As 2013 dawned,
Sister Ann Moriarty SSJ
, found herself contemplating a major decision. At the time, Ann’s full-time ministry at the Motherhouse was as a driver and, although she enjoyed it, she felt that this was coming to an end. She didn’t want to go somewhere for a short time and then eventually make the decision to go to Saint Joseph Villa. Ann recalls, “The people in my party who were residents (Marie Lewis, Louise Kane, Cynthia Ludwick, Mary Theresa Toole, Regina Raymond, Ann Quirk and more) were encouraging and assured me that it was wonderful to live at the Villa.” She decided to make the change and Ann became a resident at Saint Joseph Villa on June 27, 2013 — a decision she is very happy about.
For Ann the adjustment to
Villa living
was smooth. “I have been making adjustments since I was a little kid,” she reflects, “living in many places and with many moves. Add to that the experience of community changes and I didn’t find it too hard to adjust.”
It didn’t take long for Ann’s typical days to be full and enjoyable. “I have never been bored, I don’t know what the word means,” she says laughing. “I had volunteered at the Gift Shop before I came to live here, and I knew I wanted to work there. I do that on Mondays and also as a sub if needed. Many sisters who come to the Villa are still driving and that doesn’t change. I will occasionally put on her my
chauffeur hat
again and help as a driver.”
Ann makes beautiful cross-stitch pieces — a favorite activity she works on in the quiet of her room or out in the garden — and she sells them in the gift shop. She has run an annual
Craft and Gift Sale
each Fall, which she always had at the Motherhouse, and is thrilled that this year it will in the Auditorium at the Villa. Weekly, she distributes doctor appointment notes on the 7
th
floor for sisters who have outside doctor trips. And, she repairs items! If a statue needs gluing or rosaries need fixing, everyone knows Ann is the one who can do that. Ann is also a proof reader for the SSJ Communications Office, a service that is greatly appreciated.
Most weekdays Ann walks to St. Genevieve Church for daily Mass. “I have a whole new ministry in that walk,” she says. “I have gotten to know the people I see along the way. A car pulled up next to me one morning, and the driver said, ‘Excuse me, we see you every morning and we don’t know your name, so we call you ‘Sunshine!’ A school bus driver waves to me every day, and if the bus is empty, stops and we have a little chat. Others wave from their porches as I pass.”
For Ann, living at the Villa is like being spoiled, and it is difficult to name one thing that is a favorite. She says, “Everything, but especially the availability of religious activities. The staff is wonderful, doctor appointments are scheduled for you, there are delicious meals with no worry about food shopping, preparation or clean up. People are happy to be here, and everyone wants you to be happy too. It is a great place!”