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ON August 23, we celebrated the birthdays of three special Sisters - S. Leona Spencer, S. Margaret Cushman and S. Edith Arsenault. S. Edith will be 100 years old on August 29, 2019. We have some photos to share

Four Sisters of St. Joseph minister in Kenya, from the Annecy and Springfield congregations. They serve in spirituality and retreat work, schools, health ministry with a dispensary, visiting villages, parish work and pastoral work. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste Marie were a presence in Kenya from 1994 – 2008, providing small business support, working in education, addiction intervention and AIDs support. Sr. Carolyn Schan ministered in Kenya from 1994 – 2007, and Sr. Mae Kierans from 2004 – 2008.

A huge thank you to Fr. Daniele Muscolino and his group for the care they took to clean the stones and statues at the cemetery. Attached are some photos of the group hard at work.

The Sisters and staff enjoyed a lovely evening sitting by Lake Nipissing and relishing in the great tradition of bon fires on summer evenings. Thanks to Daniel Currie we also had great entertainment and a singalong and no bon fire is complete without s'mores. Take a look at the photos! FYI, we had a visiting groundhog who seemed to also enjoy the activities.

This week we pray for the people of Jamaica and for the Sister of St. Joseph from Springfield who ministers there in a doctor volunteer program. We are also mindful of the Sisters from the Hamilton Congregation (now part of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada) in served there from 1993 – 2007; Sr. Ann Marshall, Sr. Nancy Sullivan and our deceased Sr. Katrina Rooney.

ON August 9, our Life Enrichment Co-ordinator, Mandi and the sisters gathered to make kites. Attached are some photos. Could not catch a kite flying but we all had a great deal of fun!

This week we hold in prayer the Sisters of St. Joseph ministering in the Ivory Coast and the people of that nation. There are twenty-three Sisters from the congregations of Aosta, Lyon and Institut des Souers de Saint Joseph. Their work includes education, adult literacy, visiting prisoners, parish and pastoral work, working with school drop-outs and teenagers, social centre, lunch programs, and care of the handicapped. From the news feed: “Recent negotiations for payment of the cocoa produced in the Ivory Coast was unsuccessful. This is especially painful in the Ivory Coast because the country has destroyed massive portions of its forests trying to satisfy the global demand for chocolate. In 1960, the West African nation had roughly 12 million hectares of forests. Today, nearly three-quarters of that forest is gone, reports the World Bank. Compounding the pain, many cocoa farmers in the Ivory Coast still don't make a living wage, even though their country is the world's top producer and exporter of cocoa beans that are the main ingredient in the $100bn global chocolate industry.” How is our charism calling us to respond . . . .

This week we hold in prayer the Sisters of St. Joseph, Associates, and people of Italy. From our 2018 report: Italy is home to 1164 Sisters and 920 Associates, from the Congregations of Aosta, Chambéry, Cuneo, Pinerolo and the Instituto San Giuseppe. They minister in education, homes for the aged, youth ministry, parish and pastoral work with adults, university residence and a hostel for girls.

This week we pray for the Sisters and the people of Ireland. There are about 62 Sisters ministering in Ireland, from the Congregations of Lyon, Annecy and Chambéry. They can be found in homes for the elderly, parish and pastoral work, retirement homes, health care, education, justice ministry, refugee work, governance, grief and loss programs, media, spiritual direction, and formation work.

Click on the link where you can find information on the Nestle Campaign. There is a link to an update on the campaign as well as a link to the Blue Community blog.

On Monday evening, the Motherhouse had a special visitor. Meet Apachee and his owner Michelle. The Sisters and staff enjoyed meeting Apachee. When Michelle rescued Apachee and saw that he had a gentle disposition, she wanted to give him a purpose. That purpose is to bring joy to all. Check out our photos

The week beginning July 8th, we pray for the Sisters of St. Joseph serving in India and for the people of that country. The total number of CSJ’s in India is 1079. This includes the Annecy, Chambéry and Lyons congregations. Ministries include: empowerment of women, girls and children; legal aid to promote women’s rights; pastoral work, adult literacy, health care in hospitals, clinics, village dispensaries, AIDS work, education, assisting drop outs from school, vocation animation, street children, working in slums, pastoral and parish work, prison visits, evangelization, faith formation, social action, justice and peace, human rights, and inter-religious dialogue. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste Marie ventured into mission in India. During the mid-1990’s Sr. Gaye White, and in 1984 and 1993 Sr. Sharon Miller served in education, addictions education and intervention. In 2018 representatives from the CSJ Toronto Congregation visited projects in India that they have sponsored through SOPAR.

This week we hold in prayer the Sisters of St. Joseph ministering in Honduras, those who have previously served there, and the people of that country. The Congregation of Lyon has 6 Sisters ministering in the Honduras doing pastoral work and ministry with youth. View some great photos: https://www.stjosephlyon.org/ou-sommes-nous/mexique-honduras-paso-tx/ Sr. Patricia Dowling from the Toronto Congregation served from 1983 – 2015 in a L’Arche Community, Honduras. Read a story of care: http://www.csj-to.ca/story/2014/05/ronalds-story-honduras. We remember among the saints Sr. Mildred Ratchford of the Sault Ste Marie Congregation who served in Honduras from 1983 – 1985.

St. Joseph's Motherhouse celebrated our volunteers and long time employees at a luncheon held on June 27. We are grateful for all who live and minister in this wonderful home. Here is a sneak peak at the speech by S. Josie McKechnie, our Motherhouse Administrator "We all know that the success of any organization or in our case, religious community, depends in part on those elected to be servant leaders and managers. Nevertheless, it depends equally on those who clean their offices and living space and prepare healthy meals to nourish the body and spirit. It depends on those who repair the equipment, who make sure the bills are paid and the books balanced, who manage departments, who drive sisters to appointments, uplift a group’s spirits through music, song and laughter. We count on our volunteers and staff to lend a helping hand in times of need, to be a compassionate and listening ear, to offer a kind smile to a coworker or sister when needed. To read more click on the title for a link to the full speech."

Theresa Baril worked at St. Joseph's Motherhouse for over 40 years and she recently retired. To celebrate we had a luncheon and gathering. Attached is a tribute.

This week we pray for the Sisters who serve and have served in Haiti. We pray also for the Haitian people who desperately struggle through environmental and economic hardships. From last year’s information, but with a new video link: • The Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Vallier have 23 sisters ministering in Haiti serving in pastoral ministry, education, health and working with the poor. • Presently the Canadian and U.S. Federations of the Sisters of St. Joseph are involved in a 10-year joint project, in collaboration with a non-profit organization called Mission Haiti, Inc... This organization is based in a parish in Minneapolis, where a Sister of St. Joseph is on staff. The Rebuilding Haiti Through the Empowerment of Girls Project is a direct response to the tragic January 2010 earthquake that struck Haiti. This 10-year commitment to Mission Haiti, Inc., will provide education for 10 Haitian girls from primary through secondary school; three (3) years of technical education for 10 girls; assist in the salaries for and certification of teachers, and provide partial financial assistance for building Rose de Lima Secondary School. Sr. Ann Delaney, a Sister of St. Joseph of Toronto visited Mission Haiti in January 2018. Her experience was shared in the September 2018 edition of our Canadian Federation Newsletter. New information: View a 2016 video of the Chestnut Hill CSJ’s visit to Haiti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3ZbnQtxXAA • We also honour the ministry and presence of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto who served in Haiti. Sr. Rosemary Fry (1987 – 2013) health care and pastoral Sr. Mary Alban Bouchard (1989-2013) pastoral work Sr. Cecelia Tallack (1991 – 2001) education Sr. Lorraine Malo (1989-1991; 2001 – 2008; 2010) health care, pastoral

During the SECOND week of June we listen to the heart of the world and hold the Sisters of St. Joseph and the people of GHANA in our prayer. This week we pray for the four Sisters of the Indian Province of the Lyon Congregation, ministering in GHANA, and for the people they serve. We also hold in prayer Sr. Mabel St. Louis (CSJ in Canada) who served as a nurse in GHANA in 1996.

Sister Bonnie MacLellan received the Alumna/Alumnus of the Year award from St. Paul's University. Congratulations S. Bonnie. Well deserved!

Answered God's call to eternal life on June 7, 2019. May she rest in peace.

Answered God's call to Eternal Life on June 7, 2019. May she rest in peace.