New residence near Mother Jo will give Presentation Sisters better access to health care

Aberdeen American News - 1/22/2019

Jan. 22--The Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary are planning new residences in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls.

The plans came after more than two years of careful deliberation and prayer, according to the sisters.

Presentation Place, planned for Aberdeen, will be adjacent to Mother Joseph Manor, where some sisters already live.

"We do have a health care office in the convent now. When they need more care they come to Mother Jo. This (plan) provides more of a continuum of care. We'll all be on one campus. Our community life will be enhanced. We believe it will help our mission to continue ministries we're doing now and also have others," said Sister Lucille Welbig.

The cost is anticipated to be about $5 million per facility. They are being planned in cooperation with Avera Health.

Presentation Place will have 16 rooms, including those for traveling sisters.

Presentation Center in Sioux Falls will have 20 rooms and will be constructed south of the Walsh Family Village near Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center. The facilities will also include a group dining room, sacred space, and office and meeting rooms.

Presentation Place will replace Presentation Heights, which has housed the sisters since 1952. The current building has room for 100 residents. Currently, 27 sisters live in the facility. Reduced numbers, continuing care needs and wanting to get away from such a large carbon footprint are all reasons the sisters cited for the move.

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Sister Gabriella Crowley reads a newspaper in the upstairs lounge at the Presentation Convent Thursday. American News photos by John Davis

"We have sisters in the nursing home (at Mother Joseph Manor). This allows easier access to them to celebrate Foundation Day, ... (and) St. Patrick's Day. They can more easily join us, and it provides for them a continuum of care," said Sister Mary Thomas.

Although they might be a little farther away than adjacent to the campus, the sisters' presence will continue to be felt through Presentation College's halls and activities.

"We're an apostolic community. We really like staying close to the people and our ministries. We're focused on continuing our close relationship with the college. It'll just be done in a little different way than it is right now," said Sister Janice Klein, president of the Presentation Sisters.

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Sisters at the Presentation Convent pray in the adoration chapel Thursday afternoon.

They are brainstorming a schedule of transportation between Presentation Place and the campus. They'll continue to offer support as they always have as prayer partners with students and by attending Wednesday Mass in the chapel, among other activities.

Technology will be another boon to the facility, keeping sisters better connected. They anticipate video conferences for better communication and less travel, especially for those who find travel more difficult.

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Butler Hall, near Avera St. Luke's Hospital, was the main residence for the Presentation Sisters until the early 1950s. Courtesy photo

The facilities are being designed by Avera architects. A contractor has not been chosen. The plan is to start preliminary construction in spring, to break ground by mid-summer and to have the facilities completed by late summer or fall 2020.

The Presentation Sisters have been a fixture in Aberdeen since 1886.

Correction

Foundation Day is celebrated Oct. 4 and St. Patrick's Day, March 17. The Chapel Motherhouse was built near Avera St. Luke's Hospital. That information was incorrect in a previous version of this story.

Follow @Kelda_aan on Twitter.

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