CDC Spiritual Connection May 2025 with Sister Tonette Sperando, OSB

Description

Spiritual Connection
with Guest Host Sister Tonette Sperando, OSB
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama

Hospitality: A Transformative Way of Life
There are various aspects of our daily living that beg for our hospitality. This session will highlight St. Benedict’s instruction to “welcome all as Christ.” How welcoming are we to specific guests knocking on our doors, usually unexpectedly? How open are we to being transformed by these “guests”?

Sister Tonette Sperando was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. She was taught by the Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama in grade school and high school. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. She entered the Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, AL shortly after graduating from college in 1990. She later received her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Sr. Tonette has served as teacher, principal and president of various Catholic elementary and high schools located primarily in the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama. She has also served as her religious community’s Treasurer, Development Director and Prioress. She continues to serve on several committees within her religious community, in addition to serving on diocesan committees. Currently she lives in Birmingham with two other Benedictine Sisters and serves as the Director of Mission Initiatives at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Hoover, AL. She is currently conducting a regional diocesan assessment to learn the various disabilities and levels of interest for adaptive activities and programs on parish and diocesan levels that would enhance full and meaningful participation of individuals with disabilities and their families.

About Spiritual Connection: On the first Friday of each month, a featured speaker will lead a 30-minute virtual discussion. Spiritual Connection provides CDC members a brief opportunity to get inspired by topics with a faith-based twist - and to decompress from your busy schedules!

The content will be spiritual in nature, but topics are not necessarily about fundraising, although they certainly may be relevant to development. They may include a current event, a devotional piece, tips about health, a passage from a book, etc.—it is really up to the speaker to decide!

Speakers will introduce a topic in which they are passionate, and lead participants through a 10-15-minute presentation or talk, followed by a facilitated discussion on their topic with the entire group.

We hope participants will feel a little sense of renewal after the 30 minutes, fresh in their thoughts, connected to this community, and looking forward to next month’s Spiritual Connection.