What's Happening

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.

April 14, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – Lunch and Learn sessions for May to August 2025 focus on a variety of topics, from parks in Adrian to the Goodwill organization and the benefits of massage. Lunch and Learn sessions are held monthly on Wednesdays from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Weber Retreat and Conference Center at the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse.

Upcoming sessions are as follows:

•    May 14, 2025 – Let’s Go to the Park: Parks and Recreation Director Jeremiah Davies and Recreation Assistant Cindy Schmucker describe Adrian’s great parks, shelters, ball fields, rentals, playgrounds, and other options. 

•    June 11, 2025 – The Epidemic of Loneliness: Social worker Mindy Rodriguez explores the causes of loneliness, seen as a silent epidemic. She describes how to identify its presence, especially in the young and in the elderly, and describes steps that can foster more meaningful connections.

•    July 16, 2025 – The Amazing Outreach of Goodwill: Rebecca Melina, Mission Engagement Manager of Goodwill Industries of Southeast Michigan, describes the services that Goodwill provides.

•    August 13, 2025 – There’s Nothing Like a Good Massage: Massage therapist Savvy Boyd and Cranial Massage Therapist Kendra Crombez describe these massage therapies and their benefits.

Bring your lunch; drinks and dessert are provided. You can also purchase your lunch for $8 for your choice of egg salad, turkey and cheese, or chicken salad croissant sandwich with chips. To order a meal, register at least two days in advance. Registration is not needed if you bring your own lunch.

To register, visit www.webercenter.org and click on “programs,” call 517-266-4000, or email [email protected]. 

Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse, Adrian, Michigan. On East Siena Heights Drive, turn into the driveway between Adrian Rea Literacy Center and the solar panel-covered carport. Follow the signs to Weber Center. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.