Left, Sisters Terry Walter and Terry Maher at a vocation event at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif.; middle, Sister Mary Yarger along with Missionary of the Precious Blood Fathers Steve Dos Santos and Vince Wirtner at SEEK 2015 in Nashville, Tenn.; contributed photos. Left, Sister Kathleen Kelly holds the 2014 Outstanding Ohio Nonprofit Volunteer Excellence Award; Dave Eck photo.
Congratulations to Sister Terry Maher on becoming a certified chaplain by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. The N.A.C.C. advocates for the profession of spiritual care and educates, certifies, and supports chaplains, clinical pastoral educators, and all members who continue the healing ministry of Jesus in the name of the Church. Certification attests to both professional competence and endorsement for ministry by the Church. The certification process included a review of educational documentation, and professional competence and moral conduct, demonstration of Roman Catholic theological competencies, submission of extensive written materials and an interview.
Sisters Terry Walter and Terry Maher spent a beautiful January day at a vocation event at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif., engaging with bright students and enjoying warm, sunny weather.
Sister Mary Yarger along with Missionary of the Precious Blood Fathers Steve Dos Santos and Vince Wirtner spent the first week of the New Year at SEEK 2015 in Nashville, Tenn. More than 9,000 people affiliated with campus ministry across the country attended the event. Sister Mary engaged the attendees and raised awareness of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. Seek 2015 includes Mass, speakers and breakout sessions.
Sister Kathleen Kelly was awarded the 2014 Outstanding Ohio Nonprofit Volunteer Excellence Award from the Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations (OANO) for her work with Tender Mercies, an agency that provides housing for the mentally ill homeless in Cincinnati.
The award was presented at a luncheon during OANO’s annual conference in Columbus.
“I was totally surprised,” said Sister Kathleen, who was associated with the agency for 27 years, including 18 as an employee and nine as a full-time volunteer. “I didn’t know that Tender Mercies sent in the nomination for the award.”
In a nomination letter, Latricia Hibbitt, human resources manager at Tender Mercies, explained that Sister Kathleen had helped create many programs and positions that the agency still uses today. As an employee Sister Kathleen developed a coordinator position that has since been expanded into three positions. For years, she worked with residents to help them get their state and federal benefits.
As a volunteer, Sister Kathleen oversaw one of the agency’s buildings, arranged for Christmas gifts for the residents and provided emotional support. She was a familiar figure around Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine, often hugging and sharing a word or a smile with the homeless.
“Many of our residents no longer have contact with their immediate families,” Hibbitt wrote in the nomination. “Sister Kathleen has filled that void for many by being that voice of reason, a shoulder to cry on when things get tough and advocate for their well-being. To many, she is their Sister.”
Sister Kathleen stepped down from her volunteer work last June to transition into retirement. She recently relocated to Salem Heights, the Sisters of the Precious Blood central house in Dayton.