The Associate Community of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ was established in 1983. PHJC Associates are baptized men and women, single or married, who respond to the call of the Holy Spirit to serve according to the Gospel. After a year of formation with Sisters and fellow Associates, candidates make a non-vowed commitment with the Spiritual Family of Saint Katharina Kasper, foundress of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, for mutual spiritual enrichment, development of community, and in service to others.
In a 1993 Word Gathering story, Sister Joan Fisher, PHJC, the first full-time Associate Director, likened the Associate-PHJC Sisters partnership to a braid, with one strand representing the Sisters, the second representing the Associate, and the third representing the Spirit that binds them together.
PHJC Associates volunteer their service to those in need. They’ve grown together in faith as they serve at events like co-hosting with MoonTree the annual Empty Bowls Soup Supper, a fundraiser for the Food Bank of Northern Indiana; volunteering at Casa Catalina Basic Needs Center in Chicago; and with the Poor Handmaids Volunteer Program by making lunches and packaging and delivering grocery bags for residents at two motels in Plymouth.
Associate Andrew Jennings, director of liturgy and music for the Poor Handmaids, is one of three Associates recently elected to the new Core Team Leadership. Of the honor, he said, “I am both incredibly excited and humbled by this opportunity to serve the Associate Community. I am humbled that the community has so much faith and trust to form this new team, and I am excited to see how the Spirit leads all of us to continue being examples of God’s love in the world.”
Faith development, serenity, and personal growth in a setting at one with nature are what’s attracted seekers to Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center since its dedication in 1987. That year, over 2,500 guests utilized retreat accommodations there. Decades later, that number has grown, making Lindenwood a premier Northern Indiana retreat facility.
There’s a thread of community building that runs through Lindenwood in both the people they serve and the team who serves them. “Our guests aren’t just clients. We grow the relationships like they’re family,” Lindenwood director Paul Mach said. What Lindenwood also offers, according to coworker Kelly Palmer-Rodgers, is its welcoming to all who seek a deeper spiritual connection. “In our sponsored retreats, we try to be inclusive of everyone,” she stated. “Catholic people are the models for these retreats,” Paul added, “but they appeal to many in their inclusivity and pastoral nature.”
These offerings included the Women Who Knew God series, which introduced attendees to some powerhouse women of the Catholic Church throughout the ages, and the Henry Nouwen series, led by Sister Joetta Huelsmann, PHJC. That commitment to inclusivity has led to the creation of unique retreats for the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community and a retreat design to offer respite to church music directors, who are usually the ones giving of themselves to their congregations.
On August 24, 1988, Poor Handmaid Sisters, family, and friends gathered in Ancilla Domini Chapel for a missioning ceremony for Sisters Edith Schneider and Marilyn Hasselhorst, the first two Poor Handmaids to join Marianist priests in service to the people of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. This attentiveness to the needs of the poor planted the first seeds that grew into the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ province in Mexico.
In one of her first dispatches to Word Gathering after the missioning ceremony, Sister Marilyn talked about the blessings of preparing children for the upcoming Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A few months later, Sister Frances Jean Gallinatti, PHJC and M.D., arrived and established a health care practice, also with humble beginnings, that still thrives today. She began by weighing infants and children, and teaching parents about nutrition and water sanitation.
By 1992, formation houses were established in both Veracruz and Querétaro. In 2002, Sister Yolanda Bautista Salinas, professed her first vows, becoming the first Mexican-born Poor Handmaid. Sister Yolanda began work at Maria Goretti Center in social work and education, serving young girls abandoned on the street. She recently joined the Poor Handmaids American province and succeeded Sister Joellen Tumas, PHJC, as the Director of Casa Catalina in Chicago.
To Sister Edith, ministering in Mexico felt like a homecoming to her, since her previous ministry, service to the Hispanic community in Chicago, immersed her in the beauty of the culture. “To see people who are poor, but have simplicity and are so joyful, hospitable and close to God, it was lovely,” she said. The Poor Handmaids in Mexico will mark their 35th year as a community in August.
Founded by Sister Mary Baird, PHJC and a group of like-minded individuals in August 1988, Earthworks embodied a sustainable, locally sourced, simplified model of living over the “bigger, more, and better” model of consumerism. Earthworks sought to educate the community, especially children, about the importance of living in harmony with rather than dominion over the Earth on a two-acre farm on Lake Gilbraith.
The longest-serving Earthworks director, Sister Sue Rogers, RSCJ, helped make Earthworks the premiere Earth education destination in the area, engaging children for generations through summer, spring-break, and winter camps for children ages 6-10. Under Sister Sue’s leadership, Earthworks opened a market in Plymouth featuring fresh baked bread and goodies and created work opportunities for students with special needs. The market closed in 2016, and Earthworks completed as a ministry in December 2018 after 30 years of dedicated service to the Marshall County community.
When Maria Center Independent Living apartments opened in 1989 in the PHJC Motherhouse, it offered seniors the best of both worlds: independence and living in community. That’s still true today. What began as a community of six seniors has grown to over 25 residents. “We’re like a big family here. The bonds of friendship quickly form when people see each other every day,” Sister Leandra Welling, PHJC, Maria Center’s first director told Word Gathering in 1989.
Sharing a table with one another for communal meals sets the table for myriad ways of making connections at Maria Center. Gathering information, sharing joys and sorrows, and lots of laughter, are also served up at these shared meals. “It’s our family table,” resident Elizabeth Gearhart said. “We socialize and get info. My first night, I met five people; it was so welcoming,” she added. Fellow resident Ken Jamsa concurred. “It’s one of the best things we have going,” he said.
Sharing in activities is another huge part of life at Maria Center. Residents meet once a month with coworkers Rhonda Overmyer and Christine Leihy to plan fun and meaningful endeavors for the upcoming month. They take Turtle Topper trips to spot eagles, visit museums, and other local attractions, and each trip includes a stop for lunch or ice cream, extending the table, and building community off campus, too. These activities help residents get to know each other on a deeper level.
Being in the presence of the Poor Handmaid Sisters also adds to community for the residents. “Their values are part of our values,” Ken said. “It makes me want to live a better life than if I was with lay people,” resident Roger Simmons added. Resident Loretta Kania, sister of Sister Jolise May, PHJC, has lived in many places throughout her life as she raised her family and later became a caregiver to other family members. “I’m home now,” she said of her life at Maria Center. “I’ve finally found my destination.”
TIMELINE 1982-2002
Associate Community Established
1983
Lindenwood Retreat & Conference Center
1987
Donaldson, Indiana
PHJCs in Mexico
1988
Earthworks
1988
Donaldson, Indiana
Maria Center
1989
Donaldson, Indiana