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Recent Ceremonies
20th Anniversary - We Remember the Fire
27th Annual WAVE Awards
A Day with the "Friends of the Sisters"
St. Joseph's Hospital's New Pavillion
Visiting Sister Gene in Tijuana
March for Life
To Lourdes with Love
Recent Ceremonies
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Our most recent ceremony - November 8, 2009,
welcomed Sisters Colleen McDermott and Kathy Repass
to a special step in their process of Becoming
Dominican. They entered the novitiate and became
our newest sisters!
To enter into the journey of women who have responded to God's call lived through the lifestyle of the preacher in the tradition of Dominic, and view photos of recent ceremonies, please click on the link below: |
Ceremonies >
20th Anniversary - We Remember the Fire
Today we remember the fire that burned our Motherhouse. We recall with great gratitude those who guided us in the aftermath, especially Sr. Kristin and the Council at that time: Srs. Linda Burris, Aaron Winkleman, Barbara Green, Lois Silva, Victoria Commins and Francis de Sales Taggart.
We give thanks as we recall the firemen, the policemen, the maintenance workers and all who came to our rescue that day.
We thank God for all our friends, families and neighbors who supported us not only that day, but also through the process of recovery, and who continue to stand with us today.
We give thanks for the architects, the contractors and all who preserved our campus/grounds and made our new beautiful buildings a reality.
We have been deeply blessed by God and by the friends of God. May we be a blessing in the lives of others; may we find new ways to share our blessings with others.
With loving prayers on this day of remembrance,
Sr. Maureen

The fire started under the eaves on the fourth floor of the motherhouse on July 12, 1990. |

The firemen worked tirelessly, extinguishing the fire. All the sisters were safe. |

The motherhouse as it was before the fire. |

Dominican Sisters Center today. |
27th Annual WAVE Awards
Each year GirlSource, presents the WAVE Award to three exceptional women over the age of 60, who through their leadership and pioneering spirit have made significant contributions to our [Bay Area] community. The event raises funds to support GirlSource programs which provide meaningful mentorship, work, and leadership opportunities for urban, low-income young women. This year our very own Sister Marion Irvine was one of the honorees,
along with Arabella Martinez and Betty Reid Soskin. To learn more about the honorees, please go to this website.

Sr. Marion on the stage with honorees (on the left) Arabella Martinez and Betty Reid.
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Sr. Marion receiving the award. |
A
Day with the "Friends of the Sisters"
About fifty "Friends of the Sisters"
joined the Dominican Sisters in San Rafael for a presentation
by Sister Barbara Green, OP, who is a professor of
Biblical Studies at the Dominican School of Philosophy
and Theology in Berkeley.
Everyone enjoyed their day together and appreciated a
day of study and reflection on "Praying the Psalms."

Sister Adele Gerlach (standing) is
the coordinator
of the day. Sister
Barbara Green (in the pink
sweater)
is the presenter. |

Sister Kit Hamilton acts as docent for some of our
guests in our Heritage Room. |

Sister Cathy Murray (left) and Valerie Cook enjoy
lunch together. |

Sister Aaron Winkleman (right) enjoys her time with
a breakout group while they write a psalm of
their own. |
St.
Joseph's Hospital's New Pavillion
Our sisters joined in the celebrations
at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton, as its
new, 78 bed, state-of-the-art Patient Pavillion was
dedicated on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 2010.
The growth of the hospital - originally an old men's
home and today know as St. Joseph's Medical Center
- was due primarily to the determination, care, and
commitment of the sisters working with to people of
Stockton. The hospital is presently part of the Catholic
Healthcare West (CHW) system. The Dominican Sisters
of San Rafael are co-sponsors of CHW along with several
other religious congregations sponsoring hospitals
in the Western region of the U.S.

Bishop Stephen Blaire is accompanied
by Sr. Maureen McInerney, Prioress General of
the Dominican Sisters, as he blesses the new
Pavillion at St. Joseph's.
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Around 2,500 members of the Stockton community
gathered at the blessing and opening of the Pavillion. |

Inside the new pavillion, those gathered enjoy
the stained glass window. |

Some of the sisters gather for a photo opportunity.
Two members of the
St. Joseph's community stood
in for
Fr. O'Connor and Sr. Gabriel, both of
whom were very important in the heritage of
the hospital. Surely they
were with us in spirit! |
Visiting
Sister Gene in Tijuana
On January 26, Sister Colleen McDermott
and Elizabeth Simovich traveled to Tijuana, Mexico
to spend a few days with Sister Gene
McNally at her mission there in Colonia Esperanza. They
visited the church, the clinic, the play area, and the
classrooms along with many of the houses and workshops
that were built or improved through the mission funds
granted by the congregation.
During the tour, Sr. Gene frequently
indicated how donations from specific groups and individuals
had been used to fund the work and building projects. She
showed the beautiful work completed by the craftsmen
that the program has helped. She also pointed
out a variety of sturdy chairs, cabinets, and other
furnishings left over from numerous Dominican sisters’ and
Dominican University buildings.
This collaboration can remind us of the
reading from I Corinthians 12 where St. Paul talked
about how we each have different gifts for the benefit
of the wider community and how we need all of them
to truly be whole.
If you would like to see some additional pictures
and learn more about the individual programs, visit
Sr. Gene’s website at http://www.dominicansr-inbaja.org/.

Sister Gene explains many of the services offered
at the clinica and in the classrooms in Colonia
Esperanza to Sister Colleen. |

The play yard is a very special and safe place in
the colonia. There is also a basketball court
that many love to use. |

This is a view of homes on the hillside. |

Sister Gene says goodbye to Elizabeth
after driving
them back over the border
to San Diego. |
March
for Life
As we have in past years, our sisters
participated in the 6th Annual Wlak for Life West Coast
on January 22, 1011. Despite rain, tens of thousands
of pro-lifers filled the streets of San Francisco
in support of the dignity of human life. For more information
on the event visit the Walk
for Life website.
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The rain may not have been a good day for cameras,
but it didn't dampen the spirits of our marchers
Elizabeth Simovich, and Sisters Marion Irvine
and Bernadette Wombacher.
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To
Lourdes with Love
Eight members of the Dominican College
Class of 1959 had such a wonderful time at their 50th
reunion last spring that they wanted to get together
again. Their brainstorm grew to include invitations
to members of other classes they'd gone to school with,
and a desire to give something back to the Dominican
Sisters who'd taught them.
"To Lourdes With Love" was the result. The
Alumni Relations office of Dominican University collaborated
with the planning committee and our development office
to create a special event. Forty women came to the
gathering space at the Dominican Sisters Center on
December 9 and enjoyed memories, laughter, a silent
auction and a beautiful luncheon. Several sisters attended
and the proceeds were donated to the Lourdes Renovation
Fund.
Our Lady of Lourdes Convent is home to twenty-four
of our elderly and infirm sisters. A multi-phase renovation
project will make parts of the 100 year old building
more modern and comfortable. For more information,
please contact our Development Director, Kate Martin
at 415 456 1544.
We are grateful to members of the "To Lourdes
With Love" Committee: Lilla O'Sullivan Roll, Paula
Peters Avanzino, Nina Concannon Radisch, Carol O'Connor
Siri, Mary Nevin Henderson, Mary Lou Mitchell Byrd,
Diane Lucas and Peggy McGuire.

Committee chairs Mary Henderson and Carol Siri
confer as they set up
the silent auction.
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Sister Adele Rowland, far right,
greets three other redbirds!
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A blue and silver Father Christmas graced the silent
auction table. |

Silent auction action |
 More
silent auction action |

Blueprint of plans for the Lourdes Convent renovation
and photos of the Sisters living at Lourdes. |

Sister Patricia Simpson who will serve as moderator
of Lourdes Convent starting in mid-January
2010, described the planned changes. |

A Christmas luncheon is enjoyed by all. |
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