Open Menu
Close Menu

How Your Gifts Are Used

The IHM Sisters rely on your support in many ways, from supporting our ministries to helping fund our retirement and housing needs

Your prayers and financial gifts in support of IHM life and mission are gratefully accepted and deeply appreciated. In a very real sense, your contributions make you a partner with us as we serve others in Michigan, across the United States and overseas. We hope you will continue to partner with us in mission this year and in the years ahead.

IHM Ministry Fund
When you contribute to the Ministry Fund, you’re helping support the IHM commitment to others, especially the most vulnerable. That commitment takes many forms. It encompasses sisters in schools, such as Rita Rinaldi, IHM, who serves at Detroit Cristo Rey High School.

There are so many needs in these young lives. I feel my ministry is an expression of the IHM commitment to the young people of Detroit.”

- Sister Rita

And Valerie (Mary Keith) Knoche, IHM, who ministered for more than 30 years in Honduras, serving among the poorest people in the world. She currently ministers at the Agape Center, an outreach center for the North Macomb (Michigan) Christian Service Office, serving as the coordinator of Hispanic Ministry.

She notes, “As IHM Co-founder, Louis Gillet, CSsR, said, ‘I want to be everywhere when I see so many needs.’”

IHM Retirement Fund

I love being home at the Motherhouse. I volunteer on the funeral committee, the food committee and in pastoral care, but mostly I enjoy being a companion to the IHM Sisters and lay residents where I assist them with decisions regarding their health.”

- Sister Eileen

When you contribute to the Retirement Fund, you help support the basic necessities and health care needs of more than 125 retired IHMs, such as Eileen (De la Salle) Semonin, IHM. Like most IHMs, she began her ministry as an educator, but was soon called on by the Mother Superior to become a registered nurse. As an RN, she returned to the Motherhouse and spent 24 years caring for the elder IHM Sisters in the Motherhouse infirmary. Sister Eileen also ministered to migrant workers in Florida as a public health nurse. She was elected to serve as provincial of the Southwest Province and served the IHM community in that position for six years. In her retirement, Sister Eileen has facilitated workshops and helped other sisters with health, finance and transitioning into retirement.

During decades of service to others, most of these women received low stipends in lieu of salaries and were excluded from Social Security until 1972. The ever-increasing costs of daily living have been met through prudent use of sisters’ earnings, Social Security and from the support of our friends.  Your generosity allows Sister Eileen and the other retired IHMs to lead a productive, active retirement.

Greatest Need
When you contribute to the area of Greatest Need you allow the sisters to use your gift at their discretion.

Donate
More info

For additional information, email or call the Development office at 734-240-9860.