At Mount St. Joseph, the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, fifteen sisters of the Sisters of Charity Federation gathered with Barbara Hagedorn, SC (Cincinnati), President of the Board of Directors of the Federation, on the weekend of April 3-5, 2009. A committee comprised of Janet Gildea and Monica Gundler (SCs - Cincinnati), Patricia Dotzauer (SC - Convent Station), Maryanne Ruzzo (SC - Halifax) and Nancy Gerth (SCN) planned a weekend to begin the discussion.

Representatives from these eight Federation congregations attended the meeting: Congregation of Saint Martha, Daughters of Charity, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, Convent Station, Halifax, Leavenworth, Nazareth, and Seton Hill. Those gathered explored the possibilities of moving forward with a House of Charity.  

During the weekend, they learned about the history of how the dream of the House of Charity began five years ago and the five foundational concepts (passion for religious life as a Federation of Charity, intentional community, sharing ministry with the economically poor, commitment to prayer and faith-sharing, hospitality, and being a Charity presence in parish and/or neighborhood) upon which the House could be built. All of the sisters had time to discuss the dream in relation to what excited them, gave them hope, posed potential obstacles, and next steps that could be offered for furthering the development of the House of Charity.

As a result of the weekend, there are now three places that emerged as possible locations and steps for further discernment processes that will be recommended to the board. In addition, there were new charity connections made, old ones strengthened, hope ignited and excitement for how the charism of charity can be deepened and expanded. Indeed, Love is inventive unto infinity!                                              (From an article by Nancy Gerth SCN)