Skinzo Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 The rapidly growing Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist are going forward with plans to purchase the JPII Institute in Washington, D.C. : "To accommodate their rapidly growing community, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist announced today that they will purchase the financially beleaguered John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. near the Catholic University of America. The center, which was the brainchild of the now retired Archbishop of Detroit, Cardinal Adam Maida, has been beset by numerous financial difficulties over the years. Intended to be a museum and Catholic intellectual hub, the center borrowed heavily from the Archdiocese of Detroit, owing them $40 million as of 2006, according to the Detroit Free Press. The Ann Arbor sisters have had a different problem as they’ve been unable to build facilities fast enough to house new members. In an e-mail announcement on Oct. 26, the Dominican order wrote that their community “welcomed 22 aspirants in August of this year – a gift from the Lord that continues to call us to ongoing discernment of how to provide for the formation and education of the young women seeking to enter religious life.” “In order to plan and care accordingly for these vocations, the Dominican Sisters of Mary,” the community is “in the inspection phase of a purchase and sale agreement to buy a building at 3900 Harewood Road, known to many as the JPII Cultural Center, near the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.” “It is our hope to use this building as a House of Studies for the continuing education and formation of our Sisters.” The Dominican sisters made headlines in February, when they made an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show – fielding questions regarding their vocation and discernment, their vows of poverty and chastity, and their life in community. Sister Maria Guadalupe Hallee, Director of Mission Advancement for the sisters, told EWTN News last March that since the show, almost all the feedback the sisters have received has been overwhelmingly positive." http://www.ewtnnews.com/new.php?id=2008 http://www.sistersofmary.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=12&Itemid=147 S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinzo Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 Sorry, my first line is incorrect. It is the John Paul II Cultural Center, not the John Paul II Institute. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven77 Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 As much as i love the sisters (thankfully it's these holy nuns, not hippies)---I'm not so sure this is a good idea for the center. It's not an ideal convent/Dominican House of Studies PT2 (vow of poverty?) ---it should serve primarily as a conference center for the spiritual edification for the Catholics of DC and elsewhere....too bad it sat abandoned so long. I was so excited when it was built. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/cry2.gif[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinzo Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 [quote name='Seven77' timestamp='1288307636' post='2183308'] As much as i love the sisters (thankfully it's these holy nuns, not hippies)---I'm not so sure this is a good idea for the center. It's not an ideal convent/Dominican House of Studies PT2 (vow of poverty?) ---it should serve primarily as a conference center for the spiritual edification for the Catholics of DC and elsewhere....too bad it sat abandoned so long. I was so excited when it was built. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/cry2.gif[/img] [/quote] It would have been nice if it could have stood on its own but it does have massive debts, in excess of $40 million so something had to be done. Plus, it's situated way off the usual tourist track so a lot of people never knew it was there. I'm amazed the Sisters have those kind of resources. My guess is that someone must have twisted their arms or offered them a deal. The Dominican Fathers recently built a new academic center for just $18 million. Just! What does not make sense to me is just how you convert a museum to a house of studies though. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven77 Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 [quote name='Skinzo' timestamp='1288308568' post='2183311'] What does not make sense to me is just how you convert a museum to a house of studies though. S. [/quote] I think it'll be both.... i hope. Building's too fancy for nuns not to share! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 These are my Sisters. Before we look at the amount and think...wow...how does one live the "vow of poverty..." These Sisters do not own anything. Their resources come from benefactors and the little stipends they receive to teach... BENEFACTORS are their main source of income. When I was there, I was amazed at the generosity of the wealthy towards these Sisters. They WANTED them in their area, teaching in their schools. With Dominicans, the Vow of Poverty is practiced not like any other community, in that nothing belongs to any one personally. Everything is shared. Heck, we even shared our bar of soap. But having that bar didn't mean we were breaking our vows of poverty...Dominicans need to be near institutes of education. Their charism is to preach the Gospel, and St. Dominic inundated institutes of higher education with his brothers...to be a religious presence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinzo Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 [quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1288315522' post='2183347'] These are my Sisters. Before we look at the amount and think...wow...how does one live the "vow of poverty..." These Sisters do not own anything. Their resources come from benefactors and the little stipends they receive to teach... BENEFACTORS are their main source of income. When I was there, I was amazed at the generosity of the wealthy towards these Sisters. They WANTED them in their area, teaching in their schools. With Dominicans, the Vow of Poverty is practiced not like any other community, in that nothing belongs to any one personally. Everything is shared. Heck, we even shared our bar of soap. But having that bar didn't mean we were breaking our vows of poverty...Dominicans need to be near institutes of education. Their charism is to preach the Gospel, and St. Dominic inundated institutes of higher education with his brothers...to be a religious presence. [/quote] Thanks Dominican Soul you put into words what I wanted to express but could not come up with. I think the Sisters will not be living in luxury no matter where they are. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven77 Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Hmm... I know that the good sisters have benefactors helping them with the purchase. I guess what i mean is---the building *CAN'T JUST* belong to the sisters precisely because they live the vow of poverty as they do! the building is immense! It's like you said DS: Everything is shared. I know that a house of studies/convent is wonderful---they get many vocations---but i'm pretty sure it should be/remain other things as well or it will be a very good but poorly planned move in the grand scheme of things. Or maybe the location really DID smell of elderberries for a [i]JPII Cultural Center[/i]... [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/think.gif[/img] what i really do know for sure is this: sometimes [i]good[/i] can be the enemy of [i]best[/i]... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 [quote name='Seven77' timestamp='1288395834' post='2183545'] Hmm... I know that the good sisters have benefactors helping them with the purchase. I guess what i mean is---the building *CAN'T JUST* belong to the sisters precisely because they live the vow of poverty as they do! the building is immense! It's like you said DS: Everything is shared. I know that a house of studies/convent is wonderful---they get many vocations---but i'm pretty sure it should be/remain other things as well or it will be a very good but poorly planned move in the grand scheme of things. Or maybe the location really DID smell of elderberries for a [i]JPII Cultural Center[/i]... [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/think.gif[/img] what i really do know for sure is this: sometimes [i]good[/i] can be the enemy of [i]best[/i]... [/quote] seven, that's like saying, the Vatican "can't just" belong to the Church and the clergy... don't get taken aback with the size of the building and how luxiourious you think it is...besides....didn't Jesus say that religious would be awarded "a hundredfold in this life and in the next." This is a fulfillment of His words... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven77 Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 [quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1288456731' post='2183658'] seven, that's like saying, the Vatican "can't just" belong to the Church and the clergy... don't get taken aback with the size of the building and how luxiourious you think it is...besides....didn't Jesus say that religious would be awarded "a hundredfold in this life and in the next." This is a fulfillment of His words... [/quote] lol... i know! But... Let me put it this way: if it were certain that all the Catholic conferences and events that used to be held there were able to continue– I would have no problem or concern or reservation. It is not certain so that makes me ask the question: where we will the museum/cultural center for the honor and memory of John Paul II be instead? This has actually been my concern all along. It ( The center) actually does good now--- for the laity who are also very much an important part of the Church. At the same time I know and appreciate the good work that religious do in order to strengthen the laity. I have seen the good of the Center and I've also seen the good that the sisters do--- both ministries are very much needed to increase the greatest glory of God. People actually should actually be raising the same questions as I am-- but there is a kind of lack of honest questioning on the part of many faithful devout Catholics especially those who happen to be bloggers. as you know DS my sister is a religious so it's not about that--it's about the toes telling the ears I don't need you-- I can't stomach it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 [quote name='Seven77' timestamp='1288460465' post='2183668'] lol... i know! But... Let me put it this way: if it were certain that all the Catholic conferences and events that used to be held there were able to continue– I would have no problem or concern or reservation. It is not certain so that makes me ask the question: where we will the museum/cultural center for the honor and memory of John Paul II be instead? This has actually been my concern all along. It ( The center) actually does good now--- for the laity who are also very much an important part of the Church. At the same time I know and appreciate the good work that religious do in order to strengthen the laity. I have seen the good of the Center and I've also seen the good that the sisters do--- both ministries are very much needed to increase the greatest glory of God. People actually should actually be raising the same questions as I am-- but there is a kind of lack of honest questioning on the part of many faithful devout Catholics especially those who happen to be bloggers. as you know DS my sister is a religious so it's not about that--it's about the toes telling the ears I don't need you-- I can't stomach it. [/quote] Yes, I know ur sister is a very beautiful Sister of Life! Oh.....i can see your concern....well....since everything is at the beginning stages, we don't really know for sure what will happen to the cultural center itself. It does come off as if the Sisters are somehow "resurrecting" the cultural center...but the more I read, the more it looks like that is not the case... perhaps the Holy Spirit will move them to keep at least a portion of the building open to the public??? And the Sisters themselves can offer presentations/talks/conferences??? We can only hope and wait and see!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinzo Posted October 30, 2010 Author Share Posted October 30, 2010 While I understand the concerns of those who wish the cultural center to continue as it was, and I wish it could have, I'm afraid its debts were massive...and there was simply no other choice for it short of selling the real estate to a "for profit" concern in order to deal with the debts. [b]The enormous debt led to the dismissal of 90% of the Center's staff in 2006. [/b]The Center has been subsidized by the Archdiocese of Detroit which last year closed 18 schools. I think the Archdiocese reached the end of its rope on this one, and we have to admit the whole project was never very well thought out. Those are the harsh realities. And we cannot escape them. The Sisters have not indicated any other use for the property than to use it for a House of Studies. They would be well within their rights to use it as they wish. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vee Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 All I have to say is :DOMINICATION: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1288472289' post='2183716'] All I have to say is :DOMINICATION: [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven77 Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 i went to the center yesterday for a presentation on Christianity in India… I spoke to someone who worked there and asked him what he thought about the new plans-- it's doubtful whether or not the center will continue as it has… and then before the presentation, the director spoke a little bit about the center: it is the brainchild of Pope John Paul II himself; he desired a Catholic cultural Center that could be used to bring together Catholics from every ethnic background and for purposes of interreligious dialogue in the heart of Washington DC. He said that in Washington was the ideal location for these things to happen because it was where the world would come together. It is very sad because when you are on the inside looking out it is a different perspective.... I am very much on the inside looking out... this Cultural Center is very much linked to my post conversion experience of the local Church. Personally, I am not letting it go without a fight-- I do not think this is God's ordained plan for the center at all. It is not just incurring debt right now--- it will be an utter waste of money that was already spent in constructing the interior-- I think that they would have to do a lot of remodeling inside to accommodate its new purpose. This is a fine example of not thinking with one heart and one mind. Also, if it were up to me I would give the sisters some land and help them to build there and would donate often. Actually, I kind of don't understand why the building can't have two distinct missions... the nuns can host events and pilgrimages,etc... Debt hurts. I feel much like Catholics in New England who have to deal with parish closings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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