Living in community is central to life as a School Sister of Notre Dame. Much more than simply a sharing of space and resources, the commitment encompasses all it takes to exist as a community of one mind and one heart. Sisters are bound together by choice, pursuing a shared purpose, nurturing spiritual connection, and sustaining one another through all of life’s joys and challenges.
Sister Rose shares a laugh with Sister Kathleen Marie Engers.
On the halls of 2 South at Stella Maris in Timonium, Maryland, that dedication to community is unmistakable. There, sisters requiring long term care benefit from support that allows them to continue to live in devotion to one another and faithfulness to the congregation’s charism. A dedicated team of people makes that happen—nurses, aides, and support staff treat the sisters with expertise, love, and respect, and volunteers come frequently to spend time with the sisters. Additionally, Sister Rose Federici—who serves on the community leadership team for the residents of Stella Maris—focuses her ministry on the care and comfort of the sisters who reside there.
Sister Rose begins each day with a warm greeting for every resident, her boundless energy and positive attitude infusing the hallways with a sense of cheer. After sharing the day’s calendar and any SSND news, she reads mail to those unable to do it themselves, spends one-on-one time with every resident, and makes sure each sister has what she needs. “Sister Rose would move mountains for the sisters under her care,” said 2 South Unit Secretary Kathy Carlock. “She gives her all in every way possible. Whether she is taking sisters for appointments, helping with meals, engaging them in fun activities, or attending mass or prayer services with them, she does it with kindness, a smile, and pure love.”
Sometimes it’s the little things that make a sister’s day: a favorite piece of candy in the middle of the afternoon or a special party to celebrate a birthday or jubilee. Other times it is the delight of connecting with sisters in other parts of the world through Zoom or attending mass with sisters and associates who come from nearby areas to join them on the unit’s cleverly placed balcony overlooking the main chapel.
Thoughtful design elements like the chapel balcony are incorporated throughout Stella Maris, creating an intentional living space that contributes to the community atmosphere. Generous common areas contain a large table for meals, an informal conversation and TV-watching space, and cozier spots for reading or crafting. Plants and statues adorn the windowsills and bulletin boards on both sides of the room brighten the space and encourage the sharing of up-to-date information on SSND near and far. Porches overlooking the Loch Raven reservoir provide welcome outdoor area, and decorations for each season and holiday keep the space lively and dynamic.
Ministry is a lifelong commitment for the sisters.
Although Stella Maris is geared towards the sisters’ needs, the sisters themselves continue to look outward, focused as always on ways to minister to others. 2 South resident Sister Paulette Doyas still works part time as an assistant in the Notre Dame of Maryland University registrar’s office from a laptop within reach of her bed. She also spends a part of each day praying for the people whose names fill a notebook she updates regularly, her distinctive script filling every line and margin.
While not all the sisters on 2 South are able to keep up that kind of schedule, all remain deeply devoted to the ministry of prayer and presence. “These are powerful holy women of prayer who give all who come in contact with them a sense of hope,” said Sister Rose. “Their spirit is life changing. Their quiet presence is contagious.”
For Kathy, the impact of the sisters has been transformative. “The sisters have been a blessing to me from the first time I met them,” she said. “I have learned caring, kindness, sharing, respect, love, a willingness to help, and most of all inner peace from them.”
That experience is echoed by the many people who interact with the sisters and benefit from their faith, kindness, and attention. That includes students from Notre Dame Prep (NDP), an SSND-sponsored school whose students pay regular visits to the sisters at Stella Maris. At Easter time, a group of middle level students came and made Easter bonnets with the sisters. As summer approached, a class of upper school students gathered with sisters on the porch to enjoy treats, blow bubbles, and toss beach balls. Some of the sisters who graduated from NDP shared stories about what the school was like in their day, while current students updated the sisters about life at the school today.
Sister Carmel Rodgers and Sister Maria Felipe Lopez spend time in one of Stella Maris’ common spaces.
No matter what any particular day brings, the bonds among the sisters remain as a throughline of their lives at Stella Maris. “We pray together. We laugh together. We participate on-line in province activities. We become aware of world issues. As a sister is in the process of dying, we gather the other sisters in her bedroom to pray with and bless her,” said Sister Rose.
Sister Paulette describes 2 South as “a close-knit, well-rounded unit of joy” and Nurse Manager Mary Jeanne Frank said she marvels at how so many personalities have come together to create a place where respect for one another is most important. “The SSND on 2 South are so supportive of each other and provide a strong bond of unity,” said Mary Jeanne. “I have witnessed their devotion to each other, and it has humbled me.”