What's Happening

April 24, 2026, Adrian, Michigan – The new iteration and venue of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ long-time INAI art gallery opened in Madden Hall with an artists’ reception and the opportunity for featured artists and others to view Engaged: The Art of Women, the new gallery’s first exhibit. The reception was held on the afternoon of Sunday, April 12, 2026.

The INAI at Madden Gallery occupies an area of Madden hall near the entrance to Holy Rosary Chapel and the Congregation’s historical area and is accessible through Weber Retreat and Conference Center. The original INAI Gallery was adjacent to Weber Retreat and Conference Center.

The new space “was an excellent choice” for the site of the new INAI, explained Sister Suzanne Schreiber, OP, long-time coordinator of INAI. “I could envision it as a nice place for art.”

Other aspects of the former INAI have also been recreated in Madden Hall. A meditation area is part of the gallery and what had once been a formal dining room has become a quiet room, with a library of books on art and spirituality, comfortable chairs and sofas, and a table to offer Weber Center guests, Sisters, Associates, and Co-workers a quiet place to read and reflect. “We want to create a space where people can come and be quiet, be inspired, appreciate art, and give some thought to what [the artists] are saying,” Sister Sue said.

The first exhibit at INAI at Madden was created by a committee. The late Sister Barbara Cervenka, OP, a member of the Congregation’s Women’s Enactment Circle, “proposed that there would be some aspect of that Enactment that would not just deal with the problems women struggle with but also with art and women’s expression through art,” Sister Sue explained. She involved Sisters and Associates who were artists, as well as women from the Adrian Center for the Arts, to develop the first exhibit. 

“I felt that, after its closing, INAI needed to be resurrected in some way,” said Connie Meyer, who served on Sister Barbara’s committee that planned and organized the INAI at Madden Gallery. “Having this space in this beautiful building used for women artists is a beautiful expression of the Adrian Dominicans’ mission.”

Connie expressed her hope that INAI at Madden would be “a special place for the community and the extended community, for those who come to Weber Center for retreats and for the community of Adrian.”

Julie Klein, an artist who specializes in watercolor, found the new gallery to be amazing. “It’s a beautiful room for art and a beautiful building. [Madden Hall] itself is a piece of art.” She described the former INAI gallery as a “beautiful, peaceful place,” which she periodically visited.

Jim and Amy Anderson, resident ceramicists with the Adrian Center for the Arts – a partner of INAI – were also pleased with the new INAI gallery. Amy, a member of the committee that planned the new gallery, especially likes the space and lighting of the new gallery.

“I’m glad Sister Sue is continuing her involvement with the gallery and shows, and I think she picked a really good topic” for the first exhibit, Jim said. “There are a lot of really thoughtful reflections on the pieces that she chose to put in the show.”

Many of the artists featured in the first exhibit expressed gratitude that their artwork was included. “There’s a saying among artists that ‘Anonymous’ was a woman,” said Judith Engel, an Associate. “In earlier times, women were considered inferior [in art]. Our sense with this is, ‘Women are not anonymous.’ The whole focus [of the exhibit] is on the voices of women and the thinking and the feeling and the imagery … of what it means to be a woman in the arts. I’m very delighted and happy and pleased to be part of that.”

Sister Janet Wright, OP, an artist who focuses on watercolor, said she is delighted with the new space. “When we heard that INAI was going to close, we knew we had to rebuild it…. Once we got over the shock of INAI closing, we thought, ‘Where could we go?’ This is just perfect. It’s a natural.” 

 

Caption for above feature photo: Guests of the INAI at Madden Gallery Artists’ Reception converse and examine the artwork of the opening exhibit.

March 4, 2026, Miami, Florida – Two Adrian Dominican Sisters – themselves immigrants from Latin America and naturalized U.S. citizens – were among a group of Catholics and other people of goodwill participating in late January 2026 in a Mass, procession, and prayer service in Miami in solidarity with their immigrant sisters and brothers. Participants attended Mass at Gesú Church and processed to the Immigration Court to attend the prayer service. The service included testimony from people affected by the recent efforts to deport immigrants.

The event was sponsored by Barry University, founded by the Adrian Dominican Sisters; Gesú Church; the Instituto Jesuita Pedro Arrupe, and Catholic Legal Services of the Archdiocese of Miami.

“I think that because I’m a Latina who came to this country [from the Dominican Republic] 18 years ago, what happens with immigration is close to my heart,” said Sister Xiomara Méndez-Hernández, OP. “I’ve had to be intentional about being a presence where I can.” 

Sister Marilín Llanes, OP, came to the United States from Cuba with her parents at the age of 6. “I came at a time in the early ’70s when this country welcomed immigrants, especially from Cuba,” she said. “I am very sad and appalled at the lack of respect and welcome to immigrants today.” 

Sister Marilín noted that in the past year in Miami – a city where more than 60% to 70% of the population is Latino – the amount of public outrage against the treatment of immigrants has been sparse. But the January event drew a crowd of about 200 citizens and residents united in their concern for the immigrants. 

Sisters Xiomara and Marilín were not sure what to expect during the event. “We were prepared for the best and for the worst,” Sister Xiomara said. “We had Plan A, B, and C. We sat in a strategic place where we could see the exit.” They also stayed together throughout the event for their safety and brought their passports to verify their U.S. citizenship. Sister Xiomara said she was nervous in attending the event, which took place shortly after the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. But, she added, “we didn’t want fear to stop us from being a presence.”

They were pleased by the sense of unity among the participants. “There wasn’t any altercation, any agitation,” Sister Marilín said. “It was very peaceful.” The police escorted them during the procession and protected them as they headed back to their car, she added. “We felt like we had bodyguards.”

Sister Xiomara said the presence and the attitude of the police transformed the event for her. “I was telling the police, thank you, and they were so appreciative,” she recalled. “They said, ‘We’re honored to serve you.’ That changed the tune. The way we reverenced them – everybody was so respectful and so grateful to the police.”

Sisters Marilín and Xiomara said they are always watching out for opportunities to stand with the immigrants and to be a presence to them and hope to attend a monthly ecumenical prayer service in nearby Broward County. “It’s being a presence but also reaching out to our legislators, voicing ourselves through that venue.”

At the same time, they also strive to reach out to people who have opposing political views. Sister Marilín recalled a recent incident in which a member of a conservative youth group asked her how the Adrian Dominican Sisters stand on immigration. “I realized I had to put aside my difference with her, and we kept the conversation to the point that she felt that her parish wasn’t praying for the immigrants,” she said. “She might agree with some of the policies that I don’t agree with, but we find a place to keep the conversation [going].”

Noting that Florida is a Republican state, Sister Xiomara said, “Some of my good friends, loving people, they voted for [President Donald] Trump, and I have been tempted not to engage with them. But we honor each other, and because we love each other, we can engage in conversation.” 

Sister Marilín added: “If Dominic were around, he would really support the dialogue.” 

 

Feature Photo at Top: Members of the Barry University community participate in the Mass, procession, and prayer service for immigrants in January. Among them, standing in the center front, are Sister Marilín Llanes, OP, left, wearing a black T-shirt; Father Jorge Presmanes, OP, in the white habit; and Sister Xiomara Méndez-Hernández, OP.