Daughters of Wisdom Announce New Provincial Council of India

Sisters Karuna, Rani, Lussiyamma, and Angel

The Daughters of Wisdom is an international congregation of women religious and we would like to share some good news with you. A new Leadership Council has been elected in the province of India and the sisters are pictured here. The previous Province Leader met at Wisdom House for several days in 2004 with the Council of the Congregation. The Province Leaders of the international congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom represent sisters living on 5 continents and 21 countries.

Wisdom House Retreat and Conference Center in Litchfield, Connecticut is a sponsored ministry of the Daughters of Wisdom of the USA Province. Please visit the international site and/or the USA site.

Online Lenten Resource: 'Seven Last Words for Seven Weeks'

Today Cath News USA highlights Creighton University's Online Ministries, which is publishing the online Lenten guide, "Seven Last Words for Seven Weeks, Praying with Jesus on the Cross, Guides in the Practice of Attending to the Presence of Christ in Each Moment of the Day." Click here to visit this resource at Creighton University's Online Ministries.

Here's the Cath News USA introduction to this resource: Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life, rooted in our baptism. In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we've done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need. Creighton University's Online Ministries offers resources here to assist our entry into this wonderful season, from our preparing to begin Lent to our preparing to celebrate the holy three days following Lent.

The Artist's Way is Online

Artist Julia Cameron and her book The Artist 's Way have influenced the art and spirituality programs at Wisdom House. Hundreds of artists have participated in The Artist's Way at Wisdom House since 1993. Now, you can take the program online through here. In addition, consider viewing the video of Julia Cameron's recent presentation at Wisdom House in January 2009 here or here, video #1 ).

The Artist's Way is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to grow in self-knowledge and wholeness. It is "not-for-artists-only." The book and its "tools," or processes, have life-changing potential. "Creativity is the natural order of life. Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God. Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source. As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity." (From Julia Cameron's "Basic Principles" in The Artist's Way.)

Daughters of Wisdom, Corporate Responsible Investments, Pressure General Mills to Stop Using Genetically Altered Milk in Yoplait Yogurt

Daughters of Wisdom is part of CRI (Corporate Responsible Investments) and have been taking action against General Mills for their genetically modified foods and other concerns related to agribusiness.

General Mills yesterday announced its plan to stop using rBGH-stimulated milk in Yoplait products.

Here is the General Mills press release on this matter: General Mills Announces Commitment to Make Yoplait® Yogurt Products 100 Percent Free of Milk from Cows Treated with rBST by August 2009 Transition plans already in progress 02/09/2009

General Mills announced today that it has made the commitment to eliminate by August 2009 milk sourced from cows treated with rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin), a synthetic hormone also referred to as rBGH, in the production of its category-leading Yoplait® yogurts.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Institutes of Health remain fully confident in the safety of products made from milk sourced from cows treated with rBST in accordance with current guidelines, Yoplait is taking the initiative to change its dairy sourcing strategy to provide consumers with the option to choose a category-leading yogurt with milk produced by cows not treated with rBST.

“We estimate that more than 70 percent of our milk is already coming from cows that are not treated with rBST,” said Becky O’Grady, General Mills’ vice president of marketing for the Yoplait brand. “We are committed to reaching 100 percent no later than August.”

(Click here to read the full release.)

The Annual Read Aloud Day

On February 4, Annual Read Aloud Day, Sr. Jo-Ann read the book, "A Visitor for Bear" to Mrs. Lori Schneider's kindergarten class at Center School in Litchfield, CT.