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This week we are invited to pray for the 4 Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery ministering in Mozambique. Here is a 2019 report of a community gathering http://www.csjchambery.org/en/destaque/732/visitaaochaosagradodemocambique Early in July we received word that our Sisters were offering refuge in their convent for 60 people fleeing violence. The following is a July 23 news report on the violence in the country https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/churches-burned-people-beheaded-in-mozambiques-escalating-extremist-violence-51620?fbclid=IwAR3K3O-ASnsDBD-2Mwh0KYQ35

NAVFD - National Association of Vocation and Formation Directors For more information - http://navfd.info/

The Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, after consulting with partner organizations from across Ontario, released a statement urging the Provincial Government to implement a human rights approach . Click on links for press release and action plan

The Ontario Provincial government is seeking your comments about its proposed new framework that would guide decision making on permits to take water. Most of the bottled water industry is regulated by these permits and now is your chance to have some input. Send an email or use the web form for public comments. This post was made by the CSJ Blue Community project to support your engagement and reflect your advocacy. Feel free to copy any/all of this post and add your own personal perspective when sending in your comments. Click on title to find link to submit your comments. If you wish to tag - @bluecommunitycsj

This week we are invited to pray for the 44 Sisters and 25 Associates of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon serving in Mexico. Their ministry includes education, pastoral work, and work with migrants. Photo gallery: https://www.stjosephlyon.org/where-we-are/mexico-honduras-el-paso/?lang=en Reaching out to children during Covid. The link only works if you paste it into your browser: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/storyteller-reaching-out-to-children-in-mexico/5513000.html

The attached 13 minute video "One River, Two Futures" was developed by the Federation Blue Community Steering Committee. It is offered for your reflection as we continue to pray and advocate for preserving this God-given gift of water. Please share with family and friends.

Identify (who, what, when, where) and describe as fully as possible, the attached photo.

Sault Ste. Marie was founded in 1936 from Peterborough which was founded in 1890 from Toronto, which was founded in 1851 from Philadelphia/Chestnut Hill (a province of Carondelet). Carondelet/St. Louis was founded in 1836 from Lyon France which, through the French Revolution disbursement, can be traced back to Le Puy, founded in 1650. Toronto was actually legally separated from Carondelet of which Philadelphia was a province. The current bishop of Toronto, knew the Fontbonne family from France, and requested that Mother Delphine, in Philadelphia at the time, bring Sisters to Toronto.

The Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada are participants in “For the Love of Creation.” This initiative brings together Canadian faith communities and faith-based organizations under a unified banner to mobilize Canada-wide education, reflection, action and advocacy for climate justice. and Through this unified and multifaceted mobilization we, as people of faith, hope to make a meaningful contribution in the next decade towards a sustainable future for all life on the planet. We seek to address the root causes of the climate emergency while also supporting those who are most impacted by it. This national-level initiative will weave together reflection, education, action, and advocacy to advance meaningful responses to the climate emergency. It aims to engage people individually and in community, as congregations and organizations, all across the country. As first steps in this initiative you are invited to: (1) Make use of the attached “Take a Sacred Pause” resource which was developed by the Local Engagement group (2) Sign this e-petition which speaks into the current moment, shaped by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency. This petition calls on the Government of Canada to: • commit to reducing Canadian GHG emissions by 60 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and invest in a just transition; • honour the rights of Indigenous Peoples; • commit equal support for climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in the Global South; and • respond to the pandemic in the Global South. Sign the petition today! Open for signatures until October 6. https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-2712 Peace, Sue Sue Wilson, CSJ Office for Systemic Justice Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada Swilson@csjcanada.org (519) 432-3781 ext. 402

This next quiz is a bit like "Abraham begat Isaac who begat Jacob, who begot..." You get the idea. Trace our CSJ direct genealogical lineage back to Le Puy by completing the sentence: "The Sault Ste. Marie Congregation was founded by Sisters from________ who were founded by Sisters from_______ who were founded by Sisters from_________ " on and on back to back to " _________who were founded by Sisters originating from Le Puy. Hint: https://csjssm.ca/history

During the Vatican II Council called by Pope John XXIII, Bishop Alexander Carter, a great friend to our Congregation, was the Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie. Sister Noreen McColgan (Sister St. Edward) was our General Superior. Bishop E.Q. Jennings was Bishop of Fort William, (renamed in 1970 as Diocese of Thunder Bay) Bishop Leonard Hagarty OSB, was Bishop of the Archdiocese of Nassau in The Bahamas Bishop C. Cristiano Luna was Bishop of the Diocese of Zacapa, Guatemala.

The Second Vatican Council (1962 - 1965) announced by Pope XXIII ushered in "aggiornamento" or renewal throughout the Catholic Church and in particular throughout religious congregations. Name the General Superior who led our Congregation though those early years of experimentation and renewal AND the bishops of the four dioceses where we were working at the time.

Countries outside Canada where our Sisters were assigned for ministry: (e.g. education, social services, health care, pastoral ministry: Bahamas (1959 – 2007) Guatemala (1962 – 1978) DR Congo/Zaire (1970 – 1972) India (1976 – 1978) Honduras (1983 – 1985) Romania ( 3 months in mid 1980’s) Bolivia (1987 – 1989 and 1992-1994) Dominican Republic (mid 19-90’s for one year) Kenya (1995 – 2007) USA (1995 – 2002) Countries where our Sisters were assigned to study or for a sabbatical; Italy, Belgium France England USA Australia Switzerland Mexico Holy Land (Israel and Jordan) Note: please add to this list if there are omissions. Thank you!

Identify all the countries outside Canada where the presence and ministry of one or more of our Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste Marie brought the charism of healing and reconciliation.

Click on document to see the biological sisters

This week we are invited to pray for the 143 Sisters and 400 Associates of the Italian Aosta congregation, 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. See some activities: https://www.suoresangiuseppeaosta.it/sezione.php?s=196&l=it Striving for care of the ecosystem: a two page report https://reliefweb.int/report/madagascar/ecosystem-based-adaptation-madagascar-2014-2020-factsheet United in prayer, the Global Joseph Family, 7850 Sisters, 5700 Associates, 34 Agrégées in 45 countries, listening to the heart of the world.

This week we are invited to pray for the 31 Sisters of St. Joseph from the Congregation of St. Joseph, and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet who minister in Japan. Watch a short video on the Carondelet Sisters: https://www.facebook.com/sistersofsaintjosephla/videos/csj-arrival-in-japan/219652385386561/

It is with deep sadness that the Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie announce the death of Sister Shirley Grexton, on Sunday, June 21, 2020 at St. Joseph's Motherhouse, North Bay, Ontario. Click on link to read obituary for this special woman.

We wondered how we might respond to help bring about a new "normal" - a country and world with a different set of priorities that will create justice, equity and new life for all creation, including humans. Click on the links for two documents, each of which offers some suggestions and helpful information. This may be a challenging time for us to respond, but a new normal will not come about instantly, nor will we no longer have opportunities to help share in bringing about the newness. Hopefully these documents will help you know more, discern how to act and help you to feel like you are contributing to a new world order.

Name as many pairs of biological sisters who entered and remained in our congregation, living and or deceased. For example, Sisters Euphrasia (Kusy) and Mary Anne (Kusy). There are seventeen pairs. Name as many trios of biological sisters who entered and remained in our congregation, living and or deceased. For example, Sister Faustina (Quinn) had two older Sisters in our Congregation: Sisters Maura (Quinn) and St. Julia (Quinn). There are two trios. Hint: In the Heritage Room, the binder on the memorial table of the biographies of our 121 founding Sisters is arranged in alphabetical order by family name. (Thank you Marie McGirr). The three binders on the nearby buffet of our deceased Sisters is arranged in chronological order, but the names of the parents would give you a clue.