Coordinator of cultural formation: destroying walls, building bridges

You might call her a construction worker; after all, her job entails knocking down walls and building bridges.

Recently hired as diocesan coordinator of cultural formation, Sister Gemma Doll’s job will be to break down walls: walls of prejudice; walls of fear.

"The main focus is to somehow bridge, in particular, the main two ethnic groups, the Hispanic and Anglo faith communities," said Sister Gemma. "It really comes from Bishop Gilmore’s latest ad lumina visit, in which he told [Pope John Paul II] that one of his goals would be to have the local church mirror the Trinity -- the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That’s the mantra: We are called to be one people -- one heart, one mind in Jesus -- striving to be this holy community that is the Trinity."

Since leaving her post as prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Great Bend in June 2006, Sister Gemma, a nurse practitioner, has been on a sabbatical missionary experience studying Spanish and working in Guatemala, Mexico, and El Paso, Tex. She served as a health care worker in a clinic on the Mexican border run by the Sisters of Charity, and at Casa Del Migrante, an organization that provides shelter, food, and medical and legal services to immigrants passing through Juárez.

Sister Gemma graduated from Marymount College in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and in 1981 from the University of Colorado with a master’s degree in maternal child nursing. She has worked as a nurse and a nursing instructor in Kansas, Oklahoma, Africa, and Thailand. She has served as clinical director of Community Health Clinic and Finney County Health Department, both in Garden City. She also served as a relief worker in Lebanon with Catholic Relief Services. In 1997 she was Time magazine’s "Hero of Medicine" after she and her team frontiered the use of Interactive Television (ITV) to train nurse practitioners.

Her years in the Diocese of Dodge City have given her an insight as to the work being done to break cultural boundaries.

"There is a lot already happening with the parishes," Sister Gemma said. "Part of my job will be to build on what has already happened, to collaborate with various parish groups, pastors, and pastoral leaders. I will listen to where folks are, what they are feeling – their excitement and fears. I want to create opportunities where people can share the Word across cultures so we can better appreciate the diversity that is ours -- to learn from it, and help that feed our own faith commitment.

"By doing that," she said, "we’ll begin to build relationships one by one that will help us to mirror the Trinity."

Having served on a handful of continents, Sister Gemma knows a lot about crossing cultural borders. Her service in Africa, Thailand, Lebanon, and even in southwest Kansas, has taught her that to knock down that wall that divides, one simply needs the desire.

"Probably the underlining wisdom that I’ve gained over the years is that, yes, there is diversity, but that our humanity binds us more that our culture separates us. The longing for human communion is a lot stronger than the fear of being different. I’ve found that if I have a curiosity and openness to someone, I learn so much and it enriches me so much more than if I close my door and lock myself up."

With the debate over immigration so prevalent, and with facts and figures sometimes molded by over zealous media – Sister Gemma admits that even discussing the issue can be difficult. But she said she has faith the people of southwest Kansas will remember "that innate trait of hospitality we’ve had for generations. We all have come from very different ethnic backgrounds: German, Irish, Scottish, French, Mexican …. We need to remember where we came from, and that cultural inheritance we bring to the table."

In a letter announcing Sister Gemma’s hiring, Bishop Gilmore praised the "vibrant traditions [that] Latinos bring to rural communities. ... In the coming years businesses will increasingly rely on Latinos as entrepreneurs, employees, investors, and consumers. Schools and other education systems will find that Latinos are future students, educators and administrators. Political institutions will find that Latinos will play an increasingly powerful role in the outcome of elections, as both voters and political candidates. ... Latino populations in rural communities continue to grow, it is important for institutions, organizations, and individuals to recognize them as a valuable resource."

Sister Gemma’s ministry, the bishop said, "will focus on accompanying, encouraging, highlighting this valuable resource...."

Bishop Gilmore continued: "‘I see a church that I must make one through the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit.’ That will require a more concerted effort in blending our major ethnic communities in the next five years is what I shared with Pope John Paul II as I met with him for the last time. Those five years are almost gone. Much has been done by many. Certainly much remains to be done. But in the end it is really not our work. The concerted effort that is needed is that we allow ourselves to live life filled not with fear but with trust that comes from God inviting us all to feast at the one table as brothers and sisters.

"I thank Sister Gemma for taking up this concerted effort, for being willing to call us to that concerted effort, for helping us see the concerted effort the Lord is already making among us, within us, and through us. I know that you will welcome her and support her."

Coordinadora de formación cultural: Destruyendo muros, construyendo puentes

Podría llamarla una trabajadora de la construcción; después de todo, su trabajo consiste en derribar muros y construir puentes.

Recientemente contratada como coordinadora diocesana de formación cultural, el trabajo de la Hermana Gemma Doll consistirá en derribar muros: los muros del perjuicio y los muros del miedo.

"El enfoque principal es construir puentes, sobre todo entre dos grupos etnicos - las comunidades de fe Hispanas y Anglos", dijo la Hermana Gemma. "

En realidad, viene de la última visita "ad limina" del Obispo Gilmore en la cual dijo al entonces Papa Juan Pablo II, que una de las metas sería que la Iglesia local fuese un espejo de la Santísima Trinidad - la unidad del Padre, Hijo, y Espíritu Santo. Esa es la mantra - Estamos llamados a ser un pueblo - un corazón, una mente con JEsús - intentanto ser esta comunidad santa que es la Trinidad."

Desde que dejó su puesto como priora de las Hermanas Dominicanas en Great Bend en Junio del 2006, la Hermana Gemma, enfermera de profesión, se ha tomado un año sabático misionero estudiando Español en Guatemala, México y El Paso, Texas. Ella sirvió como enfermera en una clínica de las Hermanas de la Caridaden la frontera de México, en Guatemala y en la Casa del Inmigrante, una organización que aporta alojamiento, alimentos y servicios médicos y legales a los inmigrantes que pasan por Juárez.

La Hermana Gemma se graduó en Marymount College en 1972 con una Licenciatura en Enfermería y en 1981 de la Universidad de Colorado con un Master en cuidados de niños. Ella ha trabajado como enfermera y como instructora de enfermeras en Kansas, Oklahoma, Africa y Tailandia. Ella ha servido como Directora de la Clínica Comunitaria de Salúd y el Departamento de Salúd del Condado de Finney, ambos en Garden City. Ella también ha trabajado como trabajadora en Lebanon para los Servicios de Emergencia de Caridades Católicas. En 1997, fue nombrada por la revista Time como "Heroe de la Medicina" después que ella y su equipo iniciaron el uso de Televisión Interactiva (ITV) para entrenar a enfermeras en prácticas.

Sus años en la Diócesis de Dodge City la han dado unos conocimientos sobre el trabajo que se está haciendo para derribar las fronteras culturales.

"Ya hay mucho ocurriendo en las parroquias", dijo la Hermana Gemma. "Parte de mi trabajo será construir sobre lo que ya existe, colaborar con los diversos grupos parroquiales, parrocos y líderes de las parroquias.

Escuchará lo que siente la gente - sus emociones y sus temores. Quiero crear oportunidades para que el pueblo pueda compartir la Palabra a través de las culturas, para que podamos apreciar mejor la diversidad de la nuestra - aprender de ella y ayudar a alimentar nuestro compromiso de fe."

"Al hacer esto", dijo,"empezaremos a crear relaciones de una en una que nos ayudarán a reflejar la Trinidad".

Al haber servido en diferentes continentes, la Hermana Gemma sabe mucho acerca de las fronteras culturales. Su servicio en Africa, Tailandia, Lebanon y incluso en el Suroeste de Kansas, la ha enseñado a derribar el muro que divide; uno solamente necesita desearlo.

"Quizás la sabiduría predominante que he adquirido a través de los años es que, sí hay diversidad, pero nuestra humanidad nos une mucho más de lo que nos separe. El deseo del ser humano de tener una comunión humana es mucho más fuerte que el deseo de ser distinto. He aprendido que si tengo curiosidad y estoy abierta a otra persona, aprendo mucho y me enriquece mucho más que si cierro mi puerta y me encierro dentro."

Con el debate sobre la inmigración caliente y con hechos y cifras a veces modificadas por la prensa - la Hermana Gemma admite que incluso tratar estos temas es difícil. Pero ella dice que tiene fe en la gente del Suroeste de Kansas y que recordarán que "la característica inata de hospitalidad que hemos tenido durante generaciones. Hemos venido de distintos grupos etnicos

- Alemán, Irlandés, Francés, Mexicano... Necesitamos recordar de dónde venmos y que herencia cultural llevamos a la mesa."