Associate Peggy Murphy

I am an associate of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. My primary education was with the Sisters. They had a profound influence on my life then, and still do today. My profession is registered nurse. – This is what I do, not who I am. – I am a human being put on this earth to serve our Lord and be a servant to humanity.

In 2002, I was enrolled in the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation for the Diocese of Valparaiso, Indiana. I wondered what I’d do when I finished this program. I knew I’d serve in my parish but something was nagging at my being. Eventually, I heard the Holy Spirit’s message – “You have plenty to offer. – Go back to the people who helped to form you into the person you are.”

I became an associate in 2003 and feel blessed to be part of Mother Theresa Gerhardinger’s commitment to humanity. Being in community with SSNDs, I share my time and talents to be a part of the great flow of the SSND charism. My association with the Sisters has graced my life with friendship in community and partnership in ministry.

Associate Jim Gill

I have been an Associate of the School Sisters of Notre Dame since 1988, and currently serve on the Associate Leadership Team for the Milwaukee Province. For the last 20 years I have ministered in the area of Adult Religious Education in parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

After I graduated from college, I spent nearly a year in the novitiate at a Benedictine monastery. When I left, I planned to one day return to religious life, but struggled with what form and where I would do this. I had an SSND classmate from graduate school who also lived in the Milwaukee area, and was often invited to dinner and social events with her local community. In 1988 I learned of associates and looked into what various communities had to offer. I decided on SSND because of my friendship and familiarity with the community. I was also attracted to the charism of education and concern for the poor. As an adult Religious Educator, and director of adult ministry, I am doing this on a daily basis. Being an international congregation also made SSND appealing to me. I love to travel and learn about other places in the world. Being connected to a world-wide community was another reason to choose SSND. I treasure the opportunity I had in 1993 to travel with a group of Associates from around the United States to Rome and Germany to visit sights of community and christian heritage. Trips to Ireland and the Holy Land with groups which included associates and sisters have also been wonderful experiences.

My original Covenant was made, along with two other Associates, in 1989 at an All-Province Day Eucharist on the lawn at Elm Grove, which was then the province retirement and health care center. It was the first covenenting to be celebrated at an all community event, and was very meaningful because of the number of sisters and associates present. My additional covenant included the intention to seriously discern if I had a call to vowed religious life. Within that first year of covenant I came to the realization that being an associate is my vocation in life.

Being an associate keeps me grounded and challenges me to continue to grow in my personal spirituality. I am reminded of and educated on issues of social justice. My participation in an extended community of six sisters has become very important to me. Our monthly meetings are an opportunity to share life experiences prayerfully and to learn of and discuss a wide variety of spiritual and social justice topics.

SSND Associate relationship has become a life choice for me and I thank God for leading me to it.

Jane Mary Lorbiecki, SSND
Sister companion to Associate Carol Ann Lulewicz

We are blessed with having SSND Associates! Each aspiring Associate is mentored by a Sister or Associate companion/partner during the pre-covenant formation stage. For some, this companionship may grow into a lasting friendship; for others it is a brief relationship. It is very helpful if the Associate knows the Sister or Associate companion before entering into this journey together. This has been my experience.

I knew my pre-Associate, Carol, from parish ministry. When I began serving as Vocation Director for our province, I shared more about SSND and introduced her to association at a potluck during Advent 1991. Shortly after, I was preparing for my Silver Jubilee and my pre-Associate was part of that preparation and celebration. The year 1992 became significant for both of us when we entered into the more formal preparation stage. We were enriched by a presentation on SSND history from our former (now deceased) General Superior, Mother Georgianne Segner and also by participating in the centenary of Mother Caroline’s death. That experience made such an impression on Carol that a few months later, while in Dallas on a business trip, she personally connected with Mother Georgianne and her community to celebrate the Holy Saturday Vigil.

During that year of pre-covenant formation, we had several sessions together, using a prepared booklet with reflections on SSND history, charism, mission, prayer, and integrating life’s experiences with God’s call. We continued to participate in Associate weekends, associate formation evenings, as well as local and province community gatherings. In May, 1993, I was present to witness Carol’s first covenant in a special ceremony along with two other Associates. The ceremony included signing a year-long covenant and receiving the Associate pin.
Associate Carol wears her pin proudly and through the years the identification with SSND has deepened in many ways. Together, we have experienced outreach ministry with the economically poor. We were among the first to work on the early SSND website vocation and associate pages and we traveled to St. Louis for website workshops. We continue to actively participate in the associate and province gatherings throughout the year.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be a Sister companion through these years, now not as much as a formative companion, but as a friend.

SSNDs have benefited in many ways from our Associates in extending our charism in ministry where Sisters may not be, in supporting us when able, and in enriching us with their ideas, witness and passion about SSND.