What's Happening

May 7, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – For the second year in a row, Joanne Wood, Spanish teacher at Lenawee Christian School in Adrian, brought her service group of eight seniors to the Dominican Life Center (DLC) at the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse Campus for the school’s annual day of service. Spending the day with the Sisters were Keira Naegele, Brielle Parker, Madison Pillar, Laina Reitz, Ila Stewart, Tory Swiggum, Ava TenCate, and Emilia Yatzek. 

The students comprise one of three groups of seniors who provided service on April 28, 2025. The other groups served at different sites.

Sandy Place, RN, DLC Administrator, explained that the students spent a full day at the DLC, beginning with a blessing of the hands created by the Spiritual and Social Care Services Department. Chaplain Bryan Gregory read the blessing, while Chaplain Pamela Przybylski blessed the hands of the students and others in attendance.

During the day, the students worked with Sisters to plant flowers in pots at the entrance of the Regina residence or planted perennials in the permaculture section; paused for a pizza lunch; bussed tables in the dining room after the Sisters’ lunch; spent time speaking with the Sisters; and created cards to be distributed to Sisters who seldom have visitors.

The day brought joy to the students as well as the Sisters.

“I like helping people,” said Keira, who hopes to study music education at Michigan State University and serve as a band director. “I’m happy to take the opportunity to do what needs to be done and show God’s love for others.”

Emilia, granddaughter of Sandy, said she had come to the DLC last year for service day and enjoyed it. “We’re just happy to come back,” she said. She was impressed by meeting one of the Sisters who ministered in a variety of ways over the years, including teaching. Emilia herself plans to attend Adrian College to study Elementary Education.

“I like talking with the Sisters and listening to them and their life stories and how they help people,” said Ila, who plans to study interior design.   

Both Joanne and Sandy also appreciated the day and the blessings it brought to everyone involved.

Joanne said the students in her group have been working together in service for four years. “We meet on a monthly basis,” she explained. “We’re looking for an opportunity to help others, putting hands and feet at the service of others. When you come to serve, you are also blessed.”

“This is the second year in a row that Joanne Wood’s service class has come to the DLC to provide service to our campus, and we have both received blessings from their visit,” Sandy said. “I am hoping this becomes an annual event.”
 

Caption for above feature photo: Participating in the day of service are, from left, Sandy Place, Administrator of the Dominican Life Center; students Emilia Yatzek, Ila Stewart, Tory Swiggum, and Brielle Parker; Spanish teacher Joanne Wood; and students Keira Naegele, Ava TenCate, Laina Reitz, and Mady Pillar. 

April 24, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – In a recent Global Sisters Report article, Catholic Sisters from throughout the United States paid tribute to Pope Francis in response to his death on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. He was remembered fondly for the inspiration and example he gave in reaching out to people who are marginalized, including immigrants; his support of women, and particularly of women religious; his call for care for Earth in his encyclical, Laudato Si’; his initiative to bring the Catholic Church together through the Synod on Synodality; and his efforts to bring about peace and justice.

Near the middle of the article, Adrian Dominican Sister Durstyne Farnan, OP, Dominican Leadership Conference representative to the United Nations, said she was inspired by Laudato Si’ and by the pope’s commitment to protecting the planet. “I am terribly grateful for him and his vision,” she said in the article.

Read the entire article by Dan Stockman and Chris Herlinger.  

Another Global Sisters Report article by Dan Stockman and Chris Herlinger quotes the statement by the General Council in response to the death of Pope Francis.

Sister Donna Markham, OP, former Prioress of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, met Pope Francis during his September 2015 visit to the United States when she was President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA. She accompanied him during his visit to a Catholic Charities soup kitchen in Washington, D.C., where he had lunch with the soup kitchen guests who were experiencing homelessness. 

The next day, Sister Donna had a private audience with Pope Francis in a local home. In an article published in the April 23, 2025, issue of The Daily Telegram, a newspaper serving Adrian and Lenawee County, she recalled noting tears in the eyes of other people who had just met privately with him. 

“I remember thinking that he represented absolute goodness and compassion,” Sister Donna was quoted as saying in the Telegram article. “And there was a certain genuineness about him, like I was the only person in the world for those few minutes that I was able to talk with him.”

Read the entire article by David Panian here. Please note that a subscription is required to read the article.

 

Caption for above feature photo: Sister Donna Markham, OP, then President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, greets Pope Francis in a private meeting during the pope’s 2015 visit to the United States.