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Marywood: A haven where all are welcome

From left, Sisters Rose Heil, Karen Kappell and Marla Lang

Living in a place of astonishing beauty does not guarantee fulfillment. Despite living in the Umbrian region of Italy, a place renowned for its rugged natural beauty, St. Francis struggled to find his way. Ultimately he did. His experiences with creation and the people he encountered drew him into his passionate relationship with God.

Located in an equally idyllic setting, staff at Marywood has translated the Franciscan vision to their time and place. At the heart of their mission is the desire to create connections between people and God’s creation. Each staff person contributes to this mission with their own special talents. The result, as one participant says, “is eclectic, but really fun.” At Marywood, they do this by opening doors.

Ken Granik enters Marywood Lodge. He has been attending programs for four years, favoring those with a philosophical or nature focus.

Open a door, step outside and enjoy.
Ken Granik is a local. For thirty years he operated a wholesale distributing business for sporting goods in the Minocqua area. Now he spends about six months at his home in northern Wisconsin and the remainder in Florida.

Ken doesn’t hesitate to attend programs even though he may be the only man, “I am comfortable there; I go for the sharing of ideas, views and interpretations.” While he has attended a wide offering of classes, Sister Rose Heil’s discussion groups are his favorite. He relishes the exposure to different thoughts, “a sense of participating, being part of a group . . . just growing.”

He cites a recent discussion group about the Lewis and Clark expedition that ended in a conversation on terrorism. “Quite often the discussion groups end up with seeing the obvious ties to religious beliefs. It is non-denominational. By discussing the subject openly people come away from it with whatever benefits them. We are all better for it.”

Ken suggests the very reason people come to the area—to go out at night to look at the sky or sit in a boat to fish—is what they will find at Marywood. The center offers the opportunity “to slow down, stop and reflect and find spirituality.”

Virtually all of Sister Rose’s programs have a connection to nature. The fall program guide included such offerings as, Walk in Autumn, where participants shared experiences as they walked in a state forest. She says, “I believe nature is the foundation of all that we are. Nature manifests the wonder of God.”

The nature setting of Marywood is an important connecting point according to Sister Rose. The center demonstrates the balance of activity with contemplation and how humans live with nature and at the same time are part of nature.

She favors the discussion group format for her sessions because it is a way to bring forward the wisdom of each person. Discussion also fosters relationships. “People come here just to connect,” she says. One participant told her, “I come for the cookies.” Sister Rose explains that the cookies are homemade, a gift linking one person to another.

Pat Pintens, center, is shown with two long-term members of St. Albert's choir.

Open a door, welcome others in.
Pat Pintens knows about doors. She is the parish director for two Wisconsin parishes, St. Albert in Land O’Lake and St. Mary in Phelps. In her office, it is not uncommon that the front and back doorbells are ringing at the same time the phone rings. “When you are running between two doors, you are not very settled.” Fortunately, Pat gets the chance to settle at Marywood.

Pat meets regularly with three other parish directors from the Superior Diocese at Marywood for a 24-hour time period. They share experiences, rest and renew themselves. “It is a relief. I am grateful that there is a place to go to that is quieter.”

Pat does everything for her parishes that a priest would, except say Mass and administer the sacraments. She explains, “Sometimes you can feel isolated. It is still a rather unique position in the church, to have a lay woman (or even a lay man) in charge of a parish.”

The sense of isolation is lessened for Pat when she has the chance to connect with other parish directors. “It gives me some perspective and I realize I’m not the only one dealing with some of these issues. Marywood has facilitated an opportunity to do that.”

Sister Marla Lang organizes the parish directors’ quarterly meeting. She knows about the demands of the job because she was one of the first women in the nation to hold the job. “Their ministry is so strongly focused in relational frameworks that it is important for them to energize each other.”

Marywood offers these church leaders the opportunity to network in a “safe environment of faith,” Sister Marla says, “so they can slow down and be present to their lives of ministry.” The overnight gathering also includes time alone to enjoy the surroundings and discussion on contemporary topics.

As outreach director at Marywood Sister Marla has developed similar opportunities for other parish personnel. She says, “Marywood provides the meal and the setting and the connection for reflection and relating.”

A new endeavor uses telecommunications to create connections. Sister Marla has organized discussion groups that use teleconferencing to discuss books. Currently a group of eight participants is discussing a book about St. Francis and the Sultan. She sees these connections as energizing because “God is relationship. It is imprinted in each of us to be relational, to open doors and help each other grow.”

Rosemary Ahmann, back left, is shown with members of a Marywood art group. Class members, sporing hats they made from red napkins, call themselves Red Berrets. They meet monthly to promote their interest in art and to have fun. Sister Karen Kappell, from left, is the instructor. Photo courtesy of Rosemary Ahmann

Open a door, step inside and create.
Rosemary Ahmann is an inquisitive woman, with interests in archeology, history and especially art. Before retiring with her husband to the Minocqua area about six years ago, she gave art classes and sold contemporary art.

Rosemary describes herself as “a very social person” and thus did not hesitate to attend programs at Marywood. “Since we retired here it is not easy to make friends. There aren’t a lot of ways to connect with people.”

When she learned that Sister Karen Kappell gave painting classes at Marywood, she said, “Get me on the list.” Since then she has participated in painting classes where she develops her technique in watercolor and pastels. Rosemary has also attended a program on Hildegard of Bingen and a recent session that examined the Lewis and Clark journey. She says each of the various classes is “stimulating and engaging” and connects her to a whole new group of people.

For Rosemary, Marywood is a valuable connection to her community. She says, “They offer something that brings the community together in a way that wouldn’t happen otherwise. The sense of community is deep and abiding among these women—you can tell that.”

Sister Karen Kappell has been teaching art classes at Marywood for over ten years. She found that many people who retire to the north woods have a dream to explore art. “I encourage them to get a connection with quiet and observation of what is around them. I choose subjects they can visually get connected with up in this area.

“If they are painting flowers they are looking at the beauty that is before them and articulate it in an expression of art. I think that puts them in connection with the Creator God.”

Sister Karen explains that a spiritual connection occurs in the act of creating art. “They get lost in time, art not verbal. Art is non-verbal and that is important to develop in our lives. The voice of the soul is non-verbal, it doesn’t always need language.”

Group classes stimulate creativity but also offer camaraderie. She says, “I think people come because of the companionship and learning that goes on in a group. This might spur them on to better themselves and find a way to connect with others and have a richer and fuller life.”

For more information on Marywood, visit www.Marywoodsc.com.

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