Summer Newsletter

Summer Newsletter: Transitions

Dear Sisters & Friends,

The Core Team of Giving Voice sends warm greetings and blessings to you all! 

This summer, Giving Voice is experiencing a number of transitions that we wanted to share with all of you. 

Firstly, the Core Team of Giving Voice, Chioma Ahanihu, SLW, Erin McDonald, CSJ, Dina Bato, SP, Adriana Calzada, CCVI, Xiomara Méndez-Hernández, OP, Kathryn Press, ASCJ, Thuy Tran, CSJ, will have our annual Face-to-Face meeting in early July, for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. To make this possible during this extraordinary time, we needed to make some adjustments. Thus, four of us will meet in person and the rest of the team will Zoom-in from Chicago, Mexico City, and Hamden, CT. Please join us in prayer for our meetings & discernment for the present and future of Giving Voice! 

Secondly, Giving Voice’s office is moving out of Catholic Theological Union. The building where our office has been located is being sold by Catholic Theological Union, and Giving Voice will be fully vacated by the end of July. The Core Team of Giving Voice is discerning whether a physical location of an office is needed in the future. 

For now, our mailing address has not changed. 

Thirdly, Sophie Vodvarka, who has served as Giving Voice’s Communications Coordinator for the past 3.5 years, will be moving on from Giving Voice in early July. Sophie will be continuing her work as a freelance reporter/writer with a number of publications including National Catholic Reporter and Sojourners. Sophie says: “Thank you to the Sisters of Giving Voice for your love and support! I have enjoyed getting to know a number of you over the years in Chicago, and at our in-person gatherings! Please don’t hesitate to reach out and say “hello!”  

We are grateful for Sophie’s time with us. She will be greatly missed. May our Loving God continue to bless her journey. 

We also are celebrating the upcoming milestones for a number of Giving Voice Sisters. 

Please pray for our Giving Voice sisters as they prepare for perpetual profession:

  • Eilis McCulloh, HM- Sisters of the Humility of Mary (June 26)

  • Jenny Sellaro, ASC- Adorers of the Blood of Christ (June 26)

  • Krystal Funk, ASC- Adorers of the Blood of Christ (August 7)

  • Ana Gonzalez, OP- Dominican Sisters of Peace (August 8)

And for our sisters preparing for first profession:

  • Meg Earsley- Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (August 7)

  • Fayie Imani- Maryknoll Sisters (August 8)

  • Jessica Vitente- Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (August 14)

  • Delphine Okoro- Oblate Sisters of Providence (August 14)

And prayers for Natalie Ross & Rose Ruboca entering novitiate with the Marianist Sisters (Daughters of Mary Immaculate) as well as for Rachel Anne Enders who begins her prepostulancy with the Daughters of Charity.

Did we miss you? Please email coreteam@giving-voice.org and we’ll be sure to include your name and milestone in our August newsletter.