek into what to expect in the new year.

The Christmas Novena has been a tradition with the Daughters of Charity communities since 1720 when an Italian priest, Carlo Antonio Vachetta, arranged the music for it based on a novena that had been prayed in Italy for many centuries. Originally sung in Latin, the novena was translated to English in the United States around 1964.

For today's episode, we're headed back to Santa Barbara, California. Our guest, Sergey Salushchev, is the Archivist for St. Vincent's in Santa Barbara. He joins us today to give us a background on the Daughters' westward expansion into California and the history our services there. He highlights how the Sisters were able to adapt to the changes of the time and continue to provide for those most in need in new ways throughout the years there.

When the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Laboure with the request to create the Miraculous Medal, Mary said that "anyone who wears the medal will receive great graces." Throughout the years since, many stories have been told of those who have received those graces. While living and serving in Taiwan, Sister Martin Dehlinger, DC, witnessed one of these events. This is her story.

This episode, we're joined by Chuck Levesque, Director of Depaul USA, a national nonprofit organization inspired that addresses homelessness in innovative ways. Inspired by St. Vincent de Paul, Depaul USA has grown to 11 different cities, tackling the homelessness crisis in unique ways in each place according to the needs of the community.Want to learn more about Depaul USA? Check out their website and see how you could get involved: https://depaulusa.org/

If you had the opportunity to leave everything behind and live on a ship to serve those in need, would you? Today's guest, Reanne Newquist, and her family did. The family of five left their lives in California to serve the sick in West Africa with Mercy Ships. For a year, they lived onboard the Africa Mercy Ship, a vessel docked in Senegal. Now, Reanne is sharing with us not only her story, but the mission of Mercy Ships and how they are working to serve those most in need.To learn more about Mercy Ships:www.mercyships.org/servewww.facebook.com/MercyShipswww.instagram.com/mercyships/www.twitter.com/mercyships

Sister Rocio Briones, DC, has only been out of Seminary (novitiate) for six months, but she's already making an impact in Santa Barbara. Sister Rocio dove in headfirst at her first mission, working at the Father Virgil Cordano Center where they serve the homeless population, as well as on the St. Vincent Campus, where she has been working on an inter-generational program for the seniors and children to get to interact. On this podcast, we hear about all of these programs and ministries, their history, and how Sister Rocio fits into their stories.

Today we're joined by our friend and vocation director, Sister Lisa Laguna, DC. She's answering some of our most frequently asked questions about religious discernment. From spiritual director vs. vocation director to family to social media, we covered it all!

Happy Feast of St. Vincent de Paul! If you've been a listener for awhile, you know that means it's time for the new season to begin! Welcome to season SEVEN!To kick off the season, we have Sister Theresa Sullivan, DC. Sister Theresa is the Director of Daybreak, a ministry of Depaul USA, that operates as a day resource center for those experiencing homelessness in the area. Sister Theresa is the third director of Daybreak and our very own Sister Elizabeth Greim, DC, just so happens to have been the first. Between the two of them, we hear all about the founding of Daybreak and just how much it's grown since it's founding in 2011. Between adding new buildings and gaining the support of the whole community, it's clear there's been a lot of love poured into this ministry!

This week, we're chatting with our cohosts! We touch on our recent activities, our missions, where we've been finding Jesus, the history of the Daughters in the US, and more! You won't want to miss this final episode of season six.

How blessed it is to find a life-long friend! It can be even more special when that friend is also your Sister in Community. This week, we're joined by two Sisters who have found such a friendship within each other, Sister Ann Marie Butler, DC, and Sister Mary Beth Kubera, DC. They chat with us about how they met, how they became friends, and how they maintain such a close bond living far apart. They also discuss the realities of friendship within community and more!

Everyone's path to holiness is unique. The Lord calls us all to live in different ways and to give ourselves to him in our own way. Breanne DeMarco has discovered this throughout her life and now tries to help others on their paths. Today, she sits down with Sister Liz Sjoberg, D.C., to discuss the path that she's on and the lessons she has learned along the way.You can get in touch with Breanne at: victorybreanne@gmail.com

After being reunited for a Provincial Meeting, our cohosts are back on the podcast to recap the meeting and more! Sister Elizabeth and Sister Liz chat about how they feel reenergized by the togetherness and enthusiasm of the meeting and what their key takeaways were. They also discuss their missions, both previous and upcoming, as some major changes are happening for one of them.

Father Patrick Griffin, CM, joins us again in part two of our feature on Barnabas. This time, we talk specifically about how his encouragement of Paul changed Paul into the man we know him as. From this, Paul wrote letters of encouragement to his followers, which we still read today!

Repeat Episode: As we read the Acts of the Apostles and other parts of the Bible, we read about Barnabas. However, we never get any quotes from him. Who was Barnabas? How is someone who never speaks so influential to the Church? Father Patrick Griffin, CM, joins Sister Elizabeth Greim, D.C., to break down Barnabas's character and dive into who he was and the impact he made.

Today, Sister Liz Sjoberg is joined by Christian singer, songwriter, and author, John Michael Talbot. John Michael Talbot is also the founder of the monastic community known as the Brothers and Sisters of Charity. Today, he shares about his upbringing, what led him to Catholicism, and what good he seeing in his community. He also shares his own recent conversion story and how it has impacted him ever since.

This episode marks the end of our Carville series. To wrap up our feature on the National Leprosarium, we're joined again by Wendy Chin-Tanner (author of King of the Armadillos) and Walter Chin (Wendy's father and inspiration for her book), as well as Sister Loretto Gettemeier, Sister Ellen Kron, and Sister Mary Louise Stubbs. Each of the three Sisters has her own tie to Carville and each shares her stories of the Daughters of Charity who served there.

In this third episode of series on the National Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana, we get to meet Walter Chin, the real king of the armadillos. Walter is Wendy Chin-Tanner's father who inspired her to write her book, King of the Armadillos. We also have Elizabeth Schexnyder, Archivist for the National Hansen's Disease Museum, back to join the father-daughter duo. In this episode, we talk about Walter's time at Carville and how the Daughters serving there shaped his nine years in residence as well as the rest of his life.

Sister Elizabeth Greim is joined in part two of our series on the National Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana by Wendy Chin-Tanner, author of King of the Armadillos and daughter of a former patient. The pair are joined this time by Scott Keefer, Archivist for the Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise, and Elizabeth Schexnyder, Archivist for the National Hansen's Disease Museum. The four discuss the history of the Leprosarium, what all still exists from the time of operation, and how these artifacts can help to destigmatize Hansen's disease. They also discuss the vital role the Daughters played not in running the hospital, but of saving the information for us to have still today.

This episode is the first of a four-part series surrounding the National Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana. The Daughters of Charity are tied to the facility by having lived and ministered there for over 100 years. Our guest today, Wendy Chin-Tanner, is tied to the facility by her father having lived and been treated there for 9 years. Wendy has written a historical fiction novel, titled King of the Armadillos, based loosely on her dad's experience. Today, we dive into the book, her dad's history, and the impact of the Daughters at Carville and set the scene for the other three episodes to come!

In today's cohost chat, Sister Elizabeth and Sister Liz catch us up on their Lenten journeys, their lives, and the future. They talk about lessons they learned over the course of this Lenten season and how that will continue in their lives. And, if you enjoyed the Lenten series, be sure to stay tuned to the end to hear about a new series coming up around the corner!

In our final episode of our Lenten series with Father Patrick Griffin, we dig into Psalm 130. If you've missed any of our previous episode, be sure to check them out and join us in looking deeper into the Psalms of Lament!

In this week's Lenten series, Father Patrick Griffin, CM, takes us to the penitential psalms, including Psalm 51. Daughters of Charity say Psalm 51 every week during morning prayer, so this episode gave us a whole new meaning to it!

For the second week of Lent, we're joined again by Father Patrick Griffin, CM. Father Patrick continues his analysis of the Psalms of Lament with Psalm 88

This Lent, our friend Father Patrick Griffin, CM, is helping us to dig deeper into the Psalms, specifically the Psalms of Lament. Starting this week, Father analyzes the psalms and helps us to think about them in a potential new light.

Each year, as we enter into the Lenten season, we begin a time of special reflection. On this podcast, we share how both Sister Elizabeth and Sister Liz plan to spend their Lent. Be sure to stay tuned to the end to find out who we will be having on the podcast throughout Lent to journey with us.

This episode, Sister Liz Sjoberg, D.C., is joined by Sister Kara Davis, D.C. Sister Kara recently returned from the Vincentian Session at the Motherhouse in Paris, France. The session was designed for Sisters between 7-10 vocation and allowed them to meet others from around the world, pray at the Motherhouse, and visit important sites from St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac's lives. Sister Kara shares the highlights of the month-long experience and offers advice on how you can have your own pilgrimage without leaving your town.

World Youth Day is an experience like no other. Seeing so many young people in one place, so proudly and energetically celebrating their faith is so very moving. Sister Jean Rhoads, DC, and Sister Carissa Kulpa, DC, both had the honor of attending in August in Lisbon, Portugal. On this podcast, they share about their experiences, both funny and moving, their favorite parts, and how the experience stays with them months later.

In our first episode of 2024, Sister Elizabeth is joined by Sister Tiblets from Ethiopia and Sister Alganesh from Eritrea. Together at the Motherhouse in Paris, the three talk about the internationality of the Daughters of Charity, formation, and more!

During this third week of Advent, Sister Mary Kay Tyrell, DC, joins the podcast to talk about the Gospel reading for the fourth Sunday of Advent. In this Gospel story, we hear about how the birth of Jesus came about. As a midwife, Sister Mary Kay has a unique vision on this particular Gospel and provides some of her own reflections.

For week 2 of Advent, Sister Iliana Aponte, DC, chooses Sunday's Gospel to reflect on. She reflects on the need for comfort and the ways in which we can help to comfort those most in need this Advent.

We're officially in the first week of Advent! Throughout the season of Advent, we'll be talking to different Sisters about some of the Gospel readings of the week. This week, Sister Bella Davila reflects on Thursday's Gospel and about hope in her life, especially in Advent.

It's that time of year again! No, we don't mean Thanksgiving or Advent. We mean the time of the Daughters of Charity Triduum. Our Triduum includes the Feast of the Miraculous Medal (November 27), Feast of St. Catherine Labouré (November 28), and the Anniversary of the Foundation of the Daughters of Charity (November 29). What a special three days! In today's podcast, our cohosts chat with each other about the Triduum and what's most special to them.

Sister Liz Sjoberg is joined today by Michelle, the President of Cross Catholic Outreach. Cross Catholic is an organization that helps with funding projects around the world run by Priests, Sisters, or Lay Catholic Missionaries. In 2022, they helped to serve in 36 countries, 263 projects, with over $300 million in aid. Listen as Michelle explains how she got involved and what exactly they're doing to serve the poor throughout the world.

Community life comes with many joys and challenges, including occasionally getting to live with your best friends! Sister Molly Smith, DC, and Sister Mary Rose DeDonato, DC, are two of those Daughters of Charity who have shared part of their lives with each other over the course of many years. On today's episode, Sister Molly and Sister Mary Rose shared stories from their time as Daughters of Charity and the joys they have experienced, together and apart.

Today's episode is part of the series of interviews recorded at our Motherhouse in Paris, France. Sister Elizabeth Greim, DC, chats with two Nigerian Daughters of Charity, Sister Toyin and Sister Helen. They discuss the universality of our charism, their vocation stories, and their hopes for the Daughters around the world!

As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul, Sister Liz Sjoberg, DC, sits down with our very own Sister Marie Poole, DC. As the translator of many volumes of their writings, conferences, and letters, Sister Marie is an expert in St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac. Sister Marie tells us how she got started translating these important documents and how some of the lessons our founders shared in the 17th century can still be applied today.

Today, we're getting to interview one of our favorite cohosts, Sister Elizabeth Greim, DC! Sister Elizabeth recently attended the Seminarium at our Motherhouse in Paris, where she was in the company of Daughters of Charity from all around the world who work with young Sisters (and Sisters-to-be) in formation. Sister Elizabeth shares some of the insightful bits of information she learned from the experience, including the importance of accompanying those in formation.

Our lives and our history tells the story of the Company of the Daughters of Charity as a whole. It's important to preserve as much of that as we can. This is what Scott Keefer does in the Provincial Archives. Located in Emmitsburg, the archives holds so much history of the Daughters in the US. Scott joins the podcast today to tell us what is important to save, why it's important, and what is the most significant items in the collection.

Prayer is an important part of creating, strengthening, and maintaining a relationship with God. But sometimes, we all feel "stuck" in prayer. Father Adam MacDonald, SVD joins Sister Liz on the podcast today to chat about prayer. He emphasizes the importance of having a prayer toolbox from which you can pull and help to reenergize your prayer life. They also talk about the types of prayer they have found useful in different points in their lives.

One of the best parts of the Daughters of Charity is the internationality of the community! Sister Elizabeth Greim recently visited the Motherhouse with other Sisters from around the world. She sat down with Sisters Sibina and Sister Lucy from the Province of South India. Sisters Sibina and Lucy tell us about their own vocation stories, their ministries in India, and more!