Friends' Appreciation Mass & Dinner
October 6, 2011
Once a year, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur recognize our good friends who are committed to our mission. On this evening, we presented the Educating for Life and Hearts as Wide as the World Awards.
Educating for Life Award
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur established the Educating for Life Award in 2004 to mark the congregation’s 200th anniversary, and to acknowledge the blessings of women and men who share our commitment to education in their own exceptional ways.
We were honored to present the 2011 award to Delrose & James C. Eigel, who were recognized for their dedication to the Notre Dame mission, their faithful and compassionate heart, and their devotion to sharing life’s gifts with the community.
Hearts as Wide as the World Award
We were honored to present our first Hearts as Wide as the World Award. We chose this name for this award because it carries the words of our Foundress St. Julie Billiart. She wanted her Sisters to look beyond the familiar to carry out the Notre Dame mission. This year’s recipient of the first Hearts as Wide as the World award is Xavier University and its president, Father Michael J. Graham, SJ.
Eight years ago, Xavier University quietly began helping us to educate our newest Sisters from Nigeria, where the need is greatest. The idea was not just to produce good teachers, but to develop a Catholic education system in that country.
Since then, Father Graham and Xavier have educated 3 Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from Nigeria. They have all worked hard, and earned master’s degrees from this excellent university. Now they are home in Nigeria, running some of the best schools in the country. Our fourth Nigerian Sister is currently enrolled at Xavier.
Sister Teresita Weind, Congregational Leader (left) and Sister Carol Lichtenberg, Ohio Province Leader, present the Hearts as Wide as the World Award to Father Michael Graham.
