Motto: ‘Help all and harm none’

The Sisters come to the United States and Omaha

Responding to the call of Christ to meet unmet needs of their time, a future saint, Peter Fourier, and a future beatified sister, Alix Le Clerc, collaborated to establish the Congregation of Notre Dame in France in the late 16th century. Alix Le Clerc was born in Remiremont, France, Feb. 2, 1576, during a turbulent period in history. At age 19, she met Peter Fourier, the pastor of her parish. Following her dream, Alix pursued the idea of religious life and assembled a group of women willing to found a new order. On Christmas night, 1597, drawn together by God’s providence, Alix and Peter created “The Congregation of Our Lady: Canonesses of St. Augustine.” Together they dreamed and helped transform unmet needs of their time by making Christian formation available to all. They believed that society can be changed for the better by empowering individuals, especially

women, through Christian education. Peter and Alix frequently experienced opposition from the very church that they sought to serve, as well as civil and domestic persecution. The motto St. Peter gave to the Notre Dame Sisters is, “Help all and harm none.” Blessed Alix modeled, “Do the most good.” The Congregation grew rapidly and spread throughout France. During the French Revolution, however, all religious communities were suppressed. In 1853, Father Gabriel Schneider re-established the community in Czechoslovakia so girls in his parish could receive a Christian education. The motherhouse was established in Horazdovice, and again, many young women were attracted to this community and joined in the service of Christ by working in schools, orphanages, institutions for the disabled and homes for the aged.

More than 50 years after the re-estab-lishment of the Notre Dame Sisters Order in Czechoslovakia, requests for Sisters came from the United States in 1907. Knowing that there was a great need for the Czech immigrants in the U.S., Mother Mary Qualberta and four other Sisters resettled near St. Louis in Fenton, Mo. in 1910 to work at an orphanage for Czech children. Five more Sisters came from Czechoslovakia in 1911, and young women from the United States also began joining the Congregation.

In 1917, at the urgent request of Bishop Jeremiah Harty and with the help of God, Mother Qualberta decided to send two Sisters to staff Boys Home, founded by Father Edward Flanagan at 20th and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Sister Rose Slevin, an American, and Sister Martha Djobek, a Slovak who did not know a word of English, were chosen to come. In 1920, Father Flanagan sold Seven Oaks Farm at 35th and State streets, originally intended for Boys Town, and they established their provincial headquarters in Omaha.

1576Blessed Alix Le Clerc is born

Blessed Alix Le Clerc

1920Sisters purchase Seven Oaks Farm in North Omaha (Florence)

1597The Congregation of Notre Dame makes their first consecration together in France

1853Fr. Gabriel Schneider re-establishes the community in Czechoslovakia

1907Requests for Sisters come from the United States

1910Mother Qualberta and four Sisters come to Fenton, Mo.

1917Sisters come to Omaha to staff Boys Home with Fr. Flanagan

1600 18001700 1900

1789 – 94 The Order is suppressed during the French Revolution

January 20, 2017www.notredamesisters.org · www.ndhinc.org

Women of faith, making a difference

Sisters form NDH to meet an emerging unmet need

By the time the Notre Dame Sisters established their headquarters in Omaha in 1920, young women were already joining the Congregation. As the Order grew the Sisters continued their work of meeting unmet needs, and in 1926 the Sisters opened Notre Dame Academy under the leadership of Sister Mary Qualbertina Vanek. The school opened with 15 students, and by the end of the first academic year, attendance had grown to 26 students from around the Midwest. The Sisters educated thousands of young women throughout the Academy’s 48 years, while additionally providing a comprehensive experience in faith, civic responsibility and community living. They embraced the importance of a well-rounded education, offering numerous classes in a variety of arts and music, along with the core courses. In 1974 Notre Dame Academy merged with Bishop Rummel High School to form Roncalli Catholic High School. Today Roncalli continues to carry out Notre Dame Academy’s legacy.

After careful evaluation and prayer regarding the current and future circumstances surrounding the Notre Dame Sisters, their Motherhouse and their former Academy, the Sisters decided in 1997 to continue pursuing the Notre Dame Sisters’ mission of meeting unmet needs in the community, and convert the buildings into safe, affordable housing for seniors.

Today the average age of the Sisters is 77, yet they continue to educate, inform, enlighten and advocate. They are teachers, nurses, chaplains, pastoral ministers and spiritual directors. They care for and work with the ill, infirmed, minorities, marginalized and those affected by poverty, violence and social disadvantage. Three of their main ministries are Safe Homes, Human Trafficking and Notre Dame Housing. Through their Safe Homes ministry, they provide start-up funds for people escaping domestic violence situations. They also help them rebuild their self-esteem, find employment and a home where they will be safe from harm. Since 2009 this ministry has helped more than 450 individuals. The Sisters respond to the call of Christ by working to achieve justice for all, especially those on the margins of our community. They collaborate with area organizations through the Coalition on Human Trafficking, working to eliminate one of the most abusive actions toward men, women and children.

In 1997, to meet the unmet needs of the community the Notre Dame Sisters gave away their former Academy and Motherhouse buildings and land to create their largest sponsored ministry, an independent, non-profit organization, Notre Dame Housing (NDH). Today NDH provides 117 older adults in 107 housing units, safe and affordable living in a community of respect, love and independence. Residents are offered life enrichment, health and wellness and supportive services to improve their quality of life, allowing them to live independently and age in place. Notre Dame Housing goes beyond basic housing and addresses the health, social, spiritual and physical needs of their residents, to give them the ability to live independently for as long as possible. More than 60 percent of their residents live at or below the poverty level, with most unable to meet their basic needs - food, housing, transportation and healthcare, without assistance. While all of these needs are critical, nutrition and wellness are the most immediate concerns. The NDH staff, Board and volunteers believe each and every person is created equal and worthy of dignity and respect. They strive to create a safe place for all with zero tolerance for discrimination.

Provincial Leadership Team (from left) Sr. Margaret Hickey ND (Provincial President), Sr. Margaret Proskovec ND and Sr. Joy Connealy ND.

1925Motherhouse and Notre Dame Academy are built

1926 Notre Dame Academy opens

1947 May 4, baeatification of Alix Le Clerc by Pope Pius XII

1950-51 Addition of Assumption Chapel

Mid-1960s 5 Sisters sent to Chile to build a parish for the Archdiocese

1964 West wing extension of NDA and Motherhouse

1974 Notre Dame Academy closes and merges with Bishop Rummel High School to form Roncalli Catholic High School

1984 Sisters take stance against the death penalty

1997 NDH established to provide service enriched environment of affordable housing to older adults on limited incomes

1998 Sisters take stance for a consistent ethic of life in all affairs

2009 Safe Homes ministry provides first rents to domestic violence survivors

2013 Human Trafficking Coalition convenes for first time

1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

1937 Sisters begin their ministry on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota

From homeless to housed:

Defying all oDDs

Celebrating the past and looking to the future The future for the Notre Dame Sisters holds a mixture of new and familiar. The Sisters will kick off a special study in March of this year to determine available resources for necessary projects. This information will help them determine their future concerning services, housing, and other ministries. At the same time, the Sisters will continue their work against human trafficking and domestic violence, and for health and education of the young. On April 2, the 23rd Annual Celebration of Spirit Dinner will be held at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish. The Sisters also will be marking three major anniversaries this year. Look for more great things on their website, Twitter and Facebook pages.

One Omaha man has gone from sleeping in a homeless shelter to having a place of his own, thanks to Notre Dame Housing. Since 1997, Notre Dame Housing (NDH) has offered service enriched affordable housing services to seniors. NDH is committed to the principle that older adults possess limitless potential to develop as individuals. They strive in all of their work to provide older adults like James the tools to shape their own destinies. James is a 63-year-old Omaha native who has three children ages 40, 41 and 22. He was a middle child of 13 who grew up in a blue collar family, but has learned the true meaning of hard work and responsibility. He was previously employed at a local poultry plant and spent the last nine years as a custodian at Creighton University. Prior to coming to NDH, James struggled with financial problems

requires that individuals must pay no more than 30 percent of their income for housing. “An individual absolutely has to contribute based on what his/her income is,” explained Michael Robinson, NDH Executive Director. “We have the ability to subsidize to make sure that our prospective residents can get into their own place.” The seniors they serve have average annual incomes of $13,000. Many struggle to pay their reduced rent, purchase their required medicines, and manage day-to-day expenses, which is why the supportive programs NDH offers, like the food pantry, are so important. "What I also find extraordinary is that people like James, who have experienced great difficulties, are definitely up to the challenge of making significant positive changes in their lives,” Robinson said. “They just need a little support."

that caused him to lose his housing. He then resided at the Open Door Mission because he did not want to be a burden to his children and family members who were already facing their own problems. Today he has an affordable, service-enriched place to call home. He has been very active with the men’s club and takes every opportunity to help his peers at Notre Dame Housing.

“You get used to what it means to survive on the street, especially of all the things that come with that,” James said. “There is a significant adjustment process when a person goes from surviving on the streets to being housed again.” James currently lives in subsidized housing at NDH, which is part of the HUD 202 Subsidized Housing Program. This program

20TH ANNIVERSARY of Notre Dame Housing

80TH ANNIVERSARY of Notre Dame Sisters’ ministry on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota

100TH ANNIVERSARY of Notre Dame Sisters in Omaha

2017Celebrating years of service