We have heard the story We are entrusted to tell the story Can we see the story still unfolding before our very eyes….? Where do we see compassion for the poor? The courage of Julie in the midst of suffering of all kinds? The willingness to start over….and over….and over when God calls in new ways? The faith that sees gold in stumbling stones…? The conviction that God is always good and provident…? Simplicity that embraces every blessing as a gift---with gratitude The decisions that reflect Jesus’ words and actions in a new world?. As educators in the Notre Dame tradition, we inherit a legacy of wisdom, and join countless women and men, wisdom-seekers, who have gone before us. We have heard AND we tell the story, we see it lived out in our colleagues and students.

We share a vision and a ministry as part of the educational mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame. St. Julie and Sister Maria Aloysia are models for us as we are missioned to incarnate the love of our good and provident God—this is our charism, the gift we are called to share with those with whom we minister -- and with the world. Today, as in each generation, we are called to respond to the needs of our times. We are called to be a sign to the world that God is good and that he is present among us.

(ON NEXT SLIDE: Song and procession of candles to ambience….. We are privileged to carry on this tradition…nurturing the souls, minds and hearts of all those whose lives we touch. (ON NEXT SLIDE: Song and procession of candles to ambience…..

Holy Spirit, breath of the love of Christ, you are always present. Call us now to be your love, always present. Call us now to be your hope, always present. Call us now to be your light, always present. Call us now to be your peace, always present. Call us now to be your word, always present. Call us now to be your hands, always present. Call us now to be your eyes, always present. Call us now to be your heart, always present. (“You are Always Present”,David Haas , c 2010 GIA Publications, Inc. All rights Reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net S-915722. 5:41 REPS FROM DIFFERENT PLACES WILL CARRY CANDLES FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM TO THE AMBIANCE IN THE FRONT DURING THE SONG

Everything we have – our life, our talents, all that we hold dear– everything is gift. And all these gifts have been entrusted into our hands FOR A TIME, with the instruction to handle them respectfully and to carry them where they're needed. We so easily think of our gifts as ours and ours alone But Jesus reminds us, "What you have received as a gift, give as a gift.“ “We each have different gifts and talents, and, for each of us, there are people to whom God intended those gifts to be carried. Learning how to carry our gifts of time, talent, and treasure to those who need them is one of life's most important lessons. The skill and the habit of sharing our gifts will bring us life's greatest and most lasting joys.” (Dennis Clark)

“ It is not by chance that we are here; it is God’s greatest gift!” Our charism is a deep experience of God’s goodness and provident care, leading us, as it did Julie and Sister Maria Aloysia, to turn to God in joy and simplicity of heart and impelling us to incarnate the love of our good and provident God in apostolic service. We know that a charism is a gift, one given by God so that it can be shared…. This charism and mission belongs to all of us…teachers, administrators, board members, lay and religious…we are missioned to incarnate the goodness and provident care of God…. We are gifted---we are invited to claim that gift, claim who we are and the gift we share with the world…Our charism is at the core of our spirituality and this gives birth to mission…expressed for us in many ways, but especially in the ministry of education Everyone needs our charism today---we live in a world that tries to tell us that there are not enough goods (while we believe in God’s provident care) and not enough goodness (and we believe God is good). …we are called to be this charism. How can we pass it on? (St. Julie Billiart)

St. Julie Billiart, the smiling saint, teaches us to say GOD IS GOOD…in times of sadness and joy, in times of crisis and success; God is always good. With her we can turn to our God with confidence and hope in all our endeavors and be confident that God will take care of us in ways we may not even imagine.

As a teacher Hilligonde wanted to respond to the needs of her times, and believed that she needed to do more: “I want to do more than just teach and correct papers. I love these poor children; I want to gather them in a home and take care of them and make them happy. Let us trust God and go ahead, because this plan is good and all that is good comes from God.” ( pause to allow time for silent reading) Sister Maria Aloysia and Sister Maria Ignatia taught by word and example that our Good God is also a provident God… God’s goodness takes care of us… Sr. Aloysia and Sr. Ignatia mark the way for us, reaching out to do the more….conscious of the needs of the whole child…and knowing that we need not answer God’s call alone…we can and should reach out in service to and with each other…. We are here these days as educators called to be part of a bigger picture…and we are invited to delve deeper into the mystery of our charism. And her friend Elizabeth shared her passion: “Why don’t you ask me to help you?”

Sacred art speaks to people in different ways--- In this icon, Hillegonda Wolbring is presented face forward as an eminent teacher and embodiment of the charism and tradition of the Sisters of Notre Dame. The icon is entitled PROVIDER of HEARTH AND HOME.

Sister Maria Aloysia wears a large crucifix…reminding us that Jesus, crucified and risen, is the center of our lives. While not represented as the Coesfeld cross, it echoes the values of that cross…the tree of life which proclaims our hope in the Risen Jesus…Jesus who has conquered death and is the source of LIFE. It is Jesus who calls us to be his hands, feet, heart, voice in our world today…messengers of HOPE. We are sent to help people believe in Christ Jesus who reveals the goodness of God. In fulfilling our ministries, we try to act in the spirit of simplicity, seeking only God’s greater glory and relying on the guidance of the Spirit rather than on our power and plans so that Christ in his love can minister through us.

Mary, Mother of God and our mother, NOTRE DAME, is an icon within an icon, protecting us, watching over us, loving us….and is never far from us, the closeness of Aloysia’s relationship and our relationship with her is reinforced by her placement in the icon as a whole We are called to sit at the feet of Mary and learn from her . Mary says to us: Do whatever he tells you…: And Sister Maria Aloysia hears and responds by “doing the next thing”: What do we hear and how do we respond? (pause)

Sister Maria Aloysia holds a small loaf of bread in one hand… This represents the first step in following her dream… As a young teacher Hilligonde is said to have shared her bread-and-butter lunch with the neglected child Agnes. This loaf of bread then reminds us of Hilligonde’s call to feed hungry children with real bread and the Bread of Life… This is our call too…to feed by Word and Sacrament, to nurture and respond to the whole child….in loving concern and commitment.

The other hand is also a nurturing sign--- Aloysia shelters those in her care…but does not hold on to them…. she shelters—representing her apostolic charity, but she also empowers, knowing that her charges are not hers, but God’s. This is our call too…to nurture, to free, to empower lovingly.

Marked by a simple and unassuming spirit and a deep love for Mary, Aloysia’s mission, like Julie’s, is to incarnate the love of our good and provident God. This mission lives on in the hearts of all women and men who share her charism and mission through Notre Dame education throughout the world.

And so we pray together: Hilligonde Wolbring, Sister Maria Aloysia, your gift to the Church and to the world was compassion and caring love marked by a deep trust in God’s provident care. Instill in us this same love that we may provide hearth and home for the vulnerable and poor of our world. Invite all to pray together….

I send you to be my presence in the world… Our good and provident God sent Jesus, beloved Son, into our world. Jesus, the Christ, our companion, now sends us once again into our world…Jesus sends each of us, confident that we can be who we are called to be… Jesus says: I send you into the world… I send you to pray I send you to love I send you to challenge I send you to befriend I send you to give hope I send you to reconcile I send you to heal I send you to teach I send you to lead I send you to incarnate my Father’s goodness and provident care I send you to be my presence in the world… Read the slide….

And we respond: Good and provident God, in your name I will go…

Here in this place may hope be found. Deep in our hearts may love abound. Here her Song begins…. We are here, here in the presence of God. We are on holy ground. (David Haas, “We are on Holy Ground”, GIA Publications)

May your presence make us pause; may your vision be our cause. May the gifts that we enjoy find a way to sing your joy.

Here in this place may hope be found. Deep in our hearts may love abound. We are here, here in the presence of God. We are on holy ground.

May your calling be the way; may we always teach and pray. May the ones now in our care be the center of our prayer.

Here in this place may hope be found. Deep in our hearts may love abound. We are here, here in the presence of God. We are on holy ground.

May we seek a wider view; may our faith in you be true. May the passion we impart fill each young and hungry heart.

Here in this place may hope be found. Deep in our hearts may love abound. We are here, here in the presence of God. We are on holy ground. End with the sign of the cross Announce that for those who wish, copies of Sr. Aloysia’s icon picture are available. We are on Holy Ground by David Haas, c 2010 GIA Publications, Inc. All rights Reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net S-915722