Congratulations!

On September 1 Noriko Kuroki was received into the Congregation as a novice during a simple ceremony at El Pequeño Diseño Community. It is with great joy and gratitude that we welcome Noriko and share that she has chosen the religious name Sister Marie de Lourdes.

Let us surround Sister Marie de Lourdes with our prayers and support as she takes the next step on her CSJ journey and also remember her family and our Sisters in Japan.

Click here for a slideshow of the reception.

Season of Creation

We are celebrating the Season of Creation! There are a lot of very good reasons to celebrate as well as reasons to wonder how we have lost so much so quickly. I do not have to tell you about these losses. You see them daily: pandemic, climate change, drought, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, environmental devastation, severe storms, etc. Though we feel helpless in this regard may we continue to do whatever we can to help. I do find hope and joy in every glimmer, blade, bloom, twinkle, and shiver of life. Treasure everything, treasure it all!

Please join the Congregation in prayer through the prayer card below and watch the closing prayer for Season of Creation on October 4. Feel free to come back to these prayer resources throughout the year to pray with our Mother Earth and creation.

Season of Creation – Closing Prayer

You Keep Us

The recent events with Haiti and Afghanistan and the U.N. Report on our climate crises reminded me of a quote by Paul Tillich. “Each crisis in history creates an opportunity, a demand to act – to let go of something; a call to do, to be, to trust…” In the New Testament, this would be “Kairos time” – the “appointed time,” the graced moment – a moment in history where we are called to respond to what God might be telling us in a leap of faith, a transformation.

The prayer, You Keep Us, from the Iona Community calls me/us to look at what is happening in my/our present decisions and discernment in “Kairos” time – to allow the events to be grace-filled moments that call me/us to listen, to look for meaning; to recognize God in what is happening and to respond intentionally.

Sister Anne McMullen, CSJ

Province Goal… go Eco-Friendly!

Here are some tips and tricks sent in from Sisters and Associates. Let us help each other with ideas no matter how big or small.

Keep them coming everyone!

When you go back to the grocery store reuse your vegetable and fruit plastic bags that you get in the produce section.

Put several of your different fruits and veggies in one plastic bag instead of putting one kind of fruit or veggie in the plastic bag. Tell the checkout clerk that there are different items in the bag.

Order the toilet paper called “Give A Crap” – click here for more information. The toilet paper or tissues are plastic free, they donate 50% of profits to help build toilets in countries where they need them, and they have the highest standards for their social and environmental impact as a B Corp certified company.

Taco Bell is partnering with TerraCycle to recycle their empty hot sauce packets. Just make an account with TerraCycle, collect your used sauce packets from Taco Bell, mail them for free to TerraCycle and they will be recycled into hard plastic products. Learn more about the program and how to sign up by clicking here.

New Beginnings for Nine SJW’s

On August 15, nine young women from all over the United States travelled to Los Angeles to enhance our understanding of leadership, spirituality, community, and justice with the St. Joseph Worker Program. Once we arrived, we were welcomed by the amazing SJW staff. Soon after move in day, everyone hit the ground running with a jam-packed two weeks involving visits to all six placement sites and two college campuses, meetings with neighbors and friends of the program, and finally a five day retreat at Lake Gregory led by the wonderful Sister Joann Heinritz, CSJ.

The orientation retreat was an opportunity for us to get to know one another and prepare our hearts and spirits for the upcoming year. We are very grateful to receive an immense amount of support and hospitality from Sisters of St. Joseph living all over the world, staff members, alumni, family, and friends. Elaina, Grace, Haley, Krista, Maria, Nikki, Nina, Sam, and Suzanne began their service on August 30.

We are enjoying our time getting to know the wonderful communities at our respective placement sites. We look forward to growing as leaders, building relationships, and welcoming the gifts that this year of service will bring!

Click here to watch a slideshow of the first weeks for the SJW's.

Nina and Krista (current Saint Joseph Workers)