ACWR/CWR WEBINAR
PRESERVING “SACRED STORIES” THROUGH ORAL HISTORY PROGRAMS
APRIL 16, 2024
Since the beginning of time, stories have been passed down from generation to generation through word of mouth. Recording oral histories is one method of preserving the past while sharing our experiences, wisdom and stories with those in our present and those in our future.
In this webinar Sr. Mary Cabrini Procopio shares her experience of spending six years traveling the country and recording the oral histories, or “Sacred Stories” as she lovingly calls them, of 125 sisters. She also shares how she did this, including technology, methods, and best practices. As we travel alongside Sr. Cabrini, Julie Kresge, mission communications manager at Felician Sisters of North America, provides a communicator’s lens of the project, including how these sacred stories have been and will be used in their congregation’s communications.
This webinar was jointly presented by Archivists for Congregations of Women Religious and Communicators for Women Religious.
PANELISTS
Sr. Mary Cabrini Procopio
Felician Sisters of North America
Sr. Mary Cabrini Procopio is a member of the Felician Sisters of North America, Our Lady of Hope Province, located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Upon retirement from leadership in her community and in Rome, she served as the local communicator, a position she still holds. Also upon retirement, Sr. Cabrini embarked upon a new ministry of recording the oral histories of her sisters. Rather than calling them oral histories, she prefers to name them “sacred stories,” because each person is precious and has a unique story to relate. She traveled throughout North America for six years and has recorded the sacred stories of 125 sisters. She recalls, with joy, this time in her life and is grateful to each of the sisters for her willingness to share her sacred story from the depth of her heart.
Sr. Grace Marie Del Priore
Felician Sisters of North America
Sr. Grace is a member of the Felician Sisters of North America and has served her community as archivist for seven years. She oversaw the move and development of the new Felician Archive and Heritage Center in Livonia, Michigan, and has been a member of ACWR since 2016.
Julie Kresge
Mission Communications Manager, Felician Sisters of North America
Julie Sorrentino Kresge is a nonprofit executive with over 25 years of diverse experience in the religious, legal, education and health care fields. She is currently the Mission Communications Manager with the Felician Sisters of North America and has considerable accomplishments in establishing and developing operational programming and strategy, fundraising and marketing initiatives, along with non-profit governance.