Soundings Update...and a lot more!

Our January 27, 2010, issue of Soundings Update is now available at http://www.csjboston.org/su-Jan-27-2010.pdf . The full issue of the Winter edition of Soundings is also available on our website. What is pictured above and on the masthead is the January 10 Prayer Vigil hosted by Boston Area Religious Women  in Commemoration of Human Trafficking Awareness Day. There is a brief article about the prayer vigil in this issue of Soundings Update. Articles about this vigil appeared in:

• The Pilot: Brighton prayer vigil marks Human Trafficking Awareness Day
• The Allston Brighton Tab: Human trafficking exists ‘right here, right now’
• a press release and slideshow of the vigil on our website: Boston Area Religious Women Host Prayer Vigil in Commemoration of Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Also: Check out the things that are happening during the next few weeks.

On February 12: WALK IN MY SHOES: A HEALTH ACCESS SIMULATION TM The Experience of Low-Income Health Care Consumers.

This is an experiential workshop designed to give people a concrete idea of what many people experience when they seek medical assistance and don't have health care. The Women’s Table is eager to sponsor this workshop in order:

• to raise awareness of everyday barriers that women & families face when they are uninsured
• to enlist volunteers to 'walk with,' advocate, and companion women and families in need.

This is open to the public but you need to register by February 8. Details are in the link.
There is information about several other opportunities that you can learn about on our website. I'll say more about these in the days ahead but for now I'll just list them:

• The Vows Reflected through the Lens of the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church
• Come to the Sea: A Women's Weekend
• Volunteers in Mission
• Monthly Taize Prayer

Finally: Don't forget to scroll down to read more about the Maxims of the Little Institute, one of our CSSJ founding documents.

Autumn: A busy time for Sisters of St. Jospeh

The latest issue of Soundings Update is available on our website at: http://www.csjboston.org/su-Sept-16-2009.pdf . This issue doesn't have any articles. There is so much going on during the next six weeks that I needed to devote the issue to listing those dates. If you are in the Boston area, know that you are most welcome at Taize Prayer and our evening liturgies. We welcome our Dear Neighbors to join us in prayer during these times. The issue also advertises a weekend coming up called: Come to the Sea: A Women's Weekend. All the dates for Taize Prayer and more on the Women's Weekend can be found on our website. http://www.csjboston.org/NEWS_Upcoming_Events.htm

Perhaps the most important happening in the near future is the Profession of Final Vows of one of our sisters. It's been a real privilege to journey with Sister Pat as she prepares for this day. Last October, she and I participated in a pilgrimage/retreat to Mexico. It was an immersion experience in the spirituality, life, and culture of the Mexican people. I've written about this before and you can learn about it at: http://www.westonpriory.org/mexico/index.html. I'll certainly be writing about her profession of vows in the near future. Many of the women who were part of our Mexico pilgrimage retreat are coming to her Final Vow Liturgy. It will be great to see them again.

A few weeks ago a sister-friend of mine sent me the link to a new blog. I linked it to my blog but want highlight it in this post.

• St.Joseph's Worker New Orleans is a new venture of the Congregation of St. Joseph. The St. Joseph Worker Program is a one year volunteer experience for women who are passionate about social change. St. Joseph Workers (SJWs) commit to the values of justice, leadership, spirituality, and living simply in intentional community. The SJWs are sponsored by the Congregation of St.Joseph. With the opening of the new SJW house in New Orleans, the program now boasts a nationwide presence!

Just for the record -- the sunflowers at in this post are all from our Motherhouse garden. The sister who cultivates this piece of the garden told me that she didn't even plant sunflower seeds this year. They just wanted to come. Isn't it amazing what the earth knows about where and how to grow?

A Perfect Saturday Day of Prayer

Yesterday was pure gift. A group of sisters gathered at one of our houses by the ocean in Cohasset for a day of reflection. The group included newer members, the sisters who live with them, sisters from our hospitality house, and members of our Initial Formation Team.

Dorothea, one of our sisters, facilitated our prayer during the day. This picture is of the centerpiece in the room where we gathered. It includes a bible, a statue of Mother St. John Fontbonne, a candle that was brought from a visit toTaize, France, during our 2008 CSSJ Heritage, and scarf that was given to all who participated in the 200th anniversary of MSJF regathering sisters after the French Revolution and beginning the expansion of the Sisters of St. Joseph throughout the world.

The statue has MSJF with one foot forward always ready for the next good thing. I've included a picture that focuses on that part of the statue. The original is a full size statue designed by Mary Southard, CSJ from Illinois and is in the center of the Heritage Center in Lyon France.

More about the day: The day of prayer was really a refreshing opportunity for all who gathered. There was ample time for personal prayer and time to share the state of our heart. We all come from such full ministries. During her introduction, Dorothea invited us to slow down "the frieight train of our restless minds and hearts." This really touched my soul. I realized how full the previous week had been and her words really allowed me to slow down.

The sisters who gathered were so grateful for the time to connect with God and one another in this way. It was a perfect follow-up to Gathering the Daughters. There we were with 65 newer members of the Sisters of St. Joseph from all over the US and Canada as well as those who are part of Formation Teams. At this day of prayer we were with our newer members and some who are on the journey with them in our local Boston Congregation. The balance of the two gatherings was wonderful.

On another note: When I wrote the explanation of the statue of MSJF with one foot forward, it reminded me to mention the article about Sister Anna Mary Kelly that is in today's Boston Globe. She was a woman who, like Mother St. John Fontbonne, always had one foot forward ready for the next new thing. Sister Anna Mary passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 97. This is a link to the article in today's Globe and a couple of other recent articles about her.

From the Boston Globe:

Sister Anna Mary Kelly, at 97; served as dean at Regis College

From The Pilot -- the archdoicesan Catholic newspaper:

Sister Anna Mary Kelly, CSJ, former president of Boston’s Sisters of St. Joseph

From our Boston CSJ website:

We Remember Her As a Gracious, Loving, Wisdom Figure

Come to the Sea: A Women’s Weekend

Some of our sisters are offering a weekend of prayer for women. It takes place near the ocean in Nahant, MA March 20 - 22, 2009, and is geared for women ages 20-40. If you’re reading this and are interested, check out our website for details on how to register. If you know other women looking for a weekend that offers time to be still and tap into her own Sacred space, invite her to Come to the Sea…for quiet, listening, and praying with other women. The suggested age is between 20 – 40 years.This information is also available at http://www.csjboston.org/ . Just click where it says "Upcoming Events" and scroll down to the bottom of that page or just click the title of this post and it will bring you right to the page with this information. This page also links you to other prayer opportunities we offer such as Taize Prayer and regularly scheduled liturgies at our Motherhouse.