This week we are invited to pray for the 132 Sisters and 60 Associates who live and serve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are from the Italian congregations of Cuneo and Instituto San Guiseppe. Ministries include education, dispensaries, AIDS programs, orphanages, catechesis, pastoral work empowerment of women, retreat work. We hold the people of DRC in prayer amid the outbreak of COVID -19 and the struggle with ongoing violence. https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1058841

The Jesuit Newsletter has an article where Msgr. Donald Bolen (Archbishop of Regina), Sister Pricilla Solomon (Ojibwe and member of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie) and Cecilia Calvo (Senior Advisor on Environmental Justice of the Advocacy Office of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States), who all took part in the “Tienda de la Casa Commun” alongside the last synod, have each analyzed the Exhortation and offered several paths we can follow to enact Pope Francis’ “dream” here.

This week we are invited to pray for the 3 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Annecy Congregation and the 10 Associates ministering in Congo Brazzaville. The Sisters run a small school and skills centre. As throughout the world Congo Brazzaville is dealing with the coronavirus. We pray for the healing of our world.

In response to the Covid-19 virus situation, all activities are cancelled at our Motherhouse until further notice. We pray to Joseph, our Patron Saint (whose feast day is on March 19) and to Mary, our Mother for their guidance and protection during this time. We hold everyone in our prayers.

A Capuchin Franciscan Brother Richard Hendrick's poem "Lockdown" has gone viral. Brother Richard is living in Ireland and has written a powerful poem about the impending nationwide lockdown. There are two links to articles where you can read the poem.