Congratulations NIX on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

As New Year's Eve approaches, so does the 5th Annual National Human Trafficking Awareness Day [January 11, 2012]. Many readers of this blog will recall the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, NIX Converence and Meeting Management Company, The Millennium Hotel, ECPAT, and Covering House in St. Louis. Over two years ago none of us could have dreamed of the impact of our actions.

S. Joyce, Kim from NIX, S. Kathy, and Dominic
at the Millennium Hotel in July 2011

Many hotels have signed the EPCAT Code of Conduct but few have done it so publically. The Federation Event 2011 website has all the news coverage that surrounded this event.

The ripple effect of this action has been a true expression of connecting neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God. On January 11, 2012, NIX will be the first meeting planning company in the U.S. to sign a Meeting Planner’s Code of Conduct. The impact of this is huge. Read the press release on the NIX website: http://www.nixassoc.com/more-about-nix/

Recently I received an email from Kim, the Senior Account Manager and coorinator of Nix, inviting us to this event. In the note she describes the impact of the Sisters of St. Joseph on her life and work.

The Federation has made such an immense impact on our company and our city! We thank you and as promised, once the event was over your mission has carried on. Personally, you have created a fire in me that cannot be extinguished, and I love and thank you all for that. One of the most memorable parts of the my year after the Federation event is that everywhere there was a CSJ, they would take my hand and tell me that I too was a CSJ at heart…and I believe that to be true. Because I knew you, I have been changed for good…

You may also want to check out the Healing Action Network that was founded in 2011 in response to the growing need of person-centered awareness, advocacy, and action on behalf of sexually exploited individuals. NIX, ECPAT, and Covering House are part of this network.

Path to Citizenship, The Literacy Connection, The Women's Table

Greetings...Our Christmas edition of Soundings Update is available at http://www.csjboston.org/SOUNDINGS.htm

Pat Andrews, CSJ, left, and Ann Moynihan, CSJ, right, assist Christela as she prepares her application for U.S. citizenship at The Literacy Connection office.

This week's edition has a great story about a young woman who is working with The Literacy Connection to complete her citizenship application -- hardly an easy process as you will learn from the article.

Mary Rita Weschler, CSJA, Director of The Women's Table, works with volunteers to prepare Christmas bags for families at Hastings House in Brighton.

You can also view a glimpse of our annual Congregation Advent/Christmas gathering and read about the work of The Women's Table, another of our CSJ Boston ministries.

Dec 7, 2011 Soundings and Advent Reflections

Boston CSJ Motherhouse Chapel & Advent Wreath

Our December 7 edition of Soundings Update is now available.

As you probably know, there are hundreds of online Advent Reflection Resources. Here are just a few from four of the sixteen congregations of Sisters of St. Joseph in the United States.  You may want to pick and choose for your own personal or communal prayer.

ADVENT REFLECTIONS

...from the Congregation of St. Joseph -- This site has weekly reflections and an accompanying reflective video for each week.

http://www.csjoseph.org/adventreflections.aspx

...from the St. Louis CSJs -- This site has a single 2 minute reflective video and a question to accompany the Scripture of each day. If you scroll to the bottom you can read the reflective questions from previous days of Advent.

http://www.csjsl.org/ways-we-serve/daily-advent-prayer.php

...from the Albany CSJs -- This site has reflections for every day of Advent already posted...great for those who like to plan ahead.

http://www.csjalbany.org/index.cfm/Advent2011Reflections/

...from the Baden CSJs -- these are weekly reflections

http://www.stjoseph-baden.org/

Sisters of St. Joseph Advent Reflections

There are many online resources available for the Advent Season. I would like to call your attention to Advent Reflections by Sister of St. Joseph of Albany, NY. Each day has a visually attractive reflection. The page is set up so that the links are easy to access. Just click on the underlined words above.

The picture in this post was taken in Chartres Cathedral in France a few years ago. Each time I look at it, I'm reminded of the moment when I rounded a corner in the cathedrals vast ambulatory to encounter this lone but majestic light in the relative darkness of the space. It never ceases to remind me of the darkness of Advent that gives way to the emerging light of Christmas.

Soundings Update Nov 23 2011

The latest issue of Soundings Update is available at http://www.csjboston.org/SOUNDINGS.htm

Happy Thanksgiving!

Prayer for Mother St. John Fontbonne

As many reading this are aware, November 22, is the Feast of Mother Saint John Fontbonne. One of our Boston CSJ Associates wrote this prayer for a recent staff prayer. She agreed to let me share it on this blog.

We are Miryam women,
We are Joseph women,
We are Medaille women,
We are women inspired by Mother St. John Fontbonne
and Regis Casserly…

We are women of present day,
courageous, humble and strong;
lifting the voice of the marginalized,
linking arms with the oppressed.

We dare to dream,
not just for ourselves,
but for our Dear Neighbor – everywhere~
Seeking ‘the more,’
and the unfolding mystery of the future.
Miryam, Joseph, Medialle, Mother St. John:
Bless us!
Bless our new beginnings,
and our endings.
Bless our desires, our struggles,
and our unceasing quest for ‘Loves’ design,’
and Your will, O God.

We weave, and we become part of the pattern,
compassionately uniting our lives with others.
We embrace the more—each day,
and dare to dream into the future!
                 By Mary Rita Weschler, CSJA (c) 2011

Anti-Trafficking, Tassa Tags, and Black Friday

There are lots of reasons why not to shop on Black Friday. The whole hype about this day has gotten so out of perspective. The only reason that Massachusetts stores aren't opening before midnight on Thanksgiving is that it's against Massachusetts laws. Now they are talking about all the security measures that will be needed so that people are not injured or even killed by one another.
Check out this article in today's Boston Globe:
Keeping shoppers in line on Black Friday
Is this about Christmas gift-giving? Is it about approaching the Christmas Season...or even Advent?

There are lots of Fair Trade shopping sites. Here's just one that came up in a quick google search:
Greater Good Network

There are lots of ways you can still shop on Black Friday, not put your life in danger of injury, and actually not contribute to the consumer hype. You can even fight Human Trafficking as you "shop."

order Tassa Tags at http://www.tassatag.org/

One way is to purchase Tassa Tags for your friends and family. Samples of these tags are at the top of this post. They are luggage tags.  The tags are for Travlers against Sex Slavery and Trafficking. The person who sells them has become affiliated with ECPAT . I wrote a lot about ECPAT back in July when the Sisters of St. Joseph U.S. Federation worked with the Millennium Hotel to address hotel trafficking.

Earlier this week, Massachusetts Lawmakers finally approved human trafficking bill. This is a big step in the right direction. Although about the passage of the bill was eclipsed by the casino bill, our Justice & Peace Director pointed out to me that casinos are a place where human trafficking happens.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/11/15/mass_lawmakers_weigh_final_human_trafficking_bill/?fb_ref=art&fb_source=profile_oneline

Massachusetts is one of three -- yes three -- states without anti-human trafficking laws. That fact alone is astounding!

The Real Power Suits

The latest edition of Soundings Update is now available at
http://www.csjboston.org/SOUNDINGS.htm

Earlier this week, one of our sisters heard from a former student. The article titled "The Real Power Suits" is about a Quilt Challenge in which this student participated. It's very interesting.

On page 2 there is a prayer for the Feast of Mother St. John Fontbonne. November 22 is the anniversary of her death.

Soundings Update October 26, 2011

The next issue of Soundings Update is available at: http://www.csjboston.org/SOUNDINGS.htm . This issue has articles about:

• Sharing Memories of Merrimack Montessori School
• Sharing and Sustaining our CSJ Mission with those who have recently joined our CSJ Sponsored Ministries

Searching for more in life?

Are you searching for something more in your life?

Do you have a desire to serve the Church?

Have you thought about becoming a Sister, Brother or Religious Priest?

Would you like to learn more about religious life?

If so, you are cordially invited to attend

An Evening of Prayer and Conversation on Religious Life on October 18th

In response to the questions above there is a great opportunity coming up at our Motherhouse on October 18. It is hosted by the Archdiocesan Delegate for Religious who is a Sister of St. Joseph.

Here are the details:

An Evening of Prayer and Conversation

For Men and Women Interested in Religious Life

October 18, 2011

6:00 – 9:30 p.m.

Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse

637 Cambridge St.

Brighton, MA 02135

Sponsored by

Archdiocese of Boston Delegate for Religious

Phone: 617-746-5637

Sr_Marian_Batho@rcab.org

Web site: www.bostoncatholic.org

Program will begin with Registration at 6:00 p.m. and include:

• Welcome
• Supper
• Opening Prayer and Introductions
• Witness Talks – “How I Heard God Calling My Name”
• Conversation
• Prayer
• Concluding Prayer
• Departure at 9:30 p.m.

Also, our October 12, 2011, issue of Soundings Update is available at http://www.csjboston.org/SOUNDINGS.htm . In this issue read about

• Our October 2 celebration of our CSJ Boston Founders' Day
• a wonderful collaborative effort on the part of our Advancement Office with several of our ministries, the Allston and Brighton Boards of Trade

Prayer Evening for those Interested in Religious Life

Our Archdiocesan Delegate for Religius is offering an evening at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse on October 18. It is an Evening of Prayer and Conversation for Women and Men Interested in Religious Life

If you click the link it will open to the calendar page on the archdiocesan website where this opportunity is listed. If you are interested in prayer and conversation about religious life, please print this out and contact Sister Marian. If you know others who may be interested in religious life please share this brochure or this blog post with them.

NCNWR & New Orleans with a CSJ twist!

The past few days at the Conference for the National Communicators Network for Women Religious has been wonderful. Everyone seems to be enjoying the city. There is so much to do and see. I tend to veer toward the less touristy sites. On Tuesday morning, Alison, who is a candidate for the Sisters of St. Joseph and a lawyer who works in this area, was gracious enough to bring me around to several really intersting places. Here are some pictures:

Tomb of the Unknown Slave at St. Augustine's Parish.
This is the oldest African American parish in the United States.

plaque to commemorating slaves at the church

These next two pictures are of the Backstreet Cultural Museum.
Here you can see costumes for an alternative Mardi Gras parade.
It is quite a contrast to Mardi Gras world which we visited as part of the conference

Congo Square has been a gathering place for Native Americans of New Orleans since before the French arrived. They continue to gather for drumming, dancing, and singing on Sunday afternoons.

Kathleen and Lori, both Sisters of St. Joseph minister at the St. Vincent de Paul ESL center.

Dorothy [left] is part of this year's Joseph Workers and works at the same center.
Alison [right] stopped to talk with her during our tour.

We also visited the office of Helen Prejean, CSJ. Helen is pictured here with Margaret [left] and Carolyn [right].
According to Helen, these are the people who make her ministry possible.
Helen was a keynote speaker at our conference.

Mardi Gras world was quite a contrast to the Backstreet Cultural Museum.

We dined at the New Olreans School of Cooking. This woman entertained us with stories as she prepared our dinner.
If you go with a group, be prepared...the chicken and shrimp eaters had to eat in different rooms. If you want to go with a friend, it would be wise to make the same dinner selection. 

The women pictured with Jackie [center] are the St. Joseph Workers for this year.

CSJ Associates' 25 years & Bethany HCC 50 years!

At the Associates' Anniverary Celebration,
each received one o the pins pictured here.

It was designed by one of our sisters. 

Our latest issue of Soundings Update is now on online. The link says September 21 but it really brings you to the September 27 issue. This issue reports on our CSJ Associates' 25th Anniversary Celebration and the 50th Anniversary of Bethany Health Care Center. Channel 5, a major local TV station offered a great segment on their news show called Chonical. You can view that as well at http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/29266215/detail.html . The program may take a little time to load so be patiend.

CSJs and NCNWR Conference-New Orleans

The National Communicators Network for Women Religious [NCNWR] meets in New Orleans this week. I arrived a day early to visit with CSJs in the area and learn a little about the ever present memory of hurricaine Katrina on this area.

Yesterday Ily picked me up. We did a couple of tourist-type things but mostly things that tourists may not see. I'll try to let the pictures tell the story!

A Typical scene in the picturesque French Quarter

The Mirabeau CSJ Motherhouse was completely destroyed. No sooner had it been restored than a fire destroyed the entire building. All that remains is this lemon tree and the logo in the next picture

Logo from the floor of the CSJ Mirabeau building

a house directly across from the CSJ property. Note the "Do not demolish" sign

This kind of devastation is also typical around the city. Although much has been done, much remains to be done.

A post-Katrina success story. These house have been rebuilt through generous grants and the work of Habitat for Humanity. The section is called "Musicians' Village"

After Katrina, the CSJs relocated offices to another place. There is a lot going on here. The People Program alone had about 70 people doing all sorts of things when we were there.

Jackie, Ily, and I stopped for lunch near Lake Pontchartrain

We visited the Ursuline Convent. When our sisters came to the U.S. in 1836 they stayed with the Ursuline's before heading up the Mississippi to St. Louis.

These chairs seem to be the only thing in the Ursuline Convent today that is from the original convent. Could our first sisters have sat on these very chairs.

Of course I shopped! This is Oscar who has been selling jewelry and other crafts in the French Market for three decades. He was delighted that I had heard about his crafts from a friend and sought out his booth.

I purchased a couple of T-Shirts here because this woman both designs, makes, and sells them. They are different from all thethe more commercial T-Shirts I saw while walking around. Most of the other stores seem to sell basically the same styles.

Sunrise from my hotel room. I got up early to work on this blog post!

Soundings Update

The September 14, 2011 Soundings Update is available at http://www.csjboston.org/SOUNDINGS.htm
This issue features pictures and a brief article about our 50th Jubilee Celebration.

A Sister of St. Joseph's Jubilee Reflections

Yesterday our sisters who entered in 1961 celebrated their Golden Jubilee. This weeks issue of Soundings Update will be available in a few days. In the meantime I've created a link to the Jubilee Reflections by one of the jubilee group -- or "party" as Boston CSJs call the group with whom we entered!
Jubilee Reflections

remembering 9/11 -- something our souls need

Our news this week is filled with stories and images in remembrance of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. It seems as if our hearts and souls and minds need to be with the memories and live into hopes for the future. I've received quite a few email with reflections and invitations to 10th anniversary events. In a way it's almost overwhelming.

However a link to a special edition of the Congregation of St. Joseph's e-newsletter showed up on my Facebook page this afternoon. It is quite simple but very powerful. If you click through to the e-newsletter, you can also click a short video that remembers the faces of those whose lives ended because of 9/11.

I also have to explain the picture in this post. I took it today at a  beach in Plymouth. I had been at a meeting in the area and drove down this little road where my parents almost purchased a summer cottage when I was five years old. When they put their feet in the water and discovered how cold it was, the deal was off and they continued on the "sound side" of Cape Cod where the water is warmer. But I vividly recall that day and never forgot that beach.

So much converged in those few minutes at this beach today -- childhood memories of a five-year-old who was surrounded by trust -- the non-stop news coverage of the 9/11 anniversary and newly discovered terrorist threats -- the realization that this beautiful space spans the shadow of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant -- and then this idyllic scene of a majestic flag, cloud swept sky, post-storm ocean, and eroding shoreline in the midst of it all. It gave me goose bumps...seared my soul...offered opportunity for rich contemplation as I headed home.

Soundings Update Summer 2011, Bethany Health Care's 50th, and moving!

Well it's been a busy three weeks. I live in community with two other sisters and we moved two weeks ago. We're in a slightly smaller but very comfortable house and the process of pruning and sorting was really good. I learned that in order to get an estimate of the length of time and cost of the move we needed to inventory literally every stick of furniture in our home -- tedious and time consuming!

Moving day was quite a spectacle. Our friends...mostly sisters and associates...were everywhere doing the last minute packing of the former house, helping place furniture in the new house, arranging for meals, unpacking boxes, setting up the phone and computer, and endless other little but necessary jobs. The neighbors we've met so far seem really nice. I wish I had taken pictures but everyone was so busy there just wasn't time. I should also commend the moving company, Gentle Giant. The four young men who moved us were amazing. I don't think they ever took a break other than to stop for lunch. They were patient, courteous, careful, and considerate.

In the midst of it all I was actually able to publish the summer issue of Soundings Update. It's available at this link: http://www.csjboston.org/su-Summer-2011.pdf
This issue talks a about our Volunteers in Mission Program that happened in late June and the CSSJ Federation Event in which over 80 of sisters participated. There were several posts about that in the summer and there's a link to the Event website in the upper right section of this blog.

On September 22, Bethany Health Care Center, a CSJ Sponsored Ministry where many of our infirm sisters live, is celebrating 50 years of the "New" Bethany. There will be a big celebration at the Newton, Marriot. It's not too late to purchase tickets to this event or for the car raffle that is also happening as part of the 50th celebration. Just visit Bethany's website at: http://www.bethanyhealthcare.org/

As Director of Communication for our congregation, I am no longer on a traditional academic schedule. But even though summer doesn't officially end until September 21,  there seems to be something embedded in our culture that signals the end of summer when when the school buses start rolling around the corner and the crisp new pencils are poised for action.

And so here we are -- back to business as usual -- whatever that is!!! More and more life rarely seems to be "usual." Every day holds something new.

Hotels are hub of human trafficking prevention

When I began this blog over two and a half years ago, I never dreamed how much I would end up posting about efforts to address human trafficking. However it has long been part of the mission and spirituality of Sisters of St. Joseph to notice a need and address it. It is clear that there is a need to stop human trafficking in our world today.

Image from article cited at left

Since the Millennium St. Loius Hotel signed the ECPAT Code of Conduct back in July it seems that there has been a groundswell of articles about other hotels and tourist industries taking similar action. Today someone sent me an article titled: Hotels are hub of human trafficking prevention. This is so hopeful. Perhaps we are getting closer to ending this horrific crime.

Sisters listen and act on confronting institutional domination

This week the leadership teams from religious congregations of women throughout the United States are meeting in Garden Grove, CA for the LCWR annual conference. It seems they too are addressing the issue of hotel trafficking. Yesterday there was an article in NCR titled: Sisters listen and act on confronting institutional domination. I have posted a link to the article on the Federation Event Website because it alludes to what the Sisters of St. Joseph did in St. Louis back in early July. It is very exciting to realize this initiative is spreading and being addressed by more and more people.

Tell McGraw-Hill to include Modern-Day Slavery in Textbooks

Tell McGraw-Hill Publishers: Slavery Did Not End in 1865, Include Modern-Day Slavery in Textbooks.

A friend just sent the link to this petition: http://bit.ly/rkVWPu

image from Change.org site

When you think about it, it's amazing that any textbook is still teaching that slavery ended in 1865. Can we afford to perpetuate this myth? We protect every child when educators have age-appropriate resources to teach any child about the reality of modern-day slavery.

Please consider signing this petition. 

CSSJs address human trafficking; support Elizabeth Johnson

Wow! We've had an amazing week at our CSSJ Federation Event 2011. I'm finally home unwinding a bit after all the activity. I just went through each of the daily updates and daily slide presentations. Whether or not you were at the event, this review of the week takes about 15 minutes and really puts all the individual pieces into perspective. If you can't do the 15 minute review of our five days, at least read the article in NCR titled: Religious community publically backs embattled Sr. Elizabeth Johnson; Meeting also seeks landmark agreement on human trafficking.

While these two moments were heart-stretching and tranforming, it feels as if every moment was a major moment...

• all the prayers during the event
• the whole setting...ambiance starting with the table centerpieces that drew us together, as well as the banners and  Faces of Zeal videos [now on the event site home page & who are we page]. These represent every congregation in the Federation as well as our international sisters.
• liturgy with one of our associates who is a priest as presider,
• the keynote speakers,
• our public statement of support for our sister, Elizabeth Johnson,
• the culmination of two years of conversation and collaboration in the hotel's signing of the ECPAT Code to address human trafficking,
• ...and the news coverage of both of these -- don't miss the NCR article that does an excellent job of covering both of these in the context of the whole event.
• the many conversations -- formal and informal,
• the amazing hospitality and affirmation from the Millennium St. Louis Hotel management and associates and the brilliant work of NIX Conference and Meeting Management as well as the very patient and attentive technology crew....it just goes on and on.

A slde presentation that reviews the week was used during the closing prayer. It is on the Event 2011 website at

http://sistersofstjosephusfederation.club.officelive.com/WednesdayJuly13.aspx 

Scroll down from the slide show of the closing morning and open the link to the slide show. It takes a minute or so to open. Be patient.

My fear in listing any of these moments is that I will miss something. I want to extend a personal thank you to all who made the Sisters of St. Joseph U.S. Federation Event 2011 possible. The names are too numerous to list but you know who you are. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your "Zeal for healing the neighborhood of God's sacred universe." We are one, all is one, we are all one.