In honor of the 120 years of life sustained on this property for Notre Dame du Lac and Notre Dame Long-Term Care residents and the continued use of its beautiful land, some of which has been donated for conservation, the Resident Council of Notre Dame du Lac Assisted Living community commissioned a Wall of Gratitude to assure remembrance of the active presence of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

"We trust that remembering is a gift of acknowledging those who have gone before us," said Sister Marna Rogers, who spearheaded the project. ''The Wall of Gratitude project was a labor of love and an experience of close collaboration with our archivist in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Nancy Barthelemy, and our congregational archivist in Namur, Belgium, Madame Marie Felten, who gave generously of their time as requests for historical information from the early annals were sent our way."

Installed in the lobby of Notre Dame du Lac Assisted Living community in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Wall chronicles the acquisition of land in 1899, which extended to Lake Quinsigamond and included the Swan Farm, the largest farm in Worcester at the time -- buildings on the property housed early Sisters and workers. In 1904, the area was staked with the designs for a new home for the Sisters. The Chapel, as we know it today, was designed and ground broken on April 19, 1926, with the first Mass celebrated on June 28, 1927. Notre Dame du Lac was a place for restoring health, spiritual retreats, and those who needed rest or a reprieve from active ministry.

The friendship of Anne Lyons Carty and Sister Harriet Cutting, SNDdeN, resulted in a generous donation to the Wall of Gratitude. Combined with the generosity of the East-West Province of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the family and friends of Caroline Price, it assured the support to finish the project.

We honor the 120 years of life sustained on this property and the continued use of its beautiful land for Notre Dame du Lac and Notre Dame Long-Term Care residents.

Sister Marna Rogers, SNDdeN, entered the congregation in 1962. She has served on the former Boston Province's Leadership Team in education and health care ministry. She is a member of the Notre Dame du Lac community.



VIRGINIA LEHR, DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING, NOTRE DAME DU LAC ASSISTED LIVING, AND SISTER MARNA ROGERS, SNDDEN, IS A DU LAC RESIDENT AND WALL OF GRATITUDE PROJECT COORDINATOR.