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Edition No. 120 — April 3, 2020 
A Prayer Amid an Epidemic
by Kerry Weber, America Magazine
Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.
 
Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.
 
Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.
 
Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.
 
Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on
earth.
 
Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.
 
Jesus Christ, heal us.
Dealing with our Feelings During the Pandemic
This powerful article from the Harvard Business Review is about grief, and the role it's playing in our lives. To read click the link below for some helpful and informative ideas. 

General Council Shares Message of Gratitude
Saint Joseph Villa
April 2, 2020
On Thursday, April 2nd the members of the General Council made a special visit to Saint Joseph Villa to express their love and support during this difficult time of quarantine.

Maureen, Eileen, Terry, Karen and Owen braved the windy morning as they gathered at the Pagoda and taped a message of love and thanks to all the sisters and staff. Using scarfs to stay at a “safe distance” from each other, they walked around the entire Villa waving to the sisters and staff gathered at the windows.

Sister Eileen Marnien SSJ , expressed her gratitude to the wonderful staff at Saint Joseph Villa. “During these unprecedented times I realize that we are blessed beyond measure with our Villa Team.  Sister Irene Dunn SSJ , President, and Katrina Wise, Executive Director, are leading the entire team with expertise, calm and grace. We will be forever grateful for the loving care that our sisters and residents are receiving during these challenging times.

These are certainly challenging days but one thing I’ve learned is that our sisters are up for any challenge. I’ve spoken to many sisters at the Villa and all I hear is how blessed we are to have the Villa, how wonderfully they are being treated and how much they appreciate the staff. They certainly acknowledge that being confined to their rooms is difficult but, as one sister told me, 'we lived through the renovation—we can do this.' They are always quick to assure me/us that they are praying for the suffering in our world and thanking God for the staff at the Villa.”
Catholic Partnership Schools Food Drive
The Catholic Partnership Schools of Camden supplied families with food donated by the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Click the link below to read the article recently published in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

"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/