In 2008, Cabrini Mission Corps (CMC) and the Good Shepherd Volunteer (GSV) program came together to offer a joint orientation program for their incoming missioners. The collaboration was found to be so enriching, the two organizations applied for a grant from the Koch Foundation, Inc. to support expanding and deepening the partnership to include formation efforts throughout the 2009-2010 mission year. In May 2009, the Koch Foundation responded with an award of $20,000 to support the partnership.

The 2009-2010 mission year kicked off with the second joint orientation program, held in Staten Island, NY at the Mount Manresa Jesuit Spiritual center on August 16-22, 2009. The site was chosen not only for its proximity to New York, where most missioners are currently serving, but also to highlight the fact that both the Missionary Sisters and the Good Shepherd Sisters practice Ignatian spirituality. Central to the orientation was the desire to invite missioners to also adopt the practice of “seeing God in all things” throughout orientation and their year-long commitments.

The new collaborative orientation was designed by the program staff of CMC and GSV and with the help of Julie Lupien, the Executive Director of “From Mission to Mission,”( www.missiontomission.org) an organization that has 30 years experience working with lay and religious men and women to help them prepare for and reflect on their missionary experiences. The Koch Foundation grant also allowed us to invite Julie to share her gifts with the missioners by facilitating the program throughout the week.

The structure of the orientation program was inspired by a brief article written by the late spiritual writer, Henri Nouwen, SJ, entitled “Moving from Solitude to Community to Ministry.” The themes of the article as well as the related topics of spirituality, social justice and simplicity, were explored through pre-orientation readings, presentations from Cabrini and Good Shepherd Sisters, program staff and lay collaborators, and through the reflections and discussions and sharing of the “collective wisdom” (.pdf) brought by the missioners themselves.

Each missioner was asked to take time to reflect throughout the week on how God was speaking to their hearts through the information and experiences of the week and to formulate a personal commitment statement for their year, which they shared with one another as part of a moving prayer service the Friday evening before the program’s conclusion. Read the Missioners' Commitment Statements (.pdf)

The week culminated with a joint commissioning liturgy on Saturday morning, August 22nd, where all seventeen young women and men included their personal commitment statements as an offering and where each was commissioned by a Sister of the program’s respective sponsoring congregation and sent forth with a blessing by all of the Sisters, laity, program alumni, family and friends in attendance. The service was truly a beautiful expression of the diversity of gifts brought by each unique charism as well as the unity of mission – put simply – to love.

In addition to the first reading (the call of Samuel) read by Good Shepherd volunteer Priscilla Muñoz, Michelle Sherman, returning Cabrini missioner, read an inspirational letter (.pdf) from St. Frances Cabrini and St. Mary Euphrasia compiled throughout the week by Sr. Judy Mannix, RGS using quotes from both foundresses.

The Prayers of the Faithful (.pdf) read aloud by a member of each of the five communities present, were composed by Cabrini missioner Mary Meleski and Good Shepherd volunteer Luke Smith.

In true Cabrini fashion, the group gathered for a luncheon celebration with plenty of delicious chicken parmesan and cake before the missioners left to make their way to their respective communities/ministries and start their year!

Our heartfelt thanks to all those Cabrini Sisters, laity and friends who participated to support this collaboration – from presentations to welcoming missioners to keeping it all in prayer – every ounce of support has contributed to kicking off this year in a life-giving way and we are so grateful!

Meet the CMC Missioners (.pdf)