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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.

In 1936 Bishop Ralph Hubert Dignan invited Peterborough Sisters working throughout our diocese to found a new Congregation: The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie. He arranged for the purchase of the Lions Park on Lake Nipissing, which apparently was in receivership for back taxes. He was involved in the construction of our Motherhouse and helped guide the new congregation in our formative years. The window is in tribute to Bishop Dignan. St. Hubert lived in Belgium in the 8th century. After his wife died giving birth to their son, it is said he withdrew to a forest to hunt. As he was pursuing a stag, the animal turned, and Hubert saw a cross between its antlers. Hubert had a conversion and later was appointed the first bishop of Louvain Belgium.

This week we are invited to pray for the 23 Sisters of St. Joseph and 12 Associates ministering in the Ivory Coast. They are from the Congregations: Aosta, Institut des Souers de Saint Joseph, and Lyon. For a bit of history and photos of the Sisters from the Aosta congregation: https://www.suoresangiuseppeaosta.it/sezione.php?s=197&l=it You should be able to click on a translator button from google. However, the photos speak for themselves. They dedicating themselves to catechesis, literacy, sewing, visits to prisoners, the poor and the sick.

It is with deep sadness that the Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie announce the death of Sister Immaculata, on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at St. Joseph's Motherhouse, North Bay, Ontario. Click on link to read obituary for this special woman. Sister Immaculata's slide show link: https://vimeo.com/431627198

This week we are invited to pray 400 Sisters of St. Joseph and 336 Associates ministering in Italy. They are from the Congregations of Aosta, Chambéry, Cuneo, Pinerolo, and Istituto de San Giuseppe. All congregations belong to the Italian Federation http://www.suore-san-giuseppe-fed.it/ Once you arrive at the home page there will be a dialogue box to translate to English.

Why, do you suppose, does the front stained glass window on the right hand side of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Joseph’s Motherhouse, and closest to the statue of Mary at our Motherhouse depict St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters? While not a clue, notice the cross between the antlers of the deer.

Identify as many people as you can in this 1959 photo taken at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Port Arthur? What was the occasion? Click on title to view answer

"This is a painting of the first home given to the Sisters of St. Joseph in Carondelet in 1836. This log house had been used as an orphanage in the parish of St. Joseph of the Angels and converted into their convent. The group of 6 who travelled up the Mississippi divided up between 2 locations. 3 stayed in St. Louis and 3 went to CAHOKIA, a French parish in Illinois. Sr. Delphine was Superior of both Carondelet and Cahokia for a period of time. In a letter to Mother St. John, Sr. Delphine described their situation…. The log cabin had 2 rooms . One was the attic. They had a cot, a table and 2 chairs. That was all. At the beginning they had to go begging for food because the parish priest, Fr. Saulnier had none to share with them. They planted a garden hiring a local farmer to do the hard work. On Sept. 12, 1836, the first novitiate in Carondelet opened in the log cabin. They admitted American born, Irish and German novices into their novitiate. At the same time, their girl’s school gave instructions in French and English to girls between 6-18 yrs." From this humble two room log cabin home - Motherhouse and Novitiate - the Sisters of St. Joseph branched out across North America.

This week we are invited to pray for the 22 Sisters of St. Joseph ministering in Ireland. They are from the Congregations of Annecy, Chambéry, and Lyon. 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. From the Lyon website: At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, anti-clerical laws in France were aimed at the separation of the Church and State. Consequently our sisters there were barred from teaching in the primary schools and in one night more than 50 small schools were taken over by the state and the sisters were secularised. In England at that time Father John O’Toole was looking for religious sisters to help with the evangelisation of the people of his newly created parish of Haunton, a small village in Staffordshire. At the suggestion of Archbishop Illsley, the then Archbishop of Birmingham, Fr John wrote to the Superior General of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Bordeaux – Mother St. Paul – requesting sisters to fulfil this Mission. The Sisters of St. Joseph accepted the invitation and on the 3rd May 1905 three French sisters arrived in Haunton where there mission began by teaching in the small village school. Later on a property in the village was bought where children from age 4 to 18 were educated. From Haunton, sisters opened other missions in Hilton Hall, Wolverhampton and in Ireland, in Virginia, Co. Cavan as nurses and teachers. The General Chapter of 1970 granted permission for the English and Irish sisters to form a Region. On the 4th August 1970 this Region was formed while remaining wholly connected to the larger body of the Congregation. In 1996, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Bordeaux along with the sisters of St. Joseph of Burgh amalgamated with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon forming one congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon. The sisters have now moved away from teaching and nursing to more pastoral ministries which are diocesan and national. As Sisters of St. Joseph we are committed to our apostolates and responsible for the mission entrusted to us. Wherever we are, we show our love for all, through our interest, dedication and participation. We are especially committed to pastoral work and hospitality is a strong point in our lives and in our communities. We organize personal or group retreats and prepare the young and not so young to receive the sacraments. We form church wherever people can gather, sit and taste the Lord’s presence in an unusual setting. We visit the elderly and the homebound in their homes; we also go to retirement homes; everywhere, we bring comfort, joy, and an attentive ear and Holy Communion to those who desire it. Catholic chaplaincy, at the university and in the army, is also an important part of our mission, as is the apostolate with those who renounce prostitution or drugs. The homeless are not forgotten, especially when they need to be listened to or supported. Another important ministry involves visiting and communicating with our elderly and sick Sisters in retirement homes. Ecumenism is an important part of our apostolate as well as helping various charitable organizations, especially in fundraising. Our Associates live our charism in their daily lives and meet to pray and share on a regular basis. All these forms of apostolates allow us to make acts of inclusive love among ourselves, with others and with God. 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 1036 Sisters, and 203 Associates in India. This number is the total from the Congregations of Annecy, Chambéry and Lyon. 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. Conservation and sustainable development: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/28/khonoma-indias-first-green-village-adapts-to-coronavirus-life-without-tourists-aoe “Despite the pandemic, village leaders remain hopeful that future generations will continue to focus on conservation and sustainable development. “I’m sure our young people will do an even better job of protecting the sanctuary,” says Meyase.”

It is with sadness that the Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie, announce the death of Sister Cemonne Karlyn Bigras on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at the North Bay Regional Hospital. Funeral Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0QR0Nzfw14&t=10s

It is with deep sadness that the Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie announce the sudden death of Sister Shannon Hickey, on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at St. Joseph's Motherhouse, North Bay, Ontario. Click on name to read full obituary.

Attached you will find the World Oceans Day prayer June 8th beautifully prepared by Priscilla & Mary Mettler

This week we are invited to pray for the three Sisters of St. Joseph of LYON who minister in HONDURAS. Check out this link for some great photos: https://www.stjosephlyon.org/ou-sommes-nous/mexique-honduras-paso-tx/ News of government funding for food producers and agroindustry: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/honduras-allocates-funds-resources-support-022200376.html

Thank you Mandi, our Life Enrichment Coordinator who got us all involved in Fascinator Day - check out the photos!

Can you identify the photo - stay tuned for the answer next week