Individuals develop unique coping mechanisms to navigate the range of emotions we encounter throughout our lives. A number of our sisters across the congregation utilize different forms of healing touch and touch therapy as a profound means of extending compassion to people who are suffering physical and emotional pain. These forms of healing not only promote well-being but also establish a silent connection beyond words.
Albany
Mary Kay McGraw, CSJ holds a New York State massage therapy license and is a skilled healing touch practitioner. She generously offers the gift of healing touch and targeted massage therapy to the sisters at the Provincial House and the local community. Through her integrative therapies, Sister Mary Kay effectively alleviates pain, reduces physical tension and addresses emotional or spiritual stress.
A grateful sister shares, “After receiving healing touch therapy, I feel almost immediately more relaxed, have much less pain and a feeling of calmness. For days after, I still feel the benefits, and I highly recommend it.”
Los Angeles
After completing her degree in theology in the late 1970s, Joann Heinritz, CSJ recognized something was missing in her spiritual journey. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that she discovered the absent piece: the body.
Inspired by Saint Irenaeus’s words, “The glory of God is a person fully alive,” Sister Joann says, “It seems we try to access God with our head, rather than with our whole being, and yet we say Jesus became human, the word became flesh.”
She observed that our attempts to connect with God often involve only our minds, neglecting the importance of our entire being. After taking a two-year training to become a certified massage practitioner, a transformative experience unfolded when she delved into traditional Thai massage in Thailand, focusing on energy, incarnational spirituality, holistic spirituality and healing touch.
Equipped with her training, Sister Joann had the opportunity to share her gift with women who are homeless at a drop-in shelter for women in San Francisco.
Etched in her memory is an older woman named Elizabeth. She began sobbing soon after beginning the massage. Taken back by this, Sister Joann stopped and asked if something was wrong. Elizabeth replied, “Nobody has ever touched me like this.”
“Elizabeth took my hands in hers—such a sacred moment—and she said, ‘Joann, it feels like you massaged a prayer into my soul,’” recalls Sister Joann. “Now she had no idea what my heart spoke through my hands.”
The depth of Sister Joann’s compassion is communicated through her hands, an experience Sister Joann considers her ordination. She has discovered the power of touch as a form of prayer, seeking to convey care and empathy to these women.
St. Louis
Now retired after a 43-year tenure at Fontbonne University and a term in provincial leadership, Rita Marie Schmitz, CSJ discovered T’ai Chi Chih at a sister-led workshop in the mid-1970s while vacationing in St. Paul. Intrigued by what she learned, Sister Rita returned to St. Louis and purchased a cassette tape titled “T’ai Chi Chih, Joy Thru Movement” by Justin Stone and began daily practice.
“The goal of T’ai Chi Chih is to unite the Divine Energy within each person with the Universal Energy,” explains Sister Rita. “Practicing T’ai Chi Chih is a way to gain balance that allows one to see clearly and to act with integrity. It gives one energy, reduces stress, often lowers high blood pressure and gives one a wonderful feeling of well-being.”
Having recently celebrated her 80th birthday, Sister Rita emphasizes the important role T’ai Chi
Chih has played in her life. Its impact has been profound, benefiting her both physically and mentally. She hopes to continue to enjoy good health and energy for many years to come.
St. Paul
Rosalind Gefre, CSJ is a massage therapist with over 40 years of experience in the field, continuing to spread God’s message and power through healing touch. She has dedicated her life to promoting
therapeutic massage, establishing five schools and six clinics in two states with 150 employees.
Sister Rosalind has received widespread recognition for her work in the field, along with
releasing her own book titled “Hands That Touch, Hands That Heal.” She was recently featured in a short segment in the documentary “The Saint of Second Chances” about how she gave massages at St. Paul Saints minor league baseball games. She has made a profound impact on numerous lives, both in physical and spiritual aspects.
This story appeared in the 2024 issue of Carondelet magazine. Join our mailing list.