News (click on photo gallery to see photos of the events)


Sr. Jeanne Felion honored		August 16, 2011
Sr. Jeanne Felion honored as Woman of the Year. Click here to read the press release from the California State Assembly

Srs Campbell and Keehan honored		August 16, 2011
Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS, and Carol Keehan honored for advocacy and collaboration by Family USA. Click here to read the press release.

Sr. Chris Machado, SSS		May 5, 2011
Holy Spirit Retreat Center Director, was interviewed recently on an inspirational radio program called Healthy Net Radio. Sr. Chris shared her calling to become a Sister, explored the spiritual focus of the Holy Spirit Retreat Center and what it means to her to be a woman religious within the complexities of today’s world. You can hear her conversation with Dr. Monti at: www.healthylife.net/RadioShow/archiveSNM.htm

Sr. Deborah Lorentz, SSS		May 5, 2011
Program Director for Holy Spirit Retreat Center, recently returned from the Philippines where she taught classes to young women in formation. Sr. Deborah was also chosen to present Addressing Fear: Tools for Dialogue and Reflection, a workshop for Catholic leaders at the Catholic Roundtable Symposium in Washington D.C.

Sr. Gail Young, SSS		May 5, 2011
Program Coordinator for the L.A.Archdiocese Office of Justice and Peace, was recently featured in The Tidings. She described her trip to Africa with Catholic Relief Services. She speaks to parishes and ministry groups on the impact of the work being done in Ethiopia and Tanzania. Read her article at: www.thetidings.com/2010/121010/africa.htm

Sr. Jeanne Felion, SSS		May 5, 2011
along with the Associates, Board and staff of Stanford Settlement (please see the Social Impact Newsletter, Spring 2011, pages 8-9), are joyously celebrating two huge honors – the 75th anniversary of Stanford Settlement and her Woman of the Year award.

Sr. Sheila Walsh, SSS		May 5, 2011
currently volunteers at Clara’s House, a clinic that provides comprehensive primary health care services to anyone who is uninsured in greater Sacramento. She interviews individuals and refers them to Clara’s House where they provide direct medical care and referrals to partner agencies, if necessary. For families without medical coverage the wait can be long, but Sr. Sheila is helping get them one step closer to the direct care they need. Officially “retired,” Sr. Sheila is busier than ever with three very busy non-profits that she volunteers at: Clara’s House, JERICHO: Education and A Voice for Justice (which she founded in 1987) and the National Association of Social Workers.

Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS		May 5, 2011
was deeply humbled and honored to receive a Health Care Heroes award from Families U.S.A. Her collaborative work with other religious, health care administrators and elected officials to represent impoverished people’s rights for basic medical care is seen as pivotal as we move toward more affordable health care for everyone. Many clergy, women religious and other people of faith worked tirelessly to represent the concerns and wishes of people of faith as the final hours of the Health Care Reform drew near. Sr. Simone is passionately committed to helping those on the margins of society.

Sister Jeanne Felion honored		April 14, 2011
SACRAMENTO, CA – In recognition of Women’s History Month, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson recognized Sister Jeanne Felion, SSS as 2011 Woman of the Year for the 9th Assembly District yesterday in a ceremony on the floor of the California State Assembly. Sister Jeanne has served as Executive Director for the Stanford Settlement’s for the past 35 years where she has tirelessly served vulnerable seniors and continually advocated for high-risk children and teens in our community. Read the story here

Sister Celeste Arbuckle, SSS		April 1, 2010
Sister Celeste Arbuckle, SSS, was named to the Council for Women Religious in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Archbishop George Niederauer recently appointed Presentation Sister Rosina Conrotto the Director of the Office of Women Religious, a new office created in response to requests from local women religious that culminated in a gathering with the archbishop on February 20. Sr. Celeste is excited about the focus of this new council which is supporting the extensive work and pressing needs of women religious in the Bay Area. Diverse in background, unified in focus: Pictured (front row from left) are Sisters Fran Tobin, RSCJ, Pat Erickson, OP (Adrian), Judith Benkert, OP (Adrian), Rosina Conrotto, PBVM; (middle from left) Sisters Karen Marie Franks, OP (San Rafael), Angeles Marin, RCM, Terese Marie Perry, RSM, Rosanne Murphy, SNDdeN, Maria Christine Behlow, OP (Cloistered), Maureen O’Brien, BVM; (top from left) Sisters Nancy O’Connor, CSJ, Jeanette Lombardi,OSU, Celeste Arbuckle, SSS, Catherine Cappello, FdCC, Marie Ignatius Clune, RSHM, Dolores Barling, SNJM. Sisters Council members not pictured: Sisters Ann Cassidy, FMA, Jean Marie Fernandez, RGS, and Leonarda Montalto, OP (Philippines).

Sr. Grace Boys, SSS		April 1, 2010
Sr. Grace Boys, SSS, collaborated on the Chinese translation of the recently released textbook Social Work Values and Ethics by Frederic Reamer. This book is being used to support university social work programs throughout Taiwan. Sr. Grace spent 15 years in Taiwan teaching at the university level and conducting research.

Sr. Maribeth Larkin, SSS		April 1, 2010
Sr. Maribeth Larkin, SSS, continues her community organizing role with the pivotal efforts of One L.A. – IAF. As Senior Organizer. Sr. Maribeth was involved in One LA-IAF’s recent Action focusing on concrete educational concerns and goals: supporting students transitioning from elementary to middle school and safer bus stops for area students. To read the Jewish Journal’s coverage of the One LA-IAF Action click here. One L.A – IAF is a broad-based non-partisan organization that has been comprehensively working at the grassroots level to organize communities, leverage local and municipality support, and effectively address the critical needs within the greater Los Angeles area since 2004. One LA - IAF builds upon the Industrial Areas Foundation's legacy of organizing in Los Angeles County over the past eight decades.

Sister Simone Campbell, SSS		March 2, 2010
Sister Simone Campbell, SSS has been hard at work helping guide and inform policy regarding Health Care Reform. She and other clergy, women religious, and religious members of our communities have worked tirelessly side-by-side national lawmakers to find common ground on this important issue. Many believe their involvement was instrumental in bringing light to certain issues and finding comprehensive ways to build bridges around health care reform. Many were involved in this painstaking process of creating avenues for uninsured children and families to get needed care, while protecting and preserving legislation around the deep-felt moral issues involved. Religious women and men have always been at the forefront of education, medical care and other life-sustaining services for the poor.

Sister Catherine Connell, SSS		March 1, 2010
Sister Catherine Connell, SSS clinical psychotherapist, has been working for years on issues surrounding sanctity of life and abolishing the death penalty. In Sacramento, she and other religious are involved with a group, Death Penalty Focus, whose purpose is to bring an end to all capital punishment. Sr. Catherine will be honored on March 26th at the Capitol Awards Banquet. She has worked tirelessly for many years to raise people's awareness that the death penalty targets the poor, the mentally ill and minorities, and cannot possibly help to solve the problem of violence in our communities. Pope John Paul II, when he visited the U.S. many years ago, urged Americans to end the death penalty once and for all. Sr. Catherine has continued to help the Catholic clergy take that message to everyone in the pews, and is still working on that cause today.

Sister Evangeline Lasao, SSS		March 1, 2010
Sister Evangeline Lasao, SSS, is the first novice to undergo formation in the new Philippine Formation House that was recently completed. She says, “Since I started to live with the Sisters I am doing ministry that truly gives me energy. We have a lot of awakening experiences as we grow and build close friendships with the children and families here.” Since the Sisters began work within the Philippines in 1994, with the community’s help they have created a thriving credit union and basic goods store, the Bukluran Multi-purpose Cooperative, as well as the Bahay Lingkod Community Center, which hosts a wide variety of social services for children, families, and the elderly.

Sister Gail Young, SSS		February 1, 2010
Sister Gail Young, SSS has been hard at work collaborating on the Justice for Immigrants Postcard Campaign initiated through the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops. The L. A. Archdiocese’s Office of Justice and Peace is inviting all local parishes to participate in this national effort advocating for humane and concrete immigration reform. With comprehensive reform on the horizon, supporters are making their voices heard on Capitol Hill with this outreach effort. Sr. Gail and others are trying to gather 250,000 postcards from parishes, churches and other humanitarian organizations to send to our congressional leaders in Washington D.C. For more details, please visit www.archdiocese.la/ojp

Sister Jeanne Felion, SSS		February 1, 2010
Sister Jeanne Felion, SSS was recently recognized by Bank of America, in their 2009 Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Awards as a Local Hero. This award recognized Sister Jeanne as dedicated to serving Sacramento neighborhoods,and gave her the opportunity to direct a $5,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to Stanford Settlement. In 1976, Sister Jeanne came to Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center, which had no stable source of funding and was offering minimal drop-in programs. Her work over the years has resulted in development of comprehensive programs for elderly, at-risk teens, and neglected children, and major structural improvements such as helping obtain sidewalks and gutters for the community. She also established community associations, working with local businesses and service groups to provide leadership to the local chamber of commerce. Her vision, perseverance, longevity, and respected reputation in this community make her a hero in the eyes of our most vulnerable citizens.

Autumn Festival of Art		November 12, 2009
Thank you! For the dozens of people who came to celebrate the Holy Spirit Retreat Center's 40th anniversary on October 18, the afternoon was a lively one. Local artists and art lovers shared wine, laughter and time together, in the warmth of the Benedictine tradition. We appreciate all who attended, brought their artwork or who served as patrons of the day. Look for information on this event in our Spring 2010 Social Impact. See pictures from the event here!.

Interrupted Lives		November 12, 2009
Interrupted Lives: Catholic Sisters Under European Communism Thank you for joining us for this ground-breaking documentary film that tells the stories of Eastern European Sisters living their lives of faith, often in secrecy and against great adversity, during the reign of communism in Eastern Europe. All told, over 300 people came to watch the documentary Interrupted Lives and participated in the powerful discussions that followed. We were honored to have the Sisters present who originated the project, Srs. Margaret Nacke and Mary Savoie of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia (Kansas). They gathered narratives from over 3,000 Women Religious in Eastern Europe over the last 16 years and also served as Executive Producers for the film. Sr. Judy Zielinksi, a Franciscan Sister, told about her role as creative writer and producer of the film. Her work on faith-based films at NewGroupMedia have won many awards and raised consciousness about this important film niche. Sr. Anne Lehner, a Sister of Social Service, shared her story of escaping from Hungary during the Communist reign. She became a pivotal leader in the SSS Community and has worked for social justice all her life. For documentary details see Film Trailer here . Read Article from The Tidings here (10/16/09). See more photos here Project and DVD Details To learn more about the Interrupted Lives film project and Faces of Faith, please visit www.interruptedlives.org. To order a copy of the DVD, please call 1-800-235-8722 (or outside the U.S. please call 1-202-722-8716). For more information on the creative projects at NewGroupMedia, please visit www.newgroupmedia.com.

Summer Concerts		September 9, 2009
If you were one of the hundreds of people who enjoyed this summer's concert series, we don't have to explain the diversity of the offerings or the infectious joy that the musicians brought to the Holy Spirit Retreat Center. On this summer's musical menu were the Doyle's with their artful Celtic flavors, vibrant dance and drumming with Emmalyn Moreno, a talented classical quartet headed by Chet Swiatkowski from Mount St. Mary's College, and incredible soloist, Audrey Jaehee Yima, and to top off the season, the soul-filled sounds of the St. Agatha Gospel Choir. See more info here

Investing in L.A. - One LA’s Assembly		July 13, 2009
On July 12, 2009, over 800 local community members, congregations and secular groups alike, gathered with city officials in an overflowing Wilshire Boulevard Temple for One LA’s Assembly entitled Investing in L.A. One of our Sisters of Social Service, Sister Maribeth Larkin, is One LA/IAF’s Senior Organizer. As a community organizer she was deeply involved in helping lay the groundwork and logistics for the public action. Mr. Ricardo Mireles and Ms. Diane Vanette facilitated the discussion with community members; the Superintendent of LAUSD, Ray Cortinez; the City Council Members Bernard Parks, Jan Perry, Jose Huizar; and City Controller Wendy Greuel. Investing in L.A. addressed ways One LA hopes to collaborate with city officials for systemic change as well as the more immediate needs of Los Angeles communities struggling with foreclosures, individuals needing job training programs, and youth and families seeking math literacy support through the Algebra Project (a successful local model for math literacy leading to higher education and job readiness). One LA-IAF is a broad-based, non-partisan organization of dues-paying member congregations, schools, unions and non-profits committed to building power for sustainable social and economic change. For more details about the event, local needs and actions, and One LA-IAF’s other projects, please visit their website at onela-iaf.org/. Read more here.

Sr. Simone interviewed on PBS		July 2, 2009
Sr. Simone Campbell, Executive Director of Network, was interviewed by Bob Abernathy for the PBS program Religion and Ethics News Weekly on the issue of health care reform. Click here to see the video clip of the program.

Different Faces of Poverty		June 18, 2009
Read the article in the Tidings from February 2009

Pentecost Celebrations		May 28, 2009
Renewal of Promises and Jubilee Celebrations - May 2009 On Sunday, May 31, three Sisters of Social Service celebrated their Silver and Golden Jubilees, with friends, family and Sisters helping to honor the festive occasion. The air was filled with palpable appreciation as the celebrants shared stories of their work within Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento communities, helping those on the margins of our world through direct social services, interfaith collaboration and psychotherapy. The following were honored for their work: Silver Jubilee (25 years): Sr. Theresa Marie Chen, Psychiatric Social Worker at Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Centers in L.A. Golden Jubilee (50 years): Sr. Rochell Mitchell, Director of the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, and Sr. Catherine Connell, Psychiatric Social Worker at Kaiser Permanente in Sacramento On Saturday, May 30, we also celebrated the Renewal of Promises for the following Sisters: Sr. Nodelyn Abayan, Early Childhood Education Teacher at San Francisco State College, Head Teacher of the Infant-Toddler Department; Sr. Rosanna Cardona Contreras, student in Centro Morelia, Michoacan; Sr. Sonia Delima, Social Worker with youth and families at Regis House; Sr. Ofelia Torres Garcia, student in Zacapu, Michoacan; Sr. Gail Young, Program Coordinator at the Office of Justice and Peace for the Los Angeles Archdiocese Please click here for bios of the Jubilarian Celebrants. Please click photo gallery above for photos from the event.