Thank you to all our donors and friends for your support throughout the year. We are grateful and appreciative.
March 1, 2023, to December 19, 2023
In Memory of and In Honor of…
Mario Bagaglio, In honor of Sister Grace Malonzo,D.W. (Retirement Fund)
Hilary C. Bittner, In memory of Sister Anna Bittner, D.W. (Retirement Fund)
Hilary C. Bittner, In memory of Sister Anna Bittner, D.W. (Sound Beach Projects Fund)
Hilary C. Bittner, In memory of Sister Anna Bittner, D.W. (Sound Beach Projects and Retirement Funds)
Robert Bleck, In memory of Joseph J. Cipollo and Donna Marie Biedermann (General Fund)
Mary Jane Bohlen, In memory of Sister Mary Eileen McCarthy, D.W. (General Fund)
Karin and Joseph Coniker, In memory of Theresa Fontinell (General Fund)
Richard Davis, In honor of Sister Marie Sopr, D.W. (Retirement Fund)
Marilyn Derungs, In memory of Sister Theodore and Sister Margaret (Sound Beach Projects)
Carol Ann Dondiego, In memory of Margaret Fullam (Haiti Fund)
Ellen Edelstein, In honor of Rosalie Mullane (General Fund)
Susan Ewing-Ramsay, In honor of Lloyd and Elizabeth Ewing (Sound Beach Projects)
Frank Fontinell, In memory of Theresa Fontinell (General Fund) (3)
Lori Forgione, In memory of Theresa Fontinell (General Fund)
Ellen Francois, In memory of Sister Adeline Haig, D.W. (Haiti Fund)
Ellen Francois, In honor of the 2023 Jubilarians: Sisters Diane Cappozi, Patricia Pelletier, Bernadette Sassone, Christine Scherer, Barbara O’Dea and Jeannine Boutin, D.W. (Retirement Fund)
Fontinell, Jensen, and Dennis families, In memory of Theresa Fontinell (General Fund)
Patricia Keck, In memory of Anthony Saxon (General Fund)
James Kerr, In memory of Sister Margaret McCabe, D.W. (Sound Beach Projects)
Eileen Lanzarone, In memory of Sister Mary Eileen McCarthy, D.W. (General Fund)
Dianne Larkin, In memory of Frank Barth (General Fund)
Julia Loomis, In memory of Sister Marilyn Lieber, D.W., Sister Margaret McCabe, D.W., and in honor of Sister Grace Malonzo, D.W. (Sound Beach Projects)
Barbara Loving, In memory of Sister Mary Eileen McCarthy, D.W. (General Fund)
Janet Mahoney, In memory of Viola/Arthur Schneider (Sound Beach Projects)
Patricia McAuley, In memory of Sister Joan Rohan, D.W. (General Fund)
Alison McCarthy, In memory of Sister Margaret McCabe, D.W. (Sound Beach Projects Fund)
Kathleen May, In honor of Sisters Chris Scherer, Patricia Pelletier, and Bernadette Sassone, D.W. (General Fund)
Nancy Bortko Miller, In memory of Sister Margaret McCabe, D.W. (Haiti Fund) She served the Lord selflessly and dedicated her life to assisting individuals and families who lived in poverty in the Southern Virginia Area.
Betty C. Monkman, In memory of Margaret Fullam (General Fund)
Shirley Mosher, In memory of Sister Margaret McCabe, D.W. (Sound Beach Projects Fund)
Marie Luise Nazar, In memory of Sister Margaret McCabe, D.W. (General Fund)
Elizabeth Papa, In memory of Theresa Ann Fontinell (Sound Beach Projects)
Annmary Passantino, In honor of Sister Emma Rohn’s birthday (Sound Beach Projects)
Marie Potochney, In honor of Sister Marie Sopr, D.W. and Sister Louise Dufour, D.W. (Sound Beach Plantings Fund)
Rose Recco, In memory of her husband, Joseph Esposito (General Fund) (2)
Diana & Owen Rees, In memory of Sister Camille Solis, D.W. (General Fund) (and Retirement Fund)
Maryann Revell, In memory of Sister Margaret Mary McCabe, D.W. (Retirement)
Audrey Schroeder, In memory of Gilbert Schroeder (Sound Beach Plantings Fund)
Lori Spina, In memory of Ann Murdock (General Fund)
Raymond Strangways, In memory of Jean Strangways (Sound Beach Landscaping Fund)
Raymond Strangways, In memory of Jean Strangways (General Fund)
Vivian Tao-Wen Wu, In memory of Sister Rosemary Graham, (General Fund)
Mary Pat Tessier, In memory of Sister Margaret McCabe, D.W. (In thanks for Sr. Margaret’s service and example to all.) (General Fund)
Marisa Walpert, In memory of Jean Strangways (General Fund)
David Watson, In memory of his mother, Mary Watson, and in honor of her birthday on 11/1 (General Fund)
Linda Wilson, In memory of Marie McLaughlin (General Fund)
From the Desk of Sr. Catherine Sheehan, DW
Summer 2024
Spring 2024
Dear Donors and Friends,
Seventy-five years ago, the Daughters of Wisdom purchased this lovely Farmhouse in the Litchfield, CT hills. It was the first location of the U.S. Province’s Novitiate.
With the growth in the 1950s into the early 1960s the brick building was erected in two stages. During the 1970s into the early 1980s, retired Sisters lived in Litchfield. Eventually, what is now known as Wisdom House grew into a thriving interfaith retreat and conference center. Sr. Irene Arsenault and Sr. Maureen Hurley were instrumental in the pilot stages of Wisdom House followed by Sr. Rosemarie Greco who led Wisdom House for over 25 years. In 2017, Deborah Kelly assumed the role of Executive Director.
Wisdom House welcomes over 500 groups annually. An elevator was installed during the 1960s that allowed easy access to the four-story building. When the elevator was added, its projected life was about 25 years. The time has come for a major renovation of the elevator – not bad for being in use 50+ years! The cost is approximately $325,000.00. Without this elevator, Wisdom House cannot continue to serve the people who come to stay every year.
Wisdom House has been and continues to be an important part of the Daughters of Wisdom mission. We need your support to continue this mission. As we celebrate 75 years, any help that you can provide is greatly appreciated to continue our legacy of welcoming seekers of Wisdom.
Gratefully,
Sr. Cathy Sheehan, D.W., Delegation Leader
Fall 2023
Winter 2022
Dear Donors and Friends,
As we welcome this season of Advent and await Christmas, we wish to thank each of you for your on-going support and friendship.
The Daughters of Wisdom are grateful for your support during this past year, which once again found us dealing with COVID, weather-related events, and political upheavals across the world. We believe in the power of goodness – that justice will prevail.
We could not accomplish the goals of our mission statement, which briefly stated is to bring the message of Jesus, Incarnate Wisdom, to people experiencing injustice, violence, poverty and oppression, especially women and children without your assistance.
This past year, thanks to your generosity, we were able to send funds to Asha Deep, a residence in India, run by the Daughters of Wisdom to serve and protect and educate girls who would otherwise be living on the street.
Our retired Sisters appreciate your support of our convent located in Sound Beach, New York, where many of our retired and ageing Sisters live. Your contributions enable us to make, as-needed, improvements and repairs to our convent. We hope you will continue your support of these projects at Sound Beach.
This year marked the final luncheon hosted by the alumnae of Our Lady of Wisdom Academy in Ozone Park, NY a former Daughter of Wisdom school. These dedicated women have been so generous to the Sisters over the years and we are deeply grateful to them.
We look to our donors and friends to continue their much-needed support for the Daughters of Wisdom.
Please know that each of you and your families are always remembered in our prayers with gratitude and love. May Wisdom bless you abundantly.
Gratefully,
Sister Catherine Sheehan, D.W.
Provincial Leader
Spring 2022
Dear Donors and Friends of Wisdom,
As we await the coming of Spring, the Daughters of Wisdom want to thank our donors and friends for their past support in our efforts to live out our mission. Despite the on-going situation with COVID, you have continued to support us.
Through an e-mail request to you, we were able to financially send aid to our Sisters in Haiti following the earthquake in August which devastated once again a large part of this impoverished country. We are so grateful for this outpouring of love and support. Read more
Fall 2021
Dear Friends in Wisdom,
We are happy to share with you a new project! Sr. María Jesús Pinedo Aguilar is a member of our intercultural community in the parish of St. Hugh of Lincoln in Huntington Station, New York. Sr. María Jesús has identified a need among Hispanic immigrant women. Read more
Summer 2021
A MESSAGE TO OUR DONORS AND FRIENDS REGARDING HAITI
As you know, the Haitian people have suffered another earthquake, the magnitude of which exceeds the 2010 earthquake which was devastating. The Daughters of Wisdom have a strong presence and ministries in Haiti. These are difficult times for everyone including the Sisters.
We are asking you for your support for our Sisters in Haiti and those they serve. Your donations will be forwarded to our Generalate in France and then securely sent to the Sisters in Haiti for the aid of the Haitian people.
We know you have many demands on your generosity and we appreciate all you have done and continue to do for the Daughters of Wisdom. Your donations can be made by clicking on the Online Donations button below in the next section, Ways to Give, and by choosing Haiti in the Apply My Gift dropdown menu. You can also mail your donation stating it is for Haiti to the Daughters of Wisdom, Mission Advancement, 385 Ocean Avenue, Islip, NY 11751. You can also reach Rosalie Mullane, Mission Advancement at rmullane@daughtersofwisdom.org, or by phone at 631-277-2660 ext. 17.
May Wisdom bless you and the people of Haiti.
Gratefully yours,
Sister Cathy Sheehan, D.W.
Provincial Leader
Spring 2021
May 2021
Dear Friends in Wisdom,
Just having celebrated Earth Day on April 22, 2021, we are about to embark on a major project at our Sound Beach, New York property. This project to replace the seawall/bulkhead on the shore of Long Island Sound is an endeavor in caring for the earth and specifically protecting the site of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent — home for our retired Sisters. Read more.
Ways to Give
Through the ministries of education, healthcare, spirituality, pastoral and social services, the Daughters of Wisdom have and continue to make a difference in the lives of others. For over a century in the U.S. and over 300 years worldwide, Daughters of Wisdom have ministered to God’s people.
Those who support the Mission of the Daughters of Wisdom through donations of their time and/or their treasure are part of our Wisdom family. Every gift has an impact on others and, like a drop of rain in a river, each gift creates a thousand widening circles.
There are a variety of ways to give to help advance the mission of the Daughters of Wisdom. Listed below are the most common ways in which our benefactors and donors make financial donations. For more information, please contact Rosalie Mullane at 631-277-2660, Ext. 17.
Text2Give
Giving just got easier! Text2Give makes it easy to give to the Daughters of Wisdom by simply texting an amount to our Text2Give phone number. Click here to find out how to do it: Text2Give
Cash Donations
Cash donations provide immediate assistance through the fund/program of your choice. See how you can help by viewing the various options set up in the drop-down box under the Donate On Line tab. To make a donation by check, simply make check payable to “Daughters of Wisdom” and mail to:
Daughters of Wisdom
c/o Mission Advancement
385 Ocean Avenue
Islip, New York 11751
Memorial Donations
A wonderful way to honor a person is to make a Memorial donation to the Daughters of Wisdom in the name of a Sister, friend, a special person in your life, or a loved one. For more information, please contact Rosalie Mullane at 631-277-2660, Ext. 17.
Gifts of Appreciated Stock
The Daughters of Wisdom accept gifts of stocks, bonds or mutual funds. This type of gift can provide the donor tax savings on capital gains as well as an income tax reduction. Of course, before giving such gifts, you should first consult with your attorney and/or financial advisor. For more information, please contact Rosalie Mullane at 631-277-2660, Ext. 17.
Bequests
A bequest is a gift made through an individual’s will and is a time-honored way to make a difference in the lives of others well into the future. You can include the Daughters of Wisdom in your will and make a bequest in several different ways. As with gifts of stock, please consult with your attorney and/or financial advisor before making a bequest. For more information, please contact Rosalie Mullane at 631-277-2660, Ext. 17.
Prayer Cards
Special prayer cards are available to remember someone who has passed, on their birthday, for their healing, or for a special occasion. Once a card is purchased, the person's name is placed in a Book of Life, Book of Birthdays, Book of Healing or in a Book of Special Occasions which are present in the chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent in Sound Beach, Long Island, NY. The names listed in the books are remembered by the Sisters at daily mass offered in the Chapel. For more information, please contact Rosalie Mullane at 631-277-2660, Ext. 17.
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