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Blessings this Advent!
Dear Friends:
We just celebrated Thanksgiving and began our Advent together. The nights are much longer and colder. The leaves are falling and there is a sign of winter coming even in Southern California. As we turn our minds and hearts toward Christmas, we can often overlook Advent, that unchangeable season when the same concepts, the same Scripture readings rise over and over again, year after year, to challenge our hearts and plague our minds. It is the season of patient waiting, of longing and of contemplation. The Word became flesh but once - yet we yearn to live more deeply and understand more fully what "Incarnation" means. The real Christmas gift, for which Advent is the process, is learning to live in hope, to engage with the divine and the human.
We thank you for your love and prayers and support throughout the years. May you be filled with every grace and blessing!
Sister Rochelle Mitchell
and the Sisters of Social Service
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Camp Mariastella on a recent winter retreat. In addition to its summer camping program, nearly 2,000 youth enjoy the camp during year-round parish retreats and
confirmation preparation.
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Reflections 
Sr. Celeste Arbuckle, SSS, on Mission Cooperative Talks
I have had a chance to talk about the Sisters of Social Service mission work in Mexico, the Philippines and Taiwan. This year I was asked to share stories of our work at St. Catherine Siena in Burlingame, St. Julie and Holy Family in San Jose. I know other Sisters are giving similar talks about our ministries in different places, too.
I wanted to give an insight into how important this ministry is to the Sisters of Social Service.
I have come to understand that all of us are missionaries. There are two levels of work. Those who work directly in the mission areas and those of us who share the stories, ask for donations and connect people to the needs.
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Making a Difference - Globally and Locally
Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS, will receive the Defender of Democracy Award
The Sisters of Social Service Community is delighted to announce that Sister Simone Campbell, SSS and Executive Director of NETWORK, has been named a recipient of the 2012 Defender of Democracy Award by the Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA). Sister Simone is "humbled and honored" to receive the award for her "distinguished advocacy and commitment to economic justice and peace building." (PGA press release attached)
In a written statement from PGA, they recognized Sister Simone "as a member of the Sisters of Social Service (USA), (who has) been passionately committed to helping those on the margins of society and worked tirelessly with many other women religious and with elected officials to represent the concerns and wishes of uninsured families" and those who live in poverty in our world.
Sister Simone will be traveling to Rome, Italy, to receive the award at the Italian Senate on the evening of December 10. Our prayers and thoughts will be with her, and we look forward to sharing her reflections when she returns.
For more details on the Parliamentarians for Global Action, please see: www.pgaction.org/about/pga/overview.html
PGA is a "non-profit, non-partisan international network of approximately 1,000 legislators in 120 elected parliaments around the globe, aims to promote peace, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, sustainable development and population issues by informing, convening, and mobilizing parliamentarians to realize these goals."
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Reflection II
Sr. Chris Machado, SSS,
on the Women of Wisdom Group
and Forgiveness
"I love coming to the WOW Retreat, because for a few hours I forget that I'm in prison."
This comment offered by an inmate during a former retreat touched me deeply, and keeps me going back every month to spend time with these amazing women. The Women of Wisdom Group or WOW Group, as it is also known, was started by Sr. Suzanne Jabro, CSJ around seven years ago.
I joined it 6 years ago, and have become deeply attached to the women in the group, which meets monthly at the California Institute for Women in Corona, CA.
Most of the women are in for life. Such people are known as "lifers". Some are in for 15 years to life, some for 25 years to life and some for "life without", meaning life without the possibility of parole. These women are brave, good souls who are trying their best to make something of their lives and their time at the prison, with the hope that someday they might return to society and get on with their
lives. Our amazing team of women from around Southern California gathers monthly with the women.....
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Coming Soon!
More Mass Cards and Prayer Cards!
We are adding to our array of mass cards and choosing several pieces of original Sisters' artwork to create prayer cards, as well. Do you have a prayer request that you'd like to have available to give to family and friends for special occasions? If you do, drop us a line or give us a call. We'd love to hear from you. Please call Jamey at (818)285-3358 or email her at jameysssdevelopment@gmail.com.
Good-shopping!
Where giving gifts helps those in need.
If you are shopping online, or sending items to friends and family out of town, try Goodshop first. Just go to  www.goodsearch.com and choose Sisters of Social Service Los Angeles as "My Cause". Shop at your favorite stores by clicking through to the coupons and discounts on the site.
You spend less and the stores give back 2-20% of their profits to the Sisters on each sale. Anyone you know can use this site - pass the word! Goodshop sends a check in the mail to the Sisters - it's that easy!
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The Future of the
Sisters of Social Service
is Ever Changing
During our November Assembly, some of our younger members were able to meet together via SKYPE. These days, we are challenged to continue to work at better connections as the Sisters of Social Service continue to grow beyond California.
This past October-November, Sister Vangie Lasao arrived from our Formation House in Minantok East, Amadeo, Philippine, to get to know the sisters as well as visit their ministries. She was introduced to the women, children and families we serve from as far north as Lake County and as far south as San Diego, experiencing the various cultures, sights, and sounds ( and climates) as well as our community life here.
 | | Sisters at Assembly: (l-r) Sisters Naomi, Nodelyn, Gail and Vangie in person in Encino, Sisters Ada, Camille and Sonia on Skype in the Philippines. |
As she departed from LAX, Sister Vangie was accompanied by Sister Naomi Cornejo, a native to Los Angeles...
Click here to read more!
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Autumn Festival of Art
The Holy Spirit Retreat Center Annual Autumn Festival of Art took place in October, for the first time as a two-day event, on a warm weekend that included artwork displays by talented artists, entertainment, and food at our Encino campus.
For many, it was a great first time experience and for others it was an opportunity to build on already existing experiences and memories. The artwork on display and for sale were not only by local and international artists, but also by members of our talented Sisters of Social Service community. The Sisters' artwork were in various forms such as puzzles, mouse pads, tiles, greeting cards and framed pieces.
The Holy Spirit Retreat Center was proud of this year's Autumn Festival of Art and the proceeds will be a wonderful contribution to the scholarship fund.
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Ralphs Card - It's time to renew! Many of you connected your Ralphs Card to the Sisters of Social Service last year. Each month, nearly 100 of you did your normal shopping at Ralphs, and they sent us a check for $1,924! 
If you already have a Ralphs card, click here for barcode to take to Ralphs. If you need to set this up for the first time, click here. If you have any questions or need a Food 4 Less card, please call Barbara at (818)285-3376 or email her at barbaraSSSdevelopment@gmail.com. |
Save the Date!!!
December 16, 7 p.m.
Join us for a relaxing evening of beautiful prayers and harp music
featuring Paul Baker and Ellie Choate.Details: Admission will be $10, to fund scholarships for the Holy Spirit Retreat Center. These funds make accessible spiritual retreats to everyone, regardless of their financial situation.
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Monthly support
We are encouraged that more of our friends are signing up to be monthly contributors. Your gift can range from $10 on up, and you can choose the day you'd like the gift to come to the Sisters each month (or quarterly). You can create, change or review your gift and your receipts online at any time.
Thank you for joining our Sisters
in making a difference in thousands
of people's lives every day!
For details, please click Donate on the left corner of our home page at www.sistersofsocialservice.com. If you need more details or help signing up, feel free to contact Jamey at (818)285-3358 or jameySSSdevelopment@gmail.com.
To DONATE NOW, click here:
www.sistersofsocialservice.com/contributors.cfm
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To donate to those on the margins
of our world,
or for more details on our ministries, please visit: www.sistersofsocialservice.com
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May your Advent
be filled with
wonder and hope!
Have a Blessed Advent from the Sisters and Novices in the Philippines!
Day of reflection group
(above and below).
 
Steeped in the
Benedictine tradition,
our Sisters have been engaged in social services
in the United States
for 85 years. We also have thriving ministries in Mexico, Taiwan and the Philippines.
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