Founders’ Day Celebration at Notre Dame Academy, Los Angeles

October 14, 2020

Founders’ Day Celebration at Notre Dame Academy, Los Angeles

Celebrating 170th Anniversary of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame of Coesfeld

This year many students, teachers, parents, and alums were virtually welcomed to the annual prayer service which celebrated the Sisters of Notre Dame; their foundresses, their history, their charism and our school Notre Dame Academy. “We call our own the amazing heritage of St. Julie, Sister Maria Aloysia and Father Bernard Overberg. God has truly blessed us and the Sisters!

“Additionally we are honoring Sister Mary Joann Schlarbaum who has been a Sister of Notre Dame for 68 years and has been a part of Notre Dame Academy for 40 years. Sister Mary Joann retired this summer and today is our chance to fete her and the gift she has been to us throughout these many years.”

Sister Mary Joann spoke about the meaning of the Rosary in her own life. “For me the rosary is much like a kaleidoscope mirroring life with its light, shadows and myriad colors. As the life of Jesus and Mary unfolds in the recitation of the rosary, I journey through time as the biblical images are portrayed in imagination.” The rosary was recited with nearly 300 participants virtually on zoom followed by the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Then Sister Mary Joann thanked everyone for their kind wishes and spoke the words that Robert Lax has said of prayer: “Prayer is a way of doing instantaneous good for all things in all places. It’s a way of sending our love all at once… Prayer makes everything you do, more real, lasting, meaningful and fruitful. Through prayer everything just flowers and flows.”

The day ended with a long drive-by parade as the girls drove into the school yard to congratulate Sister Mary Joann personally. As they continued across the yard each girl was able to pick up a Notre Dame Day t-shirt, a Founders’ Day gift and an ice cream drum stick, Sister Mary Joann’s favorite ice cream.