Mission Cross at our Motherhouse in Philadelphia

MCA Retreat Gathering

in Philadelphia

Members of the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate (MCA) gathered at Mother Boniface Spirituality Center for a weekend retreat designed to explore together how they are gift to the world. The MCA (lay branch) and the MSBT (Sisters) belong to the same spiritual family. This “Cenacle Spirit” impels us to be good, do good, and be a power for good in the world. Members make an annual retreat to reground themselves in the fundamentals of being a missionary in the providence of daily life.

Members came from as far away as Florida, Ohio, and Massachusetts for a vibrant retreat led by regional leaders Lisa Herrera and Andres Caballero. It was a diverse gathering, with sharing in both English and Spanish. Father Steve Giorno, ST (also part of the Missionary Cenacle) drove three hours in driving rain in order to celebrate a bilingual mass! MSBT Sisters Gail Lambert, Barbara McIntyre, and Maria Zepeda shared their personal experiences of being a Power For Good. At the closing, everyone took home a handmade image of one other attendee to hold in prayer throughout this year.

The mission of the MCA, like that of the Sisters, is to help every Catholic see himself or herself as an apostle, a missionary disciple, in daily life. Everyone at the retreat shared a story of how the love and encouragement of someone in their past had enabled them to see their own goodness and share their gifts. This ripples out to the future, as members are empowered to reach out and encourage others in the same way. Many of our departed MSBT were named in the stories that were shared!

The next MCA Retreat at Mother Boniface Spirituality Center in Philadelphia is scheduled for October 16-18, 2026.

Sr. Marion Agnes' Legacy

on the Lower East Side

During a recent trip to New York City, former Trinita Director, Patricia Kenyon, MCA, stopped by the Marion Agnes House on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The residence was named 20 years ago in honor of our Sr. Marion Agnes Daniel, MSBT by Nazareth Housing, Inc. In later years, Patricia got to know Sr. Marion Agnes when they both served at the Trinita Retreat Center in New Hartford, Connecticut.



Sr. Marion Agnes was missioned to the city in 1979 at a time when the Lower East Side was suffering from years of neglect and a more recent fiscal crisis. On some blocks more than half of the housing units were abandoned or seized by the city because landlords were unable to pay taxes or maintain their properties. Working with the Lower East Side Area Catholic Conference (LESAC), Sr. Marion Agnes worked to improve the lives of people by addressing the basic and foundational need for safe and stable housing.

Sr. Marion Agnes Daniel, MSBT (left) pictured with Sr. Ann Maura

Through committed and persistent grassroots efforts, Sr. Marion Agnes helped lead community renewal efforts, largely focused on the need for housing. Through the process of urban homesteading, abandoned buildings were renovated with manual labor, turning empty shells into habitable dwellings, reclaimed for legal occupancy. Low income housing options were provided, as well as household items and basic furniture.

These early efforts laid the groundwork for founding Nazareth Housing, Inc. in 1983. Today Nazareth Housing provides emergency family housing, a food pantry, supportive housing, volunteer tax preparation assistance, financial literacy services, credit repair services and more. Their work is marked by Sr. Marion's compassion and commitment to being a power for good in the lives of the most vulnerable. The legacy of Sr. Marion Agnes Daniel, MSBT lives on today in the vital and compassionate work of this community based, nonprofit organization committed to empowering vulnerable individuals and families in the prevention of homelessness.

Virtual Vocation Conversations

for Young Women

Questions? Email voc@msbt.org

A ten-part video series has recently been completed that explores some of the treasures in our MSBT Archives and invites us to reflect on what meaning they may hold for us today. Click below to watch the final video.

Each of ten videos in the series can be viewed anytime on our YouTube channel. While there subscribe to our channel to catch future videos.

For prayer with the Word of God

Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.

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