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If you have a question about vocations, please contact us at sisters@ssnd.org.

Did you know that the Year of Consecrated Life recently concluded?

Throughout this year it has been beautiful to see an outpouring of love and support for consecrated religious women and men in the US and around the world. SSND's have been sharing their stories, inviting people to pray with them in their community houses, and helping spread the word about what it means to be a School Sister of Notre Dame! If you've missed any of that or would like to see it again, we are continuing to offer Year of Consecrated Life coverage and resources at ssnd.org!

We also want you to know that we, SSNDs and vocation ministers, are praying in a particular way for all of you who are discerning a possible call to religious life this year. Listen to how the Spirit may be inviting you through your experiences, relationships, and the movements of your heart! Be courageous! And, of course, please do contact us if you have any questions about discernment or the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

Day of the Girl

From SSND.org:

Three years ago, the United Nations declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child to raise awareness about all issues concerning gender inequality around the world. It’s a day when activist groups come together under the same goal to highlight, discuss, and take action to advance rights and opportunities for girls everywhere.

The International Day of the Girl will be commemorated with a Day of the Girl Speak Out from 3-6 p.m. (EDT-USA) on Friday, October 9.  At this event, poetry, songs, and stories from girls around the world will be performed at the United Nations Headquarters. The event will be live-streamed on the International Day of the Girl Summit website.

We also invite you to view the video that was created to celebrate the new U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and what they mean for Girls.
More information about the International Day of the Girl can be found on the UN Women website.
We invite you to learn more, explore ways to get involved, take action, offer a prayer.

World Teachers' Day

The School Sisters of Notre Dame, as educators in all we do, are celebrating and praying for teachers everywhere today on World Teachers Day. We invite you to join us in praying for teachers of all kinds and their ministry of education - you can find a prayer for teachers here!

Waiting to See Pope Francis

Sisters Rebecca Tayag and Maria Iannuccillo, SSND were among the many faithful who waited along the parade route in Washington, DC yesterday to see Pope Francis. They are pictured here with Br. Paul Bednarczyk, CSC. All three are involved in vocation work, so we can be confident that they brought prayers for all discerners with them!

Update:

Here are some more pictures from Sr. Rebecca Tayag, SSND:

Sister Eileen Reilly, SSND - Notes from the Bus

Sister Eileen Reilly, SSND, is one of several School Sisters of Notre Dame who are directly involved in this year's Nuns on the Bus campaign. One of her reflections about this past weekend's events gives a good sense of what being a 'nun on the bus' is like - check it out here! 

SSND Response to Ongoing Crisis in Hungary

Sister Lucy Nigh, SSND (a vocation team member) was recently in touch with fellow SSNDs in Hungary to see how they are handling the current refugee crisis.

Sister Lucy writes that she "spoke with Sister Eszti-Kinga, SSND, who is on the provincial council in Hungary about their anguish... She (Eszti-Kinga) and especially Sister Fidelis have taken tents and sleeping bags to help the refugees." 

You can see the full collection of pictures taken by these loving SSNDs here. Please keep the people who are migrating in treacherous conditions and those who are trying to help them in your prayers! 

National Day of Prayer with Religious - SSND Report

Our vocation team received a joyful report from Sister Celine Flynn, SSND about how her local community celebrated the National Day of Prayer with Religious on September 13. This day was one of the events suggested by the Bishops of the United States as a way to celebrate the Year of Consecrated Life. Did you attend an event that day? We'd love to hear about it! 

Here is Sister Celine's summary of the SSND event in Connecticut:

"We, here at VND had a lovely day here at 345 Belden Hill Road, Wilton! We scheduled an OPEN HOUSE from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. inviting all of the Churches in and around our area, colleges/universities, many businesses here in Wilton, Norwalk,Westport, New Canaan, and yes, our neighbors in the non-Catholic churches!  The day consisted of:  welcoming our guests, taking them on tours of our Motherhouse, refreshments, and ending it with a Prayer Service in our Chapel!  We had about 80 plus who came and were very happy to come and spend the afternoon with the Sisters!  S. Celine explained & quoted the Holy Father Pope Francis on the Importance of Celebrating Consecrated Life just before the Prayer Service!  Our many Guests found their whole visit to be very 'Inspirational!' very 'Peaceful,' as some of them expressed before leaving our Motherhouse!

"God was good in giving us a Beautiful Day with the weather (the forecast was supposed to be a WASHOUT!), but the Sun was shining brightly! I believe that a good time was had by all!  S. Celine invited our guests to come back anytime to our Beautiful Chapel to pray, or to just sit in the Presence of the Lord! That the doors are always open!  She even suggested that maybe some of the families would ADOPT a Sister or two! The Sisters in the Motherhouse VND ENJOYED the touring, sharing, talking, refreshments as much as the Guests, did! It was truly a 'memorable' Day!"