June 2017

Letter from the Superior General

Dear Families and Friends,

It's June already! A time of excitement forgraduates and often a time of fondfarewells. We congratulate our 2017graduates and wish them God's blessings onall of their future endeavors. We bid a fondfarewell to Bob Weber as he returns toBlanchet Catholic High School after his returnto Valley Catholic where he began histeaching career in the early 1990s. Bob's seven years of driving fromSalem each day have been a time of blessing for our campus. Wesend Bob onward with our gratitude and best wishes.

It's June already and soon it will be September already! Enjoy thechange of pace! Engage in whatever ways renew and refresh. Beassured that we will be reporting on our efforts toward the sameduring the summer months.

Blessings,Sr. Charlene

Honors for Sr. Charlene Herinckx anddiplomas for two SSMO Sisters at theUniversity of Portland's 2017Commencement Ceremony

Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (SSMO) Superior General Sr.Charlene Herinckx has received the Christus Magister Medal - thehighest honor presented by the University of Portland. The awardpresentation took place during the University of PortlandCommencement Ceremony, held at the Chiles Center on May 7, 2017.

Meet the Sisters:Sr. Sharon Kirk

Sr. Sharon Kirk taughtelementary school for 20years, served as aprincipal for 15 yearsand served my Sistersfor 21 years in a numberof roles, includingMotherhouseAdministrator.

She has always beeninterested in the role ofwomen in the world andparticipated in manyevents to support them.Sr. Sharon says her workat the Women'sIntercommunity AidsResource (WIAR) standsout as her greatestblessing.

"I wanted each client tobe greeted with warmthand compassion," shesaid. "I wanted toremember each of theirpersonal stories to letthem know that theywere supported andloved."

Today, Sr. Sharonspends most of her daysin the infirmary on thirdfloor of the Sisters of St.Mary of OregonMotherhouse. She saysthis has taught her to be

After earning a bachelor's degreefrom Marylhurst University, Sr.Charlene earned a master'sdegree in education at theUniversity of Portland in 1978 anda second master's degree fromthe University of San Francisco.

A teacher and principal at schoolsacross the Portland metro region,she also served on the NationalReligious Vocation ConferenceBoard. Sr. Charlene was electedSuperior General of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon in 2010 andwas re-elected in 2015.

In citing Sr. Charlene's accomplishments in a lifetime of ministry andservice, the university noted: "Beloved and respected by her friendsand colleagues, Sr. Charlene embodies holistically the key traits ofthe SSMO charism: prayer, love, compassion, and, above all, joy."

Sr. Thuy Doan receives her diploma.

Sr. Colleen Schmitt at the commencement ceremony.

Members of the university's Class of 2017 included Sr. Thuy Doan andSr. Colleen Schmitt, who each received a Master of Arts degree inPastoral Ministry.

Nearly a dozen of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon attended theceremony to applaud the honors for Sr. Charlene and the degreepresentation to Sr. Thuy and Sr. Colleen.

patient with thecaregivers who strivedaily to meet the needsof each Sister.

Most of all, Sr. Sharonsays, "I strive to remaincheerful and cooperativeand to live each day as awoman of prayer - insimplicity and sisterlylove - as acompassionate, joyfulservant of the Lord."

We invite you to enjoyphotos from Sr. SharonKirk's life and ministry asshe prepares tocelebrate her 60thJubilee as a Sister of St.Mary of Oregon.

A life in pictures

The 2017 Jubilee Masswill take place onSunday, July 30, at 1:30p.m. on Our Lady ofPerpetual Help Chapel inthe SSMO Motherhouse.A reception will follow.

Our Mission

We, the Sisters of St.Mary of Oregon, share inthe mission of Jesus byproclaiming the GoodNews of God's love.

Our Campus

MaryvilleSSMO Foundation

SSMO Ministries Corp.Valley Catholic School

Prayer Requests

If you would like theSisters to add a

special intention to ourdaily prayers, please

send an email to prayers@ssmo.org.

Amazing AmericanWomen

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton,sometimes called MotherSeton, was the firstnative-born Americancitizen to be canonizedas a saint.

Bonus features

A photo album of the ceremony is available on our campusFlickr site.

Video highlights of the ceremony are featured on YouTube.

Learn more about the University of Portland's ChristusMagister Medal.

A silver celebration for Sr. Denise Klaas

Left to right: Valley Catholic Elementary School Teacher Connie

Heger, Sr. Denise Klaas, Valley Catholic Elementary School Principal

Krista Jacobson and Valley Catholic Elementary School Librarian

Shauna Jasperson.

Very few people remain in the same location of employment for along period of time these days. However, on the SSMO campus, wehave been able to celebrate 25 years of service at the variousentities with many individuals over the years.

This year, all of our attention went to Sister Denise Klaas, who beganteaching at Valley Catholic in 1992 and has consistently grown andenhanced the Valley Catholic Elementary School music program.Everyone marvels at her ability to teach violin to all of our fourth-graders.

Both students and co-workers appreciate her professional, yetpersonal, engagement with those she meets each day. In addition,those who teach music at Valley Catholic Middle School and Valley

Born on August 28, 1774,Elizabeth Ann Bayley wasthe daughter of awealthy family in NewYork City. Her relatives,by blood or by marriage,included families of fameand power in the colonialUnited States. She grewup next door toAlexander Hamilton.

She was raised in whatwould eventuallybecome the EpiscopalChurch. But, in spite ofher society background,Elizabeth's early life wasquiet, simple, and oftenlonely. As she grewolder, the Bible wouldbecome her comfort andsupport.

In 1794, at age 19, shemarried William MageeSeton, a wealthybusinessman. In 1803,William Seton died oftuberculosis. As a widow,Elizabeth was receivedinto the Catholic Church in1805.

In order to supportherself and her children,Elizabeth Setonestablished an academyfor young ladies. Theschool had originallybeen secular but oncenews of Elizabeth'sconversation toCatholicism spread,several girls wereremoved from theschool.

In 1908, Elizabeth Setonestablished a religiouscommunity inEmmitsburg, Maryiland,dedicated to the care ofthe children of the poor.This was the firstcongregation of religioussisters to be founded inthe United States, and itsschool was the first freeCatholic school inAmerica.On March 25, 1809,Elizabeth Setonpronounced her vows ofpoverty, chastity, and

Catholic High School acknowledge that they benefit from her effortsto provide a solid music background for the students.

While Sister Denise admitted, with a smile, that she does not plan toteach for another 25 years, she says she is very happy continuingwith the music program in the coming years.

Congratulations - and gratitude - to Sr. Denise!

A regal honor for Sr. Delores Klupenger

Back row (from left): Sr. John Therese Miller, Sr. Rita Watkins, Sr.Rosina Pham and Sr. Charlene Herinckx. Front row: Sr. JosephinePelster (left) and Rose Princess Sr. Delores Klupenger.

To the applause of family members and friends, the names ofMaryville's 2017 Rose Princesses were announced in a lovelyceremony on May 19. A special cheer went up when ActivitiesDirector Hilee Jackson announced that the 2017 Rose Princess fromthe Maryville's west annex is none other than our own Sr. DeloresKlupenger.

Several of our Sisters were at Maryville to congratulate Sr. Deloresand Princess Marie (from the center unit) and Princess Fran (from thewest unit). Voting for the 2017 Rose Queen will take place during thenext few weeks. The queen's coronation will take place on Friday,June 9.

Congratulations to all of the beautiful rose princesses!

As seniors walk, a campus cheers

obedience. From thattime she was calledMother Seton.

Mother Seton died in1821 at the age of 46,only sixteen years afterbecoming a Catholic.

Her remains areentombed in theNational Shrine ofSaint Elizabeth AnnSeton in Emmitsburg.

Aloha, Oregon, ishome to St. ElizabethAnn Seton CatholicChurch, where FatherJeff Meeuwsen, ValleyCatholic Class of1995, currentlyserves.

Learn more about thelife and ministry of St.Elizabeth AnnSeton who wasbeatified by Pope JohnXXIII on March 17, 1963,and was canonized byPope Paul VI onSeptember 14, 1975

Left to right: Valley Catholic senior Samira Jones, Sr. Theresa AnnBunker, Sr. Rose Mary Heineck and senior Katheren Bettermanenjoy time together during the 2017Valley Catholic Senior Walk ofHonor.

Eight days before walking across the stage on graduation day, ValleyCatholic High School seniors took part in another importantprocession: the school's second annual Senior Walk of Honor acrossthe Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus. On June 2, dressed in theirgraduation robes, the seniors visited everyone who studies, worksand lives on the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus.

After leaving the high school, the seniors first visited the SSMOMotherhouse, where they were greeted by SSMO Superior GeneralSr. Charlene Herinckx as Valley Catholic School President Bob Weberand other staff members applauded from the balcony. The bell onthe roof of the Motherhouse - next to the historic dome - rang outonce for each of the 100 graduates, the largest graduating class inschool history.

On their patio on the east lawn of the campus, the Sisters recognizedthe students' accomplishments, offered refreshments, hosted animpromptu bocce ball game and sang a special blessing for thestudents.

Sr. Charlene said, "The seniors were just delightful. We enjoyed ourbrief time with them from their opening statement of gratitude for theopportunity to attend Valley Catholic to our song of blessing. I hopethey all feel that Valley Catholic is always home for them."

The seniors then continued their walk to Maryville, where residentsapplauded loudly as they congratulated the soon-to-be graduates.Next, the seniors passed through the elementary and middle schoolhallways, where students chanted "Let's go, seniors" and "Go,Valiants."

As the seniors returned to the high school lobby, they were greetedby the youngest Valiants on the SSMO campus: students from ValleyCatholic Early Learning School. The youngsters reached up to givegentle high-fives to the seniors, who were then greeted withapplause and hugs from faculty and staff and cheers from thefreshmen, sophomores and juniors who lined the halls during the finalmoments of the Senior Walk of Honor.

"My favorite moment of the walk was going to the middle andelementary school," said senior Seancarlos Gonzalez, who is one ofthree Valley Catholic valedictorians. "Seeing the smiles on thechildren's faces as they gave us high-fives in the hallways wasawesome."

He added, "I'm excited to graduate but, at the same time, I'm reallygoing to miss everything that Valley Catholic has been in my life."

Bonus features:

Discover additional photos in our Flickr gallery.Enjoy a new video on our YouTube channel.

A day in the life of our campusThe spring-summer issue of Spiritmagazine features a wonderful photoessay showcasing "A Day in the Life ofOur Campus."

On Feb. 1, photographers ToddSargood and Scott Cary captured morethan 3,500 images of activities on theSisters of St. Mary of Oregon campusfrom sunrise to nightfall.

The new issue features many of theday's highlights.

Photos: More photos from the day- more than 230 images - can be

found in a new album on Flickr.

Video: Our campus communications team also created avideo showing how the day unfolded. Click here or on theimage below to enjoy it.

The new issue provides a reminder that, beyond the idyllic images ofthe SSMO Motherhouse, lush front lawn and historic sequoia trees,ours is a vibrant campus community brimming with activity 24/7.

We hope you enjoy the memories of a special day in the life of ourcampus.

Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon | 4440 SW 148th Avenue | Beaverton, Oregon 97078

Phone: (503) 644-9181 | Email: info@ssmo.orgVisit us any time at www.ssmo.org.

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