Catholic Chronicle

Ottoville Precious Blood Sister, others safe after Chile earthquake

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:29:18 +0000

DAYTON—The Sisters of the Precious Blood in Dayton report that their sisters in Chile managed to phone and e-mail the congregation’s leadership that they are safe following the 8.8-magnitude quake that rocked the South American country Feb. 27.

Among the sisters serving in Chile is Sister Maria Luisa Miller, a native of Ottoville. She has been serving there for more than 40 years and was able to make a brief cell phone call to the Dayton headquarters of the Precious Blood Sisters to give the news that the sisters were all unharmed.

The five sisters — two native Chileans and three Americans — live and work in two communities near Santiago, Cerro Navia and Colombia. The sisters reported some toppled bookcases and broken items, but no major damage. The area is still experiencing aftershocks, as is usual after a quake. At Cerro Navia the outside walls surrounding the parish compound collapsed.

The three American sisters are all Ohio natives and longtime missioners in Chile, which is a vicariate, or geographic grouping, that is part of the Dayton-based congregation. Sister Carmelita Monnin is from Russia, Ohio, Sister Dorothy Schmitmeyer is from Minster, Ohio, and Sister Maria Luisa Miller hails from Ottoville in Putnam County, in the Toledo Diocese.

Sister Florence Seifert, president of the Dayton congregation, said that after they got word from the sisters in Chile, the leadership team notified the families of the U.S. sisters that they were all safe, since direct communication from Chile by phone or e-mail was erratic due to damage to the country’s infrastructure.

The Missionaries of the Precious Blood (priests and brothers), whose Cincinnati province is also based in Dayton, have 14 members serving in Chile. Father Angelo Anthony, the Missionaries’ provincial, reported Feb. 28 that he received a message from Father Donald Theiman at their central house in Santiago, saying that their members also were unharmed. There was no word yet about property damage at their various parishes and institutions.

A native Chilean congregation of Precious Blood sisters reported damage to their Precious Blood church, but all of those sisters are safe also.

Speaker addresses struggles after abortion

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

KALIDA—Putnam County Right to Life and the Kalida Knights of Columbus hosted a dinner and speaker Oct. 8 at the Kalida Knights of Columbus Hall.

The event featured Christina Ryan Claypool, who shared her experience and message as a post-abortive woman. Ms. Claypool told of her struggle with her own decision to abort her second child and the depression and heartache that followed.

She acknowledged factors such as family struggles, lack of money or a job, pressure from others and not feeling valued as reasons why women might consider an abortion. She also emphasized that the destruction and harm that an abortion causes far outweigh any reason to have one.

Ms. Claypool encouraged those in attendance to continue to speak out against abortion for the sake of the children, whose lives are lost, and the mothers, fathers and other family members who struggle in the aftermath of an abortion.

Pure Fashion models are on a mission for modesty

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0000

KALIDA—Twenty-nine teenage girls recently took to the runway to model their belief that one doesn’t have to sacrifice modesty for fashion.

The Putnam County Pure Fashion Show they put on Aug. 30 at the University of Northwestern Ohio Event Center in Lima drew a crowd of more than 300 people and was the culmination of an eight-month, faith-based model training program promoting virtues of modesty and purity.

Plunging necklines, bare shoulders, skin-tight pants and short skirts are just some of the styles the girls had to avoid in selecting their attire for the fashion show, which featured six themed sets of back to school, sporty, homecoming, bridal, black and white, and Sunday best outfits.

“It was a little hard looking for clothes to meet all the guidelines,” admitted Shelby Otto, 17, a member of Glandorf St. John. “It’s hard to find dresses that aren’t low-cut.”

The senior from Ottawa-Glandorf High School opted to accent the spaghetti-strap dress she picked out for the homecoming set with a shawl. For the “black and white” set, she settled on a white T-shirt and black Bermuda shorts.

“It’s pretty casual and any girl could wear it,” said Shelby.

“Like the slogan says, we’re trying to change the culture one outfit at a time — trying to help the girls make good choices and trying to help them influence their friends,” said Susan Meyer, a member of Kalida St. Michael who co-chairs Putnam County Pure Fashion with two members of Glandorf St. John, Connie Cassidy and Julie Pothast.

Pure Fashion has spread to cities around the country and the world since it started in 1999 as an offshoot of Challenge, a Catholic girls club. Regnum Christi, a Catholic ecclesial lay movement, sponsors Pure Fashion, which “encourages teen girls to live, act and dress in accordance with their dignity as children of God,” according to the program Web site.

Mrs. Meyer said she and the other program co-chairs began working to bring Pure Fashion to the area after they took a trip to see a show put on in Fort Wayne, Ind., with their local Challenge girls club several years ago.

They were impressed with the program’s mission, “trying to bring to teenage girls that you can be trendy … but yet still be true to yourself and retain your modesty and your dignity, by being a little bit more creative,” said Mrs. Meyer. “You can take the things that are out there and popular and pair them with a cami underneath if they’re low, or a shrug over top, or just things like that.”

A core group of mothers from the area came forward to help get the program started, and seven college-age women volunteered to serve as team leaders, who are also referred to as “supermodels.”

Since last January, Putnam County Pure Fashion models have attended monthly training sessions to learn about topics such as public speaking, manners, posture, hair and makeup. Their gatherings included a mother-daughter tea, a father-daughter dinner and a weekend retreat.

Mrs. Cassidy said the main focus of each session is “charity and living a life like Christ would.”

Kylee Pothast, 17, a junior at Ottawa-Glandorf High School, said the weekend at Maria Stein Retreat Center was her favorite session.

“I think it’s a good program,” added Kylee, whose mother Julie is one of the program’s co-chairs. “It teaches you so much, not even just about your clothing, but it helps you get more spiritual, too, and become a lot closer with God.”

The day before the fashion show, the models and supermodels were busy practicing their walks and waves on a runway marked out in tape on the floor in the basement of Kalida St. Michael.

“I’ve seen a transformation in just the girls, how they act. They seem a lot more mature now,” observed Ann Rea Miller, 27, a member of St. Michael who served as a Pure Fashion supermodel. “I feel that they’ve grown and even what they’re now choosing to wear to the sessions are different than what it started out to be.”

Shelby said she now notices how immodest clothing can attract negative attention. “I always want to be attracting positive attention and be respected and appear strong, and a leader,” she added.

Mrs. Cassidy said Pure Fashion helps the girls to see that dressing modestly is attainable. “It might be a little harder to do it, but it’s the right thing to do because that’s what Christ wants us to do, is to live like Him,” she said.

And even though the girls enjoy learning about hair, makeup and fashion, Mrs. Cassidy noted ultimately the fashion show is not about their clothing at all.

“It’s about Christ, and radiating His love,” she explains. “So when the girls go out on that runway, it’s going to be about being confident and bringing back the dignity of women, and radiating Christ to all those people out there. It’s not about them. And that’s what they’re being taught.”

Mrs. Meyer said high school girls interested in becoming Pure Fashion models next year should visit www.purefashion.com to submit a model application.

‘Pure Fashion’ show is Aug. 30

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0000

LIMA—Putnam County’s first ‘Pure Fashion’ Show begins at 3 p.m. Aug. 30 in the Presidential Room at the University of Northwestern Ohio Event Center.

Putnam County’s Pure Fashion models showcase the latest outfits that are trendy but tasteful, modern and modest. Attendees will be treated to a wedding-style dinner, inspiring music and uplifting testimonies. This family event promotes and celebrates family values and virtues.

The event begins with a silent auction and vendor fair with the fashion show beginning at 4 p.m.

Tickets may be ordered at purefashion.com.

Ottawa couple celebrates golden anniversary

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0000

OTTAWA—Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Schroeder of Ottawa are to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary June 14 with a Mass at 8:30 a.m. at New Cleveland Holy Family. An open house is planned from noon to 2 p.m. in the church basement.

Mr. Schroeder and the former Esther Schulte were married May 30, 1959, by Father Florian Hartke at Ottawa SS. Peter and Paul.

Mrs. Schroeder is a homemaker and retired from Putnam County Home Care and Hospice. Mr. Schroeder is a farmer and retired from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The Schroeders are the parents of six children: Ottawa residents Connie (Dan) Cassidy, Joe (Linda) Schroeder and Steve (Judy) Schroeder and Leipsic residents Larry (Daisy) Schroeder, Rose (Patrick) Inkrott and Dennis (Laura) Schroeder. They have 26 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

The couple requests no gifts, however, an item for the food pantry would be graciously accepted.