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September 7, 2016, Detroit – Sister Heather Stiverson, OP, is one of six U.S. Catholic Sisters to be featured in a newly launched national social media campaign, “Sister to All.” The campaign was conceived and is being run by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Sister Heather was held up as an example of Sisters in her work as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor and front desk staff member of Dominican Literacy Center in Detroit. Noting the challenges and joys of watching her students struggle with and improve their English skills, Sister Heather said, “I pray every day before I come to work that I can be the best person I can be for these students.”
Other Sisters were featured in the campaign’s materials for their work with people who are homeless, newly-arrived Hispanic immigrants, women in street-level prostitution, and people struggling with substance abuse.
Released on September 6 – shortly after the canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta – the Sister to All campaign aims to dispel the misunderstandings that many people have about Catholic Sisters. Research commissioned by the foundation discovered that while the majority of Americans view Catholic Sisters favorably, they still have common stereotypes about Sisters. For example, many believe that Sisters have little or no impact on non-Catholics when, in fact, they serve people of all faith traditions and ethnic backgrounds.
Many also believe that religious life is a tradition from the past and is dying out. The research discovered, however, that about a quarter of all Catholic women have considered becoming a Sister.
Sister Heather is a case in point. When she first met the Adrian Dominican Sisters as a nursing assistant in the Dominican Life Center, she was not a Catholic. She felt drawn to the Eucharist and converted to Catholicism. At the invitation of the Sisters, she discerned whether God might be calling her to enter the Congregation.
“I was really attracted to their joy and work in social justice, especially with people on the margins,” she said. “I spent a year in discernment, talking to God and talking to other people. I felt God was calling me to something more in my life, to be a Sister.”
If you are considering religious life and would like to explore life as an Adrian Dominican Sister, please contact Sister Sara Fairbanks, OP, at 517-266-353; or toll-free, 1-866-774-0005; or email vocations@adriandominicans.org.
Read more about Sister to All in an article published by the National Catholic Reporter’s Global Sisters Report.
Feature photo: Sister Heather Stiverson, OP, works with ESL students at Dominican Literacy Center in Detroit. Courtesy of Sister to All Campaign
By Sister Jean Williams, OP
September 7, 2016, Wilmette, Illinois – Legacy is about interconnectedness. It is about honoring the past, living in the present, and building for the future.
The new Legacy Wall displayed outside of chapel of Regina Dominican tells the story of the Adrian Dominican Sisters who are integral to the life and history of the high school. Since 1958, more than 150 sisters have served as administrators and teachers in our school. Through their leadership, teaching, and interaction with students, they brought to life the charism of the Dominican Order and the Mission and Vision of the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Their legacy continues to this day.
The Legacy Wall reminds us that Regina Dominican has a rich history. The power of this history enables us to live fully in the present while envisioning a vibrant future for the school. It provides a strong foundation of prayer, study, community, and service to support all that we do today and in the days to come.
We give praise and thanks to God for the many Sisters who helped create our proud history. We give thanks for the continued sponsorship of the Adrian Dominican Sisters who give us life through their mission and vision.
Regina Dominican’s current students are also integral to the life and legacy of the school. In this video of the freshman retreat, edited by Lauren Murphy, students and faculty members show why they love Regina Dominican.