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December 10, 2024, Mining, Pampanga, the Philippines – At the heart of a mini-concert on December 3, 2024, the Adrian Dominican Sisters of the Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter and their friends and colleagues shared a moment of joy and excitement, cascaded by a colorful illumination of togetherness and celebration. 

The occasion was more than a small concert. It was a musical benefit intended to raise support for the completion of the Adrian Covered Court, which served as the venue for the event. A joint project of the Sisters and the Dominican School of Angeles City Foundation Inc., the covered court is envisioned as a hub and valuable resource for the school and for community activities of the Sisters.

Dr. Eric Zapanta, who attended the nearby University of the Assumption and is now a success in education and music, set the tone for the concert by singing a medley of songs and playing the saxophone.  

The gathering was transformed into a celebration of the shared mission and fellowship among the Sisters of Our Lady of Remedies Chapter, who showcased their talents throughout the night, along with the students and faculty of Dominican School of Angeles City and an Aeta scholar. It was delightful to hear them perform a wide variety of songs and dances. 

Performing in the concert were generous priest friends from the Archdiocese of San Fernando, as well as priest friends from outside the archdiocese, the Singing Priests: Fathers Bienvenido Castil, MSC, Douglas Baddong, Carmelo Agustin, Norman Arce, Eisen John Cruz, and Enrique Luzung. 

Father Luzung, the concert’s director and primary host, cultivated a feeling of communal ownership among participants as he acknowledged their efforts toward the ongoing project. He noted that once the covered court is completed, all could take pride in a collective, achieved mission.  

Members of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Leadership Council from the United States – Sisters Lorraine Réaume, OP, Corinne Sanders, OP, and Mary Soher, OP – joined in the activities, as did Sister Nancy Jurecki, OP, who is enjoying an immersion experience in the Philippines. The event was also enhanced by the endearing and enduring presence of Archbishop Emeritus Paciano B. Aniceto, D.D.   

Written Collaboratively by Sisters in Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter

Caption for above feature photo: Adrian Dominican Sisters from the Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter in the Philippines – along with Sister Lorraine Réaume, OP, Vicaress and General Councilor – take the stage during their “Mini-Concert for a Cause.”
 

November 15, 2024, Houston, Texas – Sister Maureen O’Connell, OP, Director of the Secretariat of Social Concerns for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, was honored on October 24, 2024, at the Journey with Emmaus Gala, for her years of service to the people of God. 

In addition to ministering with the archdiocese, Sister Maureen served as a Chicago Police Officer before she entered the Adrian Dominican Congregation. After moving to Texas as a Sister, she founded and directed Angela House, a resident program for formerly incarcerated women that supports and equips the residents to re-enter the greater community as involved citizens. 

The gala was hosted by the Emmaus Spirituality Center in Houston. Founded more than 40 years ago by the Cenacle Sisters, Emmaus was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. A group of laypeople with the Spiritual Direction Institute found space at a local Lutheran Church and continued the ministry of Emmaus, Sister Maureen said. She has been active with the Emmaus Center, offering them training on Catholic social teaching, Sister Maureen said.

“The evening was lovely,” with a crowd of a little more than 200 people who participated in the dinner, the awards ceremony, and a live auction to raise funds for the Emmaus Spirituality Center, Sister Maureen said. She said that the staff had originally asked her to give a talk during the gala. “It was shocking to hear that I was being honored.”

Still, Sister Maureen gave a brief talk that evening, challenging her audience to speak out against injustice and to defend the rights and dignity of human beings – especially those who are marginalized – through nonviolence. 

To illustrate the power of nonviolence, Sister Maureen told the story of a snake – shared by author Anthony de Mello – who was tamed by a holy teacher after it had bitten many local villagers. Realizing he was now tame, the villagers beat up the snake, who complained about this to his teacher. The teacher noted that he had taught the snake nonviolence – not to hit, but not to stop hissing.

“Nonviolence does not harm, but it does know when to hiss,” Sister Maureen said. “It hisses loud and long at every system and structure that [treads on] the weak and powerless underfoot.” She noted that nonviolence “can never be equated with passivity; it is the essence of courage, creativity, and action.” 

Our task, she said, is to learn how to hiss, “to call out the institutions, the systems and the organizations that ignore and diminish the dignity of the human person. We profess that we are loved by God, created in the image and likeness of God, so it should follow that we treat everyone as we would treat God.” 

In an interview after the gala, Sister Maureen reflected on the highlights of her years in ministry, particularly her work at Angela House. The women seek help in reintegrating into society have already paid the consequences for the actions and mistakes that led to their incarceration. “When they want to return and become healthy citizens, they face barriers that make it hard for them to maintain themselves,” she said.

Sister Maureen has been inspired by the women at Angela House. “I got to witness these women making choices and doing the kinds of things they need to do to be healthy, whole members of the community,” she said. 

She has also been inspired by the people who have volunteered at Angela House. “As people became engaged in the ministry, they realized that [the residents] are people like you and me.” High school students and women from the local parish became involved, spending time monthly with the women at Angela House, she said. “One of the women came to me and said, ‘We learn so much from [the Angela House residents] and how they have overcome the challenges that they experienced.’” 

Read more about Sister Maureen’s life and ministries. 

 

Caption for above feature photo: Sister Maureen O’Connell, OP, left, and Mary Pierson, Executive Director of the Emmaus Spirituality Center in Houston, during a gala event honoring Sister Maureen.
Photo Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston