News & Stories
Vista Maria and my summer of song
I spent the month of July at Vista Maria in Detroit. Since I was given the privilege of some weeks of transition time between the end of my ministry in Danville, Pennsylvania, and the beginning of my new role as Apostolic Province Councilor, I offered to go to Vista Maria and give Voice Lessons to…
Toni Ponder welcomed as Director of Province Administration
The Province of Mid-North America welcomes Antonia “Toni” Ponder as Director of Province Administration/General Counsel. In this new role, Toni engages directly with the Province Leader Madeleine Munday, RGS, and the Province Leadership Team. She also works directly with the Province Administration Staff, Sister and Lay Partners-in-Mission, and ministries to actively implement the Province’s core…
Trees are spiritual for me
Trees are spiritual for me. Trees are what I seek when I need counsel. I walk among trees and talk out loud to them when I am discerning something momentous. I bellow out to them when I am outraged, and I lean on them in whispered prayer. My relationship with trees began a lifetime ago…
My journey as a lobbyist for the National Advocacy Center
My journey as a lobbyist for the National Advocacy Center (NAC) of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd began when I interviewed for the job more than 12 years ago. I remember my joy when Sr. Gayle Crumbley called to say I was selected for the job. I had had extensive experience as a lobbyist…
From counseling to advocacy, a Sister’s instincts save a family
This is the story of how one Good Shepherd Apostolic Sister went from counseling to advocacy and saved a family in the process. Chris Hock, RGS, left Portland, Oregon, and the counseling ministries that fed her soul to return to her roots in southern Indiana. When she applied for counseling jobs in the largest neighboring…
Juneteenth celebration showcases original play
The Juneteenth celebration at Earth Dance Organic Farm School in Ferguson, Missouri, spotlighted youth who performed an original play. Community members gathered under an outdoor pavilion at Earth Dance for the Juneteenth celebration on June 19, 2021. The evening’s highlight included a theatrical performance of “The Ancestors Cabinet,” a play written by Karon Majeel and…
Vista Maria CEO and a survivor of human trafficking featured on webinar
Featured panelists on the Exploring Intersections webinar series in July were Vista Maria CEO and President Angela M. Aufdemberge; Ann Oestreich, IHM; and Bailey, a survivor of human trafficking and graduate of the Vista Maria WINGS program. How can we help those we cannot see? How does one empower those who are in chains? These…
Uniting in prayers for Vietnam as COVID spreads
We need prayers for Vietnam because COVID is spreading throughout our country. Since May, people have been forced to self-isolate, and travel is restricted. When people and families are not allowed to go out, when companies and factories close, it means that the income of workers is also lost. Two Good Shepherd Sisters, Rose, and…
ALS Society in St. Louis makes verbal communication possible for Sister Mary Carolyn
A few short weeks after having knee surgery last summer, Mary Carolyn, RGS, began noticing a marked difference in her coordination and ability to function. As it turned out, the after-effects of knee surgery weren’t causing her coordination problems. ALS was at fault. After meeting with her doctor about growing concerns over the symptoms she…