News RSS Feed

We pray for the Sisters of St. Joseph ministering in Pakistan and for the people of that country. The Chambéry congregation has 13 sisters whose works include: education, family visits, pastoral care, and promotion of women. From: Gulf News Asia - Saylani Welfare International Trust is a Pakistani charity focusing primarily on feeding the homeless. It was established in May 1999 and is based in Karachi, Pakistan. It was founded and headed by famous spiritual and religious scholar Maulana Bashir Farooq Qadri. The charity provides free food to needy thrice a day. For full article see: https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pakistan-prime-minister-imran-khan-pledges-to-provide-free-food-and-shelter-to-the-poor-and-homeless-1.66968932

Today we celebrate the Sisters of St. Joseph and the people of Norway.

Greg Humbert has been working on The Great Canadian Catholic Hospital History. This edition he explored the history of Elliot Lake Hospital which was started by The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie.

This week we pray for the two Sisters of St. Joseph ministering in Nicaragua and for the people of that country. The Sisters are from the Congregation of St. Joseph, and the Carondelet Congregation. They minister in the neighbourhoods, in natural medicine and missionary work. In July, 2018 the US Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph issued a statement condemning the violence occurring in Nicaragua. In a lengthy statement released September 19, 2019, “Crimes that demand justice: an urgent call to the international community,” the Conference of Jesuit Provincials of Latin America and the Caribbean called for justice and an end to the violence in Nicaragua. https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-americas/2019/09/20/jesuit-provincials-call-for-international-action-on-nicaragua/

S. Mae Kierans and other Sisters of St. Joseph around the world know the importance of preserving our history. Read the story of the Archive Gathering in LePuy, France (our roots!)

Sisters of St. Joseph in Mozambique Presently 5 Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambéry are in Mozambique. Their works include: pastoral work with children, social work, schools, visiting families, Basic Christian Communities. From AFRICANEWS: “Mozambique has set an ambitious target with their ProEnergia initiative to reach 100% of the population with electricity by 2030. The country represents an optimal market for off-grid solar products, with only 27% of households currently connected to electricity and a highly distributed population. Fenix’s operations here will focus on reaching those most in need of energy access, particularly districts in the North and people who are using expensive, polluting, and dangerous methods such as kerosene and candles to light their homes.” By replacing fossil fuel-powered lanterns, solar home systems allow off-grid customers to illuminate their homes with clean LED lights, as well as charge phones and run radios, TVs, hair clippers and speakers. Fenix is the first PAYGO solar company in Mozambique to use these Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to reduce costs and bring high-quality, affordable technology to rural, last-mile customers. https://www.africanews.com/2019/09/16/fenix-international-to-launch-off-grid-solar-in-mozambique-in-partnership-with-leading-operator-vodacom/ From UNICEF MAPUTO, Mozambique/NEW YORK, 14 September 2019 – Nearly 1 million people, including 160,000 children under five, in northern Mozambique are facing food shortages and a nutrition crisis, with conditions expected to worsen over the coming months – UNICEF said today. The dire situation is a direct result of the devastation wrought by Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, which struck central and northern Mozambique in March and April this year. The two storms brought widespread flooding, the destruction of almost 780,000 hectares (7,800 sq kms) of agriculture crops and the displacement of tens of thousands of families. The number of children under five facing ‘crisis’ levels of food insecurity is expected to rise to 200,000 in storm-affected areas by February 2020. Around 38,000 children could become severely malnourished and at risk of death over the same period. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/mozambique-children-living-storm-affected-areas-face-worsening-food-insecurity-and

This week we pray for the Sisters of St. Joseph, Associates and people of Mexico. Between the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon and the United States Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, there are 44 sisters and 16 Associates in Mexico. They are involved in education, pastoral work and work with migrants.

Congratulations to Sister Pat Carter who was awarded the Annual Volunteer of the Year Award for the United Way in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday, April 26. Here is the wording of the chairperson in notifying her.... ...you are the recipient of our Outstanding Volunteer Contribution. This award is presented in recognition of an individual that is an active and involved member of our Campaign Cabinet. The volunteer works diligently to engage employees by setting up workplace presentations, assisting with events and canvassing in their workplace. You have been a rockstar this year and we are ever so grateful for all you have done and accomplished. I personally am looking forward to continue working with you moving forward. Thank you for all you have done in support of United Way, Sister Pat! We really couldn't do it with out you!

This week we pray for the Sisters of St. Joseph missioned in Madagascar and for the people of that country. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Aosta, Italy have 103 Sisters and 200 Associates serving in Madagascar. Their works include: school, adult literacy, tailoring, empowerment of women, nutritional education, dispensaries, care for lepers, visiting prisoners, first evangelization, catechism, pastoral work and retreat centres. The mission in Madagascar was established in 1965. From Vatican News: Pope Francis will visit Madagascar September 7 with the hope of rekindling hope among citizens tired of instability. The big island nation famous for its Vanilla production is situated off the southeast coast of Africa. Madagascar gained independence from France in 1960, but its people are fatigued by endless political instability and disputed elections that have sometimes turned violent and occasionally deadly. As the country’s Cardinal Désiré Tsarahazana told Vatican News, earlier in the year, “Our country is rich in resources (but) we are among the poorest countries in the world." Pope Francis will therefore find in Madagascar a Church hierarchy that seeks to be a voice for the poor and marginalised. In the words of Cardinal Tsarahazana, the Church in Madagascar wants to be the prophetic voice that speaks boldly about the country’s socio-economic welfare in a non-partisan manner. Amnesty International has called on Pope Francis to raise concern over human rights violations. Click on title for link to Pope's concerns.

Congratulations to Doris and Franz on the celebration of their 50th Wedding Anniversary. The couple renewed their vows and celebrated at St. Joseph's Motherhouse on August 29, 2019. Be sure to check out the photos. Check out the other vocations that you may choose in your life.

Sister Edith Arsenault celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends who gathered at St. Joseph's Motherhouse for a luncheon and sharing of memories. Blessings Edith! Click on the title for a link to Edith's 100th Birthday photo album.

During the THIRD week of AUGUST, we listen to the heart of the world and hold in our prayer the Sisters of St. Joseph and the people of LEBANON. This week we pray for the people of Lebanon and for the nine Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon who minister there. They are mostly involved in school and youth ministry. Consider holding in prayer: 1. Very recently two drones fell on the city of Beirut amounting to an open attack on the country's sovereignty and an attempt to foment regional tensions. aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/hezbollah-chief-israeli-drones-lebanon-skies-190825165611883.html 2. Striving for sustainable practices: “The only way to revive our ancestral land and demonstrate its beauty and diversity is to abide by the laws of natural agriculture and biodynamics,” . . . . “That’s the way our ancestors used to work.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/23/travel/lebanon-sustainable-practices-tourism.html

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. From the In Canada congregation, Sr. Teresa Ryan served in Kenya from 2006 – 2010 and then again for a year in 2012. We are grateful for all our members who discern ministry abroad!

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 . . . .