Immersed in Call, United in Mission

“If the world takes something from us on the one hand, God will give us something on the other.”

St. Louise de Marillac

By S. Georgia Kitt

Sisters Sally Duffy, Jean Miller, and Georgia Kitt show support for Haitian immigrants at a No Kings event at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where Casey Rollins (second from right) served as the featured presenter.

I want to share a glimpse of the “hundredfold” that has enriched my life in recent years through a renewed relationship – one that has filled me with joy and a deep sense of pride in a shared call. It has reminded me that the dignity of every person is essential to our vocation and that this truth unites us in mission.

What more could one ask than to look back on a life of service – trusting in God’s guidance, striving to make a difference – and to feel reassured that you have been on the right path? Recently, I have experienced that reassurance in a profound way. It has come through reconnecting with someone very special: my former student and now friend, Maureen “Casey” Kelly Rollins, a wife, mother, grandmother, devoted Vincentian, and director of the St. Vincent de Paul Center in Springfield, Ohio.

When I first met Casey in 1971 on the playground of St. Teresa School in Springfield, she was an energetic red-haired child from a large Irish Catholic family. Little did I know that, 50 years later, our paths would cross again; both of us living out similar calls rooted in faith, service, and a desire to build a more just world.

Today, Casey serves as president of the Springfield District Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which includes eight Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Vincentian members commit themselves to spirituality, friendship, and service through acts of charity and justice, forming personal relationships with those in need. How familiar this sounds to us as Sisters of Charity, who also are called to live Gospel values, act justly, build loving relationships, and care for all creation in the spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Our shared mission has deep historical roots. Since 1833, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has served those in need around the world. Similarly, the Sisters of Charity, founded in 1809 by Elizabeth Seton, drew inspiration from the rule of Saints Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. These parallel beginnings continue to shape how we respond to the needs of our time.

It is clear to me that God was forming Casey from a very young age. Influenced deeply by her parents, especially her mother, Rosemary, she learned early to recognize and respond to the needs around her. At just 9 years old, Casey accompanied her mother to a St. Vincent de Paul meeting in the basement of St. Teresa Church, where she listened as parish Vincentians shared urgent needs: help with rent, utilities, and food. Even then, seeds of compassion were being planted.

By age 16, Casey was already responding in concrete ways. Using a car her dad had given her, she delivered cribs to young mothers – often traveling to remote or unfamiliar neighborhoods, long before GPS made such journeys easier. These deliveries frequently included stops to pick up groceries, especially milk for the families. Accompanied by a classmate for safety, she was already living the Gospel values she would later fully embrace. Her mother’s guiding words “always protect the children” remain central to her life and work.

That call to serve has been a constant thread throughout Casey’s life – woven through her experiences at home, school, parish, and community. At St. Teresa School, she learned to care for others through small daily acts, such as helping younger students in the cafeteria. At Catholic Central High School, her gifts continued to unfold through service opportunities and outreach. The Sisters of Charity who taught and mentored there reinforced a message of faith and resilience, often reminding students “God will never allow you to be tested beyond your strength” (St. Vincent de Paul).

During Casey’s freshman year, her family faced a profound trial when her sister Colleen was diagnosed with cancer. The Springfield Catholic community united in prayer, asking for the intercession of St. Elizabeth Seton. While the prayers were heard but in God’s way, the experience deepened the community’s faith and strengthened bonds, a reminder that God’s answers are not always what we hope, but always part of a larger mystery.

Casey’s journey continued through college and into a career in art education. She married her high school sweetheart, Rob, they raised their young son, and together they built a life rooted in faith, family, and service. From the early days of their marriage, they were active in their parish St. Vincent de Paul conference, making home visits and attending weekly meetings.

In 2015, Casey retired from teaching after a fulfilling career that included time at both St. Teresa School and Catholic Central High School. Soon after, she accepted the role of secretary for her parish conference. It was a turning point – a moment when the many strands of her life began to align.

Just a year later, she was asked to serve as president of the Springfield District Council. Saying “yes” meant stepping into leadership with both vision and humility. Casey understood that a strong mission required strong collaboration. She intentionally built a team with diverse skills (volunteer coordination, finance, technology, and outreach), creating a foundation that has allowed the organization to grow and respond effectively to community needs. They encouraged faith-based volunteers to be part of the mission. There is no fundraising; only generous spirits who know the needs are real. For the past nine years, only the use of weekly Church bulletins and an electronic newsletter have kept persons informed.

Casey Rollins joins Vincentian volunteers at the Community Health Foundation’s “Finding the Funny” feel-good event, supporting one another in their shared call to serve.

The St. Vincent de Paul Center in Springfield has evolved significantly under her leadership. Located just off High Street, it is a place of welcome and dignity. Casey’s artistic gifts are evident in the bright, inviting space that immediately puts visitors at ease. Volunteers greet each person warmly, offering not only material assistance but also a sense of belonging. A shared cup of coffee, a listening ear, and even a quiet chapel – dedicated to her mother – communicate a powerful message: You are welcome here.

In recent years, the center has responded to the needs of a growing immigrant population, particularly Haitian families who have come to Springfield seeking work and stability. As local companies called for workers, many Haitians answered, bringing with them resilience, dedication, and hope.

The center has become a vital resource for these families, offering assistance with immigration processes, work permits, and legal documentation such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), asylum applications, and humanitarian parole. Services have expanded to include interpreters, English language classes, job training, resume assistance, and connections to employers and local agencies.

As demand has increased, so too have the challenges. Casey has found herself called into situations she never could have imagined, advocating publicly for immigrant communities, responding to misinformation, and working with media outlets to share the truth. Her clarity, compassion, and conviction reflect a deep commitment to the dignity of every person.

This commitment has been especially evident in moments of crisis. As immigration enforcement intensified, Casey and her team took proactive steps to protect vulnerable families. More than 1,300 children in Clarke County have been born to Haitian parents in the last few years, meaning all of them would be citizens. They encouraged Haitian parents to secure U.S. passports for their children – documents that could serve as critical protection in uncertain times.

In one particularly sobering instance, several children arrived at the center after their parents had been detained, leaving them in urgent need of care and legal support. Situations like these underscore the complexity of the work and the importance of community response. For Casey and her colleagues, children remain the highest priority. “The work we do is done for the mission,” Casey often says. “I believe in the power of community.” That belief is evident in every aspect of the center’s work – from partnerships with local organizations to the dedication of volunteers who give their time and talents so generously.

During my visit to the center, I was deeply moved to encounter former students – now adults and retired from their careers – serving others with the same spirit they had learned years earlier. One volunteer helped a mother searching for contact information for her husband, who had been sent back to Mexico; another prepared food baskets for families in need. Their actions reflected the enduring impact of a faith-centered education and a commitment to service.

Looking ahead, I see many opportunities for continued collaboration between Casey’s work and the mission of the Sisters of Charity. Already, we are sharing resources through our Justice Circles, particularly in areas of immigration, human trafficking, and poverty. We have stood together in solidarity at public gatherings, advocating for justice and supporting immigrant families. In February, we participated in a national gathering in Springfield, publically demonstrating solidarity with Haitian families and all current immigrants. Casey has also shared her insights with our Community through presentations at the Motherhouse, helping us better understand the realities facing those we serve. These connections strengthen our collective response and deepen our shared commitment to Gospel values.

We have worshipped together as well, most recently at a Haitian Mass at St. Raphael Church in Springfield, celebrated in their native Creole by Haitian Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS, from Charleston, South Carolina. It was a beautiful expression of faith and cultural unity, reminding us that the Church is truly universal. Casey shared, “I was thrilled for this opportunity for our Catholic Haitian neighbors.”

As Casey and I have rekindled our friendship after 50 years, I am struck by the thread that has remained constant: a shared call to serve, rooted in faith and sustained through community. It is a call that continues to invite, challenge, and inspire. The same holds true as graduates of Catholic Central (1970-1988) have also reconnected with me. Thank you. You bring me joy. It warms my heart to learn of the contributing adult persons you have become.

I invite you to learn more about the ongoing mission of the Sisters of Charity and to follow the work of the Springfield St. Vincent de Paul Center. Catch the spirit Casey has set in motion!

Most of all, I ask that we continue to pray for dignity, for justice, and for all those affected by uncertain futures, especially as the TPS decision expected in June or July 2026 approaches. May we each respond, in our own way, to the call before us, doing, as St. Vincent de Paul urged, “whatever God inspires us to do.”

The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati support the Ohio Sisters Justice Network July 17 statement, A Call for Justice for Our Haitian Brothers and Sisters, calling on federal leaders to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants and enact comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to permanent legal status. Read it here: https://www.facebook.com/OhioSistersJusticeNetwork/

A National Day of Prayer, Solidarity, and Advocacy was held in Springfield on Feb. 2, 2026, as a public demonstration of faith-rooted solidarity with Haitian families and all immigrants facing uncertainty. Morning presenters at St. John Missionary Baptist Church included Casey Rollins and S. Sally Duffy.

(From left) S. Teresa Laengle, S. Georgia Kitt, Casey Rollins, and S. Mary Bookser display their “Love Thy Neighbor” T-shirts, gifted to Sisters during Casey’s 2025 presentation at the Motherhouse.

The post Immersed in Call, United in Mission first appeared on Sisters of Charity.