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Edition No. 118 — March 4, 2020 
Knights of Columbus 
Honor Religious in the Camden Diocese
Haddonfield, New Jersey
February 22, 2020
The Santa Maria Chapter of The Knights of Columbus held their annual dinner to express their thanks to the Religious in the Camden Diocese. On Saturday, February 22 nd  all the sisters who live and/or minister in the Diocese were invited to Santa Maria Hall in Haddonfield, New Jersey for the celebration. This year, 89 sisters attended the event—the second highest number of sisters to attend in the many years that they have hosted the gathering.

The men set up the tables with blue covers, blue linen napkins and a beautiful centerpiece. At each sister’s place was an apple and a bag of jellybeans. A Knight escorted each sister to the elegant meal table and carried the sister’s dish back to the table to enjoy a sumptuous dinner prepared by the Knights. 

The wives of the Knights of Columbus spend long hours and months shopping for gifts for the sisters. Each sister was given a number for a prize. When a number was called each raised her hand and was given a beautifully wrapped surprise gift. 

Sister Mary McGarrity, IHM, Delegate for Women Religious, Diocese of Camden, offered the blessing, and remembered those who do not have food on their table. 

The Knights  expressed special recognition and thanks to those sisters celebrating jubilees. The joy was evident as the sisters mingled with the many other congregations of sisters who were present and had the opportunity to learn about the mission and ministry that is currently being provided in the Camden Diocese. 

As the evening drew to a close the Knights thanked the sisters who provided a strong foundation for the hundreds of children who were taught by sisters in Catholic Schools— a legacy that they hope to pass down to their children and grandchildren. 
Pictured seated from left: Sisters Peg Boyle, Sharon White and
Mary Elizabeth Farrell
Pictured standing from left: Sisters Regina Clare McCalla, William Evelyn Galloway, Dorothy Giloley, Helen Cole and Marie Olwell
Catholic Sisters Week is March 8-14

Beginning March 8, 2020, Catholic Sisters Week themed,  Communities of Spirit, Hearts for Ministry  will shine the spotlight on women religious around the world. “Previously called National Catholic Sisters Week, the event began in 2015 as part of National Women’s History Month,” said Cecilia Rupell, Director of Communications for the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia and Board Chairperson for the Communicators for Women Religious (CWR)—the organization responsible for CSW 2020. CWR is a professional organization of communicators within religious congregations of women.

“We hope that all people, including sisters , who have been impacted positively by a Catholic Sister, share their stories during this week,” shared Cecilia. “Daniel Roebuck, educated by Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia in Bethlehem, PA, has produced a video that encourages people to thank sisters during Catholic Sisters Week. Daniel has enjoyed a successful 35-year career as an actor/director/producer and often credits the sisters for his success. His video is available on Facebook for viewing. You don’t have to have a Facebook account to see it, but if you do, please like and share it. The more people who share the video, the more people will learn about Catholic Sisters Week, and hopefully, they too will contribute.

Click on the photo below to see the video.
Convent Crawl 
Savannah, Georgia
One of the ways  Sister Jackie Griffith SSJ  and  Sister Donna Jo Loeper   SSJ  use to promote vocations in the Savannah Diocese is by helping to organize a Convent Crawl. This is the 4th year they have done this and this year a videographer came along to film.

Click on the photo below to see the video.
Marked by more than ashes
By Sister Colleen Gibson SSJ
Reprinted with permission from Global Sisters Report
Read Sister Colleen Gibson SSJ's latest article in the Global Sisters Report: Marked by more than ashes.

The words from Ash Wednesday reverberate throughout Lent: Now is the moment you and God have been waiting for. What if we lived each moment of the season, beholding the perfection of that moment?
"With the help of God's grace and in fidelity to our founder's expressed wish, we live and work lovingly among all persons with a special preference for those who are poor, which calls us wherever we are to be in union with them."
                                        — SSJ Constitutions #21
Editor, Sister Carole Pollock SSJ | 215.248.7269 | cpollock@ssjphila.org | http://ssjphila.org/home/