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August 29, 2022, Adrian, Michigan – Are you an experienced writer, or is writing something you have always wanted to try? People of all levels of experience in creative writing are invited to participate in writing workshops offered by Adrian Dominican Sister Tarianne DeYonker, OP, an Amherst Writer and Artists affiliate.

Sister Tarianne offers two hybrid experiences in which writers can participate in person or via Zoom.

• The Teachings of Trees is from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET Saturday, September 24, 2022. As we journey into the autumn, we can glean so much from the wisdom of trees, which have witnessed so many changes in their lives. The workshop includes time for writing and for receiving feedback from other supportive writers. The cost is $35 and registration is required.

• Autumn Harvest: This series of online or in-person workshops is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET Wednesdays, November 2, 9, 16, and 30, 2022. Gather with other creative writers for time set aside to harvest your experiences, thoughts, and the fruits of your imagination. The four-part series gives plenty of time for both writing and feedback. The cost is $80 for the full series and registration is required. Scholarships are available.

All in-person guests will be screened for COVID-19 and are required to wear masks. For those choosing online participation, the Zoom link will be sent closer to the workshop date.

To register, visit www.webercenter.org and click on “programs.” Registrations may also be made by calling 517-266-4000 or emailing webercenter@adriandominicans.org. 

Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Motherhouse, Adrian. Enter the Eastern-most driveway of the complex and follow the signs to Weber Center. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.

August 25, 2022, New York, New York – Since October 2019, Adrian Dominican Sister Durstyne Farnan, OP, has given voice to the Dominican family on issues of concern as they are addressed at the United Nations. Sister Durstyne ministers as the Dominican Sisters Conference (DSC) representative at the United Nations.

“My goal is to assist Dominican women in bringing their voice to the UN on behalf of civil society,” Sister Durstyne told Sister Maxine Kollasch, IHM, in a recent “In Good Faith” podcast for A Nun’s Life. “We are trying to represent some of the issues that Dominicans worldwide are concerned about, such as climate change; such as nuclear weapons; such as homelessness; [and mining] extractions from indigenous areas, particularly in the Amazon.”

Sister Durstyne’s ministry includes serving on several working groups. She spoke at length about her involvement in the Working Group on Girls, which is bringing girls ages 14 to 18 from around the world together virtually to “engage in conversation and write statements” about issues of concern to them, such as gender violence, Sister Durstyne said. 

“Really, it’s an opportunity for girls not to be alone,” Sister Durstyne said. She gave the example of girls in Afghanistan, who, after the Taliban take-over in August 2021, face fewer opportunities and less freedom. “They’re not alone, because there are other girls in the world who are mindful of what’s happening to them, and they’re not going to let [the girls in Afghanistan] be silenced. … These young girls around the world will be advocating for all girls.”

Sister Durstyne’s interview is featured on the “In Good Faith” podcast’s page on the website of A Nun’s Life.