Adrian Dominican Sisters welcome 4 associates
ADRIAN — The Adrian Dominican Sisters congregation formally welcomed four new associates Aug. 28 during a Ritual of Acceptance held via video conference.
Associates are women and men at least 18 years of age who feel called to the Dominican charism, or spirit, and who make a nonvowed commitment to associate themselves with the Adrian Dominican Sisters and with other associates. While maintaining their independent lifestyle, they are invited to share in the Sisters’ mission, ministries, and spiritual and social activities.
Mary Lach, director of associate life, welcomed about 78 participants: the new associates, their mentors, associates, Sisters, family members and friends.
Lach led the Ritual of Acceptance, calling on the mentors to introduce the prospective associates and asking the associates of their reason for answering the call to become an associate.
Jane Bertsch, a native of Missouri, moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, where she was taught by the Adrian Dominican Sisters at Cardinal Newman High School. She was an Adrian Dominican Sister for 11 years, but never lost a connection to the congregation. She has served in religious education, as director of training and organizational development for the Detroit Public Transportation Department and as executive director of guest relations for the Detroit Medical Center. Since her retirement, she has served in literacy training and hospice care.
“Although I left the community 12 years ago, my contact has remained strong,” she said. “I have always considered this group to be a source of inspiration and support.”
Bertsch was mentored by Sister Suzanne Schreiber, O.P., and Associate Judith Engel.
Patricia “Patty” Driscoll-Shaw, of Huntley, Illinois, is also a former Adrian Dominican Sister. Sister Esther Kennedy, O.P., her mentor, described Driscoll-Shaw’s 32 years of ministry as an Adrian Dominican Sister, serving as nurse and as a health care advocate for the people in need in Peru, Guatemala, Panama and Honduras. In her love for mission work, Driscoll-Shaw discerned becoming a Maryknoll associate and, while ministering in Guatemala, met another Maryknoll missionary, Dan Driscoll, whom she married.
Driscoll-Shaw said she was impressed by the Adrian Dominican Sisters from the time she was about 6 years old and walked seven blocks to school every day.
“I loved walking behind the Sisters and carrying their books and hearing them laugh,” she said. “All that laughter unites us to our mission — the depth to bring us to various ministries in the mission but always with the presence of God.”
Danoushka Capponi,now residing in Miami, met the Adrian Dominicans through her involvement at Barry University and was mentored by Sister Mary Frances Fleischaker, O.P.. Born in Cannes, France, Danoushka moved to Belgium at the age of 7. She met her husband — who died 24 years ago — while attending the College of New Rochelle in New York. Her son Michael founded Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), a nonprofit organization that brings aid to any area suffering from natural disasters or conflict. He serves as president and director of global operations for the U.S.A., Caribbean, and South America and the European regions. Capponi serves as director of educational programs.
“The whole Holy Trinity got to work on me,” Capponi said. “God the Father whose loving presence has been warming my heart; the Son who spoke to me in Galilee and gave me a specific roadmap to mission; and the Holy Spirit who guided me to Barry. I will proudly proclaim the Dominican Charism of truth,” she said.
James Mallare, a licensed public health practitioner, is a doctoral candidate at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he met the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Sister Mariane Fahlman, O.P., a member of Mallare’s dissertation committee, invited him to Adrian to help her with a study on retired Adrian Dominican Sisters. While in Adrian, he became acquainted with the Dominican Charism. He was mentored by Sister Carol Jean Kesterke, O.P.
Mallare noted that his call to associate life was “not a straight path. Nothing in our life is. When I first met the Adrian Dominican Sisters, it was then that I knew how Elizabeth must have felt during her visitation with Mary — each Adrian Dominican carrying Christ within herself, and me, excited but scared.”
Candidates for associate life undergo a period of formation, during which they study Dominican history and spirituality and come to know the mission and vision of the Adrian Dominican Sisters. For information about joining associate life, contact Lach by phone at 517-266-3531 or by email at mlach@adriandominicans.org or Associate Nancy Mason Bordley, director of the office of Dominican charism, 517-266-3534 or nmbordley@adriandominicans.org.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian Dominican Sisters welcome 4 associates
