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Addenda - Spring 2008

Francis of Assisi icon by Maryam Gossling, FSPA

Sister Mardelle Bellinghausen honored for work at Marian Central

After working at Marian Central Catholic School in Woodstock, Ill., for 33 years, most of them as head of the guidance department, Sister Mardelle Bellinghausen is being honored by the school. In conjunction with the school’s 50th year celebration and kick off of a $5 million building project, school officials have announced they’ll name the new guidance department: “The Sr. Mardelle Bellinghausen Guidance & Counseling Center.”

“The work that she did here was outstanding,” says school superintendent Tom Landers. “She touched the lives of every student that went through our school. Hence, it’s only appropriate for us to consider a naming opportunity for her, since so many of our alums not only know her but have had opportunity to be positively influenced by her.”

Sister Mardelle, who started work at Marian Central in 1970 and has a scholarship named for her, holds fond memories of her time at the school. “I just have to say, thanks, Lord, for any good you allowed me to do or any sign you allowed me to be,” she says.

A gathering to celebrate Sister Mardelle’s honor and to inform people about the school’s building project took place Feb. 10 in Woodstock, Ill.

Iverson Freking Award presented to Franciscan Sister and FSPA Affiliate

Sheila Garrity, left, and Sister Marlene Weisenbeck

Sister Marlene Weisenbeck and FSPA affiliate Sheila Garrity are among the Iverson Freking Ecumenical Award Winners for 2008. Also receiving the award is ELCA Bishop April Larson.

Now in its 22nd year, The Iverson Freking Award recognizes “unselfish dedication to foster and promote ecumenical endeavors based on mutual respect of all faiths, highlighted by cooperation, communication and service to others.” The award was established by Bethany St. Joseph Corporation and is named in honor of the late Carl Iverson and the late Bishop Frederick Freking.

In her acceptance speech, Sister Marlene focused on the importance of ecumenism, both in the time of St. Francis and today. In St. Francis’s time, she said, there were no Lutherans, Calvinists, Unitarians, Baptists—only Catholics, Cathars, Patarini, Waldensians, Muslims—all with “evangelical penchant” for the Gospel. She explained, “Francis made no judgment on any of them. He simply lived his faith in a radical way, even in the midst of a greedy merchant father, warring uncles, confused clerical leaders. St. Francis committed himself to a relationship with God in the deepest personal way. In the end, all he could exclaim was: Who are You, O God, and who am I?”

Sheila, in her speech, focused on several issues related to the marginalized, but the bulk of her speech was devoted to a particularly timely topic: insurance parity for the treatment of mental illness. She explained that adults living with a mental disorder represent nearly 26 percent of the adult population, totaling 58 million people. “Insurance coverage limits for conditions such as eating disorders, depression, dementia, bipolar and schizophrenia actually eliminate access to care for people who need it and people who can benefit from it,” she explained. “We need insurance parity to cover mental health, drug and alcohol treatment, equal to, not less than, coverage for other kinds of illnesses. Insurance parity is something we must all fight for.”

FSPA named 2008 Catholic Charities In My Name award recipient

Each award recipient was given a print of an original drawing depicting the theme, Whoever gives you even a cup of water in my name shall not lose their reward created by Father Tony Brankin of Chicago.

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration accepted the 2008 Catholic Charities In My Name award at a luncheon on March 5. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse initiated the annual In My Name award in 2007 recognizing both an individual and a parish, group or organization of the diocese for their hard work in Christian charity.

In a packed room at the Holy Cross Diocesan Center, Sister Marlene Weisenbeck accepted the award presented by Bishop Jerome Listecki on behalf of FSPA. She began her acceptance speech by inviting the many FSPA present to stand and be recognized for the award. She then said, “Our standing before you is a witness of our gratitude. Like our founders who came to this country to serve their immigrant brothers and sisters in love, we strive to live simply in gratitude and to be generous with our blessings. We are called, to stake everything on charity, living the commandment of a practical and concrete love for every human being.”

Sister Marlene spoke about the congregation’s early work with children. “From our earliest history, FSPA was involved in the social mission of the church. The 1848 Charter of the founders specified the offering of ‘free board and lodging to poor children. . . .’ Later, our 1869 Rule stated that the care of orphans, including those who are ‘spiritually orphans’ was central to the ministry of the community, along with work in the seminary, education of youth, and caring for the sick in hospitals and infirmaries. Caring for orphans remained in the texts of our Rules until the mid-20th century when this social ministry was no longer in demand as it was in the 19th and 20th centuries.”

The In My Name award is based on the scriptural passage, “Whoever gives you even a cup of water in my name shall not lose their reward” (cf. MK 9:41). Also receiving the award is Steve Ronstrom, CEO Sacred Heart Hospital, Eau Claire, Wis.

In closing, Sister Marlene remarked, “We value deeply our communion with the Diocese of La Crosse as we continue to make our influence felt through our witness of prayer and the sharing of our blessings given us by our Creator. Paraphrasing Thomas Merton we find ourselves praying–In our complete poverty we have nothing to give . . . full of grace we want nothing more but only to stay here praying for more love to give back. God speaks loudly in the depths of our indigence, saying: I will pour out my spirit upon thy children and they shall spring up among the herbs as willows beside the running waters. Indeed, it is imperative for us to remain attuned to this Spirit, to continue to stake everything on charity.”

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