SAINT JOSEPH SPIRITUAL MINISTRIES ON THE MOVE!   by Joanne Fantini, CSJAgrégée

Saint Joseph Spiritual Ministries has a new home at 71 Walnut Park, Newton, MA.

Pictured top-down: Joanne Fantini, CSJAgrégée,
Beverly Good, and Rosemary Brennan, CSJ.

The ministry will continue many of the spiritual offerings such as spiritual direction and mornings of prayer, and continue to grow in new ways. This includes offerings for Parish staff, respite and retreat days, young adult faith gatherings, and room to
let new ways unfold to meet the spiritual needs experienced by our dear neighbors.

Mornings and Afternoons of Prayer will continue to be held at our Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse.

Joanne Fantini, CSJAgrégée, Director, Beverly Good, Administrative Assistant, and Rosemary Brennan, CSJ, Spiritual Director, will all be located at the new Spirituality Center. ¶

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF ALL  by Patricia Andrews, CSJ

Pictured top L-R: Sisters Pat Andrews, Rose Canney, Carlotta
Gilarde, and Maryann Enright. Circle: Betty Cawley, CSJ.
Bottom L-R: Associates Kathy Tighe, Judy Swett, and Sisters
Florence Kahler, Lois Connors, and Nancy Braceland.

On January 24, 2020, sisters and associates gathered at the State House in support of the Safe Communities Act, a bill that aims to protect the rights of all residents of Massachusetts, especially our immigrant neighbors.

Regardless of where one stands on the politics of our national immigration situation, the dehumanization of immigrants is at odds with Christian values of compassion, mercy, and dignity. This bill speaks of safety and concern for the whole community.
As people of faith, we are called to “. . . welcome the stranger (Mathew 25), promote their well-being, protect them from cruelty and indifference, and assist in their integration into our community.” ¶

Justice and Peace
LIFT OUR KIDS: SISTERS, ASSOCIATES, AND AGRÉGÉES DO THEIR PART!  by Betty Cawley, CSJ

At our Congregation Gathering on January 25th, sisters, associates, and agrégées donated shoes and socks as part of the Lift Our Kids Out of Deep Poverty campaign. These donations were among those displayed at a State House event on February 4th in support of legislation that would increase grants to families receiving temporary assistance. Several CSJs participated in the event. The footwear, which also included socks from students at the Jackson School, was then distributed to agencies that support these families. ¶

Associate Gathering
ENHANCING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR NEW MEXICO ASSOCIATES by Mary Ellen O’Connell, CSJ

Hot tea in lovely teacups, delicious food, hugs, and warm greetings – all signs of CSJ and southwestern hospitality greeted me

Pictured top: Ann Kaufmann, CSJ, Dolores Lucero, CSJA,
Pablita Abeyta, CSJA. Middle: Marilyn Tofoya, CSJA,
Mary Purwin, Emma Moya, CSJA. Bottom: Anna Nagro, CSJA.

in New Mexico, despite chilly temperatures. In Albuquerque, Santa Rosa, and Clovis, we had wonderful sharing about our call as associates, a call to deepen our own spirituality, which leads us to reach out more fully to respond to the needs of our neighbors, near and far. How strongly our Constitution invites us to a “dynamic relationship with God, an ever-increasing intimacy with the God who is the source and center of our lives”!1

Our prayer leads us all to our mission of Unifying Love, called by Christ, chosen by Christ, to bear fruit that will last. Reaching out with care and compassion is so important to our associates in New Mexico; so much a part of their lives. They share the Gospel message, the CSJ message, “That all may be one,” in parishes and schools, in hospitals and nursing homes, in prisons, and during home visits, within families, with friends and strangers. Our charism is enhanced by the presence and work of Rose Agnes Urban, CSJ, Ann Kaufmann, CSJ, and all of our CSJs who preceded them in the Land of Enchantment.

Let us continue to build and enhance our relationships with our New Mexico sisters and associates. Though each area is different, their openness to God’s call, their zeal for the Gospel message, and their commitment to the Sisters of St. Joseph bind them together and with the sisters and associates in Boston. ¶
1CSJA Constitution, Prayer, #1

SPIRITUALITY AND ARTS: The Importance of AND   by Ann Grady, CSJ

pictured left & top: Sacred Threads participants watching the presentation.
right: Ann Grady, CSJ, and Christine Lachkey, CSJA. middle: Participants
at Fontbonne Convent exploring with artwork. left bottom: Particpants at
Fonbonne during the presentation. Bottom Middle: An example of artwork.
Below: Virginia O’Connell, CSJ.

On February 8, 2020, sisters, associates, and agrégées gathered at Fontbonne Convent, Milton, for the associates’ monthly meeting. Joyce Barney, and Jean Plausky, CSJ, asked Ann Grady, CSJ, to offer a recitation entitled Spirituality Through Arts.
Accepting the invitation, Ann said, “After looking at different resources, I decided the title should be Spirituality AND Arts: The Importance of AND.”

The format at the event was divided into three parts. First: to review of our responses to life, to belief, to art; second: to explore the AND of Spirituality AND Art through poetry, artworks, and scripture, third: to offer participants an opportunity to visualize and verbalize spirituality and art.

Intrigued by the subject, Rosemary Mulvihill, CSJ, requested that Ann do a presentation at Sacred Threads Center, Newton. Only a few days later, Ann captured the attention of all who attended. During her presentation, Ann encouraged participants to reflect upon their own, unique, diverse background and to look deeply into their own spirituality and artistic vision. ¶

Volume 5.1.5 – February 18, 2020

Download entire printable Volume 5.1.5 February 18, 2020