The dream of creating an Earth, Arts and Spirit Center came from the membership of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, as a grassroots project that brought several Sisters and Associates together. The original group included those who had gathered as an interest group for the “caring for and treasuring of Earth” component of the SSJ Vision statement from the previous Chapter. These included Sisters Roberta Archibald, Kathy Duffy, Miriam Allorto, Dee Cerchio, Jackie Griffith, Lil Needham and Maryanne Zakreski. Messages were sent out to the Congregation inviting all interested to join the cause. Interested Associate Members Ginny Christiansen and Margot Zuccarello and later Sisters Marie Olwell, Vera Green, Grace Pino, Emily McMullen and Dot Urban joined the group.
While the dream of a Congregational Earth Center was growing among the members, so was the dream of a “Dear Neighbor Center” for the Arts. There was an inherent desire to include holistic and earth spirituality. This was a natural outgrowth of Earth Spirituality and the Creative Processes. The spirituality part rounded out and unified the project that found a natural home once the Cecilian Academy building became available. It was reasonable that the Cecilian Center would be home to the Earth, Arts and Spirit Center.
As we began to explore how we might create this Center we were caught up in the excitement of planning and working with our Associates as we began to explore relationships in the neighborhood. We made a list of suitable places where we might become partners, divided it up and visited those places. Maryanne had gone to the Schuylkill Valley Nature Center with Margot. The Germantown Music Academy, Woodmere Art Museum and the Mt. Airy Learning Tree were also on the list.
We had struck an ongoing relationship with the coordinator of Mt. Airy Learning Tree, Jonna Naylor, who came to one of our meetings at Chestnut Hill and offered to advertise courses to be held at our Center. Others offered to work with us. All of us were interested in working in the neighborhood with individuals as well as other organizations.
We dreamed of having the place designed to be “Green,” using alternative forms of energy to heat, cool and light the place and we also “dreamed” of having a “community” including Sisters, Associates, and friends who desired to live sustainably. Of course, the financial and logistical challenges prevented forward movement in these areas.
Sister Anna Louise Schuck began attending our meetings in the fall of 2002. She was on the Council at the time and took an interest in our project. After attending our meetings and seeing the progress the group was making, she suggested that the group write up a proposal for submission to the Council.
We also had many discussions about what to call our project. The “Hearth” was an idea that many liked. It captured the spirituality, but not the function. We finally came up with Cecilian Center for Earth, Arts and Spirit. It was important that Cecilian remain in the title in fidelity to the history and mission of Cecilian Academy.
The detailed and tedious work of taking inventory and searching out repair issues was certainly important and overwhelming. Dee Cerchio and Margot Zuccarello took inventory of the articles left after Cecilian Academy closed, as well as checking out the basement and attic. The building had some wonderful features, as well as some major problems. Aware of the financial challenges facing us, Maryanne worked with Sister Suzanne Bellenoit, who shared her wealth of knowledge about possible funders. She thought that we would be more successful if we became a separate non-profit because of the great number of possibilities, especially for capital improvement, sustainable improvements and the Arts for the disadvantaged. Roberta and Kathy Duffy also did work researching monies and working with Barbara Boyle on finding possible sources of funding, especially for children’s after school programs. Once the Council approved our proposal for the Cecilian Center, several of us set about beginning some renovations on the building. We simply began by cleaning and painting the rooms. Other renovations included upgrading the alarm and electrical systems as well as remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms.
Dee Cerchio, the Facilities and Ground Manager, oversaw the general renovations to the future Cecilian Center building (100 Carpenter Lane) and also helped to coordinate the work and activities during the 2003-2004 period of the Cecilian Center’s development. Dee, living on site, communicated regularly with S. Anna Louise, councilor, the Steering Committee members and others, fielding questions pertaining to the new Center and life at Cecilian. Her personal interest in the dream revolved around gardening, city garden projects, environmental issues and working with a variety of groups in tune with our treasuring and caring for Earth. Dee also contributed many hours of service helping to cover evening and Saturday classes and programs for the next five years.
The Cecilian Center for Earth, Arts and Spirit published its first brochure in the winter of 2003, which included a series about the universe and a children’s program. Mt. Airy Learning Tree also used the Center for some of its classes. Those classes included calligraphy, painting, and stained glass. In addition, Sister Linda O’Mara conducted Art Therapy sessions at the Center and Sister Emily McMullin offered piano lessons. Sister Dee gave garden workshops including composting and organic gardening.
It was shortly thereafter that the Council chose a director for the Cecilian Center for Earth, Arts and Spirit. Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark, in her wise and creative leadership, charted the next chapter for the growth and development of our Center.
