Finding God’s Presence in Gratitude
by Sr. Marie Alice Ostry, ND
Pondering the past several months, I have deepened my realization of who I am and how I am. Throughout my life in much that I have read and the conferences I have attended the idea of GRATITUDE keeps surfacing often. Therefore, listening to…
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Choosing Hope: A Fourth of July Reflection
We are about to celebrate the Fourth of July, the day on which we commemorate 250 years of being a country that pledges to be one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. What a wonderful inspiring ideal with hopes and dreams for ALL. Who…
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From Academy to Community: A Century of Growth, Faith, and Service
To build Notre Dame Academy, the Sisters sacrificed their many years of savings and borrowed nearly $100,000. Because the total cost of construction exceeded both the loan and their savings, the Sisters issued an appeal to the Czech community through a Czech Catholic newspaper in September 1925.
On August…
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The Early History of the Notre Dame Campus
The land on which the Notre Dame Sisters’ campus stands has a rich history dating back to the mid-19th century. In 1855, the United States government granted a 160-acre tract of land to Mrs. Rhoda Rich as a pension following the death of her husband, Captain Israel Rich,…
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The Historic Architecture of Notre Dame Academy and Convent
Omaha architects Matthew Lahr and Carl Stange designed the red-brick E-shaped condo and convent in 1924 in the late Italian Renaissance Revival style. Its grand staircase features a marble wainscot and terrazzo floor. The bucolic setting, with scenic views of the Iowa bluffs, later functioned as a retreat,…
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As We Approach Juneteenth, My Reflections from Black History Month Still Resonate
by Mikaela VanMoorleghem, MPA
As we approach Juneteenth, I find myself thinking back to the reflections I carried during Black History Month earlier this year. Those thoughts still resonate deeply with me. In many ways, they have only grown stronger.
Black History Month in 2026 felt different to me. Not…
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Honoring Our Immigrant Heritage
June is National Immigrant Heritage Month, a time to honor the courage, sacrifice, and hope of those who journeyed to a new land seeking opportunity, purpose, and a better future for generations to come. For the Notre Dame Sisters, we remember the arrival of five young Sisters who…
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Good Friday Reminds Us That What Looks Like The End Of The Story May Actually Be The Turning Point
by Mikaela VanMoorleghem, MPA
On Good Friday, the disciples believed the story was over.
Hope seemed gone.
Justice seemed defeated.
Love seemed powerless.
But what looked like the end of the story was actually the turning point.
Good Friday reminds us that even in the darkest chapters of our lives, God may still be…
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Legacy-Based Hope: Remembering the Light That Guides Us Forward
by Sr. Cynthia Hruby, ND
For weeks now I have been pondering “what gives me hope?” One evening when I was feeling the heaviness of another day, I noticed the time. I sent a text to a “night owl” friend, “Ok to call?” As I waited a feeling stirred…
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HOPE: TRUSTING THAT GOD KNOW WHAT HE IS DOING
by Sr. Anita Rolenc, ND
Hope is one of the three theological virtues (along with faith and charity), and it is something I think about often in my prayer. When I pray, I usually ask God to increase my faith, strengthen my hope, and purify my love.
When I focus…