Ursulines bring their virtual Convocation to more people

For the past 30 years, Ursuline Sisters in North America have gathered every three years for a Convocation. Due to the chaos unleashed by Covid-19 starting in 2020, the Convocation planning team came up with a  creative idea for Convocation 2022. It would take place online, but attendees could “travel” to a different location each Friday evening. They could also meet and chat in online breakout rooms, hear presenters and watch videos in 90-minute weekly sessions. The planners wanted to allow more participants to experience the Convocation.

The 2022 Convocation theme is, “Challenged and Changed for our Times: A Virtual Pilgrimage with Angela Merici and her Ursuline Family.” The sessions were scheduled for Friday evenings from Sept. 16 to Oct. 30, and about 300 participants were registered. The group will be “traveling” to Angela’s Italy; Ontario, Canada; Youngstown, Ohio; Louisville, Ky.; Navajo Nation, Arizona, and Mexico.

The planning team of 15 included Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph Larraine Lauter and Michele Morek as well as Ursuline Associate Rosann Whiting.

In order to share part of the experience with Ursuline Sisters in Saint Joseph Villa, a recording of the first Sept. 16th session was shown on the afternoon of Sept. 21 in the Rainbow Room. Each weekly recorded program will be shown in the Villa on Wednesday afternoons for the next five weeks, although these don’t include the “live” group chats and explorations.

Here are a few photos from the first day of the recorded Convocation.

Sister Suzanne Sims, director of local community life, explains to the Ursuline Sisters in attendance that this year’s Convocation is like an online pilgrimage.
Ursuline Sisters watch the introduction to the online 2022 Ursuline Convocation in the Rainbow Room.
Sister Susanne Bauer, left, and Sister Susan Mary Mudd watch the program.
Sister Larraine Lauter, at left on the screen, listens as Sister Michele Morek says there are different ways of making a pilgrimage.
Sister Emma Anne Munsterman brought her printed Convocation tour guide with her to watch the session.
Among the attendees of the virtual Convocation were, left to right, Sister Lois Lindle, Sister Maureen O’Neill (seated at back table), Sister Marie Joseph Coomes, and Sister Catherine Kaufman. The program was described as having virtual piazzas and a virtual Oratory (place of prayer).