Edition No. 108 — October 29, 2019
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2019-20 SSJ Mission Scholars
Welcome
October 17, 2019
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On Thursday, October 17, 2019, the SSJ Mission Scholars joined the Motherhouse Community for dinner in the convent dining room. The students were joined by college administrators, faculty and staff connected with and so supportive of them: Clare Doyle, Barbara Lonnquist,
Sisters Ceil Cavanaugh
,
Eileen Lynch
and
Kathleen McCloskey
.
Congregational President,
Sister Maureen G. Erdlen SSJ
, welcomed the students. “You are mission scholars for a reason because ‘mission’ is most important to us. Mission for us means we are all one and we want all of you to remember that. The older ones among you know all about the
dear neighbor
. Truly, we couldn’t have closer dear neighbors than all of you next door to us. Please know that you are always welcome here—that our home is your home. We know you will be huge successes and whatever we can do to help, we want to do that. Remember that we are here and we look forward to seeing you again.”
Sister Teresa Shaw SSJ
, Council Liaison, thanked the students for sharing their journey and telling everyone a little about their personal dreams. Sister Terry offered a special thank you to
Sister Jane Field SSJ
, Mission Fund Administrator. “Sister Jane is really the one on ‘this side’ who does all of the organizing and the daily work that keeps this program alive.”
As Sisters of Saint Joseph we are so happy to be able to help our students to continue to pursue their dream of higher education through the SSJ Mission Fund Grants.
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Sister Colleen Gibson SSJ
Global Sisters Report
October 18, 2019
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"The honesty of this pursuit of mission is that it is imperfect. That imperfection is humbling. To trust the Spirit is to quickly realize you aren't in control. As much as you might want a specific outcome or desire a certain course of events, no formulation is a failsafe path to your desired outcome. Formulaic foundations can come off as contrived and overbearing. Yes, we must plan for the future, but some of the greatest planning allows us to let reality, relationships and individuals breathe life into the structures set forth."
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Reprinted with permission from Global Sisters Report
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Jessica Lewis, CPT, CNC
The Transformative Power of T’ai Chi
Program for Veterans
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T’ai chi is an ancient Chinese tradition that, today, is practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing. It is an evidence-based, simple, and drug-free treatment option for PTSD, depression, chronic pain, suicidal thoughts and much more.
T’ai Chi for Veterans is a new Federal program from the Veterans Administration Community Care Network (or VA CCN.)
SSJ Associate in Mission, Jessica Lewis, will lead weekly classes at the Grubb-Worth Mansion in Claymont, DE. Jessica is enthusiastic about this innovative program and eager to share the transformative power of T’ai Chi practice.
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Photos courtesy Jessica Lewis
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Saint Joseph Villa
Fall Assembly Presentations
October 17, 2019
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The Fall Assembly was held at Saint Joseph Villa on Thursday, October 17. Over 100 of our sisters participated, with some of our SSJ Associates, in the Villa dining room. Others watched the livestream in their rooms.
As we celebrated Chapter 2019 and the Associate Consultation Process, those present signed their commitment cards and took a “heart” as part of the co-missioning ritual.
During the social which followed, sisters expressed how much they enjoyed the experience.
Sister Helen Clifton SSJ
summed up the feelings of many when she said,
“It was absolutely a very good use of our time!”
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Celebrating Founders’ Day with the Dear Neighbor
Saint Anne Convent
October 15, 2019
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This year the sisters at St. Anne Convent (
Sisters
Margaret Dorothy Duffy
,
Dolores Egner
,
Sheila Falls
,
Jane Field
and
Marlene McCarthy
) decided to celebrate Founders’ Day in a very special way. They extended an invitation to the parishioners to join them for Mass and dinner at the Convent.
On Tuesday evening, 26 friends arrived for Liturgy, a delicious home-made soup dinner and dessert. After dinner Sister Mart gave a brief presentation on the history of the Congregation.
St. Anne Convent is located in Kensington and the sisters are acutely aware of the many needs in the neighborhood. They decided to include a service project as part of the evening. Socks (always a need for the homeless) and crackers were rolled together into a little package and secured with a rubber band. The sisters distribute them in different ways in their various ministries.
“The evening was a broadening experience for everyone,” shares Sister Jane. “We enjoyed each other’s company and working together on the project was a tangible way to reach out to those in need in our neighborhood.”
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Socks (always a need for the homeless) and crackers were rolled together into a little package and secured with a rubber band.
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Photos courtesy Jane Field SSJ
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Sister Linda Lukiewski SSJ
St. Joan of Arc Parish, Harrowgate
Celebrates 100
th
Anniversary
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Sister Linda Lukiewski SSJ
was missioned to St. Joan of Arc Church in Harrowgate, in June 2011 as Pastoral Minister. In June 2013, St. Joan of Arc Parish merged with Holy Innocents Parish in Juniata Park. Since then, Sister Linda has had worn many hats. She is the only stipended staff member and relies on volunteers for help with all the ministries, of which there are many. The main ones are religious education for children and adults, food pantry, English as a Second Language classes, After School Program, hospitality at the SJA Mission Center for youth groups doing community service and retreat experiences for the Latino community and youth groups.
The parish also has a community garden which was recently honored with
The Garden of Distinction Award
by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. It was chosen from 400 entries to receive this award. People in the neighborhood and worshipping community maintain it and it is truly a tranquil place amid a violent and abandoned area.
In the 30’s, and 40’s, the founding pastor, Msgr. Edward Hawks, would celebrate the feast of St. Joan of Arc with a parade. Sister Linda came up with the idea of re-creating the parade from pictures she viewed in the parish archives. There was always a girl dressed as St. Joan of Arc, who would actually ride the horse up the center isle of the Church. The older parishioners would always talk about it. She thought it would be a great idea to reenact for the centennial celebration.
Linda recalls, “Was I in for a surprise! It was very difficult to find someone who had a horse who could ride down a city street without getting spooked. I finally found help from a man who works for the Devon Horse Show. He connected me with a woman who knew Bridget Wallace, the young woman who finally rode the horse for us. It was quite a job to pull that together, and Bridget was perfect. She was beautiful and so very accommodating.
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Mr. Daniel Taylor (Uncle Danny to
Sister Eileen Marnien SSJ
) was born and raised in St. Joan of Arc Parish. He attended St. Joan of Arc Grade School and North Catholic High School.
Danny has fond memories of growing up in the parish and neighborhood—and of the parade. “It was strictly working class, a league of nations back then, and I up grew up during World War II. I don’t think there was ever a time in this country where the people were so united—everybody pulled together and got along.”
He also has some vivid and funny memories of the parade. “The parade was held every year and
St. Joan of Arc
led the parade on horseback. That was a
biggie
back then for us kids, and we would ‘ooh an ah’ as she passed. It was the big event of the year—St. Joan of Arc clip-clopping down Frankford Avenue. It was also a very big deal for the
St. Joan of Arc Boys Brigade
who were in their glory as they played and marched in the parade.
The owners of the neighborhood bakery were French. Every year on the day of the parade they dressed their two daughters in French costumes and they would each carry a big bouquet of flowers and march along in the parade. When the vets would come home from the war they would march in the parade and I remember doing that too, at least once.”
One year the pastor, Fr. Lyons, asked Danny to drive ‘
St. Joan
’ down to Lehigh Avenue where the horse was waiting and the parade would begin. He laughingly recalls, “I had recently bought my first car, a used 1947 Mercury. As
Joan
got into my car, she put her staff down and punctured the back of the seat covering! I didn’t really mind, but I did think,
St. Joan of Arc
had to make my
used
car even
more used
!”
Sister Anna Louise Shuck SSJ
has wonderful memories of growing up in St. Joan of Arc Parish. “We were so proud to be students of St Joan of Arc School,” she says. “The strong, brave heroine, Joan of Arc, was our saint. On Memorial Day, her feast day, we ran and skipped to Frankford Avenue to see our very own parade. What excitement when we saw the saint’s likeness, proudly in her silver armor, riding down the Avenue on what we saw as a gallant, white stallion! What memories!”
And so, St Joan of Arc proudly paraded through the Harrowgate section of Philadelphia once again. As for what it means to the people of the parish today, Sister Linda isn’t sure. She shares, “For the old timers who are still here and the many former parishioners who came back for the celebration, it was a rush of nostalgia. For the Latinos, the newest parishioners, it was a great lesson about who St. Joan of Arc was and what she did. It was poignant that for many of the children, it was the first time that they had seen a real horse. Overall, It was a lot of fun and a wonderful celebration.”
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Photos courtesy Linda Lukiewski SSJ
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Click here to read about the celebration in Catholic Philly
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"With the help of God's grace and in fidelity to our founder's expressed wish, we live and work lovingly among all persons with a special preference for those who are poor, which calls us wherever we are to be in union with them."
— SSJ Constitutions #21
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