How We Serve

Helping others - for the School Sisters of Notre Dame it's ingrained in our mission, it's our "charism," our being. Whether we're teaching children to be responsible, mentoring young adults or holding the hand of a recent widow, we try to help. However, this doesn't adequately describe the myriad of ways the School Sisters of Notre Dame work in ministries that help people of different ethnicities, income levels, and social backgrounds.

Our mission and ministries have evolved since our 1833 inception in Bavaria. At one time, practically all SSNDs were classroom teachers. Today, while education is still the stated mission, it is realized in a number of ways that address the needs of a modern world. And even when our sisters retire, all continue daily prayer for specific needs of individuals and the overall betterment of our world. Many are still involved in ministry both within the SSND community itself and other religious and secular organizations.

Education / Mission

The original core mission of the School Sisters of Notre Dame was to educate those who were not receiving any formal schooling or the type of education that would enable them to better their lives. In Bavaria in 1833, this meant educating German girls who were being excluded from the learning process. Today, our sisters teach in mainstream schools at the elementary, middle school, high school and college levels. They are skilled educators who also provide a sense of Catholic values to their students to help them develop their character as well as their intellect.

In the Milwaukee Province about 39% of our active sisters are involved in education. We teach in a number of schools throughout our province including our sponsored schools - Notre Dame Middle School and Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, Wis. and Notre Dame High School in Talofofo, Guam.

Our sisters also serve those in need in remote locations in the United States and in foreign countries. An example of this is the work done by S. Jan Gregorcich who was integral in establishing Global Partners Running Waters. This organization works in Central America and has brought life sustaining fresh water to remote villages through the digging of wells, helped poor families obtain goats and other needed livestock for sustenance, and established partnerships with others to ensure that those in need can better care for themselves.

Our sisters also minister as prison chaplains and social workers. They work directly with those who need help lifting themselves out of personal, family, social, and economic situations that are proving harmful to themselves and/or their families. They stand by those in need and demonstrate Christian values by their actions.

They also minister in neighborhood parishes as pastoral ministers who provide guidance and needed helping hands to their congregations. This may include counseling seniors, as well as youth, and helping to foster and organize parish events.

Prayer Ministry

Prayer is a powerful force and its effects can be both dramatic and subtle. In either case, it works as a vehicle for change and as a pathway to introspection and growth.

As you would expect, prayer is part of the daily life of each SSND. Whether they do so individually or in small and large prayer groups, SSNDs pray for special intentions of individuals, as well as the general healing of our world. The impact of this prayer cannot be measured, but its power is undoubtable.

Sponsorships

In our Milwaukee province, the School Sisters of Notre Dame sponsor three organizations. Our sponsorship allowed for their creation and growth with the spirit and charism of the SSNDs rooted in their governing structures and daily operations.

We sponsor large establishments like Mount Mary College where young women receive education on a par with the best universities, and smaller ministries like TYME OUT Youth Center where young people come together in retreat programs to deepen their commitments, convictions, and values. We sponsor Notre Dame Middle School in Milwaukee, Wis. which educates Hispanic middle school girls in an environment that will help them succeed in their current studies as well as with higher education and Notre Dame High School, a faith-filled, family-oriented and academically challenging college preparatory school located on the island of Guam in the Western Pacific Ocean.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame not only support these organizations financially, but also by working within them as teachers, consultants, mentors, and board members. They ensure that the spirit of SSND Foundress Mother Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger is carried forward through these ministries.

Social Justice

There are many domestic and international issues that require our attention and need to be brought to the consciousness of the general public. Among SSND concerns are workers' rights, the closing of the paramilitary Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (formerly known as the School of the Americas), ending the international trafficking of women and children, and calling attention to the social and economic needs of the poor. Our SHALOM representative works diligently on these issues and provides information about them.

While doing so in a civil and Christian manner, our sisters' voices have been heard from front-line rallies to the halls of the United Nations. They stand firm and give a voice to the voiceless and disenfranchised in the hope of building a just world for all.