Celebrating 25 Years of Loretto Co-membership

Evelyn Donohoo as told to Mary Ann McGivern

Evelyn Donohoo was sitting at her place in the dining room, waiting for her tablemates Rita and Sheila, reading a pamphlet, “God’s Faithful Provision,” when I arrived to interview her. She said she is trying to keep up with her Bible study, along with environmental issues and “the state of our country, that it will return to democracy and when there will be justice and peace and not what we have now.” Yes, this was Evelyn I was talking to.

She has seven children, 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She is writing stories about the grandchildren and “working to develop a style of writing” that suits the task. (Evelyn is 95 and has set herself to learning a new style of writing.) She resides in St. Louis at Delmar Gardens in the skilled nursing section because she had a stroke and could not swallow. Thanks to physical therapy, her swallowing reflex has recovered, but she chose not to move back to assisted living.

“I’m happy here. My mind is good. My children picked this place, and they visit often. I’m a faithful member of Community Group 22, and, because it was on the agenda, I have been reading a lot on holistic health.”

Jo Ann Purcell

I have been a supportive member, ready to listen, especially ready to listen to good talk. We hosted Community Group 10 a couple of weeks ago. We are less active but really supportive of the justice and peace actions.

Thomas Merton study group meets regularly. Before Rose Annette Liddell died, I offered to take over inviting and hosting speakers who come to town, most recently Chris Pramuk. It’s how I was drawn into Loretto, walking over to Vrain Street to listen to Mary Luke Tobin and Helen Sanders and their community and all the guests who gathered there. Now I’m in a reading group with Maureen Flanigan and some others.

My time now is keeping our household going along. My husband, Larry, has been diagnosed with primary Parkinson’s. We will be moving into assisted living and get a little more help.

C. Rose Miles SFCC

My personal history with the Loretto Community began with my K-12 education by the Sisters of Loretto in El Paso. Unbeknownst to me at the time was my family connection to Loretto’s early history in Kentucky. Two daughters of my third great-grandfather Miles entered Loretto in its early days. My maternal influences and Loretto education instilled in me the confidence to pursue a profession uncommon for women in the 1970s, the investment advisory business.

It was my continued connection with Loretto sisters that led me to co-membership in 1993 and eventually to a vowed commitment in religious life. Co-membership has enabled me to share in Loretto’s charism and incorporate it into both my personal and professional life. Since my Community, Sisters For Christian Community (SFCC), requires us to be self-supporting, I have maintained my involvement in the investment business, including socially responsible values. I consider my involvements an unusual “bipolar” mix, professionally serving many affluent while ministering to the homeless at transitional living centers in San Diego and Indio, Calif. One puts food on the table, the other keeps me grounded in my religious vocation. There exists an unusual psychological commonality between the affluent and the homeless, such as stepping out of comfort zones, setting goals and fear of the unknown. My most valued and gratifying life experience, however, has come from serving the homeless. I also have served for several years on an investment advisory committee for an international religious community and handled finances for my Community. I am happy to see that socially responsible or ESG investing is now mainstreamed in the investment community, but much is yet to be done. As women’s religious communities evolve, I am heartened to see that Loretto is exploring new ways of living its charism into the future and remain grateful for my continued relationship as a Loretto co-member.

Micki Baker

I am not active within Loretto now, but do think and pray about Loretto. My life here in Eagle Point, Ore., mainly revolves around family and church. I belong to the Medford Congregational United Church and am quite active there with music and helping out with church financial secretary business. This is a very welcoming, affirming church and very much into justice and peace issues locally.

I personally have been at several rallies in the Medford area protesting against the current political regime. Also, I canvassed for the Jackson County Democrats for the most recent election.