The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce presented Sister Elizabeth Oleksak, founder of Genesis Spiritual Life and Conference Center, with its 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet November 20. The evening event was held at Shaker Farms Country Club, Westfield. Pictured above celebrating with Sister Elizabeth Oleksak (third from left) at the Greater Westfield Chamber’s award…
Friday, September 27th dawned picture perfect, just the right sunny, autumn weather for the Sisters of Providence Grand Opening of Hillside Residence. The attractive new building features 34 affordable rental units plus two units dedicated for respite care. Its innovative program is designed for frail elders whose healthcare needs will be met through the Mercy LIFE (PACE) program situated on…
The Sisters of Providence in Holyoke, MA are marking the 100th anniversary of the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote. Recently, archivists for women religious around the nation exchanged information on the impact of the vote as indicated by documentation in their archives. In some Congregations, there was no documentation about Sisters voting or interest…
Providence Associate Program in its functioning. Currently 11 Associates and Sisters serve on the Committee. They are Associate Director Patricia St. Amand, chair, and Associates Connie Canata, Jim Clifford, Aida Gaouette, Dan McCavick, Patty McGovern, Dan Therrien, and Betty Wilda; and Sisters Julie Crane, Mary Martin de Porres Grisé and Geraldine Noonan. When Tracings asked former, longtime Core Committee member…
The Women of Providence in Collaboration met for their annual board meeting on April 10-11, 2019 at the Genesis Spirituality and Life Center in Westfield, MA. The following Sisters are the new officers for the Executive Committee of the Board: Front row sitting: Kathleen Popko, SP–Vice-Chair, Alice Marie Lyon, CDP-Treasurer Back row: standing: Dawn Tomaszewski, SP–Chair, Barbara McMullen, CDP–Executive Director,…
The Republican premiered its newest heritage book “The Power of Women” at a festive book launch held October 18 at the Log Cabin, Holyoke, MA. Edited by regional historians Wayne Phaneuf and Joseph Carvalho III, the book showcases over 1,000 women the two regard as standouts from among the legions of women who helped shape the region’s society since the…
The Sisters of Providence have moved ahead with a number of major renovation/repair projects in recent months. de Paul Center: The second floor of the de Paul Center in West Springfield is being readied for occupancy by the building’s newest tenant, the Center for Human Development (CHD). The general contractor anticipates a November completion. The 78,000 square foot de Paul…
Sister Madeleine Joy is one of four area professionals facilitating Genesis Spiritual Life and Conference Center’s new program for grandparents raising grandchildren. She specializes in grief, loss, and mental health support groups, addiction care, and recovery spirituality. The new offering is called the “Healing Hearts Program” and its brochure states: The role of grandparents to enjoy grandchildren when they visit,…
In April of 2016, Sister Senga Fulton, having “retired” from 36 years of ministering to the Springfield area’s homeless population, took up a new ministry focus. As a new member of the Sisters of Providence Council, Sister Senga assumed responsibility for overseeing and supporting the care of Sisters of Providence living at Mary’s Meadow and Providence Place. A licensed clinical…
It has been 75 years since the Sisters of Providence Foundress Mother Mary of Providence, formerly Catherine Horan, passed away. On the second anniversary of her January 25, 1943 death an unidentified Sister of Providence expressed the Community’s continued feelings of loss: “Two years have elapsed since we laid her to rest…and it seems but yesterday…so close has she been…