Notre Dame Village
As an Associate of the Sisters of Notre Dame, I was excited to visit the Notre Dame Village in Chardon, Ohio.
Although I was looking forward to discovering more of the history of the Sisters of Notre Dame, my main reason for visiting Notre Dame Village was to finally meet Sister Kathleen Glavich, SND.
Sister Kathleen is an award-winning Catholic author of more than 90 books. She has also provided reviews and excellent input for each of my books. Sister Kathleen grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and attended Notre Dame Academy before entering religious life in 1965. Her writing career began in 1980. She has written books for both children and adults on a variety of subjects. I enjoyed browsing through many of Sister Kathleen’s books and I know you will too. Here’s a video displaying some of her many books.
It was difficult to choose what books to read first. However, I decided on these three as a starting point.
The Catholic Companion to the Angels - This book I read during my trip and have posted to my website with a review. I loved this book. Click here to read more about it.
Book of Ruth: A Tale of Great Loves
Let me know in the comments below if you have read any of these books. If not, and the titles speak to you as it did to me, click on the book title above for the link and order your copy today.
As I listened to Sister Kathleen share her writing adventures, I could see the love in her eyes for the gift God has given her and the joy she has in sharing this gift with others. I knew from the look on her face that she must still be writing and so I asked what she was working on now. I am very happy to say that I was honored to receive a sneak preview of the beautiful book cover of Sister Kathleen’s latest book. This book is a devotional that will be published by Loyola Press later this year. I will keep all of you posted on the launch date of Sister Kathleen’s latest book titled: Cherished by Jesus – A Daily Devotional for Women.
The first book I read by Sister Kathleen was a yearly devotional titled: Heart to Heart with Mary. This is a beautiful book that provides an opportunity to spend quality time with Our Blessed Mother who always points us to her Son in all things.
Sister Kathleen and I spent time over lunch talking about our books and getting to know each other better. After lunch, Sister Kathleen provided a tour of the beautiful facility in Chardon, Ohio.
The Sisters of Notre Dame came to Ohio in 1874. Their first US address was in Cleveland, Ohio. After 85 years in Cleveland, the Sisters of Notre Dame provincial center moved to Chardon in 1960. The chapel was the highlight of the tour. In its gathering space, a wall displays small ceramic squares designed by the Sisters that represent who they are.
Here is a picture of Sister Kathleen’s art piece displaying the chi-rho symbol for Christ and a book signifying her love for Scripture. The Holy Spirit is her inspiration and appears in her art piece as a dove.
This video shares the art pieces created by the Sisters and their beautiful chapel.
As we continued our tour, we came to a special room that provided a map displaying the worldwide outreach of the Sisters of Notre Dame.
Another beautiful, peaceful place was the Sisters’ cemetery located on the grounds of Notre Dame Village.
In the center of the cemetery is a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother.
In addition to the beautiful chapel and cemetery, Notre Dame Village provides Independent Living and Assisted Living for the Sisters and lay persons. Also on the grounds is a Catholic Elementary School, a co-ed Catholic High School, and a beautiful Bethany Retreat House which I hope to see on my next visit.
I am very grateful for the introduction to the Sisters of Notre Dame and the connection I now have as an Associate. The charism of the Sisters of Notre Dame is marked by a deep experience of the goodness of God and the reality of God’s provident love and care for each person. Despite the many ups and downs of life, I have experienced the love of God in many ways and hope to share His love and goodness as I continue to write.
Book #4 is underway. Stay tuned for updates and the book launch date.
Let me know in the comments below if you are enjoying the videos. This is a new endeavor for me. I am continuing to learn new things.
God Bless all and Happy Reading!
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