What's Happening

August 6, 2021, Adrian, Michigan – Responding to a call from historian Shannen Dee Williams to the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), the Adrian Dominican Sisters and many other congregations have been exploring their congregations’ roles and complicity in racism with the goal of eradicating it. The COVID-19 pandemic and the May 2020 murder of George Floyd brought greater awareness to systemic racism in the United States, of which women religious were not exempt from racist practices. 

An August 5, 2021, National Catholic Reporter Global Sisters Report article by Dan Stockman describes what congregations found and their efforts to address racism. "We as women religious are absolutely called to this work,” Adrian Dominican Sister Elise García, OP, President of LCWR, said in the article. “It's fundamental to who we say we are, and the first step is to revisit our history, all our collective history and our specific history.”

Read the entire article, “‘Our Reckoning’: U.S. Sisters Take Up Call to Examine their Role in Systemic Racism.”

Feature photo: Adrian Dominican Sisters pose with the community of Blessed Martin de Porres Mission, the Congregation’s first ministry to Black Catholics, West Palm Beach, Florida, 1938. Adrian Dominican Sisters Archive Photo

July 22, 2021, Detroit – As a catechist or parent planning to teach the faith to children, how do you reach out to help your young students understand their lesson? What methods can you use to reach every student in your class?

Sister Janet Schaeffler, OP, noted author and speaker on religious education and faith formation, offers suggestions in her latest book, Sharing the Faith with Every Child: A Catechist’s Guide to the Many Ways We Learn. She explores nine major learning styles and offers practical suggestions on ways to engage those styles to help children grasp their faith at a deeper level.

A retreat leader and a consultant for catechists and adult faith formation leaders, Sister Janet also once served as Director of Adult Faith Formation for the Archdiocese of Detroit. She is a recipient the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL) Distinguished Service Award.

Sister Janet has written numerous books and resources for catechists, including Spirituality for Catechists and The Creed: A Catechist’s Guide. She also writes annual Advent reflection booklets.

Sharing the Faith with Every Child is available from Twenty-third Publications or the Weber Center Shop. The Weber Center Shop is currently closed for personal shopping due to COVID-19, but can be reached at 517-266-4035 or at [email protected].