During this unprecedented time of concerns related to COVID-19 and its impact on vulnerable populations, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (SCLs) are taking precautionary measures in their Leavenworth, Kan., facilities.
Effective March 13 and until future notice, Sisters living in Ross Hall, the skilled nursing facility, have been placed in cautionary status. This affects approximately 40 Sisters. For the Sisters’ protection, no visitors are allowed in Ross Hall. All employees who interact with the Ross Hall SCLs are being assessed at the beginning of each shift prior to entering the building. If an employee has a cough and/or temperature, she/he will not be allowed to enter Ross Hall.
The Sisters have continued access to daily prayers, Mass and other communications through televised broadcasts. Recognizing the challenges associated with this separation, Community leadership has encouraged other Sisters, friends and staff to telephone or Facetime with the Ross SCLs. Other communication opportunities are being developed.
Employees who work at the Mother House, Ross Hall, Cantwell Hall Offices and Marillac Center are asked to telecommute temporarily if their job duties are conducive to working from home. All employees, and particularly those in positions that require their physical presence in the workplace, are obligated to complete symptom checklists and information forms to determine their health status and suitability for work.
Marillac Center, the SCL retreat and spirituality center, has cancelled the “Called to Holiness” day retreat for Saturday, March 21. Visit the Marillac Center website for updates about other scheduled programs.
In their message to Sisters and SCL Associates, members of the Community Council suggested this be a time for personal self-care as well as concern for the health of others. They wrote, “This is an invitation for each of us, individually and communally, to deepen our way of being in communion with one another. Above all, let us remain Sisters of Charity and Associates rooted in prayer always looking forward to the good that is yet to be.”
