Edition No. 51 August 18, 2017 

LCWR Annual Assembly

Sisters of Saint Joseph Participate

The annual Assembly of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) was held August 8-11 in Orlando, Florida. The theme, “Being the Presence of Love, The Power of Transformation,” explored the call to embody love for the sake of the world.

Reflecting on the experience, S. Anne Myers SSJ, Congregational President shared, "Over the past few years, our time at the LCWR Annual Assembly has grown increasingly contemplative. The schedule has become more spacious, offering us the opportunity to reflect on the major presentations and allow them to soak into the soil of our hearts like a gentle rain that is fully absorbed. We also share the fruits of our personal reflections in small groups, which creates enriching communal insights and deepens our experience of sisterhood.

 

Our mission and charism were tangible and so well represented in this Assembly, with two LCWR Presidents, Sisters Marcia Allen CSJ and Mary Pellegrino CSJ, as well as our own Sisters Liz Sweeney SSJ, who sensitively facilitated the contemplative processes, and the dynamic team of Mary Ann Mulzet SSJ and Rita Woehlcke, SSJ who led us in meaningful and inspiring music and prayer.

The entire assembly was transformative, drawing us ever more deeply into its theme, which is the core of who we are called to be as followers of Jesus, “the presence of love.”

 

Councillor, S. Maureen Erdlen SSJ, also attended the event. Of the Assembly, she says, "My experience of the LCWR Assembly was affirming, challenging and inspiring. The word “communion” was frequently heard as well as experienced on many levels. Each presentation spoke to hearts as well as minds and helped us lean into who we can become. While we acknowledged that we have losses both personally and congregationally, we also felt a strong sense of hope and belief in the power of the Resurrection. Clearly, our God is inviting us to something new. As Constance FitzGerald, OSB, pointed out “the lack of compassion in our country and far beyond” demands our response. We share her dream that we can be “prophets of communion” for our times and into the future.

We attend the Assembly as elected leaders and representatives of our congregation. It was very meaningful to have so many of our sisters present. It is a great reminder that the invitation is for all of us to be the presence of love! "

Click here to learn more about the LCWR Assembly

The Leadership Team's Response

to the August 12, 2017 Deadly Attacks

in Charlottesville, Virginia

The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA are deeply disturbed by the horrific events in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12, 2017. As an expression of our mission of union, the Sisters of Saint Joseph tended the wounded on both sides of the Civil War battlefields. Even as we opposed slavery, we recognized that all soldiers were human beings with a claim to our care and respect.

 

For the Sisters of Saint Joseph, each person is the dear neighbor, the beloved creation of God and so we reject every form of racism, including the ideology of white supremacy and neo-Nazism. We support mutual respectful dialog among all.

 

Rooted in our belief in the Blessed Trinity as a community of Love, we seek to foster human communities in that image, a unity that is not uniformity and a diversity that is not division. We support all persons of good will who resist hate by means of peaceful protest.

 

Conscious of the realities of present day and the brokenness that wearies our world, we believe that becoming one is God’s dream for all creation. With hope and courage, we work for mutual healing and foster reconciliation in the daily circumstances of our lives. We pray that God’s great love heals divisions and brings people to unity.

Editor, Sister Carole Pollock SSJ | 215.248.7269 | cpollock@ssjphila.org | http://ssjphila.org/home/