Sisters Donna Lord and Sheila Stone- Sacred Presence

Written on: January 10, 2020

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels, unaware.”   

Hebrews 13:1

 In 18^th century Montreal, Marguerite d’Youville opened her heart and her doors in love and in presence to others. Today, two of her Grey Nun daughters, Sister Donna Lord (Sister Donna Joseph) and Sister Sheila Stone (Sister Mary of Providence) offer hospitality, spirituality and presence to others at Sacred Heart Center in Cheektowaga, New York.

The ministries of the Center have evolved since Sister Donna and Sister Sheila moved into the vacant convent at Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish on a cold and blustery day in 2015. Spiritual direction is an ongoing offering but courses on spirituality and ecology, book clubs, seasonal programs and small group gatherings thrive there as well.

“Those who come to Sacred Heart Center share readily about their life, concerns and experiences, growing deeper in their faith and prayer and sense of community with one another,” Sister Donna says. She senses “a spiritual hunger in those who come and they greatly enrich our own faith and spiritual practices.”

“The Sacred Heart is our congregational title and one of our primary devotions,” Sister Sheila explains. “It is also one of the central devotions of our Catholic faith. We hope the Center will be a sacred space for us to grow in and form community as well as a sacred space to share life, charism and gifts with others.”

To read other stories in the Presence Series, choose from below:

Listening Presence: Sister Marlene Butler (Sr. John Marlene)

Welcoming Presence: Sister Barbara Harrington (Sr. Robert Francis)

Comforting Presence: Sister Jean Liston (Sr. Anne Louise)

This entry was posted in From our Sisters and tagged: book clubs, Catholic faith, charism, Cheektowaga New York, community, concerns, congregational title, doors, Ecology, experiences, Faith, gifts, group gatherings, heart, hospitality, life, love, Marguerite D'Youville, Prayer, presence, primary devotion, Sacred Heart, Sacred Heart Center, sacred space, seasonal programs, Sister Donna Lord, Sister Sheila Stone, Spiritual Direction, spiritual hunger, spiritual practices, Spirituality, thrive