Sr. Mary Stanco serves as director of Humility of Mary Volunteer Service, an HM ministry that places young adults in short-term and year-long service opportunities in northeastern Ohio and southern Florida. She has been the program director since 2013 and enjoys working with the young adults who desire to be of service to others.

“It’s a rewarding experience to be able to coach, advise, and see the potential in people and help them tap into it.” says Sr. Mary. “Being able to provide HM Volunteers with the experience of learning more about the people they serve and how best to be ready to help them is largely what HM Volunteers is about: bringing more abundant life to others with the hope that they [the Volunteers] will continue to bring more abundant life as they continue living more intentionally—their lives always ready to serve others.” #NCSW #sistersofhm #villamariapa

Sr. Madeline Muller ministers at Collinwood Neighborhood Catholic Ministries (CNCM), a collaborative ministry of five religious congregations on Cleveland’s east side. CNCM strives to meet the needs of those in its neighborhood by offering a variety of programs and services like an ID voucher program, counseling, grief support, pregnancy support, and nutrition assistance. Arts programs such as painting, cooking, quilting, knitting, and crocheting are also offered

“The best thing about being here is meeting the people,” Sr. Madeline says. “I find that my ministry here in Collinwood fulfills our HM Mission of giving more abundant life to God’s people, especially the poor. We help people gain a sense of self-worth by being a presence in the neighborhood.” #NCSW #sistersofhm #villamariapa

Prayer Shawls Etc. is a group of HM Sisters who are retired from active ministry that meets weekly to crochet prayer shawls, blankets, and other items to donate to various organizations. The sisters began the ministry in the fall of 2015 as a way to build their own sense of community with each other as well as offer the warmth and comfort of prayer to those who need it. 

“After we are all present, we ask for prayer intentions because we pray as we make them,” says Sr. Cheryl Samblanet. “The idea is that the prayers then wrap around the person who receives the item.”

The sisters have donated finished items to The Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley in Youngstown, Ohio, various shelters, and Villa Maria Community Center’s annual Christmas clothing drive among others. Their current projects will be sent to Hospice of the Valley in Youngstown when they are completed. #NCSW #sistersofhm #villamariapa

Sr. Cheryl Rose serves as a spiritual director, helping others to deepen their relationship with themselves and with God. She was an educator at the secondary level for 26 years prior to her ministry in spiritual direction.

“I believe it was Gerard Manley Hopkins who wrote about finding the mission for one’s life, with the phrase ‘for this I came,’” says Sr. Cheryl. “Over and over I have known that sharing the spiritual path, supporting people’s inner work, shedding light on the soul’s journey with God is my ‘for this I came,’ the work that inspires and delights me.” #NCSW #sistersofhm #villamariapa

Sr. Margaret Mary Siegfried was a pharmacist at St. Joseph Riverside in Warren and St. Elizabeth Youngstown from the early 1950s until her retirement in 1994, but she loved the hospital so much that she still hasn’t left. You can still find her one morning a week at Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital visiting with families in the surgical waiting room.

“Jesus said, ‘I was sick and you visited me,’ and that inspires me to continue in this ministry,” says Sr. Margaret Mary. “I usually go to people who are alone first and see if they want to talk or not [in the waiting room]. I’ll continue to visit with people as long as God gives me the health to keep going.” #NCSW #sistersofhm #villamariapa

Sr. Carol Joy Cincerelli teaches at St. Hilary School in Fairlawn, Ohio. Her enrichment art class provides comprehensive exposure to the arts with lessons focusing on the works of writers, artists, composers, saints and others. By the time the children are in fourth grade, they are familiar with the life and works of Renoir, Van Gogh, Mozart, Grandma Moses, Michelangelo and many others.

“Each lesson is based on higher level thinking skills, and my program uses all the arts in learning. Through the people we study, we discuss times that are difficult in life as well as recognizing our own gifts in healing and helping those with whom we share our journeys and our world,” says Sr. Carol Joy. “Respect for others, kindness, and leadership extend from learning how others have traveled with us.” #NCSW #sistersofhm #villamariapa