Sister Lauren Weinandt will be featured in the April issue of TODAY Magazine. Here is an excerpt:
“Walking the halls of Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester is much like visiting a museum rich with history and art. No one knows that better than the archivist, Sister Lauren Weinandt. “I clip everything related to Saint Marys, ranging from newsworthy headlines to any information I feel is important,” Sister Lauren said. “Dating back to 1889, there is a scrapbook for every year of the hospital’s existence. In the late 1800s, there were few photographs, although many interesting articles had been saved, especially information about the hardships endured by the nuns.”
Sisters Geneva Berns and Phyllis Sellner are crossing the border to Mexicali every few weeks. To gain an understanding of what they are involved in, view the website for Border Compassion at www.border-compassion.org. Suzanne Jabro, CSJ, started this tax-exempt project nearly two years ago. Sister Geneva and Sister Phyllis are shown in the photos on the next people, which were featured in a recent e-newsletter.
As shared by Sister Phyllis: “I have “crossed-over” several times. It was Geneva’s first time on March 18. I have given my garage to this project and it is where we collect clothing, toys, personal items, etc., and then pack the items in donated suitcases to take to the shelters. Many parishes have contributed to this project and, of course, money is always needed to purchase food for the migrants. We have to pass through the three iron gates into Mexico and when we return to the USA we have to go through a security check.”
What is happening with the Tau Center?
Originally part of the College of Saint Teresa, founded by the Rochester Franciscan Sisters, and now a part of Cotter Schools, plans are underway to create an early childhood center by renovating the Tau Center on its campus. The early childhood center will house infant care through pre-kindergarten programming. The goal is to open the center in early 2024, with an estimated capacity of about 275 students. This would be one of the larger child care capacities in the area. An article by Alexandra Retter appeared in the Winona Post on March 6, 2023. To read more: https://www.winonapost.com/news/cotter-plans-275-student-early-childhood-center/article_61fb0664-ba20-11ed-8af9-d3f09ea18674.html.