Donor Profile: Roberta Lavin
A Heart for the BVMs Roberta Lavin met the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2010 when she interviewed for the Chair of Nursing and Health at Clarke University, in Dubuque, Iowa. She was living in the…
Friends of Kenyan Orphans: Rescuing Future Leaders
Associate Sean Bradley and his wife Betsy took their children to American Samoa in the early 2000s for a mission trip. It was there that they met fellow missionaries Bud and Sue Ozar; a life-long friendship was formed. Sean recalls,…
Donor Profile: Joe O’Hare
A Chance Meeting Becomes a Life-long Connection Joe O’Hare met the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary over 50 years ago while visiting Chicago. During his stay, he took the opportunity to visit some of the city’s parochial…
BVMs Are Returning Home
As the Terrace Apartments at Mount Carmel Bluffs near completion and BVMs across the country and the world prepare to come home to Dubuque, Iowa, I’d like to share a brief history of how sisters moved “there” to eventually return…
BVMs Join in Call on Congress to Cut Weapons and War Spending
Photo: Matthew Paul D'Agostino / Dagfoto.com The Sisters of Charity, BVM are one of 62 faith-based organizations who signed onto a letter sent to members of Congress calling on legislators to dramatically cut militarized spending, reinvest in the wellbeing of…
BVM Joan Fitzgerald Honored With Medal From Pope Francis
Xavier junior, Jayne Jones and BVM Joan Fitzgerald. Photo credit: Lisa Zuba Pope Francis has awarded Sister Joan Fitzgerald, BVM, president of Xavier College Preparatory, the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal, (“For Church and Pope”) one of the highest honors…
The Leadership Teams of Local Women Religious Call for Support of Trans Youth
BVM Leadership has signed onto the statement from DignityUSA. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) website reports that transgender people face discrimination obtaining accurate identification documents such as driver’s licenses and passports. One in 5 trans people report being refused…
Sr. Jean: ‘Wake Up with Purpose’ Memoir Released
BVM “Sister Jean” Dolores Schmidt’s memoir, Wake Up With Purpose! What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years was released by Harper Select on Feb. 28, 2023, proceeding the “March Madness” NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Known to millions as simply…
Sisters of Charity, BVM Donations Help Launch Dubuque ReStore
BVMs Karen Conover (l.), Kate (Joseph Marie) Hendel, Carol Marie (Joseph Louis) Baum, Kathryn (John Laurian) Lawlor, Mira Mosle, Diane (Malia) Rapozo, Maureen Patrice Fury, Gwen (Leontia) Farry, Lois Dolphin, LaDonna Manternach, Congregational Secretary Ann Sweeney, and BVMs Jean (Allan)…
The BVM Prayer Shawl Ministry: Wrapping Trafficking Victims and the Homebound in Prayer
Louise Levandowski, BVM crotchets prayer shawls for human trafficking survivors and the homebound. While living in Davenport, Iowa, BVM Louise (Laurina) Levandowski joined a prayer shawl ministry group that was starting at St. Paul the Apostle Parish. After moving to…